Moon and Blood : The Forbidden Heir of Enemy Kingdoms

Mirror of the Past

The room was modest but clean. On the bed lay a pale-faced vampire woman who had just given birth. In her arms was a newborn baby, sleeping quietly. On the woman’s face were both exhaustion and deep love.

Just then, the door burst open. Two large, hard-eyed werewolves stormed inside. The vampire woman clutched the baby tighter to her chest in fear.

“Give us the baby,” the first werewolf thundered, his voice echoing through the room.

“No!” the woman resisted, her voice trembling but resolute. “He’s my son! No one will take him from me!”

The second werewolf spoke more coldly. “By order of King Borak. This child is part of an agreement between the kingdoms. We will keep him safe.”

“You’re lying!” the woman screamed, her eyes wide with terror. “Borak would never do this! He—”

She couldn’t finish her sentence. The first werewolf lunged forward and seized her arms. The second tore the baby from her grasp. The baby woke and began to cry.

“Please!” the woman begged, tears streaming down her face. “Don’t kill him! He’s an innocent baby!”

The werewolf holding the child shook his head coldly. “The orders are clear. This secret must never spread. And you will never forget this. We have no other choice.”

The woman’s eyes locked onto the knife in the werewolf’s hand as it moved toward her baby. “No—!”

The blade came down swiftly. The vampire woman let out a piercing scream, then fell silent. Blood gushed from her chest as she collapsed onto the bed. Her eyes froze after one last look toward her child.

Elara held her breath, unable to believe what she was witnessing. Kael’s face had turned to stone, shock and fury blazing in his golden eyes.

The werewolves wiped the blood from the blade, swaddled the crying baby, and hurried out of the room. Elara and Kael followed them. In ghostly form, they passed through the walls, trailing the werewolves.

The werewolves slipped through secret passages into the castle of the Werewolf Kingdom. Moving through the corridors, they reached King Borak’s private study. When they entered, Borak was alone, examining a document. He was younger then, but the authority and severity on his face were the same.

The werewolves bowed before him. The one holding the baby spoke respectfully. “My lord, we’ve brought him. Your son, as you said. The vampire woman… was killed. She wouldn’t let go. It was necessary to keep the secret.”

Borak slowly rose to his feet. Deep sorrow and a heavy burden were etched on his face. He looked at the baby, then closed his eyes and sighed. “It was necessary… yes. But still…” He didn’t finish the sentence. He took the baby into his arms. Perhaps sensing Borak’s warmth, the baby stopped crying.

“No one must know,” Borak whispered, gazing at the baby’s face. “This secret will go to the grave with me. I will name him… Kael. And he will be my son—the crown prince of this kingdom.”

The werewolves nodded. “As you command, my lord.”

Borak looked at the faint, curling birthmark on the baby’s chest. He touched it gently with his finger. “You will be safe,” he murmured in a voice only the baby could hear. “And this truth will never hurt you.”

Elara turned to Kael beside her. His face was completely frozen, eyes wide, staring at the baby and Borak. Slowly, he raised a hand to his chest—to the exact place Borak had indicated. He understood.

“No…” Kael whispered, his voice broken and disbelieving. “This is me… I’m that baby. I’m… a vampire and werewolf hybrid.”

Elara’s heart clenched. She could feel Kael’s shock and pain. His entire life, his identity, had been a lie. He was a mixture of the races he had believed were enemies.

The scene of the past began to blur again. The potion’s effect was fading, pulling them back. Light flared once more, a spinning sensation—

And they found themselves back in the cave, holding each other’s hands. They had returned. Both were breathless, drenched in sweat. The remnants of the potion glimmered faintly before them.

Kael said nothing. He simply let go of Elara’s hands, stood up, his face still deathly pale. Elara rose as well and took a step toward him. “Kael…”

“Don’t,” Kael said sharply, though his voice was fractured. “I can’t… talk yet.”

At that moment, voices and footsteps echoed from outside the cave. Adrian’s voice rang out. “Elara! Elara, are you in there?”

Adrian entered the cave with a group of guards. His face was tense with worry and anger; seeing Elara, he relaxed—but when he noticed Kael beside her, his brows furrowed. “What are you doing here? We lost the trail—we’ve been looking for you!”

Lilith followed them inside, her eyes wide with fear. “Elara! I was so scared! I can feel something big approaching… something very dark. We can’t stay here anymore!”

Adrian took Elara by the arm. “Lilith is right. This has gone too far. The Dark Bond’s attacks have begun—we need to return to our kingdoms for our safety.” Then he turned to Kael, his expression cold. “I suggest you return to your own kingdom as well, Crown Prince.”

Kael stared at Adrian with empty eyes, as if he didn’t even see him. Then, without a word, he walked out of the cave and disappeared into the forest. Adrian found his behavior strange, but didn’t dwell on it.

“Come, Elara—and you too, Lilith,” Adrian said in a gentle yet commanding tone. “It isn’t safe for you here.”

Elara stared in the direction Kael had gone. Her heart was breaking. She understood his pain, but there was no chance to speak now. She left the cave with Adrian and Lilith.

When they returned to the Tree-Palace, preparations were frantic. Fearing the Dark Bond’s attacks, every kingdom had decided to withdraw to its own lands. Lilith came to Elara and hugged her tightly. “You scared me so much, didn’t you? But we’re leaving now. Going home.”

Elara only nodded. Her mind was consumed by what she had seen—Kael’s truth, and what that truth now meant. If Kael was a hybrid, why would the Dark Bond be targeting him? Or was it after the ‘spark’ inside him? Or perhaps the Dark Bond wanted his power?

The journey back to the Vampire Kingdom passed in silence. Adrian stayed close to Elara, constantly watching her, protective. When they arrived in Nocturna, Adrian led Elara straight to the suite assigned to her in the castle.

Once they were alone in the room, Adrian closed the door and turned to her with a grave expression. “I can’t wait any longer, Elara. I want your answer. Will you marry me?”

Elara met his gaze. It was clear there was no patience left in Adrian’s eyes. Only pressure.

“Adrian, please, a little more time—”

“No,” Adrian cut in firmly. “Time is up. The Dark Bond threat is growing, the kingdoms are in chaos. I need your power. I need you. You must decide now.”

Elara’s heart was pounding. On one side stood Adrian: familiar, powerful, offering a high position—but also someone who wanted to control her. On the other side was Kael: an enemy, full of secrets, now in the middle of an identity crisis, but someone who truly wanted her to be free. And now, the truth of what Kael really was…

But more importantly—what did her own inner voice say? Did she want power, or freedom? A true partnership, or a beautiful cage?

Seeing her hesitation, Adrian stepped even closer. “Elara, I want you. I will protect you, elevate you. Together, we can overcome anything. But you must answer me now.”

Elara took a deep breath. She fixed her gaze on Adrian’s navy-blue eyes. In her mind, Kael’s hollow, wounded look as he left the cave flashed before her. And the voice inside her finally became clear.

She had made her decision.

“Adrian,” she began, her voice calm but resolute. “My answer—”