The Vampire's Moonlit Throne

The air of Ravenor's private chamber was heavy with tension, Ravenor seated in his high-backed chair, fingers absently twirling the necklace he had taken from Elara. The pendant glittered in the firelight, delicate and intricately crafted.

His thoughts were a storm of calculation. That girl was so much more than she seemed. That much was clear.

The village she came from was no ordinary settlement, and neither were the people who raised her. He had ordered a background check on the place—Moon Wardens, they had called themselves.

His lips curved into a cold smile as he recalled the look on her face when she had realized the necklace was gone. Pure panic. She had been so frantic, so desperate, that she kept digging herself deeper and deeper without even realizing it. She was even ready to take on a man twice her size. Her feisty conduct didn't enrage him, instead it amused him.

Oh, how he would love to tame that little animal.

Hunting a submissive prey is never fun, is it?

"Master," Lady Seraphine's soft voice broke through his thoughts as she entered the room. Despite their relationship, she never called him by name.

He glanced at her, noting the ever-present tension in her stance. Seraphine had brought word of a new arrival which he had demanded earlier, Helan. She was the only one around who could provide information reliable regarding Elara.

Ravenor raised an eyebrow. "Send her in."

Seraphine nodded and disappeared through the door, returning moments later with an elderly woman, her hunched figure draped in thick layers of worn fabric. Her hair, stark white, fell in thin wisps around her face, and her eyes gleamed with an intelligence that belied her age.

"Master Ravenor," the woman rasped, her voice low and thick, beholding the burdens of her age. "I bought what you asked for."

Ravenor leaned back in his chair, watching her with mild interest. "Speak."

The woman hobbled forward, her steps slow but deliberate. She took a seat when Ravenor gestured for her to do so, her sharp eyes never leaving his face. "The girl… who came here. I saw her, she… she is special."

He gave her a slow nod, his gaze hardening. "I suspect that much. Tell me what I don't know."

The old woman's lips curled into a knowing smile, her gnarled fingers resting in her lap. "She is no mere human. I don't think she is entirely aware of what she is."

Ravenor's eyes darkened. "Go on."

"An heir," the woman whispered, her voice barely audible over the crackle of the fire. "To a forgotten legacy. The last descendant of the Moon Wardens I believe. And it was no coincidence that she is the only one who survived."

The words hung in the air, cold and heavy. Ravenor's grip on the necklace tightened, but his face remained impassive. "Tell me more about these Moon Wardens." he echoed, his voice smooth, though his mind raced.

"An ancient order, long thought extinct. Their power comes from the ability to utilize the moon itself, its cycles, its energy," the woman explained. "They were protectors once, guardians of old magic. But they were hunted for their power, their villages burned, their people slaughtered. This village was the last ones who survived. With the fear of being found, they sought a curse and started making the powers of their heirs dormant. But destiny has its way. They couldn't escape it for long."

"Tell me something that I should care about." Ravenor tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair.

The woman leaned forward, her gaze piercing as she said slowly, "This girl holds the key to power greater than you've ever known. The last descendant of Moon Wardens is destined to inherit the mightiest of their powers."

"So, she has great powers but she can't use them yet." Ravenor narrowed his eyes as he seemed to be talking to himself.

"She must be dormant and this means she has no idea of her capabilities." Helan nodded.

Ravenor's lips twisted into a slow, dangerous smile. This girl, this fragile creature, could be more useful than he had ever imagined. But first, he needed to break her, bend her to his will. "So, how do these dormant powers awaken?"

The woman's eyes gleamed. "Her bloodline grants her the ability to use the moon's energy and only she can awaken it. It's buried within her. With the right guidance… or manipulation… she could become a weapon of unimaginable power. I am afraid, my knowledge is limited from here on. The rest only a Moon Warden can seek but as it seems, they are all gone, except her."

Ravenor's mind worked quickly. Just as he had expected, Elara was not just some frightened girl seeking refuge. She was a tool, a powerful one. And he would be the one to wield her.

"This necklace…" Helan's eyes narrowed at his hand. "It can protect her. But until her powers are dormant, it's of no use. But I suggest it should stay with her."

He stood abruptly, the necklace still dangling from his fingers. "You can leave now."

The old woman gave a slow, knowing nod and rose to her feet, her joints creaking with the effort. "I will be here when you need me, Master," she said before turning and making her way out of the room, her steps slow and deliberate.

As the door closed behind her, Ravenor turned the necklace over in his hand once more, his thoughts swirling. She was just the thing he had been looking for for so long and she walked right into his hands.

When the right time comes, she will serve him just fine.

But first, he had to teach her to obey him.

A cold, twisted smile played at his lips as he imagined the possibilities.

This game had only just begun!