Obsessed By Moonlight

The stranger's secrets

Elena spent the rest of the night lying awake, replaying the encounter in her mind. Lucien. His name echoed in her thoughts, and with it came the same chill she had felt when he vanished into the mist.

Who was he? How did he disappear so quickly, so silently? And why did he keep warning her to stay away?

The next morning, Elena left for school early, hoping a walk through the crisp morning air would clear her head. But as she passed the edge of the forest, her footsteps slowed. The woods stretched endlessly, their twisted branches like skeletal hands reaching toward the sky.

Her heart told her to keep walking, but her curiosity pulled her closer. Before she knew it, she was standing at the tree line, peering into the shadows.

“Elena,” a voice murmured from behind her.

She spun around, her heart leaping into her throat. But it wasn’t Lucien—it was Mia, looking at her with concern.

“What are you doing out here?” Mia asked, frowning.

“Nothing,” Elena said quickly, stepping away from the trees. “I was just… thinking.”

Mia crossed her arms. “You’ve been acting weird since yesterday. Is something going on?”

Elena hesitated. She wanted to tell Mia about Lucien, but something held her back. It felt too dangerous, too real.

“It’s nothing,” she said finally. “I’m fine.”

Mia didn’t look convinced, but before she could press the issue, the school bell rang in the distance.

“Come on,” Mia said, grabbing Elena’s arm. “Let’s go before we’re late.”

The day passed in a blur. Elena barely heard a word her teachers said, her mind consumed by thoughts of Lucien. She kept glancing out the window, half-expecting to see him standing in the shadows, watching her.

By the time school ended, she had made up her mind. She needed answers—and there was only one place she could think to look.

That evening, after dinner, Elena grabbed her coat and headed back to Blackthorn Books. The store was quiet, as usual, the air filled with the scent of old paper and ink.

“Hey, Elena,” Mr. Whitaker, the elderly shop owner, called from behind the counter. “Working late again?”

“Just for a little while,” Elena said with a smile.

She made her way to the back of the store, where the shelves were lined with ancient, leather-bound books. She had spent hours here over the years, losing herself in tales of magic, monsters, and forgotten legends. But tonight, she wasn’t looking for fiction—she was looking for the truth.

After an hour of searching, she found it—a dusty old book with a faded title: *Legends of the Nightwalkers.*

Elena’s hands trembled as she opened the book. The pages were yellowed with age, the text written in ornate, flowing script. As she skimmed through the chapters, her heart began to race.

*Nightwalkers, also known as vampires, are cursed beings who walk the earth in eternal darkness, sustained by the blood of the living…*

Elena’s breath caught in her throat. Vampires. The word felt ridiculous, like something out of a horror movie. But as she read on, she felt a growing sense of dread.

*Beware the vampire’s gaze, for it can be as hypnotic as it is deadly. And beware the vampire’s obsession—for once a vampire fixates on a human, there is no escape…*

Elena slammed the book shut, her heart pounding. Was it possible? Could Lucien be one of them?

Before she could think any further, the lights in the store flickered—and she heard it. A soft, familiar voice that sent shivers down her spine.

“Elena.”

She turned slowly, and there he was—Lucien—standing in the doorway, his dark eyes glowing faintly in the dim light.

“We need to talk,” he said, his voice low and serious.

Elena swallowed hard, her mind racing. She should have been terrified—but all she felt was an overwhelming pull, a dark, irresistible attraction that she couldn’t explain.

“Who are you?” she whispered.

Lucien stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. “I told you. My name is Lucien.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Elena said, her voice trembling. “What are you?”

For a long moment, Lucien said nothing. Then, finally, he spoke—and his answer changed everything.

“I’m a vampire.”