A/N: Ok, the main gist of this story is an alternate story to the original Vampire Academy, when Rose Hathaway finds a battered copy of VA and reads what could have happened, and compares it to now. Hope you like it – the story will evolve over time so hang in there!

The Unread
Chapter One: So Close

It began when we were caught, as most things do: you can go on forever doing whatever you want, but as soon as you get caught? That's when things happen.

We had been hiding out in Portland, Lissa and I, in one of those University colleges where everyone is a number and you can get a house to yourself if you know how to rub the officials the right way. This suited us just fine, you don't exactly want to get recognised when you're on the run from crazy vampire who want to capture your best friend and do god-knows-what to you for punishment. But, I digress, because in the end we did get caught, and no University safe house could change that. To think we were so close to getting away, to have it all ripped apart. It gives the term 'so close yet so far' a new dimension, let me tell you.

We had just finished a feeding, and I was a little bit tipsy as a result. I let my guard down, you could say, and now that I think of it maybe that was the reason they could sneak up on us so easily. The night was cold, fresh and clear, but dark, with the streetlights providing spaces of brightness where nothing was missed – we could see anyone coming up that street from a mile away. We felt safe, and for that reason also we were at our most vulnerable. There I go, speaking out of the hand book. I was trained well, until we left.

And yes, there was a reason! It wasn't just a mad Hathaway split-second we-need-to-get-out-of-here decision, there was reasoning behind it. Yeah, I was sick to death of that school and their bureaucratic systems and backstabbing royals. Sure, the parties were fun, but if Lissa and I stayed there much longer one of us was going to going insane. One guess on who that person would be. So with Mrs. Karp's cryptic advice imprinted firmly on my frontal lobes, we left. Maybe if I could see the future I would have stayed for a little longer.

Ugh, I ramble too much. Maybe if it were Lissa writing this it would have gone for longer, but at least she would have used better prose than me. So, I was tipsy, off in my little world, down the road of no return, whatever. I didn't hear their footsteps until they reached the front door, even with my supposed 'super' hearing, and by then it was too late. Ten guardians from the Academy fully kitted out with their black gear and even a silver stake. Each. What were they thinking they were going to use them for? We weren't Strigoi for Vladimir's sake! I shrank into a corner, out of sight, went to get Lissa, who was in the next room.

I felt a familiar rage close over me as I stood up, teetering slightly and dizzy from loss of blood. I was eager to get up and protect Lissa, but I wasn't thinking straight. I took a couple of deep breaths to calm myself. They didn't know I was here yet, we could get away fast. No need to panic. I decided then that I wasn't going to be irrational and cliché about it either. I wasn't going to ask them what they were doing here, because I knew. I wasn't going to stand and fight because that was a sure fire way to get killed. I was just going to get Lissa and our wallets, and leave. We didn't have a getaway car, but we did have pedal bikes, and even though I had laughed at Lissa when she had suggested buying them, they were silent, cheap and untraceable, plus I could ride one faster than any Dhamphir could run.
I didn't get further than the door.

We were surrounded in seconds as the creaking door alerted them to our presence. I said a word that, in any different circumstances, would have caused Lissa to admonish me. Just because it was not that kind of circumstance I said it a few more times, then, dragging Lissa by the hand, ran for our lives out of the house. We made it to the bikes and started up the path towards the train station. I was constantly looking back, and, of course, they were right on our tail. If we could just get on a different train, to anywhere, then we would be okay. I wasn't running away, as such, just protecting Lissa for as long as I could. With those nightmares ... she depended on me so much, but I could never be sure if I could be there for her.

We were at the last street now. We were almost there, but so were they. A short, athletic type ran up behind us and used is stake to puncture the tire on Lissa's bike. Well, at least he has points for creativity, I thought, but now he was going to meet my buddies – persuasion and reason. Man I loved those guys. As Lissa's bike swerved I jumped off mine and turned to face our pursuers. Forget what I said about irrationality – these buckos were going to pay. Oh great, now I was being cliché as well. Can my day (or night) get any worse?

I realised my mistake when I caught sight of the leader of our little hunting party. He was really, really, tall, and muscled, with brown hair, eyes and a long coat which brushed the tarmac as he ran, swiftly and fluidly, up to me. I didn't stand a chance – in the time it took to notice that he was as hot as he was tall he had come up to me and pinned my hands behind me back. I struggled, of course, and with the pre-dawn light to see by I managed to score a hit on his shin, but he barely seemed to notice. I shouted to Lissa to run, but she also was restrained by the short boy – no, a girl with short hair and molnija marks - who had her in a vice like grip. There was no chance, until Lissa looked the girl straight in the eyes.

"Now, you're all going to let me go now, and step away from me and Rose. I'll give you ten seconds to move, starting with you." Here she stared at the woman holding her, and her eyes glazed slowly over. "Ten." I could not believe this. Lissa, who was angelic in every way, was using compulsion on ten guardians at once, forcing them to bend to her will. She knew it was wrong, but she was still using it, stripping the ability to think form the assembled guardians, one by one, with each number she spoke. Her face was cruelly blank, I didn't recognise her anymore. This was too much like something I had seen before ... "Nine." The short guardian had stepped away, and so had the one behind her. This was making me sick inside.

"Lissa, stop it. Come on, you don't need to do this. Let's go, come on." I just needed her to stop for a second, then she would be back to herself, I hoped.
"I can't Rose. It's the only way. We can't go back there now. It's my time to protect you, and I can do it, no one needs get hurt. Eight." Another guardian dropped his stake.
"Stop, Princess. We need to take you to the Academy, where you'll be safe, it's not safe here anymore. Rose can stay, we have no need for her and her mother is already contacted, but you need to come with us." It was the tall brown-coated guy, and I noticed a faint Russian accent to his words which made sense for a guardian but was no use to me.
"Hey, Russian Guy." I tilted my head upwards so he would know who was talking to him. "Why don't you shut up? You're just making it worse."

Lissa was still counting. "Seven. I suggest you all leave now, or I will make you leave."He voice was calm, ice cold and completely soulless.
"Six." Another guardian down.
"Five."
"Four."
"Three." Two to go, we were nearly free.
"Two."

And the last was the Russian. He stood without fear, still holding me. I would bet my bike that he had a high resistance to compulsion, but that wasn't going to stop Lissa.
"Last chance, you can leave now or they'll find you in the morning."
He just stood there, holding me firm as I struggled still and cursed him under my breath. Then slowly, glacially, he loosened his grip. I ducked out instantly and ran to Lissa, who was shaking with fear and exhaustion, my touch snapping her out of her trance. She murmured indecipherable things, leaning heavily against me as we backed away from the Russian and slipped into the night.

My last view of him was of his back, his brown coat dusted with dirt and his sliver stake gleaming in the morning light.