Never Look Back: Moon Goddess Rising

Episode 1

Luna has spent years keeping her daughter Lyra alive, since only her blood can make the frail girl well. On her birthday, she walks in on a party she wasn't invited to — her husband Dracula and Lyra are celebrating Lisa instead, and Lyra has made earrings for her.

When Luna picks up the gift, thinking it's hers, Lyra turns on her: "Why are you stealing the earrings I made for Lisa?" Lisa appears wearing Luna's nightgown, and Dracula tells Luna not to make a scene. Lyra calls her a liar and a thief.

Luna stands there realizing the truth: her own husband and daughter forgot her completely, and they're throwing Lisa a party in her house.

Episode 2

Lisa plays innocent, apologizing that she never knew it was Luna's birthday too. Then Lyra snaps that Luna's "filthy half-breed blood" ruined the earrings, and that a low-born half-blood doesn't deserve to be her mother.

The cruelty cuts deeper in memory: Dracula only married Luna because he needed an heir to claim the throne, and he accuses her of casting a spell on him to get eternal life. When Lyra's life was at risk, Luna was forced to sign a blood pact and turn into a half-blood vampire to save her baby.

Now her husband doesn't love her and her child doesn't want her. There's nothing left here for her.

Episode 3

Before the banquet, Lisa asks Luna and Lyra to help her pick out jewelry, and Dracula agrees to help too. After eight years of caring for him and their daughter, Luna realizes he still can't stand to look at her.

She asks if he'll even read what he just signed. He waves it off as another invoice for keeping Lyra alive — a problem caused by her bloodline — and says he won't waste his night on it.

That's when Luna decides it's the last time she'll ever bother him. She severs the Blood Pact and says goodbye to all of it. Somewhere far away, voices call out: "My great moon goddess, when will you return?" She answers that she's coming home right now.

Episode 4

Luna's things are gone, and Dracula assumes she's playing some ridiculous game. Lyra wants her bedtime story, but her mother isn't there.

Dracula insists he can sense everything about Luna through the blood pact they signed — then freezes. "Why can't I sense Luna's location now?" He tells Lyra not to worry, that her mother probably just fell asleep somewhere and will come back.

A voice speaks up: Luna became a vampire for both of them and sacrificed everything for this family. Dracula snaps at the "lowly half-breed" for daring to talk back — but the voice reveals Luna left something behind, and said he should probably read it.

Episode 5

Lisa returns, claiming she left a bracelet and asking to come in. Lyra is thrilled to see her. Again Dracula is urged to read what Luna left, but he refuses — he's sure this is just a dramatic exit to make him worry.

"She loves immortality," he says. "She loves the title of countess I gave her." He's certain Luna has nowhere to go and will crawl back, and that when she does, she'll learn what happens when she throws a tantrum.

But the unease is already setting in. As someone calls for him at the door, Dracula hurries away — still believing Luna has no choice but to return. He has no idea how wrong he is.

Luna's story is only getting started — follow along and see how the Moon Goddess rises.