The annoying ring of my stupid " emergency " phone woke me from what must have been the best dream I had had since " he" left. I sighed and answered on the third ring.
" Hathaway " I snapped, annoyed and tired, the worst time for someone to talk to me. I swear if this wasn't about Lissa or Christian there was going to be bloodshed. The caller seemed to sense this and immediately started explaining the situation.
" Hey Rose, it's Eddie. There has been another attack, no gaurdian casualties but one moroi dead." Another attack? My mind reeled.
" how many strigoi involved? Where was it, how long ago and who was involved?" I was in serious gaurdian mode. Lissa may be in court with about 100 gaurdians on the scene but that didn't mean she was out of danger. She is weak as it is, the baby only a couple of weeks away from coming screaming into this world, also, another life in my hands.
" it was another mass attack, estimates around twenty five strigoi. It was in the country, not too far away. I don't know how to say this Rose, I really don't. It was Tasha Ozera. She is dead and Gaurdian Belikov will be arriving in court to join ranks. He is being reassigned to the new princess when she is born." my entire world imploded right there. Dimitri. The night in the cabin intruded in my thinking space before I shut it down. He left me for Tasha, he didn't care anymore, so neither did I.
" thanks Eddie. Meet you in the gym in an hour, send the Phoenix group in to the scene. See what they can find. I need to go tell the Queen and her idiot husband. He will need to know his Aunt is dead. Also, ring Adrian, tell him that Rose says " buria". I needed Adrian, the only one who knew, the only one that knew what I needed. I got out of bed and zombie walked to the shower, turning it on full blast and peeling my sweats and tank top off. Stupid dimitri, stupid me. He wouldn't even matter to me anymore. I had to forget about him, he had just used me and thrown me aside like I was a boring toy, just like Lissa's first daughter, Christine did when she didn't want something anymore. Christine was 6 now, so lived at the academy. The hot water pouring down my muscles relaxed me and I felt a little more awake. Only just though. I winced as the water irritated my newest molijna marks. Another three strigoi down in this ever waging war.
I sighed again and turned the water off, my hair still streaming water down my legs. I suppose I should get it cut soon, it swung just below my waist now. drying off and chucking on my uniform I grimaced in the mirror. Tailored black pants, White blouse tucked in and well fitted black jacket. Boring. Opening the first two buttons on the blouse and tying my hair up into a half bun ponytail, I was ready to go. Chucking my training clothes into my gym bag and yanking my boots on, grabbing my cell and ear piece was all daily routine, distracting me from thoughts of dimitri. As far as I was concerned, my feelings for him were non- existant. It was sunset, earlier than usual, but I quickly made my way to the royal lodgings. lissa and Christian would be up soon, meaning my job of telling them about Tasha would be over soon. Then I could go take my frustrations out on who ever was game enough to take me in training. The slightest rustle sent me whirling into a fighting stance and Adrian chuckled as I recognized him and relaxed. I hadn't honed my hearing for nothing.
"little dhampir, you wanted to see me." his tone was light but anger and worry filled his expression. He knew everything. Falling into step next to me he threw his arm around my shoulder and pulled me into his side. It wasn't romantic, just comforting. Pulling out a chocolate glazed donout and handing it to me, he sat us down and looked at me fondly. "what's happened Rose?" that was all it took to release the torrent of emotions I had been fighting.
" Tasha is dead, Dimitri is coming back to gaurd the newest edition to the Dragomir line. With me. I don't think I can handle this, Adrian, not after what he did, not after what has happened." it was true, I hadn't been in a relationship since he had left, I had taken my anger toward him and turned it against strigoi, I was tougher now, but Dimitri, he was the only one who could pull apart my defenses. When he had left to be Tasha's gaurdian, straight after we raided the caves, I had gone through at least four different mentors and I had decided then and there, he was nothing anymore. Adrian pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head. I let myself be held, no matter how bad it seemed, Adrian could make it better. Lissa had kinda taken rebuilding her family to heart when we graduated. Even if Christine wasn't planned and was actually concieved a little while after Dimitri left, having kids was what Lissa wanted. She was 23 now, just like me. But she was queen. After Queen bitch was murdered everyone wanted Lissa to take the throne. Between being queen and her nightime antics with Christian, she didn't really have time for me anymore. Adrian had become my bestfriend and he liked that. He still wanted to be much much closer to me than that, he even joked about us helping the dhampir race and having our own little one, but I didn't want that anymore. I was a gaurdian for Lissa, even if she wasn't the same Lissa. I stood up, wiping my eyes and straightening my jacket. I slipped the gaurdian mask into place and Adrian nodded in approval. I left him in the grove and continued into the main building, head held high. The gaurdians on duty bowed their heads in respect and I passed through them without a word. I was the best gaurdian you could get nowadays.
My three new marks joined a whole collection. I had 4 little stars, each star basically meant I had been in a battle and killed more than could be counted. Next to those along with my first 2 marks, all those years ago in Spokane, I had an additional 14 kills. My promise mark wound around them and my unique sun tattoo glimmered in its loop. It was gold and represented the time I spent in Russia, an unpromised dhampir and innumerable kills. I was totally bad-ass. All in all, four battles, 17 one-on-one kills and one wild rampage in Russia. Why did I go to Russia? I honestly don't know anymore, but I met my father and Dimitri's family. Doesn't fate have a wonderfull sense of humour. I knocked on Lissa's door and waited. Her light footsteps were quick in coming and I was relieved that I hadn't woken her. She peered round the door, her blonde hair immaculate and her silk gown screaming money. I let my barriers down so I could hear her thoughts again, she was happy to see me, so I smiled. I bowed respectfully anyway.
"Silly Rose! You know you don't have to bow to me!" she laughed and threw her arms around me. I hugged her back and smiled at Christian who decided to grace me with his prescence. I let go of her and walked into the room. They sensed the grave air andd looked at me with worried expressions.
"I'm sorry Liss, Christian. But Tasha was killed yesterday by another pack of strigoi. Gaurdian Belikov survived and will be coming here where he will join my team for your protection." The gaurdian mask and monotone voice alerted Lissa to my near depression but Christian's face crumpled. Lissa pulled him into her embrace and nodded at me, tears in her eyes, her angelic compassion shining out, enhancing her already exquisite features. I left them and went to the training grounds to meet Eddie and the others. The gym was fuller than usual but I ignored them all and went to get changed. My bike shorts were like a second skin, perfect for training and my singlet stopped just above my belly button, showing off my figure and belly button piercing. Even if I was a gaurdian to the queen and her family, as well as 23 didn't mean I couldn't look good doing it. My enviable curves balanced out my toned muscles I had worked so hard for, the strap around my upper thigh that held my stake not only made me look dangerous, it was sexy. I sauntered back into the gym and began warming up, smiling at the newbies expressions, espesiallly the guys. Their eyes widened and I bet their minds temporarily short – circuted. I only looked slightly different than I did when I was still in the academy. I was around 5"7' now, and as I said before my hips and chest were the perfect curves. My hair was much longer, wavy and like silk, dark, almost black brown. My face had no baby fat left and my eyes, a rich brown, gleamed out above my high cheekbones.I finished my stretches and tied my hair up into a high ponytail. Eddie grinned at me from the side lines. I hadn't seen him for a couple of months as he had been sent on a hunting party to New York. I hugged him, my anger disappearing momentarily, letting my mind forget for a moment. We bumped fists and surveyed the crowd who came to practice.
"Looking good Hathaway! I bet those strigoi thought you were an angel!" one of my team members, Gaurdian Creilo, shouted out to me. I smiled at him and he grinned back, dimples and all. He was cute and fun to flirt with but I was still pissed off.
"More like an angel of death" someone else muttered. My eyes flashed dangerously and I heard an intake of breath. I looked lethal. Eddie chuckled and moved off the mats. I got into position, thinking about all the anger I had kept locked inside. The door opened and someone elso walked in, but they were obscured by the crowd.
"Ok, who is man enough to face Gaurdian Hathaway? Anyone not broken a bone and wants to have the experience? Trust me, she's the next best thing to a strigoi if you want to see how you will go against one," Eddie called out to the crowd like he was selling a prized race-horse. It was true. I was fast, strong and had enhanced senses, just like a strigoi. No-one wanted to face me until one of the newer gaurdians stepped forward.
"Our first foolish victom!" The crowd laughed and his hands shook a little as he whipped his shirt off, facing me and sqauring his shoulders. Poor guy. I let all my anger rush into my mind and he saw the change instantly. Naively, he made the first move. He went for the common swing towards the stomach. It wouldn't hurt strigoi but would hopefully make them stumble. Not me. I dodged and his momentum carried him around me. I grabbed his shoulder and placed a hand on his throat, holding him in place.
"Dead". The crowd applauded and he stumbled back towrards them all. They shook their heads and laughed at him. They all needed to improve, he wasn't even the worst out there. If they wanted to defend anyone, it would require vast improvements and it was going to have to start now. I frowned and they all went silent. One of Dimitri's lessons came back to me.
"Alright, out onto the track, 20 laps. Now." their looks of horror mirrored my own face all those years ago. Someone chuckled. Outrage was clear while some showed defeated un-enthusiasim. No-one moved a muscle until one of the bigger guys stepped forward, staring me directly in the eyes. Challenging me. I put my hands on my hips and let the full force of my death galre hit him. The crowd shrank back and he looked like he really regretted stepping forwards. He spoke anyway, putting as much arrogance into his voice as possible,
"Why are we runing? What's the point?" it reminded me of me again. I almost smiled but my anger kept me going. I changed Dimitri's answer and stepped closer, staring him right in the eyes, making my voice icy. "Say you're in the mall with your moroi and you have been out-numbered by six strigoi. You lost your stake but somehow managed to keep your body between the strigoi and your charge. What do you do?" doubt crossed his face and he analyzed the situation, trying to come up with a solution or a smart comeback. None came to him, as I already knew. " you grab your moroi and you run. My first mentor was one of the best, he had me running 12 laps twice a day, everyday after I came back from being AWOL for two years. Two years where all I did was vege out in a hish school campus. Yet the running has saved me many times over. You don't want to run? I can give you the easier task of teaching academy students instead." my threat lingered and they all turned, grumbling to the track. I followed and took the lead to set the pace.
"If anyone is more than a single minute slower than me, they will be relieving the admin team on nightshifts for a week." I started running and boy, did I run. I sprinted, streaking ahead of the others as they struggled to keep up. On we went, my anger and frustration, a long with some darkness I absorbed from Lissa, spurred me on. At the end of the 20th lap I stopped, watching them breathlessly stumble over the line. I smiled in spite of myself.
"ok, I want you six to go do wieghts with Guardian Petrov, she'll tell you how many to do. I you are on the nightstalkers unit, go practice with the WES system. You 4 were last, you can take your sorry arses to admin and figure out your shifts AROUND normal guarding duties. Everyone else, you will be practicing combat with me." the last nine loked shocked, Eddie was one of them. I always trained alone but today, I needed a vent and they were lacking in skills. We all walked back to the gym, the group who had to face me nervous and silent. Eddie chuckeled again and elbowed my side.
"Want me to tell Adrian to come over so he can start healing them when you're done training?" I smiled slightly and shook my head, if I was going to play strigoi, they were going to get hurt. I beckoned them forwards and waited to see who was going to go first. No-one stepped forward.
"Fine. All of you, attack me at once. Think fast, I'm a strigoi now." they smiled at eacho ther before launching themselves at me in quick succesion. I simply stepped to the side and two went sailing past, that's when I started to really move. Kicking one in the side, he fell into another, bringing them both down. One grabbed a hold of my shoulder from behind but I struck out, loosening his grip and landed a punch on his nose, hearing it crunch. He howled, though if I were really a strigoi, the blow would have smached his skull in,, he was proclaimed dead which left me with eight. One brandished a fake stake and ran forwards. I whirled around him, sending it flying and 'snapping' his neck while using him as a shield against the others. He left the mats and I threw a secind guy after him. Fienting to one side, while striking out with my foot, I hit the only other girl squarely in the stomach. She doubled over, admiting defeat. Straightening up, I faced the remaining five guardians. It wasn't a battle anymore. No-one I faced posed a threat anymore. I swung into a crouch and looked for weaknesses, target spots. One of the guys favoured his right side, coming at him from the left would mean slow defense and slow attack reflexes. I went for him fast, un-predictability was essential and exactly my style. I knocked him flat on his back, lowering my head to his ear."Dead." I got up again and took the elment of suprise, knocking another over and "breaking" his neck too. That left three. I wrenched ones leg while I was still close to the floor and made him cpllaspe, passing my face over his thraot basically ending his life. Strigoi were violent, so was I. The other two snapped out of it, forcing themselves into action and leaping forwards. On top of me trying to get a trike to my heart. I elbowed him in the face and dispatched the other my foot rendering him unconcious. I swept the feet out from under the last guy, remembering the hours Dimitri spent trying to make me get the move right. I sat on top of him and glared at the others I had defeated.
"You need to improve. Maybe with a real strigoi you would sense the gravity of the situation and fight to a higher standard" they looked sufficiently shamed so I stood and started on the dummies. Round-house kicks were my speciality when it came down to a hand to hand fight. But of course, it's all the thuings Dimitri taught me that I excelled at. No-one else quite had the same moves as him. I missed the challenge of fighting him. A familiar after-shave made me immediately stop. I smiled and launched myself at the person who now stood behind me. His quick dhampir reflexes caught me in a hug and he swung me around in a circle before setting me down. I took in the vivid green eyes and tanned complexion, the long chocolate brown hair and warm smile. Something that I had missed. I smiled happily for the first time in weeks.
"Lucian! I have missed you so much! No-one here can beat me anymore. It's been pretty hectic with all the attacks as well." He met me on my wild rampage in Russia, when Dimitri first left me. I remember it clearly, all the rage gone, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.
Flash-Back:
The cold air swirled my hair around my face, the dark night hiding me from the weaker human eyes. The strigoi I had just staked lay hidden in the shadows and I searched for the other. There had been two stalking the busy city of Noverbrisk.. The strigoi had to be destroyed. They were why Dimitri left me, it was them that made it so all dhampirs had to give up their lives for moroi. I wanted them to suffer like I had. This my ninth kill today but it wasn't enough. Dimitri didn't love me anymore, he loved Tasha. Her name was like poison in my mind. Anguish gripped me again and I sank down, letting my tears betray my guardian mask.. This pain was all I had left, all I had to remind me of the life I left behind, a world where I wasn't wanted for anything but my rage or my body. Lissa only wanted me around so I could keep her happy, taking the darkness that consumed her. Dimitri only wanted me as a play thing. No-one needed me at all.
"Um, excuse me? Do you need a hand?" A warm voice. English with a perfect blend of Russian laced into it. I shot up, gripping my stake tighter and almost gasped. A dhampir man stood in front of me. He had long chocolate brown hair and green eyes. He looked so similar to Dimitri... My love was gone, he was never coming back. My heart constricted but I pushed it aside, taking a more defensive pose. He held his hands up and stepped back. He was taller than Dimitri, with higher cheekbones and a sturdier frame, but the similarities still pained me. I remembered Dimitri's words. "It was a mistake. It meant nothing". It meant nothing to him, but it meant everything to me.
"Who are you and what to you want?" I tried to snarl but my throat was hoarse from crying and lack of use. I was tired, so tired. But it didn't matter, I wanted my revenge. He lowered his hands and took a step forward again, cautioning me with his eyes. He smiled at me and held out his hand to shake.
"My name is Lucian. I want to help you, are you hurt?" He seemed truly anxious. Was I hurt? Yes. But physically , nothing was wrong. I shook his hand, it was warm and huge, making mine seem that much smaller. I smiled miserably, that is until a roll of nausea hit me. I pulled Lucian forward with the hand I still held, placing him behind me, watching the second strigoi saunter out from the shadows. My hand tightened round my stake and I leapt towards him. It was Nathan, the blond strigoi I had fought at the academy battle. He had gotten away, wanting to go after Lissa. He smiled as he recognized me and started to move, stealthily, looking for the right moment to strike out. I leapt at him, dodging a swipe to my throat but never letting him closer to Lucian. It was close, intense and a thrilling fight but I managed to find an opening, plunging my stake into his heart, just at the right spot. I chucked his body with the other, waiting for the dizziness to pass. It didn't and I tried to catch a hold of something before the darkness of unconciousness overtook me. I faintly felt warm, strong arms untili felt nothing.
End of Flashback
He studied my closely for a moment, worry etched into his features. He looked so much like Dimitri, but it was totally different person. Plus I doubt he would leave me. My downwards spiral into unhappiness made him even more anxious and he pulled me into him, wrapping his arms around me. I felt so little and secure.
"Oh Roza. Who did this to you? Huh? Oh! Shhhh.. honey, don't cry!" The traitor tears were back. Lucian stroked my hair, murmering in russian. I didn't understand any of it but it made me feel better regardless. Maybe I could tell him what happened back at the academy. Maybe. I pulled back, looking at his shoes, saving myself the embarrassment of looking at his face with tears in my eyes.
"Roza.. Look at me. What's wrong? You can tell me. And don't bother lying, you know I see right through it all. I know something pains you, I knew it ever since the first day I found you in Russia" I shook my head and stepped out of his embrace. I would tell him later, not yet.
"Speaking of Russia... how is everybody? Oleona, Viktoria and Karo? Has Sonya had the baby yet? Yeva as scary as ever? Man, I miss them all so much. Did you give them their present?" it was a poor attempt at my usual hathaway bravado but it seemed to work. He smiled again and laughed at my fake eagerness.
"Well, Viktoria stopped hating you after the party issue. Oleona wants you to come back, she really misses you. The baby is a little boy called Vladmir. Paul lost his first tooth and Yeva, well, she's still Yeva". He chuckled at my expression again. "They love the album and really appreciate the photos. They also gave me a message to gi-" he was cut short by me whirling around and glaring at someone behind me. Dimitri stood there, a look of utmost horror upon his face. His fists clenched and unclenched. Showing the control he was rapidly losing. "Roza...? Who is.. he?" Lucian was warring between stepping back or in between me and Dimitri. My expression was unreadable, Dimitri's was fury, mingled with regret. But mostly furious. When Lucian spoke, Dimitri's expression went flat, his eyes black and dangerous.
"Roza? Roza! How dare you call her that. Why were you even near my family?" Dimitri's voice, one I hadn't heard for so long sent longing through me. But then my anger won out. I stepped forward, putting my body between Lucian and Dimitri. He looked down at me, his expression softening, that is until Lucians hands appeard on my shoulders.
"Guardian Belikov, I know you must be upset after Lady Ozera's death, I would rather we saved this coversation for another, more appropriate time. As you can see, Guardian Seivre and I have matters to discuss. " My voice was icy, cold and harsh, striking out like a whip lash. Dimitri flinched but returned his guardian mask.
"Of course Guardian Hathaway. Would you mind stepping outside with me for a moment. I need to discuss something very important with you. Privately." His tone was flat, monotone, desperately gripping onto the shred of control he had left. I didn't want this now. My temper hadn't imprpved that much and I felt it flaring to life. I couldn't take it anymore. And that's when the dark spirit appeared from Lissa. I absorbed it from Lissa at exactly the wrong moment. Dimitri recognized it immediately and pulled me out of Lucians grip. Staring me in the eyes, I was miserable all over again, looking at the most gorgeous guy in the planet, one that broke my heart, shattering my sense of who I was. Nothing was right, I hated this, my stupid life. Everyine I had wever cared about hated me now. No, this wasnt me, I needed to gain control. It was like a like switch had been turned off. Just my anger returned.
"Actually Dimitri Belikov. I DO mind. You see, I am a busy person, picking up the pieces of my life that YOU walked out of. So, I 'm sorry if you want me to stop my life for you again, but I can;t do that. I'm not like you you, I'm not going to ditvh my enitre family just so I can go off and wallow in my misery JUST because YOU broke my heart. Do you have any idea how much they miss you? How they hung onto every word I said to them about you? It's selfish." I had ended up backing him into the wall while he stared at me, shame and guilt making him look down, shoulders slumped. He mumbled something in russian again, obviously forgeting Lucian was there and would understand. Something clicked in Lucians head and fury replaced his confusion.
"You! You're the reason she went on that suicide mission to Russia! You're why she has been miserable all these years! Do you have any idea how long everyone had to work to get her to trust them? You have ruind her trust in everything. The weeks she cried herself to sleep at night, the months she refused to eat! And it was all because of you!" They were standing a foot apart, Lucian towering above Dimitri. A lot of guardians had gathered now, watching the tense stand-off. My heart was in my throat, my eyes pricking. No. This couldn't happen.
