Hello readers. This is my first FanFiction, so please bear with me, and reviews would be very helpful. This story will be mostly in Dimitri's perspective, just so you know. Also, most of the shadow kissed side effects and rituals and such are coming straight out of my own mind, not what was established in the books. It's not too outrageous, but I thought I'd just let you know from the start. I will try to update at least once a week, maybe more maybe less. Please don't hate me if I am unable to update!

Disclaimer: Everything Vampire Academy does not belong to me, it belongs to Richelle Mead. I am just a fan.

Rose POV

My heart thudded in my chest as we raced for the exit. It was so close, but not close enough. I could feel the Strigoi gaining on us as little by little my nausea increased. If we could just push a little harder, just keep ahead for a little longer.

Suddenly, the nausea in the pit of my stomach doubled, and I turned to see a Strigoi leap out of an intersecting passage at the nearest Guardian: Dimitri. Time slowed to a crawl as an extra surge of adrenaline took over my body and mind. I will not lose Dimitri, not now that we have finally managed to make things work. I will not let anything happen to him. So I took the only option available to me- I drew my stake and jumped at the Strigoi.

He was not expecting that- he was much too fast for anyone to have seen it coming; that is, anyone who didn't have super Strigoi sensing powers (like me). We crashed in midair with my stake poised to kill. But he was fast- he twisted his body just enough that instead of plunging straight into his heart, my stake buried itself in his left shoulder.

He hissed in fury and pain, red ringed eyes boring into mine with an intensity that could have carved a hole through the walls of the cave. Eyes that flipped wide with recognition only an instant before mine did. It was the blonde Strigoi from the elementary campus. A malicious smile touched his face.

"So we meet again. This time, I shall enjoy bleeding every single drop of blood from your body. Perhaps I will give you some back in return. With all of your skill, it would be a shame not to awaken you." I didn't grace that disgusting suggestion with a response, instead concentrating on finding an opening that would allow me to stake him. What I hadn't counted on was back-up on his end.

A Strigoi grabbed me around my waist from behind, but I easily slid out of its grasp and staked it. My heart lurched when I saw her face and realized it was one of the missing Moroi- I hadn't known her name. Another one took her place, and while I grappled with it the blonde Strigoi jumped at me, pinned me down against the cool stone floor, and bit my neck. As soon as the endorphins kicked in, I stopped struggling. I had the briefest sensation of being picked up and carried away somewhere, then everything went black.

Dimitri POV

All I could think was not Roza, not my Roza. While we were swarmed by a group of Strigoi attacking from the intersecting tunnel, Roza and the Strigoi she was facing were swept to the back, back towards the depths of the cave. Why would she do that, why would she jump in front of me? If she didn't come back, it would be entirely my fault, and that was something I couldn't deal with. No, don't think like that, she will make it. She has to. I pushed my way free of the mass of fighting bodies, and what I saw nearly made my heart stop. It was my nightmares come to life. My beautiful Roza was pinned to the ground with a Strigoi drinking from her neck. I didn't think, I just charged.

His eyes flicked up to mine, and I could see twisted pleasure in them, pleasure at slowly draining the life from another and claiming it for his own. But before I could plunge my stake into his chest, ridding the world of this disgusting parasite, he pulled my Roza into his arms and fled with her, never breaking the link between his mouth and her neck.

He was a Strigoi, so he was faster than me, but I didn't give up. When I reached him, he was kneeling over Roza, his back to me. He was so intent on his task that he didn't even turn around as I thrust my stake through his back, into his heart. As I pushed his carcass to the side without a second glance, my breath caught in my throat.

Roza was lying on her back, with her eyes closed. Her skin, usually sporting a beautiful tan was pale as a sheet, and stone cold. But that was not the worst of it. Her beautiful, full lips- the same lips that twitch into a smile when I say something that amuses her, that press against mine with such passion that I think I might explode, that whispered my name that fateful time in the cabin- were smeared with blood. The blood of the Strigoi that now lays dead on the ground.

Please don't get mad at me, I promise Rose is not dead or Strigoi! I would never do that, I'm not that mean. Review!