Chapter 29: The Shadow of the Master
The mocking laughter echoed through the silence, seeming to seep into the very earth beneath New Haven. It was an unnerving sound, low, dark, and dripping with malice. Everyone in the group felt its impact, each chuckling note a reminder that the vampire hordes they'd just fought were merely pawns. The true master lingered somewhere beyond the shadows, lurking, biding its time.
George clenched his jaw, scanning the forest with a mix of frustration and dread. It wasn't just that they'd survived a brutal attack; it was the knowledge that this wasn't over, that something far worse lay ahead. He glanced around, taking in the exhausted, blood-streaked faces of his friends. Each one bore the signs of hard-won victory, but in their eyes, he could see the same apprehension.
"Everyone, stay alert," he said, his voice steady, though he could feel the tension thrumming through his veins. "We don't know where this thing is, but it's out there. Watching."