Dimitri was bored, he was on guard duty at the northern gate house today, and it was the middle of the day. No one was up and no one was around. Last week Dimitri gave in his resignation to Lissa, he had stayed to protect her as that is what the real Rose would have wanted, but in staying Dimitri had given up chasing the Stirgoi and had also lost his heart again.

Dimitri sighed and Johnathon looked at him.

"What's wrong Beliklov?"

"Nothing, Partson. I just want this shift to be over,"

"You and me both."

And once again silence fell.

It was several hours before something happened, out of the corner of his eye Dimitri watched as a dust cloud formed on the road to the north. Something was coming towards them.

Minutes later a speeding car entered their view. It slowed to a stop outside the gate and waited for them to approach them. It was a Maroi car. The windows were the darkest tint available and Dimitri could just make out three people within.

Quickly Dimitri signalled for the gate to be opened, the car pulled in and Abe Mazur stepped out. Followed by his two personal guards, one Maroi and one Dhampir.

"Beliklov, it is good to see you again." Abe said as he flicked his scarf over his shoulder.

Another person was exiting the car. Janie Hathaway was still as formidable as she had ever been, but there was a softness and sadness to her that Dimitri had never seen before. It had been 2 years since either of them had stepped foot within the court. they had both been hunting for their Daughter. And in the beginning they followed her to Turkey, and waited for almost one year before they realised that she had already returned to the states. Following her here they caught up with her outside of Seattle, the Kan Kirmizi Gul had lead them on a fast paced race before she turned around and attacked them. Killing almost everyone Roza, smiled at her parents as she turned her fathers closest body guard in front of her parents. Then just walking away as her people picked up her newest asset and followed.

Janie and Abe had return to the court after this. Roza had gone to the ground, no one had seen her and lived since. She was said to be walking death.

"What news," Dimitri asked as more of the guardians searched the car before allowing them to pass through.

"When so you finish?" Abe asked,

"About 15 minutes," replied Dimitri

"Meet us at the North East Chapel once you are finished, we will tell you everything then." Abe said as they all returned to the car. Dimitri watched as the car sped to into the city.

Dimitri sighed once again, at times he wished that he had gone with Janie and Abe when they first left to hunt Rose, and then he remembered why he stayed. It was when Janie and Abe were last here and looking for those who wanted to fight to go with them. And almost a year since he had seen Tasha, he knew that she was in court, but since Lissa and Christian had called quits he had not been around her much. Tasha had been at the meeting that Janie and Abe had held. She was just as beautiful as always and Dimitri asked her out for drinks afterwards. And the rest was as they say History. Now for 2 years they had been going steady, Tasha realised that whilst Dimitri would always would love Rose, but he also had room in his heart for her.

Tasha had stayed at Court so Dimitri also stayed. Walking away from the gate, Dimitri went straight to the chapel, it was a lonely place, no one was awake and the afternoon sun was bearing down upon everything. Entering the chapel he saw that both Abe and Janie were already here, but what was surprising was that Queen Tatiana was also there, with only a small amount of her guards. Keeping his shock well hidden Dimitri offered a small bow to the queen before taking a seat upon one of the pews.

"We have received some very depressing new," Abe started,

"Last week almost 600 Stirgoi, left Turkey and travelled here. And that's not all, my sources tell me that those from Turkey have joined with a force of Stirgoi much, much larger than anything we have ever seen, at least 2000 Stirgoi." Abe finished.

"Impossible" the queen stated.

"Not as impossible as it may seem" Janie said in return.

"And how would you know that?" The Queen asked

"Because, we were there and we saw them." Abe said, "They have too many numbers to care too much about security, and yet though we could get in, not a single one of them would tell us of their plans."

"It gets worse," Janie said quietly,

"And just how could it get worse?" Tatiana demanded.

"Not only do they have a army of at least 2000 Stirgoi but they have at least the same amount of human help," Abe said before a horrible silence filled the small chapel.

"That's not it, is it?" Dimitri asked, as he sensed that there was something missing.

"The entire army is being lead by The Kan Kirmizi Gul." Pausing Abe finished "its being lead by Rose and they attack the court tonight."