Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy. All characters in the original stories belong to Richelle Mead. This disclaimer covers all chapters. Any songs used in this story belong to their respective writers and performers.
Chapter 2
Mel's POV
I woke up feeling strangely relaxed and rested. The endorphin haze had diminished and my mind cleared. I'll admit that I liked the bite, but I hated not having control of my body. As I opened my eyes I met a pair of deep emerald ones that I knew to be Adrian's. His concerned eyes met mine and he smiled a sincere smile and asked how I felt.
"Good." I said. "How about you, did you sleep well?"
"Nope." He laughed. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news but those bunk beds suck. I would've been better on the couch…or the floor." Okay I had to laugh at that.
"Well I said nothing about it being comfortable you just assumed it was." I laughed.
I got up and went to the master bedroom to gather some clothes and shower. Everyone else was already in the living room so I showered and changed quickly. Everyone was sitting on my huge couch and smiled when I greeted them. They were suggesting that we all go out today since they were in town for some Moroi conference. I really thought about their offer to live at court since I was always so lonely here. I finally agreed after much deliberation that that was the best decision for me. I refused to face those Strigoi again without the proper training and knowledge. The fact is that if these people hadn't been with me last night I would be dead or worse.
The Moroi had feeders at the conference and they also held breakfast so we left my home.
"Guys we could walk or we could take my truck? I can fit the three Moroi in the cab so they'll be out of the sun since the windows are tinted. Everyone else can sit in the bed since we won't be going far." They reluctantly agreed seeing as the Moroi really didn't want to walk around town in the daytime. We pulled out of the apartments and down to the main street to the building that the conference. I parked and helped Liss and Christian out of the backseat while the others piled out of the truck bed. I heard a high pitched scream that made me jump and turned to see a blond girl slightly younger than me barrel full speed towards Eddie and throw her arms around him. Eddie Chuckled at her and explained last night's events. During his epic tale there were other people that came around us giving me a curious look. Finally I had enough of being looked at like some freak show.
"What the hell are you all looking at me like that for?" I demanded. Adrian had stepped around the truck now and was standing behind me. He put his hand on my shoulder trying to calm me down. Liss used her queenly voice saying that she would explain later and we have better things to do than stare at me. I let it drop for now but I was still annoyed. I really liked having Adrian close since I felt calm and at peace with him around. Walking into the conference building Adrian grabbed my hand asking if I was ok.
"Yeah," I sighed, "I'm just not sure I fit in with this world either. I knew in the human world I was different but I wasn't sure how. Now I'm with my own kind but I still feel as if I don't fit that world either." I said.
"Give it a little time. It's only been a day." He said. "Things will work out in time." Adrian said with an encouraging smile.
"Great. I've got my own walking fortune cookie" I exclaimed causing everyone in our group to laugh. I walked ahead of them and turned my head to see them still laughing when I ran into a Moroi, causing me to fall flat on my ass. Two guardians lifted me back to my feet to face him. This guy looks like something between a pimp and a pirate although he was scary looking there was something familiar about him.
"Sorry, I really need to start watching where I'm going." I said.
"No harm no foul" He replied waving me off. Rose and the rest of her friends finally caught up to us. Rose wrapped her arms around the man.
"Hey Baba. I see you met my new friend Mellissa." The man's eyes widened like he recognized something in my face. Oh this just gets better and better I thought.
"Does Mellissa have a last name?" He asked.
"I don't know she never mentioned it but we never really asked either." Rose said looking at me.
"Mazur" I replied drily. Their eyes all widened. Oh Shit!
"WHAT!" they exclaimed in unison.
"Look all I know is that my mother's maiden name was Mazur and I don't know anything else. Why does my last name matter anyway." I questioned.
"Because we," Rose said pointing to the man, herself and me, "are related." DOUBLE SHIT!
"Look the conference is about to start and Mel agreed to go to court with us so we need to have this conversation in private later today." Rose said.
After hours of discussion of topics I didn't understand the conference broke for lunch and Rose and Dimitri went to the B&B to get their things to bring back to the apartment. We all agreed to meet at the diner down the street. Adrian, Eddie and Mia stayed with me while Lissa and Christian went with Dimitri and Rose. At least no one had to ride in the truck bed. We walked into the diner and through to the back dining room where the larger tables were. We ordered drinks and waited for the others to arrive. Minutes late the old man that I bumped into waltzed in with his two guardians.
"Mellissa, I never properly introduced myself. My name is Abe Mazur. You are the daughter of Bell Mazur who was my sister. Therefore you are my niece and Rose's first cousin." He stated. Well this just keeps getting better.
"What about my father? Do you know why I was abandoned?" I asked. I was hoping that I could get some of the answers I'd been seeking all my life.
"No, I never knew that Bell even had a child, but Bell disappeared a little over twenty years ago without notice or any indication of where she'd gone." He said. By now everyone was here and heard the story. While we were waiting on our food I decided that we would discuss this at my home after lunch since the conference was over for the day. During lunch I had no desire to talk much to anyone since I was busy trying to wrap my head around everything that has happened since yesterday. I was broken out of my ramblings when Adrian put his hand over mine.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"I will be eventually, just a lot to process." I said. He smiled a sympathetic smile and squeezed my hand.
Lissa was giving me a calculating look similar to the one Adrian gave me when we met. Adrian noticed and told me that she was reading my aura. He explained what he saw and what she was probably getting from my aura as well. I asked what it meant and he and Lissa both said that they had no clue 'cause they haven't seen an aura like that before.
When we got back to my apartment we all sat in the living room. I prepared myself to tell them my story. "Ok guys, here it goes. If after you've heard my story you don't want me around I completely understand." No one said anything so I began.
"For as long as I can remember, I was passed from foster home to foster home. The first one or two were nice, but they couldn't handle a 'disrespectful wild lying brat'. The part they got wrong was the 'lying'. I told my foster parents that their eldest son was a real dick. He was about 14 and he was always really mean. I was only 10 at the time so I just kept quiet hoping he would not notice, me but I never got that lucky. He beat the crap out of me every chance he got till one day I realized that I had to fight back. When my 'parent' found him in the kitchen beat to a pulp they threw me out cause their son could apparently do no wrong."
"I bounced around a few more times with pretty much the same result." I took a shaky breath knowing it's about to get worse. Adrian was on my left and Rose sat on my right both giving my hands a supportive squeeze. "At 16, I was sent to a real hellhole. My 'parents' there were constantly drunk or high and I tried to distance myself from them as much as possible. That didn't work too well as they decided that they needed someone to be the guinea pig for some of their dope deals. For a while I stayed about as doped as they did, of course they stopped that seeing as me being high off their drugs cut into their fun. After being with those asshats for a year they sent me to some 'parents' that made the others seem like a Disney movie." I took another deep breath. I stood up running my hands through my hair. "Guy I need a minute." They nodded and I went out the door to smoke because I needed to compose myself. Adrian came out and wrapped his arms around me. With Adrian nothing had to be said. He knew that this is what I needed right now. Never have I felt this with anyone else.
"Are you ready to get back in there?" Adrian asked. I nodded.
I composed myself and went back inside after my smoke. Adrian followed closely behind and I resumed my story.
"At 17, I was sent to my last foster home. It was pure hell. So much so that I barely went to school which I really didn't mind 'cause I didn't have to explain the bruises and broken bones. This couple was just as drunk as the last ones. One month before my 18th birthday they had a party at the house and my foster 'dad' decided that I needed to lighten up a little so he slipped some kind of drug into my drink. They were going to play it off that I was drinking and wasted but I had no alcohol that night. My 'dad' and some of his friends carried me up to my room but they didn't leave. His name was Richard. They took away the only pure thing I had left that night." I began to sob into my hands. Finally, I composed myself enough to finish the story.
"I stayed in my bed for two weeks after that. When I finally was able to move I made it to the hospital and they listed my injuries. I had three broken ribs, fractured left wrist, lacerations on my stomach and abdomen all from trying to fight them off in my drugged state. They determined that I had been raped and I was malnourished and lost a lot of blood so I was so weak." I took a shaky breath and composed myself again. "The doctors said that they turned the evidence over to the police but then once I was release from the hospital I was sent right back to those assholes. I left two weeks before my 18th birthday. For a year I lived on the streets till I got back on my feet. I got a job as a cashier at one of the large stores here in the next town over. I crawled my way through all the shit and made a living for myself and a life for myself but it still feels empty."
"After all that I went through with my foster families, I decided that I didn't want to be helpless anymore. I learned self defense from anyone that would teach me. I worked cashier third shift and learned to defend myself during the day. I didn't sleep much since even the daylight wasn't enough to chase the nightmares away." By the time I finished my story it came out in a strangled whisper. I looked around the room and every person tearing up. I stood up and went for another smoke.
Rose POV
God that girl has been through hell and came out on the other side. I don't even know if I would be strong enough to handle it. I look over at Dimitri and I know he understands my unspoken message. We will train her when we get back to court. I saw her in that fight last night and her form was good, she just wasn't prepared for the Strigoi she never knew existed. She only had a silver knife but it wasn't charmed like our stakes. If it had been a stake in her hand she would've had her first kill.
Dimitri POV
Mel reminds me so much of my Roza that it broke my heart to hear all that she has gone through. She definitely has the Mazur strength. Maybe court will be a new start for her. I would kill someone that tried to put my Roza through things like that girl has had to endure. I feel Roza's eyes on me and the silent message. She wants to train her when we get to court. She did well last night and held her own against the Strigoi. With a stake and a little training, she'll be just as deadly as my Roza.
Adrian POV
Seeing how strong Mel has become from her dark past makes me like her that much more. I may even be beginning to fall in love with her.
Abe POV
All of the things that Mel has endured are horrific. I wished that I had known about her and then I could have protected her from that hell.
"I do hope that Mel has decided to move to court?" I ask hoping she'll be safer there.
"That's what she has told us but I don't know if she has things to settle here or if she'll go when we do." Rose says.
Mel has been outside for a long time and I sent my two guardians outside to check on her. Outside there were a commotion and the guardians in the room go to check it out. Next thing I know Mel comes literally flying through the window. She rolls to a stop and picks her broken body up off the floor. I see three strigoi coming through the window.
"Guys go to the bathroom and lock the door. Eddie guard that door no matter what." Mel shouts. Eddie Nods. I know he wants to help Mel but the Moroi come first. I stay with my niece since the others are all occupied and I still got firepower as a backup.
Mel POV
Watching the sun go down was soothing I walked to the mailbox to collect my mail and head back to my apartment. Since the mailbox is in sight of the apartment I didn't expect trouble and since the sun had just went down. Standing on the front patio, I finish my smoke. I hear a commotion and go around the corner of my apartment to see what it is. I'm met by a pair of red eyes. Shit! Good thing Rose gave me a spare stake that she had. The Strigoi grabs me and throws me in the direction of four more Strigoi. They haul me to my feet. The one that I assume is the leader speaks with a permanent sneer.
"Is that all you got Damphir?" He laughs, smacking me sending me hurling into my living room via the picture window. I vaguely notice that the guardians are all fighting their own Strigoi. I pull myself up the floor and get the Moroi out of the room as three Strigoi enter the room. I pull my stake and lunge for them attacking the ones closest to the room the Moroi are located. I slash his right cheek and his hand goes to his cheek. I give him another punch to the face giving me the opening to his chest. I plunged the stake in his chest and he falls to the floor. The two remaining Strigoi lunge for me at the same time. I feign left kicking one in the chest hard sending him staggering back into the other. I stake the second Strigoi as he tries to balance himself giving me an opening. The third Strigoi reaches for me he grabs me by the throat cutting off my air. I remember that last fight where the Strigoi bursts into flames and I feel a sudden tingle in my hands. Just as he sinks his fangs in my neck I see the fire in my hands and I push it outward towards his chest making him release me. I throw my stake into his chest killing him. Due to the strong endorphins and my injuries, everything blurs a bit. Abe pulls me up and leads me to the couch where everything goes dark.
Abe POV
Mel fights for all she's worth killing the first two within minutes but the third grabs her by the throat. I watch in horror because Mel is between me and the Strigoi I can't shoot him with my fire. As he bites her I see fire in her hands. She must have noticed it too because she pushed it towards his chest causing him to scream in pain and release her and she finished the Strigoi with her stake. I grab Mel and lead her to the couch. Within seconds she's unconscious. As the guardians outside give the all clear and assess the damages they start to come back into the house. Rose and Dimitri come in as Pavel and Sergei remove the three Strigoi from the house.
"Old man, what happened in here?" Rose asks.
"Mel killed these three Strigoi and now she's unconscious. Eddie took the Moroi to the bathroom in the hall. Bring Lissa cause Mel's in pretty bad shape and was bitten." I said. Rose nods and goes to retrieve the Moroi.
Lissa, Christian, Eddie, Mia, and Adrian follow Rose back out to the living room. Lissa and Adrian go over to Mel and begin healing her. I'm confused over her use of magic since she looks and fights like a Damphir. After she is healed Adrian carries her to the master bedroom where she'll be more comfortable. When everyone gathers back in the room I ask the questions that I had since Mel's fight.
"I know that Mel is a Damphir but something strange happened during her fight that confuses me." I state. "Towards the end of the fight Mel was grabbed by the throat and the Strigoi bit her." Everyone's eyes widen and Adrian looks pained. I think he is developing feelings for her. "I was ready to light him up but Mel was in the middle. Soon after he bit her, she produced a fireball in her hand and hit him in the chest with it. Then she took her stake and finished him off before she passed out from the bite and her other injuries." Everyone's face showed shock except Lissa and Adrian who looked like they were confused and curious.
"How in the hell did she do that?" Christian asked.
"I really don't know but ultimately that's what saved her tonight." I said.
"You know it's rude to talk about someone in their own house." Mel said from the hallway.
Mel POV
I woke up kind of groggy but I was able to shake it off. I don't know who carried me in here but I do know that Liss and Adrian healed me. What I don't know is how the hell I produced fire from my hands during that fight. I got up and made my way towards the voices in my living room.
"How in the hell did she do that?" Christian asked.
"I really don't know but ultimately that's what saved her tonight." Abe said.
"You know it's rude to talk about someone in their own house." I said from the hallway. Everyone whipped their head towards me in shock.
"How are you feeling my dear?" Abe asks.
"Oh you know, like I've been thrown through a window fought and killed three Strigoi, been bitten by one of said Strigoi, and lit his ass on fire…" I trailed off my smirk growing as I went. "Thanks for healing me Liss, Adrian." I look towards them and they both give a nod of acknowledgement.
"How did you use magic if you're a Damphir?" Eddie asks.
"Well that is the million dollar question isn't it?" I said. "The answer is I don't know. I didn't even know it till I felt a sensation in my hands and saw flames when I looked down. From the point in the fight where I got bitten…" I sigh. "I just got damn lucky I survived it."
"Close calls with death must run in the family." Dimitri muttered but everyone heard him and burst into fits of laughter. Rose slaps his arm playfully and glares at him.
"Okay, back to business. This conference is over tomorrow so when it's finished I'll be leaving back to court. Abe can you get this apartment fixed 'because I really want my deposit back and this…" I motioned towards the broken window and furniture. "Isn't going to work." I said.
"Take what is necessary with you and I'll see that the rest of your belongings are transported and taken care of." Abe said with a grin.
"Thank you." I nodded with a small smile. Adrian reached in his pocket for his cloves. And started to walk to the door but I stopped him. "Go in the bedroom. Being outside is not such a good idea. Eddie, can you go with him?" He looked confused and I sighed. "There's a window back there that can be used as an entry point and I'm not taking any chances." Realization crossed his face and he nodded following Adrian to the bedroom. I looked towards the guardians and they all had proud smiles. "What?" I asked.
"You'll make a great guardian one day. You're not trained in guarding but you have natural talent for it." Rose said with a smile.
Abe ordered Chinese for dinner and had it delivered from the neighboring town not far away. After dinner we had to double up in the bedrooms since there was a huge hole in my living room. We rotated sleeping shifts since the apartment wasn't secure anymore. I took a longer shift so everyone else would be rested tomorrow. I decided to stay home to pack things up and supervise the repairs.
The workers finished the repairs and left me to pack. I was collecting things to put in my duffel when a voice came through the hall that I hoped never to hear again.
"Going somewhere?" Richard said with a sneer.
"Get the fuck out of my house you sick bastard." I yelled. Richard flew across the room pinning me to the wall before I could blink. I wanted to light him on fire but because he was human I couldn't risk him knowing about my power.
"I spent years waiting for this day. I went to prison because of you little slut!" He yells. Throwing me towards the bed and puts his full weight on top of me. I now notice that he is not alone his two buddies from the party all those years ago. His buddies rush forward. One grabs my wrists above my head the other one grips my ankles while I fight with all I have. The hold on my wrists loosens and I punch Richard causing him to return the favor hitting my left eye. "You'll pay for that bitch! You just made it worse for yourself." He stood up pulling a syringe out of his pocket. The man on my wrists regains his hold while Richard rips my shirt open. Richard stabs the syringe into my veins of my arm. He grabs my bra at the center ripping it away.
I fought as hard as I could and fought back tears, but the drug that he injected was beginning to take effect. Richard dropped his pants and began to pull mine off. I was screaming and crying when all of a sudden Richard's weight is gone as well as the others. Dimitri had Richard pinned against the wall. Pavel and Sergei have the others. Adrian runs in pulling me into a hug while I break into sobs. In all the commotion I suddenly notice that Abe is standing in the doorway with a murderous look in his eyes. I compose myself and walk straight to Richard and deliver a punch to his already broken nose.
"If you ever come near me again, what this man does to you will seem like a stroll in the park." I say pointing towards Abe. "You are a sick bastard and if I ever see you again I will castrate you on the spot!" I yell as I deliver a knee to his groin. Finally whatever he drugged me with was starting to hit full force and I collapse towards the floor. Adrian notices the syringe on the floor and lays me on the bed. I can still hear and see everything but my limbs are paralyzed and rubbery.
"He drugged her but I don't know with what. I'll stay with her till you can get some information out of these bastards." Adrian says to Abe and he nods. Adrian covers me with as sheet so that I'm not exposed.
Dimitri and Abe's guardians haul them out of the house to be dealt with. Adrian remains in the room and locates some clothes for me to change into. After about an hour and a half the drug wears off and I gain control of my body. He looks away as I change but stays in the room. I am grateful for his support. Finally Adrian breaks the awkward silence.
"Are you ok Mel?" He looks so sad. It breaks my heart that this affects him so much more than if he were just a friend.
"I will eventually be ok. I won't let this break me anymore than I'm already broken." I say.
I take a deep cleansing breath and make my way to the living room where everyone else is waiting. Adrian and Liss wanted to heal my black eye and busted lip but I refused. After lunch we decided that we would be leaving for the jet back to court. I packed what I needed and made arrangements for the rest to be sent. Since we were leaving during daylight hours we didn't have to worry about Strigoi so much for which I was grateful.
Adrian POV
I really hate these stupid conferences. I'd rather stay at Mel's since she was packing to go to court. I am so glad that she chose to go back with us. We finally finished at the conference and made our way back to Mel's. The closer we got to her apartment the worse I felt. I heard screaming and crying from the rear bedroom that I knew to be Mel's.
"Do you guys hear that?" I asked. As we got closer the guardians ears picked up the sounds. We all ran towards the apartment. When we got inside Dimitri and Abe's guardians went in first with Abe and I right behind them. What I saw broke my heart. Dimitri pulled a man off her that looked like he was taking her pants off. Her bra and blouse were already in rags. Pavel and Sergei haul the other two out that were holding her down. I ran to Mel and wrapped my arms around her as she sobbed. A short time later she stood and walked straight to the guy that I assume was Richard and delivered a punch to his already broken nose.
"If you ever come near me again, what this man does to you will seem like a stroll in the park." Mel says pointing towards Abe who just entered the room with a murderous look. "You are a sick bastard and if I ever see you again I will castrate you on the spot!" Mel yells as she delivered a knee to his groin. Suddenly she collapsed towards the floor and I grab her just before impact. I notice the syringe on the floor and lay her on the bed. I cover her with the sheet so she can have some modesty.
"He drugged her but I don't know with what. I'll stay with her till you can get some information out of these bastards." I say to Abe and he nods.
I wait until she has control over her body again and gather some clothes for her. After a while the drug is gone and we meet up with the others in the main room. She won't let us heal the black eye or the busted lip, but I wish she would. It hurts me to see her like that.
We get things ready for court and load everything in Mel's truck. Mel, Eddie and I will ride to the strip with the luggage while everyone else piles into the SUVs. We get to the strip where Abe is waiting for all of us. Mel hands her truck keys over to Abe so that he can have her truck sent to court behind her. Before we board the plane I hear Mel talk briefly to Abe.
"You better make sure that my baby gets there or there will be hell to pay. My truck is the only thing of value that I have." Mel tells Abe.
"Of course my dear" Abe says and hugs her before sending her to the jet.
As we take off I sit next to her and squeeze her hand for support. She smiles at me and eventually drifts off to sleep. Looking at her now it is certain that I have fallen hard for her. I move so that I can lay her across the seat into a more comfortable sleeping position and walk up to the rest of our group.
"How is she doing Adrian?" Rose asks.
"Coping I guess. She's trying not to show weakness. She's resting now but I don't know for how long." I say.
"She is strong, but that was a very close call at the house. I don't know that she would be so strong if he and his buddies finished the job." Dimitri says. I knew that he was thinking of his experience with his own family in Russia. Rose squeezed his hand knowing where his mind had gone.
"Give her some time. She has been through hell these last few days. Maybe court and guardian training will give her some piece of mind." Lissa says. I nod and go to check on Mel.
Rose POV
The last few days have been a nightmare for all of us but Mel has been through pure hell. She insists on showing that she is strong and unphazed but I can see the battle of emotion playing in her eyes. She has a natural guardian mask but we all know she is struggling for emotional control. Adrian hasn't let her out of his sight since we found those men in her home. When we get to court Mel wanted to have some tests run so that we can figure out how she used fire during the Strigoi attack. About an hour into the flight to court, Adrian came up to all of us.
"How is she doing Adrian?" I ask.
"Coping I guess. She's trying not to show weakness. She's resting now but I don't know for how long." Adrian says.
"She is strong, but that was a very close call at the house. I don't know that she would be so strong if he and his buddies finished the job." Dimitri says. I knew that he was thinking of his experience with his own family in Russia. I squeeze his hand giving him my strength.
"Give her some time. She has been through hell these last few days. Maybe court and guardian training will give her some piece of mind." Lissa says.
Adrian nods and goes toward the rear of the jet to check on Mel.
"I think Adrian has found the new object of his affection." I stated with a grin.
"Yeah he has I believe." Dimitri smiles along with the others. "Only time will tell because with all that has happened she isn't looking for a relationship right now." He says. We all decide to try and rest since we have another hour or so before we land at court. I settle in beside Dimitri and close my eyes. I hope that everything will go back to normal when we get back to court. Dimitri and I will talk to the guardian council to discuss what can be done for Mel to be trained as a guardian. It will be difficult due to her age but seeing that she has killed three Strigoi and has some basic training I am confident that she will become a guardian if she wants.
