CHAPTER ONE- THREE YEARS LATER…
I felt Andrei's little body pressed against mine, his head resting on my shoulder, before I opened my eyes to see him curled around me. I smiled and took one of his tiny hands in my own and kissed his little palm. His breathing was calm and steady he looked completely at peace while he slept. Sometimes while awake my little Angel had a tendency to slip into a version of his father's stoic guardian mask. Not that my Angel knew who his father was, only Adrian, Alberta and I were in on that detail. To everyone else, including a very pissed Janine Hathaway, my children's' father was a moroi who refused to acknowledge the existence of my twins or I.
Twins, yes that's right. Arina Vasilisa B. Hathaway and Andrei Dima B. Hathaway, my two perfect angels. They are fraternal twins and they take this to the extreme, they look and act completely different from one another. My handsome son is a mini god, a replica of his father. He had his long brown hair; I couldn't bare to cut it too short so I kept it a little past his ear, he also had his dad's strong facial features and piercing brown eyes. His personality was keen to his fathers also, he was always careful and cautious in a new environment and around new people, but around his family he was happy and spirited and his laughs and giggles were music to my ears.
Now my daughter was my carbon copy everyone said so, even I could tell. She had my long brown wavy hair, and dark chocolate eyes, but it wasn't just her appearance it was her attitude that also mirrored my own, lucky me. My daughter's personality was infuriatingly like my own which caused us to butt heads. She was energetic, a nicer word for hyper, loud mouthed, sassy, and surprisingly sarcastic for a three-year-old, She never wanted to do as I told her and always did things her own way, but I can't say I don't love, when I'm not frustrated, that my daughter is so much like myself.
"Momma?" whispered my groggy son. I smiled and absentmindedly stroked his soft hair.
"Good morning angel. You ready to get up?" I asked even though it was only five thirty in the morning and I didn't have to be at Lissa's until seven thirty. Andrei, again, like his father was an early riser, too bad Arina didn't inherit this time saving trait. My princess begged and pleaded to stay in bed which usually lead to full out battles between us every morning.
Andrei nodded and I stood up carrying him to his room and sat him on his bottom bed. Lissa had done all the interior designing on my whole apartment. It was a "birthday gift". It was bit extreme for a gift but she instead they couldn't grow up in a bare room. So I gave her free rein on my apartment and she took full advantage.
Andrei's room had an unfinished wood bunk bed, he usually slept in mine though, but when he did sleep in his room he stayed away from the top bunk. He had light blue sheets and darker blue pillows on his bed. His room was painted pale blue except for the wall against the bed it was stripped with greens and blues. Along the top of his wall, high enough up so if he were to his bunk bed he would not be able to reach it, was a white shelf with little decorations on it. Next to his bed were stacked silver shelves with big boxes that contained only a small amount of his toys, the rest were tucked away in the office turned playroom. Lissa seemingly placed two circular multi-colored rugs on the floor, but after I cleaned his room and placed them in a different way she gave me a long stern lecture on where exactly they should go. And on the rugs were cute little blue cubes the Arina and Andrei liked to use as practice dummies, Lissa had given me strict instructions on what my kids were and weren't supposed to do with the cubes after watching one of their "practice sessions", but watching my angels fight like guardians was too cute to stop so I allowed them to do it when their Auntie Lissa was not around.
Arina's room was difficult for Lissa to design because of the fact that Arina; much like me was not a girly girl. The only room Lissa could convince my daughter to have was a tropical jungle themed room. Arina begged for her room to be red, but Lissa refused to paint a little girl's room red. Her room had one right green wall and the other, with the bed against it was a bright blue with oranges flowers, varying in sizes painted on it and three large green leafs extending from the three biggest flowers. Hangings on the green wall were two large squares ones higher on the wall than the other one was red and the lowest on was blue. The red square had a green shovel and red net attached to it and the blue square had a cute little monkey with long arms. On the floor pushed up against the green wall was a small orange bookcase with all the bed time stories I read to my kids in it, thank god Arina doesn't like princess stories because I don't think I could read those to her every night. On the blue wall hanging in between some of the flowers was a rectangular orange lamp. Her bed looked like it was woven and had little stuffed animals clinging to it. Her bedspread was white with large tropical flowers and leafs in different colors on it. In the center of the room was a small blue table with two little blue chairs with octopi painted on the back of them.
My room and bathroom and the rest of the house had more of modern feels to them. My room was painted in a color I could only describe as deep off white, if u asked Lissa she would have a specific name but deep off white is what I call it. My bed sat low to the ground and had deep purple sheets and a stripped purple and white comforter. Next to my bed were two steal night stands with blue lamps on each side. Along the wall by the window were two steal shelving systems, thought small, they leaned against the wall and on them sat unimportant things, that Lissa instead enhanced the room.
After setting Andrei down I moved to his sliding closet were I hung up his "guardian uniform". Today was bring your child to work day and though it is usually intended for moroi their a very few, and by few I mean like three including myself, Dhampir who have children although their situations are not quite like mine. Andrei and Arina begged me to let them wear button up shirts and black slacks like I do every day.
I turned clothes in hand and made my way back to Andrei. The moment he spotted them he started bouncing around wildly.
I giggled "You excited Andy?"
He nodded "Yes, Momma. I'm gonna guard Auntie Lissa just like you." He said proudly.
I forced a smile on face and asked him to take off his pajamas so he could get dressed.
Little boys were supposed to want to be like their fathers not their mothers…
I quickly helped him into his white button up shirt and showed him how to correctly tuck in his shirt. He proudly put on his pants by himself and smiled at me once he also slipped on and tied his shoes. We moved into his and Arina's joined bathroom and I carefully watched him brush his teeth, for some reason both my children hated to brush their teeth. I pulled a brush through his long hair and kissed his cheek.
"You can watch TV while I get ready and wake Arina up." I offered. He smiled brightly, I didn't let my children watch TV very much I didn't want it to rot their minds. I followed him out of his bedroom door, but when he turned to go into the living room I went to my room to throw on my guardian uniform and put my long waves into a French twist. As I was brushing my teeth Lissa sent me a message.
Hurry up! I have a surprise for you!
I could feel Lissa's excitement through the bond, I tried to push further into her mind but a brick wall slammed in front of me and I was pushed out.
Lissa please tell me!
Over the years mine and Lissa's bond had grown and strengthened so I was able to talk to her back, luckily she couldn't get inside my head yet I dread that day. But with that new strength Lissa could now push me out of her mind which meant she could hide her emotions from me which I hated, not that I spied on her, I just like to know what's going on.
Lissa didn't answers and I instantly became nervous. With Lissa's wedding only a few weeks away she had been taking me on "fun" shopping trips with her to get whatever it was that day. I don't think I can take anymore shopping for at least two months.
Looking at my watch it was almost seven and usually we were at Lissa's at about seven thirty for breakfast. I rinsed my mouth out and went down the hall to Arina's room not bothering to be quiet while I entered.
"Arina? Princess, it's time to wake up now we have to go to Auntie Lissa's" I pulled the covers, that she had pulled over her head, back slightly, but enough to see her little face scrunch up at the cold.
"No Mommy… too… tired" she pushed my hands away weakly and rolled to face the opposite direction.
"Arina. Up, Now" there was no mistaken the serious tone in my voice and Arina knew, she probably would have normally protest for a while longer, but I think she realized what today was. I asked her to brush her teeth while I went to get her "guardian uniform" from her closet, all while keeping an eye on her while she brushed her teeth clean.
Unlike Andrei, Arina refused any help what so ever on dressing herself, but she didn't need any she knew how to put on her clothes, but I did still held the luxury of doing her hair. I took her back to the bathroom once she was finished dressing and pulled a brush through her silky waves. I had intended to keep them down, but she insisted that her hair be put into a French twist like mine. I expertly pinned her long waves into place and when I was done she stared at her reflection grinning hugely.
"Let's go Arina, Lissa's waiting," I chastised.
Arina raced in front of me to find her brother watching an old western movie. I grimaced he had his father's taste too, he was obsessed with anything cowboy related.
"This movie sucks Andy!" Arina declared standing in front of the screen to block his view.
"No it doesn't," he protested trying to see past her his face was hard not reveling any emotion.
She turned off the TV. "Yes it is. It's so fucking gay!" she told him.
She may not have noticed, but I saw a flicker of surprise in Andrei's eyes, but he never moved his stone expression from his face.
"Arina Vasilisa B. Hathaway!" I shouted. "I know I did not just hear you say those words!" I moved in front of her and grabbed her arm when she tried to run away.
She looked down knowing there was no way out of this one. "Where did you hear that kind of language?" I questioned.
"Uncle Chrissy said it while watching a sports game." She admitted.
"I never want to hear you say those words again? You got it?" She nodded sullenly. "Now apologize to your brother for the way you talk to him!" I was so angry I couldn't wait to see that pyro and get my hands on him for teaching my princess that awful language. She was already enough like me why add her language into the mix?
She turned to face her brother once I released my grip on her arm. She huffed while rolling her eyes and put her little hands on her slim hips," I'm sorry I called your show g-" she corrected herself before I could get onto her for her mouth again. "-a bad word" she continued then glared at him.
"Again. I want you to apologize correctly Arina Hathaway" I commanded and this time she said it nicely and even gave her brother a hug that looked genuine.
"Thank you Arina, that was very sweet of you." I kissed the top of her head I couldn't stand mad at my little princess, then Andrei's before scooping him up in my arms. His legs automatically wrapped around me while he rested his tiny head on my shoulder. "Let's go Arina" I called out grabbing my keys. I walked out of the apartment holding Andrei, Arina trailing us, Arina hated to be held. Well really she hated people doing anything for her.
In court they had Moroi "apartments". They were called apartments but were closer to penthouses. Lissa and Christian had a "apartment" in the moroi section of the building, duh they are moroi. Eddie and I, Lissa guardians, Stayed in the same section, because Lissa being the last of her line needed more protection. So I was put in a four bedroom three and a half bath apartment, which Lissa furnished, with a large sleek and modern kitchen, large dining room, Living room, and office that I transformed into the twin's playroom. Lissa's was Just as big, but was styled differently.
While I turned to lock the door, I don't know why I bother who ever steals from a guardians apartment, if they even get in, is insane, especially if it's my apartment, Arina ran into Lissa's apartment before I could. As I was about to walk in I heard her declare to the room, "Look Auntie Lissa I'm your guardian just like mom-" she paused and started again "Who the hell are you?" I could imagine my three-year-old sassing Lissa's guest, who I assume is the surprise.
I marched in after her my mom voice in full affect, while Andrei hugged me tighter knowing it would make me calm down slightly, which it did. "Arina! Don't be rude and what did I say about that language!" I barked at her, but stopped in my tracks. Tasha.
Tasha had been who Arina was talking to, and I got mad! I should have been happy I hate that stupid, lying, underhanded- wait if Tasha was here than were was-
"Hi Roza"
