Blood Moon Mate

Chapter 1

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Chapter 1

“Laiya what are you doing out here in the cold” I heard a male’s voice ask from behind me.

Turning around to see my friend Peter running up to me. I took in his brown hair swaying in the air as he moved closer to me. He was dressed in his black guard clothes, notifying me that he would be walking about the village tonight, even though the full moon wasn’t due to a few more days. When he was finally standing in front of me, I watched as his auburn eyes scanned the forest line for any activity.   

“I was just thinking about Penelope and wondering if she still alive?” I answered him, looking down at the ring she had given me all those years ago. It now fits on my middle finger, which brought a smile on my face knowing I had kept my promise. Something inside told me that as long as I had it, she was safe and that no harm had come to her. “What are you doing out here? You hate coming near the forest.” 

I never understood why, but any time I ask if he wanted to come to grandma’s house with me he simply shake his head and tell me that he rather not, giving me the impression that he didn’t like the woods. When he joined the night guards last year after he turn eighteen, it proved otherwise, since they walked through the woods most nights during the non-full moons. But even after that he never wanted to go to grandma’s house with me. He would walk me to the boarder and tell me to be safe and not to wander off the trail.

“I came looking for you, you missed your training session.” He answered bring his hand down to place it on my forearms now looking me in the eye, “Laiya I know you miss her and this is some of the reason I agree to help train you, but there been no sign of her or the other two girls that went missing that night.”  A few years back Peter and agree to help train me in combat when I found out that I would be attending the next Blood Moon Sacrifice. I wasn’t going down without a fight this time if I end out facing the beast once again.

Turning back to the forest I took in its dark appearance thinking about those girls once again, “That’s just the thing, why did the beast take three girls that night when all the other times it’s only been one. Why three, it doesn’t make any sense.” Walking back over to the forest till my foot was about to step right into the forest, that’s when Peter grip hold of my arm.

“Laiya stop being so rational, they looked through this forest more times than I can count, she’s not there. I don’t understand why the beast took three girls that night either, but he did.” Peter tries to consult with me, “Now come it’s almost dinner time and you know how your mother feels about you missing dinner.”

“I know, I just can’t help thinking back about that night, knowing in a week’s time the Blood Moon will be rising once again.” I answered, turning around to walk back to the village. “Do you want to stay for dinner? I’m sure my Mother won’t mind since you’re pretty much family already.”

“Sounds nice, but I have to go to the guard meeting. They want all the guards there to discuss what will happen during the Blood Moon next week.” He explains, as I looked up at him to see disquiet floating within them. He told me many times he wishes there was some way to get me out from entering the forest during that time, but he can’t. He’s gone as far from saying he would marry me which in the end can’t happen since a girl as to be of age before being married and I don’t turn till the day of the Blood Moon. Meaning I have no choice but to join all the other girls that night and hope it doesn’t lead to a dead faith.

“Do you know when the other villagers will be arriving?” I asked once we were finally inside our small village.

“All I know is that a girl and her family from the Governess village will be arriving sometime tomorrow or the next day. As for the other they won’t be coming till the day before the Blood Moon” he answered as we watched the kids in the village run around as we heard their mother calling them to dinner.

“There’s a girl from the Governess village coming this year.” I asked, knowing every little about the village itself. All I know is they are the ones who set the laws for all the other village and send someone out to overlook the ceremony, but there’s never been a girl to join that I was acquainted with.

“Yes, her father is apparently one of the top council members. He is the one who will be overlooking the ceremony this year, since his daughter will be attending it. When we got the news about the girl we were all shocked, but they know the rules and know they can’t be broken even for them,” he replied. “I just hope she isn’t pigheaded like all the other people from that village.

“I’m sure she’s beautiful and will be will manner.” I laughed at him, knowing very will most people from that village looked down on us like ravage dogs. “Just think of it this way, they sent the laws, so they have to obey them just like us, which makes them no different than us. All you have to do is what you’re told by your commanding officer and everything will be fine while they are here.”

That was when we finally reached my home. “Laiya, I know what to do while they're here, that much is clear. I’m just worried about that night and what will happen to you once you enter that forest.” He cupped his hands around mine bring them to his lips. “You mean too much to me to let the Beast just take you away from me like this.”

“I know Peter, but you know the law. I will do everything in my power to come back to you the next morning.” I told him, but in truth, I really couldn’t picture myself settling down with him. He was the man that every girl’s dream that lived in our village and most were jealous of our friendship. I knew with me gone, he would have a better chance to find a girl that could love him back. I never told him how I truly felt, because I didn’t want to break his heart. 

Walking in the door, I turned around one last time to see him walking away thinking soon how this was all going to be a memory. No one knew that if the beast didn’t kill me during the Blood Moon I was planning to track it in hopes of finding Penelope and maybe even the other two girls. I was aware of how dangerous it was hunting down the Beast of the Blood Forest, but I just couldn’t sit back anymore, it was time for me to face the Beast once again.

copyright © 2014 Letty Scott/Embrace_Passion (All Rights Revered)