Gabriel’s POV
What the fuck was that? I stormed into my house and headed straight to the fridge. I grabbed a beer and chugged. I was pissed out of my mind. Who the hell is she?
After she ran away from me and I managed to pull my head out of my ass, I quickly got in my car and tried to find her. I was out of luck, of course. After an hour of driving around the town like a crazy person, I decided to go home. I was risking being caught by those fire-loving fuckers.
I had seen a lot of pretty women in my life. Fucked a lot of them. But never in my life was I frozen and speechless by just looking into the eyes of one. It was driving me crazy.
What confused me, even more, was that I didn’t want to fuck her. I mean, she was gorgeous. Small, curvy, silky hair, round lips, and those mesmerizing green eyes. But I didn’t want to fuck her. I just wanted to be with her. Talk to her. Protect her. And that scared the crap out of me.
I even thought she charmed me. I mean she was a witch after all. But I would have recognized the spell being thrown my way. My grandma taught me well. And if she wanted me, she would have stayed. She looked like she couldn’t get away from me fast enough. It definitely wasn’t a spell. But what was it then?
“FUCK,” I screamed and threw a beer bottle into the wall.
I need to calm down. I went upstairs and took a cold shower. I stayed under the cold water long enough to freeze my bones. I was finally calm enough to go downstairs and order a pizza. I hadn’t eaten anything today and if I wanted to drink hard liquor tonight, I had to be prepared.
I glanced at the clock in my kitchen. It was 8 pm. Nick would probably come around 9:30. The club opens at 10 and we had to go through security first.
The owner, Sebastian Davis, a vampire, was my old boxing coach. He always said I was like a son to him. He and his wife Eva couldn’t have children. He started coaching me when I was just 7 years old and was my coach until I quit about a year and a half ago. So, I understood why he thought of me as his child. He was a big part of my life and he watched me growing up. I don’t see him as my family. He was an okay guy, but the vampire thing always gave me the creeps. He was a great coach though, and he was an even better provider of fun nights and unlimited alcohol for me and Nick. The only thing he asked in return was for me to sort out any fights that occur in the club. He says I should at least use what he taught me if I was going to empty his fridge.
I ordered a pizza and opened a beer. I was going to drown those green eyes in so much alcohol today that I won’t remember them tomorrow. That was the best damn plan I could think of.
When I finished eating, I went to my bedroom to find something to wear. I ended up wearing blue jeans and a black shirt. I was just tying my shoelaces when I heard doors opening downstairs.
“Gabe, for fuck’s sake, what the hell happened here?” Nick yelled.
I knew he was referring to the broken beer bottle I didn’t clean up.
“I had a small anger issue,” I answered, coming downstairs.
“Why now?” he frowned.
I debated if I should tell him about her. He could help me find her. If I even wanted to. If she managed to fuck me up in those 10 seconds I saw her, I didn’t want to know what she would do to me if she was around me longer.
“Earth to Gabriel?” Nick said, waving his hands in front of my face.
“Stop that. I will tell you,” I caught his hands and gestured towards the couch.
“Sit. You want a beer?”
“Yeah man, sure. You are freaking me out. What happened?” he looked worried.
I grabbed two beer bottles from the fridge and sat on the sofa.
“I met a girl today,” I sighed.
Nick laughed, “That’s it? Man, I thought somebody died. Why are you this angry? What’s got your panties in a bunch?” he teased.
I looked at him coldly.
“Wow, Gabe, chill. No need to look at me like that. Tell me what happened.”
I quickly told him about her and when I finished, he was intrigued.
“Well, I never saw you this worked up over a girl. Are you sure you don’t want to fuck her? Because I will man. She sounds delicious,” he said, licking his lips.
The intensity of rage that hit me after what he said surprised even me. Delicious? Was he a fucking vampire?
“You. Will. Not. Touch. One. Hair. On. Her. Head,” I said, emphasizing each word.
I must have looked terrifying because for the first time in my life I saw Nick feared me. I quickly tried to get a grip on my emotions. I didn’t want to make Nick feel uncomfortable. I don’t know what was happening to me.
“Gabriel, man, it was just a joke. I will not touch her with a ten-foot pole, okay?” he said carefully.
“Sorry, Nick. I don’t know what’s gotten into me,” I sighed.
“It’s okay, man. Look, let's go out tonight. Let’s get drunk, fuck something and first thing tomorrow morning I will help you find her. You said she had a pretty big bag with her, right?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“Maybe she just came into the city. Maybe she is staying in a hotel. We could start asking around in some of the hotels near that hair salon,” he suggested.
It actually wasn’t a bad idea. I could look for her. Try to find out who she was. Why did she mess me up this much? I’m still not sure if I even want to find her. Maybe I will be smarter in the morning.
“Yeah, Nick. That’s a great idea man. Thanks.”
“Anytime bro. Let’s go. We are so going to get fucked up tonight.”
We left my house and hopped in Nick’s car. Tonight, I was drinking and fucking. Tomorrow, I will find her.
Aria’s POVThe first thing that came into my head when I woke up was that I wasn’t in my bed. I don’t remember going anywhere last night. Where was I? My dreams were terrible. I dreamt of fire, death, and walking aimlessly around the woods.
I slowly opened my eyes and saw a hotel room. I started to remember what had happened yesterday. My grandma was gone. My village didn’t exist anymore. I was in Moon City trying to find Claudia Richardson and my childhood friend Annie. Tears started falling down my cheeks. It wasn’t a dream. I turned to my side and hugged my knees. I was alone.
The reality of the events that happened yesterday hit me like a ton of bricks. I was alone in a city filled with hunters trying to find my friend who I haven’t spoken to in years and a woman who I don’t even know. I wasn’t ready for this. I was going to make a mistake and end up tied to a pole in the middle of a city square.
I couldn’t breathe. I got up and ran to a window. I opened it and took a few deep breaths. It calmed me a bit.
I turned around and looked at the clock. It was 7 am. I slept for over 12 hours. I was not surprised. I was exhausted. Physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. As if what happened in my village wasn’t enough, I ran into the most terrifying man and got myself another dose of fear.
I need to pull myself together. I have to find Annie. I will feel better when I see a familiar face.
I got dressed. It was cold outside, so I put on my jeans, my sneakers, and my warm sweater. I grabbed my phone, jacket, wallet, and room key and I walked downstairs.
I saw Ian’s smiling face and I already felt a little bit better.“Good morning, Aria.”
“Hey, Ian. It’s nice to see you,” I said, smiling at him and handing him my room key.
I didn’t want to risk losing it.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked, putting my room key in a safe.
“Great, thanks. Hey, do you know any good places I could get breakfast around here?”
I was getting hungry. I hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday morning.
“Yeah, there is a great bakery just around the corner from here. Pete’s. Pete is the owner. He is a great guy, and he makes the best coffee. You can sit and eat inside. Make sure to get a donut. It is the best,” he told me.
“Thank you, Ian. I will definitely get a donut,” I smiled.
“I wish I could go with you,” he smiled at me significantly, “but I have a lot to do here.”
“It’s okay, Ian. Maybe another time,” I smiled and turned around.
“Definitely another time. Bye Aria,” he yelled after me.
I smiled and waved at him.
The bakery was close by. I got inside and was welcomed by so many amazing smells. A chubby middle-aged man smiled at me. That must be Pete.
“Hello, beautiful. What can I get you?”
“Hello, Sir,” I said politely. “I would like one coffee with cream and sugar and one donut. My friend Ian said they are the best.”
“Ah, Ian,” Pete smiled. “He is one of my best customers. I would have to thank him for sending such a charming young woman to my humble shop.”
“And I will have to thank him for recommending such a lovely place,” I smiled as I took my order.
Pete winked at me. He was a warlock. I wonder if Ian knew. Or if he even believed in supernatural beings. Pete knew I was a witch. I could tell by the way he emphasized the word “charming”.
It wasn’t hard for us to recognize the supernatural. We smelled different. Only humans couldn’t tell. Their sense of smell wasn’t as powerful as ours.
I sat close to a window and looked outside. The city was charming. Nature was a big part of the city’s design. Buildings were big and modern and if there weren’t parks everywhere it would look like an ocean of concrete. I liked it. I was always a fan of modern, minimalist designs. But I also loved nature. If the city’s main square wasn’t turned into an execution stage, I could see myself living here. But the smell of burning human flesh was omnipresent in the air and it made me sick.
I finished my breakfast. Ian was right. Pete’s donuts were amazing. I paid and said my goodbyes to Pete.
“Be careful, beautiful,” Pete advised me as I was getting out.
He was giving me the look ‘I know you are a witch, please don’t get caught’ kind of look.
“I will. Thank you, Pete,” I smiled and left. It was time to find Annie.
Gabriel’s POVI think my brain was going to burst. I groaned and turned to my side. I tried to fall asleep again, but my hangover wouldn’t let me.I didn’t really know how much I had drunk the previous night. I just know it was a lot. I remember coming to the club with Nick. We went through security and said hello to Sebastian. He saw how pissed off I was, and he didn’t even try to talk to me. I saw him and Nick exchange looks. Nick just shook his head and Sebastian sighed slightly. Assholes. They think I don’t notice their silent conversations.I didn’t let that bug me for long. I grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniel’s behind a bar and sat at our usual spot. Nick and I drank that bottle pretty quickly. He can hold his liquor better than me. Being half werewolf had its benefits. It took more for him to get drunk, and he didn’t have to suffer from a hangover after. Lucky son of a bitch.I don’t remember much after that first bottle. Music was loud and the bar was packed with hot, slutty wom
Gabriel’s POVWe went to at least six or seven hotels that were near my hair salon. It was pointless. She could have gotten on a bus and could be anywhere by now. Maybe she wasn’t in the city at all. She could have had a big bag because she was leaving the city and not just arriving here. Nick’s theory about her being in a hotel near where I last saw her was good and promising, but he could be completely wrong. We know nothing about her, and we are basing this theory on Nick’s eagerness to find her.He wanted to find her maybe even more than I did. Probably because I was afraid to know her. He kept lifting my spirits and rushing me around. I kept frowning and grumping. I wanted to punch every receptionist that said her description didn’t match any of their guests. It shouldn’t be hard for them to recognize her based only on my description of her. There weren't many guests in any of the hotels we went to. People weren’t really eager to come and stay in the city that was the center of a
Gabriel’s POV“What did you say?” Nick was the first one to respond.I was frozen.He sat next to me and looked at his mom, pizza long forgotten.“I said her name is Aria,” she said looking confused. “What is going on boys?”Nick looked at me with a bright smile on his face. “Do you think it’s her?”“Do you know this girl?” his mom asked, looking at us.“What does she look like?” I finally managed to ask.“She is very pretty. Short, small. She has brown hair and green eyes,” she said.“Oh, fuck it is her!” Nick yelled.I was frozen, my heart beating in my chest. She was here.“When was this mom?” Nick asked.“I’m not telling you anything more until you tell me what is going on. Gabriel looks like he is going to pass out,” she said, frowning.Nick elbowed me. “Tell her.”“I don’t know who she is,” I sighed. “I saw her a couple of days ago in front of my hair salon and I felt this connection to her. She ran away before I could speak to her. And it has been bugging me since. I feel somet
Gabriel’s POVI liked Annie. I could see she was scared of me, but she was still brave enough to stand up for her friend.I heard Nick trying to suppress his laughter. It was the first honest reaction out of him since we came here. He was too tense, and I couldn’t figure it out. I would have to talk to him after.I didn’t like the creepy comment, though. I knew she was right. It was a little bit creepy. But I pushed it aside and smiled at her.“I couldn’t agree more with Annie,” I told her. “I really want to get to the bottom of this, because I know there is something more here.”I turned to Aria and my heart warmed when my eyes met hers. It freaks me out, but I kind of love the feeling.“I need to know everything about you,” I told her slowly. “Who are you and why were you looking for my grandma?”She took a sip of her beer, put it on the table and sighed.“I am nobody,” She started talking. “I lived in a small village about an hour away with my grandma. It was burned to the ground a
Gabriel’s POVNick and I drove back in silence. I was exhausted, but peaceful. I could still feel her in my arms, feel her warmth.“Do you want to look under the floorboards tomorrow?” Nick broke the silence when we parked in his driveway. “When Aria said her grandma hid the safe under the floorboards it made me realize that is the only place we didn’t check in your house.”“Yeah, I caught that too,” I said. “I was actually thinking about doing it right now.”“Get some sleep, man. And get something to eat. We can look for it tomorrow,” he said, opening his car door.He was right. I was too tired. And hungry. I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast.I stepped out of the car and closed the door. Nick locked it and turned to go to his house.“Nick,” I called after him.“Yeah man?” he turned back.“Are you alright?” I asked, walking closer to him, tugging my hands down my pockets.I could see something was bugging him, but I never knew how to talk about feelings and stuff. It felt weird.
Gabriel’s POVI was angry as fuck. The thought of her being around someone I didn’t know made my blood boil. What if something happened to her? I will kill everyone.I could see Nick was also angry. He was frowning and staring through the passenger seat window. We both hadn’t said a word since we left the girls.Suddenly, I had a craving for Louis’s cheap shit he calls wine. I needed to go to his bar soon and drink until I didn’t care anymore.“Keep your phone on and close,” Nick finally spoke as we were pulling up my driveway.“Of course!” I grunted and left the car.We entered my house, and I went straight to the fridge. I pulled out two beers and handed one to Nick.“I have a bad feeling about this, Gabe,” Nick said, smirking.I sighed unhappily. “I know. Me too. But what can we do? They barely know us. And we barely know them. I get it’s weird for us to care this much already, and I don’t want to freak Aria out. Or Annie. I don’t want them to shut us out.”“I know, man,” Nick said
Gabriel plugged the USB into his laptop, opened the video file and pressed play. His grandma’s smiling face popped up and she started talking.“Hello, my dear grandson. If you are watching this, it means I am no longer with you. I am so sorry I couldn’t do this in person. I am so sorry I didn’t tell you any of this sooner, but I wanted to protect you. I couldn’t lose you too. I hope that by the end of this video you will understand my actions and you will not be angry with me. I had no bad intentions, I only wanted what’s best for you. I thought hiding this from you is the way to go, but I was wrong, and I am sorry. You know I love you. But, let me start at the beginning. I was a young witch, about 20 years old when I first heard of a warlock named Victor. Supernaturals were talking about him like he was their God. They were saying he wanted justice for our kind, that he was going to fight for us and improve our position amongst humans. I liked what they were saying, and I wanted to k
Gabriel’s POVI couldn’t breathe. The only thing I could feel was my heart beating. It felt like it was going to beat its way out of my chest.I don’t know how long I had been staring at my laptop screen. I don’t know what I was waiting for. Maybe for the video to start again and for my grandma to say she was kidding.Pure rage brought me back from the numbness. I wanted to kill. I needed to kill. I threw my laptop into a wall and screamed. Next thing I know I was on my feet breaking every piece of fucking furniture in my living room. The only thing I felt was rage.My knuckles were bleeding profusely, and I had a cut on my cheek from the broken glass when Nick stopped me.“Gabriel, stop!” he screamed at me and grabbed my hands, pulling me towards him and hugging me.I never cry. I never let anyone hug me. But I let Nick hug me. And I cried. Rage was mixing with sadness, and I couldn’t stop crying.“I am so sorry, Gabe,” Nick said quietly. “I am so sorry, man.”After a while, I stoppe