Without a word Dimitri stood behind me, resting his back against mine. Reaching into his duster, he pulled out a silver stake, placing it in my hand. Worried he'd left himself unarmed, I was relieved when he pulled a second stake out from a pocket on his upper thigh. I used to scoff when Dimitri advised me to always carry two stakes. If we made it out of here alive, and I graduated, I swore I'd always do the same.

Narrowing my eyes, I looked about, counting five sets of red-ringed eyes. The one in front, the one who'd spoken to me, was watching with almost detached disinterest as Dimitri and I got ourselves into our battle stance.

"So rude of me not to introduce myself," the one I took to be the leader greeted me, his speech oddly stilted and formal, with a heavy European accent. "My name is Igor. You knew our maker Isaiah," he continued, gesturing to the other Strigoi around him.

Isaiah! And without being told, I knew why Igor and the others were here. Why they'd been waiting for me. The realization obviously spread to my face. Igor nodded, seeing my understanding.

"You know why we're here, then. We've been sent to destroy you. Isaiah's death cannot go unpunished." A statement of fact. "I'm sorry about your friends," he added, gesturing in the direction of the tents. "We were hungry."

Looking at the other Strigoi standing beside Igor, I mentally calculated our chances. Even with Dimitri's formidable skills, and the recent improvements in my own technique, the likelihood we'd both live through this was slim at best. And oddly, I was ready. I had plenty to fight for, more than I'd ever had before, but if today was my last then so be it. I'd spent the perfect day with the love of my life, and I'd die fighting to give him any chance of surviving. Gripping the stake he'd given me tightly with one hand, and reaching back to lightly squeeze Dimitri's leg with the other, I whispered "Always, Comrade. Always." And then I threw myself at Igor.

Like a spark hitting kerosene, the fight exploded around me. The air was filled with snarls and growls, two Strigoi racing around to take Dimitri. As one passed me, I kicked out, causing her to stumble. Before she'd had a chance to right herself, I shoved Igor away from me, taking the opportunity to lean down and stake her. Two against four now. The odds still weren't great, but they were getting better. Turning back to Igor, he wasn't there. He'd moved around to engage Dimitri, probably appreciating he was the greater threat. The two remaining Strigoi were circling in front of me. One male, one female. The male had formerly been Moroi. It was obvious from his physique, but also his technique. Unfortunately, the female had been a Dhampir, and if her moves were any indication she was Guardian trained.

Crap!

She came for me first. She had some good moves but lucky for me she was obviously out of practice. Of course, being Strigoi and Guardian trained, her 'out of practice' was still very much a match for me. From the corner of my eye, I could see Dimitri with Igor and the other Strigoi. He was getting in some good blows, but worryingly so were they.

The female Strigoi and I circled. I managed a couple of good kicks but not enough to give me an opportunity to stake her. We were circling one another again when she landed a kick to my right side. I heard the cracking bones before I felt the pain as three or four of my ribs fractured beneath her foot. Winded, I dropped to my knees. The Strigoi looked at me greedily, moving in eagerly to take her kill. A little too eagerly, as it turns out. With my head lowered, I waited until she was almost above me, throwing the top of my head back and into her jaw. A satisfying crunch and a howl confirmed I'd done her some damage. Regrettably, she'd heal in moments, whereas I'd need weeks, and that's without factoring in the risk of a rib puncturing my lung.

Still, I couldn't pause to think about that now. I was literally fighting for my life, and Dimitri's, too!

Behind me, I could hear Dimitri combating. I was injured and tiring, and I had no way of knowing how much damage he'd sustained. It was reassuring to know he was still battling, but we couldn't go on forever, and it was still four against two.

Rounding off with the female Strigoi again, I saw one of the monsters Dimitri had been fighting fall. The gaping wound in his chest suggested Dimitri had staked him. That left Igor, the female Strigoi I was fighting and the former Moroi male. The female rushed me, but I managed to slip past her. Squaring off she rushed me again. Again I escaped her, but not before she punched me in my injured ribs.

And then it was like slow motion. I fell to the ground, seeing her loom above me. I was injured, winded and in a lot of pain, and I knew I'd be unable to fend her off. I heard Dimitri roar, flinging Igor to one side as he lunged towards the female. Intercepting her in mid-air before she reached me, he grabbed her by the neck wrenching with all his force, all but decapitating her. Rolling her to the side, he staked her, throwing her corpse into the former Moroi to try and slow him down.

Igor rushed at Dimitri, and the two of them engaged. The other Strigoi shoved the staked female aside, approaching me ready to strike. I was raising myself up to my knees when I saw something between the trees behind him. Eddie, Alberta and Chelsea, a female Novice from our year, were approaching the camp through the bushes. Unprepared, but recognizing the situation instantly, Alberta gave Eddie her spare stake, and the two of them rushed forward. Alberta struck the former Moroi in front of me on the side of the head, momentarily taking him down. Eddie staked him before he had a chance to recover.

Dimitri was still fighting Igor, but I was reassured now that reinforcements had arrived. Pulling myself to my feet, I could see Alberta and Eddie kicking and punching at Igor from behind as Dimitri engaged him from the front. Suddenly Dimitri kicked Igor, flipping him around, pulling his arms back leaving Igor's chest momentarily undefended. Without thinking I raced in, plunging my stake through Igor's chest and into his heart.

And just like that, it was over. It was over, and we'd both survived.

Slumping to the ground, I could hear horrible crying. Sobbing. It was so loud and raw; it hurt even to hear it. Looking at Dimitri, Alberta, Eddie, and Chelsea, I realized the sounds were coming from me. Dimitri stepped forward, scooping me into his arms. Burying my face against his chest, I managed to stifle my sobs.

And then Alberta took control, ordering Chelsea to stay with Dimitri and I while she and Eddie checked out the camp. A moment or two later they were back, Alberta looking at Dimitri shaking her head, Eddie looking sober and not looking at me. I didn't understand until I saw tears welling in his eyes. I wasn't sure who, but people had died there. People I probably knew.

"What the hell happened, Belikov?" Alberta demanded, confused.

"They were after Rose. Because of Isaiah. They knew she was coming! They were waiting for us!" Dimitri all but shouted.

"Knew you were coming?" Alberta asked, confused. "But next to no one knows the precise Novice movements. There was only a handful…"

"Yes. But they knew Rose was expected here, and they knew to expect her early. Tonight!" Dimitri roared. "Our Guardian communications have obviously been compromised. She's not safe! They're hunting her, and someone inside St. Vladimir's must be helping them!"

Looking around her and considering for a moment, Alberta drew herself up. Pulling Dimitri, who was still holding me, to one side, she said quietly, "Dimitri. I need to ask you this, and I need you to be entirely honest with me. I know you're a mentor to Rose, but for some time now I've felt there might be more to your relationship. What's going on, and can I trust you to take care of her?"

Alberta and Dimitri looked at one another, sizing each other up, both uncertain if they could trust the other. Finally, Dimitri replied, "You're right Alberta. We tried to keep it professional, we really did. But a few months ago Rose and I fell in love. We care about each other, and we want to be together. We were trying to keep it quiet until she graduated. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but it was imperative no one knew."

Nodding at him, but looking at me, Alberta responded. "I'd suspected as much. Rose? Is that right? Do you trust Dimitri?"

Looking into her concerned eyes, despite the fact I was shivering and couldn't stop weeping, I answered without hesitation.

"He's my everything, Alberta. I love him and trust him absolutely."

A decision evident in her eyes she turned to Dimitri, "Then take her. Take her completely off the grid. Drive somewhere and dump the car and keep going. Leave anything you don't need including your phones. Strigoi could be tracking either or both of you, so check everything you take including your clothing." Heading back into one of the tents she came back with a wad of cash. "I wish it were more, but I just didn't think I'd need too much on a trip like this." I could see she was worried for us.

"I'll take care of everything here," she continued, "and I'll instigate an investigation at St. Vladimir's. Don't make direct contact. You're right, it might not be safe. But please find a way to let me know you're ok when you can."

Walking back to Eddie and Chelsea, Alberta asked them to clear their wallets, too.

Looking at my good friend and fellow Novice, I needed to explain what was happening.

"Eddie? I have to hide. Strigoi are hunting me for killing Isaiah at Spokane," I told him, tears rolling down my cheeks. "Please tell Lissa I'm ok and that I love her. Guardian Belikov will keep me safe."

And then Dimitri and I were in the car. He was driving like a maniac back through the dark, lonely roads.

"Dimitri?" I asked apprehensively, looking up at his stressed face, "where are we going to go?"

"I don't know," he replied. "I need to take you somewhere no one would think to look for you. I need to keep you safe."

"I think I might have a place," I told him nervously.

"Where?" he asked.

"Well, maybe I could call my Dad? He's a Moroi, and Mom said he's very rich and well connected. I didn't even know about him until two days ago, but I have his number. I don't think anyone would think to look for me there."

"Where is he?"

"I'm not sure," I answered. "Mom just said he worked in Turkey, Russia, and the States. Maybe he could help us get offshore?"

"That could work," Dimitri replied. "If he could get us to Russia, I could hide you for years! What's his name?" he said, suddenly a lot more positive.

"Ibrahim. Ibrahim Mazur. But Mom said everyone calls him Abe."

Swerving for a moment and saying something which sounded remarkably like a swear word in Russian, Dimitri looked at me incredulously.

"Your father is ZMEY?!"

"Zmey? What's Zmey?"

Looking at me with both eyebrows raised, Dimitri took a deep gulp and said, "I think you should call your Dad."