Chapter 334 Melissa'a Ambition
Chapter 334 Melissa'a Ambition
Melissa's POV
The moment Eleanor walked away, I scanned the crowd for my parents. They were exactly where they said they'd be—hanging back in a quiet corner of the campus, watching everything with those sharp hunter eyes. I hurried across the lawn, clutching my diploma case against my chest, trying not to look too eager.
"Did you get what we needed?" Dad asked the moment I reached them, his voice low and tense.
I nodded, glancing over my shoulder to make sure no one was within earshot. "Everything Axel said was right. They're throwing a party to celebrate her graduation tonight." My heart was still racing from my encounter with Eleanor and those... creatures.
"Dad," I said, lowering my voice even further, "you saw the man I was talking to, right? The one with the black hair?"
Dad's forehead creased with worry lines. "I did. A vampire walking around in broad daylight—it's not normal, Melissa. It's completely unnatural."
"We need to talk to Axel in detail, find out more about what we're dealing with." My father's eyes narrowed as he watched Theodore Windsor's retreating figure. "If they can withstand sunlight, what else might they be immune to?" The question hung in the air between us, heavy with implications.
Mom squeezed Dad's hand, her knuckles white. "This could be more dangerous than we anticipated."
I straightened my shoulders, feeling a surge of confidence. "We have an experienced team, and we have Axel. He's the best there is."
---
I couldn't help but smile as I thought about Axel. Just last week, we'd spent the morning tangled in his sheets, my head resting on his broad chest as sunlight filtered through the blinds.
"I can't wait to tell Mom and Dad about us," I'd whispered, tracing my fingers along the intricate silver patterns of his chest tattoo. I looked up to meet his dark eyes. "They're going to be so surprised I found someone so perfect."
Axel had caught my hand, bringing it to his lips. His dark eyes had studied me with an intensity that made my breath catch.
"Let's wait until after this hunt is over, shall we?" He'd traced my hairline with his fingertips. "I want to earn your father's respect with a successful hunt first, prove I'm worthy of his daughter."
He'd smiled then, that crooked smile that made my heart skip. "From now on, I'm a one-woman man."
I'd been skeptical at first. Everyone in the hunting community knew Axel's reputation with women. But over the past few weeks, I'd watched him publicly turn down other female hunters, telling them he'd found "someone special." The pride I felt when he looked at me like that was like nothing I'd ever experienced.
Dad would come around about Axel's age—ten years wasn't that much, not when those years had given him so much hunting experience. I just hoped I wasn't pregnant. That conversation could wait until after I'd graduated from hunter training camp.
---
When we returned to the compound, I headed straight for the underground gym where I knew Axel would be training. I leaned against the doorframe, admiring the fluid movement of his muscles under his bronze skin as he practiced with his long hunting blade.
Under the fluorescent lights, the silver parts of his tattoos on his arms and chest gleamed like stars against a night sky. Just watching him move with such lethal grace sent heat flooding through my body.
I sat down silently on a bench against the wall, folded my hands in my lap, and simply observed him. His 6'3" frame was almost entirely covered in tattoos, black and silver patterns against his deep brown skin. His short hair was neat, his eyes as dark as midnight, and the multiple piercings in his ears and eyebrow only added to his dangerous appeal.
He was focused on the upcoming hunt with an intensity I'd never seen before. "This is one of the most important missions I've ever undertaken," he'd told me.
Taking down two members of the High Vampire Council—Theodore Windsor and Sebastian Astoria—would make us all legends in hunting history. I could already imagine walking into training camp with that kind of reputation behind me, having every newbie know my name.
---
Axel moved into cool-down stretches, his half-naked body twisting and bending in ways that made my throat go dry.
"How was the graduation ceremony?" he asked, his voice slightly rough from exertion.
I shrugged, trying to appear casual. "Just like you'd expect—names called, diplomas handed out, pictures taken. Couldn't have been more ordinary."
I paused, my voice dropping. "But there was something incredible. Theodore Windsor—'Death' himself—was at the graduation, standing in broad daylight watching his daughter graduate like any normal person would."
Axel stopped mid-stretch. "Ancient vampires can withstand a few hours of sunlight each day. It's one of their most dangerous abilities."
He grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from his face. "It makes them harder to kill than regular vampires. They need less sleep, and they can function for short periods in daylight."
He tossed the towel aside. "Our plan never considered attacking during daylight hours. We're relying on overwhelming firepower and the element of surprise."
---
I left the bench and walked toward him, wrapping my arms around his thick waist, feeling the heat of his skin against mine. My fingers traced the intricate patterns of his back tattoo.
Axel's hands moved to my back, sliding gently up my spine. You're my perfect man, I thought, feeling a deep satisfaction settle in my chest.
"What will you do while I'm at training camp?" I asked softly.
The corner of Axel's mouth quirked up. "Keep hunting, maybe visit my girl. Where's the camp?"
I stepped back, suddenly cautious. "You know I can't tell you that. It's classified information."
Axel's eyes softened, his voice becoming that velvety tone that always managed to persuade me. "Baby, I just want to surprise you when you're lonely. I would never lie to my girl."
I hesitated, then pulled out my phone. "Give me your number. I'll text you."
After he entered his number, I typed out the location of the training camp. When I hit send, Axel's eyes lit up with an excitement that seemed almost excessive.
"Oh baby, that makes me happier than you can imagine."
---
"Do you think tonight will be successful?" I asked, my eyes flickering with both anticipation and worry.
Axel squeezed my hand confidently. "Trust me, my enemies never see what hits them."
His voice dropped lower. "Tonight will be a massacre."
He kissed my forehead lightly. "You should go now. I don't want your father to discover us before the operation is over."
"Get ready for the fight. We need you at your best tonight," he added.
I felt a warmth spread through me. Axel was always so considerate and sweet, thinking about my relationship with my father. I knew Dad would change his mind about Axel's age once the hunt was successful. Axel was experienced, and that's what mattered in our line of work.
As I left the gym, I found myself looking forward to tonight's hunt, after which Axel could finally gain my father's approval. Everything was falling into place perfectly.