Early update today since I have to close at work tonight, hope you all enjoy.

Thank you for all the new faves/follows/reviews, I truly appreciate it far more than you can imagine.

This one is a bit of filler, and we are moving ahead a bit in time, but it is chock-full of information.

Chapter Twenty Three

Dimitri

"It's been two months, Dimitri! I can't take this anymore!" Roza slammed the bedroom door, successfully locking me out for the night.

Not attempting to get her to see reason, for the thousandth time since this whole thing started, I turned back down the stairs, making my bed on the couch.

After the Conta attack, I was placed on administrative leave, with pay thankfully, but under house arrest. Rose, already on leave, is stuck here with me. All day. Everyday. And not that I don't love her, and her me, but this constant contact is getting to the both of us. Add in her ever-changing moods, and growing discomfort of pregnancy, she was already on edge.

I didn't care for this arrangement any more than she did, I feel useless just sitting around, not doing anything to help get us out of this situation, but the fact of the matter is we didn't have a choice. As soon as the light had been drawn on the severity of what was happening Abe put his foot down, with backing from Tatiana and Hans, we didn't stand a chance to change their minds.

Lissa and Christian started school six weeks ago, they were staying at the rental house Abe found just off campus, Eddie, and Janine with them, of course. Plus, he arraigned for a few of his Guardians to remain there permanently, so they are well protected while we wait out the threats here. Truth be told, I was starting to miss our dysfunctional family. They would all be back next week for the holiday break though, and I for one can not wait. Hopefully having Lissa and the others around will help Roza.

"Again," Sydney gave me a sad smile, nodding toward my makeshift bed.

"Yeah," I sighed, dragging a hand through my hair, "Have your people received any new leads?"

The Alchemist, along with several of Abe's best trackers, have been searching out Strigoi nest and attacks in the area, hoping and praying we uncovered something soon. As of yet, we have found nothing. No signs of Strigoi squatting nearby, banning together as they had at the Academy. Several murders had been documented in the area, but nothing that stands out as more than a routine Strigoi killing.

And with a shake of her head, she confirmed we are still in the same spot. No new leads. No hope to get out of this godforsaken house anytime soon.

Bidding Sydney a good night, she finally switched to a nocturnal schedule with the rest of us, much to her dismay, I sat down on and relooked over all of the information the Alchemist and Abe had gathered.

The only clear-cut evidence at the house was that of the carving on Guardian Clayton's chest and stomach. No other messages, or clues, were located throughout the home. Which in a way strikes me as odd. The Badica massacre, as well as the Drozdovs, showed signs that they were targeting the Royal lines.

Strigoi power came from the consumption of blood, be it human, dhampir or Moroi. But Moroi blood amplified that power. Sure, they could survive on the blood of anyone, even animals if needed, but the magic of Moroi blood made them stronger and would allow them to last longer between feedings. Not that they cared about how often they fed, but if the situation didn't allow for it, then they wouldn't need to feed as frequently.

The group that had attacked the Academy, and the two Royal families, made it clear that their goal was that of eliminating the Royals. Destroying that which our society holds dearest, our monarchy. This wasn't a declaration of war toward Royal Moroi. Or a sign that their failure at the Academy has stopped them from accomplishing what they intended to do from the beginning.

This - this is personal.

Scrubbing my hands over my face, I headed for the kitchen. Brewing a pot of coffee, extra strong, I processed the newfound realization. It wasn't just the message on the Guardian that was aimed at Rose and me, but the attack as a whole. And if my assumptions are correct, it wasn't done by the same group. And I am beginning to think the attack on the Academy wasn't either.

Filling my insulated coffee mug, I returned to my spot on the couch. The liquid fire ran down my throat, but I could barely feel the scorching heat with my mind running seven ways to Sunday. Grabbing the folder containing the autopsy reports, I laid each one out in order.

Lord and Lady Conta- Cause of death- Exsanguination….. Bite marks consistent with that of Strigoi… laceration to Carotid Artery….

That last part stumped me. Why did they waste the blood, especially not when there were only five Moroi in the house. Moving on, the children, Camille, and her two older sisters, Maria and Cassadee, autopsies showed the same cause of death and lacerations. Only the Guardian's had a different COD.

Guardian Meredith Crain- Cause of Death- Broken Neck.

Guardian Austin Jaxon- Cause of Death- Broken Neck.

Guardian Ryker Clayton- Cause of Death- Exsanguination. Loss of blood from the stab wound to the upper torso….lacerations to the torso, abdomen, and forearm was performed antemortem… he was still alive?

Wait, forearm?

Locating the photo of Guardian Clayton, I examined them again, my blood running cold. How the hell did I miss that before? Running my hand through my hair, I pulled at the roots. I needed to talk to Abe, fill him in on what I have just discovered.

"Everything alright, Son," Abe answered on the second ring, surprisingly sounding wide awake.

"Yeah, can you come over, I need to run something by you," I sighed.

"I'll be there in ten, should Pavel accompany me?"

"Wouldn't hurt."

Re-organizing the papers, and filling my mug again, I waited for Abe and Pavel to arrive. As promised, ten minutes later there was a knock on my door.

"What is it?" Abe asked before stepping inside.

Opening the door wider, I motioned them to the living room. Once we had all seated, I explained to them my new theory.

When we had first received the autopsy and reports from the Guardians over a month ago, we bypassed some of the minor details. We looked at the picture as a whole, not individually, which is where we made a vital mistake. Bypassing the minor points in the belief that we had it all figured out, to begin with. This was just another horrific attack on a Royal family. Another attempt to rattle our world, frighten our Monarch, to make a statement. Oh- we were wrong- tremendously wrong.

For it is in those minor details that I learned who exactly is behind this attack, and more than likely the attack at St. Vlad's. The one person who is targeting me, and is highly upset that Roza stopped her minion from taking me that day.

The devil is in the details, and if memory serves me correctly, she is one hell of a she-devil.

"What are you saying, Dimitri? What does this mean?" Abe pointed to the picture of Clayton's arm. The word 'вера' had been carved just below the bend of his arm, 'faith'.

I laughed silently to myself, faith, she preached to me that everything happens for a reason and you just have to have faith that things will work out the way the world intends them too. Have faith, nephew, I promise, the world isn't out to get you. It isn't as dark as you want to believe, but only as dark as you make it. I remember that conversation like yesterday, just after Ivan passed. I believed her, I trusted her, and she was turned a month later. Leaving me with no one to understand my pain, my devastation of losing my charge and best friend. My world turned to black after that, clouded in the darkness she always tried to reassure me of.

And now that I have overcome that darkness, putting a little faith into my world, she is the one trying to draw me back. Ironic isn't it.

"Galina, my mentor," I drew in a deep breath, holding it for several seconds, "She is the one behind this, and if she is anything like the woman I remember, she won't stop until she has what she wants."

Author's Note:

Just a heads up for those that don't follow me on Facebook, which you are always welcome to do, Love or Loyalty is being renamed and written. And if I do say so myself, oh- it's going to be amazing, in many ways. Check out my page for polls, snips, and random information on that.

www facebook com/dreamwalkersobsession

All My Love Until Next Time,

Dream