Thank you to supernaturalkissed for my first review! I'm so excited that you liked it! And to answer your question, Kate is older than Rose, but you'll get more backstory explaining everything soon!
Please let me know what you think!
Back to School
"I'm Adrian Ivashkov," he stated. "And you're shadow-kissed."
"What?" I demanded blankly. The term-if it even was one-was something I had never heard before. I ignored the offered hand as Adrian explained to me just exactly what had happened when I passed out in his arms.
He had determined that I had major internal bleeding as well as substantial long-term blood loss, which was probably true from all of those bites, and I had collapsed in his arms when I ran headfirst into him. He said that he took the child from my arms and then cradled me, where he heard my heart beat for the last time. Being a spirit user, he brought me back because he could, and due to some fit of moral gallantry. And because I looked like someone that he was in love with. And lastly because it was the right thing to do. I sarcastically thanked him for saving my life while my mother glared at me disapprovingly and Adrian laughed at my dry humor. It was easier to make light of the situation than try to process it all at once.
I was released from the hospital and into the custody of Janine and surprisingly Adrian. The parents of the child I had saved met me briefly in the lobby to hand me a large basket of care-package things before hugging my sore body fiercely and demanding my contact information to stay in touch. Why they wanted contact with a measly novice like me was beyond me, but I didn't give it too much thought while Janine jotted down her cell number to contact them later.
Janine and Adrian hustled me onto a plane, where I was told we were going to St. Vladimir's Academy, where my sister was currently attending. I tried to hide my displeasure at being in a school environment when the last one I had been in had been so insanely traumatic and terrible, but that was where Adrian was, and I was supposed to stay near him until further notice. The bond would be difficult enough to deal with without me being far from him, and I couldn't go live with my mom and her charge or my father. And I apparently still needed an education, according to Janine. The guardians didn't exactly know what to do with me, and so I was shipped off to the boarding school.
Janine stood before me awkwardly to tell me goodbye at the airport in Montana before her next flight took off. A town car idled close by, ready to whisk Adrian and I off to St. Vladimir's. My mom would be off, back to her charge in Europe. Her face had softened into a slightly vulnerable expression, and her worry for me was evident on her face.
"I want you to call me for anything you need. Lord Szelsky understands the situation, and has agreed to give me leave for as long as I need, if you need me." Her auburn curls were whipping around in the wind, dancing around her face. I felt lost and childlike with her standing in front of me. I had been with her for a brief time as a child, when she took a break from guardian duties to have my sister and me, but most of those memories were fuzzy. I had considered my instructors sort of surrogate-parents in her absence, but they were gone now and she was here. I knew she cared about me, and I definitely cared about her, but having her offer this time was weird and very unlike her. My mother was a warrior, not a cuddly housewife.
"I'm fine, mom," I told her quietly. The last thing I wanted was for her to make a special trip out to Montana for me. I could take care of myself. In answer, my mom pulled me in for a tight hug, squeezing the life out of me. With Adrian's healing and making me shadow-kissed, most of my injuries had disappeared, but a few still remained from the long-term conditions I had suffered with the Strigoi. My sides were particularly bad, with bruises flowing from my ribcage down to my hips.
After the painful, slightly awkward hug, Adrian gestured for me to follow him and led me over to the car. I hesitated at the door, not sure how I felt about being in a car alone with him for an extended period of time. In addition to alone time, the car reminded me brutally of the cars I had been transported in as a captive. My hesitance was obvious to Adrian, and he smiled in what I guessed he thought was a reassuring way. To me, it looked just a little creepy and slightly impatient.
"It's okay, I promise," he told me softly. As I was watching him, I slipped slightly closer to him mentally. Apparently this was something I would be doing since I was shadow-kissed. I was suddenly seeing myself through his eyes, with his senses.
She looks scared. Maybe those Strigoi were guys, and did… His thoughts trailed off onto shockingly accurate depictions of my conditions with the Strigoi. Even worse was that he could tell I was seeing what he was, and he shut down that thought process immediately when he sensed me. God that look on her face…I'll just lay low and stay away unless she needs me. Maybe when she trusts me more she'll let me closer.
And with that, I knew that I could trust him. Adrian's feelings completely shied away from scaring me, to the point that he put his own natural behavior on hold. He kept his distance, and waited for me to acclimate myself to the situation. Although there was a slight edge of impatience to get in the car-the daylight was bothering him a little-he continued to wait for me. That behavior from him alone was enough to convince me, and enough for me to realize how soft I had become and what a baby I was acting like. I slid into the car quickly and Adrian followed gratefully. The long, three-hour drive to the Academy commenced.
The large, iron gates at the entrance to the school were similar to the ones at my old one. There were guardians stationed at a post that oversaw the visitors. The gates were mechanical, and slid open slowly when the guardians recognized Adrian.
"Lord Ivashkov," one said with a respectful head incline. Adrian smiled and waved.
"And guest," he said, nodding to me to remedy their slightly confused looks. The two guardians nodded and waved our car through.
The parking lot was set back from the school, near the Academy's private jet airport. We hadn't taken one of those in because they were currently in use flying royals back from the Thanksgiving break. The expansive grounds were lined with paved walkways, winding through the trees and up to the main campus. Adrian was unbothered by the sunset and tree cover, so we strolled along and up to the pretty gray brick buildings. The driver of the car followed with my meager luggage; a small suitcase with one change of clothes and the contents of the gift basket from the Moroi family.
Adrian led me directly to one of the bigger, prettier buildings, the administration building, where I was watched closely by the guardians on-staff and by the Moroi staff. Everyone was curious about who I was and what I was doing with the Ivashkov kid that hung around. We were led into the headmistress's office where Adrian spoke with her and told a detailed account of my predicament. Headmistress Kirova was mostly at a loss of what to do with me; any records from my previous school had been destroyed and I had nothing with me but the clothes on my back and the small suitcase the driver had left with me. Kirova wasted no time in shuffling me into classes, giving me my assigned dorm room, and taking the liberty to show Adrian and me to the dorm itself.
She made small talk with Adrian as we crossed the grounds, but pretty much ignored me, which I was fine with. The vast Montana mountains were a far cry from the urban school I had grown up with in Georgia. The front gates and brick buildings seemed to be where the similarities ended as far as our schools went. St. Vladimir's was vast and spread out and had acres upon acres of land, while my school had been relatively compact with just two acres of surrounding green space.
"This is the novice girls' dorm," Kirova said as she gestured to a clean, gothic castle looking building that was just one of the many surrounding us. Except for a choice few like the administration building and the gym, that were obviously different, the pretty gray buildings all looked the same to me. It was newly dark outside, the early beginning of the Moroi day, and only a few students roamed the grounds at this hour. I hadn't been really spotted by anyone, and I was glad for that. Any attention from here on out was unnecessary; I had been given plenty enough already.
"Thank you, headmistress," I said softly, looking into her eyes. She nodded almost hesitantly, surprised with me saying anything at all, and gestured for me to enter, Adrian following me. She left us in the lobby and headed back across campus. I looked around at my new home uncertainly. On the inside, the building was relatively modern, with an open area decorated with soft neutral colors and green plants. Unlike most of the other buildings on campus, it was well-lit and cheerful looking, a credit to us dhampirs being part human and able to tolerate stronger lighting.
"Your room is this way," Adrian explained as he gestured to the stairs. We climbed up to the second floor and went down a short hallway to a door about halfway down. Adrian handed me a key he produced from one of his pockets and gestured grandly for me to open the door. I opened it with little excitement and walked in slowly, taking in my surroundings. Adrian was quick to pass me up and go for the bed.
Adrian made himself at home on my bed with a flop. It already had sheets and a thick comforter in a pretty cream and navy blue. The walls were decorated with a couple of black and white photo prints, mostly flowers. The desk had a sleek computer as well as a standard Academy-issued lamp. The desk was cluttered with school supplies-a small stack of notebooks, a pencil cup filled with pens and highlighters. The closet, after a quick glance, was well stocked. It was almost as if I was walking into someone else's room.
"Rose and Lissa went shopping for you. Your mom called Kirova yesterday and said that you'd probably be coming back with me. Rose and Lissa wanted you to be comfortable," Adrian explained as he handled a small stuffed bear. It reminded me eerily of the one I had left behind at my old Academy, one that I had been given as a child in elementary school, as a comfort for the nights when the thunder rolled through and I nearly wet my pants with fear. The camel-brown fur and black nose and eyes almost looked up at me with hope. I dimly thought that maybe, I would get over this awful thing that had happened. Adrian took my silence as discomfort, though.
"Look," he began quietly. "I get that you're jumpy…those Strigoi must have done horrible things to you…but I want to help you. I want you to like me, to be comfortable with me. I want to be your friend," he told me honestly. I nodded tightly, and he sighed again and smiled. It wasn't that I didn't like him or appreciate what he had done for me; it was just that I was unsure how to act around him. I didn't understand how everything fit together in this new world that was going to be my life. Tentatively, I reached for the bear in his arms. He handed it over with an eager expression on his face as I held it carefully, tucking it under my folded arms.
The door literally burst open behind me, and I jumped and took a defensive position in front of Adrian. The bear dropped to the floor, forgotten in the face of a threat. My guardian training was hard to forget, and my reaction was automatic, a conditioned response. I catalogued the newcomers with a quick, silent intensity.
The first girl looked a lot like me, and I assumed immediately that this was my sister, Rosemarie. She was tall, at probably about 5'7", and had long, dark brown hair. The second was a slender, pale, pretty Moroi girl with flowing light blonde hair and bright, jade green eyes. The last was a tall, pale and slender Moroi boy with black hair and electric blue eyes. I regarded them all with a very guarded expression, and tensed when Adrian's hand found my shoulder comfortingly. His thoughts were a storm of happy and cloudy-he was excited for the visitors, but didn't like how I had reacted, not that I could really help it.
"This is Rose, her friend Lissa, and Lissa's boyfriend Christian," Adrian explained to me softly. His gentle voice was meant to soothe, but my teeth were already on edge. Hadn't these people ever heard of knocking? I had nearly attacked. I gritted my teeth and nodded tightly at both the introductions and to the three teenagers in the doorway of my dorm room. My fury faded to the back of my mind, though it didn't fade completely.
"So," Rose began with a grin. "You're my sister," she stated plainly as she made her way into my room and flopped onto my bed. I watched her carefully, deciding that she wasn't an immediate threat, and relaxed the barest bit under Adrian's comforting hand.
"Yes," I told her. I didn't like the appraising look she gave me.
"It speaks," Christian scoffed from the doorway. I looked over and saw Lissa hit him, rolling her eyes in exasperation. She looked at me apologetically.
"From him, that's a 'nice to meet you', I promise," she told me with a quick, sweet smile. She kept her lips closed, and I nodded briefly to let her know I understood. Christian's bright blue gaze was openly laughing at my returned silence. Adrian's hand gently guided me to sit back on the desk chair, and I did so, though reluctantly. I was still nervous, and sitting wasn't going to help that feeling. He picked up the teddy bear and returned it to my arms, though the fascination with it had been lost. Adrian lounged against the wall beside me, hovering.
"Well," Rose started again. My gaze switched to her automatically. "Tell us what happened to you," she requested frankly. She certainly didn't hesitate with making things uncomfortable. I bristled.
"Rose," Adrian murmured tensely. Rose looked up at him, astonished. I could tell that his admonishing her had never happened before, from the shocked looks on everyone's faces. "Not now," he stated agitatedly. I noted from our connection that he had realized my strong reaction to the story earlier, and he had vowed not to tell it in my presence again, or let anyone else ask me to relive it. I sighed quietly and sat back against the desk chair. Adrian turned and offered me a reassuring smile. I just watched him silently, brooding over the situation.
"Do you have molnija marks?" Rose asked me simply. She apparently thought that this was an easier, more polite question. Adrian glared at her but didn't admonish her again, and she looked at me expectantly. I didn't answer her. She rolled her eyes, exasperated with me, but I just remained silent. Maybe if I didn't answer her questions she would give up and leave. "Are you going to be taking our classes?" she asked. I didn't answer, and Adrian stepped in.
"Rose, she's tired. She needs to rest," he told her quietly. His voice was firm, not allowing her to argue or haggle with him. Rose looked about ready to say something, but Lissa stopped her.
"C'mon Rose," she said, looking at me sympathetically. "She really does look tired. You can interrogate her tomorrow at breakfast," Lissa offered with a smile at me. I was suddenly keenly thankful for Lissa's intervention. Without her, Rose probably would have continued to ask me questions throughout her day until I gave up and answered.
Lissa, Rose, and Christian departed for their classes and left Adrian and me alone then. He smiled at me reassuringly and moved to leave, but I stood and took his wrist quickly. I was anxious to have him out of my sight, and I was anxious to be alone.
"Where are you going?" I demanded. In this new world I had been thrown into, he was my only ally, the only person I knew and trusted. Trust-something he had been gunning for since we met-came so very quickly when I faced new and different people, different threats. He smiled at my question; it was the most I had talked to him in a long time.
"I was going back to my room…are you okay?" he asked as his smile morphed into concern as I began shaking.
"Don't leave," I begged him softly. My voice was near a whisper, and I felt tears stinging my eyes. This room was too quiet, too lonely, for me to bear on my own. Left alone, I was unsure if I would relive my worst nightmares, or if I would be taken again. Although the fear was irrational, it haunted my every waking moment. Adrian looked alarmed at my fear, and pulled me into an embrace quickly.
"Hey, hey, don't cry," he crooned softly. He pulled away long enough to look into my eyes fully. "I'm not far. I know you're nervous about being in a new place, but you're safe here," he told me quietly. He didn't realize that those last words weren't comforting. I had also thought I was safe at my old school, and I wasn't. His hands rubbed my shoulders, trying to ease back the tension. I shook my head, protesting, and he smiled very, very gently. "Why don't I stay until the guardians are ready for your molnija ceremony? I'll walk you there and everything."
I nodded, hating to show weakness, but needing him more. Adrian stretched out in the desk chair and made a show of cracking open one of my textbooks while I sat on the bed and kicked off my shoes. Having him in my room relaxed me enough to fall back against the pillows and close my eyes long enough for a short nap.
Adrian shook me awake and stepped out of the room while I threw on guardian black-and-white clothes he had laid out for me to wear to the ceremony. After I had brushed my hair into a high bun, we headed across campus to the guardian administration building. Adrian followed me into the small lobby, but waited there while I went further into the building. One of the rooms was lined with some chairs, and a tattoo artist sat in the front waiting with a needle. The head of the guardians, Guardian Petrov, had greeted me warmly and shown me the way. She gestured for me to take the chair beside the tattoo artist and then joined the ten or so other guardians that were apparently not on duty.
The needle on the back of my neck stung, but the pain was dim compared to what I had recently experienced. He worked for a long time; I was to receive a zvezda mark for the battle at my school, as well as five molnija marks for the escape from my kidnappers in the mountains. One of those marks was really for the dhampir that had fallen in the escape, but the guardians had decided I had had enough of a hand in the Strigoi's death to award me the molnija, since the dhampir couldn't take it himself.
The process took hours, but when it was over, the guardians of St. Vladimir's stepped forward to offer their appreciation. We never said "congratulations" at these things, because there was nothing fun or happy about eliminating a life from this world, corrupt and undead or not.
I returned to Adrian in the lobby with a thick white bandage on the back of my neck. He tried to offer me a smile, but could see that I wasn't in the mood for it. He tempered his reaction quickly and brought me back to my room, where he offered to stay a little longer. I changed into a comfy pair of pajamas I found tucked into the dresser drawers and flopped back on my bed lightly.
Adrian stayed long enough to get me a takeout dinner from the cafeteria and watch a movie on the computer with me before he needed to get back to guest housing for my curfew. I was reluctant to let him leave.
"Do you have to go?" I asked quietly. Adrian sighed.
"Yeah, they get pretty strict around here with the curfew thing," he explained. "Plus the matron downstairs logged me coming in with dinner, so she'll be up here any minute kicking me out." I must have looked pitiful to him, because he sat beside me suddenly on the bed and took my hand, his green eyes gleaming with a scheme. "Look, have you seen anything in my head about…spirit dreams?"
"No," I said. "I didn't go snooping around on purpose. I thought you'd like your privacy."
"Well," he chuckled lightly. "I appreciate that. But these are hard to explain. Let's just say, I can be with you when you're sleeping."
"That sounds…weird," I hedged. Intimate was the word I would've used, but he might have taken it in a sexual direction, when I really only meant it as a little too close for comfort. Still, he seemed excited about this idea and seemed to think it would solve this problem, so I didn't burst his bubble or protest.
"Trust me," he urged. I nodded, and he smiled so bright it was like looking into the sun. "Okay, I'll see you soon then." He paused at the door. "But don't forget to fall asleep."
