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To all of you who are reading this I hope you like it! It is hard to follow at some times so please feel free to ask questions or PM me.
I hope you like it I have spent a lot of time working on this story.
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That sharp pain hit me again.
"Rose?"
Not answering, I brought my hand up before my eyes. It was covered in a dark, wet, red substance. The name came to the forefront of my mind, Blood.
Everything that happened afterwards was hazy, I felt myself being carried, stripped of my clothes. I heard running water, and felt myself being lowered into a bathtub. People yelled all around us. A soft hand wiped away the blood with a washcloth.
And me, I kept crying, I tried to make words, but they refused to come out for any sense. I sobbed, this wasn't supposed to happen.
I sat straight up in bed, strands of long dark hair sticking to my forehead. The memory was disturbingly familiar, that horrible night had occurred two years before. I rose from the bed, and walked over to the adjoining bathroom; I flipped on the light, and looked at my reflection.
My skin was coated in sweat, and several strands of hair still stuck to my face and neck. Lines circled my bloodshot eyes. On first glance, you would know I was tired. Nightmares of that evening had not yet ceased to haunt me.
I took a few deep breaths, and ran my hand through my hair a couple of times. I grabbed a paper cup, and filled it with water.
"Rose?"
I looked up, my best friend; Lissa was standing in the doorway.
"Did I wake you up?"
She shook her head. "No, I couldn't sleep, I heard you get up. Are you okay?"
I gulped down the water. "Mmm, I'm alright, just a bad dream."
She nodded, not fully believing my words. I didn't believe them either. I took a last gulp, and crumpled up the cup, and threw it away.
"When was the last time you fed?" I asked, abruptly changing the subject.
She shrugs. "Three days?"
"Come on, then." I started to head back towards the bedroom.
Lissa shook her head. "I can go another day."
"Sure?" I asked her.
"Yeah," She paused, eying my skinny frame. "You should eat something."
"I guess."
"I'll go find something,"
"Thanks,"
Lissa walked out of the room; I watched her, my stomach already feeling nauseous. Her obvious concern was touching, regardless.
Oscar, our housemate's cat walked into the bedroom with his usual dignified strut. He stopped for a moment, and regarded me suspiciously for a moment, before a noise outside caught his eye. Oscar tensed, and leapt up on the windowsill. I was about to follow him, when my phone rang. Glancing at the clock, I assessed that it was nearly three in the morning, who would be calling this late? I crossed the room, and picked it up, looking at the caller ID, my heart fluttered as I read the name that flashed across the screen.
"Dimitri?"
"Remember: I will always love you. I'm sorry."
"Wha—"
"Look out your window."
The line went dead.
I stepped hesitantly towards the window. A light breeze played with my hair as I leaned out. Three in the morning, about the only a time a collage campus settled down at least somewhat. The house in which we'd rented a room for the past eight months sat on a residential street with old, mismatched houses. A streetlight flickered, ready to burn out. It still cast enough light for me to make out the shapes of cars and buildings. In our own yard, I could see the silhouettes of trees and bushes.
And a man watching me.
I jerked back in surprise. A figure stood by a tree in the yard, about thirty feet away where he could easily see through the window. He was close enough that I probably could have thrown something and hit him.
He was also the same man who had just told me he loved me.
I threw on the first pair of jeans I found on the floor, and threw on an old flannel shirt over the black camisole I wore. I shoved my feet into a pair of flip flops and grabbed both our wallets, the car keys. I ran down the stairs, taking them two at a time. I didn't care how much noise I made.
Lissa looked startled when I ran into the room.
"They found us,"
An emotion I hadn't seen awhile crossed her face: fear.
Before I could explain farther, there was a knock at the door. Keeping Lissa behind me, I walked to it slowly, careful not to make any sound. I peered through the peephole. I swore under my breath. Dimitri Belikov stood on the other side. Not a random Guardian I wouldn't have had any remorse about dispatching, but the man who had made each day of the past two years bearable. The man who had reminded me that life was worth living.
"Rose," His voice was hard. He spoke in a normal tone, but with my Dhampir hearing, I could easily hear him. "I know you're in there. Do not make me bash down this door."
He was no longer my lover, I realized with a sinking heart. He was a Guardian, doing his duty for Queen and People. And he meant it, if I didn't let him in, he would knock down the door. I had no doubt he was capable of such. A look at Lissa told me she had realized as much.
With a sigh, I opened the door.
"Well, well, if it isn't the gallant Dimitri Belikov," I faked surprise.
"If it isn't the careless Rose Muzar," He shot back, using my Father's last name. He turned to Lissa, bowing slightly, "Princess."
I thought fast. "Why don't you come in?"
I think he knew I was stalling, but he nodded abruptly. "Thank you."
Lissa looked between us, still clad in a bathrobe. "I-I'll be right back."
She hurried up the stairs, I watched her disappear to our bedroom. I walked into the kitchen, Dimitri following me. He sat at the table.
"Can I get you anything?" I asked Dimitri.
"Water, please."
I got the glass, and sat it on the table. Dimitri made no move to touch it.
"Why are you here?" I asked quietly.
You bastard, you said you loved me. You promised that Lissa and I would be safe here. How could you?
"You look beautiful," He said. "I love you, I will always love you. I had no choice; they were going to go to extreme lengths to find you. They would have had every Guardian on earth searching for you, if no one came forward with information."
"So? You could have hidden us again."
"They were going to execute you." He said flatly. "When they found you, they were going to kill you on the spot. No question."
My snarky responses dropped. I stared at him.
"What?"
He nodded.
"So… you just saved my life?"
Again.
"I did."
"Oh."
Lissa came downstairs. She was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. Through the bond, I assessed that she didn't understand why Dimitri had betrayed us. She then looked at me, to see how I was handling this, my look surprised her.
"Is something wrong?"
"No." Dimitri said abruptly, giving me a look not to share it with Lissa.
"It's fine. We're going to be okay."
Accepting this, because she trusted me, and knew that I would not be calmly sitting across from Dimitri if he truly had betrayed us, she moved to the counter.
"Tea?" Lissa asked Dimitri.
"No, I'm alright, thanks." He smiled at her.
The three of us stood in an uncomfortable silence for a minute.
"How many Guardians have you brought, Dimka?" I asked at last.
"Twenty two," He didn't see a point in lying. "How many weapons have you got?"
"I don't know what you are talking about." I said innocently.
"You are too confident to be unarmed right now. Let me guess . . . fifteen?"
"Fifteen knives," I told him. "Ten throwers, five spare packs of bullets, two guns fully loaded, and one stake."
"Impressive, but do you know how to wield all of them?"
"I would have to ask my teacher that."
Dimitri gave me a wry glance. "Aren't you going to start packing?"
I regarded him with a stony glare.
"Lissa and I are not going back to the Academy."
He gave me an exasperated look. "Rose, you can't hide from it forever, it happened. Its done. There are many people who do not believe that you have made it anyway, if you went back, you could teach them… well, everything."
"They can live without my supreme knowledge I'm sure," I crossed my arms and leaned back.
"Roza," He said softly. "The Princess is in danger; many do not want to see her on the throne. Her Majesty Queen Tatiana understands these worries, and has offered whoever finds you both one million dollars should the Princess be returned."
Lissa and I exchanged glances.
"Fine," I said at last, "Take Lissa back. She's a royal; they'll be soft on her. If I go back, I'll be sent away."
"No." He said firmly. "You will not be. Your Father and I will not allow—"
He never got to finish his sentence. The window to my left shattered, and Guardian jumped towards me. I was ready for him. I grabbed a knife from my belt, and threw it at him. It caught him square in the leg, and he fell to the floor groaning. As I reached for the second Guardian, planning to do the same, a pair of strong arms locked my arms behind my back.
"No!" I cried, bursting into tears. "No, Dimitri! Please!"
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