Hi again, guys! I know I normally update every day, but I've been pretty busy so sorry for this taking longer than normal! I just want to thank every one for all the reviews! They mean SO much to me and are what keep me updating. I want to address some specific reviewers real quick, mostly because they are anonymous (meaning they don't have an actual account here) and this is the only way I can tell them what I think!

Alaura - I want to thank you for your reviews because from the beginning they have definitely made me smile! You were the first to leave me such a long review and I really enjoyed it. Also, I want to let you know that when I addressed the person pissing me off last time, I was NOT referring to you AT ALL! I loved your suggestions and ideas, and you are welcome to keep sharing them! I was talking to someone else. So please keep up the great reviews. (:

pheobe lelouge - Thank you for "liking the first 3 chapters", but I would appreciate if you didn't leave me a review telling me how stupid you think the rest of MY story is. If you're going to offer constructive criticism, please do it in a more intelligent way and back your comments up rather than just saying it's "stupid". I would like to address that, 1. I do not care if you think I write like Richelle Mead because I do not aspire to copy her writing technique. That wouldn't be very original, and I believe it's quite impossible as everyone has their own style. 2. YOU are not Richelle Mead, so I don't believe you don't have any jurisdiction telling me what Dimitri and Rose would act like. Again, I stress that this is MY story, and they will act how I want them to. If you don't like that, don't read. 3. If you are going to try and tell a WRITER what they did wrong, please fix your own grammar before doing so; they might take you a bit more seriously. 4. Thanks for giving me your "expert" opinion on how I write emotions, by the way. I really took it to heart when I was given a 6 out of 10.

Chil - Your review made me so very good about myself! Thank you SO much, although I would beg to differ on my writing being like J.K. Rowling and Richelle Mead. (: Either way, your review is what sparked me to write this next chapter and get it up, so thank you! I look forward to any more reviews you leave me the honor of reading.

To the rest of you - I really appreciate the reviews and I don't think I can ever stress that enough! I wish I could thank you all, but there's just so many of you! ): I love knowing what you guys love and what you think should happen. Also, let it be known that I CAN very well take constructive criticism, but I do not call simply saying my writing is "stupid" constructive at all. Please let me know what you think I should fix, or parts that didn't make sense. Again, thank you, and please keep reviewing!

I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter of Last Sacrifice. (:


Last Sacrifice
Chapter Seven
Back So Soon?

When I finally woke up, I wasn't sure if my eyes were even open yet. I blinked a few times and managed to convince myself that yes, they were open, but I still couldn't figure out why it was completely pitch black, nor why the bed I had accidentally fallen asleep in felt so scratchy.

I tried to sit up but ended up hitting my head and was forced to lie back down. Unfortunately, "lying" down wasn't exactly as nice as that word sounded, and I realized that I was also being forced to crunch into a tiny ball. Okay, so after all that had happened to me in my life, and what had happened today, even I, Rose Hathaway, still wasn't ready to be kidnapped.

I started to feel my claustrophobia creeping up on me and was trying extremely hard not to start banging on, what I assumed was, the top of the trunk. I needed the upper hand of stealth as much as possible. I could hear the revving of the car engine and occasionally I would be tossed around, signifying I was definitely in a moving vehicle.

Alright, Rose, it's time to get back to normal, I chanted in my head, trying to figure out a way to get out of this situation. My eyes still burned from my earlier sob fest, and it was then that I remembered what exactly had occurred earlier.

Dimitri. Dimitri had been there, telling me about why he had "betrayed" me, and he had told me that he didn't love me anymore. Was he the one that had kidnapped me? Had he lured me into a false sense of security only to wait 'til I was vulnerable and take advantage of me? If that were the truth, then my father either foolishly trusted him, or was in on it, too.

It was right when I decided that I needed a plan that I felt the car lurch to a stop. A car door opened and shut again with a slam, and I was praying that whoever it was that had me hadn't suddenly decided that I wasn't worth the waste of trunk space. Then again, this could work to my advantage, because if they really were going to try and get rid of me, they had made a very stupid mistake. A very, very stupid mistake, but none the less important to my escape.

My hands were free, as were my legs. If they wanted to toss me into a river or stake me without much of a hassle, they certainly should have at least tied me up.

I tried to inch my way into a more "springable" position, trying to find an exact angle on which I could jump from the trunk and attack my kidnapper. Luckily I found it just in time for the trunk to pop open, and without a second thought or glance, I flew out of the trunk and latched onto whoever it was that was there. They obviously hadn't been expecting it, because with a loud grunt, we both hit the ground.

I wasn't exactly ready for the impact, either. The person was extremely built, and there was literally no cushion for me to rebound against. I ended up having the air knocked out of me, which caught me even more off guard. Well, there went my ability to lash out with any threatening or negative comments. Perhaps this was a stupid idea after all.

"Had I actually been your kidnapper, that would have been a very poor attempt at assassinating me."

My head snapped up. I wanted to scream and make a very snarky, smart ass comment, but at the moment I was too busy trying to regain control over my lungs. I rolled over and tried to stand up, heaving in and out like I was ready to throw up. It wasn't the most pleasant feeling in the world, and with a sigh of resignation, I felt Dimitri's arms wrap around me to help me stand up. I clutched at my stomach and finally, halfway through me deciding I was going to just die from lack of air, I felt the fresh rush of oxygen hit my lungs.

I took several deep gulps of air and heard Dimitri chuckle. I tilted my head up to glare at him, not at all amused by what he seems to think is quite hilarious.

"Care to tell me what's so funny, comrade?" I questioned, secretly pretending not to notice that his arms are still wrapped around me. I considered faking stumbling or something, but I've never been that great of an actor, and if there's anyone that can tell when I'm lying, it's Dimitri.

He continued chuckling, "Nothing. Just…the way you looked when I opened the trunk!" He decided that letting out a boisterous laugh at this point was acceptable. I felt like I was about to pop, and trying to fight the urge to stomp on his foot was definitely a difficult task to accomplish. Trust Dimitri to be able to reduce me to want to perform the pathetic antics of a five year old.

"I don't think it was funny, considering you thought sticking me in the trunk while I was asleep was okay, even though the probability of me waking up was quite high. What did you think my reaction was going to be when I woke up to complete and utter darkness?"

He shook his finger, wagging it in my face as if he wanted to annoy me even further, "Wasn't my idea. It was his."

He jerked his finger behind him and finally took the time to notice my father standing there next to another car, dusting himself off. Adrian stood next to him, rolling up several pieces of rope.

"You took a separate car?" I asked, severely confused. Adrian nodded.

"I drove it. We couldn't expect to stick you and your father both in that tiny trunk, although we tried."

I managed to ignore the second comment somehow, instead choosing to question the first, "You drove? How'd you get out?"

"I'm the Queen's nephew, of course."

I stared at him dryly, not believing a word.

He cleared his throat, "It also helps, of course, that Lissa had been teaching me a bit of compulsion before all this happened…"

"He's not very good at it," My father interrupted, trying to get rid of the wrinkles in his shirt, "I could hear the guard questioning him for at least fifteen minutes before it finally worked."

I rolled my eyes, running a hand through my hair. It occurred to me that Dimitri had moved away some time ago, and I felt a shiver run throughout me, as if my body wasn't used to not having him there by my side. Choosing not to let this show, I looked between each man there, raising my brows.

"Alright so," I started, tapping my chin, "What exactly happened?"

It was Dimitri who spoke this time, "Well, you'd fallen asleep and, like I said, your father figured that letting you rest was a better option. You, your father, and Adrian then proceeded to escape down to the car, right in time for the rest of the Guardians to appear."

"I carried you to the car," Adrian butted in unexpectedly, as if that tidbit of information was important. My father and Dimitri seemed to think the same thing and with a matching look, stared at Adrian before he continued, "I placed you in the car, and then shoved your father in the other one after he tried to fit in yours to no avail."

"Where he proceeded to tie me up for some unknown reason," My father growled, turning his look at Adrian into a glare. I finally noticed that he was rubbing his wrists.

Adrian shrugged, "You know how your father can get…I mean, you have to get your rash, impulsive behavior from somewhere, Rose."

"Alright, newly married couple," Dimitri stopped them, holding up his hands as a sign of quits. They shut up their bickering and he turned to me, "Anyways, in case you didn't know, I had told the Guardians originally that I was going to show up there before them in order to lure you into a trap, which was why I showed up there by myself. They agreed and, when they eventually arrived there, I simply told you that you had already escaped by the time I arrived. I said I heard from a few neighbors that a brown haired girl had run toward the east part of the court, and they took the bait. This made getting out of the north gate easier, but like your father said," Dimitri coughed, patting his chest, "It could have gone smoother…"

"Hey," Adrian barked, holding up his hands defensively, "I've been doing it for all of, what, three weeks? I'd say it was a pretty good attempt."

"Well, that clears a lot up, I guess," I finally added, "But…now what?"

This caused all of their shoulders to sink. Adrian began rubbing the back of his neck and mumbled something like, "I'll leave this one up to you guys…" And headed towards the car he'd arrived in.

"Well, Dimitri will head back to the court to keep these tracks covered," My father said, "And we'll be on our way to Siberia."

My heart instantly began pulsing erratically. Not only did I not want Dimitri to leave, I did not want to go to Siberia.

"I think I've had enough of Siberia for one lifetime," I tried to tell him honestly, swallowing my pride, "Is there no where else we can go…?"

Unfortunately, my father shook his head, "No, I'm afraid not, Rose. It's the safest place for us to be right now."

I turned to Dimitri, "And…you have to stay here?"

Solemnly, he nodded his head. I saw a twinge of regret and fear flash through his eyes, but decided not to call him out on it. The last thing I needed was to be embarrassed any further. It was probably for the best he stayed there, anyways. I needed to be away from him in order to move on. I tried to tell myself I would have Adrian, but for some reason, that just wasn't cheering me up.

Who was I kidding? That 'some reason' was because I would never love Adrian like I loved Dimitri.

I cleared my throat, "Well, I guess I'll see you then, comrade."

I was trying to be strong, especially because I was in front of my father (I wasn't sure if he'd been clued in on Dimtri and I's past relationship yet), but when I flashed my eyes over to where he had been standing, he was no longer there.

I forced myself to look at Dimitri again. This was, potentially, the last time I was going to see him. He had duties here at the court to take care of, the least of all preventing them from finding out he was involved with the very fugitive they were searching for.

It was the hardest thing in the world, standing there in silence and watching him. The way his hair billowed in the wind and how his chocolate eyes, which once looked so warm and inviting, stared at me with recluse and rejection.

"This isn't goodbye, Rose," He tried to say, but I stopped him.

"Yes, it is," I said sternly, "You need to stay here, and I need to…leave," I swallowed again, "If, by chance, we run into each other again someday…just pretend you don't know me, alright? It'll be easier that way."

Dimitri frowned, but didn't retaliate. I'd be lying if I said there was no part of me that didn't want him to. In fact, every part of me at that point in time was wishing to Hell and back that he would fervently refuse what I had told him, sweep me up in his arms, kiss me passionately and tell me that we could run off by ourselves and be together forever. But I knew that wouldn't happen.

At least I'd prepared myself this time. No more sobbing or tears for me. No, Rose Hathaway was going to be strong.

It was silently awkward for a few more moments before Dimitri took the first step forward. He reached out and enveloped me with his arms, pulling me to his chest as he buried his face in the crook of my shoulder. His fingers ran through the tresses of my hair and I heard him mumble something akin to, "I always loved your hair…" As quickly as he'd come, though, he pulled away, leaving a kiss on my forehead. The spot singed with regret for a moment as I clenched my fists, trying to stay strong.

"Stay safe," He whispered in my ear, and then his scent was gone as he completely removed himself.

"Goodbye, Dimitri," I said fiercely, nodding my head at him. If there was one thing Strigoi Dimitri had taught me, it was to be strong. I had to be strong. "Take care of Lissa for me and…tell her I'm sorry."

Dimitri blinked a few times before nodding his head back, "Goodbye, Guardian Hathaway."

I managed to ignore the sting at the name, and turned on my heel. I approached the car and paused at the door, wanting so badly to look back at Dimitri one final time. But looking back did nothing for moving forward, which is what I wanted so badly to do. I pulled the door open with a newly resolved strength, getting inside and shutting it.

But as soon as the car began to pull away, the resolve melted and I was being cradled by Adrian as I sobbed once more.

I was not only leaving Dimitri, but everything I loved. My mom, Mikhail, Eddie, Mia, Tasha, Christian and Lissa. Lissa would hate me, I was sure of it. The last time I'd left without telling her, it irreversibly damaged our friendship, and this time, I was sure it was the final straw.

At least she'll be safe, I tried to think optimistically, Dimitri is the best Guardian she'll ever have…

"You can check in on her every once and awhile, Rose," Adrian tried to comfort me some time later, running his hand through my hair, "And…I have a theory," He began tentatively. I lifted my head to stare at him.

"Which is?" I asked, wiping away the now dried tears off my face.

"Perhaps I can learn to channel my spirit through you…" He murmured, out of range for my father to hear who was in the driver's seat, "And you can visit Lissa in her dreams…"

I shot up, and for the first time in a long while, I felt true hope, "Really? That would be so amazing, you have no idea!" The idea of channeling his spirit through me…I had never thought of it! Lissa could use her powers on me to heal and calm me, why wouldn't Adrian be able to do the same thing in a different way?

Adrian smiled softly and brushed some hair from my face, "I think I do. I felt the exact same way when you went off to Russia yourself and I realized I could visit you in your dreams."

I smiled back at him, "Yeah well, you're going with me this time."

"Luckily," He commented, chuckling, "I had to convince your father to let me come, of course."

"I'll bet that was hard," I snorted, taking a glance at my father's face in the rear-view mirror, "Speaking of the Devil, what is the plan when we get to Siberia, anyways?"

Adrian stared at me so seriously then, I thought he was about to implode. I didn't waiver my own stare however, and waited for him to answer me. Finally, he opened his mouth, but closed it right after, then opened it, and then closed it again. It seemed he was fighting some internal battle.

"Well?" I demanded, sitting up straight.

"You know that as long as you're alive, they will be looking for you, right?"

I nodded slowly, "Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

Adrian visibly swallowed and his eyes went wide and fearful.

"We have to stop them from looking…" He tried, but I still didn't get it.

"Stop beating around the bush, Adrian," I growled, and I watched his eyes widen a bit.

"We have to fake your death, Rose. It's the only way."

Dear God, I thought, closing my eyes, please help me…

But I severely doubted I'd be heard. God didn't seem to like me too much these days.