Last Sacrifice: The Chase

What's It Like?

Disclaimer: As much as I'd love to..I don't own VA.

Sorry for the long wait. I cut this chapter short so the next one wouldn't be starting at a different point.

Enjoy xxx

Silence. That was the only thing happening at our table at the moment. We had just entered the royal kitchen, picking a table near the back of the hall. Only moments earlier Lissa had cooled down (just), and Athena was healed by Adrian. She looked pretty bad when Lissa was finally done with her. Luckily Adrian could heal broken noses.

Christian was nowhere to be seen, probably sulking somewhere no doubt. So me and Adrian had to make some sort of conversation before Lissa had another go at Athena again.

"Where's Christian?" Athena asked, looking around for him. Lissa gave her a stare, after this was over I'd go and figure out what the hell was wrong with her.

Adrian and I just shrugged. "Dunno, probably in the feeder room or something." Adrian said, dismissing it.

And that was about the biggest conversation that we had the whole time. We ate in silence, well I ate, Lissa and Athena didn't, they just looked at each other for long periods of time.

I smiled at Adrian when I finished eating my sandwich. I haven't spent hardly any time with him recently, when all this was over, maybe I could try again with him?

"Hey guys." a voice said.

Athena's face glowed happily, "Christian!" she said.

Oh great, fire boy had returned. I looked up and saw the ice-blue eyes, and nodded silently as he sat next next to no-one, he wasn't taking sides today. I think he realized what drama sitting next to Athena could cause. Good for him.

"Rose," he said after 10 minutes. "Can I speak to you for a moment, privately?" he asked. Boy this would be interesting.

"Yeah, sure." I said as I stood up and pushed my chair underneath the table and following him into the courtyard.

When we were out of sight he spoke, "Rose, what's wrong with Lissa?"

"Well, I'd like to know too Christian. Did you know what a disaster you caused when you were caught kissing Athena? She-" I said, letting my anger out on him. I know I shouldn't, Christian was like a brother to me. When he first liked Liss, I hated him. And then he grew on me.

Christian nodded, letting his black hair fall into his eyes, "I know, but I love her Rose, like you love Dimitri." He said, mentioning Dimitri to get my attention.

"Don't you pull Dimitri into this! How can you love Athena, you knew her for 1 minute." I said angrily, trying to shake the memory of Dimitri out of my head.

"Love happens Rose." he murmured, and I knew how he felt "It just hit me, square in the face. I love Lissa, I really do. But people move on." And he was right about that too.

"Christian, Listen..Lissa bashed up Athena after you stormed off." I said softly.

"What!" he exclaimed, clearly not expecting me to say that.

"Yeah, broken nose and all, too bad you missed it, she nearly burnt Lissa's hair off." I tried to make him feel guilty about what he did, but I think I made him hate Lissa more.

"She'll pay for that." He muttered as he headed for the kitchen until I grabbed his shirt pulling him away from Athena and any other trouble he'd be most likely to cause.

"Christian, what's wrong with you? Your not being yourself, neither is Lissa. Tell me what's going on will you?" I asked him, forcing as much emotion as I could into those words. I wanted to know what he's done to Lissa, which eventually affects everyone else, even me.

He fell silent, his head hanging in shame, "What am I going to do Rose? That's why I called you over, what's it like loving two people? I can't handle it, it's driving me mad, and I'm afraid, I really am...that someone's going to get hurt about who I choose."

Then it was my turn to be silent. I had never seen him like this. He was always the cheeky, arrogant, pain in the ass, who never seemed to show his emotions. But here he was, telling me how he felt about Lissa ad Athena.

And I really felt sorry for him, I really did. To my surprise I pulled him into a hug. Not a loving hug- more like a brother-sister hug. "Just don't show your affection for Athena in front of Lissa, it'll make it worse." I whispered as he pulled away, still looking grim.

"Hey Rose, you know I love you right?" he said cheekily. I bet right now that my face was in shock, "Like a sister of course, or a mum that I never had." he added solemnly. I punched him in the arm hard, but not hard enough to hurt him.

"Thanks Christian, I think." I replied, unsure. He chuckled to himself and ruffled my hair, I pulled his hand away before he made a mess of it.

"What are you going to do now?" he asked as we made are way back to the kitchen.

"Well, tonight is the most important day in history..so we'll see after that. Why?" I asked.

"No reason." he said, pausing for a moment. "Who do you think going to become ruler?" he said, changing the subject as we made it to the the kitchen.

"Honestly I think Nathan will," I said.

"Ivashkov? Adrian's father," he pondered. "Could work I suppose, he wants power."

"Who do you think?" I asked.

"Athena," was all he said. I looked at him as he saw Athena and he changed instantly, jeez this girl had an affect on him. He immediately perked up and seemed more cheerful.

Adrian was still silent until I sat next to him. He looked up and grinned, "Long time no see little dhampir." he said as he kissed my forehead.

"Yeah, well I had some issues to sort out," I replied looking at Christian "Didn't we?"

"Okay...," Adrian said confused at my statement. "So your a guardian now right?"

"I've always been one."

"Yeah, but your not breaking anyone out from jail or in a jail cell for proposed murder." He said.

He had a point I suppose. But I wondered as we talked, would I become Lissa's guardian. Since Tatiana had been murdered, the new queen or king would decide how the last Dragomir princess would be protected. And if it was Nathan Ivashkov, I knew I had no chance at all getting Lissa as my charge.

And then there was the law of the new guardians. No-one except me knew about the fact that our Lissa wasn't the last of her family, and I knew I had to tell Adrian, Lissa and Christian. If I didn't...the dhampir race would forced into service at the age of 16.

"Earth the Rose," Lissa said, waving her hand wildly in front of my eyes. I must of looked stupid, gazing into space.

"Back at you Liss." I grinned as we all stood up and left our table.

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