A/N: Finally, a new one! ^_^ I'm actually running out of relevant quotes for these. I'd hate to stop them, though. If any of you have favorites, please don't hesistate to mention them.

DISCLAIMER: I don not own Vampire Academy.

A.I.T. Author In Training is an amazing beta! Thank you so much!

"The spell. Victor said you had to want me... to care about me... for it to work." When he didn't say anything, I tried to grip his shirt, but my fingers were too weak. "Did you? Did you want me?"

His words came out thickly. "Yes, Roza. I did want you. I still do. I wish... we could be together."

"Then why did you lie to me?"

We reached the clinic, and he managed to open the door while still holding me. As soon as he stepped inside, he began yelling for help.

"Why did you lie?" I murmered again.

Still holding me in his arms, he looked down at me. I could hear voices and footsteps getting closer.

"Because we can't be together."

"Because of the age thing, right?" I asked. "Because you're my mentor?"

His fingertip gently wiped away a tear that had escaped down my cheek. "That's part of it," he said. But also... well, you and I will both be Lissa's guardians someday. I need to protect her at all costs. If a pack of Strigoi come, I need to throw my body between them and her."

"I know that. Of course that's what you have to do." The black sparkles were dancing in front of my eyes again. I was fading out.

"No. If I let myself love you, I won't throw myself in front of her. I'll throw myself in front of you."

Vampire Academy, pg 323-324

The next week or two (really, it's hard to keep track when you're so busy trying to work with morons) were filled with planning. I got a whole lot of nothing from my silent sponsor, but Ana's increased presence said that she did care what I was draining all her money on. I walked through the warehouse given to me for my experiments, watching the humans closely as they worked. There were about a dozen of them, all taken from universities and the like, given the option of working or dying. Most made the smart choice, but the local newspapers covered the failures quite nicely.

I had talked with them, designing a suit that would greatly increase the effectiveness of Galina's troupe. The unfortunates who were chosen to test them had permenently stained sections of the lawn outside. I leaned over one of the tables, frowning as a woman dipped a piece of black fabric into a chemical solution. Her hands trembled, and the tweezers nearly fell. I leaned forward further to whisper in her ear. "Drop it and I'll make you retrieve it from that container... without gloves."

The woman swallowed, and I continued my observations. Honestly, it didn't make any sense to me, but it didn't have to. The results were all that I cared about. But simply waiting was making me restless. There was nothing else to do. I missed moving around, hiding out in plain sight, stalking the streets. This lifestyle didn't suit me.

My brief glimpses at Lissa's life were far from interesting- just high school, complete with drama. Well, high school with magic and a few other little differences. Lissa, on Avery's 'reccommendation' had avoided Adrian successfully. I wondered why he still stayed on campus, but then again, I'd given up understanding him a while ago.

I had just decided that a run would be more interesting, despite Galina's rules, when a shout came from the other end of the building. I was there in a second, hoping that it was some ballsy Guardian, better, a troupe of them. I wasn't that lucky. It was another 'volunteer', a slip of a boy who seemed to have lost his mind when he was brought here. I sneered at him. I was so glad to be rid of such debilitating fear. The Strigoi accompanying him looked to me for orders. I admit, I kind of liked being in charge. Okay, I liked it a lot.

But I had a reputation to maintain, so I kept the giddy smile off my face and grabbed the student by the front of his shirt. "You obey, or you die. Slowly. I recommend the smart choice."

His lips moved, and he choked out a few words in Russian. I glanced at Ana, my silent shadow.

"He says he will do what we want."

I smiled at him, and threw him to the floor. Without glancing back, I stepped over him and let myself out. Ana only spoke up when I went the opposite direction of Galina's estate.

"You're not supposed to go to Novosibirsk."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, I didn't catch it the first hundred times you said it."

"Galina doesn't want you-"

"To what? Run off? Like I'd let her take credit for the suit." I scoffed. "Don't you ever get sick of that place?"

"I am more than content-"

I gave a long-suffering sigh. "Then follow, if you're so paranoid." I paused, considering. "If you can keep up."

Thankfully, Ana didn't take me up on the offer. I took my time, savoring my momentary freedom. I would have to be cautious- our recruiting hadn't gone unnoticed- but for now, I was more than happy to simply wander.

I took my stolen time to think instead. It wasn't something I particularly enjoyed. I preferred action. But I had learned a lot since Nathan's death, and among the hardest of them, patience. I wasn't perfect, mind you, but I could restrain myself far more than I used to.

Back to the thinking. Avery. She was an interesting girl. It seemed that spirit users were popping up all over the place since Victor Dashkov kidnapped Lissa, but I never expected one to go straight to Lissa. I didn't like it, almost as much as I didn't like how she was wrapping Lissa around her little finger. Avery would be trouble.

"You alone, dhamphir? Or do you have a few more blood-sacs hiding, thinking we'll take the bait?"

I stopped. This sounded interesting. Most of the Strigoi in the area were in the same boat as me- living in the lap of luxury, but very confined. Were they outsiders, or was I one of many with a rebellious streak? I crept towards the voices, taking extra care.

"Well, if she's got friends, they don't seem to be too concerned, do they?"

The other Strigoi chuckled. Chuckled? That was... different. I stepped delicately onto the metal dumpster and peered over the chainlink fence. My enhanced senses were a blessing, really- otherwise, I might not have interfered in time.

Seconds later, I stood over the dhamphir, the head of a Strigoi dangling from my fingers. She faced me, pale but stubborn, her wild red hair as greasy as the rest of her. She'd been fighting- I smelled old blood under the fresh metallic scent, and there were faded bruises on her bare arms.

"Hello, mother." A glare was her only answer. I glanced around, my nose wrinkling as I tried to sort through the rancid smell of trash and vomit. "No weapons? No allies? Where is Mr. Belikov?"

"Dead."

I stopped breathing. The head fell from my hands, hitting the pavement with a wet thunk. I locked eyes with her, my body tense. "You're lying."

Janine was frightened, that much was obvious. But she held her ground. "The injury, from when you escaped. He didn't recover."

I grabbed her, pulled her up until her feet dangled inches from the ground, my face twisted in fury. "You're lying!"

Anger, I would have expected. Defiance, even more so. But Janine Hathaway just looked... I don't know. None of the things I thought she'd be. "I'm not, Rose. I'm really not."

I shouldn't have, but I threw her at the brick building to our left, not even caring about the satisfying crunch of her bones. He was gone. Gone, and I never had the chance to finish him. I screamed. All my running, all my planning and there was nothing. Just nothing.

My throat was sore. I forced myself to take deep breaths, to calm myself before I made another stupid mistake. I shouldn't have left him with Janine. I should have killed him right there, nevermind Galina's lackeys-

Galina. If she hadn't interfered, if she hadn't sent Ana to get me, would he still be alive? I knew that at the very least, I wouldn't be trapped in a fancy cage, let out on probation, forced to be watched like some child. But even I couldn't bring Galina down, not alone. I walked over to my mother and pulled her to her feet. Blood trickled from her mouth, but she was alive.

"Mother, how would you like to kill some Strigoi?"

Then I heard it- a soft sound, almost imperceptible. Something like panic crossed Janine's face. I turned, and saw it- a small piece of cloth peeking from behind a pile of discarded furniture. As I watched, it moved.

The girl I pulled into the light was young, with dark brown eyes and a defiant, fearful expression. It was a fascinating mix. I took a good look at her. "A human?" I said incredulously. I grabbed her wrist when she moved, almost laughing at her pathetic attempt. She was forced to drop the stake. "That really wasn't a good idea, Mother."

"Her name is Sydney." Janine said breathlessly. "She has nothing to do with-"

"I'm an Alchemist," the human cut in. "I was sent to help Guardian Hathaway."

I just stared at her blankly. "A what?"

"Nothing that relates to you."

My eyes narrowed. "How'd you like to decorate a wall?"

Janine stepped forward, wobbling a little. "Wait. What did you mean before? Who are you after?"

The girl, Sydney, looked more than a little relieved when I gave my full attention to the Guardian. "The Strigoi who sent her lackeys to rescue me."

"Tell us where she is; Some Guardians will take her out."

I smiled, shaking my head. So stupid. "Really? You'd send them into a nest?"

Her face paled. "What?"

I crossed my arms, noting the blood smeared on my blouse. Shame- I liked this one. "Galina owns an estate. I don't know exact numbers, but you'd have at least a dozen to deal with, probably up to twenty. But if you want to rush in, send in some free snacks... Feel free."

She swallowed, took a deep breath. "Fine. What did you have in mind?"

Guardian Hathaway, working with a Strigoi? This should be entertaining. I grinned and told her just a couple of the scenarios I had already worked out. If one of them worked, I'd get my revenge for Dimitri's life and end up in charge of Galina's estate in one move. It was far more appealing than my current situation- then I could focus on Janine and Lissa.

"Really, Liss?" I froze, one foot in the air. "Please tell me you're joking."

She turned the full force of her puppy-dog eyes on me, water glistening on her lashes. "Look at her, Rose. She's freezing. We can't leave her out here."

I sighed. Only Lissa would feel personal responsibility for a stray kitten. I had stopped a few feet away, but the small animal was already growling, staring at me with wide, untrusting eyes. What did Lissa expect me to do? "We'll call the humane society."

We were new to Portland, and I had no idea where one would be. It didn't stop Lissa. She picked up the kitten, cooing at it. It was filthy, probably had fleas. She didn't care. Then she shoved it at me, one hand going to her purse. I had to grab it or let it fall.

Instantly, it started writhing, twisting like a possessed snake. It might have been a bobcat with the sounds it was making. I clamped it to my chest, already mourning the loss of another shirt. "What are you doing?" I asked, slightly panicked. She knew how well I got along with anything furry.

"Hold on. I'm calling."

Then the claws came out. I yelped. The kitten took the chance to leap. It dissappeared down the street. Lissa watched it go, her phone still held to her ear. She looked at me in horror. "You let her go!" she accused.

"It scratched me!"

Lissa scowled. "Oh, come on. Your career plan is what, now? Go after her!"

I did a fair amount of grumbling, but I took off after it obediantly. I saw a flash of orange vanish under the porch of some run-down three bedroom house. I got to my knees, shivering as a cold gust of wind swept down my back. It was all the way near the back. I heard Lissa behind me.

"Come on, Liss. I'd have to crawl under there."

"Then start crawling," She said stubbornly.

Biting back a few words that would get me detention, I pulled off my sweater and handed it to her. It was as dark, wet, and musty as I thought it would be. I suddered as I crawled through a spider web. The kitten hissed at me, but there was no where else for it to go. It attacked my hand when I grabbed it, drawing blood. I resisted the urge to throw it and wriggled backwards.

The look on Lissa's face when I held the squirming thing out to her was worth all the trouble. Her eyes lit up, and her gentle smile as she took it from me was a relief to see. Being on the run had really worn her down. I hesistated for only a moment before I made my choice.

"We can give it to Jeremy. You can have it as long as we're here."

Lissa grinned. "Really?" It looked like she was going to hug me. I stepped back, hands raised in surrender.

"Furry thing?" I reminded her.

She glanced at the tabby. "Oscar."

"Huh?"

"I'm naming the kitten Oscar," She clarified.

I looked at the kitten, purring contentedly in Lissa's arms. "Weird name."

She laughed.