Obsessed By Moonlight

Beneath the darkness

Elena couldn’t stop trembling as she followed Lucien through the woods later that night. The encounter with Damien had left her shaken, and the weight of his threat hung over her like a dark cloud.

“He won’t stop, will he?” Elena asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucien didn’t answer right away. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes glowed faintly in the dim moonlight.

“No,” he said finally. “Damien doesn’t give up. He’ll keep coming after us until he gets what he wants.”

Elena swallowed hard. “And what does he want?”

Lucien stopped walking and turned to face her, his expression dark and serious. “Power. Control. And revenge.”

Elena’s heart pounded. “Revenge? For what?”

Lucien hesitated, his gaze flickering with something she couldn’t quite read—guilt, maybe, or regret.

“For something I did a long time ago,” he said quietly. “Something Damien will never forgive me for.”

Elena frowned. “What did you do?”

Lucien sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I betrayed him. We were brothers once—not by blood, but by choice. We fought together, hunted together… and then I broke the one rule that mattered most.”

Elena’s breath caught. “What rule?”

Lucien’s eyes darkened. “I fell in love with a human.”

The words hung in the air between them, heavy and full of meaning. Elena felt a chill run down her spine.

“Her name was Isolde,” Lucien said, his voice distant. “She was beautiful, brave… and doomed from the moment she met me. Damien wanted her for himself, but she chose me. And when he found out…”

He trailed off, his jaw tightening.

“What happened to her?” Elena asked softly.

Lucien’s eyes filled with pain. “Damien killed her. And he made sure I watched.”

Elena felt a surge of anger and sorrow on Lucien’s behalf. She reached out and took his hand, lacing her fingers through his.

“I’m so sorry, Lucien,” she said.

Lucien’s grip tightened on hers, and he gave her a faint, sad smile. “It was a long time ago. But Damien never forgot. And now, he sees you as a chance to hurt me all over again.”

Elena’s heart pounded. “He won’t hurt me,” she said fiercely. “I won’t let him.”

Lucien’s eyes softened. “You’re brave, Elena. Braver than anyone I’ve ever known. But Damien is dangerous. He won’t play fair. And the bond makes you vulnerable.”

Elena frowned. “Why does the bond make me vulnerable?”

“Because it ties us together,” Lucien said. “If one of us is hurt, the other feels it. If one of us dies…”

Elena’s breath hitched. “The other dies too?”

Lucien nodded, his expression grim. “That’s the price of the bond. It makes us stronger, but it also makes us each other’s greatest weakness.”

Elena felt a surge of fear, but she pushed it down. She couldn’t afford to be afraid—not now.

“Then we’ll just have to be careful,” she said. “We’ll fight Damien together, and we’ll win.”

Lucien looked at her for a long moment, and then he smiled—a real smile, warm and full of something that made Elena’s heart ache.

“You really are amazing, you know that?” he said softly.

Elena blushed, but before she could respond, a sudden noise broke the quiet—a low, growling sound that sent a shiver down her spine.

Lucien’s expression changed instantly, his smile vanishing as he went tense and alert.

“Stay behind me,” he said, his voice low and urgent.

Elena nodded, her heart racing as she stepped back. She scanned the darkness, trying to see what Lucien was reacting to, but all she could see were shadows.

Then, out of the darkness, a figure emerged—a tall, gaunt man with pale skin and crimson eyes that glowed like embers.

“Hello, Lucien,” the man said, his voice smooth and cold. “Long time no see.”

Lucien’s hands clenched into fists. “Aldric,” he said, his voice filled with loathing.

Elena’s stomach twisted. She didn’t know who Aldric was, but she could tell from the tension in Lucien’s posture that he wasn’t a friend.

“What do you want?” Lucien demanded.

Aldric smiled, revealing sharp, white teeth. “I’m here to deliver a message—from Damien.”

Lucien tensed. “What message?”

Aldric’s smile widened. “Surrender the girl… or watch her die.”