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Chapter 1

The snow was falling in a flurry when I pulled up in front of Edgar Allan Poe’s High School. This building wasn’t what I was expecting, and from the look on Kaetan’s face, I could tell that it wasn’t what he expected either...

I didn’t know if it was just the winter chill, but the place looked downright grim... Built of dark grey stone, it was slick with morning mist. Narrow, pointed windows sliced through the walls—ideal for secretive glances during boring classes. And the gothic spires loomed like silent sentinels. One would think that the snow should add a charming touch, but no—the white blanket on the roof only made the structure resemble a haunted house, eerily waiting for some monster to appear.

Perhaps, though, the real monster had already arrived...

Perhaps, she had been studying here all along!

It was unsettling to think that students from this place were murdered during their New Year’s Eve prom... What struck me most though, was the absence of police tape; there was none on the building or even around it... It was strange, I thought that this would be an area under investigation... Preserving evidence was crucial here, however, the tape’s barrier was conspicuously missing...

Hmm, did we arrive too early? Or did the authorities determine that the school wasn't directly connected to the bodies found in the nearby parked car, and thus decided not to mark the area?

“I’m curious about the headmaster’s take on this case,” Kaetan broke me out of my reverie, redirecting my attention to himself...

I turned my head to take in his frame, his face. My partner… the only one I considered my equal in investigation, yet at the same time, ahead of me by years of experience; and the one, with whom I had fallen in love… Thinking back to our stolen moment at the office this morning made my heart constrict with emotion. My eyes almost unwillingly glanced down at his lips, recalling that just half an hour ago, I got to feel them on mine, for the very first time. I was still reeling from the memory of our kiss, giddy with excitement that he wanted me too. I wanted more of it; more of him, but now wasn’t the best moment to think about it... we had to concentrate on our new investigation.

I thus brought my focus back to the present moment, and turned my gaze to the steel-reinforced, foreboding front door leading to this spooky school... Kaetan’s eyes followed in the same direction, and after crossing the snowy yard, we climbed the slippery steps leading to the entrance.

To my greatest surprise, the ominous door flew open before we got the chance to ring the bell. But this was no paranormal event; the headmaster, identifiable from the photographs associated with this case, stood before the door, enveloped in a large black coat. His head was covered by a beanie, and he had the gloves on, almost as if he was ready to go out.

“Oh, it’s you, gentlemen,” he said cordially, stepping back and moving to the side; his voice rich and gravelly. “I was on my way to the police station... I didn’t imagine you’d come here by yourselves.”

“We routinely investigate throughout the city,” I informed him with a rather terse tone, naturally getting into my bad cop persona... I also straightened my police badge, the one our supervisor handed out just before we left. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Simon Sanders, junior investigator in this case.”

“And I am Kaetan Montgomery... the senior investigator,” Kaetan introduced himself. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

“My pleasure… Charles Forrester,” the headmaster shook our hands rather firmly, and ushered us both in.

I was the first to get in, with Kaetan trailing right behind me. We often walked in this manner, but after everything that happened between us on a private level, I realized something new about it... His tall presence just behind me, made me feel safe... Of course, I knew it was just a false sense of security, since we could be attacked at any moment as detectives; but somehow knowing that he was in it with me, brought me comfort...

My senses sharpened when we stepped into the school’s main corridor; it was shadowy but venerable, an aesthetic that one would expect in a vampire high school... I almost chuckled to myself, realizing this, because a vampire was something that I was now, yet my apartment still looked normal… cozy, almost!

In the middle of the corridor, stood a large statue, depicting a kneeling angel-woman with wings forming a protective canopy over her silhouette... Her hands were outstretched; her face pale, and her eyes, devoid of irises, like in the case of most sculptures. And yet, the sculptor didn’t forget to carve tears on her face—almost as if he knew that one day, she’d be crying over the tragedy that had occurred... I thought that the headmaster would mention something about this statue, but he said nothing, simply leading us toward his office...

I was impatient to dig into this case and ask some questions, but I was also aware that I had to wait a bit longer... I used that time to focus my mind, but it wasn’t easy. With Kaetan just nearby and all the attraction I felt for him, my thoughts kept drifting back to the romantic conversation we shared earlier... It was impossible to, considering that it all had happened just an hour ago...

I was almost upset that we were thrust into the world of crime by that phone call, but a part of me felt excited about it too. Solving mysteries was a passion for me, and I was looking forward to uncovering the culprit, finding out about their motivation, and discover the clues which were needed to crack the truth behind this new case. I really needed a win right now, and badly, especially after how we were forced to concede victory in the last case...

Mr. Forrester’s elegant, vintage office was by far the best impression I got of this somber, rich high school. It was warm, with bright flames glowing in the fireplace located at the far end of the room. Windows here were all closed due to cold weather; and partially covered by dark green curtains, too, to keep the warm temperatures in... And yet, I could still catch a glimpse outside, and see the snow falling gently on the ground outside...

Watching it, put me in a pensive mood, making me think of my conversation with Kaetan, at Rosemary’s grave... and all that happened later. The memory of his warm embrace and the feeling of his lips claiming mine bloomed like winter camellias in my mind, the sweetness of the memory crawling into my mind, again...

Was he thinking about it, too? I glanced at him briefly, but before I could make some sound judgment, Mr. Forrester pointed to two deep armchairs in front of his desk. “Please take a seat, gentlemen.”

I thanked him and picked the right chair. Kaetan sat in the left one; as he crossed his legs (to take up more space and appear more confident), our knees almost brushed, but he carefully avoided contact. I knew why, he was still trying to make sure that he didn’t drain any more of my energy... but what was the point of doing so? Simply being around him was exhausting to me, due to my disease, CLED—Chronic Life Energy Deficiency... We couldn’t escape it, with him being a hybrid, and draining my vitality just by being nearby.

As I was pondering it in silence, Mr. Forrester fussed around the room, preparing hibiscus tea. As he set the little white teacups with handpainted flowers in front of us, we both thanked him in unison.

Mr, Forrester then took a seat behind the desk, pleased with his service, and gave us a polite yet somewhat insincere smile; almost as if he knew that neither of us would drink it...

What followed, was a brief chat about the school’s past; established in 1853, initially served only boys, steeped in classical studies, math, and science. It wasn't until the early 20th century, amid shifting educational standards, that it opened its doors to female students...

“Following World War II and the Education Act of 1944, the school underwent significant modernization,” Mr. Forrester narrated with devotion, “and now, we are here, continually evolving to meet the times...”

“That’s wonderful, sir,” Kaetan told him, impressed by the school’s heritage. “This institution surely educated many prominent people…”

“Of course! We have many prestigious graduates,” Mr. Forrester began, his tone hinting at the start of a long reminiscence.

However, we didn’t have time for that. Glancing at Kaetan and seeing his affirmative gaze, I cut in: “Hopefully, you can share more about that later, sir, once the case is solved... For now, can we please focus on the present? We’re eager to understand what happened from your perspective on the fateful night when the students died?”

“Ah, yes...” Mr. Forrester shifted in his seat, almost uncomfortably, and then, he gave us an empty, disappointed, and questioning look... almost as if he wanted to say, “I wish I knew that myself, gentlemen!”

After taking a sip of the tea before him, he cleared his throat as if to buy more time. I immediately pulled out my pen and notebook, knowing that it wouldn’t do me any good to miss any detail that he was going to say... These two objects always helped me focus. I was horribly distracted today, but who could blame me? This is what you get for mixing work with love... I had to do my best for the sake of the victims. They didn’t deserve to have their lives taken away... Out of all deaths that could be, the death of youth, was the most tragic; and again, I couldn’t help but think of my sister... Rosemary...

“Every year,” Mr. Forrester began, his voice carrying the weight of tradition, “our esteemed school hosts a celebration on New Year’s Eve that serves as an alternative to the conventional prom. And the rationale behind choosing this time of the year, is simple, as our students are deeply engrossed in academic preparations later in spring. Parents admonished us multiple times that hosting a prom amidst their studies would only serve as a distraction... Therefore, the faculty here has unanimously decided to schedule the prom at the earliest convenience—on New Year’s Eve. This way, our students can enjoy the festivities held at the wedding house, without compromising their academic responsibilities...”

“Wait a moment, sir,” I interrupted him. “Did I hear that right? A wedding house?”

I discreetly glanced at Kaetan. The wedding house per se wasn’t an odd location for a school prom, but the fact that a certain Don was the owner of one made me feel suspicious... I immediately wondered whether this vampire had anything to do with the death of the students...

“Yes, a wedding house, sir,” Mr. Forrester confirmed. I asked him for the name and address then, but the one he provided didn’t match the one belonging to Don, so, it was a false lead. “The prom is our tradition, and, I must also add that we make every effort to ensure that the students are accounted for during the party. Having said this, though, I also have to add that we aren’t overly strict; the location we select has always been exceptionally safe... And, uhm, I suppose that it remains so, considering that the murders did not occur there…”

“The cadavers were found near the Arthur Machen’s Park, right?” Kaetan asked in a friendly tone, pretending to sip his tea. From my angle, though, I could see that his lips were sealed tightly. As usual, he was pretending to engage in a casual chat with the person he was investigating, hoping to coax them into revealing more...