Page 18 of The Blood Moon Hunt

As I step into a small clearing, my eyes narrow, scanning the surroundings. There’s a cave nearby—an old, hidden place, long forgotten. And that’s when I feel it. Her magic, faint but distinct, coming from the mouth of the cave.

I approach slowly, my pulse quickening with eachstep. The urge to protect her, to keep her safe, overwhelms everything else. Even the Hunt, even the Order’s demands.

I can’t explain it. I’ve never felt this way before, not for any of the prey. But with her...

Everything’s different.

I reach the entrance of the cave, pausing for a moment before stepping inside. The air is cooler, damp, and filled with the soft sound of her breathing. She’s there, hidden in the shadows, but I don’t call out. Not yet.

Instead, I wait, letting the silence stretch between us. She knows I’m here. I can feel her awareness prickling at the edge of my magic, like two forces meeting in the dark.

And then, softly, I speak. “Selene.”

Her breath hitches, but she doesn’t respond. I take a step closer, my voice lower now, more careful. “You don’t have to run from me.”

Still, nothing.

I move closer, my pulse quickening. “They’ll come for you, Selene. But I won’t let them take you.”

Finally, she speaks, her voice shaky but defiant. “Why should I trust you?”

I take a deep breath, trying to ignore the pull, the desire that hums between us. “Because I’m not here to claim you. I’m here to protect you.”

Her eyes meet mine, and for a moment, the tension between us thickens, electric and undeniable.

But before I can say anything more, I sense it—the others. They’re closing in.

We don’t have much time.

Chapter

Twelve

SELENE

The cave is silent, the only sound is the soft crackle of the fire Damien had ignited with the flick of his hand. I sit by the flames, trying to make sense of everything that’s happened in the past few hours. My body still hums from the power I unleashed earlier, but it’s a strange sensation, like something just below the surface, waiting to escape again.

And now Damien is here, standing only a few feet away, his presence filling the small space. His eyes have been on me the entire time, watching, waiting. There’s something intense in his gaze, something that makes me feel like he’s seeing right through me, past my defenses, to the parts of me I’ve tried so hard tobury.

I swallow hard, trying to steady my breath. “What are you doing here?”

He tilts his head, his expression calm but unreadable. “I told you, Selene. I’m here to protect you.”

“From what?” I ask, my voice coming out sharper than I intended. “You’re the one who put me in this situation in the first place.”

He steps closer, his boots barely making a sound against the stone floor. “The Hunt is bigger than you or me. It’s a part of the balance between realms. I can’t change that.”

“You say that like I should accept it,” I snap, feeling the frustration bubbling up inside me. “Like I’m just supposed to be okay with being hunted like some animal.”

“You’re not an animal,” Damien says quietly, his voice taking on a strange softness. “You’re something far more powerful.”

I glance up at him, my heart racing, and for the first time since he arrived, I notice the shift in the air around us. There’s a faint glow along the walls of the cave—runes, etched in light, flickering softly like they’re alive. I narrow my eyes, focusing on them. “What did you do?”

Damien follows my gaze, and a small smile tugs at the corner of his lips. “I put up protection runes. The others won’t be ableto find us here.”

“Protection from what?” I ask, my voice shaky. “From them?”

He nods. “As the facilitator, I’m able to maintain the balance of the Hunt. That means ensuring no one breaks the rules.” His eyes flicker back to me. “But right now, it’s also to protect you.”

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