Second entry for today! I have to say that this is the most exciting chapter I've written so far, with many more to come. I loved how it turned out, and even I can't wait to see how it continues from here.

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Hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)

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DISCLAIMER: VAMPIRE ACADEMY AND BLOODLINES BELONG TO THE GODDESS RICHELLE MEAD.


ADRIAN'S POV

"You broke down that night, Adrian." Sydney said. She surprised me when she called me Adrian. For someone who hates vampires, she just called one by his name. I cocked my head to the side curiously, and I could feel my lips slowly inch into a smile.

"Sage, you just called me Adrian," I widened my eyes, "You just said my name... are you alright?" I asked as I laughed. I was really laughing, something I hadn't genuinely done for days. I felt tears in my eyes from the laughter- my eyes crinkled as I tried to retain those little bastards in. Who would have thought that Sage—the uptight, constantly serious Sage—would be the one to pull a laugh out of me.

Sage's aura softened, the black spots disappearing, and got back to its yellow color—it was brighter than usual—with purple sparks all over. She smiled as she lowered her head shyly and then looked back at me again. I think she was blushing.

"And you're smiling, Sage. I think I deserve a prize for it," I said laughing, as I placed a hand on the tree and pulled myself up. "Come on Sage, it's getting dark, we should go in."

Although I felt carefree and actually did have fun with Sage out here for a while, it was getting dark. I had no problem with it, but Sage didn't have the enhanced vision Moroi and Dhampirs had. I offered both of my hands to help her stand, she grabbed them; it felt warm and soft where she placed her hands, electricity trickling from her touch. A few nights ago, I offered my hand to her too, but I didn't really feel the full impact of it because spirit was at its peak and I was somewhat drunk. But now, I really felt it, the contact of her skin against mine, even if it was minuscule. We held hands longer someone would usually when offering a hand to someone, and Sage seemed to notice this too. We both let go at the same time. This was so awkward.

"So Sage, how's the secret double o agent mission going?" I asked awkwardly as we both headed to the main building. I avoided eye-contact as I pretended to clean my jeanswith my hands.

I looked back at Sage, as she opened her mouth to reply, but then all hell literally broke loose. An explosion from the east distracted us both from the question. I saw Moroi running from the site, and guardians running tothe site. I wanted to believe this wasn't an assault resulting from Lissa becoming Queen, but I couldn't think of any other reason this would happen. I looked at Sage, horror written all over her face. She was speechless, staring at the haze of black smoke illuminated by red and orange, rising to the sky, which was slowly disappearing into the darkness of the night.

"Sage." I said, but she didn't seem to hear to me. "Sage!" I said louder, gripping her shoulders and turning her so she faced me.

She looked at me, eyes wide and asked me, "What is happening?"

"I don't know Sage, but we better get safe and go to some building." I looked around, and saw Rose coming out from the distant, palace black gates. Pain shot through me, but I stood still as she ran to us.

"Sydney? What are you doing here?" Rose asked frowning as she stared at Sage. "I thought you were with the Alchemists." She then looked up at me and returned her gaze hastily back to Sage.

"I had business…" started Sydney, but Rose cut her off as she said, "I've got to take you both somewhere safe and look for Lissa. You can't just stand in the middle of nowhere. Follow me."

Sage and I both looked at each other as we started following a panting Rose through some alleys.

"There are Strigoi nearby," blurted out Rose as we paused in between two buildings, "We have to run."

"Strigoi?" Sage asked whispering, "Isn't this place supposed to be ward-protected?"

"Yes," answered Rose, "I don't know what's going on." She turned to both of us and gave us a couple of quick instructions in case we got separated on the run.

"Rose..." I said. Her name felt weird coming out from my mouth now- she seemed to flinch at the name too. "Sage doesn't have our enhanced vision; she can't just go around running in the dark."

She reconsidered and then said, "Ok, Adrian, grab her hand and guide her." She then turned to Sydney as the light slowly dissipated and said, "I know how you dislike Moroi, but I would prefer it if you stay safe and let him guide you, than you tripping over and some Strigoi killing you. I have to go ahead of you and make sure there are no Strigoi lurking around. Please, Sydney?"

Sydney nodded without any fuss, trembling, and I grabbed her hand. She stiffened, but then grabbed it back. Rose went ahead with a stake at hand—I didn't know where it came from—checking each corner and then signaling at us to follow her. We reached an alley a couple of blocks away from the palace, following Rose, but suddenly two Strigoi jumped from the roof on top of Sage and me, making us break the hold of our hands.

The first thought I had was of throwing myself in front of Sage. I did, trying to protect her for as long as possible, or at least until Rose got back here. I managed to land a kick on one of the Strigoi's side, but it grabbed my foot before I could remove it and twisted it so I fell to the floor. Rose was still a few meters ahead. She turned and ran to us when she heard the noise, but it was too late- a Strigoi had already grabbed Sage and immediately bit her whilst dragging her out of the alley, so she was unable to struggle.

The other Strigoi then held me on my neck and slammed me hard against the wall of one of the buildings; I hit him on the face but he barely seemed to notice. He got closer to my neck to bite it, but Rose quickly staked the Strigoi holding me, and fell limp. I fell on my knees and grabbed my throat where the Strigoi had attempted to bite me. But that wasn't important. I yelled at Rose to go save Sage.

"Leave me, I'm fine!" She looked at me sceptically, but I wasn't going to back down. "The Strigoi took Sydney! I'll be right behind. Go!" She left me to run, and I quickly got on my feet, following her. She was already a fair distance away when I reached the corner, also pursuing Sage's attackers; Sage was nowhere to be seen. A cold voice behind me made me turn around.

"Look at what I found! Fresh blood, royal blood if I'm not mistaken! Delicious." I saw the red-ringed eyes of a female Strigoi and froze. She smiled a cold smile, and dashed like lightning to where I was standing. She grabbed me by my throat—seriously, what was it with throat grabbing today?—giving me no chance to defend myself, and bit me hard on the neck.

At first, it was pain; only pain that I could register when the fangs pierced my skin, then the high to beat all highs surrounded me like a blanket, taking me to a million places in one second. All my worries faded, I could only focus on the sweet bliss of the endorphin rush I was having. '

This is better than sex, even better than drinking blood, this is—'

I slumped on the floor like a rag doll, feeling dizzy- all sorts of wonderful feelings fading. My vision was blurred as I saw black figures moving around me, dancing, or so it seemed. Then one of them fell to the floor and stayed there, the other figures rushed to me, shaking me, grabbing my face to look at them, and then darkness wrapped around me.

Am I dead? I can't be, I'm breathing and lying on a bed, I just can't seem to open my eyes. I heard a few voices around me, one of them was Rose, and the others were Belikov's, Lissa's and Christian's.

"...have left him alone. Adrian almost died because I listened to him when he asked me to go after the Strigoi that took Sydney, I left! A guardian isn't supposed to leave a Moroi by themselves when there's danger. It was completely irresponsible from my part." said Rose, almost sobbing.

"Rose, it is not your fault; it is no one's fault. You wanted to protect Sydney as much as he did when he told you to look for her. And we found both of them, you don't have to feel guilty." said Belikov, as he tried to calm Rose.

"Where is... Sage, is she... is she okay?" I asked, my throat rough and dry, as I tried to open my eyes. I finally managed to and I saw where I was, I was at the hospital of Court. The walls were all white, typical hospital color. "Sage, is she alright?" I tilted my head to the right, to where Belikov, Lissa and Rose sat. Christian was leaning at the wall, arms crossed.

"Adrian," said Rose as she stood from the chair, "I'm—"

"Where is Sage? Rose." I cut her coolly as I frowned, "Is she okay?"

Belikov stood from the chair too and got closer to the bed. "Check for yourself, she's at your left."

I turned to my left and there she was, a few meters away. She had a gauze pad on her neck, where the Strigoi bit her. She was still asleep, golden eyes closed, blonde hair splayed on the pillow, her chest slowly rising and descending as she was breathing heavily.

"How bad was she when she was found?" I turned my head around to Rose and Belikov. "Did you stake the Strigoi?"

"She was still conscious when the guardians found her, dizzy but conscious. You were in a worst state than she was. The Strigoi somehow let her go, we have no clue why," said Lissa. "She's probably exhausted, and the shock of being in a Strigoi attack must have affected her greatly."

"I should have protected her," I whispered, slamming my eyes shut and placing a hand on top of my eyes. "I saw the Strigoi before they attacked, I could have... I don't know I could have done something to prevent this from happening."

"Adrian, what you did was very brave, and you had your own Strigoi to deal with." added Rose.

"Man, you're worrying more about Sydney, when you had your own little problem," said Christian as he smirked, "I really don't know what else you could have done to protect your Alchemist, you stood in front of her, from what Rose told us, and even attempted some karate move to protect her, you were like her knight in shining armor or something."

"My what?" I asked, stunned my Christian's choice of words, 'your Alchemist'. "Nonsense."

After a while they left so I could rest. I took a last glance at my left, where Sage was still peacefully and soundly sleeping.

I closed my eyes and smirked at Christian's words; I really did play the role of a knight in shining armor for her—or at least tried to.


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