chapter Three :The Monster In The Moonlight.
1630 Words
For several long seconds, neither of them moved.
The forest seemed to hold its breath.
Moonlight filtered through the tangled branches above, casting pale silver streaks across the ground. The crimson glow of the moon mixed with the shadows, making the world feel unreal, as though Kael had stepped into a dream that did not quite belong to the living.
The woman stood only a few steps away from him.
Now that he could see her clearly, Kael understood why the villagers feared her so deeply.
She was beautiful.
But not in a way that felt safe.
Her pale skin glowed faintly in the moonlight, almost as if it reflected the light instead of absorbing it. Long dark hair fell over her shoulders like a curtain of shadow, moving softly with the wind.
And her eyes…
They were exactly as the stories described.
Crimson.
Bright.
Alive with something ancient and powerful.
Those eyes studied him carefully, as if she were searching for something beneath his skin.
Kael forced himself to remain calm, even though his heart was beating loudly in his chest.
“So,” she said quietly, “you came looking for truth.”
Her voice was smooth, but there was something cold beneath it.
“Yes,” Kael replied.
“And you thought the forest would simply give it to you?”
“I thought you might.”
A faint expression of amusement crossed her face.
“You assume I owe you answers.”
“I assume you’re not just a monster in a story.”
Silence returned.
The woman stepped slightly closer.
Her movements were graceful and almost soundless, like a shadow gliding across the ground.
“You speak boldly for someone standing in the presence of a creature that drinks human blood,” she said.
Kael met her gaze.
“I believe you could have killed me already if you wanted to.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
“That is true.”
“Yet you didn’t.”
She studied him again.
“You’re either very brave,” she said slowly, “or very foolish.”
“Perhaps both.”
A faint smile appeared on her lips again, though it vanished quickly.
“You humans are strange creatures.”
Kael folded his arms.
“So I’ve been told.”
The woman circled him slowly, her gaze never leaving his face.
Up close, Kael could feel something unusual about her presence.
The air around her felt colder.
Not painfully cold, but enough to remind him that she was not entirely human.
“You walked into the forest knowing what I am,” she said.
“Yes.”
“You heard the stories.”
“I did.”
“And yet you still came.”
“Yes.”
She stopped in front of him again.
“Why?”
Kael thought carefully before answering.
“Because stories often hide the truth.”
Her eyes glowed slightly brighter.
“And what truth do you believe you’ll find here?”
“That you’re more than what they say.”
The woman tilted her head, studying him with growing curiosity.
“You assume I care what humans say about me.”
“Don’t you?”
For the first time, something flickered across her expression.
Something complicated.
“Humans have feared me for centuries,” she said quietly. “I stopped caring about their opinions long ago.”
“Maybe,” Kael said softly. “But you still watch them.”
That caught her attention.
“How do you know that?”
“Because you watched me.”
A long silence followed.
The wind rustled through the trees again, carrying the scent of wet leaves and distant rain.
Finally, the woman spoke.
“You are observant.”
“Part of being curious.”
Her gaze sharpened.
“Curiosity can be dangerous.”
“So can ignorance.”
Another small smile touched her lips.
“You argue like a scholar.”
“I prefer the word thinker.”
She stepped even closer now, close enough that Kael could see the faint glow of crimson reflected in her pupils.
“Tell me something, thinker,” she said quietly.
“Yes?”
“Do you know what happens to humans who wander too close to monsters?”
“They run away?”
Her voice dropped slightly.
“No.”
Her eyes darkened.
“They die.”
Kael felt a chill run down his spine.
But he did not step back.
“Then why am I still alive?” he asked calmly.
For a moment, the woman said nothing.
Then she slowly lifted her hand and placed it gently against his chest.
Kael froze.
Her touch was colder than he expected.
But it was not cruel.
Her fingers rested directly over his heart.
“I can hear it,” she whispered.
“Hear what?”
“Your heartbeat.”
Kael swallowed.
“And?”
“It’s racing.”
“That’s normal when someone meets a legend.”
Her lips curved slightly.
“Is that what you think I am?”
“A legend?”
“Yes.”
He considered the question.
“No,” he said finally.
Her eyebrows lifted slightly.
“Then what am I?”
Kael looked directly into her glowing eyes.
“You’re real.”
For some reason, that answer made her pause.
Most humans had called her many things.
Monster.
Demon.
Curse.
But none of them had simply called her real.
She removed her hand slowly.
“You still haven’t answered my question,” she said.
“What question?”
“Why you came here.”
“I told you.”
“Curiosity.”
“Yes.”
“That is not enough to risk your life.”
“Maybe it is for me.”
Her gaze remained fixed on him.
“You truly aren’t afraid.”
“I never said that.”
“Then why stay?”
Kael glanced around the silent forest.
Then he looked back at her.
“Because leaving would mean I never learn the truth.”
“And you believe the truth is worth dying for?”
“Sometimes.”
She stared at him for a long moment.
Then, unexpectedly, she laughed.
The sound was soft and quiet, but it echoed strangely through the forest.
“You are the most unusual human I have met in a very long time.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It wasn’t meant to be one.”
“Still counts.”
Her amusement faded slightly.
“You should go back to your village.”
“Why?”
“Because eventually someone will notice you’re gone.”
“They already notice everything I do.”
“Then they will come looking.”
Kael raised an eyebrow.
“And that’s a problem?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Her crimson eyes hardened slightly.
“Because humans are dangerous in groups.”
“And you’re not?”
Her expression grew thoughtful again.
“Perhaps.”
Kael studied her carefully.
“You still haven’t told me your name.”
Her eyes flickered.
“I don’t have one.”
“That seems unlikely.”
“I had one once.”
“What happened to it?”
She looked away toward the deeper forest.
“It belonged to someone else.”
Kael waited.
But she did not continue.
“So what should I call you?” he asked.
The woman was silent for a moment.
Then she spoke.
“Call me what your village calls me.”
“The Crimson One?”
“Yes.”
“That sounds lonely.”
Her gaze returned to him.
“It is accurate.”
“Still lonely.”
She did not respond.
The forest grew quiet again.
Finally, Kael spoke.
“Can I ask you something?”
“You already have.”
“Something else.”
She sighed softly.
“Very well.”
“Do you actually drink blood?”
Her expression remained calm.
“Yes.”
“Human blood?”
“Sometimes.”
Kael nodded slowly.
“Honesty is refreshing.”
“You asked.”
“And you didn’t lie.”
“I rarely do.”
“Good to know.”
She studied him again, puzzled.
“You truly don’t react the way other humans do.”
“Should I scream?”
“That would be more typical.”
“I try not to be typical.”
Another moment of silence passed.
Then she said quietly,
“You should leave now.”
“Why?”
“Because my patience has limits.”
“And you’re reaching them?”
Her eyes gleamed.
“Possibly.”
Kael smiled slightly.
“Well, I suppose I shouldn’t test that too much.”
For a moment, it seemed like he might turn and walk away.
Instead, he looked at her again.
“Will you be here tomorrow night?”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You plan to come back again?”
“Maybe.”
“That would be very foolish.”
“Probably.”
“Then why ask?”
Kael shrugged.
“Because I think you’d like to talk again.”
Her expression revealed nothing.
“You assume too much.”
“Do I?”
“Yes.”
“But you didn’t say no.”
For a long moment, she simply stared at him.
Then she turned and stepped back into the shadows between the trees.
“Go home, Kael,” she said quietly.
He blinked.
“You know my name?”
Her glowing eyes appeared briefly in the darkness.
“I hear many things in this forest.”
Then the shadows swallowed her completely.
Kael stood alone beneath the crimson moon once more.
But this time, the forest did not feel quite as frightening.
Because somewhere within it…
The Crimson One was listening.
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