Maiden With Flaxen Hair

Luna POV:

I slipped gracefully behind the file of girls who trooped around harmlessly in the general Manor to serve him. Our spy has managed to slip me into one of the maiden dresses, a rich, flowing satin in a regal shade of deep crimson. I was completely dressed like them and quite impossible to tell I wasn't human.

I had enough information about where the General was and how many guards I was expecting to be with him, there would be none. The general loved his privacy and refused to be followed in his chambers by his guards, which was to my advantage.

When I was sure no guard was watching, I slipped out from the line and into the shadows.

The moon cast its pale glow over the ancient city, my heart raced in nerve. Cloaked in shadows, I moved silently through the narrow alleyways in the human guise I had assumed. I could feel the weight of my mission pressing upon me with every step. The fate of my kind rested on this one act. I had trained for years, honing my skills in stealth, agility and the deadly art of combat. Tonight, everything I had prepared for would be put to the ultimate test.

I reached the outskirts of the General's residence, my senses heightened. The scent of jasmine mingled with the smell of the night, and the distant echoes of bustling streets filled the air. Moonlight shone through the surrounding trees, casting light shadows that danced upon the cobblestone path leading to the entrance.

I took a breath and steadied myself, my mind focused solely on the task at hand. I slipped past the guards stationed at the entrance, their gazes oblivious to the danger lurking in their midst. The narrow halls of the mansion stretched out before me, a maze of ornate and polished marble.

I stalked silently towards the grand chamber, every instinct finely tuned. The air was heavy with the scent of power, mingling with the faint aroma of aged parchment. The atmosphere crackled with an intoxicating mix of anticipation and fear.

I ventured deeper, the sound of muffled conversation reached my ears. The General's voice resonated through the corridor, its muffled tone sending a shiver down my spine. It was now or never.

I unsheathed the concealed blade strapped to my thigh and advanced silently towards the grand chamber. The room was adorned delicately, designed with intricate artwork and flickering candles that danced upon the walls.

There he stood, the General. A man of formidable presence, his armor gleaming in the candlelight. He was far from what I had imagined, he wasn't an overweight man, his towering physique says otherwise and a face that emanated an ominous aura.

I knew I was disadvantaged, I was expecting him to be asleep, so I could kill him in bed, but he was up and in his armor, like the darkness has whispered the imminent danger to his ears. Not only was he up and armed, he had a guard with him, with whom he was in a deep conversation with.

I had two unforeseen circumstances reducing my chances, but I also had a sole advantage. I was a trained werewolf, and they are mortals. They also seemed unaware of the danger closing in around them, and that was also to my advantage. I crouched low, my muscles coiled like a spring ready to strike.

All of a sudden, with explosive force, I launched myself from the shadow at the guard, slicing his throat in one movement, he dropped heavily to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

I changed my direction towards the General in an equal fluid motion, aiming for his throat. He evaded my attack like he saw it from yesterday.

“A werewolf” He bit into the cold air with a voice devoid of fear.

“You still have a chance to survive, I would let you live if you make a run for it now”

I wasn't interested in a trade of words with him. I lunged at him again with shocking speed. Again, he evaded me easily, again without breaking a sweat.

He smirked

“Not a talker, are you?” He grimaced" Fair Enough, come, and I'd make an example of you for the others” He said, while adjusting his body into a fighting stance

I lunged at him with murderous intent, but the General was no mere mortal. His training and skill were evident, his strikes calculated and precise. He met my raw aggression with honed technique, parrying and countering with precision. The clash of our savage might reverberate through the room, a symphony of violence.

My hunger for victory burned bright. The moon's intoxicating influence fueled my every movement, my instincts guiding my strikes. With each exchange, the scent of victory permeated the air, mingling with the iron tang of spilled blood of the guard.

In the midst of our fierce battle, a startling realization suddenly jerked my instincts. I caught a glimpse of something in the General's eyes, a glimmer of otherworldly hunger, a predatory gleam that mirrored my own.

In that fleeting moment, my acute senses pierced through the chaos, sensing the undeniable truth. The General was not merely a mortal warrior, but a creature of the night, a vampire. The revelation sent a chill down my spine, mingling with the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

The atmosphere shifted, rising with a newfound tension. The chamber that once shook with loud movements of our combat now hummed with a shocking silence.

I stumbled back in fear.

He saw the fear in my eyes.

“You've had it figured out, haven't you?” He said, "You are a Vampire” I confirmed with a shaky voice.