New Life

Authors Note:I want to thank everyone who has read this story so far and has had the patience to stick with it as I update this story. I am sorry that it takes a while. I'm a new mom and its hard to find time to write with a newborn. Thank you for the reviews!
Tsvetok means flower


4 years later

The count down on the timer hit zero and the familiar melody of violence began.
He lunged at me from the side, thinking to surprise me from his regular technique. Dodging his attempts to catch me, I quickly dropped and swung my leg under him. Jumping out of the way, he rolled across the mat and crouched, readying himself for the next hit. I lunged at him full force, punch after punch, kick after kick, but only a few were connecting and soon we were running out of breath after thirty minutes of fighting non-stop. Jumping away from each other, we began to move in a circle. I began to think of different ways I might be able catch him off guard, mixing up some of the techniques I've picked up over the years, some that he had rarely seen.

"Ready to give up yet? You won't win, so you might as well." I smirked at him, letting him know that I was no where near finished with him. Daring him to make a move I cracked my knuckles and rolled my neck. Knowing that he would take the bait, I waited till the last possible second before stepping to the side and throwing a punch at him right below the ribs. Feeling his grunt more than hearing it, I quickly get behind him and twist his arm to his shoulder blade. Knocking him to the floor I straddle his back and press hard on the pressure point on his hip so he cant maneuver his legs to get free.

"God Dammit Rose! I should have never taught you how to use pressure points to your advantage. Besides, I thought we agreed that we wouldn't be using them during practice." He said in his most annoyed voice, but I knew he was joking by the way he turned his head and gave me one of his devilish smile. I quickly placed a light kiss on his cheek and got up, grabbing his hand and helping him up.

"Oh come on James, don't be a sore loser. Would it make you feel better if I took you out for some Chinese food?"

Erik grabs my hand and then drags me towards the showers. "Well then love, hurry up and clean up so we can go. Also-" Suddenly Erik's cell rings and he quickly answers it. His face falls a bit. Agreeing with what ever the person on the phone said, he then hangs up and puts his cell back in his pocket. "Well, there goes our plans for food. It seems like our charge has woken up from his night of partying."

"Hey, he just graduated from university. Its practically tradition to go out and get totally smashed" I smirked as I disappeared into the ladies locker room. After a few minutes, I walked out dressed in my black dress pants, a white buttoned up long sleeve, and my combat boots. Meeting my partner in the car, he started the engine and we started driving towards the house we shared.

"So how do you think he is holding up?" Erik joked as we saw the house come into view.

"Knowing Christian, he is probably in the kitchen with a bucket while trying to make his famous hangover elixir" I laughed as we parked and got out of the car. "I just know he is going to be pissed once we remind him of the meeting that is scheduled in three hours." I opened the door and immediately the smell of eggs, gravy and onions hit me with a force beyond reckoning. I looked at Erik with an I told you so grin and he just rolled his eyes.

"Christian, my man! How is the hangover coming along? Regret partying too hard yet?" Erik smacked his back and started laughing. Christian glared at him and waved him off with a very rude gesture before he stalked back in his room and slammed the door shut. Laughing, I plopped my ass on the couch and turned on the TV while Erik went and got Sparky ready for the day. After about ten minutes of Listening to the news and waiting for the boys to get ready, I got off the couch to get a drink when I heard a familiar preppy voice, one I haven't heard in over four years.

I walked out of the kitchen with a bagel half way in my mouth and just stared at the TV, Christian and Erik were also out of the room and gawking at the news. We all moved towards the couch and sat down to listen.

"And further more, I am proud to say that we have reached our goal of one million dollars in donations to help clean up the oil spill in the Atlantic ocean. This will not only help clean the ocean, but it will help clean and care for the animals effected by this horrible accident." Lissa said in a happy girlish voice and jumped up in excitement with a few other girls. Looks like she is doing just fine. While the news reporter continued to interview the group. I looked in the background of the video, scanning for a very familiar figure. There In the background, about ten feet away, was the man that brought me to where I am now. I can barely see him, but then again, that's the job of a guardian and oh do I know the role of the guardian so well.

I grab the remote and shut it off. I grabbed my jacket and opened the front door, waiting for the boys. "Well we better get going or else we are going to be late to the meeting with the council." Christian was the first to get up and start walking towards me and the door. He looked at me with the same look in his eyes when he first found me. Depression, betrayal, and broken. I smiled at him and pulled him into a hug. After a few seconds, we pulled apart and looked at Erik to see if he was coming. He pushed us out the door and locked it behind us.

"Come on you big babies lets go kick ass at this meeting and then we can all go hang out with the others at the beach."

We got in the car and drove to Headquarters, jamming out to the radio the whole way there. Erik nearly crashed the car laughing so hard, when Christian and I started singing 21 by Taylor Swift. After Erik gave us a serious look, we had to stop goofing around, or else face the furious wrath of the mighty Eric. Before we even knew it, we where already walking through the halls of Headquarters.

"So do you guys know why we were even called for this meeting" Rose inquired as they made their way down the sterile halls of Headquarters, "Uncle Ian wouldn't tell me anything about it."

"God I hope it's not cause you somehow got us in trouble again" Erik commented as security checked our credentials and ushered us through heavily guarded doors and check points. "I swear if you somehow broke another rule while on our mission last week you are buying me coffee for a week Tsvetok."

Erik winked at me as we opened the huge oak door that led to the Council Chamber. We all sat down at the table in the middle of the room and waited for the council members to walk in. The room was large yet intimate, any word said in here was heard by everyone in the room. On the walls were pictures of Council members long since deceased. Their old and faces and out of date clothes hid strong men and women who had lived lives hunting and killing some of the deadliest creatures to walk or slither across this earth.

Hearing the click of a door, we stand up as the councilors fill the room and sit in their chairs. After we sit back down, Phillip, the highest ranked elder, spoke first.

"Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice Agent Mazur, Agent Ozera and Agent Volkov. We called you here today to discuss a problem that has been brought to our attention." Phillip spoke with a serious tone that gave the impression of life and death. And as he paused for breath, another voice spoke out.

"Relax Agent Mazur, you're not in any kind of trouble." Councilmen Ian says with a wink and a cat like grin. I swear he reminds me of the old man every day.

"Ahem!" We looked back at councilmen Phillip and quickly apologized. Giving him our undivided attention once again.

"Well then, as I was saying. There is a situation that has been brought to our attention. Now, we face many monsters and evil in this world but none have come together to form a colony of this magnitude. Its highly unlike them and we didn't expect it at all due to their nature." He had a dark look in his eyes as he nodded at another council member to start explaining.

"The Strigoi have formed a very sizable army in the U.S. and we have been contacted by the head of the Guardians asking for our help. Due to the sheer numbers of the enemy and the fact that they have already attacked and destroyed four small towns. We have given then a positive answer. Tomorrow, your group and two other teams are boarding a plane to Pennsylvania. Along the way you will meet up with Agent Collins, who is currently active with another assignment in the nearby area. She will be debriefed when she is available. When you arrive, there you will be picked up and taken to the court and palace of Queen Tatiania, the current Matriarch of all Moroi affairs in America. Once you are there, you will be cooperating with our allies and coordinating with them in an effort to exterminate this nest. We want this army eliminated. Keep in mind, if they succeed to bring down our allied Moroi forces then we lose a foothold in our war with the Strigoi. It will be fairly easy for them to take over and then move on to take down the next big fish in the pond until they dominate everything on that continent." Council women Maria spoke in a firm but soft manner.

I looked at Erik and you could see the spark in his eyes at the sound of a new challenge. Looking at christian, we shared the same solemn look. We knew what this meant in the grand scheme of things, we knew that it was an important mission that needed to be done, that they needed help now more then ever, that our friends were there and we were not just going to abandon them. However, going back there meant that we would have to face the two people we hoped to not see for a long time.

Coming to a decision, I stood up and held my head up high, I wasn't gonna let my discomforts get in the way of duty. "Sir I believe I speak for the three of us when I say that we will see this mission through." The council members all nodded their heads in acknowledgement.

"Make us proud, Hunters" Phillip said as he stood up and handed us our paperwork, "Agent Volkov, if you have any questions on the Moroi or their culture please consult with your fellow team members." Erik nodded his head in understanding, sending Christian and myself a look that said, 'We'll talk later'.

Council members started to leave, a few would stop to shake my hand or ask about my training, and a few more made jokes to their first few years in training. Many of these men and women had fought in battles against creatures that I can only imagine, and here they were asking about my day and wondering about my life. Pretty sure this organization is in good hands. My uncle being the last one to leave, came up to me and patted my shoulder and handed me a small envelope.

"They sent you another letter. You know, you should tell them that you officially changed your last name before they find out the hard way. Your father, I'm sure will be thrilled. Your mother on the other hand... Well, lets just say Id rather die than tell her to her face." He laughed loud enough for it to echo through the room as he left.

I stashed the envelope in my back pocket, waiting till later before I open it. I walk out the room and into the hallway where Erik and Christian are waiting for me. Frowning slightly, I realized that they must have sneaked out when my uncle came to talk to me. Erik was on his phone, probably telling his father that he was going to be away on another mission. Christian was just looking out the window he stood by and watched as rain started to pour down from the sky. I leaned against the wall next to him and looked out the window as well.

"I didn't think that we would ever see them again. When I came here to join you, I was happy to leave that life behind. To start off with a fresh new life. What she did to me, I could live with. I was use to it from others. But what they did to you, I will never forgive them for it. Especially aunt Tasha. They weren't even bothered that you left. Tasha made fun of you as soon as she herd you left, Lissa would always laugh and do some kind of impression of you. but what bugged me the most, was how he didn't even seemed all too bothered by it. Then again I wasn't around them much after everything happened. None of us were... What are we gonna do?" When he looked at me, his eyes were more gray than blue, you could tell there was a storm brewing behind them.

"We do what we always do-"

"kicking ass and taking names." Erik interrupted as he pushed us towards the car.

"Exactly! Are you reading my thoughts again Hun? Cause I swear, that's just creepy." I winked at him, letting him know that I was only kidding. I beat him to the driver seat and started the car. As soon as they were in, I sped towards the house so we could start packing. And if we had enough time, we could meet Atali at our favorite Restaurant for some drinks before we willingly began what could very well be our last mission.