Moonlit Bound

Secrets In The Dark

The silence of the old church pressed against Emily's ears, broken only by the faint creak of the wooden floorboards beneath her feet. Liam's words echoed in her mind—"You're the last living heir of the Monroe bloodline." It sounded like something out of a fantasy novel, yet here she was, standing before a man who claimed to be her protector against monsters she never imagined existed.

  "Let's start with the basics," Liam said, his tone steady but urgent. He leaned against the altar, his arms crossed over his chest. The stained-glass windows behind him cast fractured colors across his face, giving him an otherworldly glow. "What do you know about your family?"

  Emily hesitated, wrapping her arms around herself as if to shield against the weight of the conversation. "Not much. My parents died when I was a baby. I was raised by my aunt, but she never talked about them—like it was some kind of forbidden subject."

  Liam nodded, his expression unreadable. "That's because they were trying to protect you. The Monroe family has a long history in the supernatural world, but it's not exactly a peaceful one. Your bloodline is tied to immense power—power that many creatures would kill for."

  Her stomach tightened. "What kind of power?"

  "Magic," Liam said simply. "Raw, untapped magic that's been dormant in your family for generations. But when it surfaces, it's like a beacon. Every supernatural being within a hundred-mile radius will feel it. They'll be drawn to you."

  Emily's breath caught in her throat. "Drawn to me? For what? To... kill me?"

  Liam's jaw tightened, and for a moment, he didn't answer. When he finally spoke, his voice was low. "Some will want to kill you. Others will want to use you. Either way, you're not safe—not until you learn to control your abilities."

  The weight of his words settled heavily on her chest, threatening to crush her. She turned away, pacing the length of the church. "This can't be real," she muttered, more to herself than to him. "I'm just a normal college student this doesn't happen to people like me."

  "You're not normal, Emily." Liam's voice was calm but unyielding, pulling her attention back to him. "You never were. You're part of something much bigger than yourself. And whether you like it or not, this is your reality now."

  She stopped pacing and faced him, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "Why now? Why did my powers suddenly show up last night? I've gone my whole life without any of this... this insanity."

  Liam sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Sometimes, abilities awaken under extreme stress or danger. The attack by the shadow beast was the trigger. But it could also be something else—something stronger. There are forces at play here that even I don't fully understand."

  His vague answer only frustrated her more. "Great. So I'm supposed to trust you to protect me when you don't even know what's going on?"

  "I know enough to keep you alive," he shot back, his voice sharp but controlled. "And right now, that's all that matters."

  Emily opened her mouth to argue, but the words died on her lips. Deep down, she knew he was right. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed him. For now.

  "What happens next?" she asked after a long pause, her voice softer.

  "You meet me here every night," Liam said. "I'll teach you how to control your powers, how to fight, how to survive. But you have to trust me, Emily. If you don't, this won't work."

  The word trust felt heavy, almost foreign. She barely knew him—how could she trust him? But what choice did she have?

  "Fine," she said reluctantly. "But don't expect me to follow orders blindly."