HAHAHAHA, last chapter was written at 12:30, so it wasn't exactly my best writing…Thanks for the reviews guys, it inspired me to continue! I know everyone is eager for Dimitri, but trust me; it'll be worth the wait.
Heading out of the bar, decided not to rush myself. No point in hurrying to the Strigoi lair. They already knew I was coming. A bit of unease churned around inside me as I wondered if they would split after knowing about my plan, but I shrugged it off. Strigoi were too confident to get scared.
It was pitch black outside, crisp air settling under my jacket. It was that hour right before the sun came up, cold and dark. It was also the most productive hour. No one dawdled at this time of night.
Except for one person apparently. This guy didn't seem like the type to linger either. He looked like one of those business people; sleek, black dress pants paired with a virgin white shirt, the only thing off was a badly knotted tie. The guy screamed rich and I didn't exactly like his chances in this part of town. He was also staring straight at me.
He uncurled himself from his hunched over position, much taller than he had previously appeared when he had been leaning into the shadows of the wall. I paused, unsure of an imminent threat, but he was unbelievably thin. Slender in a way only male models and Moroi could pull off. But the analytical set to his face was too cheerless to convince anyone of that.
"I hear you're going to take down some Strigoi?"
I threw my hands up. "So I take it half the town knows by now?" I pointed at him, "How does word get around that quickly anyway?"
"I overheard you. If you wanted to be discreet, then I suggest not having sensitive conversations in bars." I caught a faint Russian accent on his words. He was either very good at speaking English, or he had spent enough time in Russia to know how to fake one. Not that it sounded fake, but I sure as hell didn't know how to tell the difference.
"What is with you people and eavesdropping? Is this some sort of cultural norm?" I asked, exasperated.
He didn't deign an answer to that. "I need to go with you."
I gaped at him. At least he was direct. "Not a chance." I hoped that meant he would take an even more direct answer.
"I knew the Strigoi. Before they were Strigoi, I mean. I can distract them while you stake them."
"Somehow, I don't feel comfortable hanging around someone who can stab people they knew in the back with no remorse."
He shrugged, "I never said I wouldn't feel remorse, I'm not a Strigoi. You need my help."
Bossy too apparently. "What makes you think I need a moroi's help?"
He raised his eyebrows and his eyes flitted across my face, as though trying to see through me. But he regained his sulky look and continued on. "I'm a fire user. I don't have to tell you why that might be helpful." He seemed almost tentative, as if I might laugh in his face.
"No." I said slowly, "You don't. But it's going to be dangerous."
"Good thing there's only a couple in there." He said. He was baiting me, but I couldn't help reacting.
"How many exactly?" I'd decided, after losing the element of surprise, I would have to up my game.
"Swear to take me with you." He countered.
I gritted my teeth but I could hardly go back in the bar and chat up the bartender. There was no guarantee he would know anyway. Everything I was taught went against putting Moroi in harm's way even weird ones, but I could just ditch him as soon as he gave me a number.
"I promise." I said, trying not to come off as caustic as I felt.
His arms looped through each other into a delicate gesture of distrust. "Swear on your life."
Don't care about that either.
"Sure. Convinced?"
He was silent. Some very tense seconds ticked by and I began to tap my foot irritably.
"Swear on the lives of Moroi."
He had me there. Could I lie now? That seemed even more wrong than bringing a Moroi on a fieldtrip to Strigoiland. Maybe I had become a rogue dhampir out for revenge, but Dimitri had taught me values. If I could forsake those, then why was I even hunting Dimitri?
"Fine. I swear, are you happy?"
He nodded, "There are four Strigoi in the house. There used to be five, but I lost track of him a week ago. I think he left."
He had a pretty warped idea of 'a couple Strigoi'. Assuming this guy's estimate was correct, we had a big job ahead of us. Which reminded me. I couldn't keep calling him 'this guy', I still had no idea what his name was.
He realized it at the same time I did and held out his hand, "I'm Lev."
I shook it, feeling slightly weird. Like I had just agreed to some important but risky business venture. "I'm Rose."
He nodded quickly, but brushed my words off. He seemed distracted. Eager.
"Are we heading straight there or preparing or whatever?" He said it flippantly. I couldn't help but sneer at his insolence. He truly knew nothing about fighting Strigoi. But who could expect a Moroi to have any sense about that sort of thing? He had probably been sheltered his entire life. I doubted he had even seen a Strigoi.
"Don't be so quick to get us killed. We should probably stake out the place- no pun intended- before we strike. Heading in there blind is the same as serving ourselves up as lunch," I snapped, "Besides, earlier a Strigoi saw me in the bar. I think she knows I'm here to hunt them."
The toe of his dress shoes rubbed in between the cobblestones, the picture of impatience. "Ok fine," he conceded, "But we shouldn't go slow, before they decide to start hunting us."
Despite the know-it-all tone in his words, I couldn't help but agree. I'd always been the one seeking out and killing Strigoi. Having the tables turned wouldn't be a fun experience. And having a stake in my heart wasn't a favor I wanted returned.
Yo. So I shouldn't have really ended this chapter here, but I figured people like story in short bits; at least on fanfiction. Please follow and review, it keeps me going.