Time refused to move quickly. Somehow I had ended up in a random forest and darkness was enveloping me. Great! That's exactly what I needed! The least those guys could have done was drop me off somewhere during the day, or maybe they had and I had just been passed out for hours. Looking around observing my surroundings, I heard a rustling in the bushes near me. I turned towards the noise stake in hand; I guess those dark figures were nice enough to let me have it back. As the noise became louder a man stepped out. No, i-it can't be. The stake dropped from my hand, and I heard the thud when it fell to the hard ground. There he was standing before me, Dimitri. This was not possible, how could he be here? How could they have known who I was looking for? No, this can't be.

"Roza is that you?" his soft voice whispered.

"D-Dimitri?" My voice came out in ragged stutters.

"Yes it's me,"his face crinkled up into a smile.

My legs suddenly became numb and I fell to the ground. He rushed towards my side at a quick, but not superhuman pace.

"Roza are you alright?" Nothing showed on his face but the emotions of concern.

"Why are you here?" The words barely able to be heard coming out of my mouth.

"I've been looking for you."

"W-what?" No, why would he be looking for me?

Just then I realized his eyes were normal, not red. There was definitely no sign of red in his gorgeous eyes.

"Your eyes! Why aren't they red, you're a strigoi?" my voice held nothing but shock.

"No Roza. No, I escaped and ran away." His hand slid up slowly and gently caressed my cheek.

"But…"

Dimitri took me into his arms and surrounded me in a comforting hug. "Ssshh, it's alright everything will be alright."

At that moment he began to fade away

"NO! Come back don't leave me again!" I cried.

But it was too late, he had already disappeared. As I began to concentrate, I realized that I had been dreaming. Why on earth would he not be a strigoi? That is what he is, and that's why I'm here in Russia in the first place.

Remembering the last events that occurred, my eyes shot open, where the hell am I? As my eyes focused I grasped that I was in some sort of infirmary, a very familiar infirmary actually. OH MY GOD! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!! This was the academy; it was the same exact stupid infirmary that I had visited countless times before. I can't believe those son of a bitch dark figures took me back to the fucking academy! How in the hell did they even know what school I went to? Well they were probably guardians so they probably had access to records or something, but they didn't know my name. I let out a deep sigh. None of this made sense.

Well, at this point it doesn't matter; I'm leaving this place again. I'm eighteen; they can just try and stop me. Getting up slowly, I could feel the pain in my shoulder and see the many dark purple bruises on it, and my head had stitches in it, nice. I pulled the IV out of my arm and headed towards the exit, but just as I was reaching for the handle, it swung open and revealed two guardians.

"Well I see you're awake finally, but you should really get back to your bed."

"Who the hell are you and why did you bring me back to St. Vladimir, did Kirova send you!? Ugh I can't believe this!!" I shrieked.

"St. Vladimir? This is Kiravakoff Academy, and I'm Maria."

"What, no this place looks exactly like St. Vladimir." I was really confused now.

"Yes well certain academies have the same architectural designs. Oh and by the way, I'm Ivan"

"It's nice to meet you both, but why on earth did you bring me here?" I glared at them both.

"Well you were hurt from the strigoi pretty badly and we couldn't just leave you there," the one named Maria said.

"Speaking of which, what on earth were you thinking trying to fight them off? You don't even have your promise mark yet." Ivan sent his own glare back at me.

"Yes I know. That's because I dropped out, but you probably noticed my tattoos. I have killed strigoi before, and many more than four at one time." I really hated having to tell that story.

"Still, it was very foolish," Maria reprimanded.

I gave a soft sigh, "Okay look, thanks for helping me and all, but I have to go, so if you would give me back my stake that would be great."

"You're in no condition to leave," Maria protested.

"I've had worse and I'm eighteen so if I want to leave I can. Please give me back my stake or shall I will steal one of yours?" I threatened.

Ivan gave in, "Very well, but I wish you would at the least consider staying until your fully recovered."

"Thanks, but I have a job to do."

"And what exactly is that?" Maria pushed. She was really starting to get on my nerves.

"It's personal."

And with that, I turned from them, gathered up my things from beside the bed, and headed out the door. It was creepy how much this place resembled St. Vladimir, even the students in the halls; they had the same groups: the royals, the non-royals, novices playing around. Also, just like at St. Vladimir's, when I passed they all stopped and whispered.

Stepping outside into the cold and leaving this place reminded me so much of when I first left St. Vladimir's those long weeks ago. Me leaving Lissa standing there crying, the tears just streaming down her face like a river. I tried not to think of her too much, but every so often I couldn't help but be with her through the bond and see what she was doing. Today was her graduation. As I slowly walked towards the nearest town to catch a ride, I slipped into her head.

Lissa's POV

Staring into the mirror I looked at myself, I didn't look like I used to, there were bags under my eyes from all the loss of sleep over Rose. Today should have been our day we should have gotten ready together, gotten are diploma's together, partied afterwards, but not with the oh so recent events. Looking away from my mirror I searched through my newly acquired clothes, trying to figure out what to wear, just then a knock came at my door.

One of the school guardians walked in, "Princess, I'm sorry to disturb you but Ms. Kirova would like a word with you."