The Blood Moon's Daughter
648 Words
Chapter 1: The Blood Moon's Daughter
The rain fell like a warning.
Thunder rolled across the dark sky as black SUVs sped through the lonely mountain road, their headlights cutting through the heavy mist. Hidden deep within the Ravenwood Forest stood an ancient mansion that had survived centuries of war.
Tonight, it would not survive another.
Inside the mansion, candles flickered as the Ravenwood family gathered around a long dining table. It was Seraphina's twenty-second birthday.
Despite the elegant decorations and expensive wine, an uneasy silence filled the room.
Her adoptive mother forced a smile.
"Make a wish, sweetheart."
Seraphina stared at the birthday cake. The candles danced strangely, as though blown by an invisible wind.
"I don't know what to wish for," she admitted.
"Then wish for happiness," her father said gently.
She smiled.
"If happiness exists."
Just as she leaned forward to blow out the candles—
BOOM!
The mansion shook violently.
Every light went out.
The windows exploded inward.
Screams echoed through the house.
"What was that?" her younger brother cried.
Another explosion answered him.
Gunfire erupted outside.
Rat-tat-tat!
Rat-tat-tat!
Her father rushed toward the window, but before he reached it—
Bang!
A sniper's bullet pierced the glass and struck him square in the chest.
"Dad!"
Blood splattered across the white tablecloth.
He collapsed without a sound.
Seraphina froze.
Her mother screamed as masked men dressed in black stormed into the mansion, carrying rifles engraved with silver wolves.
"Kill everyone!" one of them shouted.
Chaos erupted.
Servants ran in every direction.
Bullets ripped through furniture.
Glass shattered.
Bodies fell.
Her brother grabbed her hand.
"Run!"
They sprinted toward the back hallway, but another assassin blocked their escape.
Without hesitation, he raised his gun.
Bang!
Her brother fell beside her.
"No..."
Her knees hit the floor.
"No... please..."
Tears blurred her vision as blood spread beneath him.
Another assassin grabbed her by the throat.
"So this is the cursed girl."
She struggled to breathe.
"I... don't know... what you're talking about..."
The man laughed.
"You will."
Suddenly—
The lights flickered.
A freezing wind swept through the hallway.
The strange crescent-shaped birthmark on Seraphina's shoulder began to burn.
She screamed.
Golden light exploded from her body.
The assassin holding her was thrown across the room like a rag doll, crashing through a marble pillar.
Everyone stopped.
The remaining attackers stared in disbelief.
"Impossible..."
"The mark..."
"She's awakened!"
The walls trembled.
The floor cracked beneath her feet.
For a brief second, Seraphina's eyes glowed silver.
Then everything went dark.
...
She woke to the smell of smoke.
The mansion was burning.
Bodies lay scattered across the floor.
The birthday decorations had become ashes.
Her family...
Gone.
She staggered toward the front door.
Outside, flames swallowed the estate while rain hissed against the fire.
Standing beside a black luxury car was a tall man dressed entirely in black.
His face was hidden beneath the shadow of an umbrella.
Only his silver eyes were visible.
He looked directly at her.
Not with pity.
Recognition.
He walked closer.
Close enough for her to hear his calm voice.
"The Queen has finally awakened."
"What... who are you?" she whispered.
Instead of answering, he removed a black ring from his finger and dropped it into her trembling hand.
It carried the symbol of a crown wrapped in thorns.
"When the moon turns red again," he said, "find me before they do."
"Who are they?"
His eyes hardened.
"The people who murdered your family twenty-two years ago... and tonight finished what they started."
Before she could ask another question, headlights appeared in the distance.
The mysterious man stepped into his car.
Within seconds, it disappeared into the rain.
Seraphina stood alone among the flames, clutching the strange ring.
Behind her, something moved inside the burning mansion.
A low growl echoed through the night.
It wasn't human.
And it was coming for her...
- Writer
