Black Ink

by Foamy

What if Rose never escaped Dimitri on the bridge. Trapped under Dimitri's spell and under his complete control, can she be saved before it's too late? But, does she want to be saved? Once everything around her shatters, will she be able to pick up the pieces again? Rated for dark themes, violence, sexual content, and foul language. UPDATED: Chapter 9 now up!

10. When You See Without the Sun

AN: I had a good portion of this chapter written before I stopped working on this story years ago. I actually thought I had posted it, but when I checked, I realized I hadn't. Sorry, but also not sorry because it's much better now. Enjoy! It's a long one!

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

BLACK INK

ACT I: In the Arms of the Devil

Chapter 9:When You See Without the Sun

---

"'Cause I'm not forgiving

Not forgiving (Said I'm not forgiving)

Not forgiving (Said I'm not forgiving)

I'm fast and ghastly (Fast and ghastly)

Black is real, you can't hide

Hearts are the darkest

When you see without the sun."

~ Marilyn Manson – INFINITE DARKNESS

---

Rose's life in captivity had changed drastically with the addition of her new 'friend' into her environment. The first day the two did not speak much, but simply occupied the same space. Darina would spend her time cleaning up the place, procuring items for her suite, ensuring Rose was bathed and fed, and muttering to herself under her breath as she occasionally paced the floor of the apartment. Other than that, the witch had been fairly silent; only speaking to Rose when she wanted the Dhampir to do something or asking if she needed anything. Essentially, Darina was a glorified babysitter.

It was Darina's third day visiting the apartment. True to Dimitri's word, since her arrival, the witch spent hours upon hours in Rose's company. She would arrive shortly after Rose woke up and stay for a few hours keeping her company until she went to sleep. Much to her dismay, Dimitri had yet to return.

Although Darina did not speak much, the silence between them did not bother Rose. She no longer felt the nagging and anxious fear nor the crippling loneliness that had left her desperate for any form of attention. The witch helped filled some of the void that she felt when Dimitri was gone. Her presence was comforting.

While the witch was not cold or rude towards her, she remained indifferent. It was clear that this arrangement was merely a means of survival and little more. Knowing the severity of her failure to comply with her directions, Darina had been reluctant to get close to the Dhampir should she grow too attached to the younger girl. However, that was proving to be much harder than she anticipated as time went on.

"How did you end up in here?" Darina asked Rose from where she sat on the edge of the bathtub. She leaned over, turning the knobs, allowing the water to pool inside.

Rose was surprised by Darina's question. She had not expected the other woman to speak. Rose thought for a moment turning back to the small, metal mirror above the sink. "It's a long story," she replied with a small sigh running her hairbrush through her tangled curls.

What Rose had not noticed about Darina upon their initial meeting was the metal collar that was wrapped around her neck. Upon first glance it looked like a plain necklace, but it became clear that Darina could not remove the accessory. Whether it was to show ownership or to control her, Rose could not say. Either way it marked the witch as a slave. Property. That knowledge made her pity the other woman.

Darina shot her a pointed look before gesturing to the empty room around them. "We have time."

Rose paused in her brushing to consider her response. "I came here looking for Dimitri," she began cautiously, her hands resuming their task. "He found me and brought me here," she said this with a small dismissive shrug. She did not feel the need to go into all the details. It was doubtful that the other woman was all that interested in the tale.

"That simple?" Darina probed tilting her head to the side, her eyebrow raised in question.

Rose frowned. "Well, no," she started ceasing her action, her hand dropping to the countertop in front of her. "There were a few stops in between."

Darina clicked her tongue before returning her attention to the rapidly filling tub. "So, you knew him before you got here, he didn't just pull you off the streets?"

"Yeah," Rose replied hesitantly but with a single nod. "When he was still a Dhampir," she added before pausing. Her thoughts wandered and she reflected on Dimitri and their time together over the last several months. "I love him," was her quiet confession.

"And you still love him knowing what he is now?" she asked turning back to face the young Dhampir once more. "Even though he keeps you here?"

Rose shrugged again. "Here isn't so bad," she announced putting the hairbrush away no longer interested in taming her hair. "At least, we can be together now."

"And you couldn't before?" Darina picked up a bottle of pinkish liquid and poured a cap full into the rising water. It was some kind of floral scented bath oil. It was a subtle but pleasant aroma.

"It was…complicated," Rose began as she pondered the best way to explain her relationship with Dimitri and the issues that came along with it.

She did not know how much, if anything, Darina knew about the world of the Moroi and did not have the patience to explain it. It was far too complicated to get into at the moment. However, the older woman did not press, but simply waited patiently for Rose to continue.

"There were many reasons it wouldn't, couldn't, work between us." A small smile formed on her face as she remembered what Dimitri had said to her that night in the cabin. "We were going to be together though." Her smile turned to a frown as her thoughts turned darker as she recalled the events that led to her leaving the Academy. "But then he was turned, and so now I'm here, with him, like this."

"I see," was her flat response as Darina turned the knobs ceasing the flow of water.

A tense silence fell over the two women once more. Darina dipped her hand in the water, moving it around as she tested the temperature. A frown formed on her face, and she turned the knob for the hot water allowing it to flow once more.

"How about you? How did you end up here?" Rose asked breaking the silence. If she had to tell her story, Darina might as well return the favour, especially since she barely knew anything about the older woman.

"Wrong place, wrong time," was her simple answer.

Rose let out an annoyed huff, her shoulders dropping. "That's it?"

Darina nodded dipping her hand into the water again. "That simple." She stopped the water flow now satisfied with the temperature. "I can leave, but if I don't come back…" she trailed off not finishing her sentence. "Well, you get the idea."

"What do you mean?" Rose turned to her with a curious look.

A gentle sigh escaped her as she closed her eyes for a moment before she spoke again. "There is nobody looking for me," she stated with a small shake of her head. "Unlike you, I'm expendable. Your lover has made that abundantly clear."

The Dhampir frowned at this information. "I'm sorry," was her genuine response.

As much as she hated to admit it to herself, she knew this version of Dimitri held little regard for others. Especially those who he viewed as beneath him. She had witnessed this herself in the altercation with Adam a few days prior, and by the way he had spoken to both Layla and Darina. Even though she only witnessed a brief interaction between Dimitri and the witch, it was clear that her survival was contingent upon this arrangement going smoothly. Any resistance on her part would be met with immediate action. No hesitation.

Darina nodded, wiping her wet hand on her jeans as she rose to her feet. "I'll leave you to your bath," she spoke up offering the Dhampir a friendly smile. She gently squeezed Rose's shoulder when she brushed past as she exited the bathroom.

Rose let out a small sigh before pulling her shirt over her head. A nice soak in the bath would ease her tension and make her feel better. She quickly shed her clothing, leaving the garments in a pile on the bathroom floor. Undoing all of the work she had put in to tame her hair, she tied it up into a messy and loose bun. She had washed it yesterday so there was no need to do so again so soon.

Slowly, she stepped into the warmth of the water. Rose winced at the temperature, noting the steam coming off of the surface, but lowered herself to sit down regardless. The water was much warmer than she would like. It made her skin tingle. However, it only took a few moments for her body to adjust to the heat surrounding her. She cupped some water in her hands and splashed it onto her face. She did this twice, running her hands down over her closed eyes with a sigh. This felt nice.

Carefully, Rose eased herself back stretching her body out as her chest sunk beneath the surface. Her back rested against one side of the tub and her feet pressed against the other. She felt the heat cocoon around her, closing her eyes and enjoying the soft floral scent of the water. Fully submerged with only her neck and face above the water, she let out a sigh of contentment.

A soft thud drew Rose's attention to the bathroom door. It was then that she noticed that Darina had left the door open. Whether it was to listen out for her or so that Rose could easily call her she was not sure. Either way, it was slightly comforting. It let her know that someone was there. That she was not alone. Pondering this for a moment, Rose decided to try and speak with Darina as she moved about the apartment.

"Do you miss it?" Rose asked stretching out her stiff muscles. Being submerged in the warm water helped draw out the tension from her body.

Darina turned to look over her shoulder in the direction of the bathroom. She had been surprised by the sound of Rose's voice. Although it had been her decision to remain resolute in her relative silence, it was the first time Rose had seemed genuinely interested in her. After their brief discussion on that first meeting, she had not been pressed for more information. Intrigued, the witch chose to respond.

"Miss what?" she asked for clarification. It was unclear what the Dhampir was referring to and she did not like to play guessing games.

"Your magic?" Rose pressed on, encouraged. "Do you miss it?" she repeated her question curious to the older woman's answer.

Carefully the witch laid out the plastic knives and forks, which Dimitri had so graciously allowed them to have, placing them on the table. The man had also had the decency to provide them with a small fridge, a microwave, and a small hotplate where Darina could prepare small meals. A minor upgrade from the room's previous squalor. It was a far cry from ideal, but it seemed more like a home rather than a prison cell. A prison cell cleverly disguised as an apartment. Despite all of this, Darina tried to make the best of the situation, for Rose's sake.

Darina considered her response carefully. "Yes and no," she began trying to find the best way to put it in words, and in English, so the Dhampir could understand. "I can still feel it, but it doesn't respond to me as it should," she explained looking down at her hands. There was a longing inside of her that yearned to use her magic properly again. However, she did not voice this feeling. "My access to it is limited."

Rose considered this for a moment and found that she could relate on some level. Not from personal experience, but through her bond with Lissa. When her best friend had started taking the anti‑depressants that had stopped her from using spirit, she had expressed similar feelings in regards to her own magic. Feelings that Rose frequently felt through their bond. The longing to use what came so naturally to her but being blocked and unable to do so. It provoked a sadness within Rose. Sympathy for the witch in her company and the loneliness that she felt from Lissa's absence from her life. Even though they had not left on the best of terms she missed her best friend. However, as quickly as that thought entered her mind, it vanished. As it did, so did all her feelings and thoughts towards Lissa.

Rose hummed in acknowledgement before commenting. "That must be hard to deal with," she said honestly.

Darina shrugged her shoulders even though Rose could not see the gesture from the other room. "It is what it is. I have accepted this," she stated firmly, her tone indicating that she was done discussing the topic.

Fifteen minutes later, Rose was sitting on the end of her bed wrapped in a fuzzy white towel, while Darina kneeled behind with her attention focused on re-brushing the Dhampir's hair. While Rose had been in the bath Darina had been busy preparing food for them. When Rose had left the bathroom a few moments ago, she had seen the two plates laid out, cooling, on the table. She was not sure what it was the witch had made, but it smelled delicious making her empty stomach growl impatiently.

Rose looked at her reflection in the metal mirror above her dresser in front of her. She barely recognized the face looking back at her. Her skin was pale, almost sickeningly so. Dark circles stained the area beneath her eyes and her cheek bones stood out more prominently than before. Her face was weathered and sunken in making her look older than she was. It was evident that she had lost a fair deal of weight over the last couple weeks. So much so that she should be alarmed, but Rose could not bring herself to care. Her eyes travelled down to her neck, which was free of bandages, scanning over the bruises and bite marks residing there. They stood out drastically against the pallor of her skin. She ran her fingers over the punctures feeling the difference in the texture of the skin. The sensation made her shudder.

Seeing and touching those marks sent a shiver of desire through her as well as the cravings for the endorphins to begin creeping in once again. She had managed to keep them to the back of her mind by keeping herself distracted. It had been days, several in fact, and it was growing harder to ignore that voice in her head begging for the high that her body needed. It made her restless, more so than usual, and caused her skin to itch, especially her neck. She fought the urge to fidget and moved to sit on her hands to keep herself from doing so.

Rose's wandering thoughts were interrupted by Darina moving off the bed and crossing the floor to her dresser. She placed the hair brush down on top of the piece of furniture before searching the drawers for something decent for the young Dhampir to wear.

Darina opened the third drawer and shifted through the meager contents before letting out a loud huff of annoyance. "This is not suitable at all," she remarked pursing her lips. "You have no pants."

Rose simply shrugged in response not really seeing an issue. "I have a couple of shorts and a pair of leggings. It's fine, it's enough," she assured her companion.

Rose was comfortable enough with what had been provided to her. Although the garments showed much more skin than she would like, she had never been all that self conscious about her appearance. Besides, here it did not matter. The only people who saw her were Dimitri and, now, Darina.

Darina picked up the lone pair of leggings in question, holding them in front of her as she inspected them. "These are practically see-through," she argued with a stern expression on her face.

Rose shrugged again, indifferent. "So?"

The older woman shook her head in disbelief putting the leggings aside. They would have to do for now. "Unacceptable," she grumbled opening the next drawer. "It's completely ridiculous the way he dresses you," she complained as she continued to search through the contents of the dresser where she found more and more impractical items of clothing. "You need more than just short skirts, skimpy dresses, and barely there night clothes." Her annoyance was clearly displayed on her face.

Rose could not help but feel her cheeks heat up at the tone in Darina's voice. "I don't mind," she replied but looking down at her lap and then to her bare feet. "He likes my body," she added looking up at the older woman with a small smile on her face.

Darina snorted in distaste at her comment, her eyes scanning over Rose's form once more. "Of course he does," she stated bluntly. It was obvious. The witch was quiet for a moment before she clicked her tongue. "I'll see what I can do about this."

"You don't have to…" Rose began, but Darina interrupted her before she could complete her sentence.

"I insist," was her firm declaration.

The Dhampir blinked a few times but nodded sensing there was no room to argue. Darina had already made her mind up. "Thank you."

The older woman offered her a friendly smile which Rose returned with a small nod. She was grateful to have Darina in her life now, and she could feel herself growing more attached to her the more she got to know the tight lipped witch. It was nice to have someone who she could almost call a friend in this place.

"Come now," Darina ushered patting Rose on the knee. "Get dressed, then you can eat."

Rose did not need to be told twice. With the promise of food, she eagerly set about her task.

---

Lissa sat on the bed of the hotel room that she was sharing with Jill and Alberta. They had rented two rooms. The boys in one and the girls in the other. It was much easier on short notice to reserve two regular rooms rather than booking a suite. Her legs were crossed underneath her with her hands resting on her knees. Her green eyes were closed as she did her best to clear her mind and concentrate on the task at hand. Reaching Rose's consciousness through the use of spirit. Attempting the skill that she desired to learn most, how to dream walk.

Across from her, on the second bed, sat Adrian. He mimicked her pose except it was his elbows that rested against his knees. He watched Lissa intently observing her aura as she focused her energy into her attempt. The rest of their group had migrated to the room next door, which was occupied by the three men in their group. Alberta had gone off on her own to run some errands before their departure later in the afternoon. They still did not know where they were going or what to expect so the female Guardian wanted to take care of everything here. This left Lissa and Adrian alone to give them the privacy that they required in order to practice their abilities without distraction.

They had been at it for over an hour now and Adrian was beginning to get restless. The blonde insisted on practicing, and he did not have the heart to tell her that the connection was simply not there. He could not sense Rose's consciousness which meant that she was currently awake and made dream walking her impossible. It was clear that the Princess would burn herself out before long if they continued in this fashion.

After a few moments of continued silence between the two friends, Adrian sighed. "You're trying too hard," he stated interrupting her thoughts. Her one eye opened to look at him. "At this rate you're going to give yourself an aneurysm."

Lissa sighed in defeat her other eye opening and her shoulders dropping. "I just wish I could see her for myself," she confessed dejectedly. "Just talk to her and make sure she's ok."

Adrian nodded in understanding. He knew exactly how she felt because he shared a similar feeling. "I know Lis, but you can't keep forcing yourself," he pressed sitting up straight. He focused on his magic for a moment, effortlessly tapping into that place inside him, reaching out to scan for Rose's consciousness again. Unsurprisingly, he came up empty. "Besides, Rose isn't asleep right now."

"How do you know?" she asked biting her bottom lip anxiously.

"Because I can't sense her," he informed her running a hand through his tousled locks. "Even with the block, I can feel her there I just can't form a link," he explained calmly. "You can't connect because she's not asleep."

Lissa let out a loud groan of annoyance. "And when were you going to tell me that?" she asked, the accusation clear in her tone.

The older Moroi shrugged his shoulders nonchalant. "This is the first time I've checked since we started," was his partially honest response. "Don't blame me."

Despite what he would have said, he knew that Lissa would have insisted they practice regardless even if he had told her in the beginning that Rose was awake. When she wanted to be, Lissa could be very stubborn, and she had made it clear that she wanted to dream walk.

"Maybe the distance is a factor," the Princess commented as she pondered the possibilities. There could be many reasons for her inability to reach out to her best friend. Too many for her to name, but this particular factor immediately caught her attention when it came to mind. "Maybe she's out of my range."

"Could be," he agreed hesitantly. "Distance has never been an issue for me," he declared shrugging his one shoulder.

Lissa could not help but roll her eyes at his statement. "Says the guy who has been doing it for years," she grumbled growing increasingly disheartened by her inability to do something that seemed so simple.

"Not my fault it came so naturally to me," he replied with a smirk but dropped it at the look he received from the Princess. "I could say the same for healing you know," he added swiftly.

"I guess so." It was not quite the same. Adrian was still able to heal, albeit a little at a time. He had yet to do anything noteworthy in that regard, but he could still do it.

"You can bring people back from the dead," Adrian added again trying to help ease her frustration. "That's way cooler and more difficult than dream walking."

"Pfft, yeah sure," was her sarcastic retort. "So far it makes you and your best friend crazy," she grumbled.

"Crazy looking?" he teased trying to make his friend laugh. However, his tactic failed to have the desired effect.

"Shut up Adrian." She knew that he was just trying to make her feel better about her short comings. Although his attempts were appreciated, his teasing was not helping.

A silence settled over the two Moroi for a few moments before the door to the room beeped, unlocking. It was immediately opened allowing Alberta to step into the room. She looked questioningly at the two spirit users seated across from each other on the beds as she closed the door behind her.

Adrian looked over expectantly. "Everything good?" he asked the Guardian, leaning back in his seated position and resting on his hands.

"Yes," she supplied with a curt nod. "I dropped off the rental with no issues," she remarked handing the young Moroi his credit card, which she had borrowed for her cab fare back to the hotel. "Thanks."

Adrian waved her off, tucking the rectangular piece of plastic into his pocket. "Don't sweat it." He did not need her gratitude, he simply wanted to help in any way that he could.

"Where's Jill?" Alberta asked Lissa noticing the younger girl's absence from the room.

"She's with Christian and Eddie in their room," the Princess answered gesturing towards Adrian across from her. "An audience is too distracting when I practice," she explained rubbing her forehead to ward off the headache that was rapidly forming there.

"Not that it helps," Adrian quipped unnecessarily.

Lissa grabbed a pillow from beside her and threw it at the other Moroi. "Shut up!" she fired back as she did so. Adrian needed to learn when his input was not needed and to keep his mouth shut.

Alberta suppressed an amused chuckle but did not stop the smile that came along with her mirth. "No luck then," she commented. Based on their interaction it was easy to come to that conclusion.

"Sadly no," Lissa confessed with a defeated sigh, casting her eyes downward at the carpeted floor.

The Guardian shot a sympathetic look in Adrian's direction. "You'll get it eventually Princess," she assured the teenager.

"Yeah, don't get so dejected," Adrian chimed in. "Look how long it has taken me to improve at healing," the older Moroi offered switching his method as his previous attempts at cheering the blonde up had failed miserably.

"I'm doing my best," she insisted trying to pinpoint what it was that she was doing wrong. Why was dream walking so difficult for her?

"I think that's enough for now Adrian," Alberta interjected sensing the negative direction the Princess' thoughts were going. The Guardian then turned her attention back to Adrian. "Can you send Jill back over?"

He nodded. "Yeah, we'll try again later," he stated shooting Lissa a pointed look. "I'll tell Jailbait her keeper calls," he commented with a small laugh, amused by his own choice of words as he approached the door Alberta had just come through.

"Goodbye Adrian," Lissa called after him as he closed the door behind him, leaving the room.

Once the door clicked shut Lissa groaned falling back against the mattress with a huff. The whole situation with her magic was very frustrating, and Adrian, although he tried, was not helpful at all. Her complete lack of progress to this point was very discouraging. It only made that nagging feeling inside of her worse. She really needed to see Rose, even if it was only for a moment. Even if she could not speak with her. At least, then she would know that her friend was ok. The only comfort she took from the conversation with Adrian was the fact that he could still feel Rose's consciousness when she slept, which did not seem to be often. That meant the Dhampir was still alive. Lissa could take some comfort in that.

"Are you alright Princess?" Alberta asked breaking the silence after a moment of watching the young Moroi. Her concern for the Princess was growing. She could not keep this up and she was going to burn herself out before too long.

Lissa nodded offering a weak smile that did not reach her eyes. "Yes, I'm just a little tired and frustrated," she admitted rubbing her forehead once again. Her headache was growing more prominent.

The older woman thought for a moment. "Why not try dream walking someone else first," she suggested in an effort to distract Lissa from her current failure. "Have someone from our group sleep and try to connect to them."

Lissa considered the Guardian's words for a moment. "A controlled situation," she said pulling herself back up into a seated position.

"Exactly. You need to walk before you can run," Alberta stated shooting the blonde a knowing look. "I am sure either Eddie or Christian would be willing to help."

Lissa had to agree. Learning her magic was a process, and that process was slow going. She needed to start small, easy, and work her way up to something more difficult.

"You know, that's not a bad idea," she remarked.

"I've been known to have those," Alberta replied with a deep but short chuckle. "Don't stress yourself."

Her calm and comforting reassurance was exactly what the blonde needed to hear. She smiled in appreciation at the older woman's kind words. "Thanks Alberta."

She returned the smile. "You're welcome."

The door beeped again signaling the arrival of their missing room mate. Slowly, the door opened so that Jill could, clumsily, shuffle inside. Her light brown hair was dishevelled, and her eyes were drooping sleepily. The young girl yawned loudly covering her mouth with her hand as she closed the door with the other. The lack of sleep she had been getting these last few days was beginning to catch up with her. The travelling alone was enough to tire almost anyone out and it did not look like they would be stopping that trend anytime soon.

Jill's hand dropped to her side. "You rang?" she mumbled in Alberta's direction barely able to keep her eyes open.

"Yes, were you sleeping?" the Guardian questioned noticing the skewed and wrinkled state of the teenager's clothing.

She nodded. "Christian said it was ok and he let me nap on one of the beds in their room," she explained her one hand moving back up to rub her eye. "How did practice go?" she asked looking at Lissa.

The Princess grimaced at her question, her lips pulling into a thin line. "Not great," she forced out in response.

"No luck?" she queried trying to stifle another yawn but failing miserably. Lissa simply shook her head which made Jill frown. From the gesture the young teen could tell that the other girl did not want to talk about it. "I'm sorry."

Lissa sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. "It's alright Jill, it's not your fault. I'm just frustrated."

The younger girl waved her off. "Don't worry, I get it," she managed to get out before yawning again.

Alberta looked down at her watch taking note of the hour. It was the middle of the night for them. No wonder Jill was so tired. They still had a fair amount of time before they were due to meet up with the Alchemist. Perhaps a bit more sleep would be beneficial.

"Why don't you lie down and rest some more Jill," the Guardian suggested watching the young Moroi practically swaying on her feet. "You look exhausted."

"Yes, I think that would be a good idea," Lissa instantly agreed unable to ignore how dead on her feet the other girl was.

Part of her felt guilty for letting Jill tag along on this mission, especially with how dangerous it was. She should have stayed back at the Academy where it was safe. She did not belong here. In fact, the truth was that none of them really belonged in this place beyond the safety of the wards.

Jill nodded, "I just have to use the bathroom," she said before shuffling her feet as she made her way into the small bathroom the three women shared with the room next door.

Lissa heard the lock click and watched as Alberta turned down the bed opposite her, clearly preparing it for the young Moroi for when she rejoined them in the main room. The Guardian rearranged the pillows and pulled the blanket and top sheet back before fluffing the pillows she had just moved. It seemed pointless to Lissa as she doubted Jill would notice or appreciate the gesture. However, the Princess was not about to stop her. If Alberta wanted to let out her maternal instincts, Lissa was not going to say anything. It was clear from the get-go that the Head Guardian felt responsible for them and was doing her best to make sure that they stayed safe. Truthfully, Lissa had doubts that they would have made it this far without her help.

"Do you think we're making a mistake?" she wondered quietly.

It was not the first time the thought had crossed Lissa's mind, but it was the first time she had voiced it aloud. She hated second guessing herself, but, given all the unknowns, she could not help it. What had her and Adrian dragged them all into?

Alberta stopped what she was doing, turning to face the blonde once more. "What do you mean?" she asked for clarification. There were many things that the Princess could be referring to.

Lissa sighed deeply running her hand over her face before speaking. "Am I so desperate to save Rose that I am rushing in and putting everyone at risk trying to find her?" she elaborated no longer able to ignore the nagging question that had been plaguing her since the night club.

"Is this about Ibrahim Mazur, or is this about Dimitri Belikov?" Alberta inquired moving to take a seat on the bed next to the young Moroi.

The blonde looked at her in surprise. "How did you…," she trailed off seeing the knowing expression on the older Guardian's face.

"The hallway in the attic of the chapel is not the best place to hold a private conversation," she chastised lightly. The way she spoke let the Princess know exactly what she had heard and what she knew of their mission before she had approached them. Alberta tilted her head noting Lissa's stunned expression. "There isn't much that happens at the Academy that I don't know about," she added to ease the small bit of tension in the air.

"You knew all along?"

The Head Guardian nodded in confirmation. "Yes, which is why I decided to come with you." A moment passed between the two before the Dhampir spoke again. "Rose means a lot to me too," she quietly confessed. "She's like the daughter I could never have."

Lissa frowned. "I didn't know that."

"I'm the Head Guardian, I'm not supposed to get attached to the students, but it's not always so easy," she explained carefully.

The bathroom door opened, and Jill padded out looking no more awake than she had when she had returned from the boy's room. She looked over at the other two females before climbing into the bed Alberta had just turned down for her. With a mumbled 'goodnight' the young teen pulled the blanket over her and settled down against the mattress, rolling onto her side. She yawned again closing her eyes unable to keep them open for any longer.

The only sound for a few minutes was Jill's even breathing before Alberta broke the silence.

"To answer your question," the Guardian began pulling Lissa's attention back to her. "I don't think that you're making a mistake. I would call it a calculated risk."

Lissa wrinkled her nose up at this. "I guess, I mean, I don't really know what I'm doing. I'm not good at this."

"You're doing fine. Everyone is here of their own free will and you all planned this out as much as you could given the information you had," Alberta replied hoping to ease the young girl's troubled thoughts. "All you can do is keep going forward and rolling with the punches."

She nodded accepting the Guardian's reasoning although she was still unsure. "I'll keep trying," she muttered quietly.

"You should get some sleep too," Alberta suggested knowing that both of the Moroi needed it. They were not used to being awake and operating during the daylight hours. Unlike Guardians who were trained to switch schedules at a moment's notice when needed. "We have to meet Sydney in a few hours, and you need to get some rest before we head out."

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep," the blonde admitted with a small shake of her head eyeing Jill who was already curled up and appeared to have fallen asleep.

"Try at least," she pressed giving the Princess a sympathetic smile. She patted the Moroi's knee before standing and stepping away. "I'll be in the hall if you need me."

"Thanks. Oh, and Alberta," Lissa called as the older woman moved towards the exit.

"Yes, Princess?" she asked as she opened the door.

The blonde smiled warmly. "Call me Lissa, please," she insisted feeling awkward having Alberta using her formal title. She hated being made to seem more important than others. She was no one special. Not really. "We're equals in this, there is no need to be so formal."

Alberta nodded offering her a small smile. "Alright, Lissa," she agreed before closing the door behind her and taking up a guarding position in the hallway, leaving the two teenage Moroi to sleep in peace.

---

A loud metallic thud resounded through the apartment and Rose shot up in bed instantly wide awake. That was an unfamiliar sound. Her eyes scanned the darkened room her hackles rising as a sense of dread began to take root in the pit of her stomach. Something was not right. She had woken up suddenly from a deep sleep and it put her on edge. That did not happen without cause and with the present rolling sensation in her stomach, she had some idea as to why. The only Strigoi her stomach did not seem to react to was Dimitri, as strange as that was, and that fact alone was telling. All ideas of sleep were immediately erased, and Rose was now acutely alert.

She wished for a window or a clock to tell her the time. How long had she been here? Weeks? Months? She did not know. It was impossible to tell. The days blended together and there was no way to know when one ended and the next began. In this place time seemed to stand still. It was irrelevant. Unimportant. Perhaps the construct held no meaning to Strigoi. Then again, immortal beings transcend such benign concepts. All she could sense was that it was after nightfall.

Rose slid off of her bed at the sound of a door opening. Her ears twitched as she noted it was the lighter door that led into Dimitri's office and not the heavier metal door that led out into the main hallway. Dimitri was the only one who entered her suite through that door. That meant that he must be back, and she could finally spend some time with him. Perhaps, he would even bite her. This thought made her relax slightly but she could not ignore that nagging feeling gnawing at her stomach. The nausea that reacted to the presence of Strigoi was flaring up. A warning, but she paid it no mind, pushing that feeling to the back of her mind. No one else but him could get in here. Dimitri had told her that himself.

Rose had not seen Darina yet today, which she found odd. She had been beginning to grow agitated without companionship before she had settled into her nap earlier. She needed someone to talk to. A goofy smile spread across her face as she headed towards her bedroom door. She tried to keep her pace normal as she did not want to appear too eager. She paused at the metal mirror taking in her appearance quickly. Her hair was a bit of a mess, tousled from sleep, but other than that she was good to go. Quickly she ran a brush through the silken strands tidying them before leaving the room.

When she opened the door, she was met with a very different sight than she had expected. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach and the icy cold hand of fear gripped her tightly. Goosebumps broke out over her body, and she shivered involuntarily. That sense of dread worsened and the nausea she felt made all too much sense now. As much as she desired to move, she was frozen in place. This was all due to the fact that it was not Dimitri who had decided to pay her a visit. No. Instead of her Russian God, standing before her, in all of her glamour, was Juliana Tarus.

The immortal woman's back was facing her as she surveyed the room taking in Rose's living quarters. Unlike her initial appearance, this time Juliana was dressed more casually. Her dark jeans were tight, clinging to her shapely legs like a second skin. They accentuated the curve of her hips, which were surprisingly full for a woman who had once been Moroi. Her shirt was navy blue, the sleeves had been long but were rolled up to rest above her elbows. It was a simple V-neck shirt that showed a minimal amount of cleavage. Her long dark hair was styled down the curls more numerous and less tame than they had been before. High heeled shin high boots boosted her bringing her closer to Dimitri's towering height. The artificial increase in stature did make her seem more formidable and intimidating. If that had been her intention, then she had definitely succeeded.

Rose's eyes shifted over to the wooden door that led into Dimitri's office. The door was wide open, and the metal handle had been twisted and bent backwards on itself and was wrenched back farther than it should have been able to go. Juliana had used great force to remove the lock from its housing while managing to leave the keypad completely untouched. From the angle the door was opened at, Rose could see the three thick metal bolts of the lock jutting out of their casing. Juliana had pulled them out just enough to open the door and no more. Rose did not know what frightened her more, the fact that Juliana had so easily breached the lock, or that she was standing no more then ten feet from her.

"So, this is where he keeps you," Juliana mused hearing Rose pause just two steps from her bedroom door. Her cold and calculating eyes inspected every inch of the room taking in every minute detail. Holding one hand a loft as she gestured to the room around them. "In this gilded cage," she added finally turning around to face the Dhampir girl behind her. She immediately noticed the brunette's eyes flickering to the altered state of the open door. "Titanium alloy. It doesn't burn, hard to break. Smart, but it does bend with enough coaxing."

Rose stared at the intruder completely at a loss for words. Juliana's appearance was more striking up close. Her skin was so pale and smooth that it looked like porcelain with faded pink lips which she had coated with a thick layer of deep red lacquer. Her long fingernails were sharpened into points at the ends and shined like glass in the light. With those cold eyes focused on her Rose could not concentrate. The Dhampir's mouth opened and closed a few times as she attempted to speak but found herself unable to make a sound. She was completely frozen out of fear.

An amused smirk graced Juliana's lips as she took in Rose's scantily clad form. "He dresses you up like a living doll, how cute."

Rose looked down at her outfit and scrunched up her nose. She was wearing one of the skimpy lace nightgowns she had found in her drawer and her underwear. The garment barely covered anything and left absolutely nothing to the imagination. You could basically see right through the sheer material. The only kind of doll that she looked like dressed in such revealing outfits as she had been provided with was a love doll. That thought made her shudder. She liked to think that she meant more to Dimitri than that. However, he also was the one who provided her with said outfits, which definitely sent her some mixed signals.

Juliana did not wait for the Dhampir to respond before she slowly made her approach. With her measured steps, she circled around her like a predator does its prey. Those cold hollow eyes inspecting Rose from head to toe. Hungry eyes that seemed to see right through you. Rose did not dare to move as the Strigoi moved closer and closer until she was mere inches in front of her. Meanwhile, Rose did her best to keep her eyes forward and away from the other woman trying to ignore how all the hairs on her body were now standing on end.

"My oh my, look at you," Juliana crooned running one of her cold fingers down the side of Rose's face. This made the Dhampir girl shiver involuntarily. "I knew you smelled good, but I never expected you to look so, endearing," she prattled on reaching out and tucking the other woman's hair behind her ear. Juliana lifted Rose's chin with one coiled finger, looking down at her face, her own mere inches away. Rose could feel her breath on her face. "What a perfect combination of features," she mused tilting Rose's head from side to side before dropping her hand to grip Rose's shoulder. "You my dear are simply magnificent." She leaned closer to whisper in her ear. "Gorgeous."

Rose shuddered, those words sending a trail of ice down her spine. That compliment was delivered in a sultry and suggestive tone that was meant to unnerve her, and it had worked.

"Things that are pretty are always kept behind glass." Juliana chuckled feeling the subtle shake of Rose's shoulders beneath her grip. "Don't be so shy sweetheart. Take the compliment," she encouraged her lips still inches from her ear. "I won't bite, hard."

The humorless laugh that escaped Juliana's throat did nothing to alleviate the fear. Rose inhaled sharply locking herself down to ignore the flight response that was firing in her brain at Juliana's close proximity. Her every instinct was telling her to get away and run like hell, but she could not bring herself to act on that impulse. Instead, she just stood there unwilling to move and unable to articulate a response to the undead woman. It was as if she were a deer caught in the headlights.

After a moment Juliana tsked at Rose shaking her head. "You know it is very rude to stare and not speak when you are spoken to," she piped up letting it be known that Rose's continued silence was not appreciated. Juliana took a couple of steps back putting some distance between them, but not too much. "I don't like to be kept waiting," she added crossing her arms over her chest obviously growing annoyed with her persistent silence.

When Rose remained steadfast in her refusal to speak, the Strigoi woman rolled her eyes in annoyance. "If that's how you're going to play, alright. Have it your way." Those glowing eyes focused on Rose narrowing as they did so. "You know who I am, don't you?" The commanding way in which she spoke demanded an answer and she would not be denied.

"You're Juliana Tarus," Rose spat out unable to stop herself. She covered her mouth with her hand surprised at the outburst. It had been compelled out of her, but that did also break her from her stupor.

"So, you do speak," Julianna commented with a devious smile. It was all too easy. The smallest push and the girl crumbled to her will. "I thought for a second your voice was gone," she mused tauntingly. "Yes, I am Juliana Tarus," she confirmed unnecessarily. "And you are Rosemarie Hathaway, or should I say Mazur." Juliana noticed the girl's shoulders stiffen and she let out a low chuckle. "Eavesdropping could get you into a lot of trouble. I wouldn't make a habit out of it."

"I don't plan on it," was her forced response.

"That's a good Little Dhampir." Rose's body shuddered at the use of that particular nickname.

After a moment her chocolate eyes widened in sudden realization. It had taken time for her brain to process what Juliana had said. Little Dhampir. That nickname struck a chord within her, and the pieces began to fall into place. The familiarity she saw in Juliana clicked and, instantly, she knew where she recognized the undead woman's face.

The glowing crimson in her eyes was the only trait that did not belong. Her long chestnut waves that framed her face perfectly, the warm colour made the paleness of her face stand out all the more. The high cheek bones that only added to the beauty of her appearance. Seeing Juilana close up pulled the pieces together and her heart dropped into her stomach at the truth staring her in the face. Without the red obscuring her eyes, she would swear that she was looking at a female version of Adrian. Although with darker hair and the green of her eyes was a lighter hue. Her features were slimmed down and made more feminine, but the similarities between the two Moroi were striking. She looked so much like the spirit using royal that they could have been mistaken for siblings. Twins even.

"You're related to Adrian, aren't you?"

Someone who Rose knew rather well. Someone who she would call her friend despite how things may be between them at the moment. That is what Juliana meant by her being a direct link. She was close with one of her family members.

"My you are quick. My sources were right about you." The small praise in those words did little to warm Rose nor ease the tension between the two women. Juliana sighed. "That loathsome urchin Adrian Ivashkov is unfortunately, the spawn of my dreadful older sister." The undead woman's nose wrinkled up in disgust. "How grotesque."

Rose was puzzled by this conversation so far. Juliana had stated to Dimitri that she wanted information about her family. If she knew all about Adrian, what insight could she give that the Strigoi did not already know. What was the point of her being here? However, if Juliana wanted a discussion Rose saw no way to refuse.

"You seem to want to know a lot about them," Rose spoke up after a brief period of silence. "If you hate them so much, why?" she pressed curiously.

The dark haired Strigoi tsked wagging her finger back and forth. "That my dear, is no business of yours," she replied with a shake of her head. "You do not get to ask me questions," Juliana circled around Rose once more, continuing to speak once she was out of Rose's line of sight.

"Tell me, Rosemarie, what is your relationship with the Dragomir Princess?"

Rose stiffened, muscles tensing, remaining rooted to the spot. "I am her Guardian."

"Ah, but you are not a Guardian," she taunted her eyes moving to the girl's neck. Her hand gripped Rose's chin turning her head and inspecting the tattooed skin residing there.

"There is no promise mark on your neck," she chirped, releasing the Dhampir's chin. "A couple molnija sure, and the Zvezda is an interesting mark to see on one so young." An amused chuff escaped the undead woman. "What an accomplished novice you are 'Little Dhampir'.

That nickname jolted Rose from her haze. Her fear was momentarily forgotten as Juliana's taunting words resonated with the darkness within her. "Don't call me that." Rose snapped her eyes narrowing into a glare.

Juliana's eyes lit up with delight at her response. "Ooh does that bother you?" she cooed smiling deviously, clearly mocking the younger woman. "Don't be so touchy," she added.

"Get to the point," The dhampir spat back through tight lips.

Juliana was silent for a moment observing her. It made Rose uncomfortable, and she fought the urge to fidget under her scrutiny. Those cold eyes of hers seemed all knowing. As if with one look the Strigoi knew every intimate detail about her. It was very unsettling.

A chuckle escaped Juliana as she noticed Rose's skin pimpling under her gaze. "Even I can sense it, the darkness inside you," she stated inhaling deeply before slowly exhaling. "Death clings to you."

The cryptic way she spoke sent a chill down Rose's spine. "Creepy…" she muttered not even bothering to suppress that shiver.

"You are shadow bound to the Princess, are you not?" Juliana questioned raising an eyebrow.

Rose's brown eyes blinked a couple times. "Shadow bound?" she inquired unfamiliar with the term.

"You escaped from the Land of the Dead." The words flowed from her lips as if she was telling some profound and meaningful story. "She brought you back. At least, that is what my sources say." Juliana shrugged her shoulders. "Is it true?" she pressed for an answer.

Rose hesitated. 'How the hell did she know about that?' she thought her eyebrows drawing together in suspicion. "Yes," the Dhampir confirmed seeing no point in lying. Juliana already knew.

Juliana's lips pulled into a chilling smile, her pearlescent fangs on full display. "Excellent," she stated gleefully. The undead woman looked Rose up and down once more before turning, her back to the other woman, and taking a few steps away. "Perhaps you will be more useful to me than I originally thought."

Rose's body stiffened once more, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides. She knew exactly what Juilana meant by that statement. Juliana wanted Lissa. The mere thought caused her blood to boil. Despite how they left things, Rose would do anything to protect her best friend.

"I will not let you use me to get to Lissa," she stated firmly as she fought to control the rage beginning to burn inside her.

The Strigoi made an annoyed sound. "I'm afraid you won't have much choice in the matter my dear," she replied turning around to face the Dhampir once again. "Don't worry though, I have big plans for the Dragomir Princess. Her life is not in danger. At least for now anyways." Her tone was bored and dismissive as she prattled on.

Rose's expression turned confused. What did Lissa have to do with any of this? "Why are you asking me about Lissa?"

"Did you miss the part where I said that you do not get to ask questions?" Juliana remarked rolling her eyes. She paused for a moment tapping her finger on her chin in thought. "I suppose I could entertain this one because I do want you to understand one very important thing."

As she spoke the tone of her voice evened out and she lost her previous air of annoyance and arrogance. Her expression darkened and she stepped forward, closing the distance she had put between them.

"What I say to Dimitri and what I say to you are not always going to be the same thing. Understand?" She raised an eyebrow in question. The way she spoke was eerily calm. Her voice had dropped low, and the unspoken threat was evident.

"Why?" This woman talked too much, and it was confusing. Her rapidly shifting moods and movements did not help either.

Juliana shrugged. "My motives are my own," she stated before she whirled around, her gaze locking with the young Dhampir's.

Rose inhaled sharply surprised by the sudden movement. Those red rimmed eyes narrowed keeping their eyes locked. The unease in Rose's stomach intensified, but she forced it down refusing to let it show. She knew that was exactly what Juliana wanted.

She turned again taking several steps away. "What I seek to gain extends beyond myself," Juliana began folding her arms behind her back as she continued to move about the room. "However, there is a lot of information that I require in order to get what I want in the process," she explained.

There was a brief pause before she spoke again.

"If I need to snap a few necks along the way, so be it." She spoke in a very cavalier fashion. As if she was superior to everyone else. Perhaps, with her position in this world, she was. "Don't make yours one of them," Juliana warned.

"Dimitri wouldn't like that," Rose confidently fired back at her.

A low growl escaped the other woman's throat, but she quickly schooled her features, taking a breath as if to restrain herself. "I don't care what he likes or what he doesn't," she snapped through tight lips. "I'm not here to placate him or bend to his will. He knows that and he will either except it and lie down like the dog that he is, or resist and learn not to cross me the hard way." The Strigoi ranted moving closer eliminating some of the distance between them.

"Despite my appearance child," she continued tipping her head to the side as she spoke, letting out a small dark chuckle. "I can be very vicious. Neither of you want to get on my bad side. Trust me."

Rose squared her shoulders refusing to be intimidated. "So far, you seem more bark than bite to me. You're only good at running your mouth," she remarked, the promise of Dimitri's protection making her feel bold.

As soon as the words left Rose's mouth, she instantly regretted her decision to speak. In an instant Juliana's hand shot out and she wrapped her slender fingers around Rose's neck. The Dhampir's eyes widened in fear as Juliana's grip tightened effectively cutting off the young woman's airway. Rose grabbed Juliana's wrist trying to pull it away from her, but she was unsuccessful. It would not budge. Juliana was too strong.

"Say that again and you will find out exactly how brutal I can be," Juliana seethed, her lips inches away from her ear. "Do not test me Little Dhampir. You have no idea what I am capable of," she threatened her voice filled with malice as she whispered in the younger woman's ear.

"Hurting me won't win you points with Dimitri," Rose managed to gasp out both of her hands still wrapped around the Strigoi's extended arm.

"Maybe not," she began shrugging her one shoulder. "But it will send the message that I will go there if I have to. The threat against you will make him fall in line," she countered flawlessly, the tips of her long fingernails digging into the skin of Rose's neck. "Believe me, I know his type."

"Let me go," the Dhampir managed to squeak out, the sound barely audible. It sounded desperate, pleading almost.

A shrill and sinister laugh floated from Juliana's painted lips. "Now, where is the fun in that?". Her fingers squeezed, Juliana's grip growing increasingly tighter making it almost impossible for Rose to breathe. "I like the feeling of your blood rushing underneath your skin, and the way your throat tenses, constricting as you desperately try to breathe," she taunted her voice lifting with amusement. A low rumble could be heard coming from her throat. It was almost a purring sound. "Such a rush to hold a life in your hands."

An intense and painful pressure throbbed in Rose's head. "Fuck off." Her vision began to blur, shadows dancing around as the room swam in and out of focus. She was going to lose consciousness soon.

"Feisty and stupid," Juliana spat before clicking her tongue in disapproval. "Not a good combination," she chided with a small shake of her head.

"Bite me."

Those red eyes narrowed once again. "Don't tempt me." The challenge in her words was unmistakeable, and Rose shut both her mouth and eyes. The room was starting to fade in and out.

Juliana inhaled deeply taking in the Dhampir's scent. The Strigoi let out a small pleasure filled sound. It was not a moan, but something like it.

"You smell so sweet. Why he has chosen not to devour you is beyond me," she remarked bringing Rose closer to her face so that their noses were almost touching. Juliana looked at her and it made the Dhampir shiver seeing the underlying hatred and rage burning within them so clearly. It was almost in high definition.

"He can control himself," Rose managed to force out in response.

"I'll let you think that," Juliana chuckled in response greatly amused by the girl's naivety.

A smirk formed on her lips again as she tilted Rose's head before sliding her tongue from the girl's chin up the side of her face to her temple, tasting her. Rose squirmed instantly disgusted by the act, but, at the same time, she also felt excited. Feeling the Strigoi's tongue on her skin awakened the craving for the endorphins in her bite, which had remained dormant until now.

"The fool is wasting a golden opportunity on such a delectable morsel, especially one with such accomplishments," she continued amused by the young woman's reaction to her proximity. She knew exactly what Rose wanted, but she was not going to get it. Not from Juliana. "It is really too bad that your kind does not suit my tastes. Too diluted. I much prefer the real thing."

As quickly as Juliana had grabbed her, the undead woman released her hold on the Dhampir. Rose crumpled to the floor landing hard on her side. Instantly, her hands covered her throat where Juliana's fingers had been. She began to cough taking deep breaths filling her aching lungs. Her eyes filled with tears, and she could feel the snot running out of her nose from the sheer force of that cough.

"Fuck you," she sputtered defiantly through her coughing fit. Her throat burned from the strain.

Juliana rolled her eyes at Rose's repetition. "You bore me," she stated in a blasé fashion, faking a yawn. "I am going to find someone else to entertain me," she continued tossing her long hair over her shoulder. "Don't fret though Little Dhampir, I will be in touch." She turned making her way towards the opened door she had entered from. "Ciao." Juliana called offering a small wave over her shoulder.

The Strigoi stepped through the door closing it behind her and leaving Rose alone sprawled out on the floor. There was a groan of metal as Rose suspected the undead woman was readjusting the door handle. Her suspicions were proven true when she heard the tell tale clunk of the lock sliding back into place and re-engaging.

Rose remained in her place on the floor her chest heaving as she greedily took in the air she had been so ruthlessly deprived of. Her head and neck throbbed painfully from the movement. Her fingers rubbed the tender flesh of her neck as she gathered her senses and allowed the strength to return to her body. Her heart rate began to slow down to a more natural rhythm and her muscles relaxed.

After a few minutes Rose managed to sluggishly rise to her feet. The room spun around her, and she had to close her eyes to stop the dizzying sensation. She took a deep breath, grimacing in pain, before daring to open her eyes once more. Thankfully, the room was no longer spinning. She let out a sigh of relief. Reassuring herself, she ran a hand through her hair as the other one rested protectively over her throat.

Almost immediately, Rose rushed into the small bathroom to her right. She turned on the light, wincing as the brightness assaulted her sensitive eyes. Squinting, she looked into the metal mirror situated above the small sink. Her own fearful expression stared back at her. Taking another deep breath, she slowly pulled her shaking hand away from her neck.

Rose cursed. There was no hiding these injuries. The skin was already bruising. Oval shaped marks that were clearly made by the force of tightly clenched fingers. Four ridges perfectly aligned along her throat. There were also crescent shaped indentations from the undead woman's fingernails, which were tinted red as the sharp tips had broken the skin. The air hitting the small wounds stung.

As Rose inspected the damage Juliana had wrought upon her neck a realization settled over her as she recalled her conversation with the female Strigoi. This was all a game for her. A game in which they were all just pieces on a game board for her to move and manipulate at her leisure. She was the one in control and she wanted Rose to know that. She had intentionally left the marks on her neck to send a message. Not just to her, but also to Dimitri. Leaving physical evidence of her visit proved that she had violated his orders and trespassed where she had no business being. At least that would be Dimitri's opinion of the situation. Rose understood the message loud and clear. Juliana was above his rules. No one would tell her what to do and she would do as she pleased, and without consequence.

One thing was absolutely certain, Rose was convinced Juliana was the personification of the Devil. A monster made flesh, disguised in the body of a beautiful woman.

---

"And there are two more of you, great," Sydney Sage commented rolling her eyes as she took note of the additional people whom she had yet to meet.

No one had bothered to inform her that their group consisted of six individuals. Sydney had only anticipated on transporting four people to their destination. That was also the head count she had given to Abe in anticipation and preparation for the meeting. Two extra people were not factored into her plan and that was a complication, albeit a minor one. However, it was still frustrating. She hated to be unprepared. Thankfully, the vehicle she had been provided could accommodate the extra bodies, and there were no further issues due to this development.

Internally Sydney was a bit panicked and growing anxious. Abe did not like surprises, and she hoped that he would not blame her for this discrepancy. The last thing she needed was for the Moroi mobster to take issue with her and/or her work. If she wanted out of Russia, Sydney had to stay in his good graces. He was her ticket out of this place and this rag tag group of Moroi and Dhampir was not going to get in the way of that. Not if she could help it.

Lissa offered her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I forgot to mention that there were more people in our group," Lissa replied to the other woman easily sensing the annoyance radiating off of her. "I hope it's not too much of an issue."

"It's fine," Sydney replied tersely, although, she did think it was a 'big' issue.

However, there was little to no point in pressing it. Besides, her instructions were to bring them to Abe's location and that is exactly what she intended to do. She could only hope that the two extra people would not bother the Moroi too much.

Adrian scoffed. "Sure," he muttered knowing the human was lying to his friend.

Lissa shot him a pointed look, which Adrian ignored, while Sydney either chose to ignore him, or she had not even heard him because she did not react at all.

"We should get going. We only have a few hours of daylight left," Alberta interjected looking up at the sky. It was safest for them to travel during the day, especially in a big city like St. Petersburg. There were bound to be Strigoi lurking around, and they would come out to hunt once the sun set.

Sydney nodded. "I agree, let's get moving," she declared opening the driver's side of the van she had been provided for transportation.

"Eddie, you go in the back with Jill and Christian. Adrian and Lissa will be in the middle," the Head Guardian delegated as she opened the passenger side door.

Eddie gave the older Dhampir a curt nod before approaching the side door. Without argument the four Moroi climbed into the vehicle taking their now assigned seats. Eddie was last, closing the door behind him. Once everyone was comfortably situated, Sydney started the engine and pulled away from the curb. They were on their way.

The tense and slightly uncomfortable silence lasted for about ten minutes of their journey before it was broken by the youngest of them.

"So, where are we going?" Jill asked curiously as she looked at the scenery passing by her window.

"Yeah, I would like to know that too," Adrian quipped from his place in front of Jill, his attention focused on the back of Sydney's head.

"Me too," Lissa chimed in also curious about their mysterious destination.

Sydney's hands flexed on the steering wheel but that was her only visible reaction. "It was requested that I bring you directly to Mr. Mazur," she explained with a shrug of her shoulders. "He is away from the city on personal business that takes precedence, and he can't get away."

"If he's so busy, why did he agree to meet with us in the first place?" Christian piped up from the back seat.

The blonde human's shoulders tensed. "It's not my job to question how he operates or where he chooses to conduct his business," she stated flatly, her lips tightening into a thin line. "He must think it is of some importance given the fact that he is providing you with transportation."

"Transportation?" Adrian asked with a raised eyebrow.

She nodded. "Yes, everything is covered," she confirmed meeting his eyes in the rear view mirror.

"That doesn't answer the question though," Alberta interjected noticing how the Alchemist chose to dance around the subject of their final destination. "Where are we going?" she asked reiterating Jill's original inquiry that had gone unanswered.

"A few miles out of the city," was her short reply. "I'll tell you more once we get there," she assured them hoping they would accept that answer for now. She preferred that this conversation take place during the next leg of their trip.

Sensing the human's discomfort, Lissa nodded in acceptance. "Of course," she agreed. Although she did not like it, she did not feel that they were in any danger, so she chose not to push the issue.

Adrian opened his mouth to argue but stopped himself when he caught the look both Alberta and Lissa shot in his direction. Reluctantly, and what he felt was against his better judgement, he let the matter drop for now.

The silence that settled over the van this time around was no longer uncomfortable and the tension in the air had lessened considerably, although it could still be felt. With no conversation to occupy them, most of the van's passengers turned their attention to the scenery passing by the windows.

The buildings of the city gave way to trees and nature as they drove down the highway. After almost an hour had passed Sydney turned off the highway, making some turns before moving on to an unmarked road hidden amongst a line of trees. If you did not know the road was there, you would not have seen it. After a few more miles the trees thinned into grass fields that lined the thin paved road they were driving on. In the distance a small, two-story, rectangular building could be seen. It was clear that this building was where Sydney was taking them.

As they drew closer to the lone structure, a long stretch of flat pavement became visible spread out behind it. It was an airstrip. A private and unmarked airstrip in the middle of no where.

"Abe is very eager to meet with you," Sydney spoke up, never taking her eyes off the road ahead of them. She felt it would be best to start explaining now, as she had promised. "The sooner the better."

Adrian was the first to speak. "So, we're taking a plane?" he asked shooting Sydney a questioning look.

"It will take us two or three days by car or train," the human explained sensing his apprehension. "If we travel by plane, the trip will take less than two hours."

Lissa rolled her eyes at Adrian's annoyed expression. She placed her hand on the other girl's arm, but quickly removed it when she felt her tense up at the contact. "A plane will be fine," she assured the Alchemist with an apologetic smile.

Sydney gave the Princess a curt nod as she pulled up to the building. No one said anything further as the Alchemist parked the van at the front and wordlessly exited the vehicle. Without being prompted, the rest of the vehicle's occupants followed her lead as she entered the small non-descript building. The blonde nodded acknowledging the Guardian stationed inside and he returned the gesture without speaking. He did not move or try to stop her as she continued her way through the building leading them out onto the tarmac where the small private aircraft was waiting for them.

Sydney turned to the group on her heels. "Feel free to board, we should be leaving in a few minutes," she announced before walking towards the aircraft to speak with the crew bustling about, preparing the craft for their departure.

Christian shrugged his shoulders. "You heard the lady," he said making his way towards the aircraft without hesitation. They had come this far, why chicken out now.

Alberta, Jill, and Eddie closely followed him without question. Unlike the others, Adrian and Lissa hung back from the group, separating themselves for a moment so that they could speak privately. This was at Adrian's behest as Lissa had begun to follow but he had grabbed her arm to stop her. Alberta turned raising an eyebrow in question, but Lissa waved her off, letting the older woman know that it was fine and to keep going. Still, Alberta paused at the stairs leading up to the craft, watching the others ascend as she remained standing at the bottom choosing to wait for the two Moroi in her charge to board before doing so herself.

Adrian's eyes followed Sydney eyeing the aircraft suspiciously. "Do we really want to trust this guy?" he asked his friend watching the blonde Alchemist converse with one of the Guardians some distance from them.

"I don't know Adrian, but what other choice do we have? Unless you have found something else, this is our only option," Lissa replied crossing her arms over her chest.

She understood Adrian's point, she really did, but if they wanted to find Rose there was nothing else to follow. Ibrahim Mazur, no matter what his profession may be, was their only lead. Rose's trail had gone ice cold. Unless Adrian had a better idea or offer, they would have to trust this 'Abe' person. They were completely at the mobster's mercy.

"Well, no…" Adrian trailed off, his eyebrows furrowing in thought.

Lissa's green eyes rolled at his lack of a response. "Then shut up, and get on the damn plane," she snapped.

Adrian rolled his eyes and made his way over to Sydney, choosing to address the Alchemist directly. "Where are we going?" he demanded interrupting her conversation. He refused to go any further without a straight answer to the question they had all been wondering.

"Baia," she informed him maintaining a flat expression. "Abe will be waiting for us there."

"Was that so damned hard!" the spirit user exclaimed.

Gritting his teeth, Adrian turned and began to ascend the staircase leading up to the plane. All the while he grumbled nonsensically to himself under his breath. Lissa sighed shaking her head at his perpetual bad mood as of late. She did not know what had gotten into her friend, but he needed to chill out.

Alberta watched his back with a disapproving look on her face. Once he disappeared inside, the Guardian turned to their blonde escort. "I apologize for him," she offered politely.

"He's not normally like that," Lissa added feeling the need to defend her friend despite his inexcusable rudeness. "I don't know what has gotten into him."

Sydney's stiff posture relaxed a fraction, her arms coming up to cross over her chest in a more casual pose. "I've had worse," she replied dismissively.

"Even so, he doesn't need to act like that," the Princess stated shaking her head, her expression filled with disappointment.

The Alchemist shrugged. "As I said, I've had worse," she insisted. "But thanks," she added realizing how unfriendly she was coming across. Being cold towards them was unfair. They had been nothing but polite to her and they could not be held accountable for Adrian's actions or smart mouth.

Lissa nodded in acknowledgment sensing the conversation was over. She proceeded to climb the staircase with Alberta following behind her to join their friends on the aircraft.

---

Almost two hours later, the plane landed on another isolated air strip a few miles outside of a small village. Lissa and company could only assume that the nearby village was the Dhampir Commune, and their destination, Baia.

Within minutes they had disembarked the aircraft and crammed all seven of them inside the smaller vehicle that had been waiting for them. There were only enough seats in this vehicle for five people, including the driver. With Sydney's initial headcount there would have been enough seats, but with the extra two people the space was inadequate. To solve this issue, their only option was to double up if they wanted to remain on schedule. Lissa decided to sit on Christian's lap while Jill had awkwardly put herself in Eddie's. It was not the most comfortable set up, but it was the quickest solution and would have to do. Thankfully, the drive to town would be relatively short.

While they had relaxed some and had made small chit chat on the plane, the ride from the airstrip was silent. No one said a word as they drove closer to the small village. As they approached their final destination, the tension and anxiety amongst them had returned full force. There was no telling how this meeting would go or what they were walking into. With little to no information on their secretive host, they were entering the situation completely blind. They were being led into the snake's pit and it put them all on edge, even Jill.

Sydney navigated the streets with some familiarity turning off the main road and into a more residential area. This was not her first time in Baia, nor was it the first time she had driven to this specific place. The last time being a few weeks before when she had been tasked to bring Rose here.

"This is where I brought Rose when I was instructed to accompany her," Sydney stated voicing her thoughts out loud as they pulled up to a small house at the end of the street. They had arrived at their destination. "We're here," she announced.

The house looked small from the outside. It was two stories, and needed some repairs, but it seemed to be a normal family home. This choice of venue was odd to host a meeting of this nature but that was not important. Although, it made Lissa curious as to the kind of business Mr. Mazur was here to conduct. Given his less than pristine reputation, she hoped it was nothing criminal in nature.

Sydney turned the car off before exiting the vehicle. This signaled to the others to follow her lead and do so as well. It took some extra time for their group to pile out of the small vehicle. Eddie and Christian stretched their legs after being unable to shift their position during their ride with the girls sitting in their laps.

Alberta stood to the side and observed their surroundings, taking note of the other homes and vehicles lining the street. It was quiet. Nothing seemed out of place. With it being this close to nightfall, that was not surprising.

Once everyone was ready, Sydney led them up the front steps and onto the porch. There was an empty bench off the one side that could rock back and forth. Without delay, the Alchemist raised her hand and firmly knocked on the door. It opened almost immediately. They were met by a small and yet formidable Dhampir woman with fiery red hair. A woman who was not unknown to any of them and was someone whom they were not expecting to see here.

Lissa's green eyes widened in surprise at the familiar face in front of her. "Guardian Hathaway?" she greeted hesitantly not expecting to see the decorated Guardian so far from her charge.

Janine Hathaway remained stone faced but gave a polite nod in greeting. "Princess Dragomir, Lord Ozera."

Alberta did not flinch at the other Guardian's harsh and disapproving stare. "Janine," she greeted with a nod.

The nod was immediately returned. "Alberta."

"Adrian," the spirit user announced himself before Eddie elbowed him in the arm. Adrian rubbed the now sore spot and turned to the Dhampir beside him. "What? I felt left out," he whispered shooting a glare in Eddie's direction.

Janine eyed their group suspiciously. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice not revealing her intense curiosity. Alberta's presence surprised her the most. It was unlike the Head Guardian to abandon her post.

Alberta hummed in response. "I should be asking you the same question," she fired back crossing her arms over her chest.

The other Guardian copied her posture. "I came here looking for something," was her stiff and brief answer. She paused for a moment as if to consider her words before speaking again. "Three royal Moroi, a non-royal Moroi, a Novice, and one Guardian. Not the most decorated group," she commented taking in the members of their 'Rescue Crew'.

"I thought you were still back at the Academy," Alberta interjected with a raised brow.

"I left the night before you did. Headmaster Lazar called me once they found out you left and asked me to return," she explained answering her colleague's unspoken but implied question. "My other business has not yet concluded, so I refused," she stated in a matter of fact fashion. "I didn't expect that you would be accompanying Princess Vasilisa," she added.

Alberta shrugged dropping her arms to her sides. "Duty calls," was her simple reply. A small smirk played across her lips as she pointed her thumb over her shoulder to the group gathered behind her. "This lot were going to leave with or without me. If I tried to stop them, they would have compelled me like they did the other Guardians." Alberta paused and shrugged again. "Thought they'd have a better chance with a promised Guardian than with just one Novice."

"And what are you doing here?" Janine asked turning her attention to the fair haired Princess.

The blonde Moroi folded her hands in front of her to refrain from fidgeting under Janine's scrutinizing gaze. "We came here to find Rose and bring her back to the Academy," she explained hoping that her friend's mother would understand why she wanted to do this. The last thing she wanted was for the other Guardian to have them sent back to the Academy.

"Well Janine," an unfamiliar male voice called from behind the red haired Dhampir. From inside the small house. Janine's body stiffened at the sound, but her face remained stern. "It seems our guests share our common interest. Why not invite them inside instead of interrogating them on the doorstep," he suggested smoothly.

The red haired Guardian looked over her shoulder at whoever had spoken before letting out an annoyed sigh. The gesture was clearly directed at the man inside. Janine turned back to the group on the porch before stepping to the side and gesturing for them to enter the house. Alberta nodded at the other woman before leading their six-man group inside the seemingly small house.

The inside of the house was much larger than it appeared on the outside. It was warm and cozy. This was clearly the living room of a family home. The lights were low but with the warm glow of the fireplace there was more than enough light to fill the room. It was hard to examine the details of the home when the people in the room drew the most attention being the most prominent features.

Aside from Janine, there were three other people in the room. A Moroi man and two Dhampirs, one male and one female. The male was standing beside the sofa with his arms folded behind his back. By his appearance and firm blank expression, it was clear that he was a Guardian. The female, however, was dressed casually standing in the doorway that led into the kitchen. There was a friendly and welcoming smile on her face. Her hair was brown with some streaks of grey mixed in. Her face, while a bit weathered, was still beautiful. She had nice, warm brown eyes. Lissa could not quite place it but there was something familiar about this woman.

The most eye catching of the four individuals was the well dressed Moroi man seated comfortably on the sofa. There was an air of importance around him that seemed to draw your attention. His colouration was dark with his tanned complexion and dark hair that was slicked back out of his face. A neatly trimmed goatee adorned his chin and gold hoops were fastened in his ears. He wore a tailored and elegant deep purple suit with a bright red scarf wrapped around his neck. This had to be the infamous Ibrahim Mazur.

For a man with such a shady reputation, he did not look all that intimidating. However, it was true that looks could be deceiving. His legs were crossed as he reclined back against the sofa completely relaxed and undisturbed by their arrival. In fact, he seemed almost disinterested, although, that was much further from the truth. He watched the six individuals file into the room observing each one carefully despite his indifferent expression. Immediately he noted the presence of two extra individuals that Sydney had not told him about, but that did not rattle him. It was a mere oversight he was certain as Sydney was always very thorough. It mattered little in the grand scheme of things.

Janine closed the door and walked over to the sofa, taking a seat next to the unnamed Moroi. He sat up a little straighter switching from his relaxed posture. The red haired Dhampir shot him a brief annoyed look before shifting her seat to put more distance between them. The interaction was rather curious.

The male Moroi focused his attention on Lissa. "Please," he began gesturing to the chair adjacent him. "Have a seat."

Lissa blinked a few times stunned into silence by the well dressed Moroi. "Who are you?" she asked cautiously but also with a hint of curiosity."

"My name is Ibrahim Mazur," he began neatly folding his hands in his lap. "But you may call me Abe." Although, he offered her a smile, his brown eyes were sharp and calculating. "You must be the famous Vasilisa Dragomir."

Lissa was surprised by his word choice. What was this man talking about? She was not famous, was she? Despite these thoughts Lissa kept her expression still, offering a nod. "I am," the Princess confirmed.

"You never should have left the safety of the Academy." Janine scolded the teenagers in her midst.

What Alberta or Adrian did was irrelevant. They were adults and were able to make their own decisions. The teens however were wards of the Academy and, therefore, had no business being so far from its protection.

"Risking your lives to find Rose is careless and unnecessary," she continued unable to keep her opinion to herself.

Eddie, Jill, and Christian looked sheepish, but Adrian scoffed at the older woman's reprimanding. "I assure you it's very necessary," he commented dryly.

Lissa let out an irritated sigh and rolled her eyes at Adrian's attitude. His grumpy mood today was not helping their situation. In fact, it was growing increasingly irritating. He needed to chill out. Such behaviour was not going to do them any favours down the line.

The blonde Princess turned her attention back to the two individuals on the couch. "Let me explain," Lissa began.

She paused, tossing the events of the last few weeks since the attack in her mind as she considered where to start. The decision was easy for it was best to start at the beginning. The events and reasons that drove Rose to leave St. Vladimir's.

However, Lissa did not get too far into her story. She made it to the part where Rose had told her that she was leaving to go find and destroy Dimitri before she was interrupted. Janine cursed jumping to her feet and began to pace the floor behind the couch. Abe did not react at all and neither did the Guardian at his side. The unnamed woman in the doorway had disappeared into the kitchen when the Princess had started her tale.

This information was nothing new to their group and Abe looked at her knowingly and seemed to know as well. It was clear that he had a lot more information than she thought. Maybe even more than she did. The only one who looked shocked and unaware was Rose's mother.

"Why would she do something so reckless and stupid as chase after Belikov?" Janine ranted as she continued to pace.

"She made him a promise," Lissa stated recalling the conversation she had overheard between her best friend and her mentor in the van during their shopping trip before the dance. Things had been far simpler then.

"That girl has lost her damn mind," Janine continued unsatisfied by Lissa's justification of her daughter's irresponsible decisions and poor choices. "What the hell was she thinking throwing away her entire career on something so…so…" the red haired Dhampir raged getting more and more flustered as she continued on.

"Audacious," Abe finished for her ignoring the glare the Dhampir sent in his direction.

"Yes," Janine huffed in response.

"Now Janine, you know once Rose sets her mind to something it's nearly impossible to dissuade her," Alberta added giving a curt nod in Abe's direction. "Rose does what Rose wants to do."

"But that is not the way things are done. She should know better," Janine continued with her criticism.

Lissa sighed and shrugged her thin shoulders maintaining her patience. "People do crazy things when they're in love," she stated simply.

Janine instantly froze, no longer pacing. Slowly, she turned to look at her wayward daughter's best friend. "What?" she stated flatly although it was clear that she wanted the Princess to elaborate on her statement. Janine wanted to make sure that she had heard the young Moroi correctly.

Strangely enough, Abe did not react at all. Again, he was not surprised or taken aback. He definitely knew more about the situation than he led on. He remained silent observing the others in the room and listening politely.

Alberta could not help but chuckle. "It appears we were all very blind to what was going on right under our noses," she commented amused by Janine's exasperated reaction. The other woman was not stupid. There was no way she had been completely oblivious to her daughter's feelings towards her tall Russian mentor.

"Well, you guys were," Adrian muttered, although loud enough for the others to hear him.

"Not all of us can read auras Adrian," Christian retorted.

The young man shrugged his shoulders. "Not my problem," was all the spirit user offered in response.

Janine had remained silent digesting this new information. "Are you saying that Rose and Guardian Belikov…" she trailed off in disbelief.

She knew her daughter had a problem with following the rules, but this was not something she had expected. Truthfully, she had no idea there had been anything going on between the two. It was common knowledge that Rose and her mentor spent a lot of time together, and that the two had been rather close. However, it did not occur to her that her daughter had developed such strong feelings for the older man. That was rather unexpected.

Lissa nodded in confirmation knowing exactly what Janine meant. "She was in love with him, Guardian Hathaway."

"It makes sense," Alberta interjected drawing her colleague's attention. "Do you remember how hysterical she became when we had to leave the caves? When we had to leave Dimitri there?" She asked pausing until Janine nodded recalling that day a few weeks ago quite clearly. Alberta continued. "Her reaction was more than just a student mourning the loss of her mentor."

"It's true," Lissa nodded earnestly. "Rose confirmed it to me herself."

"And I can tell you that it was not one-sided either," Adrian stated this time actually adding to the conversation. His body tensed up as he felt all eyes in the room now on him. "He was just as into her as she was into him," he clarified realizing how vague his statement had been.

Janine scoffed at this revelation. While it did not entirely surprise her that Rose had developed such feelings, she highly doubted a dedicated Guardian like Dimitri Belikov would entertain such a thing. "I don't think…"

Alberta cut her off with a firm nod. Unlike the red head she was not so quick to dismiss this information. However, this is mostly because she knew that it was true. She had witnessed it herself. "If you watched them, you could tell."

Janine stared at the other woman in surprise, blinking a few times as she processed her words. "You knew about this Alberta?" she asked in disbelief, although her tone was filled with accusation.

"I had my suspicions," she confirmed before chuckling, an amused smile pulling at her lips. "Actually, it was hard to pretend that I didn't notice."

Janine's gaze narrowed into a glare while everyone else, while shocked at the Head Guardian's confession, remained silent. "And what do you mean by that?" she pressed crossing her arms over her chest.

"Dimitri would light up when he talked about Rose, and it was more than just pride in his student," Alberta explained recalling the many conversations she had with the young man over the last few months. "His eyes would follow her around the room whenever she was around." She could not pinpoint when exactly the shift had occurred but over time, although he hid it well, it was obvious that there was something between the two.

"Rose was just as bad, if not worse," she continued when met with silence. She smiled shaking her head at the silliness of it all, fighting back another chuckle. "Her eyes would search the room for him whenever she knew he would be lurking about, but her biggest tell was that she would become almost instantly compliant when he asked her to do something when if someone else had, she would have put up a fuss." This time both Eddie and Christian had to stifle a laugh at the last part.

Alberta let out a small, quiet laugh. "Then there was the way they would look at each other sometimes, when they thought no one was looking," she concluded giving Janine a knowing look.

Lissa stared at the Head Guardian shocked by her admissions. "You noticed all that?" she stated more than asked.

The Princess was supposed to be Rose's best friend, and she had not bothered to notice any of those things. Things that should have been just as obvious to her as they were to Alberta, perhaps even more so. Instead, she had been so focused on her own drama that Rose had faded into the background. This realization made her feel even more guilty. She was an awful friend.

Alberta shrugged her shoulders. "I'm a Guardian, it's my job to notice things," she replied simply. It was the truth. "How do you think I figured out that you lot were up to something."

"And you didn't say anything?" Lissa prodded curiously.

She did not know much about Guardians, but as Head Guardian it was Alberta's responsibility to monitor, correct, and report the conduct and behaviour of the other Guardians at the Academy, including Dimitri Belikov. Even though he was Lissa's assigned Guardian, he was still living and working under Alberta's command.

"No, I had no proof, just speculation," was her truthful reply. "Besides, Rose was working so hard and doing so well with her training. Belikov was a good influence on her. I was willing to overlook it."

Janine let out a sigh in defeat, throwing her arms up in the air. "I can't believe this."

It was then that Abe decided to speak. "Are you honestly that surprised Janine?" he asked turning around to look at the red haired Guardian.

"You knew about this too!" she yelled clearly outraged by this news. It seemed as though everyone else knew this information and had completely failed to keep her in the loop.

Abe scoffed unmoved by the Dhampir woman's outrage. "Of course, I knew," he replied, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "It was written all over her face. You should have heard what she had to say about him." A hard expression settled over Abe's face, his eyes a light with fury. At what or who was not certain." She was heartbroken over that boy bound on a suicide mission to destroy him."

"And you didn't tell me!" Janine yelled aggravated at the Moroi for keeping something so important concerning her daughter from her.

"That wasn't my place," he informed her leaning back against the couch. "My 'job'," he emphasised with finger quotes. "Was to convince her to return to the Academy." He glared at Janine when she snorted at that statement. "You asked me to convince her to go home. As far as I was concerned, I did my job," he spat bitterly.

A humourless laugh escaped the red haired Dhampir. "You did your job?" she repeated moving around the couch to stand in front of him. Janine rested her hands on her hips and despite her small stature, she looked fierce and intimidating. She leaned down, her eyes level with his, only a few feet of space between them. "If you did your job, then why is she missing!" she seethed.

Abe did not flinch nor react to her tactics. "You can't blame me for Rose's decisions," he stated calmly yet firmly. "She doesn't want to be found."

"Rose isn't missing," Adrian interjected glad to finally have something to add to the discussion.

Someone had to steer the conversation in another direction. They were getting no where like this. The tension was growing thicker in the air, and it was not much fun watching Abe and Janine argue like an old married couple. Adrian inwardly chuckled at his own thoughts.

Adrian's statement had the desired effect as it immediately drew both of their attention. Janine turned to the spirit user stepping back from Abe. "You know where she is?" she probed crossing her arms over her chest, looking at him expectantly.

"What do you mean?" Abe asked also directing the question towards Adrian, those sharp and calculating eyes now focused on the younger Moroi.

"Well, not exactly, no," Adrian faltered under their scrutiny.

Lissa, thankfully, came to his rescue. "Adrian is a spirit user like me," she began resting her hand on Adrian's shoulder. "He can communicate with people through their dreams." Lissa paused giving them a chance to ask any questions. When no one spoke, the Princess continued. "He managed to get in contact with Rose a couple times recently."

Rose's mother looked thoughtful for a moment. "Is she ok." She asked after taking a deep breath.

Adrian winced unsure of how to answer that question. "Sort of," was what he decided on.

Janine's expression darkened. "What do you mean sort of?" she pressed, unsatisfied.

"Rose…well…" Lissa stuttered trying to come to Adrian's aid.

Adrian looked at the floundering blonde before assisting her attempt at an explanation. "She's gotten herself into a bit of a situation," he put it delicately.

Abe narrowed his eyes at Adrian not liking his tone. "What kind of a situation?" The way the Moroi man spoke demanded an answer sooner rather than later.

"She was captured," he replied, but was unable to elaborate on his statement.

"By who?" Janine asked immediately after the spirit user finished his sentence not giving him a chance to continue.

"Do I have to paint a fucking picture for you? Who was she here to find?" Adrian snapped growing frustrated at the interruptions and his inability to be able to explain the situation properly as a result.

Lissa placed her hand on his arm again. "Adrian, calm down," she said softly.

There was Lissa, always trying to keep him in check. It both relieved and annoyed him. Still, Adrian listened and stopped, closing his eyes, taking a deep breath to centre himself. Lissa was right, the darkness was starting to build. He could not let it get the better of him.

"Sorry. Lost myself there for a second," he apologized clearing his throat after taking a moment to compose himself. "Belikov has her."

Despite this information being new to everyone, save for Lissa, the only one who seemed to take issue with their silence was Christian. He remained silent although he was not pleased. He felt the two spirit users should have been completely transparent with their knowledge from the get-go rather then keeping them in the dark. They were supposed to be a team. However, now was not the time to press the issue. He would wait until they were in private and away from their newfound company.

Adrian continued on giving insight to his involvement in her mission to Russia and a full account of his efforts to contact Rose over the last few weeks since she had left the Academy. How their interactions had been initially and how their last meeting had gone. He went into more details of his observations, especially once her condition started to deteriorate, and the confusion she exhibited. Then there was the matter of her injuries. The bite marks littering her neck, broken bones, and her twisted perception of her situation. How in her fugue state she was convinced that Dimitri loved and protected her. She seemed completely blind to or at ease with the abuse he was inflicting upon her.

Everyone listened to his words intently without interruption, waiting for him to finish before voicing their opinions, theories, or concerns. Although Adrian's knowledge was limited, it gave them something to follow. A plan they could put into place. If they found Dimitri, they would find Rose. That much was certain, as dangerous as it may be.

"Are you sure?" Abe asked breaking the silence, referring to Dimitri being the one keeping Rose hostage.

Adrian nodded; his expression filled with certainty. "I saw him with my own eyes. It was definitely him," he assured the mobster running a hand through his hair. "Somehow, and I don't know how, he forced me out of her dream, and he's been blocking me ever since."

"So, you can't reach her now?" Janine prodded her mask discarded, her face openly showing her irritation.

"I can sense her sometimes, but I can't make contact," he explained shaking his head.

Janine snorted in annoyance and rolled her eyes. "How convenient," was her retort.

"It's not for a lack of trying," he fired back growing increasingly offended by the Guardian's abrasive behaviour. The only part he played in this situation was providing Rose with the means to embark on this journey. However, even if he had not done that, Rose would have found a way to get there regardless. There was no stopping her. It was all he could do to help her out.

"It's not the boy you should be taking issue with Janine," Ade spoke up in Adrian's defence. He then turned his attention to the younger Moroi. "Is there any way to circumvent this 'block'?" he asked raising an eyebrow in question.

The spirit user shook his head again. "Not that I have been able to figure out."

"I have been trying to reach her, but I haven't managed to dream walk yet," Lissa piped up finding the opening she needed to join the conversation. "We don't know if it's only Adrian he is able to block."

"But how is he doing it?" Christian added speaking for the first time since they entered the house.

"Compulsion perhaps," Alberta suggested offering up her theory.

"Regardless, I am going to keep trying," Lissa announced with determination. "I'm her best friend. If I can contact her, maybe I can get her to provide us with some information that could help us find her," she explained with hope shining in her green eyes.

Abe stroked his goatee thoughtfully for a moment before speaking. "In that case, I think it would be most efficient for us to pool our resources," he suggested turning to face the young Princess. "If we work together, I believe we will have a better chance at finding Rose."

Lissa was taken back by the mobster's generous offer. It stunned her into silence. She had anticipated an exchange of information and maybe a new lead to follow, or a clue to point them in the right direction. Having someone like Abe and his resources at their disposal, they would be able to accomplish much more and more quickly as well.

"That would be greatly appreciated," Adrian thanked the older Moroi, knowing that if they teamed up their likelihood of success increased dramatically.

"You can't be serious," Janine hissed at Abe, her hands returning to her hips.

"Dead serious," was his blunt reply. "Our search is going no where and, if what they say is true, then we are running out of time," he told her, a grim expression forming on his face.

"It would be a wise idea," Alberta agreed with a curt nod.

While Abe's assistance was greatly appreciated, it made Lissa question his motives. The Moroi seemed to know Guardian Hathaway quite well, which put her at ease somewhat, but that did not explain why he was so eager to find Rose. What did he have to gain from such an endeavor. People like him rarely did anything simply out of the goodness of their heart. There was usually some kind of catch. An ulterior motive. Lissa wanted to know what that motivation was.

"I don't mean to pry," the fair haired Princess began tentatively, directing her attention at Abe. "But why are you so invested in Rose? I understand Guardian Hathaway's involvement with this, but not yours. Why do you care so much Mr. Mazur?" she asked him doing her best to remain polite.

There was a pause before Abe replied to Lissa's inquiry. The pause was purely for dramatic effect. His expression was serious as he spoke with complete sincerity. "Because Rose is my daughter."

---

AN: And now we have Abe. I meant to have this up sooner, but I hit a wall and the days got away from me. I decided to just take my time and I think it worked out for the better. Hopefully, I'll be able to turn that around for the future. This is one of my favourite chapters so far, and I didn't mean for it to be so damn long. Hopefully that makes up for the wait. I realized that I could have put the first part of this chapter into the previous one, and I debated that, but decided to just leave it here.

I am warning you that the next chapter still needs a lot of work and I have some re-reading to do to get it done. I hope to keep updating every 2 to 3 weeks, but I am not making any promises. Just know that I am working on it.