Chapter 1 :The Run

Roza,

My dearest warrior, you seem to have forgotten yet another of my many lessons.

Never turn your back unless you know your enemy is dead. My letters just proves you failed yet again, first you hesitate ,now this Roza. It seems that when we meet next you will suffer the consequences of your actions, though I'd hate if something where to happen to your mother or friends, especially the princess. You have one week to leave the academy, or the academy will suffer the same fate as the night we made love. Flee and I will hunt you down until I find you.

Unfortunately my love, you have caused to much of an uproar in the strigoi world to change you, but it will be my hands who take your life. Don't think you can hide from me, I will stock to the end of the earth find you, I will always find you my love, I have eyes and ears everywhere.

Don't forget,One week or I burn everything standing in my way.

You belong to me.

Love, Dimitri.

Trying to not break down crying I set the silver stake down and try to figure out my next step, I knew I couldn't stay here knowing I could put my friends in danger, personally I couldn't jeopardize their lives.

Dimitri's knowledge of St Vlad's, from strength to weaknesses and the attack a few months back we wouldn't last long.

Pulling my gym bag out from under the bed, I packed the few things I owned and dialed Abe.

"Well hello, I didn't expect you to call so soon," Abe's voice answered, curiously." Shouldn't you be studying or doing what you Guardians in training do?"

Rolling my eyes, I had a funny feeling what I'm about to ask is going to bite me in the ass. "Well old man, my undead lover is still alive and threatening to kill my friends and burn the world to get to me," I sarcastically replied. "So if you could kindly get me out of here, that would be great.''

"Oh, he's what now,"he yelled infuriated with what he heard. "What do you mean he's still alive, I thought you killed him!"

"Well I'm sorry old man, its not like I planned for this to happen," Panicking, as I prepared my departure out of this academy. "But I cannot stay here, It puts everyone I love in danger, but I don't have the luxury to disappear.

After a few moments of silence, followed by Abe clearing his throat. "And I can help you how?" he asked, sounding amused. ''you do remember you are in wards."

" Well for starters you wouldn't want your only child dead would you? Or maybe the end of the Dragomir line, because Abe he wont stop until he kills me."

Trying to keep myself from breaking down and my workers was spieling, Abe's smart mouth wasn't something needed at a time right now.

"Daughter eh, what makes you think your my daughter?"Abe questioned with laughed, making me roll my eyes with annoyance.

"Old man i'm warning you, this is not the time to get shy,'' trying not to lose my cool. "Trust me when I say I have all the proof I need, but right now I'm not in the mood for your stupid ass games ."

After talking a bit longer and Abe wearing on my patience ,I bit my tongue knowing I couldn't afford him not helping me out so I swallowed my pride.

"Please, Abe ill do anything, but I couldn't live knowing I was the reason mom and my friends ending up died because of me. All I ask is for a little help."

"Alright tomorrow at noon, meet me in Missoula."

With a click Abe hung up.

"Hey Rose, what can I do for you?'' Alberta asked, as I closed her office door. Taking a seat in front of her desk, I prepare to tell her our secret.

"Well for starters I'm dropping out," I paused. "Again.

"Rosemarie Hathaway how could you!" She yelled, chair went crashing behind her. "You are weeks away from graduation, you promised your mother and I you would graduate, why would you wanna drop out now!"

Pulling the letter from my pocket, I handed it over followed by the stake I used to stab Dimitri in Russia.

Taking the letter Alberta began to read, when she finished she took a deep breath.

"Rose look ..." she trailed off, looking back down at the letter from Dimitri. " why didn't you come to me about this earlier, you know I would help you in a heartbeat ?" She broke, her face masking a look of hurt and guilt.

"Alberta, please," looking away from her . "It's not your fault, please don't look so guilty, it was I who failed to kill him in Russia, it's all my fault."

" Rose killing someone even a strigoi is hard, but killing someone you love, it takes a piece of yourself with them, that's not something you can't just bounce from easily, Trust me"

"Maybe so, but now I have to deal with the consequences Alberta, I can't let the people I love get hurt."

" Do you have a plan? How are you going manage going into hiding with no money or resources?" She asked, like a worried mother. "Once you leave this academy, you've cut ties with any protection or help, have you honestly thought this out enough Rose ."

Thinking carefully on how to explain to her about my mission I blurt out the old mans name.

"Abe."

"Abe?"

"Yeah, Abe."

"As in, Abe Mazur?" She questioned, slightly panicked.

"Yes, Abe Mazur, Zemy." I answered, looking at her to see if she knew. I wanted to know if she knew the truth.

"Rosemarie Hathaway! What are you doing hanging around with Abe Mazur!"Alberta ranted, as I say there frozen in my seat. " Does your mother know anything about this."

"No, I've decided to contact the old man for help. We met back in Russia, but recently everything clicked into place ."I say, adjusting myself stuff body in my seat. " Abe has agreed to help me out until I can deal with Dimitri and Lissa is safely at Court in a few months."

Thinking back to my call with Abe earlier, we both came to an agreement with Pavel to train me so I could graduate and prepare to take Dimitri down. But deep down I was worried about everyone here. Would Dimitri come for them when I'm away? Will he find me before I'm ready to lay him to rest? So many questions still left unsolved.

During my trip to Russia, I had met a wonderful spirited couple Shadow- kissed Mark and Oksana. They mentioned a tidbit of information a rumor they said about a man bringing a strigoi back to life, I know it's not much to go on but deep down my heart needed to at least try. First I need to regroup and plan my next steps carefully, if anyone knew me inside and out its Dimitri. Strigoi Dimitri is worse, his extra advantages and his anger makes him ten times as lethal than before.

"Before I go," breaking the odd silence that Alberta and I settled into. " Could you give these letters to my Lissa and my friends, but I can't look at them and not break down or stay and that's to dangerous. Especially the knowledge Dimitri has of this place we can't afford another disaster here."

Handing Alberta the letters, I knew I could trust her with every fibre of my being to deliver these to my friends. "She's going to be real pissed that I broke our promise but I can't take her this time, please tell her I love her and that know matter what I will be back to be her guardian soon."

"Rosemarie Hathaway, I am proud of you," smiling with tears in her eyes. " you have grown into an extraordinary woman and guardian to be. I am proud to watch you grow up, from a hurt little girl lashing out at the world to an strong woman destined for greatness."

Holding back the tears I give the woman who raised me as a daughter a hug, promising her I will be okay. Joining me for the walk to the main gates Alberta bids me a farewell, knowing that my journey his only just begun. Promising to keep in touch I shove my strake in my left boot, slung my bag over my shoulder and walked through the those iron gates again, only this time Mason wasn't here to greet me.

This time I knew In my heart this journey will determine my future.

If I can't find a way to bring him back, the only option is to take him down.

So I set out to kill the man I loved.

Again.