𝘖𝘉𝘚𝘐𝘋𝘐𝘈𝘕 ° 𝘈𝘓𝘌𝘊 𝘝𝘖𝘓𝘛𝘜𝘙𝘐

[23] ARMISTICE

         

          AURORA FOUND HERSELF AMBUSHED ONCE AGAIN.

     "Where the hell have you been?" The blonde Guard blocked the newborn from entering her suite. She gestured annoyedly at Aurora's appearance, her hair a wild mess from the wind and snow, her boots soaked with rapidly melting ice and water dripping all over the place. "Making bloody snow angels in the woods?"

     "Not now." She was definitely not in the mood. With a nonchalant wave of her hand, Aurora promptly moved her out of the way, slamming the blonde into the adjacent wall as she continued onto ransacking her room. She quickly repacked her backpack with the most important necessities—she wasn't entirely sure when or if she'd be returning. She heard Jane enter the room with a huff.

     "Aurora, what is going on?" Jane despised being left in the dark. "Your bodyguards have all left. I thought maybe you were to meet them there..."

     Aurora couldn't help the manic giggle that escaped, shaking her head. "Good riddance!" She finally looked back at Jane, her face absent of all humor. "We came here to find Alec. I'm not waiting any longer. Where's Demetri? I know he's found him by now."

     She rolled her eyes, looking behind her at the white haze of a window, the direction of the main city. "He already left. Along with the others."

     So, Jane was left all alone, but she waited for Aurora to return? Perhaps the truce was indeed more solid than she would ever admit. Aurora paused, sliding the backpack on. "You didn't go with them?"

     "I feel...minutely responsible for my brother's present state," Jane admitted, crossing her arms. "If something were to happen to you, he would be quite upset. It's only right we find him together."

     The blonde was rolling her eyes as Aurora turned to her with her hand pressed to the middle of her chest, her heart somewhat touched. "That's actually quite nice of you."

     "Don't get used to it."

      Tracking wasn't a skill solely unique to Demetri—he was just the best in the world. Vampires had a unique ability to hone in on one another—kind of like echolocation in a way that the body will instinctively lead you to one another, especially to one's Creator or blood relative. It was how the nomads had sought out the Cullens on that fateful baseball field. Or how Aurora had found the Romanians even when she had been following vague coordinates.

     Catching the tale-tale saccharine sweet scent of vampires just barely hanging on through the snowfall, Jane and Aurora followed their cohort's tracks into the city. It was a semi-busy night in the city's tourist district, but they were being led just outside the region. The perfect scouting location.

     The girls exchanged triumphant looks as they narrowed in on Alec's distinct scent, seeped into a six-story tall building. They found traces of Demetri, Felix, and Santiago's recent presence, suggesting they had just left the premises not too long ago. There was both relief and dread in that realization for Aurora.

     They ascended the floors together and quickly, the stairway easily accessible. His scent was strongest atop the building, where he must be. They burst through the door to the rooftop, the metal hinges breaking at the sheer amount of pressure. It wouldn't close, but that wasn't any of their concern as a dark-clad figure turned toward them, his face a mask of confusion and surprise. It wasn't often he was ever caught off guard, no pun intended.

     "Alec!"

     And Aurora didn't care if his feelings had been buried for weeks and months or if Jane was right behind them or that their lives were at stake. He was okay. Without thinking, she threw her arms around his neck, utterly relieved to just be with him. He froze completely at her contact.