I had swapped out with Eddie after a few hours, Lissa had moved to the back seat and I took the passenger seat. If anything had happened, I would respond quickly. I had my feet kicked up against the dashboard and my head hung back, I chuckled slightly at Eddie trying to sound like a strict adult and scolding me about my feet. "Oh can it old man." I teased back, my long brown locks falling down around my face as I tried to lull myself to sleep. "Say's the one who is almost eighteen." Eddie replied tapping my boot. I enjoyed when Eddie was like this, ever since Mason died. He hadn't been the same, neither had I but I noticed it more in him. Eddie was probably the only other one who understood my guilt. He felt like he failed mason too, and I shared the same sentiment but neither of us could change the past and neither of us could bring the dead back to life.

Damn I swear I hated life sometimes. I wasn't even sure when I had drifted off, the music from the car had softly become background music and then I was in a clearing surrounded by flowers of all different colors. My senses overwhelmed with it's sweet smells that it had felt so real, until I heard a voice. One voice that could belong to Adrian Ivashkov, I turned around to a nickname that only he called me.

"Little Dhampir." He spoke, he was dressed in a white button up and dress jeans. His hair was the same messy yet not messy way he always tried to get it. "Adrian." I replied crossing my arms across my chest. He was always appearing in my head but this time it felt different. The look on his face hid pain and anger. "Why did you leave again?" He questioned, and I just shrugged. For all I knew he was doing this because the guardians on the school ground asked him too.

"I had my reasons we all did." I tried to remain impassive and calm but looking at him. I saw all the concern and I just pictured Dimitri coming to him begging him to find us. I just couldn't figure out why he came to me, Lissa may have told him or even Christian (probably not) or Eddie. Yet here we stood, an open field and a man that looked like he could be picking me up for a long romantic get away not scared for mine and my friend's safety.

"Rose can't you just take me seriously for a moment." He snapped and I felt my hands tightened into fists. "Because it's hard to take someone like you seriously! I was surprised you even noticed we were gone! Aren't you at least twenty glasses in by now!?" I shouted at him, it was a low blow on my part but like I said my impulse control was already running low.

"You under estimate me Little Dhampir." He sighed shaking his head and then I noticed some tall tale signs i've never noticed before. His hand was trembling and he kept patting his pocket, even in his dream when he got stressed he looked for a smoke. "Adrian…" I sighed taking a step toward him. Great I was being a bitch, and he was taking it. Sometimes I wished he snapped at me more. "No…" Was all he said and I let out a shaky breath. "Why are you here?" I questioned this time without my usual sarcasm,

"I wanted to know why?" "Why I left?" No why you left without me…." I could hear the feeling's laced in every word and despite him trying to hide his face, I saw the pain. In my moment of wanting to protect Lissa and Christian, I forgot how much Adrian had come to care for them as well. "I couldn't, I didn't want you in the middle of this." I replied trying to get him to see why I did what I did.

I didn't even want Eddie here but unless I had given up this adventure. I wasn't going to shake him either and I couldn't bring Adrian down with us. "Don't pull that card on me!" Adrian snapped, ugh. I really needed to be careful for what I wished for. "IT'S TRUE!" I retorted. "I already have more than I wanted on this trip, if you care about us you'll be our eye's at campus. Keep at least Lissa informed on everything!" I shouted back not even giving him time to reply.

Fuck, I was on a roll with him already. This is why us being in the same car may have ended with murder, most likely mine or his (or possibly Christians but that was a totally different story) "Now that's a big order Little Dhampir, your boyfriend's already looking for you." Adrian replied and I could sense hate in his words this time.

Of course I knew Dimitri would be looking for me. We loved each other and he'd be worried but I couldn't have him find me. "Adrian, If you care about Lissa and I you will help us here! Stall those Guardians." I could see a crease form in Adrian's brow. He was thinking or processing what I just asked. I started to tap my foot anxiously, hoping I would get an answer from him. I was about to open my mouth to try to further an answer but before I could I was jolted awake. "Shit." I groaned. My body lurching forward only being stopped by the seat belt keeping me in the car.

"Eddie?!" I questioned concern my whole body going on the defensive, behind me I could feel Lissa's nerves and concern. She was a tidal wave of emotions and my mind was wanting to be tugged into hers. I was starting to think it was a defense mechanism, when ever she experienced high emotional stress I was drawn in.

Like it is meant for me to find her but since I knew where she was I had to fight that all natural pull. "Strigoi." Was all he breathed and my eye's focused ahead of me. There were three shadowy figures approaching the car, and the nausea in my stomach furthered Eddie's statement. Quickly I snapped into action. I turned my head to the back and saw Christian with a protective arm around Lissa. Yeah, I was right with making sure he came with us.

"Christian, watch her and if any of them get close." "I'll light them up." He finished my thought and I just gave him a little nod. It was on him now to protect the one thing we both loved but in different ways. Christian held the romantic ties to her heart and I held the platonic. We both would die for her which meant I'd die for him. I would do anything to keep her happy.

"Eddie you take the one on the far left and i'll take the one on the far right. If we get them out quick the middle one should be easy." I spoke quickly but we both knew that we had to be prepared to fight an uneven fight. I pulled my silver stake out and watched Eddie do the same. I knew he brought one, he would have been foolish not too.

The two of us quickly moved from the car and onto our attackers. I lunged at mine who was a tall lanky girl who looked barely over my age. She had long red locks that almost matched her eye's. She was definitely once a Moroi and probably a heart breaker too but that didn't matter anymore. She was dead and I needed to free her from this. She was good. I gave her that, she blocked several of my attacks but she was reckless. She was young. I just needed one opening and to my surprise the scream coming from the middle strigoi provided that. I turned quickly though too, the one had been advancing on Eddie and Christian had aided us with lighting him up like a Christmas tree.

Yeah, very good move having him along. I turned back to my girl and thrusted deep into her chest. I had missed by an inch which cracked several of her ribs. A rookie mistake that I quickly rectified and her whole body stiffened and she fell to the ground. I looked up to see Eddie dispatch his, who was a lot smaller built but not as strongly built as Dhampirs. No that one had been human, we both laid eye's on the one in the middle and like little kids. We mentally challenged each other.

Dimitri had me running laps which gave me stamina but to my surprise Eddie had beat me and drove his stake into it's heart. "Good one." I stated giving him a proud smile, "Don't sound so shocked." He retorted with a playful wink and smile and for a second. One split second I saw Mason standing there and my heart ached for the friend I had lost. For the chance that also went with him and all the guilt that lingered over. Eddie and I returned back to the car and started off again.

I tried to fall back asleep to tell Adrian we were all alright but sleep didn't come. The adrenaline added with Lissa's new nightmare. Yeah this was going to be one car trip and one I wouldn't have the luxury of knowing what was going on back home about us either. Not if Adrian was truly mad at us. I looked at all the lives that depended on me and felt a heavy weight on my shoulders.

Mason…. I wish you were here, if anything this trip wouldn't be so glum. You wouldn't allow that. God I wished Lissa could have saved him, I wish I could have saved him and with one glance at Eddie's hardened appearance I knew he thought the same thing. We were both missing a piece in our friendship and I doubted we'd ever feel the same.

"Hey Eddie." I muttered, "Yeah Rose?" He questioned, "Mason would have been proud of you." I spoke softly and I could see how just speaking his name affected him. His fingers curled around the steering wheel and his whole body tensed but quickly relaxed. It wasn't easy but he gave me a soft smile and only spoke one word. "Thanks."

Mason, if only you could see him now. I thought to myself as the darkness swallowed me again but this time Adrian wasn't there.