I'm back! I'm so so so so SO sorry for how slow I have been to update! Honestly I didn't realise it had been so long! All my exams just got in the way! Can't believe 97 reviews! That's AMAZING! Thank you so much! So again, so sorry! Enjoy and please review – let's make it past 100 reviews!

I rushed down the stairs, with Rose struggling to keep up. I didn't wait, she'd have to catch up, run if necessary. I had to push every thought out of my head concerning her. Forget everything I loved, I had to put Lissa first not Rose despite what my heart told me. I dialled out phone numbers and barked orders at the receivers. Each call lasted no longer than a minute, none slowed my pace.

The guardians had gathered at the main office. Each guardian was yelling at another trying to sort out the best plan of action.

Guardians were sent away, not believing Rose's story. Her anger had soon overridden her emotions and she joined in the yelling. No one believed her story of The Princess, Lissa, being taken until they saw something convincing enough with their own eyes. The wait was agonising, I couldn't concentrate on the buzz of voices, only about her safety. Rose stood further away from me than normal, her hands in my hoodie which covered her dress completely. She no longer arguing, worry had set in and since it was her best friend she couldn't pretend it didn't affect her. I wanted to say something anything but –

Christian appeared with guardians behind him, they pushed him forwards. He looked battered and beaten, that was enough evidence that Lissa had been taken. While guardians took care of his bleeding face more guardians asked questions, still not wholly convinced.

How many Strigoi?

How did they get in?

"Wh–? There weren't any Strigoi." Rose stated. Everyone turned to look at her with a look of confusion. Even I was shocked. There couldn't be any other explanation.

"Who else would have taken her?" Asked Ms. Kirova with a dismissive tone. "You must have seen it wrong through the… vision."

"No. I'm positive. It was… they were… guardians." Rose confirmed. She looked around at everyone, her teeth gritted as she waited for everyone to burst into laughter.

"She's right." Christian backed her up. He was still being patched up but wanted to help. He looked less beaten without the blood, but the purpling bruises reminded everyone about the danger at hand. "Guardians."

"They weren't school guardians." Rose said. She looked uncomfortable and rubbed her forehead as though the bond was bothering her. The heightened emotions Lissa would be feeling would make it harder for Rose to stay in control. "Will you guys get moving? She's getting farther away!"

"You're saying a group of privately retained guardians came in and kidnapped her?" Kirova successfully hid her smile but her tone was mocking and unconvinced.

"Yes, they –" Rose paused as though she was daydreaming. I still couldn't get my head around the idea of their bond, how it worked was marvellous but perplexing. Her face was unreadable but the gasp showed she knew who they belonged to. "They work for Victor Dashkov, they're his." Guardians repeated her trying to understand. There seemed no reason why Victor would do this.

"Please, do something. They're getting so far away." Her voice was desperate and the helpless tone made my heart ache. "They're on… Eighty-three. Headed south."

"Eighty-three already? How long ago did they leave? Why didn't you come sooner?" Rose turned pale she looked at me for help.

"A compulsion spell," Rose looked at me, her face covered with fear. She thought I was going to blurt everything out. I had considered it. Moving back to Russia and seeing my family. But I couldn't leave Rose behind. "A compulsion spell put into a necklace he gave her. It made her attack me." I didn't look at Rose but at Kirova, I had to make it believable.

"No one can use that kind of compulsion; no one's done that in ages." Kirova replied. My skin prickled at the fear of my lie coming undone.

"Well, someone did. By the time I'd restrained her and taken the necklace, a lot of time had passed." Guardians looked between each other, nodding along to show they believed the white lie.

Once everything had been clarified the Guardians moved into action, they disliked the idea of Rose coming but I knew without her we'd be in a worse position. We drove in a black SUV in the front car; I drove with Rose in the passenger seat. Rose reported to me every new detail but that was the only engagement we made. She told me they were keeping to the speed limit, as though she was hinting that I should slow down. I wouldn't slow for anything, red light, policeman, nothing. In a way I wanted to make up for my mistake with Rose and thought this way I could right my wrong, but we'd have to talk about it soon. I was dreading that more than the threat at hand.

Her attention had become distracted as she looked back and forth at me. She was most likely replaying the event over in her head, deliberating what was real anymore. I knew she was thinking that because I was wondering the same thing. I was annoyed at myself rather than her. But still she drove me insane as did my feelings.

I turned a corner under her instruction leaving the paved road for a pebbled, country like road. We turned again, keeping up the pace. The SUV gripped well to the road unlike Victor's (I assumed) would.

"They're outside a small cabin, they're taking her –" Rose stopped mid-sentence; I couldn't tell what was happening to Lissa. Rose looked terrified as I looked between her and the road.

As I pulled up a single sentence escaped her. The words weren't her own, more a mimicry of what she was seeing: "I need you to heal me."

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