Hello! This is my first submitted story on this site, but I also have an account on Wattpad. I didn't feel my stories got the views I was hoping for, so I've decided to try to see how it goes! :D I hope you all enjoy, this story, and reviews would be very appreciated!

Dimitri

I pushed the smudged glass double doors of the Novosibirsk airport open, and stilled for a sparing moment as the chilled night air crawled in my pores underneath my duster. Winter had toppled onto Russia like it did every year, and the air was crisp with icy temperatures.

The welcoming hum of the Russian language hit my ears, and my eyes shone with warmth. I missed Russia – I missed my family. The last time I spoke to my mama, and my sisters, was before the Strigoi attack on St. Vladimir's Academy, in which I had been forcefully awakened into a Strigoi myself. A lot had happened since that haunting day, and now I was standing on the lively street of Novosibirsk, restored to my dhampir form.

My family had been one of the many first thoughts I'd had once I was restored by Vasilisa Dragomir, who was now Queen of the vampiric world. But that had been months ago, and it was only after stubborn pestering by my girlfriend, Rose Hathaway, that convinced me to reach out to my family. I hadn't entirely been pleased with surrendering once I had remembered the reason I hadn't already sought out my family. I was absolute when I thought they wouldn't want to ever see my shameful face in Baia again.

But here I was, in Russia, in the very city which I had preyed upon, and killed countless innocents in the process. I had been Strigoi for months, and once I had been awakened by Nathan, I had sought out my former mentor from my school, St. Basils Academy, Galina – who I knew had been awakened as a Strigoi a few years ago. From that point, I was a heartless creature of the night, the very bad kind, and I tore families apart with sudden and suspicious deaths. If it hadn't been for Rose, who had at first hunted me down to kill me, and then went on to free a psychologically damaged criminal from prison – all because she'd heard a whisper there was a way to restore Strigoi – who was half-brothers with a Spirit user, Robert Doru. Rose found from Robert that she needed a stake infused with Spirit, and a Spirit user who would use the stake and stab a Strigoi's heart with it. It ended up coming down to Queen Vasilisa, who restored me to my original state as a dhampir.

It had been quite rough from that point, and the nightmares that still unfailingly instilled my mind while I slept hadn't stopped since I was restored. Being in this city certainly didn't help my attempts to forget about my short-lived period as a Strigoi. Simply standing on this busy street, watching the oblivious humans rush by me like a fluid ocean, brought back horrific memories that I'd rather keep lodged in the very back of my mind. For all I knew, one of these humans could be friends with one of my victims, or even a relative.

I shook my head, and tightened my fingers around the straps of my severely aged duffle bag. I skirted around the walking humans, and placed myself in a tight space against the building's brick wall. Glancing around at my surroundings with surveying eyes, I fished my cell phone from my pocket and texted my mama that I would just be around the corner of the airport.

Like a coward, I didn't have the courage to call her and talk to her personally yet. Maybe with her motherly intuition, she knew that, and she hadn't tried to call me. But I knew it hurt her that I didn't want to call her. It wasn't true – I did want to talk to her, and listen to her soothing, beautiful voice that I'd missed, but I was afraid of the awkwardness, the forced conversation that phone calls brought. Texting was easy – cowardly – but I hoped it would somehow make the reunion less difficult and uncomfortable.

I squeezed through the flowing, packed sidewalk, easily overlooking the shorter humans surrounding me. If everyone wasn't so absorbed in their own lives and problems, maybe people would've raised shocked brows at my towering six seven foot height. It made it a lot easier to manoeuvre a path through the crowd, being capable of seeing over everyone else's heads. I pinpointed the corner, and slipped through the bustling crowds to get there, where I relaxed slightly as my personal space became much less violated. Not many of those people's intents were going down back streets, where intimidating shadows loomed. Where I used to be, I thought, and grimaced at my own lack of control.

I needed to get past that, no matter how hard it seemed, I needed to move on. Not just for my own benefit – for everyone else as well. Rose, especially. She didn't deserve my baggage of self-pity and guilt-ridden depression. She deserved to be happy.

I wanted to hit myself as I slowed at the peak of an unsanitary alley. But it wasn't just any unsanitary alley – it was one in which I had drained an innocent human of blood. I remember that woman, she had been scampering home from her minimum wage diner job, rushing to get back to her young son, whose babysitter would earn an extra ten dollars if she wasn't quick. She was a brunette, with natural curves and beauty. She had looked like Rose – that's why I plucked her from the crowd. I felt bile rise in my throat at my own monstrous cruelty. She didn't deserve to die just because she looked like the love of my life.

My ears suddenly perked.

I could a booming callous voice hissing, and the familiar tone made my stomach coil sickly.

Strigoi.

My neck snapped around, and I squinted impatiently as my eyes adjusted to the darkness the alley was enveloped in. But I didn't spend much time studying the sight that my eyes eventually caught.

A petite girl, who appeared in her teens from what I had seen, was pinned in the corner of garbage disposal and the adjacent brick wall. The man who menacingly leaned over her frame didn't appear to be strongly muscled, but that didn't affect the fact that he was a Strigoi, who were awakened with unfaltering strength. I was a hard-trained dhampir Guardian, who lived to be strong to guard Moroi lives. That was why I had been so deadly and dangerous as a Strigoi.

With acute gracefulness that I had learnt beside my combat training and experience, I stalked down the thin alleyway, my fists clenching at the sight of a Strigoi attacking an innocent. Like I had done during my time as Strigoi, a voice sang in my head tauntingly.

"You let her go, you insolent swine!" The Strigoi thundered. I tensed my muscles and my roughly callous hand landed violently on the Strigoi's shoulder and I tore him from the defenceless girl before his clenched fist hit her.

"Get away from her," I roared viciously in my native Russian tongue and uptilted my knee to my chest, and hooked my forearm around his neck before slamming his nose into my knee. The snowflakes crisply fell onto my duster and sprinkled my shoulder-length chocolate brown hair, which was knotted in a ponytail at the nape of my neck, before the flakes melted.

I managed to stay emotionless as the undead man just chuckled, shrugging off the pain of my swift attack.

"You should be more observant, Guardian," the Strigoi chuckled again, his crimson red ringed pupils blazing with cruel humour.

Before I could analyse his words, a shuddering impact slammed into my lower back, and I stumbled in shock, before I swung around, thinly dodging a swinging fist.

It was the girl, the victim I had just rescued from the wrath of the Strigoi. She wasn't human, she was Strigoi. There was no mistaking the coldly cerise ringed eyes and the chalky pale complexion glowed frighteningly under the dim moonlight.

I didn't spare a second in swinging my own fist around and slamming it into her face without flinching. She wasn't an innocent girl to protect – she was the enemy. Either both of these Strigoi were human or Moroi, because their fighting abilities definitely weren't sharp enough to be a dhampir's, and their technique was non-existence. They just wanted to kill, and with their brute strength, fighting techniques didn't matter. But that wouldn't be the case during this fight. I knew I could easily take down these two Strigoi without a problem, but there was something holding me back, something I didn't have time to think about.

I had to kill them, they were a threat, and it wasn't a choice to let them go. I knew too much about what they would do if I let them go. I knew their ways – the way they lived and survived. I wouldn't allow it.

I ducked the right hook from the man, and jutted out my elbow while gracefully hooking out my leg and ripping the man off his planted feet with only a grunt escaping my lips. Without blinking, I faced the small girl and fisted the neckline of her shirt, before thrusting her into the stone-hard wall, the impact slamming against her head and making her slip down the wall while she recollected her wits. I spun around again and slammed the surface of my boot into his face as he tried to rise to his feet. He was slammed back down, and he roared threateningly and impatience pulsing around him like an elastic band waiting to snap.

I turned back to the girl, who had shook off her injury quicker than I had first guessed she would, and she was already lunging at me, clinging onto my front and sending me stepping back with ease, keeping my stance strong. Her haunting eyes pierced me fiercely, and her head flew towards mine, and slammed into my front lobe of my forehead. It throbs achingly, but I didn't falter, and I tore her from my body and threw her against the garbage disposal. She snarled sadistically, and she sprung towards me again. I knocked her to the side, stepping fluidly with the movement and making sure she slammed into the cracked concrete ground. She growled haughtily, and crouched lowly, watching me.

Suddenly her eyes flickered behind me, and I dared to glance over my shoulder expecting to see nothing but the male Strigoi ready to attempt to kill me. He wasn't thought, and my eyes travelled down the alley where I only saw the wisps of his russet hair disappear around the corner of the alley. I clenched my jaw and my eyes darted back to the Strigoi girl in front of me, who still held a fiery expression in place as she stared back at me, her red ringed pupils challenging me. She was a tiny girl, really, and against my better judgement, there was a pang in my heart as I realized she could be no older than sixteen. I'd never seen a Strigoi so young before, and I really hope it wasn't going to become a trend among the sick-minded undead. She had knotty curls down to her hips, but her mane wasn't brushed and grimy with oil. She hadn't showered for a few days.

Her eyes flickered for a fraction of a second, and then she leapt past me, her intentions to follow after the other Strigoi, no doubt. But I reached out, and caught her tiny waist in a blur, pinning her straining body in my arms.

"Let me go," she seethed, her eyes vehement and venom dripping off her words. Even with her Strigoi strength, she didn't have a hope getting away, and she had already realized that herself. After being restored to my dhampir state, I retained a fraction of my Strigoi strength, which made me very intimidating to the ranking Guardians. I wish I didn't have that abnormal strength, but in times like these, it was useful to have. It was much easier to fight and, in this case, restrain a Strigoi.

My own experiences entirely altered the way I would have normally reacted to this situation. I would've already staked her with the silver stake in my duster coat, and no matter her age, she would be dead and I would have left her body for the Alchemists to deal with. But I could hardly ignore the other options after being restored from my own Strigoi form.

My eyes were soft, despite my expression being hard and stoic. She was only sixteen, I told myself. This wasn't how her life should've gone at all. If she was a human, she could try and fit back into her old life – which I doubted after not being capable of it myself – or she could find a position among the Alchemists, even. If she were a Moroi, she could go back to her family, whom I knew would be balding with worry like any normal parents would. She could find normalcy again, she could be happy. No one deserved to live in the nightmare that was a Strigoi body, especially a young teenage girl.

She could be restored.

I barely hesitated before I adjusted her wrists behind her back and locked my own fingers around them, acting as firm as a shackle. I lowered my lips to her ears.

"If you follow my instructions, you won't get hurt." She stiffened, and hissed. "If you do attempt anything, I will kill you." The threat sounded full and bluntly honest, and the Strigoi girl in my arms tensed further. She definitely wasn't stupid, even if her attacking techniques had been very sloppy and useless, and she knew fully well what I was capable of doing. Killing her would be very simple, she knew, but what she didn't know was that I wouldn't be killing her even if she attempted to run. She was a Strigoi, and I wouldn't be surprised if she tried to escape. She rationally wasn't in control of herself, and once I got her back to Baia, to Oksana, hopefully she would be restored.

I held her securely, and pushed her in front of me down the alley. Just as I stepped out of the swallowing shadows that encased the alley, a familiar, slightly battered from age, car came rolling by hesitantly, and my heart plummeted with nerves.

It was my mama.

I realized how awkward our long-awaited reunion would be when I was prisoning a Strigoi in my arms. My stomach churned, and I prayed that I wouldn't frighten mama away.

My breath caught in my throat, as my mother's familiar frame pushed open the drivers' side door, and she clambered to her feet slowly, her back still facing me. My throat ached sorely with restriction, and at that moment, I wanted nothing more than to just burst into tears and let my mama hold me and rock me soothingly like she had so many years ago. I didn't want to hide my feelings, I wasn't here as a Guardian – I was here to see my family. But I was too stubborn for my own good, and I blinked away the stinging tears, and my stomach flopped as she turned around, squinting at me curiously.

"Dimka?" she softly called, and her feet slowly took her around the rear of the car, until she was in front of me. My lower lip trembled and my expression slackened from its stoic mask, my eyes softening.

"Mama," I breathed. The chocolate brown locks I had inherited were framing her bronzed face. Glistening with wet tears, her brown eyes looked at me with overwhelming emotions. She trembled as she stepped towards me, and reached up, touching my face and tracing my sharp features. I looked down at her, my nostrils flaring as I fought away the tears that sprung in my eyes. Her fingertips ran along my cheekbones, before she rested her palms above my jaw. I could feel her hands shaking against my skin, and I reached up and swallowed her cupping hand with my own, and inhaled deeply, closing my eyes.

"Dimka, my baby," she whispered thickly in Russian, "I've missed you so much." She wrapped her arms around my torso, and I heard her inhale deeply as her face buried in my duster.

"I missed you too, Mama. I'm sorry for everything." My eyes glowed as I gazed at her, trying to show her how much I hated what I'd done to her. I'd put her and the rest of my family through hell, and she didn't deserve a moment of it. We always had a special bond, and I was one hundred per cent a mama's boy, being her only son.

"Dimka," she shakily hesitated, "why are you holding a Strigoi?" I sucked in a breath between my teeth, opening my mouth eventually while mama peered up at me with caution.

"Mama, I didn't know what else to do," I confessed truthfully, "she can be restored, like I was. She's young, mama." Mama examined my face, which I struggled to compose and keep stoic. No matter how much I would like to break down and just cry and have my mama tell me everything was alright, my own mind wouldn't allow it. I was the man of the family, I was supposed to be the strong one. I held the same position in my family as I did in the Guardian ranks. I had to be emotionless and strong. It's how I'd grown up. I didn't think it was going to change after so many years.

Mama parted her lips, like she was about to protest, but then she thought better of it, and nodded with her lips pressed together tightly. "If you're sure, Dimka," she softly replied. I nodded gratefully and tightened my slightly slackened grip on the Strigoi's wrists. She hissed venomously, and mama took a sharp intake of breath as she backed. "Where are we putting her?"

I took a moment to think through my options, before deciding placing her in the trunk of the car might be best. She would probably start hitting and trying to damage the trunk, but it would be safer than the backseat. I didn't want mama in any danger. I wasn't entirely sure she would feel comfortable with a Strigoi sitting behind her either.

Mama popped the trunk and I craned my neck down, so my lips were threateningly close to her face. "Do not try anything – you're aware of what I'm capable of doing to you if you attempt to escape."

I considered myself quite lucky that this young Strigoi was very intellectual and logical. If she hadn't been, she would be acting very brash and would have already made an effort to escape. But I think she realized it would be better to plan a proper escape plan one we arrived to our destination, or even plan whilst she was in the trunk of the car. Either one suited me perfectly, because she wouldn't be escaping one we arrived in Baia, I was confident.

Mama lingered by my side as I slid the Strigoi girl in the trunk, and I could sense she felt obligated to help in some way. I glanced at her and offered a taut smile, leaning over and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"It's okay, Mama, just get in the car."

Her warm brown eyes flickered from the Strigoi then to my face. She nodded silently, and complied.

I blew out an uneven breath once she had shut the car door, and spared the Strigoi one last fleeting look before I slammed the trunk shut, and stilled for several moments, my fingers gripping the smooth paintjob.

It was going to be fine, I chastised myself, brushing away my worries about the upcoming reunion with the rest of my family. It was going to be great, even. Why wasn't I more enthusiastic about reconciling with my sisters? Why couldn't I just simply be grateful that I even had this opportunity? If it wasn't for Rose, and Vasilisa, I would still be burdened as a Strigoi, feeding off innocent lives. But I was here, I was dhampir again and I was seeing my family after such a long period.

I shook my head, hoping to discourage my thoughts, and I swept over to the alleyway, where I had previously dropped my ragged duffle bag before charging towards the two Strigoi that were violently arguing in the alley. I opened the passenger door and slid in, shoving the bag at my feet and closing the door.

"How-how is everyone?" I hesitantly asked, peering at my mother who tightened her fingers around the steering wheel as she blinked away hot tears. She sent me a small smile, one which was unconvincing.

"Good. Karolina and Sonya went to pick up Viktoria from school so she could see you." She glanced at me, and examined me with her soft, motherly eyes. "They're very excited to see you again, Dimka. Sonya had her baby last month – Valeriya, she called her. It's definitely quite loud at the moment," mama chuckled fondly.

I smiled. I bet it was hectic in the cosy Belikov home. Three children and five women under the same roof.

"What else has happened while I was, uh, gone?" I grimaced at accidently bringing it up and mama flinched, the reaction barely noticeable. Though with my acute senses, I picked it up.

Mama launched into the tales of the Belikov family, as well as the happenings of townsfolk. Viktoria had started dating her close friend, Nikolai, and they were happily spending every moment together, from what Viktoria had said from school during a phone call. Karolina had also met a Moroi man, Andrick, and the two had been steadily dating for several months. Karolina had mentioned that if they were still together in a few months, they were possibly going to purchase a home together so they could have their own space with Paul and Zoya. Sonya had her hands full with Valeriya, as well as her job at the pharmacy, and she hadn't met a man who caught her attention. Nanna Yeva was still kicking around with her crazy muttering, but it had gotten worse since I had last been in her company, mama informed me sadly, and she was slowly becoming more unaware of reality.

The townsfolk, mama said, had been very celebratory once they heard about my restoration, and threw a party in my honour, which was flattering. Apparently, not only my family were eager to see me, but the rest of the town was as well. Many people had been approaching mama and asking curious questions about me, but it gradually died down.

"What about Oksana and Mark?" I asked interestedly. I was on good terms with the couple, but since becoming aware of their bond and Oksana being a spirit user, I was curious to know how the couple were going. They'd also become good friends with Rose while she visited Baia during her hunt for me whilst I was Strigoi.

Mama smiled happily as she thought of the couple, "they're great. They've been trying for a baby recently, Oksana told me, so they're very excited to finally start their own family." I smiled and made a mental note of it – Rose would be ecstatic with the news, after growing attached to the couple.

"Dimka," mama chewed her curling lips, as her eyes sparkled, "how's Rose?"

I blinked. The question surprised me; even though I was aware she had grown quite fond of Rose, and already thought of her as a forth daughter. It was strange that my family already knew and loved Rose, even though I never had the chance to properly introduce them to each other. It was something I would always feel guilty about, I suppose. I wish I was there to watch my family fall in love with Rose as I knew they would've.

"She's good." Despite myself, an affectionate grin grew on my lips as I thought of Rose, and how incredibly great everything had been going between us. Even after I nearly killed her as a Strigoi, and tore her heart up, she still managed to love me – something that I would forever be in awe of and appreciative for. I didn't deserve her, not in a million years.

Mama chuckled. "Oh, Dimka, you two are so perfect for each other. I wish she could've come with you – everyone misses her."

I chuckled, smiling lovingly.

"I'm sure they do."

There was a pregnant pause, and I could tell something was itching at mama, something that she wanted to say, but the air around her was thick with hesitancy.

"What is it, mama?"

She gazed at me guilty, flickering her blinkers and turning the corner as the city began calming and becoming deserted land. "How…" she took a deep breath, grimacing before pushing on, "How do you restore a Strigoi?" her voice was warm and soft, like it had always been, but the question made me cringe, nevertheless.

"You have to be stabbed with a charmed stake by a spirit user," I explained, my voice automatically slipping back into its stoic state. I shook it off, scolding myself. This was my mama – I didn't have to hide from her.

I watched my mama as she absorbed the information, and her eyes flickered with a bout of sickened emotions, before her brows creased together.

"A spirit user?" she repeated questioningly. "Dimka, why are you bringing this Strigoi girl to Baia – there isn't a spirit user that I'm aware of." I was marginally surprised by her words. I'd assumed her and Oksana were reasonably good friends, so I assumed Oksana had told mama she was a spirit user, and she was bonded with her husband, Mark. Rose had mentioned to me that Oksana had been very shocked when Rose questioned her on being a spirit user, so it was entirely possible that Oksana had kept her elemental magic private. It still wasn't a completely acceptable element in the vampiric world, and many people didn't understand it very well at all, so Oksana had probably gotten used to withholding that information.

"Mama, Oksana is a spirit user," I gently responded. I hoped Oksana wouldn't be bothered by my telling mama about her.

Mama blanched in shock, and her mouth fell open. "Oksana?" She questioned. "Really? She never said anything…" She trailed off, hurt by the fact Oksana didn't tell her something like that.

I touched her upper arm reassuringly. "She'd kept it a secret since she realized – from everyone."

As we drove closer and closer to the location of Baia, I noticed that the young Strigoi had barely made a noise in the trunk, and I hadn't heard any vicious banging to escape. It made me curious as to what was going on in her mind. It wasn't often that Strigoi stayed still for very long, so she was probably going to be very restless and… hungry by the time we arrived in Baia.

There wasn't one awkward moment that slipped in during the drive, and it was very relieving and comforting. Even throughout the stretched out silent moments during the ride, it was comfortable and content. I was simply basking in the warm security of my mama. I'd gone too long without this – and I was determined not to allow so much time pass until I visited my family again. I would somehow make it work. I needed my family; I needed the warmth they brought me. I loved Rose, very much, but having my family and my childhood with me was a feeling that I glorified. I had only see my mama, not even the rest of my family, but just sitting in a car with her resurfaced fond memories of my past, and it made me realize just how much I missed being back in Russia – although, my last visit to my native country had been while I was Strigoi. When I was with rose, I could just relax and be myself, and not hide who I was. But being back in Russia, it was very similar, but still different from when I was with Rose.

I hoped the rest of my family accepted me and my past as incredibly as my mama had, even if I knew I didn't really deserve it. I had killed many people, and it didn't leave very much to the imagination. I wondered if they could even be in the same room with me without thinking of me killing people, of killing them.

Maybe that's what I was truly afraid of – my own sisters being petrified that I would hurt them. I don't think I could live with that at all, and it made me send a fleeting prayer to God, hoping he would take pity on my situation. I didn't want my own family to be scared of me.

Passing by the first cluster of houses of Baia made my heart skip a nervous beat. My mind raced wildly while I thought of all the circumstances that I could find myself in. Terrified townsfolk running from me, screaming. Childhood friends no longer able to look me in the eye. People discreetly following me, hoping to catch me falter and make a mistake. I found myself actually frightening my own mind with all these bombarding ideas.

"Home sweet home," mama softly announced, and peeked at me tactfully. "Don't be nervous, Dimka. Everything will be fine."

I only nodded, and busied myself with studying every house and structure we passed by. I named the residents of each home, recognized the people on the streets, and drank in every detail of my home town. Restoring to being dhampir had given me an appreciative view on the world, on every detail. I saw everything from a new perspective after being Strigoi, everything was different. I gazed at corner street signs and noticed that we were nearing my childhood house. I opened my mouth.

"Mama, can we please go to Mark and Oksana's first? I need to…" I trailed off, gesturing to the back of the car, where the Strigoi girl had yet to make a sound. What if she'd already escaped long ago somehow?

"Of course," she smiled, and then hesitated unsurely. "Are you sure Oksana will be capable of doing what you're asking of her?" I hoped so, I thought to myself.

"Hopefully," I spoke my thoughts.

Mama turned down another road, and began driving away from the route to home, and towards Oksana and Mark's house. I swallowed and curled my fist closed in anxiety.

I wasn't only allowing old memories to painfully arise by restoring this young Strigoi, but I was allowing my mama, Oksana and Mark to see what I'd gone through, and how much being a Strigoi really affected me. They would see my most vulnerable side, and I was nervous for their reactions.

I was automatically taking responsibility and care of this unknown Strigoi girl, promising to myself, and mentally to her, that I would guide her through the excruciating experience of being restored to the living, where everything she'd done as a Strigoi would crash down on her. I didn't know if I was ready to face that confrontation again, and bring back those stale memories. I shook away from turmoiling thoughts – my own personal issues didn't matter right now, I needed to help this young girl.

We pulled up in the short driveway of Mark and Oksana's home, and it the sun had begun rising, which was a very good thing. With the daylight, the Strigoi wouldn't be capable of escaping once she was safely inside the house. And by the time it was nightfall, she would hopefully be back in her original state, whether it was Moroi or human.

I took a deep breath and climbed out the car, pleasurably stretching out and cracking stiff bones while I carried myself around to the rear of the car, and popped the trunk. The young Strigoi was curled up in the dark abyss of the trunk, and as soon as the sunlight hit her, she hissed viciously and scooted into the shadow of the trunk. I glanced at mama, who was lingering next to the drivers' side, watching me intently.

"Can you please go in and get a blanket, mama?"

She jerked her head in a nod and hurried inside the house, disappearing from my vision. I lowered the lid of the trunk, and cut off the light that had pooled inside. I took a deep inhale, breathing in the scented air of Baia. It definitely was nice to be back home. I smiled softly to myself, just as mama reached the car again, a thick woollen blanket in her grasp, and also a curious man in her wake. I looked at Mark and smiled, nodding in greeting.

"It's nice to see you again, Mark," I politely said, masking the nervousness that crept up on me. It was definitely not only strange for me, but for everyone else, when I saw them after being restored. It was something everyone had to get used to, not just me.

Mark smiled kindly, "of course, Dimitri. It's a pleasure to see you again." He opened his mouth as his brows creased together warily. "Now what is this issue Olena told me of?"

I took a deep breath, and clenched my jaw tightly as I reopened the trunk, and revealed the restless Strigoi to Mark.

"I need Oksana to restore her," I simply said.

First chapter! :D How did you like it? Is there anything specific I need to improve on, anything I'm lacking in my writing? Any sort of feedback would be fantastic; I would love to see if you like it! The next chapter won't be far off, I hope. Thanks for reading, guys! :D