"I don't mean to be nosey or interrupt but would someone please tell me what is going on and why my little sister and queen is so upset." Ivan asked.

"I told you I was turned into a strigoi, but I didn't tell you the whole story. There are caves at the back of campus up in the mountains. Last year when the academy was attacked some people, including Eddie, were taken. Thanks to Roza and Mason we found out where they were being held. We formed a rescue party, also thanks to Roza. The first of its kind actually. We had almost two hundred guardians, novices, and fire using moroi go on the rescue mission. We obviously got Eddie out, as well as a good many of the others. But we lost some people…" Hearing that I wailed Dimitri rubbed his hand up and down my back comfortingly and pulled my face into his chest, as he continued.

(DPOV)

"That is where I was turned. Roza tried to come back in and save me but Al, Stan Alto and Janien Hathaway prevented this, thank God. If she had of gotten back inside they would have done the same to her that they did to me. But what no one here knows, is that the attack was executed in order to capture and turn or kill Roza." I heard everyone gasp when they heard me reveal this bit of information, as everyone's eyes flew to me.

"Dimitri are you serious?" Al asked me.

"Yes Al. They wanted her specifically, because they had read some stupid prophecy. Stating that a female shadow-kissed damphir would end the reign of the soulless. Roza was the only female shadow-kissed damphir that the world knew about. So the strigoi set about trying to turn or kill her. That's why all the attacks on Vasilissa, they were never actually after her, they didn't give a shit about her, they were after Roza. They knew that Roza would have glad given up her life for Vasilissa, and they tried to use that to their advantage. As far as I know she's still the only female shadow-kissed damphir. When I was strigoi I thought the prophecy was bullshit, but after witnessing what Roza can do. With returning strigoi to their former selves, I know that stupid prophecy is about her. And for those few that know about it, it only increases the danger to my Roza."

"Why didn't you tell anyone about this?" Al asked me.

"It was one of the memories that I've kept locked away, trying to forget. I only remembered it again when I saw that she could actually return a strigoi to their former selves. I also tried to forget the things I did to her when I was a Strigoi. The things I did to her…"

Roza sat up quickly looked me dead in the eyes and said, "Don't go there Comrade. Just don't." She said firmly, "I have told you time and time again, that wasn't you, not the real you, not my you. So just forget it, pretend that it never happened."

"But baby it did happen; I did all of that stuff. I mean it wasn't my soul, obviously, but it was my body that did it. I wish so badly that it hadn't happened, but it did." The pain I felt at having done those things was evident in my voice and on my face.

"Dimitri, do you love me? I mean really love me."

"You know, that I love you more than anything or anyone in this world or any other. I would gladly give my life for you my Roza."

"If you want to give up something for me, then give up that part of the past, give up those memories. Do you want me to compel you to forget about it?"

"You can do that?"

"Yes, do want me too?"

"No. As much as I hate them, I need those memories to remind me why we must fight against them so hard."

"Ok then. Leave the past in the past, think only of the good not the bad."

"I'll do my best, now as for tonight's job. Since you're afraid to let any of us go in, we can get close to the caves and you can call them to you. If they don't come out, we wait until sunrise and go in after them. We have two fire moroi a water moroi and an earth moroi, and six guardians plus according to what Mia just said you can kill with a thought. So we will be fine, you won't lose anyone this time. You said there are only seven of them there are ten of us, so relax and we will do our jobs. Everything will be fine baby."

"I love you Dimitri."

"I know and I love you too. Now how about everyone get ready for the hunt. Roza and I will be back in two hours that should give everyone time to shower and change, Ivan I'll bring you one of my hoodies." Thinking two hours will give Roza and I enough time to make love before we have to meet back up with the others. "Let's go baby. After all that dancing you did on stage you need a shower too." I told her as we walked off the bus hand in hand. "You know that dance you did to that new song. Made me want to rush the stage and fuck you good and hard right there in front of the world. Just to make sure they know that you are mine and I am yours."

"Well as much as I love it when you fuck me, I'm glad your self-control held out. Not only because my father was there but also because I don't ever want anyone to see any more of you than is absolutely necessary."

Taking her by the elbow I quickly spun her around, took her into my arms and pressed her as close to my body as possible. Resting one of my hands on her sweet little ass, with my middle finger on the seam of her jeans, and the other at the nape of her neck. "Baby where you are concerned, my self-control goes up in smoke, it always has and it always will." Then I kissed her gently but passionately.

We walked the rest of the way to the cabin in silence, hand in hand. I opened the door and let her walk in first and made sure to lock the door behind us, I didn't want any interruptions.

I walked up behind Roza and placed my hands on her shoulders. I knew she was still deeply afraid of the caves and what could happen there. Gently I massaged some of the tension from her body, while I kissed her shoulders and neck. "I love you so much Roza, please don't ever forget that."

She sighed turned to me and said, "I know Dimitri and I love you so much more than I ever thought it was possible to love someone." Looking into my eyes she said, "I can't lose you again, I will not live through that again, I can't. It will kill me Dimitri. Please just let me go alone." Once again her tears began to fall.

"I can't do that my love; you are far toooo precious to me to put in danger like that. I can't lose you either, if I don't have you in my life I might as well be dead."

"What are we going to do? I can't let you go in there." Her tears were flowing freely now, as she openly sobbed.

"We will do our jobs Roza."

"Our jobs! Our jobs! Fuck our jobs! Let's just leave, we can go to Russia tonight and never have to worry about those damn caves ever again." She all but begged.

"Roza, baby, it's not really the caves your worried about. It's what they represent for us, that you are so afraid of. I'm scared too, not for myself obviously, but for you. What if the strigoi in the caves are some of the ones that are after you? What would I do if you were turned? I don't know any spirit users that would be willing to help us. As much as you are afraid to lose me I am just as afraid to lose you." I told her while running my fingers through her hair, and gazing deeply into her eyes.

"Sonya Karp and Oksana are both spirit users." She said matter of factly. "I love you so much Dimitri, if they turn you this time, I'm coming with you."

Grasping her arms, I shook her a little and said, "Don't say that Roza! Don't you ever say that! You know I don't want that life for you. Let's just forget about all of that. Come let me make love to you."

And that is just what we did for the next hour and a half. We made love to each other slowly, carefully, gently and lovingly. Knowing that every kiss, each touch could well be our last. Never once putting space between our bodies. Telling each other again and again how much we meant to each other. Loving each other as if it were our last time together, because it well could be. By the time it was time to meet the others Roza's eyes were still puffy and swollen from crying. Everyone could see that she had still been crying while we were gone.

Ivan walked up to her and hugged her after putting on the hoodie, "Roe don't worry I will not let him be turned again or killed. No matter what else happens tonight, you won't lose him again." He promised her as did everyone else.

But she knew they were just trying to comfort her. They had no control over what would happen in the caves, no one did. Silently we all walked to the mouth of the caves, Roza and I hand in hand, by the time we reached them sunrise was less than half an hour away.

This time when she called to them she didn't sound as confident, but I was hoping only we could tell that, "If you want to be returned come out."

We waited for a few minutes then we heard a voice, "If you want us bitch come in and get us."

"Well I guess that answered that question." Christian said.

Roza turned to Ivan and said, "Ivan, once we are inside can you open as much of the ceiling as possible, without causing a cave in, behind them and drive them forward?"

"Yes, I can do that. Why what's on your mind?"

"If we can block them off from any other exit, but this one, it'll be easier and safer to get to them."

"Ok, I get what you're saying. I'll do everything I can. I told you, you will not lose him again." She gave him a small smile before turning back to business.

"Baba, Al please watch our backs. Dimitri, don't you get six fucking inches from me do you understand me?"

"Yes Roza." I agreed knowing she was still petrified about what could happen in there.

"Chris, if we manage to get them all in one spot I want you to lite them up. Not enough to kill them, but just enough to distract."

"Meme you and Eddie do what you promised me ok?"

Mia grasped Roza's hand firmly before saying, "Don't worry sissy, I have never broken a promise before, and I damn sure don't intend to start with this one. He will be safe."

"Yuri, Celeste thank you for what you are about to do, just be sure to kick ass and be careful." Everyone laughed then, more as a stress reliever than anything else. "Thank you everyone. It's almost sunrise check your weapons. Ivan put the hood down it will obstruct your view and might be dangerous. Plus, if any of these assholes know that you were a strigoi it might throw them off enough to give us an advantage." As soon as she finished talking to Ivan he jerked the hoodie off, instead of just putting the hood down, and lay it on a rock at the mouth of the cave. A few minutes later the sun was fully in the sky. I watched Roza take a deep shaky breath before saying, "Ok people, let's kill these fuckers." And just like that we charged in, Roza in the lead of course, everyone but Ivan had a stake. Abe, Christian and Mia all had a leather glove on so they could handle their stakes and not get burned.

When we walked in the strigoi were spread all over the cave, "Oh, look who we have here. It's a little bloodwhore and her group of misfits."

Roza looked at me and said, "Why does everyone call me that? I have never been a bloodwhore and never will be. Most of the people that are called that really aren't like that, I just don't get it." All I could do laugh and shrug. Then she turned back to the strigoi and said, "I suppose since you have the biggest mouth, that makes you the leader of this bunch of scumbags." One thing you can always count on with my Roza was her smart ass mouth, even in times like these.

"That's right bitch. So who wants to dance with me?"

"Oh, oh, oh that would be me, asshole." She said with a I'm going to fucking kill you smile. God I love my woman.

"Then let's go bloodwhore." She grunted at the name and just like that the fight started.

Al, Yuri, Celeste and I all got one while Roza played with hers. "Roza stop playing with it and kill it."

"Hey, I'm not it asshole."

"Yea, actually you are. I know because I used to be an it too." I told him, he was so stunned he stopped fighting for a minute, and just looked at me, which of course was long enough for Roza to get bored. She was actually standing there tapping her foot in boredom.

"Dude, I was so hoping you would put up a fight but I'm just bored with you." She said as she staked him easily. There were two more but I didn't see them anywhere, but apparently Roza knew where they were. She threw flames at the one that was hiding in a dark corner, when he started screaming he got everyone's attention. Ok, apparently she can use fire too, wonder what else she can do?

(RPOV)

There is one left, suddenly I saw movement to my right where Dimitri was. The last one tried to sneak up on my soulmate and I fucking lost it. Spinning around I saw him, he was blonde and looked just like Nathan. "NO! You are not taking him from me this time Nathan."

(APOV) Abe

We all watched as my baby girl lost control of her powers and the darkness took over. Wrapping an invisible hand around the strigoi's body she slammed him against the walls, floor and ceiling again and again and again. While he was suspended from the ground she walked up to him saying, "If you really think I'll just let you steal my soul from me again, then you are one sadly mistaken son of a bitch." Still we watched as she ripped one of his arms from his body and proceeded to beat him with it, using his arm like it was a baseball bat. After it became to useless to use as a weapon she ripped off one of his legs and repeated the process. By this time, she had beat his skull into mush, but still she didn't stop. Closing what little distance there was between them. She shoved her fist into his chest and ripped his blackened diseased ridden heart out, threw it on the floor and stomped on it until it was just a pile of goo. But she didn't stop there, oh no not my little girl, she flung his beaten dead body across the cave and went after him again, but with her stake this time. Kneeling over his body she staked him again and again and again, all the while yelling at him. "You will never take him from me again Nathan. I will kill you." Now she had both hands on her stake as she staked him repeatedly. "You bastard because of you I lost two months of my life, I could have spent with my love. Because of you he lost two fucking months of his life being like you. You will never harm another living soul as long as I live!" She screamed.

(DPOV)

We all stood there stupefied watching the scene unfold in front of us. All of us to shocked to move as we watched Roza beat the hell out of a dead body. She had already turned his skull to jello. She had ripped his heart out and crushed it dust underneath her boot heel, ripped off an arm and a leg and beat him with them. But still she didn't let up, I knew the darkness had taken over and I was the only one that could bring her back.

"Eddie, Yuri, I have to bring her back, before the darkness completely takes her for good. Eddie get her arms, Yuri you get her legs, I'll sit on her stomach and we'll go from there. We have to move as one, on the count of three go for it. 1…2…3!" With that the three of us dove for Roza. We fought with her for two hours before she stopped thrashing enough to get a good hold on. I actually had to hold her head at one point so she didn't give herself a concussion, by beating her head on the ground. I glanced up once and saw everyone had tears streaming down their faces, even Ivan looked terrified. They were almost as afraid for her as I was. I knew everyone there loved her in varying degrees and in different ways. She never once stopped screaming or cursing Nathan. Even though this strigoi wasn't Nathan, she was so far gone she couldn't see that. Finally, she calmed down enough to where I was able to get a hold on her by myself.