I laid in my bed, letting out a small sigh. Tomorrow is graduation and I will officially be a guardian. In normal cases this wouldn't be a big deal. Not in the case of Alice Belikov though; that's me by the way.

You see I'm the first Dhampir born from two Dhampirs and not just any Dhampirs either- getting tired of that word yet?- but Shadow Kissed Rosemarie Hathaway and Spirit Bound Dimitri Belikov. Now do you see why this is such a big deal? Of course you do.

Queen Vasilisa Dragomir-Ozera -aka Aunt Lissa- who I'm named after, will obviously be overlooking it coming at the Royal Court with her husband Christian. I'm also allowed to bring a plus one.

Vincent Dragomir-Ozera isn't a spirit user like his mother but he has better use on compulsion than his father who he takes after element wise. Also not only is the he the child of the Queen but he is my boyfriend and hopefully future charge.

I know that sounds weird but Lissa isn't really my aunt, her and my mom have just been friends since childhood, so Vince isn't really my cousin.

Can I be honest though? I've kind of lost what I felt for him. Don't get me wrong, he's charming, in a weird way, and cute but if you've grown up with someone while your mom and aunt practically push you two together it gets old…

I briefly get a glimpse of our childhood, which actually was a lot of be defending him from bullies. I remembered one time when we were about 9. We had just gotten out of class and some boys started teasing him about him being the "teacher's royal pet" it ended with one boy having broken arm, one a broken leg and another a busted nose. Kirova was pissed beyond belief. Saying something about me being worse than my mother. It was 7 years ago so my brain is a bit fuzzy. Speaking of Kirova she retired the year after. Aurora Marazita, a short air using moroi, took her place. She got to know me quickly.

Anyway… what was I originally talking about?

Oh right: Graduation. Back when my mother was in school the graduation age for Dhampirs was the same for Humans and Morois now it was 16 again. Seems as though the few who have been voting against it's luck had ran out. Obviously neither of my parents or my aunt and uncle are entirely happy about this but there really isn't much that can be done… Besides is my mother's fault for killing as many Strigoi as she did at my age.

There was a knock at my door then. I got out of bed and answered. My mother stood there, a smile on her face. I gave her a hug, she hugged back. She surprising has always been the more affectionate one but Dad is pretty affectionate too. I never really got much attention from my mom's mom. Poor Grandma Janine met her Strigoi match a few years back and was killed. She was a fighter until the end I heard. Grandpa Abe on the other hand is still kicking, last we heard anyway, and may or may not be at the ceremony at the Royal Court.

Mom's hair had gotten a few dark red highlights after I was born. The mix of dark brown, almost black, and red looked nice in a ponytail or down. The last time I saw Dad he was sporting some gray hairs, probably more from stress than anything else really. It's still fun to tease though. Both my parents denied that he was getting them though even after I struggled -there is no way I'm going to be taller than my mom- to plucked one; much to mom's amusement.

"I'm so happy you're graduating," Mom said.

"Unlike you?"

"Hey! I graduated! I just took some time off!" 37 years old and still as fiery ever.

We both started laughing just as my dad walked up behind us. "Finally made it, comrade?" Mom teased him.

"Roza… I can still beat you in a fight," he responded teasing back but calm in only a Dimitri Belikov way when faced with Rose Hathaway humor, his hands in his duster pockets.

I've never seen him without it. Also really I wish I had gotten Dad's russian accent.

I hugged my father and he hugged back, kissing my forehead, "Congratulations, Alisa," He spoke softly, "I'm so proud that you're growing up. Especially since you aren't as wild as your mother."

"Right here, Dimitri. Right here."

"So does this mean you can teach me to swear in russian now?" I smiled.

Dad frowned as Mom chuckled, "I've been barking up that tree for 20 years. If he won't teach me he won't teach you. He better not anyway."

"Are you all packed?" Dad then asked, changing the subject.

I nodded, "Yeah, I even packed something nice to wear for the ceremony."

When Mom didn't ask me what I was wearing I gave her an odd look only to see she was checking on Aunt Lissa.

"How are they?" Dad asked.

"They're in Vince's room. Christian just gave him his present," Mom responded.

I smiled a bit, feeling Vince's happiness. I inherited some of my mother's bond but instead of with Aunt Lissa I'm linked to Vincent instead. I can't see through him but I can sense how he is feeling. If I try hard enough I can know what he's thinking.

"Lissa is going to let me know when they're ready to leave," Mom said, "What should we do in the meantime?"

"Oh! How about you two test me to see how well I've been trained?" I smiled.

Mom and Dad exchange a look before Dad shrugged, "Sure, why not."

Mom clapped her hands together, a devious grin on her face. What had I just gotten myself into?

I hit the ground for about the billionth time.

"It's a shame they're letting you graduate. If you came across a strigoi right now you should just run," Mom said before grinning at Dad, whose face was full of amusement at what she'd said.

He must have been something similar to her when he had to help her catch up on her training when she and Aunt Lissa were brought back to St. Vladimir's.

Dad then helped me up off the ground. I thanked him before brushing the dirt off of myself. My braid was more than a little messed up by this point. I took my hair out of the braid and rebraided it as we started to walk back toward my room so I could change and my parents would go back to guest housing to change as well… that was until my mother suddenly tackled - excuse me tried to tackle- my father. It ended with her being flipped onto her back.

"Dammit! I had you!"

"No you didn't, Roza," Dad said, smirking a bit, as he helped her up. Before she could argue Dad gave her a very brief kiss succeeded in calming my mother down.

We continued to walk in silence after that, which is something my mother and I both hated. So I decided to ask a question I've been wondering for years.

"If Dhampirs physically can't have children together, how was I born?"