Haunting Huntress (Vexing Vamp #2)

Prologue

I so wanted to get out of here right now, was Astrid Larsen's first thought at the moment when she was looking around the party. She was sipping on the champagne that was being distributed by the servers around the ballroom. Astrid was standing at the end of the ballroom when her cousin, Freya, was approaching her.

"Astrid! I'm so glad that you're finally here. It's been a long time since I last saw you," Freya said, hugging her cousin. Astrid was too stunned to speak as she was looking at Freya.

Her cousin had the same build as Astrid but she did not have the lean, muscular physique that Astrid built to help her defeat the abomination that dominated their world in silence.

Plus, Freya's smile could bring any man to their knees. Astrid's smile will be the last thing any man sees in their wake. The lights from the chandeliers were shining over Freya's golden hair, which was a darker shade than Astrid's.

"Yes, of course. I would not miss for the world when you get your 6 Ph.D. graduation party," Astrid said, chuckling softly as she knew that her cousin would not stop at 6 scrolls of her post-graduate studies. Surely, Freya was planning to specialize in something else after this. Astrid was smiling at her while Freya gagged.

"I know. It was not my idea but I think Dad wants to make sure that every suitor in town will know that I will be free after this. I don't know what's up with him. It's like... he was obsessed to see that I'm married by the end of the year," Freya said, wrinkling her nose in disdain. Astrid smirked at her.

"At least you only need to think about getting married and maybe continue your father's legacy. Meanwhile, some of us need to think about how to survive for another day," she said, winking her violet eyes.

Freya glared. She took a flute from the passing server and drowned it in one gulp. Astrid arched her eyebrows before sipping on her champagne. Sometimes, she wondered who would be the lucky person for Freya to call her husband. Deep in her heart, Astrid felt bad for that lucky man later.

"Ugh! Like I'll do that. Unfortunately, I've already applied for the next Ph.D. venture in the States. It's amazing and the faculty said that they cannot wait to have me there," Freya said victoriously. A smirk was plastered to her lips as Astrid's eyes went big as saucers.

"Wait, don't tell me that—"

Freya was giggling like a crazy woman. She gripped Astrid's hand as tightly as possible before she stepped closer to share the good news.

"Yes! I've applied on a whim and have been offered a position at New York University! Can you believe it, Astrid? To think Dad will freak out when I tell him about this, but you don't need to fret.

"I know my argument will win this time since I'll be fully funded by the university and science community in America," Freya said with excitement as her eyes were shining with amusement.

Astrid shook her head. "Haven't you heard from Uncle?" she asked, arching her eyebrow. Freya furrowed her eyebrows as Astrid stared at her cousin.

"About what? What are you even talking about, Astrid?" Freya asked in confusion. Astrid sighed softly.

So, she must have not heard then about her engagement, she mused as Astrid smiled at Freya. She waved her hand dismissively as she put her empty flute on the passing trays.

"Oh! Nothing, I thought you might—"

Astrid's statement was saved by the rings of her phone. She smiled weakly at Freya as her cousin was making her way to get another flute. Perhaps the news about her engagement would make her drawn to alcohol more than usual.