Haunting Huntress (Vexing Vamp #2)

Chapter 2

"This could be a lot better if I don't follow you into this stupid forest. I mean, why am I even here?" Aaron Covaci asked his cousin, Gabriel Kovacs. They were making their way through the pine forest before Gabriel smirked.

"Because you're my cousin and I'm forced to locate my mate," Gabriel replied gruffly. Aaron sighed, following his cousin's pursuit in the dark. Fortunately, he was lucky enough to have the blueish-red blood in his veins that allowed him to see clearly in the dark.

I should have been at home, watching movies on the TV. Not following this stupid idiot to follow his guts into the darkened forest, Aaron thought with disdain as he was looking at Gabriel.

Aaron was about to choke Gabriel from behind when his cousin stopped so suddenly. Gabriel was cursing under his breath before Aaron noticed where they were. He was looking at the blazing fire that licked everything in its path and the village that was being destroyed.

"Huh, I don't know about you but my guts told me that we found where your mate was or who she was," Aaron said, whistling as he was looking at the woman—Bianca Belmonte if he remembered correctly—who was pouring fire and causing mayhem in the small, remote village in Lacul Rosu.

Gabriel tsked. "Shut your pie hole," he retorted, glaring at Aaron. Aaron held his hands up in surrender before Gabriel called after Bianca, his mate. Aaron stepped forward before something sizzled inside his blood. He looked around the chaos before the sight of something—or rather someone—stopped him in his tracks.

Aaron blinked his eyes. He exhaled as excitement elevated his feelings. Aaron saw someone that he would not expect to see any time soon—not after the disaster that fell between them a couple of weeks ago in Sicily. However, Fate was cruel when Astrid Larsen with her seductive leather attire was fighting against Bianca in the forest.

"Well, I think we have someone who is getting better at this game, apparently," Aaron said wickedly as he licked his lips.

Astrid was reloading her crossbow and aiming at Bianca who was floating in the air. "Begone, abomination, and may God bless your soul!" she shouted before releasing the arrow and it stroked through Bianca's chest. Bianca screamed before she hit the ground.

Gabriel stepped forward and helped Bianca. "It's alright, Bianca. I'm here. I'm here," he whispered to Bianca. She nuzzled Gabriel's neck as she was sobbing in pain.

Seeing the opportunity in front of him, Aaron smirked and stepped forward, shielding Gabriel and Bianca. Astrid's violet eyes widened when Aaron winked at her. "Do not worry, Astrid, we take care of her," he said.

Astrid took another arrow and put it in her crossbow. She aimed the arrow at Aaron's heart. Knowing he could distract her, Aaron circled, stepping away from Gabriel and Bianca.

You need to get out of here while I have her attention, Gabe, Aaron whispered to Gabriel through telepathy. However, to his disgrace, Gabriel was too distressed to hear it.

"You!" Astrid shouted as Aaron was smirking at her. She gasped before gulping. Her hands were steady with the crossbow trained on his chest.

Aaron nodded as he was tilting his invisible hat at her. "We meet again, Miss Larsen. Did you miss me?" he asked as he was looking at Astrid up and down. It had been torture for a couple of weeks when Astrid slipped away from his fingers.

Not again. This time, Aaron was determined to keep her in his sight, forever.

Astrid gritted her teeth as she was pulling the string to draw the arrow, training it on Aaron. He only smirked as Astrid was clenching her jaws. "You again! I thought I kill you," she shouted, clenching her fingers on the strings.

Aaron was looking at her when Gabriel pulled him to the side. The three of them were making their way toward the pine forest as Aaron tried to keep Astrid's attention on him. He smirked, bowing at her. The gesture was sarcastic to its core as Astrid was gritting her teeth.

"Alas, I am undead, Miss Larsen. Maybe you should check your weapon next time," Aaron replied before the fog covered the ground. He was using his power to get the fog inside the forest. Gabriel was helping Bianca to her feet as they were running out of the village and into the darkened pine forest.

Astrid released the arrow that she stretched beforehand. Aaron was throwing his hand at her as Astrid hit the tree trunk. The arrow was also deflected as it dropped to the ground.

"Well, what are your plans now?" Aaron asked Gabriel. They were using their vampiric speed to get through the forest. Gabriel checked on his mate before sighing softly. From that reaction alone, Aaron knew that Gabriel bore bad news.

"I think we need to get to Lacul Rasu, she's burning up," Gabriel said as his face hardened. Bianca was slipping in and out of consciousness. Aaron sighed as he knew that Gabriel was serious right now.

When it came to Bianca's safety and livelihood, Gabriel was a force to reckon with.

"Alright, let's go then since your mate is not holding up, coz," Aaron replied, making a detour in their path as they were heading toward the facility where they worked undercover for the humans.

If you think the vampires will be around to just stay at home and do nothing, you're dead wrong. Aaron Covaci and Gabriel Kovavs worked as researchers at the remote facility and a few knew about its existence.

*****

"I need to get the antidote as soon as I can. I'm not sure how long Bianca can hold on without burning this whole place down and surpassing her abilities," Gabriel said as he was settling his mate on the bed.

Aaron was leaning against the wall. He was rubbing his temples at the craziness that Gabriel got both of them into. Nevertheless, he was his cousin. Hence, Aaron cannot ditch Gabriel for he is family—his family.

"But we have to be quick. The doctors here want nothing more than to discover that your mate is carrying the craving virus in her blood. It would give a fit for humankind to know that vampires exist in the Known World," Aaron stated, warning Gabriel not to play with fire. Gabriel sighed before he nodded.

"I'll try to make it quick and I know that we have to get out of here. Trust me," he said confidently. Aaron arched his eyebrow. Then, he left the room, wanting Gabriel to be alone with his mate.

While Gabriel was playing the doting mate on Bianca, Aaron needed to prepare for the likeliness that Astrid would be coming for them. There was a high possibility that she would be knocking on their doors since that Huntress was around.

Aaron cannot take their chances with her—not with Astrid Larsen who was debuted as the Huntress of the Order since the past came haunting back for him.

Aaron knew how complicated when he knew Astrid the Huntress was someone normal with a name, a normal name that he had fallen in love with back in Sicily. However, that was before she stabbed Aaron in the back—more like in the wrist really but who was keeping count?

Fate has been kind enough for Aaron to give Astrid a taste of her own medicine for he was ready to pay her back for the disaster that struck them both a few couple weeks ago in Sicily, Italy.