Hello Everyone…Just a heads up..

..Cheerleading will be starting next week and I coach the kiddies..so, it may slow me a bit…

I will try to update as quickly as possible, but it may take an extra day or so.

But, I promise to move along as fast as I can.

Are you guys interested in these characters having love interests or not? I can write them in or leave them out…

BUT, I have to keep Ethan's love interest…She is important. :D

As Alec would say..'Ethan needs some..bad' 'Don't deny them the experience'..LOL

This is a more easy going chapter with not some much to absorb…;D

Enjoy…Terri

P.S. Old song for this chapter..it's for Sophie.."LET ME LOVE YOU DOWN…by INOJ.

Chapter 11

Sophie's POV

My breath caught in my throat as I saw Chance leaning up against the car. No one knew it, but I was in love. Yes, actual love. No one would believe it, considering how closed off I pretend to be.

If I've learned anything, it is better to remain aloof than to explain some things. And there are certain things that I wasn't ready to share with anyone, not yet.

Chance Kinlan, who is a Dhampir of English descent, and spoke in that amazing accent. He is 22 years old, stood about 6'3", brown disheveled hair, and gorgeous, electric blue eyes. He took my breath away every time I gazed at him.

We have been together for about 3 months and the only bad thing about it is was, well, he is one of my mom's students. She scares the hell out of him.

When you think about it, who could blame him for being scared, she would probably kick his ass if she found out about us. Hence, why our relationship has been kept a secret.

He would be graduating from Academy in less than a couple weeks. But, nonetheless, he still didn't need my mother breathing down his neck like a raging bull.

Chance causally pushed off the car and walked towards me to take my bag for my shoulder. He leaned down and gently brushed his lips against mine, and whispered. " 'Ello Love."

My heart pounded in my chest, and my knees felt weak. "Hey." I whispered back, completely breathless.

He gave a little chuckle at my nervousness. I was hoping he thought it was from my impending trip, yet the truth of it was that he made me anxious. We haven't been together, together. But, I really wanted too! I wanted to give myself to him in every way.

I didn't have anyone I could confide my feelings to, except Thing 1 and Thing 2. I could only imagine telling Thing 1, that being Ethan, he would want to kick Chance's ass for even thinking of deflowering his baby sister. And Thing 2, Alec, would probably hand him a box of condoms and say

'Have at it, dude'. What dumb asses! But, they were my brothers and I was stuck with them, and they only look out for me...Ethan does anyhow.

I quickly dismissed the crazy thoughts scattering through my brain when I heard Chance speak, mistaking my thoughtfulness. "Are you scared to go? If you are, I can always go with you…that's if you want."

He opened the car door for me as I slid into the passenger seat, buckling my seatbelt. "No, I will be fine."

Chance put the car in gear and headed to the airport. He reached across the storage compartment between us, taking my hand in his, intertwining our fingers. His hand was so warm and strong, just a simple touch warmed my whole body. I sighed, while resting my head back on the seat.

"I wish you would let me come with you. I don't think I can handle you being gone too long. I will miss you." Chance confessed.

I turned and smiled at him. "I don't think I'll be gone that long. Besides, you need to be here. Remember, you are graduating soon. And then, once Rose and Adrian find that note, they will probably dispatch guardians to come retrieve me."

He gave me a sideward glance, lips slightly drawn up in the corner, and released a small laugh. "What?" I asked him.

"I hate to say it. But, they probably will, Love. I doubt if you will get very far. They can't pull Ethan back because he is almost 19, an adult. However, you and Alec are 17, minors, they can bring you both back home or even detain you at the airport. If they really wanted too!"

We drove the rest of the way to the airport in a comfortable silence, leaving us alone to our own thoughts. My parents wouldn't do that, would they? My mom would probably come get me herself. Lord help us all as panic raced through my veins.

We were standing outside the terminal when my flight was announced. Chance let out a deep sigh as he cupped my cheeks to hold my gaze. "Please be careful… Hurry back home to me! I love you, Sophie Ivashkov."

I gave him a surprised look as my eyes widened. Chance has never told me he loved me before and it caught me completely off guard.

He must have mistaken my surprised expression for something else. It was obvious when he spoke his next words. "It's okay..Sophie. You don't have to say it back if you don't want too! I don't want to force you in…"

I pulled his lips to mine and kissed him with incredible force. After a few intense minutes, we reluctantly removed our mouths from each others. "Shut up." I said as I pulled the corner of my mouth up in a teasing smirk.

I locked my eyes with his once again. "I love you too."

He gave me a sly smile. "You are going to get me in so much trouble….You do know that?" He paused. "Good thing I love trouble." He winked at me and walked away.

I took my seat on the plane and thought to myself. "Russia here I come…"

Adrian's POV

"ARGH! SOPHIE ROSE IVASHKOV." I heard Rose shriek as I almost fell out of bed from her startling me. I ran out of our bedroom into the kitchen with complete panic surging through me. Rose was standing at the counter with a death stare firmly affixed to her face.

She started waving a piece of paper back and forth while screaming. "See..See..What your daughter does to me. Is she trying to kill me? She gets this shit from you, Adrian. I swear these kids are trying to torture me."

She paused for a second, barely taking time to breath as she started ranting again. "What did I ever do to deserve this? Second thought, don't answer that. I am going to kick her ass. As if I don't have enough on my mind and she pulls this shit."

I didn't know if I should laugh at her, agree with her, or just continue to stand there dumbfounded. I chose the last option. "Adrian?" She yelled at me.

My eyes bugged in a taunting gesture. "Rose?" I was trying to not laugh at her at this point.

"Do you know what your daughter did?"

I ran my fingers through my hair, scratching my head, and shrugged my shoulders. "Ahhh..No! I was sleeping until you decided to scare the hell out of me by screaming like a crazy person."

She pointed her finger at me, looking even more comical. "Don't start, Ivaskov. Now is not the time to be a smart ass. I am warning you. It would seem that Miss Sophie Rose decided she needed to take a little trip."

She placed her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. " TO RUSSIA!" She shrieked again.

I squinted with a grimace. Rose's voice with gyrating in my brain. I loved her, but hell, it's just too early for this shit. "Okay..Give me the note." I waggled my fingers, encouraging her to hand it over. Which she didn't. It was the evidence she needed to justify her bitch session.

"If my dad let her use a plane..I swear I will kick his ass also! You know I will do it too, Adrian."

I just nodded my head. It was my best plan of action right now. I do not want to be on the receiving end of her rant. "Uh huh, honey. You're right.. I know." I was still half asleep even with all this shrilling.

"Adrian Ivashkov…Wake the hell up and get with me here." She snapped her fingers in front of my face, taking my memory back to so many years ago. When she had suggested I write her up a proposal to date her. I still don't know who was more surprised at that moment; Me, thinking that she

might actually consider dating me, or Her, that I might actually write a dating proposal. It was the most important thing I've ever written. Well, maybe not, considering this morning.

I gave her a smile at the memory. "Babe, I am awake. I am standing right in front of you." She glared at me. Of course, she didn't know what I was thinking. She thought I was being facetious.

Here I was 41 years old, and married to this woman for 18 years and still haven't learned that it's best; to just sit down, shut up, and nod politely.

She was right about one thing, Sophie may be daddy's little girl in every way, but she is in serious trouble, okay NOT serious trouble, just a little trouble. Only if I get to her before Rose.

I listened to Rose, who was now on the phone harassing Abe. I just sat there thinking that I would really love a cup of coffee, but I was too afraid to move for my chair.

Rose's POV

"Dad... Did Sophie use one of the planes last night? And for your sake old man you better say no."

"Who?.." He challenged; groggily into the receiver.

"Sophie, your granddaughter, remember her? Did she ask to use a plane last night?"

He sighed heavily into the phone. "I know who Sophie is, smart-ass, and no, she didn't ask for my plane. Why? What happened?" He was finally starting to wake up.

"She left for Russia to go after the boys and it's too dangerous for her, dad." I stopped talking when the contents of her note finally registered with me. In my fit of rage, I didn't get the gist of it…Ethan and Alec were in grave danger. It had to be a trap.

"Rose?" I heard concern in Dad's voice as Adrian got up from the table sensing my distress.

"Baby?" Adrian crouched down, grabbing me by my by the shoulders, craning his neck to look up at me. "What's wrong?"

"The note….Dejan came after Ethan last Friday night. And he assaulted Alec, too."

"What?" Adrian and Abe screamed at the same time. I couldn't form a full explanation of what had happened because I wasn't really sure of it myself.

"I will be there soon." My dad said, when the line went dead.

I handed Adrian the note as he read it. "Dejan was here at the Academy last Friday." He had a horrified expression on his face. "Rose, we have to bring them back. They can't be in Russia. This is a suicide mission. I can't lose my children…not for any reason."

Ten minutes had not passed when there was a knock at the door, not waiting for me to answer, in walked my dad and Pavel.

"Hey Rose." Pavel said as he shook Adrian's hand. "Can I see the note?"

Adrian gave him a worried glance and then handed Pavel the letter, which he immediately starting reading.

I walked across our spacious living room to look out the window. I stare out over the wooded area of Montana while letting my mind wander with frightening thoughts of what could happen to my children. They were in danger. They are a bunch of kids who have no idea what they are up

against. What was I thinking? Where was my better judgement? Dimitri was dead. How could Ethan possibly save him? There were so many holes in this theory. Ethan is only 18 years old. A young man, who has no experience in this world and I let him go, let him walk right into danger.

I let him leave and now he could be killed because of my not stopping him. What have I done? I turned quickly on my heels, grabbed my wallet, and stormed off towards the door. "Where are you going, babe?" Adrian enquired.

"I am going to Russia. I need to bring my children back."

Adrian grasped my arm and yanked me back. "Whoa..Whoa..Whoa! You are NOT going to Russia. I will go instead." Why wouldn't Adrian want me to go to Russia?

It really pissed me off that he was acting like this or maybe I was overreacting, but I didn't care. I gave him a-have-you-lost-your-mind look. "What? I am quite competent enough to go to Russia on my own, Adrian. I am not some subservient little woman."

He gave me an incredulous glare. "Rose..I never implied that you were…Where the hell did that come from?"

"Adrian, Listen..I just have a bad feeling." My guilt for letting the kids go was getting the better of me. I was mad at myself for being so foolish.

Abe interrupted. "Neither one of you are going." He turned to Pavel. "We do have our informer in place. She will have close contact with Ethan, correct?"

"Yes, we do. She is well aware of the situation. The Elite force will be following close enough to keep in contact about any and all activities where Ethan is concerned." Pavel stated with complete faith and authority.

"She? Who the hell is she?"

"Marlena." Pavel said as I just stood there waiting for more of an explanation than that, needing more information.

I rolled my hand in gesture for him to keep talking. But, he just shrugged his shoulders. "What?"

I groaned. "Jesus Pavel..I want to know about this Marlena. Is she qualified to be 'watching' Ethan and Alec?"

"Alec?" Abe questioned. "When did Alec become involved in this journey? Why didn't you tell me, Kiz?"

I held up my finger, relaying the message to my dad that I wanted my questions answered first. "Go on, Pavel."

"Marlena had graduated top of her class from St. Innocent. And she is a recent graduate of the Elite Academy in Siberia, where she came with high recommendations. Guardian Marlena Svetkova is currently residing in Novosibirsk awaiting her permanent assignment since graduating 3 weeks ago."

There were 2 things that registered with me at once. One, Dimitri had graduated from St. Innocent and two, she was a recent graduate of the Elite school. She couldn't possibly be equipped enough to assume this kind of responsibility.

This was my son we were talking about here, his safety should be in the hands of someone more capable, more experienced.

As if he were able to read my mind. Pavel intervened. "Rose, I can assure you that she is quite capable to ensure Ethan's safety. Besides, I think Ethan is an accomplished enough fighter, not only in the martial arts , but the boy is wicked with his Shinai."

Pavel laughed and then looked at Adrian as if he were asking for him to agree. "I hate to practice Kendo with him. I have been a guardian for what seems like forever and that boy kicks my ass."

I smirked with the satisfaction of knowing that my son was, already at his age, going to be one of the best. "Okay." I said with slight hesitation. "I want her file…today. If she is guarding my son, I want to know everything on her. Can you get it for me?"

Pavel nodded whereas Abe laid out the current plan of action. "We will inform the guardians about Sophie and Alec. I will make sure that they are sent back home. However, Ethan is a different story. He is technically an adult and our hands are tied. If he chooses to stay and continue onward

by himself then there is no way to interject. I will promise you that I will allow no harm to come to my grandson. I will have the group follow closely and Marlena can continue on with her current assignment as his guide."

It was in that moment that I realized I owed Ethan. As terrified as I felt for his safety, he needed to do this. If it were possible to bring back his father, and I denied him the opportunity, how could I ever live with myself.

I fixed my eyes with my dad's. "You're right. Let Ethan continue on with what he needs to do. But, as fas as Alec and Sophie are concerned, they will be brought back whether they like it or not."

I hope you guys liked it..Please review...

Terri =D