Notes: This is a re-upload, I split the chapter to make it a bit easier to read.

THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS-1

Contains dialogue and scenes from Spirit Bound.

July, 2010

Rated- MATURE- violence, themes, and sexual content

Third Person POV- Multiple

"You wanted to stage a revolution - still want to. That's crazy. It's not going to happen," I said.

"It's already happening. Do you think I don't know what's going on out in the world? I still have contacts. People can be bought off - how do you think I was able to send you that message? I know about the unrest - I know about Natasha Ozera's movement to get Moroi to fight with guardians. You stand by her and vilify me, Rosemarie, but I pushed for the very same thing last fall. Yet, somehow, you don't seem to regard her in the same way."

"Tasha Ozera is working on her cause a bit differently than you did," noted Dimitri.

"And that's why she's getting nowhere," Victor retorted. "Tatiana and her council are being held back by centuries of archaic traditions. So long as that sort of power rules us, nothing will change. We will never learn to fight. Non-royal Moroi will never have a voice. Dhampirs like you will continually be sent out to battle."

-Rose, Victor, and Dimitri talk, Shadow Kiss, Chapter 13

Tasha

-I miss you already-

Tasha Ozera smiled at the text on her cellphone. It was nice to be wanted. Ethan Moore was a nice enough guy. He was good looking. He was relatively interesting. He wasn't bad in bed. And, most importantly, he had access to places at court which were out of bounds to non-guardians. Tasha wasn't certain when she would need to use his access, but at least she had that door open to her if the need arose.

-I miss you too. I'll see you when I get back to court.-

She closed her phone, slipping it into a pocket. With a final look at the mirror, she left her room in guest housing at St. Vladimir's Academy. She walked to the arena where the novice guardians were about to start their trials. She found Christian in the stadium and took a seat beside him. She noticed Vasilisa entering across the stands. Lissa seated herself beside Adrian Ivashkov and an older Moroi man who wore a bright green scarf.

"Do you know who the man talking to Adrian Ivashkov is?"

Christian glanced over and shrugged. "No idea, but he was talking to Rose's mom earlier."

She studied the man and the way he spoke to Adrian. "I think he might be Rose's father."

"What?" Christian turned to her, startled.

"She looks like him, and he looks like he is interrogating Adrian. You did say that Adrian and Rose are dating."

Christian studied them for a while. "You may be right. I'm sure if he's Rose's dad we'll find out later. Her mom invited us to Rose's graduation party."

Tasha smiled. "I'm glad that she's graduating. When you said that she dropped out the other month, right after the attack, I thought she might stay rogue."

"We all did. Well, it was that or she would get herself killed."

"Do you know if she found him, Dimitri?"

Christian shifted in his seat. He looked out at the obstacle course on the field. "Yeah," he admitted. "But, she didn't kill him."

Though they were sitting in the warmth of the summer sun, Tasha shivered. "Do you think she gave up?"

Christian shot her an incredulous look. "You're kidding right? I don't know what happened in Russia. Rose won't talk about it, and I'm not going to ask. Honestly if I tried, she'd start in on me about Lissa. Rose and I have an understanding- we don't talk about Russia or Lissa. All I know is that she went to kill him and she failed. She promised her mom that she'd graduate, and now that she has, I'm willing to bet that she will try to kill him again one day."

Tasha nodded. She thought back to Christian's calls after the school had been attacked. She had been relieved that Christian was safe. She had been impressed that he had fought Strigoi. She had been even more impressed that the school had performed a rescue and had used Moroi in that rescue. But Dimitri's loss had been hard.

No matter how angry Tasha had been with Dimitri after the way he had treated her at the beginning of the year, she had still cared about him. Part of her would always love him. But she had never once considered searching for him after he had been turned Strigoi. She had mourned his loss, and chose to ignore the fact that he was out there in the world as a monster. She couldn't bear the thought of Dimitri with red eyes, death white skin, and fangs.

Tasha turned her attention to the course where the novices entered into their trials one at a time. Some performed passably. Most were good. A few were very good. Then there was Rose, she wasn't like anyone else. She wasn't a person. She was a weapon. Rose fought with a skill and determination that Tasha had only seen in one other person- Dimitri. When Rose finished, the cheers of the audience were deafening. Rose was the only novice to be given a standing ovation.

Later that day, Tasha and Christian attended Rose's graduation party. They learned that the man who had sat beside Adrian was indeed Rose's father. To Tasha's surprise, she had heard of him, multiple times. Ibrahim Mazur was very well known for being involved in activities which were... questionable. Even so, Tasha enjoyed talking to him. Abe was charming and very funny. Tasha was beginning to understand what had drawn Janine Hathaway to him.

Breaking away from Abe, Tasha walked over to Rose. Christian and Jill Mastrano had just walked away. Tasha had seen the unhappy glances that Christian and Lissa had been giving one another. That was a relationship which needed to be fixed. Beyond the fact that they clearly adored one another, their match was very useful.

With a shake of her head, Tasha addressed Rose. "When are you going to fix that? Those two need to be back together."

"I know that. You know that. But they can't seem to get it through their heads."

"Well, you'd better get on it. If Christian goes to college across the country, it'll be too late." Christian had no interest in college, but had threatened to go somewhere in California if Tasha insisted that they stay at court.

Rose seemed just as exasperated by Christian and Lissa as Tasha. "I know, but why am I the one who has to fix it?"

Smiling, Tasha told her the truth. "Because you're the only one forceful enough to make them see reason."

Rose gave a half nod, but was looking into the crowd, distracted. She groaned. "He's unstoppable."

Confused, Tasha turned her gaze to where Rose was looking- at her parents. "Abe? He's actually pretty charming."

Rose groaned again and excused herself. Tasha was amused by Rose's discomfort. She was also amused by Rose breaking apart her parents. She wisely decided against ever mentioning to Rose that Adrian and Abe were very similar when it came to flirting with every pretty woman they saw.

The following day was the Moroi graduation. Tasha watched with pride as Christian walked across the stage and was given his diploma. She was proud of the man he had grown up to be. She knew that he would be a better man than Lucas and Moira could ever have expected.

A few days after the graduation ceremonies, Tasha and Christian arrived at court. They were housed separately, which worked for both of them. They could have shared a guest apartment, but she respected that he was an adult who wanted his own place. Having her own place also made meeting her contacts easier. She didn't want Christian to see all of her associates.

Tasha had many associates throughout the Moroi world, from every class of people. Some were well respected while others were very, very dangerous. She made certain that her circles never interacted, which was quite the balancing act while at court.

There were many levels of dissent within the Moroi world and Tasha Ozera was acquainted with all of them. Her activist group was the most outspoken and contained a mixture of Moroi from various classes in their society. They were tolerated at court and in most parts of Moroi society. Karina Conta-Ivashkov was one of Tasha's most valuable allies. She an active member of Tasha's inner circle and she interacted with the highest circles of Moroi society.

Then there were the quietly dissenting royals, those whose influence and support varied. Sometimes these were very useful, like Lissa. Some were less useful, like Karina's sister Alexandra. There were also supportive dhampirs, which included many guardians- like Janine Hathaway and formerly Dimitri Belikov.

The last were the outcasts- Moroi and dhampirs who were no longer accepted into the mainstream of their world. Many were considered dangerous, though most were normal people who blended into the human world. Few outcasts had power, but most were able to pick up and pass on secrets.

While some of Tasha's associations were well known, she had several contacts whose ties with her remained a closely guarded secret.

One such associate was James Walters. He was an outcast from Moroi society- a dangerous one. He had been born into a poor Moroi family in Chicago. Needing money, he found himself drawn into the world of drugs and blood whores. He worked in that arena for many years, until he crossed the wrong person. His hand was maimed as a punishment. He and Tasha first met in Chicago several years past, after which she employed him from time to time as a bodyguard.

She ensured that they were never seen together at court, but she always made certain that he was at court whenever she was. He was obedient because she paid him well. He was at court now, though she didn't plan to meet with him anytime soon.

Tasha was at a café, waiting for Ethan Moore, when another clandestine associate made herself known. Olivia Bishop walked to the table where Tasha was seated, placed a folded piece of paper in front of Tasha, and walked away. Tasha quickly unfolded the paper, read it, and looked at Olivia. Their eyes met briefly. Tasha gave a quick nod of her head. Olivia disappeared out the door without a word.

Tasha shoved the note into a pocket and sipped her coffee. Olivia wanted to meet in an hour. Tasha took a bite of her scone. Keeping her allies apart was exhausting, but no one could know that Olivia passed information to Tasha.

Olivia Bishop was an asset, a terrifying asset. Few things frightened Tasha Ozera, one of them was Olivia. She was probably Tasha's most valuable contact. Olivia was nearly forty, and had been a royal guardian for over a decade. At first glance, Olivia was an ordinary middle-aged guardian. Yet there was something off about her, something cold. Tasha was fairly certain that the older woman was going to snap one day.

All guardians were trained to be formal, stoic, and reserved. Some guardians were very intimidating, but also able to be warm and companionable. Then there was the small number of guardians who were simply hollow inside- often from having seen too much.

Olivia was one of the ones who had seen too much. Two years after being assigned as a royal guardian, her twin brother Travis had committed suicide. He had spiraled into depression and drinking after a horrific Strigoi battle. Unable to cope, one day he shot himself in the head to end the pain. Olivia had found his body.

Ethan arrived before Tasha could overthink the note and upcoming meeting. He adored her, it was obvious in his every look and word. She enjoyed his attention, and did like him well enough. They chatted amiably for the hour until Tasha had to meet with Olivia.

"I have someone to catch up with," she told him, "but if you're free tonight, you can come over after Christian leaves. He and I are supposed to have dinner together."

"I'd love to," he said, a broad smile lighting up his face.

She smiled at him as they stood. He was so easy to have a relationship with, maybe that is why she found it boring. She was beginning to believe that only challenges kept her interest. Still, Ethan was sweet and useful. He cleaned up their table and walked with her to the door. She knew that he would have kissed her, if she had allowed. She didn't want any public displays of affection. He gave her a smile when they parted, one full of affection, which she returned.

Tasha walked across court to one of the oldest sections of the vast property. Near the wards was an old, ruinous building. The stone building only had half a roof and was covered in moss. She found Olivia there, leaning against a wall, whittling a stick with a knife.

"What news do you have," Tasha asked as soon as she entered the ruin.

Olivia looked up, smiling. Her smile always unnerved Tasha. "The council is planning to vote on a new law, very soon."

"What's the law?"

She threw the stick away, snapping her knife shut. "I don't know. Tatiana keeps Guardians Taylor and Douglas close, and neither of them share with me. I don't think they know much anyway since the council keeps having meetings without any guardians present. All I know is that it's controversial and a follow up to the Badica, Drozdov, and St. Vladimir's attacks. When I know more, I'll let you know."

Tasha nodded. "Guardians Taylor and Douglas are the guardians assigned to Princess Dragomir, aren't they?"

"Yep. Tatiana wants to groom the princess as her protégé. I thought you were trying the same thing?"

"Have no fear. I have ways of keeping the princess in my favor."

"Oh?"

Tasha gave the older woman a sly smile. "You don't expect me to show all my cards, do you?"

"Fine. Well, that's all I have. Scott will probably give you an update next time. I can't be seen with you."

"I know," Tasha agreed.

She wasn't surprised that Olivia would send a message via Scott Harding. Scott was Olivia's younger, Moroi, half-brother. He was less unnerving than Olivia, but just as cold. He had killed before, and not just Strigoi. Like James Walters, Scott had been involved in many illicit activities. Outwardly reformed, Scott had obtained a maintenance position at court to be closer to Olivia.

With a nod, Olivia walked away.

A new law, now that was an interesting bit of news. She wondered what the law could possibly be.

Tasha walked back to court, making her way to the permanent residences. She rang the bell of a house she knew well. Daron, the housekeeper, answered the door. "Welcome, Lady Ozera. Lady Karina is in the nursery."

Tasha followed Daron from the entryway to the small nursery on the second floor. Karina was kneeling on the floor, encouraging her seven-month-old daughter to crawl toward her. The baby was attempting a half-crawl half-walk, pulling herself along a settee. "Come on little Elisa, soon you will be walking."

"They grow so fast," Tasha said, smiling.

Looking up, Karina gave a delighted laugh. "You're finally here!" She looked back at her daughter. "They do grow up fast. Soon she'll be a year old."

"Wasn't she born in December?"

"Yes, and you know how fast time passes. Your Christian just graduated from school! Dakota will be starting school next year, and Shawn the year after that." She sighed wistfully. "They all grow up too fast."

Tasha knelt beside Karina. "They do. Where are your sons?"

"Over at Nolan's sister's. They will be spending the night, which means that Nolan and I will have the place nearly child free for the night." She sighed contentedly, picking up Elisa.

"You and Nolan don't often have time alone do you?"

Karina shook her head. "No, not with three children, our jobs, and royal functions. Having staff helps, of course, but there is always something going on. You know how it is."

"I do," she agreed. Tasha had been at court half a day and had already met with three different people, planned to have dinner with her nephew, and later spend time with Ethan. She had many meetings scheduled over the next few weeks, and wondered if she could balance it all. "Is Nolan working?"

Karina shook her head. "Royal work, not real work. He's meeting with leaders from various branches of the Ivashkov clan. Sometimes I wonder why I married into the Ivashkovs."

"You fell in love."

Karina grinned at her daughter, bouncing Elisa on her lap. "I did, little one. I fell in love with your father."

"Do you think you'll have more children?"

"We're not ruling it out. I'm used to having a big family. My father is one of seven children, and he's managed to have eleven of us."

Tasha's eyes widened. "Eleven?"

Karina looked over at her, a wry smile on her lips. "Alexa and I with our mother. Then Luda with Yana. Then Tristan, Abigail, Patrick, Sophia, and Christopher with Maria. Apparently he had an on and off affair with a dhampir named Shannon and had three other children- Kristen, Lydia, and Jonathan."

Words escaped Tasha. Karina's family was complicated- very, very complicated. "When did you find out about your dhampir half-siblings?"

"Earlier this year. Father decided to pull all of my younger brothers and sisters from their schools after the attack at St. Vladimir's."

"Were any of them there?"

"No. Maria's kids were in California and Shannon's kids were in Quebec. But after that attack... he wanted all of his kids to be close. Alexa pulled her sons out for the rest of the school year as well. So they were all privately tutored together since March."

Tasha shook her head- ten children under one roof. "How does your step-mother feel about the mistress and her children?"

Karina grimaced, but kept her tone light so that she wouldn't upset the baby. "Apparently they had a huge fight, but now they all live in the same house."

"All of them?"

"Yep, well Alexa comes and goes on business. My father's wife and his mistress are housed on opposite ends of the estate. They don't interact. The kids are all awkwardly adjusting to one another. They're all going to go to the school in Quebec this coming school year."

"Do you know where you will send your children?"

Karina shrugged. "We might send them to school with the family. It's hard to want to send the kids to an academy after what happened at St. Vladimir's."

"That was an isolated incident."

Wordless, Karina stood with her daughter, placed Elisa in her crib, and walked from the room. Tasha followed her. A servant entered the nursery as they walked away. They entered a lounge, where Karina sank onto a plush couch. Tears were falling down her cheeks.

"It scares me to think about what happened. To think that Dimka..." She choked on a sob. "Why him of all people? It would have been easier if he died. But to know that he was changed into one of them..."

Tasha sat beside Karina and embraced her. "I know. Believe me, I know."

Christian

Christian muttered several choice words under his breath once Rose and Lissa left Mia's house. He ran a hand through his hair. Then he scolded himself for being so upset about Lissa seeing him visit Mia. Mia was his friend. He didn't need an excuse to be here. He didn't need to feel embarrassed. Besides, he wasn't with Lissa, so it shouldn't matter.

"Why don't you two just make up?"

He looked at Mia, who had returned from shutting the front door. She was leaning against the wall, head cocked to the side, blonde curls spilling over one shoulder. The look in her eyes was very similar to the one Rose had been giving him for the last two months.

"Because she's unreasonable," he said through gritted teeth.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like I believe you're any more reasonable than her."

With a groan, he sank onto her couch. "I don't want to talk about it. Rose has been giving me crap about it since she returned from Russia. Jill, thankfully, hasn't said much about it. Aunt Tasha also keeps telling me to go make up with Lissa. I don't want to hear it from you too."

She threw her hands up in surrender. "Fine. So, why'd you come early?"

"Tasha wants us to have dinner together. She says it's the last time we'll be able to do the family tradition of having dinner at court after the school year ends, so we shouldn't break it."

Mia smiled, walking over to take a seat across from him. "That's sweet."

"Yeah, I guess. My grandparents started doing it for my dad and aunt when they were in school. Dad kept it up, and well, Tasha did after he died."

She nodded slowly. "It's good to keep family traditions."

He saw the shadow of sorrow in her eyes. "How are you and your dad doing?"

"Some days are better than others. It's not the big days that hurt, you know? I expected Mother's Day and our birthdays to be hard, and they were... but I saw it coming. It's all the other things that catch you by surprise. Sometimes I feel like I see her, but then I look again and it's not her, just some blonde woman." She fell silent, lost in thought.

"I know. It gets easier though, most days."

"Thanks. So, how did training go back at school?"

"Good. Rose taught me, Jill, and a few others how to do some basic fighting. The elemental work has been hit or miss. I know Aunt Tasha has friends who use all the elements offensively. I'll ask about water users for you and Jill."

"That would be great!"

They excitedly talked about fighting, with and without use of elemental magic, for the next hour. She showed him the moves she had learned at court. He showed her the moves he had learned at school. He left after making plans to practice again later that week.

From Mia's, Christian made his way across court to Tasha's guest apartment. He was very happy that their apartments were in different buildings. As much as he loved her, he needed his own space. She opened the door a minute after he knocked, greeting him with a brilliant smile.

He was also greeted by the smell of pizza. Pizza was the traditional "we're back at court" food. Christian had no complaints about this tradition; the pizza was always good.

They walked inside, moving toward the kitchen. "How was your day?"

"Good," he told her. "Mia and I were discussing everything we've learned about fighting. Do you know anyone who fights with water?"

They sat at the kitchen table. "Yes, Karina."

"Karina?"

"You've met her more than once. She was born a Conta and married an Ivashkov, has three children now... blonde hair, blue eyes..."

He thought a moment. "Yeah, I think I remember her. Do you think she could teach Mia some of her moves?"

"I'll be sure to ask when I see her again later this week."

"Awesome!" He picked up a slice of pizza and took a bite, reveling in the taste. "So, how was your day?"

She gave him a small smile. "Busy, but that's how it always is at court. In a few weeks, we can head home for a break."

"I'd like that."

A little while later, she gave him a sly smile. "They're letting me get a guardian."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think Tatiana hopes it will shut me up."

"Seriously," he scoffed. "You've been at this for nearly a decade. They really think that this will stop the movement?"

She shrugged. "They can try."

"Does this mean I can have a guardian?"

"I would assume so."

Grinning, Christian realized that having a guardian could be pretty cool. "We should get Eddie. He's really good, and he's a friend."

Tasha laughed. "Well at the luncheon tomorrow I'll put your name in for him if you don't want to go."

He shook his head. "Hang out all afternoon with snobby royals who act like dhampirs are cattle? No, thank you. You have someone in mind to ask for?"

She shifted in her seat. "Um, I'm going to ask for Rose."

"What? But she's..." He stopped, seeing the look in her eyes. "But she's supposed to be with Lissa, isn't she?"

"Christian, as wonderful as it would be for those two to stay together, Tatiana will never allow it. Rose has a bad reputation among the royals. Not to mention how much Tatiana dislikes Rose. At least if Rose is with us, she'll be wanted and able to be herself."

"Yeah, I guess." His eyes narrowed. "Are you asking for Rose in order to get me and Lissa back together?"

She laughed. "No."

"Ugh," he groaned. "You are. You think that if you get Rose, then Lissa and I will be around one another again because Rose and Lissa won't want to be apart. You wouldn't keep them apart. You'd stay here."

She looked down at her lap, and drew a deep breath. "You're overreacting. Yes, I would like to see you and Lissa back together. You were happy together. Wanting Rose to be my guardian isn't some scheme for you to get back with Lissa. You're friends with Rose, do you truly think that she would be happy with a traditional royal?"

He glowered at her for a long time. Reluctantly, he agreed with her. "No, she wouldn't be happy with a regular royal."

Tasha

One of the nice things about being an outcast who won't shut up, is that people are very willing to do things to shut you up- sometimes nice things. Nice things like giving you a guardian. Honestly, Tasha didn't need a guardian, but if it meant she could have Rose as her guardian, it was worth smiling prettily for the pompous royals.

Rose Hathaway was an asset. She was an incredible fighter. She didn't care for the system. Most importantly, she was Vasilisa Dragomir's closest friend. Now that Christian and Lissa's relationship was over- until they stopped being stubborn and actually talked to one another- Rose was the best way to access Lissa.

Tasha Ozera needed Lissa's voice in Moroi politics. And Tasha needed Rose in order to reach Lissa.

So Tasha went to the luncheon. She dressed nicely, though not ostentatiously. She put in her name for Rose and Christian's name for Eddie. Then she chatted with Rose, Lissa, and Adrian.

She enjoyed talking with Adrian Ivashkov. She had a feeling that a friendship with him could be beneficial. Granted, if she was given Rose as a guardian, the Ivashkov boy would be around for a while. However, Tasha had her doubts that Rose and Adrian's relationship would last very long. The two didn't seem to communicate well with one another.

After the luncheon, she sent her jewelry to Rose's room. She had no idea why the girl wanted the silver jewelry, but she didn't mind either. She wanted Rose as an ally, which meant that small favors were required.

She met with her cousin Ryan Ozera later in the day, catching up with bits of gossip from his circles of friends and acquaintances. His guardian, John Alwood, joined them after a while. They laughed together, as they had done so many times before.

"Where are your wife and kids?" Tasha asked Ryan.

"Out at the playground with a few other mothers and their children. Have you met the youngest?"

"Lyra?"

A smile lit his face. "Yes, she's the youngest."

"In February," she laughed. "All these children are shorting your memory. I worry that you and Karina are going to compete to see who can have the most."

Ryan snorted with laughter. "I'm already two ahead of her, though she did start later." He sighed, suddenly sad. "I miss them. Ivan and Dimitri," he clarified.

"I miss them too. We should get together with Karina and Nolan soon. It might not be the same as old times, but it's as close as we can get anymore."

He nodded. "You, me, Antonia, John, Karina, and Nolan, we could do that soon since we're all here at court."

John looked appraisingly at Ryan before turning his gaze on Tasha. "You see how I'm treated? My charge plans what parties I go to without my input."

They all laughed. "I planned my wife's involvement without her input either," Ryan defended.

In a similar way, they spent the next few hours. They joked, laughed, planned, and reminisced.

Tasha had a few more visits to make after visiting with Ryan. More contacts to talk with. More information to learn. She was happy to have Ethan distract her that evening.

They lay together in her bed. Tasha was on her stomach, enjoying the sensation of Ethan's fingers tracing the length of her spine. Her eyes landed upon his stake, which lay on the nightstand beside the bed. She took hold of it, feeling the cold weight in her hand.

"What are you going to do with that?" A soft smile played on his lips.

She turned, grinning at him. "I can think of a few... non-traditional uses for a stake." His eyes went wide at the innuendo. "Mostly I was wondering if you could teach me how to use one?"

"You want me to teach you how to stake?"

She shrugged, sliding her fingers along the length of the silver. She actually had some knowledge of staking, courtesy of her many guardian friends and acquaintances, but it had been awhile. Plus, the reactions she was provoking in him were priceless. "You know that I want to fight Strigoi. Why not learn how to stake them? Unless you don't want to teach me...?"

Face flushing, he stumbled over his answer. "Um, of course, of course I'll teach you."

Grinning, she moved toward him, kissing him, trailing the cold metal of the stake along his naked torso. He shivered against her. He was so, so easy to manipulate. She didn't even regret it. She enjoyed every single response she awoke in him.

She pressed the stake into his hand, curving his fingers around it. "Show me." Her voice was low, sultry.

He complied. He trailed the stake ever so gently along her torso, the sensation little more than a scratch, causing her breath to catch. He stopped, positioning the stake. "Here," he said. "From this angle, this is the easiest way to reach the heart."

Christian

The worst thing about having friends who do questionable things, is that you can figure out what they've done, even if you don't know why. Christian knew that Lissa, Rose, and Eddie were behind Victor Dashkov's breakout from prison. He had absolutely no idea why they had done it, but he knew it was them. Their disappearance to Vegas didn't change the fact that Christian knew the symptoms of strong spirit compulsion, and the fact that two human girls and a dhampir guy were accused of breaking Victor out of prison.

He would have kept it a secret from everyone if he hadn't been eating lunch with Tasha and Mia when the news broke. They were in Tasha's apartment, thankfully, so he was able to tell them his suspicions without anyone else knowing. They would keep the secret, though it didn't prevent their shock.

A few days later, when Rose and Eddie told Christian the reason why they had broken Victor out of prison, Christian was stunned. Was it really possible to restore Strigoi? It couldn't be... but some part of him hoped that maybe it was true. His thoughts wandered to his parents. He wished... he wished that they hadn't become Strigoi. He wished that they had seen him grow up. He wished that it was possible to prevent Strigoi from ever being made again.

He was glad that Lissa agreed to have him come with her on her Lehigh visit. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he was glad that he was able to spend time with her again. He missed her. Without her, nothing felt right.

Karina

Surprise council sessions are always intriguing. Granted, this one wasn't totally a surprise. Everyone, in certain circles, had known that there was a law being discussed behind closed doors. No matter how hard she tried to get information from her aunt, Karina Conta-Ivashkov had gotten nowhere. Her husband had been unable to learn anything from his family either. Honestly, what was the point of being well connected if no information came to you? Still, at least Karina and Nolan were always seated with the family councils during court meetings.

They sat together now, waiting for the surprise session to start. When it did, the fact that it was the second day of whatever the council was discussing didn't set anyone at ease. Karina watched as a young guardian, Rosemarie Hathaway, answered questions. Karina didn't understand the point of the questions, but she was impressed by the young woman. Only eighteen, but she had a considerable number of Strigoi kills.

After Rosemarie's questioning was finished, the council session was brought to an end.

"What was that about?" Karina whispered to Nolan.

He shook his head, looking around at the other royals. "No idea. I'll see if I can get anything out of my family."

"I'll speak to my aunt." They stood. Near the back of the room, Karina saw Tasha. "But not just now, you know how she is."

"Yes, I do." His tone was neutral, but she could see that he was mulling everything over in his mind. The council session had unnerved him.

They walked out of the room, where they were met by Tasha. The three of them walked from the building together, waiting to make conversation. Tasha was the first to speak. "Do either of you have any idea what that was about?"

They shook their heads. "We'll talk to our families to see if they know anything," Nolan said, "but there are no guarantees."

Tasha agreed. "I've heard rumors about an impending law, but none of my contacts seem to know anything concrete. I can't get anything out of my family council either."

"We can all keep trying," Karina said, trying to be positive. "Are we all still doing lunch later?"

Tasha gave her a smile. "Yes, I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Well, we'll catch up with you some more then," Nolan said. "We have a few errands to run first."

"Of course," Tasha replied.

When Tasha was gone, Karina gave her husband a sidelong glance. "You don't have to dismiss her so quickly you know."

He gave her a small smile. "Tasha Ozera is one reason your aunt doesn't tell you very much. Our movement would gain ground far faster if Tasha wasn't connected."

Drawing a deep breath, she sighed. "You're starting to sound like my sister."

"Did it ever occur to you that she's right?"

She stopped, giving him an exasperated look. "Of course I have, but Tasha is my friend. She's your friend too. She introduced us. She taught us to fight. Now you want us to steal away all of her contacts to progressive Moroi and abandon her."

"Because she hasn't accomplished anything. She's a bad leader. She's all talk and no action."

She threw up her hands in frustration, though she kept her voice low so that no one could overhear them. "And what action have we taken? We help dhampirs who don't want to be part of our society. We help Moroi who are poor and outcast. But we don't fight the Strigoi alongside our guardians."

He sighed, rubbing his eyes. "We shouldn't fight about this. I'm sorry."

She smiled at him. "You're just worried. It's ok." They continued walking again. When they were at their door, she sighed. "You're right."

"About?"

She turned to him, a sad smile on her lips. "Being Tasha's friend is a liability where politics are concerned, but I put my friends before politics."

He smiled, kissing her lightly. "I know you do, it's one of the things I love about you."

A few hours later, Karina and Nolan's home was filled with the laughter of friends and children. After lunch, the children were sent to a playroom to be watched by some of the house staff. Karina and Nolan Ivashkov, Ryan and Antonia Ozera, Tasha Ozera, and John Alwood gathered in a lounge, catching up with one another.

The last time they had all been in one place, Dimitri and Ivan had been with them. It was so strange for Karina, knowing that they were gone. Ivan, at least, was at rest. Dimitri... the thought of him being a Strigoi was too much to bear.

"What's wrong," Nolan murmured in her ear.

"I was just thinking about the people missing from our circle." Her voice was quiet, but the others overheard.

The mood shifted, the shadow of loss hanging over them all.

"We all miss them," John said. "They were dear friends."

They all murmured in agreement, feeling the loss of Ivan and Dimitri. They had all cared about Dimitri and Ivan, though the degree that Nolan cared about Ivan was questionable. Out of everyone in the room, Karina had known Ivan and Dimitri the best. Nolan squeezed her hand, comforting her. She loved him, and couldn't imagine life without her husband, but sometimes she wondered if her friends might still be alive if she had stayed with Ivan. She didn't regret her choices, knowing that she and Ivan had not worked as a couple, but she did wonder. She still wondered if her sister would be alive if they had chosen to leave Moscow instead of staying. So many what ifs...

The conversation was muted for some time before picking up again. They talked about the council session earlier in the day, which none of them understood. They talked about their children, joking that Tasha should find someone soon so that she could join in the discussion. Tasha joked that she needed a break after raising her nephew.

Then, in the midst of their laughter, John and Tasha received calls on their phones. They both stiffened, color draining from their faces.

"What's wrong?" Ryan asked.

They looked at Tasha, waiting for her call to end. She swallowed hard when she got off her call. "Christian and Lissa have been taken captive by Strigoi. Priscilla Voda is dead. I'm to lead fire using Moroi fighters in a rescue attempt."

John nodded. "I've been ordered to accompany the mission."

Tasha

After sending out a mass text, Tasha began calling her contacts. By the time she and John arrived at the garages, a large number of guardians and some of the Moroi fighters were already gathered. Tasha saw Rose arrive with Guardian Hans Croft. Tonight, the person Tasha loved most and the person Rose loved most might both die. They seemed to share that thought as their eyes met.

Tasha and John were directed to one of the waiting SUVs, they entered, waiting for the rest. Tasha watched briefly as Adrian Ivashkov spoke to Rose. There was genuine affection between the two, though it only seemed to be affection, not love.

Rose eventually took the seat beside Tasha, though Rose seemed oblivious to everything.

Hans, in the driver's seat, seemed impatient with Rose. "You gonna be able to do this? We're counting on you."

Tasha squeezed Rose's arm, trying to comfort the girl.

Remarkably, Rose pulled herself together. "Head toward Lehigh. I'll direct you when we get closer."

They sat in silence punctuated by discussion of strategy. Everyone was focused on the battle ahead. Tasha noticed when Rose's focus drifted. She had never seen Rose entering Lissa's mind before, but she had heard it described. When Rose began trembling, blinking in terror, Tasha noticed.

"What did you see?"

Rose shook her head, looking away. "A nightmare, my worst nightmare coming true."

Tasha squeezed Rose's arm. "Are they..." She couldn't bring herself to ask.

Rose was shaking. "They're fine for now, bruised and tied to chairs, but otherwise unharmed." She closed her eyes, trying to center herself. When she opened her eyes, she looked at Tasha. Her voice was very low when she answered. "It's Dimitri."

Tasha had been holding back her terror, but now it spiked to the surface. Christian's life being in danger was hard to face, but this... she felt nauseous. She looked from Rose to John. Apparently he had heard.

"Dimitri Belikov?" John asked, a pleading note in his voice.

Rose nodded.

John swore under his breath, which summed up Tasha's feelings perfectly.

Tasha clasped Rose's hands tightly. She realized now why Lissa and Christian were alive. "It's a trap, isn't it?"

Rose nodded. "He wants to kill me."

Tasha took a deep breath, swallowing the bile in her throat. "We can do this. We'll get them out."

Rose nodded again, without confidence.

They lapsed into silence. The only discussion in the vehicle revolved around directions and strategy. Tasha forced herself to remain calm and emotionless. She couldn't allow herself to feel. She had to stay focused. Christian and Lissa would survive. Dimitri... Dimitri would be freed from the state of evil in which he was trapped.

She couldn't allow herself to think about Dimitri as he had been. Dimitri, who had been her friend. He had been the one to comfort her after Christian disappeared from the ski lodge. She had loved him, even though he hadn't loved her in return.

Every now and then, Rose would play with her stake, absent-mindedly running her fingers along its length. Tasha noticed the unusual design around the handle. It was a unique stake. She wondered where Rose had gotten it.

Tasha, the other fire users, and many guardians were assigned to the outside group. Tasha wished that she could be in the extraction team, but knew that fire in close quarters was extremely dangerous. John Alwood was also in the outside group, though he too had wished to fight inside.

The battle, when engaged, was fierce. All thoughts other than fighting Strigoi were forgotten. One foe would fall, only to be replaced by a new enemy a moment later. Allies fell, though not many. Fighting with fire protected most of the guardians.

Later, how much later none of them could have said, the battle was nearing an end. There were people emerging from the building. The Strigoi were gone, and the people emerging from the warehouse were guardians.

Tasha found John, bloodied but alive. She let out a breathless laugh when she saw him, glad that he was fine. Then she watched the line of people exiting the building. She needed to see Christian. She needed to know...

It wasn't Christian she saw, it was Dimitri... but he wasn't a Strigoi. She felt her knees give out, but John caught her, supporting her. Lissa and Christian were led out next. Tasha rushed to them. She needed to see them. She needed to know what had happened. She glanced back at the van where Dimitri had been led, utterly confused.

Christian saw her, and parted from Lissa. They hugged one another, holding each other in a fierce embrace. She stroked his face, making certain that he was truly fine. "I was so afraid." She couldn't say anything else.

He gave her a small smile, shrugging it off as though he hadn't been terrified. "It's ok. It's over now." He looked toward the van which had disappeared, then he reached for Lissa, who looked like she might pass out.

"What happened? Was that? Was that Dimitri?"

Lissa nodded, looking at Tasha. "I healed him. He's no longer a Strigoi."

Serena

"You should be good to go now," Adrian Ivashkov said. He was clearly trying to be encouraging, but his voice was tight.

Serena Douglas nodded, touching the rippled flesh which he had mended. She flexed her arm tentatively, amazed by the sensation of healing. "Thank you. Do you know if there has been any update about the Princess and Lord Ozera yet?"

He shook his head. She could see the pain in his eyes. "You're friends with them, aren't you?"

"Yeah." He looked away, fingers reaching for a pocket, then retreating.

"You knew Belikov too, didn't you?"

Sharp green eyes turned to her. "You know it's him."

She nodded, trembling. "I heard him talking to them when he took them. I knew his voice from when he had been at court before."

Adrian blanched, nodding. He left her a few moments later.

She lay back on her bed in the medical ward, knowing that she wouldn't sleep until she knew some news of the Princess. She didn't want to close her eyes. She didn't want to remember Grant, James, Stefan, Mikaela, and Priscilla Voda.

An hour or so later, news arrived. The Princess and Lord Ozera had been recovered alive. Guardians were returning to court. Dimitri Belikov was in custody, no further details available.