Bound By The Moon: The Eternal Bond - Chapter 56: Chapter 56

The vampire lands were quiet—eerily so. Cold mist clung to the obsidian towers, and the air reeked faintly of iron. Kaelith stood at his tall window, staring out into the endless night, a goblet of blood resting lazily in his hand. His face was unreadable, sculpted with the patience of a predator who had waited centuries. He had been alone for what felt like forever, and silence had become his companion.
A knock broke it. Slow, insistent. He didn’t answer.
Minutes later, his voice rumbled low. “You have a death wish.”
Lysaria slipped out of the shadows, pale skin gleaming in the dim light. She moved with deliberate grace, her voice soft as silk. “Kael… I’ve been knocking for a while now. So, I decided to use other means.”
His back remained to her. “You shouldn’t be teleporting at this time of the month. It will weaken your essence.” He finally turned, offering her another goblet filled with blood. “Drink this for recovery.” Then he began to walk past her.
But Lysaria caught his sleeve, eyes flashing. “I’m not here for blood.”
Kaelith’s expression hardened. “Stop being ridiculous. That little stunt of teleporting aimlessly will ruin you. Drink.”
Lysaria shoved the goblet onto a table with a sharp clink, her temper unraveling. “All you care about is that pathetic human.” Her lips twisted into a cruel smile. “Good news. She escaped.”
Kaelith froze. His goblet slipped, crimson splattering against the floor. His eyes widened—then burned with sudden fury. In a blur, he vanished from the chamber, leaving Lysaria staring at the empty space he had occupied.
Rage boiled through her veins. She smashed everything in sight—glass, wood, porcelain—until the chamber was in ruins. “I hate all of this,” she hissed, her voice cracking. “I hate you, Julia.”
Her teleportation carried her recklessly through the castle corridors, her body burning hotter with each jump, her skin paling toward white. The strain pulled at her essence, yet her fury demanded more. She landed in the gardens, panting, craving the cold relief of fresh blood.
Then she saw Samantha, a red cloak moving between hedges.
Lysaria’s lips curled into a vicious smile. So that was it. The arrogant wolf. Maybe even the one who spirited Julia away last night. She followed silently, careful to stay downwind. Samantha was clever, too clever to underestimate.
The trail led her to a lone house. Lysaria narrowed her eyes. Selene’s house. The strange old woman with her quiet secrets.
Her suspicion sharpened. Julia must be tied to this. If she wasn’t hiding inside, she would return here eventually. Lysaria didn’t strike—not yet. Instead, she melted back into the shadows, rage simmering. Let Kaelith deal with Samantha first. Later, when the time was right, she would drink Julia’s blood until her eyes lost all color.
Far away, in the werewolf lands, laughter rang through marble corridors.
Jessy twirled across her lavish chamber, a white gown clutched to her chest as she spun before a gilded mirror. The bed was buried in silk gowns, glittering jewels, and golden shoes. She hummed, her reflection radiant. “Life in royalty is sweet,” she whispered, stroking the gown. “Better than that miserable suffering in the South.”
She paused, lowering the dress. A whisper escaped her lips. “Valen is dead… Aiden too. I can’t even feel him anymore. Julia… Damon will capture her, and I’ll make her my slave.”
But her smile faltered. Julia had been her friend. What was she even doing? A pang of guilt pressed into her chest, but bitterness quickly smothered it. She remembered Samantha—the woman she blamed for her mother’s death. And Julia, always listening to Samantha’s counsel. Hatred gnawed at her again.
A sharp crack split the air outside. Jessy rushed to the window. Below, two Southerners were being whipped mercilessly in the courtyard. Her eyes widened in horror. “Mr. Antonio…”
Dread sank heavy in her stomach. Damon had enslaved the survivors of the South. Her people. Her friends.
Her gaze drifted back to the bed of treasures. Survival or death. The jewels gleamed brighter than loyalty. Slowly, she smirked. She would endure, even if it meant staying at Damon’s side.
The door opened. Damon entered, clad in royal black and crimson robes. His presence filled the room, suffocating and magnetic. He brushed a lock of hair from Jessy’s face, and her cheeks flushed crimson.
“My sweet,” he murmured. “You know you are my world. Now tell me everything you know.”
She faltered, then spilled it all—the plan Julia and Samantha had, their journey to vampire lands, their desperate attempt to win Kaelith’s alliance.
Damon laughed, deep and cruel. “Me? Defeated? Delusion. No one can defeat a king born of darkness.” His lips captured hers. And Jessy, trembling, surrendered.
In the darker veins of the palace, Ryker’s patience was unraveling. He had followed Lily through a maze of corridors and staircases for what felt like hours. Finally, he grabbed her shoulders, spinning her to face him. “Enough. Where is Aiden?”
Lily smirked. “Ryker, right? Or should I say Beta Ryker?”
He squeezed harder. “Stop playing games. If you betray me, I’ll end you before I fall.”
She scoffed, feigning offense. “Betray you? Please. I’m the good one here. Didn’t I help Julia with that weird flower?”
Ryker’s eyes narrowed. He turned away, but his voice was cold steel. “Then prove it. Take me to him.”
Lily’s smirk softened. “Believe it or not, I hate Damon more than Julia. He’s turned me into a joke. My magic, my life… wasted. If I wanted power, I’d have taken it by now.” She glanced sideways. “Tell me though—what was that flower for? Julia seemed desperate.”
Ryker ignored her, urging her forward. “Walk.”
They slipped past guards, Lily guiding him through hidden routes. Finally, the scent of blood and despair led them to a cell deep below.
“Aiden,” Ryker whispered, rushing to the bars. His half brother was chained, bruised, and barely conscious.
Together, he and Lily broke the locks. Lily’s hands shook as she freed his wrists. “Come on. We have to move quickly.”
They half-carried Aiden toward the light of freedom—
When darkness fell.
A thick mist seeped in, curling around their ankles, rising to their throats. Guards emerged from the shadows, swords gleaming. And through the fog, Damon stepped forth, his eyes glinting like black fire.
“You thought you could sneak into my turf without me noticing?” His laughter echoed. “Fools. All of you.”
The guards seized them before they could move. Ryker struggled, teeth bared, but chains bit deep into his skin. Lily screamed curses, thrashing. Aiden sagged limply in their grasp.
“lily my dear. I couldn't even picture you being a traitor,” Damon sneered. “Perfect entertainment. In three days, the world will watch your death.”
And with a snap of his fingers, they were dragged into the darkness of the dungeons.