I'm baack! Did you miss me?
Well, this is where darling Victor comes in! *huge fake smile* Seriously, raise your hand if you hate that guy. *millions of hands all over the world go up*
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I just sometimes have fantastic dreams where Dimitri whisks me away and Lissa falls off a cliff. Too much information? I don't care.
NOW READ!
Rose, wake up! Lissa sounded terrified.
Liss? Lissa, what's wrong? I asked, alerted by her tone. Strigoi?
No. No Strigoi. Lissa said in a small voice
Now I was kind of annoyed. Then what is it?
I'm scared. I don't wanna see Victor. She whimpered
It'll be alright. It's only for a few hours, then he'll be back in jail and you'll never have to worry about him again. I coaxed desperately. I could just see her backing out and ruining everything. Do you want me to take control so I can deal with Victor?
Hope brightened her mind. Would you?
Definitely. No way am I going to force you to talk to that bastard. I said angrily
Hurry up. We're almost to the prison. Lissa pleaded.
We switched just as the car Abe had apparently rented pulled up to a totally grey building. It looked like an oversized cardboard box that some emo kid had painted for a school project, no lie. And of course, the rainy atmosphere wasn't helping its depressing appearance at all. Was this place like a color vacuum?
Wow, I understand why Victor wants out. I'd absolutely go crazy if I got locked up in here for life. I said to Lissa quietly. Lissa didn't answer; she was too nervous, caught up in her own memories and thoughts.
There was a forest in the background, which was where I supposed Abe's cave was. We waited mostly patiently as Abe spoke quietly with the guardian at the gate. I sweat, I saw a flash of green and I again wondered exactly what Abe did for a living.
The gates swung open to admit us. We stepped through and a Moroi official appeared and silently led us through the winding corridors. The place was almost empty. I tried not to shudder. The desolation in this place was overwhelming.
Finally, we came to a stop. "Ten minutes," The Moroi warned, and opened the door.
And then-there he was. The man who had kidnapped and tortured Lissa, the man who now haunted her dreams.
Fear and memories crashed over me, seeping into my thoughts from Lissa. They were so strong, I was almost knocked down.
I clutched my head and called out to Lissa. Stop! Please, you're hurting me!
Sorry. She gasped out. I can't help it. Her feelings increased.
I winced. I'm gonna have to block you out so I can concentrate. I told her
Okay.
Adrian was steadying me, I found. "You okay, Little Dhampir?" He sounded concerned.
I blinked. "I'm fine. Let's just get this over with."
Adrian released me and I stepped out of the doorway and into the light of the jail cell. I examined Victor Dashkov carefully. Jail had been hard on him. His weight loss was apparent, his hair was turning white as it had before Lissa was forced to heal him, and there were dark circles under his eyes, suggesting many sleepless nights. Looking at him, I felt nothing but pure hatred for him. He still looked healthier than he had when Lissa and I had first come back to the academy. He had bought that health by torturing my best friend. Had the disease been able to run its natural course, he'd be dead by now. Bastard.
Victor glanced up at us carelessly, then took a harder look. His features transformed with surprise and delight. "Vasilisa! Guardian Belikov!" He cried happily. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
My face heated up with anger. "Abe got us in. As you should know," I growled
Victor smiled delightedly. "Of course, of course. How have you been, Vasilisa?"
I ignored that. "You know we want whereabouts on your half-brother, Robert Doru."
Victor waved his hand impatiently. "I already told Abe that you can't-"
"We'll break you out!" I blurted without meaning to.
Victor's eyebrows shot up. "What?"
"It's what you want, right? Freedom?" I continued. Just saying those words made me feel like a traitor. All my life I'd been trained to uphold Moroi law. I was pretty sure that breaking a Moroi out of jail broke some sort of law. Not to mention that this was my sworn enemy I was breaking out.
"Yes. So you'll break me out and in return I have to tell you where my brother is?" Victor clarified.
"Yea. And we'll get it out of you, one way or another. Your choice." I threatened darkly.
He didn't seem frightened by my threat, merely amused. He glanced around. "Why, where's the lovely Rosemarie?" He asked suddenly. His eyes, so like Lissa's scanned the room again. I saw Adrian flinch and Dimitri took in a small breathe to calm himself. Realization danced across Victor's face.
"That's why you need Doru!" He said excitedly. "Rosemarie's a-"
"Shut the fuck up!" I hissed, and glanced around warily. I made a split-second decision. Victor claimed to know all about spirit? Well, fine. I think it's time we put Victor's "knowledge" to the test. "I'm not a Strigoi!"
Victor looked a bit confused, but he quickly covered it up with amusement. "Rosemarie? My, this is a shock. How did this happen?"
"There was an attack on the school and a Strigoi bit me." I mumble. I was already regretting telling him. Victor nodded at me to continue. "I blacked out and woke up as Lissa. My body's in a self-induced coma right now. When I go back to my body, I'll wake up and be a Strigoi and I don't want that to happen. But I also don't want to be stuck in Lissa for the rest of my life. Do you know why this is happening?" My need for answers was increasing and erasing any former guilt I had over telling him all this.
Victor looked thoughtful. "This is a truly unique situation. Your bond allows you to enter Lissa's head when she has extreme emotions, yea?" I nodded warily and he continued. "I'm guessing her horror and terror when she saw you get bit were strong enough to drag your spirit into her body at the last second. Once in her head, your spirit realized it couldn't leave just yet. Or perhaps it didn't recognize your body, as it was undergoing the change."
I could see Dimitri absorbing this. "It makes sense," He muttered. I gave him a curt nod of agreement.
"Fine. We'll go with your theory." I said flatly and turned to Adrian. "Are we ready to go?"
"We're leaving now?" Victor exclaimed.
"Why not? Would you rather wait until the apocalypse?" I shot back. Yea, I was just being a smartass. But, hey, I hate the guy. What do you expect?
Adrian smirked and turned to knock on the door. "We're done!" He called.
The door swung open almost immediately and the Moroi guy who escorted us stepped in.
Adrian met his eyes. "You will let leave with Victor Dashkov," He said in a voice like honey. The Moroi nodded, slack-jawed.
"I will let you leave with Victor Dashkov."
"You are not to say anything about this to anyone." Adrian ordered. "You will forget Victor Dashkov was ever here."
The Moroi nodded and Christian, Dimitri, and Victor slipped through the door.
I nodded at Adrian. "When we bring Victor back, you will lock him back up and forget we ever came." He murmured. We had rehearsed this because there was no way I was letting one of the biggest threats to Lissa's life go. We'd get our information and then we'd send him straight back to hell for the rest of his life.
I looked at the Moroi just standing there with glazed eyes and felt my stomach do a backflip.
Operation Break Victor out of Jail had just begun.
And that's chapter 28! Only like 5 or 6 more chapters… And hopefully I shock some of you with the ending!
Now I have to go through my million emails and read people's fanfics :)
ReVieW!
