Obsessed By Moonlight

Shadows in the blood

The night after Lucien marked her, Elena couldn’t sleep. Her skin still tingled where his fangs had pierced it, and her heart raced with a mix of adrenaline and confusion. She had never felt anything as intense as the moment when Lucien’s bite sent heat surging through her veins, connecting her to him in ways she didn’t fully understand.

She sat by her window, staring at the dark woods in the distance. Everything seemed sharper now—her hearing, her vision, even the way she could sense things she’d never noticed before. It was as though her body was changing, reacting to the bond that now tied her to Lucien.

A soft knock startled her out of her thoughts. It wasn’t on the door. It came from the window.

“Elena,” Lucien’s voice drifted through the glass, low and familiar.

Elena opened the window, and there he was, perched on the edge like he belonged there. His eyes gleamed in the darkness, and she felt that same magnetic pull that always surrounded him.

“Can I come in?” he asked, his voice softer than usual.

She nodded, stepping back to let him climb inside. He moved gracefully, as silent as a shadow, and for a moment, they just stood there, staring at each other.

“How are you feeling?” Lucien asked, his gaze lingering on her neck where his mark was hidden beneath her hair.

“Different,” Elena admitted. “Everything feels… sharper. Like I’m waking up from a dream.”

Lucien nodded. “That’s the bond. It’s starting to take hold.”

Elena hesitated, unsure how to put her next question into words. “Is that why I feel… connected to you? Like I can sense you, even when you’re not here?”

“Yes,” Lucien said, his voice quiet. “The bond links us. You’ll feel my presence, my emotions. And I’ll feel yours.”

Elena’s breath hitched. “Is that why you came tonight? Because you felt something?”

Lucien’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, he looked almost… guilty.

“I felt your fear,” he admitted. “And your confusion. I didn’t want you to be alone.”

Elena’s heart softened. Despite everything—the danger, the darkness, the impossible situation they were in—Lucien cared. He wasn’t just protecting her because of the bond. He was protecting her because he wanted to.

“Thank you,” she said softly.

Lucien took a step closer, his eyes never leaving hers. “You don’t have to thank me, Elena. This is who I am now. You’re part of me. And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

Elena’s pulse quickened, and she wasn’t sure if it was from fear, excitement, or something deeper.

“Will it always be like this?” she asked. “Will the bond get stronger?”

Lucien hesitated. “Yes. The more time we spend together, the stronger it will get. And the harder it will be to ignore.”

Elena swallowed hard. “Ignore what?”

“The hunger,” Lucien said, his voice dark and low. “The bond will make me crave you, Elena. Your blood, your touch… everything. And it will make you crave me, too.”

Elena’s cheeks flushed, but she didn’t look away. “Is that why I feel… different around you?”

“Yes,” Lucien said, his voice rough. “It’s the bond—and it’s also us.”

Elena’s heart pounded. She knew she should be scared, but all she felt was a strange, aching desire.

Lucien must have sensed it, because his eyes darkened, and he took another step closer. “You have no idea how hard it is to control myself around you,” he said, his voice like a velvet whisper.

Elena’s breath hitched. “Then don’t.”

Lucien froze, his eyes widening slightly. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, slowly, he reached out and cupped her face in his hands, his touch cold but gentle.

“Are you sure?” he whispered, his breath brushing against her lips.

Elena nodded, her heart racing. “I trust you, Lucien.”

His eyes softened, and for a moment, he just stared at her, as if memorizing every detail of her face. Then, without another word, he leaned in and kissed her.

The kiss was slow and intense, filled with all the emotion they’d been holding back. Elena felt like she was drowning, but she didn’t care. All that mattered was Lucien—his lips on hers, his hands in her hair, the way he made her feel like she was the only person in the world.

When they finally pulled apart, they were both breathing hard, and Lucien’s eyes were glowing faintly in the darkness.

“We shouldn’t,” he said, his voice rough. “It’s dangerous.”

“I don’t care,” Elena said, her voice steady. “I want you, Lucien. All of you.”

Lucien closed his eyes, as if trying to regain control. When he opened them again, they were dark and serious.

“Then you have me,” he said softly. “But you have to be careful, Elena. The bond will make us stronger—but it will also make us vulnerable. If Damien finds out how deep our connection is, he’ll use it against us.”

Elena nodded. “I understand. But I’m not afraid, Lucien. As long as we’re together, we can face anything.”

Lucien’s lips curved into a faint smile, and he brushed a kiss against her forehead.

“You’re braver than you realize,” he said. “And that’s what scares me the most.”

Elena frowned. “Why?”

“Because bravery is dangerous in my world,” Lucien said quietly. “And I don’t want to lose you.”

Elena’s heart ached at the pain in his voice, and she reached for his hand, lacing her fingers through his.

“You won’t lose me,” she said firmly. “We’ll figure this out. Together.”

Lucien nodded, but the shadow in his eyes didn’t fade. He knew, better than anyone, how quickly things could change.

And as they stood there in the darkness, bound together by blood and love and danger, neither of them saw the figure watching from the woods, his crimson eyes glowing with malice.

Damien hadn’t left. And he wasn’t done with them yet.