The Agreement 2

The Guest Beneath the Moon


The wind howled outside like a lonely spirit searching for a home.
Lira stood by the tall window of Blackwood Manor, staring into the dark forest that surrounded the ancient house. The moon hung low in the sky, bathing the trees in pale silver light. Everything looked peaceful, yet her heart refused to be calm.
She had lived in the manor for only a few days, but every corner of the place held another secret.
The strange whispers.
The locked rooms.
The servants who spoke only when necessary.
And Damian Blackwood.
He was the greatest mystery of all.
Lira rested her forehead against the cold glass.
Why did he always disappear before sunrise?
Why did he never eat with everyone else?
Why did his eyes sometimes look so empty, and other times burn with emotions he tried so hard to hide?
A gentle knock interrupted her thoughts.
"My lady?"
It was Mrs. Evelyn, the elderly housekeeper.
"You have been requested in the dining hall."
Lira turned.
"At this hour?"
Mrs. Evelyn nodded.
"We have a visitor."
A visitor?
Lira followed the old woman downstairs.
The manor felt different tonight.
The candles flickered even though there was no wind inside.
The long hallway echoed beneath her footsteps.
When they reached the dining hall, Damian was already there.
He stood beside the fireplace wearing a black suit.
His expression remained unreadable.
"You came," he said quietly.
"You asked for me."
His lips curved slightly.
"I did."
Before Lira could ask another question, the front doors opened.
A young woman stepped inside.
She was beautiful.
Her long red dress flowed behind her like liquid fire.
Her pale skin almost glowed beneath the candlelight.
She smiled the moment she saw Damian.
"After all these years," she whispered.
Damian's face remained cold.
"You shouldn't have come."
The woman's smile faded.
"I traveled a long way to see you."
Lira looked from one of them to the other.
Something about their conversation made her uncomfortable.
Damian finally looked toward Lira.
"This is Celeste."
The woman turned to Lira with curious eyes.
"So this is the human."
Human?
The word made Lira's stomach tighten.
Celeste quickly smiled.
"My apologies. I meant your guest."
Lira forced herself to smile back.
"It's nice to meet you."
"I wish I could say the same."
The words were spoken softly, but they carried enough poison to make the room suddenly colder.
Damian's voice became firm.
"Celeste."
She shrugged.
"I was only being honest."
Dinner was served in silence.
Lira barely touched her food.
Celeste never ate a single bite.
Instead, she watched Damian almost the entire time.
Finally she spoke.
"The council is growing impatient."
Damian's expression darkened.
"I told them my answer."
"They don't accept it."
"They will."
"They won't."
Silence returned.
Lira had no idea what they were talking about.
Yet she could feel danger hiding behind every sentence.
When dinner ended, Damian stood.
"Lira."
"Yes?"
"Go to your room."
She frowned.
"Why?"
"Please."
There was something unusual in his voice.
Not anger.
Fear.
Lira hesitated before leaving.
As she walked away, she glanced behind her.
Celeste was smiling again.
But this time, her smile looked almost frightening.
...
Hours later...
Sleep refused to come.
Lira kept thinking about Celeste.
Who was she?
Why had she called Lira human?
And what council had she mentioned?
Unable to ignore her curiosity, Lira quietly opened her bedroom door.
The hallway was empty.
She walked downstairs as silently as possible.
Voices drifted from the library.
She slowly moved closer.
"I warned you," Celeste was saying.
"The elders will never allow this."
Damian answered calmly.
"They don't decide my life."
"You are falling in love."
"No."
"You lie very badly."
There was a long silence.
Then Damian spoke again.
"I have responsibilities."
"And she?"
Another pause.
Finally...
"I must keep her alive."
Lira's heartbeat became louder.
Were they talking about her?
Suddenly...
A floorboard creaked beneath her foot.
The voices stopped.
"Lira?"
Damian's voice echoed through the hallway.
She froze.
The library door slowly opened.
Damian stepped outside.
His sharp eyes found her immediately.
"I told you to stay in your room."
"I'm sorry."
Before he could say another word...
A loud crash exploded somewhere upstairs.
Everyone looked toward the ceiling.
Another crash followed.
This time louder.
Mrs. Evelyn screamed from another hallway.
"My lord!"
Damian's face changed instantly.
He grabbed Lira's wrist.
"Stay behind me."
They rushed upstairs.
One of the bedroom doors had been torn completely off its hinges.
The furniture inside lay shattered.
Deep claw marks covered the walls.
Lira stared in horror.
"What happened?"
No one answered.
Damian slowly stepped inside.
His eyes examined every corner.
Then he looked toward the open window.
The curtains danced in the cold wind.
Someone...
Or something...
Had entered the manor.
Celeste appeared behind them.
Her face had lost every trace of confidence.
"It found this place."
Damian's jaw tightened.
"I know."
Lira looked at both of them.
"What found us?"
Neither of them answered.
Far away in the forest...
A deep, terrifying howl echoed beneath the moon.
Lira felt every hair on her body stand.
For the first time since arriving at Blackwood Manor...
She realized the darkness outside was not empty.
Something was watching.
And it was getting closer.