Blood Ties And Moon Fire

he Fir

ut the silence it l

e and sorrow. Her blood still hummed with something unnatural, a pulse that wasn't hers.They'd taken shelter in a ruined chapel at the edge of the val

aid, her voice low.

heartbeat. "Neither has yours."She looked down. The same mark burned silver on

ed. "Don't flatter

t's not random. The witch tied our blood together maybe she's feeding t

rying

sed through broken stained glass, scatte

us?" "To repeat it?" Luca's tone was bitter. "Maybe. History loves irony."He looked at her really looked, as if

can

htma

mor

y're worse when

nd like

ee my father's face every time I close my eyes the way he looked when he killed

caught. "You

," he f

idden affair in the Blackthorn court, a scandal erased f

ou hate him,"

a said softly. "I am hi

eached out, her fingers brushing the edge of his sleeve.The mark on both their wrists flared instantly a flash of heat that

ed."The curse," he said hoars

flushed.

, though his voice wasn't s

lingered too l

th look

spark that flared and died.Aria stood quickly, c

ree

for revenge, then every step we take toward each other might be wha

oment, the monster and the man inside him blurred into o

t held i

ins of the citadel, som

's face in the flames that smile carved from malice and sorrow. Her blood still hummed with something unnatural, a pulse that wasn't hers.They'd taken shelter in a ruined cha

sed faintly like a heartbeat. "Neither has yours."She looked down. The same mark burned silver on her skin faintly w

ot random. The witch tied our blood together maybe she's feeding through it."

sed through broken stained glass, scatte

us?""To repeat it?" Luca's tone was bitter. "Maybe. History loves irony."He looked at her really looked, as if

can

htma

mor

y're worse when

nd like

ee my father's face every time I close my eyes the way he looked when he killed

caught. "You

," he f

t hate him," Luca said softly. "I am him. And I hate that more."The confession hung in the air like smoke. Aria wanted to say something anything but words felt too fragile. Instead, she reached out, her fingers brushi

that?" Ari

Emotion?""Strong ones," he clarified, though his voice wasn't steady. "Anger.

spark that flared and died.Aria stood quickly, cr

ree

the witch bound us for revenge, then every step

"Or maybe it's wha

inside him blurred into one.The wind outside howled like wolves mourning the dead.The n

es Beneat

er wrist to her chest; the mark pulsed once, then burned. A voice soft, female, ancientbbrushed the edge of her mind."Daughter of the moon... why fight what you already are?"Aria gasped and stumbled backward, clutching her head. The chapel spun. When she looked up, the ligh

he didn't need to. The air between them hummed with that s

elene," Luca said, s

eep anymore. S

ng on

he corner of his mo

feeling?"Luca gave a bitter laugh. "If only it were that simple."They left the chapel before the sun climbed fully over the horizon. The forest around them looked different now darker, as if the trees themselves bent toward the s

ray you, as

ose his bloo

before he

her claws broke skin. "Shut up

ned. "She's in

ria said. "She wants us

," Luca said

wned. "O

appens if

of black trees that even vampires avoided. Mist clung to th

witch's tomb was sunk there centuries ago."Aria eyed the darkness ahead

faintly. "

ier here, charged with an old, cold power. T

atching himself against a tree.

he said c

ark between them ignited, throwing sparks of red and silver light.For a heartbeat, she saw through his eyes saw the witch standing behind her, her h

hard. "Then d

said. "Every time I lose

l keep yo

ow

you don't forg

weapon. You're not your father. You're you."The red in his eyes faded, replaced by so

"For a long moment, the forest held still aro

," he said. "No matter

cing just out of reach. Somewhere ahead, water lapped softly against stone.The mark on Aria's wrist burned hotter now, and with every pulse, she fel

said, voice strained. "Hold on to yourself."But she wasn't sure she could. The witch's laughter rolle

catching what little light remained

, replaced by sile

mist, a faint crimson glow ros

ke gray snow over the valley, and the air smelled of death and iron. Aria stood on wh

quiet, patient.The council wanted her to retreat north, to regroup with the remaining

rry etched deep in his face. "We los

his name,"

you." "I know." Her voice cracked, ju

k had come from. That's where she would go.The moon hung low and red that night, casting blood-colored light across the ruined valley. It looked like the world itself was bleeding.Luca Blackthorn ha

l, overlooking the forests below. The flames of

e came from the shadows behind him deep, cold, too calm. "Pride ha

s jaw. "You call

ou're too soft, my son. You always have b

meeting his fath

what keeps me from

oked out toward the horizon again and whispered, "Then maybe it's time one of us breaks the curse."By the third night, Aria's small hunting party had crossed into vampire territory. The forest he

f cold blood.She signaled for silence. They crept forward, blades ready, every st

en, mo

e. Aria spun, claws unsheathing from her fingertips, and me

But so was she. She ducked, kicked his legs out fr

she de

inting on his lip. "You would

y m

Blackt

that name the vampire prince, heir to the bloodthro

ressed the blade deeper.

ed. "I didn't o

t me to be

for him to notice. He pushed her dagger aside and rolled away, springing to his feet in one fluid motion

meone who's lost e

e," sh

e're th

insul

here was no humor in it. "I'

onster like you

ond just long enough for him to move. In the next instant, he

ze flicked to the mark on her wrist faint, silvery, pul

get that?" he

t?" "The mark. Tha

ttle. What is it?" Luca stepped back slowly, almost afraid. "It's the Mark of

our bloo

vampire lovers. She vowed their descen

over. "So that's

hy we'll

a long moment, the fores

d, "If you're lyi

e. "If I'm lying

the night, uneasy allies bound by blood and circumstance. Luca led her to

aid. "If the curse is waking, th

columns and shattered statues

ng," he said. "But I

er di

Symbols were carved into the walls, pulsing faintly as they entered. In

it slowly. "What

ca said softly.

r w

sper rose from the walls, soft at first, then grow

e... you awaken what

yes wide. "W

" Luca said

remember you," she said, her voice echoing through their minds. "Your blood calls to me, as theirs once did." Aria's knees we

eternal."Aria turned to him sharply. "Your father?" Luca looked shaken. "He's descended from the vampire who betrayed her." "And you," Selene whispered, turning her gaze to Aria, "carry the blood of the wolf who

clutching her

d like smoke. "When the moon bleeds red, your hearts will too."Aria stumbled, dizzy. Luca caught her before she fell."What did she do t

above them, the m

hough two souls were fighting inside her the wolf and the shadow. "It's getting worse," she whispered, clutching her chest. "I can feel it consuming me."Behind her, Luca approached slowly. His steps were soft, but his aura felt heavy dark, burdened, dangerous. His own curse was deepening, twisting through his veins like living fire. "We don't have much time," he said quietly. "The witch's power is spreading. Every drop of blood spilled tonight strengthens her."Aria turned to h

s against her cheek. "If I lose mysel

rembled. "Don'

racked at the edges. "Because if the curse takes me,

the dark."Lightning split the sky, throwing their faces into pale relief. The ground trembled beneath them as the witch's magic spread like veins

Do you feel it?" the voice hissed. "The curse that binds your love and your hate. The more you fight, the more you feed me."Aria screamed, clutching her arm as the mark spread across her chest. Luca grabbed her hand, forcing the

on held it back, a burning thread of defiance against fate. The air around them exploded in light

!" she shrieked. "Love between yo

m, summoning a shield of silver light that cracked under the force but held long enough for Luca to strike back. His blade cut through the storm, slicing into her chest. Shadows poured from her wound like ink, spiraling into the sky.But instead of dying, the witch laughed. "Fooli

at, slow and distant. She ran toward it, her bare feet sinking into the void beneath h

d they were black, endless and cold. "You

e-" His voice was quiet but cruel. "You d

ice. "Love is a doorway," she hissed. "And I have walked through yours."Aria's knees gave way. "No... Luca, fight it!"But when she reached for him, his hand shot out

d her vision

ere will be nothing left to save."Then, before she could speak, he vanished pull

but its outline remained cold, silent, a reminder of what she had lost.She picked up the blade and looked toward the horizon, her eyes hard with new resolve. "You took him," she whispered, her voice trembling with fury. "But I s