I ran to my room to get ready to leave. On the way, I was trying to remember what it was that I needed, but nothing came to mind. I was too overwhelmed with information, and packing was at the bottom of my to-do list.

When I got to my room, I could hear someone rummaging around inside. I stilled my breathing and became very quiet. Was someone seriously trying to rob me? I needed to move fast if I wanted to catch whoever was inside by surprise. From the sound of it, there was only one person in the room. I stealthily slid the key card into the door and flung it open, taking leaps and bounds towards the intruder. I tackled him and pinned him to the ground.

"You know, this would be much more comfortable for me if I wasn't on my stomach," the intruder said seductively.

I rolled off of him and groaned. "What are you doing in my room, Adrian?"

He propped hid head up so he could see me better. "I heard you were going on a trip."

"How is it that you know everything about me, but when I tell you something it slides off you like water off a duck? Do I need to tell someone else to tell you to stay out of my stuff?"

Adrian chuckled. "Information seems to enjoy my company."

I stared up at the ceiling. "Lissa's missing."

He put a tentative hand in mine, and when I didn't pull away he gave it a comforting squeeze. "I know."

"I'm going to look for her," I said, even though he knew that too.

"I'm coming with you," he said.

I sat bolt upright. "I don't think so," I told him. "The guardians would never let you come along."

He grinned. "That's why they won't know."

I sighed. "Adrian, there's nothing you can do anyway. Why bother coming? You're just putting yourself in danger."

"There are plenty of things I can do that I'm sure you'd be grateful for. And besides," his grin turned wicked, "danger is my middle name."

My heart beat faster. Damn, he was good-looking. Especially when he smiled like that. "What kinds of things?"

"Now why would I hand away my leverage like that?" he asked.

"Fine, you can come," I agreed reluctantly.

"Something tells me you wouldn't have been able to stop me anyways," he said, winking at me. "So where are we going?"

"There's a tunnel a little ways from here. That's the farthest place the Strigoi could have taken her, since it was so close to sunrise."

"Who says she was taken?" Adrian asked calmly.

"Of course she was taken! Why would she just get up and leave?"

He shrugged. "If someone threatened your friends, wouldn't you do the same thing?"

This changed everything. What if someone was in contact with Lissa? Adrian could communicate through dreams, so why not another spirit user? That doesn't mean that the Strigoi aren't responsible, just that they could be working with a Moroi. But what Moroi would be despicable enough to betray their own people?

"Have you and Lissa had any luck finding other spirit users?" I asked him.

He stayed quiet for a while. "There was this one guy. Ralph Taylor. We're pretty sure he's a spirit user. But he lives in England, and nobody's seen him for a decade or so now."

I started throwing clothes and things into a bag. How much would I need? I didn't know how long it was going to take.

"When was the last time you talked to Lissa?" I asked.

He went quiet again.

I stopped what I was doing. "Adrian, when was the last time you talked to Lissa?"

"A few hours ago." He coughed awkwardly. "I was in her dreams, and then something took over, and the dream began to change. I wasn't in control anymore, and something threw me out so hard, I didn't wake up for a while. When I did wake up, everyone already knew about Lissa, so I figured I'd keep quiet about it."

I gaped at him. "How could you just not say anything?"

He looked straight into my eyes. "They already knew she was missing, and if they knew I was visiting her in her dreams, we would both get in some serious shit. I wouldn't have been able to come. I wouldn't have been able to help you."

"But this is the information we need! We need to know who we're up against!"

He didn't break the stare. "Don't you think I know that? But who would know spirit users better than Lissa and I? And since Lissa is MIA…"

He had really thought this through. And I knew he was right. The guardians wouldn't have let him come, and he probably does have information that could be helpful to us. Crap, that made me feel bad.

I nodded my agreement, and continued to fill my little bag with the essentials. No use taking a whole bunch of things I wouldn't use.

"I have to leave now," I told Adrian. "You can't let yourself be seen by any of the guardians, since they'll only send you away. That will be hard enough. What if I need to tell you something? Or what if you need to tell me something? How am I going to communicate with you?"

He pulled out a beeper. "I'll page you when I need to talk to you. You'll just need to find some method of getting away from them."

I took the beeper and slipped it into my pocket. "Thanks."

I gave him a long look, and he gave me a crooked smile. Then I dropped my bag and gave him a huge hug. He wrapped his arms around me in a comforting way.

"Watch yourself out there," he said.

"Yup. You be careful too, okay?" I mumbled into his shirt.

"No need to worry about me," he teased. "I'm the big man here remember?"

I looked up at him. "Please, Adrian. Be careful."

He pulled me closer. "Always, little dhampir. Always."

A/N - Some Rose/Adrian fluff for the lovers out there. I'm a Dimitri gal myself, but if they can't be together, I wouldn't mind her and Adrian.

Thanks again for your great reviews! Questions? Comments? Concerns? Let me know!

The next chapter might take a little longer to get up and I deeply apologize for this!

Cheers,

I. Goddess