Hi.
Sorry it's a short chapter. I know, I know.
I'm hoping I'll only need one or two more chapters until this story is over! :)
Please R&R but don't critisize. I just wanted to get this chapter up so I can get started on the ending. :D
Christa
The first thing I smelt when I regained consciousness was Mum's perfume.
Lavender. Or Rose, I think…?
I can't really remember much that happened that night and my brain must've decided that the scent of her perfume was insignificant.
Then I remember that man's face – Dimitri, I think it was – peering at me over Mum's shoulder.
Mum had tears in her eyes.
"What happened?" I croaked, as I struggled to sit up, "Where am I?"
I remember her pulling me into a tight hug as she squeezed the breath out of me.
"Oh my God, sweetie, Are you alright? Did it hurt you?"
"Mum. I'm fine!" I looked around the room, "Where am I?"
"Dimitri's bedroom," she said.
"Where's Rose?"
"Rose is downstairs with Viktoria," Dimitri explained, "Trying to calm her down."
That confused me, "Calm her down? Why?"
Mum sighed and buried her face in her hands.
"What?"
"You haven't noticed have you?" Dimitri asked, quietly.
I frowned, "What do you mean?"
I sat right up now, a rush of nausea was running through me.
"You killed the Strigoi," Mum stated, "But not before…"
"Before what?" I interrupted, "Tell me!"
Mum bit her lip and looked up at Dimitri for help but he looked like he was about to cry.
"Viktor's gone," I realised, "Where is he?"
Then it dawned on me, "He's not… He's not d-dead, is he?"
Mum shook her head, "If he were dead his body would've been left behind."
"Then what happened to him?"
Mum took a deep breath, "The only logical explanation is that he's a Strigoi."
I shook my head, "No."
I didn't know much about Strigoi but from what I'd been told – and seen – they were truly evil. I couldn't imagine Viktor with those piercing red rings around his beautiful eyes…
I climbed out of bed and marched to the door.
But before I left I had to ask something.
"Mum?" I asked.
"Yes?"
"How did I kill that Strigoi?"
She smiled, "It seems you have inherited a few things from your father. You're element is fire."
I remembered what Viktor had told me about Moroi magic… How each Moroi specialized in a specific element: Water, Earth, Air, Spirit or Fire.
"Viktoria?" I whispered through the crack in the door, "Can I come in?"
I heard a whimpered 'yes' and I walked in and sat beside her on the couch.
"Have they told you?" she asked.
I nodded, "I just don't understand! I was watching him the whole time and I never saw the Strigoi bite him. Wouldn't I have noticed something?"
"You'd think so…" Rose began, "But Strigoi are so quick. He might've been bitten when you weren't looking."
That sounded reasonable. But it still didn't make sense! I had been so focused on saving him that I hadn't let him out of my sight!
Viktoria sniffed and brought me back to reality.
"It wasn't fair, though!" she whimpered, "the reason I brought him here was so this would never happen!"
I squeezed her hand, "There must be away to bring a Strigoi back though…"
Rose shook her head, "It's impossible. Completely and utterly impossible."
"Then what's the next best thing to do?"
Viktoria sighed, "We've just got to let him live his reign as a Strigoi and hope that someone will kill him before he kills so many that he loses his soul."
I jumped as my phone vibrated in my pocket.
I had received a text.
"It's from Viktor," I croaked.
"Don't read it," Rose advised, "It's probably a death threat. We don't want you to get even more upset than you are now."
Rose walked towards me and took the phone out of my hands. When she returned it to me the message was gone.
"Just as I suspected," Rose sighed, "It was telling you to meet him at the cinema at 12 o'clock next Thursday. He said he had a 'surprise' for you."
I whimpered, "What does he mean… surprise?"
"He probably wants you dead."
I buried my head into Viktoria's shoulder, "It's just not fair."
Rose patted me on the back, "Life isn't fair. Congratulations on discovering your element, by the way. Too bad you had to find out about it the way you did…"
But I didn't hear the rest of her sentence.
I had fallen asleep.
