I'm working really hard to get the chapters up. I've noticed that it doesn't take me quite as long to finish a chapter now than it did before. It used to take me about 5-6 hours to write a chapter and now it only takes about 2-3. So, you will definitely be seeing a lot more updates. Also, I would love it if you could leave me some reviews. I know that for some of you it's a bit hard because you have stuff you have to do, but the more reviews I get with suggestions the easier it will be for me to think of things to put in the story and the faster a chapter will be put up! Thank you for reading my story! Here we go…

I woke up just before the sun went down. I closed my eyes and just relaxed…until I realized that I hadn't had to get up once to tend to Maya. I shot up out of bed. No one was there. I got up and ran into the hallway leading to the living room. Apparently, Adrian had been going the opposite direction because we ran right into each other.

"Little dhampir, where's the fire?" He laughed. He was wearing a pair of loose-fitting black pants and a baggy white shirt. He had to have just gotten up. Adrian never went around looking like that. His hair was messy, but it was hard to tell if he had styled it like that or just got out of bed in this light.

I took a deep breath. "I just didn't know where everyone went."

Adrian walked passed me. "You mean, you didn't know where Maya and Dimitri went? They're in the kitchen. Dimitri is making breakfast, Lissa is tending to Maya, and Christian is taking a shower. I'm going to my room to brush my teeth and then I'll be in there."

"Wait. Why did you guys leave me?" I asked.

He turned around to look at me. "We thought you could use the sleep. Dimitri said you got hit pretty hard last night. A couple of times, actually. They're waiting for you." He winked and walked away.

I hadn't paid much attention to how my body was feeling because I was so freaked out. I stopped and moved a bit. I had a tiny headache, but nothing a little aspirin wouldn't take care of. The right side of my ribs hurt like they were bruised, but it wasn't something I couldn't handle.

As I walked into the kitchen, Lissa spotted me and gave me a big smile. "I think she may be hungry. I couldn't find any of the bottles the queen dropped off." Maya was in her arms, her little hands grasping at nothing.

"C'mere, honey." I said and took Maya into my arms. I started to feed her, and the first time she sucked it hurt a little bit. I groaned.

"Does it really hurt that bad?" Lissa asked.

I thought about it a minute. "It's not that bad. I mean, if she's on me all the time, then it hurts. If it's like now, it's when she first starts nursing that stings a little. I don't mind it, though." I shrugged.

At that moment, Adrian walked in, saw what was going on, and walked right back out. Lissa and I burst into laughter. Dimitri had been paying attention to the stove, so he didn't see what happened. He turned and said, "What? Did I do something?" That made us start to laugh even harder.

A loud ringing stopped our laughing. At first, I didn't realize what it was. It had been a while since I had heard a phone ring. The entire time I'd been in this cabin, the landline hadn't rung. It was always Dimitri's cell phone, and it was always when I was in another room.

The reason we had stopped laughing was because the landline ringing was a bad sign. Tatiana had specifically told us that no one would be calling the landline unless something was wrong. She didn't want the phone calls to be traced. She'd told us that if the landline started to ring, it was our job to answer it as soon as possible.

As always, Dimitri stepped into action while Lissa and I stared at each other in shock. Adrian ran into the living room as Dimitri picked up the phone. He walked over to us.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"We don't know yet." I replied. "Lissa, why don't you go get Christian. This can't be good and he doesn't need to be by himself. And besides, if it isn't bad, I want a little hot water for my shower."

Lissa shook her head and ran out of the kitchen with a smile on her face. I heard the sound of the phone hanging up and looked toward the living room. We had been sitting at the bar in the doorway to the kitchen from the living room, so I didn't have to move.

"That was the queen. She said she's sending a team to come get us. We have…well, a situation." Dimitri explained.

I tried to lift one eyebrow up at him, but failed. "What do you mean, 'situation'?"

He walked over to me and took my hands. "I want you to stay calm, okay? I'll explain it once everyone is in here so I won't have to keep explaining it to everyone. Just know that I'm right here beside you no matter what, and that I will do whatever it takes to keep you and Maya safe."

Dimitri was really worrying me. He never talked like that, even when I was in danger. I sat still and thought while we waited for Lissa and Christian to get in here. Dimitri never really acted like this. I mean, the only time he acted even a little like this was when I was in danger. And that meant…that someone he loved more than me was in danger.

I looked to little bundle in my arms. Oh, God. No.

I walked, faster than normal, to Dimitri. He saw me, and realization came into his eyes. He knew that I figured out that Maya was in trouble. He didn't say a word. He just wrapped his arms around Maya and me when I got to him. I kept it together. I would do whatever it took to keep my little girl safe.

I looked up at Dimitri. "Her track record is already worse off than mine."

He shook his head as he chuckled. "Rose, leave it to you to make a situation like this light."

Lissa and Christian ran into the room then. They, also, didn't say a word. They just stood close to each other and looked to Dimitri. Adrian was already looking at him. We were all ready. I was bracing myself for what was about to happen.

"The queen says that there was another reason she sent us away, another reason she didn't want anyone knowing Rose was pregnant. She said that there was a rumor, passed down from leader to leader of the Moroi. She didn't know if it was true or where it came from, no one did. But she also said that she didn't want to take the risk.

"The rumor said that one day a dhampir would conceive a child with another dhampir, which we all know is…well, apparently not impossible, but rare. The child is special. Apparently, the cure to the strigoi burning in the sun is in Maya's veins. She said she doesn't know what makes Maya so special, other than being born to two dhampirs, but it's true.

"The strigoi attack last night now makes sense, and why they wanted Maya. The queen said that it takes just one drop of Maya's blood to allow a strigoi to walk in the daylight. We all know how much of a risk that is. We have to leave and go back to court, the only place we'll be even a little safe." he explained.

I couldn't help looking at my little girl the entire time he was talking. "When will they be here to take us back?" I asked without looking away from Maya.

"She said in about two hours. We all need to start packing our things. Rose, get Maya ready please. I'm going to go tell the guardians outside."

I nodded my head and started walking toward our room before something hit me. "Wait. If there are guardians outside, then why didn't they see the strigoi getting into the house last night? And why didn't they stop them?"

Everyone looked back and forth between each other. At the same time, we all ran to the front door. There was a dead guardian in front of the door outside. I stayed there because I had Maya, but Dimitri and Christian went around the sides of the house.

"Lissa, take Maya. I'll be right back." I told her.

"No, Rose. Let them take care of it. You stay here. Please?" She had on her puppy-dog eyes. It was really hard to resist her when she gave me that look, but I did. I handed her Maya silently, and she took her without another word.

I walked around the right side, the same way Christian went. I wasn't as worried about Dimitri as I was Christian. He was a moroi, and a royal moroi at that. I knew he could set one on fire if he needed to, but it would take a lot out of him.

I came across two more dead guardians before coming around another corner and running into someone. I automatically pushed whoever it was off of me.

"Rose? What are you doing out here? Where's Maya?" Dimitri said, brushing himself off.

I was confused. "Dimitri? Where's Christian?"

"We aren't going to get anywhere asking each other almost the same exact questions. I thought Christian was coming around this way. I thought you were staying in the house with Maya, Lissa, and Adrian. Now, answer me." he demanded.

"Maya is with Lissa and Adrian in the house. I'm a guardian. I couldn't just hide in the house while a moroi went outside to scope it out. If he got hurt, it would be my fault. I went after him this way, but never found him." I explained.

We both shared the same thought: where did Christian go? We nodded to each other and started scoping out the woods around the house. Dimitri went back the way he came and I went back the way I did.

The woods smelled wonderful. I hadn't had fresh air in months, and smelling it made me never want to go inside again. The ground had almost no leaves on it, considering it was July. The only thing I had to worry about stepping on were sticks. It seemed like there were an unusually big amount of sticks on the ground.

Speaking of sticks, I heard one crack about fifteen feet away from me. I couldn't see who it was because the woods were too thick to see through. I crouched and slowly started to make my way towards the sound. I realized how stupid it was to come out here without my stake, but it was too late to go back. If I went back to the house now whatever it was would see me, and if it was a strigoi I would be screwed.

I was three feet away now. I braced myself and parted two of the trees. There was nothing there. I looked around, and saw four pointed sticks stuck in the ground. The points were facing up.

"What the –"

Something shoved me from behind. Luckily, because I was crouching, I was able to roll over the sticks and get up. A strigoi was running towards the house. "Coward!" I yelled and it turned around.

I grabbed one of the sticks and yanked it hard out of the ground. I jumped over the sticks to meet the strigoi halfway. We were now in a dance. I was crouched, he was crouched, and we were walking in circles around each other looking for openings.

I stopped and laughed. He did exactly what I thought he would. Stopped and looked at me in a funny way. I took that opportunity to spring. He was quick; he jumped back just enough for the stick to go into his stomach. As he yelled out in pain, I spun around and kicked the stick. It went further into him and he yelled again, louder this time.

Dimitri came around the corner. Before he could get to us, the strigoi reached forward and grabbed my shoulders. He brought me forward and the stick went into my stomach, too. I let out a shriek. I was so stunned from the pain that I wasn't able to brace myself from his blow. He brought his hands back and shoved me hard.

The next few seconds went by slowly. I could taste metal and salt. I saw Dimitri's mouth open, but I couldn't hear anything. I was flying. For a moment, it felt like I was doing it by myself, even though I knew it was because the strigoi had thrown me. I knew that I would hit the house when he shoved me, but it didn't seem like the wall was ever going to hit me.

Finally, it did. I heard glass shatter. I must have hit a window. Some of it fell on me, and some of it fell around me. I coughed, and blood came out. I knew I was in big trouble. I saw stars for a second, but they went away and everything looked a bit darker than usual. I got up. Something was stinging in my hands, and I figured I must've put my hands in the glass. I didn't care. I had to help Dimitri.

I took a step – more like a stumble – before I coughed again, and more blood came out. I looked down. There was blood all over the bottom left-hand part of my shirt and it was going down my pants leg. I managed to stay on my feet, but I knew that I wouldn't be able to move but a few more feet. I had to make it count.

Dimitri and the strigoi were moving all around, trying to take swipes at each other. I took a step, and managed to not cough. I developed a plan. I just hoped that Dimitri would catch on. I watched them move all around. I had to double over a couple of times, but I always managed to get up again.

The dizziness started to come. I had to do this fast. I felt like I was going to pass out. I coughed once again, and this time a lot of blood came out. It drenched the top of my shirt. For the first time, I considered leaving Dimitri to go to Lissa. I knew that I wouldn't make it, but I could still try. If she didn't heal me in time, I knew that I would die. But it was too late for that. I had to save my soul mate. If I died, he needed to be alive to take care of our child.

I love you with all my heart. Both of you. I thought.

I was now behind the strigoi. The stick was still in its stomach. Dimitri hadn't been able to shove it all the way through. I pulled my hand back as far as it would go and shoved the pointed end with all my might. It went straight through my hand. I managed to just let out a little whimper. I knew that if I were to make a sound, it might distract Dimitri and he wouldn't be able to get the strigoi in time.

He caught on. The stick went forward and the strigoi yelled in pain. I was now right up against the strigoi with the stick still in my hand. Dimitri grabbed the other end and pulled it out. I fell backwards. I couldn't see, but I heard a crunch and gurgle. That meant he had succeeded in staking it. He would have to run in the house and get a stake before it woke up and pulled the stick out of its chest.

I felt a tear slip out of my right eye. I could barely see anymore. It got really bright for a moment, and I thought that I was "going into the light", but it turned out that Christian had come around the corner and set the strigoi on fire. Arms went under me and picked me up. I tried to scream, but blood came out again and it just sounded like a gurgle.

"Dim-dim –" I tried to talk, but I couldn't.

Finally, the pain went away. I couldn't feel anything anymore. It was as if I was under water. I couldn't hear anything, I couldn't breathe, and I felt weightless. So this is what it felt like to die.

I knew my eyes were open, but I couldn't see anything. It was pitch black. Sometimes I would see a sparkle here, or a twinkle there, but it would go away as soon as it appeared.

I thought of my beautiful baby girl and my loving soul mate. I loved them more than anything in the world, and it wasn't fair that I got to spend so little time with the both of them. But I guessed I had done my job in this life. I had brought Maya into this world.

I let go of everything, letting that one thought bring me peace.

(Sorry guys! There are supposed to be breaks in the story sometimes, and they haven't been popping up. I didn't realize it until now. I know it must be confusing you. So, from now on I am going to put [BREAK] on here, k?)

"Rose! Roza, please! Wake up! Wake up!" I yelled at her. I didn't understand. Lissa had healed her. She was perfectly fine now. Why wouldn't she wake up?

I could taste the salt from my tears leaking into my mouth. I would not let her go! Not like this. I needed her. Maya needed her. Please, please let me be dreaming!

A hand grabbed my shoulder and tried to pull me away from her. "No!" I screamed and shoved them away. I wouldn't leave her. She was going to wake up. Just watch. Any minute, her eyes would open, she would take a breath, and then say some snappy Rose-like thing that wasn't appropriate at all.

"Let's go. Give him some time." someone said. I thought it was Christian.

"No. No, I won't leave her, either. I need her!" Lissa cried. She had burst into tears as soon as she saw me carrying Rose. She had met me halfway and pulled it together enough to heal Rose, but something was wrong.

It went quiet, but I didn't hear any footsteps, so I knew that they hadn't left. Adrian was probably still there, and for once I was grateful. He was taking care of Maya. All I could hear were my own sobs. Every now and then Maya would make a small sound.

I stroked her face. "Roza, please, come back to me. Come back, sweetheart. Don't leave me." I whispered. She did nothing. She didn't breathe, she didn't move. "Rose!" I yelled. "Rose, you listen to me. Lissa is here, and Adrian, and Christian, and…and Maya. They need you. We all need you. Now, come back! Do what you do best, Rose. Fight! Come back to us."

Still nothing. I broke down then. I couldn't even believe the kind of pain I was in. I had never experienced anything like that before. There were no thoughts running through my head. I just cried. I cried like a little school girl. I did this for what felt like forever.

"Dimitri."

Lissa put her hand on my shoulder. I turned into her arms. We cried together. Soon, Adrian and Christian joined us. There were free-flowing tears. The only one not crying was Maya. I reached out for her and Adrian put her in my arms. She opened her little eyes and looked right into mine. She had her mother's eyes.

"I'm never going to let anything happen to you, honey."

[BREAK]

I didn't know what was going on. It felt like one minute I was in a deep-sleep. One where I didn't dream, where I didn't even know I existed. The next minute, I was dreaming. I dreamt of Dimitri. He was sad. He thought I had left him. Silly man. I would never leave him. The thing was that I didn't remember going to sleep. I didn't really remember much of anything except Dimitri.

"Lissa is here…"

Lissa? I knew that name. Who was that? I could see blonde hair and green eyes. A beautiful, tall girl, with pale skin. Oh. I knew who that was. My sister. No. She wasn't really my sister; she was just like my sister.

"And Adrian, and Christian…"

Hmm. That one was tougher. I knew them both, but…who were they? Vampires. No, moroi. It hit me. They were both royal, and two of my best friends. Adrian. I loved him. Not as much as I love Dimitri, but I loved him still. Christian was with Lissa. He could be annoying at times, but I approved – though I would never tell Lissa that I did.

"And…and Maya."

My baby.

Where had that come from? My baby? Wait. Yes, I remembered. My baby girl, Maya. There was something about her I was supposed to remember. What was it? Why couldn't I remember anything. What was wrong with me?

A flash of red. The smell of rust. A shatter. Pain.

I remembered everything.

Suddenly, I felt my body. It didn't hurt. In fact, it felt better than it usually did. My lungs filled with air that it desperately needed. It kind of hurt at first, but once I exhaled and inhaled once more it was better.

Now, I need to open my eyes. I tried. I tried again. It wasn't working.

Wake up!

There we go. I could still taste the blood in my mouth, but I knew I could speak. I expected to see Dimitri carrying me. At least, that was the last thing I remembered. But he was holding Maya while everyone else watched. They were all crying.

"I'm never going to let anything happen to you, honey." Dimitri said to Maya.

"You don't have to do it all by yourself." I said. My voice was a little rusty, but it worked. They all turned to look at me faster than I had ever seen a group move. "Whoa. Did you guys practice that move?"

"Rose." Dimitri whispered.

Whoo! That was some emotional stuff.

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