(A/N: Yo homies, what's crack-a-lackin. Yeah I don't know where the hell that came from, but I know this chapter came from my brain. LMAO. My friend suggested that. LOL. Well 'homies' heres the next chapter, hope you like it, memba to review dudes =D)

The nauseous feeling burnt the insides of me, until it was so strong, I felt like I was going to pass out. I grabbed Adrian's hand and began to run, not listening to any of his protests.

"No matter what happens to you Adrian, you have to promise me you will never let go of me. Unless I tell you to, okay?" I asked him, tipping my head back so he could see my face.

Normally in a situation where I told him to never let go of me, he would have made some smart ass joke about it, but he didn't. "Okay" he said, fear concealing his voice.

I started to speed up but I knew he wouldn't be able to keep up with me, even holding my arm. "Rose..." he started. He knew perfectly well he was in no shape to be doing this kind of running. "I'm still weak from the healing"

I came to a stop, we needed to find another way, there was so way in hell he would be able to keep running, he was already puffing and panting like a sick old man. Then I realised, stopping was a big mistake. Two Strigoi jumped out of the bushes and I immediately pulled out my stake. Adrian flinched, as our arms brushed, as if he was afraid I was going to stab him with it.

"Hold onto my back and don't let go!" I yelled at him, running toward the first Strigoi, he looked as if he had been a Moroi in his past life. He was tall and lanky, a little shorter than Dimitri. His hair was brown, with a few blonde-ish parts and his hair was styled like Adrian's. If it wasn't for his eyes, and the unusual paleness I would have thought he was hot. 'Was I crazy?' I thought to myself. My brain answered my own question - 'probably'. He cocked his head to the side and smiled a dazzling smile at me.

"Want a bite Blood Whore?" He asked, his dazzling grin now turning malicious.

Blood Whore?

Where has he got that from? Surely he hadn't been watching Adrian feed off me. What was wrong with me, I let everyone feed off me. 'Geez Rose, just become a feeder, it will be easier' was what my stupid head was telling me. I told it to shut the fuck up.

I ran forward – with Adrian still clinging onto my back, and staked him. Pain enriched his face and he fell to the ground with a slump. He didn't put up much of a fight, but I didn't have time to think about that because the second one was running at me.

This second Strigoi looked like he was the son of Rupert Grint in his past life; his hair was a gangly red, unlike Mason's fiery colour.

Mason.

I pushed him out of my head; this was not the time to think about this. He was tall also, about the same height as Dimitri and he looked as if he had been a Dhamphir before he because Strigoi, from the way he was built.

He was harder to take down than the first one, his Dhamphir body helped with that. He was a lot stronger than that other Strigoi, most likely older as well.

He picked me up, with Adrian still clinging to my back, "Let go!" I yelled at Adrian, and he followed to command. My skull cracked into the tree, sending bolts of pain up through my head. I got up and pushed it aside, I was not going to be taken down by a tree!

Adrian looked amazingly shocked that I got up after that, but then again it was me we were talking about, the same girl who needs monthly clinic cards. I sprang at the Strigoi, but he was way too fast for me, he dodged my attack and leapt for Adrian.

"Don't even think about it fuck face" I told him, slashing his arm with the stake and he let out a blood curling scream. Adrian's face looked pale, like he was scared to stand up. The Strigoi diverted his eyes toward me once again and with the momentary shock the stake slash had caused I staked him. He let out an agonizing scream which looked like it was scaring the shit out of Adrian. He might have been all show with his ciggies and Alcohol, but when it came to Strigoi, Adrian was like a scared little child.

I grabbed his arm once more, "Come on, we have to get out of here, there may be bigger groups that I can't protect you against." I told him. He had a glint of passion in his eyes, which I didn't understand. I stopped pulling him. "What's wrong?"

He didn't need to say anything; he leant in and kissed me with more passion than I have ever seen. It was completely enriched with passion, better than how Christian had kissed Lissa, that time when I got stuck in her head. It was one of the most passionate kisses I've ever had.

Then there was Dimitri's Kisses.

I couldn't do this, not just now. "Adrian I" I started. I was speechless and he knew it. ".. Come on, we don't have a lot of time"

I pulled his arm once more, and we began to run again. My lips swelled with delight from his kiss, and my face probably looked redder than ever, but that wasn't to be worried about now.

We only got about 100 meters before we were stopped in out tracks.

By six Strigoi.

Three of them, leaned against trees, fighting the urge the attack us. They were planning something. Older Strigoi. Great, just what I needed.

I had Adrian Ivashkov behind me for god's sake.

The Ivashkovs where one of the twelve elite Moroi Royal clans, and I had one behind me. Royals as important as the Ivashkov's usually had two guardians with them, not one novice

I suddenly felt helpless, but that wasn't going to stop me. I realised just then that nothing would stop me protecting Adrian, Or any Moroi for that matter.

The first Strigoi, obviously the freshest ran toward me, with a hungry expression on his face.

He was easy to stake. The next two however ran toward me at the same time, and weren't as fresh as the first. They were old enough to know how to use their skills. One came closer than the other and I slashed his chest, he grunted in absolute pain, while he was distracted, I staked him.

The second Strigoi looked at me with a funny glint in his cold eyes, and pushed me back as hard as he could. I went flying. I landed almost 2 meters from the 'planning' group. They didn't even move an inch; it was as if they were enjoying the fight. I got up, oblivious of my sore ass, and ran toward the Strigoi, staking him through his chest. He fell to the floor and that's when trouble started.

The 'planners' walked toward us; from the looks of it they were old Strigoi, probably alive for years and years and years.

Fuck.

"Rosemarie Hathaway!" The leader stated, "The name is Zach, Zach Conta"

"What?!" I stated. I was speechless. I didn't even think Strigoi knew their first names, rather their last names. He was Royal!

"The name is Zach Conta, nice to meet you Rosemarie, it's so nice to know the daughter of the guardian who killed my sister." He said sarcastically.

His sister? "Um, who was your sister?" I asked him, puzzled.

"I don't think you knew her, her name was Kassie Conta. Your mother killed her." He told me, he had a frosty tone to his voice that I didn't like one bit.

"No, I didn't know her." I replied.

Zach's followers looked at me with hungry eyes, and looked as if they were about to pounce any minute.

"Now, now brothers let's not hurt her just yet." He remarked.

I wanted to rip his throat out then and there, but anyone knew, he would win this fight. I wasn't experienced enough to take on a very mature Strigoi.

The two others didn't seem to keen on the idea of leaving their 'lunch' alone, but Zach spoke up again, "Boys, leave the cheap Blood Whore alone."

I flinched. He just called me a Blood Whore. Where the hell did he get off calling me that!

I suddenly lost all the self control I was trying to keep.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" I asked him, snarling viciously Zach's face, it wasn't vicious enough. "You know nothing about me"

"I know more than you think Rosemarie" He took a step in closer, and the space between us was very intimate. I didn't want him anywhere near me, but I wasn't going to back away. No way would I be scared by this ... creep.

"Let me have a look at your little Moroi boyfriend" He said, and as he said it I could feel Adrian's hand on my back shake. I moved one of my hands onto Adrian's leg, without turning my head. Adrian flinched at my touch, as he always did.

"Don't come near him." I said, in a hostile voice.

"What's your name boy?" Zach asked Adrian, I felt Adrian's hand shake even more, and I realised that he was terrified.

"A-Adrian" he spurted out.

"Adrian, what?"

"Ivashkov." Adrian gripped my shirt tighter, like I was the only thing he had that was protecting him. I actually was.

"Ahh, Royal. Just like I used to be" he shifted his weight from his right leg to his left. "I heard it was true you go from royal to royal, Jesse Zeklos, Adrian Ivashkov, who will it be next you dirty little slut."

This made both me and Adrian flinch. It also brought out a side of Adrian I've never seen before. A protective side.

"Don't ever talk about Rose like that ever again" He said. There was something in his tone that made him seem sexier than usual. I wanted to turn around and kiss him again, but I scolded myself for thinking like that in a time like this.

"What are you going to do about it Mr Fancy Pants? Burn me with fire, you're not even a fire user, you didn't even specialise!"

Adrian flinched once more, and a new voice appeared on the scene.

"Actually mate, he did specialize, he specialised in Spirit, something you're fucked up brain wouldn't know about. He might not be a fire user but I am. At once I knew who had that attitude.

Christian Ozera.

Before I could register the shock of Christian's appearance Zach burst into flames, letting out and anguished scream. The next two lit up as well. The three were screaming and burning all together. This was the kind of scream that haunted small children – hell it was the kind of scream that would haunt adults!

Soon after the last Strigoi had fallen, I ran over to Christian with Adrian still clanged to my back. Once again Christian had saved my ass.

I grabbed him and wrapped him in the biggest bear hug I could manage and rested my head on his shoulder. I let out a small sob, as Christian reminded me of everything I had left behind.

"Geez Rose, I didn't think you loved me that much!" Christian said, rubbing my back. This was very affectionate for him, and as others had known, Christian and I weren't known for our affection toward each other. I tried I laugh, but it came out as a choked sob.

"W-Why are you hear by yourself, I know you can protect yourself and stuff, but what happens when your weak, Christian–"

He cut me off. "Relax Rose, I may be hot, sexy and badass but I'm not crazy." I laughed and he gestured toward the trees where Eddie stepped out.

"Castile!" I screamed, running toward him as if we were in a dramatic movie. He laughed at this, as I knew he would. I grabbed him into a hug.

"Hathaway" he murmured into my neck. "I missed you so much" he said, running his fingers through my hair. To anyone else, these actions would have been considered romantic, but to Eddie and me, we were like brother and sister. We loved each other like brother and sister. The Spokane incident drew us closer.

"I missed you both so much!" I said, "But we have to move, Strigoi have Dimitri and he is weak as it is–"

Christian cut in again. "Rose, I have three words for you, what. The. Fuck?"

I decided then and there that I would tell him everything, including my feelings for Dimitri, everything.

Right there, right then.

Yhh so review bros. Love hate, ideas whatever you likeee,

Yeah you can review whatever you likeeeee.

Cheers mates,

Ashleyyx