Eyes Beneath the Moon
1535 Words
The room fell silent the moment Kael Draven entered.
Rainwater dripped slowly from his black coat onto the marble floor while silver eyes studied Elena Hart with dangerous curiosity.
Unlike Lucien Valemont, Kael looked completely relaxed.
That somehow made him even more frightening.
His dark hair fell carelessly over sharp features while amusement danced behind his gaze like he found the entire world entertaining.
Especially her.
“Well,” Kael said lazily, shutting the doors behind him, “this is unexpected.”
Lucien’s expression hardened slightly.
“You weren’t invited.”
“And yet here I am.” Kael smiled. “Funny how that works.”
Elena remained near the fireplace, tense and exhausted.
Both vampires were watching her now.
Like predators.
Like she was something important.
Or edible.
She honestly wasn’t sure which terrified her more.
Kael finally stepped closer.
“So this is the human causing chaos tonight.”
Lucien moved instantly.
One second he stood across the room.
The next, he was directly between Kael and Elena.
Fast.
Too fast.
“Careful,” Lucien said coldly.
Kael raised both hands innocently. “Relax. I’m only looking.”
“You’re breathing too close.”
A laugh escaped Kael immediately.
Elena stared at them both in disbelief.
“You two are insane.”
Kael’s silver eyes shifted toward her again.
“And she speaks.”
“Unfortunately for you, yes.”
Something surprised flickered across his face before amusement returned stronger than before.
“Oh, I like her already.”
Lucien looked deeply unimpressed.
“You shouldn’t be here tonight, Kael.”
“That’s rich coming from you.” Kael shrugged casually before glancing toward Elena again. “The entire city’s talking about the girl with the Crimson scent.”
Elena stiffened instantly.
“My what?”
Neither vampire answered immediately.
That silence frightened her.
Kael slowly circled around the room, studying her carefully.
“You really don’t know, do you?”
“Know what?”
“That your blood smells different.”
Her stomach twisted.
“That’s disgusting.”
Kael laughed softly.
“Not to vampires.”
Lucien’s crimson eyes darkened.
“Enough.”
Kael sighed dramatically. “You’re no fun tonight.”
Then his gaze settled fully on Elena once more.
And suddenly the amusement faded slightly.
Interest replaced it.
Real interest.
“You’re human,” he murmured quietly. “But your heartbeat feels… strange.”
Elena folded her arms tighter. “Can all vampires hear heartbeats?”
“Yes.”
“That’s horrifying.”
Kael grinned.
“You get used to horrifying things around us.”
Lucien moved toward a nearby cabinet before pouring dark red liquid into a crystal glass.
Elena looked away immediately.
Blood.
Definitely blood.
Kael noticed her discomfort instantly.
“You’re making her nervous.”
“She already should be nervous.”
“Fair point.”
Elena rubbed her temples slowly.
“This is insane.”
Kael leaned casually against the wall.
“Probably. But insanity becomes easier after your first vampire attack.”
Her eyes snapped toward him.
“So that thing outside my apartment was a vampire?”
“No,” Lucien answered calmly. “Something worse.”
That response did not help.
Elena stared at him.
“There are things worse than vampires?”
Both men answered at the same time.
“Yes.”
Wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
Kael tilted his head slightly while watching her.
“You’re adapting surprisingly fast.”
“I’m in shock.”
“Still counts.”
Elena walked toward the massive windows overlooking the storm outside.
Moonlight flashed briefly through the clouds, illuminating Raven Hollow below.
The city suddenly looked different now.
Darker.
Like shadows hid secrets everywhere.
“How long have vampires existed?” she asked quietly.
“Longer than human history remembers,” Lucien replied.
“And humans just… don’t know?”
Kael smiled faintly. “Humans see what they want to see.”
Elena turned toward them.
“So what now? You keep me trapped in your creepy castle forever?”
“It’s safer here,” Lucien said.
“That’s not an answer.”
“No,” he agreed calmly. “It’s the truth.”
Anger sparked through her exhaustion.
“You don’t get to decide my life because monsters suddenly exist.”
Lucien stepped closer slowly.
“No,” he said quietly. “But monsters will decide it if I don’t.”
The room became still.
Even Kael stopped smiling slightly.
Something serious hid beneath Lucien’s calm voice.
Something ancient.
Elena swallowed hard.
“What exactly is the Crimson Bloodline?”
Neither vampire answered immediately.
Kael looked toward Lucien knowingly.
Lucien’s jaw tightened.
Interesting.
They were hiding something.
Finally Kael spoke first.
“Centuries ago, there were rumors about a human bloodline tied to the first vampire queen.”
Elena blinked.
“The first vampire what?”
“Queen,” Kael repeated. “According to legend, her blood created the oldest vampire clans.”
Lucien’s gaze remained fixed on Elena.
“And your blood carries traces of that power.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Most truths are.”
Elena shook her head immediately.
“No. Absolutely not. I’m just a normal girl.”
Kael smiled softly.
“Normal girls usually don’t survive encounters with monsters.”
The words chilled her.
Because part of her knew he was right.
Tonight should have killed her.
Yet somehow she was still alive.
Lucien suddenly moved toward the fireplace.
“The hunters will become more aggressive now.”
“HUNTERS?” Elena nearly shouted.
Kael laughed under his breath.
“She’s entertaining.”
Elena glared at him. “Do vampires ever explain things normally?”
“No,” Kael answered instantly.
Lucien ignored both of them.
“There are factions in Raven Hollow searching for the Crimson Bloodline.”
“And they think it’s me?”
“They know it’s you.”
Fear settled heavily inside her chest.
“How?”
Lucien’s eyes drifted toward the side of her neck.
“The mark appeared.”
Elena froze.
Slowly, she touched her neck again.
That strange burning pain.
“What mark?”
Kael’s playful expression disappeared slightly.
“You haven’t shown her?”
“There wasn’t time.”
Elena stepped backward immediately.
“Show me what?”
Lucien approached slowly.
“Stay calm.”
“That sentence has literally never helped anyone.”
Kael snorted softly.
Lucien ignored him completely.
“Elena.”
His voice lowered slightly.
“Turn around.”
Every instinct warned her not to trust him.
Yet somehow…
She did.
At least a little.
Slowly, Elena turned her back toward him.
Lucien stepped closer.
Too close.
She felt cold air shift around him.
Then his fingers lightly brushed the side of her neck.
Elena inhaled sharply.
His touch felt freezing.
A strange pulse shot through her skin instantly.
Kael’s expression changed the moment he saw her neck.
“Well,” he murmured softly. “That’s bad.”
Fear exploded inside her.
“What?!”
Lucien’s hand moved away slowly.
“You have the Crimson Mark.”
Elena rushed toward a nearby mirror.
And stopped breathing.
A faint red symbol glowed beneath the skin of her neck.
Beautiful.
Ancient.
Terrifying.
It looked almost like twisting vines mixed with blood-red fire.
“What the hell is that?”
Kael’s silver eyes darkened slightly.
“A death sentence.”
The room fell silent.
Elena stared at her reflection in horror.
“No.”
Her voice shook.
“No, no, no—this has to be fake.”
Lucien stepped beside her.
“It’s real.”
“I don’t understand any of this!”
“You’re not supposed to,” Kael said quietly. “Not yet.”
Elena turned toward them angrily.
“You keep talking in riddles!”
“Because the truth is dangerous.”
“I think we passed dangerous three vampire attacks ago!”
Silence followed.
Then unexpectedly—
Kael smiled again.
A real smile this time.
And somehow it made him look even more dangerous.
“You’re braver than most humans.”
“I’m terrified.”
“Exactly.”
Lucien suddenly looked toward the windows sharply.
Both vampires went still instantly.
Every trace of humor vanished.
Elena noticed immediately.
“What’s wrong?”
Neither answered.
Then—
A howl echoed through the storm outside.
Not human.
Not animal.
Something ancient and hungry.
Another howl followed closer this time.
Kael sighed softly.
“Well. That’s unfortunate.”
Fear gripped Elena again.
“What is that?”
Lucien’s crimson eyes darkened.
“They found you.”
The castle lights flickered once.
Thunder exploded overhead.
Then screams echoed somewhere deep within the castle halls.
Elena’s heart nearly stopped.
Kael’s smile vanished completely now.
“That’s definitely not good.”
Lucien moved instantly toward the doors.
“Stay inside this room.”
Elena grabbed his arm before she could stop herself.
“Wait.”
He looked down at her hand touching him.
Then slowly back into her eyes.
For one strange second, the room felt smaller.
Quieter.
Dangerously intimate.
Fear and something unfamiliar twisted together inside her chest.
“What happens if those things get in?” she whispered.
Lucien’s gaze never left hers.
“Then Raven Hollow burns tonight.”
- Writer
