Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Sorry for not updating yesterday council is working on my road and accidentally cut the phone line!!!!!! So I gave you 2 chapters 2day enjoy.

SEVEN

On the 26th we left on one of the academy's private jets to head to the ski resort. I hadn't been on a private jet before and never seen the academy's but I had heard that they were good with lots of leg room and cushy seats. I was glad for this ski trip hopefully it would get my mind off my changing attitude towards Tasha. And the fact that we are going here because of strigoi attacks.

Haley and I boarded one of the jets and found seats next to each other. She was so excited about going. We hadn't been to the snow in a few years because every time its in season something comes up that we had to do, but that's what happens when you go to human schools and have homework or functions over Christmas.

"Are you going to snow board or ski while we are away?!" she asked excitedly almost bouncing in her seat.

"Both Haley we are there for a few days." I said calmly trying to calm her down. When she got excited like this she often used her powers and didn't realise it and she wasn't ready for every one to know she was a spirit user. When Lissa had asked I was curious to know what she was going to say because even though she had a low control over all of them air was probably the easiest to get away with faking. She surprised me and said water. She even demonstrated with her glass of water at the time pulling the water up in little drops and letting them fall back into her glass. Lissa looked disappointed at the time but said the trick was cool anyway. We had been keeping our bond work limited to when no one else was around or to obvious things like knowing where she was because she told me sort of things. There were two reasons for not telling. 1) Haley didn't want everyone to know she was a spirit user and 2) it wasn't our or my story to tell them how the bond was created. Mainly because I don't remember anything of it just waking up and feeling Haley's emotions and Dimitri felt he was to blame for our bond being created in the first place and he still punishes himself with that thought even though we tell him it's the best thing that has happened to us.

"Oh this is sooo exciting we are on a private jet and going to the snow for a holiday and we don't even have to pay!" Haley was babbling in her seat mainly to herself because I wasn't really listening as I saw Rose walk onto the plane, look at Lissa and Christian smiled slightly and walked straight past Dimitri and down the isle to Mason. That was strange wouldn't she usually say hi to him and Tasha. I thought she liked Tasha, and she wasn't there when Tasha told us what she was planning. After 3 minutes of thought Haley finally decided she needed a response from me that wasn't a yes or no answer.

"Soooo aren't you as excited as me about this trip or are you just going to go into boring 'I've got lots to think about and you need to be procteded.' Guardian on me." She asked imitating my voice very poorly.

"No I'm clearly not as excited because I'm not about to jump out the plane window." I giggled "And we've been to the snow heaps of times and since when did you care about spending your parents' money? But I won't go into guardian mode there will be heaps of guardians there and wards to protect you so you can leave my sight and go do what ever the hell pleases you if you wish." I stated. The words sounded harsh but the grin on my face and the tone of my voice told her it was true and didn't mean to sound as harsh as it did.

When we landed we saw where we were staying and I have to admit it was a place of luxury. The mountains were gorgeous. One side was for skiing with lifts, tow ropes, moguls, really steep slopes, while the other side had and ice rink and smoother hills for tobogganing. The resort itself was amazing. It was built like a log cabin but bigger. A lot bigger. Big enough to hold hundreds of people and have luxury accommodation. It was 3 stories made out of a gorgeous gleaming gold wood and sat among some pine trees. The windows were tall and graceful, and tinted for the Moroi. There were crystal lanterns shaped like torches that hung around all the entrances finishing the mystical look and adding character and beauty to the building.

Inside it was laid out for Moroi comfort. Feeders were on hand 24 hours a day. The slopes ran on a nocturnal schedule. There were guards patrolling the entire place and wards to make sure strigoi don't get in. Yep everything a Moroi could need was right here.

The main lobby had a really, really high roof with a chandelier hanging from the centre. It reminded me of a cathedral in its beauty. The floor was tiled marble, and the front desk ran 24 hours a day as well ready to help with any need we may have. The rest of the lodge, hallways and lounges, had a red, black, and gold colour scheme. The red was very deep and reminded me of blood. I couldn't help but wonder why seeing as Moroi only drink it to survive not really because they really, really want it like strigoi. There were mirrors, painting, ornamental tables and cupboard placed here and there. There was a spicy scent that I noticed was coming from the pale green and purple spotted orchids in vases that were scattered around the room.

I was sharing a room with Haley and when we got there the room was massive. It was bigger than any motel room we had been in before and a lot more luxurious. There were king sized beds with thick duvet's and pillows. My god there were a lot of pillows on those beds. The plush carpet made you feel as though you were walking on a cloud. I could quite happily be trapped in this room with no escape. There were French doors that opened up to a large balcony that over saw the mountains. The view was amazing even if it was cold. Who cares we have jackets we could still enjoy it. I was out on the balcony when I heard Haley squeal at something in the bathroom. I went in to see what she was clapping her hands at. There was a two person hot tub. Ooh that would be nice to soak in after a day on the slopes.

I couldn't believe the room. Plasma tv, hot tub, balcony, beds, carpet, chocolate, and a bar fridge. I seriously was thinking that we had died and gone to heaven.

I finally was able to drag Haley out of the room to go outside and go skiing. Well she decided to go skiing I was going to start with snow boarding because everyone else was skiing and I liked it better anyway. Besides the best way to appreciate that room would be to get cold and active outside. And hey its Christmas time lets have some fun.

We had fun on the slopes, more fun than I have had in a long time actually. Considering I was hardly ever around other dhampir and had to always keep at least on eye on our surroundings this was amazing to just be able to relax and have fun with friends.

Lissa and Haley were getting along great and Rose was actually laughing with us and wasn't looking so sour or hateful. And I don't think that I got a nasty glare all day from her. As the day went on the Moroi were getting tired and having trouble keeping up with the stunts that we were doing down the slopes. Rose and Mason had a competition thing going on that to me looked like who could snap themselves first but I went along with it anyway, and it was fun watching them bag each other out if on slipped up.

"You guys are suicidal," Christian remarked shaking his head and looking unimpressed at the rate Mason Rose and I were going down the moguls. I thought it was rather hard for me to snow board down them at first but eventually found a grove that worked. Rose and Mason were on ski's so it was easier for them and thought on a snow board I would never be able to keep up with them. Truth was I ended up going faster because the more speed I had the board jumped instead of staying on the snow so I ended up at the bottom first.

Mason grinned as we made it to the end. "Nah, this is just a warm-up. I mean these two have been able to keep up with me the whole time. Kid stuff."

Lissa shook her head. "Aren't you guys taking this too far?"

We all looked at each other. "No." we all said together.

She shook her head again. "Well, we're going inside. Try not to kill yourselves." The Moroi left Christian clinging onto Lissa's arm and Lissa and Haley chatting away.

"I'm good for a while longer. You?" Rose turned addressing us.

"Absolutely." Mason replied.

"Posotutely." I said.

We all took the lift back up the hill and were just about to head back down when Mason pointed.

"Okay, how about this? Hit those moguls there, then jump over that ridge, swing back with a hairpin turn, dodge those trees, land there."

Rose and I were watching his finger point out the route. We both accessed the risks and frowned. "that one is really insane, Mase." Rose said glumly.

"Ah," he said triumphantly. "She finally cracks."

Rose glowered. "she does not." After looking at the crazy route again she finally said. "Okay, lets do it."

He gestured to the route. "You first." And down she went. Mason and I were watching anxiously from the top. Leaning with every move she made as if we could help balance her. When we made it safely to the bottom and turned towards us we cheered and shouted even though I doubt she could hear us.

"Ladies first" Mason pointed suggesting I go next. I just shrugged and pushed off. I thought this would be easier on a snow board than ski's but the coarse was still pretty tight. I made the jump and landed, and only just managed to doge the trees as there was thick soft snow that tried to bog my board. I met Rose at the bottom and waited for Mason to come down the same track. But he didn't make it. Over the jump his ski's crossed and his legs twisted. As he landed he rolled down and down and down.

Rose and I reached him about the same time one of the resort staff did. To our relief Mason hadn't broken his neck, or anything else thankfully but did have quite a nasty sprain on his ankle. That was going to be a bummer for the rest of the trip.

One of the people monitoring the slopes came rushing over, looking rather furious. "What were you kids thinking?" she exclaimed. She turned to Rose. "I couldn't believe it when I saw you do those crazy stunts!" then she turned to me. "And then you followed after her." Then last Mason. "Then you had to go ahead and try and copy them!"

I was thinking that it was Mason's route to start with but then we never should have done it in the first place. I guess we all had been caught up in the moment and adrenaline was rushing to our heads blocking out reason. But as we were walking back to the resort I was thinking about what could have happened and what we would have done if one of us had been seriously hurt. I could just imagine Dimitri's face and disappointment in me. The school not letting me graduate because I was too reckless and didn't have enough self discipline to be Haley's guardian. My world could have came crashing down around me in a matter of minutes if some worse had happened. What if I was the one that got seriously injured and would walk anymore. I suppose Haley could heal me but what would that prove, that I wasn't forward thinking enough to avoid getting hurt.

Once Mason was safely inside Rose and I went to take our equipment to the storage buildings. Rose was deep in thought probably thinking the same thing as me. We didn't talk on the way there or back. We just walked in silence carrying our gear, as we walked back up the steps, kicking the snow off our boots. A thick spicy but sweet scent , hung in the air around us. I was trying to work out what it was and where it came from because it wasn't there a few minutes ago when a voice spoke out of the shadows. "Hey, Little dhampir, little sis." We both jumped and looked around before realising someone was on the porch.

The scent, clove cigarettes belonged to a guy a Moroi. He was leaning against the wall not far from the door. He had another puff on his cigarette before dropping it and stomping it out. He smiled at us, it was crooked. Rose looked wary and stopped crossing her arms, taking him in. she obviously didn't know who he was. He was about 6'4 I suppose and was wearing a long charcoal coat that was probably made out of expensive cashmere wool - I could imagine him wearing anything cheap- that was made to fit his body. He had leather dress shoes that looked rather expensive. Brown hair that was messed up purposely, and green eyes. You couldn't tell from the light but I knew.

"Yeah?" Rose asked. I still hadn't said a word and I wasn't going to unless I absolutely had to.

His eyes turned to Rose and swept over her body in a very obvious way. Gross, his reputation proceeds him. He just shrugged off Roses attitude. "Just saying hi, that's all." No one said anything so I went to walk off. "What, your not even going to say hello?" he asked me.

"Lord Ivashkov." I nodded and kept walking I did not want to stand around talking to him. I knew Rose could look after herself but could stop my disgust as he started small talk with her after she tried to leave with me.

"You smell good, you know," was all I heard him say but that was enough. Gross what was pick up line doesn't he have any better ones.

What was with him calling me "sis" Anyway. He doesn't even know me. God he's such a jerk, and now he knows that I'm heard and he will try and find me again.