(December 23)

Rose and Jasmine followed Dimitri. To our surprise, Dimitri led us both out of the boundaries of the campus and into the surrounding woods. The Academy owned a lot of land, not all of which was actively used for educational purposes. We were in a remote part of Montana, and it appeared the school was just barely holding back the wilderness.

We walked quietly for a while, our feet crunching through thick, unbroken snow. A few birds flitted by, singing their greetings to the rising sun. But mostly, all we saw were scraggly, snow-heavy evergreen trees. Both Jasmine and Rose had to work to keep up with Dimitri's longer stride, particularly since the snow slowed us down a little.

Soon, we discerned a large, dark shape ahead. Rose saw some kind of building, and she asked, "What is that?" Jasmine said. "Old watch-post." As Dimitri said, "Guardians used to live on the edge of campus and keep watch for Strigoi." Rose asked, "Why don't they anymore?" Dimitri said, "We don't have enough guardians to staff it." Besides, Moroi have warded the campus with enough protective magic that most don't think it's necessary to have actual people on guard. "

Jasmine said, "What if wards get broken like what happens at the Badicas house? Then we are so fucked. " Dimitri said, "Jasmine, watch your mouth." Jasmine says, "If the ward gets broken, how fast do they put it back up before they take the academy?" Dimitri stops in his tracks, turns around, and says, "Please don't fuck this up."

Jasmine just stopped talking and looked down at the ground. Start playing with her hair. Dimitri knew Jasmine was scared. Rose said, "Hey! Don't talk to my sister like that. Besides, these are questions that guardians need to ask in case something bad happens. " Dimitri said, "I'm sorry! Jasmine, please try to calm your fear just for one night. " Jasmine didn't look up. Dimitri said, "Come both of you, we are going to be too late." Jasmine slowly walks behind them, still worried! Rose looked at Jasmine and read her fears. Rose said, "Oh, Sissy!" Rose reached up and held her hand.

Dimitri, Rose, and Jasmine both rounded the corner of the building and came up on a surprising scene. A small frozen pond lay there. Christian and Vasilissa were ice skating on it. All we could see was a woman who had her back to us. All we could see was a wave of jet-black hair that arced around her when she skated to a graceful stop. Jasmine froze where she was standing. Start regaining the lost memories before the attack and after the attack. Vasilissa grinned when she saw Rose and Jasmine. Vasilissa could see Jasmine frozen in place and lost in her memory. As Christian said, "shit!" Felling on his ass.

Rose turns around to witness Jasmine lost in her memories. Jasmine started breathing hard as the tears flowed from her eyes, with a terror look on her face as she relived the attack on Jasmine from four years ago. Vasilisa yells at Jazz to snap out of it. Dimitri spins around to see Jasmine frozen. Rose is calling Jasmine's name and not getting an answer at all. Vasilisa skated to the edge and got off the ice. Dimitri said, "What is wrong?"

Jasmine snapped back. started backing away from all of them. Spin around and run from them, heading back around the cabin and busting through the door. Jasmine ran to the far corner of the cabin. Jasmine started crying as she relived the memory of that night. Rose turns around and runs after Jasmine. Vasilisa took off her skates and put her boots back on. Vasilisa grabbed her skates and followed Rose into the cabin.

Vasilissa, running into the cabin, found Rose and Jasmine. Jasmine was in the corner, crying hard and breathing hard. Vasilisa dropped the skates and ran to Rose's side. Reaching out, Jasmine said, "Let it out." Vasilisa holds Jasmine in her arms to ease Jasmine's pain and fears. I turned to Rose and said, "Make the cabin warm for us." Rose jumped up and found dry wood. started building a fire.

Dimitri, Christian, and the mystery woman came through the door. Discover Vasilisa holding Jasmine in her arms. Rose was breaking a chair for the wood and heading to the fireplace to build a fire. Dimitri answered, "What is going on?" Vasilisa said, "Jazz, you are alright." "Let it out." The mystery woman asked, "Did something happen to her?" Everyone stopped and looked at her. Rose said, "Who the hell are you?" Christian said, "Aunt Tasha." Rose said, "Just stay out of the way, and turn back to the fireplace." Rose was building a campfire. Dimitri said, "Rose!"

"What was going on?" Dimitri asked. Vasilissa said Jasmine passed a break free. She is now dealing with what happened four years ago. Jasmine jerked away from Dimitri as he moved closer. Jasmine said, "Make them go away." Vasilisa said, "I'm here and they can't hurt you anymore." Vasilisa turned her head to Dimitri and said, "STOP! Go, help Rose with fire. "Now!"

Tasha asked, "What must have happened to her four years ago?" Everyone but Jasmine looked at her. Vasilisa said, "Jasmine got raped by strigoi four years ago, and they almost killed her." Tasha rushed to Jasmine's and Vasilisa's side. Tasha said, "Let it out!" Jasmine cries hard. Yelling at Christian gets cover from over their bring here. We need to cover her and let the storm pass. "

"This is a good thing. This helps with healing now. " Rose turned, looked at Dimitri, showed that it was unpleasant to look at him, and turned back to the fireplace. Dimitri could tell that Rose was pissed off and was worried about Jasmine. Help Rose with the fire. Vasilisa said, "Tomorrow! We talk with Deirdre together. Tasha asked, "Who is Deirdre?" Vasilisa said, "The counselor that has been working with Jasmine for months to help bring down her walls around her."

( Hours later)

Jasmine cried for a long time and started to quiet down to whimpers. Vasilisa sits on the floor, holding Jasmine's head in her lap. Keep telling me everything will be better soon. Vasilisa took Jasmine's hair down from the braids and let her hair free. Christian said, "Oh shit! Jazz looks like Rose with her hair down. Vasilisa said, "Jazz was beautiful both ways." Dimitri would agree.

Rose said, "Jasmine and I are identical twins." Tasha said, "What are the odds of identical twin girls in Dhampir?" Vasilisa said, "very rare for a Dhampir woman to give birth to identical twin girls." Everyone turned and looked at Vasilisa. Dimitri said, "How do you know that?" Vasilisa said, "We talk about seven-grade science class." Rose said, "The teacher used Jasmine and me in class." Before Jasmine punched him and knocked out the teacher. " Vasilisa said, "That's funny." When knocked over three desks. " Rose said, "He shouldn't have scaird my sissy." Christian said, "Damn! I remember that. "

Tasha asked everyone if they wanted some marshmallows. Tasha never asked Jasmine if she wanted any at all. Christian said, "Aunt Tasha." You didn't ask Jasmine if she wanted any marshmallows. Everyone but Jasmine looked at Tasha. Tasha said I was sorry! Vasilisa and Rose said, "Jasmine doesn't like marshmallows." Dimitri, Christian, and Tasha were surprised to find out that Jasmine didn't like them. Tasha said, "What about chocolate?" Rose said, "She loves chocolate."

Rose took it from Tasha and said, "Sissy." Jasmine looked at Rose and saw that Jasmine's eyes were red. Rose asked, "Do you want some chocolate?" Jasmine reached out and took Rose's hand. Vasilissa said, "Sit up and eat." Jasmine sat slowly and started slowly sucking it. As Christian said, "you are like a child eating it." Vasilissa said, "Stop teasing her." Before she kicks your ass again."

Tasha said, "Where's the best place a girl can go shopping around here?" Vasilissa and Rose exchanged looks and said, "Missoula." Tasha sighed. "That's a couple hours away, but if I leave soon, I can probably still get in some time before the stores close." I'm hopelessly behind on shopping. Lissa said, "I'd kill to go shopping." Rose said, "Me too." Maybe we could sneak along. Rose gave Dimitri a hopeful look. Dimitri said, "No! immediately. "

Jasmine said, "Have a pleasant trip in Dimitri's piece of the shit clown car." You are not take my 2007 black Ford Mustang if we can't go. Rose, Christian, and Vasilissa understood what Jasmine was saying. She hoped that she could talk to Dimitri without letting them go. Tasha said, "That cool muscle car." Jasmine said, "Thank you, Natasha." Dimitri said, "My car is cool too." Rose said, "in a soccer mom's car can be." Everyone but Dimitri was laughing.

Both Jasmine and Rose practically skipped down to the gym. But when we stuck our heads inside the practice room from the day before, we found it dark and quiet. Flipping on the light, we peered around just in case Dimitri was conducting some kind of weird, covert training exercise.

Rose muttered, "Shit!" Jasmine giggled. Janine said, "He's not here." Both Jasmine and Rose yelped and nearly jumped ten feet into the air. Turning around, both looked straight into their mother's narrowed brown eyes. Rose said, "What are you doing here?" as soon as the words were out of Rose's mouth. Their appearance registered with both of them. The stretchy spandex shirt with short sleeves, loose, drawstring workout pants similar to the ones ours wore. "Shit," Rose said again.

Janine said, "Watch your mouth." You might behave as if you have no manners. But at least try not to sound that way. " Rose said, "Where is Dimitri?" Janine said, "Guardian Belikov is in bed." He just got back a couple of hours ago and needed to sleep. Jasmine said, "huh!" Rose said, "I guess that means practice is canceled."

Jasmine said, "Mommy! can teach us something new. " Rose said, "Shut up!" Janine said, "That is a delightful idea, Jasmine." Be quiet and put these on, Rose. She handed me some training mitts for Rose. They were like boxing gloves, but not as thick and bulky. They shared the same purpose, however: to protect your hands and keep you from gouging your opponent with your nails. "

Rose said, "We've been working on silver stakes." Rose shoved my hands into the mitts sulkily. Jasmine said, "You are working on practice stakes, so you don't hurt yourself." Rose said, "Shut up!" Janine said, "Girls!" Jasmine said, "Sorry Mommy!"

Janine said, "Well, today we're doing this." "Come on."

Rose, wishing a bus had hit me on my walk from the dorm, followed her out toward the center of the gym. Janine pinned her curly hair up to stay out of the way, revealing the back of her neck. They covered Janine's back neck in tattoos. The top one was a serpentine line: the promised mark, given when guardians graduated from academies like St. Vladimir's and agreed to serve. Below that were the molnija marks awarded each time a guardian killed a Strigoi. We shaped them like the lightning bolts they took their name from. We couldn't gauge exact numbers, but let's just say it was a wonder my mom had any neck left to tattoo. She'd wielded a lot of death in her time. "

Janine reached the spot she wanted. saying, "Jasmine, go sit down and watch us." Jasmine said, "Yes, mommy." Janine turned toward Rose and adopted an attack stance. I quickly mirrored it.

Rose said, "What are we doing?" Janine said, "basic offensive and defensive parrying." Use the red lines. " Rose said, "That's all?" "I asked. Janine leapt toward Rose. Rose dodged. just barely, and tripped over my own feet. Hastily, Rose righted me. Rose said, "So, what? This is your way of making up for maternal negligence. " Janine said, "This is my way of making you get rid of that chip on your shoulder." You've had nothing but an attitude towards me since I arrived. You want to fight? " Her fist shot out and connected with my arm. Then we'll fight. Point

Rose said, "I don't want to fight." I've just been trying to talk to you." Janine said, "mouthing off to me in class isn't what I'd really call talking." Point. Rose said, "I have a unique style of communication, that's all." Janine said, "You have a petty teenage delusion that someone has somehow wronged you for the last seventeen years." Her foot hit my thigh. Point." Janine said, "When in reality, you've been treated no differently than any other dhampir." better, actually. I could have sent you off to live with my cousins. You want to be a blood whore? Is that what you wanted? " Jasmine said, "Mommy! Don't use that word. It makes you sound stupid. " Janine yelled, "quiet!" Rose said, "Don't yell at her."

Rose said, "No! I don't want a blood whore. " Jasmine said, "I am a blood whore." Janine said, "No! What happened to you was wrong. "Strigoi are twisted evil creatures." Rose said, "What would you know what happened to her?" You never came to see her?" Jasmine said, "Rosie! Mommy came, and she found me broken! Janine said, "Yes! I came. Rose said, "Lies!" Janine hit Rose again. Point

Rose said, "Did you go all Darwin and select the guy most likely to pass on warrior genes to your offspring?" I mean, I know you only had us because it was your duty, so I suppose you had to make sure you could give the guardians the best specimen you could. Janine said, "Rosemarie Eve Hathaway." Janine warned through gritted teeth, "For once in your life, shut up." Rose said, "Why? Am I tarnishing your precious reputation? It's just like you told me: you aren't any different from any other dhampir either. You just screwed him and Janine hit Rose, making her fly backward.

Jasmine said, "Mommy! What did you do? "

Jasmine and Janine race to Rose's side. Janine called, "Rose?, Rose?, Are you okay? " Jasmine said, "I'm going to get the doctor and leave the gym in a full run."

(The tower)

Dimitri was still sleeping when Jasmine came to the tower, went up three floors, and found Dimitri sound asleep in his bed. Jasmine got a great idea and went back to her bedroom. She picked up her guitar, turned on the speaker, and the volume was turned up. Jasmine started playing Metallica - Enter Sandman.

Dimitri's eyes snapped open, and he realized Jasmine was playing again. Finding the song loud with an excellent base to the song, knowing the name as soon as Dimitri hears it, He looked at the clock, realizing school was over. After that, he sleeps for a few hours. Dimitri thought to himself, "Is Jasmine's joke waking me up?" She could have thrown water in her face and laughed about it. He started getting up out of bed and grabbing his boxers. He walked downstairs to Jasmine's bedroom. While playing and enjoying the song, Dimitri noticed a smile on the baby girl's lips.

Dimitri yelled, "Jasmine!" "Please turn it down." Jasmine keeps playing. Dimitri walked over and turned the volume on the speaker down. Jasmine looked up and heard a sweet voice asking, "What is wrong with you?" Dimitri said, "It's too loud." Jasmine said, "Really?" I didn't notice. Besides, you missed practice. " Dimitri said, "Sorry!" I get back late with Tasha. Jasmine showed teeth and the wrack of the nose to show disgust with Tasha. Dimitri could tell that Jasmine didn't like her. Dimitri asked, "What did you mean, late night?" Jasmine said, "I saw colors coming from her and I got a distinct feeling from her." Dimitri said, "I'm right back." He headed upstairs to grab his journal that he kept for Jasmine.

Came back downstairs to Jasmine's bedroom, walked over, sat down on her bed, and asked if this was new. Jasmine said, "Yeah!" Dimitri opens the notebook and writes it down. Has anything else happened to you? Jasmine says, "Yeah, The windows open, the icy wind around Dimitri and Jasmine and out the window closes. Dimitri said, "Air magic." Interesting, your powers have grown and might more the fire element. Dimitri said, "What were the colors?" Did you see and feel them? " Jasmine said. Natasha looked at each of us. The color would change and the feeling would be different.

Natasha looked at you with pink for lust, Christian was white for love, Vasilisa was light blue and hope, Rosie was it was red for hate for her and for me it was green for disgusted. Dimitri said, "Damn!" Jasmine said, "Why are you keeping a record of me?" Dimitri said, "You are the first element in hundreds of years." Someone needs to keep a recorder for when the next element appears. Jasmine just looked at Dimitri and said, "I believe that more than the fire element." Dimitri said, "You might be right!"

Jasmine asked, "When are you planning to meet up with that whore again?" Dimitri said, "Tasha is not a whore." Why do you ask? " Jasmine said, "Because last night she compelled you to take her to the mall." Dimitri said, "Tasha didn't compel me to take her to the mall." Jasmine said, "Bullshit!" I watched her do it and, plus, I have video of it."

When Rosie handed me the chocolate, that was when she did it. Then you snapped Vasilisa and Rose couldn't go to the mall. When I said, "You couldn't take my mustang and you had to take your clown car." "How did you know Tasha was captured?" Dimitri asked. "How did you know Tasha was captured?" Jasmine said, "I could see your eyes glassy." That only happens when people are under compulsion. Too bad that command doesn't work on me. Vasilisa tried to make me forget that night with Strigoi. But it didn't work. Dimitri found it surprising that Jasmine couldn't be persuaded to start writing in the notebook.

Dimitri said, "I would like to see a video when Tasha is compelling." Jasmine said, "But first you might put on PJ bottoms." Giving a small smile. Dimitri looked down, realized that still his boxer.