Counting Stars at Dawn

18: The Blood Moon Scrolls

Neither Hades or Artemis ever grew tired of sharing their love physically. It was the most magical moment of their days, and the sweet affection shared afterwards was even better. When Hades and Artemis had finished, Hades moved to the side and spooned Artemis from behind.

Artemis felt his body heat envelop him and he smiled in comfort. Hades rubbed his back and his thighs as he gently kissed the crook of his neck and behind his ear. The actions perhaps should've aroused Artemis, but he actually found them nice and soothing. Before he knew it, Artemis drifted into a deep sleep as Hades whispered sweet nothings to him.

Hades, however, remained wide awake. He felt Artemis's breathing relax into sleep, and he wanted to linger longer, but his mother had asked him to return to the castle just this one night. She said she had to tell him something important regarding Artemis. The concern started eating away at him, and sadly he had to leave Artemis's side.

The vampire dressed himself and drew a blanket over Artemis as he kissed his forehead. He walked towards the balcony and opened and closed the doors before jumping, sprouting his black wings. Hades descended into the forest and used the shadows to teleport himself to Lamia.

After a few seconds, he stepped inside his castle and went to his mother's study. She wasn't there and Hades tried sensing her life force. He sensed her in the royal library and teleported to the location.

When he opened the heavy wooden doors, they made an eerie creaking, the kind you'd expect in an ancient vampire castle. The library was dark and he spotted dim candlelight at a far corner of the immense room.

Hades picked up the pace and rounded a corner to see his mother sitting in her ball gown in front of a desk. She closed the book she was reading and looked at Hades with an expression he couldn't decipher. It seemed to be a mix of disappointment, grief, and neutral. It was that look of "mighty queen" she had given him so many times in his infancy that now it triggered old emotions of anxiety.

"What's so important you've asked me to meet you here?" Hades started and his deep voice echoed across the room.

"You're in love with Artemis, correct?" His mother asked.

"Yes."

"And do you wish to mark him and make him your mate for life?"

"Yes, why are you asking me this? You know already."

She stood up and pressed the book in her hands to Hades. Hades drew his eyebrows together in confusion and looked at the book. The title read: "The Blood Moon Scrolls."

"I'm very well aware of what you want Hades, but this might make you change your mind." She spoke calmly as she stared out the window. "This is the complete history of our species Hades. Everything from our etiquette, religion, customs, to our complex mating rituals is written here."

"I don't understand any of this." Hades said as he looked at the pages and noticed they were written in a different language.

"The book is written in our old language, Sang. Your father's and my generation of vampires are the last who know how to read it. Hades, I've asked you to come here because you must not mark the elf prince."

"What? No, I want him to be my mate. I love him. Why are you doing this? What could possibly make me change my mind?"

"Perhaps the fact that there is a possibility he will die if you do." The queen stated.

Hades froze. Artemis, die? How could he die?

"How?" Was all Hades managed to say as his mind went blank, unable to process the information.