Last Sacrifice Chapter 1

"83, 84, 85..." I trailed off as one of the guardians watching me spoke. "Rose, can you please stop counting the cracks. I know you don't want to be here but seriously, can you do something else!" asked Guardian Cole. The only thing I've been able to do in this hell hole of a place is count the cracks on the roof as I lay in bed. Actually I wouldn't call this thing a bed, it's more like a concrete slab. Oh well, I guess I better get used of it if I'm going to be living here for the next couple of weeks, or until my untimely death, that I am going to be given for something I didn't even do. Those words still echoed in my head 'they execute traitors'. Why does everything happen to me? I know I've made a lot of enemies in my life and the way I always stand up to the Queen mustn't have helped much, but still, I don't deserve this.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming down the hallway. I immediately sat up on my bed and tried to see who it was. It wasn't until I heard a familiar voice speaking to the guards that I realised who it was. Adrian. He hadn't been visiting me in my dreams lately so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. As soon as he turned the corner to get to my cell that I saw his face. His skin was paler than usual, or, for a vampire at least, he had huge dark rings under his eyes and his hair looked like it hadn't been washed in days. He looked horrible, and it was my entire fault, I realised. Tears started to well up in my eyes as he came to stand behind the bars.

"Little Dhampir..." He whispered. I stood up and walked over to him. He reminded me so much of Dimitri, the look of passion and love in his eyes, the way he smelt... No. Stop it Rose. You cannot think of him. 'Love fades, mine has'. Just thinking those words made me feel worse. "Adrian, you've got to get me out of here" I pleaded. "Rose, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." He whispered. I knew how he felt, he must have been miserable. First of all, he realised that I still loved Dimitri and always will, secondly his Great Aunt had just been murdered, and lastly, I was in jail for a crime I didn't commit. Just as Adrian reached through the bars to hold my face in his hand, I realised I'd started crying. "Please Adrian. I love you" the words slipped out before I even realised. How could I be so assuring to Adrian when my heart belonged to Dimitri.

"I'm trying. I'm doing the best I can, Lissa and Christian are too." I already knew Lissa was trying to get me out of here, I sometimes slip into her head to pass the time. "Then at least can you visit me in my dreams" That was the first time I'd actually asked him to visit me in my dreams. Normally I would tell him not to, but right now the circumstances have really changed. "I will, I promise" He answered. I could have sworn I saw amusement in his eyes when he answered me but it was so hard to tell with the giant black rings beneath them. "Goodbye little Dhampir, I love you" he said as he turned around to leave. "I love you too" I whispered.

Once I heard the door that leads to my hallway close, I went back to sit on my bed. I closed my eyes and relaxed, and did what I usually did when I'm bored. Slip into Lissa's head.

She was with Christian and... Mia. They were in Mia's house learning how to fight. If it were up to me I wouldn't have let her do this but, I guess she'll need to learn someday. "Come on Liss, don't hold back. Hit me hard, make it hurt!" Christian told her. "I am!" She lied. "I know your lying, even without a bond" Christian said. Lissa balled up her fist, just like I showed her when I was helping her fight Avery and her brother, and took a swing. She didn't punch him as hard as she could but at least she did better than what she was doing before. Christian got pushed back a little but I think it hurt Lissa more than it did Christian. "That's good but I know you can do better" Christian laughed. "Come on guys, my dad's going to be home from work soon, I think you better leave. You can come back tomorrow at the same time though" Mia told them. "Ok, thanks Mia" Lissa and Christian left Mia's house and started heading back to Lissa's room. Once they got there Lissa went over to the bed and laid down. I just hoped they wouldn't start ripping each other's clothes off. Christian went over and sat next to her, combing her hair back with his hands. "We have to get Rose out" she whispered. "I know we do, but Rose is strong. She can work this out." He told her, sounding unsure of his words. As a tear rolled down Lissa's face Christian quickly wiped it off. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Lissa looked over at it and saw a bright gold aura, with a tinge of darkness around it. "It's Adrian" She told Christian as she got off the bed to open the door. As soon as she opened it, Adrian looked at her, a tear escaping his eye. I'd never seen Adrian cry before.

I slipped back out of Lissa's head and heard footsteps coming down the hallway. I had no clue who it could be if Lissa, Christian and Adrian were in Lissa's room. Then I heard his voice. A sweet Russian accent. It was Dimitri. He asked the Guardian's if he could have a little privacy while he spoke to me, and my heart started to flutter. No. Stop it Rose. You've told yourself over and over that he doesn't love you. He's moved on. He walked over to my cell, staying away from the bars, which I realised I'd walked over to as soon as I heard his voice.

"Roza..." He whispered. I still loved it when he used my Russian nickname. "Dimitri" I whispered back. We stood there for several seconds, gazing into each other's eyes. I loved those deep brown eyes. "Roza, I'm going to get you out of here" He told me. Those fierce eyes telling me he was very serious. "Dimitri, I need you to tell me something. I need you to tell me you love me" I felt a tear build up in my eye and quickly wiped it away. "I would do anything to protect you" He said. That wasn't what I wanted him to say. I wanted him to tell me he loved me and that everything was going to be okay. "I'm going to get you out of here no matter what I have to do" He murmured. "I know you are. I believe you. I trust you" I did trust him. I could feel the note Tatiana gave me burning in my pocket. Could I trust him enough to show him it? The answer was yes. I could trust Dimitri even when I couldn't trust anyone else.

I reached into my pocket and handed him the note. He took a step forward and reached out to get it. As his hand slid across mine, I felt the electricity I always felt when he touched me. He read through it, his expression going hard. Then he read it again before passing it back to me. "Don't tell anyone" I told him fiercely. Then he turned around and headed out. Once I heard the door slam, all of the Guardian's on watch came back out in front of my cell. This was going to be one hell of a time getting out.

I went over to my bed, feeling extremely exhausted and fell asleep almost straight away. I soon found myself in a very familiar place, the ski lodge. I wasn't dressed up spectacularly, just a brown tank top and tracksuit pants. I wore my nazar around my neck and Lissa's chotki around my wrist. Adrian always made me wear my chotki and nazar in these dreams for some reason. I fiddled with my nazar for a few moments before Adrian came into view in front of me. He wore a singlet and tracksuit pants, very unusual for him. His eyes were still ringed by that blackness, obviously from a lack of sleep.

"Little Dhampir" He greeted me. He sounded so sad. I felt sorry for him, especially under all the stress of what's going on. I walked over to him and hugged him. We stood like that for a couple of moments before he leaned down and kissed my forehead. He released his hold, walked over to the steps where we first met and sat down. I then followed and sat down in his lap. We cuddled for a few more moments before he said "Rose, you have to tell me something" It was the same thing I'd told Dimitri so I knew what the answer needed to be. "I love you Adrian, I always will. You are a part of me" I whispered. I wasn't lying of course. I did love him, but I also loved Dimitri. Why can't one love ever be enough.

He leaned back against the hard concrete ground, taking me with him. I then suddenly changed into grass. We were in a garden. "I love you to Rose. It's just that, ever since Dim... He came back, you haven't been the same. I knew you would be different, but, I just can't take things serious until you tell me you want to be with me." He whispered. I knew I hadn't been talking to Adrian as much, especially because I'd been trying to get Dimitri to love me again. "I love you Adrian. Once I get proved innocent, I promise you I will not leave you. When the time comes though..." I trailed off when Adrian put his lips on mine and started to kiss me. It was a long deep kiss that felt like it should've lasted forever. He pulled away and it was all over, I wished it could have lasted longer but I knew Adrian couldn't hold onto these dreams forever. He gave me one last kiss on the forehead, then gave me a smirk and the dream was over.

I woke up a little startled when I saw Adrian in front of my cell. It was weird that I didn't notice how close he was through the dream. He was sitting against the concrete wall in the hallway. As soon as he saw me, he stood up. He looked the guard in the eyes, for some reason there was only one guard right now, and asked with a soothing voice to let him into my cell. It was when the guard got his keys out, I realised he was using compulsion. The Guardian opened up my cell and let Adrian in. He gave the guard a nod and came to sit next to me.

He asked the Guardian if he could have some privacy, the guard gave him a goofy smile and walked away. I heard the door to the hallway slam and then Adrian leaned over me and pressed his lips onto mine. We kissed for a lot longer than in the dream. It was a beautiful kiss. One that told me he loved me very much. He finally lifted his head up and smiled. He handed me a piece of paper, stood up, and left. I quickly unfolded the piece of paper and read the note before the guard got back.

Rose,

We figured out a way to get you out. Adrian slipped a ring into your pocket, it's charmed with spirit. It will make you look like a human. It may not work on some Guardians, so when we come to get you, you need to be ready for anything. Adrian and I will use compulsion on the Guardians to get Christian and Dimitri in. Mikhail will open up your cell and let you out. When you meet up with Christian and Dimitri, make sure you walk, or else you will look suspicious. Once you get out we will take you to the garage and get you out of here. Dimitri said you had a plan for when we get you out, so make sure you're ready. We will get you in 2 hours.

Lissa xoxo

I read it twice to make sure I understood, then looked at the clock, which I have been forcing myself not to do for the last week or so. It was 3:00am, midday for vampires, by 5:00am everyone would be going to a council meeting to work out when my trial is being held. That would mean there would be less Guardian's to stop us and less Moroi to see us. Perfect.

I immediately hid the note in my pocket, where I felt the ring Lissa had made. I leaned against the wall and told the Guardian to wake me at 4:30am. He looked a bit confused but nodded. I then went back to sleep and welcomed myself to one of Adrian's dreams.

"Twice in one day" I laughed. Adrian walked over to me with a huge grin on his face. Amazingly, there were no rings under his eyes this time. "I assume you read the note?" He asked. "Yup. Great plan, can you just tell me where I'm going once you get me out of here?" I asked. "That's your job. You're the navigator" He laughed. He then walked over to me and kissed my forehead. I guess that is his way of saying goodbye. The dream disappeared and I went back to my normal sleeping state.