The wind was a thief, mercilessly stripping the trees of the last fragile leaves summer had left behind. Everything that was once green had shed its colour, leaving behind the hues of decay: yellowed, withered, and rotting.

  Jasmine, a raven-haired girl, sat on the window sill, the cold glass pressed against her side. She drew her knees to her chest, chin resting atop them, her long, curly hair falling around her like a gentle hug, her silhouette framed by the gray, rain-slicked world outside.

  "I don't know how anyone could like such horrible weather." Emma's voice pulled Jasmine from the trance of falling rain.

  "I find it comforting," Jasmine replied, turning her head slightly.

  Emma let out a breathless half-laugh. "Only from afar." She was curled on her bed, legs tucked beneath her, bathed in the warm hue of her bedside lamp. Her golden-blonde hair tumbled over her shoulders in soft waves, freckles dusted her cheeks and shoulders. Kissed by the sun herself, Jasmine thought.

  Emma turned a page without looking up, but smiling now, she added, "Careful, you'll make me blush."

  Jasmine couldn't help her own smile, letting Emma's words dissolve into the sound of raindrops hammering against the glass, drifting her blue eyes back to the rain-drenched scene.

  This time, the black iron gates guarding their house were open.

  A young man stepped through, his black leather boots leaving prints in the wet, sandy pathway that led to the house. His head was slightly bowed against the unforgiving wind.

  Jasmine's heart jumped, a smile creeping onto her lips.

  "Let me guess, he's here?" Emma asked, eyes still glued to the book.

  "He's here!" Jasmine yelled, already on her feet and taking off into a run. She rushed out of the bedroom, almost falling down the stairs, the movement carrying her across the living room. She flung the heavy front door open just as his hand lifted, his knuckles barely an inch from the wood.

  Theo stood in the doorway, his hand still hovering. Surprise washed across his face. His brown hair was plastered to his forehead, droplets racing down the curve of his cheek. A grin stretched slowly across his mouth. "Please tell me you didn't hear my boots squelching from halfway across town," he said, half-laughing.

  Jasmine lifted her forearm against the doorway, a smug tilt to her smile. "No, but we have impeccable window surveillance."

  The smell of cold rain and his familiar spicy cologne spilled into the warmth of her home as the door closed with a soft click. Theo shrugged off his navy blue jacket and hung it on the rack by the door, the fabric dripping onto the worn wood beneath.

  Running a hand through his soaked hair, he exhaled. "I swear the sky laughed when it saw me drop my car off this morning."

  Jasmine's lips curled into a sly grin. "So my prayers worked?" she asked, holding his gaze a moment longer than necessary.

  A genuine, sweet smile touched Theo's face before it turned mischievous. He quickly lowered his head to hers and shook it violently, sending a cold spray of rain from his hair flying into her face.

  Jasmine yelped, squeezing her eyes shut and throwing up a hand to shield herself. When she opened them, he was laughing down at her, that beautiful, idiotic grin plastered on his face.

  "Are you a dog or a man?" Jasmine asked, still laughing, swiping at her cheek.

  "Technically both. But feel free to treat me like a stray," he murmured, the laughter gone, his expression now deadly serious and focused only on her.

  Get a room, Emma's uninvited, sharp-witted voice echoed in the edges of Jasmine's mind. The soul bond between them buzzed slightly with annoyance.

  Jasmine turned away, but not before he caught the faintest flush rising to her cheeks. She moved to the kitchen, busying herself with a mug from the cupboard. "Do you want tea, or are you aiming for death by hypothermia?"

  The scent of rain gave way to the brewing honey-sweetened tea and hot chocolate that soon filled the room. A few minutes later, a knock sounded. Emma came downstairs just as two more sets of boots thudded in the hallway, and the group was complete.

  All of them gathered around the kitchen table, its surface cleared of clutter in favour of a map spread out across it.

  Jake's finger glided over the cluster of red dots on the map of Angel's Ruin. "These are where their belongings were found." He swept his hand through his blonde hair, the movement composed. His sharp cheekbones, defined jawline, and pale skin made him look as though untouched by the sun.

  "All of their belongings were found around the lake. The police have swept the lake twice now, every inch of it, but there was nothing. No bodies. It's as if they meticulously laid out everything they owned—wallets, keys, phones, clothes, shoes—and disappeared without a trace," Jake explained, his light gray eyes lifting from the map. "None of them knew each other. A kindergarten teacher. A student. An accountant. A small business owner. Four completely separate lives, no overlap, no common circles."

  He let the silence breathe for a beat. "And all of them, from what we've dug up, were genuinely happy. They had plans. Vacations booked, careers on the upswing, weddings in the pipeline. It wasn't like they were running from something. They just... disappeared."

  Theo, arms crossed and gaze pinned to the map, took a slow sip of his tea. "Well, one of them being an accountant does sort of fit. I'd disappear too."

  A synchronized ripple of disbelief swept through the small group. Jake, tracing a line on the map, exhaled sharply. "Really, Theo?"

  Jasmine managed to hide her smile by pressing a hand to her mouth, but the amusement still sparkled in her eyes.

  Jake's gaze slid to Lydia, the copper-haired girl standing beside him. Her hair, still damp from the rain, clung to her shoulders, framing her green eyes. He gave her a quick, almost imperceptible nod.

  Lydia slid four photographs across the table, the glossy surfaces catching the overhead light, along with the scales that decorated her skin, betraying her siren bloodline.

  "We've identified the missing individuals. Two of them werewolves, and the others: a vampire and a banshee. The clothes they left behind were torn and dirty, like they fought—or were dragged—before they vanished, but there wasn't a single drop of blood," Lydia explained. With every tilt of her head or graceful gesture, the scales of pale silver and ocean blue cast fleeting hues of light throughout the whole room.

  Theo took a slow sip of his tea, the motion almost casual despite the weight of the conversation. "Is it possible," he mused, his voice calm, "that they really did just leave?" Theo's fingers curled around the ceramic cup, the silver rings on his hand clicking softly against its surface, a quiet rhythm that filled the space between his words. "Or is it more likely that they're dead?"

  The warmth inside had nearly dried his hair, leaving the strands just slightly damp, curling at the ends in a way that made him look effortlessly undone. His brown waves framed his sharp features, but even they couldn't hide the way his blue eyes never stayed anywhere for long. Except for Jasmine. His eyes found her instinctively, flickering back to her with a pull he couldn't quite fight, lingering just long enough for everyone around him to notice.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Jake exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "We don't know if they're dead. They're missing. But if that were the case, there would have been blood. Pieces of flesh. Something." His fingers tapped absently against the edge of the table.

  He rested his arms on the sides of the table, pressing his fingers into the wood as if grounding himself. "When I say there was nothing, I mean it. No remains. No scent. No blood. It's as if they simply stepped out of their clothes and vanished without leaving any DNA behind." His voice was low, measured. "The only reason we know the clothes found belonged to the missing people is because their loved ones confirmed it. Plus, they left their wallets and IDs behind."

  "No DNA from the victims? How is that even possible?" Jasmine asked, leaning forward instinctively.

  "It isn't. Yet it is," Jake muttered. "But here’s where it gets even weirder. Each crime scene, if we can even call them that, had DNA from two other beings."

  "Do they know who the DNA belongs to?" Theo asked, suddenly completely focused on Jake.

  "In every instance, the two DNA samples found had high-density human markers, but they were fused with ophidian protein sequences at a cellular level. The tech called it ‘someone’s lab experiment’ and wrote it off as a prank, calling it a contaminated sample, even though the results were identical at every site. It’s like the DNA can’t decide which one it wants to be," Jake explained. "The police think someone is messing with them. We know better—we know this is the doing of our kind."

  "What does your father think?" Jasmine asked while leaning back in her chair, crossing her arms. "He must have his theories."

  Jake's gray eyes flickered toward her. "He doesn't know what to make of it," he admitted, his voice carrying a rare note of uncertainty. "Not yet, at least. He's seen a lot." His fingers drummed against the table. "But this? People disappearing without a trace, leaving only their torn clothes behind? No blood, no scent, nothing? It's not normal—not even by our standards."

  Emma shifted in her seat, but it wasn't the restless fidgeting of someone who was scared. She sat stiffly, her shoulders squared like she was bracing for a fight. Jasmine caught her gaze, and for a heartbeat, it felt like being struck.

  Jasmine had known Emma since they were four. She had seen Emma in every state imaginable—scraping her knees as a toddler, crying over broken toys, or laughing until she couldn't breathe. She knew the language of Emma’s eyes better than her own reflection and right now, the anger was aimed at her.

  Jasmine reached out—not physically, but through their bond. The connection hummed softly, familiar, effortless. And yet… nothing was off.

  Emma felt like herself. Her thoughts, her emotions, all rang true—untroubled, normal. No unease in her mind, no secret emotions tucked away. It left Jasmine unsettled. Am I losing it?

  Across the table from Emma, Lydia didn't move to touch Jake, but she shifted just enough that their shoulders nearly brushed. Jake mirrored her posture, his fingers momentarily stilling against his glass as she spoke.

  "No one walks away from everything without a trace," Lydia said, her voice steady and low.

  ***

  Jasmine leaned against the weatherworn pillar of her porch, its white paint splintered and peeling. One hand gripped a cigarette, the faint ember glowing weakly against the chill of the night, while the other wrapped tightly around her torso in a futile attempt to preserve the fading warmth of her own body.

  Her thoughts scattered like leaves caught in a restless wind until the creak of the door brought her back. She turned her head just as Theo stepped out into the cold.

  "My heroic timing is impeccable, wouldn't you say?" he said, eyebrow lifted.

  Before she could reply, he was already shrugging off his jacket and draping it over her shoulders. The warmth clung to the lining, and the scent of him filled her lungs.

  Her heart skipped a beat, his gesture catching her off guard. Jasmine glanced up, cheeks flushed, and whispered, "Thank you." The words barely carrying beyond the wind.

  Theo's lips curled into a smile. "You're welcome, Jasmine." He glanced at the cigarette in her hand and raised an eyebrow. "You do know that smoking is bad for you, right?" Without waiting for her response, he plucked it from her hand and took a drag himself.

  Jasmine crossed her arms as she watched him. "So they all say."

  Theo exhaled a cloud of smoke, his eyes meeting hers. "Well, I'm not 'they.' I'm me. And I'm saying it because I care." He handed the cigarette back to her, his fingers brushing against hers for a fleeting moment.

  Jasmine hesitated but took it, though her focus was more on the lingering warmth of his touch than the cigarette itself.

  Theo's expression grew serious, and he tilted his head slightly. "What do you think of the missing people? Any thoughts?"

  Jasmine looked down at the ground, her brows furrowing. "It's intriguing," she admitted. She took a drag, the smoke curling around her like a shroud. "Do you think it could be connected to the lake?" she asked.

  "I think we're missing something," Theo murmured, eyes fixed on his boots. His jaw tightened as his gaze lifted onto the darkness beyond the porch. "There's something old in those woods," he said finally, "I feel it on full moons, like it's calling for me, pulling at something inside of me."

  He shifted, boot scraping the porch wood, and stepped closer to Jasmine. His eyes dropped for a moment, shoulders drawn tight beneath his shirt. Heat rolled off him in waves, but he wasn't shivering; he never did.

  Theo continued, "I used to think it was just instinct. Some part of the shift I hadn't learned to read. I tried to ignore it, but every time I ended up in the same place—the lake."

  Jasmine took one final drag from the cigarette, the ember glowing in the dim light, and handed it back to Theo. He accepted it without a word, his fingers brushing against hers. It sparked something quiet between them.

  The ember flared once before he brought it to his lips, still watching her.

  Not just watching. His gaze settled on her with an intensity that made her nervous; she knew if he looked at her long enough, she might lean toward him without realizing it.

  Smoke drifted from Theo’s lips, his posture still as a statue except for the faint rise and fall of his chest. The porch light caught just enough of him—the sharp line of his cheekbone, the tension across his shoulders, the shadows gathering in the hollow of his throat… and that look in his eyes.

  Jasmine shifted, uncertain whether the chill tracing her skin came from the cold or the way he was looking at her, like he wanted to be closer but was holding back. Like he was waiting for her to close the distance.

  "Most people run away from things that whisper in the woods, you know," she challenged softly.

  Theo took a slow drag from his cigarette, the ember flaring, his eyes still locked on hers. "Perhaps."

  It was always like this between them. He had a talent for drawing blushes from her as easily as breath, and he always noticed. Always let that knowing smile tug at the corner of his mouth.

  And tonight was no different. As the porch light flickered across his face, catching the glint in his eyes, heat bloomed across Jasmine's cheeks.

  Theo made it impossible to forget he was watching her. There was a shadow of something wild, restless just beneath the human mask he wore so well. Most people would miss it, writing him off as a little intense.

  But Jasmine saw more than that. She always had.

  Then, the front door flew open. Jasmine flinched, turning toward the sudden commotion.

  Emma stood in the doorway, the wind whipping strands of blonde hair across her face, her eyes alight with urgency.

  "We have an idea," Emma announced, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. The spell was broken, and the bubble around Theo and Jasmine shattered. A pang of disappointment, sharp and unexpected, twisted in Jasmine's stomach.

  As soon as Theo and Jasmine stepped inside, Jake was already moving towards them. "We've been thinking," he said. "What if we start walking the perimeter of the lake ourselves? Search for anything the police might overlook. It's not exactly a plan… but it's a start."

  Jasmine and Theo exchanged a glance, their silent approval passing between them like a spark. Theo gave a slight nod to Jake.

  "Since we're all in agreement," Jake continued, his tone steady despite the weight of the situation, "we'll begin tomorrow, moving in pairs. Never alone."

  Theo shifted his gaze toward Jasmine. "Maybe Jasmine and I can take the first turn," he said, his voice casual but carrying just enough weight to make Jasmine's heart skip.

  Jasmine blinked, caught off guard, but Theo's confidence made it difficult to argue.

  Jake didn't miss a beat, nodding quickly. "Fine by me. Lydia and I can take the day after."