Chapter 10: Chased by Conflict and Confrontation

Rose POV:

I awoke to Dimitri's face staring at me. I smiled as he gave me a kiss on my forehead. Once I assured him I was fine he got right to the point. He wanted to know about the Strigoi.

"She wanted me to become one of them; she said she'll be back." I murmured. "It caught me off guard." I was still a bit shaken from the whole ordeal as well as the spirit dream. A silent tear slid down my face as I thought of being a Strigoi. Dimitri hugged me close.

"We would've found you and brought you back. I'll always find you." He whispered in my ear. He understood. He'd been Strigoi. Just the thought sent shudders up my spine. He was still dealing with what he'd done then. Especially to me. At the time of the fight I hadn't realized how afraid I was of being turned. I knew it was reversible, a reassurance that hadn't been there until I found a way to save Dimitri. But, hearing those words made it all the more real. The wanted me, and they'd stop at nothing to turn me. Of that I was certain.

We sat there in the hospital room for what seemed like ages. I debated telling him everything about my plans. But, I was worried of what he'd say.

By afternoon things were going back to normal. Lissa had some meetings that I had to sit through. They were all boring except the last one.

They were discussing the topic of including an offensive magic class at St. Vlads. It would be optional at the beginning and then later possibly become mandatory.

I wasn't paying much attention until a commotion arose in the back of the room. I didn't see who started it but people were saying it was a Zeklos. We guardians descended on the teeming crowd. Almost everyone was joining in the fight, something that wasn't helping the case against them fighting. I pulled two non-royal Moroi apart at the same time another Dhampir did. Our combined force sent the two Moroi flying in different directions. I chuckled as one fell at the feet of a large scuffle and almost was kicked. The other Dhampir smiled, suppressing a laugh. He was around 6 foot with bushy blonde hair and pale blue eyes. He was dressed in the customary guardian black. He was quite handsome though not nearly as attractive as Dimitri. I was rather surprised I'd never met him. I was the Queen's head guardian and I knew almost everyone! He was young, probably fresh out of an academy.

"Hello Guardian Hathaway, I'm Henry." He said in a European accent.

"Please call me Rose. Nice to meet you." I replied as I moved on to another scuffle, all the while curious about the stranger I'd just met.

When all the fighting ceased Henry seemed to have vanished. The meeting was disbanded and before long Christian, Dimitri, Lissa, and I ended up back at Lissa's chambers. My mind was still thinking of Henry and how he hadn't told me his last name and who he guarded as tended to be the customary introduction.

"Do any of you know a guardian named Henry, Young, European, blond hair, blue eyes?" I asked.

Lissa thought for a moment. "Not that I know of, why?"

"Today during the fight I met him and I'd never seen him before. Did we have any visiting Moroi with new guardians?"

"Nope," she replied, "But we have records of all the people in the building during the meeting. Remember?"

"Oh yeah!" I said as I grabbed Lissa's laptop and brought up the records. Dimitri wrapped his arm around me and watched as I looked. I checked out any Dhampir that was European, around his age, matched his description, or was named Henry. In all essence, he didn't exist.

"Roza, maybe in the midst of the fight you thought you saw him but you didn't." Dimitri said.

"Maybe," I shrugged, positive I'd seen him.

"It's getting late," Dimitri said, "I'll go get us some pizza." He said as he walked out the door.

Lissa left to use the restroom leaving Christian and I alone together in the sitting room. The room was filled in a strange silence. Christian was the one who broke it.

"I'm worried about Lissa. She's been having more mood swings due to spirit lately. We keep fighting and then making up and fighting again. We need to do something."

"We were doing something." I replied. "That was until you left me to do it on my own. I am doing something!" My anger flared. The cliff, the Strigoi, this was all for Lissa! How dare he act like I wasn't doing anything!

"Oh?" he asked, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Because you first attempts worked out so well."

"At least I'm trying!" I shouted, furious at his attitude about the situation and still upset about his refusal to help with my future attempts.

"Don't you think having to constantly heal you gives her more darkness?" he retorted, his voice also rose to a shout.

"It's not my fault my attempts so far have failed! And I don't see you coming up with any better ideas!" He could have thought of a different plan. Instead he relied on me. It wasn't my fault that he didn't like what I came up with. I was fuming.

"At least any plan I come up with would be safe! For both me and those around me!" He'd crossed the line. In a way he seemed to be to be questioning my ability to keep Lissa safe! It was one thing for me to think my plan endangered Lissa; it was another thing entirely to hear it spoken out loud.

"At least I'm not sitting around doing nothing and watching my girlfriend go INSANE!" He snapped. I'd pushed him to a breaking point.

"Well at least I'm not using my best friend as justification to throw myself off a cliff!" he snarled. I wanted to punch him, and I would have if it wasn't for what happened next.

"Wha-at?" Lissa croaked from the doorway. She'd obviously heard most of what just happened. That meant she knew that I had jumped. She looked near tears and I couldn't bear to watch knowing I'd caused it.

"You said you wouldn't say anything," I hissed before I ran out of the building. I made it to the door just as the tears poured and my body wracked with sobs. Everything around me became a white blur. When the tears finally ceased I found myself outside a club.

I decided it was just what I needed, some time to dance and clear my head. Due to the cold weather they were serving hot chocolate. I bought one with some spare change in my pocket and began to warm up.

One of the last people I wanted to see was Adrian. He said he forgave me but I was pretty sure that was only to talk to me. Plus he knew about the whole jump thing. That was definitely something I didn't want to discuss. Not to mention the fact that he thought I was suicidal.

I was dancing when I saw him. He was by the bar with a glass in his hand. It was only about half-full and he was talking with a group of Moroi girls. I was letting loose on the dance floor. When I spotted him I tried to blend in with the crowd, hoping he didn't see me.

I jumped as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to find Henry behind me.

"Hey Rose!" he said smiling.

"Hey!" I shouted over the music.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he said flirting.

"I have a boyfriend."

"Just as friends?"

"Um..." I hesitated. "I guess."

Before long it was getting late and I'd forgotten all about Adrian being there. That was, until he approached me.

"Cheating on another boyfriend?" he asked; his words like a slap in the face.

"Oh shut up Adrian," I replied, my speech slurred. I pushed past him and stumbled towards the door.

I stumbled around in a drunken haze through the snow. Before I knew it I was near a gate.

"Rose!" Someone screamed in the distance. I turned towards the noise and looked straight into a pair of oncoming headlights. I didn't move. I just stared as they got closer and closer and -.

CRASH!

POV: 3rd person

Rose's body hit the ground with a soft thud. The car stopped and the passenger jumped out and went to get help. The person in the distance ran up to her limp figure. Fingers found their way to her neck to check for a pulse. There was none.

To Be Continued…..

Thanks for all the reviews! I enjoy reading them all! I have an idea for future chapters that hopefully you'll enjoy. In the upcoming chapters you'll find out who the mystery person is. :D -wbnm