The Mystery City Novels & Stories

"Crescent City is the furthest I've ever been from home." "Ah," his grin broadens. "After this trip, we need to plan a grand adventure." As the painted rocks surrounding the clear blue lake glisten in the fading sun, I hold my breath as the plane slowly descends. Upriver in the distance a gleaming city sparkles in welcome, its tall spires scraping the sky. "Welcome to Moon River," Sly squeezes my hand, reminding me to breathe. "The werewolf capital of the West."

Once again she found herself thanking her lucky stars for this opportunity, it felt like a dream, only in her case she would never wake up from it. "And that over there is the...," The driver went on for the rest of the journey. He showed Cassandra all the interesting spots along the way and he did it so well she was tempted to ask him if he had ever worked as a tour guide. His deep voice droned on introducing her to Golsville with every mile they covered. Cassandra gazed out the window, enraptured by the beautiful city that was going to be her new home. She asked questions at every turn, eager to learn everything she could about Goldsville. Her earlier irritation started to ebb away and she

I told Miles. He quickly pulled out his phone and dropped a text message to the folklore expert. A few moments later, the phone pinged. “He’ll see us tomorrow by 10 am.” Miles supplied. I nodded, eased more comfortably into the car seat, and fell into a deep snooze. ~~~ Mile’s POV They say New York City is the home of possibilities but I think it’s the most elegant city in the world. Or maybe the most elegant city I’ve seen yet. While Grayham was asleep, I kept my eyes glued to the window as the driver swerved down the road.

It definitely wasn't the beat-up thing he’d been driving the night she’d first seen him in the motel car park. The sun hadn't set yet, but the streets were oddly deserted. Scarlet City was the city that never slept, which was why she had chosen it to hide in. Now, it looked like it had been hit by an evacuation order. Her instincts prickled. Something wasn’t right. And the patrol car would stick out on these empty streets.

Even though I'm still exhausted, I'm wide awake now. I know I won't be able to sleep until I answer some of the questions I have. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to answer any of my questions about the mysterious man I saw at the party. Without a name or any other identifying information, it's impossible to research him. Instead, I start with a simple search for "Raphael Fontaine." It pulls up some things I know and some things I don't. It also brings me to his official website. Curious, I click on the link.

After meeting some old lady at a river who tells me to make three wishes that may or may not come true, I wonder what else life has in store for me. "So you say you're not new to New York city, right?" demands the driver for the second time. "No. I literally grew up here." "Means you were born here?" "Means I was." He nods, like this is the answer he's been expecting. "Nice." "Well, I'm from somewhere else." "Where is that?" "Illinois. In Chicago. Grew up in Little Italy. Where the mafia bosses terrorized those neighborhoods. That's where they get those crazy and scary nicknames from. Some called themselves The Prince. Scorpion, The Twister.."

As I stumbled out of the boat, I found myself standing before a massive rock formation that seemed to stretch endlessly in either direction. "Is this the Clave?" I asked, my voice hoarse from disuse. Yarrow nodded, his eyes fixed on the towering wall of stone. "Yes, this is the City of the Unknown." I frowned, scanning the barren landscape. "Where do people live here? And are you sure Mia and Luke won't find us?" Yarrow placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Be calm, my dear. You will soon discover your true self." He approached the center of the rock face and began to chant, his words ancient and unfamiliar. As I watched in amazement, the stone split apart, revealing a hidden city beyond

Raymond answered, causing me to nod my head in response. His words plunged me into thought, and I began to wonder if my instinct was right all along. The new Xenra was really suspicious, and Raymond's words had only served to confirm my speculations. But then, I still was still trying to connect the dots when Raymond's words came again,

Still, it was better than nothing. The next morning, I packed a bag and hit the road. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as I drove, trying to piece together what could have happened. Why would Aries and Adrien leave so suddenly? Was it really because of the gang wars, or was there something else they weren’t telling me? And why hadn’t they called? The city I arrived in was as ancient as Leo had described. Cobblestone streets, historic buildings, and an eerie sense of timelessness greeted me as I parked my car. It was the kind of place that seemed to hide secrets in every shadow.

by this mysterious woman. Now, when I would finally take the time to see the reason for my torment, another problem arises. I slam the car door and enter the fetid shed, there smelled death, like a decomposing body. Southward Angel became a beautiful city, yet few knew the darkness it harbored.