Disclaimer: Not Richelle Mead. I don't own anything from her books, just the stuff I make up. And to answer some questions. I will continue this if I'm not done when the fourth book comes out.

Well here is chapter ten. I think this one is going to...

10

I fidgeted. I wasn't supposed to be here. I was supposed to be there with the Guardians. Not stuck here with two imbeciles in a car. I needed to go to the inevitable fight.

Yeah I stared. I couldn't understand what was happening. Well I mean I understood being tied to a chair, but not the person standing by Viktor's smiling face.

I blinked hoping that it would go away but it never did.

"Why?" I blurted out.

Supplied with our weapons we went down the ladder as quietly as possible. We were lucky it didn't creak.

We came out at the end of a tunnel. From here I could see a fork. A few of us wandered over there to make more room in the crowded place.

Both of the new tunnels looked exactly the same. There were no clues as to which one would lead us in the right direction. I glanced down both of them. Lights were bolted to the walls and hung from the ceiling.

I turned to go back and as I did the lights in the right hand tunnel burst in to thousands of sparks.

Alberta came up to stand beside me, "Left I think."

I nodded and we grouped up. I was in the middle with Christian. We had Guardians on all sides of us and two rows in front of us.

We made our way through the tunnels, following the ones that were lit.

We didn't come across anyone in till a chamber with a metal door. Four Strigoi were lounging next to the wall. They seemed to be expecting us.

The fight started as soon as we rounded the corner. It was a silent fight as the Guardians in front of us staked the Strigoi. One however burst in to flames, the one closest to the door. I grabbed for Christian before he got away. A Guardian took care of the engulfed Strigoi.

"Don't be reckless," I told him. He glared at me and stopped struggling.

The door opened and the real fight began.

Christian and I squeezed past most of the fighting and into the interior room. Others followed as more Strigoi ran to the fight.

I quickly dodged one and sank my stake in to his heart. He fell with a gasp to the ground. Christian was lighting the ones on fire that got to close to him. I took them out easily.

We moved from the chaos and I turned to survey the room.

I felt my heart freeze.

"Rose?"

The grip on my shoulder tightened. I glanced at Belikov to see his face paled. I followed his gaze and felt my eyes bug out of my head.

Viktor Dashkov was sitting in a gold throne.

With Rose standing beside him.

"Christian!"

My gaze immediately fell to the person who screamed my name. The shock from seeing Rose almost evaporated as I saw Lissa. She was tied to a chair with six Guardians surrounding her.

I immediately wanted to run to her but Belikov was still holding me back.

Then everything stopped.

I turned to glance at the fighting to see the Strigoi strewn on the floor. There hadn't been as many as I thought, just maybe fifteen.

But that wasn't what made everything stop.

Viktor started to speak.

I listened as Viktor began to speak. He was going to tell his story about how he had planned everything. How he had charmed the Queen and made her test Rose's powers. How he had arranged my kidnapping and how he escaped from prison. The newly arrived Guardians listened as I had. He had already told me. And I still couldn't believe it.

So while I listened I kept my gaze on Rose though I wanted to desperately wanted to see Christian. I still couldn't believe he was here.

Rose was standing on Viktor's right side. She was wearing tight black pants with boots that laced to her knees and a tight black shirt with a violet vest. I could also easily see the chotki I had given her. It was on the wrist where her Promise Mark was etched in to her skin. Something even more unsettling was the necklace she wore. It was the one Viktor had given her with the lust charm either that or a very similar one. Her hair was tied and draped over one shoulder. Her sword was at her waist while I could easily see a gun in a holster at her back. She also had a knife in a sheath around her leg.

Her eyes never wavered. She was staring at the back wall. Her arms were held behind her back in a at ease stance. She looked completely ready to fight, yet she didn't move.

And she was standing with the wrong people.

Viktor's voice caught my attention, I hadn't realized I hadn't heard his last few words.

He was now speaking to Dimitri.

"Are you surprised Belikov? I mean you must have seen her acting off? Surely someone like you wouldn't have missed the signs?"

Dimitri continued to gaze at Rose.

"What did you do to her?" someone asked from behind him. My eyes caught on Janine's short figure.

Viktor smiled, "Dear Janine, I did nothing to dear Rosemarie."

She wanted to argue I could see but Rose moved. She stood up straighter and glanced around. Viktor said something to her and she went back to staring. I knew Rose, she was getting anxious.

Viktor continued on his speech.

"The Moroi will be glad to have me as their King. I can do more for them than any of our rulers before. With me, we can rule what is rightfully ours to begin with."

"What about the Strigoi?" Alberta piped in. "How do they feel about you ruling?"

Viktor smiled but didn't get a chance to comment.

"Enough," someone said from behind me.

I turned my head to see a Strigoi walking towards Viktor.

It was the first time I saw Viktor's face flash with fear. He quickly covered it though. I watched this newcomer with fear and hatred.

He strolled to where Rose stood. He looked her up and down, "So useful," he muttered.

"Zacharie," Viktor said in greeting.

The Strigoi named Zacharie turned to Viktor. "Dashkov I think your part of the deal is finished."

Viktor gazed at Zacharie curiously.

"I brought you the girls, now I get the throne."

"Why the hell are you helping a Moroi?" Christian asked. "Aren't you supposed to just want to kill us all?"

Zacharie turned to Christian and I was frightened out of my wit.

Zacharie smiled, "Something like that, but some Moroi are more useful than others. Like the Dragomir Princess."

"Then why are you helping Viktor?" Christian asked. I could tell he was trying to stall whatever was going to happen. I watched as more and more Guardians seemed to flit closer to me.

"Who says I'm helping him?" Zacharie asked with a smile.

Viktor's face flashed with so many emotions it was hard to tell what he was feeling. He stood up to watch Zacharie who was now on the other side of Rose.

"It looks like your helping him to me," Janine said. She moved up to the front as more of the back Guardians inched their way towards me.

"Oh no, I'm not helping him. He's helping me. He is just as easily disposable as any of you."

"Excuse me?" asked an enraged Viktor. "If it weren't for me Rosemarie would still be in the Land of the Dead. If it weren't for me you wouldn't have known how to call her back."

Zacharie just smiled and walked over to Viktor. "Luckily you've called her back and told me how to control her. Your deed is done."

I watched horrified as Zacharie reached out and grabbed Viktor. With one twist of his wrist Viktor's neck snapped and he fell to the ground. The Guardian's surrounding me fidgeted in their horror. Their master had just been killed. And I'm guessing Viktor was the only reason they hadn't been lunch already.

Just as Viktor fell doors behind me and all over the room opened to allow Strigoi to flood in to the room. I watched horrified as the Guardians took off to the fight. Dimitri and Christian were already battling.

I turned to one of the worried Guardians beside me. "Untie me!" I pleaded. He looked at me and then back to the fight. When he glanced back I used as much compulsion as I could summon. He immediately untied me. Strigoi started to rush at them and they joined the fight.

I ran towards Rose. I didn't care that the man who had just killed Viktor was a few feet away. I needed Rose to snap out of whatever was wrong.

I grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

She never looked at me. Just kept staring at the wall.

"Rose!" I screamed, "wake up!"

"Oh your dear Rose can't wake up now. I have complete control over her," said the sickly sweet voice of Zacharie. And just as he did Rose took my arms and shoved me towards a wall. I fell with my head cracking on the ground.

"Go fight my dear, show no mercy," Zacharie said to Rose.

With one swift move she unsheathed her sword and entered the ring.

I would be afraid...very afraid. Frightened, scared, running away screaming. Would you want to fight Rose when she has a sword and all you have is a stake? And don't forget she has a gun too.

Thanks for reading, theres more twists to come by the way, review!