Chapter 1-Introduction
I really don't like the way my life is heading. I live with my mum and two sisters in a 'Blood Whore' community. I have a elder brother called Dimitri, (but I call him Dimka) who is in his twenties. He's a guardian at Saint Vladimir's Academy. I really look up to my elder brother. Why shouldn't I? He hit our dad who is a total prick and set out to become a guardian. I keep close contact with Dimka. I love him so much.
By the way my name's Anzhela which means angel. I think my mum was desperate by the time she had me to have a nice, innocent, girly daughter. I am neither innocent nor girly. Sure I like to shop and dress up, occasionally. And as for innocent, yeah right. When I was a little kid I spent way too much time with Dimka. We use to go running threw the rain and throw mud pies at each other. But we use to also just sit in the long grass at night and talk while looking up at the stars.
I'm the youngest of us four kids. Dina and Kristen, my two sisters are sixteen and twenty, Dina's sixteen and Kristen's twenty. Sure they're great but they fight about the oddest things. Neither will play with me the same way Dimitri use to.
I'm fourteen years old and have a life set out in front of me I don't want.
Because Dina just turned sixteen she has started in the 'business'. That means I only have two short years left until I'm meant to join. Apparently it feels amazing to have Moroi men suck your blood during sex. I really don't care. I never want to feel it. I want to follow Dimitri's lead and become an amazing guardian. I cutting it really fine if it's ever going to happen but every time I talk to mum about it she says that it would be a waist of time. But every time I remind her that Dimka's one. She just snorts and walks away mumbling some thing under her breath.
Anyway I just got a letter from Dimka. I'm the only one in the family that keeps in contact with Dimka.
In the letter he says that Rosemarie Hathaway, daughter of the famous Janine Hathaway, and the last Dragomir, Princess Vasilisa, have been caught and brought back to the academy. Those two have been on the run now for about a year.
Dimitri has been assigned to the Princess for after she finishes school and in the mean time at the academy. He also has to train Rosemarie so she can catch up to her classmates in hope of graduating. She probably will with Dimka as her mentor.
He use to sort of train me when he came home in the Christmas holidays. If I showed a lot of improvement I could choose what we did for fun. That normally happened but the few times I didn't work hard enough we would be sitting down talking about what has happened since the last time we saw each other. These sessions would either be in my bed (because I was too exhausted to sit up) with my head on Dimka's chest until I feel asleep or in front of the fire with hot coca snuggled up on the couch.
I haven't seen Dimitri since I was about ten. I miss him so much but the help a bit.
Apparently I'm turning a lot like Dimka did at my age. I'm becoming more determined and stuff. I look a lot like him too, dark eyes and hair. I also hide my emotions like Dimka did at my age and probably still does.
He goes on in the letter asking how things are here and how mum, Dina and Kristen are.
This is what I wrote back to him.
Dear Dimka,
Yeah I guess everything is good here. Dina is her normal bragging self. She is officially a 'blood whore' and keeps saying I am missing out a big thing. But I don't want to be a 'blood whore'. I want to be like you and be a guardian.
As for Kristen she is apparently in love. Mum's egging her on. I don't get it. Girls from all over the community always say they're in love but come back broken hearted. But he proposed to her she didn't stop to think and said yes straight away. He's from a really large family.
Anyway, sounds like you have your hands full. Lets see how Roza goes under the almighty Dimka, ha ha. The Princess will be safe with you, they chose her guardian well.
I guess I'm okay. I still train like you taught me too.
Can you please, please, please come home these holidays? I've turned too tomboy for the girls here and my only friend got sent to an academy in Australia to train to become a guardian.
Wait; let me guess you can't come.
Don't worry Dimka ill survive I'm too much like you.
I love you big brother,
Anzhela
xoxo
P.S. I enclosed a picture that was taken last week just before I started training
I finished writing and posted it. I hope he gets it soon.
On my way home I was wondering if I should have told Dimka how I can use fire. I found out once during training by complete accident. I hadn't told anyone. The only explanation I could come up with is that I am more Moroi than Dhampir. It seems odd but it's the only explanation that makes any sort of sense. One more reason I guess to become a guardian.
