A.N.- Okay, the last chapter was really short, but it wasn't the full prologue. My computer crashed before it saved, but I didn't know this so I uploaded it. Any way here is the true prologue.
Disclaimer- I don't own any of the characters. The characters all belong to the amazing Rachelle Mead.
The sky was dark as the graduating class sat at their edge of their seats. Waiting for their assignments. I, unlike my classmates, already knew whom I would be guarding. I would be entrusted to guard my best friend in the world, Vasilisa Dragomir, the last living Dragomir.
I was a dhampir, meaning I was half-human, half vampire. It was my job as a vampire to protect moroi, the good vampires, from the strigoi, the dead vampires. In my world, there were a bunch of royal families who took turns with the thrown. Lissa's family was one royal family.
I looked over to my best friend in the world. Her blonde hair hung straight and went to about mid-back. She was skinny and had almost no curves. Her green eyes were turned towards the makeshift stage that stood in front of us on the commons. She was sitting next to her royal ex-boyfriend, Christian (or as I call him Pyro).
Christian had black hair that was a sloppy mop on top of his pale head. He had piercing blue eyes, which turned in my direction. We made eye contact. He smirked his "Caught-ya" smirk. I felt my face redden and turned my gaze to Alberta, the head guardian, who was speaking.
"And now, it is my great pleasure to present to you. Saint Vladimir's graduating class of 2010!" Alberta, spoke into the microphone.
"First. The Royals." She rolled her way through the first few heirs. Then she got to Lissa, I got ready to stand, "Vasilisa Dragomir…" She paused and her eyebrows knotted together, that was not a good sign, "And Edward Castile." My jaw dropped, as did Eddie's, Lissa's and surprisingly Christian's.
I watched Eddie and Lissa get up. The reached the center isle at the same time and she walked forward to meet him. When they were level with each other, they began to walk forward together, up to the stage. I watched as my best friend was given a cross and Eddie a stake. They walked to the side.
I waited through the other royals. I actually listened to see what sucker would get stuck with Christian, "Christian Ozera and… Okay what is up with these pairings?" Alberta said the next part to another guardian, "She'll help a strigoi kill him!" I knew which sucker was assigned to him before she said, "Alright. First of all, The queen is not happy, but she will be passing her crown to Mr. Ozera next year. It says right here 'I hate to say this, but it is an Ozera's turn to rule.'" Everyone's jaws dropped at this announcement, "And the Queen herself insisted, seriously it says right here: 'It is time for an Ozera heir to assume the thrown, and since Mr. Ozera will be King he will be placed in the hands of the most capable guardian of her year, maybe generation or decade, as much as I might hate to admit it. Rosemarie Hathaway will be assigned to guard Christian Ozera. P.S. Rose, I know we've had our differences and I know you don't want to talk to me, so shut up and suck it up. Go be the guardian you can be. Guarding Christian.' Hm. She underlined Guarding and put it in italics. I guess that means no hurting Christian, Rose. Guess you need to find a new pastime." She smiled at my frozen face, "Anyway, Christian Ozera and Rosemarie Hathaway. Wow. Never would have guessed." I stood up and walked to meet Christian. The new king. My new charge. We walked to the stage, he got his cross and I got my stake. Oh, how I wanted to drive that thing through his chest, but I was a good girl and didn't.
Soon the ceremony was over. I walked to my room and lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. Almost as soon as I was asleep there was a small knock on the door. I woke up and walked to get it. Standing in my doorway was Lissa.
"Hey Lissa." I said tiredly.
"Don't tell me your not going to the party?!" She said incredulously. Then I noticed she was wearing a bright-red dress that exposed a good amount of leg.
"What party?" I really had no idea what party she was talking about.
"Well, the royals pulled some strings…"
"I'm not royal."
"But I am." A voice said behind Lissa. It was Christian. I hadn't noticed him. He was wearing black pants and a white dress shirt. Next to him stood Eddie, dressed in the same attire, "You were assigned as my guardian, we're royals, our guardians go everywhere with us. Let's go."
"Thanks, but I don't want to go through my stuff to get…"
"These?" Lissa held up the black dress that was the same design as her dress and black, high-heeled boots.
In an hour, we were at the Royal Moroi Mansion. I was sitting at the bar, complete with a hired bartender with Christian. The two of us watched all the other royals and the occasional dhampir dance. We occasionally made comments on how this Moroi danced or how that one was soooo drunk.
After a while Lissa appeared on top of a pool table, a microphone in hand. The D.J. stopped playing and all eyes were on her. "Um.. Hi everyone! First off. Congrats! We finally made it. Now we are going out into the real world. Dhampirs. First of all let's give them a round of applause! I doubt any of you can take any of them down." Everyone clapped, "And Moroi. If I ever catch you being rude to any guardian, I will personally turn Rose Hathaway on you." At first everyone laughed nervously, then when she didn't they realized she wasn't kidding, "Okay you all laugh. Um Jesse! Come here. Your pretty strong right."
"I guess." Jesse, a royal, said smugly, "I bet I could take Rose. Let's go you and me."
"Okay, let's go." I took a step towards him and he bolted through the door before my foot had touched the ground.
"Anne. Why don't you go check and make sure your charge isn't hiding on the roof or something." Lissa said kindly to Jesse's guardian. Anne left.
"Anyway. I really just wanted to kick off the dance with the traditional, guardian dance." Lissa said, looking at me apologetically.
It took me a minute, but once I saw everyone partnering with their guardian, I realized I had to dance with Christian.
"Oh and Rose," Lissa said, still at the mic, "You have to participate. In other words, Christian and Rose I want you front and center." She jumped down to go dance with Eddie.
Christian grabbed my arm and pulled me to the middle of the floor. He met my gaze, "Listen, I know you don't want to, no offense, but neither do I, but we have no choice, according to Lissa."
"Fine, but don't try anything funny. Just 'cause you're the King doesn't mean you will ever be anything other than a pyromaniac," He smirked and wound his arms around my waist as I wrapped mine around his neck.
I may hate to admit it, but he was a pretty good dancer. He knew the dance all the other royal males were leading their partners through (they were all opposite genders, that usually happened for royal moroi with a few exceptions *cough* like me and Lissa *cough*), but instead of following them, halfway into the song he squished me to him, lifting my feet on the ground. When I came back down, I was on his feet. He gave me a look that said stay still. I did, and soon I was twirling and swaying to something much like a fast waltz. Everyone else stopped and watched Christian lead me through the complex dance; no one noticed he was the only on dancing. Eventually the dance ended and Christian pulled me off of his feet. He grabbed my arm and pulled me up the grand staircase, down the hall and out onto a side balcony.
The balcony overlooked a lake. The lake was completely surrounded by the mansion, which could explain why I had never seen it before. There were little fountains in the water, spurting more water onto the surface, it had lights on each fountain and around the lake. I stepped forward letting go of Christian and walked forward to stare at the lake. "It's beautiful." I said.
"It is isn't it? Never really noticed it and now tomorrow we'll never see it again, unless I have a kid, which probably won't happen." He said still at the entrance way.
"Why not." I asked.
"Well, tomorrow we need to go to the airport and catch a flight to…" He said it with a confused tone.
"No I mean why do you think you'll never have kids?" I asked cutting him off.
"Well, for one everyone thinks I'm Strigoi, and I'm just all around scary to other people. Plus now I have you for a guardian, and if there is anyone kids here are more afraid of than me, it's you."
"Oh." Wow Rose. Genius response, "So why'd you bring me here."
"Well, I found it earlier today. Well I should say I noticed it today. I just wanted to see it again before we left."
We stood in our spots for a moment, until a voice spoke from the shadows, "Ah. Congratulations Roza. You would have done great things. To bad things are going to end now."
Before I could do anything I was smashed into the wall. His seven-foot body stood in front of me. His teeth rested on my neck. And then I felt a burning pain. It pulsed through me, burning hotter on the part of my body that was touching Dimitri.
This was the end. I would not be able to protect Christian, "Christian. Run." I said softly, and then I blacked out.
A.N.- Sorry it isn't as long as it should have been. I had to cut it in half because of the technical error. I hope to have the next chapter up ASAP.