Blood Moon Betrayal

Selene Nocturne stood in the middle of the grand hall, trying not to yawn. The Blood Moon Ball was the biggest party of the year for vampires. Everyone who was anyone in the Crimson Court was here tonight, dressed in their best clothes. But Selene hated every minute of it.

"Another dance, Princess?" A tall vampire with slick black hair and a too-wide smile bowed before her. He was the fifth suitor to ask her to dance tonight.

Selene faked a smile. "I'm afraid I need a moment to rest, Lord Valerian."

The vampire looked disappointed but nodded and walked away. As soon as he was gone, Selene rolled her silver eyes. These fancy balls were all the same - boring music, boring people, and boring talks. All anyone wanted to talk about was how she was the vampire princess and how lucky they would be to marry her someday.

Selene touched the blood-red diamond hanging from a silver chain around her neck. The family heirloom felt especially warm tonight, almost like it was alive. She had worn it to every ball since her 100th birthday, but it had never felt like this before.

"Is something wrong with your necklace, dear?" a smooth voice asked.

Selene turned to find her friend Lila standing behind her. Lila looked beautiful in her green dress that matched her eyes exactly.

"It feels strange tonight," Selene whispered. "Warm. Almost like it's... pulsing."

Lila's eyes widened with interest. "Really? How odd." She reached out as if to touch it, then pulled her hand back. "Perhaps it's reacting to the blood moon that's coming."

Selene looked up through the crystal roof of the ballroom. The moon hung low and full in the night sky, but it wouldn't turn blood-red for another three months. Still, there was something different in the air tonight. Selene could feel it.

"Princess Selene," a deep voice called from behind her. "A word, if you please."

Selene turned to see her uncle, Lord Darius Nocturne, standing close. His silver hair was pulled back tightly, and his red eyes seemed to glow in the dim light of the hall.

"Of course, Uncle," Selene said, excusing herself from Lila.

Darius led her to a quiet area of the ballroom, away from curious ears. Even though Selene was 200 years old, she still felt like a child whenever her uncle spoke to her in that serious tone.

"You seem distracted tonight," Darius said, his voice cool and even. "Five suitors have asked you to dance, and you've turned them all away."

Selene straightened her back. "I don't connect with any of them, Uncle. They're all the same - they only see me as the vampire princess, not as a person."

Darius sighed. "Connection or not, you must choose a mate before the next blood moon - just three months from now. If you do not, I will choose for you."

Selene's mouth fell open. "But why? I have centuries ahead of me!"

"The future of our bloodline depends on it," Darius said definitely.

For a split second, something strange passed over Darius's face - was it fear? But before Selene could be sure, his face was back to its usual cold mask.

"Do you understand me, Selene?" he asked.

Selene wanted to argue, but she knew it wouldn't do any good. "Yes, Uncle," she said, looking down at her shoes.

"Good. Now return to the ball and at least try to enjoy yourself. The court is watching."

As Darius walked away, Selene felt her collar grow even warmer against her skin. She touched it again, wondering why it seemed to be responding to her uncle's words.

The rest of the night dragged on forever. Selene danced with two more suitors just to make her uncle happy, but her mind was far away. Three months to choose a guy she didn't want? It wasn't fair!

By the time the ball finished, Selene was exhausted. She walked back to her rooms, dismissed her servants, and collapsed onto her bed still wearing her ballgown.

"Three months," she whispered to the empty room. "Three months until I lose my freedom forever."

With that sad thought, Selene drifted off to sleep.

She was running through a dark bush, faster than she had ever run before. The moon hung full and bright above her, lighting her way between the trees. Her heart pounded with joy rather than fear.

A howl echoed through the night, making her stop in her tracks. She should have been afraid - werewolves were the enemies of vampires, after all. But instead, she found herself pulled toward the sound.

As she pushed through a thick patch of bushes, she entered an area bathed in moonlight. On the other side stood a huge wolf with jet-black fur. It was bigger than any wolf she had ever seen or heard of.

The wolf turned to look at her, and Selene gasped. Its eyes were golden - bright, clever, and somehow familiar. They stared at each other across the opening, neither moving.

"Who are you?" Selene whispered.

To her shock, the wolf began to change. Its body shifted and reshaped until a man stood where the wolf had been - tall and powerful, with those same golden eyes now set in a human face.

"I've been waiting for you," the guy said, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine. "For so long."

He stepped toward her, hand outstretched. On his wrist was a silver claw band that seemed to glow in the moonlight, just like her ruby pendant, which was now burning hot against her skin.

"Your blood calls to me," he said. "As mine calls to you."

Selene reached out, her fingers almost touching his...

Selene jerked awake, gasping for breath. Her heart was beating, and her skin was covered in a thin layer of sweat. The dream had felt so real - she could still smell the forest and hear the wolf's howl echoing in her ears.

Her hand flew to her throat. The ruby pendant was hot to the touch, glowing with a faint red light that it had never given off before.

"What's happening to me?" Selene whispered.

She got out of bed and went to her window, pulling back the heavy curtains. The vampire castle stood on a cliff overlooking a large forest - the werewolf territory that all vampires were forbidden to enter. In the distance, the trees seemed to call to her, offering secrets and freedom.

Without fully understanding why, Selene found herself getting ready. Not in one of her fancy dresses, but in her riding pants and boots. She threw a dark cloak over her shoulders and tucked her bright pendant beneath her shirt.

She had to know if her dream meant something. She had to know why her pendant was responding this way. Most of all, she had to know who the man with the golden eyes was.

Selene slipped out of her room and down the secret passage that she and Lila had found decades ago. It led all the way out of the castle without passing any guards. Within minutes, she was outside, taking in the night air.

The pull toward the trees was even stronger now. Her pendant seemed to tug her forward, taking her down the cliff path and toward the forbidden trees.

"This is crazy," she whispered to herself. "If Uncle Darius finds out..."

But she kept going. Something more strong than fear was driving her forward.

As she reached the edge of the forest, a twig snapped behind her. Selene whirled around, fangs extending automatically.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lila asked, stepping out from behind a tree.

"Lila! You scared me half to death," Selene said, her teeth retracting.

"You didn't answer my question," Lila said, her green eyes hardening. "Why are you heading into werewolf territory in the middle of the night?"

Selene paused. Should she tell Lila about her dream? About the golden-eyed man?

Before she could decide, a howl cut through the night - the exact same howl from her dream. Her pendant flared with heat and light, noticeable even through her shirt now.

Lila's eyes widened at the sight. "Selene, what's happening?"

Another scream, closer this time. And with it came a feeling of rightness, of being called home.

"I have to go," Selene said, turning toward the dark trees.

"Selene, no! It's dangerous!" Lila grabbed her arm.

Selene softly but firmly removed her friend's hand. "I'll be fine. Don't tell anyone where I've gone."

And before Lila could stop her, Selene stepped into the forbidden forest, following the call of the golden-eyed wolf and the burning light of her pendant... straight into enemy territory.