Songs Beneath the Crimson Moon

The dream was not his own.

Kael stood on a blackened shoreline. Above, a twin moon bled red across a sky filled with ashes. A distant song echoed—haunting, layered with sorrow and longing. The wind whispered a name he hadn't spoken in years.

"Nyra…"

A silver figure emerged from the surf, cloaked in moonlight and seafoam. Her lower half shimmered like a serpent's tail, her eyes dark as stormy tides.

"I warned you, Kael," she said. "Even the deep remembers."

Kael reached for her, but the dream shattered—leaving only echoes.

---

Morning – The Old Flame Inn

Kael awoke to warmth—Aeris sleeping peacefully, her arm draped across his chest, while Velira curled behind him, breath soft against his neck. In the crook of his other arm, Liora slept soundly, her tiny hand wrapped around his thumb.

He lay there, still for a moment, the weight of his new life anchoring him.

"Dream again?" Velira murmured, her fingers trailing down his chest.

He nodded. "Her voice. Nyra's."

Aeris's eyes fluttered open, lips curving faintly. "One of your past lovers?"

Kael smirked faintly. "Something like that. A sea-priestess turned siren queen."

Velira laughed softly. "Of course she was."

Before more could be said, the inn shook—just faintly, like a tremor. A moment later, Ryn burst into the room.

"We've got company," she said, ears perked. "Not bandits. Not townsfolk. Something old."

Kael eased Liora into Aeris's arms and stood, pulling on his leather trousers and grabbing the emberblade.

Outside, the village square stood silent. But the clouds above had turned violet.

And descending from them—was a woman.

---

She came on wings of blood and roses.

The Crimson Envoy.

She wore a dress woven from thorn and silk, her long hair braided with bones, and eyes like molten garnet. Behind her, a carriage of black crystal hovered, drawn by two horned beasts. Soldiers in obsidian armor knelt behind her like statues.

"Kael of the Flame," she said, voice echoing like a dirge. "Queen Kelyndra sends her regards… and an invitation."

Velira stiffened beside him. "Vampire royalty," she whispered. "That's not good."

Kael stepped forward. "She could've sent a letter."

"She sent me instead." The Envoy smiled. "The Queen requests your presence at the Moon Requiem. And she sends… a gift."

From the carriage, a coffin was brought forward. The lid creaked open.

Inside lay a young girl—barely older than Liora. Pale skin, white hair, and red eyes. She stirred and blinked up at the sky.

"I… am Seraphine," she whispered. "Daughter of the Queen. Born of war and shadow. Given… to you."

Gasps echoed. The crowd stirred.

Kael stared, disbelief and fury clashing. "She gave me her daughter?"

The Envoy smiled. "A claim… or a test. The Queen plays many games."

And then she vanished—vanishing into blood petals, leaving only the coffin, the girl, and questions.

---

Elsewhere: On the Floating Isles of Vire

High above the world, the Siren Isles shimmered like pearls in the sky.

In the moonlit pools, Nyra sat alone—singing an ancient lament.

"She found him," she murmured, trailing fingers in the water. "The Queen reached him first."

Beside her, three daughters stood—each a different hue of ocean: sapphire, emerald, and coral. Beautiful, deadly, and watching her closely.

"Will we return to him?" one asked.

Nyra's eyes shimmered with pain. "When the tides call, he will find us."

"But the Queen won't share," said another.

Nyra smiled faintly. "Then she'll bleed."

---

Back in Emberlight

That night, Kael sat with Aeris and Velira, the two women sharing his silence as Seraphine slept nearby, curled into a blanket.

"She's not like her mother," Aeris said gently. "She's… scared."

Velira leaned on his shoulder. "She needs a home."

Kael sighed. "I didn't come here to raise a kingdom. Just a quiet life."

"You can't escape what you are," Aeris said softly, brushing his jaw. "You were a flame that once scorched the heavens."

Kael met her eyes, then turned to Velira, whose lips found his in the softest kiss.

Aeris joined—fingers teasing at his chest, her lips brushing his neck. Their bodies moved together in slow, sensuous rhythm, layered with affection and growing hunger.

By the firelight, the world outside faded. And inside, Kael let go of restraint—his kisses deep, his touches possessive, claiming the two women who were no longer just companions—but partners, lovers, mothers.

Their bodies tangled. Gasps, moans, soft cries.

And in the flickering glow, Seraphine opened her eyes—watching from the shadows, a hint of longing and confusion in her crimson gaze.