The Blood Moon Pact

an ominous glow on the stone altar before her. The symbols carved into its surface pulsed in

ntrol of him-stepped closer, his distorted

ou were chosen long before you wer

ing into her palms. "I don't care about

vers down her spine. "Stop me? You can't even save yourself.

he realized he was right. She was alone. Sarah was gone, and C

ontinued, circling her like a predator stalking

nd more menacing. Tendrils of darkness slithered toward Anne

her eyes fixed on the altar. Caleb had said it wa

elf, her voice trembling. "What did

he clearing. "You can't stop me, Anne. The blood moon wil

pitch. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed so

cting to the altar, their glow i

ht, her heart racing. "

, dodging the tendrils that snapped at her. The Ancient One r

s blazing with fury. "You do

only a moment before pressing her marke

hield her eyes. The symbols on her wrist burned like fire

light grew brighter. "You fool!" he screamed. "Do you think this w

light emanating from the altar. The whispers in h

nly as it had begun

ing. The clearing was deathly silent,

er shock, he was still standing, though his form appeared w

d, his voice a rasp. "The blood moon will ri

ed, his form dissolv

For a moment, she allowed herself to believe it was over.

wasn't gone. An

-

ets. The forest around her was quiet now, almost peaceful. But the peace

ltar was still there, its surface now dark and cold. Th

spered to herself,

her made her spin around, her

nn

was bloodied and b

ght embrace. "I thought I lost you," s

"You almost did. That thing-Caleb-it was

her tears. "He's gon

ed. "What d

t One pressing down on her. "I stopped him. But it's not ov

hen we need to find a wa

"Caleb said the altar was the key. Maybe t

hatever it is, we need to figure it out fast. I don

d, but a sudden chill swept thr

sound of whispers returned, growin

exchanged a p

Anne said, her

beneath them began to crack, and a deep

ized the Ancient One wasn't r

ing Sarah's arm and pulli

shadows surged upward, forming mons

hearts pounding in unison. Behind them, the shadow

running forever

n, but there was no time. The Ancient One's power was grow

and Anne saw the faint gl

e flaring within her. "May

cky shore of a small, shimmering lake. The water was

e water, a horrifying re

on wasn't dim. It w

her voice trembling