Chapter 3 The Darkening Veil

"Tessa," Jordan said, her voice strained and trembling, the usual confidence missing. "I didn't think you'd actually show up."

Tessa stopped dead in her tracks, her breath catching. "What's happening, Jordan? You're scaring me."

Jordan's eyes darted nervously toward the shadows, as if she were checking for unseen listeners. "I heard something tonight... something dangerous." Her voice dropped to a whisper, the weight of her words hanging in the air between them.

Tessa felt her stomach twist in a knot. "What do you mean? What did you overhear?"

Jordan hesitated, taking a slow, deep breath. "My father, Alex Jones... He's been consulting with Mario Anderson. The warlock." The name struck Tessa like a physical blow. Mario Anderson. The supreme warlock of the Vale. A man whose allegiance was as unpredictable as the storms, and whose power could shake the very foundations of Shadow Vale.

Tessa's chest tightened. "What were they talking about?" she whispered, her voice barely audible as the weight of the revelation sank in.

Jordan glanced over her shoulder, making sure they were truly alone. "They weren't discussing anything normal, Tessa. It's about the curse. About the bloodlines of Shadow Vale. And... Damon."

Tessa froze. "Damon?" Her voice cracked with disbelief. "What does he have to do with this?"

Jordan's eyes met hers, fear and confusion clouding her expression. "I don't know all the details, but I believe they're planning to use his blood. Tessa, I think they want to unlock something. Something dangerous. And they're using Damon to do it."

The air around them seemed to thicken, the shadows deepening as if the forest itself were listening in on their conversation. Tessa's thoughts swirled with a mix of confusion and dread. Damon Volkner. The man she had once trusted. The same man who was now at the center of something far darker than she could have ever imagined.

Before she could respond, Jordan's eyes widened, her entire body going rigid. "There's more," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. "I don't trust my father anymore. I think he's being manipulated."

Tessa opened her mouth to reply, but her words were cut short as she felt the hairs on her neck rise. Her instincts flared, warning her. You're not alone.

From the shadows ahead, a familiar figure emerged. Damon.

Tessa's heart skipped a beat as she locked eyes with him, the cold realization settling in her gut. This wasn't a coincidence.

"Damon," she said, her voice steady despite the racing of her heart. His figure loomed large in the darkness, his sharp eyes gleaming with an unreadable intensity.

"Always in the most unlikely locations, Tessa," Damon replied smoothly, his voice like silk laced with steel. He didn't acknowledge Jordan, but his gaze was piercing as it settled on her.

Jordan stiffened beside her, her body tense. She knew all too well the danger Damon represented. He was no ally, not anymore.

"What are you doing here, Damon?" Tessa demanded, her voice low but firm. She refused to show any fear, though her pulse quickened in his presence.

Damon's lips curled into a half-smile, but it lacked warmth. "I could ask you the same question," he said, his eyes now fixed on Jordan. "I thought you two were being more cautious. But I see I was mistaken."

Tessa's jaw clenched. "What do you want, Damon?"

Damon took a step forward, his movements deliberate and controlled. "I'm investigating the disappearances. Just like you," he said, his voice tinged with something more threatening than his words suggested. "I've been following you, Tessa. You've been busy, haven't you?"

Tessa's heart raced. "I didn't ask for your help," she shot back, the frustration mounting inside her. "What are you really after?"

Damon's eyes flashed with something darker. "I'm guarding you, Tessa. I'm trying to protect you. Or did you miss the fact that the threat is much bigger than you think?" His voice hardened, the underlying menace clear. "This isn't just about you anymore."

Tessa's frustration boiled over. "I don't need you to protect me," she snapped, stepping back. "I can handle myself, Damon."

Jordan, who had been watching the exchange with growing anxiety, spoke up. "We need to tell them, Tessa," she said gently, her voice trembling. "We have to warn them."

But before Tessa could respond, a blood-curdling scream shattered the night, sending a chill down her spine. It was a scream of pure terror, a cry for help that resonated deep within her bones.

"What the hell was that?" Jordan gasped, her body shaking as she turned toward the source of the sound.

Damon's expression shifted, his face darkening. Without another word, he spun on his heel, his movements swift and purposeful as he headed in the direction of the scream. Tessa hesitated for only a moment before she followed, her heart pounding in her chest. This wasn't the time to stand still.

The cry echoed again, louder this time, and filled the air with a sense of urgency that pushed Tessa forward, her senses on high alert. The ground beneath her seemed to tremble with each step, her every instinct screaming at her to run, but she couldn't stop. Not now.

Through the trees, a figure staggered into view. It was Warren, a young scout from the pack, his body covered in blood, his breath ragged as he collapsed into Tessa's arms.

"Warren!" Tessa cried out, her voice desperate. "What happened?"

Warren's eyes were wide with fear, his words coming out in broken gasps. "The Destroyer... It's coming. The shadows have come alive." His body shook violently as pain wracked him, and the blood continued to seep from his wound.

Damon knelt beside them, his expression grim as he assessed the scout's injuries. "He's not going to make it," he said flatly, though his eyes never left Warren. The weight of his words hit Tessa like a physical blow.

"Who did this?" she demanded, her voice trembling with a mix of rage and fear.

Warren's body shuddered in her arms, his final breath rattling from his chest. "It wasn't a man... It wasn't a beast... It's something else. It's coming for us."