Ella’s eyes widened as they locked onto something glinting a short distance away. Her pulse quickened, and hope flared in her chest. Finally, she thought. She cautiously approached the object, her heart pounding with anticipation. If this was what she thought it was, it could prove someone else was here—someone other than her might be responsible for the vampire’s murder.

But as she drew closer, her hopeful smile faltered. The object lying on the ground wasn’t just any trinket. It was ...