Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Okay so here is the next chapter. It's taken me awhile to write and personally I like the last part the best.

37

I woke up a little after seven. I sat up and my vision swam. I sat with my hand held to my hand till the swirling stopped. I went to the couch and grabbed my bag and dug around for my clothes and a change of underwear.

I went to the enormous bathroom and fiddled with the shower till I got it to work. It took longer than I thought, why do people see the need to make expensive showers so difficult? It's like if you can't afford it than you can't afford the instructions.

I washed my hair with the shampoo that was surprisingly waiting to be used. It smelled really good and made my hair feel extremely clean.

I dressed in lightning speed and towel dried my hair as best I could before taking a hairdryer to it. When I was done I found myself standing in front of the full length mirror in my room.

My all black ensemble made me look, I didn't know what it did. My hair had somehow gotten longer without me noticing and the violet glinted in the light as I turned my head. I leaned closer to inspect my eyes. They were still brown but had like a violet ring around the outside and a starburst of violet flitting through the middle.

"What is the point?" I ask my reflection. "Why was I changed? Why did this happen?"

My reflection didn't answer, no one did.

I went back to the bathroom and got the little hand mirror I had with my makeup bag. I lifted my hair and looked at the back of my neck.

My promise mark was sitting right above the molnija marks I got for Spokane and the two I got for being in battle. I also had one under those for Zacharie. My stomach rolled and I let my hair drop.

I tied my hair back at the nape of my neck with the rubber band I had stolen from Dimitri.

I went back to my bag and dug around finding the black bra I had been searching for earlier before giving up and settling for the fire engine red one. I pulled out a scarf wrapped object and sat down on the couch.

Countless people had asked me, Lissa, Christian, Dimitri included, if I had ever gotten this back. I told them all no, I lied.

I unwrapped it and held it in my hand. It gleamed like it had just been polished.

I never really got to admire the hilt before everything went south. I held it in my hand and looked it over. It was always changing but a few things stayed the same. Like the fact violet stone at the bottom. I held it up to the light and noticed that I could see a rune through it. It was the same rune that was on the center of my forehead when I had all of my marks. I still didn't know what it meant but I figured it was something special.

I stood up and added my hilt to my stake that was strapped to my waist. I slid on my jacket from the Shadow World and walked out of my room.

I almost ran into Slone. He was about to knock on my door.

He stepped back hastily, "I need to speak with you," he said in a rich Irish accent.

"Okay," I say as my door snaps close.

"We have one person by his side at all times while the other stays back and surveys. Now that we have you," he says looking me up and down. I cross my arms and drop my emotion from my expression. "you will be the near guard."

"Okay so where are we going?" I ask.

"You'll see, let's go," he says turning down the hall. I glare after him but follow him.

Mr. Irish was in his late twenties. His hair was bronze and silky and his eyes had been blue. He was extremely tall but not as tall as Dimitri. His face was also scruffy and unshaven. Basically he was nice to look at and was definitely someone I would have drooled over in a past life.

He definitely looked like he had been a badass in school. One who didn't follow the rules, I was beginning to see similarities considering Kimble looked like the same kind of person.

Then again, so did Abe.

I followed down the hall and into the living room where Abe stood in a expensive suit with a blood red scarf wrapped around his neck. Kimble stood in the same exact outfit as Slone, a dark suit that would be easy to fight in if need be.

Abe looked at me with a weird expression I couldn't place, "Well I'm glad you seem to be adjusting so quickly."

I shrug, "We train for these kinds of things."

"Yes well we need to be going I have business to attend to."

I wondered what kind of business he was talking about but kept my mouth shut while I walked by his side to the garage. We hadn't parked his beautiful car there, he had left it in the drive way right in front of the house. Inside the garage I had to hold my face steady. I hadn't seen the garage since it was on the opposite side of the house. The house might not be giant but it was a good size and the garage ran the length of it. He had to have at least ten cars, most of them really expensive sports cars.

He walked to a polished black Lexus and opened the door to show off the black and red interior. "I see you are a car person, do you know what this is?" he asked.

I shook my head no.

"Probably because it's the new Lexus lfa not even advertised yet."

Slone and Kimble exchanged looks and got into another Lexus that looked similar. I went around to the passenger side and slid into the seat. There was definitely not enough room for Slone or Kimble in this car.

We were racing down the road before I even buckled my seatbelt.

"Where are we going?" I asked looking as we sped down the same twisted road.

"I have a meeting I need to attend," he said flatly. I didn't ask him any questions. We drove in silence for twenty minutes through some countryside and then suddenly we were in a city. He navigated the streets easily and headed down a deserted alley. I could tell we were at a bar without even glancing at the neon sign above the door.

The car came to a stop in a back parking lot and Abe turned to me, "Your new I respect that but there are rules here, do not speak," he said pointedly.

I tensed but nodded while I was thinking about the mess I was in.

We got out of the car and I was by his side before he could take a step. He glanced at me curiously but ignored my random burst of speed. We walked towards a back entrance my ears pricked as I heard the footsteps behind us. I barely turned my head before I saw Slone go off around the building and Kimble following behind. Abe opened the door with an ancient looking key. "Come along," he said walking through the door. I inched my way in front of him because I didn't trust dark rooms. He kept going towards a room at the end of the hall. He knocked and the door opened. I turned to see Kimble come through the door we had just walked through. He nodded at me then continued his scan of the building. I followed Abe into the room and stayed quiet.

There were several people here, when I say people I mean humans. For a second I thought we were at a Feeders bar but these were all men, big thug like men. They were speaking in a language I didn't understand. I noticed two other Moroi who each had a stern looking Guardian at their sides.

Abe joined in extremely lively. He spoke fluently whatever language it was they were speaking. He took an empty seat and I stood behind him.

God this was boring. I kept alert while simultaneously thinking about how much guarding Lissa would be ten times better than guarding Abe. I put my hands behind my back and grasped my wrists.

The whole thing took about half an hour but apparently Abe convinced them to do something. The Moroi that were there looked pleased.

"We're leaving," Abe said standing.

I went ahead of him while still keeping my eyes on the humans. After everything I've been through I've lost my faith in humans, especially creepy thug humans in a dark room.

I opened the door and peered out, nothing.

Abe and I walked out.

He took off in a different direction than the car. I wanted to protest but I remembered again that this wasn't Lissa, I had no say in what my charge did.

I followed diligently as he crossed the road. "I'm surprised you haven't asked where we're going," he said looking at me sideways.

I shrugged, "It's not like I can stop you."

"True," he said giving me a wicked smile.

I stopped. I grabbed the end of his jacket and pulled him towards me.

I turned and looked back at the shadows.

"Rosemarie," he said softly, "what's wrong?"

"There's something," I start to say but I don't need to.

I hear Slone shout out a warning two seconds after I throw my stake and it buries itself in a Strigoi's chest.

Two more come out from a secluded alley and I take the hilt as it changes into a stake. I hold it out in front of me while making sure Abe is behind me.

Slone is nowhere in sight, Kimble, well I have no clue.

I take Abe and back up into a dead end. I look up and after I'm sure no one is going to launch over the rooftops I stand ready.

One Strigoi stays in the back while one advances. He was a dhampir before he changed and he lunges forward. I flit easily to the side shoving my elbow into his nose hearing a satisfying crunch. He falls forward and snakes an arm towards my legs. I slam my foot into his shoulder and my stake into his back.

I slide it out of the cold flesh and lunge towards the other who was running towards Abe. I glance back at him but he's just standing there watching.

I roll my eyes as I grab the Strigoi by his collar and throw him backwards. He gained his footing and his hand shot out and he punched me in the shoulder. Spasms shot through my arm but I ignored them. I lashed out and caught him across the face with my knuckles. He ducked around and grabbed my arm and twisted it around behind me.

I felt his hot breath on my neck, "Daddy can't save you," he snarled.

"Good think I don't need saving," I say leaning back into him.

We topple over and I elbow him hard in the ribs. He's not going down that easy. He kicks with his legs and one of his boots connects with my stomach. Air rushes out of my lungs as I scramble back to my feet. He attempts to get to his feet as well but I kick his feet out from under him.

I take my stake and it grows into the familiar sword. He backs away from it looking nervous, something I haven't seen much on a Strigoi face.

That's when I recognize him. He was in my class back at school.

His lips hitch up into a horrid grin, "Hey there little Rosey miss me much?"

"No," I say letting my anger rush out of me as I plunged my sword into his heart.

His mocking smile twisted into a look of horror.

I wrench my sword out of his chest and went back to Abe. "Let's go back to the car now," I say taking his arm.

"Okay then," he says following me.

I pick my stake out of the first Strigoi's chest as we walk by.

Abe doesn't say anything as we walk back. When we get there Slone and Kimble are leaning against the cars.

I stop in my tracks.

"You're shitting me."

See! I love that part! Hehehe just wait till the next chapter it's going to be GREAT! Hahaha well thanks for reading, review!