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The classroom was alive with chatter and laughter, students darting around, exchanging jokes, and teasing one another as the energy of the afternoon buzzed in the air. Kira walked in, effortlessly stealing the attention of the room. Although she looked tired and thin, she had covered up her dark circles with makeup, and she was striking. Despite everything she was going through, her skin remained flawless and glowed from the sun slipping in, her full lips, kissed by a touch of gloss, shimmered invitingly as she subtly licked them. Every movement seemed to command the room's attention without her even trying. The past few days, Koa had researched and borrowed so many books. Even while she was asleep, he would stay awake researching. It made her feel like she wasn't alone
Koa caught sight of her immediately. A wide grin spread across his face, his eyes lighting up as he waved at her from across the crowded room. Heads turned, almost in sync, as the pair exchanged their silent greeting. It wasn't just that they were both good-looking, though they undeniably were—it was the easy, magnetic connection between them that seemed to pull everyone in, no matter who you were. The siblings were like two stars in their own orbit, oblivious to the stares of those around them.
Kira smiled back at Koa, her pearly white teeth flashing as her eyes softened with affection. There was something special about his smile today. She couldn't explain it, but it sent a warmth through her that spread to the tips of her fingers, as if the entire universe had slowed down for just that moment.
But as she took a step forward, the ground beneath her seemed to shift. The room wobbled, and for a second, it felt as if the walls themselves were bending inward, like the whole world was spinning off its axis. She blinked, trying to steady herself, but her vision blurred, and everything turned into a whirl of indistinct colors and shadows.
Koa… where is Koa?
She thought while the faces around her swirled like melting paint on a canvas, voices rising and falling in a strange, chaotic symphony, yet she couldn't make sense of any of it. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she could just barely make out the shape of her brother in the distance, moving toward her, his features distorted as if seen through a rippling pool of water. The noise in her head grew louder, a crescendo of whispers, shouts, and incoherent babble that made it impossible to think.
She shook her head as if trying to shake away the dizziness, but it didn't help. The world continued to twist, her legs growing weaker by the second. She grasped for something—anything—to hold onto, but it was like trying to catch smoke in her hands.
Then, among the chaos, she heard it. A name.
"Nazam! Nazam!"
The voice was clear, cutting through the noise like a knife through fog. It was a young woman's voice, calm yet commanding, echoing in her mind as though it had traveled from a distant time. Kira's breath caught in her throat.
'Whose name was that?'
She blinked rapidly, trying to focus, but the room continued to spin, faster now, as if she were trapped in a whirlwind.
Koa's distorted image was getting closer, his figure merging with the students who were beginning to crowd around her. But suddenly, as he reached out for her, his face shifted—warping, changing. In an instant, Koa was no longer there. Instead, the vision of a young boy materialized before her eyes.
He was smiling, innocent and pure, his eyes wide with excitement as he ran toward her, barefoot, wrapped in a traditional cloth, the kind worn in ancient times. The world around her melted away, and now, she was no longer in the classroom. She was somewhere else—somewhere old, where the air smelled of earth and fire, where the sun shone down on a village long forgotten by time.
The boy stumbled as he ran, tripping over his own feet, and her hands instinctively reached out to catch him, her heart racing, but her movements were sluggish, weighed down by the dizziness that clouded her senses. The more she reached, the further he seemed, until her outstretched hands grasped only air.
The voices swirled again, louder this time, overlapping each other in a haunting cacophony.
"Nazam! Lotachi!"
The name echoed again, but this time, It was many voices, all calling those names, as if from deep within her own mind. She staggered, her head swimming with confusion, and her vision darkened, like a heavy curtain had been drawn over her eyes.
"Kira!"
The last thing she saw before the darkness claimed her was the little boy's smile fading into the shadows and the sound of her brother's desperate shout piercing through the silence as she collapsed into the abyss.
Kira woke to the sensation of cold tiles beneath her and the faint murmur of voices around her. She blinked, the world slowly coming into focus, but the remnants of the vision still clung to her mind like a stubborn fog. She was back in the classroom, the overhead lights glaring down at her, but the memory of the boy in the village felt too real to dismiss as just a hallucination. Her heart was pounding in her chest, not from the fainting spell, but from the lingering feeling that she had for that little boy.
"Kira, are you okay?"
She turned her head to see Koa kneeling beside her, his face pale with concern. His hands were on her shoulders, grounding her back in the present, but her mind was still somewhere else. Somewhere far away.
"I… I don't know what happened," she whispered, her voice shaky. She sat up slowly, her body still trembling from the strange encounter. "I was walking, and then… everything just shifted. It felt like I wasn't here anymore."
Koa's brows furrowed. "What do you mean? You just passed out. You're probably exhausted or something. Maybe you haven't eaten enough today."
Kira shook her head. "No, it wasn't just that. I heard someone calling a name … I saw…" Her voice trailed off as she tried to make sense of it. How could she explain the vision of the boy, the village, the overwhelming feeling that she had somehow reached out and seen something that wasn't there?
Koa looked around and found several pairs of concerned eyes watching them. This was really not the place to have this conversation. He lifted Kira in his arms and made his way to the school's medical centre. When he was sure they were alone, he walked back and sat beside her.
"I saw a boy. He was running toward me, but it wasn't here. It wasn't now. It felt like... another time."
Koa's expression shifted, a flash of something unreadable passing over his face before he quickly masked it with a reassuring smile. "It was probably just a dream. You know how the brain works when it's under stress. You're fine now, okay? Just rest for a bit."
But Kira couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that what she had seen wasn't just a dream, a figment of her imagination. At first, it was the dreams, then the voices. Now, she was seeing things. And that name—Nazam—it echoed in her mind like a bell tolling from a distant tower. She had never heard that name before, yet when it was spoken, it resonated deep within her, and she felt intimately connected to it for some inexplicable reason.
Kira glanced up at Koa, who was still watching her closely. There was something in his eyes, something just beneath the surface. Did he know more than he was letting on? Could he sense the strangeness of it all too?
"I have to get to the bottom of this" she said softly, more to herself than to him.
Koa's grip on her shoulder tightened slightly, and for a brief moment, she saw a flicker of fear in his eyes. But then, just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by that easy, sweet smile he always wore.
"Let's get you home first," he said gently. "We can talk about all the strange dreams later."
But as he helped her to her feet, Kira knew that this was no ordinary fainting spell. Something had happened, and whatever it was, it wasn't going to let her rest until she uncovered the truth.
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Later That Evening
"Koa, where is your sister?"
Koa jumped, startled, the book he had been holding slipping from his fingers and thudding onto the floor. His heart raced, but he quickly bent down to retrieve the fallen book, putting it on the book shelf and regaining his composure. He turned to face his mother, who stood in the doorway, her eyes scanning him with a quiet intensity.
"Gosh, Mom, you scared me!" Koa let out a nervous laugh, running a hand through his hair. "You move like a ghost, no sound at all."
His mother didn't respond immediately. Her gaze lingered on him, sharper than usual, like she was trying to read something in his expression. For a moment, she was sure she had caught a flicker of unease in his eyes—just a flicker, like the shadow of a lie passing through. But now, as she stared at him, it was gone. His smile was as calm and sweet as ever, the kind of smile that could melt anyone's suspicion.
"She's resting upstairs," Koa said, his voice steady.
His mother, not quite satisfied, stepped closer to him. She took his hands in hers, her touch gentle but firm, searching his face for something, anything that would betray the calm exterior. Koa stood tall, towering over her, his eyes meeting hers without wavering.
"Koa," she said softly, concern etched deep into her voice. "Everything's okay, right?"
"Of course, Mom," Koa replied smoothly, his tone so sincere it almost disarmed her. "Why wouldn't it be?"
She tightened her grip on his hands, her gaze narrowing as she studied him. "You'd tell me if something was bothering you, wouldn't you?"
Koa chuckled lightly, a sound so casual it might have eased her worry—if only it didn't feel so perfectly timed. He placed his hands over hers, enveloping her smaller ones in his own. His voice was warm, comforting, and dangerously convincing.
"Mom, what are you worrying about? Everything's fine. Kira's doing better now," he said, pulling her into a hug. His arms wrapped around her protectively, making her feel as though she was being irrational for worrying. "And if anything were ever wrong, you'd be the first to know. I promise."
"Really?" she asked, a hint of doubt still lingering in her voice.
"Really," Koa replied, his tone so genuine that it seemed to quell the last of her suspicions.
Before their conversation could go further, the sound of heavy footsteps entered the room, followed by a familiar deep voice.
"What's with all the lovey-dovey stuff going on in here?"
Both Koa and his mother turned at once, grinning at the man who had entered the room.
"Dad!" Koa called.
"Honey!" his mother chimed in.
His father, his tall and broad frame, strode over and enveloped both of them in a bear hug, his laughter filling the room. He had received a call from both his wife and Son to let him know Koa was doing better so he took the first flight back
"What's going on here? Where's my baby girl?" his father asked as he finally released them, Ready to give Kira the biggest bear hug.
"She's resting upstairs," Koa answered, his tone unchanged, but his heart thudding a little faster.
His father studied him for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You kids aren't hiding anything else from us, are you?" he teased, but there was a note of seriousness beneath the playful tone.
Koa's smile faltered for a second, but he quickly recovered, flashing an innocent grin. "Dad, really? What could we possibly be hiding? you and Mom are up to speed about everything"
His father didn't reply immediately. Instead, his gaze moved between his son and wife, as if weighing his suspicions. Koa shifted, trying to hide his discomfort.
His mother, picking up on the tension, added, "You can't blame us for wondering. With what's been going on... We are naturally concerned."
"I understand, Mom", Koa said, forcing a laugh. "But don't worry, she really is doing better now"
"Hiding in your rooms, whispering all the time," his father added, crossing his arms. ''Are you sure she's really okay now?''
Koa chuckled again, this time genuinely amused by their concerns. "And you're not supposed to eavesdrop on us," he countered playfully, that last statement directed at his mother. He had no doubt she had been the one feeding their father with that information.
His parents exchanged guilty glances, and Koa seized the moment to deflect. "I swear, everything's fine. She's been stressed out lately with the hospital, school and everything else happening in town," he teased, ''Besides, it's just sibling stuff. You know, things we can't share with anyone else.'' he added, knowing the idea of being left out would make them even more curious.
Both his parents clicked their tongues in mock frustration, jealousy flickering in their eyes. Koa's grin widened.
"Go check on her," Koa said, gently placing his mother's hand in his father's. "She's upstairs. You'll see, everything's perfectly fine."
He watched as his parents exchanged a loving smile, their hands intertwined as they made their way to the stairs. Koa stood at the bottom, his face still locked in that reassuring smile as he watched them ascend, their soft murmurs disappearing as they turned the corner.
As soon as they were out of sight, his smile vanished, replaced by an expression of deep worry and anxiety. His chest felt tight, and the calm he had exuded moments earlier crumbled into pieces. Koa glanced around the room, making sure he was truly alone. His hand moved instinctively toward the book he had been holding before his mother interrupted him.
With shaky fingers, he carefully held the book, his eyes darting toward the dark corner hidden beneath. He crouched down, reaching into the shadowy recess behind the books. From there, he pulled out a small, ancient wooden box—one that looked as though it had existed for centuries.
The wood was worn and weathered, the edges darkened with age. Koa's heart pounded in his chest as he opened the box and placed the book inside. The box was too old, too eccentric to be anywhere in the open. It was something no one else could ever see.
He shoved the box deep into the farthest, darkest corner under the shelf, his hand trembling as he pushed it further and further back, where no one would ever think to look.
As he stood up, he glanced toward the stairs, hearing the faint murmurs of his parents' voices upstairs. His heart still raced, and a sense of dread lingered in the pit of his stomach. Whatever was going on with his sister, whatever secrets the book held, it was growing harder and harder to keep under control.
For a brief moment, he closed his eyes and whispered to himself, "Everything will be fine. It has to be."
But deep down, Koa knew it was only a matter of time before everything came crashing down.
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"What's wrong?" Kamdi asked, his voice cutting through the heavy air as they emerged from the mortuary.
Frost's face was grave, his cane tapping rhythmically against the pavement as he spoke, "We are running out of time."
Kamdi's heart raced as he looked up at his partner, a sense of dread creeping in. "You mean…?"
"Exactly what you're thinking. There's one victim left. We have only a week before the next lunar cycle to catch this killer."
"What are you thinking?" Kamdi voiced out.
"Let's head back to the precinct. We need to comb through the materials again," Frost replied, his tone clipped with urgency.
Kamdi nodded but abruptly halted, a sudden realization gripping him. Frost, though blind, turned sharply at the shift in Kamdi's energy. His acute senses were his lifeline.
"What is it?"
"Frost, I've been replaying that voice I heard earlier—you know, the one that reported the murder." Kamdi's breath hitched, his heart pounding in his ears.
"And?" Frost's impatience sliced through the air like a knife.
"I know who it belongs to." The name hung between them, electrifying the atmosphere.
"Koa," Frost mentioned
At the mention of Koa, something ignited in Kamdi's chest—a conflagration of emotions he couldn't name. Ever since he had met the twins, an inexplicable attraction to Koa and a haunting familiarity with Kira had consumed him. Thoughts of Koa flooded his mind, unearthing an arousal he couldn't contain. Sleepless nights tormented him, and his focus was scattered like ashes in the wind. He buried himself in work, desperately trying to suppress the yearning that clawed at him. Koa's intoxicating scent lingered like a drug, pulling at the edges of his sanity. What if he lost control? What if he succumbed to the darkness that danced just beneath the surface? Thinking about that beautifully tanned skin and how much he wanted to sink his fangs into it drove him to madness.
Suddenly, his senses sharpened, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. "Do you smell that?" he asked, his voice low and tense.
"Cinnabar," Frost growled, striking his cane against the ground.
"Shit!" Before the curse fully escaped Kamdi's lips, he vanished into the shadows. Frost inhaled deeply, maintaining his composure as he strolled back to the car; the world seemed unusually noisy around him. Moments later, Kamdi returned, a harried look across his face.
"You're getting rusty, my friend," Frost remarked nonchalantly, catching the metallic scent of blood wafting from Kamdi.
"Tsssk," Kamdi replied, sinking into the driver's seat, his breath laboring like a bellows stoked with fire.
"Why aren't you healing?" Frost demanded, a knot of concern tightening in his gut.
"That bastard knew I wasn't just an ordinary Dhampir. He used a para-runed weapon." Kamdi's voice was strained, but beneath the bravado, Frost could sense the raw panic.
Frost's heart thundered. Kamdi was in danger. Without a second thought, he dashed to the other side of the car, urgency pushing him forward. They needed blood—and fast. Though a fresh supply would quicken the healing process, they were stuck with blood bags for now. Kamdi would die if he didn't act.
As he pulled Kamdi from the driver's seat, a familiar voice pierced the tension.
"Detective Frost?"
He turned to find Koa rushing toward him, a worried expression on his face. "Oh my God! Is your partner okay?"
Frost's heart sank. The rune's effects were accelerating; he could smell the burning on Kamdi's skin from the sun.
"Koa?" A soft voice floated through the chaos, wrapping around him like a ghost. It was Kira. The sound of her name ignited a familiar ache in his chest, bringing flashes of memories flooding back, something he was yet to understand.
"Could you help?" he gasped.
He could feel Kamdi's body growing numb, each breath more labored than the last.
Koa and Kira sprang into action, lifting Kamdi, urgency radiating from their every movement as they pushed toward the hospital entrance. Frost fumbled for the car keys, pressing it, getting the car's beep.
"Not in the hospital—the car"
He felt the hesitation of the twins, a moment stretched thin.
"Trust me, the hospital can't help him."
He watched as his partner wheezed, Frustration bubbled up as they still hesitated. "We need to move, or he'll die!"
Finally, they moved, shoving Kamdi into the back seat, Koa diving into the driver's seat and pulling away from the parking lot, adrenaline spurring them toward Frost's apartment. Kira remained in the back with Kamdi, who had already slipped into unconsciousness.
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"Boss, the substance has been traced." A subordinate thrust a document toward Oke, who snatched it with urgency.
"Scopolamine—Devil's Breath?" His eyes narrowed as he read the report.
"Is this what was found in Diba and Rosie's system?" Oke demanded, his voice low and filled with tension.
His subordinate nodded, uncertainty flickering across his face.
"I think whoever is committing these crimes is operating within the medical field."
Oke's frustration boiled over. He slammed the paper on his desk, the sound echoing like thunder in the small office. He took a moment, deep in thought, then clapped his hands, rallying his team.
"Everyone! Gather around. I know how hard you've been working these past few months. Now we have clues to catch the bastard terrorizing our town. I'm breaking you into two teams. Team one will investigate hospitals within Mmiri, and find out who's using this drug. Team two will trace who brought this poison to our doorstep. I don't need to stress how critical it is to catch this killer. Let's rid our town of this monster!"
The team nodded, determination solidifying in their expressions as they filtered out to tackle their assignments.
Meanwhile, Nonso and Ibe settled into their car, Ibe's thoughts spiralling back to his earlier conversation with Frost on the phone.
"Our culprit either works in or has connections to ancient alchemy or medicine, meaning they're hiding in a hospital—somewhere obscure, and may be practising traditional healing," Frost had said, his voice a low rumble filled with conviction.
"How do you know that?" Ibe had asked, scepticism creeping into his tone.
"Cinnabar."
"What?" Ibe's confusion deepened.
"I smelled cinnabar," Frost reiterated, threading his words carefully. Before Ibe could formulate a response, Frost cut him off. "We were followed, and Kamdi was attacked. We smelled cinnabar on the attacker."
"Oh my God! Is Detective Kamdi okay?" Ibe's heart raced with concern.
"He'll live," Frost replied curtly, his voice betraying no emotion.
"Ibe, these individuals are highly dangerous. Do not engage, but once you've locked onto their location, call me immediately. We're dealing with a psychotic mind unlike anything we've encountered before. I fear there are sinister forces at play here, forces you don't yet understand. Remember—do not engage. Just give me a call."
"These? Their— you?"
Before Ibe could ask what Frost meant, the line went dead. Cold dread coiled in his stomach. "Individuals."
What did that mean? Were they up against more than one killer? Unease washed over him, leaving him with a multitude of questions. Frost had mentioned rituals before—so is it confirmed that these killings are in fact ritualistic? did those sinister things mentioned involve black magic? is that what he meant by 'forces you dont yet understand?' Ibe's fingers chilled at the thought. If that were the case, he knew he needed to heed Frost's warning. A nagging feeling lingered: was Frost aware of the identity of their killers?
The weight of the unknown heavy weakning every part of his body. He looked over at his partner, who seemed oblivious to the intel he had received from Frost as they drove.
"Nonso, Kamdi was attacked. possibly by our killer"
The words left Ibe's mouth with a weight that hung in the air. Before he could say more, the car screeched to a halt, tyres burning against the asphalt. Both men lurched forward, nearly slamming into the dashboard.
Nonso gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white. "wait did they already set the trap without us? wait!... Is he okay?" His voice was tight, edged with worry.
Ibe nodded, but his expression betrayed something deeper. "There's more," he said, his eyes meeting Nonso's. The look in his partner's eyes said he was ready for anything—but not for what Ibe was about to reveal.
"What is it?" Nonso asked, the tension between them crackling.
Ibe hesitated for a moment before continuing. "It seems... we have more than one killer."
The silence that followed was deafening. Nonso's sharp intake of breath echoed in the confined space of the car. His mind was clearly racing, processing the implications.
"Frost figured it out, didn't he?" Nonso asked, though it wasn't really a question. He already knew the answer.
Ibe nodded, then drew a slow, deliberate breath. "Frost smelled cinnabar on the attacker." He paused, letting the words sink in. "It's a controlled substance, one we've never encountered in Mmiri. And then, there's the psychotropic drugs found in Rosie's and Diba's system and the propofol in all victims. Frost thinks the killers are in the medical field, and might be connected to alchemy or traditional healing."
Nonso's brow furrowed, deep in thought. Ibe could see the gears turning, the pieces falling into place in his partner's mind. But there was still one thing that didn't add up.
"Why does Frost think there's more than one killer?" Nonso asked, his voice low, almost disbelieving.
Ibe shook his head. "I don't know. He didn't explain why. But..." he hesitated, then pushed forward, "there's something else. Frost warned us not to engage when we find 'Them.' He's convinced the man and his accomplice are extremely dangerous, and it seems like... something inexplicable is going on." His voice dropped to a near whisper. "We need to be careful."
Nonso didn't respond immediately. He simply nodded, but his expression darkened. Ibe had expected pushback, a challenge, something—but what he got instead was a moment of quiet dread.
"Ibe," Nonso finally spoke, his voice unsteady. There was a tremor beneath it that Ibe had never heard before, a fear he rarely saw in his partner. "Am I the only one who feels like something is seriously off with this case? It feels... otherworldly. Like we're dealing with something more....." He paused, gripping the steering wheel again. "I feel like I'm at my wit's end here."
Ibe turned in his seat, facing Nonso fully. His voice was steady, but his question carried weight. "Nonso... are you willing to go through with this? Even if it involves black magic?"
The air between them was heavy. Ibe watched, waiting for his partner's response, time stretching into an eternity. Then, slowly, Nonso exhaled and broke into a grin. A light tap on Ibe's shoulder followed.
"Don't think for a second I'd let you face this alone," Nonso said with a quiet resolve, a flicker of his usual bravado returning. "We're partners, through and through. No matter what."
The tension dissolved into shared laughter, the bond between them solid, even in the face of the unknown. With a deep breath, Nonso started the engine again, and the car rumbled to life as they drove off, heading deeper into the darkness that awaited them.