Beneath the Crimson Moon's Kiss

Previously

…Valerius reached out, his fingers brushing against my cheek. His touch was cool, yet it sent a jolt of warmth through me. “They underestimate the power of a woman who loves her home, and who dares to love a creature of the night.” His gaze held a fierce protectiveness. “This is your fight, Elara. But you will not face it alone.” The crimson moon hung high and heavy in the sky, casting long, distorted shadows across Oakhaven. The village slept, but a storm was brewing, not of thunder and lightning, but of ancient rivalries and forbidden love, all set to unfold beneath the eerie luminescence of the blood-red moon. The herbalist’s gambit was about to begin.