Disclaimer: I don't own Bloodlines. Richelle Mead does.

Author's Note: Thanks for the new review and follow! It means so much to me! I will try to be a better writer and make my chapters longer. So, please don't give up on me yet. Anyway, on with the chapter!

Chapter Nine

As we approached the house, I noticed a familiar figure on the porch. I hadn't met her personally but everyone from our society knew Rose Hathaway when they saw her.

"You made good time." Adrian told Rose. "Did Belikov bend the rules of space and time to get here so fast? He can do that, right?"

Rose smiled, and I'll admit, the joke was slightly funny to me too. I tried to hide my smile, though. I was here on business, after all.

"No need to, today," Rose replied still smiling, "We got really really lucky and got on a flight the instant we found out about this. And we only got here about an hour ago."

I suppose that it was slightly impressive that the Queen sent Rose and Dimitri here. But then, maybe it wasn't. After all, Dimitri had been a Strigoi and Rose, from what I knew, had seen and done many things in her life.

My rambling thoughts were cut off when Rose turned to me and shook my hand warmly.

"I'm Rose," She introduced. I smiled at her slightly and shook her hand in return.

"Neil," I replied bowing my head slightly in a formal way. Well, she was the queen's guardian, after all. "It's a great honour to meet you. Your heroics with Dimitri Belikov are legendary."

I could tell, by her reaction, that she was a little surprised. I know I came across as over the top to a lot of people, but I was genuinely awed to meet her, especially after hearing about all this young guardian had gone through.

"Um, thanks," Rose told me finally. "He's inside if you want to meet him."

I felt a serge of excitement. Meeting Guardian Belikov would almost be a dream come true for me. His stellar Guardian status was admired amongst all of us.

"That would be wonderful!" I said sincerely, but then I became uncertain. I glanced at Adrian but he simply waved me off.

"Go, go," He said easily. "I'll be fine. Besides, this is Rose's not so subtle way of saying she wants to talk to me alone. Go do some hero worship.

He didn't need to tell me twice. I entered the house and the first thing I saw was a group of Guardians. I recognized one of them, immediately.

"Guardian Belikov?" I asked as I moved towards him. He turned around, a perfect mask of guardian calmness fixed into place on his face. I could only hope that one day, I could be as perfect a guardian as he was. I'd even settle for being half that good.

"Yes?" He asked, "Do I know you?"

"No," I responded, "I just wanted to meet you. Rose told me I'd find you here. I'm Neil Raymond."

It all came out quite fast and I hoped I didn't sound too weird.

"You're the guardian that Adrian brought with him?" Guardian Belikov asked.

"Yes," I answered simply.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." he said, smiling at me. I smiled back and we shook hands.

"So," I asked, "What's it like, living at Court, Guardian Belikov?"

"Please," he said with a smile, "Call me Dimitri."

"Ok," I agreed. "So what-"

I was interupted as a Moroi girl who I didn't know came into the room with a blanket around her shoulders. At almost the same time, Rose and Adrian came inside. Rose looked slightly disgusted about something but her expression softened when she saw the other girl.

"Nina," Rose said gently, "You should go back to bed."

The Moroi girl, who looked to be in her early twenties, shook her head and stared at the two of them with wide, beautiful grey eyes.

"I want to know what's going on," she said. Her voice was slightly shaky but it was obvious that she had a determined streak that I liked instantly. "Why are new people here? What are you going to do with Olive? Are you going to experiment on her like some sort of lab animal?"

The girl, what was her name again? Oh right Nina, began shaking now. Her pale face filled with a mixture of fear and angry. I understood that. If it was my sister who had just come back, I'd be furious if I thought that anything was going to happen to her.

"Everything's going to be fine. There's no need to worry" Adrian soothed. I could tell from his voice that he was trying to compel her. A part of me wondered why he would even try. If this girl really was a spirit user, his powers probably wouldn't have that big of an effect on her.

Nina's features, which had been twisted with fury before, began to relax. Then, just as quickly, she shot Adrian with one of the fiercest glares that I have ever seen.

"Don't try that on me!" She hissed angrily. I smiled slightly. I was lord, she'd noticed his compulsion.

Adrian chuckled and held his hands out, as if to placate her. "Just trying to help." He told her.

"Everything really will be OK," Rose assured her, "This is Adrian. He just needs to talk to her. You can come along."

Nina stared at Adrian for a long moment with suspicious eyes before they walked off, farther into the house. Glancing around, I followed them, unsure of what I would find.

Author's Note: So, what did you think? Please review and let me know! hunterofartemis126 (Nicolaclair)