Read first, then kill me....

Adrian's POV

"It all started last night..." Rose began, turning her head up to face me. I held her closer to me, and listened to her tale.

Rose finished with a dramatic hiccough, pulling me closer to her. Body heat radiated off her shaking body, contrasting strangely to her cold tears that were falling onto my arm. It's not like I was complaining or anything – but it did pain me to see Rose in such a state.

Although it is nearly impossible to comprehend the way the female mind works, I tried to understand how she was feeling.

For Rose, she was probably upset that she had a fight with her best friend. That I was sure of. Then she was probably upset and angry at that Belikov bastard for going into Lissa's room at night. That was probably compulsion. And she was totally into me, the way she was holding me right then and confiding in me.

"So, do you wanna go out together or something later? You know, to make you feel better…" I tested my theory.

"Just because I'm coming crying to you doesn't mean you can take advantage of me!" She yelled, raising the noise level incredibly from our soft whispering. I nearly jumped – that was not what I wanted to do at all!

Which also meant she didn't see me in that way. Damn.

"I didn't mean it in that way!" I protested, still a little shocked. "I just thought that if you spent the day with me tomorrow it could help take your mind off other things. And anyway, you still didn't tell me what kind of perfume you liked. I know just the perfect shopping district."

"Adrian," She started quietly, "Only half of that sounds like something you would say. Do you really think I'll take Lissa's bet seriously?"

"Well," I replied, a little hurt, "Yeah, I do."

"You know I wont, because you know I love-"

"Yeah, I know. It was worth a try, though."

She looked up to meet my eyes, and I attempted at giving her a kicked puppy dog look. That usually worked with the girls. One look like that and I had the crawling all over me.

"Come on, just one day," I urged.

She shook her head slowly, releasing three more tears that dropped onto my sodden arm.

"I can't," she whispered.

I sighed. Obviously she wouldn't. I looked up past her towards the other side of the room, trying to think of another way to get her to go out with me. Lissa's plan hasn't seemed to work, and I was all out of ideas. I didn't want to force Rose into ditching Dimitri, because I knew she truly loved him, but all I wanted was one chance…

I felt my eyes widen as the door leading to the dining hall opened, and out stepped none other than Dimitri. Rose looked up, and looked in the direction I was looking. Not even glancing at us, Dimitri strode towards the stairs, carrying a plate of assorted breakfast foods on a tray. I looked away quickly. I knew who that tray was for.

For a very hungry Moroi princess that had skipped breakfast.

"Quarter past ten" Rose whispered to me, "outside my room."

I nodded. I felt her pull out of my grasp and run in the opposite direction. All I needed was one chance.

And now I had it.

Lissa's POV

I arouse from a sea of nightmares to hear a loud rapping at my door. The clock read only ten minutes since I fell asleep. Fifteen minutes since I stomped up the stairs. Seventeen minutes since I fought with Rose. Half an hour since this whole mess began.

Not that I was counting.

I wiped the dream images from my mind, finding it better not to concentrate on them at the moment. Dealing with what just happened was bad enough, without thinking of Strigoi attacks involving Christian and Natalie thrown in as well.

And it had been ages since I had had one of those dreams as well. To think I had finally gotten over them, when they come back to bite me in the-

The knocking came again. I cringed and pulled the blankets over my ears, trying to drown out the sound. I felt the blanket bring heat to my shaking body.

I hoped it wasn't Rose here to apologize. I didn't want her to see the tear tracks running down my face, a mark of shame and satisfaction combined. The pillow crease I could feel underneath my right eye felt like a war wound, after a Battle of the Roses in which I cut down my best friend over and over again. I didn't want her to forgive me by looking down on my sorry form and feeling pity.

But then again, I didn't want anyone to see me in that state. I didn't want anyone to ask what happened, or to softly stroke my hair and tell me that everything would be okay.

That wasn't actually entirely true. I wouldn't mind it if Christian came in right now, and tried to comfort me. I wished he would. He would know the right things to say, he would cheer me up the way only he can, and he would protect me from the sins I had committed. Against my own best friend.

I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my head, shamefully trying to hide my watery eyes. I was such a bad friend. I couldn't even stay mad at Rose. The only thing I could do well was cry. And to ruin other peoples lives.

The rapping returned, louder this time. I picked up my sodden pillow and threw it forcefully at the door. It landed with a thwuck and slid down to lie at the base of the door.

"Go away!" I yelled, my voice wavering, "I don't want you to come in here!"

The door opened slowly, and I watched sullenly as Guardian Belikov glide into my room. He was carrying a sterling silver tray, piled high with hash browns, eggs, bacon and fruits in ceramic plates. A tall glass of orange juice was sloshing slightly in one corner, with cutlery lined up messily next to it.

"Your breakfast, Lissa," he said, setting it down on one of the many tables in my room. I scowled at the food in disgust.

Disgust at myself. Disgust at what I had done. At what I was doing. It was all my fault – my fault that I had hurt Rose, my fault that Christian probably wouldn't like me anymore, my fault that I now had Dimitri following me around like a dog. Pretending I was his girlfriend.

Looking back now, I don't even know what came over me. What on earth had compelled me to do something so drastic and silly? To use Compulsion, which is forbidden? All on accounts of a stupid, childish little game?

At least Adrian gained from it.

My stomach grumbled loudly as the delicious smell of the food wafted past my nose, so I jumped off the bed and sat down at the table. When one's feelings were as confused as mine, and one's stomach interceded, then why not give in?

"You can go now, Guardian Belikov," I mumbled, spearing a slice of watermelon with my fork.

"Dimitri," he corrected, smiling down at me.

I hated myself more for what I did. Guardian Belikov, smiling? I don't know why, but that struck a nerve. A big nerve.

Probably a big nerve that works near my eyes, because the left one started to twitch.

I stood up abruptly, knocking the tray aside. The orange juice tipped over, coating the eggs in a sticky, orange coating. My anger was rekindling itself, but was not aimed at Rose this time.

I was angry with myself.

"Listen here, Guardian Belikov," I shouted, prodding his chest with my finger for emphasis, "nothing ever happened between us! Ever! And you don't remember anything that happened when we interacted between yesterday and now!"

I pushed him roughly out the door while he was still dazed. He stumbled blindly, still digesting what I had ordered. I hoped the compulsion worked. If not…

More importantly, I hope Rose would forgive me.

I ate the slice of watermelon, and dropped the fork back on the tray. It landed with a metallic clang, and sprayed watermelon and orange juice onto my hand. The cool liquid reminded me of the tears threatening to spill.

I stopped resisting, shuddering silently as the tears followed familiar paths down my cheeks. My head started to spin, so I collapsed onto the bed.

I didn't feel so good.

Maybe it was all the compulsion I was using. I must have used too much due to my anger, and the last order must have drained me completely. Maybe it was hurting my spirit.

All I did know, though, was that sleep could heal me. Sleep and Adrian.

Screw Adrian, I'm going to go get some sleep.

Unkown's POV

I pace. I stop. I listen. The wind howls through the forest trees outside my cabin, rattling my windows. A wild animal howls through the night, and I lick my lips. Dinner for me and Master waits tied up on my chair, bound and gagged, but he will have to suffer with wolf for the entrée though.

I pace. I stop. I listen. Now there is silence. And I know Master has arrived.

I open my door, and bow low. I watch a pair of shiny black shoes walk onto the cracked floor boards. I hear the eyes make a quick survey of the cupboard size cabin room, and rest on Dinner.

"You have done well," Master purrs in a voice I can only describe as seductive.

"Many thanks, Master," I mumble nervously. It has been a while since Master has complimented me. "I have prepared the main course."

Master is smart. Master understands my subtle hinting. Master knows that there is only one human for dinner.

"Go hunt then," Master says to me, and I straighten up eagerly. I know Master would never settle for wolf, but sometimes Master is unpredictable.

Like now. Master smiles.

"Don't be long. We need to discuss tomorrow,"

I nod, captivated by Master's beautiful features. Master is attractive, even by human standards. Master does not look like a classic Strigoi. Master looks… Different.

I leap out the door, closing it behind me with a swish of my foot.

I need to return quickly. Master has big plans for tomorrow. And Master is including me in them! I am excited.

I stop. I think. I remember.

I smile. Tomorrow me and Master will have Moroi heads on our dinner plates.

Royal Moroi head. Cooked tenderly on the spit covered in blood.

I lick my lips. The name Master had mentioned rebounds in my head.

Vasilisa Dragomir.

…It sounded like an exotic fruit.

Hope's POV

I typed on my computer guilty, hoping that the nice, kind reviewers wouldn't kill me. I had only ran away for a couple of months, couldn't do that much damage, can it? I cringed, waiting for the accusations and the insults to come flying at me. After all, I deserved it, didn't I? I promised to come back, and broke it. I broke a promise.

Just the thought brought me to tears.

I stood up, and stretched. Time to take my medication...

So now the reviewers are thinking, here comes the excuses. And their not wrong. I just wanted to say, "SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY STRIKE ME DOWN NOW BEFORE I DO IT MYSELF!"

I really am sorry, that I disappeared for so long, and then produced such a short, cruddy chapter, even though I spent days on it trying to make it sound right. At least there's plot advancement! But hear me out. Please?

For a few years now, I've had various problems with my eosophagus, involving swalling and eating. And then, just a few months ago, something weird happened. I don't want to explain it in detail, coz It's disgusting, but basically I got really sick and hospitalised. This was in the middle of exam week. And then I had soo much extra catch up work to do once I got out, not to mention exams, that I kinda got screwed for the rest of the year. I ended up failing most of my half yearlies, and my boss at work got angry, and don't ask. I've had it really horrible, and haven't been able to update. Even though I'm on holidays now, I'm still working...

But I promise. I promise that I will try. And that is one promise I will never break. Please bare with me...

~Hope