Awakening: His Huntress.

4.

Luther could feel something different in the air. It was so fascinating to feel such a strong pull towards something he could not feel.

The scent that wafted through the air was unlike anything the vampire king had ever encountered before, yet it felt painfully familiar.

It was a heady mix of wildflowers and something darker, something that called to him in a way that made his very soul tremble to it's core.

He had not fed for a century, and the hunger clawed at his insides, making it impossible for him to fully awaken his consciousness, but the allure of the heady scent was stronger than any craving he had ever felt.

It was the definition of a siren's call, awakening his body from its dormant state, forcing him to rise despite the risk of draining his life's essence.

He only had one choice, let his elemental magic out and allow it to thoroughly investigate the source of that tantalizing scent. He had to hunt it down and drown in that delicious goodness.

As it flowed into the moonlight, blending with the natural air of the forest, his mind's eye locked onto the figure of a young woman with beautiful curves and bright baby blue eyes, that shone with the vigilance and cunning of a well trained hunter.

Her hair held up in a tight bun reflected specs of the moonlight making it look like a blood moon night sky full of stars.

The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the lingering traces of twilight as Luther let his consciousness wander through the ancient forest, a place steeped in shadows and secrets.

He had long since resigned himself to the solitude of his existence, a vampire cursed with the weight of his past. The dead silence in his chest and the gaping hole in his soul.

But then, the fragrance had wafted through the trees, sweet and intoxicating, igniting something deep within him, a little flicker of hope, a whisper of destiny.

It was the scent of his second chance soulmate, a rare and precious gift that he had thought lost to him forever. Fate was being very generous to him.

The realization brought him so much shock and excitement he nearly charged out to bring her back with him into his castle and hide her away from everyone and everything that could pose even the slightest danger to her.

Vampires rarely had fated soulmates since the magic that made vampires was the only one of its kind.

Unlike shifter supernatural magic that was quite flexible and easy to merge with the others, or the Fae who were practically an embodiment of nature, Vampires were different.

These made it easier for other supernaturals to be intermated. But vampires could only be matex to another Vampire, human or Fae. Yet he had been blessed with a second chance Mate after losing his first mate.

Maybe fate was really feeling guilty for taking his first mate and decided to compensate him with a second chance Mate and he was determined to have her, consequences be DAMNED.

Still, he didn't dare to act rashly, his second chance soulmate was definitely a vampire huntress and by the looks of it, a very skilled and talented one at that. The gods were definitely messing with him.

His consciousness followed the air, the alluring aroma of his mate made his heart race with anticipation. The forest parted for him, guiding him toward the source of that delectable scent.

And there she was his little Huntress. Her presence was electric, a fierce beauty with an aura that radiated strength and determination.

But what really drew Luther in completely was the way she moved. She was the definition of ethereal grace. Dangerous yet alluring.

She was poised and alert. That was what caught his attention. His mate definitely wasn't just any huntress venturing too deep in search of adventure, she was a daring vampire huntress, and her instincts were honed to perfection.

He could clearly see it in the way she held her weapon, the glint of steel at the head of her arrow lodged into the bow, ready to be released, reflected the rays of the rising moonlight.

He was completely captivated by the way her eyes scanned the surroundings, ever vigilant. She had never let her guard down throughout the time his mind's eye was transfixed, watching her graceful movements.

Something else nagged at the back of his mind though. The magic that protected the Vampire nobility that took residence in the woods was very powerful and it had always worked to keep intruders out, except they were brought in by a noble.

Despite knowing all this, he couldn't explain how his mate was able to get into the woods and that so with weapons of the hunt and the magic did not expel her.

He also completely dispelled the possibility that she was brought in by one of his people. They loved their immortal lives too much to jeopardize it by bringing a fully armed Vampire into their home.

The realization brought him conflicting emotions. His duty as king to protect his people. And his happiness at the fact that she was able to get into the woods and force his mind to awaken.

Another thing that worried him was whether or not, the magic of the forest had been weakening in his absence or was there something else about his mate, that made the magic respond and grant her access instead of immediately banishing her.

But first things first, he had to guide her out of the forest before she managed to locate the castle grounds.

But as he made to command the natural magic of the forest to release his mate, he watched as the images before him vanished as though he'd just being in an illusion. An illusion created by the magic of the forest.

He was extremely grateful for the gift that the fates had gifted him and vowed to find and protect his mate at all cost.

She was his redemption. It was time to feed and arise. He knew he had a very rocky road ahead to winning his soulmate, that much was very obvious.

...

The rest of the night went with me reeling and thinking about what had really happened that night and if my mind was just playing tricks on me, why did I end up experiencing everything from another person's perspective.

But who was the person that I was looking at everything through their eyes? How was any of this normal. I was really begining to lose my marbles if my brain had become that creative.

Still, I couldn't understand why my mind would conjure such disturbing thoughts into my head.

The only explanation was that I had either lost my mind or something out of the ordinary was forcing me to see something important that I may have missed it brushed off in my memories from that night.

As far as I was concerned, it only meant my mind was playing tricks on me yet, the dream felt weirdly familiar, like something I'd personally experienced despite having no memory of it.

Another thing that clawed at my mind was the fact that I was watching everything from a third person's point of view.

I had not felt nor noticed another presence there that night, but it didn't make any sense at all since I could still vividly hear my original self's thoughts.

What completely flabbergasted me though, was the fact that I had actually unknowingly crossed into the forbidden woods in that dream or memory thingy and came out unharmed.

It was unheard of for a human, let alone an Elite member of the hunt to enter there and come out alive but I had strangely survived it. Even the forest seemed to be making way for me.

I'd tossed and turned the entire night after I came home from HQ. Turns out instead of a quick nap, I'd slept through the entire day.

Though my body felt more relaxed and energetic, my mind was anything but relaxed, which had eventually led to me feeling like crap because I was currently nursing a splitting headache.

Rising in the morning, I did my business in the restroom and hurried out of the house without so much as taking a second glance back.

The house held too many memories of my childhood with Nana and I never wanted to start a day reliving those memories. I still couldn't wrap my head around why I had insisted on living here alone.

Maybe it was the privacy and the little comfort I got from being away from the hustle and bustle of the city. People rarely came to this part of the city.

Maybe I'd just desperately wanted to retain something that belonged to Nana and I so much so that I ended up requesting for the house back after I'd graduated and came back.

I gently shook my head and looked over my training schedule which showed I had the usual training today and nothing too excessive, thank God.

My normal daily routine was also no joke. It was a rigorous and disciplined regimen, honed to transform me into a formidable vampire huntress.

My schedule was personally prepared by Nana before she had died on a mission that night.

My days usually began before dawn, with a 5-mile run through the city's deserted streets, building my now almost monstrous endurance and agility, if I could say so myself.

Upon getting to the hunters' HQ, I'd engage in a 2-hour strength training session, focusing on combat-specific exercises to enhance my power and reflexes.

Following a quick breakfast of toasted bread and steaming hot black coffee from my favorite cafe, I would usually attend a 3-hour tactical training session, where I'd learn and practice various combat techniques and weapons of my choosing, which were basically, archery, military knife throwing, then hand-to-hand combat.

Her personal instructor, Mrs Hazel, a seasoned hunter and Chris' Mom, would always push me to my limits, testing my resolve and strategic thinking on a daily basis. The woman was terrifying on the field and I wanted to be as good as her someday soon.

The afternoons were dedicated to academic studies, delving into the lore and history of vampires, as well as the art of tracking and surveillance and the eventual elimination.

I would pour over dusty tomes and hassle the librarians into lecturing me about anything new I'd discovered in the history books or archives, absorbing every detail, every hint, and every strategy that might aid me in my quest.

'Knowing your enemy and never underestimating them is the biggest gift you could give yourself as a hunter'. Those were usually Nana's words everytime I complained about how bulky it was to pour over so many books.

My motivation however, went beyond mere duty or obligation. My beloved Nana, a kind and gentle soul, had been brutally murdered by a vampire when I was just a teenager.

The trauma and grief of her death still lingered, fueling my unwavering determination to seek revenge.

My every waking moment was consumed by the desire to track down those monsters responsible and make them pay for their heinous crime.

As I trained, I could often recall my Nana's words of encouragement: 'The strongest steel is forged in the fire of adversity.'

She may have been dead for years, but her words of wisdom and motivation were always going to be my guiding force and that was enough motivation for me to keep training, studying and hunting every single Vampire that violated the treaty. I would make them pay.