Prologue: The Task

Astrid Larsen’s POV

‘I am so wanted to get out of here right now,’ was my first thought at the moment when I was looking around the party. I was sipping on the champagne that was being distributed by the servers around the ballroom when my cousin, Freya was approaching me.

“Astrid! I am so glad that you are here,” Freya said as I was looking at her. She was smiling as her golden hair was shining, a few darker shade than mine.

“Yes, of course. I would not miss for the world when you get your 6 Ph.D. graduation party,” I said as I was smiling at her. 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,” Freya said as I was smirking at her.

“At least you only need to think about getting married and maybe continue your father’s legacy?” I said before Freya was glaring at me. Sometimes, I wondered who would be her husband. I felt bad for the dude later.

“Ugh! Like I will do that. I have applied for the next Ph.D. venture in the States. It is amazing and the faculty said that they cannot wait to have me there,” Freya said as my eyes went big as saucers.

“Wait do not tell me that—“

“Yes! I have applied and been offered a position at NYU! Can you believe it? I think dad will freak out but I think I will win this time since I will be fully funded by the university and science community in America,” Freya said as I was shaking my head.

“Have you heard?” I asked as I was looking at my cousin.

“About what?” She asked. So, she must have not heard then about her engagement.

“Nothing, I thought you might—“ I was saved by the rings of my phone before I was excusing myself from my cousin to answer my call. It was for work.

“Huntress?”

“Master? Why do you call? I hope nothing goes wrong,” I said as I was gripping the phone as I was talking in Romanian. My origin was Norwegian but I have been living in Romania since I was a little kid with my parents until they died a year ago. I have been doing some stuff there that I don’t want to disclose to my family, especially my cousin Freya. It was a scary world out there.

“We have a situation,” my master said.

“What level?”

“Red,” he said as I was looking into the night. The chilly air of Norway reminded me of the home but I have to be out there to keep the world safe.

“Where?” I asked as I know what kind of threat for Red. I wished it will be okay after I handled it.

“Lacul Rosu, Romania. There has been a sighting of uncontrollable fire and some of the villagers were being killed,”

“Blue blood?” I asked as I was looking out for my cousin before she can take me by surprise. I hate it when she does that.

“Pure and they have some powers. You might need to be alert and be ready for anything that could come out of the event,” he said as I was nodding.

“Okay, I will be there. Give me an hour,” I said as I was looking at the party. I have to say goodbye to my uncle and Freya. But I have to pack my stuff and all other shit that I wanted to bring back to Romania.

“You cannot be that long. 20 minutes top. We will be waiting at the house,” he said as I sighed before I was rubbing my eyes.

“Fine, I will be there 20 minutes,” I said as I looked at Freya. She was coming to me.

“I got to go,”

“Don’t be late,” my master said before I was nodding at my cousin before I hung up. Freya was smiling as she was carrying another glass of champagne. I think she will get drunk in no time if this keeps going on.

“You know, I will not be around forever to look after you when you’re drunk like this,” I said as I was taking her champagne before Freya waved her hand dismissively.

“No worries! I can handle my liquor. So, who was on the phone? I see that you were stressing out about it,” my cousin said as I sighed.

“Work and I have to leave now,” I said as I was smiling weakly at my cousin. Freya frowned.

“Do you have to? Can’t you leave tomorrow?” She asked me as I was shaking my head.

“It’s the top priority and I will be picked up in 20 minutes. I have to go now,” I said as I was hugging her before Freya was carrying me to meet with her father.

“You will not go until you tell my dad goodbye. He only sees his niece once every 3 years,” my cousin complained before I chuckled.

“I wish I could visit more but I will try to do that later,” I said as I was looking at my uncle’s familiar head.

“Here it goes,” I said as I was smiling at my uncle before he was looking at me.

“Astrid? Are you going away again?” He asked me as I smiled sheepishly at him. I think my uncle already knows what my schedule will be like.

*****

Ugh, I don’t know why I have to attend weddings, was the first thought that Aaron had when he was looking at the decorations that took place around the ballroom. It was nothing serious since his cousin, Alina, was married to a new fledgling. Her husband to be named Kyle Conti and he’s Italian. Aaron didn’t know why she did that. He sighed before his mother was staring at him. Aaron smiled at her before Gabe was nudging Aaron’s arm with his elbow. He turned to look at his cousin.

“Will you come out or not? We have to go now! I think I heard some screaming,” Gabe whispered before Aaron was looking at him. This cousin of his was not having the best day since his mate who disappeared since that fire on Sicily and they have been searching for her—well Gabe has been relentless to search for her and right now, he was having a feeling that she’s near.

How can she be here of all places in the world and just appear after that tragedy in Sicily? Aaron thought before he was glaring at his cousin.

“Will you cut it out? It will be over soon,” Aaron whispered to him before Gabe was cursing at him. He smiled before Aaron was clapping with the other guests that attended Alina’s wedding as she was married for eternity. Good for her, Aaron thought as he sighed. He had been waiting and wondering the earth for 250 years to find his mate, only to find that his mate was someone from the other side of the war. Gabe had already found his mate, telling all about it to his mother so that left Aaron in the dust. And his mother would not shut up about it.

“Aaron, where are you going?” Aunt Carla asked as he was looking at Gabe, who was rushing toward the balcony to go out into the pine forest of Lacul Rasu before he smiled.

“I want some fresh air. I see you later,” Aaron said before he was ushering Gabe to the garden before they slipped away. Aaron knew that his mother would be killing him later if she knew what Gabe and himself were up to in the pine forest in the middle of their cousin’s wedding. But Aaron did not care for Gabe had foreshadowing something bad will happen.

“Come on, we don’t have much time,” Gabe said as he was vampire speeding across the forest as Aaron was following him. He can be restless when he wanted to, Aaron thought of his cousin, smiling when they came across the fire that was burning the only village that stayed close to the ruins that could bring them to the sanctuary that had been founded by their ancestors centuries ago.