This world and some of the characters in this story belong to the wonderful Richelle Mead. I own nothing except the storyline and the other characters that are not in Richelle's books.

After they were done talking I put our bags in the car and we said our goodbyes. I am so glad that everyone loves CC just like I knew they would. Babushka and CC come down the stairs together talking. I will have to ask CC about that when we are in the car. I know she can be a little eccentric.

Now, a four hour drive home

CCPOV

The ride home was pretty quiet now. Dimitri had asked me about my conversation with Yeva. I just told him that she was insightful and that I liked her a lot. In truth, she is a little creepy but I do like her. He also filled me in a little more about Tasha. It was a little weird the way he was acting about it. Almost as if he was defending himself against her stalking behavior. It wasn't his fault. I wasn't going to judge him for her being in love with him. It would be too easy for any woman to fall in love with him. I'm glad though that he doesn't return her feelings. But maybe with the next one he will. Yeva is right. I need to decide soon what I want to do because if I wait too long, there one day will be someone whose feelings he will return and then it will be too late.

I should never have judged Dimitri based on my experience with men. Every man is different and I guess not all men are pigs. Plenty men are, but not all. Dimitri is a good man and he's honest and he has good character and integrity. I should give him the benefit of the doubt. I do trust him. He is the best friend that I have or have had in a long time and I think he would be honest with me. I mean, if I tell him that I have romantic feelings he would tell me the truth about him having the same feelings or not right?

Wait. He couldn't bring himself to tell Tasha the truth this time around because he was afraid to hurt her. I don't think he would want to hurt me either so maybe he would be afraid to be honest with me. Oh my god I am so screwed. How will I ever know the truth! UGH!

We're only about a half hour away from the academy now but the check engine light just came on so Dimitri wants to check it out. The gas station is a little set back from the road flanked on both sides by several really big pine trees. Beautiful scenery and it seems clean enough. We pull up to it and he pops the hood.

I grab my purse. "Hey Dimi I'm going to find a restroom," I laughed using Zoya's name for him.

He chuckled back, "All right. This happens often. It should just take me a minute."

I found the bathroom easily enough and too my surprise it was very clean. It even had these little doilies on the counter with bottles of lotion on them. Very cute for a roadside pit stop. After I washed my hands I opened the door to leave. I jumped a mile high as I was startled by two guys standing off to the right just outside the door.

"Oh jeez Louise, you guys scared the crap out of me. Well not literally but you know what I mean." Then they turned around to face me and I saw it. I saw the red in their eyes and the paleness of their skin. The way the big one on the right was laughing at me I could see his fangs. I was paralyzed.

"Well, look what we have here. Mmm don't you look tasty." The big one said.

I was between them and the car so I screamed for Dimitri and turned to run to him when I was hit across the back with burning pain and such force that I flew at least 8-10 feet away. Thankful that I didn't hit my head, I stumbled to get up. The pain was burning and it hurt between my shoulder blades when I moved my arms.

Then what I saw next made my heart drop right out of my chest. Dimitri, stake in hand, fighting them both. He was holding his own but they were fast. The big one was behind Dimitri and the other one was in front of him. I scrambled in my purse for the hair spray and my lighter. As I came up behind the big one he was just getting ready to go for Dimitri's neck when I flicked on the flame and sprayed him down. He turned around fast and the last thing I remember was the back of his hand smacking me up side my head.

DPOV

I had just closed the hood of the car when I heard CC scream for me. My heart sank. I pulled out my stake running towards her. I rounded the corner and saw her body fly towards an open grassy area. Then two Strigoi came at me. I started maneuvering to get my stake in the first one just as the bigger one got to me. The bigger one kept trying to go for my neck but I was quick enough to just stay out of his reach. Then the big one screamed and let go of me. The other one was momentarily distracted which was just enough time for me to drive my stake into his heart.

When I turned, I saw why the big one let go of me. He was on the ground, totally engulfed in flames as his screams finally died out along with his life. Well, what life he had anyway.

Oh my god CC. She is unconscious but alive. Her back is bleeding and she has a cut on the left side of her face near her temple. I cradle her and carry her back to the car kissing her forehead and laying her on the back seat. I stop the bleeding on her back and see that she has claw marks on her upper back between her shoulder blades.

I didn't bother calling the alchemists because I wasn't going to take the time to wait for them to show up and give them a report. Screw that. I have to get CC back to the academy and into the infirmary as soon as I can.

The bigger Strigoi was shielded from the road by a couple of big trees so I put the other one on top of him and torched them both. I grabbed CC's purse and ran back to the car.

When I was back on the road I called the alchemists. I told them what happened and where. They said that they want us to make out a complete report and fax it to them by tomorrow. I have the forms in my office so I will worry about that later. Right now my only concern is getting CC to the infirmary as soon as possible.

I made it back to the academy in just under 20 minutes. Jefferies was at the gate. I told him what happened and he said that he would call the infirmary and explain that we were coming.

I parked right at the doors of the infirmary and carried CC in. They were expecting me so they directed me to a room but as soon as I put her down on the gurney they told me I had to leave. I wanted to stay but they needed to work on her so I waited just outside the door.

A little over an hour later they let me in to see her. They said that she was stable and conscious but tired. Nothing is broken but she has a gash on her left temple and claw marks on her upper middle back. She doesn't have a concussion but she will have a headache for a while. She could go home but clean the wounds and change the bandages daily.

She was sitting up on the bed when I went in. As soon as she saw me she started crying. I sat next to her and wrapped her in my arms and just held her while she cried. I rocked her and comforted her. My heart was breaking for her. This was all my fault. I was supposed to protect her. I promised her I would protect her.

Through her sobs she said, "The sun is out. It's supposed to be safe in the daylight. The sun is out."

I spent a while just comforting her and holding her before I said, "Why don't you let me take you home." She just nodded and said, "Please."

We went into her loft and I placed her bags over by the washing machine then walked CC over to the stools at the kitchen island.

"CC, would you like me to make you some hot cider?"

"No thank you. I think I'll just go lay down. Maybe I'll take a water bottle with me."

My heart was breaking. I wish there was more I could do for her. Then she called to me from the bedroom.

"Yes CC is there something I can get for you?"

"Dimitri, will you stay with me. Will you just hold me please." She said as she started softy crying again.

I took my shoes off and laid down beside her. I wrapped her in my arms taking care not to bother the bandages on her back. She had a hospital gown on still as her shirt was ripped and bloody.

She said again, "I don't get it. The sun was out. The boogeymen are only supposed to come out in the dark but the sun was out. I don't understand."

"CC honey they sometimes are out in the day time. Sometimes they get trapped not realizing that the sun is so close to rising and they can't make it back to their hideout. Or sometime they know the shadows well enough that they don't care. I am so very sorry that this happened to you. It's all my fault I should have checked first. I know I promised you that I would protect you and I failed. I am so very sorry."

She looked up at me shocked and a little angry. "DIMITRI ALEXANDER BELIKOV DON'T YOU EVER SAY THAT TO ME AGAIN" She screamed. "Don't you dare blame yourself. Stop it. There was no way you could have known to check a gas station in the middle of the fucking day. What the hell kind of Strigoi hangs out at a gas station in the middle of the fucking day. Don't...no...no" Her voice started getting softer now and her eyes were welling up again. "No, don't say that to me. You will not feel guilty over me. It wasn't your fault. You have never failed me. You're my very best friend and I love you so so much. I almost lost you and that would have killed me for sure." She was sobbing again now.

"CC, I love you too. So much more than you will ever realize. When I heard you scream, my heart stopped. I can't lose you either. It would shut me down again for sure. I'm so thankful that you're safe and so very sorry that you're hurt." My eyes started to pool up. I just held her tight so thankful that I could.

It was silent for a while and then she said, "I've never seen one alive before. I have never seen one with their eyes open. This was the first time I ever saw for myself, the red of their eyes. I've never been more scared in my life."

"You do realize that you saved my life right? You torched the one that was on my back. He was close to stopping me. You saved me. You were so very brave."

"Dimitri I would have died to save you. I am so very glad that I didn't though." I agreed and we both had a soft chuckle. "You know what though, I don't want to be weak any more. I don't want to be so scared any more. I want to be stronger. I want to be bad-ass like a guardian. I mean, I know I will never be as strong as a Dhampir but I want to be as strong as I can be, and you're going to get me there. Ok?"

"Of course. But I wouldn't give up the hair spray if I were you. That was way cool. You know I contacted the alchemists and they want us to fill out a report and fax it to them tomorrow. Also, I will be getting another molnija mark and I would be honored if you got yours with me."

"What? Me? A molnija mark? Have they ever given one to a human before?"

"Not that I've ever heard of but you killed that Strigoi, alone. You deserve one. I happen to know someone that knows someone that knows the queen. I'm sure it could be arranged." We were both laughing now. She knew very well my relationship with Queen Lissa.

"Dimitri, I know that I shouldn't be scared here behind the wards but I am shaking inside and I just...when I close my eyes I still see their red ones. I feel so much better having you close to me. I know it's a lot for me to ask and if you don't want to really I understand but I just, I mean, would you mind staying here with me? Just for a little while. At least just until the shakes go away."

Did I understand her right? Did she just ask me to stay here with her. 'YES!' I screamed in my head.

"CC, of course I will stay. Why would you think that I wouldn't?"

"Well I don't know. I don't want to cramp your style or anything. I mean you don't have to stay in here if you don't want to. I mean, you know, for me, the closer you are the better but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable or anything. I know that I'm asking a lot just by asking you to stay and really I don't want to impose. You can sleep in the guest room if you're more comfortable with that. I'll take what I can get."

I couldn't help but laugh. She is so cute when she is nervous, and she talks so flipping fast. "CC, I will do whatever you want. I will stay in here with you if that will help you sleep better. I will stay right here." I said as I gestured to her bed.

She buried her face in my chest and said, "Oh god thank you. Thank you so much. You really are the very best friend anyone could ask for." Even if we are just best friends, I'll take what I can get just to be close to her. I can almost guarantee though, I'm going to be taking a lot of cold showers.

You know that old saying, 'If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all'? Is that why there are so many readers and so little reviews? Hmm.

Please let me know what you think. Even if it sucks.

Thanks,

Jo