Mated to a Monster

or understand. If you keep digging, you'll find things that won't let you walk away." Cassandra didn't flinch under his intense scrutiny. Instead, she tilted her head slightly, cur

"Not just a house. The Bloodmoon Manor is a gateway, a threshold between worlds. It holds secrets that have been buried for centuries, secrets that are protected by forces you can't begin to comprehend. And your photos... they've captured glimpses of those forces, of the power that lies beneath the surface." Cassandra stared at him, her mind racing. She wanted to dismiss his words as nonsense, as the ramblings of a man trying to scare her off. But something in his tone, in the way his eyes darkened with warning, told her that he was dead serious. "So what do I do?" she asked, her voice softer now, tinged with uncertainty. Omar's expression hardened. "You destroy the photos. And you leave. Tonight." Cassandra felt a jolt of fear, but she quickly pushed it aside. "I'm not destroying anything," she said, her voice firm. "I've worked too hard to get these shots. And I'm not leaving until I know what's really going on here." Omar's eyes flashed with anger, and for a moment, Cassandra thought he might lash out, might grab the camera from her hands and smash it to the ground. But he didn't. Instead, he clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, and forced himself to take a deep breath. "Then you've made your choice," he said, his voice low and cold. "But don't expect me to save you when you're drowning." Cassandra met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. "I don't need saving." Omar stared at her for a long moment, his eyes burning with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. Then, without another word, he stood up, towering over her as he looked down at her with a mix of frustration and something else-something that looked almost like regret. "You'll regret this," he said, his voice a dark whisper. "But by the time you realize it, it'll be too late." And with that, he turned and walked out of the café, leaving Cassandra alone with her thoughts, the echoes of his warning ringing in her ears. --- That night, Cassandra couldn't sleep. Omar's words kept replaying in her mind, his warnings weaving through her thoughts like a persistent, insidious thread. She had never been one to scare easily, but there was something about him, something about the way he'd spoken with such conviction, that she couldn't shake. But fear wasn't enough to make her turn back. If anything, it only fueled her determination. She needed answers, and she knew that the only way to get them was to go back to the manor. She grabbed her camera and slipped on her jacket, the cool night air brushing against her skin as she stepped outside. The moon was full again, casting the world in an ethereal light that only deepened the shadows. The town was quiet, everyone else tucked safely in their beds, oblivious to the dangers that lurked just beyond the treeline. As Cassandra made her way through the forest, the sounds of the night surrounded her-the rustle of leaves in the wind