Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 213 Ava: It's Gone

"Did you see that?" I ask Kellan, my voice barely above a whisper.

He glances at me, brows furrowed and body alert. "See what?"

I shake my head, not quite sure how to explain the strange phenomenon. "Nothing. Never mind."

As we exit the car, I can't help but glance behind us, taking in the six guards that follow in our wake. Their presence should be reassuring, a sign of Lucas' commitment to my safety, but instead it only serves to heighten my unease.

There's something in the air, a buzzing energy that sets my teeth on edge and makes my skin feel too tight. It's like the world is holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

We enter the building, our footsteps echoing in the empty hallways. Kellan leads the way, broad shoulders tense beneath his suit jacket. I trail behind him, my heart hammering in my chest as we descend the stairs to the basement, noticing that there's no light coming from below.

Kellan and I both pull out our phones to use as flashlights, but don't stop our descent.

When we reach the bottom, I stop short, my breath catching in my throat. The office, the reception desk, the colorful artwork that had adorned the walls—it's all gone. In its place is nothing but a bare, concrete room, devoid of any sign of life. As if no office had ever existed. No drywall. No electric wires.

Just… nothing.

"What the hell?" Kellan mutters, his eyes scanning the empty space.

I step forward, my fingers trailing along the rough wall. "It was here, wasn't it? We didn't take a wrong turn?"

A silly question. It's the same building, in the same neighborhood.

Nothing's changed.

And yet Steve isn't here.

his expression grim. "No,

reeks of magic, Selene growls, her hackles raised. Be

crackle with energy, making the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Every

right about Steve and her

in the basement of a decrepit

way I felt nauseated when

I think

the air is sucked from my lungs. I crumple to my knees, one hand clawing at my chest, the other scrabbling against the

from our phones snuffed out like candles in a hurricane. I'm drowning, suffocating, my lungs screaming for oxygen. Tears stream down my face, hot and stinging, as I silently beg for mercy,

suddenly as it began, or maybe a

heaving with great, shuddering breaths, feeding oxygen to my starving lungs. Sunlight sears my eyes, blinding after the impenetrable darkness. Spots dance across my vision as I try to make sense

The guards are scattered around us, some on their knees, others flat on their backs, all of them gasping

building

once stood an abandoned structure housing Steve's office, there is now nothing but empty space. No rubble,

if it never existed

at the vacant lot, my mind reeling. "I think Steve's a Fae," I say lamely, the words falling

feet, his face ashen. "No shit," he

her office seemed to exist outside of reality, the unease that coiled in

thin air, leaving no trace of

only assume it's

definitely magic

hand through his hair, his expression grim. "We need to tell Lucas. If Steve's a Fae, she could be working with the vampires. I don't know how much information she's

working with vampires is a new level

what her endgame is. It's possible she's not working with them at all. Just because

have a gut feeling

is she, and why is