The Blood Moon Rises

The sky over Forks turned red.

It wasn't the Eclipse—yet.

But something ancient was stirring.

Lucian stood in a clearing surrounded by pine trees, the moon hanging low above him. Selene circled him slowly, barefoot, her fingers glowing with crimson light as she etched runes in the air.

"Focus," she whispered. "You're not just a hybrid. You're a Bloodforged. The magic inside you isn't borrowed—it's inherited."

Lucian gritted his teeth. His chest ached like it was about to burst. Power boiled inside him—hot, wild, and sharp like broken glass.

Behind them, Jacob stood watch, tense, arms folded.

Bella sat on a rock, her crimson eyes never leaving Lucian. She hadn't spoken much since Selene arrived.

Lucian finally snapped, "And what does that even mean? You keep throwing around names like Dreamwalker, Bloodforged, and Moonborn. I didn't ask for this!"

Selene didn't flinch.

"You didn't ask to be born, either," she replied calmly. "But you were. And the world doesn't care how scared you are. It only cares about how dangerous you'll become."

---

The First Pulse

Lucian clenched his fists.

And then—

The mark on his back—the one shaped like a crescent fang—ignited.

A roar echoed from his throat. Blood swirled around him, drawn from his own veins, but he didn't bleed. It was pure essence, molded by thought, shaped by fury.

Jacob stepped forward, alarmed. "Bella—"

"I know," she said tightly. "He's awakening."

Selene's eyes glowed brighter. "Now control it."

Lucian screamed—and the blood exploded outward in a ring of red mist.

When it cleared, he stood at the center of a circle of floating crimson runes, his eyes glowing like twin stars.

Selene smiled.

"You're ready."

---

That Night

Later, in the woods, Bella sat alone on a branch, watching the stars.

Lucian had gone to bathe in the river. Jacob was out patrolling. And Selene… was waiting by the fire.

When Lucian returned, wet hair clinging to his neck, steam rising from his skin, she looked up.

"Did it hurt?" she asked softly.

Lucian sat down across from her. "Not as much as I thought it would."

Silence.

Then Selene asked, "Do you dream often?"

He hesitated. "All the time. But… lately, they've felt real. Like I'm being pulled somewhere."

Selene nodded. "That's the Dreamwalker blood. You can enter memories… even possible futures. You just don't know it yet."

Lucian leaned back. "Great. More ways to go insane."

Selene laughed—a quiet, melodic sound that felt far too human.

"You're not going insane," she whispered. "You're just becoming you."

---

A Moment

The fire crackled. Their eyes met. Time slowed.

Lucian looked at her—not as a warrior, not as a threat—but as a girl who seemed just as lost as he was.

Selene broke the silence. "They say the Blood Moon brings clarity. Truths rise. Walls fall."

Lucian tilted his head. "And?"

Selene's gaze dropped. "Tonight's a Blood Moon."

He didn't move.

Neither did she.

Until—slowly—Selene reached out, her hand brushing his.

Their fingers laced.

She leaned in, heartbeat calm, her breath warm.

Lucian didn't stop her.

Their lips met—soft, uncertain, but magnetic. Fire and frost, blood and moon.

And just like that…

The bond formed.

It wasn't love yet. But it was real.

---

The Next Morning

Jacob paced.

"I felt it," he snapped. "Something changed between them."

Bella remained still. "You don't have to like it. Just accept it."

"You should be more upset," Jacob growled. "Selene's not just some rogue. She's connected to the Volturi."

"She's also saved Lucian twice," Bella said flatly.

Jacob stopped. "And what if she's only doing it to bind him? What if that kiss was a trigger?"

Bella's silence was sharp.

And heavy.

"Then," she said slowly, "we have bigger problems."

---

Volterra Awakens

Aro stood at the edge of a dark cavern, watching the silver tank crack open.

The second girl—the engineered one—opened her eyes.

No memories. No doubts. No soul.

Only programming.

"Project Nyx," Aro whispered.

She stepped out, naked, unbothered. Her hair shimmered like onyx.

"What is my purpose?" she asked.

"To kill Lucian Black."

---

Lucian woke that morning with a sharp jolt.

His hands were bleeding.

In his dream, he had held Selene's heart in his hands—ripped from her chest.

And in the shadows behind him…

Nyx had smiled.