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“You want to bet, Covaci? I’ve been spending my entire life building this Order of the Holy, deceiving the mortals in plain sight. I told them that they need me, especially when there’s a threat over humankind that your sire helped me to develop the hatred from the humans toward the Blue Blood,” His Holiness replied.
Astrid gasped again as Aaron was tilting his head. “So, you want to involve my sire in this? That’s a low blow, cousin,” Aaron stated as if he already knew about that. Astrid listened attentively as His Holiness was smirking at Aaron.
“Oh, cousin, it’ll be much more than that. I’m sure you remember Bianca Belmonte. She’s Gabriel’s mate, am I right?” His Holiness asked. Aaron’s green eyes changed to obsidian in seconds.
“Leave my cousin and his mate out of this!” he growled as Astrid gulped at his aggressiveness. His Holiness chuckled softly.
“Too late, cousin, for she was the first subject of my current research. I can assure you that everything, and I mean everything in your world, will crumble to dust.” His Holiness stated, tilting his head while crossing his arms.
“So, if you want to kiss that Huntress of yours, go on. I wouldn’t mind if you’re dealing with her because, in the end, she’ll be mine. Your mate will be a lost cause and you will wither away, cousin, waiting like a time bomb to go berserk. Then, she’ll sweep in and kill you without knowing fully well she killed her mate,” His Holiness stated confidently.
Then, Astrid heard again that Aaron was grunting in pain. His Holiness was pointing his finger at Aaron once more until Aaron was bleeding through his nose.
His Holiness smirked, showing his retracted fangs. “Now, that should do it. You’ll be too dizzy to tell your mate the truth,” he stated confidently.
Astrid gasped softly against her hand. She knew that she should have not called His Holiness as her Master anymore when the real truth had been revealed in front of her.
“Ugh! You always want to show off your powers, my prince. One wonders how you’ll rule Mirror World later on,” Aaron mumbled but Astrid heard it loud and clear as the resonance of his voice echoed against the darkness. Aaron stared at him. His Holiness smirked. Then, he pointed his hand toward Aaron. Nothing happened. When he crushed his hand, he immediately could not breathe.
“With every opportunity, I’ll prove to you again and again, cousin, that I’m better than you. Plus, no one knows that I’m Pure Blood just like you, cousin,” His Holiness stated, smirking when he released his fist—a punishment against Aaron who was chained up against the walls.
Immediately, Aaron could breathe normally again. Astrid was gasping, forgetting that she was hiding in plain sight when a familiar, baritone voice whispered to her through her mind.
Don’t make a sound, dragul meu. You need to be completely still, Aaron whispered against the mind link that he built between himself and Astrid.
Is Aaron talking to me through my mind? How can he possibly do that?! Astrid mused as panic was settling inside her. She took a deep breath when Aaron spoke to her again.
Don’t be afraid, dragul meu. This is one of my gifts as Pure Blood. It is the same as His Holiness can bring pain to anyone that he desires, Aaron explained as if he was reading Astrid’s mind. She scowled and shook her head.
Of course, he does! He’s in my fucking mind right now! Astrid barked at herself as she tried to make sense of the situation.
Astrid sighed, taking a deep breath, and stayed silent when His Holiness was glorifying his plan to Aaron. A few moments later, His Holiness waved his hand dismissively as the Order’s Knights were taking their positions again.
Calculating her plan of action, Astrid jumped off from the vent. She kicked the Knights out before she took them out with small, invisible needles covered with hemlock. Satisfied with her work, Astrid looked at Aaron. The bloody bastard smirked as if he was waiting for her to come.
“At last, you know the truth, dragul meu. I don’t need to persuade you with my kisses anymore and you told me that it was a bluff,” Aaron stated nonchalantly. Arching her eyebrow, Astrid showed him the empty test tube.
“Oh, but I want you to, dragul meu. I’ve to get another sample,” she replied, smirking as she stood in front of him.
“Again. I know it’s bothersome,” she added. Aaron was looking at her up and down before he smirked. His emerald orbs glowed against the darkness.
“Or... you knocked the test tube in the hope to get more kisses in exchange for my blood? My, my... what a naughty woman you are, dragul meu,” Aaron concluded as he locked eyes with Astrid. She blushed before clearing her throat.
“That could be a possibility,” Astrid mumbled against his mouth. She was leaning forward, caressing his taut, sinew muscles. Astrid stared into his green gaze.
Aaron chuckled slowly. It was seductive and sensual at the same time. However, Astrid never shivers away from it. If anything, it turned her on as her violet eyes stared at his lips.
“Of course, no one can predict what’s going on in your mind, dragul meu. Well... except for me. Now, where are we?” Aaron asked huskily as Astrid gulped. His green eyes were searching her face. Astrid licked her lower lips.
“You’ll allow me to get my blood sample before your payment, Covaci. You promised,” she whispered against his lips as Astrid leaned closer.
Aaron chuckled and absentmindedly removed his hands from the chains. Astrid furrowed her eyebrows, thinking about the possibility that Aaron could escape the whole time.
How did he do that? Magic? Plus, why would he stay in captivity if he could easily escape from here? Astrid mused as she wound her arms around Aaron’s neck.
“My gifts are telekinesis and telepathy, dragul meu. As Pure Blood, my gifts are entitled in Psychic Class, pretty much like Lucius's. I hope you won’t tell others about them,” he whispered huskily. She nodded, pulling him closer as Astrid breathed in his signature scent; ocean breeze. Instantly, it got her wet inside her core as Astrid clamped her thighs together.
"Who's Lucius?" Astrid asked, furrowing her eyebrows.
Aaron chuckled, ignoring her question while he was looking into her eyes. He arched his eyebrows. Astrid blushed when Aaron caressed her cheeks. Her calloused hands were playing with his hair at the nape. Closing their distance, Aaron put his forehead against Astrid’s.
“I hope you’ve everything that you need to answer His Holiness’ proposal?” Aaron whispered. Astrid nodded confidently. He chuckled.
“Good, dragul meu. However, what about my proposal? You still owe me an answer. An honest answer, dragul meu,” Aaron asked hopefully as Astrid sighed.
“I’m confused. This situation is a twist of fate. My duties for the Order of the Holy or my feelings for you, Covaci. I don’t even know if I can trust you wholeheartedly. Not yet anyway,” she confessed honestly.
Then, Aaron smiled handsomely. Astrid traced her fingertips against his lips as she was dazed by his youthful appearance.
“Don’t worry, dragul meu. I’ll keep you safe. You can count on me when I’m with you and I’ll never let anyone hurt you. If they did, they’ll feel my wrath to no end,” Aaron promised, cupping her cheeks. Astrid smiled, nodding before he kissed her.
For the first time in her life, Astrid Larsen felt complete once again after she met Aaron Covaci a few weeks ago.
She who started as a hunter had become the hunted.
Only this time, Astrid was sure that she would never let Aaron go for he would not become her hunt anymore for all eternity.