"Rose! Thank Vlad! I've been so worried and the gossip here has been unbelievable!"
"Gossip?" Rose asked, lying in bed with Dimitri at seven in the morning Turkish time which, made it nine pm in Montana. She was calling from a burner cell Abe had provided her with which he assured her could not be traced. Rose understood nothing about that technology but was comfortable if her mobster father said it was untraceable then it was.
"Everyone knows you're Omega, were taken to Court and then escaped. Her Majesty sent Guardians from Court in case you were here. They arrived this morning and started by questioning Guardian Petrov and Guardian Matthews, then they interviewed Christian, Eddie, Mason and me. Plus, they searched the Academy. They think you must be hiding out here."
"Shit! Do they know about me and Dimitri?"
"Not so far. You're with him, aren't you?" Lissa asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes. I won't tell you where, but we're together and safe."
"Are you sure? I overheard a Guardian saying to Guardian Petrov they have put out an alert through the entire Moroi world. They have shown every Guardian your photo and they're looking out for you."
Rose smirked, running her hand along Dimitri's bare, sexy side. They were lying naked in bed together, blissfully happy after a night of passion. No matter how often, waking up next to Dimitri curled in his arms never got old.
"They won't find me where I am," Rose reassured Lissa. "Any news about Adrian? Is he at the Academy, too?"
"No. He's still at Court. I thought he'd want to come back to the Academy, but I've not heard anything."
"Hopefully he stays away. When are the Guardians going back to Court?" Rose asked.
"I don't think they are. They kept asking us anywhere else you might be—if you knew anyone in the human world, or if there's someone you might be with. We told them there was no one."
"We told them…?"
"Christian and I did. He kind of knows about you and Dimitri."
"Liss! The fewer people who know about that the better! If they suspect anything between Dimitri and me, it won't take them long to work out he's the one helping me." Rose climbed out of bed, walking over to her nest and flopping into it. Lying on his side, propping his head up in his hand and leaning on his elbow, Dimitri regarded Rose with concern.
"I had to tell him," Lissa said defensively. "He put it together, and I'm pretty sure Eddie and Mason have, too. None of us have said anything about Guardian Belikov, but they're going to figure out you disappeared at the same time."
"Ugh! This is a nightmare," Rose groaned, the residual happiness from the night before fading fast.
"You must have a plan?"
"I do. We do. I just didn't think they'd put so much effort into finding me."
"Of course they are, Rose. The Queen's nephew is obsessed with you, and you're Omega; you're like the dhampir equivalent of a unicorn!"
"Lucky me," Rose grumbled, promising to call Lissa again in twenty-four hours to find out more.
"So, Tatiana's called in the cavalry?" Abe commented over breakfast when Rose recounted her conversation with Lissa. "I'd hoped she wouldn't, but I can't say I'm surprised."
"I don't understand why they need to find me… I kind of thought out of sight out of mind."
"The information I've received from Court suggests your disappearance has caused somewhat of a predicament for Her Majesty. Everyone at Court, and now beyond it, know you are Omega and brought to Court for your 'protection' and subsequently disappeared. The mother of every young male Royal Moroi is accusing Tatiana of hiding you away for the purpose of marrying you off to Adrian Ivashkov. Others think she allowed you to escape, unduly influenced by her Omega lover, then there are Moroi who believe your disappearance is a plot organized by insurgents opposing the way dhampir are treated by Court and Her Majesty."
"And no one stopped to think 'Hey—she just might not want to be detained, drugged, and married off?'" Rose snapped, her mood plummeting by the second. When she'd initially talked with her mother at Court, the plan seemed simple. Escape, meet Abe, marry Dimitri, then return to St. Vladimir's. Now it seemed things would not be quite so easy.
"I think a lot of dhampir see it that way, which is why Her Majesty has a problem. Whether or not you like it, your unexpected departure has stirred up political tensions about how Omega are treated and by extension dhampir—so Her Majesty had to act quickly and decisively. I think we can assume that locating you and 'convincing' you to return to Court will be Her Majesty's number one objective."
"So where does that leave us?" Dimitri asked.
"It leaves us exactly where we were before," Abe replied. "No one knows you're here, and even if someone were to discover your presence, no one would be foolish enough to go against me."
"What if Adrian tries to compel Mom again? And how did she not give in to that, anyway?" Rose asked, fidgeting in her seat.
"Magic," Abe said with an exaggerated wink.
"No, seriously…" Rose snapped.
"I was being serious. Moroi are used to thinking they are the only ones who can wield magical power, but there are magics much older and stronger than the elemental and Spirit magic we access. Years ago, when your mother and I were together, I gave her a Nazar." Abe pulled a silver chain around his neck which held a single blue and white glass bead. "They are traditional Anatolian beads used to ward off the evil eye. The ones in the bazaar these days are just for tourists, but they infused the original beads with magic which wards against hexes, curses, compulsion and can make you sense when someone lies. As an Earth magic user, I can't make the charm, but I can sense it if I'm looking for it. It's an all but forgotten type of magic."
"That must come in very handy when negotiating," Dimitri said appreciating his soon to be father-in-law's acumen.
"It does," Abe agreed, flashing him a toothy grin.
Janine was holed up in her room in Guest Quarters, refusing to answer the door. The last two days had been crazy. Rosemarie's disappearance had the unintended effect of sparking a debate about how Omega, and dhampir, were treated by Moroi. During her movements around Court, she'd been approached by the curious, complicit and crafty trying to get a read on how she felt about things, given it was her daughter who'd sparked the drama.
The most disturbing had been when Bellinger and Watson approached her, ostensibly to recruit Janine's support for a plot to overthrow Her Majesty and the Moroi Royal Council. Their plan was so ill-conceived it bordered on farcical, what made it even more amusing was that Janine had known for years the duo were informants for the Queen. If Her Majesty wanted a private audience with Janine, surely a direct invitation would have sufficed? She didn't have to send those two to flush her out. Recognizing every moment delayed would lead to further conjecture about her loyalty, Janine put on her dress uniform and rang the palace, securing a private audience with the Queen.
The things you do for your kids, Janine thought as she stood in a flock wallpapered hallway outside one of Tatiana's reception rooms. An unheard, unseen witness to many Royal meetings over the years, Janine was aware which room Her Majesty used depended very much on her mood and the situation. She reserved the small salon near her office for close family and those in favor. Most others got the blue room closer to the public areas of the palace. Those not in favor were received in the black suite—which is the room Janine found herself waiting outside. Dark, even for those used to living at night, the black room was overly ornate with black damask wallpaper and what looked to be the most uncomfortable guest chairs. Everything about the room screamed wealth, privilege and most of all power. It was no coincidence Tatiana had chosen to meet with Guardian Hathaway in this room.
The door opened and Janine was ushered in by Priscilla Voda. Closest friend and confidant of Her Majesty, she possessed an astute mind, and she missed nothing. Perturbed by Priscilla's presence, Janine schooled her face into an impassive mask.
"Your Majesty," Janine said, doing the required bow before turning to Priscilla. "Princess Voda. Thank you for receiving me so promptly."
"Not at all, Guardian Hathaway. I'm hoping you're here with good news?" Tatiana asked almost coyly. "Have you heard from Rosemarie?"
"I have not," Janine lied, keep her face neutral. "And I'm afraid I'm the bearer of disappointing tidings."
"Oh?" Tatiana asked, raising a perfectly groomed eyebrow before gesturing for Janine to take a hardbacked, upright wooden chair; a distinction to the comfortable armchairs the Royal women occupied. "So? Enlighten me."
Janine started in on her version of Watson and Bellinger's seditious proposal. Although the reigning monarch made all the suitable gasps and other appearances of dismay and shock, what the red-haired Guardian had to say to her was evidently no surprise. That Tatiana had wasted two of her long-term informants to test Janine suggested just how seriously she was taking the situation.
"I'll investigate the coup, and anyone involved punished. I must say, I'm surprised, given the circumstances, that you came to me with this information." It was a statement but worded to sound like an accusation.
"The Royal Council, and our Monarch, ensure the safety and survival of Moroi and dhampir alike. Any opposition to that can't and won't be tolerated," Janine declared.
"Well, I appreciate your loyalty," Tatiana replied. "If only your daughter was a little more… devoted."
Janine bristled but did not rise to the jibe. By all accounts, Rosemarie was an excellent Novice and while, at times, she was high-spirited there was no doubt about her dedication to her training and her potential future charge Vasilisa Dragomir.
When Janine did not reply, Tatiana continued. "You must be so disappointed she came so close to graduating only to give it all away."
"Give it all away?" Janine asked.
"She's not in a training Academy, and there has been no explanation for her absence. Since none of her family or friends know where she is, we can only assume she has dropped out of school and left to join the human world. Unless we hear from her, or she returns to the Academy by the end of the week, her Novice file will be closed, and she'll not graduate as a Guardian."
Guardian Hans Croft pulled his boots off at the front door, sliding his feet into his house slippers while calling out to Mirabelle.
"Bad day?" she asked, handing her husband a glass of red wine and gesturing for him to sit as she stoked the fire. "Dinner will be ready, soon."
"The worst," he moaned, putting his wine on a side table and pulling Mirabelle onto his lap. Recognizing he was tired and stressed, she nuzzled his neck, purring as she did so.
"Tell me about it."
"The Royal Council are up in arms about Rose's disappearance and demanded Tatiana act. As well as sending Guardians to St. Vladimir's, today she told Janine Hathaway that if Rose isn't at the Academy by week's end, her enrolment will be canceled, and she cannot graduate as a Guardian."
"That's horrible! Do you think she'll do it?"
"I'm sure she will. The worst part is, if Rose reappears, Tatiana will suspect Janine knows where Rose is and passed on the message."
"It's a test?" Mirabelle asked.
"Yes," Hans replied. "Honestly, I can't see a way out of this. If Rose returns to the Moroi world unmarried, she will be brought back here and coerced into a Royal marriage. If she returns married, it will humiliate Her Majesty, who will no doubt take it out on Rose and Dimitri."
"Why would she do that? The Guardians and dhampir at Court are already sympathetic to Rose's cause. If they find out she escaped to marry her mate, they'll be even more supportive."
"Exactly. Which is why Tatiana will punish Rose and Dimitri. She needs to show dhampir who is in charge. Moroi have been happy to ignore marriages like ours because it doesn't affect them. But a marriage between an Omega and an Alpha will ruffle feathers. Moroi consider Omega a status symbol—it's not something they are prepared to allow a dhampir. Her Majesty will have to make an example of them."
"But won't that anger dhampir even more? Many of the most senior Guardians are Alpha. They understand being mated, so they will take Dimitri's side. Plus, the way they treat Omega is barbaric. If Rose is punished for choosing the man she loves over being married off to an unknown Royal Moroi, it will piss off a lot of people."
"It will," Hans agreed. "But from Her Majesty's perspective, better a bunch of pissed off dhampir than Moroi."
Despite their inauspicious start, Pavel had to admit he was growing to like Rose and Dimitri. The girl was every bit her father's daughter; sarcastic and irreverent yet intelligent and clearly devoted. Her attachment to her mate, and he to her, was something to witness.
Used to frequent training, the duo had joined Pavel and the house Guardians every morning and evening for their workout and sparring sessions. As an Alpha, Pavel had expected Belikov to be a formidable fighter, and he wasn't disappointed, but Rose was the real surprise. Natural talent had been harnessed and refined, turning the young Omega into an excellent combatant. Already better than at least half of the Guardians on staff, with some further tuition, Rose could easily become the premier female fighter of her generation like her mother before her.
Abe had asked him to observe and guide Rose's training where he could. While the boss had expressed his misgivings about her pursuing a Guardian career, he wanted her to protect herself should the need arise. Personally, Pavel thought ignoring such a talent would be a waste, so he worked alongside Belikov to round out any deficits in her technique.
"Where's Rose?" Pavel asked Belikov when he came down to morning training alone.
"She's seeing the doctor this morning," the taciturn Guardian replied, starting on his pre-workout stretches. The other Guardians, while polite, were yet to bond with the boss's daughter and her Alpha mate. Most of the time Pavel, Belikov and Rose worked out to one side of the well-equipped gym, Pavel facilitating interaction with the other Guardians where necessary.
"All ok?" Pavel checked. If Rose needed a doctor, Mazur would want to know about it.
"Yes. Abe organized it. Rose needs a repeat of her contraceptive pills."
"I bet she does," Pavel teased, smirking as the younger Alpha blushed. While Dimitri was content to contain the more extreme aspects of their affection to behind closed doors, the same was not the case for Rose. In fact, she seemed to enjoy embarrassing her mate by kissing him at every opportunity—in company or not!
"What's the plan for today?" Dimitri asked, mostly to move the conversation along.
"The boss has business to attend to, today. He thought you and Rose might like to come along."
"Do you think that's wise? With so many people looking out for Rose…?"
"This is a legitimate business with humans," Pavel explained. "A meeting, then a trip to the Ziraat Bank to sign some documents. One day all this will be Rose's—Abe wants her to get an idea of how the business works."
Dimitri was stunned. It had never occurred to him Abe might leave his interests to his daughter, but when he considered it, it made sense. As his only child, and given he had no extended family, Rose was the obvious beneficiary.
"So what's this meeting about?"
"One of Abe's businesses is buying a run-down hotel in the Upper East Side in New York. It will be remodeled and rebranded as part of their chain. Today's meeting is with the CEO to go through the renovation budget and profit-and-loss projections. When the boss is satisfied, we'll go to the Ziraat Bank so he can release the required funds."
"Buying the leasehold for a hotel must be expensive," Dimitri mused almost to himself.
"The freehold," Pavel corrected, "and yes; which is why Mr. Mazur is overseeing this deal."
"Miss. Hathaway, my name is Dr. Charnley. I've been asked to come here today to give you a physical and I believe you need a prescription for contraceptive pills?" A Moroi in her sixties, she seemed pleasant enough, speaking with a thick accent Rose could not place.
"Call me Rose, please. And that's right. I only have one pill left," Rose said with a nervous laugh. She hated seeing a doctor at the best of times.
The doctor chatted about nothing in particular as she took Rose's blood pressure, weight and asked about her overall health. By the time they came around to discuss the required prescription, Rose was relatively at ease.
"Are you sexually active?"
"Yes," Rose replied, only a little embarrassed.
"Ok. Dhampir are immune to sexually transmitted infections, so that's not a concern, however, if you are having sex with Moroi and intend to partake in biting you might want to consider another form of contraception. If you get too high on Moroi venom, you might forget to take your pill, which could result in a pregnancy."
"That won't be an issue. I am in a committed, monogamous relationship with a dhampir."
"In which case, why do you need contraception?" Dr. Charnley asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"Um, I'm Omega," Rose explained. "And not ready to be a mom yet!"
"Understandable," the doctor said with a kindly grin, examining Rose's nearly empty packet of pills. "Let me write you up for more pills. Most eczanes around here should carry this brand."
"Will the prescription work in Russia? I plan to travel there in a few weeks to meet my partner's family."
"Hmm… Whereabouts?" the doctor asked while writing out the prescription.
"Baia? It's a little town outside Omsk."
"If it's a remote area, it's unlikely they'll have this brand. I'd suggest stocking up here before you go to make sure you don't run out."
"Good idea," Rose replied, taking the prescription and walking the doctor downstairs to where a Guardian would walk her to her car.
"Fedosia? It's Domnica. I need you to do something which will make us both a lot of money."
"Money? Now you're speaking my language," the dhampir woman replied with a laugh. Working as a housemaid in a Royal Moroi household in Moldova, Fedosia rarely heard from her younger Moroi half-sister. Why would a Moroi doctor want to associate with a dhampir toilet cleaner?
"Have you heard about that Omega? The one who ran away from Court?"
"Yes. Lord Badica came over last night. One of his Guardians told me about it." Domnica shuddered. While she'd married well, if not Royal, she knew her single dhampir half-sister sometimes 'entertained' visiting Guardians for a little extra money.
"Well, I know where she is! It's not safe to tell Court right now—the people she's staying with will work out it's me who gave her whereabouts away and that wouldn't be good—but I know where she'll be in a fortnight."
"And this will make us money, how?"
"There's half a million US for information leading to her capture!"
"That's nearly nine million leu!" Fedosia gasped.
"And I'll split it thirty seventy with you," Domnica blurted.
"I'm guessing the thirty percent is for me?" the dhampir asked her half-sister, calculating her share in her head. Over two and a half million Moldovan leu would be enough for her to buy an apartment. If she chose the location and apartment carefully and did some refurbishments, she could probably rent out a bedroom to supplement her income and still leave her with a sizeable nest egg. She could leave the Moroi world behind her!
"It is my information…" Domnica replied stiffly.
"Of course," Fedosia placated. If Domnica would give her an in on such a sizeable windfall, she wouldn't quibble. "So what do you need me to do?"
"At this stage nothing. When the time comes, I need you to call Court and give them the information I provide."
"What's the catch?"
"No one can ever find out the information came from me."
