Hey guys I hope you enjoy this chapter (like always :P)!
So remember to review, review, review!
P.S. I can't wait until I post the next chapter it was so much fun to write!
"Alberta!" I shouted as I ran towards her over the lawn.
"Hey Rose, what can I do for you?"
The other guardians sort of treated me like one of their own. I loved that feeling it seems that I would get used to court life fairly easily.
"Actually Rose I was wondering when we should get your molnija marks on?" Alberta continued before I got a chance to begin.
The question caught me off guard, I hadn't killed any strigoi. Well except for the ones in Russia. Oh she must think Dimitri. I sighed how was I going to make up an excuse for that.
"Wait a second you said marks?" I asked incredulously.
"Yes," she nodded "the few that you killed in Russia and the one on campus of course."
It seemed that she had a hard time thinking of Dimitri as well. I hadn't realized they had been so close.
"Actually I don't need any molnija marks." I shook it off I didn't want to be having this conversation.
"Of course you do!" She looked down at my doubtful expression. "Rose, this is not about selflessness or selfishness or wanting to prove yourself. When you kill a strigoi a mark goes on your neck whether you like it or not." She sighed and then started up again in a softer tone. "Rose listen those marks whether you like it or not are just a symbol and you cannot erase what is already done. Even if you don't have those marks on your neck you will still have killed those strigoi."
"But if I've killed them whether or not they are on my neck why does it matter?!" I said stubbornly.
"Rose," she said in a dead serious voice. "You will have those marks on your neck whether you like it or not. You need to face your fears, your past." It appeared that her lecture was over and her eyes softened.
"Okay," I breathed in a big gulp of air. "I'll have them done but I can't at all costs have D-D-Dimitri's mark on my neck. I can't face thinking of him as anything else than how I knew him." Besides I hadn't really killed him.
She sighed. "Okay Rose I will let that one slide but the rest... How many were there?"
"Um, I'm not sure," I said unsteadily "I didn't really count."
I went backwards in my mind trying to count.
There were the four that Sydney rattled on me about, and the other three with the group, and then the two in my captivity. It turns out there was a lot more strigoi that I killed why I was away then I realized.
"Um, there was nine that I can remember." I told her positively.
Her eyes widened at such a number in such a short time but she kept her face controlled as she started to walk away.
"Um, Alberta? There was something else I wanted to talk to you about..."
"Yes Rose?"
"Well I was wondering if we could talk in your office." I knew that if there was one person I could trust with my secret it would be her.
We reached her office and she handed me a cup of hot chocolate. She drank hers right away the way Dimitri did. I grinned at the memory until I realized that I should be sad.
"Alberta," I took a deep breath. "Have you ever heard of a strigoi reversing itself?"
She raised her eyebrows at me in alarm. Obviously I had been wrong she wasn't the right person to tell.
"No why would you ask?"
"Nothing just something I picked up in Russia."
She sighed and looked at me with comfort. "If it was possible Rose, I'm sure that the most powerful people in the world would be sharing it. It would be a world known thing."
I nodded. So much for confiding in her.
"Thanks Alberta," I smiled.
"I'll see you tomorrow." She said.
"Oh right." I had already forgotten about my promise to get the molnija marks.
Things went as usual ... or as usual as they've ever been at 's over the next couple of days. Except for one tiny change, all final tests for us senior novices were over. Those that didn't get the chance would just have to be graded on our field experience that we did earlier this year, fabulous. Especially considering how I had gone sort of psycho during this time. My friends continued treating me the same though and things went on as they normally did with us. The other ones; moroi and novices alike continued to stare at me through the hallways. I was sort of getting pissed, actually. Why couldn't they just leave me alone?! It wasn't like I had just gone off and killed my lover. Okay well technically that was the story they knew but they didn't know Dimitri was my lover, right?
"Lissa," I asked Lissa nervously as we made our way from the feeders room.
"Yeah Rose, what's up?" She seemed nervous like I was about to crack. Ha! Yeah right the famous badass Rose Hathaway crack? Okay maybe just a little bit.
"There's something I need to talk to you about."
Suddenly Christian came over, everything was well again with the two lovebirds I thought as he gave Lissa a quick peck on the lips and put his arm around her waist.
Later. I told Lissa I didn't want anyone overhearing us, even Christian.
"Ugh could you give up with the theatrics Christian your giving me a headache." I teased as their small casual kiss started to become more intense. He broke their kiss and winked at Lissa.
"You haven't seen anything yet." He replied while Lissa giggled.
"I've been inside Lissa's head Christian and trust me you are just at a beginner level. You know if Dimitri was still here I would consider giving you some lessons." I laughed and then realized that everyone was staring at me shocked that I had brought up the subject. I wasn't going to show them how I could break down though. At least not in front of all of them even though they had known about mine and Dimitri's relationship.
Adrian however standing in the middle of Lissa and I chuckled.
"Little Dhampir I wouldn't mind letting you practice on me." He joked but I just punched him in the arm.
It was nice to see that some things never changed. Lissa soon recovered as well as Christian.
"Well I hate to take Lissa away from you Rose but I suppose if we're having a competition we should go and practice." I did not need a translation for the double meaning in his words.
I shrugged, "Okay I'll see you soon." I hated how sometimes he stole her away from me. Especially when I needed Lissa the most but it would have to wait until later. Especially since the clock was ticking.
"So my little dhampir where are you off too?" It was now just Adrian and I.
"Actually I have to go and get my molnija marks done." I sighed thinking about yesterday's exchange between myself and Alberta.
"So I'll see you later."
Adrian grinned.
"You can count on it."
I quickly made my way over to the banquet hall where there was a small gathering of guardians. It was nothing compared to what was at the Lodge though. I walked up and went to sit on the stool in the middle of the enormous room. Lionel the same guy who had done my tattoos in the winter pressed his needle to my neck and began his work.
Once the ceremony was over I greeted the few guardians I knew there and then left quickly. I had to speak to Lissa immediately; if I didn't do it now I knew that I wasn't going to get my chance. I left my hair done as I jogged to the moroi dorms. I didn't need anyone slowing me down but as I cut across the middle school dorms I saw Jill. I hadn't seen Jill since when I was in Russia; when I was inside Lissa's head but she hadn't seen me since well a long time ago now that I thought about it. It would be nice to speak to someone different, someone nice and who didn't give you cautious looks like all my friends.
"Hey Jill," I smiled as warmly as I thought possible.
"Hey Rose!" She squealed, well at least she definitely didn't think any worse of me.
"How's your training going?" I asked her. I knew that she had gone over to the court with Lissa and then gone to see Mia but now thinking about Lissa's last time in court made me shudder. What a bitch Avery turned out to be.
"Great! I went to court with Lissa while you were away and then I went with Mia and she showed me all this really cool stuff."
I laughed at her overly excited attitude. I wasn't mocking her though I was genuinely happy to see someone like her.
"So did your gym teacher ever teach you how to throw a punch?" I knew the answer before I asked but I liked listening to her nice chatty voice; it was calming. She babbled on and on until obviously I was supposed to answer something.
"Rose, rose?" She asked anxiously.
"Oh sorry Jill I just sort of blanked out there for a second."
"It's okay, anyways I was asking you if it was true that you killed Guardian Belikov?"
"He's gone." I answered not wanting to answer her question directly. After all I didn't want Jill thinking badly of me some day because of answers that I could had lied about.
"Wow." She said shocked. "I didn't think you were going to be able to do it ... I mean obviously you could probably do it physically I just thought you guys were really close." Jill added probably not wanting to offend me.
"It was hard." I replied blankly. The first time I hesitated, the second time I missed, the third time I couldn't do it. I realized how lame that sounded. Yep it was definitely hard.
"Anyways Jill I have to get going I have to meet up with Lissa."
"How is Lissa anyways? And Christian I mean are they back together?"
"Yeah Jill they're back together but it took me a long time." I grinned at her. "They ended up forgiving each other though." I smiled. "And don't worry you weren't the cause of it they were bound to have a fight eventually."
Jill just stared at me her mouth open wide.
"H-how did you know that?" She stuttered.
"I was in her head at the time Jill – shadow kissed remember?" I said tapping my temple while smiling.
The whole school knew about Lissa's and Adrian's unique abilities as well as my own.
"Anyways don't blame yourself Jill and keep practicing. I'll see you later."
"Thanks Rose and I'm sorry."
I didn't have to ask what she was sorry for, she knew more about mine and Dimitri's relationship more than any other students in the school except for Lissa, Christian, and Adrian; although Adrian wasn't really considered a student. Jill knew that we were more than teacher and student but didn't know at all about our relationship- just that we had been good friends.
By the time I reached Lissa it was very close to curfew but I had been delayed enough I had to speak to her now.
"Lissa?"
I knocked three times on her door.
"Come on in Rose," she yelled.
I opened the door to see her and Christian cuddled together on her red sofa watching a movie.
"I'm sorry guys I didn't mean to interrupt."
"Apology accepted now could you come back later, like in the morning?" Christian snickered.
"Actually I can't," I went down to sit in another chair.
"Lissa it's important." I looked her in the eyes. Christian just had to go today.
"Fine," she groaned. "I'll see you later Christian."
Christian sighed but backed away and started to gather his things.
"I'll see you later?" He asked hopefully.
"Tomorrow," I growled at Christian. "This could take all night."
"Bye Christian!"
"See ya flame!" I smirked.
"Look who's laughing now." I added.
Once the door closed we both turned serious.
"Lissa there is something I need to tell you..."
