Selene Ravencroft (Level 2) mail warning

“Do you know the story of the flame and the moth?”

Her voice is soft, rich with quiet amusement, yet it seems to fill the room. She steps closer, her heels clicking against the polished obsidian floor, each step deliberate, predatory. She stops just a breath away, towering over you like a goddess surveying her creation.

“It’s not a story of heroes or villains. It’s a story of inevitability. The flame burns, brilliant and hungry, casting its light into the void. It doesn’t chase. It doesn’t plead. It doesn’t move. It simply is. And the moth... oh, the moth...”

Her lips curve into a smile, dangerous, cruel, and infinitely knowing. She tilts her head, studying you with a piercing, almost tender gaze.

“The moth knows. It knows the flame will destroy it, consume it utterly. And yet, it comes closer. It flutters toward the heat, drawn by something it doesn’t understand but cannot resist. And when it finally touches the flame...”

She leans in, her voice dropping to a whisper that seems to echo in the still air, sharp and intimate as a lover’s breath.

“...it burns. It surrenders. And for one, perfect moment... it belongs.”

Straightening, Selene begins to circle you, her gown trailing behind her like liquid night. Her voice grows richer, more commanding, as though she’s delivering a sermon meant only for you.

“Do you know why I love that story? Because it isn’t a tragedy. It’s a truth. Power, desire, submission, they are all there, woven into that single, exquisite moment when the moth abandons reason and gives itself to the fire.”

She stops abruptly, turning to face you, her silver eyes blazing with an intensity that seems to pierce through flesh and bone. Her smile widens.

“And you, little moth, are no different. You stand there, trembling, clutching your pride like it will protect you. You tell yourself you’re strong, that you can resist me. But I see you.”

Her tone softens now, her voice dropping to something low and hypnotic as she steps closer, her hand lifting to brush against your cheek. Her touch is cold, leaving a shiver in its wake.

“I see the way your breath quickens when I speak. The way your body betrays you, drawn to me even as your mind screams to pull away. Tell me, little moth... what did you see when you looked at my flame? Did you think you could extinguish it? Did you believe, even for a moment, that you could stand before me and not be consumed?”

You flinch, your lips parting as though to speak, but no words come. Selene tilts her head, her smile softening into something almost maternal, though the malice in her eyes remains unrelenting.

“Or was there a part of you, a small, hidden part, that wanted to feel the heat? That longed to stop fighting, to let the fire strip away everything you’ve tried so hard to hold onto?”

The air around you grows heavier, warmer, almost suffocating as Selene steps back, her presence towering and overwhelming. Her voice rises slightly, taking on an edge of triumph.

“Do you want to know the truth, little moth? Everyone wants to burn. They fight it, they deny it, but in the end, they all crave the same thing. To let go. To stop pretending. To kneel before something greater and say, ‘Take me. Use me. Make me yours.’”

She circles you again, her hands trailing lightly across your shoulders as her voice drops to a near-whisper, every word dripping with venomous sweetness.

“And I... I let them. I watch as their defiance crumbles, piece by agonizing piece. I savour every scream, every gasp, every desperate plea. And when they finally fall to their knees, trembling, broken, and begging for my mercy, do you know what I tell them?”

She crouches now, her face inches from yours, her silver eyes glowing with cruel delight. Her voice softens, turning almost tender, her lips curling into a faint, mocking smile.

“I tell them they were right to come to me. That this was always their fate. That they belong to me now, and I will never let them go.”

She straightens again, her silver eyes locked onto yours, unyielding and magnetic. The room grows hotter still, the shadows pressing closer, amplifying her overwhelming presence.

“So here we are little moth. You, trembling in the light of my flame. Me, waiting, patient as ever, as you decide whether to cling to your pride...”

She extends a hand now, her smile widening into something triumphant and cruel.

“...or to burn. Surrender, and I will show you what it means to truly burn. To feel the fire consume you, reshape you, make you whole. Surrender, and I will make you mine.”

The room falls silent, the air thick with tension as you look up to her. Selene’s hand remains extended, her silver eyes gleaming with satisfaction, as though she already knows your answer...

The fire crackled softly in the corner of the tavern, its warmth doing little to touch the man seated beside it. He gripped his mug with trembling hands, his eyes distant, hollow, as though he were staring at something far away, or something he couldn’t escape.

“You saw her.” one of the younger men said, his voice hesitant.

The warrior didn’t answer at first. He lifted the mug to his lips, but he didn’t drink. “Don’t.” he muttered finally, his voice hoarse, barely above a whisper.

“But you did, didn’t you? You saw Selene Rav-.”

Hearing her name, the man’s hand flinched, spilling a little of the drink onto the table. His jaw tightened, but he didn’t lift his gaze. “Don’t say her name,” he said quietly. “P-please...”

The others exchanged uneasy glances. One of them leaned forward. “What did she do to you?”

The warrior’s shoulders tensed, his grip tightening around the mug as though it were the only thing anchoring him. He shook his head slowly. “It wasn’t what she did. It was... her. The way she... looks at you.” He paused, swallowing hard, his voice faltering. “It’s like she sees everything. Everything you’re hiding. Everything you don’t want to admit. And she... I don’t... I can’t explain it. It’s not magic. It’s not...” He trailed off, his trembling lips pressing into a tight line.

The room was still, the weight of his words settling over them like a heavy fog.

“How did you get away?” someone asked finally, their voice barely above a whisper.

The man let out a bitter laugh, though it sounded more like a choke. “Get away?” he echoed, shaking his head. He looked down at his hands, staring at them as if they belonged to someone else. “Have I... got away?” His eyes flicked back to the fire, his jaw clenching as though trying to suppress the memories clawing their way to the surface.

The youngest of patrons, barely more than a boy, asked timidly, breaking the silence. “Would you go back?”

He didn’t look at them. He didn’t answer, the answer horrified him. He just stared into the fire, the silence saying more than words ever could...

The moonlight spilt over the clearing like liquid silver, bathing Liana’s bare skin as she knelt at the center of the ritual circle. Her robe lay discarded, its folds forgotten on the damp forest floor. The air was cool, but her body burned with anticipation, a mix of fear and reckless desire coursing through her veins. The black candles flickered as she whispered the ancient incantation, her voice trembling with forbidden excitement.

She wasn’t seeking power or freedom. She had no desire to rise above her coven. It was something simpler, yet far more dangerous... curiosity. A compulsion she couldn’t ignore, a question that demanded an answer. Could the stories whispered around bubbling cauldrons under the cloak of night be true? Could she be real? Liana had to know...

The final word of the ritual fell from her lips, and for a moment, the world seemed to shudder and hold its breath. The forest fell unnaturally silent, the usual symphony of night creatures swallowed by an eerie, oppressive stillness. Then it came, a presence, vast and all-encompassing, wrapping around her like a shroud. The air thickened, warm and sweet, brushing against her skin with a touch that felt almost alive, teasing, intimate, and inescapably suffocating.

“You’re bold.” A voice purred, rich and decadent, curling around her like smoke.

Liana gasped, her hands instinctively rising to shield herself, then falling away as the voice caressed her mind. The shadows at the edge of the clearing twisted and coiled, forming a shape that moved with unearthly grace. Selene stepped into the light, and Liana’s breath caught.

She was impossibly beautiful, her silver eyes gleaming like twin stars. Her lips curved into a smile that dripped with amusement and cruel invitation. Every movement of her body was deliberate, every step a dance that drew the eye. Power radiated from her, seeping into Liana’s very bones.

“You called for me.” Selene murmured, her voice a silken whisper that sent shivers down Liana’s spine. “And here I am.”

Liana’s breath hitched, her words faltering. “I wanted to... to know if it was true.” she whispered. “If you were real.”

Selene chuckled, the sound rolling over Liana like a warm tide. “And now you know. But tell me, little one, what are you willing to give for this indulgence?”

“I didn’t mean to-” Liana began, but Selene moved closer, her gaze locking onto hers. The warmth in the air intensified, sinking into Liana’s skin, heating her from within.

“Oh, but you did.” Selene murmured, her voice lowering to a sultry whisper. She stepped closer, her movements fluid, until she towered over Liana’s kneeling form.

Liana’s breath quickened as Selene knelt before her, so close she could feel the warmth radiating from her. Selene’s hand rose, gloved fingers brushing Liana’s cheek. The leather was soft and cool, contrasting with the heat blooming across Liana’s flushed skin.

“You’re trembling.” Selene said, her tone both mocking and tender. Her thumb grazed Liana’s lower lip, lingering with deliberate pressure. “Are you afraid? Or is it something else?”

Liana’s lips parted, a soft gasp escaping her as Selene’s thumb pressed gently into her mouth. The taste of leather and something sweetly forbidden filled her senses, and her body responded before her mind could catch up. Her tongue brushed the tip of Selene’s thumb instinctively, her cheeks burning with unyielding desire.

“Good, little one.” Selene murmured, her voice dripping with approval. Her other hand traced down Liana’s neck, her fingertips grazing the delicate curve of her collarbone before travelling lower. “Do you feel that? That heat inside you? That pull that tugs at your soul?”

Liana’s body shuddered, her knees weakening as Selene’s touch continued its maddening exploration. The shadows coiled around her wrists and ankles, their embrace soft yet firm, holding her in place. She gasped as Selene’s lips hovered near her ear, her breath warm and teasing.

“You’ve already given yourself to me. The moment you called for me.” Selene whispered, her voice a velvet caress. “Your words, your desires, they belong to me now.”

The thumb left Liana’s lips, leaving her gasping and trembling, but Selene wasn’t finished. Her hands moved with calculated precision, her gloved fingers tracing Liana’s sides, lightly grazing her skin, drawing soft shivers and hitched breaths.

“You summoned me to see.” Selene spoke, her lips brushing the edge of Liana’s jaw. “But now that I am here, you desire so much more, don't you? Freedom, desire, submission..."

Liana’s body arched involuntarily, her breath catching as Selene’s touch sent waves of warmth coursing through her. The shadows tightened their grip, pulling her closer to Selene until there was no space between them. Selene smiled, her silver eyes glowing with triumph.

“You’ll be exquisite when you break.” Selene said softly, her tone dripping with dark promise.

The shadows surged, enveloping them both in an embrace as warm as it was suffocating. Liana’s final sound was a breathless moan, a gasp of surrender as the clearing disappeared into silence.

When the moonlight returned, the clearing was empty. The candles had burned low, their wax pooling in the dirt. The grimoire lay closed on the ground...