CHAPTER 4IRKUTSK.

I walked into the hotel and checked in. The woman behind the desk gave me a funny look. Obviously she didn't think I was old enough to be married or out in the world without my husband. I just flashed the warmest smile I was capable of. "You also have a parcel for me I believe. A care package from my husband." I added so she wouldn't think I was up to no good or something. She came turned to check the post. She came back with a large box and handed me a room key at the same time. "Enjoy your stay." She called to me as I walked away.

I headed to the elevators and waited. I was staying on the 4th floor. I had a nice room but it wasn't over the top or anything. I had decided to try not to spend to much more money. I had spent enough on the train by taking the suite instead of a room and getting everything delivered and getting new clothes made.

I walked in dropped the box and then my bag onto the bed. I was eager to open the box. I wanted to see what Adrian had been able to get me. I opened the box. The first thing I found was 15 shiny new stakes. Under that there were 3 dozen small silver knives that were perfect for throwing. I also found 2 guns. They were small and light, perfect for me, he had even supplied a large stash of ammo for them as well. Finally in the bottom I found 2 pairs of boots. They came up to just under the knee. They here black zip up stiletto heels. Gorgeous. The heels I noticed where the business end of stakes. I had even noticed that Adrian had designed the boots to also hold another stake each and a few knives. I was going to look hot. I found a small note at the bottom.

Dear Little Damphire,

I hope that everything is to your liking. I hope I got you enough weapons. Actually I think I went overboard. But I want you to be safe. Please for me and Lissa take care of yourself. Don't take any unnecessary risks. We are all missing you back here. Come home to us soon.

Adrian.

Well that was sweet of him I thought. Oh my god. What am I thinking? Am I starting to like Adrian? No, no, no! I decided I needed to clear my head. But I needed to unpack first. I hung the dresses in the wardrobe and placed the rest of my clothes into the draws. I went to shower. The sun was about to set. I could see the sky changing colour. I had a nice long hot shower, trying to relax my muscles and rid me of the weird thoughts I was having about Adrian. I knew he was just after some fun. Well at least that was what I thought. And I didn't like him. He was always causing me some kind of trouble. I shook my head again. I needed to be rid of these thoughts. I had a job to do. I was here to kill strigoi. 1 in particular.

I walked back out and dressed. I pulled on my leather pants which fitted nice and snug around the thigh then flared slightly at the knee to accommodate my boots an weapons I was going to keep down there. I next put on the corset top. This one was deep emerald green with black lacing. Next I pulled on the holsters. The back one went on first. It had a small clip at the chest to keep it in place. Then I slipped on the leg holsters. It was like a belt that had 2 straps coming down each leg. It had one clip around my waist and 2 around the inside of each thigh. Next I pulled on the boots. Damn I looked amazing and I hadn't even gotten to the weapons yet.

I picked up the sword and placed into the back holster. I picked up the guns made sure they were loaded and placed them into the holster as well. The sword was strapped at an angle across my back the hilt at my left shoulder as I was right handed. I could just reach across and easily pull it out. It was also designed this way to be easy to store again. It was also easy to hide it under my jacket which I had altered to easily pull it out. Next I picked up the stakes. I was taking 4 of them with me tonight. 1 on the outside of each thigh and 1 hidden on the outside of each boot. I also packed 6 little knives. 2 in the thigh holster at the back of each leg and one on the inside of each boot. I set up the phone to take a photo. I knew Adrian would get a kick out of me looking this hot, and this dangerous. I took a pose as the flash went off. It was a 'don't mess with me if you know what is good for you' look. I was excellent at pulling this pose. I had years of practice. I checked it image before I sent it to him. I looked like a hot bad ass god. Even if I do say so myself. I pulled on my jacket, leaving it open to easily access the weapons. But I also knew that they would not be seen. I had planned everything that way.

I went back down the elevator and walked over to the desk to grab a map before I headed out into the night. I hid it one of the jacket pockets where I use to hide my weapon. I walked out into the night and turned to the right. I don't know why I went that way but something was calling me that way. I just followed my feet. After about 45 minutes of walking I found myself in a drab area of the city. I also got the sudden nauseous feeling. Strigoi. I followed the feeling. I could sense a dozen of them inside the building. I crept up slowly and peered through the small window. They were inside a run down house that had the windows tinted to block out the light. I could see a staircase heading up to a second floor and one heading down to a basement obviously. There were 5 in the room in front of me. Where the others maybe I wasn't sure. I listened outside while formulating a plan.

"We are going to attack. It's going to be the quickest way to wipe them out. A whole generation at once." Spoke the first strigoi. "But the other attack failed. We lost many in that attack." They were having some kind of argument. I didn't quite understand. And what was this about wiping out a generation, a generation of what. Something about what they were saying was making me feel terribly uncomfortable. "Yes, but we can learn from those mistakes. They were warned. They were able to get organised and fight back. We won't allow them to do that this time. Besides they don't have her to give the pre-warning like last time. You know what Dimitri said about that. She was able to warn them and the guardians got ready and fought back. They also don't have her to fight. She and that Ozera kid killed many of the ones we lost. They won't be here this time."

Oh my god. They were talking about the attack on my school. They were also talking about attacking another school. I knew there was one near here because this is where He grew up and went to school. They also knew about him. Maybe they would know where he was.

I was ready to attack. They were busy fighting between themselves and I knew enough information for now. I also knew I could get more info out of one of them after I had killed the others. Even if I had to beat it out of him. I wasn't against causing them pain. They had already caused me enough.

I pulled out my sword then kicked open the door. I took 2 steps into the room and swung the sword at the closest strigoi. I decapitated him. He wasn't one of the ones involved in the argument but he had been paying to much attention to notice me. With that the other 4 came at me. I dropped the sword and pulled out 2 stakes. I spun kicking any of them in my reach. I used the heel of the boot to cause them as much damage as possible. I don't think they were expecting that. I was punched and sent flying into the wall by the one that started the argument. He was the oldest of the ones in this room. I also heard movement on the stairs. Great I thought. I better do something about this before I am completely over run. I kicked him in back in the gut, making sure to plunge in my heel. I knew it wouldn't kill him but I didn't ant him dead yet. I wanted to know what he knew about Dimitri.

The other three then charged at me. The closest tried to fake left. But I knew what he was doing. I ducked spun and came up plunging the stake deep into his heart. The other 2 charged at me then thinking I was distracted. Were they wrong? I saw them coming. I pulled out the stake the same time plunging the one in my other hand at the strigoi coming at me from that side. "You bitch." The remaining strigoi of the first five said. By now though there were another 5 in the room. She was too angry, she launched herself at me. Taking both of us to the ground, but I still had my stake. I maneuvered it so as she fell it would plunge into her heart and save me some strength. I flipped her off me, pulling the stake out at the same time and then standing up.

I turned to face the new arrivals. "What the fuck." Shouted one of the strigoi taking in the scene around him. I noticed that the oldest strigoi was the one on the floor with a hole in his gut. I didn't think he would be staying there. I knew he would be up soon. My kick had plunged the heel in deep and sent him flying into the wall across the wall. The five realised they had to come at me together otherwise they didn't have a chance. I also knew there were 2 more somewhere. "Jane, Rob get your asses up here. We have a problem!" I heard they guy call. Yes. If they all end up here I won't have to go hunting and it will give me more time with that smart ass over there.

They charged. I flipped and picked up my sword in my spare hand. I had lost the other stake when that bitch had launched herself at me. I swung it taking down 2 of them and leaving a nice slice mark over the other 3. "Come and get me. What are you waiting for? Scared?" I taunted them. I knew they would make mistakes that way and just charge. They came at me again. I held the sword in my right hand and a stake in my left. I was ready. The same time these 3 charged me the other 2 came in. They saw what was happening and immediately followed them. I managed to plunge the stake in the one on my left. But I had the sword belted out of my other hand. I heard it hit the floor with a thud. I reached behind me and pulled out one of the little silver knives. I knew it wouldn't be as effective as a stake but I couldn't risk grabbing the one out of my boot right now. I still had 4 more to take down.

I was thrown to the floor. They approached me. I needed to be strong. Two came at me then. 1 punched me in the gut. Oh my god. That hurt, it was going to leave a killer bruise. I managed to get my arm out and clocked one of them, this sent him flying back of me. With that I was able to stake the other one. Then doing a flip I was back in my feet and staked the one I just sent flying. 3 to go, I charged them this time. I had my stake. They were going to die. I was angry now. I attacked them and staked them all, one after the other. They didn't have a chance to attack me back. I was this angry and I pushed all those feelings into my attack. All down except for one. He was starting to move now. Yes. I was going to get all the information out of him now.

I walked over to him, putting away the knife back into the holster. I swapped hands the stake was in and pinned him to the ground by straddling him. Using all my weight to keep him there. "What are you planning? Tell me you undead evil son of a bitch." I said hitting him. He said nothing. So I took the stake and dragged the tip down his arm. "Tell me." I growled at him, lifting the stake again. "Well, we are going to attack the school. We are going to kill them all. And there is nothing you can do to stop us." He laughed menacingly. "That's what you think. Where's Dimitri? Is he in on this?" "He isn't here. He took off. And we are going to do this. There are lots of us here, we are working together, training together and we are going to win this time." "When are you going to attack? Where is your hide out?" He laughed again at this. I also knew that he wasn't going to give up anymore. So I plunged the stake into his chest, twisting it as I went to make sure it would cause him even more pain.

I got up off him then, I wiped the blade clean. I continued to retrieve all my weapons and clean them putting them away as I cleaned them. Once I had finished that I cut a small piece of clothing from each one of them. After that I decided to search the house. I knew that they had something here. I searched the top floor first. I found a few papers but nothing interesting. I went back to the first floor and searched it. I found some more papers. These looked a little more important. But I couldn't read them. I folded them up and tucked them into my pocket. I went down to the basement. It reminded me of the basement in Spokane. It was cement walls, there were no windows just lots of doors. From where I stood at the base of the steps I could see 12 doors and that the corridor also turned a corner. I could see that were all locked and had padlocks on the outside. How was I going to open them? I knew someone would have keys so I went back to find them. i found them in the pocket of the fourth body I searched. I headed back down stairs.

I opened the first cell. I looked in there was 2 metal chairs. And a person strapped to one of them. I walked over and the poor human girl was dead. I was worried they may have feed her to 'awaken' her. I decapitated. The only way to make sure she was dead. I left the room and continued searching. All the rooms were the same. There were 20 in total. 10 of them were empty. I found another 2 with dead humans in them. I decapitated them to. In another 3 I found half alive humans. I could tell they were drained and week from blood loss. I pulled a knife and broke their bonds, plastic flex cuffs. "It's okay. You are safe. You are free to go. I suggest you go to a hospital and get yourself looked at. I have to go I have more rooms to search." I left them to go. I checked that that they did leave though. In the last 4 I found 3 moroi and 2 damphires. They had also lost a lot of blood. These guys I was worried about though. I helped them up to the street. I entered the house I was going to set it on fire. I pulled out the lighter and the little accelerant I kept in my jacket and set fire in multiple locations around the house. I was removing any and all evidence of the strigoi ever being there.

I exited the house. I checked the moroi over then he damphires. I could see the moroi needed blood and they all needed food. With the help of the damphires we walked back towards town. When we got far enough away from the house, we stopped. We sat the moroi on the bench, and then the other damphires sat down as well. I stayed on watch. I asked "Does anyone speak English?" "Yes, I do. My name is Maksim." replied one of the damphires to me. "Well I was wondering if you could call us a cab. I'll take you all to where I am staying then we can get you something to eat, and any first aid that you require and then after that wherever you may need to be after that. Okay?" I pulled out my phone with that and handed it to him. "Not a problem, miss… Um I hate to be rude but what is your name?" "My name is Rose." Maksim took the phone from me and then called a cab. 10 minutes later we all piled into the cab. I gave the address of the hotel and the cab took off.

We arrived at the hotel about 20 minutes later. I paid the cabbie and we all headed back inside. When we got to the door of my room I allowed everyone to enter, I handed Maksim a menu and told him to order something, enough for all of us. While waiting for the food learnt that the other damphire was called Damya she was Russian and knew little English. The moroi who were all much weaker were a family. There was Larvin Conta, and his wife Erika and there son Aleksey. Their guardian had been killed trying to protect them. Aleksey understood English and his parents had the basics but Maksim translated for me. "Are any of you hurt?" I got a lot of answers at once and turned Maksim for translation. "They are all saying they are fine. Just that they are hungry." With that there was a knock on the door. I got up and answered it. There was the bus boy with a cart loaded with food. I had him bring it in. I gave him a tip and he left. I let everyone pick what they wanted and I ended up with some steak dish that wasn't actually that bad.

When we had finished eating I knew the interrogation would start. "Rose what is your last name? How did you find us?" Maksim asked. "I would rather not answer the first part of your question if that is okay. But I was out hunting. I came across the house and yeah. I killed the strigoi and saved you. That's about the long and short of it." Maksim translated this so everyone could understand. There were questions back to me which he translated. "They want to know why you won't tell us your last name and they want to know how you were able to take out all 12 by yourself. Also they want how you found us really." I groaned internally. "This is going to be a long story. I'm Rose Hathaway. I am here in Siberia hunting my mentor who was turned strigoi in the recent attack on Saint Vald's. I was able to find to find you because I can sense strigoi. Which is something I don't have time to explain right no"w. As for my being able to take them all out. I have dealt with worse." With that I removed my jacket to show the group the kind of fire power I carried. There were multiple gasps as they took in my appearance. "I went out tonight to go hunting. I had a feeling that lead me to that house before I sensed them. I listened outside first and they were talking about an up coming attack on a school. I burst in and attacked them. Once I had killed them all I searched the house and found you." Maksim translated this again for me. I heard more gasps when they realised who I was. Great cant get away from my reputation or my mother's. The Conta family just stared at me. Damya did a double take and Maksim well he just held his mask in place.

"I know you must need to feed, but we cant get you to feeders just yet. Is it a problem is I get you donated blood?" I said this looking at the Conta family while Maksim translated. They nodded. "I would also like you to stay here. You are all not yet strong enough to go anywhere by yourselves. If you are able get a room beside this one and between myself and Maksim and Damya we will be able to protect you." Maksim translated this for me as well. Larvin nodded at me. With that he got up and walked over and called downstairs. I got up to leave. I knew there was a hospital 2 blocks away. Maksim got up to come with me I presume. I turned back to him and shook my head. "Stay here protect them until I get back. I can handle myself. Trust me." He nodded and went back and sat down.

I was gone for 30 minutes. I came back with enough blood for a few days for them. I entered my room again and handed the bag of blood sachets to Lavin. He gave one of the each member of his family then took one for himself. They drank it all and I could see the colour returning to their cheeks. I smiled.

"Rose, we were wondering if Aleksey can stay in here with you?" Larvin asked this. His words heavily accented. I nodded. "I will need you to stay here for a few days and build up you're strength before we go anywhere alright? Tomorrow I have to go out though. You will be safe here with Maksim and Damya. I need to go and see my mentor's family. They live here, in the damphire community just out of town." I spoke this to Larvin. Maksim translated for me again. Thank god someone was able to understand me. Larvin nodded again. "After you all regain your strength I will take you to the school where you will be safe."

Then I remembered that I had the papers from the house. "Maksim, would you be able to translate these for me. I'm not sure what they say but they may be important. I found them at the house I found you in." Maksim nodded. "I'll have them finished for you in the morning." "Thank you. They maybe important about what they are planning. I need as much information as I can gather. Now I think it would be best if we all get some rest. Maksim can you go down and get the room key with Larvin. Then we will spilt. You and Damya can stay with Mr. and Mrs. Conta and I will look after Aleksey." Maksim nodded again. With that Larvin and Maksim left the room. When they returned everyone but Aleksey left my room.

I told Aleksey to get ready for bed first. I realised that Larvin must have ordered some stuff for Aleksey to sleep in as well as the basic bathroom necessities because he walked out in pj's. I pegged this boy as about 14, 15. I had a room with two beds. I let him settle in and I walked into the bathroom to get ready myself. I told him if there was any problem to bang on the door or scream and I would come running. He nodded. I had a nice long shower, I needed to relax. I had bruises on my thighs and stomach. I looked a little worse for wear. I pulled on my own boxers and singlet and walked back out of the bathroom. Aleksey gasped when he looked at me. I spun around and looked at him so fast. "What's wrong Aleksey? What is it?" "Look at you. Are you sure you are okay? Some of those look really bad." "I'm fine Aleksey. I've had worse in training. I'm fine. Please just get some rest." With that I climbed into bed and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.