Second fanfic yayy! thank you so much to everyone who has clicked into this. it will take me a short while to get back into the swing of things so please bare with and i hope you all enjoy :-D
Full summary:
Rosemarie Hathaway ran away from St Vladimirs Academy two years ago and joined the hunters of the night. But when she is cornered between an ancient strigoi out for her blood and the guardians she fears have found their traces, can she escape again? How can she cope when she is thrown back into her old life with life-changing decisions and tragedy to face. Can she always keep hidden? Or will the weight of everything she no longer knows how to deal with break down her walls. Join Rose in her journey's of heartache, death, love and fatal decisions. RxD Dimitri and Rose POV.
i really wasn't too sure about this chapter, better is definitely yet to come, but i had to set the scene somehow. Rose is slightly different to how we all know her but i hope you come to love her as much as before. there are only slight changes!
My stake was a flash of metal as it embedded itself in the heart of the red-rim eyed monster that stood before me. A blood-curdling screech sounded from the creatures before his eyes rolled back and he became a lifeless corpse at my feet. Ninth one dead on this raid at my hands. But now was not the time to feel remorse. My heart pummelled as adrenalin coursed through my veins, causing my eyes to twitch, searching for the next enemy to take on. Sweat collected at my brow, occasionally trickling into my eyelid but I ignored the damp, blinking the blurriness rapidly away. Shadows before me shifted briefly but I recognised the movements of my group members instantly – feel them pressing their bodies closer together to scan the location for any remaining 'victims'. I wouldn't really call them victim's because of their character traits but we were there to kill them after all, and we were succeeding. After a quick sweep of the remaining, dark and dank rooms clouded with suffocating dust, the order to move out was spoken and everyone left in the house jogged swiftly to the front and retreated in a closely packed cluster. I trailed at the back of our group, constantly looking over my shoulder to check for any tails. The fresh air slid soothingly into my airways, clearing the dirty air I had been inhaling in the grungy mansion. My multiple aches and pains muddled and mingled in the back of my mind but the adrenalin rush quieted them which I was grateful for. After suffering many hits in my many fights, it was completely unavoidable, even at my skill level. However, I knew I had suffered no broken bones or lasting injuries and neither did any of my other team members who jogged along in the same manner as mine. Nine, ten… eleven. Everyone here.
As the mansion became a little speck on the horizon, some of our group started branching off until five of us were left – my team. In the last beams of sunlight that stretched across the fields we moved through, we exchanged pleased smiles and a couple of us giggled. I grinned at my closest friends that were scattered in the group – grateful we had all made it out – but kept my mind alert for any other threats, we weren't out yet. Thankfully, there was just enough sunlight to reach the house we shared before dark fell and our chances of being attacked increased tenfold. Sprinting through the silent streets swirled a pit of excitement in my stomach; we seemed invincible. Maybe we were, together at least. As the house popped into view, a lump formed in my throat, increasingly constricting as we got closer, faster.
Clumsily, we filed into the small, stone house and I did a quick sweep of the driveway before sliding the door closed and hearing the satisfying click of the lock. The knot in my throat which had threatened to suffocate me disappeared and as soon as my body realised I was now safe, all tension left my muscles and I collapsed exhausted and unceremoniously on the couch in the entrance room where most of my team had already perched.
Before you leave for a raid, one of the loudest thoughts you will think is if you will come back alive; and small things like, will I eat pizza again, or will I sit on my favourite seat. I was drinking in the feeling of sitting on this couch again, looking around the house again, processing that I was still alive, even if there wasn't much chance of a different outcome. One thing we all learn is that anything can happen and all we can do is expect the unexpected. Death is usually unexpected. Even if there is a high risk of it, your mind has a way of persuading yourself that you are untouchable and can handle everything. I had been the bystander of many deaths in the last year, luckily none of anyone I knew particularly well. Our team is one of the only ones in England that hadn't suffered any fatalities in a whole year, practically unheard of, and we intended to keep it that way.
A finger poking my side harshly, making me jump and reel around to stare at the guilty one who interrupted my daydreaming. My eyes fell on a grinning face which watched my playfully. Jet-black hair clung to the teenager's forehead, coated in clammy sweat that made his eyelashes glisten around dark brown eyes. He had noticed my jolt of surprise and I could almost see his mind spinning up a handful of quips to tease me, but he decided against saying one. "Good raid eh Rose. I think we got them." He winked at me teasingly before continuing, "How many kills did you fit in? I think I did pretty good personally with a rather grand total of six." He brought his hand up in front of his face and flicked a piece of imaginary dirt off his nails in an annoying show of boastfulness, but two could play that game. "Aww, only six? I was expecting better, I mean at least to match my total of nine." I wheezed, still out of breath from our run back, while staring him down. He smiled back in a 'devil may care' attitude but I knew he was disappointed. All my team members knew I was the superior fighter and would always get the highest number of kills, but Jace constantly tried to surpass me and prove himself. I admit, he is a good fighter, but his attitude is far too cocky and carefree. That one person you just felt like screaming at "no one cares" – but I refrained. Tara did it well enough.
Tara was sat opposite us on a recliner, sipping from her water bottle with her eyes closed. Allowing her body the rest it needed. If I called anyone a best friend, it was her. She was always the first to crack a joke and lift team spirits although she was our newest member but she was also caring and understanding. Extremely compassionate and putting everyone before herself. Her grey/blonde hair was tucked up in a bun with a few loose strands winding their way down the front of her shoulders.
The other members of our team were Elizabeth and Tyler. Elizabeth was also blonde and petite like Tara, but she was a quiet, observant person – the oldest one of our group at 21. It shocked many other hunters that we were all so young; but all of us had grown up young, trained fast and hard, and usually without other options. Well, sometimes I highly doubted Jace's maturity.
Tyler was only a year younger than Elizabeth, his sister. He had the same blonde curls as Beth but instead of her hazel eyes, he had sparkling green orbs that made girls everywhere fall head over heels. None of us dated though, we were all like brothers and sisters and we were too dedicated to our dangerous lifestyles to spare time and options for a partner. However, I still amused myself with flirting because that part of me was too large to suppress. What can I say? It's in my nature.
My name is Rosemarie Hathaway (really just Rose), I am seventeen years old and have been a part of this team for one year. A year before that, I lived in a small apartment with just enough to get by and before that, I lived and learnt at Saint Vladimir's academy. A secluded school in Montana for moroi and dhampirs to study their specialities and learn how to survive in politics (in the moroi's case) or in a fight with strigoi (in the dhampirs case).
Moroi are the good vampires. Yes, they drink blood but they don't kill when they feed. No, they don't sparkle in the sun although it does irritate and weaken them. Each one specialises in either earth, water, air or fire and they are based around twelve royal families, Tatiana Ivashkov being their queen bee. They are all easily recognizable with a pale, tall and skinny figure unlike us dhampirs.
We are the protectors, guardians – well, most of us. We train to protect the moroi wherever they go from the strigoi with our lives. They come first – the motto I used to live by. We had to keep the moroi alive because that is the only way for our race to survive. We are half moroi, and half human – infertile to each other so we can only be produced by a dhampir and moroi, or moroi and human (which definitely doesn't happen anymore).
Now, I'm part of the hunters. We are composed of multiple groups of dhampirs who have left the lifestyle of being a guardian and are now actively seeking strigoi (in secret). In my opinion, we are helping the moroi better than the guardians are. We are better trained and are gradually ridding the world of more strigoi, yet it is impossible to ever be rid of them completely.
Strigoi are the blood-sucking monsters who kill their victim's and are as cold as ice – literally and figuratively. There are only two ways to become strigoi: kill a victim during feeding (for moroi), or be drained of blood by a strigoi and then fed strigoi blood. Most of the time, the transformation is forced. Once a strigoi, you are burnt by sunlight, have red-rimmed eyes and are turned extremely pale… but hey, you become immortal. That's why some see it as a viable option, or way out. One of my old teachers had apparently seen it as a reasonable choice of escape. I have no clue whether she is still out there or not. There are only three ways of killing those evil, undead monsters; and that is burning them with fire, beheading them or staking them through the heart with an enchanted silver stake infused with all the elements. Lets just say, the average amount of kills a guardian makes is about six, for us hunters – about 50. I was up to 59, unheard of at my age and experience. My teammates weren't far behind but not exactly close either. Unlike the guardians, we made to many kills to have molnija marks tattooed on our necks for every one. Instead, we had our own accounts on the alchemist's systems who protect our identity from guardians.
Alchemist are a special group of human who know about us. Although they despise vampires and everything to do with them, they work with us to keep us hidden from other humans. They also help with dissolving strigoi bodies once they have been killed which is better than we leaving them to disintegrate in the sunlight are.
No one knows the real reason I left St Vlads, but there are things I'd rather leave in the past. I have been trying for a year to forget, but it still haunts me. Maybe one day the memories will fade, but I can still feel the grief like it was yesterday. It prickles in the back of my mind, occasionally sending electric jolts through my dreams, reminding me of the pain. It changed me in a way I can't shrug off. The reason I grew up young and learnt to fend for myself. Like a shadow. And I couldn't even count the list of regrets I had which followed.
"So Rose, now that that nest is taken care of, what are we going to be doing now?" Beth questioned without lifting her eyes from her plate whilst pushing her food around with the tips of her fork. When I didn't answer immediately, she took a small bite of the vegetable stew and flickered her eyes up to meet mine. She was right; it was a big nest, one of the biggest we had targeted. That is why we had sourced extra help from other hunter gangs. We hadn't really planned past that raid, unsure if we would have any casualties or fatalities – which we hadn't. That left us with two options: find another large nest (which involved cornering and 'torturing' strigoi for information), or going on daily patrols, finding small groups of strigoi to kill off. Most professions would allow some time off after such a big event but there wasn't that chance for hunters. Not only did we create many enemies in the strigoi world, we lived for the lifestyle. It is generally all we know – for the same reason as no dating.
The decision had naturally fallen on my shoulders. I may be one of the newest members, but I had learnt quickly and was very well known throughout hunters and strigoi worldwide. In our group, we are all equal but I had risen very quickly to a slightly more commanding position. Every plan was checked with me before being put in action, and I was usually the one to come up with the plans anyway. I took the job very seriously; if it took no sleep for days, then tough. And everyone respected me for it. It gave me a satisfying swell of pride, and I knew it was my job to protect everyone now, I can't let them down.
"I think we should maybe just go safe for a little while. After such a big and successful raid, high up strigoi might want to take us out. It would be safest to disappear for a little bit and do some small pickings like other small teams. But maybe only for two weeks to a month at absolute most, we are on a role and it would be nice to do a few more big raids before the end of the year." I was known for my thirst for raids. I didn't like going long without one, perhaps because of some small adrenalin junkie part of me, but mostly because I liked pushing myself. However, if I wasn't careful, it might get a little obsessive. The rest of my group had very similar opinions, even if they are for different reasons. I was lucky for that, our team was very well matched which set an understanding between us. We knew all of each other's moves and thought alike more often than not. That is what made us nearly indestructible.
Murmurs of agreement sounded quietly over our dinner table through the mouthfuls of food we guzzled down, that settled it. I turned my attention back to the food before me, a higher pile of chicken and stew than the rest. And I could guarantee my plate would be the first one empty with an appetite like mine. The minutes that next past were silent, but not an awkward one. It was a familiar one, all of us were so absorbed with our meal that we didn't usually spare much time for chat. We catch up with that after dinner when we all migrate to either the living room or our bedrooms. Like a little family as I like to see it.
Once I had finished my own meal, I politely sat quietly while the others sifted through their meals. Our job had made us very sensible and respectful, well not Jace but the rest of us. We all pitched in with chores and followed the same ground rules a normal family would. One being to wait at the table until everyone had finished. It didn't bother me, unlike Jace and Tyler who spent the time whining and complaining. I used it as extra time to lose myself in thought. Normally to reflect, but occasionally I would have small flashes back to my old life. They left me with a black hole in my heart – desperate to know how my loved ones were faring without me. Not people like my parents who I barely knew, but people like Lissa, Mason, Alberta. Although at first, they had tried desperately to contact me – I had refused to respond. My decision to leave was for the best but it was painful leaving them behind, the only way to make it easier was to never look back… and I never did. This was my family now, my life. But the flashes still came when I let my guard down. The moments of laughter I had shared, being able to act my age and live carefree, making the most of my life before needing to take responsibility as a guardian. I wasn't going to get that life back, even if I wanted to. Sometimes I did, but more often than not, I didn't. I had built my life here, earned a reputation, worked hard to fit in and excel. I wasn't going to throw it away.
Tara was the next to complete her meal. She rubbed her hands slowly together and looked around the table briefly before setting her chin on her hands. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she giggled slightly – a soft sound which would stop any baby from crying. "I heard on the grape vine that a couple of guardians got married and left the 'vampire' world. I wonder if any groups will claim them. I hadn't heard their names but they guarded royals so must have had a reasonable reputation." Her words snagged my attention instantly. Guardians dating was shunned by fellow dhampirs and moroi so them actually marrying was nearly unprecedented. Nearly. I had been taught at St Vlads that it was discouraged and put moroi life in danger – something we were taught took priority from a very early age. Naturally, moroi disagreed with it more than dhampirs (seeing since we are unimportant to most of them) but it was still frowned upon by all. However, I found the taboo left a sour taste. Love was love, and I had had my fair amount of love tragedy for a while, but I believed that if you had found your soul mate – so be it. It is no one else's business.
Yet I still stayed silent, waiting for the other's reactions, unsure of what they would think. Tara was looking at me expectantly but it was Tyler who spoke. "Good for them." He mumbled whilst wiping the sides of his mouth with tissue, staring down at his now empty plate. It wasn't the response Tara wanted; she wanted to see if anyone would be interested in including them into our team. No matter how curious I was to find out more about this couple, and also get some intel into the current guardian's structure; logically – it was unnecessary. Our team was doing very well anyway and it would be distracting to teach two new people the ropes from scratch. "I swear that hasn't happened since, like, 1998." Beth stated, looking around for confirmation. Jace nodded in agreement, "and their love story was tragic, one dead and one shunned now I think. I pity those guardians, what were they thinking." Jace's narrow-mindedness made my skin prickle. He had no right to question their decisions when he doesn't know their situation. It affected me more than most since popular judgement was a contributing factor to my leave of St Vlads, however childish it may sound. My fists clenched beneath the table but thankfully, no one noticed my sudden change in demeanour. Jace just shook his head which was angled back down to his plate. How satisfying it would be to wipe that smirk of his face. "Jace, uncalled for," Beth chastised but he didn't even look up.
Tyler broke the tension by injecting a bit of lightness into the conversation, "Hey Rosie, you're looking a bit tense," he smiled innocently at me.
"She is always tense after a raid, what do you expect?" Tara joked back and I just smiled up at them. Jace finished his meal at that moment and slapped his hands together before standing and looking around the table, announcing his move to the living room. He strode nonchalantly out of the room with Tara and Tyler behind him. I didn't particularly feel like sitting and chatting with the others, especially after a raid.
Although it didn't disturb the others so much, I disliked the fact that my hands were so bloodied – even if it was just strigoi. All of them had been people beforehand, and most had been changed unwillingly. It just left a bad taste that thankfully didn't take long for me to shake.
"I'm going to train. You know, beat the crap out of some poor dummy," I muttered to Beth who was still stood unmoving behind her chair. Before I could head to our basement gym, she grabbed my arm and smiled half-heartedly at me. "I will be going for a walk if anyone needs me." She winked before releasing my arm but the brightness of her face didn't travel to her eyes, something was bothering her but it wasn't my place to question. Nor did I feel like hearing the problems of others when I had my own. I wasn't always so 'weighted' but raids took their toll for a day or two. After that, I'll be my usual self enough to ask Beth what's up.
Let's just say the dummy took a beating this evening. Even when I was red-faced and panting, I didn't stop. I took all my bunged up thoughts out on the dummy and I felt a hundred times better afterwards. Like a cloud had lifted and my normal wittiness was back in place. Smiling, I wiped my damp face with the towel and sat until my breathing resumed to normal and my face lost it's redness, returning to it's usual, olive complexion.
I started making my way out of the room when Beth burst in, gasping from running. Her eyes were like saucers, frantically darting around my form. She looked as if she had been sprinting and I felt a stone sink in my stomach. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. "Rose, you have to see this, quickly," Beth gasped between pants, putting a hand on her side to sooth a cramp. "Woah, calm down, what do I need to see?" I hushed, trying to steady Beth who looked like her legs were about to give way. But I needed to know what was wrong. If it put lives in danger, it was my job to take care of it quickly. And by the looks of how urgent Beth seemed, it was the only proper explanation. After she had gulped a few more mouthfuls of air, she spluttered out the information I needed. "Guardians. Around the corner of the Infant school." Guardians? The word sent a shiver down my spine. Made me recoil like I had been punched in the stomach. I stared at Beth with absent eyes before recovering and shoving past her, scrambling out of the house – only pausing to grab my jacket and pull on my boots – and settling into a jogging rhythm towards the school.
Guardians? What on earth were guardians doing here? We hadn't had a guardian come since early last year, let alone guardians. The paranoia of them finding me crept up on my mind menacingly, but I shoved it away. They couldn't. I had hidden myself to well. What if they were looking for dhampirs? Had there been an attack? Or was there a new strigoi killing lots of humans? No, we would have known first. Had the alchemists finally decided to tip them off about the hunters? They wouldn't, would they? In all honesty, they would be too scared of us to. The thoughts and feelings which zoomed and rebounded around my skull made me sick to the stomach, a small throbbing beat behind my forehead and my breathing was rapid and startled – although I was only maintaining a silent jog, careful not to alert anyone of my presence. My hands started getting slick with sweat as they massaged themselves into fists, absentmindedly tracing the edges of my two stakes in the flaps of my jacket. I had to consciously stop myself from making horrid situations up, admitting that it would do no use until I found what they were after. They had to be after something.
It was still early evening, the sky was arranged in a beautiful array of deep colours and the last beams of sun still washed over the landscape, but there was a cooling autumn chill. I gulped the icy air, trying to allow it to sooth my nerves and anticipation, but it couldn't mask my fear. Nothing could. Guardians here only meant something was wrong, something bad. But I was also fearful of discovery. If they are here and on to me, they can easily find me. If they are here, they would be definite about that, they aren't stupid. Although I'm sure I could take some out if they tried to raise a finger to me, I could fight, but not forever. And if that was the outcome, I would be sent back to St Vlads. Thrown back into my old life. The most daunting prospect. I had made a life here, found a family; I was contempt and had worked hard. I never want to go back to that school, no matter how much a part of me still yearns for it. I despised the teen structure it's body revolved around. I had set my reputation here, but there? Rumours, gossiping, classes. I had grown from that, unused to handling it anymore, and it was for the best.
But there is still a chance they are not here to look for me, thank god.
Or so I tried to convince myself. It is all paranoia. What were the chances of them being here for me? Next to none. And what were the chances of them catching me, even if they are? Smaller. My heart rate slowly started to relax as I convinced myself none of that would happen. This was just a small blip to be taken care of quickly. Hey, it might even just be a couple of guardians on vacation. However, as I neared the location, that theory blew out of the window. There weren't just a few guardians, they were loads. A whole swarm of them. Blacked out SUV's lined the streets leading up to the school but I didn't actually see any people until I pressed myself to the wall with my head peering round the corner.
I barely concealed my gasp when I peered round; they were everywhere. Cladded in their black uniform and all. Some held clipboards, which they scribbled on furiously; some were huddled in small groups, muttering urgently; a couple were standing back, taking multiple photographs; and a few were staring at the back wall to the school. There were about 30, maybe more, dotted around the parking lot, all doing different jobs. What caught my attention next was something I was completely unprepared for. As my eyes zipped between the huddled figures, a splash of crimson red caught in the corner. Blood was covering the wall in a familiar pattern: writing. The centre of attention was a message written in blood. This had just turned far more severe than I first thought (which had been pretty severe). I craned my neck to take a better look at the writing and attempt to decipher the message, blinking occasionally to see if it would click in to focus.
'Rose Hath If you play with fire
you're going to get burned.
I shall enjoy watching the light leave your pretty eyes.
N'
I clutched at my chest which hammered against the wall I clung to. My heart was in my throat as I stared at the wall; unable to process the words scrawled in front of me.
'N'. I knew instantly who it referred to, and I didn't like the person who came to mind at all. Not many things would scare me or send me running for my life but this – I might as well dig my own grave right now. Nathan. A scream rose steadily up my throat but I swallowed it down. Disgust and fear filled me, causing myself to jerk from the message and look anywhere else but it. My legs began to shake violently but I took a wobbly breath, releasing some tension in my muscles and steadying myself. I was in a swarm of guardians; I couldn't let my watch down. When I took my surroundings in next, it felt like I had never seen them before. I quickly committed it all to memory – unable to stay any longer, but there was one thing that caught my eye. More like person. Directly in front of me was a tall, male guardian who towered above the others. Giving out rapid, hushed orders to the people who scurried around him. He must have been about 6ft6/7 with shoulder length, dark hair and a duster which covered most of his uniform. As I listened carefully, I picked up a strong, commanding, Russian accent. I watched the man's action curiously, trying to drag my eyes away but something was stopping me. When he turned to my direction, I barely noticed he was staring right at me, wide eyed. His eyes caught mine and my breath hitched, he had such gorgeous, chocolate eyes.
Suddenly, I came back to myself and I was shocked to still be standing there. The guardian was staring at me, and I was still standing here. No doubt he would tell his colleagues I was here in under a second but my legs felt like lead. What also shocked me was that he was watching me with the same, surprised expression. Wondering why he wasn't telling anyone I was here yet. There was recognition loud and clear in his eyes and I knew he knew who I was. That one thought was what finally made me spin round and take off in a sprint, carefully keeping to the shadows cast by the school.
As I ran, I replayed everything I had just learnt. Nathan was the most ancient and powerful strigoi to this day, a grand 589 years old, and anyone he is after is as good as dead. On a raid, about two months ago, we had ambushed an extremely large strigoi nest. What we hadn't known was that it was Nathan's base, we had bucketful's of luck when he wasn't there at the time and just managed to get out. But on the way out, I had killed a 300 year old, female strigoi named Raven. She just so happened to be Nathan's lover. I had hoped Nathan would never find out it was me, or anyone from my team, but apparently, he had. You couldn't escape Nathan, that was a fact.
But you could try. As I raced home, I started the process of spinning my plan of escape. I had to get out of here. Probably move to a different country. But would the team come with me? And could I put them in that much danger? No. I couldn't put them in danger, although Jace would be good bait maybe. But what country? We had one safe house in Florida which would be an ideal hide out, then again I knew nothing about the area. Yet, I knew nothing about any area, except this one.
Running back, I listened to my shoes slapping the ground, taking in and letting out a breath every four steps, calming my body until it jogged normally. I couldn't work myself up into a state. By the time I arrived back, I could walk normally without shaking or clutching at my head. I could also think clearer which was a relief – but it also allowed the situation to hit me harder. I refused to think that I might die, but I probably wont get out of it. For now, I had to think of not dying, like I always do.
When I entered the small house, everyone's eyes were on me, unsettling me again. My encounter had left a clump of fear knotted in my chest and instinct told me to curl up like a cornered animal. But I hardened my face and strode across the room towards the kitchen – unsure where else to go, anywhere to take their eyes off me. That was the plan until Tara called my name causing me to halt and spin, glaring at her. She pressed her back into the chair but still looked me in the eye which was commendable. "Rose, what were the guardians doing here?" So Beth had told them, of course she had. Otherwise they wouldn't be staring at me. No reason why she shouldn't have, in fact it was good it wasn't all left on me.
"There was a message on the school wall written in blood." I was about to say what it said but the words stuck in my throat, as if putting it off would make it untrue. I was scared of the words, actually scared. Like they were some sort of magic inscription or spell to seal a doomed fate. Just as I turned round again she blurted, "What did it say?" Someone had to ask, but again, they had a right to know. And I did have to tell them, definitely sooner rather than later. I fumbled for the words, opening and closing my mouth several times before speaking. It was like doing something on impulse and when I did speak, my voice was grave and small, something I didn't like to be. "Rose Hathaway… If you play with fire, you're going to get burned. I shall enjoy watching the light leave your pretty eyes." My eyes were abruptly washed over with the familiar feeling I hadn't felt since I was nine. The lids quivered and watered but I blinked rapidly, clearing the tears before they could fall. Now I had said it, there was a finality. And it was like a stab to my throat. I had to get away.
There was a collective gasp, which Tara silenced with some hand gestures. "Who was it from? I mean you can escape anyone." I shook my head sadly; I could try, but maybe not. No, I will get out of this, I wont give up. "Nathan." I whispered, frightened of the name, wishing it wasn't a word in my vocabulary. Jace threw his hands up the moment the words left my lips and cried incredulously, "well you are as good as dead. Have fun." Tyler kicked him harshly and scolded him, but Jace could be right. My time was running out and I had to act fast if ever.
"I'm getting out of here, preferably out of the country, can someone help me organise that?" I stated with determination. Tara stood quickly with hurt in her eyes which I didn't expect. "You don't think we are leaving you. No way, we are coming!" she screeched, her face reddening.
"Ohh no we aren't!" Jace yelled back at her earning another kick. It warmed my heart that these people were so willing to give their lives to protect mine, but I couldn't allow it. I had taken the role as their commander for the past few months and they were my responsibility, I was going to do everything I could to keep them safe. Even if that meant leading Nathan away from them. "Jace is right; you guys are not coming with me. I will not allow you to risk your lives for me. I'll be fine." I snapped harshly.
As the seconds afterwards ticked by, I stared down at my friends – daring them to contradict me. None of them did, although it was clear a couple were biting their tongues. "Right, can someone find me a place on the first flight to Florida. I'm going to stay in our safe house until this blows down. I can't have any contact with you for a month. After that, use disposable phones to call me and get rid of them afterwards. Watch Nathan closely and if he starts making aggressive plans or moves towards you, join me asap." Some people might say it was extreme, but even if strigoi were undead bloodsuckers, they weren't dumb. I wasn't taking any chances. Nathan would have a large crew of strigoi and humans at his side who would instantly try to track me; by the sounds of it, Nathan wasn't going to take no for an answer. At that, I left the room, travelling upstairs to pack a small hand luggage bag with all the essentials. Spare change of clothes, emergency fake ID, toiletries, underwear, laptop and money. I concentrated as much as I could on getting packed so as to take my mind off the reason I was packing. I was being cornered with guardians on one side of me, and Nathan on the other, whats not to be scared about. And like I had trained the others, I had to consider the worst possible outcome, death. But I had to fight for the best possible outcome, safe escape. If I'm lucky, Nathan doesn't know exactly where I am yet so that gives me slightly higher chances.
As I scurried from my room, I collided head first with a flustered Tyler who was clearly heading to my room. He took a second to compose himself before turning to walk beside me towards the living room. "Ok, I have a flight for you to Sebastian tomorrow morning and then you can either walk or rent a car to the safe house just off the coast near Micco. Here are the keys and there is a taxi meeting you on the high street to take you to Stansted, all paid for." He tossed me the keys and veered off to grab a plastic folder. "Here is everything you need, just go through it on the flight. Tickets, money, numbers, maps, statistics, everything. Just had them printed off." I nodded as he spoke, flicking through the papers until we entered the living room. We were lucky enough to have all these emergency files and have connections for updated information and quick flight bookings. That's one thing I'm not looking forward to, a 21 hour flight. I was usually too 'energetic' for flights; sleep deprivation beforehand sometimes helped but that was about it. Lucky for me, I was very tired after the raid.
Tara was the first to bombard me with a bone-crushing hug. I let my bag clatter to the floor and returned the hug in the same way. "Don't worry Tara, when everything calms down, I'll be back. You can't get rid of me that easily." I laughed softly but no one bought it, there was still a chance I wouldn't see these people again. I owed so much to them, they had taken me in from nothing and built me up, made me someone. My life was down to them; and for everything, I was going to fight for them. Make them proud. "Hey, Nathan may be a big bad killer, but he can't beat my awesomeness." I gestured down my body with one hand whilst the other still encircled Tara who clung to me. I would be lying if I said I didn't know I had a great body, because it's true. I had curves in all the right places and a figure guys normally drooled over, and I knew how to flaunt it.
When it became evident that Tara wasn't going to let go of me easily, Beth joined the hug with crushing force, nearly making us tumble to the floor. I chuckled softly at the unrivalled displays of affection but I couldn't help thinking how it would have felt under normal circumstances. Not like walking into the face of death wasn't a normal circumstance for me, but maybe others…
Tyler shook his head in exasperation, watching us girls have our moment. After they reluctantly detached themselves from me, I strode to him, wrapping my arms around him whilst he encircled my waist, and kissed the top of my head lightly. Like a true big brother. I knew he never wanted to let go, he had a fierce protectiveness in his nature and I could feel his reluctance to not joining me. In fact, I'm not that convinced he wont come sneaking after me once I've left. I had to say something that would make him stay. "Ty, you have to stay here and protect everyone here. You know I can look after myself. And there is more use of you here. I'll keep in contact and we will be seeing each other again quicker than you know it," I muttered into his shirt with my eyes clenched shut. Only then did I notice the little damp spot on his shirt from where my silent tears had gathered. It was so hard for me to leave these people, harder than it was to leave the academy. I felt I couldn't trust anyone to keep them fully safe apart from myself but Tyler was as close as. "Since when did you become the voice of reason Rosemarie?" he chuckled.
"Since I met you guys and had a family to protect." I stated, trying to hide the quiver in my voice. In truth, it was when I left the academy. The memory of why I became so mature shadowed my mind and crept forward slightly when he asked that question. I pulled back from the embrace before I lost any control on my reactions and smiled sadly at Tyler who returned in kind, brushing a stray piece of hair from my face.
The last person in the room was Jace, but if he thought I was hugging him, he was definitely mistaken. Instead, I sent him a bored glare as he sat on the sofa with a neutral smile. At that, his face broadened into a grin and he stood – but didn't step towards me. "Jace, go chew on a piece of furniture or something," I stated before spinning and striding towards the door. Everyone in the room most likely thought it was to make a comical scene with Jace, which was partly the reason. The other part was that I didn't want to prolong my leaving any further. I didn't want to lose grasp on all emotion and burst in to tears, begging for them to take me back. Any longer and I wouldn't be able to leave. Jason whistled after me and replied, "love you too Rose." I smirked and did a small salute without looking back before calling, "you wish."
I didn't look back. If I did, I would see their sad faces following me wistfully. If I did, I would turn around and walk straight back. But no, I kept my head down and continued to put one foot in front of the other. Distancing myself quickly from the house that had been my home for a year, the people who had been the family I never had. I would have preferred to sprint to the waiting taxi, allowing the running to ease my mind. Yet I didn't want to draw attention to myself. Foolishly, it was night-time meaning strigoi could be lurking at any corner, Nathan would be able to find me easily. The best I can do is keep my head down and walk as quickly as my short legs will go.
To keep my mind off everything, I placed one hand on the handle of my main stake, forcing myself to become more alert for any signs of movement. But my thoughts were too jumbled to concentrate properly with the thumping of blood I could hear in my ears. As a result, my heart rate doubled and I went rigid, walking more robotically then inconspicuously. My legs felt like pieces of wood as I jumped at every little movement. I had to calm down and take control; I was in a too dangerous situation. I felt relief seeping into me as I neared the meeting point. Only one more alleyway to go.
Arms suddenly wrapped around me from behind, causing me to jump and lash out. So close, so close. I thrust my elbow backwards to try to catch my attackers face but he dodged with ease before tightening his grip around me until all struggles left me for terrified tremors. My breath came out harsh and ragged as I tried to assess the situation. There was no one else in sight but I'm not so sure about behind us. There is one male holding me, he is tall and very muscular. I had whipped out my stake automatically but it now lay two metres away from us and my second one wasn't in reach. The fact my attacker treated it as a threat points to him being a strigoi, paired with the unmistakeable stench of death that followed him – there was no question about it. He was fast too, an old strigoi. If this was Nathan, I was going to die. The thought made my tremors increase but I didn't fight back, not giving my attacker a reason to kill me instantly. A cold laugh filled the air behind me, sending shiver down my spine.
"Rosemarie Hathaway, what a surprise? Well that was easy. Not going to fight, huh? No, didn't think so." His voice was ice, making the air around us freeze, although it was only a cool autumn evening. That was all the confirmation I needed to know who my attacker was, and it wasn't good news. But I stayed quiet, waiting for a small lapse in his concentration when I could wriggle out. I don't think that break is going to come though.
"Wow, you smell so good. I always had a special appetite for dhampir blood. Don't get me wrong, there is a special sweetness to moroi but I like the slightly savage aftertaste to dhampir. And so easy to kill, you are, Rose. I expected more from the girl who killed my wife!" He angrily spat the last words like a vicious dog. But he revealed a weakness, he now underestimated me, although it would take only seconds for that to correct. I noted how my mind now reeled in defence mode, locking my emotions in a spill-tight box so they wouldn't get in the way of my fighting. I blocked out his words after that, and he seemed content to continue rambling. I didn't want to listen just in case he said something to play with my mind. Instead, I followed his body movements, pressures, responses and strengths. If I were being completely honest, I would say there was absolutely no hitch in his hold. But because I'm me, I continued in vain to search for one, coming up with nothing. The way he held me was possessive, making me feel like a useless rag-doll in an iron vice. There was no inch left for movement and he pulled at my hair making my head uncomfortably face upwards.
Then his head belted back in an air-shattering laugh. The opening took me by complete surprise but is seized it, elbowing him in the throat, pushing out of his arms and my rucksack's restraints in his moment of surprise. "Aha, not so easy then. Took you long enough!" he whistled, amused at my fighting stance as I sized him up, luckily he still saw me as dirt on his shoe. But I had made it apparent I was somewhat of a threat, a sneaky threat. And as we circled each other, waiting for someone to make the first move, he calculated my every step, searching for a pattern to tell him where I'd step before I step. I tried to mirror the same analysis with him, yet my mind reeled, not slowing down long enough to concentrate.
My watch lapsed briefly and Nathan pounced faster than a blink. I wasn't quick enough to move out of his way, allowing him to pin me securely on the ground. Disgust twisted in my stomach as he nuzzled my neck, a deathly smile creeping over his lips. I had just handed him the opportunity to pin me on a plate. I had to pull myself together, think Rose! My body bucked in an attempt to loosen his grip and in that short opening, I kneed him between the legs, making him grunt, and wriggled out of his grip. As I jumped away, I tugged my spare stake out of my pocket before Nathan and I started dancing around each other again. In the split moment I had been pinned, my thoughts had organised and I could now see straight and think clearly. This time, when Nathan attacked, I was ready.
He tried using the same tackle technique but I just managed to jump out of the way, feeling the air ruffle around me from his speed and force. He spun without a second spare and sent a flurry of punches and kicks my way, forcing me into a defensive position, somewhere I didn't want to be. He moved faster than any other strigoi I had fought with and I realised why they called him invincible. After years of survival, he had learnt how to protect his heart effectively. There wasn't a single moment where it was left in the open. Even though I was able to avoid most of the punches, he kept pushing me backwards until I could feel the presence of a wall behind me, cornering me. I had to get on attack. That thought was lost when a punch shot out and smashed into my nose, flinging me back against the wall. Pain erupted from the centre of my face as I frantically tried to blink the stars from my eyes. Nathan jumped forwards to trap me but in blind panic and distress, I swung out with my stake and by pure luck, slashed him across the check – making him jump back in surprise. He hissed at the sudden burn of enchanted silver on his check and I took the opportunity to fight through the throbbing and tackled him to the floor – trying to desperately pin him. By sheer luck, after minutes of rolling around on the floor fighting for advantage, I ended up on top – straddling him. His arms clamped tightly over his chest, leaving me no space to pierce his heart, so I stabbed at his face. Before the tip of my stake connected, he caught my wrist and catapulted me behind him effortlessly.
My back thumped painfully on the concrete and all air abandoned my body, leaving me spluttering and defenceless. Salty tears gathered under my eyelid as I coughed and choked in a desperate attempt to breathe again. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Nathan fly at me like a winged demon. With everything I had, I rolled out of his way, but I was exhausted. He quickly righted himself and grabbed my arm as I struggled to put my feet underneath me. He twisted it back agonisingly until I hear a sickening crack. I sounded a blood-curdling scream as stabbing pain washed up my arm. The most frightening sensation flooded through me as my arm went limp beside me and refused to move when I told it to. Nathan sneered at my face which was crumpled, waiting for the pain to clear enough to think again.
He strode towards me, each step filled with pride and malice, making a beeline for my neck. This was it, I had fought but I was going to die. I no longer had the power to fight back against Nathan. Each step he took caused another tremor to rack through me – awakening injuries that I had failed to notice earlier. I didn't want to die, I didn't want to die. I was so close. Images of my team's faces flashed in front of me, cursing at my weakness. My insides churned, I had promised myself never to be weak again. Films of the event that changed my life played around me. The instinct of fight which I had trained into myself suddenly took over and just as Nathan was close enough, I spun quicker than he was prepared for, stake in my working hand, and I stabbed it into his chest. A strangled sound emerged from Nathan's lips before his eyes rolled back and his lifeless body thumped to the floor. But all I could comprehend was the emotions which rooted me in place. The pain which told me to await the fatal blow. When I realised it wasn't coming I dared to look down at the body before me.
Nathan lay there, eyes rolled into the back of his head, stake protruding from the middle of his chest – stained with blood. But I instantly noticed the stake wasn't lined up correctly. I dropped to my knees, scrapping them on the gravel between the tears in my jeans. The stake was too centred, it wasn't deep enough. I grasped the hilt and yanked at it, trying to dislodge it from bone and muscle but unsuccessfully. I didn't have the strength. But in Nathan's stunned state, I had enough time to run. I rose slowly to my feet, swaying as a wave of dizziness spun my vision. I stumbled in an attempt to stay upright, but failed. My knee slammed back to the ground but I refuse to give up. Once again, I rose shakily and this time managed to stay up. Blindly, I stumbled forward until my vision cleared and then broke into a run, wincing as each of my injuries jarred. But if I didn't get out quickly, I would never get out. The least that could happen tonight was that I wouldn't come across any other strigoi, or maybe I wasn't that lucky.
Obviously, I can't take the taxi to the airport anymore; I think the driver would faint at the sight of me. Nor can I return to my team's home from the risk of leading Nathan there when he woke. I'm not stupid enough to believe I can go without hospital treatment and thankfully, there was a moroi run hospital close by. The best I can do at the moment is run to the main road and hitch a ride there, knowing it would be too dangerous to try and drive myself although I am fully capable of hotwiring a car.
Although my limbs screamed at me for rest and to stop – I couldn't. I forced myself to keep running as fast as my dragging legs carried me. Stars danced before me but I pushed through them and fought back the black that swirled in my peripheral vision. If I acknowledged the pain I was putting my body through, I would stop. Instead, I ignored it and pushed through it, refusing to let it overcome my mind. But I could feel myself slowing, sagging. A weight settled on my shoulders, always increasing, trying to push me into the void which threatened to swallow me. I couldn't let myself fall into that bliss void. Even though a sweet voice whispered in the back of my mind to give in, that a small sleep will help, I pushed through. I wasn't going to give in. I had just semi-defeated Nathan, I couldn't stop so close to the end. Otherwise that would be two times I had come close but fallen up short.
Nevertheless, even through my protests, my limbs faulted and my legs buckled beneath me, refusing to rise again. Tears sprang to my eyes, I wasn't going any further. I curled into a ball on the floor, praying my death would come quickly, that the bliss of unconsciousness would seize me quickly. But before it did, I took one last glance at my surroundings. I was in the middle of a deserted car park, thick trees lining the empty space. Well I definitely wont be hard for Nathan to find. Blood was pooling next to the spot my head lay and I numbly raised my arm to softly prod my nose. Blood was profusely dripping from it's tip and it stuck slightly to one side. The bastard had broken my nose. My hand dropped to the gravel that bit into my skin and scrapped at my clothing, opening the rips further.
Then a slight movement made my drooping eyes snap up. A figure stood amongst the treeline, watching me silently. But he wasn't alone, as my eyes flicked around me and connected with multiple pairs of eyes, who were they? My eyes lazily fell to the first figure again and I noticed him creeping towards me. I recoiled from him; he was going to kill me wasn't he? When he saw my reaction, he stopped in his steps and held his hands up in submission, trying to convince me that he wasn't a threat. I didn't believe him, only danger followed me, why else would he be here with so many others? A light flashed over him from somewhere off to the side and I made an alarming realisation. These were guardians. They had found me. Or did they even know it was me? I tried to yell at them to leave me alone but the only sound that came from my mouth was a terrible splutter. The guardian began his advance again and my thoughts spun. They couldn't take me, they couldn't. I can't let them. They'll take me back, I can't go back. Thundering footsteps ran towards me and the advancing guardian retreated into the trees. The sound of laboured breathing crept closer and I could feel Nathan gaining on me.
At that point, I'm not sure what I wished for. The guardians to save me, or Nathan to kill me. I was a trapped animal. It was a lose lose situation. I prayed for the ground beneath me to swallow me up but it didn't follow my wishes. My head buried into the gravel, unable to watch. Nathan's blood-freezing cackle called from a few metres away, alerting me at exactly how close he was. That is when the guardians surged into action.
One figure broke away and ran at the strigoi, I tried to call a warning but it never left my lips. The guardian was slaughtered in seconds. Although I didn't like the guardians in my current situation, I didn't want them to die, I wasn't that heartless. Nathan cried out for another guardian to dare attack him but the guardians had frozen after witnessing his sheer strength. The guardian he had just killed effortlessly must have been good for them to react like that. Once they broke from their trance, three surged forward but each were dispatched in a similar manner. Watching Nathan in action was spectacular; horrifying, but spectacular none the less. His speed was mesmerising and his attacks were perfected and with supreme strength. Like some sort of abomination on earth, which in a way, he was. None of the guardians had expected such a strong threat. This time, when they attacked, it was all of them. They sprang in unison at the strigoi, trying to break through his defences and tire him out. One guardian would stab and then retreat out of his grasp as another took their place. It was actually working. Although some still dropped like flies, the number was much less and I watched in pure awe as Nathan was slowly overpowered.
Nobody was aware of what he was going to do next. Just as it seemed the guardians would win, he spun and run out of their group, disappearing into the trees at a speed no guardian could chase. I had watched the whole exchange from the safety of the floor, useless. However, when it finished, my head lolled back and I collapsed to the ground. My limbs unable to hold any of my weight off the floor. I could hear the guardians mumbling vaguely amongst themselves, unable to make out what they were saying. I knew their voices were close but they sounded miles away. My vision swum and I relaxed into the ground – feeling as if it was the most comfortable bed I could be lying in. The blackness gradually closed in on my vision and I didn't fight anymore. A faint shout caught my attention but the luxurious feeling of numbing carried my aches away and I followed it, my eyes falling shut. Footsteps echoed at the back of my pounding head but the rhythmic sound only brought me closer to oblivion. Strong arms wrapped around me and I opened my eyes just enough to see the guardian from the school wall, staring down at me with fear and worry. He held me against his chest and we started swinging in a running action. I gripped his shirt weakly, finding peace in his strength. People shouted around us and I was carried into the back of the vehicle which revved into action the moment we were in but after that…
It was all black.
Cliffy, sorry! Right, i know this is the first chapter but my life is currently 100% full to the brink and i fear i wont be able to get the next chapter out to you for a few weeks. However, it will definitely come!
I ALSO HAVE A MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION! Would you guys kill me if christian was dhampir and Mason was a fire moroi, please let me know!
it would mean the world to me if everyone possible could click the follow button and leave me a review of what you think so far. i also have another story which is now complete which you can head on over and have a quick read of, although it's quality definitely lacks.
yet again, if you have got this far, thank you for reading and i hope you enjoyed!