Eclipse Love

Selene's pulse pounded in her ears.

Bonded.

The word echoed in her mind like a curse. She had fled the Order, risked everything for freedom, and now she was tied to a vampire in a way she barely understood.

Her breath came faster, her chest tightening.

"You're lying," she whispered, more to herself than to Morgana.

But the look in Lucian's eyes told her otherwise.

"I wish I were," he said softly.

Selene shook her head, stepping back. "No. That's not possible. That's—"

Morgana smirked. "Oh, it's very possible, darling. And irreversible."

The weight of it hit her all at once. This wasn't just an alliance. This wasn't just running for their lives.

If Lucian died, so would she.

Her fingers twitched at her side, itching to reach for her dagger. Not because she wanted to hurt him, but because she had always been taught that bonds like this were unnatural. Dangerous.

Monstrous.

Lucian took a careful step toward her. "Selene, I—"

She held up a hand, stopping him. "Did you know? Before we left the ruins, before we—" she swallowed, the memory of his lips still burning on hers, "—before everything. Did you know this would happen?"

Lucian's jaw tensed. "Not at first."

Selene's stomach twisted. "But you figured it out. And you didn't tell me."

Lucian exhaled, his silver eyes dark with emotion. "Would it have changed anything?"

"Yes!" she snapped. "You took away my choice!"

Morgana let out a low chuckle. "Oh, this is entertaining."

Selene turned on her. "Shut up."

Morgana only grinned. "Feisty. No wonder you bonded so easily."

Lucian shot his sister a glare before looking back at Selene. "I swear to you, I never meant for this to happen. A bond like this—it's rare, even among my kind. But it means something."

Selene clenched her fists. "It means I don't have a say in my own fate."

Lucian flinched, just slightly. "It means you're not alone in this."

The words hit her harder than she wanted to admit.

She had spent her entire life fighting alone. Even in the Order, surrounded by hunters, she had never truly belonged. Now, for the first time, someone was bound to her—literally.

And it terrified her.

She forced herself to take a steadying breath. "What else aren't you telling me?"

Morgana's expression turned serious. "The Elders don't just want you dead. They want to use you."

Selene frowned. "Use me?"

Lucian nodded grimly. "A bond between a vampire and a hunter is unheard of. To them, it's an abomination—but also a weapon. If they get their hands on you, they'll twist the bond, use it to control us both."

Selene's blood went cold.

"I won't let that happen," Lucian said, his voice fierce. "I'll protect you."

Selene scoffed. "Protect me? You bonded me to you without telling me. Forgive me if I don't exactly trust your protection right now."

Lucian flinched again, but before he could respond, Morgana sighed dramatically.

"As much as I enjoy watching my brother get scolded, we have more pressing matters."

She stepped closer, her violet eyes gleaming. "The Elders know about you, Selene. And they're coming."

Selene stiffened. "How do you know that?"

Morgana smirked. "Because I'm the one who told them."

Silence fell.

Selene's breath caught. "You—"

Lucian's face turned to stone. "Morgana."

His sister raised her hands in mock innocence. "Oh, relax, little brother. I didn't exactly invite them here. I just… let slip that you had bonded with a hunter. And well, you know how they are about bloodlines and purity."

Lucian's body tensed, his fists clenching. "You betrayed me."

Morgana's smirk faltered for the first time. "I saved you."

Selene's head spun. "Saved us? By leading them straight to us?"

Morgana's gaze turned cold. "They were always going to find you, Selene. The bond between you two is like a beacon—they can feel it. And trust me, you'd rather deal with them on my terms than theirs."

Selene's grip on her dagger tightened. "Why should I believe anything you say?"

Morgana tilted her head. "Because if I wanted you dead, you'd already be bleeding out."

The words sent a chill down Selene's spine.

Lucian stepped forward, his voice low and deadly. "Tell me why you did this."

Morgana met his gaze. "Because I need you alive."

Lucian narrowed his eyes. "For what?"

Morgana hesitated, then said, "There's more at stake than just your bond."

Selene crossed her arms. "Then start talking."

Morgana exhaled sharply. "The Elders are afraid of you. But not just because of your bond." Her violet eyes flicked between them. "Because of what you might become."

Selene frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Morgana hesitated again, as if choosing her words carefully.

"There's a prophecy," she finally said. "One the Elders have been hiding for centuries. A prophecy about a hunter and a vampire whose bond would break the world apart."

Selene's breath hitched. "Break the world?"

Morgana's gaze sharpened. "Or save it."

A cold weight settled in Selene's stomach.

Lucian's voice was barely above a whisper. "You think it's us."

Morgana nodded. "I know it's you."

Selene shook her head. "That's insane. I'm just a hunter. I don't have any special powers or—"

"But you do," Morgana cut in. "The moment you bonded, something changed in you. Didn't it?"

Selene opened her mouth to argue—but then stopped.

Because something had changed.

Her senses had been sharper. Her reflexes faster. Even now, she could feel Lucian's presence like a second heartbeat in her chest, steady and strong.

Morgana smiled knowingly. "The bond isn't just tying you together. It's transforming you."

Selene's stomach twisted. "Into what?"

Morgana's expression darkened.

"That's the question the Elders want answered. And trust me, they don't plan on asking nicely."

Selene's fingers trembled at her side.

This was bigger than she had ever imagined. Bigger than the Order, bigger than the war between vampires and hunters.

And now, she was right in the middle of it.

Lucian turned to her, his voice soft but firm. "We figure this out. Together."

Selene met his gaze, the fear in her chest clashing with something else.

Something stronger.

She nodded.

Whatever came next, she wouldn't face it alone.

But deep down, a terrifying question burned in her mind.

If the bond was changing her…

Then what was she becoming?

End of Chapter Nine.