Summary: Adrian Ivashkov has always been a player. Three years ago he found the woman of his dreams. Someone who was able to change his philandering ways. But when a controlling mother gets in the way the two are split up. When they are finally reunited will old problems and a group of revenge seeking Strigoi pose a threat to these love birds or will they be able to rekindle their old romance?

A/N: This is one of my first fan fics guys. I hope you enjoy it. Leave me some feed back. Love~ Raquel

CHAPTER ONE

While I was sitting next to my brother on the jet headed towards our new jobs at Court I couldn't help but send him anxious glances. The US is a long way away from Russia and that's my home. Our dad has worked in the states all our lives. He's been in and out, and when he finally retired from St. Vlads my mom thought he was coming home to her but he didn't. He went to work at Court when Princess Dragomir took the throne. That completely crushed her. After that I stepped away from everything for a few years. I went to work as a Guardian at St. Petersburg and completely cut ties with my old life. I had a fling going in with Adrian Ivashkov at one point before I left. We both started to get very serious with each other. What stopped us? His mother made it perfectly clear that I wasn't wanted nor needed anywhere near him. Not to mention the fact that he and my brother aren't exactly great friends. Family, at the time, was a very big deal for me. I didn't think a relationship could last if they didn't have the support of the family. So with that I ended things. He was devastated, as was I, but things wouldn't have worked out. I think that's what pushed me over the edge and sent me so far into my work. I became Head Guardian at St. Petersburg and I even got put up for consultation at Court to be a representative for the Russian Dhampir-Moroi schools. And all at the age of 23. In the middle of all of this I got a call from my brother saying that Head Guardian (to the queen) Rose Hathaway wanted us to join in her team there. Thanks to our dads consultation, and our outstanding reputations in Russia. I couldn't say no to the offer, so here I am. Stressing like hell over seeing my dad and the new country I'll be living in.

My brother, Joe, gave me a reassuring smile, "It'll be fine Calliey. Dads excited to see you and this is a life time opportunity. Don't stress."

I scowled at him, "Easy for you to say. You two keep in touch and see each other and stuff. I don't."

He raised an eyebrow, "You haven't kept in touch with any of us, Детские сестры." He called me little sister in Russian making me sigh and miss home even more. I looked away from him. At 6'5" my brother was huge! You wouldn't be able to tell we were siblings by first looks. Joe gets his looks mostly from our dad, and I from my mom. He had dark brown hair and light green eyes. A complete Ladies man with his tall height and big brawny build.

He was always the closest person to me, I could tell him everything, but I dropped contact with him too. After finding out he's kept in contact with our father, and the whole Adrian thing I just had it with everything. I studied my manicured nails while we landed. Most likely a lost cause, if I have to fight they'll be ruined, but it's my guilty pleasure. I pulled my thick blonde hair into a classy bun, revealing my Molnija marks and taking it out of my Blue-Grey eyes. I put on my leather jacket, fixed the rest of my attire and got up from my seat with my brother.

Two people walked in the jet. The amazing Rose Hathaway! Along with my father, Guardian Stan Alto. Joy. I stayed planted where I was with my guardian mask fully on while my brother and he exchanged hugs. I nodded towards him.

Rose, probably sensing the awkwardness, introduced herself, eyeing my father warily, "As you both know I'm Guardian Hathaway and I'll be your new boss. I know you two are a long way from home but it's worth it. Come on, let's go to my office so we can get everything finalized and introduce you to your charges."

We followed her in silence until she came upon a big building, which I assumed was the Guardian Building. She walked into an office that was huge! She had a huge mahogany desk, with a few chairs lined up on it. There were two people sitting in them but I couldn't tell who they were. Behind them were a huge couch and a table in front of it. It had a bunch of pictures on it of Rose and Lissa, and some with a guy who I guessed was Rose's husband, Dmitri. Things travel fast in the Dhampir-Moroi world. Everyone knows everything. There were two people sitting on the couch. One was a skinny Dhampir with dark brown hair, pale skin, and brown eyes. The other was a very large Dhampir male with dark chocolate skin and a very pretty face. Gorgeous is more of the word. These were probably our partners but hey I could look. Behind all of that was a huge conference table lined with chairs. Yup. Rose definitely worked big.

"Alright!" She sighed and walked over to her desk and the two sitting there, "Let's get to Business."

The two turned around and I immediately stopped dead in my tracks. Right next to Princess Jill was the one and only guy I'd been trying to get out of my head for the past three years. Adrian Ivashkov. He was in a button up white shirt, jeans, and had his hair lazily tussled like always. His emerald green eyes pierced mine and he smiled. My brother on the other side of me growled slightly. He quickly recovered through and nudged me forward. The two other guardians got up to join us while rose was getting out a file. My father kept sending suspicious glances towards me and Adrian.

"Okay, well Guardian Alto," she said to my brother, "Meet your new partner Guardian Angel Louis. You two will be guarding Princess Dragomir together. And that leaves Guardian Bashmakov with Guardinan Brian Balinski guarding Lord Ivashkov. All of you need to get situated and comfortable with each other. Here," she handed the four of us guardians files, "That's all the info you'll need to know about your charges and colleagues. If you need me for anything please feel free to contact me or Guardian Hans, or even Guardian Alto here." She said gesturing to the man standing outside her doorway and my father beside her desk, "Now I'd like to discuss something with you Guardian Bashmakov."

I nodded and waited for her to continue, "Well I see you've been put up to be discussed as the consultant for the Russians in the Court. I have the polls for that are you still interested?"

My eyes widened, "Yes I am still fully interested Guardian Hathaway."

She smiled, "You've got the position. Congratulations you are now the consultant for the Russian Ambassadors of the Dhampir-Moroi community. Your office is all set up in your new house. I assumed you and your brother would want separate living facilities so I got them reserved closest to the charges, here are the keys." She handed us both a set of keys, "Your schedules are all in your office. Everyone's dismissed. I have a meeting with the queen. Jill?"

The princess nodded and uneasily got up, her new guardians flanking her. They stopped to talk with Hans and my brother turned towards me, "You going to be okay with him?" He whispered

I sighed, "I'll be fine Joe. Find me later, I'll fill you in." He nodded and left with the others.

Adrian got up and walked towards me. He crossed his arms, "Well when were you planning on saying hi? Or anything for that matter." He waited and when I just looked away he continued, "Or maybe an explanation for you just dropping everything like that. I think I deserve that much."

My head snapped up and I narrowed my eyes, "Hello, Lord Ivashkov." Was all I gave him. I knew he was right but its better if he resents me. That means I can just do my job and neither of us will get hurt.

He just went "pfft" and walked out. I could tell this was going to be a long day. Joy. Guardian Balinski smiled at me, "I'll follow close, you can follow far."

Around 10 Adrian decided to go up to his room and dismissed us. Brian escorted him back. When I let myself in to my new house all of my belonging we're already there and unpacked to my surprise. Not that I was complaining. I stripped down to my underwear and got into my bed.

-

My alarm woke me up at five o'clock and I started my day off with a shower. Quickly changed into guardian clothes, my boots & jacket and walked outside.

I was making my way over to Adrian's when Joe ran up to me, "Cal! Hey you didn't answer my phone call. What happened?"

I sighed, "Nothing. He just seems really pissed at me."

"Hey," he said sternly, "Don't get that look in your eyes. You don't owe him anything."

"I'm not so sure Joe... I mean I loved him, I think I still might. I know it's best if we don't get back together but the more I think about it the more I realize I don't want him to hate me."

"We've been here for one day and already you're enlightened."

We came across Adrian's condo building; Brian was already there along with a few others outside. "I'm just being fair. He has a right to at least an apology."

He scoffed, "After the way his family treated you I disagree." I just narrowed my eyes at him and shushed him when we reached the group. They smiled and said hi before returning to their conversations.

Queen Vasilissa was standing hand in hand with King Christian, laughing at something he said. One of her Guardians was standing a few feet back with my brother's partner. Rose was standing next to the king and queen hand in hand with the man in her pictures. Dimitri I think. Jill was standing a few feet away from them talking to Guardian Castille. Then there was Adrian. He was talking to Brian, and god did he look AMAZING! This job was going to be harder than I thought.

Joe apparently seen how I was looking at him, "Snap out if it baby sister! He's no good. Stay professional." He chastised in Russian so no one else could understand

"I am staying professional. I'm looking at him not throwing myself at him. Take it easy." I said back to him in Russian

Here comes the old fashioned Russian big brother speech. Jeeze. "Take it easy? I've seen that look before baby sister. I forbid this relationship from happening again. Like I said he's no good. I'm not watching you get hurt again. And you know mama doesn't like him either. So help me I will get that woman out here."

I put my hands on my hips, "You forbid it? Excuse me but since when do you dictate who I go out with? And don't bring mama into this! She has enough on her plate than too worry about me more. You need to stop worrying about me too. I'm 23 years old. I'm not a little girl anymore."

"Hush," he growled in English before switching back to Russian and fiercely whispering back, "just because your 23 doesn't mean you automatically know what's best. You can't let your emotions run your life. That's what you did before when you were with him, and look where it got you! You isolated yourself from all of us! That's why mama is worried now because she doesn't want it to happen again. I'm not going to lose my baby sister again. Especially for an Ivashkov."

I was about to argue again when he cut in, "Enough. End of discussion."

I huffed and turned away from him. Anger burning through me. Where does he get off telling me all if that? I'll date whoever I want. At this time Rose had shifted and was talking to the queen and king and Dimitri was looking at me, what, intently? Maybe shocked? I don't know l, I'm too angry right now to care.

"Okay guys, Lisa is throwing a big ball in honor of Jill's birthday so we're going to head to the mall. Each of you are to get something nice for this. No guardian clothes." She smiled and we all spread out around our charges while we started to walk outside of the wards to the cars. Okay Lisa, Christian, Me, Dimitri, Adrian, and Calliey in one car the rest of you in other car. Eddie you drive that one, Calliey this one."

I nodded and we all piled in. Surprisingly Adrian sat passenger.

"What was all the drama about with your brother?" He asked, he had a sort of dazed look in his eyes which made me think spirit was getting to him again.

I frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Whenever you guys start talking in Russian like that it usually means you're fighting. And when you're mad your accent gets deeper like right now." He said looking at me carefully.

That took me completely off guard, "wha- how?"

He scoffed and looked away sadly, "I dated you for like three years Calliey. That's how I know. And your aura shows it... Amongst other things." He looked up at me and smiled slightly, "That's why I told Rose to let you drive with us. I thought you'd wanna cool down."

I looked away before he could see my eyes. I forgot that he could read auras, not that he needed to on me apparently. That made me even sadder, now I realize why I've been so down lately, I still love him completely. I still want him. But is love enough to deal with my brother? My whole family?

"It's nothing. He's just being Joe." I said shaking my head to clear my thoughts

Adrian laughed, "Still the big over protective, sensitive, old fashioned big brother?"

I laughed too and nodded, "Yes that's him alright. Thinking he knows best, but he was brought up that way, and he's been doing it since I was born."

He nodded, "Calliey... I think we should talk."

I nodded as we pulled up to the mall with the others and they all shuffled out leaving just Adrian and I, "I think we should too. I know that I've got a lot of explaining-"

"No," he interrupted, "you don't need to. I was just upset after seeing you... And then your aura... Just, I was confused and upset. But I do want to talk. Tonight? After your shift?"

"Calliey." Joe barked, "What are you doing? What did I just say?" He said in Russian, "Now."

I looked at him exasperated and then back at Adrian, "Yes I'll be over. Now come on, before he blows a gasket."

Since there are a lot of us we stayed in one big group but with little groups inside that. Always looking for trouble I was tense. In Russia we never go out with this many royals in one place. I something were to go wrong it would devastate the country.

"Calm down. Everyone's safe right now." I heard someone say as they walked up to my left, it was Dimitri. Did I hear a Russian accent? Crap. "I don't think we were ever introduced. I'm Dimitri. I am King Ozeras guardian and Roses husband."

"I know who you are. I'm Calliey." I sighed, "I'm not use to being out like this. With as many Royals as we have here. It's... Stressful." I cast an anxious glance over at Adrian. He was browsing the dresses with Jill, helping her I guess.

Dimitri followed my gaze and smiled, "They'll all be fine with as many of us around. Rose knows how to take charge, and everyone here is the best of the best. He'll be fine."

I looked up at him in surprise. He smiled, "I saw the way you two were in the car. Rose told me about how you reacted when you saw him too. And not to mention I heard the conversation with your brother."

I blushed, "ohh... And you understood?"

He laughed, "Yes, I did. I'm also from Russia. If I may input something, I don't think you should keep your feelings locked up. I think you should go for it. I've been there with Roza, your just postponing the inevitable."

I sighed, "I know... I don't want to, I'm just nervous about how my family's going to take it." Hey he already knows, and I'd take any advice that wasn't my families. Plus he's Russian so he might have experience with the way I was raised.

"Well Joe will come along eventually. And as for your parents... Well your dad... I'm sure he'll do anything to keep you in his life."

"I'm not so sure. They're really old fashioned, and they saw me after Adrian and I first broke up." I sighed as I watched him take a few things to the register and pay for them. I'll probably just wear a dress I brought from home.

He smiled when he saw Rose come out in an amazing black dress, "Trust me. You may not think they'll get over it but they will. You'd be surprised." He smiled down at me before walking over to Rose.

By the time everyone was done shopping it was already 7 and very dark. Which made me even more nervous. I guess it darkens quickly in the states. We were only thirty minutes away from the Court, and I was finally starting to feel better, when we were rammed off the road by a black escalade. We were on a deserted road in the middle of the forest so thankfully humans wouldn't get involved.

I quickly went into guardian mode. The car hit us on my side but I didn't feel too injured. I looked over to Adrian too make sure he was okay. He looked really jostled and scared but not injured. That's when I seem six Strigoi walk out of the car.

"Adrian get in the back! You guys stay here and don't move! Christian you're going to have to handle any thing that gets past us. Let's go!" Rose yelled as the three of us came out.

The two biggest guys charged Dimitri while a boy and a girl each came at Rose and I. I was on the far left, Dimitri in the middle, and Rose on the far right. These Strigoi weren't as big as they are in Russia, so that didn't worry me. I was also excellently skilled in old fashioned guardian combat, mixed martial arts, Russian martial arts, kick boxing, and the new style of guardian combat. I was confident that i could kill them even though the guy seemed to have a knife with him.

The girl charged me and was very easy to take out. I ducked all of her punches, kicked her hard against the car and staked her.

The man snarled and took off after me. He swung at me a few times with his knife which I dodged. Barely. He did nail me in the arm pretty good. Thank god I didn't have my leather jacket on; the fabric would've been ruined. I twisted and kicked him in the jaw sending him stumbling back and losing the knife. Then I ran up to him and sent my elbow crashing into his jaw. He snarled, enraged again, and tackled me. We were grappling on the ground when he grabbed me by my throat and tossed me across the forest making me land painfully hard against the closest tree trunk. I pushed the pain out of my mind and focused on solely the anger, letting it motivate me. Rose started running towards me ready to help but I waved her off. She ran towards Dimitri to help. Alright. He wants to play rough then it's time to let loose. I ran towards him and sent a flying kick his way. Then I started fighting remembering all the moves my old mentor taught me. The Strigoi, for lack of a better phrase, was getting his ass whooped. When I finally tired him out after a few minutes I jumped on him, sending us toppling to the floor, and tried to stake him. He was trying to push my hands away.

"I've never seen a Dhampir so advanced in old combat." He snarled, "Stop this! We don't want your precious Moroi yet! We want you two, Bashmakov! Give up now and we-" I pushed through his grip and finaly staked him. He gurgled out another snarl and finally died. Again. I rushed up ready to help the others. Rose and Dimitri tag teamed the last Strigoi and staked them. We all tensed when a car pulled up but it was the other court van, so we calmed down. My brother and Guardian Castille ran out to us. I ran over to the car and pried the door open, "Okay let's go guys into the other car." They scurried out and Adrian stopped beside me, "Hurry Adrian." I told him in Russian on accident. When I get upset it just comes out. I didn't want more Strigoi to attack while they're out in the open like this.

He frowned and touched my face, "Your hurt. Let me heal you."

I grabbed his hand and walked him over to the other can, "No. I know what spirit does to you Adrian; I'm not putting you through that right now."

He raised an eyebrow and before I knew it I could feel the pain disappearing from my body. I was about to yell at him but Rose ran over, "Okay we're going to have to squeeze in but Dimitries going to drive fast so it'll be half the time. Pile in."

By the time we got back to court it was 9. Rose decided to have a quick meeting with us in the morning before our shifts start. When we were dismissed I quickly ran home and got ready. If we're going to talk I might as well look my best.

I grabbed my favorite romper from back home. It was almost aqua colored, and had white stitching on the front of the halter and the tops of the pockets. I put on my black ankle boots, and my favorite leather jacket. I curled my long hair, put enough make up on to make my eyes pop just right, and lip gloss making my lips look fuller. I put my phone in my pocket along with my keys when I locked up and made my way to his house. Brian was on duty in the front.