Unfortunately my laptop still isn't working so I have to use another computer. For my All Is Fair In Love And War readers, I'm writing the next but I have one hell of a writers block, but I'm trying so be patient plz!!! I love you all and thank you, so here's another chapter!

It's been three weeks andI was still torn on weather or not I should get Lissa out of here or not. She seemed happy and she finally meet Christian, even though I knew it wouldn't work I gave her a lecture about it, she just rolled her eyes and told me okay.

Regardless of everyone knowing about my kills, I let Mason beat me just to give him an ego boost only to kick his ass right after.

I was currently on my way to the gym and I was already late, I walked inside only to walk in on a very familiar sight, one that warmed my heart.

Dimitri was sprawled out on a mat, reading a Louis L'Amour book. Someone had brought in a portable CD player, and while that cheered me up at first the song coming from didn't, yet did at the same time. "When Doves Cry" by Prince, I was still embarrassed to know the title.

"Whoa, Dimitri," I said, tossing my bag to the side and deciding to play this like my dream. "I realize this is the current hit in Eastern Europe right now, but do you think we could maybe listen to something that wasn't recorded before I was born?"

Only his eyes flicked toward me; the rest of his posture stayed the same. "What does it matter to you? I'm the one who's going to be listening to it. You'll be outside running."

I made a face as I set my foot up to stretch my hamstrings. As expected Dimitri had a good-natured tolerance for my being a smart ass, so long as I didn't slack on my training, he didn't mind my running complementary, which I made it seem like I sucked and hated running.

"Hey," I asked, moving to the next set of stretches, "what's with all the running, anyway? I mean, I realize the importance of stamina and all that, but shouldn't I be moving on to something with a little hitting? They all think that the can kill me during group practice."

"Maybe you should hit harder," he replied dryly. Now I could have said something else but I'll let it slide.

"I'm serious."

"Hard to tell the difference," he set the book don but didn't move from his sprawl. "My job is to get you ready to defend the princess and fight dark creatures, right?"

"Yup."

"So tell me this: suppose you manage to kidnap her again and take her off to the mall. While you're there, a Strigoi comes at you. What will you do?"

"Depends where we are," I stated boredly.

He looked at me. I let out a small shuddered breath and met his intense gaze.

"Decapitate him,"

He sat up now, crossing his long, never ending legs in one fluid motion. I still couldn't figure out how someone so tall could be so graceful, I mean I was tall 5' 10'' but damn. "Oh?" he raised his dark eyebrows. "With what weapon would you decapitate him with?" He countered.

I dragged my eyes along his body as flashes from the cabin filled my thoughts; I took a deep breath and again meet his dark gaze. When I opened my mouth to answer but he cut me off.

"Ignoring the fact that you have no weapon to do that, how will you compensate for the fact that he may be a foot taller than you?"

"Jumped on his back and twist his head off his shoulders," I muttered looking down. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"What was that?" He asked.

"You run," I said not even blinking as I meet his eyes. He actually looked pretty surprised causing me to repress the urge to throw something at him. As I finished my laps he told me he'd run with me.

We set out into the October evening. Being back on the nocturnal schedule still felt a little weird for me, as did getting a full nights sleep. With school about in a hour I expected the sun to be coming up, not down.

The warmth that flowed through me felt soo go no words could describe it. I pushed slightly faster but still held back not wanting to go all out yet. We were on our fourth lap when a group of novices passed by, preparing to go to the group practices that I'd soon be at as well. Seeing me, Mason cheered. "Good form, Rose!"

I smiled and waved back.

"You're slowing down," Dimitri snapped harshly, jerking my gaze from the guys to Dimitri I glared at him; his voice was harsh as he scowled me, startling me to no end. "Is that why your times aren't getting any faster? You're easily distracted?"

Embarrassed and angry I pushed myself faster than before, when we finished the laps he checked the watch and saw we shaved two minutes off of my "best time".

"Can I see the watch?" I asked, he looked at me weirdly before handing me the watch. I jogged over my bag and took out my watch and went through the times. "Damn," I muttered, I hadn't lost any time in reality I gained five minutes and that was running five miles.

I tossed him back the watch and smiled a small smile that scream "I know something you don't know!"

"Not bad, huh?" I crowed when we started the cool down warm ups. "Looks like I can get to the Limited before the Strigoi got me at the mall. Not sure how Lissa would do though." When in reality I knew she would do fine.

"If she was with you, she'd be okay."

I looked up in surprise; he never really complimented me so this was a first. His warm brown eyes that I could stare at all day shined with approval and slight amusement.

And that's when it happened.

I felt like someone had shot me. Sharp and biting, terror exploded in my body and in my head. Small razors of pain. My vision blurred and bent, and for a moment I wasn't standing there. I was running down a flight of stairs, scared and desperate, needing to get out of there, need to find… me.

My vision cleared, leaving me back in the gym and out of Lissa's head.

"I'll kill her!" I screamed before taking off, running faster than I ever have, even Dimitri was having trouble keeping up. All my thoughts went out the window as I tore through the campus needing to get to Lissa.

I was barely aware of Dimitri trying to catch up to me, asking me what was wrong. But I couldn't answer him, I had one task and one task alone: get to the dorm.

A looming, ivy-colored form was running in my direction and I ran, if possible, faster, then she stood in front of me, tear stained faced and sobbing. I put my hands on her arms trying to keep her still without hurting her.

"What's wrong? What happened? Please don't tell me it's what I think it is!" I demanding, tightening my grip on her, she winced but then threw herself into my arms.

Images of the fox coming through the bond, groaning quietly I stroked her sleek hair back and whispered to her that everything would be fine. I was just glad she was alright and she was safe and that was all that mattered to me at the moment. Dimitri hovered over us, alert and ready for any threat, his body coiled to attack, and just by him being there I felt safe and protected, it kept me strong.

A half a hour later everyone was all crammed in Lissa and unfortunately Natalie's room. Natalie struggled to get into the room do to the crowd of students in the hall. I glared at her before looking at the body of the fox then at Lissa who was looking at it like she wanted to heal it.

I took her hand and dragged her out of the room, through the kids and into an abandoned staircase. Tears were in here eyes and I looked at her.

"It was still alive when I got back," she whispered brokenly. "barely. Oh God, it was twitching. It must have suffered so much." She sobbed.

"Did you-?"

"No. I wanted to... I started to…" She stuttered.

"Then forget about it… it was a sick joke… they'll figure out who did it… I will figure it out," I swore.

"Rose, didn't this happen in your dre-" She started.

"Yea," I said through gritted teeth making my voice no more than a whisper. 'Exactly like my dream,' I thought bitterly.

"Don't blame-" I again cut her off.

"I should have paid more attention, I should have been there to catch he- them," I shook my head. "Liss," I said pulling back to look her here in the eye. "You do realize that no matter what happens I'm going to be here and I will hunt down anyone that puts you in harms way, I don't care what I have to do I will find out who did this." I swore to her.

"Rose, don't do anything rash, please just don't get caught," She pleaded, her voice sounded so small, fragile and pleading I couldn't help but hug her.

"Don't worry about me, worry about yourself," I murmured.

"Rose," Her voice was stronger now.

"Lissa, drop it," I said, my voice soothing but held no room for argument. Just then Dimitri walked through the door, he looked at us and from the look in his eye I could tell he heard something.

"Princess, their going to clean everything and change your bed if you want, and you Rose I have to take you to your room," He said. I hugged Lissa and she started shaking.

"Breathe, I'll sort everything out," I breathed into her ear. She nodded and walked away

Shaking my head and letting out a long sigh.

Dimitri walked by my side as we walked to my dorm until not talking until he broke the silence.

"You know something. Something about what happened. Is this what you meant when you told Headmistress Kirova that Lissa was in danger(let's say she did say it, I forgot to put it in)?"

"I don't know anything. It's just some sick joke."

"Do you have any idea who would do this, or why?" I shook my head and stopped before turning to look at him.

"How much did you hear of Lissa and I's conversation?" I asked. He stopped as well to look at me.

"Enough," He stated and continued walking. We walked in silence both of us too wrapped up in out own thoughts.

All I could think about was Lissa and everything that's going on. I would find out if it really is Natalie doing this, and if she is, then I personally will make sure she endured a lot of pain, even if it got me expelled.

Lissa is my first and only priority, and I will make sure no harm comes her way, even if it killed me first.

Dimitri walked me up to the door and normally if I hadn't been so caught up in my thoughts I would have had to fight the urge to kiss him, but today wasn't normal.

I showered and changed clothes before headed to class.

That day I fought at my normal pace and not at the slow sluggish pace I'd been taking out on them. All my fights lasted no more than a minute, all of which with a clouded mind.

"The comeback's starting," Mason observed after class.

"So it would seem," I said absent mindedly.

"How's Lissa?" He asked, touching my arm gently.

I looked up unsurprised that news traveled so fast, this is Saint Vladimir's.

"She's dealing with it, coping I suppose." I sighed and then went back to my thoughts. Instead of talking about Lissa I asked him about Mia. During lunch I took Lissa to a table in the corner so we could be alone.

Natalie was the first person to try and sit with but I glared at her causing her to still, pale, and a light sheen of sweat to cover her forehead as she scrambled away.

Outside Animal Behavior we talked about wolves and then Mia, being the bitch she is, asked about foxes, I growled quietly and Lissa put a hand on my arm.

When Jesse asked me to hang out with him tonight I actually thought about but then declined saying that my Russian Jailer was already suspious of what I would be doing.

I still got into the argument with Ralf and Christian still set him on fire and got sent to the Kirova's office.

So like a good little girl I stayed in my room, but like the rebel I am I went downstairs, made some hot chocolate, double the chocolate, then going upstairs to the abandoned lobby.

I went to one of the window seats, sat down with my chocolate and sipped at it. Now, you see, this place was like my church attic, my place to be alone and collect my thoughts.

Leaning back and looking up at the Moon I let my thoughts wander, I don't know how much time went by but suddenly the door slammed opened and a pretty pissed off Russian stormed into the room as if he expected me to be with someone.

He looked around but when he saw I was alone his expression softened.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Thinking," I stated simply

"Why can't you think in your room?" He probed.

"Needed a change of scenery,"

He sighed and sat next to me looking out the window. The moon bounced of his features casting shadows over his face making him look dark and mysterious. I sighed, taking a deep drink from my chocolate, I looked out the window and pretended not to notice his eyes looking over my form.

I wanted him to touch me, to hold me, to kiss me, and tell me everything was going to be all right, but I knew that wouldn't happen. I looked him in the eye and saw the well hidden love and lust in his eyes.

Right then, at that moment I knew no matter how hard I tried I would, will, always love him. No matter if we were the same age or if he was 20 years older than I was, no matter the circumstances I would always fall for him. And to be honest, it scared the hell out of me.

"I used to wonder what my life would be like if I had lived with my mother and if I actually knew my father, if I would have had a brother or sister, would I have been happy, you know. But then, that faithful day in kindergarten I met Lissa, her parent looked at like I was one of their own, Andre treated me like a little sister and I had Lissa as my sister." I said, he looked confused for a moment but I continued. "Lissa and I had wanted to go the mall when it happened, Junior Prom was coming up and we wanted to look cute, a drunk driver hit the car and we slammed into a tree, everyone died instantly except me and Lissa."

I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and then reopened them.

"I had managed to crawl out, and I remember the fire, the smell of burning flesh and twisted metal, but above all I remember the pain, and then I remember falling asleep to Lissa screaming for me to wake up, then a flow of absolute happiness and joy and everything good and I woke up, she brought me back. I owe Lissa my life, not only as her friend and sister, but as her Shadow Kissed Guardian." I murmured.

He looked even more curious but I shook my head.

"I'm so reckless because my soul has been imprinted by shadows and it'll always remember that, it wants to live life to the fullest regardless of where I am. The call me a slut and a whore but in reality I haven't done anything than kiss a guy believe it or not. They all lust after me thinking I'll be their little blood whore," He flinched at my acidic use of the term. "Not that I have a problem with them, I'm sure some are nice, but I'm not like that. I just wanna have a good time, and I know I can't because of what I am but sometimes the urge is irresistible." I explained.

He looked at me and I saw respect in his eyes, and he seemed to think about something.

"When I met Ivan Zeklos I was seventeen. We weren't like you and Lissa, but we became friends, and he requested me as his guardian when I graduated. I was the top student in my school, I paid attention to everything in my classes, but in the end, it wasn't enough. That's how it is in this life, one slip, one distraction…" He sighed. "And it's too late."

"I'm sorry," I murmured. "Does it bother you?" I asked. He looked up at me before he opened his mouth.

It doesn't matter how I feel. It doesn't matter how any of us feel."

"So if you hated me, you'd deal with it?" I asked.

"Как я мог ненавидеть Вас." He muttered in Russian, I smirked. (Like I could hate you. In Russian.) "Yes, I would," He said.

"Good," I smirked wider.

"Do you still want to learn how to fight?" He asked.

"Almost as much as I want to protect Lissa," I swore.

"You're going to be tired," He warned. I shrugged.

"I'm sure I've had worse,"

"You won't have much time for anything," He tried again.

"I'll deal," He studied me intently before seeming to make a decision.

"Be at practice an hour early and we'll start," he said, standing up and leaving the room.

"Я не был бы в состоянии ненавидеть Вас также, Товарища." I breathed into nothing. (I wouldn't be able to hate you either, Comrade.)

It was another thing to add to my list, but I'll deal, if it helps Lissa, I'll do it. I'm her Shadow Kissed Guardian, she needs me and I'll be there until she sends me away.