*Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy, Richelle Mead does!*
Rose's Point of View
A rough prodding pulled me from my sleep. I initially rolled over, pulling a pillow over my head, trying to delay the moment when I would have to leave the comfort of our bed.
"Rose. Rose, you need to wake up. We overslept," Dimitri urged.
I sat straight up and looked at the clock. Class started in twenty minutes. I barely got to give Dimitri a quick kiss before he was out the door. He couldn't risk being late, but it was nothing new to me.
Pulling myself out of the warmth of the comforter, I rubbed the bleary sleep from my eyes. I took a quick shower. Dimitri never understood why I showered before and after practice, but I just never felt clean after we slept all night. When I got out of the shower, I glanced at the clock. I was already five minutes late for class. I carefully wrapped myself up and got dressed. I pulled my fingers through my short hair, trying to make it look as neat as possible, but it was no use. My hair grew back in awkwardly so it stuck up in odd angles. I looked like I just rolled out of bed… which really isn't too far from the truth.
Making sure I wasn't missing anything essential, I grabbed my bag and jogged the distance to the gym. I walked in, ignoring the look of disapproval I got from Yuri. He didn't approve of tardiness and I had missed nearly half his class.
Dimitri gave me a small smile as I joined Christian. I could tell he was nearly late and got the last pick of the post. Usually he would be stationed not far from where me and Christian practiced.
"Overslept?" Christian asked with a wink.
I stared at him. "Oh yeah. But it was long overdue. Especially after everything that happened with Lissa," I pointed out to him.
Christian stopped what he was doing and looked at me. "What happened with Lissa?" He asked me.
"Didn't you eat breakfast with her?" I asked him uncertainly.
He shook his head. "You aren't the only one that slept in today," he told me. "What happened with Lissa?"
"You know. Someone's going to notice if you don't start working," I told him, trying to change the subject. I wouldn't have brought it up if I didn't think he knew.
"What happened with Lissa?" He asked me more forcefully.
I bit my lip. I knew I had to tell him. He had a right to know. And I knew if our positions were reversed, he would want to know. So I told him. I told him about Lissa cutting herself. Christian froze, the color draining from his face. His behavior was strange enough that Guardian Holt came over to see if he was okay.
We both nodded, not daring to share with him what we were discussing.
"Sorry," Christian said quickly. "I told Robert my wrist hurt a little bit. He decided to tell me about when one of his brothers broke his wrist. He was a little too detailed."
It was a sign of how little Guardian Holt knew us that he nodded and walked away, taking up position against the wall.
Christian and I resumed our work-out, just enough so we wouldn't attract unwanted attention. I could almost feel Dimitri burning a hole into my back, but I didn't care. I slowly told Christian everything. About the note I got. About Lissa when I found her. I told him everything.
First period ended quickly. Or maybe that was just because I was late. The second it was over, Christian walked over to Emile. I knew he was going to say something about how he felt ill and didn't feel up to any more practice. Christian was a goody two-shoes, so Emile would believe him.
It took me about five seconds to realize that Christian should not be wandering around campus alone. I went over to Emile who actually suggested I go after Christian. Easier than I expected.
I ran out of the gym, easily catching up with Christian. "Christian, you can't just go barge in on Lissa," I warned him. "She's in the middle of class!"
"What classroom is she in?" Christian asked me, completely ignoring my warning. "I know she has Elemental Training, but I don't know what room."
I sighed, giving up. I was usually more stubborn than Christian, but if our situations were reversed, I would be tearing down buildings to get to Lissa and make sure she was okay. I let down the walls I built so I could stay out of Lissa's head. I froze as her location washed over me.
I didn't need to look to know Christian would be staring at me. He knew I was with Lissa right now.
When I pulled out of her head and back to my own body, I didn't say anything to Christian. I just ran. I could hear Christian behind me, telling me to slow down and asking me where we are going. I didn't answer I just ran.
I came to a halt outside a classroom that was supposed to be empty. Kicking the door open, I burst inside, Christian hot on my heels.
He froze when he looked inside the room. He wasn't expecting this. I was. I ran over to where Lissa was cowering in the corner and helped her to her feet.
"Shhh… it's okay Lissa. I'm here. It's okay," I told her soothingly.
Letting Lissa sob into my shoulder, I turned slightly so I was facing Natalie. "Did you really think I was going to let you get away with this?" I asked her angrily. "Did you really think I would let you come near Lissa? I don't know how you convinced everybody that you are mentally sound enough to come to this school, but you should know better than to hurt Lissa."
"I am mentally sound," Natalie said in a deranged voice that contradicted her words. "I am mentally sound. It's her that isn't. All that power and she doesn't use it. She could do so much. Get so much, but she doesn't. It's a waste of talent. She doesn't deserve it."
"Now you listen to me," Christian said angrily. I honestly think Natalie forgot about him.
"No, it's my turn to talk," Natalie said.
"I think you've talked enough," Christian told her. "Now it's my turn."
Natalie rolled her eyes. "What are you going to do about it? I'm going to teach the precious Dragomir princess the appropriate ways to use her powers. She's going to help me get my father out of prison and then she's going to use compulsion to help him become king. I don't care if it kills her. And there is nothing, absolutely nothing that you can do to stop me," she said in an evil, vindictive voice.
"That may be true," a new voice said. "But there is something I can do."
I turned slowly. I don't think I've ever been so grateful to see Dimitri.
