The Last Scion

by savannah0707

Seventeen-year old Bellamy Pearce is a Dhampir. She also has Moroi magic-fire to be exact. The Guardian Council, along with her Guardian aunt have pushed her into training at St. Vladimir's. She is away from her friends, her home, and everything she knows. How is she ever going to survive six months of curious Guardians and students while hiding her closest secrets?

25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

CHRISTIAN:

I was slowly being driven to the brink of the excruciating limits of my self-control. The feeders were late, and I was going on day two since my scheduled feeding was late. Bellamy and I had been in this house for too long, and I was going to lose my mind with hunger. She had been keeping an eye on me, knowing that I was trying to fend off this insatiable hunger. That was also much of the reason that she had been keeping her distance in the last few days too. I had been pacing the staircase for the last thirty minutes before I grew weaker. I had to find something else to do; something to keep my mind occupied. I walked with purpose into the general living room, only to find Bellamy sitting by the lit fireplace. She looked exquisite, sitting curled up in the oversized chair, her legs tucked under her, books on either side of her, and one in her hand. I often enjoyed watching as she would not only read the books, but study them as she read. My presence must have startled her, because her head shot up as I tried to step back.

"Christian." Every time she spoke my name, I felt as though I were at her mercy, willing to go to great lengths for anything she might desire. She smiled, hopping down from the large chair. "How are you feeling?" She started to come closer, but I had to stop her.

I was unsteady and uncertain, so being nearer to her was not an option. That however did not stop her tenacity in any way. She continued her approach, coming close enough to reach out to me.

"Come on Chris. Let's go for a walk. I bet there are places we have yet to explore around this place." She held her hand out to me.

It was against everything that I could feel, but I took her hand, letting her lead me on a walk at her side. We walked the inside of the estate, discovering new hidden alcoves, hide-outs, and even unused rooms on the North side. We talked, we laughed, and she made it seem so easy to keep my mind off of the hunger I was feeling. She stopped at a large ornate stained-glass window, admiring its color and design I guessed. As she studied the glass structure, I studied her, watching her, fascinated as the light from the wall sconce bounced from the window to her eyes and skin, making her glow all around, in a way that I had never seen. I put the side of my index finger to her cheek, running it softly over her skin, causing her to turn to me. She gazed up at me with wonder and affection. The connection between me and Bellamy; the heightened sense of desire structured into our fire bound friendship grew in the moment again. I could feel the emotional build in me, causing my breathing to quicken. My finger on her face shifted to my hand at her neck, then on her back, pulling her in one swift motion against me. I kissed her deeply, letting the headiness of the moment swept over us in waves, her hands grasping at me, and mine on her, picking her up, and putting her back against the wall beside the window. This was an absolutely perfect moment, but then it changed. She gasped, and in a split second, I understood why. It was as if a bucket of ice water had put out the fires between and around us. I felt my fangs on her skin. They had not pierced her, but pressed against her neck. As I leaned back, I dropped her feet to the floor. A small thin line of blood showed on her neck where one of my fangs had slid across her skin. Her finger touched to the cut that was as small as a paper cut. On my fangs though, I felt the blood still there. It was impossible to resist. I nearly fell to the ground, my knees weakened as I could experienced the taste of her blood. Her blood was contrary to anything else I had ever tasted. The make-up of her blood was glorious and stimulating. I was not expecting anything like this feeling. I had to assume that this was similar to what feeders felt when Moroi fed from them. But, how was this possible? How was I getting this type of reaction from the taste of such a small amount of Dhampir blood? As my senses returned and logic reset, I caught Bellamy's eyes again. She was curious and concerned about me.

"Are you alright Chris?" She tried to reach out to me, but I jumped back a foot.

"I'm fine." I assured her, unable to convince either of us. "Your blood, it's…" We stared at each other for what felt like hours. "What are you?" I questioned, watching her now start to look insulted suddenly.

I wanted more of her blood. I wanted that feeling again. I could feel myself weakening around her. "I have to go." I stated, walking away without another word. I heard her calling my name again, but I forced myself not to stop.

I fled, disappearing into my room, isolating myself in darkness. I was not ready to go find Bellamy, in order to apologize to her, but she found me. There was a soft knock before my door cracked open slightly.

"Christian?" Her voice searched for me. "Christian I know you are in here. I want to talk to you. Your feeders are here." She informed me.

She entered my room, turning on a small lamp on a table; the glow of light making her look so beautiful again.

"Bells, I'm so sorry." I apologized to her, and she looked confused. "I almost bit you."

She let a smile cross over her face as she walked over to me.

"I might have if we had not stopped. Your blood is not like any other blood Bellamy."

"What does that mean? And, what did you mean when you asked me what I am? That is not a normal question Christian."

She stood at a distance, not out of fear, but out of inquiry. I had to give her some explanation.

"Most blood is sustaining. It is what we Moroi need to truly survive, but your blood did something strange to my system."

"What?"

"It made me feel euphoric-the way that a feeder might feel when we feed from them. Your blood is not like any other Dhampir. You are neither here nor there."

"Cool." She said, but I could also see the wheels in her head turning in order to figure out why she was so different.

"I almost lost control Bells."

"No you didn't." She denied, keeping me silent while she explained. "There is no 'almost' with feeding. You either lose control or you don't. We got caught up in a heated wonderful moment. That's it." She moved closer now, sitting down onto my lap, pulling my arms up around her. Again, she proceeded to kiss my jaw and my neck, her hands touching to me.

"Dangerous territory Bells." I said. "Maybe I should go and feed first."

She nodded, reluctantly backing away. I stood up as she removed her body from mine, but I could not help myself again. I could not resist this pull we had on each other. I kissed her again, deepening that heavy heady passion between us. My hands were at her thighs, my fingertips running over her bare skin, tempting us both. Bellamy pushed herself back though, her hands lifting my shirt slowly.

"Feed first." She set the reminder, and I pushed away too, going off to find the feeder that finally arrived.

BELLAMY:

Asking Mason to meet me in the Church attic with Christian in attendance too, was going to cause problems. The two were not exactly on the same thought path when it came to me. Neither could understand the connection I had with the other. I was going to have to tread so carefully. I arrived at the attic, late for my training with Christian, but caught completely off guard by the new set up within the room. The entire room was currently outfitted with a brand new test for my skills. Christian had constructed a brand new trial, placing candles half a foot apart, around the entire perimeter of the room. This was a lot of candles.

"I know I'm late, I know that we have a lot of work to do tonight-clearly more than I had anticipated, but some of it may have to wait until after Mason leaves." I told Christian as soon as I entered.

His arms found me immediately, wrapping around me from behind.

"Mmm. Your perfume smells especially good tonight." He said, and I could feel his breath moving over my skin. "Why is Ashford coming up here during our lesson time?"

Yes, he was definitely going to protest Mason's arrival and presence.

"I asked him to come by. The three of us need to have a short conversation, and then we can get back to our…fire lessons."

Christian shook his head, giving me that half grin.

"What kind of test is this? It looks dangerous."

"I want you to light the candles. All of them."

I tilted my head up to him, trying not to look suspicious of his motives. I knew what this particular trick did to him, and I had to wonder if he had ulterior motives for this trick.

"Light the candles?" I questioned the idea, but couldn't help but cave in. "What do I get if I accomplish this game? What will you give me?"

"Whatever you want Bellamy." He breathed out.

"Promise?"

He nodded. "I'll give you anything you want Bells." His hands were on me again, making my head go fuzzy, but we did not have time to be this close. Mason would arrive soon.

I could use this promise from Christian to my advantage. I was now learning how to better let go of my control. My distance with Mason, while not my first choice, was fortunate, in that it was causing me to relinquish control over many parts of my life. It was not easy, but I was committed to improving on it. I felt Christian's hands rest at my hips.

"Is there something particular that you want from me?" He whispered, giving that slow sexy smile of his.

Oh how I did enjoy his subtle methods of seduction. I closed my eyes, hoping that my magic was now as strong as Christian believed it to be. Honestly, sometimes I felt that he had more faith in my magic than I did. I slowed my breathing, feeling the magic build inside of me. I could hear it swirling around me. I thought about what I wanted, using the lack of control, and harnessing my magic to get it. I heard Christian gasp and was certain I had failed and lit the room on fire instead. My eyes shot open, surprised to see all of the candles lit and burning strong. I had succeeded.

"I did it." I said, smiling, looking around to check that every one of the candles was lit.

"You did it Bellamy." Christian cheered. "I knew you were strong enough to do this." His arms lifted me up, hugging and spinning me around.

"Looks like I'm just in time for a celebration." We both heard Mason say from the entrance alcove.

I caught the edge of condescension and jealousy in his voice, making sure that Christian set me down.

"Mase." I walked over to him, kissing him as he was invited into the sanctuary Christian and I shared. "Did you see?" I asked him, pointing out all of the candles. "I lit them all at once on my own."

"A huge accomplishment Bells." Christian added.

"I'm sorry I missed it." Mason now sounded disappointed. "But, I'm sure you will show me sometime later." His eyes were on Christian behind me.

"Remember what I said Mase. Man up and deal with this shit."

"Not exactly how you put it."

"Close enough."

Mason nodded, kissing my cheek as he shifted around me to approach Christian. The two men stood a good distance apart still, disinclined to go through with setting aside their differences.

"I need you both to stop glaring at each other and please knock off this testosterone-induced conflict. Shake hands and be civil, if only for my sake." The two still glowered, but shook hands.

"For Bellamy." Christian spoke.

"Now, we need to talk." I started up again. "And when I say talk, I mean you sit there," I pointed to one side of the space for Mason, "and you sit there." I put Christian on the opposite side, and stood between them. "I am going to talk and you are going to listen. There is a change in plan. I know how to get Jesse to stop spreading rumors and threatening us."

""How dangerous is it?" Christian asked.

"I didn't answer the question because I couldn't yet. The threat to me was going to cause far too big an argument, and I didn't want to face it until after all of this was finished with.

"What is your new idea Bells?" Mason inquired.

I jumped up to sit on one of the desks. "As it turns out, I will be attending the bonfire this weekend." I received perfect silence, allowing me to continue. "You," I addressed Christian, "will be attending the bonfire." I then turned to Mason, stopping Christian's looming disagreement. "And you too will be there."

"No." Mason fought. "I am not going without you."

"But, now I am going, so…"

"Don't try it Bellamy. There is a difference now."

"Yes, there is." I clearly agreed. "And I recently recognized that if I go to the bonfire, I can get to Jesse before his deplorable and iniquitous party."

Christian sat back, crossing his arms, forced to listen. Neither of them would be accepting with the results of this plan, or with all of the information, so I gave only what I needed."

"There is a quicker and more effective way out of this mess. I can end it all."

"How?" Christian questioned me, leaning forward onto his knees.

I looked from him to Mason. "I can't tell you that."

Both men stood, erupting with protests. They were in agreement for a change.

"What the hell are you planning now Bellamy?"

"Don't you think this has all gone far enough? Let Jesse, Mia, and the whole damned school think whatever they want. It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me Mason." I argued back. "You don't have to help me. Neither of you is beholden to me in this matter." I added Christian into my statements as well. "But, I am putting an end to this." I removed myself from between them, going to where the stacks of books Christian and I studied from sat.

I flipped open a few of the books, and waited. If one agreed, the other would follow suit. I only needed…"

"Fine." Mason was first to agree. "What do you need from me?"

I kept the look of satisfaction from my face. "I need you to go to the bonfire. I need you to be seen there until I'm finished with Jesse. Oh, and I need you to keep Meredith off of your lap. I also need you to not stop me from doing this. Please."

"Okay." He consented, coming towards me. "You have me on board." He set his hands over my shoulders, leaned down, and kissed me as if Christian were not in the room with us. "I have to get back to the dorm. Curfew set in a few minutes ago." He put his mouth right next to my ear. "And Bells, I am always beholden to you." He finished before leaving the attic.

I went back to reading the book in front of me after Mason disappeared. Christian was still holding back his arguments to my change of plan. He was not happy about this situation, and it was not going to get any easier with him. Not telling Mason most of my plan was something that had to be done for his sake and mine. Christian on the other hand, I needed to give more details to, only because I would need his help beforehand. He was not going to like this, but I wasn't giving him any more choice in the matter."

CHRISTIAN:

"No." I adamantly refused her. "Absolutely not!"

Reckless and dangerous were in the rearview mirror at this point. Bellamy had thrown out any sense of reason, and gone straight to insanity. Asking me to do this for her was unthinkable. It was unconscionable.

"I need you to do this for me Christian. You promised me anything I wanted if I lit those candles."

"Do not use that against me Bellamy."

"Chris," she pleaded. "You are the only Moroi I trust enough to help me."

I fell hard onto the small couch, putting my hand to my forehead. "We have had this conversation before. You know why I can't do this."

I heard her sigh, but could not tell if it was frustration or defeat. My eyes were closed, but I felt the couch move when she sat beside me. I pulled her closer with my free arm. Despite any disagreement we had, I wanted her close.

"I understand why you think you cannot do this, but it is also the reason I trust you completely to do it. You are the only one I know who will not take advantage of me or go overboard. You are the only one who can willingly control yourself."

"Bells, your blood to me is equivalent to catnip to a cat. This is not just about feeding from you. Your blood does something to my system."

"I wouldn't ask if it were not central to everything I'm about to do."

"Have you forgotten about what happened to you when the Queen pumped you full of endorphins?"

She sighed again. "That was different. There were more than Moroi endorphins going into me. There was also Strigoi blood and venom." She put her head to my chest, and my arms wrapped around her tighter.

"What if I can't stop myself Bells?" Was I starting to agree to this? Was I genuinely considering biting her? I couldn't. If anyone saw marks on her neck, they'd… "If Mason sees marks on you, he'll know it was me." I told her, but she had a good riposte.

"Mason and I don't see nearly enough of each other since our breakup. He won't know about you."

I shook my head. "How did you just get me to agree to this Bellamy?" I asked, and she moved her entire body closer to me, straddling me again.

"If you recall, I am good at influencing certain Moroi men." She started to kiss my neck, lifting my shirt over my head.

If I hadn't agreed to this already, I would be helpless to do so now. I would agree to anything in this position. Being with Bellamy was always a new experience. She was the only Dhampir who held no judgments and was brave enough to be this close to me. Not to mention that she felt so good pressed to me. She had risked her life for mine already. The least I could do was agree to her request. I could control myself. I had to manage my self-control. I had unbuttoned her shirt and tossed it to the side, repositioning us both. As ridiculous as it sounded, I wanted her to be comfortable. Her neck was bare and fully exposed to me as I positioned her sideways on my lap. My hands slowly moved up her thighs as I kissed her neck, using as much pressure as I could apply before biting down into her. Her back arched as the rest of her stayed pressed to me. Her hand moved to the back of my neck, as she enjoyed the flow of emotion and the high that came from the bite. This was a euphoric experience for us both though. The touch of her blood flowing into me was invigorating and pure. It was giving me a heightened sense of every wonderful feeling possible. And this was nothing in comparison to the way her blood tasted. It was like no human or Dhampir blood. The sweetness mixed into the taste of her sunlit skin. It was even more exhilarating and more of an adrenaline rush than the first short time. Desire, love, and fulfillment filled every part of my body. Her fingertips dug into me the longer I fed. By Vlad, her entire being was incredible. My hands searched every part of her body, causing her breathing to speed, her heart to race, and this desirable bond we shared to also intensify. After a few minutes, I had to stop. I needed to catch my breath. I no longer needed the blood. I needed her, stripping off the remainder of her clothes. Time passed in a blur of movement and ecstasy for us. By the time we had exhausted ourselves and this high had worn off, it was nearly sup up. We had been in this attic all night. Bellamy slept in my arms on the couch. I hated to wake her, but she usually had training sessions with the Guardians in the mornings. She would have to leave my arms soon. 'Five more minutes' I said to myself, lying back down beside her. The next thing I knew I woke again to movement. Bellamy was awake and getting dressed. I sat up, pulling on my clothes as well.

"Are you feeling okay?" I asked about her state after being bitten.

She smiled back at me, sitting on my lap. She kissed me. "Yes Chris. I'm okay. No damage done. And, thank you."

"Are you busy after your training today?"

She shrugged her shoulder indifferently. "No. I figured I'd get some of our project finished since I didn't get the chance to last night."

I put my hands to her back. "You could come over to my dorm to work on it."

"If I sneak into your dorm to do homework, I will end up getting very little or nothing done."

"I can control myself Bellamy."

She laughed at the idea. "But I can't."

This time I laughed. "Just for a little while." I said. "Come over."

"I've got to go sneak back to my dorm so that I can change before my training."

I kissed her again before she left the attic.

DIMITRI:

I was showered and changed by the time the sun came up. I had spent the entire night going back and forth from dreams about Bridgette to nightmares. It had been a long night, and I could not stop the anxiety I felt for Bellamy. Alberta and I planned to help Bellamy face this coming struggle. She may not have been totally prepared, but that could change with our help. Bellamy actually arrived on time to train, but was pleasantly surprised to see that Alberta was late. I was setting up mannequins and new punching bags in the training room when she walked in.

"I thought Alberta was training me today."

I twisted the upper half of my body around to see her enter. "She is." That was all I said, going back to set up the room.

"Okay, this is not the time for riddles, Riddler." She waltzed into the room, going directly to her required stretching.

"You have three trainers this morning Bellamy. You are going to learn to really battle Strigoi. It's time."

"You think that I am ready to use a real stake?"

"No."

She scoffed at my reply. "Then what's the point? How will I learn if I don't…" She quieted as I frowned.

I tried to turn my eyes from her, but she'd already noticed my disillusionment. Her intuition and her perception were always on point.

"I'm conflicted about this entire situation Bellamy. I have never had to purposely train a student who is on countdown to go into combat with a Strigoi family member." I sat down beside her. This was in a lot of ways, our way of relieving stress over this issue and others. I was not in the habit of talking so openly with many people, but Bellamy always surprised me. She listened to what I would say, and then she could logically respond back. "This is all as foreign to me as anyone else, including you. But, I am not going to put hazardous tools in your hands until you are fully equipped with every possible technique and strategy. Even then, I am not happy about sending you into this situation at all."

"You don't think that I can do this? You don't think that I can defend myself against her? Or is it that you don't think I'll be able to…"

My hand shot up to stop her from finishing that sentence. "It has nothing to do with your defenses Bellamy." I assured her. "You are already close to lethal. I have no doubt that you will be able to face Brooklyn, and do what must inevitably be done." I couldn't help considering the consequences of this whole thing. I'd killed Strigoi and I knew the aftermath was harder than most novices assumed. It was not something that I could explain. It was a personal journey for everyone. It varied from one person to the next.

"What happens when you do kill her? What happens when you kill what used to be a person? She used to be your mother."

"Used to be, Dimitri." Bellamy replied. "She used to be my mother. I have done my grieving for her over the years. I've accepted the fact that she died long ago. This evil blood-thirsty version I'll face is not the same Brooklyn Pearce."

Her defenses were creeping up. I almost let out a laugh, coming to the realization of how alike she and I were in this area. If I pushed to hard, she would shut down and walk away. I backed off as much as I could.

"I do not disagree with you on that point. What I meant is…"

"I know what you meant." She stood, moving over to one of the punching bags.

"What are you expecting me to say?"

I went to hold the bag for her.

"You've killed Strigoi." She pointed out. "It's hard to miss those marks, but did it mentally destroy you? I get that we are killing former Moroi and Dhampirs, but that's the job." She was looking at this in that linear way she had of viewing some topics. "Like I said, we are only killing that which is already dead. I will not feel guilty about this." The more she talked, the harder she hit. She gave the bag a final strike, moving then to a more open area of the room.

"Tell me what I need to do. Teach me what I need to know." She sent me that hard resilient stare of hers. "This is going to happen regardless of the circumstances Dimitri. We either accept it or we bury our heads in the sand and hide. And I will tell you, I cannot hide forever."

"We are Guardians." I joined her. "We do not hide from Strigoi." I couldn't help but be comforted by the smile that crept over her face.

Alberta and Yuri both entered the room, laughing together, stopping as they separated, setting their gear down.

"You're late." Bellamy arrogantly mentioned to Alberta, who gave her a condescending look in return.

"I was busy picking out the right stake for you to learn to use."

Bellamy smiled, but looked back at me with the same confliction I was feeling.

"She isn't ready." I stated.

"She will never be ready in your eyes." Yuri returned. "Bellamy, come here." He called.

Bellamy skipped her way over to Yuri, who usually enjoyed her vivaciousness. Today he was more serious. "This," he handed her a silver stake, "is yours. You will keep it with you at all times." There was no room for disagreement in his tone.

Bellamy slowly took the stake in her hands, holding it still for a few seconds. "It's heavier than I thought it would be."

"That's the point." Alberta joined in. "The weight will provide you with more force when you go in for a kill. Let's try a few drills." Alberta, Yuri, and I ran through the drills Bellamy needed to know.

Bellamy was a quick study, practicing with more fluidity and grace than any of us had expected from her. She had always been light on her feet, but now she seemed to glide. She made her mistakes of course, but we would work on them for as long as we could.

"That's all for today." Alberta finally ended the lesson after a few hours of training.

Bellamy dramatically fell to the floor, exhausted by the work she had put in today. Eventually, she picked herself up off of the ground, gathering her own gear. She was out the door before me, but waited for me to join her.

"How are you doing?" She asked me.

I must have seemed confused by her question because she clarified quickly.

"How are you doing with the whole Bridgette thing?"

"How are you doing with the whole Mason thing?" I countered her question with my own.

"Well played." She chuckled. "Fair enough. I guess if you are in the same place as me, you are still confused and hurting."

"Close enough." I said to her. There was a silence as we walked farther. "Are you going to make an appearance at the soccer game tomorrow evening?" I could no longer stand the quiet.

"Soccer game?" Her question was filled with both entertainment and perplexity. "What soccer game?"

"I figured Mason or Christian would have mentioned it to you."

"Mason and I aren't exactly on the best of terms, and Christian and I have been focused on this fire stuff."

I gave a half shrug. "There is a soccer game tomorrow evening before the bonfire. Guardians versus novices. It's fun."

She was smiling. "I do enjoy soccer very much. I think I will have to go and watch. Maybe I'll find something you're not good at."

We both laughed, but I put a brief hand to her shoulder to say goodbye before we parted ways. She was off to her dorm while I would be on duty as soon as I showered and dressed.

BELLAMY:

Saturday was going to be a full day and night. I had a scheduled phone call with Bridgette in Kirova's office first thing, followed by a long lesson with Christian. Now that we were sure of my growing ability, he was anxious and keen to try new things. We didn't talk about the feeding session the previous night, but it was still on both of our minds. I was hiding the marks on my neck with a high collars, sweat shirts, scarves, and my hair, but every time I thought about that night, it sent a sense of wonder through me again. Chris and I worked intently for hours, absorbed in ways of increasing my power and his. Kirova had been right when she first mentioned how good he was at this fire stuff. I was fascinated more and more by his own ability and by his teaching.

Once we finished, we had decided to go to the soccer game together. Christian was not used to going to games, but when I said I needed company and a friend next to me, he agreed. Mason was going to be playing in the game along with Eddie and Meredith, so I didn't need to worry about them. Jesse and Mia would however be in attendance.

After changing into a Manchester United jersey I had in my closet, along with black cotton shorts, I met Christian outside of my lobby. He was taking pleasure in my attire and appearance, but said nothing. He kissed me and took my hand as we walked to the pitch. There were bleachers on two sides of the large area, and Christian was set on staying on whichever side Jesse and Mia were not on. As we climbed the stairs to find seats in the middle of the structure, I was focused on both sidelines. The Academy Guardians were stretching and doing their pre-game workout in synch, while the novices on the other side were stretching and busy taunting their opponents.

Christian had his arm around me when I gasped out loud.

"What Bells?" He asked, thinking I had gasped in reaction to him, but my attention was focused on the Guardians below.

Giselle, one of the many Guardians had fallen during the work out. I had seen her knee twist in an unnatural way, and knew that this team was without a member. All of the Guardians, the referees, and a few novices gathered around her. Two of them picked her up, carrying her to the bench where two nurses from the hospital waited. I felt her pain, and worried about her injury. Injuries for Guardians were a big deal. They held us back from doing our jobs properly. There was nothing I could do, so I relaxed back into Christian's arm, until I saw Dimitri and Shane looking up at me. They indicated for me to descend the bleachers. I was down on the pitch within two minutes.

"Is she okay?" I inquired after Giselle.

"No." Dimitri informed me very bluntly. "How would you feel about playing a fun game of soccer? We're down a very important player and I trust your stamina and your coordination skills."

"There are no other Guardians to ask?"

"They are working or refuse to play." His eyes pleaded with me, but I actually worried about playing for the Guardians rather than the novice team.

"Play for the Guardians? Wouldn't that count as disloyalty to my fellow novices?"

"Oh quit the moralistic self-righteous loyalty crap." I heard Meredith's voice from behind me, standing in the crowd of players. "Come and play Bellamy." She taunted.

I spun around, ready to lunge at her. I wanted to punch her so bad, but a hand on my shoulder held me back. I turned back around to Dimitri.

"We good with the idea Shane?"

"If you're playing, we are golden. Let's play!" He shouted.

"Just so long as you know that my playing means you have no chance of winning."

"No trash talk." Dimitri split us up.

"Not trash. Truth. You've got yourself a team- member." I said to Dimitri. "Guardian Perry," I addressed Giselle, "what position do you play?"

"Central midfielder." She spoke through her pain, being loaded onto a stretcher.

The novices went back to their side to start discussing their strategies, while the Guardians all gathered too. I saw Mason looking across the field, but wasn't going to let myself get caught up in the fact that we were on opposite teams now. Dimitri was talking about their first play, and I couldn't help but think about the simplicity of it.

"They are going to expect that play." I said, and Dimitri turned to me, along with every other somewhat intimidating Guardian around me.

"What?" Dimitri almost sounded insulted, but now I had no choice but to repeat myself.

"The other team will expect a play like that. It's easy and it won't get you the goal. They'll have the ball before you get center field."

He eyed me with cynicism. "What would you suggest then?"

He was asking me to map out a play? Really? I wasn't going to argue with him.

"Off the top of my head, I would suggest using our sweeper and center backs in a way the novices won't see coming."

Dimitri was hesitant to change his playbook, but released it when I held out my hand for it. I made a few notes and changed all of his work, hearing his shock as he hovered over me.

"Where did you learn how to devise soccer plays?"

"It's a secret." I said. "Who holds the defending midfield position?"

Yuri stepped forward, looking to Dimitri. The Guardian captain nodded his approval, and Yuri listened to what I had to say. I pointed out positions and a whole new strategy for the team. From there, all of the other Guardians gathered around, listening as I explained what we needed.

Dimitri was playing central midfield on the other side of me, while I shifted Alberta from attacking midfielder to the sweeper position.

"First off," I stated, "we are going to forfeit the coin toss. Give the ball to the novices."

It was inevitable. They all protested-even Dimitri.

"Listen." I demanded. "When they get the ball to our new sweeper, I need you to protect that goal." I told Alberta. "Get the ball from them quickly, and get it to Yuri. Yuri," I turned my head, "get the ball to Dimitri as fast as possible. He is going to keep it in his possession as long as possible. Dimitri, play with the novices. Tease them, and at the same time, keep your eye on me. I am going to go from center to attacking midfielder. When I say change, make sure Alberta gets that ball."

Watching them all stand in awe was fun. "The novices have only basic experience in their plays too. I've been watching their huddle and the ways they are pointing. No matter which play they use, their midfielder will have to move out to the wing-back area of the pitch. Alberta, you are going to run that ball as fast as you can run to centerfield. Kick it to me, and we're good."

"It'll work." Dimitri looked at my notes.

"Of course it will." I answered him. "Now, let's go play."

Once the game started and my play started to work, the small crowd gathered on our side suddenly got loud, cheering us on. Even Christian was on his feet. As soon as the play was over, I saw the looks on the other team's faces. Their new strategy? They were coming after me and Dimitri. My warning to him was met with an arrogant indifference and a laugh.

"Let them try to catch us." He was in a good mood. I was enjoying this side of him. He was having so much fun.

"You got any more secret plays?" Yuri rocked up to my right side, his arm slung around my shoulders.

"I've got a ton. One in particular that I'd like to try if Dimitri is okay with the idea."

"You are my official playmaker Bells. What are we doing?" He took a seat on the bench, handing me water.

"A tricked out play." I said, going through the moves in my head. "It's easier than the last play, but we are going to use more style and artistry instead of strategy and force. We're going to use actual tricks."

"Gather around." Dimitri called, and there was no hesitation.

They were all listening. I got the chance finally to be in my element at this school. Soccer was a sport that I was good at.

"We are going to play leap-frog." Now I got weird looks. "Yuri, do you think you can pull off a few spins and turns while keeping the ball at your feet?"

He was willing to do as I instructed.

"Dimitri, you are going to use that muscled chest of yours to play with the ball. You're also going to use your knees to do a few kick-ups." I explained what I needed from all of the players.

In the process of the play, Dimitri and I managed to further piss off the novices, who were screaming for fouls and illegal plays. The refs saw no problems. I kicked the ball through Dimitri's legs after some time with the ball, and we were in place to play our game of leap-frog. I got a small running start, and instead of jumping over him because he wasn't quite low enough, I used my hands and body to flip my way over his back as he bent down slightly to play with our trick. He wasn't expecting my flip, but he acted fast, using his body to give me more leverage and power, launching me around and back to the ball. I was fortunate that it worked. We scored again, gaining a second goal. Unfortunately, I did not see the novice Dhampir to my left, coming towards me at full speed.

"Meredith, No!" I heard Mason yell from the sideline, right before she tried to make it look as if she were going to go by me. Her leg swept mine out from under me, taking me to the ground. It hurt, but I was not terribly injured.

"Misconduct and a foul!" The referee called on the novice team.

Meredith was benched for the remainder of the game, and the Guardians were now given a penalty kick.

"Bellamy," Dimitri stood above me, his hand out to help me up, "are you okay to take this shot? She swept your leg pretty good."

"So have you in our training." I returned, feeling my temper flare because I knew Meredith had done this on purpose. "I don't give in when we train, and I'm sure as hell not giving in now." I took his hand, pulled up to a standing position. "Their team is done."

Once the timer went off after the second half, the Guardians celebrated. The team had won by ten points. I too celebrated, laughing, high-fiving, and congratulating the team, but I was ready to shower again and change for the bonfire. It would soon be time to get my life back to normal.

"Bellamy!" Alberta and Yuri were running to catch up with me before I reached Christian. "Bellamy, you should come by the Guardian lounge before the bonfire." Alberta requested.

"Really? What's going on there?"

"We are celebrating our win." Yuri was still on cloud nine.

"We've defeated the novices before." Alberta continued, "But we have never played like we did today. That is thanks to you."

I shook my head. "I only changed Dimitri's playbook. You are the ones who put it all into action."

"Show up in about an hour." Yuri insisted, and both Guardians turned to leave.

Apparently, I was not being given a choice but to make an appearance before the bonfire. Honestly, I did feel alright about it. No other novices had ever played on the Guardian team, or been invited to their celebration, so I was feeling a bit proud. Christian was waiting for me by the end of the soccer pitch, a huge grin on his face. He hugged me, picking me up and spinning me a few times.

"You played amazing Bells." He excitedly spoke. "Honestly, I was a little worried when you accepted the idea of playing in the game, but I heard faculty and Moroi saying that this was the most exciting game yet." He took my hand again as we walked away together.

"The Guardians all invited me to their celebration before the bonfire." I mentioned, and Christian seemed pleased.

"That's big." He replied. "A novice at their celebration? Huge."

We saw Mason and Eddie as we walked. They were huddled in conversation until Eddie pointed out the sighting. I wasn't sure if either would say anything in public, but Eddie had never been shy.

"Great game Pearce." He loudly spoke.

Mason only gave a subtle head nod. He smiled slightly, letting me know that he approved of the game too. Once Christian and I arrived at my dorm lobby, he kissed me far more passionately than he usually did in public settings, considering my breakup with Mason was not so real. After that, I took a long shower, dressed, and did my hair before preparing to make my way to the Guardian lounge.

I was wearing the same dress I'd chosen to wear for the bonfire. It was short, a pretty cobalt blue with white trim around the edges, and certainly made me feel better about what I would face with Jesse. I wore my black ballet flats, so that I could walk quicker across the Academy grounds. I was not halfway to my destination when I heard my name called out again. I spun to my left to see a group of Moroi, most royal, but one who wasn't. It was Camille Conta who had called my name, beckoning me over. I hesitated, knowing I was about to be within close proximity of Mia again, but walked over anyway.

"I usually don't have fun at these boring sports matches," she ran up to greet me, "but you made the game worth watching."

"How did you get the Academy Guardians to let you join their team?" Another voice walked up from behind Camille.

It was Aaron Szlesky. Another royal at the school.

I shrugged at his inquiry. "Guardian Belikov mentioned something about my great coordination and skills."

"He obviously had good reason to bring you on." He stood closer, moving a strand of hair over my shoulder.

Was he flirting? The guy was dating Mia Rinaldi. And just thinking about her must have triggered her interest in the conversation.

"I never would have pegged you as a jock." She snidely commented upon her arrival beside Aaron.

"Looks can be deceiving Mia. I'm sure you of all people know that."

"Definitely deceiving." I heard Aaron say as Mia grabbed onto him tighter.

She pulled him away as I said goodbye to Camille, making my way to my destination.

The doors to the Guardian lounge were wide open. I could hear the loud cheering going on already in the background, so I entered. The front room was just as I remembered from the last time I had been here, just before the decision was made to hurry me and Christian off campus to hide us from the Queen. I was surprised to see one Guardian sitting on one of the couches, not joining in all of the celebrating.

"Yuri?" I voiced. "Why aren't you in with everyone else?"

He stood, coming towards me with a big bright smile. "I was waiting for you." He said, showing me to the back area.

"Let's hear a cheer for our awesome and skilled playmaker!" He shouted over the talking, cheering, and the music playing low.

He then guided me through the door.

"Bellamy!" A few more Guardians cheered, gathering around.

After getting through the crowd, I spotted Dimitri in what appeared to be the lounge kitchen. He smiled sweetly and offered me a cup full of something blue.

"What is it?" I examined to cup thoroughly.

"It's a non-alcoholic concoction of Alberta's. Try it." He urged, but I wasn't so trusting.

"It doesn't look safe." I slowly brought it to my mouth, tasting the smallest bit. It was sweet, and tasted like watermelon, which was odd because it was blue. I shook my head and chuckled.

"You are an amazing soccer player." Dimitri declared, bringing up the reason for this little celebration. "You never said that you could play like that."

"You never asked." I returned in my most cavalier tone. "Everyone is good at something."

"The novices were throwing around the word cheating, but…"

"Omission of my awesome skills is not cheating. You had no idea that St. Solomon's has a team."

"And I'm guessing you used to play for that team?"

"Who do you think their captain was?"

The two of us laughed for quite awhile, talking about the game, and the idea of sharing new plays with each other. Once Alberta mentioned the time, I looked down at my watch.

"Christian is waiting for me." I said. "He promised to attend the bonfire with me."

Dimitri gave me a hug, one that was bigger than any others before promising to catch up with me later. I said my goodbye's to the other Guardians as well as I left to meet Christian outside of the lounge. He was waiting patiently when I exited the building, and again was thrilled to see me. I kissed him, and meant only to be quick, but as he put his hand to my back, a long thrill of ecstasy ran through me. He deepened the kiss, holding me close until we were interrupted by clearing throats. Alberta stood in the doorway, ready to take a hose to us.

"Sorry." I said. "He was congratulating me."

She gave an eyebrow lift, and went on her way. Christian and I began our walk to the larger field where the bonfire was being staged. We weren't late for the festivities, but the area was already packed with students. The huge pile of wood was burning high and bright. We moved together, hand-in-hand around a few groups of friends.

I spotted Jesse and his friends in a small group off to my right. I knew he was watching. He wasn't exactly discreet about his fascination with the girl he had no hope of claiming. He scrutinized every move that Christian and I made, but it made no difference to me. I gained a small sense of satisfaction knowing that I could regain some shred of control over my personal life. I was not ready to run from this overindulged privileged Moroi. I was going to be a Guardian, and that meant courage under, over, in, and out of the fire. Two drama loving Moroi could not scare me into submission. Christian bent down to whisper something in my ear before disappearing for a short time. Once he was into the larger crowd, I caught Jesse's eye, making sure he knew to follow me as I walked out of the crowded area.

"Amazing game tonight." He was at my right side in a matter of moments.

"Walk with me." I stated. "I'd like to talk."

"Okay, where are we…"

I lifted my hand to him. "What I meant to say, was that I am going to talk. You follow and listen. Doing as I ask may surprisingly result in you getting what you want." I led him all the way over to where the Moroi royal dorms were located, staying outside to sit.

Was I honestly going through with this plan? Was I going to let Jesse claim what he wanted, just to prove a point? If it made all of this go away, then yes. I would do what I needed to do. I wondered though, if Christian had been right. Was I taking things too far?

Jesse stood over me, his arms crossed, staying silent. He looked impatient, making me want to test his staying power. On the other hand, I wanted to get this over with.

"I had intended on using what you really want from me against you. I still can. I could easily turn the tables and destroy what you've done to me and Mason."

"Mason has clearly moved on." Jesse viciously said.

I stood, facing him head on now. "That is the reason I am here, and the only reason I am willing to do this."

"What exactly are you doing?" He was stoic. Nothing showed in his face or body language. "What is your plan?"

I stepped closer to him, one hand pulling him in closer, the other resting on his chest. I knew that if I could seduce Christian, who'd been so distrusting of me at one time, I could sure as hell bring Jesse Zeklos to his knees. Jesse looked positively enthralled in what I might have in mind. Slowly, I slid my hand upward around the back of his neck.

"My plan is to give you what you want." I held back my contempt as Jese grinned.

"What is it you think I want Bellamy?"

"Me." I informed him. "Or rather, my blood."

He leaned down, so close to kissing me, but I leaned back for another moment.

"Christian is the only other Moroi I've kissed. I'm still not used to the fangs."

He nodded. "I'll be careful." He kissed me, and it was so different than kissing Christian or Mason.

When I leaned back again, Jesse was happier, but he still had no intention of giving up the game.

"I had high expectations of your kissing." He spoke. "You've certainly met them. But," he took a single step back, "One kiss will not gain much more than my appreciation."

Now I smiled. "I know."

Jesse's hand was still rested on my hip, so I took it, removing it, and holding it low.

"I'm still not going to that disgusting excuse for a party, but we can come to an agreement."

His entire demeanor changed, and he dropped my hand. "What changed your mind? What's the game this time?" He was justifiably skeptical.

"Mason." I revealed. "This will devastate him."

He clearly believed me, since he also believed that Mason and I were finished, and that Mason had moved on.

"Let's talk." Jesse went to open the door to the men's Moroi lobby.

I had to force myself to go on, taking a step forward. He took my hand again, leading me inside, and sneaking me by the woman who sat at the front desk. We quickly walked up a spiral staircase, and down a short hallway. Jesse shared a room with Aaron Szlesky. Their common living area was crowded with too much stuff. They had a couch on one side that look as though it were a recent purchase. Books and papers for school were stacked or scattered on the couch. Jessse moved them out of his way. He sat down, indicating for me to do the same. Holding his hand out, he pulled me down to him as soon as I took it. I was positioned on his lap as I had been on Christian's. Jesse began to kiss my neck before the blur of Moroi endorphins clouded everything after that. I don't know how much time had gone by, but I heard angry voices shouting, and then I saw Christian's face once before I passed out.

CHRISTIAN:

Bellamy was being careless again. She was playing a dangerous game with Jesse. She was taking her life into her hands, and placing it willing into Jesse's. I did not agree with her plan. How could I? If Mason had known how far she was willing to go, he would've stood against it too. Neither of us wanted Bellamy anywhere near this asshole. We were in full agreement on that point. I did not want her kissing Jesse, and I DID NOT want her allowing him to bite her. Bellamy didn't want these things either, but she unfortunately saw no other option than to finally cave to his demands. After the amazing night she and I spent together, I made a strict point to change a major piece of her plan. I was going to follow her and Jesse. I did not trust him. I was one of a few Moroi who could walk the campus without being noticed. If or when Jesse fed from her, I would step in to retrieve Bellamy.

She and I separated at the bonfire, allowing her to lead Jesse away from others. I kept my distance, but could still keep my eyes on Bellamy the entire way to the royal dorms. I looked away, unable to watch her actually go through with kissing Jesse. It was usually hard enough to see her kissing Mason. I cast my eyes down to the concrete until I was sure they were separated again. They talked awhile longer before Jesse led her into the lobby. This dangerous game was about to get worse. Getting from where I stood to where Bellamy was taken would be my first hurdle. The second would be seeing Jesse feeding from her. Her blood was special and addictive. I knew that first hand, so if he could not stop, it would turn disastrous.

I'm sure it was unintentional, but Bellamy left a path for me to follow. Her perfume was always able to intoxicate my senses in the best ways. If she were wearing it, I could find her blind. She had climbed to the top floor where Jesse's dorm was. Under the circumstances, I would've been totally ready to break down the door in order to get in, but it was still unlocked. When I entered through, I let my emotions get the better of me. Jesse was definitely feeding from Bellamy, and she was so far gone on the magic and adrenaline from his bite. I snapped, rushing Jesse, and throwing him off of her. He snapped from his own high from Bellamy's blood.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing!?" I yelled, hoping a passing Guardian might hear me.

I knelt down to where Bellamy was laying helpless. My hand pressed gently to her cheek.

"Christian." She said my name.

All I wanted to do was pick her up and run, but the royal prick at my back was making it difficult.

"She asked me to bite her."

I stood, turned, and immediately swung at him. I missed, but backed him off.

"You stay away from Bellamy." I warned. "You come near her, and no Guardian will stop what I do to you." My voice sunk to that low growling pitch. Jesse took a few steps back. I picked Bellamy up into my arms, and got her as far away from this situation as I could. The usual front desk staff was gone, so I searched for a Guardian, any Guardian I could find. Things were about to get much more complicated.

"Guardian Petrov!" I shouted across the outside quad area. She was walking on the opposite side, but spun instantly, seeing me carrying my friend out of the lobby doors.

She ran to us, calling out an order to others on the two-way radio clipped to the shoulder of her uniform.

"What happened?" She questioned me. "I thought you two were going to the bonfire."

"We were at the bonfire, but she disappeared when I went to get her a bottle of water. Mason Ashford saw her talking to Jesse Zeklos, so I searched for her. Someone saw them walking to the dorms, and I found him feeding from her."

Alberta's head shot up, staring blankly at me. "Bellamy wouldn't permit Moroi to feed from her."

"Not willingly." I added. I held her in my arms protectively. She probably hadn't planned to pass out. Jesse had taken too much of her blood. "Stay with me Bells."