Obsessed By Moonlight

Shadows of the past

The following day, the air felt thick and heavy, as though the entire world was holding its breath. Elena wandered through the house aimlessly, her thoughts racing. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Viktor’s sinister smile and heard his chilling warning.

Lucien had left early in the morning, saying he needed to meet with Selene to finalize their strategy. Mia was in the living room, keeping herself busy sharpening wooden stakes—a precaution Lucien had insisted on.

Elena found herself drawn to the attic, a place she rarely visited. The creaky wooden stairs groaned beneath her feet as she climbed, and a wave of dust greeted her as she pushed open the attic door.

The attic was dimly lit by a small, circular window, and the air smelled of old wood and forgotten memories. Boxes were stacked haphazardly against the walls, and an old trunk sat in the corner, its hinges rusted with age.

Curious, Elena knelt beside the trunk and carefully lifted the lid. Inside, she found a collection of old photographs, yellowed with age.

One photo caught her eye. It showed a young woman with long dark hair and hauntingly familiar eyes. She was standing beside a man with sharp features and a confident smile.

Elena’s breath caught in her throat. The woman looked almost exactly like her.

She flipped the photo over and saw a name scrawled on the back in faded ink: *Isadora and Damien, 1887.*

Her hands trembled as she stared at the names. Isadora… and Damien.

Before she could process what she’d just discovered, she heard footsteps behind her. She spun around to see Lucien standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable.

“What are you doing up here?” he asked quietly.

Elena held up the photo. “Who is she, Lucien? Who is Isadora?”

Lucien’s eyes darkened, and for a moment, he didn’t answer. Then he sighed and stepped into the attic, closing the door behind him.

“She was your ancestor,” he said finally. “A distant relative. And… she was Damien’s first love.”

Elena’s heart skipped a beat. “His first love?”

Lucien nodded. “They were together centuries ago. But when Isadora tried to leave him, Damien lost control. He became obsessed with her, just like he’s obsessed with you now. He believed they were destined to be together forever—and when she rejected him, he… he killed her.”

Elena’s blood ran cold. “He killed her?”

Lucien nodded grimly. “And he’s been searching for her reincarnation ever since. He believes you are her reborn, Elena. That’s why he’s so determined to have you.”

Elena stared at the photo, her mind reeling. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing—but at the same time, it made a terrible kind of sense.

“So this has all happened before,” she whispered. “And now it’s happening again.”

Lucien reached out and gently took her hand. “It doesn’t have to end the same way. We can stop him, Elena. We will stop him.”

Elena looked up at him, her eyes filled with fear—and determination. “I’m not Isadora. I’m not going to let him control me.”

Lucien nodded, his grip tightening on her hand. “You’re stronger than he thinks. We all are.”

At that moment, Mia’s voice called up from downstairs. “Guys! You might want to get down here—now!”

Elena and Lucien exchanged a worried look, then hurried back down to the living room.

Mia was standing by the window, peering out through the curtains. “We’ve got company,” she said, her voice tense.

Elena followed her gaze—and saw a figure standing at the edge of the woods, watching the house. It wasn’t Viktor this time.

It was Damien.

Elena’s heart pounded in her chest as she stared at him. Even from a distance, she could feel the pull of his gaze, dark and commanding.

“He’s here,” Lucien said grimly. “It’s starting.”

Elena took a deep breath, steeling herself.

The Blood Moon was still two nights away—but it seemed that Damien wasn’t willing to wait any longer.

And now, there was no turning back.