DISCLAIMER(for all chapters)

I have never been to Finland, nor to anywhere else that this fanfic may contain. I am only using the knowledge of that I have attain both before and during the time this is being written in. Plus with some of my own knowledge of my heritage as well. I do not own anything (stores, places, countries, or characters) that are not of my own creation.

On with the story...

(Ivan's prev)

It's the middle of the night right now (monday morning, 2am) as I'm in a meeting with some of my comrades and my little sister. We're discussing some of the usually plans, developments, and some other stuff that had happen since our last meeting a couple of weeks ago. Yet I'm not really focused on that right now.

Normally I wouldn't let my mind stray from the topic at hand, but today was different. Not to mention that I don't really mind where my mind have been wondering off to. Or, that light feeling that I keep getting as well with it.

A faint smile came to my lips as I remembered that person I met earlier today. That one person I never knew could exist in this world we live in. What happened today just kept repeating itself again and again in my mind as I continued to think about it...

(around noon earlier that morning)

I slipped away from the others back at my home for a few hours. I know that they won't follow me, mainly because they know that I can handle myself without them. Though do I wish that I could come to the towns more often. But of course my 'friends/body guards/co-workers' would have a panic attack if that happened. If it weren't for the fact that I'm their king, I would've gone to other parts of the world and travel freely.

Well, at least I have gotten a head start so that I had gone about an extra 300 miles away from that hidden castle. So right now I have around some hundred miles between us. Which, in my opinion, is good enough for me. Even if I did crossed the boarder from Russia to Finland, it's still good.

As I walk through the town, I couldn't help to feel some stares on me. Over the number of years that I have been alive for, I have gotten used to it rather well. Besides, I mainly think its either my hight, my violet eyes, or my pale-flawless skin. But I know one thing that their not staring at me for.

That they don't know what or who I am.

One of the perks to being the king of vampires that I'm thankful for, is I can change my presences and hide what makes me a vampire. Rather it's my aura or my scent, nobody can tell. Not even the most skilled of our enemies can sense me.

Well, not unless that I want them to.

I stop for a brief moment and took my phone out of my coat pocket. I checked to see if anyone left any messages and to see how much time that I have left before they start to send out the search party for nothing. Again.

As I turn the screen on, I wasn't surprised to see a text from Toris asking where I am. Since I have only a been here for a half-hour, I just texted back saying that I was in a town, not saying 'in Finland' on propose. It didn't take long for him to respond back, asking for me to come back quickly. I then ask him if something really important was needed of me and he said, 'no'. Once I saw that, I just told him that that was his answer. Before I turn my phone off I took one last glance at the time, still seeing that I have about two and a half hours left.

After I put my phone away, I went over to the bookstore in this town. I have already read the books at home enough times to get some new ones. Plus the bookstore here is really nice and quaint, a welcome change from how I live at home. As I entered the store, I stopped and thought quietly to myself, "What books should I get this time?"

I looked over the 6 rows of books that I can see from when I stand. I wasn't sure which row I should take, so I just went down the second one to the right and started walking as I looked over the shelves of history books. While I walk down the aisle of books, I hadn't realized that I wasn't looking where I was going until I walked into something.

"Huh?" "Ah!"

THUMP

I looked down to the person that I knock down, only to see a girl with long creamy blond hair wearing a dark green sweater that was open around the shoulders (it also reveals thick black bra straps), blue jeans, and knee-high brown boots. She was sitting on the floor rubbing her lower back with her eyes shut, as well as a small pain expression on her face.

I heard her mumble under her breath for a little bit as I spoke to her while my Russian accent showed itself, "I am sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." I then held my hand out to her as the girl's eyes open up, "Here, let me help you."

She took my hand before I helped her back to her feet. I had even caught a small whiff of the girl's scent as I helped her up. She smelled like something sweet mixed with the scent of woods near to the mountains, with something else. Something that I just can't seem to place right now, yet not really caring at the same time.

Once she got back up to her feet, she said nicely, "Thank you. And it's all right, I was doing the same there." I couldn't help but notice the part of her Finnish accent in her voice as she spoke. Which, for some really odd reason, made her seem kind of cute a little bit while she spoke.

She looked down to pick something up from the floor on my left. Seeing that it was a book, she held it up next to her face as she smiled at me, "I couldn't seem to keep my head out of a book long enough to see what's in front of me."

I gave her a smile as I took another look at her face. She has a more blueish version of my own eyes as a pair of silvery metal frameless glasses rests on her nose. She has most of her hair in a loose braid with a green ribbon weaved in it, leaving two long locks framing the sides of her face. Which seemed to add to the cuteness that I notice a couple of seconds ago.

Though I did take a split-second glance at her neck to see a pendant-like thing at the base of her neck. It was on a silver chain with a small stainless-steel cross. There were also smaller red-pink rose blossoms on either side of the cross with black beads that are being used to space them apart. I couldn't help but noted how beautiful it looked on her.

The girl in front of me lowered the book she was holding as she tilted her head to the side, giving me a sideways smirk while asking, "So, I take it you're not from around here, huh?"

A corner of my lips came a bit higher while I fringe confusion as I spoke my reply, "Really? I wonder what gave me away?"

She seemed to find my response funny as she chuckled a little bit, "Really? Were you trying to hide it?" The smaller blonde seemed to only hold it in for only a second before going back to her soft laughter. Though I don't mind it, because it made me think of small bells as I hear her make that sound.

It was such a sweet sound that my own laughter came up as I said, "Nyet, I was just humoring you for fun." Once the both of us calmed down a bit, I held out my hand to her with a smile, "My name is Ivan."

She took my hand with a smile and gave it a firm shake, "It's nice to meet you, Ivan. I'm Susanna, but you can just call me Anna if you like."

After that, I had spent the rest of the time I had left with her before I had to head back home. Plus it seemed that we had a lot of fun together after we left the book shop and went to a cafe to talk with one another. I had even asked if it was okay if I called her Anya, which she was fine with. We both even shared jokes and what kind of books we liked. We even talked about several other things to as well. All of which, seemed to be small stuff that still gave me a bright smile on my face as we went on.

It made me a bit sad that I had to leave her so soon. But then again, I don't want her to get caught being with me if Toris and the others find me here with her. Who knows what will happen if that occurs. Well, besides the constant teasing from Demitri that is.

Then Anya asked if we can do this again this coming Friday at an earlier time. I said yes and I'm now hoping that Friday would come around sooner.

"Ivan, are you even listening?!"

I was so lost in thought that when I heard my little sister shouted at me, I practically jumped out of my skin as my face darted to Natalya with wide eyes. As I looked at her, I notice that everyone was looking at me with concern in a weird way. A questioning concern with raised eyebrows, silently asking me to answer them.

I quickly try to cover my started panic as I responded as confidently as possible, "Da, I was, little sister."

Her dark blue orbs narrowed at me with some annoyance as she spoke, "You're lying, big brother."

I shift my eyes a little bit so I won't be looking directly straight at her as I said firmly, "Nyet, I was listening. You just caught me off guard as I was thinking of the topic more deeply in thought. That is all."

The platinum blonde crossed her arms as Toris, Raivis, Eduard, and Demetri gave suspicious looks at me. After a moment of silence, Natalya asks accusingly, "Then please tell us what you were just thinking about, big brother."

I took a small gulp as what I was thinking of came back to mind. Sadly, I could feel my face betray me a tiny bit with a very light dusting of pink as I turn to look away, "It is not that important to be mentioned."

I wasn't fully sure if I heard a surprise gasp after I said that. Then out of nowhere, the sudden sound of Demetri laughing his head off came into the room. I gave a cold side glare at him as the Romanian continues laughing. Though two things ended up happening.

1. His laughter caused the blush on my cheeks to become a hint more noticeable.

2. After that happened he shouted in his laughter, "He was thinking of a girl that he likes! That's just too cute!"

I emidatly snapped at him while the blush grew another hint bolder, "I am not! Take your mind out of the gutter for more than a week, it will do you some good!"

It seemed to barely phase him at all, though my reaction did caught the attentions of the others. These people have known me for a very long time. So they would know if something was up.

Toris looks over to me quizitivly, speaking just loud enough to be heard over the laughter, "Ivan, is what he said true? Did you really meet a girl that you like?"

I wasn't sure what to say to them. Telling them about Susanna after I just met her not that long ago. Not to mention that even before I became king, they have been trying to find someone for me. So for me telling them about a girl, they might start going to conclusions about it and do something like dragging her here to be my future wife or something.

I was just about to deny what was said again when Demetri cut in to say, "Maybe he met a girl at a club? You know, one of those girls that wears a skippy dresses or something."

The strawberry blonde continued to laugh as something in me just snaps at the comments he made. I snarled, baring fangs a bit in the process, as I banged my fist on to the table before shooting another (much harsher) glare his way, while I hissed at him, "I do not like the way you're thinking right now, Demetri. So do me a favor and stop it. Now."

Everyone went still, leaving the room quiet. Even the sound of the Romanian's booming laughter seasted once I spoke in cold fiery. I rarely ever did that to anyone.

The realization of what I just said hits me faster than a bullet. I'm sure that even a sliver of it was shown on my face as it dawns on me.

I quickly took a deep breath to calm myself before I got up and left the room while I say, "Meeting adjourn."

Before anyone had a chance to speak I had already left the room to go to my own. Hoping not to let anything else slip about Susanna before it's too late.

Notes

- 'Anya' is another way to say 'Anna'