Chapter 2-- "Meeting With The Old Vampire"

The old vampire's eyes flicked from Aiden to Mia and back again, taking them both in with a piercing gaze. Mia felt a shiver run down her spine as she took a step back, but Aiden stood firm, unflinching.

"I asked you a question," Aiden repeated. "Who are you?"

The old vampire cackled, his voice raspy and dry. "Who am I? That's a question many have asked over the years. I am Roderick, and I've been around longer than you can imagine."

Aiden narrowed his eyes. "What do you know about the person I'm looking for?"

Roderick leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of him. "I know many things, young one. But information doesn't come cheap."

Aiden took a step forward, his eyes flashing. "I'm not here to play games. Tell me what you know."

Roderick's eyes flicked to Mia, and a sly smile crossed his face. "And who is this lovely creature? Your pet?"

Mia bristled at the comment, but Aiden stepped in front of her protectively. "She has nothing to do with this. Stick to the topic at hand."

Roderick chuckled, his eyes glittering with amusement. "Very well, very well. I know who you're looking for, Aiden. But the information is not mine to give."

Aiden's expression darkened. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that the person you seek is under the protection of someone much more powerful than myself," Roderick explained. "If you want to find them, you'll have to go through her first."

Aiden's jaw clenched. "Who is she?"

Roderick's lips twisted into a sneer. "You don't know? How interesting. I suppose you're not as well-connected as you thought."

Mia watched the exchange with growing unease. She didn't like the way Roderick was looking at her, like she was some kind of pawn in a game she didn't even know she was playing.

"Aiden, we should go," she whispered, tugging at his sleeve.

Aiden hesitated, glancing back at her before turning his attention back to Roderick. "How do I find her?"

Roderick leaned forward, his eyes gleaming. "Ah, now that is the question, isn't it? The answer lies in the past. You must delve into the history of our kind, into the oldest texts and legends. There, you will find what you seek."

Mia felt a sense of dread settling in her stomach. She had a feeling that this was just the beginning of a long and dangerous journey.

As they made their way back through the abandoned house, Mia couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Every shadow seemed to hide something sinister, every creak of the floorboards made her heart skip a beat.

When they emerged back into the night air, Mia took a deep breath and looked up at Aiden. "What are we going to do now?"

Aiden's eyes were dark and serious. "We're going to find her. No matter what it takes."