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80. Love and Fear
Last Updated:
2022-09-14 00:13:25Related chapters
Bloody Full Moon 81. Never Let Him Go
Alisa - Stryga Inc, her officeBefore entering my office, I stroll down a short hallway and pass my assistant’s desk. Official-looking diplomas and the like hang on the wall behind her. I catch a glimpse of FB reflected in one of them as she turns off her tablet and looks up at me. Does anyone even consider this company an actual workplace? Every employee is a glorified receptionist, and most of them dawdle their time away in front of their computers without doing any real work. When did I become the most diligent person around? “Good morning, Miss Cristescu,” she says, making a good show of turning toward her computer screen as if she has tons and tons of work to do. Her voice is light and cheerful enough, showing that she hasn’t noticed my mood today. Or that she couldn’t care less.If I were to say anything to her, I would fire her on the spot. But starting to dispose of the people who annoy me would leave me working all by myself. So I just nod and continue on my way. Sighing,
Last Updated : 2022-09-15Bloody Full Moon 82. Ticking Clock
Laura - At homeI find myself lying on a bed of black velvet inside an empty room with no windows or doors. The walls are lined floor-to-ceiling with bookshelves, each filled from top to bottom. The books are all different sizes and shapes, but they all have the same purpose: to fill the emptiness inside me. “Because I’m hollow on the inside,” I whisper to myself. Under the blanket next to me, there is a figure wrapped in the same black velvet. I reach out and remove the cover, revealing an old man. His skin is wrinkled and pale, and his hair is entirely white. He looks as if he is sleeping. He slowly opens his eyes and looks at me. His hand comes up to touch my face but loses its vigor halfway through. “Are you real?” I ask him.He sighs, closing his eyes. Only a whisper of a breath escapes his lips. “Don’t be afraid, Laura. I’ll always love you.”“No!” I scream. “This can’t be real. This man can’t be Paul.”His strong features and soft gray eyes are the same. His voice is the sa
Last Updated : 2022-09-18Bloody Full Moon 83. Reading the Future
The Gypsy Witch - Her hutMy nose scrunches. A sweet smell permeates the air, like a mixture of old spices and fresh herbs. There’s a slight vibration below my feet; the ground seems to shake with every step I take. Something will happen soon. Hehe! I should better ask the key. I reach into my pocket and take out the instrument of my favorite art. The key is a simple piece of metal for any ungifted person. But for me, it is a tool that can open the secrets of the future. I turn it over in my hand, feeling the smoothness of its surface. Cleidomancy is one of the most powerful and ancient forms of divination. It is the art of reading the future by observing the movements of a spellbound key. Some say the spirits of the dead are the ones who turn the key and direct the motion. Hehe!A witch never looks directly at the key. Instead, she always studies it from the corner of her eye, making sure she isn't seen peeking. Otherwise, the key won't move.My fingers are tingly as they seem to b
Last Updated : 2022-09-19Bloody Full Moon 84. True Love's Bite
Paul - The Retezat MountainsAuburn leaves fall kissed by the cold winds. A cold mountain that still hasn’t welcomed winter. An owl hoots a few times and, as I pass, flies away, out of reach. I can feel the change in the air, now thick with the scent of incoming rain. The sky above the tree’s canopy is gathering heavy clouds, soon to be released in a torrent of droplets. The first few stars peeking through the dark gray curtains are a sign that I don’t have much time left to find Laura. I know I'm close. To her. And I know why she ran away, putting distance between us. Because I'm possessive and selfish, not wanting to give her what she needs. I can't give her what she wants without losing everything I love. And I love her. But it seems I'm doomed to lose her anyhow.I've lost so much time denying reality, turning a blind eye to the truth. "I'm coming, Laura," I whisper to myself. The trees seem to go on forever, the forest floor stretching into the distance. Laura is nowhere in s
Last Updated : 2022-09-22Bloody Full Moon 85. Epilogue
Laura - AliveThe world is teeming with life and sensations I couldn’t see before. The air itself sizzles with electricity, and my skin tingles under the sun’s warmth. My heart is beating so fast that I can hear its thumping in my ears. Oh, how good it is to be alive. But then again, what is death?It’s a void, a nothingness, the absence of everything.So even though death is the ultimate lack of all existence, isn’t it also a state where we are given a chance to start anew?I’m not sure what I expected, but the reality is better than anything I could have imagined. Every day is a new adventure, and I love every minute of my life, full of laughter, hugs, and kisses. I must admit, destiny has one hell of a way of playing tricks on a girl. When I was young and wanted to live, I died. When I was an abomination and wanted to die, I was born anew. Sometimes, nothing goes the way you want it to, but not always what you want is what you get. And maybe it’s for the best. I am free of my c
Last Updated : 2022-09-23Bloody Full Moon 1. Kidnapped
Laura - 1963Darkness. Fear. My heart thuds, almost breaking free from my ribcage. I gasp for air, but there isn't enough for my thirsty lungs. Fear can be a dreadful thing, killing you before your time comes. Reaching out in the dark, I touch a wall in front of me. Same on my left and right. A hard floor beneath my back as I am lying flat. Where am I?Mama always tells me to be home by the time the darkness engulfs the land. But I am young and headstrong. Life screams at me to live it wholeheartedly. Mama talks all the time about creatures lurking in the shadows, waiting to catch children and young virgins. Mostly, I nod, rolling my eyes internally.A sliver of light shines through the hinge of the door above me. Sounds. People are talking, but I can't understand a word they're saying. The roaring in my ears must cease for me to hear what is going on outside. I take long, slow breaths to calm myself and lower my heart's rhythm."The Council has reached a
Last Updated : 2022-03-02Bloody Full Moon 2. Saved
Paul - Present Day"Don't you dare talk with me about bonds!" I shout so loud that all my men stare at me.When my eyes dart toward them, they all lower their gazes to avoid mine. But I don't have time for this. Alin is the problem, and he doesn't look at the floor as the rest. The defiance in his eyes is a problem that I must solve before it spreads like a plague among the pack."I mated with Ana," he declares with a snarl. "She's already mine!"So be it if he believes he can take me on."Ana is a member of the Oltenia pack. We don't mix!" I want to slump into my cozy chair, but my wolf doesn't let me. He is harsher than I am. "Goddammit, Alin. I shouldn't have to explain this. You understand how things work better than anybody else.""But I love–"My fist plunges onto the table between us, cracking the surface in two. For the first time, Alin flinches and looks down. Finally, he shows me the respect I deserve.The wolf
Last Updated : 2022-03-02Bloody Full Moon 3. Awake
Laura - 1963I struggle to breathe. My lungs seem empty as if they've been dormant for a long time. While I try to inhale as much air as possible, a muscular arm wraps itself around me, its touch frigid against my skin. Its earthy scent mingles with the smell of mildew.The air seems stale as if no one has thought to open a window in years. What am I doing here? How did I end up here? Who's standing next to me? A whirlwind of questions invades my head, and I can't tell them apart.As I remember the scene with the hooded men, the blade comes into focus, along with the pain and numbness. My fingers reach for my neck. No cut there, no pain. I struggle to move, but the man's grip holds me like in a vise. This is not how I pictured my first time laying with a man or sharing a bed and cuddling.My fingers go through the mattress, and I feel something crumbly and hard, granules beneath my nails. I raise my hand and it's filled with dirt, black, dry soil. Never m
Last Updated : 2022-03-02
Latest chapter
Bloody Full Moon 85. Epilogue
Laura - AliveThe world is teeming with life and sensations I couldn’t see before. The air itself sizzles with electricity, and my skin tingles under the sun’s warmth. My heart is beating so fast that I can hear its thumping in my ears. Oh, how good it is to be alive. But then again, what is death?It’s a void, a nothingness, the absence of everything.So even though death is the ultimate lack of all existence, isn’t it also a state where we are given a chance to start anew?I’m not sure what I expected, but the reality is better than anything I could have imagined. Every day is a new adventure, and I love every minute of my life, full of laughter, hugs, and kisses. I must admit, destiny has one hell of a way of playing tricks on a girl. When I was young and wanted to live, I died. When I was an abomination and wanted to die, I was born anew. Sometimes, nothing goes the way you want it to, but not always what you want is what you get. And maybe it’s for the best. I am free of my c
Bloody Full Moon 84. True Love's Bite
Paul - The Retezat MountainsAuburn leaves fall kissed by the cold winds. A cold mountain that still hasn’t welcomed winter. An owl hoots a few times and, as I pass, flies away, out of reach. I can feel the change in the air, now thick with the scent of incoming rain. The sky above the tree’s canopy is gathering heavy clouds, soon to be released in a torrent of droplets. The first few stars peeking through the dark gray curtains are a sign that I don’t have much time left to find Laura. I know I'm close. To her. And I know why she ran away, putting distance between us. Because I'm possessive and selfish, not wanting to give her what she needs. I can't give her what she wants without losing everything I love. And I love her. But it seems I'm doomed to lose her anyhow.I've lost so much time denying reality, turning a blind eye to the truth. "I'm coming, Laura," I whisper to myself. The trees seem to go on forever, the forest floor stretching into the distance. Laura is nowhere in s
Bloody Full Moon 83. Reading the Future
The Gypsy Witch - Her hutMy nose scrunches. A sweet smell permeates the air, like a mixture of old spices and fresh herbs. There’s a slight vibration below my feet; the ground seems to shake with every step I take. Something will happen soon. Hehe! I should better ask the key. I reach into my pocket and take out the instrument of my favorite art. The key is a simple piece of metal for any ungifted person. But for me, it is a tool that can open the secrets of the future. I turn it over in my hand, feeling the smoothness of its surface. Cleidomancy is one of the most powerful and ancient forms of divination. It is the art of reading the future by observing the movements of a spellbound key. Some say the spirits of the dead are the ones who turn the key and direct the motion. Hehe!A witch never looks directly at the key. Instead, she always studies it from the corner of her eye, making sure she isn't seen peeking. Otherwise, the key won't move.My fingers are tingly as they seem to b
Bloody Full Moon 82. Ticking Clock
Laura - At homeI find myself lying on a bed of black velvet inside an empty room with no windows or doors. The walls are lined floor-to-ceiling with bookshelves, each filled from top to bottom. The books are all different sizes and shapes, but they all have the same purpose: to fill the emptiness inside me. “Because I’m hollow on the inside,” I whisper to myself. Under the blanket next to me, there is a figure wrapped in the same black velvet. I reach out and remove the cover, revealing an old man. His skin is wrinkled and pale, and his hair is entirely white. He looks as if he is sleeping. He slowly opens his eyes and looks at me. His hand comes up to touch my face but loses its vigor halfway through. “Are you real?” I ask him.He sighs, closing his eyes. Only a whisper of a breath escapes his lips. “Don’t be afraid, Laura. I’ll always love you.”“No!” I scream. “This can’t be real. This man can’t be Paul.”His strong features and soft gray eyes are the same. His voice is the sa
Bloody Full Moon 81. Never Let Him Go
Alisa - Stryga Inc, her officeBefore entering my office, I stroll down a short hallway and pass my assistant’s desk. Official-looking diplomas and the like hang on the wall behind her. I catch a glimpse of FB reflected in one of them as she turns off her tablet and looks up at me. Does anyone even consider this company an actual workplace? Every employee is a glorified receptionist, and most of them dawdle their time away in front of their computers without doing any real work. When did I become the most diligent person around? “Good morning, Miss Cristescu,” she says, making a good show of turning toward her computer screen as if she has tons and tons of work to do. Her voice is light and cheerful enough, showing that she hasn’t noticed my mood today. Or that she couldn’t care less.If I were to say anything to her, I would fire her on the spot. But starting to dispose of the people who annoy me would leave me working all by myself. So I just nod and continue on my way. Sighing,
Bloody Full Moon 80. Love and Fear
Laura - HomeFearing I could drop the puppy from my shaky hands, I slowly set him down on the floor. He immediately starts whimpering and wagging his tail, but I'm too scared to pick him up. I back away slowly, watching him from the corner of my eye as he scrambles to his feet. My legs feel like jelly, and I sit on the couch's edge. Several decades have passed since I've last seen Iustin, my maker. The night I met him was the night I died—the night I became a strigoi. I look at my shaking hands, remembering those times.He was the one who turned me into one of them, holding my dead body in his arms for three days and three nights, keeping my soul trapped inside and forbidding it from going to the other side. For a long time, I thought he lied to me about the process until I did the same to Alisa and turned her into a strigoi as well. He helped me escape the strigoi Council's tight grip, and I owe him my life if my life counts for anything. Iustin covered up my ability to read minds
Bloody Full Moon 79. Serendipity
Paul - At home“We’re leaving the day after tomorrow,” I announce to Dan, sitting in front of him at the kitchen table. “I’ve scheduled a week-long trip to a remote location I don’t want to disclose even to you. I’ve been careful not to go during a full moon. So you and Alin should be fine managing the pack while I’m away. Oh, and the phone signal might be lacking, so don’t try to call me.”“I see you made up your mind already.” Dan sighs. “I knew you would put Laura above all else, but this is too much. Give me at least an emergency contact number to reach you just in case.”“As you said, I’ve made up my mind.”“Fine.” Dan stands and begins pacing through the kitchen. “What about the company? I’m not particularly fond of the idea of taking on business decisions while you’re away.”“Oh, no need. I put Max in charge of the company during my absence.”“The shifter? Why would you do that? Do you trust him so much?”“He’s not doing me any favor. The bastard is charging me for his time and
Bloody Full Moon 78. Lilac Scent
Paul - At home The house I grew up in was always a little too quiet for my liking. Now, the same house is shifting from a place of memories into a cradle for Laura and me. She has brought most of her things to the house. Unwrapping the last of the boxes, she stares at a small album. She opens it and pulls out a picture. I wrap my arms around her from behind, resting my chin on her shoulder. Out of habit, I sniff her hair, inhaling her scent. “Why do you keep smelling my hair?” she asks, still looking at the photo. I lightly touch my lips to the spot where her neck meets her collarbone.“It is said that when two people are fated mates, their scent is like a fingerprint, a unique signature only the other can notice.” I pause to take another sniff. “For me, you smell like lilac flowers in the spring, and it’s driving me crazy.”I nuzzle her neck, breathing in her scent and letting it fill my lungs. Laura doesn’t answer. She sighs, and her fingers shake over a black and white photog
Bloody Full Moon 77. Before the Beep
Laura - At homeDays pass quicker when immortality doesn’t seem like a useless burden. My condition hasn't improved. I am still an immortal strigoi, so basically just another girl in the world, with a few oddities.I fill my time with the things I love most: reading and Paul. He keeps at bay all the pessimistic tendencies that make me want to run away from reality. I know he will one day die. The thought still nibs at the back of my head and sometimes feels unbearable, but I don’t want to give up his company. He gives me hope, and even though we only have a few decades together, I'll make every second count.His presence is a gift to my soul. Even now, when he works in the bedroom while I read a book on the veranda bench, I feel peaceful. Just knowing he is there makes me happy. When we’re closer, things tend to get wild. We share a passion for each other and want to explore every inch of the other. We never get tired of being together. The slightest brush of his skin against mine
