🌙 THE MOON'S FORBIDDEN BLOOD

THE MOON’S FORBIDDEN BLOOD Chapter One The Night the Moon Turned Red The moon had never been red before. At least, that was what Liora Vale had been told. For seventeen years, she had heard the same stories from the elders of the Silverfang Kingdom. The moon was white. Sometimes pale gold. Sometimes hidden behind clouds. Sometimes so bright that its light turned the snow-covered mountains into silver. But never red. Red belonged to blood. And blood belonged to war. Liora stood at the edge of the northern forest, staring upward. The moon hung above the trees like a wound in the night. Crimson. Not pink. Not orange. Red. A deep, unnatural red that seemed to stain the clouds surrounding it. Behind her, the ancient walls of the Silverfang Kingdom rose against the darkness. Hundreds of torches burned along the battlements, their flames trembling in the cold wind. Guards moved along the walls with their weapons drawn. Something was wrong. Liora could feel it. She pulled her dark cloak tighter around herself and looked toward the forest. "You shouldn't be here." The voice came from behind her. Liora didn't turn. "I could say the same about you." A quiet laugh answered her. "You always were stubborn." "That's what my brother says." "Your brother is usually right." That finally made her turn. A tall figure stood several steps away, dressed in the black-and-silver uniform of the Silverfang royal guard. His name was Rowan. He had been Liora's closest friend since childhood, though neither of them had ever been allowed to call their friendship ordinary. Rowan was the son of one of the kingdom's generals. Liora was the daughter of the High Alpha. Neither of them had been permitted the luxury of being ordinary. Rowan's eyes moved toward the red moon. "Come back inside." "Why?" "Because every guard in the kingdom has been ordered to remain inside the walls." Liora frowned. "Why?" Rowan hesitated. That was enough to make her suspicious. "What happened?" "Nothing." "You hesitated." "I was thinking." "You were lying." Rowan sighed. "Liora." "Tell me." He looked toward the forest. "The border patrol disappeared." Her expression changed. "How many?" "Six." Her heart tightened. "Vampires?" "We don't know." "They were attacked?" "We don't know." "Then why are all the guards armed?" Rowan didn't answer. Liora stepped closer. "What aren't you telling me?" Before he could respond, a distant sound rolled through the forest. A howl. Long. Low. Ancient. Every hair along Liora's arms rose. Rowan immediately reached for his sword. The sound came again. But this time, something was different. It wasn't a wolf's howl. It was something deeper. Something that sounded almost human. Liora stared into the trees. "That wasn't one of ours." Rowan's grip tightened around his weapon. "No." "What was it?" "I don't know." A horn sounded from the kingdom walls. Once. Twice. Three times. Rowan's face went pale. "That's the warning signal." Liora's heartbeat quickened. "What warning?" He grabbed her arm. "We need to go." She resisted. "Rowan—" "Now." They ran. Branches scratched against Liora's cloak as they raced through the trees toward the kingdom. The red moon followed them. Or at least it felt as if it did. Liora glanced over her shoulder. For one impossible second, she thought she saw someone standing between the trees. A man. Tall. Motionless. Watching her. She stopped. "Rowan." He turned. "What?" Liora pointed. "Someone's there." Rowan immediately drew his sword. "Where?" But the figure was gone. Only darkness remained. "Did you see him?" "No." "He was there." "Liora, we have to keep moving." "He was watching me." Rowan grabbed her hand. "Then we'll figure out who he was after we get behind the walls." They continued running. Neither noticed the shadow that remained beneath the trees. Neither saw the pale face watching them from the darkness. And neither heard the quiet voice that whispered: "Finally." --- The gates of Silverfang slammed shut behind them. Liora barely had time to catch her breath before a guard approached. "Princess." She frowned. "Don't call me that." The guard immediately lowered his head. "Forgive me." Liora hated being called princess. Not because she disliked the title. Because she knew what came with it. Expectations. Marriage. Duty. A crown she had never asked for. Her father had spent her entire life preparing her to become the next ruler of Silverfang. But lately, Liora had begun to wonder whether she even wanted the throne. The kingdom was built on hatred. Every child of Silverfang learned the same lesson before they learned how to read. Vampires were monsters. Vampires had murdered their ancestors. Vampires had poisoned their lands. Vampires had started the Blood War. And above all— Never trust a vampire. Liora had believed it. Until tonight. Because there was something about the figure in the forest that didn't feel like a monster. It felt like a warning. "Your father wants you in the Great Hall." Liora's stomach tightened. "Now?" "Immediately." Rowan looked at her. "I'll come with you." The guard shook his head. "The High Alpha ordered Princess Liora to come alone." Rowan frowned. "Why?" The guard's expression hardened. "Because the High Alpha has discovered something." --- The Great Hall was silent. Too silent. Liora pushed open the enormous wooden doors. Inside, every member of the royal council stood around the long stone table. Her father stood at its head. Alpha Darius Vale. The strongest werewolf in the Silverfang Kingdom. A man feared by enemies and respected by his people. He had raised Liora with discipline rather than affection. Not because he didn't love her. But because he believed love made people weak. Liora had never agreed. Her father's eyes immediately found hers. "You were outside." It wasn't a question. Liora swallowed. "Yes." "Why?" "I wanted to see the moon." Several council members exchanged uneasy glances. Darius looked toward the window. The red light of the moon spilled across the floor. "Then you saw it." "Everyone saw it." "Not everyone understands what it means." Liora stepped closer. "What does it mean?" Nobody answered. Her father finally spoke. "The last time the moon turned red, the Blood War began." Liora's chest tightened. "When?" "Four hundred years ago." "And what happened?" Darius looked at her. "Everything changed." An elderly woman stepped forward. Lady Elara, the kingdom's oldest seer. Her white hair fell over her shoulders, and her cloudy eyes seemed to stare through Liora rather than at her. "The prophecy has awakened." Liora felt a chill. "What prophecy?" Elara lifted one trembling hand. "The Forbidden Blood." The words echoed through the hall. Liora frowned. "What does that mean?" Her father looked away. That frightened her more than anything else. "Dad." He didn't answer. "Dad." Finally, he said: "There is an old prophecy concerning the bloodlines of vampires and werewolves." "I know the stories." "You know the stories they wanted you to know." Liora stared at him. "What aren't you telling me?" Lady Elara spoke. "The prophecy says that when the moon bleeds red, a child born of forbidden blood will awaken." Liora's heart began beating faster. "A child?" "Someone capable of ending the war." "Or starting it." Silence. Liora looked from face to face. "What does this have to do with me?" Nobody answered. And suddenly, she knew. She took a step backward. "No." Her father closed his eyes. Liora's voice trembled. "No." "Liora—" "Why are you looking at me like that?" Her father moved toward her. She stepped away. "Tell me." "You are not the one mentioned in the prophecy." Relief came first. Then confusion. "Then why—" "Because the prophecy mentions your blood." Liora froze. "My blood?" Lady Elara nodded. "Your mother was not who you believed she was." The room seemed to tilt. Liora stared at her father. "My mother?" Darius's expression broke for the first time. Pain crossed his face. "You were told she died when you were born." "She did." "No." Liora couldn't breathe. "No?" "Your mother is alive." The words struck harder than any weapon. For seventeen years, Liora had believed her mother was dead. She remembered almost nothing about her. A soft voice. Warm hands. A silver pendant. And a lullaby she could never quite remember completely. That was all. "You lied to me." "I protected you." "You lied." "I had no choice." "Where is she?" Darius said nothing. "Where is my mother?" "She is gone." "Gone where?" "To the vampires." The hall exploded into whispers. Liora stared at him. Her mother. A vampire. Impossible. "My mother was a vampire?" Darius's silence was answer enough. Liora's mind raced. The stories. The hatred. The war. Everything she'd been taught suddenly seemed fragile. "Why?" Darius looked directly at her. "Because your mother was the daughter of the Vampire King." Liora stopped breathing. She was the daughter of a werewolf Alpha. And the granddaughter of a vampire king. Her entire existence was a secret. A secret powerful enough to destroy two kingdoms. Lady Elara whispered: "And now someone knows." Liora looked toward the windows. The red moon seemed brighter. "Who?" A horn sounded outside. Then another. Then another. A guard burst through the doors. "High Alpha!" Darius turned. "What?" The guard was breathing heavily. "The eastern gate." "What happened?" The guard looked terrified. "Someone has entered the kingdom." Darius reached for his weapon. "Who?" The guard swallowed. "A vampire." Every warrior in the hall moved at once. Liora's heart stopped. A vampire. Inside Silverfang. Impossible. The guard continued. "He killed three sentries." Liora felt cold. "Where is he?" The guard looked at her. "He's coming here." --- The castle erupted into chaos. Warriors rushed through the corridors. Doors slammed. Weapons were drawn. The royal family was surrounded by guards. But Liora barely heard them. She could only think about the figure in the forest. The stranger who had watched her. The stranger who had disappeared. The stranger who had somehow entered the most heavily protected kingdom in the region. "Take Liora to the safe chamber," Darius ordered. Two guards moved toward her. "No." "Liora." "I'm not hiding." "You will do as I say." "Who is he?" Darius's jaw tightened. "I don't know." "You do." "I said I don't know." "You've known vampires all your life." "Not this one." Something in his voice made her pause. Fear. Her father was afraid. That was something Liora had never seen before. Then— The lights went out. The entire castle fell into darkness. Someone screamed. A crash came from the hallway. Steel struck steel. Liora heard footsteps. Slow. Calm. Unhurried. Approaching. The guards raised their weapons. Darius stepped in front of Liora. "Stay behind me." The doors opened. A man walked into the hall. He was dressed entirely in black. His coat moved slightly in the cold air. Dark hair fell across his forehead. His face was pale, almost unnaturally so. But it was his eyes that captured Liora's attention. They were silver. Not red. Silver. He looked around the room as if he had expected everyone to be there. Then his eyes found Liora. Everything stopped. The noise. The movement. The shouting. For one strange moment, the entire world seemed to disappear. The vampire stared at her. Liora stared back. Something passed between them. Recognition. But she had never seen him before. At least, she didn't think she had. The vampire's expression changed. Surprise. Then something almost like disbelief. He whispered: "You're alive." Liora's heart pounded. "What?" He took one step forward. Darius immediately raised his sword. "Take another step and you'll die." The vampire didn't even look at him. His eyes remained on Liora. "Your mother told me you were dead." Liora felt the blood drain from her face. "You knew my mother?" The vampire finally looked at Darius. "Unfortunately." Darius's expression hardened. "Kael." The name echoed through the hall. Liora looked between them. "You know him?" Her father's grip tightened. "Kael Draven." The vampire smiled faintly. "The High Alpha remembers me." Liora's heart skipped. Draven. She had heard that name before. Everyone had. The Draven family ruled the vampire kingdom. And Kael Draven— He was the vampire prince. The heir to the throne. Her father's greatest enemy. Kael's eyes returned to her. "You have her eyes." Liora couldn't speak. "Whose eyes?" Kael's expression softened. "Your mother's." Darius moved forward. "You will not speak about her." Kael's gaze hardened. "You buried the truth for seventeen years." "I protected my daughter." "You imprisoned her in a lie." Darius raised his sword. Kael laughed quietly. "Still pretending you're the hero?" The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Liora looked at her father. "What is he talking about?" Neither man answered. "Someone tell me the truth!" Kael looked at her. "I came here because someone is trying to kill you." Darius scoffed. "You're the one who broke into my kingdom." "I didn't come to kill her." "Why should we believe you?" "Because if I wanted her dead, she would already be dead." Silence. Liora hated that the statement made sense. Kael stepped closer. Darius immediately attacked. The vampire moved faster than Liora's eyes could follow. Steel flashed. Kael caught the sword with one hand. The force of the impact sent a shock through the hall. Darius growled. Kael pushed him backward. The warriors charged. Kael moved through them like a shadow. He didn't kill them. He could have. Liora realized that quickly. Instead, he disarmed them. Knocked them aside. Moved around their attacks. He was powerful. Terrifyingly powerful. But strangely controlled. Then one guard aimed a crossbow at him. Liora saw it. "Stop!" The bolt fired. Kael turned. Too late. Liora moved without thinking. She stepped between them. The bolt stopped inches from her. Kael's expression changed. For the first time, genuine fear appeared in his eyes. He moved instantly. His hand closed around the bolt. He stared at Liora. "Are you insane?" She stared back. "You were going to get hurt." His expression became almost incredulous. "I'm a vampire." "And?" "You shouldn't care." "I don't." He looked at her for a long moment. "You're lying." Liora's face warmed. "I don't even know you." "Not yet." The words sent an unexpected chill through her. Darius stepped between them. "Enough." Kael looked toward the windows. "We're running out of time." "What are you talking about?" Kael's face became serious. "The prophecy isn't about a child who will end the war." Lady Elara stepped forward. "What do you know?" Kael looked at her. "Everything." The old seer went pale. Kael continued. "The prophecy was deliberately mistranslated." Liora's stomach tightened. "What does the real prophecy say?" Kael looked at her. His voice dropped. "When the moon bleeds, the daughter of two bloodlines shall awaken." Liora felt something stir beneath her skin. "And when her blood touches the blood of the vampire heir..." He paused. The room became silent. "...the ancient king will rise." A tremor moved through the castle. The floor shook. Everyone froze. Then a deep sound came from beneath them. Boom. Liora looked down. Boom. Again. Something was moving underground. Kael's face changed. "He's awake." Darius stared at him. "Who?" Kael whispered: "My grandfather." Liora's blood turned cold. The Vampire King. The king who had disappeared centuries ago. The king believed to be dead. The king whose disappearance had supposedly ended the first Blood War. The castle shook again. Cracks spread across the stone floor. Then something ancient whispered from beneath the kingdom. "Liora." She froze. The voice wasn't loud. But she heard it clearly. Everyone did. "Liora Vale." Her name. The voice called her again. "Come to me." Kael stepped toward her. "No." Liora looked at him. "What?" "Whatever happens, don't answer." "Why?" His silver eyes darkened. "Because he knows your name." The floor cracked open. A burst of black mist rose from below. Guards screamed. The torches reignited with blue flames. And somewhere beneath the castle, something ancient began to laugh. Liora stumbled backward. Kael caught her before she fell. For one brief moment, she was surrounded by his cold presence. She looked up at him. He looked down at her. Neither spoke. Then Kael whispered: "I came too late." Liora frowned. "Too late for what?" His expression was haunted. "To stop them from finding you." "Who?" Kael looked toward the shattered floor. "The people who started this war." He looked back at her. "And the people who are going to finish it." A scream echoed from beneath the castle. Then the moon outside turned completely black. Liora stared upward. The red light disappeared. And somewhere in the darkness, the ancient voice whispered one final sentence. "The daughter has awakened." Liora felt a burning sensation spread through her veins. She looked down. A strange silver mark had appeared on her palm. Kael stared at it. His face went pale. "What?" She held out her hand. "What is it?" Kael didn't answer. "Kael." He looked at her. And for the first time since entering the kingdom, the vampire prince looked genuinely afraid. "That's impossible." "What is?" He took a step backward. "That mark." Liora looked at her palm. "What about it?" Kael's voice was barely a whisper. "It's the mark of the first vampire." The castle shook again. Liora stared at him. "But I'm not a vampire." Kael said nothing. She looked into his silver eyes. "Am I?" Before he could answer, the entire eastern wall exploded. Stone crashed inward. Guards screamed. The wind rushed through the hall. And beyond the broken wall stood hundreds of figures. Vampires. Their eyes glowed in the darkness. At their center stood a woman wearing a crown of black diamonds. Liora's breath caught. She knew that face. Not from memory. From portraits. From history books. From the forbidden stories her father had spent her childhood trying to erase. The woman smiled. "My little granddaughter." Liora froze. Kael turned sharply. "Mother." The Vampire Queen stepped forward. Behind her, hundreds of vampires bowed. Her eyes never left Liora. "You've grown beautifully." Darius raised his sword. "You will not take my daughter." The queen smiled. "Your daughter?" Her gaze shifted toward him. "You still don't understand, Darius." She looked back at Liora. "She was never yours to keep." Liora's heart hammered. "Who am I?" The queen smiled. "That is the question you should have asked seventeen years ago." She lifted one hand. The vampires behind her drew their weapons. "Because your father isn't the only person who lied to you." Kael moved toward Liora. The queen's eyes narrowed. "And neither is my son." Liora looked at Kael. He didn't deny it. Her stomach dropped. The queen smiled. "Welcome home, Liora." The castle doors slammed shut. The moon disappeared. And the war began again. End of Chapter One