A/N: Ok...quick rant/compliant (not about this story) but did anyone catch the new VA trailer for the TV show? Am I the only one who HATES what they have done?! I would have loved Zoey and Danila back...I know too many years have passed...but they didn't even make Dimitri RUSSIAN. How can you do that? That takes away "Comrade" and every witty remark that Rose quipped at him when their relationship was building. I just can't see any of them in the roles based on what was built in the books. I'm so sad, cause after the movie didn't do as well (and I thought the cast was really well done) that hopefully a TV series might happen. Now, I am just more sadden.

Anyway, thankfully we have fanfiction here so I can just picture the books and even those from the movie in my mind instead of what is about to come out.

Enjoy this next chapter! Thanks again for all of your continued support in reading and your comments.

Cassiopeia Lyra- Thank you so much. That means a lot to me that you think that about my writing.

023 & stardreamer26086 - thank you for your continued reviews and support.

Russia2774 - They will have some interesting times ahead. Our Rose is a resident badass though! Thanks for the love.


Chapter 5 – The Escape

"Hold on!"

Victor looked over at me with wide eyes, both hands sitting on the dash in front of him. "Are you crazy?"

My foot pushed down on the gas pedal as far as it would go into the floor of the Toyota Prius I was driving. "Shut up and hold on!"

The free-falling sensation in my stomach intensified as I drove the car off the embankment.


One Hour Earlier…

"Rose, I have to ask…one last time…are you sure?" Mikhail asked.

Was I sure? No. Was this a good idea? Hell no. But there were lives depending on me, so this was the only decision I could take.

After Dimitri had dropped me off last night, I had spent the remainder of the night packing what I could, going through the details of the plan Mikhail and I had worked out, and attempted to try and get some sleep.

Sleep that had been futile.

As soon as even the smallest light started to show through my window, I had thrown on a black pair of my leggings, top, boots, and my black hoodie. I would have to leave everything behind, but what I was wearing. I turned back to my nightstand, pulling open the door. In there, were the only two things valuable to me at this point. Two pieces of photo paper.

One with Lissa and I after we had returned to the academy after Victor's botched kidnapping attempt, and Tatiana made an impromptu visit. I had my arm around her shoulder, both our cheeks pressed tightly together. Our smiles couldn't have been wider than they were in that moment.

The other…it had become my favorite. It was a picture of Dimitri and me. It wasn't the lovely dovey one I had hoped to get in the future, but it was all there in the eyes. His head was leaning in, even though his hands were still clasped in front of his waist. He was actually smiling in this picture, showing some of the whiteness of his teeth. It was right after I had passed the novice training exercise. After I had actually beat him in a fight in the field exercise. He was starting to sport a bruise at the edge of his eye where I had struck him, but his look said it all. He had been extremely proud of me. I had been proud of myself.

My finger traced over his face and his smile. A pang of sadness hit my chest. I didn't know when I was going to see him again. Talk to him again. Feel his touch again. I closed my eyes, trying find that strength I knew I needed, folding both pictures in my hand and in the back pocket of my jean leggings.

Technically, I wasn't under any curfew here at court, but that didn't mean I was going to walk right out the front door in the event anyone was paying attention. After all, this was the time that Dimitri liked to head to the gym.

Even when he had dropped me off back here at my room last night, kissed me, and wished me a good night sleep, promising that he would see me in the morning, he easily figured out that something else was bothering me. He would find out soon enough why.

Luckily, my room was only on the second floor, so after opening the window to my room, I used the sheet from my bed to help me climb down about halfway until I jumped the rest of the way, landing on my feet.

I hugged the side of the building, pulling my hoodie over my head as I stuck to the last of the night shadows as the sun started to rise. Mikhail had drilled in me the best routes to get back to the cells with little scrutiny from those that might be passing by. Especially, guardians. He even made sure to draw out which of the security cameras would be down conveniently for maintenance today, to conceal my identity.

Once I reached the cells, Mikhail was there, pacing back and forth waiting for me. We had all of ten minutes to get him in and out before the changing of the guardians would happen.

"I'm sure," I affirmed, as I looked back at him.

He pursed his lips together. "I figured you would say that. Come on," he signaled, as we started walking to the guardian's station where all the computer equipment and security measures were for the cells.

At the foot of the chair of his station sat a black backpack. Mikhail bent over to pick it up and hand it to me. I unzipped to look at the contents inside as Mikhail went through everything. Inside was burner phone, cash, first aid kit, a change of clothes for Victor, an extra set of clothes for me, and a set of faked identification cards for both Victor and me once we made it on the outside. It was pretty impressive how he was able to get all of this together on such a short period of time.

My hand stilled when my fingers grazed metal. I looked back up at Mikhail questioningly.

A gun.

He shrugged, looking down the hall where Victor's cell was. "I know you trained with the best. But just in case," Mikhail stated.

I took it from the backpack and tucked it in the back of my waist of my jeans, pulling my hoodie back down to cover it up. "Thanks."

"There's one more thing," he said, pointing to the front pocket of the backpack. He continued as I started to unzip. "In case he tries to betray you, I want you to be prepared."

I smiled. It was a very Dimitri thing to do. There was a pair of handcuffs and then a syringe with an amber looking liquid. I picked it up in my hands, the item cool to the touch. "What is it?"

"A sedative. Powerful enough to knock out even a Moroi for a few hours."

I placed the item back in my back grateful for the extra security measure. Mikhail had read Victor's file, and he and I both knew that the first moment Victor could get to try and betray me and escape, he would try and take it. We both had to keep our guard up.

Which is why I had a plan of my own. "Were you able to secure one?" I asked.

Mikhail grinned, leaning over his station to grab what looked like a black watch. He handed me the watch first and then a separate clicker next. I picked it up in my hand surveying the item.

"It will track him anywhere he goes as long as he wears it," he supplied.

I held it tightly in my hand. "And the only way to deactivate it is with this?" I asked, holding up the clicker.

He nodded. "That's what I've been told."

"Thanks, Mikhail."

I zipped everything back up in my backpack and slung both straps over my shoulders.

He licked his lips, his hand going to his pocket to pull out a silver chain with a blue looking flower on it. His fingers traced over the flower, his eyes a mixture of hope and sadness. He closed his eyes, before extending his hand out for me to take it. I looked down at the item, before I reached for it, and held it in the palm of my hand.

"It's an Iris. Her favorite flower. I gave it to Sonya on our second anniversary of being together. Two months before…" his words trailed off, as I looked up to meet his eyes. "Before she…she turned Strigoi, she left this with the guardian while I had been out at lunch." He paused, trying to control the emotion brewing inside of him. "I figured, if you find her; and what Victor says is true, who knows how she might react. If you give her this…"

My free hand reached out placing it in his to squeeze. "I'll find her. I'll protect her and bring her home to you. I promise."

He nodded, clearing his throat. "Come on, we don't have long."

"Wait!" I knew we were running out of time, but this was important. "If something happens…if I don't make it back…" I swallowed. "Dimitri—"

"I'll tell him," he said sincerely. "I'll tell him everything."

"Then let's go!"

He led us back through the corridor and back through the cells. Victor was standing and already waiting for us as he held onto the bars. "Tick, tock, Rose."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Hold out your hand."

He gave me a scathing look. "I think you are forgetting who is in charge here."

I shook my head sarcastically. "No, you've made it very clear that you are calling the shots." I held up the black watch like device in my hand. "This is to make sure you hold up your end of the deal."

He snickered. "Yeah, and what's that?"

"A tracker," I said simply. I arched my brow. "Unless you were planning on betraying us?"

His eyes blazed with anger, but he could see from one look on my face that he wasn't getting out of here without it. It was risky, since he had made several insinuations that if I didn't play by the rules that Dimitri's family would pay the price. I was confident that he valued his opportunity for freedom more.

My haunch paid off.

He pulled up the sleeve of his mud green jumpsuit, extending his hand out the bars of his cell. I clasped the item on his wrist, the item flashing green followed by a beep. I tucked the clicker back in the pocket of my pants.

"Are you ready?" Mikhail asked.

I hesitated. This was the last chance to turn around and walk back out there before I set things into motion that I might not be able to stop.

"I should remind you, that if my contact does not hear from me in the—" –he made a show of looking at the item I had just placed on his wrist as if it was actually a watch, before looking back at me— "—fifty-five minutes, then he will kill the Belikov's."

I growled. "Open the damn bars."

Mikhail unlocked his cell, Victor shooting me a smug smile. I punched him square in the jaw, causing him to turn and crash back into the bars. My hands came to his back, pushing his face into the metal. In his current sickly state, he wasn't much of a threat to me outside of his earth elemental power.

"That was for threatening my family," I hissed into his ear, before I released him. "Now, let's go."

He pushed off the bars weakly, rubbing at his jaw, as he laughed. "That temper of yours is exactly why I picked you."

I glanced over my shoulder. "One other thing. This isn't a vacation or a trip to catch up on what we missed in each other's lives. So, unless I ask you to speak, keep your trap shut."

"Let's go!" Mikhail said anxiously. "We only have a few minutes left."

We walked as briskly as we could back down the hallway towards the security center. It didn't help that with Victor's failing condition it was slowing our pace even more.

Once we reached the end, Mikhail handed me the card. His hand rested on my shoulder. "Be safe, Rose."

"I will." I gave him by best encouraging smile as I could. "I'm sorry about this."

He chuckled. "I know. Remember, I've looped the camera's which will only last a few more minutes until the change of guardians occurs and they find me." He straightened, bracing for what would come next. "Find my, Sonya."

"I will."

I half-turned; and when I turned back, I cracked Mikhail as hard as possible in the head. His body thumped to the ground.

Victor looked at his slumped body laying against the cell and then back up at me. "Belikov's, good work I assume," he observed.

"Move!" I ordered.

We passed back through the security station and to the elevators that would take us back up. Only when the elevators opened; two guardians were standing on the other side, cups of coffees in their hands.

Their eyes went wide as they looked between Victor's face and mine, frozen momentarily if what they were seeing was true. I recognized both guardians having seen them around court, even though I didn't actually know their names. By the look of it, they remembered me too. Dimitri's lesson about hesitation came to my mind, giving me that upper hand I needed.

By the time the first guardian's shock had worn off to take a tentative step forward—I already pushed Victor to the side, kicking the one to the left of me in his stomach. His cup of coffee tipped into his abdomen, causing a yelp to leave his mouth as he stumbled backwards into the elevator.

I spun; kicking the other in the chest, followed by a punch to the head. The one to the left attempted to recover, but my fighting instincts that Dimitri taught me, kicked in, my boot coming up cracking him right in the jaw and knocking him unconscious.

I grabbed hold of his foot, grunting as I dragged him from the elevator, using my boot to shove the other that was already half out, all the way out now and laying on his front.

"Let's go!" I yelled to Victor who had to climb over the unconscious guardians.

"Impressive," he remarked.

"Zip it." I jammed my finger to the button.

I cursed silently. This was going to complicate matters for us greatly. We were supposed to make it out of the cells and at least to the getaway car before the changing of the guards. Both my blows to the guardians weren't going to keep them down for long. I was lucky if minutes at this point.

The doors to the elevator opened again, as I adjusted the strap on my shoulder, grabbing hold of Victor's arm and shoving him out of the elevator. I looked around to make sure the coast was clear, before we started down the path to take us away from the cells.

"What's the plan?" Victor asked; his words coming out in broken pants. He didn't have the endurance to keep up with this kind of pace with his condition. If he wanted out of here, he was going to have to find whatever remaining strength he had left.

"To keep moving," I announced.

We made it from the prison block to the next one without being seen. Mikhail had informed me the nearest parking garage was four buildings beyond the prison. Once we made it there, he had set up a getaway car for us to use the back entrance. With his keycard, we could use the guardian entrance without needing to be stopped before we exited.

Just as we crossed the second building, my eyes glancing around, a loud piercing alarm from behind us went off.

"Shit!"

Victor looked back at the prison, shooting me a nervous look. "I think your guardian friends woke up from their nap."

I rolled my eyes. "You think, Captain Obvious?" I took one last look, and hollered, "Let's go!"

Shouts rang out around us, as I noticed a group of guardians starting to run in the direction of the prison. One had seen Victor and I making a dash across the way and hollered to the rest. They were now turning in our direction.

"Rose!"

"Keep running!" I yelled.

Victor and I made it to the third building, just before I caught sight of four what I already knew were going to be tough guardians to battle right on our heels. I had to do something and I had to do it fast if we were going to have any chance of making it out of here. If we didn't, it was Dimitri's family that was going to pay the price.

"Don't stop," I said to Victor whose pace was now a hobble in front of me.

He glanced over his shoulder at me, grunting as he ran, realizing that my steps were coming to a bit of a slower pace. He had no concerns about leaving me behind if that meant freedom for him was just on the other side.

I just had to hope my idea was going to work. As Victor went straight, I detoured to the right. One of the guardians continued after him, while the other three came directly after me. I pushed my feet harder—thankful now for all those times Dimitri pushed me to beat my best running time—rounding the next corner with considerable distance.

I removed my backpack from my shoulders, peeking around the corner as I slowed my breath. I counted to three and then stepped out swinging my pack right in the face of the first of guardians. He went down instantly with a thunk.

That caused him to stumble backwards into the second guardian behind him, giving me the opportunity to kick him straight in the chest. His grunt let me know I had struck him good as he rolled to his back. I dodged, just in time before the third guardian cracked me in the face, grabbing hold of his shoulder and slamming his head into the wall of the building. He fell to the ground unconscious.

The second guardian shook his head, but was instantly getting back up from my kick, but I smacked him with my backpack, jumping on top of him with a follow-up punch to the face and head before he went unconscious.

I didn't falter; running from the guardians and back in the direction of where I had left Victor. At his pace and knowing that the fourth guardian was on his heels, didn't mean I had a lot of time.

As I rounded the corner, the guardian had Victor caged in at arm's length, unable to fully reach him with Victor using his earth power to make the grass in front of him slippery enough that the guardian couldn't quite get his traction. The guardian was too busy focused on not falling that he didn't even see me coming. I grabbed hold of the back of his neck, jerking it backwards before I slammed it into the wall. I tried not to flinch at hearing the crack, before he too fell to the ground.

"Let's go," I urged.

We were just at the fourth and final building. I could see the parking garage in sight. My chest was heaving, but we didn't have time. By now, between the alarm and the commotion I was causing with taking out the guards, we were about to have an army descending upon us.

I pushed at Victor's shoulder as we broke through the last of the clearing. We were halfway through between the building and the garage when I heard demands for us to stop from across the quad in the distance.

"We've got company!" Victor announced looking in the direction to the right.

"Stop! Stop, or we will shoot!"

I looked over to see about ten more guardians starting to head in our directions. All of them were carrying handguns, and they very much looked serious about making good upon their threat.

My heart lurched.

At the same time, the door to the gym opened, and Dimitri was stepping out. His eyes glanced at the swarm of incoming guardians were their guns drawn all at me. Dimitri looked at me, and then to the left of me, where Victor was still hobbling forward near my side.

His mouth dropped open, before I could figure the very disapproving look, he was shooting my way. I had to remember why I was doing this in the first place, tearing my gaze away from him.

"Rose!" Victor's raised voice snapped my attention to where his line of sight was looking.

One of the guardians was now aiming at him. I grabbed hold of his arm, yanking him to move faster and keep up with my pace. We were almost at the garage. Just a couple more seconds, and we would have the additional cover.

A shot rang out.

I felt a white-hot searing pain on my arm. It was so sudden; it almost took my breath away had it not been for my adrenaline pushing us forward, I probably would have been frozen in place with shock.

"Rose!"

It was the sound of Dimitri's distressed voice even in the distance. He had to have seen the bullet had hit me, my steps only faltering from the momentum, as I gritted my teeth and kept us moving forward. I only spared one quick glance, already seeing that Dimitri was on top of them in a flash, dispatching them left and right. In his pissed off state, they were no match for him, especially since they were trying to kill me.

I could feel the blood dripping down my arm, the pain getting worse with each second. I couldn't slow down. I couldn't stop now. We had to get out of here.

We ducked into the parking garage, the entire first floor practically empty but for the car all the way at the end of the garage.

"A freaking Toyota Prius," I muttered, as we reached the car. "Get in!" I ordered to Victor, who didn't need me to tell him twice as he yanked on the car handle and slid into the seat.

The guardians already broke through the garage, as I shoved my backpack in the back seat and climbed into the driver seat. I groaned at the shooting pain in my arm, but ignored it as I hit the start button, the car roaring to life. I put the car in reverse, backing us out, before turning to throw it in drive.

"Rose!"

Dimitri.

His long legs had him at least three to four paces in front of the other guardians who were behind them. Guardians that were still intent on stopping me by whatever means necessary.

Two seconds.

That was all I could afford to give in looking back at his haunted expression as he made direct eye contact with me. He would run until he couldn't run any longer to catch me. His look told me he would do whatever was necessary to get to me.

"I'm sorry," I murmured.

"Rose, remember what's at stake," Victor warned.

My foot hit the gas pedal as the car lurched forward. I swerved the wheel once we were out of the garage, using the back road for the guardian exit. The gate was just ahead, already two guardians from the other maned gate running in that direction with guns pointed at us. Not handguns, but assault rifles.

I winced; as my bad arm reached over towards Victor, grabbing hold of the back of his neck and shoving his face towards his lap. "Stay down!"

The sound of rapid fire broke out all around us. It sounded like firecrackers were being shot off in all directions, as I sunk down in my seat. Bullets were smacking right through the windshield and the front of the bumper, as I let out a scream pushing the pedal even further.

I broke through the black iron gate, losing our hood through the process. Victor's head snapped up, as he looked behind. "That's not slowing them down. There are cars coming."

I bit my bottom lip as my bad arm reached into the console next to me, pulling out a switch. Victor's eyes followed my hand, as I gripped the device in my palm, my thumb resting on the bright orange button.

"I hope this works," I muttered.

I pressed the button, as a large boom sounded behind me. In my review mirror, I could see shades of yellow, orange, and red fly up all around me as the explosion got bigger.

Victor turned in his seat to look back and then at me. "I didn't see that coming."

I jerked the car out of the winding road, and further away from court and onto the first road leading out. We were far from being clear yet, and that explosion might only buy us a few more minutes.

"Your bleeding," Victor noted.

"Tell me something I don't know," I said sarcastically. I clenched my jaw. "Rip a piece of your shirt and give it to me."

He looked as if that was the last thing he wanted to do, but reluctantly did as I instructed. I took the strip from him.

"Grab the wheel."

He groaned but reached over to hold the wheel. I quickly wrapped the strip around my arm, using my teeth to help tie it tight against my skin. A cry caught in my throat at the pressure against the wound, but I would have to try and tend to it later. Once we were a safe distance away and no longer being followed.

Victor let go of the wheel once I had it again. I slowed it long enough for me to make the next turn, instantly making the car grunt as I once again pushed it back to the max speed it could sustain.

My eyes looked in the review mirror, squinting as I noticed a speck of black in the distance behind us.

"Damnit!"

Victor's head turned in the direction of my eyes seeing exactly what I had seen. We were already getting company. There was one large black SUV approaching and with speeds faster than our crap Prius was able to take us. I had to do something and something quick if I was going to lose them. That or this was going to be over way sooner then it even started.

I couldn't let that happen. No matter the cost.

I glanced over my shoulder, the SUV already cutting the distance in half. I slammed the pedal down again, the whine of the engine telling me I was asking too much of this car.

"Put your seatbelt on," I ordered.

Victor looked at me but didn't question my ask. Whether he could see my determined expression, or he remembered my logic was sometimes questionable, he grabbed hold of his seatbelt and clicked it into the lock.

"You have that look in your eye," he observed.

My eyes flickered to the review mirror. They were only three car lengths away now. "Hold on!"

Victor's hands shot out to the dashboard, trying to steady himself as I veered the car off the paved road and now on the grass of the shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

I gave him a sidelong glance. "If we want to get out of this, I am going to need your earth power."

He shook his head in exasperation. "I…I can't."

My head snapped to his briefly. "What do you mean? I saw you use it back there."

He scoffed. "Didn't you notice I could barely stop him from reaching me. They only give me enough blood to sustain in that prison. Never enough that I could have the strength to use my powers."

I cursed. "Well, you're going to have to dig deep if we want to get out of this!"

His eyes dropped down to my arm, where blood was still soaking through the makeshift bandage tied there. My eyes narrowed. "Don't even think about it," I warned.

"I'm telling you…I have no power," he argued.

"Shut up…and hold on!"

I veered the car further off the shoulder until we were parallel with the trees. If the SUV even tapped our car slightly, it would practically kill us.

The glance back in the review mirror showed they were only one car length away. I counted at least four guardians in the vehicle, glad when none of them looked to be Dimitri from what I could see. No doubt they would probably detain him after he fought guardians from trying to apprehend me.

I heard the intake of breath from Victor next to me as he saw the embankment up ahead. The embankment that I was not slowing down and planned to jump over it. His frantic eyes looked over at me, but I kept mine focused on the road straight ahead.

"You are crazy," he remarked.

My foot kept the pedal down, both my hands on ten and two as I pushed the steering wheel as if I could make it go any faster.

"Rose!"

"If you have any power old man, give me everything you got." I looked over at him for a brief second. "Give it to me now!"

Both our mouths opened as screams left our lips, just as the car flew into the air off the embankment. I noticed Victor turn back, his face of peer concentration his hand coming up. His face turned bright red, as red as a tomato as the veins started to protrude from his neck and forehead.

My eyes looked back in the review mirror to see the just as we jumped the embankment, Victor had managed to knock down three massive trees making it impossible for the SUV behind us to follow.


Present Day…

It had only been a mere few seconds, but the car flying in the air felt like minutes, before the front end of the bumper slammed into a patch of dirt. I eased my foot off the gas, as the car almost fishtailed, but I managed to right itself again. The outline of the highway was just up ahead, giving me the opportunity to get us on there and put further distance between us and court.

"Victor?"

I looked over when I hadn't heard anything, his back hit the seat; his eyes closed, his chin dipping to his shoulder. His seatbelt being the only thing keeping him in his seat at this point.

"Shit!"

I didn't have time to worry about that now. I needed to get us to a place where we had a bit of distance between us, and I could get us a new car. At this point, the guardians knew what we were driving and would have a full-on alert for this car.

The sound of blaring horns was all around us as I jolted the car out of the wooded terrain and onto the highway shoulder. The day Dimitri took me out on a field experiment and showed me some driving techniques was paying off.

I swerved the car into the next lane, keeping my speed just over the speed limit but not too fast that I would get pulled over. I was well aware that we weren't just up against the guardians at this point, but that we also had ways of working with outer agencies too. As soon as they were alerted, we were going to be the prime suspects on every law enforcement radar.

My eyes caught a sign ahead. A highway rest stop was only six more miles in the direction we were headed. These were usually large rest stops that accommodated all passing travelers. It was going to be our best bet in ditching this car and finding us a new one until I could think of something better.

I hastily turned the car off the next exit and into the rest stop, parking with as much distance as I could to avoid being seen in case there were any cops up ahead. As it was, our car looked like it had been through WWIII, and with my arm wrapped from the injury, I was sure to turn heads.

I was sure glad I had worn black. At least it prevented from showing any of the blood stains.

I turned the car off at the rest stop exit, searching and assessing my surroundings. It was something I had done when Lissa and I had been on the run, but something I had perfected with Dimitri after he had brought us back.

I had always thought my year on the run with Lissa after avoiding guardians and keeping her safe told me I had done well and learned a lot. It was a rude awakening how wrong I had been once Dimitri found me. This time around, I was more cautious and knew exactly what to look for and do to hopefully not get caught.

I glanced over at Victor, whose eyes were still closed as he was slumped into the seat. Out the back of the rear passenger door, I noticed another car that was parked all the way in the corner, basically on an island all on its own. My head glanced back and forth but there was no one over where we were parked. My hope that maybe whomever owned this car, either abandoned it, or they were a worker here at the rest stop, currently on shift, and wouldn't notice the car was missing until at least a few hours later. Giving us the perfect opportunity to escape.

I got out of the car, working my way to the trunk. One thing I knew about every guardian vehicle—even this escape one—we made sure to keep emergency supplies in the trunk. An extra tire, jump kit, and yes, even tools to break into another car if needed.

I grabbed the longer slender metal bar, lifting my hoodie, wincing as a pain squeezed in my arm at the tightness of needing to lift it upwards. I shoved the bar down the front of my jeans, covering it with my hoodie, as I turned and started making my way to the car.

Breaking a dangerous Moroi out of prison and stealing a car all in one day. I was certainly making the most of stepping into adulthood.

The car wasn't ideal, some small Honda model, but I only needed it to get us from point A to point Z. Besides, Dimitri had always mentioned the less flashy and boring, the more we blended in, the better. This car fit the bill.

I removed the bar from my pants, popping the lock easily since this was a much older model. No fancy bells and whistles on the inside. That was a bonus for me. That meant so silent alarms could be trigged back to the owner.

I hopped into the driver seat, pulling down the panel to grab the wires and start the car. It took me another minute or two, but when the engine purred to life, I felt a sense of pride course through me.

I didn't slow down, my adrenaline still coursing through me as I quickened my pace back to our car, grabbing everything from the backseat and trunk, and throwing it into our new car. When I was done, I went back for Victor.

He was still unconscious in the passenger seat, as I threw opened the door. I shook his shoulders—more violently then necessary—until his eyes jerked opened.

"Wh—what is…where are we?"

"Let's go, grandpa. We have to keep moving. Now!"

I released the buckle on his seat, as he groaned. His steps were slow and sluggish, making me grunt impatiently. He was still sickly and between the chase through the royal court and him using the last of whatever strength he had to knock over the trees, he looked like he could nap into the next century.

I curled my arm under his to help give him some strength, bearing most of his weight on my good arm, as I sucked in my lip and pushed us to the new car.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"Not far enough. We have to keep moving, before the guardians stop and look here."

Victor seeming to realize the weight of my words, hobbled a little faster until I deposited him back in the passenger seat of the new car. I pulled the burner phone that Mikhail had given me from my pocket and tossed it onto his lap.

"Make the call," I demanded.

He picked up the phone from his lap, scowling at me, before I waited until he dialed. The phone rang a few times before all I could hear was a male voice on the other end.

"Yes, I have made it out. Yes, safe so far," he commented, his eyes looking at me questioningly. "If you don't hear from me in four hours, you know what to do."

Victor ended the call, handing the phone back over to me. I wanted to punch him in the face again, knowing he had just given us a new timetable for demands. I snatched the phone from him and put it back in my pocket of my pants.

I got back into the driver side of the new car, backed out and we were on our way out of the rest stop and back onto the highway.

After an hour of driving on the highway, I got us off and moved us to back roads. There was no way we could stop at a place just off the highway. The guardians might expect that.

My arm was starting to throb, and the makeshift bandaged I used to try and slow the bleeding was already soaked. I couldn't put it off any longer. I looked over at Victor who was barely able to stay awake as it was, his eyes opening and closing every few seconds.

I also needed to dump the car. Again. I didn't know if the owner had already reported it missing, but it was bound to happen sooner rather than later.

I drove about another ten miles before we reached into a more desolate town, where I could find a motel that was more pay by the hour type of residents. It was the perfect place, seeing as long as we paid, most likely the owners looked the other way.

Once I rented a room, I helped Victor out of the car and into our room. I made sure to choose a room towards the back where I could still see enough from the front, but a vantage point for us to escape through the woods in the event we needed a last-minute getaway plan.

Once I got Victor settled onto the bed, I pulled out my trusty pair of handcuffs and walked back over. He looked up at me with a scathing look. "No."

I let the cuffs dangle from my hand. "You don't have a choice. I have to dump the car and I need to make sure you don't go anywhere."

He groaned, lifting his arm. "Do you forget you put this on me," he said, waving his wrist in my face. "Do I really look like I am in any condition to go running?"

I leaned in so we were eye level. "I don't trust you. So, you will wear these cuffs. Understand?"

Our stare down lasted for another few silent minutes, before he extended his arm with the tracking device out. I clamped the handcuff on his one wrist, and the other on the bedpost. I pulled out a bottle of water and protein bar from my backpack and tossed it onto the bed next to him.

"I need blood," he said coolly.

"Not on the agenda for today. Until then, enjoy the bar," I said dryly, throwing my pack over my shoulder and walking out of the room.

It was another hour before I returned back to the motel. I drove the car almost three miles down the road where there were at least two other hotels in the vicinity, parking the car in one of their lots instead. Hopefully, it would give me enough time to know if we had been made.

I kept to the sides of the roads and woods, as I made the trek back to the hotel on foot. By the time I reached back to the room, Victor was laying on his side, on the arm that was handcuffed to the bed.

"Oh, good, your back," he said sarcastically.

I ignored him, dropping the pack on my bed to grab the first aid kit out as well as my other pair of clean clothes. I grabbed the other pair of clothes for him and tossed them behind me onto his bed. After all, we couldn't keep him dressed in his prison garb. It may not be bright orange, but it was enough to call attention to us.

"Um, the cuffs?"

I stopped at the edge of his bed, an overly sweet smile casted in his way. "I'm going to take a shower. Until then, stay."

"Rose!"

I ignored his growl of protest, as I moved to the back of the room, and into the bathroom. The room was tiny, giving just enough space for me to walk in and close the door. A small single sink to my right, the toilet directly to the left of the sink, and then shower to the right of the toilet.

The bathroom matched the rest of the decrepit motel, that had to have been built sometime in the seventies and never updated since then. The sink, toilet, and tub all in the matching mustard looking color caked with grim and dirt. I wondered if the motel even had maid or cleaning services care for the room.

A prickle of pain shot up my arm, as I slowly removed the hoodie from my shoulders and then my head. I heard the sounds of talking just outside the bathroom, alerting me that Victor must've turned on the television to entertain himself. I took immense pleasure in the fact that he had been so used to living the life of luxury, and I was reducing him to less than stellar accommodations. He would have to get used to it with life on the run.

I untied the makeshift bandage from my arm, wincing as the fabric pulled away from the open cut. I sucked in my bottom lip, as I looked down at the open edges on my arm. All in all, I was actually pretty lucky. The bullet had only grazed me. It didn't actually go into my arm.

I unzipped the first aid kit, pulling out the necessary sutures, cleaning solution, and gauze pads, setting them on the only open spots on the counter as I got to work. Outside of the individual packets of pain reliver, I had nothing to help dull the pain for what I needed to do. This cut wasn't one that was going to be able to close on its own.

I swallowed; an anxious pit growing in my stomach at the fact that I had to stich my arm. We got basic training as guardians, but since my best friend was a spirit user who practically had always healed all my injures before, this was the first time I would ever have to put it to use.

I grabbed the saline solution and a patch of clean gauze, hissing as I poured it over my arm, letting the dirt and blood drip down into the sink. I repeated the process two more times, neither time getting any easier before I put it aside and started making work on stitching my arm.

It wasn't my best work, my teeth clenched so tight, I was sure I was going to need dental work when this was all over, as I tried to work through all the pain. When I was satisfied with the job, I put a fresh adhesive bandage over my arm.

I packed up all the contents of the first aid kit, putting it to the side as I finished undressing until I was only in my bra and panties.

My hands reached out to either side of the sink, the moment I felt the familiar feeling that I was being sucked right into Lissa's mind.

"They can't just keep us in here!" Lissa exclaimed.

"They can and they will," Christian replied, his arms crossed over his chest, his brows furrowed.

I looked around the room through Lissa. Everyone that was close and mattered to me was there. Lissa, Christian, Adrian, Dimitri, and my mother were all standing in what appeared to be one of the similar rooms we had been in the day before when we had spoken to Queen Tatiana about the age law.

Dimitri was the only one off to the side by himself. His left arm was crossed over his chest, his right arm, resting on his chin, in deep concentration. His usual mask was up, but I could see even he was having a hard time reconciling what the hell I had done.

Lissa turned her gaze to Dimitri. "Victor?" She asked. "Are you sure? Victor?"

"Yes," Dimitri growled.

In that moment, he looked angry enough, that he could tear apart every mounted piece of furniture in the room without so much as an effort.

"I don't understand. Why? Why would she help him escape?" she asked in puzzlement.

"Blackmail," offered up Christian.

My mother and Dimitri looked in his direction. "Blackmail for what?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm trying to think of something," he replied in frustration between being locked up and having the lack of information to know what was going on. "I think all of us in this room can say for certain, that Rose would never help him if there wasn't something making her do it."

"Are you all really this blind?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the words that had come from Adrian. The only one who didn't seem to be bothered that he was being held there in the room.

My mother turned her extremely intense gaze on him. "Is there something you know that we don't?"

He pulled the same black pair of shades he had been wearing from the plane off his face and stood up from the chair. "No. I'm thinking logically," he rebutted. "Rose is the kind of person that would only help someone like Victor if it meant the people, she cared for were in danger."

Everyone's eyes looked at Lissa, including Adrian. "Me?" she asked.

Christian's lips pursed. "He did try to kidnap you so he could suck all of the spirit power out of you." He turned back to my mother and Dimitri. "Do you think with the recent events about the age law, that it could have something to do with it?"

My mother and Dimitri shared a glance, before Dimitri spoke up. "Lissa can't vote even if she wanted too. It wouldn't make sense for him to want to escape for that alone."

"Yes, it does. She has another sibling. She could then vote in quorum.," I said out loud to myself.

Adrian walked over until he was standing in front of Dimitri. He poked him in the bicep, getting no give whatsoever. "My money is on you, cradle robber."

"Adrian…" Lissa warned.

My mother moved next to Dimitri; her arms crossed over her chest. It almost seemed protective and made me smile. "Explain."

Adrian had this look like he couldn't believe that out of everyone in the room it was him—who knew me the least amount of time—to provide the theory. "It was the Russian over here that swooped in to save the day when Lissa had been kidnapped." He held up a second finger. "And weren't you the one that ended up killing his daughter." It was a rhetorical question since everyone knew that Dimitri did. He had the molnija mark to prove it. "You weren't supposed to even be there. Lucky you were or Rose would have died."

My shoulders shook at that reminder how close I had come to dying that day.

Adrian added a third finger. "And on top of killing his daughter, you ensured he wasn't able to escape. He was brought here for his trail shortly after. I would say if he was looking to go after someone Rose cared about, it's got to be Agent Boring Borscht here."

All eyes turned to Dimitri's his expression faltering that Adrian's words might be right on the money.

"You have to let this go! Please," I begged even though I knew none of them could hear me.

"There haven't been any credible threats against me," Dimitri pondered out loud.

"Or me," added Lissa taking a step closer to the group.

Adrian shrugged, plopping himself back on the chair. "Well, then that just leaves a homicidal manic out to get Rose."

The door to the room opened; and in walked Queen Tatiana. Her eyes were as cold as ice, and her lips were turned down into a disapproving frown. She took no time stepping in and calling everyone to order. Behind here were a swarm of guardians that I was sure would be no match for my mother or Dimitri if they wanted to escape.

"Everyone in this room has been called here because they have some sort of relationship with Rose Hathaway," she said. Her eyes landed on Dimitri. "Some actions are extremely questionable." She no doubt was talking about the fact he had fought guardians when they had shot me. To them, it would look like he was aiding in my escape.

"Your Majesty," Lissa started, but her words died at the frosty look from Tatiana.

The queens' eyes went to each person in the room spending a few seconds on each of them. "You will all be questioned separately from this moment on. I expect your full cooperation."

Adrian sat up in the chair, his brows drawing to a stern line. "Why? We didn't do anything."

Her gaze snapped to him, and even though she had a fondness for him that I was well aware of, her words came out just as icily as her stare. "Do not mistake me for a fool. I know that each person in this room has a close relationship with the fugitive."

Lissa gasped. "Fugitive? Don't you think that is a bit harsh."

Tatiana's eyes sharpened. "She broke a dangerous and convicted Moroi from prison. What else would you have me call her?"

"A victim," I answered sourly.

Lissa stood her ground. It was both fascinating and impressive to watch at the same time at how much she was truly coming into her own. Especially from the days where she had chosen to hide or want to just blend in the background. Like me, Lissa was made to stand out. "Rose would never do something like this. Not unless her hand was forced."

The queen's brow arched. "And that makes it ok?" she asked abruptly. "If Ms. Hathaway was in some kind of trouble, or knew damaging information, she should have brought it to the attention of the guardians and this court. Who knows what trouble she has just doomed to innocents out in the world."

Her scorn at Lissa's defense already told me that her mind was made up about me. Even if I had the best excuse in the world, I had just given her the final excuse to get rid of me for good. She had never liked me from day one. It had been clear as day.

"Until you have all been interviewed and debriefed, you will remain here at court and confined to your rooms until questioning." The room broke out in complaints. Tatiana held up her hand, everyone silencing at once. "There will be no discussion on this. Guardians will be escorting you to your perspective rooms."

She walked from the room, the door closing behind her, the silence deafening.

I blinked, snapping out of Lissa's mind and back into the bathroom. I looked at my worn expression, the only comforting relief was that I knew none of my friends knew anything about what I had done. The guardians could question them all they wanted, but they weren't going to get anything from them.

What worried me more was the determined look on Dimitri's face. Once he was cleared, he was going to stop at nothing to find out why I had done what I had done.

I stripped off my bra and panties, letting the warm water wipe away the ugliness of the day. When I was done, I dressed in my backup outfit and walked back into the room. I was aware of Victor's eyes on me as I moved to my side of the bed and sat down.

"I'm glad you're comfortable," Victor commented sardonically as he pulled at the handcuff clasped around the bedpost.

I felt my earlier annoyance with him returning again. Especially after what I had just seen with Lissa and everyone back at court. "Listen, I can gladly make things less comfortable for you," I snapped. "Because of you my loved ones are now being sequestered and interrogated. So, spare me your woe as me crap."

A sleazy sly dawned his expression. The bastard knew that was going to happen and it was making him happy to hear it. "As long as they stay oblivious to what is happening, then everyone will be safe."

An uneasy feeling churned in my gut. "I hate to break it too you, but they are already working on putting details and clues together. It won't take them long." I was still sitting on the opposite bed facing him. "Especially, Dimitri. Once they clear him, you know what he could do. After all, it was you that initially recommended him to bring us back to the academy."

Victor scowled at that last part. He should have known that getting someone like Dimitri Belikov to become Lissa's official guardian, would never let Victor's plan to kidnap and use her until there was nothing left.

"Yes, a mistake I don't plan to make again," he said lamely.

I resisted the urge to lean in and yank him by the lapel of his shirt. "What is that supposed to mean?"

That sadistic gleam was in his eye again. The one that was more than happy to boast he had the Belikov's lives in the very palm of his hand. That if I didn't do exactly what he wanted and what he said, then he would give the word to kill them with a snap of his fingers.

"It means…that you better do what is necessary to make sure he doesn't follow."

I fixed him with an angry gaze. "What the hell am I supposed to do all the way from here?" I exclaimed. "I can't make him not look for me. To not care."

Victor shook his head at me as if I wasn't seeing the big picture. As if the most obvious answer was sitting right in front of me, but I couldn't see it.

"Of course, you can," he remarked, the words coming out so easily.

My head was starting to hurt. I hated that I even had to ask. "Pray tell, what you think I could possibly do to make him not look for me?"

Victor pulled at the handcuff that was clasped to the bedpost, a cruel smile returned. "Break his heart. Tell him you don't love him."

I scoffed. Actually, it sounded more like a cough and a wheeze. "Are you insane? No!"

"If you don't…."

I snarled. "If you say those words one more time," I threatened.

It only seemed to perk his mood up even more. He leaned in this time, his voice low and predatory as if he was the evil witch in Snow White trying to get me to eat the poisoned apple. He could see the pained look on my face.

His look turned devious. "Break his heart to save him."

"I can't," I croaked. My chest tightened at the thought of even thinking about doing the unthinkable. Up until today, I thought that would be breaking Victor out of jail. Apparently, there was no limit to moving the bedpost further and further.

His voice turned to a challenge. Throwing it in my face when I had told him before I was capable of anything. "But you will, Rose. Because that is who you are. Destruction and pain."

I trembled and averted my gaze from Victor's. I wanted to throw up. My heart started to squeeze painfully, but I couldn't let Victor see that inside I was already dying. Because if I didn't do what he said, I knew that he would make good on his promise. That was the one thing Victor Dashkov was good for. His word.

I was going to have to do the hardest thing I have had to do.

I was going to have to convince Dimitri Belikov that I never loved him.