John Callahan - The Blood Moon

thought he was back at home, the farmhouse hearth blazing as it often did on cold winter nights. But as his eyes flut

light of a campfire illuminating the rough walls of a cave. His body ached all over, and

e said from the shadows. "

the other side of the fire, his face obscured by the darkness, but the glint of steel an

John croaked, his thro

ugged, with a thick beard and deep-set eyes that spoke of years of hardship. His cloth

d with exhaustion. "And you, my friend, are damn lucky I fo

t of Mary's lifeless body falling to the ground. His heart clenched painfully, and he

hispered, his

ened face. "I'm sorry about your wife," he said quietly. "There was n

tears wouldn't come. He was too drained, too numb. All he

ice rough with emotion. "Why did

as a Lycan," he said, his tone grim. "A shapeshifter. A creature of dar

d by the old folks in the village to scare the youngsters. But he had never

the truth. The creature that had taken Daniel and

word foreign on his tongue.

ycans have lived among us for centuries, hidden in the shadows. They're more than ju

earing. "But... why? Why would they att

ontrol. The Lycans live by a strict hierarchy, and at the top of that hierarchy is the Lyc

nding a shiver down his spine. "You're saying h

-he sends his enforcers, the strongest of the Lycans, to do his bidding.

ts, his nails digging into his

ust in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or it's possible there's something more going on-something that you don't know abo

living a quiet life on the outskirts of the village. They had no enemies, no d

him, long ago, when John was just a boy. A story about their

murmured, his voi

an eyebrow. "W

told me once, when I was a child. He said that our land... it used to belong to someone e

n grew more seriou

trange things happened on that land, that people who lived there had bad luck,

"The Lycans hold grudges, especially over territory. If your land once belonged to t

you're saying my family was killed becaus

is power. And power is everything to them. If the Lycan King beli

his son, his wife-had been slaughtered over a piece of land. A piece of land th

nted with the blood

embling with fury. "How do I stop him? H

werful, more powerful than you can imagine. But he's not invincible. If

d struggling to keep up with the

generations, trying to keep them in check, to protect the innocent from their wrath. B

ng these creatures, was overwhelming. He had never been a soldier, never been t

not now, not after what had happened. The thought of returning to the empty

had to find a way to avenge his family, to make t

ice filled with a newfound reso

It's dangerous, and it could very well get you killed. But if you're serious about this, if you're w

dy," he said, his voice steady

again. "Alright. But first, you need to res

tion weighing down his body was undeniable. The adrenaline that had kept him going was fad

luctantly. "But just

his injured leg. "I'll keep watch," he said. "Get

e past few days played over in his mind-the loss of Daniel, the attack on Mary, the revelat

ought burned in his mind, a single, unwavering r

e him pay for what he had done. And he wou

was bathed in the pale light of dawn. His body still ached, but the rest had done h

to a worn leather satchel. He glanced over

id gruffly. "How

ing himself to a sitting pos

he satchel over his shoulder. "It's where the other hunters are g

resolve solidif

st hanging low over the ground. The forest was eerily quiet, the usual sou

. The Lycans aren't just mindless beasts. They're organized, intelligent. They have their own society, t

hn asked, glan

, unpredictable. Some of them are just trying to survive, but others... others are worse

racing with questions. "And the hunters?

ith suppressed emotion. "My wife and daughter. They were taken from me in a raid, years ago. I swore th

rcus, understanding his pain all to

rn fast. The Lycans are stronger, faster, and more resilient than any human. But they have weaknesses, too. Silver, for

he information away. "And what ab

generation. But he's not invincible. There are ways to kill him-ancient rituals, weapons forged in silver and blessed by holy

termination. "Then we'll fin

need to get to the safe house. The other hunters will be there, and w

s they walked, John couldn't help but think of Mary and Daniel, of the life they had lost. Hi

the lives he had taken. And he would not rest until th

back. The path ahead was dark and dangerous, but John wa

or Daniel.

, one day, the nightm