Page 2 of Finn (Vampire Vows #1)

CHAPTER TWO

FINN

The firing range was quiet, just as I’d hoped. I’d woken at dawn, figuring no one would be around this early.

Good. I needed space. Time to sort through my mistakes, think over everything that had gone wrong.

After last night’s mission, Jake hadn’t wasted a second telling the squad leader exactly how I’d screwed up.

And, of course, our squad leader hadn’t held back either, his brash voice still echoing in my head: “Peterson, you’re a liability! You’ll never amount to anything with that soft heart of yours.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, and now, standing here, I couldn’t shake the sting of them.

I adjusted my stance, gun pressed tight in my grip, and glared at the target downrange. It was a human-shaped silhouette with crosshairs over the vital spots: head, heart, center mass.

My breathing was erratic, chest tight with anger and frustration as I aimed.

The shots echoed, one after the other, sharp and relentless, but none hit where they were supposed to.

My bullets scattered wildly. Not a single one struck a vital spot.

Useless, like Jake said. I wished I could be more like my brothers, or like my cousin.

They never missed. They had the Guild’s respect; they weren’t the family failure.

I emptied the clip, only realizing I’d run out when the gun clicked uselessly.

With a sigh, I took off my earmuffs and set the gun down, trying to release the tension knotting my shoulders.

“Thought I’d find you here,” came a voice that sent a chill down my spine and made my pulse kick.

Gabriel. Strong, steady, and beautiful in that way I couldn’t quite explain.

He was leaning against the wall at the back, arms crossed over his broad chest. How long had he been watching me?

I swallowed, my eyes tracing over him, lingering on the strands of golden hair that had fallen across his forehead.

Most hunters kept their hair short, Gabriel included, but once, offhandedly, I’d told him I liked seeing him with longer hair.

He’d let it grow a bit since, and every time I saw it, I felt a warmth spread in my chest, though I was sure it wasn’t because of me.

“So… you heard?” I asked, a little wary.

Gabriel pushed off the wall and nodded, coming closer, and I could feel my cheeks heat up. I looked away.

“You wouldn’t understand,” I muttered.

“Wouldn’t I?” he replied, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine.

He closed the distance between us, and suddenly, he was standing just a breath away.

It was like the air shifted, thickening around us. I couldn’t quite pinpoint when my feelings for him had started.

But lately, just being near him made it hard to breathe.

“You’ve never failed,” I said.

Gabriel, he was the perfect hunter. The very definition of a human weapon.

His record was flawless, with more kills than any other hunter in the Guild.

If it weren’t for Guild politics, he’d probably be leading his own squad.

Instead, the current squad leaders were all handpicked by the Elders, and unsurprisingly, they were all family or close allies.

Everyone knew Gabriel’s mother had been a skilled hunter, but his father... rumors whispered he wasn’t entirely human.

It was why Gabriel was faster, stronger. But I thought it was just jealousy talking.

Gabriel’s gaze softened, and he watched me, quiet and patient.

He never lost his temper, even when I messed up. That patience was what drew me to him most, maybe.

His presence was solid, grounding, making me want to share everything with him.

“What really happened, Finn?” he asked, and I looked down, still hesitant.

Without a word, I grabbed a fresh box of ammo, letting the silence stretch as I loaded my gun.

Gabriel said nothing, just watching me with that quiet intensity that seemed to unravel something inside me.

“I screwed up,” I said finally, after firing a few rounds.

I was so lost in the memory of last night that I didn’t notice him move closer until I felt his warm, solid presence at my back.

He was guiding my hands, adjusting my grip on the gun, his fingers strong but gentle over mine.

My heart raced as his chest brushed against my back. I squeezed the trigger, and the shot hit dead center, right in the target’s head.

My shoulders slumped, tension spilling out of me in a shuddering breath.

“For a moment,” I whispered, “Higgins looked so painfully human. The report said he was dangerous, but when he was begging for his life… I don’t think he was acting. Just a scared man. It felt wrong.”

Gabriel was silent, but when he spoke, his voice held a surprising softness.

“The intel the guild feeds us isn’t always accurate,” he said.

I looked over at him, startled by the words, meeting his eyes—a striking shade between blue and green, full of something I couldn’t name.

“What do you mean?” I whispered.

He gave me that smile, the one that always felt like he was on the edge of sharing some deep secret.

“The Guild… bending the truth isn’t surprising. You must have sensed it before,” he said, his gaze intense.

I glanced around, but the firing range was still empty, and for some reason, I felt like I was hearing something forbidden.

“That’s treason,” I whispered.

Gabriel tipped my chin up with two fingers, and I felt my heart stutter.

His touch was gentle, his face just inches from mine, and I felt drawn to him, helpless under the weight of his gaze.

“Finn,” he murmured, voice low. “I’ve always known you’re different. Special. Don’t let them brainwash you. Never doubt yourself.”

My mind spun, barely registering the words. All I could think about was how close he was, the warmth radiating from him.

All the frustration, anger, and tension faded, replaced by something I could barely keep down any longer.

Taking a breath, I decided to risk it all.

In one swift move, I leaned up, closing the last inch between us, and kissed him.

The kiss was tentative at first, but when his hand slipped around the back of my neck, pulling me closer, the world around us melted away.

The reality of what I’d done hit me a few seconds after our kiss, and I pulled away, my face heating up.

“Sorry, that wasn’t—” I stammered, completely flustered, unsure how to even begin explaining myself.

But Gabriel just put a finger to my lips, his gaze steady and calm.

Then, to my shock, he smiled. A real smile, soft and warm, and I realized with a start that I’d never actually seen him smile before.

“Don’t be sorry,” he murmured. “I’m not.”

The words melted something inside me, and for a moment, everything was perfect, until I heard voices approaching.

Instinctively, I stepped back, pulling away from him, and Gabriel’s brows knit in a faint frown before he, too, straightened up.

The fleeting closeness between us was gone, swallowed by the tense air around us.

Two hunters entered the range, their chatter bouncing off the walls. I stiffened as I realized one of them was Asher.

His gaze fell on us, and immediately, his expression soured, dark eyes narrowing as he stalked over.

“I’ll see you around, Finn,” Gabriel said, his voice lower but with a glint of something almost mischievous in his blue-green eyes.

He gave a nod to Asher, “Asher,” before turning to leave.

Asher’s scowl deepened as he watched Gabriel’s back retreat, and he turned back to me.

“What did he want?” My brother’s tone was sharp, a question wrapped in accusation.

“He was just… concerned,” I said, my voice a bit more sour than I intended.

After having my head bitten off by the squad leader, Asher had given me a similar lecture, and I was exhausted.

“Well, unless it’s training, you should stay away from him,” Asher said, his expression stern, gaze fierce.

I scoffed, feeling something inside me snap.

Asher had always had something to say about Gabriel, always warning me off him, but he’d never given me a real reason.

“Why is that?” I asked, the frustration thick in my voice.

“Because he’s bad news,” Asher said firmly. “And you deserve better, Finn.”

But he’s the one I want, I didn’t say.

Eventually, my silence wore him down, and he left, leaving me alone with my thoughts.