There at the door stood a man with dark brown hair. Almost black. He wore expensive, casual clothing. He was tall, but shorter than Dimitri. He had skin that was pale but was tanner than most Moroi. I stood up in shock. I'm sure my face made me look like an idiot. He seemed to finally take a good look at Liliya and his surroundings.
"It seems I have come at a bad . . ." his words fell off when he looked at me. "Rosemarie?" he asked in a shaky voice. I nodded at a loss of words. We just stood there studying each other.
"Do you know each other," asked Liliya.
I was the first one to gain back my senses. "No, not really. I know who he is if that's what you mean. But I don't know him. This is my father, Ibrahim. I've never actually met him before."
We all just sat there stunned and then Liliya's senses kicked back in. "Please come sit down, sir." He went and sat on the couch across from the love seat -which the Zhanna and her grandmother still sat on trying to dry their tears unsuccessfully. "We were just talking about why Rose is here and the information she has about my son. Rose please continue."
I was still staring at Ibrahim. I snapped back into attention. "Actually you were just about to tell me where Dimitri used to like or wanted to go."
"Wait," interrupted Ibrahim, "Why are you in blood whore commune, Rosemarie? And what do you have to do with these people?" He looked like he was finally regaining his senses.
"I go by Rose. I have come here seeking their help. I am close with their son and I made a promise to him if he were ever to turn Strigoi I would go and kill him. There was an attack at the school and he was bitten. Mom dragged me out before I could save him."
"Your mother? How is she? Still a Guardian?"
"She's fine. She's somewhere in Europe right now. I saw her a week ago. And yes, She is still a Guardian."
"Are you?"
"No. I dropped out of school last week. I only had a few more months until I graduated, but I have to go find Dimitri."
"And why does this Dimitri character mean so much to you?" asked my father.
"Because he was my mentor." I couldn't tell them the full truth. That I loved him and I would do anything for him. "Plus, I made a promise. If one of us were to turn the other would go and kill them.
"Liliya, would you please continue about Dimitri?" I asked.
"Of course. He always wanted to go to America. To see the beaches. He thought that would be the most beautiful thing."
"Anywhere else?"
"Oh, I almost forgot. When he was a boy he loved to go to the caves outside of the village. He would go there-" but I wasn't paying attention any more. I snapped into Lissa's mind. It was something I definitely wasn't expecting. I hadn't been in her mind since the hotel in Wisconsin. It was unexpected. I had learned to stay out of her mind during the day. But something was wrong.
"Rose! It's Victor. He's escaped out of prison! Her, Christian, Eddie, and Adrian were in a car. Lissa was trying her best to keep me out of what was going on. But she wasn't good enough. They were headed to stop Victor. They knew where he was hiding and they wanted to be the ones to kill them. They had Adrian sneak them out saying they were going shopping at Missoula.
I snapped out of her head to find Irina's hands on my shoulders and a concerned Liliya behind her. They were calling my name. "Rose," she said again.
"Sorry," I said. "I have a bond with my best friend. She's a Moroi." They gave me questioning looks. I tried to explain. "I was once in a car accident with Vasilisa Dragomir and her family. It was about two years ago. Everyone died except Lissa. Including me. I was brought back to life. I'm now Shadow-Kissed and we share a mental bond. I can go into her mind but she can't get into mine. Sometimes I just snap into her head but not lately. The only reason it happened was because she sent me a message saying that Victor Dashkov has escaped the Royal Prison. I'm sorry to leave like this but I must go." I stood up. Forcing them to back up. "Lissa tried to hide what she is doing but she's going to go fight him. I have to go save her."
"You just got here," protested Liliya.
"Victor is strong and he has friends who are willing to help him. He's tortured Lissa, and through Lissa, me, before already. I'm not going to let that happen again," my tone made it final.
"I'm going with you," said Ibrahim. "I want to make sure you are safe. Plus, I just met you and I would like to get to know you and learn about your Shadow-Kissed thing."
"No," I said sharply. He flinched from the venom in my voice. "The last thing I need is someone else to worry about. Already I have to worry about three Moroi and a soon-to-be Guardian who hasn't killed a single Strigoi."
"Oh, and you have," he said mockingly.
"Actually I have. Two on my own and then an unknown amount at the school." I turned around. I moved my ponytail out of the way. "See? Now your wasting my time. It has been nice talking with all of you. I am sorry about the wretched news I have brought you today. The only thing I can do for you now is kill Dimitri. It's the only way any of us are going to have peace. Goodbye." I turned to the door. Ibrahim followed.
"I'm going. I'll stay out of your way. I promise"
We were in the middle of town by then. "Fine. If your going to come make sure your like a shadow. I'm going to have to come up with a plan and watch Lissa as much as possible."
"Fine."
Ibrahim only asked a few questions. When we would change course he would ask our next destination. And occasionally he would ask a question about me. We were on an airplane now back to the U.S. I was looking through Lissa's mind again. Trying to figure out where she was going. All I could get out of her mind was that they were heading northeast. Sometime later I fell asleep. I dreamed.
I was in an elegant dress in a ballroom. The dress was made of red silk. It split on the side revealing my leg all the way up till my thigh. It fit nice and snug. Sleeveless. Adrian walked up to me wearing a black tux. Hair in its usual style.
"Little Dhampir," he said. "Where are you? Lissa wouldn't tell me where you are or why you left. Only that you dropped out but you planned on coming back. I already knew that of course."
"I'm in the air right now. Heading back into the U.S. You will not believe who I have with me."
"Who?"
"My father."
He grabbed my hand and put a hand around my waist. We started twirling around the dance floor.
"Your father? How did you find him? Are you sure it's even him?"
"Yep. It's my dad. Very strong resemblance. I met him when I was meeting a friend."
"Well I'm happy for you. Have you had a talk with him yet?"
"No. I told him if he wanted to come he had to act as a shadow. He has only asked a few questions. Just basic stuff about me and then when we switch directions. So. Where are you guys at? I know you're not at St. Vladimir's."
"Lissa doesn't want you to know that. But I think you should. You may have dropped out but you are still her best friend and when you get back you will be her guardian. We're on our way to Kamloops. It's in the British Columbia province."
"Oh. Well I guess I'm going to go. I'm sure our plane will be landing soon. It was nice talking to you."
"Goodbye, Little Dhampir."
"See you soon."