All Chapters of Detective Casie Blackwood and the Moonlit Secrets: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The blood was still warm when Casie arrived at the scene, which meant either the killer was long gone or still very close.She ducked under the yellow tape, her green eyes scanning the alley with methodical precision. The victim lay crumpled against a brick wall, but something about the positioning felt wrong—too deliberate, like a message rather than the aftermath of violence. The puncture wounds on the neck were clean, almost surgical, but the medical examiner wouldn't arrive for another twenty minutes."What do we know?" Rick's voice cut through the morning fog as he approached, his sandy hair already disheveled despite the early hour."Male, mid-thirties, no ID yet." Casie knelt beside the body, careful not to disturb the scene. "But Rick—look at this."She pointed to the victim's hands, positioned palm-up in an unnatural arrangement. Carved into each palm was a symbol she didn't recognize, still bleeding freely despite what should have been time for coagulation.Rick crouched bes

"Something like that." Casie wrapped her hands around the warm mug, using the heat to ground herself. "Antiquarian research. Old manuscripts, historical religious practices." Each word was technically true, even if it painted an incomplete picture."Didn't know you were into that kind of thing." Rick settled back in his chair, but his posture remained alert. Three years of partnership had taught him to read her moods, and right now every instinct was probably telling him she was holding something back."There's a lot you don't know about me, O'Connor." She kept her tone light, almost teasing, but saw the flash of hurt that crossed his features before he could hide it.They'd built their partnership on trust and mutual respect, but it was a trust that could only go so deep. Rick knew she was disciplined, methodical, fiercely dedicated to the job. He knew she could handle herself in a fight and had reflexes that sometimes surprised even seasoned cops. What he didn't know was why.Her ph

The revelation seemed to momentarily stun Rick, who opened his mouth and then closed it again, clearly processing the fact that after three years of partnership, he was only now learning the most basic details about her family."Seven siblings," he finally managed. "That's... a lot of politics.""You have no idea," Casie murmured, turning her attention back to the body. She needed to examine the scene before more people arrived, needed to catch any supernatural details that would be invisible to human investigators.She crouched beside the body, careful to avoid the blood channels carved into the concrete. The pattern was deliberate—a containment circle that would prevent the victim's essence from dispersing. Ancient magic designed to harvest fear and pain at the moment of death."The killer's escalating," she said, professional mask firmly in place. "Becoming more elaborate. The first victims were practice; this one's a statement."Rick knelt on the opposite side of the body, his tra

"Some humans adapt better than you think," Elias countered. "Especially those already predisposed to sensing what others can't."Casie shot him a warning look as they exited the conference room. Rick's expression hardened when he saw them approaching, but he held out a coffee cup to Casie nonetheless. The small gesture of partnership despite his anger touched her more than she wanted to admit."Thanks," she said, accepting the cup. "We need to get back to the warehouse and examine the scene more thoroughly.""Already processed," Rick replied. "Forensics is collecting the blood pattern evidence now. We need to identify potential targets before the killer strikes again."Elias cleared his throat. "If I may? The ritualistic nature of these killings suggests the victims aren't random. Each would have specific significance to the overall ceremony."Rick's eyes narrowed. "What kind of significance?""In ancient blood rituals, victims often represented cardinal elements or spiritual alignmen

"Ten years," Rick finally said as they neared her building. "Three years as partners. And I don't know you at all, do I?"The hurt in his voice cut deeper than Casie expected. "You know the parts that matter," she replied softly."Do I?" He pulled into her parking space with more force than necessary. "Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like your family's involved in ritual murders, and you've been hiding a whole secret life while we're supposed to be partners."She couldn't argue with that assessment. Not anymore. "It's complicated, Rick.""Yeah," he said, shutting off the engine. "I'm getting that."Her apartment was on the third floor of a converted warehouse—open space, high ceilings, minimal furniture. She'd chosen it for the security features and multiple exit points, habits from her former life she couldn't quite abandon.Dominick whistled as he entered, turning slowly to take in the sparse decor. "So this is how the mighty Blackwood heir lives. Father would be devastated