Chapter 18

DPOV

That night I slept like a log. I was a little frustrated we were interrupted the second time. Thank God Lissa had walked into that one. If she had walked in on the first time I don't think we would have stopped.

I showered and had a good look in the mirror. I smiled to myself. Rose had not been gentle. I had a few bruises and the claw marks on my back left little to the imagination. I thought back to last night and I knew Rose had a few marks of her own. I hadn't been gentle either.

I had been with women before Rose, both Moroi and Dhampir, but I don't think I could have done with them what I did with Rose last night. Rose could meet me blow for blow. It was the same kind of intensity that we carried when sparring together.

Great, now every time we would spar I would be reminded of last night.

I pulled my pants on and was putting on a tank top when there was a knock on the door. I opened it and to my surprise the Princess was standing in my doorway.

I was a little embarrassed. She had seen me naked last night. In more ways than one. When Rose and I were together we were in our own world. No Guardian mask, no polite professionalism. Just her and me. But I was putting on a mask now.

"Princess Vasilisa, how can I help you? " She walked into my room, mirroring my blank expression. I suppose Vasilissa had adapted to her own version of a mask.

She looked around the room for a moment before turning around. She didn't take a seat, so I assumed this was a quick chat. At least I hoped it was. I don't think I was ready to be berated by my charge.

"Please, Dimitri, I think after last night we can be much less formal with each other."

I suppose she was right. Seeing her friend riding me every which way to sunday would do that. I could not help but blush a little at her reference.

"Very well, Lissa, what can I do for you."

I motioned her to sit while I stood, I could run away that much faster. I didn't know why, but this little Moroi girl was making me apprehensive. Her gaze was scrutinizing me, there was no doubt about it. She was assessing if I was worthy of Rose.

"I want to talk to you about Rose."

I leaned back against the wall. My face was stern, my arms crossed over my chest, bracing me for the worst.

I wonder how much Rose had told Vasilissa, uh Lissa about us. But whatever Lissa had to say to me, it didn't matter. I wouldn't leave Rose. I didn't care if she was the last Dragomir and could easily end my career, I would fight for Rose.

"Do you love Rose?"

I couldn't help but smile. I had tried to deny it at first. But now the emotion was so clear as day in my heart, I wouldn't deny it … to anyone.

"Yes, more than anything."

She found my response somewhat amusing. I didn't understand why. But amusing is better than irritating.

I might have misjudged Lissa. I assumed she had come here to iterate how inappropriate it was and even if Rose didn't see it she would interfere on Rose's behalf. I felt tension leave my body as I saw her smile. She wasn't here to tear us apart. I didn't realize until that moment how afraid of that I was.

It put Rose's reaction to Tasha in perfective too. This is what she had been feeling for the last few days, no wonder she was wound so tight.

"I have talked to Rose about the predicament you find yourselves in and I understand. I also know that Rose has been a lot better since you came into her life. She seems generally happy. So as long as she continues to be happy, I have no problem with you. Actually, I think you are perfect together."

I was glad I had her blessing. Not just as my charge but as Rose's best friend. I would have understood if she would need some more time to adjust to me.

She stood up and walked towards the door. I had just thought I had dodged that bullet when she stopped in front of me.

The genuine smile she had one minute ago was replaced with a fake one with a ferocious intent underneath. Her words were so eerily calm.

"Should that change however, should you in any way hurt her or make her unhappy, I will make sure they will be finding your body parts for years to come. Starting with that one."

She pointed down at my crotch and she walked out of my room still smiling like she did not just threaten to dismember me. She had laced the words with a tiny bit of darkness on purpose.

I stared at the door for a while after Lissa was gone. I seemed to be nailed to the spot. I wasn't scared easily, but this threat had hit home, because I knew she would make good on her promise.

But I wasn't planning on hurting Rose ever, so I should be safe. Also Lissa knowing about us seemed inevitable and I was glad she knew. Rose would have someone to talk to.

I finished getting dressed, making sure no bruises or scratches were visible in my Guardian slacks. I put on my duster, finishing off my look.

I had another senior meeting this morning. Scouts had been sent out and we would be briefed this morning about what they found. Any thoughts about Rose or Lissa were pushed back into my mind as the harsh reality came crashing down on me again.

RPOV

I slept in that morning and when I woke up I saw Lissa was already gone. She left a note saying she had something to take care off and that afterwards we were all going to meet up for breakfast, including Adrian.

When I got to the cafeteria, they were all already sitting there waiting for me. Well, all except Adrian. My guess he liked sleeping in more than I did.

Lissa already got me breakfast. Ah she knew me well.

We just chit-chatted for a while before Adrian joined us. He looked hungover but I saw he was remedying that by putting alcohol in his coffee. Man, he drank a lot.

We finished breakfast and decided to head over to the lounge when I spotted Dimitri walking down the corridor.

"Hey guys, I will catch up."

I walked over to Dimitri. He was pleased to see me by the light in his eyes but otherwise his Guardian demeanor didn't change. I had heard there was another meeting about the attack and I wanted to see what was going on.

"So, any news about the attack?"

Dimitri looked at me skeptically. He wasn't supposed to tell me anything, but he knew I had enough experience to contribute, I wasn't any student even if the rest of them believed it.

"Scouts think they are held up in a mall in Spokane but we can't do anything before we get approval for a slayer mission from court. And before you do something rash Rose, you can't take care of it either. The numbers are in the double digits, that is too much even for you."

I nodded

"I know, I am reckless, not suicidal."

He smiled and I could see he was relieved.

"I have to get back, I'll talk to you later."

He lightly brushed against me as he left and I felt a shiver down my spine. I tried not to let my mind wander to last night when his touch had set me on fire over and over again, but it was hard.

I was walking to the lounge where the others were when Adrian caught up with me.

"So I see that you and cradle robber have made up. I was being blinded in there."

I scowled at him for calling Dimitri that, even if it was slightly true, but was more interested in the latter part.

"What do you mean?"

"I can tell by your aura's. Yours is very bright around him and when he touched you it flared like the sun. It almost completely smothered the dark rim. Almost. And his is the same. Yesterday both your aura's were muddled with anger towards each other. So I am guessing something happened in the meanwhile.

I blushed and he got the hint.

"You know this whole aura thing is creepy. I don't like you being able to read me like that."

He just smirked as he walked away to the lounge. Before we entered the lounge though he had to ruin the quiet moment we were having.

"I'll bet I can make you shine like that too. I am known for my exceptional talents in bed."

I punched him in the arm and walked off. He was rubbing the sore spot but was still smirking. Asshole. But I must admit I liked hanging out with him. He was annoying as hell but fun.

Everyone was hanging in the lounge including Mia. I felt bad for her. She lost her mother in the attack. She was coming around though. After the meeting, she actually talked to me like a human being. She was asking about offensive magic. I guess Tasha had gotten under her skin. She had heard about my outburst in Stan's class and wanted to know what she could do on an offensive front. I told her to get some combat training first and talk to Christian for the magic part. And seeing as she was currently engrossed into a conversation with Christian, I guess she was taking me up on my advice.

Mason was sitting next to me and for a change he wasn't drooling over me, he looked pretty pissed actually.

"Hey Mase, what's got your panties in a bunch?"

He looked at me confused. I gestured to his fists where his knuckles were turning white from the strain.

"I just feel bad for Mia, that is all. Those bastards are really doing a number on us. And instead of actually doing something about it we sit here and debate. And not even productive debate. I overheard Mia and Christian, they have the right idea. We need to fight, all of us. But all the Royals do is sit around and tell other people to fight for them."

He looked around the room. Three out of the four Moroi being Royal he added.

"Present company excluded."

I knew how he was feeling, but we couldn't do much about it now. Change was taking too slow for me as well, but change was coming nonetheless. You could feel it. Whether it was for better or worse, I didn't know. We had to adapt just like the Strigoi had adapted.

"I know Mase, but there is nothing we can do about it. They can't even give their consent for a single mission let alone how to run everything in the future."

"What do you mean, consent for a single mission? What mission?"

Oh crap. Dimitri told me that in confidence. Well, I suppose I can tell Mason.

"Scouts found evidence that the Strigoi that organized the attack were held up in a mall in Spokane. But guardians can't investigate or take them down without permission from Court. I am guessing they will be waiting a while."

I saw that Mason was not taking this news well. I heard him curse under his breath but didn't think anything of it. I mean, I was pissed too. But there were some things I could not control. Maybe if there were only a few, two or three I would have gone.

I would have probably gone with Dimitri, we could have fought side by side. Slaying the Strigoi, getting sweaty together, and probably a bit bloody.

Somewhere the image of a shirtless Dimitri, with Strigoi blood on his face and chest, claiming me again, came to mind. I shivered at the thought, the good kind of shiver.

Adrian cocked his eyebrow at me and I chuckled but waived him off. I bet he could see my aura flashing again. I thought about his earlier comment. I didn't doubt he would be good in bed. I suspect he had ample experience. But I think my personal brand of excitement might just be a tad too much for him.

Later that evening Lissa and Adrian had a Christmas reception to go to. Lissa invited me as a guest. I thought about it for a minute. I liked dressing up and shocking royals, so why not. Adrian also insisted I go, which almost made me change my mind, but I guess rebellious Rose was not completely gone yet. I smirked.

I regretted it almost immediately, Lissa was in her element talking to royals about political stuff, but I just got an earful from my mother how I could be so reckless, irresponsible and obviously meaning to lure men to me with how I was dressed. She knew about my reputation and thought a gathering of royals was the perfect opportunity to explain to me how much of a disappointment I was to her and how I should be using my brain instead of my body. I can't believe my own mother would say those things to me. I thought we were getting better, but this was just another reminder of how much my mother did not know me. I saw a sympathetic look from Adrian as she practically dragged me out of the room calling me a whore.

I was furious after that. I needed to vent. Dimitri was on duty and Lissa actually seemed to be enjoying herself so I let her be. I opted for Mason instead.

I walked over to his room. His roommate said that Mason had not been here other than getting a bag. A bag for what?

I tried Eddie next, but with the same result. His roommate did inform me he had seen Eddie and Mason with Mia earlier.

Either they were having a kinky threesome or something was seriously wrong.

I thought back to today and came to a very bad conclusion. It certainly would explain the bags both Mason and Eddie had packed. Mason couldn't be that stupid could he? But as I remembered the way he had talked today, I knew he was in fact that stupid.

They went to that mall in Spokane. Shit.

I ran back to my room and put on something more fight appropriate than the dress I was wearing. I then went to Christian's room. I needed help and fast. I wanted to leave Lissa out of this. And somehow he was the only one I could come up with.

My first instinct had been to go to Dimitri. But not only did I know he had other duties to attend to, I had been the one to tell Mason after Dimitri specifically told me not to tell anyone. Besides, I hoped I would be fast enough to bring them back without repercussion for them. If I went to Dimitri, there would be severe punishment.

I explained Christian what had happened to them and he shared my concern. I needed to go after them before they did something stupid and dangerous. I felt guilty, I should have never told Mason about the classified information. I am such a big blabbermouth.

I had needed Christian's help to get out of the resort. There were guardians everywhere. Unfortunately for me my plan involved Christian compelling a guardian, something he was, I realized, really bad at. No matter, knocking the guardian had worked out just as well.

I had planned on leaving Christian behind after that part but he was having none of that. We hitchhiked to the nearest bus station and picked up their trail to the mall.

We found them in the mall sitting at the food court looking defeated. I was relieved. They were alive. Now all we had to do was go back before anyone knew we were gone. And hope that the guardian I knocked out didn't remember a thing.

"So, I see you three idiots are still alive."

Mason looked up at me and I could see some shame on his face. Good.

"What were you guys thinking? What would you have done if you had actually found those Strigoi? I will tell you. You would have been scared shitless and died being scared shitless."

Mason didn't like my insinuation.

"We have all been trained for this Rose, or are you the only one that can take down a Strigoi, is that it? Don't want to share the glory?"

Glory? I was getting really angry now. He didn't understand. I had been scared shitless and nearly died the first time I had encountered a Strigoi. I had been fifteen but Mason had no idea. So I just had to use the one Strigoi he did know about.

"Natalie was a baby, a few minutes old. I got lucky. These Strigoi would have to be much stronger and older to get so many together. And if you think for a second that killing a Strigoi is glorious, you are so wrong Mason."

He seemed to be taken aback a little by my tone. He wasn't used to being berated by me.

"It doesn't matter anyway. They're not here. We checked the basement, nothing but a few scribbles on the wall. Their information was faulty."

A few scribbles?

"Hey, if you guys want to see, we can take you there."

I didn't want to indulge their idiotic behavior, but I was intrigued. I might see something the Guardians or Mason had missed. Any information might help. It might be the difference between another attack or preventing one.

I scanned the area briefly but I couldn't feel any Strigoi so I am guessing it was safe. So Mason led us down the steps to the basement. There were a few twists and turns. It was like the mall in Missoula. It was a very good place to hide for Strigoi. The Strigoi the Guardians were tracking might be unrelated to the Strigoi that attacked the Drosdov family home. I imagined malls were a good hide-out during the day.

We walked a little further when Mason indicated his 'scribbles' on the wall. At first glance I didn't think it meant something. It might be something related to maintenance or something. There were twelve letters and some x's. I didn't seem to be a word. Maybe an abbreviation?

But as I was surveying the letters again they l clicked. Twelve letters… For the twelve Royal families. The x's don't represent the letter x but a cross. The B and D had an x behind them, probably indicating the Baddica and Drosdov attack.

No, the information was not wrong, they just weren't here anymore. But we had no idea when and if they would be coming back.

"Guys, we need to get out of here, now."

My tone must have jolted something in Mason because for the first time today he wasn't fighting me. We took the first basement exit we could find. It was still daylight outside and I was still not getting any tinglings on my Strigoi radar. I let out a breath of relief once we were outside.

Sun meant safety that has always been our mantra. Moroi might not tolerate it so well, but Strigoi couldn't exist in sunlight. As long as we were in the sun we were safe.

But I forgot that the world was changing and the things we thought were absolute truths were no longer true. A Strigoi might not be able to live in the sunlight, but humans did. And humans didn't play fair. And unfortunately I didn't have an evil human radar on top of my Strigoi one.

So when one held a gun to Mia's head, we really had no choice but to get in the van they directed us to. Normally humans wouldn't be much of a challenge, but that was in fair fight. And guns hurt Moroi and Dhampirs just as much as you would expect.

I was trying to see if I could maybe keep an eye on where we were going, or how far we had traveled or anything. But as soon I entered the van, my vision went black and I passed out. No doubt from the giant bat aimed at my head.

When I woke up I immediately felt pain. Something was biting into my wrists. They were tied behind me. I saw that we were all still here and all in the same position, hands tied behind our back.

I looked around the room. There were no windows, and no indication of day or night time. Were we still at the mall? Somehow I doubted that.

I saw two human guards sitting across from us, holding guns. I was the only one awake at the time but I could at least tell that the others were alive.

Mason woke up first after me. Surveying the room like we were taught to do. He looked at me hoping I had seen something he hadn't, a way out of this. I shook my head. I was pretty sure I could take the guards even if they had guns if I wasn't bound. But then where would we go and how many other guards would we encounter? I had too many questions. I had to first scout the place. Count guards, see what is behind the door.

I heard groans coming from Christian and a whimper from Mia. Good they were slowly coming out of it too. It took Eddie another five minutes but eventually we were all conscious again.

I felt nauseous. By now I can differentiate between the nausea of not having had any food for a couple of hours and the distinct feeling I get when a Strigoi is near. And as much as I wanted to blame this nausea on the first, I knew it was the latter.

The door opened and two Strigoi walked in. I had a quick peek into the hallway and saw we were in a house. Great, secondary location with no trace of us being here and no trail to lead anyone here to save us.

The humans had a weird look in their eyes. Part fear and part adoration. The female seemed to enjoy that kind of power. The male just looked bored at the humans. When he looked at me though there was a twinkle in his eyes. No, he didn't care at all for the humans. He was just here to play his games. I had a knack for telling how strong a Strigoi was, how old they were. I could tell the female was new. She had the same feel as Natalie. She was a baby. But the other one? I think I have never encountered one this old. That made me apprehensive. The fact that I was well bound and I had no weapon at my disposal was not helping matters either. I didn't know if I was able to take him even if I had a stake.

"Well, two very nice potential allies and three delicious snacks. I guess you two have your uses." He glanced at the two humans briefly, and I thought they would fall over themselves, fangirling.

I also didn't miss the fact that he didn't think Mia and Christian were food, but that he planned on turning them. Not good. I got desperate and angry, letting a little darkness seep through. I growled at him.

"You stay away from them."

He turned towards me and walked up to me, his face inches from mine. He gripped my chin and pulled me even closer. I gave him my best death glare laced with darkness. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of letting him unnerve me. Even if he killed me right here, right now, I would die with a scowl on my face. He seemed to be taken back by that a bit. He then removed his hands and stood upright, he grinned.

"Well, aren't you a brave little girl. No fear at all. No, this isn't your first time encountering us, is it?"

I just glared at him. I looked around and saw Mason looking confused, although technically he knew I had seen Natalie, the familiarity this ancient was referring to would not come from the brief encounter with her and Mason knew that.

The Strigoi gave Christian and Mia an ultimatum. He was about to walk away when he turned around and sank his teeth into poor Eddie, his gaze never leaving me. I wiggled in my restraints and cursed at him. But I was powerless to stop him. I was glad when he pulled back after only a few moments. Eddie might be a little dazed, but he had wanted to intimitate, not kill. He got up and walked towards the door.

"Oh and keep an eye on that one, she's dangerous." He said to the human guards before he walked out the door with his companion, no doubt returning later for another snack.