Here is the next chap. Also I want to thank Vampzgirl for all the names and descriptions and ideas. Anyway hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own VA

It turned out that James was wrong. Everyone had heard, not just the people who were bored but the teachers too, so the next day I got disappointing looks from the teachers and whispers from everyone else.

"Nousky, you're not meant to kill me, just stun me," Chris complains while lying on a mat gasping for air.

"Sorry, but if you were a real Strigoi, I wouldn't care." Anoushka explains.

Sighing, I help Chris up, every couple of weeks the Guardian combat techniques class and Offensive magic would join to help us learn to fight "Strigoi", which were really one of the novices. Glad it wasn't me this time. I help Chris up from the mat.

"I don't know why I stay with you guys; you make me look gay." Chris says while getting in the fight position.

"Because you know we will kill you if you do," I say while placing a kick on his shoulder.

Suddenly we all stop since, Prince Christian enters.

Kira walks up to him and politely says, "What brings you to our class, your highness. Is this an inspection?"

"No, no, no just came to see how the combined classes are working," he says looking around his gaze fixing on me for a couple of seconds.

If Prince Christian is here, that must mean Dimitri is here too in the room as well, I bristle, anyone with half a brain cell would realise that. I was so distracted that I allow Chris to come up behind me and whisper "dead".

I playfully push him a way and walk back to the other side of the mat, within a minute Chris was on his back again.

"That was unfair, I wasn't ready."

"Well, Strigoi don't play by the rules do they," he snaps back.

Kira calls the class over to the middle of the gym where a large box is set up, as she reads out the ranks of which group is on top, I look around looking for my father. I see him in the corner keeping an eye on any possible Strigoi attacks.

We watch the first group go forward, the aim is not kill all the "Strigoi" while keeping as many players alive, you can use whatever skills you have. It is usually three novices against how many guardians up to five at one time.

Dimitri has moved next to the Prince who is watching with great interest, but when we are called he moves forward and into the ring.

The hardest part of the whole thing is trying to protect your Moroi, use their magic to help you and fight Strigoi.

We have three other guardians with us; we form a triangle with Chris being on my left and Nousky being on my right.

The other guardians launch straight at us while Dimitri hangs in the background, as we move round trying to get the advantage over or attackers, I keep sight of him in the corner of my eye.

Nousky sends a gust of air to trip up one of our attackers at within a couple of minute the practice stakes is at his heart.

The other attacker runs through our triangle splitting us up, we're more vulnerable now split up but I have both of them in the corner of my eye blocking out Dimitri.

That is when he attacks, he leaps making me turn round and my back is to the other attacker and she takes the chance to attack but before I can "die". Chris's practice stake is at her heart.

I give a nod of thanks and we try to get back into our triangle but Dimitri prevents us, so instead, we try to get closer to Nousky to protect her, but he blocks our way too. It is then that I was reminded that he was a Strigoi and the fact that he stopped us protecting a Moroi made me shiver.

Nousky tries to suffocate him; it works momentarily enough to get Chris in front of Nousky to protect her. Dimitri realises this and moves quickly to shove her forward, in the danger zone.

Chris and I grit our teeth, we figure out a plan together, ambush. Nousky will distract him while I sneak up on him while he fights me off, Chris will stake him, simple but effective.

It works out pretty well at first. Nousky distracts him but he spots Chris sneaking up carefully and lunges at him.

At the same moment, I lunge at him as well and my practice stake lands on his heart as his "fangs" sink into my neck.

I lie down on the mat panting for minute. When Dimitri gets up he offers his hand and I take it. I go over to Chris and Anoushka who are staring along with everyone else.

"Sorry about taking your shot," I whisper to Chris.

"It's all right you have just "saved" my life," he whispers back.

"Are you alright?" I say fiercely to Anoushka "Did he hurt you?" I demand.

"No, I'm fine I was just a bit scared," Nousky reassures me, "that was the hardest time ever".

"Well he was a Strigoi once, he knows what to do," I say harshly.

"At least we got a proper practice," Chris says giving me a warning look.

After the lesson, Dimitri pulls me aside when I'm leaving the classroom.

"What now?" I hiss, I don't want to cause a commotion like last night.

"You did well." His comment surprises me, I expected more of a comment like what I did was wrong but nothing comes.

He sighs. "You were determined to save Chris even your life is on the line." Now I'm genuinely surprised, but I have to remain a bit sharp though.

"I guess, you didn't pull me away to praise me, I do have lessons to go to." I said the harshness in my voice is much softer now.

He rolls his eyes, "I wanted to invite you to dinner with the family."

I think about it for a minute "I'm fine thank you." I say politely. Hurt is all over his face "I don't think, 'your' family will appreciate it."

Confused he says, "But it's your family too?"

I shake my head "No, but thank you." This is the first time I've been nice to my father, it feels weird.

As I turn away he says, "I also wanted to invite you to court for Christmas, you can bring Anoushka and Chris if you want."

I also think about this. But why is he inviting me? There must be a catch.

"There is no catch." Dimitri says "I thought you always spend Christmas with others and away from your family and also the rest of the family is coming over too."

I want to say no but the prospect of seeing my family for over seven years tempts me a lot.

"I'll think about it," I say and I walk away for good.

When I enter the room, a salon has been set up.

"Oh hai! You have a package," Emma says while curling Kathryn's hair. We acknowledge each other.

Kathryn Vasilisa Belikova is my half-sister. She and her brother are of my age, 15. She looks exactly like her mother, Rose Hathaway Belikova Yep! that's true, my daddy dearest's wife),she has the skin the same colour as the inside of an almond, and hair so deep brown that it usually looked black but with Dimitri's chocolate brown eyes.

We might not be best friends or even friends but she always gives me a chance and I respect her for that but she and her brothers are constant reminders of what I am, what I don't have and probably will never have.

Family but not family and distant bad memory, well at least I get along with her. Her brother is a different matter.

"Lenya can you get my mascara from my bag," Emma says cutting me from my day dream.

I chuck it to her; of course both of them are getting ready for the dinner. Jealousy surges through me when I see Kathryn with her long dark brown hair and brown eyes. She's stunning always with equally stunning figure, with all the curves at right places. Just like her mother. Like mother, like daughter.

Before I get to open the package, there's a knock at the door. I get up to answer it. As soon as I open the door, I want to slam it in his face because standing in the doorway is my so-called half-brother, Ivan.

Ivan Mason Belikov is the elder born twin of Kathryn. He looks exactly like Dimitri that sometimes he seems to be Dimitri's own clone but he has Rose's dark brown eyes! But that is where the resemblance stops he is very arrogant and a pain in the arse I don't consider him as brother and vice versa.

"Why are you here?" I snap, unlike Kathryn, I hate him and the feelings mutual. I glare at him. I look a bit more like him than Kathryn. We've both inherited Dmitri's height and hair colour. It would have been easier to hate him if we looked completely opposites.

"I was looking for Kat. Is she ready?" His voice is also sharp.

"No and go away, I don't want to see you." I'm about to shut the door but he pushes it open.

"Why should I? And don't worry too much. I also don't have any wish to see you either."

"This is my dorm and I'm glad we feel the same."

"I just came to find my sister not to have a friendly chit chat with you."

"Wow is this friendly! Then I'd really like to see you when you're completely out of your mind, and which sister?" I say batting my eyelashes.

"You are not my sister." His voice was a snarl.

"Oh really, I thought we had the same father, so we must be twins!" Sarcasm is dripping from my voice. Ivan's scowl deepens, "Look I'm not ecstatic either but my blood is the same as yours, if we had sex it would still be incest."

Disgust is obvious on his face. "I would never sleep with you even if you were the last person on earth," he then leans in a whispers in my ear, "We don't have the same blood, I don't have the blood of a traitor."

His words don't just piss me off but they also chill me down to the bone. He somehow knows who my mother is and that terrifies me.

Instead of showing my fear, I look him squarely in the eye and say, "That's good, I completely feel the same way."

Smirking a bit, he replies cockily "If you were 'family' yous would have been invited to dinner but I can see you aren't going."

I guess this wasn't the right time to mention that I had been invited and not just 'family' were going but before I could release a witty comeback Emma voice sounds behind me.

"Kat they're going to rip each other's throats out in a minute. We should get going." And with that I'm shoved aside, and they're gone.

I slam the door, glad to be left alone. I jump up onto my bed and open the package. I shake it out on my hand and a dagger falls out.

I lift it up to the light, admiring the craftsmanship. The dagger has a simple hilt just plain silver the same colour as the blade. It's the mark at the end which interests me, two flames which wind together surrounding a rose.

My hand automatically goes to my neck where I have exactly the same mark, when my fingers rest on the place; I hear the steady rhythm of my pulse.

It's not really a birthmark it's too intricate but I've had it all my life so I don't know what to call it. I reach over to my desk and bring out a faded letter, I know the words off by heart but there a places, where blanks are. Enough to understand what is there but not enough to understand the purpose of the letter.

In the light, I see faint markings on the blade. Lifting the dagger up me cut the pad of my finger and let the blood drop on to the paper. I wait. …Nothing.

"What am I doing?" I whisper to myself, I suck my finger and get tissue to wipe up the blood, when I dab the blood on the paper no stain is left behind. Weird.

Over the next couple of hours I sit there trying to make the letter reveal it's self but nothing works, sighing I put them aside when I realise something.

When I look into the reflection of the blade, I see writing faint and silvery on the paper. I grab them and aim the light at the dagger after a few moments, I see writing on the paper but it is still too faint. I sit there for a while but the writing doesn't get any brighter then it strikes me. I need sunlight.

I look over to the sleeping figures of Emma and Kat, they got back thirty minutes ago and they are sound asleep. Grabbing some blankets and some warm clothes, I make it silently past the patrol and into the woods.

I find a good patch of sunlight and reflect the blade off it. Within minutes, the writing is visible.

Dear Lenya

The worst thing about not being with you is seeing you grow up and that is what I regret the most about my actions. I know you got safely out and are in the hands of people I trust; you will then grow up with your father's family away from the cruel life of Moroi politics but if he brings you into that world be warned. There a many vipers hidden in the bushes but if I'm not telling you this or it has not happened then the consequence has completed my action.

You may hear stories about my name and they are true, I did kill the queen but I did it for the reasons I believed were right and true. Vasilisa is a good queen and she will past her expectations but she is clay and the people her potters. She is young and will rely on people for help who can corrupt her. I know you must despise me for what I did and my cursed blood will be forever with you but I ask you to look past the normal reasons and love me like the daughter you are because I killed her to enforce a law, to save us!

I did love your father very much even though he didn't love me back. Now in prison awaiting the dreaded day of which I will never see you, all because I was selfish and my mind clouded with love.

I don't want you to make the same mistakes as me and follow your heart not your brain. When you were a few hours old, I had a friend who came and made a promise to me to protect you, so you would not make the same mistakes. I also made a promise to myself that you, my daughter, will have to carry through in my place; you must protect Vasilisa from the people who endanger her, because your promise is to kill Rosemarie Hathaway.

I know you will do me proud.

Love from

Natasha Ozera

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