Chapter 3 – The Request

Rose's POV

After the sun rose and I had a nice breakfast of wild rabbit, I ran back the house – my entire family slowly showing up near and behind me. Slipping into my clothes from the evening before, my mind jilted as though it was trying to displace me from my body. I stumbled into a tree and caught myself before falling. Deacon looked at me to ask if I was okay to which I just nodded and walked ahead.

Slowly I trudged up the stairs, my muscles tired from a night of running and fighting. It was nice though; it'd been a while since we'd been free to horse around like we used to. Once in my room, I quickly peeled off the clothes again and turned the hot water of the shower on as hot as I could. Stepping into the shower, I let the hot water wash over my sore muscles; staring down I watched as the water turned brown as it washed the dirt and grime off of my body. A sigh left my throat as I rolled my neck under the heat, turning it left and right to work the muscles. My thoughts wandered to what happened this morning – the lurch in my mind. I had not been pulled into her head since I felt the bond break – at least I assumed it had been broken. I never felt her, I didn't feel the negative effects of Spirit, I didn't hear her thoughts or get pulled into her head. The only thing I could assume is that something traumatic happened, something to crack whatever wall had been built – I just hoped it didn't come crashing down like the one in Berlin. I enjoyed being out of her head.

The sounds of a funeral march filled the bathroom and I groaned again. I should get that but fuck it, I'll call the Old Man back. I just wanted to finish my shower in peach. Wash away whatever funk was occupying my brain and maybe take a long nap. Lord knows after putting up with my family all night, I deserved one.

Grabbing my soap, I made sure to get a good lather going, washing my body slowly, accounting for every inch, every nook and cranny. Nothing like a good shower to wash away a night of play – unfortunately not the type of play that my body had been craving. The warmth of another. The touch of my mate. I've yet to find him yet, but if my feelings were anything to go by, I'm pretty sure that if I saw him again, it would be him. Dimitri, regardless of how much he hurt me, and regardless of how much I hated the pain he put me through; I know nothing would ever be as strong as my love for him.

I let out a long forlorn sigh. I had my family, and they were absolutely wonderful, but…. I was lonely. I miss the feeling of being in love.

Shaking off the sad thoughts, I shut off the water and twisted my long hair in my hands; wringing out the excess water before I put it up in a towel and wrapped a black towel around my body.

Entering my bedroom, I quickly flopped on my bed. Reaching for my phone, I dialed back the Old Man and he answered pretty quick.

"Kiz! We have a problem" were the first words out of Abe's mouth.

"What is it baba," I asked, I was concerned; he rarely ever called me, let alone about something serious. He was way more of a jokester; Vlad knows you could tell that by his clothing alone.

"There was an attack. It was bad. Strigoi targeted the campus again. Lissa is fine, traumatized though, I'm sure." He stopped to take a breath, he seemed to be talking fast, as though this was incredibly hard for him to speak. I waited on bated breath for him to finish speaking. The mental jolt I received this morning made sense now. Lissa probably was terrified, and it attempted to break down the mental block that had built itself up.

"There were a lot of casualties, no total tally and no list of names yet. I've heard a rumor though, which brings me back to why I am calling. I've heard that Lissa may have been the target…again," he continued. Another sigh left my throat. He knew, just as I did, that for some reason Lissa appeared to have a target on her back. First the car crash, then Sonia telling us to leave because she was in trouble, then Victor Dashkov, then…well you get my point.

"Why am I not surprised? What do you want me to do about, baba? You know as well as I do, I'm presumed dead, and I don't exactly feel like pulling a Jesus Christ with his resurrection," I deadpanned. I was not interested in going back to Court, nor was I interested in being anyone's Guardian or punching bag.

"Well…I was hoping that they could….come to you. Hide away for a bit. Like you said, they all think you're dead. What better place to hide than with a dead girl?" He asked with a humorous laugh.

I pulled my head away from the phone to look at it incredulously; my mouth open a gap. What was he thinking? I was "dead" for a reason. I didn't WANT them here. "You're kidding me right," I finally asked him. "You cannot actually expect me to be okay with this. You know what she did to me! You know what they BOTH DID TO ME! HOW THEY TREATED ME?" I shouted before my voice shriveled up into a sad sound that I wish never left me, "How can I help them, baba? How?" A lone tear slipped out of my eye. I couldn't help it. The pain, while better, wasn't fully gone – it would never be gone.

"Kiz, you know I wouldn't ask if I didn't think it was absolutely necessary. I really think it's life or death here. We still don't need to tell anyone. They don't need to know where they are going until they are there. They won't be able to talk to anyone back here. The Moroi world will never know." He said to me, a calming tone to his voice. He understood how much pain they put me in. "And honestly Kiz," Abe continued, "I think it could be good for you. Some semblance of closure for you."

Sighing, I could feel myself slowly giving in. "Let me speak to Deacon and I'll get back to you."

"Thank you, Kiz. I am sure that it would be appreciated." Abe finished and hung up the phone.

My old life and my new life. Together. At the same time. This was not going to be good.