Moonlit Destiny

Blood and Moonlight(Excerpt)

Moonlight poured through the ancient stained-glass windows of the coven fortress, casting fractured patterns across Ariana's chamber. She lay back on her bed, the silken sheets cool beneath her as her fingers traced absent patterns over her thigh. Her thoughts weren't in the room, they were with him.

Tristan.

The way his voice curled around her name was like a whispered secret. The way his eyes held that fierce hunger. Her breath hitched as the memory of his nearness returned, his scent of pine and storm, the warmth that pulsed from his skin, the way his gaze had lingered on her mouth as though he might devour her right there beneath the moon.

Ariana's hand slipped beneath her nightdress, brushing lightly over the curve of her stomach. Her breath deepened. Her fingers trembled as they moved lower, grazing the tender heat between her thighs. She gasped softly, already wet. Her n*****s had hardened at the moment she remembered his low growl, the way he said her name, like it belonged to him.

Her other hand slipped up, cupping her breast, teasing the tight bud until a whimper escaped her lips. She bit her bottom lip, thighs squeezing as the ache built. Just a touch from him. That's all it would take. Just one command in that voice, and she would unravel for him completely.

"Tristan...." she whispered into the dark, her voice breathy and soft, lost in the heat of wanting.

A creak echoed beyond her door.

She froze, breath caught, shame rising. She quickly withdrew her hand and adjusted her gown, heart pounding. She couldn't risk being caught like that, not here.

A few moments later, she was cloaked and slipping down the hallway, trying to cool the heat that still lingered beneath her skin. She turned a corner.....

"You know, sneaking out isn't exactly subtle in a house full of predators", came a familiar voice.

Ariana flinched. "Shaya, goodness, you scared me."

Shaya narrowed her eyes, stepping out of the shadows with arms crossed. "You're flushed. And sneaking out again."

"I just needed air," Ariana mumbled, not meeting her gaze.

"Air that tastes like wolf?" Shaya teased, but her voice held concern beneath the smirk.

"Whatever it is you're doing out there.....be careful. "You've never been this reckless, that's Selene's job."

Before Ariana could answer, footsteps echoed down the corridor, measured, deliberate.

Elias.

The head of the coven emerged from the shadows, tall and commanding, his dark robes brushing the floor like smoke. His eyes lingered on Ariana, a second too long.

"Ladies," he greeted, his voice smooth as wine.

"Wandering so late?"

Ariana stood straighter, steeling herself.

"You should rest, Ariana," Elias said, stepping closer. "You've always been.....impulsive. I worry it may lead you down paths better left unexplored."

"I just needed air," she repeated, more firmly.

Elias smiled but it never reached his eyes.

"You're not like them, Ariana. You have responsibilities here. A home. People who took you in when no one else would." He paused, lowering his voice. "You must be careful. If you're not, you might lose everything.... just like your parents did."

A chill danced down Ariana's spine. Her parents. Why mention them now?

Elias touched her shoulder lightly, too lightly.

"You should get some rest."

He turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving only silence and suspicion in his wake.

Ariana exhaled slowly.

Shaya stepped closer. "That man gives the creeps sometimes."

Ariana nodded, her eyes distant. "Me too. And yet he saved us."

"Did he?" Shaya muttered, mostly to herself.

They both stood in silence for a moment before Shaya added softly,"Next time you want to sneak out, let us come with you. You have a pack too, you know."

Ariana managed a small, grateful smile. "I know."

But even as she turned back toward her room, the heat still lingered in her body....and the craving for Tristan had not faded. It had only grown stronger.

The soft golden light of morning filtered through the gland-arched windows of the coven's inner sanctum, casting a warm glow over the velvet cushions and wine-colored drapes. The scent of rose oil and fresh berries hung in the air, mingling with laughter.

Ariana lounged on her belly atop a plush chaise, legs swaying lazily in the air, her chin resting in her hand. Across from her, Lisette was combing through her curls, humming as she nibbled on a pomegranate seed. Shaya lay upside down on the couch, her feet resting on the backrest, arms hanging toward the floor. Selene was perched by the open window, sunlight dancing off her golden hair, a dreamy look in her eyes.

"Okay, so who was the pretty boy with the jawline last night?" Shaya asked, her voice dripping with mischief. "The one you didn't let feed from you, Lisette. He looked like he'd die just for a smile."

Lisette smirked and licked her fingers slowly. "Please. I let him look. That's all he deserved. Besides....." She paused dramatically, eyes flitting toward Ariana. "I think someone else had a far more exciting night."

All eyes turned to Ariana, who blinked, then buried her face in the pillow with a groan. "Oh, no."

"Oh, yes," Selene sang, gracefully flipping onto the cushions beside her. "You came back flushed, dazed and walking like your knees forgot how to work."

"Who was he?" Lisette asked, sitting up now, eyes gleaming. "And more importantly, was he delicious?"

Ariana sat up slowly, brushing her hair from her face. "I... I don't know who he is. I didn't even know his name. But I've seen him before in my dreams. For weeks now. He whispers my name. Tristan....Tristan, come back to me, he says. And last night, it was the dreams bled into real life."

Shaya blinked," Wait. You went t the Glade because a dream called you?"

"I didn't plan to. I just felt..... Pulled there. "Like I couldn't not go," Ariana said, her voice soft, haunted. "And then he was there. Waiting, like he'd know i would come."

Selene's eyes widened. "That's some fated lovers, star-crossed myth-level drama."

"And he is a werewolf," Ariana added.

A beat of silence.

Then chaos.

"A what?" Shaya shouted, falling off the couch with a thud.

Selene gasped. "You're joking!"

"Wait...you're not joking," Lisette said, eyes wide.

Ariana nodded. "I didn't know at first. He felt...wild. Primal. But not dangerous, not to me. The moment he touched me, it was like every nerve in my body remembered him."

Shaya crawled back onto the cushions. "Ari. You cannot be serious."

Ariana let out a breathless, slightly wicked laugh. "He was so tempting. I wanted to devour him.....or let him devour me. Just once. I don't know if I'll ever feel like that again."

Lisette whistled low. "Holy hell. Did he kiss you?"

"No," Ariana said, voiced darkly with frustration and desire. "But i wanted him to. Every time he looked at me. Like we'd touched a thousand times before."

Selene groaned and fanned herself. "Okay, but if you don't jump his bones next time, I will."

"I want to see him again," Ariana said, sitting up straighter now. "I don't know if he'll be there, but I have to go back. Tonight."

Shaya arched her brow. "Let me guess. You need help sneaking out?"

Ariana grinned. "I'll need distractions. Just enough to pull the attention of the guards, watchmen......especially Darian. He's been nosy lately."

Selene rolled her eyes. "That one would follow your scent like a bloodhound if he could."

Lisette leaned back with a mischievous smirk. "I'll wear the see-through dress. The one that makes Elias forget his own name."

"I'll cause a little magical chaos in the easy wing," Shaya added with a sly grin. A few accidental spell misfires, maybe a floating bed or two. The guards will be too busy chasing rogue enchantments to notice you slipping through."

Selene chuckled. "I can charm the wardstones to flicker near the front gates. They'll think the whole coven is under some kind of spell attack."

Ariana grinned, a surge of affection for her friends swelling in her chest. "Thank you. I owe you all."

Shaya nudged her again. "Just bring back a full report. We want details. Every moan, every growl, every bite....."

Ariana blushed and whispered, " if he kisses me tonight, i might not stop there."