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Chapter 14

Caius POV

I was definitely disappointed with myself for not being able to kill more of those wretched creatures. Rose was poetry in motion as she fought and I could see that she would be nearly unstoppable. When my brothers and I first met her, I was sure that she was just a cocky sarcastic human that didn't know what she had gotten herself into. Knowing of her parents did shine a little light on her personality, but tonight after the fight with the werewolves, I saw the side of her that Aro had mentioned. While it was still there, she seemed to be better able to judge when to be serious and businesslike, and when to be her natural sarcastic and witty self.

"Rose seems to have bested you as the werewolf public enemy number one." Aro said smirking and I growled a little. He was right I guess, but I wouldn't let him see that.

"She is useful in a fight." I said nonchalant while Aro scoffed.

"Useful brother? She saved your ass from the one that had you down." He said and I scowled in answer. I knew that he was right but my ego wouldn't let me admit it to them. I would bet that Rose would be a force to be reckoned with and I was sort of glad she was on our side so to speak. She would certainly make for an interesting immortal, but would never leave her family. We talked for a while longer until we started to hear sound coming from her and Dimitri's room. We shook our heads in disbelief. She wasn't shy by any means but you would figure that she wouldn't have those kinds of activities around super hearing beings. Marcus explained though that she hadn't seen him since she started to phase some time ago and had stayed with the Cullens while Dimitri was at court, taking up her position as her guardian. I felt a little bad for her having to be away from him for that long seeing as they were the equivalent of mates in our kind. Rose was definitely one of a kind.

Rose POV

I went to our room feeling slightly better that the worst was likely over for now. I walked into the room to see that Dimitri was pacing the floor frantically awaiting my return.

"Chill comrade. I am perfectly fine." I said and his head snapped up so fast it was almost comical. He practically flew to me and hugged me tightly to him, kissing me fiercely. I broke the embrace soon after to shower and got ready for bed. I wrapped up beside my Russian god and we spent a good hour or so showing one another how much we missed one another. I knew that we would get flack from others in the castle seeing as they had such good hearing, but I really didn't care at the moment. I had been too long without my Dimitri and planned to spend all the time with him that I could. We finally settled down into sleep seeing as I needed to attend the meeting with Liss and Dimitri tomorrow morning. It was just after midnight when we drifted to darkness of sleep.

Several hours later we were getting ready for Liss' meeting with the local Moroi. Lissa informed me that it was more like the European Moroi council and there were to be several hundred in attendance. Dimitri and I dressed in our normal guardian attire and it had been so long since I had worn it that it almost felt foreign to me. I put a very simple dress in Lissa's briefcase that she would be carrying just in case. I had a feeling that there would be trouble at this meeting but I was unsure of what form that trouble would be in. Since it was daylight, Strigoi would be no problem, but I carried my stake and my special gun just in case the need arose.

Dimitri and I walked down the corridors to Lissa's room to get the Moroi who would attend. Lissa, Christian and Adrian as royals were welcomed but Mia was left out yet again. Christian and Eddie stayed behind with her since Christian didn't like these types of things anyway. After the thing with Tasha, he was shunned even farther into the background. So Liss and Adrian were attending with Dimitri and I as guardians.

"Eddie, if you guys need anything while we are gone, ask for one of the guards or call downstairs to Gianna. Have them bring things here and don't wander since we haven't met all of the guard yet." Eddie nodded looking a little scared.

"Heidi." I called. She was there in a flash. "If you are not busy today, could you please assist my friends with anything they might need? I don't want them to wander so as to avoid accidents." I said and she smiled widely. "Have Gianna send some food and drinks up as well will you?"

"Of course Rose. Master Aro has already given the order to not harm them but we all know accidents can happen." She said.

"Yes but if 'accidents' happen to them, then those responsible will be ash." He smile faltered a little.

"Damn Rose just go already. We got this under control. Char and I will watch over them along with Jazz and Alice." Peter said joining the conversation.

"Alright, alright." I said and mumbled incoherently under my breath. Lissa and Adrian were ready and we left the castle, taking one of the cars we rented for the trip from the airport yesterday. This conference was going to be fun, insert sarcasm here. I felt a sense of dread at the thought of this meeting and I knew that somewhere there was trouble on the horizon.

We arrived at the venue in plenty of time and it was fortunate for the Moroi that today was overcast and it seemed that there was a storm on the way. Even though I loved the sun, I had gotten used to the weather of Forks and I felt a small pang of longing to return there and missed the Cullen home. Lissa and Adrian headed in followed closely by Dimitri and I. Adrian always refused guardians so everyone knew that Dimitri and I were here for Lissa. My instincts for guarding were like second nature to me and I fell back into the work quickly. Some of the Moroi that frequented the US court looked at me oddly seeing as I had been absent from her side for so long but I ignored them as the meeting got underway. Lissa and I had a major discussion about the things that could come up at this meeting and I knew that sooner or later, they would find out the existence of other immortals. I just hoped that they took it well. We had also discussed the thoughts of revealing my status and ability to phase but we ruled it out unless absolutely necessary. We couldn't let that information get into the wrong hands so we would just tell them that the culprits of the attacks here had been taken care of as far as we knew, but we would monitor the situation for any rouge attacks from now on.

"Your Majesty, we must eliminate the Strigoi faction that facilitated these attacks. They were large scale and although we have confidence that the alchemists have done a good job at concealing them, we must act." One said. "Just last night there was an attack on a human residence not far from here. Many were killed and although it was concealed very well, the alchemists have no knowledge of it." One said and I stiffened a little. I would have to call Abe and see if Sydney could work her magic to conceal the existence of the cold ones and werewolves.

"I understand your concerns and I sent my guardians out last night to eliminate the threat. I don't know why the alchemists have no knowledge of it but that particular threat has been eliminated." Lissa said in her queenly voice, making sure it wasn't brought up again. The man nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer and took his seat. I sensed a slight compulsion in her voice and smiled internally. Maybe this wouldn't be as difficult as I had imagined. I heard thunder crack loudly outside and I saw most of the Moroi in the room flinch a little. I felt a prickle on the back of my neck and I tensed a little as the Strigoi nausea started. Dimitri of course noticed my change in posture.

"Strigoi." I yelled and the guardians were on the ready in a second. I looked to Lissa.

"Lissa," I whispered. "Stay close to Dimitri and stay low. I might have to phase and I can't have you close if that happens because you could get hurt." I explained and she nodded with fear in her eyes but I knew that she wasn't afraid of me so much as the situation. I turned towards the doors as they swung wide with the force of being thrown open. I saw several Strigoi rush into the room and I was the first to act, seeing as my speed was faster than the other guardians. I staked several before an idea hit me and I froze the entire room save Dimitri, Adrian, Liss and I. The remaining Strigoi were also frozen and I cut off all senses for them and the frozen Moroi. I undressed, phased and took out the Strigoi and ran outside, taking out the 'cold ones' that were just outside, also frozen in place. I set fire to those bodies outside to keep the Moroi from finding out about the 'cold ones' and ran inside. I phased back and dressed before anyone other than Liss, Adrian and Dimitri knew. I unfroze the room and gave everyone back their senses. They were slightly confused but grateful that the Strigoi were gone. By the time that the meeting was over, the rain had washed away all traces of the burning piles of vampire ash I had left outside the building.

I ushered Lissa and Adrian out of the meeting and back to our car. Dimitri was already in the driver seat and we loaded back up and headed to Volturi castle. Once we arrived, I looked to Felix who had been awaiting our return to the castle.

"Felix, I need to speak to the brothers immediately. Please tell me where I can find them." I asked.

"They are in the throne room with some rogue vampires for a trial." He informed and I nodded curtly.

"Dimitri, go ahead and go to our room. Take Liss and Adrian to their rooms also and I will find you when I am finished here." I said and kissed him softly. "I have to let the brothers know what happened at the meeting with the Strigoi and their kind." He nodded reluctantly and walked with Liss and Adrian to their rooms. I walked swiftly to the throne room and swung the doors wide. I heard an angry growl and my eyes about popped out of my head as I turned to the offending vampire. Damn it was a very small world.