Rose tipped over David's king. "I win again," she taunted in a sing-song voice.
"I'm going to stop playing chess with you, heartbreaker," he grumbled.
"No, you won't."
"Try Monopoly," Eddie teased. He was sitting nearby, reading while they played chess.
Medha took the seat beside Eddie, popping chips into her mouth from a bag. She talked around the mouthful of chips as she replied, "Not Monopoly."
"Pretty sure I beat you at that," Rose said, looking at Eddie.
"You cheat by stealing from the bank," he retorted.
"I haven't done that since I was ten!" Rose exclaimed in her defense.
David smirked at her as he reset the chess pieces. "You knew not to steal at ten."
Eddie snorted, earning a glare from Rose.
"I feel like I'm missing a story," Medha said.
"Rose was always in trouble at school," Eddie replied.
"She broke another girl's arm one year," said David. "She also had a tendency to 'borrow' stuff from around campus."
Rose stood, picking up her empty soda cans and paper plate. "You make it sound like I was a budding juvenile delinquent. I just had a temper and a semi-questionable sense of right and wrong."
"Has she reformed?" Medha teased as she ate another chip.
Rose said yes. David said no. Eddie just laughed.
Rose shook her head. "Well, on that note, it's time for me to sleep. I'm back on in nine hours."
Rose left the room to a trio of "good night"s.
She threw out her trash in the bin in the adjacent kitchen. Afterward, she decided to take a quick detour outside. It was the end of July, and they were at Lauren Voda's house near London. It was the last stop on Lissa's brief tour of royal parties in Europe.
After spending Lissa's birthday with family and friends at the Dragomir's house on Long Island, they had all gone off in different directions. Lissa's parents had returned to Court. Jill left to see some of her mother's family. Tasha and Dimitri had gone back to Minneapolis for a time, leaving Svetlana at Court to continue her work. Abe also left Court, saying goodbye to Rose before she had gone to New York with the others. He promised to let everyone know as soon as he had a lead on Robert Doru.
Lissa and Andre had gone on separate circuits of royal parties around the world. Christian had accompanied Lissa and Lauren had accompanied Andre. The two Dragomirs were welcomed everywhere, and they were liked by everyone they met. Christian was treated politely, though he was not as welcome as Lissa.
Everywhere the two couples went, they found ways to discuss political issues. It was easy for Christian and Lissa to discuss their perspectives on Moroi self-defense — they had both played pivotal roles in the attack on St. Vladimir's. Some royals listened attentively to the points they were making, while others seemed annoyed by the idea of changing their culture. Still, there were always a few who agreed and wanted to do more to change their society for the better.
Before leaving a city or region, they would make visits to the local dhampir communities. It was a strange experience for Lissa, Christian, Eddie, and Rose. Eddie had lived in a dhampir community, though it was blended with the humans in that city. The same was true of Mason and his mother. Rose had visited both Eddie and Mason's homes, but the feeling of the non-integrated dhampir communities was very different from those towns.
The dhampirs in the non-integrated communities were mostly women and very young children. There were some exceptions. Sometimes dhampir men lived there, ones who had not passed the requirements to become guardians, or didn't want to be guardians, or had quit the guardians. Sometimes poor Moroi families also lived in the communities.
Lissa's group was always greeted with polite curiosity. It was unusual for a royal Moroi woman to visit the communities. It was unusual for a Moroi man to visit with pure intentions. And it was unusual for dhampirs to visit communities where they had no relatives.
When Lissa and her group explained that they were interested in meeting dhampirs with royal heritage, the reactions were mixed. Some were willing to talk about their experiences. Some were suspicious but opened up after talking for a while. Others refused to speak or were angry.
By the time they met up again at Lauren's house, Lissa's group and Andre's group had managed to get fifty dhampirs who could provide proof of being related to one of the royal families. Lauren thought that they still needed more, but if all fifty of their volunteers came back with DNA confirmation of their claims, it was a strong start.
Rose hadn't told anyone yet, but Dimitri was considering doing it as well. He knew that his father was royal, but Dimitri had no interest in knowing more. He didn't want to know which family his father was from. Even so, he told Rose that he would think about it. He thought that this plan to show the royals their forgotten children might force some to rethink their perspectives. He had promised to give Rose an answer when they met up in person.
Rose did a quick walk around the perimeter outside the house. She passed James, one of Lauren's guardians, as she walked. Rose didn't have to do the walk, but she felt as if it was necessary. After the Badica house in December, even daylight felt unsafe. Lauren's house was warded, but the Badica house had been too. So, Rose always checked for herself that a residence was safe before she slept.
Rose went back inside and made her way to the room set aside for her and Medha. It was a nice room. Unlike some of the houses they had stayed at in the past few weeks, Lauren's accommodations for them were small but cozy. Some Moroi homes had very spartan rooms with bunk beds for the guardians.
The room held two single beds, a wardrobe, and two small bedside tables. The walls were painted light purple and the carpet was a dark plum color. Paintings of seascapes hung on the walls, and the lamps were a pair of pearl white mermaids.
"Who puts sea themed stuff in a purple room?" Rose muttered under her breath each time she entered the room. She knew that the answer was Lauren, but she couldn't fathom the choice.
Rose had learned that Lauren was an adept jewelry designer. Her pieces were exquisite and delicate. Her house, on the other hand, was haphazardly decorated. It was a strange contrast for her to be so good at designing one thing and so terrible at designing another thing.
There was also a window in the room. It had a blackout curtain to keep it dark, though the glass itself wasn't darkened as was common in most Moroi homes.
Rose looked out the window, eyes taking in the countryside. She missed the sights of home. England didn't look like home. Home was pine forest and treeless mountains where snow never melted off the peaks. She missed home, but the school would never be her home again.
Rose closed the curtain and got ready for sleep. Curled in her bed, she messaged Dimitri to see if he was available to talk. She knew that he and Tasha were back in Minneapolis right now while Christian was with Lissa. They were set to return to Court shortly. Svetlana had remained at Court, working on the research Tasha wanted. Rose understood how important it all was now. Knowing why Moroi laws and traditions had come to be might be the key to reversing them.
Dimitri called her a short time later, and they talked for an hour before Rose went to sleep. This had become their routine while Rose travelled. She missed being close to him but knew that it wouldn't be for long. She wondered how long they could make this last. How long would they want to come and go from each other's life for weeks at a time?
She understood now why Dimitri had wanted to avoid being in a relationship. It was hard work to keep coming and going from the life of the person you love. And there was no end for this coming and going, which was an exhausting thought in and of itself.
She cursed her traitorous thoughts. She was a guardian. She had decided that this was what she wanted to do and to be. She couldn't abandon this life or Lissa. She knew that Dimitri wouldn't either.
Plus, right now too many things were happening to consider leaving. They were still planning to find a way to restore Ivan. Lissa's family and a few allies were working on finding ways to improve their culture. And Rose wanted to be part of that, even if it was hard to be separated from Dimitri for weeks or longer at a time.
When she woke, Rose showered. She was supposed to relieve Eddie soon, but schedules were more flexible at private homes than anywhere else. There were no pressing engagements or anything else to worry about here, not with the wards and an excessive number of guardians.
Between Lauren, Andre, Christian, and Lissa there were seven guardians on the modest property. As unmarried royals who had school, business, and travel plans outside of their families, the four Moroi could have this large number of guardians. However, if the couples married or remained in a secured place like Court on a permanent basis, their allotted guardians would decrease.
Rose dressed, then went to find Eddie to relieve him.
Eddie was in the living room with Christian and Elliot, Lauren's other guardian. They looked up when Rose entered, saying their hellos. She took a seat near them, listening as they talked.
They were discussing fighting, which wasn't a surprise. Rose knew how interested Eddie and Christian were in Moroi learning to fight offensively and defensively. They were a good match as guardian and Moroi. Rose was glad to have Eddie with them.
Elliot, it seemed, also liked the idea of Moroi fighting and defending. It seemed that Lauren's guardians were also of a progressive mindset, as was Lauren herself. It made the time they spent together fun and interesting.
They spent most of that day lounging around the house. Christian cooked for everyone, which he enjoyed, and everyone loved. The guardians switched off on patrolling the grounds but remained relaxed when inside. They went running together except for Lissa, who remained with Medha at the house while the others made a circuit along the roads near the house.
Two days later, they flew back to the United States. They spent the night back at Andre's apartment in Philadelphia so that they could visit a nearby dhampir settlement the following day before heading back to Court. The apartment was small, so the guardians ended up taking over the living room.
Rose was excited to return to Court. Dimitri would be there, and she missed him. She couldn't wait to see him again.
Of course, after arriving, Rose learned that Dimitri was on duty for the next five hours. So, Rose could do little but wait with impatience. After putting her stuff in her room and sorting her dirty clothes into a pile to wash, Rose went to the Guardians' building. She checked in and checked the schedules to see who was at Court. Rose knew that she and her partners wouldn't be scheduled for anything since they were planning to leave again in a few days.
Rose was on her way out of the building when she ran into Katrina. They greeted one another with hugs.
"How was Europe?" Kat asked.
"It was fun," Rose answered quickly. Seeing Katrina's skepticism, she continued. "Really, it was. Sure, I had some boring wall watching days, but most of it was pretty interesting. We did some sightseeing. We visited a ton of people."
"You didn't mind the bunk beds?" Kat teased.
Rose rolled her eyes. A few of the larger Moroi estates had small rooms with bunk beds set aside for the guardians. "Um, that did suck. How were things here?"
"Mostly good. I'm not panicking while out of wards with Mia, which is the first step."
"That's good."
"Yeah," Katrina agreed shakily. "It's still not easy, but we're trying. Neither of us are brave enough to go out with the children yet. So, they're safe here."
"That's understandable. Were you okay with Andre being gone for a month?"
Katrina shrugged. They took a few steps away from the building so that they stood just off the path. "I understand how life is for us. I know that Andre loves Violet and that he'll be there for her. I certainly don't expect or want him to take an infant on a trip around the world. I also have no issues with him having a girlfriend, though I swear he better not have another kid any time soon."
Rose laughed. "I think Eric and Rhea would kill him."
"Or Mia," Kat said with a laugh.
"How is she doing with it?"
She sighed. "She's jealous and hurt any time Andre looks at another girl. She also doesn't like him having another woman around her son, so she's unhappy."
Rose frowned, uncertain what to say.
Katrina shrugged. "She'll get over him eventually. Or she'll drive us all crazy."
Rose laughed. "Hopefully she'll do the first and not the second."
Grinning, Kat slipped her arm through Rose's and began walking with her away from the building. "Want to go grab dessert?"
"Yes," Rose said.
"Can I crash your dessert date?" Medha asked from behind them.
"Of course, partner," Rose said as Katrina nodded.
The three began to walk together toward a cluster of restaurants.
"What do you want to get?" Katrina asked.
"Pie," said Rose.
Medha shrugged. "That sounds good to me."
They soon entered one of the bakeries and each ordered a slice of pie. When they were all settled, they ate and talked.
Katrina turned to Medha. "So, how is Rose as a partner?"
"She's good. Eddie is good too. Of course, being the top graduates from their academy this year, it was expected."
Rose rolled her eyes. "It's not like we had to fight anything."
"True, but you did have a lot of adjusting to do. I could see that it was difficult for you and Lissa to adapt to your roles. Even so, you all did very well in your first tour of royal parties and political discussions."
Rose smiled a little. "You were a lot of help."
"That's my job as your partner," Medha said.
"True, though you're a remarkably closed book. We slept in the same room for a month and I still know nothing about your family or if you ever date."
Katrina laughed. "She doesn't date."
Rose looked from Kat to Medha. "Really?"
Medha tapped her fork against her plate. With a sigh, she looked at Rose. "It doesn't interest me."
Rose looked at her partner in confusion. "Dating in general or relationships?"
She shrugged. "All of it. I've never understood why people are so obsessed with romance. I understand that most people don't feel the way I do, but it's always seemed silly to me. I've never been interested in men or women or even the idea of romance or sex."
Rose stared for a moment before her mouth opened. "How?"
Medha rolled her eyes. "It's just how I am. And I'm perfectly content with who I am." She flashed a grin. "Besides, not being interested in relationships means that I don't spend so much time daydreaming about it."
"I don't do that!" Rose complained.
Katrina covered her smile with a hand. "You've checked your watch five times since we sat down."
"Really?" Rose didn't believe it.
"How long until Dimitri's shift ends?" Medha asked, teasing.
"Three more hours," Rose sighed. "It's been a month! And Lissa's going to start visiting colleges this week, so we'll only see each other for a couple days."
Katrina and Medha regarded her sympathetically. Being a guardian wasn't easy, and they all knew it.
After eating, Medha left. Rose and Katrina made their way back to the Dragomir's house. They soon settled into the family room with all the Dragomirs, David, Evan, Christian, and Lauren. Since there were so many people, a few of them took seats on the floor.
Jill told them about visiting her mother's family. They had spent a week in Florida along the Gulf Coast. Jill loved spending time by the ocean. It was fun for her as a water user and because she learned to surf.
Evan shared with them that, after much convincing, he would be returning to St. Vladimir's for the upcoming school year. He and Jill would be heading back in a few short weeks.
Lissa and Andre talked about the parties they had attended. They didn't talk about the project to find dhampirs with royal parents since it was mostly a secret. Eric and Rhea told them about dinners they had attended which sounded more tedious than what Lissa and Andre had endured.
Katrina, last of the group to share, told them about the latest developments in Violet's growth.
The time passed quickly, and the stories made Rose think of her own parents. Much as she loved spending time with this surrogate family, Rose also loved her mother. She even sort of liked her father.
When the stories were done, Rose slipped upstairs. She changed, ready to meet Dimitri. However, before she left to meet him, Rose wrote quick emails to her parents. She told them about Europe and guarding and the upcoming tour of schools for Lissa. She said I love you in the email to her mother, but not the one to her father. She didn't love him, not yet, but she might one day if they kept in touch.
Rose leapt up from her small corner desk when Dimitri texted her that he was off duty for the day. She tried not to sprint from the house in her excitement. Instead, she walked at a quick but determined pace.
Rose saw him as she neared the restaurant where they were meeting. He walked casually, like he had seen her yesterday instead of a month ago. Her pace quickened as she drew closer. His dark eyes watched her, and a smile lit up his face. She mirrored his smile, filled with delight.
This is love, she realized. She had been in love with Dimitri for months. She had been in a relationship with him for months. But this was the first time they had been apart and come back together without doubts and fears and pain. There was only love, and it was perfect. The feeling was deeper and stronger than she had ever known before. She knew that she would love him forever, no matter what.
They met, arms wrapping tightly around one another. She breathed in the scent of him and felt tension she didn't realize was in her slip away. She looked up, reaching a hand to touch his cheek. Her fingers brushed the faint stubble along his chin, sliding them into his hair as he bent to press his lips to hers. Warmth spread through her entire body as they kissed. She could tell that he was only going to kiss her briefly in greeting, but she made it last longer, pressing her body as close to him as possible.
Dimitri tightened his hold on her, kissing her for several long moments before he pulled back. He rested their foreheads together. "I missed you too," he said.
A soft laugh escaped her lips. "It always feels like forever when we're apart."
"I know." He reached between them, resting his fingers on the pendants she wore around her neck. "I'm always with you, even when we can't be together."
The sentiment made her heart skip a beat. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
She gave a reluctant sigh before disentangling herself from him. "Time for dinner?"
He chuckled, kissing her temple. "Yes. Then we can spend the rest of the day in my room if you want."
She linked her arm through his as they walked toward the restaurant. "I love that plan."
They didn't escape to his room right after dinner, instead they walked together and talked. Even when the conversation slowed, they enjoyed the quiet as they walked together.
They were on their way to the apartment Dimitri was sharing with Tasha when Rose came up with an idea. "We should get motorcycles."
"Motorcycles?" Amusement flavored the word.
"Yeah, they seem fun. We could keep them here and go riding when we are here and off shift."
"We could get one motorcycle that seats two," he suggested. "Then we could ride together."
She looked up at him, pulse quickening. She thought about holding onto him as they sped over the highways. She wouldn't mind that at all. "I like that idea too." She was a little breathless at the thought.
Their eyes met, desire sparking between them. He wrapped an arm around her waist, resting his fingers on her hip. Her thoughts derailed, focusing now on the heat of his body, amplified by the sultry heat of early August in Pennsylvania. Her focus became the touch of his fingers on her hip and memories of exactly what his fingers could do to her.
Their lips met, soft and slow. When the kiss ended, he brushed his lips along her neck, just below her ear. A shiver of pleasure ran through her.
"Is your roommate out?" she asked.
He chuckled in a way that let her know that he felt the same way she did. "She should be. If she's not, I think she'll leave when we show up."
Rose laughed as they started walking toward the apartments. "It's weird to have people in the same house and have sex."
"It's an adjustment."
"Yeah. Lissa and I are still figuring that out with travel." Rose paused. "That came out wrong."
Dimitri laughed. "I understand what you mean."
"It's so weird for her and Christian to share a room when the rest of us are in the next room. It's such a huge adjustment. It's like we all know way too much about each other."
"That's part of the life."
"Which not even you explained to me."
He grinned. "Some things you need to experience for yourself."
"Knowing everyone else's sex life was not an experience I really needed or wanted. The parties in the mansions were the worst. I know why guardians gossip so much now."
"Ah, you noticed the affairs?"
Rose made a face. "Yeah, I noticed. I see why everyone views the Dragomirs differently too. They are good. They have their faults, but they own them. So many of the royals are fake."
"I know." He brooded for a few moments. "I think I'll go along with this project of the Dragomirs. I know my father is a royal, and if I can help our people, then it's worth my discomfort."
Rose pressed herself closer to him in a half hug as they walked. "I'm glad. You're an amazing guardian. You deserve to be recognized by whatever family your father was from, even if he is worthless."
The apartment was empty when Rose and Dimitri entered. They made their way to his room, kissing as they closed the door. They lost themselves in one another. In ardent kisses and tender caresses. In tender words and breathless cries.
When they finished, Rose found herself curled against Dimitri. His chest was to her back. One of his arms was draped across her chest, and their legs were twined together. Her ear was at his chest, and she could hear the thundering beat of his heart.
"Your heart is racing," she said playfully.
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "That's what you do to me."
A shiver of pleasure rolled through her, causing her body to twitch.
"I love listening to your heartbeat. It might be my favorite sound."
He pulled her closer, leaving no gaps between their bodies. "Every sound you make is my favorite."
She laughed. "Every sound?"
Chuckling, he kissed her cheek. "Most of them," he amended.
"I want to be like this forever." Rose spoke quietly, sadly.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Roza…"
Him calling her that affectionate nickname while holding her was unfair. "I don't want to leave you for months at a time." She considered saying more but stopped and sighed.
Dimitri kissed her temple. "I know."
"It's not fair. I don't want to leave either of you."
Dimitri's arms tightened around her, pressing her close. His face was buried in her hair. "We will make this work, no matter what. I'm not giving up on us. I love you."
Rose laced their fingers together and squeezed. "I love you." She gave a short, bitter laugh. "I get why you didn't want us together in the first place. It's so hard to leave and return, and it doesn't end."
"That's why our friends are trying to change things for our people."
"I know."
Dimitri brushed aside her hair and kissed her neck, just below her ear. "And Tasha will often be around the Dragomirs. And Lissa will always be with Christian."
Rose turned onto her back so that she could look up at him. "If I didn't have the bond and all these projects everyone is working on, I'd run away with you."
They kissed softly, quickly.
"I don't doubt that," he said. He traced the curve of her cheek with a gentle finger. "Maybe we will one day."
"On our motorcycles."
"Definitely."
They kissed again, slow and passionate. Rose wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. They lost themselves again in one another, forgetting everything except the one they loved.
Later, still curled together on Dimitri's bed, they talked about upcoming trips. Rose mentioned the schools Lissa and Christian were planning to visit. Dimitri mentioned that Tasha was planning a trip to the nearby vineyards she had inherited from Ivan. Tasha had visited them briefly after inheriting them but had hired someone to manage most of the day to day affairs which Ivan had been responsible for.
"We could take time off to visit them alone," Dimitri said. "When you're twenty-one."
"That's not for two years." Rose laughed. "Can we go on a date in a country where I can legally drink?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Soon," he promised.
They talked more, until Rose stopped mid-sentence. She started giggling before looking at Dimitri.
"What did Lissa tell you?" he asked.
"Lissa said that she texted me, but I hadn't responded yet, so she decided to bother me. She didn't want to bother me because she knows I'm with you, so she's embarrassed. Anyway, her mom is making ice cream and cookies wanted me to know before everyone else in the family eats them and I get nothing. You're invited too."
Dimitri laughed. "Well, are you going to get dressed so that we can get some before everyone else eats it?"
Rose shoved his shoulder playfully. "You need to get dressed too."
When Rose and Dimitri arrived at the Dragomir's, everyone else was eating cookies and ice cream. They were all freshly made by Rhea, with the assistance of Lissa, Jill, and Christian. Rose and Dimitri took some and joined the rest of the large family circle in the kitchen.
Rose was still a bit overwhelmed by the size of the Dragomir family when it included dating partners and exes. Eric, Rhea, Andre, and Lissa had been Rose's family since she was little. Jill had come later. Next had come Andre's kids and their mothers. Now Andre had Lauren, and thankfully Mia was able to stand being in a room with them. Christian and Evan were also part of the family. Now, through Rose, Dimitri was welcome as family. There were the others in the room, too, the other guardians came and spent time with the family. Even Tasha and Adrian were invited to spend time with the family and enjoy the treats.
A few days later, Rose, Lissa, Christian, Eddie, and Medha left Court to tour local colleges and universities. They were looking at schools which were within a two-hour radius from Court. Of course, a two-hour radius included major cities like Philadelphia and New York, which Lissa's parents were firmly opposed to their daughter looking at for colleges.
Even excluding highly populated areas like Philadelphia and New York City, there were dozens of universities which Lissa wanted to see. Christian was looking at them for Lissa's sake, not because he had a strong interest in going to school again. They set up the itinerary in advance, planning to visit two campuses per day.
Medha, as the guardian with the most experience, always went. Rose and Eddie switched off during the day so that they could rest. The three guardians tried to schedule one off every eight hours.
Rose enjoyed the tours, and they were all having fun experiencing the freedom of being on their own. Every night they stayed at a different hotel, close to wherever their next tours would be. They could have returned to Court every night, but none of them wanted that. Lissa and Christian were ready to spend more time outside of their cocooned world, so were Rose and Eddie.
Rose would have liked to return to Dimitri every day, but it was impractical. The tour would only last for a week, then they would go back to Court for a few weeks. Then more college visits. After that, provided no leads emerged about Robert Doru, they would go off on another tour of royal parties.
There were many details to track as guardians. The safety of their group was foremost, but that was only part of the job. The car they drove needed to be well maintained and the gas tank be filled. Their sleeping, eating, and showering also needed to be scheduled. Moroi needed to visit feeders. Sleeping arrangements needed to be made, and something resembling privacy for the Moroi was also a consideration.
Rose and Eddie were learning these things, even more than they had during their field experience at school. Lissa and Christian were trying to become accustomed to the constant presence of their guardians. It was an awkward learning experience for them all.
They often had a multi room suite for the night. Lissa and Christian would share one bedroom. The guardian who was off duty would get the other bedroom, and the other two would remain in the living room area of the hotel room. The awake guardians often turned on the television to drown out potential noises from Lissa and Christian's room.
On the third day of the tour, they settled into their hotel at the end of the day. They were running on a human schedule to tour the universities. After so many time zone and human/vampire sleep schedule shifts, they were all a bit out of sorts with what was a normal time to be asleep.
Lissa, Christian, and Eddie were asleep. Rose and Medha were in the common room, watching television. Rose was restless. As much as she enjoyed being with friends, she wanted time alone.
Rose turned to Medha. "Hey, is it okay if I run out for a bit?"
"What do you want to do?"
"Honestly, I just want to be alone for a bit. I figure that I can get gas down the street and grab some snacks. It should only take twenty minutes."
Medha nodded. "Sure. Be careful. Carry your IDs, especially if you take your gun."
Rose rolled her eyes. "Yes, mom."
Medha laughed. "Your mother would remind you of these things."
"Yeah, she would," Rose agreed. "Don't worry. It's a short trip, and you all should be safe here."
"Just be sure to hurry back."
"Yeah, of course."
Rose hopped up from the couch. She was wearing her stake, but not the gun assigned to her. She decided against the gun, thinking that it was overkill for a trip down the street to a gas station. She grabbed her wallet, phone, the car keys, and a room key before heading out.
She already felt a bit of tension leave as she walked down the hallway. She didn't realize how much she liked solitude until she had none. This brief break seemed perfect.
Rose went down the elevator and headed out to the parking lot. The August night was warm and humid. It was the sort of night for tank tops and shorts, but Rose wore jeans and a tee shirt. The jeans concealed her stake, which was important.
Rose hopped in their SUV and turned the music up. She sat like that for a few minutes, enjoying the vibrations of the song as it poured out of the car's speakers. She texted Dimitri 'I love you', not expecting a response while he was on duty. Then she headed over to the gas station.
Filling up the tank only took a couple minutes. Rose wasn't ready to return yet, so she parked the car in the side lot and went inside the station's convenience store to buy food. Rose had discovered recently that some of the gas stations in Pennsylvania had convenience stores that also had really good food. The gas station was called Wawa. It was a chain of stores. And Rose was in love with it.
Rose bought several snacks and drinks, some for her and some for her friends and partner. She brought them out to the car, intending to spend a bit more time loitering in the parking lot.
A woman's voice derailed Rose's plan. "Hey, um, can you help me?"
Rose looked toward the woman. She seemed distressed, running the fingers on one hand through her hair. She was holding a cracked phone in the other hand.
"Um, what do you need?"
The woman's eyes darted around. "Do you know how to change a tire? I thought mine just needed air, but there's a nail in it. I have a spare but can't do it myself. I'd go in and ask, but my ex is working, and I don't want to deal with that. And I dropped my phone and it broke." She spoke everything in a rush, eyes starting to well with tears.
Rose looked at her bags and drink. She sighed internally, knowing that helping this human woman was the right thing to do.
"Yeah, I can help. I just need to put my stuff in my car."
The woman gave her a half-hearted smile. "Thank you."
Rose nodded, sipped her hot chocolate, and walked to her SUV. The woman followed Rose, which Rose found odd but not alarming. After all, Rose wasn't worried about humans, especially a weak woman who looked like she wanted to go home.
Rose opened the door to put her purchases inside when the first prickle of hesitation popped up in her mind. The woman was right behind her, and something else felt off, though Rose couldn't say what.
Rose was putting her stuff on the seat when she felt a prick of pain in her side, like a needle. Rose spun to face the woman, grabbing her wrist. The woman was holding an empty syringe, finger still on the plunger.
"What did you do?" Rose hissed. She squeezed hard on the woman's wrist, until she cried out and dropped the syringe.
"I had to!" she cried out.
Rose pushed the woman against the SUV. "Who are you? What did you do?"
"K-Kendra. I-I'm sorry." Tears started to fall down the human woman's cheeks. She couldn't have been much older than Rose.
Rose shook Kendra. "Sorry?" Then Rose saw the marks along Kendra's neck. Small scars from fangs marked the woman. Fear shot through Rose. "You work for a Strigoi?"
Kendra nodded, trembling.
Rose turned at the sound of footsteps. A man with a green mohawk stood by the rear of the SUV. He made a small motion with his hand and pointed a gun at her.
A van was parked next to Rose. She was trapped with her door open, and she knew it. The van hadn't been there when she went into the store. They had set her up.
"Our boss wants you to come with us."
Rose could fight a lot of things, but she couldn't fight a gun. Or could she try to shove the girl at the guy and get into her SUV?
That's when Rose saw the other thing she had missed — there was a flat tire on her car. She could still escape with it, but she'd quickly have issues, and she couldn't go back to the hotel. She had to keep Lissa and Christian safe.
And whatever she had been injected with was starting to work. Her thinking was muddled.
Rose throttled Kendra again before shoving her at the man. Slamming her door shut, Rose did the only thing she could think of — she ran.
She didn't think it through. There was room in her mind for thought. She wanted to get away. She didn't want to involve more humans. So, Rose dashed across the street.
Her movements were starting to slow and grow clumsy. Whatever had been in the syringe had been strong. A sedative? A tranquilizer?
She was being pursued by one human on foot.
The other has their car, Rose thought.
Rose stumbled.
Her mind was clouding. Her body was refusing to work.
Someone tackled her.
Rose tried to fight, but her body wasn't cooperating.
"No!" she spat. She tried for angry, but the word came out slurred.
The man with the mohawk struggled with her until her body succumbed to the drugs, and she could do nothing. Kendra drove up with the van a minute later. They tied Rose's hands and feet. Kendra injected Rose again, and Rose went limp.
They dumped Rose's wallet and phone on the ground before loading her into the back of their van.
Notes:
Thanks for reading! See you again soon!