A.N: Hey guys!!

YAY and SQUEAL for the reviews you are SOOOO sweet!! I love you!! Like big time lol ( nah that's true). bug kudos to you my sweet reviewers *wink*

Anyways here chapter 9 and just so you know the more reviews i get the fastest i'll update.

Thanks to Katie for her talent to beta this story.

Hugsies,

Steffy

Chapter 9:

"I was expecting a friendly chat but it's business, always business" he said with a slight pout.

"There is no time for your jokes here Adrian" I said trying to contain my anger. I did get that his lame humor was a way to protect himself but it was still super annoying.

"The time is limited here and it's more serious than you think. Please Adrian just try to focus a minute here." I added without concealing my fear anymore.

He took two quick steps forward like he wanted to hug me or something but stopped, as he perfectly knew it wasn't the best idea ever.

"What's going on Rose? You are really getting me worried now… not an easy thing to do." He said and it was true he was always so smug it was unnatural.

"The strigoi, they are coming… They have the knowledge of our security and they have magic on their hands." I said having troubles to even believe it myself.

"How could they…how would…who… -" Started Adrian but he figured, probably from the look on my face, that I didn't have the answer to that.

"And it's a big group, really big, like 70, maybe more!" I said feeling the fear increasing as I explained everything.

"But the Academy? It doesn't make sense!" Stated Adrian. "They're just kids… not that important all things considered."

I had the time to think about that while driving to Tualatin and I figured some things.

"Well it doesn't make sense now but killing the kids of the Academy will weaken the future of the Moroi society I mean…Think about it! How many Moroi do we have here huh? Age ranging from 4 to 18! It's like taking off a whole generation! And - OH!" I almost shouted as I realized or more exactly feared something.

"What?" Asked Adrian really having dropped all the pretend and looking whiter than ever.

"Tell the guardians to check with the 6 other Academies." I said seriously as the Moroi society counted only 7 academies like St Vladimir around the world. "Take all 7 down and you are almost guaranteed to destroy the Moroi society in as little as a lifetime."

He narrowed his eyes as he was thinking.

"Tell them to check the one near Glasgow, Toulouse, Novokuznetsk, Ayacucho and Ar Riyad." We had the Institutions in strategic points. One in Scotland, one in France, one in Siberia, one in Peru one in Saudi Arabia and two here in the U.S., in our beautiful Montana of course and in New Hampshire.

"Tell them to check if there were some unexpected guardians and moroi disappearance, and if they say yes, well tell them about the army they raised here and what they intend to do."

He nodded stiffly like a soldier receiving orders from his colonel, which was the total opposite of the high rank royal facing a young school drop out dhampir. I would have almost made a point of that and laughed a bit if the situation wasn't that desperate.

"I'm pretty sure they are counting on the element of surprise as nobody NEVER could have imagine something like that. Let's face it! I felt it myself and still had trouble accepting it. If they are ready, there is a chance."

"Okay I'll do it I promise." He said solemnly. "Don't worry we'll be safe."

"I know you'll do your best." I said sincerely. "And if you could explain all that to my… mother," I said wincing "it would be nice since she will probably be in charge anyways." The Great Janine Hathaway. I added to myself, knowing that now I was only a disgrace to her, a liability.

"Well THAT can be an issue." He said laughing but I could see something deeper in his emerald eyes. What happened between them? I could see them arguing for sure but I didn't have time to ask him and the future ahead was pretty dark. I probably would not see any of them again.

As this reality hit me it took my breath away. It was probably my last chance to say what I had to say. My last chance to say…goodbye.

"An issue?" I asked to humor him a bit. He deserved it.

"Yeah you know… the woman doesn't like me much." He said pretending to be surprised and hurt.

"Oh really?" I asked sarcastically. "That's shocking!"

"It's going to be such a pain when you'll be back because having a mother-in-law who hates you, it's not that fun I've heard." He added a light of his old self in his eyes.

I couldn't help but laugh at this one. A high royal moroi marrying a dhampir girl?! That was more impossible than an army of strigoi "Yeah well I'll have your aunt, the queen who will hate me so… I think I beat you there, right?"

He chuckled and nodded. "Yeah…" but he was serious again.

"You know" I started seriously, crossing my arms on my chest. "You are a pretty decent guy! Once you get rid of all this smug smartass sufficient crap that make you an Ivashkov."

"A compliment? From Rose Hathaway?!" He asked in an attempt to joke but I could read the real surprise on his face. "Isn't that a sign of the apocalypse in the bible?"

"Do you even know what a bible looks like?" I asked with an evil grin.

"Touché!!" he said grimacing.

"No, but seriously." I said again "you only attract whores and gold diggers because of your attitude and reputation." I walked to him and put a hand on his forearm. "Show the real Adrian and I can assure you that good girls, the one who will really care about you, are going to come running." I said sincerely.

He turned his face slowly, to look into my eyes, his face only inches from mine.

"A girl like you?" he asked his voice full of emotion.

"I'm not good." I said wanting to step back, maybe being so close was not a good idea even in dreams. But, when I tried to remove my hand, he placed his other one on top of it to keep it in place. "You can do better so much better, I'm just a freak of nature."

"What if it's what I want?" he said still looking deep into my eyes.

This time I removed my hand with force and took 2 steps back.

"I'm irrelevant," I said wanting to change subject desperately. "Can I ask you for one last small favor?" I asked with a guilty smile.

He closed his eyes and exhaled loudly. "You know I'll do anything for you Rose Hathaway… Even if I come to regret it afterward." We both knew he was talking about the fact that he helped me to go. "You just have to ask." he added as this idea clearly annoyed him.

"First well..." I switch uncomfortably on my feet "I'm worried about Lissa because her magic is growing very fast she can do plenty of new stuff and I'm worried for her state of mind." I said flushed.

"How do you -?" He became whiter than bone again and I knew what he dreaded… That I knew what she found out directly from picking his brain, but god forbid, I'd rather get stab to death than mention it.

"You visited her mind??" he asked trying to hide his discomfort.

"Well I did yesterday" It was a lie so he wouldn't find out I knew everything and, when I saw his sigh of relief, I knew I did it. "She was talking to Christian about her new powers and some other stuff she had discovered." and there, his expression changed again as if he was hiding something, something big… Bigger then his feelings that was sure.

He just nodded warily.

I cleared my throat.

"Also, Tell Lissa that I love her and that there is nothing to forgive." I took a deep breath trying to steady my feelings, as I felt closer and closer from falling on all four and crying like no tomorrow… Which I probably didn't have anyway.

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again.

"Tell her that she is unique, one of the best and that she should always follow the path she believes in because it will be the good one." I made fists with my hands feeling my nails biting my palms. "Tell Christian that as smartass and sarcastic as he can be, that he is Lissa's perfect match, and that I'm more than happy that they have each other. Tell them to love each other like if there were no tomorrows because sometime the end arrives way before you expected it."

"But-" Started Adrian but I ignored him and continued

"Tell my mother that I understand now and that logic or not it's almost impossible to go against what you are or what you believe in or …what mission you chose to achieve and she is first and foremost a guardian." My voice started to shiver. "Tell her that I know she loves me… in her own way."

"Stop!" Shouted Adrian, I looked at him surprised.

"What the hell are you doing here Rose?" He asked his eyes and voice full of anger. Angrier than I've ever seen him. "It's clearly look like some goddamn goodbyes to me! And I don't want to hear them!! You have no right to say goodbye!! To abandon us!!"

"It's my mission." I said weakly. You will destroy that which is undead. I recalled.

"Your mission is to die?! I don't think so!!" He said both angry and terrified. Terrified to lose me…He was already in too deep but he'll get over it. They all will.

"No my mission is to keep my promise and to keep the moroi safe. I warned you and now I'm going to fight." I added straightening up.

"Fight? Against 70 Strigoi?" He asked with a dark laugh. "Oh right!! Maybe you just forgot to tell me that you're superwoman or something." He added with heavy sarcasm

I couldn't get mad, as I could see it was his fear speaking. I just looked at him and said nothing.

"Please Rose tell me where you are… where THEY are and…and…" he put his hands together as if he was pleading. "And we'll be there in no time, an army of guardians I swear!! Please… just don't do that alone"

I shook my head ready to speak

"Damn it Rose!!" He was shouting even louder than before "Are you crazy? Do you want to die? Is that what's it all about??" He asked flushed.

"Crazy? Yeah kinda. Death wish?" I shrugged "possibly. But…" I tried to sound calm. "There is no time for you to 'raise'an army and send it. Plus it will let the academy unprotected or not protected enough, and well you guys come first like always." I said not able to council the sarcasm.

"Not for me," he said cutting me off. "You come first! Between you and 100 moroi I've made my choice." He shrugged "it's selfish but I don't care… Nobody said that love was reasonable because… because…I love you Rose… I really do love you." He said calming almost immediately. He said it now and there were no turning back.

I walked up to stand before him, and again, I brought my hand to his face and cupped his cheek.

I gave him a small smile.

"More proof that you can't make the right decision." I said in a clearly failed attempt to joke.

"I wrote a letter to you all, I'll post it tomorrow you should receive it in 2 days or so" I continued but I kept my hand on his face. "I explain everything. If I fail well…. The information will be useful, and if I succeed well you'll hear about it believe me."

I sighted "I don't want anybody else to die because of me. I could not stand to lose anyone else. Christian… you ….Lissa…" I said with a shiver of fear.

I stood on my toes and gently, but quickly, brushed my lips against his.

"You are a good man Adrian never forget that." I said before closing my eyes concentrating into getting out of this dream.

When I opened my eyes again I was in the motel bed. I looked at the alarm clock where the green numbers said it was 5 a.m. I still had a bit of time in front of me…

And that's when I started to cry, letting go of all the pain, frustration, anger, sadness, love for one last time.

I needed to be free of them during the fight.

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Here I was, at 8 am, standing in front of the door of the warehouse with my hand shaking on the handle.

Come on... There is no turning back now. I looked around and saw Andre pleading eyes. Pleading for me to come back.

I felt the stake on my belt and unfastened the protection case so I could get it out quicker. I put the sword on my back and then finally walked into the main part of the warehouse, which was quiet and mainly dusty. I could see that the strigoi where never there but I already figured that one out last night.

I started to walk slower as my 'holy shit strigoi ahead'feelingincreased. When I arrived in front of the door the feeling was so huge that it was pressuring my lungs.

No fear… no fear… no fear I repeated ready to open the door that will bring me to the inside room…The big unknown.

I cracked the door open and peeked inside. It was a real tiny place but there were stairs to some basement.

Of course! I thought. Strigoi loved basements!!

I opened the door a bit more and slid in. I could see enough with my dhampir eyes to be able to make out that there were many pieces of paper stapled on the wall. I opened the door a bit more just to have a tad more daylight to see better, but when I turned around, I didn't even have time to blink before a strigoi jumped on me.

There I was, lying on my back, with a strigoi on top of me keeping my hands tightly on the floor.

Yeah my sword was useful that's for sure. I thought bitterly. I was much calmer than I thought I would be, staring death right in the eyes.

I didn't expect for a strigoi to be waiting there. I've been careless!

He smiled and bent down to bite me when I heard a voice.

"Hey fugly!" Said a girl's voice, trying to attract his attention. I quickly saw that in her hand, was pepper spray.

Yeah that's gonna help you idiot!! I thought as he looked at her with a smile probably thinking the same thing.

But as soon as she sprayed, he brought his hands to his face.

What the fuck?! I thought with shock, but almost immediately reached for my stake and plugged it hard into his heart before he even got the chance to scream.

As I removed the body from the top of me I saw a shadow on the stair.

Fuck they saw me! They are going to alert the security!

I jumped up ready to follow him

"Roza don't!" the girl behind me loudly whispered.

Roza? I thought with shock nobody called me Roza expect… and it was probably the only word able to make me stop.

I turned around and looked at her through narrowed eyes, she was the girl from the bar!

"Let's go now!" She said reaching out for me.

I didn't move. "Who are you?" I asked aggressively "and what the hell was in that spray?"

"It's sliver nitrate consecrated with magic, in super high dose. Won't kill them but sure hurt like hell. Come on let's go!!" She added with urgency. "I'll tell you everything later." She reached out with her hand again.

"Who are you?" I asked stiffly again even if I knew she was probably right.

She sighed and mumbled something about being as stubborn as he told her. "My name is Kashka. Kashka Belikov" she said looking deep into my eyes.

My jaw dropped… Those eyes, that hair! That's why she seemed so familiar!! She was Dimitri's sister! I thought as I took her hand

We ran off the warehouse together as I swore to myself to go back soon enough.