A.N: Hey Guys!!

So here is the chapter I know you have been longing for lol. Well the next one is (in my opinion) even better as it was one of the most emotional for me.

Well anyways I would like to thank you for all your kind words it really means the world to me as writing is my true passion and knowing that you enjoy reading what I write makes it all worth while. Thank you SOOOOOO much.

I also want to thank Katie for taking the time to reread my chapters in order to give you something even better =)

On another note, I wanted to let you know that I've started to work on another VA related story. It will be totally different as I set it at the end of Frostbite it will be a pretty fun story (I think). I have already written 4 chapters and as soon as I find a beta available for it I'll start posting =), but don't worry it won't slow down the progression of "The Quest" since I have already 6 chapters written in advance and I'm working on chapter 18 right now so…=)

Anyways without further ado chapter 11.

Hugsies xoxo

Steffy

Chapter 11:

I was back at the motel about 3 hours after I left with two army bags full of items. I managed to steal them from the shop which was luckily closed for the day.

I put the bags on the small table in the centre of the room and couldn't stop the chuckle.

Now I could add breaking and entering on my brilliant record. I thought shaking my head. I already had assault and battery, suspicion of kidnapping and so much more on it anyways.

I looked at my watch again and sighed, Kashka would not be back for at least three more hours and right now, for the first time in a long time, I didn't handle 'alone' that well. It had made me do many, many stupid things.

I decided to pay a little visit to Lissa just for a couple of minutes to see how she was dealing with the news I gave to Adrian. I also wanted to try to find out the big secret they were keeping from me.

I already knew it wasn't related to Andre as I specifically looked in her last time for everything concerning ghosts, but I didn't get to investigate further after the whole 'Adrian big revealing' I thought with both sadness and guilt.

I sat on the floor, brought my legs up and wrapped my arms around them. I pressed my forehead against my knees and concentrated as hard as I could for about 15 minutes and…and Nothing!!

My eyes shot open with shock.

"She is blocking me!!" I said out loud my eyes narrowing with both surprise and suspicion.

Firstly I was surprised that her power did increase so much in the last 3 weeks as it was what you could expect after 2 years or so, and I was scared for her, for her mental health even if I wasn't probably the best judge of that. Before I left she could barely keep a secret or an idea from me, let alone block me from her head altogether.

It was not that I couldn't connect, because I could feel the connection, but I could also feel that she was denying me entry.

Secondly it made me suspicious and nervous at the same time. What could be big enough for her to block me totally? What were they trying to pull off? I was scared for them…Their safety.

As the panic started to make it hard to breath, I stood up and started to look around the room for something to do.

After pacing the length of the room 2 or 3 times, I sat on the edge of the bed and glanced at the big duffle bag Kashka left behind while biting my bottom lip.

Would it be that bad just to peek at what's in it? I asked to myself. I mean if she left it open it was probably because there was nothing too private right?

Of course I knew it was bad, and I knew it could contain very personal stuffs but that she trusted me enough not to invade her privacy!

I stood up anyways, She should know better. I'm Rose Hathaway and I never respected good sense I thought in a failed attempt to make me feel better about what I was about to do.

Kneeling by her bag, I delicately parted it as if there were a spitting cobra hiding in it. I mean, karma wise, I didn't deserve much better.

There was a black leathery sort of book resting on top of her clothes.

Looking closer, I could see it was a photo album.

I took it out, sat and crossed my legs to have a look through it.

I opened it, and on the inside cover, I recognized Dimitri's handwriting without even a second look.

'Happy Birthday Kashka,' it simply said, but there was a little piece of paper folded inside, I read it.

'I'm sorry sistra I couldn't make it but the Academy and Rose need me for now I'm writing you in English as it a good practice for us isn't it miss Inspector?! I hope you will have a fantastic time and know that I'm with you in thoughts wishing you the best,

I love you, Dimitri'

On the first page, there was a picture of a little boy hand in hand with a beautiful young woman. Under it there was a little note stating 'Dimitri ,5 & Mamma'. I couldn't help but laugh looking to the picture again.

He was maybe a little boy back then but he already had this fierce, serious look on his face letting presaging the fantastic man he was bound to become.

I continued to flip through the album which contained pictures of all the Belikov family. I discovered that Dimitri younger sister, Anya, was 17. The last picture of Dimitri dated of Anya fifteenth birthday. Probably a bad memory now since it was when he left his moroi and he got killed.

However, he looked so happy in this pictures around his family ironically enough he was the only man but he was a full part of this group and he had his smile, the smile that made him the most beautiful person on the planet.

I brushed his face slightly with my finger tips and closed my eyes.

"Happy birthday my love" I whispered as I decided to acknowledge the fact that today was his birthday.

"My ultimate gift to you will be to save your soul" I added opening my eyes again relieved that the pictures were protected with plastic as I didn't realize I was crying before seeing the tears drops that I quickly dried with my sleeve.

I took a deep breath and nothing in the world could have prepared me to what I saw turning to the next page.

It was me!! Like I was part of the family! The tag under the picture said 'Dimitri's Roza' and it was the picture at the ball, and I was laughing with both Eddie and Mason.

I turned the page quickly but there were other pictures of me.

It was so weird like I was in another dimension. Did Kashka research for the pictures herself or did she find them in Dimitri's belonging?

Damn that would be such a bitch question to ask without giving myself away! I thought angry at myself.

There was a picture of me and Dimitri during his fake strigoi attack. I was straddling him; it was clearly taken by one of the spectator cell phone. Maybe I was reading too much into it knowing the truth, but the way we looked at each other in that instant, with so much love and pride how could no one noticed??

There were a couple of photo of me while I was a runaway; they did probably spy on us for a couple of days. There were also a picture of me at the court in my Guardian outfit and another one in the red silkily dress I wore at the ski resort. I could see I was talking to someone in that picture but the head of my interlocutor had been cut off the picture. It was supposed to be Adrian.

I chuckled. Very mature Dimitri! I though knowing I would have done the exact same thing.

Looking more closely I could see that he was standing in the background, maybe a feet or two behind us staring. There was so much envy and jealousy in his eyes at this instant.

At least he didn't lie, he wasn't perfect, he was just like me but…I sighted closing the album putting it back in the bag.

He was perfect to me, perfect for me. I thought sadly.

When Kasha made it back she also brought 2 pizzas and a bottle of coke.

"Napalm AND Pizza?" I asked pretending to be impressed. "We'll get along just fine!" I added with a small laugh taking the pizzas from her and putting them on the little space we had left on the table.

"I knew that as soon as I saw your picture Rose." She stated simply like it was something she really always knew.

We prepared the explosives for the morning as her "uncle" explained her the best way to do it. We looked at the blueprints a bit more to be sure we would set the 10 bombs we prepared at the more efficient places.

She gave me another necklace she had, which had been protected by the gypsy's magic. If I could hide my face enough I would go unnoticed in the tunnels as I would 'smell' strigoi for them at least long enough for us to set them up and "get the hell out of there" as I quoted her.

The only switch I did find was low range and well, even if we didn't spoke these fears out loud, there were a serious probability that with the thick cement grounds, once outside, the switch wouldn't be efficient.

We talked about our lives, she was so open, like only a sister or a best friend could be.

We talked like that till pretty late.

I could see she was reluctant to take her own room because, even if the connection we developed was so spooky that, in only one day, it was like we had been friends forever, she was scared that I would try something stupid.

So I told her she could stay with me and we both laid restlessly on the bed thinking about what was about to happen.

"You will destroy that which is undead" I could hear Rhonda in my head over and over again.

I was the one who had that mission and I was scared for Kashka, so scared. I objectively knew that the only way to be sure that the switch would work was to press the button while still in the tunnels. I also knew that once the button was pushed, it would be impossible to make it back up.

I couldn't take anything else from the Belikov's family. They already suffered enough because of me.

I finally drifted into sleep having a normal dream, only images of my trip from Spokane to Tualatin.

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I woke up at 6 Am, Kashka was still asleep beside me. I stood up very quietly, tiptoed to the bathroom, took a quick shower and dressed in the clothes I stole at the army shop. Black Kakis pants full of pockets and some kind of black army sleeveless vest were I could put the small, but kick ass, bombs and tiny detonators.

I would put the vest on top of my large black hooded sweater. I decided to keep my hair down as it would help to hide my face.

I looked at myself in the mirror once I was dressed and couldn't help but laugh a little. Dressed all in black with the army boots, I looked like someone part of a commando, more than a teenage girl.

The commando teenage team! That would be a killer show! I thought randomly.

The purplish circles under my eyes did help with that all commando issue too.

I did wear the necklace Kashka gave me, but I also wore Dimitri's cross because, even if Kashka said I was his strength, she couldn't even start to imagine how much of my strength did actually came for him.

When I came back into the room Kasha opened an eye.

"What you do?" She mumbled sleepily.

"I'm going to go and get us breakfast, I'll be back in no time I promise" I said reaching for the door.

She raised her head lazily and felt confident when she saw that I did leave everything behind, I was not going there without her she figured nodding.

"I'll be ready when you come back" she said a bit more awake. "Can you get me a latte please?" She asked yawning.

"Sure thing" I said with a small smile.

I was back 15 minutes later and she just finished in the bathroom she was dressing all commando, just like me, but the scariest thought was that it was her casual clothing.

I handed her the latte and a Blueberry muffin.

"Yummy!!" She said with a grin. "I love blueberry muffins!!" She said sitting at the table taking a huge bite.

Not that feminine… Just like me! I thought and I couldn't help to smile at that thought.

"I know you love them" I said still chuckling sitting across for her. "You said that last night." Along with so many other things. I added to myself

We were maybe eating for about ten minutes when I saw her eyelids starting to droop as she did her best to fight it.

She yawned. "What…What…It's …." She yawned again and her eyes closed a bit longer this time. "What did you do?" She asked trying to sound angry and accusatory but the sleep in her voice was too strong.

"I've put 2 super strong sleeping pills in your coffee." I said not feeling sorry at all. "You'll be out for a good 8 hours."

"Why….." She asked closing her eyes not opening them again this time.

I helped her to the bed and I did answer her question even if she was in no state to understand or even hear it now.

"No mother should go through the pain to survive longer than her children. Your mom already lost one because of me and it surely won't happen again. I won't allow it." I added putting the vest with the bombs and detonators, and fastened the stake on my belt while putting the switch in my sweatshirt pocket.

I turned around before going. "It's my mission to take down the undead and I won't take anyone down with me this time" I said to her before closing the door ready to drive to meet my destiny, to meet my death.

I parked in front of the warehouse and walked in with sure steps but prayed that nobody would actually see me go down this time because, maybe they could not feel me as being different, but it would be hard to explain that I was a strigoi not allergic to the sun.

I went quickly but quietly down the stairs and put a bomb down there. I knew it was originally planned that I would start from the end but it was too risky since it would make me stay twice as long, walking up and down.

Now I'll just walk down the different tunnels, setting the bombs and when I'll reach the end, I'd just press the button and bye, bye fuckers!!

I walked calmly as I set the bombs, I did cross paths with a couple of strigoi, but I didn't even attract their attention.

The gypsy magic really does kick ass!! I thought pleased that everything went smoothly for once.

There were a lot of doors along those tunnels and I got to peek in some that were open. There were many, many strigoi, even more than I thought at first. I was glad that Kashka stopped me yesterday as it was really stupid, and I wouldn't have made it down the first hall! I would have been dead not even keeping my promise to Dimitri.

Useless from the beginning to the end! I thought angry at myself.

As I continued my task, I could see that there were also some humans and willing moroi there too

Well they'll be collateral damage I thought without any guilt. They are not worth much anyways…working with the enemy.

Here I was, facing the wall of the last tunnel, the cul de sac, one of the walls that separated the tunnels of the two warehouses. All the bombs were set and ready to blow.

I took the switch out and turned it on.

And that's when it all happened! So many things happened in just, what was probably, a couple of seconds but it was so clear and precise to me that it seemed like it lasted so much longer. I was so aware of my surrounding.

I had my thumb on the button.

Goodbye Dimitri I love you. I hope we'll meet up in Heaven. I said in a low voice.

At this instant the blond vampire, the one I scarred with my stake got out of a room at the end of the corridor and looked at me taken aback. At least I'd get to look into his eyes while I died.

I smiled to him and gave him the middle finger with my free hand.

I hope you'll enjoy the fire! I thought pressing the button.

At this instant, I heard a growl from behind me and a deafening sound coming from both in front and behind me.

I could see the fire 'ball' coming my way as an arm wrapped around my waist. And suddenly, I was flying away from the fire.

I realized that the noise behind me was the wall being destroyed, and I wasn't flying but it was a strigoi running down the other tunnels, running so fast that it felt like flying, but as fast as it was running, I could see the fire catching up with us but I didn't care, I couldn't help but smiling as I was hearing the agonizing screams of the burning strigoi.

It worked!! Thanks god it worked!!! I did it! I thought with tears in my eyes. You will destroy that which is undead. Mission accomplished!! I thought as I felt we were going up some stairs.

The strigoi threw me against the wall. I don't know if it intended to throw me that hard but boy the side of my head hit the wall full strength. It was hurting and I could feel the blood dripping against my cheek and neck.

I was blinded by the shock but I could imagine what it was doing by the noise and because I did got a peek of the room before hitting the wall as that room was almost the exact replica of the back room of the warehouse I just blew up.

He closed the metallic trap on top of the stairs, and threw the heavy metallic files case on top of it then, he ran to crouch in front of me like a shield, which was super odd.

Why would a strigoi protect me? I thought confused by both this idea and the pain in my head. I probably had a major brain haemorrhage.

At this instant the explosion reached up but it was a lot less powerful as we were more than half a mile away but the flames stopped only half a feet away from where we were.

And then it was over, it was silent all of the sudden, so silent that it was almost eerie. I could only hear my panted breathing and a low buzzing sound in my ears.

I could make the shape of the strigoi but my vision was impaired by the shock, I wasn't able to see like a dhampire right now, maybe just like a normal human.

He relaxed slightly and stood up as I brought my hand to my head injury that was still bleeding.

I groaned, at this instant the Strigoi talked as he realized I was hurt.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Said the voice angrily. "That freaking ghost is really useless!!" He snorted. "His only job was to keep you away… to keep you safe and here you are!"

My eyes opened wide. I recognized the voice, that voice made my heart beat faster and this time it wasn't a dream. No dream could be that uncomfortable.

"It's…. I…. Dim…Dimitri? Dimitri it's you?" I asked reaching for the electric torch I had inside my vest.

When I turned it on and directed to him my heart sank.

"Well… a version of him I suppose" he replied looking at me with his strigoi eyes.