Hola again, amigos! So this chapter took a long time to finish. Due to the length, and also due to the fact that High School Freshmen these days are being burdened with work. I just couldn't find the time. Anyways...gracias por los reviews.

stardreamer26086: I know you asked me to bring Rose into the story. She couldn't be there in this chapter but I promise she'll be there in the next.

Irina C: No offense, but I'm totally ECSTATIC you're confused! *grins evilly* But keep reading and you'll find out what's happening.

aljaria & dhea11: Muchas gracias. I'm glad you think so. But, you see, I'm about to turn 14 this year (I know I'm that young!). So... I can't actually. Will need parental consent.

Okay, so... Distrutes!

3

A Familiar Face

Mason Ibrahim Mazur?!

I looked over at Mase to study his reaction to the unexpected acknowledgment. His eyes were closed and his head bent as if struggling to regain control. He hadn't even noticed it. But Sally seemed to realize her mistake at the beat of a moment. Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second, a gesture so quick and small, one would have overlooked it if they weren't paying attention. But I was expecting it. My heart was beating at an unnatural pace while my mind was like, He is related to Abe Mazur?!... But that would mean he is related to my Roza!... How is it even possible?... Did Abe have another child?... But didn't the girl just call him Brother?... That's total shit!... Messed up shit!

Sally was good at hiding her expressions. Almost immediately her face became deprived of any signs of her previous slip. She looked at me and greeted me again, this time properly and politely, "Good evening, Guardian-"

I got that they were not going to go back to talking about their previous topic any time soon, at least not in front of me. So I returned it with an introduction, "Belikov. Guardian Belikov."

"I'm Rosalie Sage. Mase's sister."

Her full name was Rosalie? But that could be easily shortened to Rose! I was right. This was gonna be a long, long year.

Nevertheless, I returned her greeting with a curt nod, "Good evening, Ms. Sage. The fifth period is about to begin. I suggest you and your brother go to your respective classes."

The day felt never-ending and I found myself looking forward to my training session with the familiar dhampir. I poked my head into one of his classes and damn if he wasn't fast. He also had a fighting style similar to mine. And despite the speed by which words stumbled out of his mouth, he surprisingly patient at combat. It wasn't hard to tell that he was easily the best in his grade.

After the last period, I reached the gym for the first session to find my student already there, lying on his stomach, reading a book. He looked up at me as I entered and gave me a polite nod and stood up.

"So, laps?" he asked gesturing with his head towards the door.

"No. I wanna start with some warm-up and then we'll see what you got. It's the first day. I don't know your points and lacks yet."

"See what I've got? You mean... like, a spar?"

"Hmm." I hummed to show my approval as I walked backward, and took my position, and smiled as I heard an excited "Wicked!".

By the end of our session, I was pretty sure that this kid was nothing like an average nine-year-old. I was pretty sure that he was trained before. And I didn't mean those classes at the academy. He had been taught all those techniques by someone more personally. And he had been taught well. Probably one of his previous one-to-one mentors.

Mase crashed on the floor and I passed him his water bottle and a towel. He took them without any question. I was curious about the source of his training, 'cause not for one minute did I believe that Alto would be behind it. Don't get me wrong. Stan Alto was a wonderful Guardian. But when it came to novices acting out of boundaries, for him the first impression was the last.

But I was afraid asking the question would be overstepping my boundaries. Mase hadn't said so much as a word during the entire class and I was not too fond of starting conversations.

A few minutes into an uncomfortable silence, I finally decided to give it a go.

"Who taught you that?"

He tore his eyes from the floor and looked at me with a confused expression. "Huh?"

"Those moves of combat? Who taught you those?" I repeated my question.

"Oh," he replied. "My ah-nn-EY. My mom." I paid attention to his pronunciation when he said that word. While he had a perfectly unusual American accent while he was speaking English, he said it like he was familiar with it.

"Where are you from?" I asked before I could help it.

He seemed a little taken aback by my forwardness. To be honest, I was too. But he responded after taking a few moments, "Well, I was born in Turkey and lived there with my mom, grandfather, aunt, and uncle for four years. Then when I had to go to the Academy, they moved here to a small town in Montana. Actually all except my grandfather. He visits often, though."

"Your father?"

"I told you. He lives with us."

"No, you said your mom, aunt, and uncle live with you."

"No. My mom, dad, and aunt," he said, but he wouldn't meet my eyes and was looking slightly uncomfortable.

I was confused. I was pretty sure he had said uncle. Surely, my mind wasn't playing tricks on me, was it? First his name and now this. I really needed some rest to clear my mind.

We did some cool-down laps and stretches before I was content with the class and allowed Mase to go which he did with a gallantry bow.

The next month was tiring and exciting in its own ways. While neither I nor my apprentice appreciated talks other than strictly business during the practices, Mase couldn't stop sarcastic remarks from falling from his mouth any other time. I laughed, a genuine laugh, not a fake one, for the first time that month. And I also found myself smiling more often as the days passed.

Mase didn't like to talk about his family but I got a feeling it had nothing to do with any bitterness in their relations. I knew he missed them. He always used to get a fond look on his face when he thought about them. From the rare times in which he did discuss them, I gathered that he was very close to his mother and very protective of all of them. His grandfather, who was his mother's father, was the one who taught him and his sister Turkish. He also told me that his mom, despite her father being from Turkey, never actually went there until she was 18 and, even now, only spoke English but understood Turkish as well. He never named any of them, and, though I was curious, I let it be.

The way he talked about his father often stirred up a feeling of jealousy deep inside me. I'd always wanted a family, children, a wife to love and take care of. But whenever I'd envisioned a family, there was only one woman I'd imagined as my wife. Only one woman I used to dream of having children with. And I'd lost her forever. I knew she thought of me as a man who used her and then left. Why wouldn't she? I did leave. But I never used her. I did love her and always will. Not that it matters now. I wish every second every day that I could somehow take back what I did, that I could still go back in time and wake up next to her that day.

I knew I couldn't.

Christmas time came all too quickly. There was hustle everywhere. Parents coming to meet their children. Students going home for vacations. Mase told me that his aunt was coming to pick them up. Though I didn't see Rosalie often, it was clear that Mase was very close to his sister.

I was walking towards the guardian quarters when someone shouted my name from behind. I turned around to see Alberta, standing at the end of the corridor with none other than my student and his sister, gesturing for me to come forward with a wave of her hand. I strode towards them.

"Belikov. I'm glad I found you here. Do me a favor. Take Mr. and Ms. Sage outside the Academy gates to their aunt, will you? I'd have taken them myself but Kirkova just asked for me in her office."

"Sure. It's not a problem."

Mase and Rosalie followed me towards the exit. "Why did she not come inside and pick you both up from here?" I asked out of curiosity as I led them both across the ground. I found it really strange for a relative to make such a strange request.

"She... um, feels a little uncomfortable inside the Academy," Mase said, a little awkwardly, but unable to keep the excitement off his face.

I had found the request unusual, but now his answer, even more so. Why would any dhampir feel uncomfortable on academy grounds? It was one of the safest places for vampires, second only to the court itself.

When we reached the gates I got my answer. There, standing by a car, was a familiar face I'd not seen in a long time.