Obsessed By Moonlight

The hunger beneath

The next morning, Elena woke to find the sky gray and heavy with clouds, as if the world itself could sense the storm brewing inside her. She hadn’t slept much. Lucien’s words echoed in her mind, haunting her every thought.

*If you let me mark you, there’s no going back. You’ll be bound to me—forever.*

Forever. It was a word that seemed impossibly big, impossibly final. And yet, a part of her—the part that had been drawn to Lucien from the moment she saw him—wasn’t afraid.

“Elena, are you coming?” her mom called from downstairs, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Yeah, I’ll be right there,” Elena replied, pulling herself out of bed.

She dressed quickly and made her way downstairs, where the scent of coffee and toast filled the air. Her mom was bustling around the kitchen, her usual morning whirlwind of activity.

“Are you feeling okay, sweetie?” her mom asked, glancing at her with a concerned frown. “You look a little pale.”

“I’m fine,” Elena said quickly, forcing a smile. “Just didn’t sleep well.”

Her mom gave her a worried look but didn’t press the issue. Elena grabbed a piece of toast and headed out the door, hoping the cool morning air would help clear her head.

---

At school, things were strangely normal. Mia was already waiting for her by their lockers, chattering excitedly about the upcoming party at Mason’s house.

“You’re still coming, right?” Mia asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Elena hesitated. A party was the last thing she wanted right now, but she also didn’t want Mia to start asking questions she couldn’t answer.

“Yeah, I’ll be there,” Elena said, forcing another smile.

Mia grinned. “Good! It’s going to be epic.”

But as they walked to class, Elena couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The halls felt darker somehow, the air heavier. And every time she glanced over her shoulder, she half-expected to see Damien lurking in the shadows.

By the time lunch rolled around, she was a bundle of nerves. She had just sat down with Mia when she felt it—a prickling sensation at the back of her neck, like she was being watched.

She looked up—and her heart nearly stopped.

Lucien was standing at the edge of the cafeteria, leaning casually against the wall. He wasn’t wearing his usual dark hoodie; instead, he was dressed in a fitted black shirt and jeans that somehow made him look even more dangerous.

And he was staring directly at her.

“Elena? Hello?” Mia waved a hand in front of her face, snapping her out of her trance.

“Sorry,” Elena muttered, tearing her eyes away from Lucien.

But when she glanced back a moment later, he was gone.

After school, Elena found herself wandering toward the edge of the forest, her heart pounding with a mixture of fear and anticipation. She knew she shouldn’t be here, but something was pulling her toward the trees, drawing her deeper into the shadows.

“Elena.”

She turned—and there he was, stepping out from the darkness like he belonged to it.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Lucien said, his voice low and tense.

“I could say the same to you,” Elena shot back, trying to sound braver than she felt.

Lucien’s lips twitched in a faint smile, but his eyes were serious. “You’ve been on my mind all day,” he admitted. “I couldn’t stay away.”

Elena’s heart skipped a beat. “Is that… the obsession?”

“Partly,” Lucien said. “But it’s more than that, Elena. It’s you.”

Before she could respond, he stepped closer, his gaze locking onto hers. She felt the same pull she always did when he was near—a dark, irresistible force that made it impossible to look away.

“Have you thought about what I said?” Lucien asked softly.

Elena swallowed hard. “About the mark?”

Lucien nodded. “I won’t push you, Elena. But you need to understand the danger you’re in. Damien won’t stop until he’s broken me—or taken you.”

A shiver ran down her spine at the mention of Damien’s name. She had seen the hunger in his eyes, the cruel delight he took in tormenting Lucien.

“What happens if you mark me?” she asked. “What does it mean?”

Lucien hesitated. “It means you’ll be bound to me in every way. Your heartbeat, your scent, your very soul will carry my mark. No other vampire will be able to touch you without feeling my claim.”

Elena’s breath caught in her throat. “Will it change me?”

“Not right away,” Lucien said. “But over time… yes. You’ll start to feel the darkness, the hunger. And eventually, if you want to survive, you’ll have to make a choice.”

“A choice?”

“To stay human—or to become like me.”

The weight of his words settled over her like a heavy cloak, but instead of fear, she felt something else—something stronger.

“I trust you, Lucien,” she said softly. “If this is the only way to stay safe, then I want you to do it.”

Lucien’s eyes darkened, and for a moment, she thought he might refuse. But then he reached out, gently cupping her face in his hands.

“Are you sure?” he whispered, his voice rough with emotion.

Elena nodded. “I’m sure.”

Without another word, Lucien leaned in, his lips brushing against her neck. She felt his breath on her skin, cool and electric, and then—

A sharp, sudden sting, followed by a rush of warmth that spread through her entire body.

Elena gasped, her hands clutching at Lucien’s arms as he bit deeper, his fangs sinking into her flesh. But instead of pain, all she felt was a strange, aching pleasure, like her soul was being pulled closer to his.

When he finally pulled away, his eyes were glowing with a fierce, crimson light, and his lips were stained with her blood.

“It’s done,” he said, his voice low and hoarse. “You’re mine now, Elena. And nothing will ever take you from me.”

As Elena stared into his eyes, she knew that her life had just changed forever. She was no longer just a girl. She was marked. Bound to a vampire.

And the darkness was only beginning.