Page 1 of Blood Moon
CHAPTER1
The moment I saw you, I knew.
Article I, Lost Letters from Aadan the First
The smell of death clung in my nose as I jolted upright in bed, gasping.
My body was covered in sweat, and a pain pulsed in my neck, still viable and aching, only it wasn’t real. It was only a dream, but it felt as though I was there, lying in the thicket, surrounded by woven trees and a darkened sky.
Still, I felt the stretching and tugging of my limbs tearing into rugged pieces as the beast stood over me. A vicious thing. Matted brown fur and thin ebony lips. A snarl that reminded me of its primal urge to dig into my flesh and bone again with such carelessness.
The dream probably came from the video I’d seen before I’d fallen asleep last night. Some teens thought it was a good idea to venture into the woods at dusk outside of Kansas City, Missouri, where, a few days before, a body was found. Or parts of a body, I should say. An unhoused woman with missing limbs, presumably a rabid animal had gotten her somehow.
That was all it could be.
Werewolves, vampires. I hadn’t believed in the folklore of this town in years, despite the mocking of my dreams. It was just an old legend the townsfolk liked to tell. A story that had been passed down from generation to generation to keep us inside, to keep us from wandering into the deep, dark woods at night.
It was the same story my mother, Rena, used to tell. I could still hear the cadence of her voice as the words rolled off her tongue. Little by little, the story would change over the years, becoming more vivid, more real and lifelike. It felt as though Rena and I could pull back the curtain and walk right into the scene, feel the utter shock of magic kiss against our skin as we fell in awe to a new world before us.
I pressed pause on my memories and fumbled out of bed with a heaviness as I headed toward the bathroom across the hall.
Rena had been gone for five years. Not dead—that we knew of—just gone. There were moments when I’d allow myself to think of her, when I’d envision what my life would look like if she’d stayed with me and my father, Bobby. Perhaps life would be happier, simpler than this. Perhaps the days would have true meaning to them, and the hole I’d felt in my body would somehow seal its way shut. I dreamt of smiling and truly meaning it. I longed to be rid of the dull ache inside me; masking helped, but it was only a temporary solution. I needed permanence.
Rena’s return was unlikely—an unfortunate revelation for me to digest, but true because if she wanted to be here, she would. Intentionality used to be her thing, but I wasn’t so sure I knew her anymore.
Back in my room, I drew open the curtains, letting the sun seep into the old wooden floors that were now partially covered with boxes and half-filled plastic containers.
It was the much-awaited move-in day at Lakeland University.
The summer had been long and dreary, despite the constant sunny weather and dry spell. The months were spent deciding and undeciding on whether I should go to college.
I’d applied to a few universities back in the spring like everyone else in my graduating year, and while I’d received a handful of acceptance letters, I wasn’t exactly set on going. The idea seemed more tedious and performative than enjoyable. Joy was looking at empty apartment listings I couldn’t afford while I lay in bed, imagining how I’d redecorate my life with new useless things as a TV series played quietly in the background.
But then, last month, I got an acceptance letter from Lakeland University, a school I didn’t apply to. It was only twenty minutes from the house, when abiding by traffic laws, which was a reason I didn’t apply to begin with. It was too close to home, and if I was going to go anywhere, it was going to be somewhere far away from the misery of the Midwest, far away from the forsaken snow and insufferable humidity. A place where no one knew me enough to pity my past. Somewhere I could slowly fade into the distance and not be needed by anyone.
If Rena could run away, I could, too.
Though, not really.
I wanted to be someone who could take off, but the thought of truly leaving Bobby behind brought a twinge of guilt to my stomach. He was harmless in this, even if my father’s naivety was to my detriment.
Besides, the acceptance letter came with a full scholarship for room and board and an academic award that just about covered most of tuition. It was hard to say no to. I told myself it was kismet: a once-in-a-lifetime, unasked-for opportunity. There was no longer a need to look at apartment listings when I would soon have my own place.
Plus, it was the only thing Bobby wanted to talk about, and it was the happiest I’d seen him since Rena left. What kind of daughter would I be if I denied him the joy of seeing me go off and sell my soul to capitalism? Which was also why I was almost a hundred percent certain he applied for me. Though, I wasn’t sure why he wasn’t upfront about it. Bobby was generally straightforward when it came to things of this nature, but maybe he was embarrassed. Maybe the thought of me potentially rejecting the offer was a sore spot for him. Still, it was strange he didn’t mention it.
There was a knock on my door. It was always like clockwork with him, the only person that could be on the other side of it.
Bobby opened the door slowly when I said he could come in, letting it creak until it came to a halt. A smile painted his face. “Hey there, kiddo. You just about ready to hit the road soon?” he asked, tilting back on his heels. All I could see was his navy blue shirt withTimber Plains Sheriffplastered to the upper right corner.
A grumble slipped from my lips, and he handed me the iced coffee he was holding.
“It’s from your favorite place.”
I was surprised the coffee shop was still open, considering how late I’d slept into the afternoon. I took a sip, thanking him beforehand, but still eyeing his shirt. “Dad …youpromised.”
Bobby rubbed at the scruff on his face, feigning confusion. But it was my father. He was never confused. He was overly analytical. Logistically sound. It made him the best in the field, one of the reasons he was so proud of his new title: Chief Deputy.
“You said you weren’t going to wear your uniform today.”
