Here you go! I'm so so sorry that this is 1) extremely late 2) extremely boring and 3) super short. I wish I could have made it longer but if I kept going, it would be so much longer and at least now something's up. For anyone who stuck around for this chapter, I would like to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for not just ignoring this. It's been a year since I last updated and for a majority I have no good reason. If you want, I could try and do a cute fluff chapter between your favorite characters. I would love to make it up to you.

Adrian's POV

I was standing on the top of the stairs. I'd taken Lissa to a hidden place and was confident Rose would never look for me. I was leaning against the doorframe, my entire body feeling wholly and completely alive. The power that flooded through me made me understand what Strigoi had meant when they had said they were "awakened". I was now addicted to these strong senses and abilities. Sure, I'd lost Spirit, but, hell, I felt better than I'd ever felt with it. I felt like I had control of my mind.

I ran my tongue lightly over my fangs and smiled. With this new control over my brain, I could accomplish things I'd never been sure of when I was Moroi. I was still hungry even though I'd fed off Lissa just an hour before. I hadn't taken much, to conserve what little strength the weak Moroi girl could muster. It's unfathomable that I could have believed being such a weak creature could ever be better than this.

The taste of her blood was the best thing I'd ever tasted. Afterwards, I had found myself pressing my fingers against my lips in remembrance of the liquid. It tasted as what could only be described as heaven. I now craved the taste and every time I thought of her blood, I would go insane with the lust until I could control myself.

I sighed softly and walked out of the house, ignoring the plush new furniture that looked so comfortable. Instead, I stood on the porch. I could tell that there was a cold wind brushing by, but the light coat I wore and scarf didn't really matter. I was impervious to the cold. I flicked my hair from my face and looked over the dark blue waters. The moon looked down onto the waves and I could see the distant cityscape of lights. I smiled sadly.

"Little dhampir, why do you always make things so hard?"

Rose's POV

I was in the back of an SUV filled to the brim with guardians. Every guardian worth anything was on this trip to save Lissa. She was the Queen, after all. I pulled my hair into an updo and took long, deep breaths to calm myself. I had to keep a level-head to be able to save Lissa.

When I had heard what the plan was, I had instantly decided that I would break off. They hadn't had an exact location, but I had remembered a house the Ivashkov's had owned that Adrian had mentioned taking me to. I needed to save Lissa and I had to do this alone.

A small, pixie-like female guardian looked at me, "Rose Hathaway?" She asked curiously. She had hard features and her white blonde hair was also up in a ponytail. Dressed all in black, she was a young Guardian- probably rather new.

I gave her a quick nod and she smiled coldly, "I'm Celeste Alexander." She looked out the window. "We're going into Canada. I've never been!" She was excited, under all her Guardian training.

"Neither have I. Toronto, eh?" I joked lightly and smiled at her. I actually rather liked her.

She laughed lightly and we turned forward as we headed into the city.

The SUV rolled to a halt beside a pier. Everyone got out and I stood beside Celeste. My eye swept over the banks and I looked down quickly. I'd figured out where he was hidden along the way. It'd been hard at first to find where he'd gone but as I'd gone over the ideas, I remembered a conversation we'd once had- while we were together.

We were laying together in his room. We were cuddled together and Adrian was holding me. Though I was, indeed, attracted to him, my body could only yearn for Dimitri's. A laptop was in front of us and Adrian was looking through his family's vacation houses for our summer trip. It was an idealistic fantasy but we both knew we'd never have something as simple as vacation within our grasp.

Adrian scrolled the page down, "Where have you always wanted to go?" He murmured, stroking my hair as he looked through the houses, "Florida, California, Brazil, Australia...?" He kissed me deeply and I smiled.

"Bahamas..." I pointed at a beautiful island paradise on the screen. "There!"

He laughed, "Let's keep going through the pages- keep our options open." I found only peace and humor in his eyes as he went to the next page of homes. "Oh look!" He scrolled over one house. It was like a glass palace that sprawled over a small island. It looked like a picture perfect.

"It's perfect! Where is it?" I smiled at him, excitement boiling. Maybe we will go on this vacation.

He looked at me, "It's on Lake Ontario, just outside of Toronto." And there was where my entire excitement faded.

"Of course vampires have northern vacation houses. What idiot goes north to have a vacation!" I yelled and got off the bed kissing him.

He shrugged, "It's useful. What if you need to hide from paparazzi, or maybe from royals? It would be perfect." His eyes sparkled. "It's also serene and peaceful there. I've been to it on many occasions. Don't knock the house." He kissed me deeply, stroking my hair back.

I pulled my hair into a ponytail and shook my head. Hans was speaking, "We'll all split up and try to find him. All we know is he is near Lake Ontario. We couldn't get an exact location." He nodded, "Everyone get in pairs and hurry. We don't know how long Queen Vasilisa will have."

I'd been slowly walking back, hoping I could get away before everyone got in pairs. I turned to run into the alley when a hand caught my shoulder. I turned to see Celeste's blue eyes staring at me.

"Do you want to be paired together?" She smiled and internally, I imagined all the possible ways to get out of this predicament. I came up with nothing.

"Yeah, but we need to hurry."

All the possible ways to get away were whirling through my head. We were walking down a street and the cold, biting Canadian wind slapped against my face. Celeste's hair blew around her beside me.

I looked at Celeste, "I think we should split up and look over this street apart. It would be quicker than going together." She nodded excitedly and went to the other side of the street. That was way too easy.

I slipped into the darkness and walked to the pier. Now I had to find a way to get to the island. It was private, so there wouldn't be any ferries going to and from it. My eyes took in the hundreds of boats from small to large on the shores. My eyes caught a small boat with a young man on it. I slipped up to it. I don't think I could get away with stealing a boat- hell, I can't even drive a car, let alone a boat.

I would have to ask the man to take me.

As I came up to him, his eyes turned up to me, "Hello, my name's Alex. What do you need?" He stood and held his hand out. Thesse Canadians were insane. I mean, obviously I wanted to talk to him, but why in all the world was he so open? Humans are way to simple and unguarded.

"I'm Victoria." I smiled slightly, easily slipping into the skin. "My brother decided to play a huge prank on me and left me on the mainland. I need to get home. We're on vacation and-"

He was shaking his head, "I'm sorry but I just can't. Normally I would help you but I'm busy today. I'm very, truly sorry." He smiled.

"Please- I need to get home soon-" My anger and impatience was filling to a max.

He shrugged, "Go ask someone else, I'm sorry." He turned away.

I stepped up and got close to him, "Please take me. If you did I would be..." I took a deep breath, preparing for what I needed, "...so, so grateful." I seductively leaned forward towards him and I saw his eyes flick down. I could see the indecision in his eyes.

"I- I'm- sorry..." He whispered and flicked his eyes up, "I guess..." down again, "I could make some time to help an abandoned girl." He smiled shakily and his eyes returned to my breasts. For a dhampir without compulsion, I did this extremely well.

"Thanks so much." He helped me into his boat and I gave him the name of the Island. He started the boat and I looked out at the sea.

Soon I would face Adrian and save Lissa- with the forfeit of my own life.