Chapter 1: The Blood Moon's Call

Main Characters

1. Aria Valen

Role: Protagonist, vampire hunter, and the Crimson Fated.

Description: A skilled but conflicted hunter with a mysterious birthmark tied to an ancient prophecy. Fiercely independent, she begins to question her beliefs as she uncovers the truth about vampires and her own destiny.

2. Valen/lucian Draevan

Role: The male lead, vampire lord, and protector.

Description: Known as the "Blood King," Valen is a brooding, immortal vampire cursed with a tragic past. Though ruthless in battle, he harbors a softer side that emerges as he grows closer to Aria.

3. Evangeline Ravelle

Role: The antagonist, vampire queen.

Description: A power-hungry vampire queen with a vendetta against humanity and a desire to control the Crimson Heart. Her plans hinge on manipulating the prophecy and destroying Aria.

4. Kael Morwyn

Role: Aria’s mentor and friend.

Description: A seasoned vampire hunter who raised Aria after her parents’ deaths. Though protective of her, his jealousy and hidden love for Aria create tension as she grows closer to Valen.

5. Eldrin Varos

Role: Wise elder vampire allied with Valen.

Description: A scholar who understands the prophecy and acts as Valen’s confidant. He provides crucial guidance but harbors his own secrets about the Crimson Heart.

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Supporting Characters

6. Selene Ashford

Role: Aria’s best friend and fellow hunter.

Description: A pragmatic and resourceful hunter who provides emotional support to Aria. Her loyalty is tested as the hunters turn against Aria for allying with Valen.

7. Dorian Kain

Role: Rogue vampire and assassin.

Description: A former ally of Valen turned mercenary, working for Evangeline. He harbors a deep grudge against Valen and sees Aria as the key to his revenge.

8. Lady Amara Draevan

Role: Valen’s deceased lover and Aria’s past-life connection.

Description: A tragic figure whose soul seems tied to Aria. Her love for Valen in a previous life adds depth to the prophecy and complicates their relationship.

9. Lord Marcus Vayne

Role: Leader of the hunter guild.

Description: A staunch believer in the eradication of vampires. He opposes Aria’s actions and leads the effort to stop her alliance with Valen.

10. The Oracle

Role: A mysterious seer who foretold the Crimson Prophecy.

Description: An enigmatic figure who appears in dreams and visions, guiding Aria and Valen toward their fate while keeping the full truth hidden

chapter 1

The night air was heavy with the scent of iron and damp earth. The village of Elden Hollow, nestled deep within the shadow of the great Northern Ridge, had always been quiet during the Blood Moon—a time when even the most superstitious farmers locked their doors and whispered prayers to forgotten gods. But tonight, silence was broken by screams.

Aria tightened her grip on her silver-tipped blade, her breath misting in the cold night. She moved swiftly through the narrow cobblestone streets, her leather boots barely making a sound. Fires burned in the distance, casting eerie shadows that danced like ghosts. The rogue vampire was somewhere ahead, its growls reverberating off the walls of the empty market square.

“Stay sharp,” she muttered to herself, her heart pounding. She had faced vampires before, but this one was different—stronger, faster, and far more feral.

A flash of movement to her left. She spun, blade ready, but the creature was already upon her. Its pale, gaunt face contorted in a snarl, eyes glowing crimson in the light of the Blood Moon. Aria ducked under its clawed swipe and slashed upward, the silver biting into its flesh. The vampire hissed, retreating momentarily, but she knew it wasn’t done.

Before she could strike again, the creature lunged, its speed blinding. Aria stumbled, her back slamming into the rough stone wall behind her. The vampire’s claws tore through her jacket, grazing her skin. She gritted her teeth against the pain, raising her blade, but the creature’s strength was overwhelming.

Just as its fangs neared her throat, a dark figure materialized out of the shadows. The newcomer moved with inhuman grace, his blade flashing in a deadly arc. In seconds, the rogue vampire was decapitated, its body collapsing into ash at Aria’s feet.

Aria stared, chest heaving, as the man turned toward her. His eyes, a piercing silver, met hers, and for a moment, she forgot how to breathe. He was tall, his dark coat billowing slightly in the cold wind, and there was an aura about him—something both dangerous and mesmerizing.

“You shouldn’t be out here alone,” he said, his voice low and calm, though it carried a sharp edge of reproach.

Aria’s hand tightened around her blade. “I didn’t ask for your help.”

The man raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into the faintest hint of a smirk. “You looked like you needed it.”

“I had it under control.”

“Of course you did.” His tone was almost amused, but there was something in his gaze—a flicker of recognition, or perhaps concern—that unsettled her.

Before she could press further, a faint warmth spread across her collarbone. Aria glanced down and froze. Her birthmark, an intricate crescent-shaped symbol etched just above her heart, was glowing faintly, its light pulsing in rhythm with the Blood Moon overhead.

“What the—” she whispered, her voice trailing off.

The man’s smirk vanished. His expression darkened, and he took a step back, his silver eyes narrowing. “Stay away from the shadows,” he said, his voice suddenly cold.

“What does that mean?” Aria demanded, but he was already gone, vanishing into the darkness as swiftly as he had appeared.

Left alone in the silence, Aria touched the glowing mark on her chest, her mind racing with questions. Who was he? Why had her birthmark reacted to the Blood Moon? And what did he mean by “stay away from the shadows”?

The screams had faded, and the fires in the distance were dying, but for Aria, the night was far from over. Something had changed, something she couldn’t yet name, but she felt it deep in her bones—a shift in the world she thought she knew.

The Blood Moon hung heavy in the sky, a crimson omen of things to come.

The chill of the night seemed to seep into her very soul as Aria stood in the aftermath of the battle. Ash from the rogue vampire swirled around her boots, carried on the whisper of an unnatural wind. The glowing mark on her chest was still pulsing faintly, as if alive, as if it held secrets waiting to be revealed.

She adjusted her grip on the blade, her fingers trembling ever so slightly. The stranger’s words echoed in her mind. Stay away from the shadows. It wasn’t just a warning—it felt like a command, one layered with urgency and something deeper she couldn’t quite place.

The village was eerily quiet now, the screams replaced by the low crackle of dying embers. Doors creaked open as cautious villagers peeked out, their faces pale with fear and exhaustion. Aria felt their eyes on her, filled with both gratitude and unease. She wasn’t just a hunter to them; she was their shield, their hope. But tonight, for the first time, she felt unsteady under the weight of that responsibility.

“Aria!”

A familiar voice pulled her from her thoughts. Selene, her closest friend and fellow hunter, ran toward her, her auburn hair catching the firelight. Selene’s bow was slung over her shoulder, an arrow still notched, though it was clear she hadn’t made it in time for the fight.

“You’re hurt,” Selene said, her sharp green eyes scanning Aria’s torn jacket and the faint scratches beneath.

“I’m fine,” Aria replied, though her voice lacked conviction. She sheathed her blade and glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting the stranger to reappear from the shadows.

Selene frowned, following her gaze. “What happened? The rogue? I heard…” She trailed off, noticing the faint glow beneath Aria’s jacket. “Your mark—”

“It started glowing,” Aria interrupted, pulling her jacket tighter to hide it. “I don’t know why.”

Selene’s frown deepened, her expression shifting to something between concern and disbelief. “It’s never done that before. You’ve had that mark your whole life—”

“I know.” Aria exhaled sharply, running a hand through her tangled hair. “Something about the Blood Moon… or maybe the vampire. I—” She hesitated. “There was someone else.”

“Someone else?”

“A man. He saved me.”

Selene raised an eyebrow. “You mean a villager?”

“No.” Aria shook her head. “He wasn’t human. He killed the rogue, then warned me to stay away from the shadows.”

Selene’s hand dropped to her quiver, her posture stiffening. “You’re telling me a vampire saved you?”

“I don’t know what he was,” Aria admitted. “But he was different. He didn’t attack me.”

“That doesn’t mean you can trust him,” Selene snapped. “Aria, you know what they are. You’ve seen what they do.”

“I didn’t say I trusted him,” Aria said quietly, though the memory of his piercing silver eyes sent an unexpected shiver down her spine.

Before Selene could argue further, a loud crash echoed from the center of the village. Both women turned, weapons drawn, as a group of villagers rushed toward them.

“It’s the council hall!” one of the men shouted, his face pale with fear. “Something’s happening inside!”

Aria and Selene exchanged a glance before sprinting toward the hall. The massive wooden structure stood at the heart of the village, its roof illuminated by the fiery glow of the Blood Moon. As they approached, the heavy double doors groaned, swinging open with an unnatural force.

Inside, the air was thick with the scent of blood. Aria’s heart raced as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, landing on a scene of chaos. The village elder, a man known for his strength even in old age, lay slumped in his chair, his throat torn open. Blood pooled around his feet, reflecting the crimson light from above.

“No,” Selene whispered, her voice trembling.

Aria’s grip on her blade tightened as she scanned the room. The shadows seemed to ripple and shift, as if alive, as if something unseen was watching them.

A single, low growl echoed from the corner of the hall. Slowly, deliberately, a figure stepped into the light. It wasn’t the stranger from before, but another vampire, its pale face twisted into a feral grin.

This one wouldn’t hesitate.

Aria steadied herself, raising her blade. “Stay behind me,” she murmured to Selene.

“Not a chance,” Selene replied, drawing her bow.

The vampire lunged, and the fight began anew.

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As the battle raged, one thought burned in Aria’s mind: Who was the man who saved her, and what did he know about the shadows creeping into her world?