AN: Here is the revamp of chapter 6. I hope you enjoy. This chapter needed the least amount of work, which was a pleasant surprise.

Disclaimer: I only own any original characters. Richelle Mead owns Vampire Academy.

BLACK INK

ACT I: In the Arms of the Devil

Chapter 6: Shadows Fall

"Into the night.

Shadows fall, shadows fall,

So blue."

Night so dark,

Where are you?

Come back in my heart,

So dark,

So dark,

So dark."

~ Julie Cruise – Into the Night

There was a gentle hum in the air. It came in with the rising heat. Spring was nearing its end and summer would be upon them in a few short weeks. The air was filled with anticipation, and it weaved through the Academy grounds resonating with only a few select individuals. Something was about to happen, and it had the four teenagers in question on edge. Many were slightly paranoid that someone had heard of their intentions that day in the small attic room above the chapel. That their plan had been discovered. It had been three days since that meeting. Three agonizing days filled with the building tension. Three days of watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to present itself for them to enact their plan. The only member of their five-man group who was certain of their success was Adrian. He trusted himself and his cohorts enough that he knew failure was not possible. No one would allow it. Unfortunately, that confidence did not rub off onto the other four people comprising the team. It did not help that Adrian was the only one of them who was permitted to leave the Academy grounds. To travel beyond the wards.

As the sun rose into the sky signalling the end of the day for the Moroi, Adrian found himself back in his room in guest housing. It was time. He grabbed the small bag he had packed and slung it over his shoulder before leaving his suite. Today was the day they would leave. They had wasted enough time lounging about and pretending that nothing was amiss, continuing on with business as usual as if they were not planning their escape. After he had left the meeting, Christian and Lissa had determined the rendezvous point for the escape. The isolated cabin near the edge of the Academy's property. The same cabin where Christian's Aunt Tasha had been staying in. It was private, remote, and there was less of a chance of someone finding them and foiling their well laid out plans. With this in mind, Adrian headed towards the secluded location taking great care to remain inconspicuous, avoiding the main areas wherever possible.

When he arrived at the cabin, he was surprised to find Eddie, Lissa, and Christian already there waiting. He had left early and expected to be the first one there. None of them had ventured inside, but they stood sheltered by the small structure so that they were not exposed or visible from a far. Each had a bag with them filled with their necessities for their journey. None of the bags were very large. If they forgot or needed anything else, they could simply buy it. It was not like any of them were strapped for cash. Well, at least where himself, Lissa, and to a lesser extent, Christian. However, that was more than enough.

Lissa gave a small cautious wave in greeting as he approached, and Adrian nodded in acknowledgement. He had been careful to ensure that he had not been followed by any of the patrolling Guardians but remained on alert in case someone had noticed their retreat away from the dorms. Where they were all supposed to be right now, after curfew.

Adrian glanced around briefly taking notice of their missing friend. "Where's Jailbait?" he asked once he was in earshot of the others. He did not want to risk the possibility of catching the attention of any Guardians that may be near by.

Christian shrugged his shoulders adjusting his hold on the full backpack that was draped over his shoulder. "She's not here yet," he replied glancing up at the bright sky through the canopy of trees around them. For now, they were sheltered from the sun, but he could feel its presence and it was growing uncomfortable already.

Adrian rolled his eyes unimpressed by the obviousness of his statement, "I can see that," he retorted turning his attention to Lissa and Eddie. "Why isn't she here?" he asked again dismissing Christian entirely.

Lissa shook her head, "I don't know. She must have run into trouble leaving her dorm," the blonde suggested calmly. She was not really worried by the other girl's tardiness. "I'm sure she'll be here soon. She wouldn't want to miss out," she added crossing her arms over her chest to ward off the light early morning chill.

Eddie nodded in agreement, "Yeah, she was way too excited to flake out on us," he remarked with a small chuckle. It was true, Jill had nearly been bouncing off of the walls all day and was very anxious to leave. Her excitement of being involved in their mission was evident. It was kind of cute.

The rustle of leaves and the crunch of twigs snapping beyond the treeline reached their ears. Soon they were joined by the sound of rushed footsteps approaching their location through the brush. The four individuals tensed up at the foreboding sound. Tension filled the air due to their impending discovery as the footsteps moved closer, only to dissipate immediately when Jill burst through the trees. Her cheeks were rosy, and her hair was wind blown and peppered with leaves and twigs that had become tangled in the long strands. She was breathing heavily from exertion. There were smudges of dirt on her legs and arms along with some scrapes proving that at one point, she had tripped and fallen. This also proved that the tan shorts she was wearing were completely impractical for running through the woods. She adjusted the satchel she carried and tucked her hair behind her ears as she slowed to a leisurely stroll, her breath coming out in heavy pants. It was clear that she had been running for a while.

"Sorry I'm late," she apologized blushing as she felt all of their eyes on her. It was unwanted attention and made her feel awkward and insecure.

Adrian raised an eyebrow at her statement. It was obvious by his expression that he was displeased by her clumsy and hasty appearance. "And you felt it necessary to run here?" He poised the question without the slightest concern for what had held up the younger Moroi. All he cared about was the attention she could have inadvertently drawn to herself by her carelessness, and subsequently revealing their group.

Her green eyes widened as she caught the implication of his words. "I was careful," she insisted suddenly feeling panicked under his scrutiny. "I... I made sure that I wasn't followed, and I only started to run when I reached the woods," she rambled on in her own defense. The words simply flew out of her mouth much faster than her tongue would allow causing her to stutter or stumble over them. The intensity of his stare made her all the more nervous which caused the words to spew out.

Her reaction did not seem to phase Adrian in the slightest. He stepped toward her, clasping his hands together behind his back just underneath the bottom of his bag. "What if, by chance, someone did see or hear you?" he accused her his eyes narrowing into a glare. If anything, her actions and words suggested that, maybe, she was too young and inexperienced to embark on such a mission. However, he dared not voice this particular viewpoint out loud. He knew that the others would disagree.

She squirmed at the shift in his expression feeling her stomach flip uncomfortably. Jill opened and closed her mouth a couple times struggling for a response to hopefully appease him so that he would just leave her alone. However, she came up short. All she could muster was a quiet, "I wasn't." With that said, her eyes fell to the ground and her long brown hair fell down around her face sheltering it from view.

Tired of this, Christian stepped forward and placed his hand on Adrian's shoulder. "Lay off her," he spoke up in Jill's defence in order to shift Adrian's attention away from the young girl. "You don't need to be an asshole to make a point," he snapped glaring at the older man.

He was unimpressed at his attempt to play 'leader', a position he told them yesterday that he did not want, and his treatment of the young water user. He stepped closer to Jill standing beside her as a show of support, and he placed his hand on her lower back.

Christian's sudden proximity had the opposite effect on Jill than he had expected. When his hand touched her, she jumped forward slightly to escape the gesture. Once again, she found herself speaking unnecessarily. "No one followed me," she blurted as she felt her face burning from embarrassment. She had overreacted and for that, a deep blush formed on her cheeks. "I made sure." She spoke quietly biting her bottom lip hoping the subject would simply drop, and she would be off the chopping block.

Thankfully, Adrian ignored her and instead chose to focus his attention on the dark haired man who stood slightly behind her. "No one asked for your opinion Ozera," he remarked in annoyance. His concerns were valid, and he was allowed to question her, and she was required to answer. At least, by his standards.

Christian snorted in distaste, "No one asked for yours either," he retorted crossing his arms over his chest defiantly.

This did nothing but aggravate Adrian further. All Christian was doing was adding unnecessary fuel to the fire. "Do you have a problem with me? It seems that you do since you're so quick to fight with me," he fired back almost immediately.

The younger man took this as a challenge. He straightened his posture glaring at the other Moroi. "Actually, I do," was his reply.

Lissa rolled her eyes at both boy's behaviour. Pulling Jill into the centre of their little feud was highly inappropriate. She found herself wondering whether it was a good decision to have both of them in their group. Both were stubborn and impulsive although in different ways. They both also liked to get under other people's skin. It was something they were both very good at.

"That's enough bickering for one day," she scolded pulling Jill from in-between them. "We need to get moving," she harped reminding them that they indeed had a purpose for being out here. The sharp inflection to her voice seemed to catch their attention.

Eddie nodded agreeing with the Princess. They were using Jill's tardiness as an excuse to argue and it was very irritating. Not to mention it was a waste of their time, and with the volume of their voices, they risked exposure. "We've wasted enough time already. You two can find something else trivial to fight about later," he stated with a grunt as he shrugged his backpack on.

With that said, the boys relented and temporarily put their difference of opinion aside for the time being. Without further discussion, they began to trek through the wooded area towards the front gates. They moved quickly and in a tense silence due to the argument that had taken place moments before, as well as the severity of the mission they were about to embark upon. There was no room for error and no room for doubt. From here on out there was no going back. This was the point of no return.

Lissa fell into step beside Jill sensing the girl's troubled emotions. Her aura was a mixture of brown and grey with flecks of black indicating negative energy, insecurity, and anxiety. It concerned her. There had to be a reason that Jill was both nervous and defensive and she suspected it had something to do with an event that had transpired earlier. The one that had caused her to be late to their meeting in the first place.

"What kept you?" she asked quietly hoping to both fill the silence and satisfy her curiosity.

The young girl, who had been keeping her eyes trained to the ground below, glanced up at the other girl, "Guardian Petrov caught me trying to leave just before curfew set in," she replied casting a sideways glance at Adrian. She bit her bottom lip preparing herself to be bombarded with questions from the man when she finished her explanation. Before he could say anything, she continued. "She questioned me, and I didn't argue and went to my room where I had to sneak out the window." She returned her eyes to the ground to watch her footsteps her face reddening once more.

Once she had stopped speaking Adrian was quick to jump on the information. "What did you tell her?" he demanded his voice coming out much harsher than it needed to.

Jill's head jolted back up and that panicked look seized her again at the tone of his voice. Her fragile composure shattered, and her anxiety returned to the surface. "Nothing, I swear!" she insisted, her grip on the strap of her satchel tightening. Her knuckles were white by the force of her grip. "I said that I forgot something in one of my classes. She directed me back to my room and said I could get it tomorrow, but I don't know if she believed me," she revealed leaving a worried frown on her delicate face.

"She better have because if we get caught and we fail, then it's your fault," Adrian barked in an accusing fashion making Jill wince.

Lissa sighed in annoyance shooting a glare in the other spirit user's direction. His treatment of Jill was completely unnecessary. "Oh, put a sock in it Adrian," she snapped growing increasingly irritated by his bad attitude. There was no need for it, and it was not helping anyone or anything. They were all on the same side here and he needed to remember that.

"No one wants to hear your pessimism," she added when he opened his mouth to retaliate. He returned her glare but listened and kept his mouth shut. The Princess' attention returned to the young girl at her side. "I'm sure it'll be fine Jill. If Guardian Petrov were to follow us, she probably would have revealed herself by now and ushered us back to our dorms," she assured the younger girl with the gentle tone of her voice.

Jill let out a small sigh of relief as she realized the truth of the Princess' sentiment. "You're right," she agreed with a nod more to affirm this information to herself than her companion. She offered up a small smile of gratitude. "Thanks Lissa."

Lissa returned the smile, "No problem." While Lissa was not particularly fond of Jill, her feelings towards her had shifted when she had revealed that she wanted to help Rose. This made Lissa think that perhaps she had been misplaced in her initial assessment of the girl.

With the mobilization of their group, they set the beginning stages of their plan in motion. They were to separate into two teams. One consisted of Lissa, Jill, and Christian, while the other two remaining members made up the other. This was done in order to approach the gate from both sides. A large group was more noticeable than two smaller ones. It was Adrian's job to engage the two Guardian's attending to the large structure since they would not find his presence as suspicious. He was not a student and therefore did not have to adhere to all of the same rules as the rest of them. He was either to convince them to open the gate for him of their own accord, or he would compel them to do it against their will with Lissa's help. They wanted to try a less intrusive approach before resorting to full compulsion. It would make their job a little bit easier on them without the strain of magic use. Either way it would be used to make them forget the incident all together.

After that, they would be home free. At least until their absence was noticed, which it would, but not until nightfall many hours from now when the teenagers did not show up for any of their classes. They would be long gone by then. It was not a fool-proof plan, but it would get the job done in a quick and efficient manner. That was all they needed. Once outside, they would proceed to walk down the road where a car would be waiting to take them to the airport where Adrian had purchased their transport to Russia.

Lissa stopped her group a few feet away from the gate, using the many trees as their cover to remain out of view. The other two members of her team followed suite. So far, things were proceeding as planned with no surprises. There was still time for that though. She peered around the tree spotting Adrian and Eddie approaching the Guardian's booth adjacent to the structure where the controls were housed. Two Guardians were posted at the gate at all times. One inside the booth, and one outside of it. This was knowledge they acquired thanks to Eddie. He was their expert in anything relating to the Guardians and their protocols since his training gave him insight that the rest of them were lacking. It was thanks to this information that they were able to fully flesh out their plan. He was a great asset to their team.

Adrian approached the Guardian outside of the booth first. Lissa could not recall his name and she did not bother asking the others. It was not important, so it did not matter. He was just an obstacle to get through. A hurdle to overcome in order for them to progress.

"Good morning," Adrian greeted the man enthusiastically. He flashed a friendly and charming smile patting the other man's shoulder as if they were old friends.

The Guardian however merely nodded in reply, a mask of indifference shielding his thoughts and feelings from view as all Guardians were trained to do. He glanced over to his partner before shooting Adrian a tight-lipped smile. "What are you doing out here in the daytime Lord Ivashkov?" he asked flatly putting in the extra effort of using the spirit user's proper title.

Though Adrian enjoyed the perks of being a Royal amongst the Moroi, he did not like the way people stiffened or altered their behaviour simply because of his title. He rarely referred to himself as such. At least, not within his inner circle or outside of formal events where it was truly appropriate. Hearing it spoken out loud to him felt strange. He forced these thoughts away and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. With an indifferent shrug of his shoulders, he politely replied to the Guardian's enquiry.

"Just taking a stroll before turning in for the day. I had to take advantage of this beautiful morning," he lied laying it on a little too thick.

He only realized his slight error when the Guardian's well trained eyes squinted slightly in suspicion. By his expression it was obvious that he was not fooled by Adrian's charismatic charm. He gestured to the bag slung over the Moroi's shoulder. "Seems strange to bring a bag on a stroll, isn't it?" he questioned raising an eyebrow as if to emphasize his disbelief.

Adrian was slightly shocked to have been discovered so quickly. He had misjudged the Guardian's investigative abilities. Regardless, he recovered quickly. To save face, he snapped his fingers. "Well shoot," he began acting as though his plan had been thwarted. "You got me. I came out here to ask you if you could open the gate and let me leave," he confessed only giving him part of the truth. It seemed necessary to seem genuine and the less he revealed, the better. He looked around aimlessly, "I'm done with this place," he announced.

The Guardian glanced at his partner again and met his gaze. A silent conversation seemed to go on between the two men before the secondary Guardian inside the booth returned his attention back to the book he had opened in his lap. It seemed as though daytime patrol and guard duty acted as downtime for the normally over cautious observers. The Guardian in the booth seemed to have little concern as to the conversation taking place only a few feet away. At least, it appeared that way. Adrian was sure that he was still paying attention. With the silent message conveying that he could handle the situation, the first Guardian shifted his full attention back onto Adrian.

"Do you have the proper clearance?" the Guardian questioned further sensing that he already knew the answer to that particular question. It was well known amongst the Academy staff that Adrian was not one to adhere to the rules. He also liked the bend them when he could, which, as the Queen's favourite nephew, was quite often.

Adrian froze. He had not been expecting a request such as this. "Clearance?" he repeated for clarity for it left him slightly perplexed. He was not entirely sure how to respond or how to proceed with that request.

His pause only added to the Guard's suspicion. To humour the Moroi before him, he nodded slowly. "Yes, since the attack no one enters or exits the Academy without proper clearance. Just a security precaution I can assure you Lord Ivashkov," he explained watching Adrian's expression intently in order to detect any shift in emotion in his eyes. He knew that the affluent young man was up to something.

Adrian had heard rumours of such a protocol being enforced, but he had never paid enough attention to those kinds of things. Silently he cursed himself for not considering extra security measures being enforced. Keeping a straight face, he feigned ignorance. "I didn't know that," he admitted with a small frown.

Suddenly, the Guardian seemed to change his tune. Whether it was from the goodness of his own heart, or the fact that he remembered something he had previously forgotten was unclear. "Since you are only a guest here," he began putting unneeded emphasis on the word guest. A small, but seemingly cocky smile appeared on the Dhampir's face. "I'm sure I could get my partner Alex in the booth over there to call up Headmaster Lazar and get his approval to let you through the gate," he suggested the smile on his face never wavering as he exposed the plausible loophole.

The Guardian's suggestion alerted Adrian that the Dhampir knew that he was up to something, and alerting Headmaster Lazar would ruin the plan. He cursed to himself again for trying to take the easy way out. He forgot that Guardians were not easily fooled. They were trained to be observant and notice everything and notice everything they did. Before Adrian could even come up with a response, the Guardian stepped away heading towards the booth where his partner resided. This sent the spirit user into action. Immediately he reached out and grabbed a hold of the other man's shoulder. He turned and Adrian made sure to lock his gaze with the unsuspecting Dhampir.

"Don't move," he ordered feeling the warmth of spirit magic as it flowed through him.

The Guardian nodded slowly keeping his glazed brown eyes locked with Adrian's vibrant green ones. "I won't move," he repeated in agreement easily falling under Adrian's influence. His voice was flat and his body rigid.

"Good," Adrian breathed risking a glance at the other Dhampir in the booth before signalling for the others to approach. He had this one, now Lissa had to get the other Guardian before he became too suspicious.

Phase two of the plan was complete. The instant he made the gesture with his hand, the other four members of their group wasted no time. They surged forward to his location after ensuring that they had attracted no further attention. Eddie, having just been around the corner, arrived first. The other three soon followed from the treeline. The flurry of activity outside the booth caught the remaining Guardian's attention. He bolted up from his seat, the book in his lap falling onto the floor, as he raced to investigate the commotion outside. However, he only made it a couple of steps before his luck ran out. Lissa stood in front of him, between Adrian and his target, intercepting his path. He stopped regarding her with confusion. He took a step backwards but before he could address her, Lissa had him under her complete control.

She smiled sweetly, a task almost second nature to her, as she watched his confused expression relax. The Dhampir's eyes glazed over, and a dazed look formed over his features. "You're going to let us out of that gate, aren't you?" she suggested feeling the rush of spirit magic as she stretched her influence over the man before her, allowing her to force her will onto him. It was almost too easy as he did not even try to resist her.

His response was flat and seemingly robotic, just as his partner's had been. "Do you have clearance?" he asked numbly.

Deep down, Lissa felt guilty for manipulating Guardians like this. Before she had been aware of the full scope of her magical abilities, she had used compulsion on the majority of the school. Now that she knew better, she hated using it in such a dominating way. It felt as though she was abusing her powers. However, she forced those feelings down into the pit of her stomach keeping up with her innocent facade. She had to do this. There was no other way.

"Of course we do," she assured him, obviously lying, but under her spell the Guardian did not react. "Your partner called up and the Headmaster said it was alright," she explained having picked up the gist of Adrian's conversation with the other Guardian. "If you could be a sweetheart and open the gate, that would be very kind of you." She was laying the sweetness on thick, but it did not matter as it seemed to have the desired effect.

After a moment he nodded stiffly, "Yes, Princess," he said turning around and heading back towards the booth. With his back to her, Lissa relaxed some and spared a glance over towards her fellow spirit user.

Adrian was still holding the other Guardian under his control. Where she excelled at compulsion, Adrian seemed to be struggling a little bit, but not enough to warrant her intervention or assistance. It could simply be that the Guardian was resisting the compulsion, which was entirely possible. Guardians were trained to throw off compulsion, although not many were that good at it. Still, Adrian managed to stay in control and keep the Guardian standing outside the booth still and compliant.

The Guardian under Lissa's control stepped into the booth and turned his attention to the controls. His fingers hovered over the console, hesitating. It was almost as if he sensed that he was being controlled and was fighting it much like the Guardian Adrian had subdued. Lissa could not allow that to happen. She focused all her energy into the compulsion and was rewarded when he immediately complied to her nudging. After a moment, he pressed some buttons on the console and the gate let out a loud groan as it slowly began to open. Lissa itched with anticipation, her anxiety running on high. So much so, that she could feel herself relax at that metal groaning sound. Silently, she thanked their lucky break. Everything was going to plan, so far.

Lissa turned to the Guardian she was controlling, "You will remember nothing. We were never here," she told him firmly hearing Adrian echo her words to the other Guardian a few feet away.

He nodded swiftly. "I saw nothing," was his empty response.

It was almost too easy. The execution of their plan had been relatively seamless with no real hiccups, but she had expected it to be much more difficult. Perhaps she had been over thinking the matter entirely, reading too much into things. That was something she did too often. A worry wart some may call her. Lissa shook her head before following the others through the opened gate. There was no time to dawdle. Still, she felt relieved. They had done it. They were home free.

"And where are you five heading off to?" A clear and authoritative voice called from behind them. However, the words came out poised as more of a statement rather than a question.

Adrian froze at the sound, and so did his friends around him. It seemed they had attracted an audience after all. He winced silently cursing Jill as he immediately recognized the voice. It belonged to Alberta Petrov. The Captain of the Guardians here at the Academy. The same woman who had stalled Jill by discovering her first attempt to leave her dorm. It appeared that the young girl had been far less inconspicuous than she had thought. Adrian shot a glare in her direction. Jill bit her bottom lip and shied away from his gaze using her hair to shield her face once more. Christian wrapped an arm around the young girl's shoulders and returned Adrian's cold stare. This time, she did not jolt away from the fire user's touch, accepting the attempt at support.

It was Lissa who broke the heavy silence that had settled upon them at Alberta's appearance. She took a few steps towards the Head Guardian, her head held high, and determination set on her features. "You can't stop us," she informed the Guardian flatly. They had come this far, and she was not about to give up now. No one was going to stop them from leaving. If she had to, Lissa would take Alberta out. She did not want that, but if left without another option, she would do so.

Alberta crossed her arms over her chest with a small snort, although her expression remained impassive, but stern. "I wasn't planning on it."

Lissa could not help but gape at the female Guardian in shock. They had been discovered and she had anticipated, should such an event occur, that someone would have to drag her back to her dorm kicking and screaming. That is, if her and Adrian could not compel their way out of the situation. She blinked unable to form a response due to this unexpected statement. Her mind was still reeling.

She shook her head which, thankfully, knocked some sense back into her. "What are you doing here then if it's not to stop us?" she asked after the surprise had worn off. It gave way to both intrigue and suspicion. Everyone had their motives, even herself. Some better than others. It made her wonder, what were Guardian Petrov's.

Alberta's face remained a blank canvas. An emotionless mask that all Guardian's learned to hide behind. Lissa had seen it enough to know. "I'm coming with you," Alberta informed them curtly. She spoke those words in such a way that left no room for argument. Her mind was made up and nothing they could say or do would sway her choice. Whether they liked it or not, Alberta was going with them.

Christian stepped up to stand beside Lissa, his shoulders rigid. "Why?" he probed deeply curious of her motives. There was something amiss and he did not like how she was so insistent to help them. "What's in it for you?"

Alberta shrugged her shoulders her expression not faltering. "I have my reasons," she replied. Her words were vague and questionable, but satisfactory to some extent.

However, this was not enough for Christian. Dissatisfied by her attempted dismissal of his question he pressed onward. "And what might those be, exactly?"

It was more of a demand than a request on his part. He raised an eyebrow as he shifted his stance to mirror Alberta's, copying her. Lissa was unimpressed by the gesture and smacked him on the arm in an effort to get him to stop. He could not intimidate the older woman. As usual, he chose not to listen to her. His somewhat childish tactics had no effect on the experienced Guardian. However, sensing that a more thorough explanation was required, she relented to appease his curiosities.

Her arms fell to her sides as she abandoned her posture. "If you leave here and something happens to you, I am responsible," she began. Her voice was eerily calm as she spoke. "Since I knew what you were planning and I did nothing to stop you, it will be on my hands," she continued further when she was met with blank stares and confused expressions. Alberta sighed. "One Novice cannot adequately protect four Moroi. No matter how adept his skills may be."

"We can handle ourselves..." Christian began to argue but was effectively cut off by a well placed elbow to his ribs by Adrian.

"So, you want to protect us from the evils of the world," Adrian spoke up in his usual casual drawl, but paraphrasing, Alberta's words to sound more like they were his own.

The Guardian paid this no mind and managed a single stiff nod to confirm his statement. "Something to that effect," she stated giving her shoulders a subtle shrug. "Besides, I want Hathaway back just as much as you do," she confessed returning her arms back to their crossed position over her chest.

Lissa stepped back in surprise at this. Although it was obvious that Alberta had somehow become aware of their plan, the fact that she, apparently, knew some of the details was a shock. "How did you know about that?" she asked poising the question that she knew was on everyone's minds.

She shook her head, "It doesn't matter how I know, just that I do," was her calm reply as she stepped towards the four teenagers before her. "I know enough to know that whatever it is that's going on, it's dangerous. Yet you five are risking your lives to help a friend in need. I can get behind that," she remarked, the hard edge in her voice melting. Her arms dropped down to her sides once more and a small smile cracked through her guise. "I may be a little rusty, but adequate enough to suite your needs," she stated with a small chuckle in an effort to ease the tension that had formed between them.

This seemed almost too good to be true, but as much as Adrian hated to admit it, they could really use her help. After a moment of consideration, he sighed in defeat reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. "Can we trust you?" he asked holding his hand out for her to shake. Perhaps the benefits of this arrangement would outweigh the risks. He certainly hoped so, for all their sakes.

Alberta quirked an eyebrow but took his hand and shook it firmly sealing the arrangement. "You tell me?" she challenged before releasing his hand from her grip.

She turned heading towards the opened gate. Adrian took a step forward to stop her, but quickly found that there was no need. The Guardian simply retrieved a small bag that had been resting on the ground adjacent to the gate. None of them had noticed it there before. They had been too focused on the Guardians. She returned to the group focusing her attention on Eddie.

"You'll need these," she told him as she produced three silver stakes from within the bag. To everyone's surprise, she offered them to the Novice as if to symbolize a sign of her allegiance.

Tentatively, Eddie reached out and grasped one tightly in his hand. He stared down at the weapon in awe. He had never truly held one in his hand before, not a real one, and it was empowering. It was everything he had dreamed of since he was a young boy. He stared down at its smooth and reflective surface before looking back to Alberta. "I don't know what to say," he spat out dumbly.

She smiled reaching out and patting his broad shoulder. "There are only three ways to kill Strigoi. Might as well improve our odds," she offered up in explanation as she returned the other two stakes to her bag.

Eddie returned her smile. "Thanks Guardian Petrov."

"Please, call me Alberta," she informed the young man with a firm nod. She heard the gate close behind them signalling their departure. Normally the gates did not stay propped open for that long, but her intervention had changed that for she had altered the controls. It may have drawn suspicion. She squeezed Eddie's shoulder gently. "We're partners now. Equals."

Rose rolled over in bed feeling warm and comfortable beneath the soft linens. They enveloped her like a cocoon, shielding her from the outside world. Wrapping around her in her own personal bubble of contentment, which she was free to bask in at her leisure. She had no worries and no responsibilities. Here, she simply existed. She sighed happily, stretching her body out. When she did, she felt tension on the blanket which restricted her movements. Her curiosity got the best of her, and her brown eyes fluttered open to find the cause of it.

The young Dhampir was surprised to find the spot beside her occupied. Dimitri sat along side her with his back against the headboard. He was on top of the covers with a book held in his hands. To her surprise, it looked new. He was dressed solely in his jeans, his shirt placed neatly at the foot of the bed. She could not help but admire his shirtless form. Although not an unfamiliar sight, the muscle he had held as a Dhampir seemed somehow more defined in his immortal state. How that was possible she could not explain. Dimitri saw her move out of the corner of his eye, but he did not look in her direction. However, it was clear that he knew she was awake. He turned the page of his book not paying her any mind.

"Did you have a good sleep?" he asked her after a few moments of comfortable silence.

Rose stretched again a small smile forming on her face. She could get used to waking up with him next to her, like they were a normal couple. She answered his question with a small nod knowing that he would catch the movement in his peripheral vision, despite his gaze being focused on the page of his book.

"I didn't expect to find you here with me," she commented rolling onto her side so that she was facing him.

He glanced at her briefly, then, once again, he returned his gaze to his book. "Does that surprise you?" he inquired after a moment.

She contemplated his words before nodding slowly. "You're never here for long. I'm surprised you found the time to stay here with me," she remarked pushing herself up into a sitting position.

He watched her expression fall at that explanation and he tilted his head slightly in curiosity. "Well, there is a purpose to my visit," he stated folding the corner of his page marking it for future reference. "There is something that I need to discuss with you," he announced tossing the book onto the nightstand beside him, discarding it.

Instantly, he had her full attention. Rose sat up straight, crossing her legs beneath her. "What is it Comrade?" she asked eager to have a meaningful discussion with him.

It was not often that they had such talks and she had been longing to have a conversation with him like they used to. Before she had tried to escape from him for reasons still unknown to her. She must have had a good reason to do so, but she could not remember what it was. It was all fuzzy. Static. That one act seemed to have driven a wedge between them and she found it rather uncomfortable. She wished that she could remember what she had done and why she had tried to leave.

His handsome face hardened at the rapt expression taking over her face. "Why haven't you told me that Adrian has been contacting you?" he asked seeing no point in beating around the bush. It was always best to be direct and to the point. Take them by surprise and you received more truthful responses that way. They had no time to think about what the question may be.

Rose froze, her mouth opening slightly in bewilderment. Of all the things he could have to discuss with her, this was one thing that she had not expected. She opened and closed her mouth a few times unable to find the words to answer him. "How did you know about that?" she asked timidly.

"It doesn't matter how I know," he informed her harshly pulling his lips into a tight line indicating his displeasure at her inadequate response. "What matters is that you kept it from me."

Ashamed, Rose hung her head looking down at the blanket covering her legs. The truth was, she did not have a good reason for withholding the information. Nothing that she felt would satisfy him. She could feel her cheeks heating up but managed to conjure up a response however inadequate it may be to him.

"I didn't think it was important," she confessed the volume of her voice dropping. The words came out as more of a muttered whimper.

Regardless of her lowered voice, he heard her crystal clear. "Don't be stupid," he reprimanded her, a scowl marring his face in complete disapproval of her statement. Rose winced and shrank away from him. Sensing her distress, he reeled his anger back some. She had made a mistake, but he could not allow it to slide by ignoring it. She needed to understand what he expected from her. "I don't like it, and I don't like that he keeps trying," he continued much calmer than before. "I've managed to block him, and it seems as though he is the only one who can reach you."

Rose nodded in confirmation. "He is," she assured him wrapping her arms securely around herself. She suddenly felt vulnerable and exposed in front of him.

Her nervous reaction appeased him, and his expression softened. This was all a play on her emotions. A test of sorts. She was seemingly willing to do anything for him, but he needed to affirm her allegiance to him in some way. Testing her by forcing his own anger was easy enough. She crumbled easily under his scrutiny, eager to please him. Truthfully, he had been rather amused by Adrian's pathetic attempts to sway Rose back to his side. To get her to tell him where she was, all in spite of the fact that Rose had told him to leave her alone. That fact alone was why he was so calm about the situation. She did not want to see him. Adrian held no dominion over her. That was all in Dimitri's power.

He shrugged the matter off feeling as though he had expended enough of his time on it. "I feel that the matter is resolved. Still, I don't like that you kept this from me," he stated ensuring that his point got across to her.

She nodded her head repeatedly. "I'm sorry. I'll never do it again," she insisted looking at him with those big, shining brown eyes. He regarded her suspiciously, but all he could see inside those depths was admiration. She was telling him the truth.

He rested a hand on her shoulder, and she leaned into his touch. Her eyes remained fixated on him. He had her undivided attention. "I want you to tell me everything," he told her as he pulled her towards him. She followed his lead holding his gaze unable to look away. "You don't have to be afraid of telling me things. I apologize if I have reacted poorly in the past." His voice became quieter the closer she drew until their lips were mere inches apart. "I would never hurt you intentionally," he said, the lie flowing off of his lips with natural ease. Undetectable.

If she dared to disobey him, if she crossed that line again, he could not be held responsible for his actions. He would hurt her so badly that she would suffer in agony. So much so that she would beg him to make the pain stop. However, he would not give in to those pleas. No, he would watch her writhe in pain, torturing her until he felt she had suffered enough. He would break her and put her back together just to break her again. As these thoughts swirled through his mind, he could not help the shiver of excitement that traveled down his spine at the idea. Oh, how delicious such punishment would be.

Rose's heart thundered in her ears, and she felt her cheeks grow hot at his words. "I know," she breathed out in response as her chest constricted.

He chuckled at how easy she was to manipulate. He had no idea that compulsion could be this powerful. The Moroi were foolish not to use this ability to their advantage. Rose believed and did everything he suggested without hesitation. It was exhilarating to have that much control over a person. For him to have that control over her. It was far too much fun.

He pressed his lips against hers and she instantly, and eagerly, responded. She longed for his touch, and it was no secret by the way she pressed her body against his. She melted, molding to him in a way that only felt natural. Like she was meant to be there. He pushed her back gently easing her down onto the mattress, their lips never separating. Her hands slid up the muscular planes of his bare chest memorizing the feel of him beneath her fingers. His lips shifted travelling across her jawline and down her neck. She moaned softly her eyes fluttering closed.

His hands traveled underneath her thin tank top, sliding over the skin residing there. Her body tingled and burned everywhere he touched. She arched her back towards him wanting more. He pulled away from her for a moment, swiftly removing the offending top and leaving her upper body bare beneath him. He kissed her lips firmly before lavishing his attention on her throat and collar bone. He could feel her blood pumping faster underneath her skin. He bit back his groan of desire. While his lips explored, his hands slid up her sides cupping and caressing her breasts, kneading the soft flesh. She shuddered in pleasure biting her bottom lip to stifle the encouraging moans emanating from her throat. Heat pooled in her stomach at the sensations he was creating within her. She wanted more.

A loud knock at the steel door leading out into the hall interrupted their activities. Dimitri groaned pulling his lips away from the warm skin of her throat. "What!" he shouted outraged to be interrupted at a time such as this. Still, he maintained his position hovering over Rose's topless form.

"Sir," a feminine voice called from the outside hall. Layla. "There is someone here to see you," she announced speaking just loud enough so that the two inside the room could hear her.

Dimitri rolled his eyes in annoyance glancing down at the naked flesh beneath him. Rose was far more appealing than whomever this 'guest' may be. He licked his lips appreciating her body, "Tell them I'm busy," he replied before leaning down and kissing Rose's neck again.

She held back another moan as she felt his tongue gently glide across her skin. She relished in the feeling. His fangs grazed her pulse point, and she bit her lip silently praying that he would give in to his urges and bite her.

An annoyed sigh filtered through the door. Despite how quiet the two were being, Layla knew what was going on inside the apartment. She could smell the arousal, and it sickened her. A Strigoi playing house with a Dhampir blood whore. Layla wrinkled her nose in disgust. The idea was completely appalling. However, it was not her place to challenge Dimitri on his decision to keep the girl. If she did, he may just kill her, and Layla was not about to risk that. She had survived this long, and she had no intention of dying anytime soon.

"She insists," Layla responded swiftly. "You might want to reconsider," she tried again contemplating the idea of leaving them to their own devices and allowing their guest to pry the two apart. However, in doing that, she may also be endangering herself. Putting herself in the crossfire. She did not like that idea. She was all about self preservation. "She's waiting for you in your office."

Dimitri growled growing increasingly annoyed by the constant disruptions. He had other things on his mind and could care less that someone demanded his presence. He was in charge here, and he would not bow to anyone's orders. "I'll be there momentarily," he stated in a completely dismissive fashion. He leaned down capturing Rose's nipple between his teeth and gently nibbling the small nub. This earned him a sharp gasp from the girl.

Hearing this Layla rolled her eyes. Tired of his stalling Layla slammed her open palm against the steel door with force to gain his attention once again. The metal rattled loudly from the impact. "Now! If you value your life, you'll do as she requests!" she shouted stepping back from the door and turning to depart. At the last moment she stopped and turned back to the door, "Stop fucking around. This is not a time to get your dick wet!" she yelled saying her piece before heading back down the hall. She was no longer willing to wait for her ignorant leader.

If only he could take matters seriously. Instead, he was too wrapped up in that pathetic and useless Dhampir girl. Unlike Dimitri, Layla was no fool and was not about to risk the wrath of their distinguish guest.

Dimitri reluctantly pulled away from Rose. "I best do what she asks. Layla can be quite insufferable," he relented, although leaving was not what he wanted to do. He hesitated momentarily before jumping off of her and landing on the wooden floor beside the bed with unnatural grace. "I will be back shortly, feel free to wait for me," he stated with a smirk as he grabbed his shirt from where he had left it at the foot of her bed. "This won't take long."

Rose frowned in disappointment, but nodded in understanding, "I'll wait," she assured him with a flirtatious smile.

He pulled his shirt on casting her half naked body one more appreciative look before leaving the room. In an instant, Rose was on her feet. She hurried to re-clothe herself, pulling on her shirt. As she did so, she heard the wooden door separating her apartment from Dimitri's office open and then close again. He had taken the shortcut. Her interest was piqued by his sudden and swift departure. There was this deep desire within her to know who this mysterious visitor could be. She knew that she should not listen to that feeling, but she could not help it. Her curiosity won out over reason.

Quietly, she shuffled from the bedroom and made her way towards the wooden door. She wiped her now sweaty palms on her sleep shorts and tentatively gripped the door handle. With a small intake of breath, she tested the handle surprised to find it unlocked. Slowly and carefully, she opened the door enough to peer inside and see what was going on. It was only slightly ajar. A small gap that would, hopefully, go unnoticed.

Despite the darkness of the room, she could see clearly. Her eyes immediately landed on the strange figure standing in the room. Dimitri's visitor was a tall woman. Rose could not help but stare, taking in her appearance. She looked young, barely older than Rose herself, and she was beautiful. Frighteningly so. Her skin was white and smooth, and her hair was long and dark though also lush with colour. The dark chestnut waves framed her extremely pale face drawing out the red that circled within her deep green eyes. Familiar eyes in a shade of emerald, but she could not place where from. Her midnight blue dress clung to her perfect figure and flared out at the bottom the fabric trailing behind her as she walked. She stood at about six feet tall with a super model's perfect figure. If not for her unnatural complexion and the practically glowing red of her eyes, Rose could picture her on the runway. By her features, it was obvious that she had been Moroi before she had been awakened. Whether it had been forced or by choice was unclear. There was an otherworldly quality about her that was very endearing. Her presence commanded attention.

The woman sashayed her way towards Dimitri, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips showing off her pearly fangs. The sight of her made Rose's blood run cold. An unknown sense of terror seized her, and she was frozen to her spot. There was something about this woman that was hauntingly familiar, but Rose could not put her finger on it. She felt as though she had seen this woman before somehow, somewhere. Although that seemed completely impossible as it was obvious, with how ghostly white her skin was, that she had been Strigoi for quite some time.

Dimitri's eyes narrowed at the woman. It was clear from the set of his jaw and the tension in his shoulders that he was unhappy with her intrusion. "Who are you?" he demanded harshly.

The dark haired woman seemed unaffected by his hostility. Actually, she seemed almost amused. She folded her arms elegantly in front of her, the unsettling smile on her porcelain face never wavering. "My name is Juliana, and I am here to meet the feared Dimitri Belikov."