Chapter 7: Shopping for Trouble

When you look for a boyfriend you usually look for someone who will catch you if you fall. You hope he'll never let you down and be there when you need him. I found my someone. It's the catch me when I fall that's the current problem. I have to make a plan where he won't be there to help. I just worry that he'll beat himself up over that. It pains me not to tell him. It pains me more to know he'll stop me if he knows.

That's what ran through my mind as we sat together on the couch watching a movie. It was some action movie but I wasn't really paying attention. Neither was Dimtri. He was watching me. He'd been watching me like a hawk since I 'fell' off that cliff a couple weeks ago. I'd scared him half to death. I kept assuring him that it was just me being clumsy. I hated lying to him. I couldn't shake the feeling that he knew I was lying. It would be hard to get a chance to go through with my next plan. I decided to lay low for a couple more weeks before I tried anything.

Christian hadn't talked to me much since our discussion in my room. He seemed on edge like he thought I'd jump off another cliff any minute. Lissa didn't seem to notice how everyone seemed to be acting different, or if she did she didn't mention it. There was some disagreement among Moroi that required her attention. Battling her Queen duties as well as college and spirit was definitely taking its toll on her. I needed to be able to take darkness as soon as possible but I had to plan it for a moment when she was strong enough to heal me.

It was mid fall and Lissa and I had been taking classes at the college. Being the Queen's head guardian I had enough to worry about, schoolwork didn't really fit into the agenda. Where as I could beat Lissa down pat in a fight, when it comes to academics she is by far the smartest. As her guardian I had to attend the same classes as she did. In most of them I was utterly confused. It probably didn't help that I never paid much attention. Dimitri had been trying to help the best he could and with his help as well as that of the tutor Lissa got me I was slowly starting do better in my classes. It certainly didn't hurt that Lissa shared her notes.

With everything going on I had little time to work out my plan. Lissa had so much going on that I didn't want to have her exert a large amount of energy into spirit at the time. The days were beginning to get colder as winter approached.

(Some time passed)

It was some time later, around winter break when I came up with another plan. Christian and Dimitri weren't with us. Lissa and I were going Christmas shopping.

Our trip started out normal. The threat was minimal so the other guardians kept their distance. We were shopping among humans and had to look as normal as possible. I was wracking my brain trying to think of a present for Dimitri. It had to be a good one considering what I was planning and the worry I'd put him through. I finally ended up at an old used bookstore. Lissa was sitting in the corner reading a book she'd picked up. It had something to do with leaders and countries throughout the years. I sat on the floor reading the backs of all these old western novels. I didn't know what ones he had read, though. I found a couple that weren't all beat up and decided to get those. We'd gone shopping by daylight and while we were in the bookstore it'd gotten darker out. I hadn't realized it was that late. I made my purchase and we walked out the door. There were other guardians in the store who wouldn't be far behind.

Two other Royal Guardians were sitting outside the store on a bench. We made eye contact as we stepped into the cool winter air. Lissa, beside me, zipped up her coat and tightened her scarf. Snow had begun to fall. It stuck to our hair in small clumps and dusted our clothes in white before melting. We tried to swiftly make it to the car, on high alert due to the darkness. I hadn't expected it to get dark while we were shopping. It meant my plan would have to be prolonged giving me more time to plan, but also more time to reconsider. And I couldn't reconsider.

The Strigoi seemed to come out of nowhere. They were on top of us in an instant. All of Lissa's guardian entourage jumped into action. Some of the guardians immediately made a circle around Lissa. The others, including myself, started to fight off the attackers. It was a violent fight. There were four of us doing the majority of the fighting, against five Strigoi. One other Strigoi tried to penetrate the circle around Queen Lissa but was taken down pretty quickly. We had three Strigoi down and two of our own with injuries. It was me versus one of the two remaining Strigoi. As I went into fight mode an idea began to form in the back of my head. What if the Strigoi killed me? Lissa hadn't used spirit in a while and probably had the strength. She'd heal me and everything would be great. Right? I began to mentally weigh the pros and cons. There were many cons and the doubt that Lissa would be able to save me. But I decided it was worth it.

The others were getting tired but were still winning their fight. Another two Strigoi had arrived. The group was trying to make it to the cars parked outside the store. I reached a climatic point and was suddenly left with a choice. I could stop and wait for the Strigoi to kill me, or I could plunge my stake into her heart. Her red eyes gave me a menacing glare and she gave a satisfactory smile in that moment when I paused to think. She thought she'd won. Would I give her that satisfaction? Or would I add her to my countless Strigoi kills. It was my choice. And I had to think fast.

My longest chapter yet. Sorry for the cliff hanger but even I don't know how it'll turn out at this point. Thanks for all the reviews! I enjoy reading your thoughts on the story. -wbnm