MOONBLOOD BOUND

Chapter 1: The Forbidden Meeting

The air in the village was thick with tension. Seraphina stood at the edge of the forest, her eyes tracing the jagged silhouette of the mountains beyond. There had always been something strange about this place, something that made her skin prickle with an unexplainable sense of foreboding. Her mother had warned her of the dangers that lurked in the woods-rumors of creatures not of this world and whispers of ancient magic still clung to the trees like cobwebs.

But that night, as the moon began to rise, she felt a pull-a force she couldn't resist. It wasn't like the usual stirrings she felt in her blood when the moon was full. No, this was different. Stronger. Deeper.

The mark on her wrist, the one that had started appearing months ago, glowed faintly under the pale light of the moon. Seraphina had tried to ignore it, chalking it up to stress or fatigue, but tonight it felt alive. As though it had a purpose-her purpose.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward, her boots crunching against the dried leaves beneath her. The village was asleep, and the only sound was the distant rustling of the trees. She had to find out what this connection meant.

The forest was darker than usual, the shadows deepening as if they were alive. Seraphina's heart pounded in her chest as the air grew heavier with each step. She'd been here before, but tonight, it felt different. As though something-someone-was waiting for her.

Then she saw him.

Lucian.

He stood just beyond the clearing, his back turned to her. His silhouette was impossibly tall, his dark hair falling over his shoulders in untamed waves. He was a stranger to the village, no one knew where he came from or why he had arrived weeks ago. All they knew was the warning-stay away. There were whispers of his bloodline, of cursed magic and ancient prophecies, and Seraphina had heard the rumors.

A chill ran down her spine as she hesitated, unsure whether to call out or turn back. But before she could make up her mind, Lucian turned toward her, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

"You're here," he said, his voice low and velvety, like a whisper carried on the wind.

Seraphina froze, her heart skipping a beat. How did he know she was coming? She hadn't spoken a word, hadn't even taken another step toward him. He watched her with an intensity that made her blood run cold and hot all at once. His gaze was piercing, dark and enigmatic, as if he could see right through her.

"I wasn't sure if you'd come," he continued, taking a step closer. "But here you are."

She swallowed hard, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke. "Who are you?"

Lucian's lips curved into a half-smile, his eyes flickering with something unreadable. "I'm the one you've been searching for," he said, the words heavy with meaning. "And I'm the one who's been waiting for you."

Seraphina's pulse quickened. She didn't know how to respond. The stories of the cursed clans, the moon-bound bloodlines, and the fates that awaited those who bore the marks-they'd always been nothing more than tales told to frighten children. Yet, standing in front of this stranger, a man who exuded danger and power in equal measure, she couldn't shake the feeling that the stories were more real than she ever imagined.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucian stepped closer, his presence almost overwhelming. He was so close now that Seraphina could feel the warmth of his body radiating off him, mingling with the cool air of the night. She had never felt this drawn to anyone, this... consumed.

He reached out, his fingers brushing the mark on her wrist gently. The touch sent a shock through her, like a current of energy flooding her veins. Seraphina gasped, stepping back slightly, but Lucian's gaze never wavered.

"Don't be afraid," he murmured. "The moon has chosen you, Seraphina. You are part of something much bigger than either of us. The bond between us-it's not a choice. It's fate."

Fate. The word echoed in her mind like a bell tolling in the distance.

Seraphina shook her head, trying to make sense of the swirling emotions inside her. "What bond? I don't understand."

Lucian's smile softened, his expression darkening with something that felt almost like regret. "You will. But not yet. Right now, you need to know this-the prophecy is real. And we are bound by the blood of the moon."

The words hung in the air like a storm waiting to break, and Seraphina felt the weight of them settle into her bones. She didn't know what to think, what to feel. All she knew was that meeting this man-this stranger-had set something in motion, something that couldn't be undone.

"Why me?" she asked, her voice breaking through the silence.

Lucian stepped back, his gaze shifting toward the sky, where the moon hung high and full. "Because, Seraphina, you are the key to breaking the curse that has bound us for centuries. But you must be careful, for the power within you is not only a gift. It is a weapon. And there are those who would do anything to possess it."

Her heart raced as she tried to make sense of his words. She had always felt different, but this-this was beyond anything she could have imagined.

"What do we do now?" she asked, her voice steady despite the storm of questions swirling in her mind.

Lucian's eyes darkened, his smile fading into something much more serious. "Now, we begin. The journey will not be easy, Seraphina. But we are bound by blood, and the moon's light will guide us."

With that, he turned and began to walk deeper into the forest, leaving her with nothing but the sound of her own breath and the pulsing mark on her wrist.

Seraphina stood there for a moment longer, staring at the path he had taken. She had no idea what awaited her, but one thing was certain: her life would never be the same again.