Page 23 of Finn (Vampire Vows #1)

Chapter One

ASHER

The taxi smelled faintly of cigarette smoke and leather, its worn upholstery creaking beneath me as I shifted in my seat.

The driver didn’t ask questions. Good.

I wasn’t in the mood to explain why I was heading to a dingy apartment on the outskirts of Ravenshade, a sleepy European town in the middle of the night.

The cab bumped along uneven cobblestones, making me grit my teeth.

I tapped my fingers against my knee, my mind locked on one thing: Gabriel. And Finn.

My brother and the vampire who had stolen him away.

I paid the driver in cash, stepping out into the chilly air, my coat flaring briefly behind me.

The apartment building loomed ahead, its paint peeling and its windows darkened except for a few faint glimmers of light.

A perfect hiding place.

The back stairs were narrow and reeked of mildew, my boots echoing faintly as I ascended. Fourth floor.

The plan repeated itself in my mind like a mantra. Subdue the vampire. Get Finn.

Knock him out if I had to, because reasoning with him had already failed.

The image of his face the last time I’d seen him, so resolute and stubborn, flashed through my mind.

He wouldn’t listen to me. Not when it came to Gabriel.

I tightened my grip on the gun in my hand, its silver bullets loaded and ready.

The corridors were silent, the kind of stillness that felt unnatural, oppressive. My pulse quickened as I neared the apartment door.

When I reached it, I didn’t hesitate. My hand closed over the doorknob, ready to burst in if it was locked. But it wasn’t.

The knob turned easily, the door swinging open with a faint creak.

That unease hit me instantly, like the snap of a rubber band. I stepped inside, my senses on high alert.

The lights were on, casting a faint yellow glow over the small living space.

It was tidy but not pristine. A coffee cup and plate sat on the table near the window, a blanket draped over the back of the couch.

Signs of recent habitation. But no one was here.

The apartment was too quiet, too still. My jaw clenched as I moved further inside, scanning every corner.

The air was faintly tinged with the scent of coffee and something sweet. Finn must have been here recently.

I approached the table, eyes narrowing at the half-empty cup. They’d left in a hurry. My mind raced.

Did Gabriel sense I was closing in? Did he grab Finn and vanish like the slippery predator he was?

My frustration boiled over, my chest tightening with the weight of failure. Again.

With a growl, I swept the coffee cup off the table. It shattered against the floor, fragments scattering.

The sound echoed in the emptiness of the room, and for a moment, I just stood there, my breaths coming hard and fast.

Then I saw it.

A letter sat on the coffee table, stark against the wood. My name was scrawled across the front in Finn’s unmistakable handwriting.

I hesitated before picking it up, my pulse roaring in my ears. Slowly, I unfolded the paper, my eyes scanning the words.

Asher,

I know you won’t understand. Maybe you never will. But this is my choice. I love him.

Gabriel isn’t the monster you think he is. He saved me—more times than you’ll ever know.

Please stop looking for us. I know it’s not in your nature to quit, but this isn’t your fight anymore. I’m happy, Asher. Truly happy.

I hope one day you can forgive me for leaving like this.

-Finn

My grip tightened on the paper, the edges crumpling beneath my fingers.

My little brother’s words were like a punch to the gut, each one driving home the reality I refused to accept.

Happy? How could he be happy, living with a predator who could drain his life away in an instant?

I paced the room, the letter trembling in my hand. My mind raced, trying to piece together my next move.

They were still close. I could feel it. The unwashed dishes, the faint trace of Finn’s cologne lingering in the air.

Gabriel might have outmaneuvered me for now, but he couldn’t keep running forever.

I stuffed the letter into my pocket and looked around, my eyes landing on the blanket draped over the couch. Finn’s, probably.

I grabbed it without thinking, the fabric soft in my hands.

My anger faltered for a moment, replaced by something heavier, something harder to ignore.

I couldn’t protect him. Not from himself.

The thought sat heavy in my chest as I made my way to the window.

The street below was empty, the mist curling around the streetlamps like ghostly tendrils.

Somewhere out there, Finn was with Gabriel. The vampire who’d stolen my brother from me.

And yet…

No. I couldn’t afford doubt. Gabriel was dangerous. That much I knew. I had to find them, to save Finn before it was too late.

Even if he hated me for it.

I turned away from the window, my resolve hardening. The Guild didn’t know I was tracking them.

They thought I was just taking an overdue vacation break.

To the Elders, Finn and Gabriel were already dead. Casualties of a chaotic confrontation.

I’d told them Gael, one of the vampires from Gabriel’s nest, had ambushed us, and in the crossfire, both Finn and Gabriel had lost their lives.

It was a clean, believable lie, and the Elders bought it without hesitation. But Donovan didn’t.

My other brother knew me too well.

He saw right through my story. Donovan knew how much I cared about Finn, how losing him wasn’t something I could simply accept.

“Let him go, Asher,” Donovan had told me, his voice heavy with the weight of his own grief. “He made his choice and he chose that vampire over us.”

But Donovan didn’t understand. He couldn’t.

After our parents died on a mission, I’d sworn to myself that I’d keep what was left of us together.

That promise had carried me through every battle, every close call. It wasn’t just duty. It was survival.

Family was all we had left, and I wasn’t about to let that slip through my fingers. Not without a fight.

Donovan’s words still echoed in my head as I stood in the empty apartment, the faint scent of coffee and Finn’s cologne lingering in the air.

It wasn’t just about protecting Finn anymore. It was about proving to myself that I hadn’t already failed.

I ran a hand through my hair, frustration and determination warring within me.

Somewhere out there, Finn was with Gabriel, convinced he was safe. Convinced he was happy.

But Gabriel was a vampire. A predator.

No matter how much Finn thought he understood him, it didn’t change what Gabriel was or what he was capable of.

I clenched my fists, the edges of Finn’s letter digging into my palm through my pocket.

He’d asked me to stop looking, to let him go. But I couldn’t.

Because if I did, who would protect him? So, no. I wasn’t giving up. Not yet.

Maybe they left clues here that I could use to track their next destination.

The apartment was a dead end.

Of course, it was. Gabriel and Finn were both trained hunters. They knew how to leave no trace, no loose threads.

It was as if they’d evaporated, leaving nothing behind but the faint scent of coffee and lingering frustration in the air.

I searched every corner, pulling open drawers, flipping through the trash, even checking under the bed.

Nothing. No receipts, no scribbled notes, not even a stray hairbrush.

They’d scrubbed the place clean, as any good hunter would.

Frustration churned in my chest as I stood in the middle of the now-sterile space.

My gut told me they’d been here for months, judging by the wear on the furniture, the faint imprint of their lives in the details the eye might miss, but they’d left no clues as to where they’d gone.

I clenched my fists, trying to calm the storm in my mind. Thinking of Gabriel keeping Finn under his thumb made my skin crawl.

I needed answers.

I headed out into the night, letting the cold air snap at my face and clear my head. Usually, the nearest bar was a good place to start.

People talked. They let things slip.

If Finn and Gabriel had been here for any length of time, someone in this town had interacted with them.

Reception on my phone was crap, but I managed to locate the closest bar.

It wasn’t far. A ten-minute walk through the quiet streets of the small town.

I reached a shabby-looking place with a faded sign that read The Rusty Tap.

Stepping inside, the first thing I noticed was the prickling sensation along the back of my neck, like a predator was watching me.

The air was thick with the mingling scents of sweat, cheap booze, and something distinctly other. Supernaturals.

I scanned the room quickly, assessing.

Humans and supernaturals mingled here, but there was an uneasy balance to it, like the air before a storm.

I didn’t belong here. Finn, with his natural charm and ability to blend in anywhere, might’ve been able to navigate this space.

Donovan and I? Not so much. We stuck out like sore thumbs, always too rigid, too obvious.

A few patrons eyed me warily as I made my way to the bar. Their gazes lingered too long, their suspicion palpable.

I ignored them, sliding onto a stool and signaling the bartender.

The man behind the counter was broad-shouldered with the heavy build of a brawler.

His scent gave him away before his body language did. Werewolf.

It was faint beneath the overwhelming smells of alcohol and greasy food, but unmistakable.

“Beer,” I said.

He set the glass in front of me without a word, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied me.

I nursed the drink for half an hour, observing the room and trying to decide my next move.

The tension in the air never quite eased, but I couldn’t leave without trying.

“My brother and his friend came to this town a few months ago,” I said finally, keeping my tone casual. “I was hoping someone might’ve seen them.”

The bartender’s gaze sharpened, though his expression remained neutral. “Lots of people come and go.”

I described Finn and Gabriel, keeping my voice steady, though the mere mention of Gabriel’s name made my jaw clench.

The bartender shrugged, wiping a glass with a practiced nonchalance. “Don’t know anyone of that description.”

Liar.

I wanted to press him, to demand answers, but the faint, unfriendly smile tugging at his lips stopped me.

“Your kind isn’t welcome here,” he said softly, a warning laced in every syllable.

I felt eyes on me again, the weight of the room’s attention settling heavily on my shoulders.

The patrons weren’t just wary. They were ready to act if I gave them a reason.

“Look,” I said, raising my hands in a placating gesture. “I just want a drink. And I really just want to know my brother’s safe. That’s all.”

The bartender’s expression flickered for a moment, the faintest crack in his guarded demeanor.

Maybe it was the sincerity in my voice, or maybe he had a soft spot for family.

“They used to come here sometimes,” he admitted reluctantly, leaning closer. “The guy you described…he liked the jukebox. Always picked the same song.”

“What song?” I asked, my voice low.

The bartender’s lips quirked in the barest hint of a smirk. “Some American country song.” He straightened, his tone hardening again. “That’s all you’re getting. Don’t make trouble.”

I nodded, swallowing my frustration. It wasn’t much, but it was a lead.

As I turned to leave, my eyes caught on a figure in the far corner of the bar.

Gael.

The vampire was leaning against the wall, his body relaxed but his gaze sharp as he charmed a human male at his side.

His dark eyes glinted with amusement, his smile easy, but there was an edge to his demeanor that set my teeth on edge.

Memories of our last encounter surged to the surface. Silver bullets, blood, the rage in his eyes as he collapsed.

I’d left him for dead. Apparently, not dead enough.

Gael’s gaze slid toward me, and for a moment, our eyes locked. His smile faltered, replaced by a look of cold recognition.

The human beside him said something, but he didn’t respond, his attention fully on me.

The room seemed to shrink, the air thickening with tension.

My hand twitched instinctively toward my concealed weapon, but I stopped myself. Not here. Not now.

Gael’s lips curved into a slow, mocking smile, as if daring me to make the first move.

I forced myself to look away, grabbing my drink and finishing it in one long gulp before slamming the glass down on the counter.

This wasn’t over.

The game had just changed. Finn and Gabriel might’ve been my mission, but now I had a new target.

Gael wasn’t just alive. He was watching me. Waiting.

And I’d be ready because if I didn’t get to him first, he’d gladly do the honors himself.