Chapter one

There was little more Thomas and I could do so I said my goodbyes, Lissa was still at the party of the damned and sleep did not feel as though it would come easily, so I walked through the court and down the drive to the entrance gate where taking a position on a rock I watched the limited follow of traffic enter the gate, the guardians searching each car as it passed through the imposing iron. My thoughts drifted back to the conversation that I had just had with Dimitri, love fades, mine has. I almost believed that he meant it, almost had me convinced through his despair. But not quite, a movement caught my eye, just outside of the gate, something within the trees and as dawn was creeping in the sun was not yet out, still time for the Stirgoi to be out. None of the other guardians had seen the movement and that is all it took for three of the undead to surprise attack. I was outside of the gate within a flash, the first guardian had already dropped to the floor dead, neck snapped and the other was caught off guard teeth at its throat and blood everywhere. I didn't think taking the stake out of my holder I surprised the first Stirgoi and staked it through the heart behind me I could here an alarm blaring the guardians at the gate had sounded the alarm and back up would arrive any second, the second Stirgoi was prepared for me as I launched myself at it, throwing myself to the ground as i passed underneath it catching it off guard tripping its legs over and rolling on top of it, pushed the stake through its heart. I stood over the body and watched as the other Stirgoi was taken down by one of the other guardians that had moved to help, five bodies lay on the ground. A audience had formed at the gate Moroi and Dhampir both watching the event unfold. I took one step back towards the gate when another movement caught my eye, twenty meters from the gate and thirty from the nearest guardian I was by myself when four more Stirgoi came from the bushes, I flung around to face them as the first was on top of me, i dodged it and the next but the third caught my arm and pulled me off balance, with their lightning speed the others were grabbing my limbs, a hand around my waist and my neck. I looked up, this was the end, taken down by four Stirgoi, at least I was ended in battle, I glanced at the crowed, I could feel the horror coming through the bond from Lissa, she was somewhere in the crowed watching. but I only had eyes for one, the one that had recently told me he no longer loved me that all feelings for me had faded, and in the second that I looked at him I knew he had lied and convinced himself and me otherwise. I felt a piercing at the base of my neck followed by bliss I had missed the addictiveness of the bite as i felt the endorphins shock my blood, I had missed the feeling of flying high but the feeling didn't stop and blackness followed.

I woke up, I was alive, I was free.

the world had changed, the bond tying my to the last Dragomir was gone, a thirst had replaced it, a thirst for life. I opened my eyes and the world was bright, no windows in the room and no light but it was not needed, my eyes were perfect and bright. I stood up, and looked down, my hands paler than i remembered but that did not bother me, a sharp prick as i ran my tongue through my mouth told me that i had fangs but again that didn't bother me, all i wanted was to quench the thirst that had been continuously rising within me. I glided to the door more gracefully than I had ever done in my life and opened it to a world of amazement, Dimitri was right, this state of life was perfection, the smells of everything hit me at once and i could smell the flowers in a garden down the road, i could hear the patter of mice feet in the house next door but what truly attacked my senses was the pounding of the beating heart in the human that was sitting in the chair in front of me, there were three other Stirgoi in the room but that did not matter to me at the moment, it was just me and my dry mouth that needed blood. I was on the human in a second and my fangs in the neck in less, ii drained the beast in a moment and felt the world fall at my feet, I was invincible, I was alive.

the body feel at my feet and i stood up, finally looking at the others in the room. three male Stirgoi and one other female.

"Welcome Rose," said the first male, tall blonde hair with bright eyes. "Welcome to life, Welcome to living."

"The name in Roza, not Rose she was weak and a fool." I replied the name feeling right as I said it, like it fitted me from birth. the others just smiled.

"My name is John, I was the one who awakened you," said the first Stirgoi again,

"Then I owe you my gratitude John," I replied. glancing at the others in the room.

"these are my friends," John said and I looked at them again, something was different about them, the answer came almost at once, they may have been Stirgoi now but they were human before hand, not Dhampir and not Moroi. where as Johns tall, thin build with high check bones gave away the fact that he had been Moroi previously.

I watched the faces of the others and a small smile curled at my lips.

"friends really, more like lucky slaves," I said to John and he laughed,

"Yes, but i needed the extra weight to help get my true prize" he replied

"Yes i guess you did" instantly knowing that the prize was me.

"Are you ready to begin, Roza, are you ready to start?" asked John as he glided towards me.

"Start what?" I asked staying perfectly still the smell of blood still filling my nose nicely.

"Start what you were awakened for, start destroying the Moroi Court once and for all."

asked John in a quiet whisper that was a shout on my sensitive ears.

I looked into his eyes and I knew the answer.

"Yes"