Chapter 2

St. Vladimir's Academy

Screams filled the air, the smell of blood strong across campus. It was a massacre. Bodies were spread throughout the quad. It was the end of the Moroi day and the Strigoi had retreated into the woods surrounding the campus with the rising sun. The remaining Moroi were locked in the gymnasium with a few Guardians in order to protect them from the outside. A call to court was made and Guardians were being sent to assist in clean up. Students were being sent home to court for the remainder of the year and classes were suspended.

Dozens of Moroi, Guardians and Novices lay dead. Killed by a relentless evil. Dimitri limped through the Quad, rushing to the gym where he knew his charge would be. He managed to get her away from the bloodbath but not without injury. He wanted, no he needed, to make sure she was okay. He pushed open the doors heavily causing the hidden Moroi to scream in fear. Quickly though they realized who it was and went back to sitting in silence. The door was barred and no one else was getting in.

Dimitri limped through the crowd before spotting her in the back, standing protectively in front of her students. Christine next to her prepared to strike if need be. "Princess Vasalissa, Lord Ozera, thank Vlad you are alright" Dimitri stated as he stood in front of them. Without warning Lissa launched herself at him, hugging him tight and sobbing. Not a word that she was saying could be made out, but eventually it ended with a sharp slap to his cheek. Dimitri's head turned to the side as the unexpected blow made contact.

"You scared me half to death. I thought that I was going to lose you just like I lost her. I can't lose you too." Lissa sobbed, now leaning into Christine who gave him a sheepish shoulder shrug.

Rubbing his cheek, Dimitri looked back at her and said "I swore to protect you with my life, and that is what I am going to do, Princess. Even if that means dying so that you may live". Lissa just stared at him prior to turning away, upset at the thought of someone else dying in her place. No one should have to give their life for her. Her life was no more important than that of a dhampir and she wished that this massacre did not happen.

Sensing that nothing more needed to be said, Dimitri turned away, nodding to Alberta, he unbarred the door and walked out. His heart felt heavy, and he knew that he needed to reach his room. The last thing he wanted was a breakdown prior to being in his own space. He rushed as fast as he could through the quad, past all the bodies. He couldn't even fathom stopping to help with clean up at this moment. Someone else will worry about it prior to the arrival of the parents. The limp was slowing him down, but he had to make it. Just a few more feet and he would be inside the main door, then only one set of stairs and his door was the first on the left. He could make it.

The pain in his leg started to take hold of him, his eyes blurring with tears and he just wanted to give up. He wasn't lying when he said that he had promised his life to Lissa. He swore to protect her even if it meant himself but he was not sure anymore. He didn't know how much longer he could deal with the pain. How much more would he have to succumb to, how much more would he have to put his body and mind through? When would enough be enough?

Finally, upon reaching his door, Dimitri struggled with his key before entering his dingy apartment. He really shouldn't sneer at it as much as he does because it is better than the other Guardian rooms. His at least has his own bathroom and kitchenette so he didn't have to deal with people outside his shift. He could literally only leave for that, but other Guardians had to shower and eat with the students as well.

He didn't even have the strength to make it to his bed before his grief and exhaustion overtook him. He couldn't take it anymore. Between turning strigoi, doing what he did to Rose *Vlad, he couldn't even think about it in his mind*, turning back, forcing Rose away from him, all the while dedicating his life to a race that does not actually care if he is alive or dead. All they care about is the success of their race, the fucking Moroi.

He still couldn't believe that she was gone. He swears that he can feel her occasionally. Not like the Princess did when they were spiritually bonded but in a different way – in his heart. Ever since he met her that night, especially since the cabin, a bond had been formed. She was the love of his life and being without her, killed him a little bit more every damn day. With that last thought Dimitri let his tears fall. He was overcome with every memory of her and of them. The first night he saw her, how she tried to fight him even though she knew she couldn't win. All the jealousy he felt at the thought of her and that Zeklos guy, or her and Adrian. Every memory played through his mind – including the final one, the final nail in their relationship. He looked her in the eyes and said "Love fades, mine has". He saw her stumble back and clutch at her chest like he physically broke her in two. He could see that she believed him, his final act so she'd be happy. She'd forgot him and move on eventually. He just didn't understand how. How could she believe him? How could she think for one second that she was not the most important person in the world to him? He didn't know that those words would break her resolve. That they would cause her to leave yet again.

He remembers the numb feeling upon hearing Lissa's painful screams when the bond had been broken. He remembers her falling to her knees and crying out that she wasn't gone, that she couldn't be gone. He remembers feeling nothing. He remembers the cold feeling that set into his bones upon realizing that he would never get the chance to apologize. The he would never get the chance to hold her again, to tell her that he lied and the he does love her with all of his damned heart. It wasn't long after that that Guardian Hans declared her dead. He said that the severing of the bond proved it and that there was no possible way that she was alive. A makeshift grave was dug for her with an empty coffin and a headstone placed that Abe Mazur funded so that she would not get the plain plaque that all fallen Guardians are "awarded" upon their departure from the Earth.

The fact that the coffin remained empty is the only thing in life that gave him hope. He hoped and prayed on his own life that she was still out there, alive, making it on her own. Living her life for herself and not having to sacrifice it for those that did not appreciate her. Living a life where she was free to love without restrictions.

With that final thought Dimitri crawled into his bed and wordlessly shut off his light. Putting her picture down on the pillow next to his he whispered a sweet goodnight to the one woman that would always have his heart.