Delicate, it was all so delicate. We'd finally done it, months and months of careful research and strategic planning had led us to this moment... This crucial moment... I could see the window, the window where I knew the girls lay sleeping, unaware that their former lives have caught up with them. I tensed; I could sense my colleagues around me, shadowed outlines behind trees and bushes, I could hear the radio activity in my ear, people whispering observations, confirming positions, everything was in perfect sync, this was going to work.
My keen dhampir hearing and guardian nature picked up everything, every footstep, every leaf rustling, the wind whistling through the alleyway behind us, I had taken note of all the natural sounds around us, everything was in its right place, everything was as it should be. Until... I heard it before I saw it, a scream, not a scream of panic, a scream of fear. I felt my muscles lock, tension was radiating off my body, "Nobody move" I whispered to those around me, I cursed to myself in my native tongue, we were one move too late. Or were we? I could sense movement inside the room, what was happening? Every part of me wanted to rush in and take on whoever or whatever was threatening the princess. But the plan, our plan was perfect, our plan was crucial to success. I waited.
A light flicked on, I could see shadows on the walls, I needed to know what was happening, but I couldn't see enough, I prayed that my fellow guardians were in their positions, ready. Minutes passed and nothing happened, the light stayed on though I was certain all was now peaceful inside that room. I made my move, three small steps out from behind my tree I was moving into my position, those around me waited for my signal, I was the leader. I breathed deeply, about to make my command when I saw her.
A dhampir, younger than me, with long dark hair, she had moved to the window and was opening it, a cat was pacing the windowsill, animals didn't like dhampirs. I froze, I was still in the shadow of the tree, but the girl. There was something about her, some raw power radiating off her, something wasn't right. I was certain she was gazing into the darkness, without a purpose, until her eyes settled to look right where I was, a mere thirty feet away from her I knew she had seen me, I hastily stepped back into the dark shadows of the tree, she moved away from the window in a panic, but something about her still wasn't right. I kicked into battle mode. We needed to act now.
"Units one and two are you in position?" I said into my headset, I received a hurried confirmation in reply, "All corresponding units to second position, we need to act now, the boys car is parked by Brown, move."
Around me I could see my colleagues moving, running and making way. Stick to the plan Belikov, you've got this. I paced myself, we would make it before the girls with time to spare, every detail of this plan had been thought out, surveillance on the girls had been thorough, we knew what they would do, this would work. I made it to my rendezvous point, I waited, and I waited.
Something wasn't right, the girls should be here by now, they knew we had come for them; still I waited, nothing happening, until... I saw them, two figures, one slower with the other practically dragging the second, I assumed the dhampir girl I had seen earlier was helping the princess, Moroi lack the natural hardiness of dhampirs. Although what I saw as they advanced, wasn't what I had assumed, the dhampir girl was slow, her movements jerky, as though she had no energy, the princess was desperately trying to get them both to the safety of the car, this was my chance, they were a few feet away from me.
I stepped out onto the path and whatever signs of fatigue the dhampir had moments ago vanished. She shoved the other girl behind her, keeping herself between me and the princess, "Don't touch her" she growled, I admired her, she was obviously weary, yet she put her friend first. Of course I wasn't surprised, they come first was the mantra drilled into dhampirs from birth. Of course, I wasn't a threat to these girls, not that they knew that, I placed my hands up, a gesture of friendliness to show I wasn't here to hurt them, I took a step forward as I said "I'm not going to-"
She struck before I finished my sentence, I'll admit her technique was that of a student, but being out of the system for two years made her sloppy, slow. Much slower than myself, I brushed her off, pushing her away from me with two hands to her back, the push wasn't overly hard but her recovery was awful, in my mind's eye I saw her hip hit the pavement with a sickening crunch, before that happened my fast reactions allowed me to grab her arm and catch her before she fell.
Steadying her I took in every detail, her hair, long, dark and I'll admit though tangled up from battle was beautiful. She was short, a lot shorter than me and the princess. She had tanned skin and deep brown eyes that looked endless in the darkness of the morning. All this brushed off me, details, mere details, what I did notice was the puncture wounds on the side of her neck, dried blood surrounded the wound. It explained the lack of energy and co-ordination, she had been supplying the princess with blood, it startled me that this young girl would allow the princess such a taboo act, drinking blood from a dhampir was frowned upon in our society, they come first was an obvious priority to this girl.
Small details, I decided. Nothing I couldn't handle. I was still noticing the power she radiated despite her lack of enrgy. She had the makings of a perfect guardian, another reason to drag her back to the school. It was alluring to me, this young girl seemed to understand her duty, she had raw potential, very raw, but I could see what she would become, and that interested me, I felt an unnatural urge to help her.
I shook my head, this was not something I needed to think about, nothing that should concern me, the princess was my top priority, I bowed to her, "My name is Dimitri Belikov" I said, "I'm here to take you back to St Vladimir's Academy, Princess."