Dimitri POV
How could Roza do this to me? I knew that I was hurting her every single time I pushed her away, I wanted us to be together as much as she did, if not more. I hated having her push away, I wanted to bring her to Russia with me, meet my family and even marry her. Hold her in my arms and never let her go, like she was gone now. But, I had to protect her, which was exactly why we couldn't be together. It killed me to see her everyday and know that she will never be truly mine.
I found Stan's car patked in the carpark of an abondoned warehouse, over the road was the atm that Lissa uesed to empty her account. The trail ended here but it was too simple. I knew Rose, this wasn't it, this wasn't hard enough. It was time to think like my Roza. She would want to go somewhere easily defendable. A hotel. She would be there now seeing as it was almost strigoi hunting hours, one that is suitable for moroi with feeders. She could feed Christian and Lissa herself like she did before, but that would make her too weak to fight, if they were attacked she would be a liability. A hotel nearby was the only one with feeders so I went there firste, the possibility of Rose hiding in the warehouse lingering in the back of my mind.
The ladye at the front desk looked over me appreciatively, a way I had come to recognize. I forced a small smile, guilt for what I was about to do burning like acid in my gut.
"Three teenagers haven't booked a room have they? Two girls and a boy. The boy has blue eyes and black hair, a moroi. Platinum blonde moroi girl, tall, slim with green eyes and a short dhampir girl with long dark brown, almost black hair, brown eyes and usually scowling?" I knew Roza would hate to be here with Christian and she was never one for subtlety. The lady began tyoing away franticallye, smile brightening when she found what she was looking for.
"Two moroi and their guardiane. An Arielle Ishakov, Ryan Badica and Guardian Selene Hyacinth. How do you know them?" Even if she wanted to help me, she wanted to protect them. Her loyalty was admirable and not completely unjustified. I pulled out the photo of mee and Roza sparring, the memory making my chest contract painfully, realising that they may be the last time eshe really trusted me.
"I am Prince Badica's guardiane, Dimitri Belikov. I was to meet up with them after a strigoi attack. They came here afterwards to wait while I made sure no humans stumbled across the bodies until the alchemists arrived." I am a great liar, I have to be, but, Roza can still see through them everytime, just like I can to her. I knew they would change their names, it would make tracking them that much harder. Soon they would change their appearances and I had to make sure I caught up with them before then. The preppy blonde at the counter handed me their room key and getting me a seperate one nexet door. I thanked her before sweeping out the room and jogging up the stairs. The hallway was narrow, doors in pairs. I went into my room and sat next to the wall, ear pressed against it, trying to hear what was happening. I could hear faint footsteps, pacing.
Roza was guarding them as they slept, she had learnt a lot and I would be willing to bet she would be sleeping as Christian drove in the morning. I looked at the photo again, tracing her hair with my finger tip, willing it to come to life. Why would she leave me? How could she, it waes like cutting off one arm and still expecting to fight normally. I fell asleep, alarm set and knowing that I was a light enough sleeper to hear their door in the morning.
I woke up feeling well rested, sunshine streaming through the window.e it warmed me and I stretched happily. Wait... sunshine? Shit! I leapt to my feet amd wrenched the door open, slipping the extra key into the lock to find the room empty. I growled in frustration before tearing out the of the hotel and finding my car. Which had a slashed tyre. I cursed in Russian and whirled around, noticing the small note on the windsheild. More. Notes...? I gritted my teeth.
Dimitri,
I knew you would find us here. Don't worry, I am keeping them safe. Go back, we will disappear now. Thanks for ruining my awesome name, I had always wanted to be called Selene and now I can't use it anymore. Never mind though. Stop looking, stay safee. I love you.
Roza.
P.S – The car wasn't necessary but Sparky thought it would be cool, like in the movies. He'll last another day with me before I knock him out and hand him over to the alchemists.
I put the paper in my pocket with the rest and sat in the car, pulling out the laptop. Roza was smart, she would only hide them in certain places. I racked my mind for her specific requirements, making a list on a new document.
Feeders – she would avoid be weake at all costs.
A lot of daylight – strigoi avoided sunny placese
Moroi intergrated schools – wards and safety in numbers as well as a crowd to hide in.
Gyms with the right kind of equipment – this time she would stay fit
Sports/dance/self-defense clubse – extra practice
Malls – place to hide, place to shop. Lissa heaven
Large Campus – they would need an inconspicous place to live and hide.
Lot's of places to run – a lesson I ehave drilled into her, always be able to run
The search engine flashed and it came up with two options that I agreed with. Florida and California. My eyes landed on the fire escape and their open window. I knew they didn't open the door... I should have known, Roza was renowned for her window escapes. I had aided her in this, I had made her that much more dangerous. I sighed and started up a new search for schools in the two places. Damn it Roza.
Rose POV:
We left the hotel, knowing Dimitri was next door. A faint whiff of his after shave had drifted under the door as foot steps went into the room on our right. He was in for a surprise. We left down the fire escape so he couldn't hear the door, slashing the tyre of his car so he couldn't follow immediately. Leaving him a seceond time was more painful than the first but we went straight to a car yard, buying a fast car with a little help from Lissa's compulsion. She didn't think it was right but we needed to get out and quickly.
Christian drove while I stretched out on the backseat, determined to get some sleep on the long road to California. It was the best place for us to hide and for Lissa and Christian to go to college. I had to keep fit this time, I was protecting two moroi, note one, I had to proove to the others that I was worth something, I had to make Dimitri proud.
We found the perfect school and Lissa 'convinced' them to let her and Christian enrol. She was a pretty human receptionist so stood no chance against Lissa's spirit powers. Our room housed four and we easily managed to make sure it stayed, just the three of us. While the sunlight gave them some protection I left Christian in charge and headed out, scouting the area for gyms and sports clubs. I found a promising looking gym and sauntered up to the main counter, a tall dhampir boy smiling cheekily at me. His blonde hair was gelled into spikes and glistened white in the sunlight as he flashed his dimples at me. He was cute, yet even thinking that made me feel like I was betraying Dimitri. I smiled seductively and leaned on the counter, watching his pupils dilate.
"Hi, my name is Scarlette Robins. How much is it for gym membership?" I smiled my famous Hathaway smile, charm radiating off me and he instantly fell for it, eyes raking up my body appreciatively. Guilt, horrible guilt. This gym would be good for weight reps and running, the school gym had dummies and practice stakes, perfect. He gave me a quote, a number hastily scrawled in ball point on the back with his name above it, Sam. I smiled, winking, and left, heading towards the nearest mall. Lissa had given me a small fortune to change our looks and surprise her so she didn't have full control, I had four hours until sun down, 3 and half to shop. A grim smile addorned my face before I checked on Lissa again. She was asleep and I could sense Christian next to her. They were safe.
Shopping without Lissa was so much easier, quicker, painless. Yet I was a girl, I loved to shop. Red hair dye for me and blue contacts, brown hair dye and brown contacts for Lissa and blonde hair dye for Christian. He could keep his eye colour. I got the new make up Lissa wanted and bought stacks of new clothes for all of us, finally ending up at a small house that Adrian had spoken of once. For this I had seperate money, money that I wouldn't see in my bank account after a lifetime of work. A name on a scrap of paper, Lucas Demoochi. It reminded me of some mobster in another country but he specialised in papers, papers that could change our identities for us. A short man answered the door and ushered me in, once sat in a well lit room he peered at me over his interlocked fingers.
"How many, what do they need to say." well, he was blunt, personally I liked a bit more spark but I guess he would do.
"I need three drivers licenses and three birth certificates, passports and full identification. Two moroi and one Guardian." he smiled and his eyes glinted. This was the work he loved. He nodded his head and pulled out a note pad writing out three seperate papers before looking at me expectantly. I knew what I needed tell him.
"I will bring photos for you tomorrow with the other half of the money. For the guardian, name: Scarlette Robins, Age:20, born on the 20 of June, put something generic for the rest. Moroi girl, Samantha Badica, 20, 18 September, Moroi Boy, Ethan... Rinaldi, 22, 3 of january. Make them believable and have them ready in two days time." he nodded and wrote every thing down perfectly. I slid half of the money towards him and he shook my hand gruffly before ushering me out. Well, he didn't talk much...
Walking home I spotted a dance and gymnastics studio, the flashing ballarina catching my eyes immediately. I thought back to Dimitri's lessons and changed direction, the door swinging back smoothly. I may not be going to college but my days are going to be all about making my self better. After a breif chat I was signed up and sourly looked at by the stick figure occupants of the gym who were able to glower whilst on points. Impressive for plastic barbie-doll wanna bes. I mentally catalogued all my achievements of the day. Enrolled in school, check. Fake ID being made, check. New identities, check. I had signed up to the gym, self defense and martial arts class entrollment and now dance and gymnastics. I was on a roll. I smiled happily, rushing into the dorm room and locking everything before bringing out my tools of torture. Making over the love birds. Insert evil laugh here.