Chapter 25

Adrianna POV

It was the last week of the senior novice field experience where they spend six weeks protecting the Moroi the get paired with, with only having Sunday's free. Normally I enjoyed watching the fights that broke out between the novices and the guardians, it gave me an idea of what everyone was like and where I should be up to at that point next year but ever since I had been told by Nikolaus that I may not even get to participate next year I had been avoiding public areas.

After the session where Nikolaus literally beat the shit out of me I had been dreading going to my sessions, I had skipped the ones that were the next day due to the amount of pain I was in. I had half expected him to come and find me and drag me to our sessions but he didn't, in fact I didn't see him for a few days. I finally gave in and decided to turn up for my sessions with the only incentive was that I wanted to graduate with my friends next year.

When I entered the gym I found Nikolaus laying on the floor staring at the ceiling, I walked over and stood in front of him raising an eyebrow.

"I didn't know the ceiling was that interesting" it was then I noticed the cut on his eyebrow, he must have gotten into a fight with a senior earlier.

"Just trying to clear my head, listen about the other day"

"Which day? Oh you mean the one where you beat the living shit out of me" I took a seat beside him and he sat up and looked at me.

"Yes that day, I'm really sorry for doing that. I don't know what came over me" I frowned at him

"Seriously that's the reason I get for why I got beat up by you? Guardians rarely turn on each other, we are taught to protect each other as well as the Moroi. I get that I'm behind and obviously now I know you have been lying to me about how far behind I am"

"Dri I'm really sorry, I truly am" we were sitting there on the floor facing each other, one of his arms moved and it almost seemed like he was going to reach out and stroke my cheek but at the last minute he caught himself and stretched his arms out. "I honestly don't know what happened but I'm truly sorry for what happened. You may be behind the level I'm at but as you said I have five years on you and your friends, you aren't that far behind your friends. Enough that it will be tough to catch up but I believe you can do it" I didn't say anything, I just stood up and started warming up for training.

It was because of this field experience that it was a regular occurrence when I walked into the gym and found someone other than Nikolaus in there to train me for my private session, what did surprise me today was seeing Dimitri waiting for me.

Rose had told me that when she arrived at the gym for her sessions with Dimitri he would also be on the floor reading one of the western novels he loved so much and that were what he was doing but the gym was set up differently. More training mats had been placed on the ground to give a larger area for sparring.

"This is a surprise" I spoke as I walked over to him, he looked up from his book.

"Anastas is doing one of his Strigoi rounds"

"I know, I have regularly been coming in here to find someone other than him to train me. Seeing you in here is the surprise"

"Christian had something to take care of and I had to come with him but since I don't need to be watching him all the time I offered to take your session when I heard Anastas and Alberta talking about it"

"Fair enough, so what are you doing with me?"

"I'm putting you completely on the defensive, I will attack you and you have to block them. No offensive attacks what so ever"

"That's cruel and unusual punishment" I frowned at him, Nikolaus had never done this sort of stuff with me well except for when he beat me up but it's different, we didn't talk about it and neither did my friends. Jeremy was worried it would happen again but I assured him otherwise.

"It can be useful, if you're guarding in a pair or group and you are the one with the Moroi between you and a wall defending is the only thing you can do until the other guardians can help you"

"I know it makes sense in theory, it just doesn't make sense for training"

"I don't care if you think it makes sense, it's what we're doing"

"Fine" I frowned at him as I placed my bag and began my warm up stretches. When I was finished I went and stood on the mats waiting for him to join me.

When the session was almost finished my body was sore, I had taken several hits from Dimitri but I powered through mainly because I knew if I focused I could dodge and block the attacks. I was faster and smaller than him giving me a slight advantage but his experience was what got the better of me. He would send to punch one after another only giving me enough time to dodge or block the first one and miss the second one.

I heard the doors open but I didn't take my focus away from Dimitri, I just assumed it would be Nikolaus coming to see how the session was going but then I heard the conversation.

"This is one of the novice's training gyms. This is primarily used for conditioning training while the other one is combat training"

"Then how come those two are doing combat training in here?" the voice sounded familiar but I couldn't place it, I knew the first one belonged to one of the administration ladies.

"The novice has private training sessions with a guardian to try and catch up to the same level of her classmates, she is a special case. Is there anything else you would like see?"

"No thank you, I think I've seen everything I've needed too"

"Excellent would you like me to show you back to the guest housing?"

"No it's fine I'm sure I can find my way back and if not I can always ask someone" I had still yet to turn around and see who was watching my session with Dimitri he wasn't moving around so I couldn't either

"Very well" I heard footsteps walk away before hearing the door opening and closing again

I had no idea if both people left or not but I was finally able to move my position and see the door and I was shocked at who I found standing there watching us, I was so shocked I didn't even attempt to try and block Dimitri's punch that it connected with my shoulder making me lose my balance and stagger backwards.

"Adrianna how nice it is to see you again after all this time" it was Michael that was standing there watching us, I couldn't believe he found me. Here of all places but was even more of a shock was that he was a Moroi. I didn't know what to say, I knew what I wanted to say but Dimitri would have something to say about that. I also knew I wanted to jump him and beat him up for everything he did to me but Dimitri would stop me before I was satisfied.

"I'm Guardian Belikov, how do you know Adrianna?"

"Nice to meet you, I'm Michael Voda. Adrianna and I go way back" Oh great the asshole was a fucking royal.

"You could say that, is our session finished? I should get my shoulder looked at" I looked at Dimitri and he looked at me with the concern he always had for me these days. Him and Rose couldn't physically have children together but neither had the heart to have a child with a Moroi so they had sort of adopted me and helped me when I had questions about guardian training.

"I expected you to block the punch, I didn't mean to hit you that hard"

"It's fine, if it's that bad I'm sure dad will fix it"

"I must say Adrianna, when I was told you had a boyfriend I didn't expect him to be this old" I snapped my head around and stared at him, I didn't even get to see Dimitri's reaction to the comment. Where did he hear I had a boyfriend?

"He isn't my boyfriend and where the hell did you hear that?"

"Adrianna don't speak to him like that" I ignored Dimitri's comment and continued to stare at Michael, I knew a glare would cause more yelling from Dimitri. There was a way you had to act around royals and I was on the verge of getting in trouble for the wrong behaviour

"I heard it from Jason" that threw my anger over the edge, why would Jason tell him that sort of information. I didn't say anything I just grabbed my bag and stormed out of the gym, I didn't even head for the hospital I head straight to the novice dorms in hopes that Nikolaus had returned.

When I got to the novice dorm I head straight for the reception desk and demanded they ring Nikolaus get him to come down here. The guardians had their own floor and the novices didn't have access to their floor but the reception was able to ring them when there was an emergency.

I was pacing in the entrance when Nikolaus finally came down stairs, he walked over to me and stood there hoping I would speak first but I couldn't, I was too angry.

"What's going on?" him finally speaking made me stop pacing, I turned and faced him.

"I trusted you! You told me he couldn't find me here but guess what he fucking did and you know what makes it worse he's a fucking Voda!" I spoke as loud as I could without getting attention from the few people in here

"Who are you talking about?"

"Michael, he's fucking here. He's a fucking Moroi and not just a nobody Moroi either he's a fucking Voda. He made some crack about Dimitri being my boyfriend but he assumed he would be younger or some shit because Jason told him I had a fucking boyfriend, which if you remember Jason assumes is you"

"Come on" Nikolaus grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the back staircase that wasn't used anymore. "Sit down" I sat on the step and he took a seat next to me.

"You told me he couldn't find me here" I wasn't yelling anymore, I wasn't angry anymore, I was just scared. I was scared for what would happen now that he had found me.

"When I assumed he was human, it could explain why Jason was so bent on finding out where you were. Michael could have compelled him to find out using any means necessary. Since Michael is a Moroi he would had have known you were a dhampir, if Jason told him he saw you near Montana he would have realised that meant here Dri"

"But what does he want with me, surely he would have realised I could defend myself better now. He kicked me out when I started to defend myself"

"I honestly don't know Dri but I promise I won't let him hurt you again, I'm not the only one. I'm sure Emily, Stefan and Jeremy will all protect you" Nikolaus put an arm around me and I leaned into him. Just like after the attack with Jason a few weeks ago, I felt safer in Nikolaus' arms and all of a sudden the tears started falling. I didn't want to seem weak in front of him but I couldn't stop them. I didn't even pull away when the doors opened but I'm glad it was only Dimitri and not another teacher.

"All this time you have both keep trying to convince Adrian nothing is going on and I witness this?" Dimitri shook his head at us without even taking a good look at me, so much for being a great guardian

"Dimitri..." I spoke softly and looked over at him causing him to look my way and he finally realised I had been crying

"What's wrong?" having Michael here made me wonder how many times I was going to have to tell the story.

"If I tell him I'm going to have to tell dad, he won't keep this secret, especially from Rose" I turned and looked at Nikolaus, hoping he could tell me otherwise but I knew I would eventually have to tell dad.

"You know you would have had to tell your dad eventually, you were able to tell your friends" I pulled away from him, rested my elbows on my knees and then pressed my face into my hands to try and stop the tears that were still fighting their way out.

"Seriously someone tell me what is going on before I get Adrian"

"Dri maybe we should go find Adrian and tell him now before something happens" I looked up at Nikolaus, the tears had finally stopped and I was angry again.

"Like what him finding me in the gym and accusing me of dating him, come on he's old" I swang my hand in Dimitri's direction not even caring if he was offended by my comment

"That's not what I meant and you know it, what if he finds Adrian first?" he had a point, I didn't have any idea what he would tell dad.

I didn't say anything to either of them I just stood up and left the stairwell and headed outside. I could hear the two of walking behind me, I just continued making my way towards where dad's suite was. I had the tiniest bit of courage to do this now and I had to before it went away. I didn't know when or if I would have it again and I hoped this would be the last time I would have to tell the story, I hoped dad would tell Ellie and Dimitri would tell Rose.

Normally students weren't allowed to be in the Adult Moroi housing but since dad was living in here I got a pass but I wasn't allowed to abuse it. I didn't even knock on dads door when I made it to his suite, I just opened it and walked in and I was shocked, I sure as hell didn't expect Michael to already be in here. I still had the urge to punch him in the face but I knew having both Nikolaus and Dimitri here they would stop me, once Nikolaus knew who he was I don't know if he would still hold me back. Who knew maybe they would have to dad back as well.

I stopped not far after entering dads room and the sound of the closing door attracted their attention. Dad looked confused as to why I was here and I couldn't even look at Michael, the urge wouldn't go away no matter how hard I tried so I had to try even harder to not move from my spot and punch him.

"Adrianna how nice it is to see you twice in one day, how's the shoulder?" Michael spoke with a shitty fake smile on his face. I could see a hint of his fangs, I tried to think back on any of the signs from when I was living with him but I couldn't think of anything

"Oh you have already met Adrianna, she's the daughter I was telling you about"

"I have Adrian, when I was getting the tour she was in the gym training with Belikov" I looked over at Nikolaus and hoped he would connect the dots and not make me tell him that that was Michael. He must have connected the dots because at some point he stepped in front of me, like he was protecting me.

"Oh this must be the boyfriend I confused Belikov with, I'm sorry Adrianna. This one seems more like your taste"

"Boyfriend? I thought you were dating Jeremy?" great, just great. I knew dad would be annoyed at this I just hoped he would believe me over some royal that he most likely related too...which meant I was also related too. Today was just getting worse and worse.

"I am dad, he doesn't know what he's talking about. Dad I need to talk to you about something, can you kick him out please" I looked around Nikolaus at dad with pleading eyes, as much as I hated being weak I hoped it looked like I had been crying so dad would get the hint.

"Yes of course, Michael we can continue our conversation another time. It was nice meeting you" thank god dad got the hint. Michael said goodbye to us and as he made his way to the door Nikolaus moved us both around so Michael couldn't get anywhere near me. When he was out the door dad turned on us and really took in how Nikolaus and I were standing.

"If you're dating Jeremy explain this" I stepped out from behind Nikolaus, I didn't know if I had the courage to do this anymore but I had too. I needed dad to be on my side, I needed him to believe me and I needed him to keep Michael away from me.

"Can I tell you what I want to tell you and then if you still don't understand then I will explain?"

"You will explain why Anastas was standing like that and why I had to kick Michael Voda out of my suite?"

"I will, Dimitri you need to hear this as well" we all went and sat on the couch.

A/N: So there it is, another bit of information about Michael and for those of you who questioned, why Jason tried so hard to find out where Dri was living. Michael is a Moroi, it may explain why Jason said Dri was special but as long as you can think why Dri would be special to Michael.

Thank you everyone for reading, reviewing and setting alerts!