Previously;
"Her voice was hard something wasn't right, and some serious shit was about to go down. I just hoped it wasn't us.

Dimitri and I shared a look before getting up and dressing. It conveyed a million messages, but right now, all I could focus on was wondering if we'd been caught. It wasn't easy getting dressed because both of us kept stopping to place a chaste, or not so chaste, kiss on the other's lips. We eventually got out of the cabin in a timely manner and we raced down to headquarters. I wasn't too sure I was supposed to go in, but I decided to keep my mouth shut for once. Alberta met us at the door with a hard look on her face, making the chance of me reading any emotion of hers void. I quickly snuck a glance to Dimitri's face, and as usual, his own mask was in place.

"Good you're here, and I see you brought Rose. Why?" She asked.

So many things were going through my head; the main thought was I couldn't lose Dimitri if we were found out. I was still in my day dream state, but luckily for me, Dimitri was quick on his feet and gave Alberta a swift response.

"Rose and I were just doing some training. I assume you have heard what happened in the courtyard with her, the Princess, and Mr. Zeklos?" She nodded, and Dimitri took this as the go ahead to continue. "Well as Rose's mentor, over the past couple months I have gotten to know her really well." He wasn't far off from the truth. The things we've just done, no one else has gotten to know me better than that.

"I have learned that Rose often takes her anger out in the form of physical violence. Rose is strong enough that if I allow her to go to the gym that she would, break, for a lack of a better word, the equipment she would use. Not to mention when she calmed down from the Princess's magic, she wouldn't have wanted anyone to see her breakdown like that. So I took her out behind the old guarding post cabins and engaged in combat with her. During our spar, you called and I didn't want to leave her behind for all sorts of trouble she might get in if there wasn't a figure of authority there to watch her."

"I see," Alberta looked at Dimitri for a couple seconds and then she turned to me. Keeping a brave face on, I tried not to waver under her stare by returning it equally as cold, giving away no indication that Dimitri was lying. Well not exactly lying, but stretching the truth as far as it would reach.

"And you can confirm this, Rose?" Alberta asked me. I gave a swift nod. It was hard to keep things from Alberta. She was like the mother I never had while growing up at the Academy. "Nothing to add?"

I gave another swift nod and for good measure added a "No ma'am".

Opening the doorway, she turned away and started walking into headquarters, expecting us to follow but not before giving us a knowing look and smile. I started to get a little antsy. Did Alberta know? Was our cover not believable? Would she rat us out if she did know? My hands were shaking and I didn't even realize it until Dimitri put one of his over mine. I calmed down at the warmth radiating from his hand. I was amazed that even the smallest of touches could create spark in my body and ignite my soul on fire.

We walked further down until we reached a room where a large oval shaped table was situated in the middle of the room. It seated about twenty and at one end of the table was a 100" flat screen television hung on the wall. Around the table were a bunch of sofas, a range of one to three seaters. The room wasn't so bad.

Most of the guardians that patrolled the high school and the upper grades were seated in the room. Those I recognized were Stan, who's face instantly drew into a scowl as soon as he saw me, Celeste, Guardian Chase, Emil, Jean, Yuri, and of course, Alberta.

Alberta sat at the head of the table facing the flat screen and the rest of the guardians took seats around her or on the couches. I remained standing. I didn't know what to do, so I was just stood there, rocking back and forth on my heels, moving slightly into a corner.

Stan apparently decided to make my presence known to those who hadn't seen me and had taken the opportunity to embarrass me. "Alberta why is a novice here? And Hathaway at that! These meetings are for guardians only. If we wanted to broadcast them, why not hold an assembly for the novices and why not even throw in the Moroi! Like this subject isn't delicate enough," his face started getting red from the lack of oxygen he used in order to yell his nonsense. "Everyone knows Hathaway and her big mouth. It's just a matter of time before the whole school knows what's going to go on!"

When he was finished, Stan's his face returned to its normal colour and Dimitri who had opted to stand beside me, started shaking with rage. I wanted to put my hands over to calm him down like he calmed me down earlier, but I knew then our cover would be blown and our relationship would be exposed as being more than a mentor student one.

"Put a sock in it, Alto! Rose is capable of keeping quiet. Alberta had no problem with letting her in, so I suggest you be quiet and don't dare talk to my student like that again." Dimitri's eyes narrowed at Stan and his voice turned menacingly low.

Alberta turned to Stan and said, "Guardian Alto, there is no need for that here! Rose is perfectly capable of knowing the situation and when to keep it a secret as Dimitri has stated. I let Rose in because I thought she could benefit from it. She's already above all other novices in the Academy and I would let her graduate earlier than she should. Why Stan, she's already made one more kill while still in her education, than you in all of your fifteen years as a promised guardian. Are you questioning my authority as head guardian?"

Stan looked outraged. "No, Alberta, I was just making sure there's no worry about the safety and concern about the Academy and its students and faculties." He said quickly, stumbling over some of his words.

I let out a small chuckle but quickly regained my composure when Stand sent me a glare that could've sent me six feet under. Seeing this as a chance for retaliation without the consequences, I sent my best face of innocence his way.

"Well, thank you for your concern, Guardian Alto, but it really is none of your concern. It's mine and if it was yours then you would have been made Head Guardian." Alberta told him, asking me through her eyes to not mess up. It took all of my self-control not to bust out laughing at Alberta's comment and at a now thoroughly embarrassed Stan. Even Dimitri had a little smile on his face; it was so tiny that only I could see it.

No more was said as the attention returned to Alberta when she began talking. "As everyone here knows, there have been recent Strigoi attacks along the border of Montana and Pennsylvania, dangerously close to Court. As you know this is highly confidential between guardians only, not even the queen herself has been informed.

We can't have everyone is worrying. When chaos breaks loose among our kind, it is never good. We have come to a conclusion that the high fatality numbers couldn't have been without the Strigoi working together. Recent attacks on a city, housing fifteen Moroi and 20 guardians living amongst humans, have us thinking that at least fifteen Strigoi have banded together for this attack. 5 guardians were killed along with two Moroi and the rest recovering. All known Strigoi have been exterminated. The current location is still undetermined to Vladimir guardians but one of the guardians from the attack has managed to get a report to Court."

Alberta stopped and looked around the room, waiting until the information sunk in before continuing. "Court guardians have discovered where a possible Strigoi hideout location is, and they were generous enough to let some of the academies privy to this information. St. Basil's and Windsor have been notified as well as us.

Unfortunately, the Royal Court does not have enough resources to go ahead and try to eliminate this threat. They have asked each academy provide 15 guardians towards to mission to reinforce their numbers. These fifteen guardians from each of the three institutes will accompany the thirty guardians from Court for a total of seventy five.

I haven't gotten specific orders as to who must leave so I am holding it open. There will be a sign up sheet outside the headquarters door tomorrow morning at five o' clock. If you wish to join this expectation, I urge you too, but until we get further instructions I will not be pushing anyone to go. Understood?" Alberta scanned the room and I feel my heart beating out of my chest. I feared to think of what Dimitri might do.

A large and logical part of me knew Dimitri would do it, that's just the kind of man he was. He always did the right thing. It's a large part of who he was and I knew that he knew himself that he would do it in a heartbeat.

And you could call me selfish, but now that I had Dimitri, I don't want him to ever leave, or ever give me up. I wanted him to put me first, not the Moroi, and a part of me hoped he would choose me first this time.

When Alberta spoke next, she indirectly spoke to Dimitri, "choose what you want very wisely."

To say I was shocked would be an understatement, and I wasn't even Dimitri, whom she was clearly speaking to. Alberta's attention went to some papers on her desk, but not before giving Dimitri and I a knowing look. Had she found out about us? Was our story not believable? Did Dimitri accidentally give something away? My earlier worries came rushing back.

"Meeting dismissed," Alberta said while rifling through her papers. "Belikov, stay back. I want to talk to you." And my worries just became a whole lot worse. My palms were sweating as everyone filed out the room, while Dimitri and I stood firmly where we were the whole meeting.

Dimitri turned to look at me. I lifted my eyes to meet his and in the process craning my neck. The worry and concern was evident in my eyes and Dimitri picked up on it. As I knew he would, nothing I do ever got past him. "Roza, don't worry. I'll talk to her quickly and all this will be over. I doubt she knows anything about us. Go find Lissa; I'm sure you want to speak to her about our current situation. I'll meet you in your room after hours. Leave the door unlocked." He whispered the last part and moved toward the adjoining room where Alberta was.

Sitting on a bench after I left headquarters, my mind and body tried to calm themselves of the anxiety coursing through my veins. Once I was feeling a bit better I concentrated until I felt the familiar whoosh and I was seeing the world through Lissa's eyes. She was in the library doing homework for advanced calculus. Ugh, it looked like a whole different language to me, smart people. I was just fine taking my dumb class math. It was simple and easy. And who needs math when all I'm going to do is guarding, protecting and fighting for a living.

I decided to pull out now and go to her now because Sparky wasn't there and he was no doubt going to meet her later in the church attic. It gave me shivers just thinking about it. I've seen too much of him than I would ever like to. I pulled back into my own head and marveled at how easy it was getting to become my own person again. I quickly made my way across the dhampir dorms and over to the library.

I snuck up on Lissa using my awesome ninja skills and suffice enough to say that I scared the living hell out of her, getting us a couple glares from the surrounding students and librarians. "Oh my God Rose. You scared me."

I snickered. "Yes, I believe that was the general point."

"It wasn't funny, I almost had a heart attack," Lissa said, trying to look outraged but failing miserably.

"I beg to differ. It was quite funny. Yeah, you probably wouldn't have lasted long with that weak Moroi heart of yours so you should be lucky I stopped while I was at it or you'd be long gone by now," I retorted while Lissa shot me a face. I just shrugged and asked her what I've been wanting to since Dimitri told me to. "You busy?"

"Not really. Just trying to beat some calculus questions but it looks like they're winning. What's up?"

"See if you just took dumb math like me then you wouldn't have this problem," She turned and gave me an exasperated look. "I need to talk to you, it's important." I ask answering her question.

I feel a mixture of emotions coming from her side of the bond. Mainly curiosity and happiness that I was coming to talk to her without trying to work whatever problem out I had myself, which she was assuming I had. And I guess you could call it that, sort of.

"Silly girl, I'll always come and talk to you. Even if it's in my own time but I'll always tell you what's bugging me. We're sisters right? Deeper than blood." Lissa smiled and nodded.

"Always no shoot your question at me. Target ready." Whenever Lissa tried to be funny, she failed, miserably and I couldn't help but laugh at her attempt at a joke. "What?" She asked, in perfect mock hurt.

"Just don't, Lissa. Stick to the books and helping people in need. And being that loving caring person. Can we go somewhere private, like your room?" I could feel so much curiosity coming through the bond, it was suffocating.

"Sure." We walked out of the library arm in arm to her room in comfortable silence. When she opened the door I immediately jumped on to her bed and buried my face in her pillow, dreading telling her about the glorious 'tale' I called Dimitri.

She put her books on her desk and sat with her legs crossed on the end of her bed, back towards the end board and foot posts. I sat up and took a similar position against her headboard. She waited patiently for me to begin. I took a deep breath, exhaled loudly and started.

"Liss, I'm in love with Dimitri."