Blood

Chapter Sixteen: The Blood Moon I

Inside Seraphina's quaint cottage, the warmth of the hearth contrasted sharply with the tension in the room. We all woke up from our rest like it was planned. Vampires don't sleep for long, we don't actually need to sleep, we just do whenever we want to. Seraphina summoned us to her living room. Well she called it a living room so I'll just pretend it is because if it was left for me to decide, I'll call this a dead room. The amount of dead frogs and lizards in jars all around the place was revolting. How does she live like that? Is it a witch's thing? So when I marry Emily, will our living room look like that? Yikes

We sat around a large, intricately carved wooden table as Seraphina began to explain the gravity of the situation.

"The ritual to merge the magical and human worlds can only be performed on a Blood Moon," Seraphina said, her voice somber. "And the next Blood Moon is tomorrow."

"Of course it is," Ava said with a sigh. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Why is this such a big deal?" I asked. "What makes a Blood Moon so special? I know it's special to vampires as it makes out power greater but apart from that I dont know who else it could be useful to."

"The Blood Moon amplifies the power of the Elven Heartstone," Seraphina explained. "It aligns the energies of our world and the human world, making it possible to bridge the two."

Ava leaned forward, a curious look in her eyes. "But why is uniting the worlds such a bad thing? Apart from the fact that the process will kill Ethan of course. Think about it—no more discrimination, no more wars. Everyone would be happy."

Seraphina's expression grew serious. "You're not seeing the full picture, Ava. The Heartstone has more power than you can imagine. Your parents don't want to unite the worlds to create harmony. They want to control them. They feel that if they're in control, they can't get hurt by any other supernatural creatures anymore. Their kind will be safe. The crystal isn't strong enough to mind control everyone permanently. The supernatural creatures with less power like the pixies and younger creatures won't be able to resist. They'll be controlled immediately but the stronger ones will be able to resist. But If anyone rejects being a servant or subject to your parents, they'll die instantly. The Heartstone is the heart of our realm, and if it wants to kill anyone, it can do so effortlessly."

Ava's face paled. "So, it's either servitude or death."

"Exactly," Seraphina nodded. "Your parents' plan isn't about creating a utopia; it's about absolute power."

"So what do we do?" I asked, looking between Emily and Seraphina.

"We need to intercept them before the ritual," Emily said. "But they'll still go to the ritual site to see if there's a substitute for Ethan's blood. They are other vampires with blood as unique as yours. Rare but not nonexistent. So if they've found an alternative, they'll be able to go on with the ritual. Since they didn't come to find me, it's safe to assume that they know the identity of the guardian just like I do. You escaping doesn't mean that their plans has been soiled."

Seraphina stood up, motioning for us to follow. "Come with me. I'll take you to the place where the ritual will be held. It's a sacred ground deeply connected to the Heartstone."

We followed Seraphina out of the cottage and through the shimmering barrier that protected her sanctuary. The moonlight guided our path as we navigated the dense forest.

After what felt like hours, we arrived at a secluded clearing. In the center stood an ancient stone altar, covered in intricate carvings and glowing faintly with magical energy.

"This is where they'll attempt the ritual," Seraphina said. "They'll need Ethan's blood to complete it, but even without him, they'll still try to find a substitute. They might have even already found a substitute."

Emily looked determined. "Then we need to be here when they arrive. We can't let them succeed."

"Exactly," Seraphina agreed. "We need to get into position and be ready to intercept them."

We spread out around the clearing, each of us finding a vantage point. The night was quiet, the only sound the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. We waited, tension building with each passing moment.

I really hope this works because I don't think I'm strong enough to resist the power of the crystal. Maybe Ava is. I still don't understand why I'm the only one with this type of power. Aren't Ava and I siblings? Shouldn't we have the same blood?

I can't wait for all this to be over so that I can bombard mom and dad with questions.

Suddenly I heard a branch crack in the distance. Could they be here already?