Page 15 of The Blood Moon Hunt

I stumble over a root, catching myself before I fall, my heart pounding in my chest. My skin feels hot, like it’s burning from the inside out. I feel strange—different. The air around me hums, charged with an energy I can’t explain, as if the forest itself is responding to the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

The further I run, the stronger it becomes. A pull, like a magnet, drawing me deeper into the woods. And it’s not just coming from me. There’s something else, something...someone.

I glance behind me, half-expecting to see one of those masked men lurking in the shadows. But the forest is still, unnervingly quiet, save for the sound of my own labored breathing. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being watched. Followed.

A flicker of movement catches my eye to the left, and my heart skips a beat. There’s someone there, moving through the trees—fast. I quicken my pace, my legs burning with the effort. I don’t know who’s chasing me, but I can feel their presence, feel the heat of their pursuit.

My pulse races, panic bubbling up inside me as I crash through the underbrush, branches tearing atmy clothes. I don’t know where I’m going anymore, just that I need to get away. But no matter how fast I run, it’s not fast enough. They’re gaining on me.

Suddenly, the trees open up into a small clearing. I stumble into the open space, my chest heaving as I come to a halt. For a moment, everything is still. Too still. The air around me is thick with tension, like the calm before a storm.

And then I feel it.

Power. Rising inside me, surging up from somewhere deep within, raw and untamed. I don’t know what it is or how to control it, but it’s there, pulsing through my veins like wildfire.

My emotions swell, a wave of fear and confusion threatening to drown me, and suddenly, the air around me shifts. The trees seem to sway, the ground beneath me trembles, and there’s a strange hum, like static, crackling in the air. I don’t know how I’m doing it, but Iknowit’s coming from me.

Before I can make sense of it, a figure emerges from the shadows. Tall, dark, and cloaked in that same black robe, his skull mask gleaming in the faint light. It’s one of the men from the club—one who was on the platform with Damien.

He steps toward me, his movements slow and deliberate, as if he’s trying not to spook me. My heart pounds in my chest, and I take a step back, my skin pricklingwith a mix of fear and... something else. Something I can’t explain.

“Well, well,” he says, his voice smooth and dark, sending a shiver down my spine. “Look at what we have here.”

I swallow hard, trying to steady my breathing. “Stay away from me,” I manage to say, though my voice comes out more like a whisper than a threat.

He tilts his head, studying me with those cold, calculating eyes behind the mask. “You’ve got some fire in you,” he murmurs, taking another step closer. “But that won’t save you here.”

Another movement behind him catches my attention, and my heart leaps into my throat as a second figure steps out of the shadows. It’s the other man from the platform—the one I saw standing next to Damien. His presence feels different, calmer, but no less dangerous. He doesn’t say a word as he moves to circle around me, his eyes never leaving mine.

They’re surrounding me.

Panic claws at my throat, but before I can bolt, the first man speaks again. “Running won’t help you, little prey.” He chuckles darkly. “We’ll always find you.”

“Who... who are you?” I ask, my voice trembling. “What do you want from me?”

The second man steps closer, his voice low and smooth, almost comforting. “This is a game, love. And you’re the prize.”

A cold chill runs down my spine as the words sink in.The prize?I take another step back, my body shaking with adrenaline.

“You should know,” the first man says, his voice like velvet laced with danger, “we’re not like the others. What you saw in that clearing... it’s just the beginning.”

My head spins, trying to make sense of what’s happening. “What... what are you?”

“Warlocks,” the second man answers, his voice steady. “We harvest power. Souls.”

The word makes my blood run cold.Warlocks?

The first man laughs softly, a dangerous sound. “Humans call us many things. But in the end, we take what we need.”

I glance between them, my heart racing.This can’t be real. Warlocks? Harvesting souls?My mind reels, but the energy pulsing inside me won’t let me crumble. Not yet.

“What... what does that have to do with me?” I ask, backing up until I’m against a tree, trapped.

“Oh, you have plenty to do with this,” the first man says, his voice laced with dark amusement. “We can feel your power. You’re not like the others.”

His words hit me like a slap.Power?"No. I’m just... I’m just Selene. Nothing special. How could I have power?"

Before the second man can answer, a third voice cuts through the air, harsher, darker than the others. “What are we waiting for?” A third figuresteps into the clearing, his energy far more aggressive than the others. His mask is the same, but his presence is overwhelming, almost suffocating. “Let’s just take her. We’ll see who’s the strongest, andthenwe can claim her soul.”

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