"Meow" I smiled at my kitten as she struggled to jump on the bed. I bent down and picked her up. She scurried to my laptop and laid down on the keyboard "Silly little girl" I teased her. I had just got her from the new pet shop at Court. They had found a way to breed animals so they were friendly toward dhampirs. I picked her up and kissed her head, "I gotta get ready for work Crystal." I quickly got changed in a crop top and leather pants. "I'll be back soon sweetie" I rubbed her head and started walking toward the bar at Court, where I spent my nights as a barmaid. When I arrived I hopped across the bar and started pouring drinks. A familiar face leaned over the bar toward me "Can I get a kiss Rinaldi?" He asked. I glared at him. "In your dreams Ivashkov." Adrian had been a long time paying customer since I started bar tending, I hated to pull a Hathaway on him but I wasn't interested. I served the last drink around 5 a.m., and headed home...tomorrow was a big day.
I woke drenched in sweat and breathing heavy. I looked over at the clock which read 11:30 am, which means it was the middle of the night for Court. I had been having my dream again. It had started out the normal way, I was on the beach with a guy laying on a blanket under the moon, then out of a no where a strigoi emerged and attacked us I would try to fight back but I couldn't touch him, I would try to use magic but the waves wouldn't budge. He would start to feed on the guy then he would toss him aside and come toward me, I would wake up as soon as his fangs touched my neck.
I went down to the kitchen and fixed some coffee. Crystal meowed at my feet, I hadn't even noticed she had followed me down. I picked her up and loved on her affectionately then set her down and put some food in her bowl. I wandered into my living room and flipped on the TV. I awoke a few hours later, not even realizing I had fell asleep. I glanced at the time on my phone, 7:45 pm "Oh crap, I'm going to be late!" I exclaimed as I raced upstairs and changed into a pink dress and heels, I quickly brushed my curls and ran out the door. I was lucky that Lissa had gotten me a house so close to the Palace I ran toward the palace and burst in the doors, I kept running and as I rounded the corned I ran into someone who was also running, I fell to the ground, where as the other person stumbled. A strong muscular hand reached for me I pulled myself up and smoothed my dress out I looked up at who I had ran into "Eddie?" He was dressed in guardian attire, he looked at me and smiled "Hey Rinaldi, you know you really shouldn't run in heels, you could get hurt" I laughed "Please I'm a professional" I glanced at my phone 8:00 "Shit! I'm late, it was nice to see you Eddie but I have to go!"
I resumed running and arrived at the meeting room door. I knocked and I heard a voice, presumably Lissa's, say "Enter". I smoothed down my curls and walked in. The Moroi Council, consisting of all of the heads of the royal families, and Lissa were seated at a long table. Rose and Dimitri, along with other guardians, we against the wall in full guardian mode. "Your late." remarked Lord Ivashkov, "Quiet Nathan" commanded Lissa I bowed "Queen Dragomir" she nodded, she was all business "Miss Rinaldi, please have a seat" I sat at the end of the table opposite her. She banged her gavel on the table "The Council will now come to order on this day, December fifteenth…" she rambled on while I thought about how many Christmas presents I still needed to buy, she then addressed me "Please state your full name". I cleared my throat "Mia Joann Rinaldi" She resumed speaking "Due to Miss Rinaldi's close friendship with myself it has been brought to the Council's attention that she be appointed a guardian." she paused "Miss Rinaldi, the Council has approved your request for a guardian" I smiled "Thank You, Your Highness" She smiled back "Edison Castile please come forward. I turned to see Eddie stepped out from the wall of guardians and wondered how he got here before me. His eyes were locked on Lissa but scanning from time to time and he was as stiff as a statue, full guardian mode. "Edison Castile do you accept the responsibility and consequences of protecting a charge?" He answer "I do, your highness" She nodded "Very well then, Mr. Castile I now turn the protection of Miss Rinaldi over to you. This meeting is adjourned"