Chapter 13

Rose's POV

"Rose, I… I…" Alberta threw her hands up. "This isn't real! This is just a dream! One of the novice's hit me to hard in field training and I passed out. Yah. That's it." She was pacing back and forth. "Rose and Dimitri are dead. Strigoi. Not my problem."

"Geeze, Alberta. Not making me feel any better over here." I snorted.

"Rose, she's really having issues here. Leave her alone." Stan scolded me.

"Yes, Roza, we should just go back to our room and-" Another visitor came through the doors with Abe on her heels. "Hey, Kirova, good of you to join the party. I thought you didn't' work here anymore."

"That's Headmistress Kirova, to you Rose. And the council realized they needed me." She retorted.

"I don't go to school here anymore. Remember?" I rebutted.

"Your father," She turned toward Abe with an astonished look, "wants you to reenroll."

"There's always a catch with Zmey. What is it this time?" I said to her staring at Abe.

He flashed a grin. "Or I with hold a very generous donation to the school."

"Good god. What if I don't want to?" I said.

"Out of the question, Rosemarie." My mother said. "You need to graduate."

I sighed. I was about to answer back when Alberta spoke up. "I am sorry to interrupt this family conversation, but Ellen," She looked toward Kirova. "I don't think you want Rose or Dimitri here."

"Yah! Listen to Alberta! She knows what I want." I heard Dimitri fake cough, holding down a laugh.

"Roza, you should go back to school. Get your promise mark." He said to me. They ignored us and continued talking.

"Why? He is one of the best guardians there is and she is the best novice at the academy."

"I'll show you why, Ellen." Alberta walked over to me. "Rose will you take your ring off again?"

"Yah… I guess. But protect Kirova and Abe." She nodded and put three guardians in front of them. My mother, Mark, and Dimitri circled me again and I slipped the ring off. I felt the insanity be ripped away from me, and I turned Strigoi. My mother lunged for me and I dodged her. Dimitri came next and I back handed him against a wall. Mark ran at me too. I hit him and he crumpled to the ground. Five of the campus guardians came at me and I fought them all off. I looked at the door and saw it was unguarded. I ran for it with Strigoi speed. I burst out and ran into students. One in particular stuck out.

"Rose?" Eddie asked.

"Hey, Eddie. Want to hurt me? Since I'm Strigoi?" I asked him and smiled, showing my fangs. He jumped back. "Where's Lissa? Aren't you supposed to be protecting her?" As I finished talking, he jumped at me. I was so unfocused, I crashed to the ground and he pinned me. I pushed up and he rolled away. He came at me again and hit me in the face. I stumbled away and I heard more guardians coming toward me. I saw Dimitri was leading them. He got to me first and tackled me to the ground. I pushed him off just as the other guardians got to me. Stan took out his stake and aimed for my heart. I did my best to dodge it but he got my left arm. I screamed and fell to the ground. Dimitri took the distraction to slip the ring back on me.

I became a Dhampir again and stared up at the night sky, laying next to Dimitri who was doing the same thing. I laughed.

Dimitri looked at me like I was insane. "What's so funny, Roza?"

I laughed some more. "Third time's a charm huh, Comrade?"

Well, there you go. I know it's short but it's the second time I have updated. Thank you for all your wonderful reviews.