Hey guys, thanks for the reviews, I can't believe all the positive feedback I had received towards the first two chapters. I'm glad everyone likes the story so far.

Well, summer is officially over and I am back at college *sigh* so things are pretty hectic with all the work I am supposed to be doing. I hadn't really thought of when I could update because I already have so much work to do, but I am going to make sure I update every weekend; I will make sure I publish at least one chapter a week.

So with that out of the way, I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

I watched as all the students, new and old poured into the academy's campus. Seeing the excited faces at the prospect of being reunited with their friends reminded me about my first days back when I used to attend. Obviously I spent my summers with Lissa and her family so it wasn't too bad, if there had been a separation between us I would have found the holidays more unbearable, but because I was just away from my normal friends who I liked and respected but didn't mean as much to me, I didn't dread the holidays as much.

Unfortunately I had been scheduled to have this shift, although the prospect of being away from each other was annoying, we had agreed that it wouldn't kill us if one of us took day shifts and the other took night, Libby needed us more than we needed each other and at the moment we were reluctant to hand her over to Lissa's nanny to take care of. Not saying that Lissa and Christian weren't, but Dimitri and I wanted to be a bit more hands on with our daughter, and didn't want her to go without both parents for a long period of time.

'Excuse me? Are you Rose Hathaway?' A young girl, roughly of the age of fifteen asked me. She had dark hair, long and curly, falling down to her waist and vibrant grey eyes. She was clearly a Dhampir, but there was something familiar in her features, I just couldn't place why I recognized them.

'I was.' I smiled, extending my hand to her. 'But now I'm Rose Belikov and you are?'

She beamed at me and took my hand in a firm grasp that would even do me proud. She had the simple strength of a promising guardian. 'I'm Lisa Kelley, you're like my hero.' Well, it wasn't everyday that someone called you their hero, so that was kind of flattering. 'You're a legend here, the best graduate in years, everyone tried to beat your records. You are like the one and only idol for all female guardians.'

I chuckled. Sounds about right. 'I wouldn't say that, I wasn't exactly what you would call cooperative with my teachers, but I did kick ass at all my tests and trials.'

'You sure did.'

'Look Libby, who's that? Is that Mama?' I heard a husky Russian accented voice say from behind me. I turned and smiled at my approaching husband and daughter. Dimitri hadn't bothered with bringing Libby out in her pushchair; he just carried her around with him. I think he found comfort in holding her.

'What are you two doing here?' I asked, standing up on my tiptoes to give Dimitri a soft kiss on the lips and Libby a gentle peck on the nose.

'We got bored sat at home waiting for you to come back, so we thought we'd get some fresh air and come and see you in the process.'

I swapped my attention back to Lisa and indicated with my hands. 'Lisa, I'd like to meet my husband, Guardian Dimitri Belikov and this is my daughter Libby.'

Her mouth dropped so low that I was sure if she started to walk she would kick it with her feet. 'You mean you two actually... got married?' She sounded incredulous. I know a lot of people in our world frown upon marriage between two dhampir's, and it is so rare you hardly ever come across it, but I don't know why people still reacted in the same way when they met us in person, I mean, we hadn't exactly kept quiet about the whole marriage.

'Yes, we got married. Didn't you realise that when I told you my name?'

'It just didn't click.' She admitted. 'Man, I'd kill to be Libby; having you two as parents would be awesome. With your skills combined she'd not only be deadly but indestructible.'

I chuckled and nudged Dimitri. 'Hear that Belikov, Libby is going to be indestructible.'

Dimitri rolled his eyes and focussed his attention on the little bundle in his arms whom was now playing with the zip on his jacket.

'Is it true that Guardian Belikov was your mentor when you were here?' Lisa asked eagerly, just gagging for saucy details.

'Yes.'

'And is it true you two had a thing going on before he left?' Wow, she really had been doing her homework on us.

'Yes, that is correct.' Dimitri stated, just as amused by her shocked expression as I had been.

'And now you two are married with a kid. That is so weird, you never hear that happening to guardians and then them staying guardians, they always run away.' She mused.

'Why would we run away? Unlike the others, we don't feel like we have done anything wrong, we haven't done anything wrong, why should we be ashamed of falling in love?' Dimitri said, saying exactly the same thing as he had said to me when I had suggested that maybe we should leave the guardian world for a while after we got married, just to let all the shock and hostility towards us go down a bit.

'You shouldn't.' She confirmed. 'I gotta go meet my friends, but it was really nice meeting the three of you, I hope I have you in some of my lessons, it would be so cool.' She called before scuttling off to rejoin her friends and no doubt fill them in on what had just happened.

'Well I suppose I should get this little one home, I think someone is due a nap.' Dimitri said, kissing Libby on the cheek, then me on the mouth. 'See you later. Don't be too long, I miss you.'

'Miss you too Comrade, I'm just going to check on Lissa and then my shift should have ended.' I replied, waving him away as I made my way to the classroom where Lissa was talking with a group of new students.

I could feel through the bond that she was discussing the use of spirit, most people had heard of the rare element, but it was another thing to see it. Everyone was fascinated by it, even though it had made its reappearance maybe a little over ten years ago, well it had made its appearance to Lissa and I anyway. It had always been there, its just no one thought it was because spirit can figuratively disguise itself.

I wondered into the classroom she was situated in and watch Liss interact with all the students who were buzzing with questions for her. In front of her she had a plant pot with tiny shoots. She had used this trick a lot, especially when she had tried to teach Adrian how to heal.

'But how do you do it?' One kid asked.

'What does it look like?' Another one chorused.

'Can you heal everything?' Was another question.

Lissa sighed and rubbed her temples. 'I know that this is an exciting concept, but if everyone would remain quiet for a minute, I will show you what I do, and then I will answer any questions you want answered.'

Everyone quietened down and sat in complete awe as she gently touched one of the miniscule deadened stalks. A burst of energy shot through her and all I could feel was bright, pure light. It was like this whenever she used spirit, it was almost a purifying effect, and I expected it, but I never got over how warm and good it felt and made itself appear to be.

Slowly the plant not only changed back from a dingy brown to a vibrant green, but it started to grow and eventually blossomed into a white rose.

There was a series of gasps and sharp intakes of breath that shot around the room, all unbelieving towards what they had just seen. That was the reaction she got from a lot of people. It was amusing watching the kids try and take in what they had just witnessed. But something clouded that enjoyment for me. In the back of my mind, or should I say Lissa's mind, there was a niggling, a dark powerful niggling that made both her and I feel unsteady. I looked over at her, monitoring her face and I could see in her eyes the clouding over. The look she used to get when she was inexperienced in the element, and I knew that look meant only one thing.

She was still stood in front of the class, but I could feel the depression seeping into her like bacteria into a cut and she was powerless against it. A while ago I had learnt that I was able to suck away the side effects and harbour them in my own body, it made me mad and crazy, but anything was better than her going through something so terrible on a constant day to day basis.

'Liss? Are you okay?' I asked, slowly walking towards the front of the room, so not to startle her.

She tilted her head up slowly to look at me and when her eyes met mine I knew that what I suspected was true. Her eyes held nothing, they were just emotionless orbs that she saw through, there was no emotion, no spark, and no life and at that second I knew what had to be done.

Although I probably didn't think it through as well as I should have, I did what I did best, I didn't think I just did. With that one decision made I took all the scary dark feeling from her and ushered them into my own body, welcoming the release I felt through the bond that I had now caused her.

Immediately she knew what had happened and she eyed me worriedly. I didn't know quite how to react, but I could feel this all consuming weight pressing down on my mind and my heart and all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. I looked down at my hands to see them trembling uncontrollably; it was like they had a mind of their own.

Without giving anything a second thought, I rushed home, faster than I had ever gone before. I needed to get away from the spirit; I needed to retreat back to my own boring frame of mind. Shooting through the front door, I saw Dimitri stretched out on the sofa with a western novel gripped tightly in his hold.

'Roza?' He turned to face me and knew immediately that something was wrong, and although I cant be sure, I thought he recognised something.

I couldn't deal with him right now; I needed to get away, so I darted for the bathroom. On my way there I noticed the shining points of our kitchen knife set and the need to use them; to inflict pain on myself was so pronounce that it scared me more than anything has ever scared me before. Ignoring the sickening pull I shot into the bathroom, slamming and locking the door behind me. I filled the wash basin with freezing cold water and doused my face in it, needing something to bring me out of this sadistic frame of mind.

The sound of Dimitri calling to me and knocking on the door was echoing in the back of my mind, but all I could focus on was the shaking of my hands. Something was wrong, this was worse than the last time it happened. This wasn't right.

After I had calmed down, I was left to ponder. What had just happened to me?

Hope you like the chapter, the next update should be up either Saturday or Sunday at the latest. Please review and tell me what you think. xx