Janine was worried. She knew she hadn't been a good mother to Rose, but she always loved her. What would Rose do now that she was out on her own in a state of grief? NO! She couldn't think that way. Rose would be okay. She's a smart girl and resourceful.
"Ian, would it be all right if I go make a phone call?" she whispered in her charge's ear.
Lord Ian Szelzky looked at his guardian. It had been years since Janine had asked to leave him to make a phone call. To talk to other guardians and help out where she was needed, sure. But, for a personal phone call? The only time it came to his mind was when her daughter ranaway with the Dragomir princess.
"Sure, just hurry back. I want to get going in about another ten minutes."
She nodded and walked out of the room. Janine pulled out her phone and called the only other person she could think of.
"Mazur." Ibrahim's voice came through loud and clear.
"Ibrahim, it's Janine."
"Janine, is she home?" he asked.
"What are you talking about?" she demanded.
"I sent Rosemarie home over a month ago. Are you telling me she isn't back at school?"
"No, she's not. I would have called you to tell you if she had. Ibrahim, are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure." He scoffed, "I found her and sent her home. She swore that she would leave and in the morning she was gone. She isn't home?"
"Ibrahim, we've all ready been through this! No, she's not back at school."
"Janine, I have to make a phone call."
"What are you going to do?"
"Find her. And this time I'm going to put her on a plane myself." He went off on a Turkish tangent.
"I have to go, Ibrahim. If you find her please call me. Goodbye."
"Bye."
She sighed deeply. All she could do was hope Ibrahim would find her.
Rose was sprawled out on their couch with her head on Dimitri's lap only half listening to what Boris was spewing back. Boris was beneath Rose. She didn't have the time or the energy to waste on listening to him. He was almost as bad as one of the human slaves they had at their beck and call. It was an amazing feat that she could stay on Dimitri's lap and still read her book. He was seconds away from throwing her on the floor and launching himself at Boris.
"DAMN IT, BORIS, I TELL YOU TO DO ONE SIMPLE THING AND YOU CAN'T EVEN MANAGE THAT!" Dimitri roared. Boris whimpered and moved back.
"I'm so sorry. Mr. Belikov, I promise…"
Rose didn't feel like listening to Boris's pathetic apology so she interrupted, "Dimitri, if you want someone who can get you results I have the perfect little Strigoi in mind."
Dimitri looked down at her with curiosity and pride.
"And who's that, Roza?"
"Well, she isn't really a Strigoi, yet."
That really caught Dimitri's attention.
"Who is it you have in mind, my dark beauty?" he purred seductively completely forgetting Boris.
"Do you remember the little blond Francois and Marlen caught a few days ago?"
"Yes," he prompted.
"Well, it just so happens I knew her. And it just so happens that Nathan has taken an interest in her, if you catch my drift."
"As in the type of interest I had in you?" he asked darkly teasing.
She growled angrily, but then shook her head trying to focus on their discussion, "Yes, anyway, she used to be an alchemist. If we give her a way out in exchange from her savvy tech skills and extremely loyal nature maybe we can team her up with Dork-is, here, and we can finally make some progress."
Boris growled softly, but stopped as soon as Rose glared at him. Dimitri didn't pay attention to the angry moment between his mate and lackey. He wondered if Rose could be right. Could they use the alchemist turned prisoner?
"Let me go talk to Galina." He said abruptly.
"What the hell do you need to talk to her for?" Rose started instantly. Dimitri was hers. She hated the thought of anyone being more important to him than her, especially Galina.
He gave her a cold knowing smile, "Roza, if we're going to bring another Strigoi into Galina's house then we have to make her important to her, an asset. You know that."
"What if she isn't in Galina's house?" Rose said instantly letting her brain work itself into a new plan.
"Again, surprise me." He commanded.
Rose raised herself up on her arms and turned to look Dimitri in the eye.
"We take her to Sonya." She replied as though it were obvious.
"Okay, but what do we do with her before that? Not to mention how are we going to get close enough to break her out?" he asked.
"You leave that to me. You and Boris have to get a way to get Nathan and Galina away from here for at least two hours."
"Are you going to compel her into turning, Roza?"
"Of course not." She snapped, "I am definitely not going to compel her. Like you said, she needs a reason to trust me. If I compel her that'll have the opposite effect."
"So, you have learned something." Dimitri replied sarcastically.
"Oh, Dimitri, your charm is as deliciously refreshing as ever." Rose replied dryly.
"Come, to bed." He commanded rising from the couch pulling Rose with him.
"Um, sir…" Boris began in Russian.
"Boris, I want you to figure out some menial task that Galina would most likely send Nathan and you on." He commanded in Russian, "Your job is to make certain she sends both of you. And then find something she'll have to attend herself that she'd most likely bring me along to. And make certain they are on the same day."
"Of course, sir." He bowed his head, leaving the room.
"When did you turn into such a devious little mastermind?" Dimitri asked kissing her neck hungrily.
"I've always been devious. You've only just realized." Rose replied with her signature grin falling into Dimitri's kiss.
"Christian! Christian!" Adrian called running after the familiar black haired fiend. Jill was beside him happily bursting with words as usual.
Christian turned to look at Adrian with a dry look. Jill waved happily at him.
"Hi, Adrian!" she called happily.
"Hey, Jailbait," he answered absentmindedly turning his attention to Christian, "I've been looking for you everywhere."
"I didn't realize you'd changed teams, Ivashkov." Christian said sarcastically.
"I'm serious."
Christian finally really looked at Adrian. He was disheveled and looked like he hadn't slept in days. His usual carefree grin was gone replaced with one of worry.
"What's going on?" he asked finally taking him seriously.
"Well," Adrian hesitated looking down at Jill, "Hey, Jailbait, can you let me talk to Christian in private?"
"But," she started to argue considering they were just about to go train a little more. They only had a few more weeks until school was over.
"Jill, we'll meet up later." Christian said smiling down at the brunette.
She was obviously disappointed, but trailed away nonetheless.
"What's going on?" Christian asked.
"We need to find Eddie." Adrian said ignoring Christian's question.
Adrian and Christian walked toward the Novice dorm silently. There was still a little tension there from the whole Court party issue a while back. They wandered to Eddie's room and he opened the door looking at them in shock.
"Mami, te llamo horita." Eddie said into the phone.
He listened for a minute more then hung up the phone.
"What?" Adrian said.
"My mom's a Spaniard. She makes me speak in Spanish to her." Eddie explained not needing to hear the unspoken question.
"Castile isn't a Spanish last name." Christian pointed out.
"Actually, it is. Usually it's spelled with two L's, but my family isn't conventional."
"But, you look really white!" Christian exclaimed in shock.
"Good observation," he commented sarcastically, "I do get half my genes from my father. You know my mom can't really reproduce by herself. I'm one of those weird dhampir kids who know their father. He's English and blond, but Mom didn't want me getting into the habit of him being around so she gave me her surname. My first name is 'Edison' because it's my Dad's surname."
"Interesting," Adrian said thinking about the oddity of the moment.
"Anyway, why are you guys here? I'm sure it isn't to talk about my heritage. Though it seems to fascinate the both of you. Is it Lissa again?" He said.
"Lissa? What the hell is he talking about, Ivashkov?" Christian demanded.
"No," Adrian said sobering, "Look, can we come in?"
"Sure." Eddie said moving away and opening the door wider.
Eddie's room was sparse unlike Christian and Adrian's richly decorated rooms. They took it in and sat down in the only available spot, Eddie's bed.
"So, what's going on, Adrian?" Eddie asked sitting down beside Christian on the bed.
Adrian started pacing not knowing how to explain. He turned back and looked at them.
"Well, you know how yesterday Lissa broke down?"
"No," Christian announced bluntly.
Eddie nodded, "Christian wasn't there and what happened is being covered extremely well. We have to tell him what happened."
"Well, what I know about the situation goes with the entire story." Adrian explained, "Yesterday, Lissa got an email from some guy she hired to find Rose. And he found her."
Eddie and Christian's eyes widened, but they stayed silent.
"What she told us was true, Eddie."
Eddie shook his head, "No way, Adrian. That's impossible."
"What are you guys talking about?" Christian asked obviously confused.
"Lissa said Rose is Strigoi, but that can't be true." Eddie explained disbelievingly.
"What?" Christian exclaimed.
"It is true!" Adrian yelled getting away from himself for a moment, "I have proof. I copied the email Lissa got on her phone and sent it to myself."
He pulled out his iPhone and found the message.
"What you're about to see is going to feel so strange. You're going to feel like you're in another fucking universe." He said handing the phone to Eddie.
Eddie gulped his eyes growing larger as he stared at the phone. He shook his head and handed the phone to Christian.
"Holy shit." he whispered.
"This has just gone to a whole new level of serious." Adrian stated the obvious.
"Belikov and Rose. Together. As Strigoi? We are so screwed." Eddie said looking at Adrian's phone in disbelief.
Note: So, this isn't one of my favorite chapters, but what's written here is necessary for the next chapter.
