Set after Last Sacrifice but before Bloodlines. Lissa is Queen and Romitri have some time of together before they return to duty. I own nothing but the plot and Raddie the cat. Review please? *Kitty eyes* :3

Comrade the Cat

"Hey, Dimitri," I practically yelled as we drove down a winding street dotted with stores and derelict houses in Nowhereville, Pennsylvania, "Hit the brakes, would you?"

Dimitri looked over at me from the driver's seat, that one eyebrow raised in silent question, as he pulled up to the curb. He killed the engine of the SUV and turned to face me. "Something wrong, Roza?" He asked in his smoky Russian accent. "You look… animated." He fought a smile. I rolled my eyes at him before jumping out of the car. He followed silently.

"Follow me, Comrade." I told him, heading towards the store after seeing that it was, in fact, still open. "I have an awesome idea, but I'm not sure you're going to like it."

He gave me a curious look before he sighed in defeat and slammed the car door shut, locking it after himself. He slipped his hand into mine and gestured for me to lead the way. I smiled in victory before pushing the door to the store open. A little bell welcomed us which I found a little creepy – like something that would happen in some cheesy horror flick. I was a badass guardian and Dimitri was…well, Dimitri so I guess we'd be fine if anyone tried to eat and/or kidnap us. They might not survive, though. Hard lines for them.

The smell of the place hit us before the noise did. I covered my nose with the collar of my jacket but it did little to block out the stench of dirty hamsters, lime-scale covered fish tanks and unwashed cages. Even Dimitri winced and the guy was Russian. The place was abuzz with the sound of cages being gnawed at and things chirping or squawking. The whole setting was very eerie and unpleasant. I was beginning to regret coming in here, actually – though I'd never admit that to Dimitri. The fluorescent lights did nothing to add to the appeal of the place. The only favour they did the store was to help customers in their quest to not stand on any animals, which was pretty damn likely as they were pretty much running around everywhere.

Dimitri grabbed me around the waist and held me to him as he looked around the place. It was apparent that something had happened here, there were signs of it all over the shop – animals freaking out and their cages bashed in, and was that blood on the floor? I tried to wriggle out of Dimitri's grip for a closer look but he pushed me behind him.

"What are you doing?" I said, looking up at him in all his "6'7" glory. He was staring around the small store with narrowed eyes, his eyebrows pulled down in suspicion.

"Something's happened here," he responded quietly. "Rose, for once can you do as I ask and go back to the car?"

I snorted and twisted his wrist until he was forced to let go off my arm. "No can do, Comrade. I'm a bonafide royal guardian now, you can't order me around." My voice sounded way too smug.

"I'm asking as the man who loves you and does not want to see you get hurt." He deep brown eyes gazed down at me, begging me to agree but, hey, I was Rose Hathaway. I wasn't going anywhere. I stood on my tiptoes and quickly kissed his soft, warm lips.

"Well, as they man who loves me, you should know better than to assume I'd listen."

He regarded me a moment then sighed deeply. "You're right. That was stupid of me. When have you ever done anything I ever told you?"

"Hey, I do listen. Sometimes. I mean, there was the other night when you told me to wear that slip and then tie you―"

"Shh," he interrupted me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Do you hear that?"

I tried to listen but the rabbits and hamsters were making too much noise. "All I hear is tiny rodents." I said.

"Not that. It's like a scratching sound. From back there." He pointed down a long corridor. I squinted but I couldn't make any shaped out down there. The lights were off in the corridor and night had fallen hours ago. I did hear the scratching though and, let me tell you, I was getting serious physcho murderer vibes right about then. I grabbed Dimitri's arm, need his bravery. I'll admit, I was a little – maybe a lot – freaked. The whole thing was just freaky. The blood, the demented animals, the scratching.

"Still don't want to go back to the car?" Dimitri asked me. The bastard knew me too well. I tried to wipe the fear off my features. I let go of his arm and flipped my long, dark hair over my shoulder.

"After you, Comrade." I gestured down the dark corridor. Of course, being half Vampire our night vision was pretty good but I still couldn't see a thing down there. He rolled his eyes at my false bravado before slipped into his guardian stance. I followed suite, drawing a gun from my jeans and checking the chamber.

We crept past the filthy cages and distressed animals until we reached the corridor. The scratching was getting louder and more frantic. I sidestepped a blot of concealed blood on the linoleum floor. Dimitri was in the lead with me watching his back. We usually worked together so we knew how to cover each other perfectly. It helped when partners knew each other inside and out – no innuendo intended. We reached the end of the corridor without incident and came to stand in front of a closed door. The scratching sound was coming from in there and I could now hear hissing. Please don't be a Strigoi, please don't be a Strigoi, I thought to myself, these pants are my favourite.

Dimitri gestured for me to step back before he tightened his grip on his gun and twisted the handle. The door slowly swung open. We rushed inside. I flipped the overhead light on.

Dimitri immediately lowered his weapon and ran a hand through his hair, chuckling to himself.

"What are you crazy? What's funny?" I asked, seriously confused and a little pissed.

He merely smiled and pointed his gun behind the desk. "Looks like we found the source of the blood."

I frowned at him before I walked around the desk… and almost threw up. "Ew. God, that is disgusting."

I made a face. There on the floor of some kind of office was a seriously fat rabbit chomping down on half a dozen dead rats. Some were just dead whereas others were nothing but bloody fur and teeth. I had to try hard to keep from gagging as I watched the rabbit sink its front teeth into the brain of one of the rats. Urgh.

Dimitri was still laughing, more at my reaction than anything else probably. He didn't seem fazed by all the crazy – I mean, rabbits ate lettuce not meat, let alone rats – but then again he spend a good few months as a blood-sucking monster so I doubt anything turned his stomach these days. Except my cooking, probably.

"It's safe to say that I will never watch Bambie the same way ever again. Bye, bye, Blossom." I said, watching the rabbit in case it acquired a taste for human meat. I wasn't sticking around for that.

"You look a little green, Roza." Dimitri remarked, trying to hide his grin.

"Well, I mean… I – oh, shut up." I punched his bicep. He caught my hand and kissed it lightly. I smiled up at him, mesmerized by the depths of his eyes. Then, we heard the scratching again.

"What the hell is that?" I said annoyed, looking around the room.

"Maybe another Hulk-rabbit," Dimitri said, still clearly amused.

"Wait, did that sound like a meow to you?" I asked, listening harder. I heard a soft, quiet meow from somewhere in the room. I followed the sound and found a tiny, fluffy kitten under a chair. He backed away from me as my shadow darkened its hiding place. I mewed to it and offered it my hand to sniff. It curiously peered out at me before jumping into my arms. I barely caught the poor thing I was so startled. Dimitri shook his head at me as I cradled and patted the white kitten. It looked up at me with its blue eyes and I fell in love with it.

"Oh, no," Dimitri said, raising his hand, palm up. "I know where this is going and the answer is no."

"But, Dimitri," I whined, petting my lip. "Look at his little furry face. He wants you to love him."

"No way, Rose. We aren't home long enough to look after a pet."

"We can have Sonya look after him and we'll teach him how to be a badass street cat."

"Roza…" he groaned.

I held the little kitten up to his eyelevel and waited for him to give in. He was doing a great job of refusing him before he stuck his little tongue out and licked Dimitri's nose. He broke after that.

"Fine, OK. We can keep him. Just know that you'll be the one cleaning out his litter box, not me."

"Thank you! I love you, I love you!" I jumped up and down a few times. The kitten looked scared so I contained myself.

Dimitri grinned at me. "So, what are you going to call him then?"

I scoffed, petting his little head as he purred. "Oh, that's easy. Comrade, of course. Raddie, for short."

"You're naming your cat after me?" He looked confused yet amused. "I do not know how I should feel about this…"

"Honoured is how you should feel. It shows that I love you so much I'm naming my second favourite thing in the world after you."

"Alright. So what's you first favourite thing in the world?" He put a hand on my back and led me out of the office and down the corridor.

"Not in front of Raddie. I'll let you know when we get home." I winked at him and bit down on my lip in a way that I knew drove him crazy.

He seemed to drive home very quickly that day. It's just a pity Raddie wouldn't let him near me for a full three days.

Dimitri: 0 – Raddie: 1.

Thanks for reading! If you liked it take a look at my other stuff. Oh, and reviews would be great too :)