Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 15

"Rose, what can we do for you? We are very busy at the moment with this vampire here so please tell me what is so important for your interference?" Aro said and I heard Caius growl a little. I wasn't sure if Caius growling was because of me or the vampire knelt down in the center of the room.

"Damn this world is too fucking small." I muttered and they looked at me in confusion. "You obviously haven't seen his thoughts yet I take it?" I said raising an eyebrow.

"No I haven't. Care to share?" He said sarcastically but there was a command there also.

"This 'monster' here was once a Moroi. Aro this is Victor Daskov's half brother Robert Doru. He and I have a little history and has been 'dying' to kill me since I killed his brother Victor." I said and approached Aro. I removed my shield and allowed him access to the memories of Victor and Robert, as well as the attack that took place today.

"You are certainly full of surprises Rose." Aro said and he chuckled.

"Rosemarie, so nice to see you again. I look forward to witnessing your death." Robert sneered and I smiled cruelly. "I won't let my brother's death go un-avenged."

"Sorry Robert, but the only death you will see today is your own." I said and turned to Aro. "How about some free entertainment, that is if I could take a crack at this asshole." I said and surprisingly Caius chuckled. Aro looked to the other two and they nodded. Demetri had a good hold on him, keeping him knelt submissively.

"Sure Rose. All guard members are to report to the throne room. Peter, Charlotte, Jasper and Alice are also required to attend." He said and soon the doors flew open again and the entire guard and the Cullens and Whitlocks were all entering the room. Aro clapped to get their attention and spoke once again. "Rose has asked for the opportunity to do away with this immortal, seeing as he had committed crimes based from our laws, he is sentenced to death. However Rose has been granted an opportunity to fight him. You are not to interfere with the fight and this is purely Rose's request. Rose you have the floor." Aro said and I nodded.

"Release him Demetri." I said and he did. I threw my shield around Robert and I so that no one could interfere. I smiled widely at Robert. "Say hello to your brother for me when you see him in Hell." I said and he growled and lunged. I dodged quickly and opened my mind to pull all of the darkness from Liss that I could and Red clouded my vision. I sent a very hard punch to his jaw and I heard his skin crack a little from the force. He flew back and hit my shield, sliding down to the floor and recovered. He lunged, grabbing for my throat and managed to claw at my shoulder as I rolled out of the hit. I kicked hard and smiled as I heard the cracks again. I lunged as he rose to his feet, grabbing his arm and flipping him. The marble floor cracked a little under the pressure and he screamed as his arm left his body. I threw it to the side as he stood and lunged towards me.

I don't know how, but I failed to notice that he had grabbed the gun I still had on me from leaving the castle for the meeting. I foolishly forgot they were on me and my eyes widened as the sound of a gun went off. I managed to dodge it enough to have it go into my shoulder instead of my chest. I cried out and I heard growls outside my shield and I finished the fight by turning him to dust and burning him while he was still mostly in one piece. The silver hurt like a bitch, although I was used to pain in my life. I saw the blood seep from my shoulder and I wasn't really surprised. I brought down my shield slowly in case the spilling of blood caused a frenzy. What worried me was that the bullet was lodged and that was a problem. It seemed that the silver was also slowing my healing a little as well.

"Aro, I need medical tools and bandages for the wound. I have to get the bullet out because of the quick healing, which is slowed due to the silver and the magic infused in it. I also need to know that my blood won't cause you guys any discomfort since I won't be at full strength." I said and I hated to admit the last part but I had no choice at the moment.

"It doesn't appeal to us Rose. I guess being part of the prophecy like you said causes that." Aro said and turned to the guards. "Heidi, Renata, go check on our guests and stay with them there. Don't say anything to worry them. Felix, go to the supply room and see what you can find in the way of medical equipment." Aro ordered and was about to continue but Jasper interrupted.

"Master Aro, forgive me for speaking out of turn, but Carlisle sent some supplies in my care. He thought something might occur. Alice, go and get the bag that Carlisle sent and hurry. Char, Pete and I will take care of Rose's injury." Jasper said and I smiled weakly at him.

"Go and get Eddie and send him to your room. Dimitri would flip if he saw this so he won't see it for now. It's not the first time I was shot and certainly not the first charmed silver I've been wounded by. So let's get on with it." I said and Aro smiled a little and nodded.

"Very well, Alec, Jane. Stay here and clean up, the rest of you are dismissed." Aro ordered and they were gone in a flash. Jazz, Peter and Char walked down the halls to Peter and Charlottes room to have Alice and Eddie meet us there. Eddie widened his eyes when he saw the bleeding hole in my shoulder but didn't comment. I knew that he would later but I was thankful that he didn't comment on it right now. The silver had started to burn my flesh and I hissed a little in pain.

"It'll be fine Rose. Alice and I gave been around Carlisle enough to know how to get the bullet out safely." Jasper said and Alice gathered the things that Jasper would need and I cringed a little as he was probing around in my shoulder for the bullet. There was no time for pain medication and it didn't work as well on me anyway due to the higher body temperature. After a great deal of pain and curses later, Jasper located the bullet and removed it. I had him just to cover the wound since it would close up soon on its own. Eddie helped me back to the room where the others were waiting. Apparently they all went to Lissa's room to wait for me and I knew shit would hit the fan.

Dimitri POV

Too much had been happening the last several days and I was grateful once we were back at the castle. It didn't last very long however as Roza had to go and talk to the brothers about the attack that we witnessed. I walked with Lissa and Adrian down to Lissa's room and waited for Roza to return. A short time later, I heard a gunshot and I immediately thought of Roza. She was the only person here that I knew carried a weapon of that sort. I paced frantically until Alice came in and asked for Eddie to come with her. I knew that something was up right then. I continued to pace until I heard pained screams and curses coming from down the hall and I froze mid step. I knew the owner of that scream from anywhere. It took absolutely all I had not to bolt towards the door and run down the halls in search for my Roza. Heidi came in soon after and I tried to get information from her, but she was even more tight lipped than some guardians I had dealt with, only telling me that things would all be explained by Rose when she returned. After what seemed like an eternity, Rose and Eddie entered the room and I looked Roza over. I noticed the fatigued look in her eyes but that was overshadowed by the bandage on her shoulder.

Roza said that she would explain everything very soon and she needed a few minutes. She sat down on the couch in the main lounge of Lissa's suite before turning to Heidi.

"Heidi, could you bring us all some food or have Gianna send some up? Also the Moroi need to feed so we need to work something out in that respect as well." Roza said and Heidi nodded.

"Yes Rose, Master Aro had us make accommodations for their feeding habits. I'll have Gianna send some food up and I'll take care of the other needs. Is bagged blood acceptable?" she said and turned to the Moroi who nodded. She bowed slightly and left the room. Roza sighed and shook her head slightly.

"I guess you guys want to know what's going on right now?" she said and quirked her eyebrows slightly. We nodded and she started to explain. "I walked into the throne room and they were holding a trial for one of their kind. My eyes about fell out of my head when I saw who it was. Victor's brother Robert was on trial and he was no longer Moroi." She said and I heard Lissa and Mia gasp. "When Dimitri and I were on the run from court, we ran into both Victor and Robert. They took Jill after Sonya was restored and we found them soon after. Victor ended up using his magic against me and we fought each other. I became consumed by the darkness and Victor hit the wall harder that I had intended, killing him." She said and I saw shock in Lissa and the others. "Dimitri had to knock Robert out so that he couldn't bring Victor back and he's had it in for me ever since. Seeing him today, I fought him, forgetting stupidly to remove the gun that I carried and he managed to get to it and get a shot off. I was able to dodge it enough that it missed my chest, but ended up embedded in my shoulder. Robert is ash now and Jasper removed the silver bullet from my shoulder." She finished and the room was quiet for a little while until I wrapped my arms around her.

"Roza I know you didn't mean for Victor to die. It was a long time ago and even though Lissa might be upset for you keeping this from her and the others, we did what was necessary with what we were given." I told her and she sighed, melting into my arms.

"Wait Rose, so you killed Victor and never told me about it?" Lissa said. "And why did you have to kill Robert?"

"Liss, you have to understand something. Victor's death at my hands isn't something I am particularly proud of. I was consumed by spirit darkness at the time. I didn't tell you because I was ashamed. Besides that, if word got out, I would be in prison myself anyway and I couldn't take the risk. As far as Robert is concerned, I didn't have to kill him and just wanted to fight him. Regardless of that, he would have died anyway due to the laws he broke." Roza said and I saw Liss nod sadly. I knew she didn't particularly care for Robert's life, but she didn't like the death of anyone. We talked for a little longer before Heidi returned with blood for the Moroi and food for all of us. We were just wrapping up our lunch when there was a knock on the door.

Rose POV

I was almost fully healed from the silver bullet now that it was gone and I told Liss and the others the whole story about Victor and Robert. I had made a foolish mistake by not removing my weapons before that fight and it almost cost me. I was beating myself up a little on that. After we ate lunch there was a quick knock on the door.

"Come in." I called. Aro and his brothers entered the room and smiled towards me.

"Rose, how are you feeling?" Aro asked in something strangely akin to concern. Huh maybe he does have a heart. Cold and dead, but a heart none the less.

"Much better after Jasper got through digging around in my shoulder for that damn bullet. The wound is almost non-existent now." I said with a tired smile, which he and his brothers returned with a smile of their own. Caius smiling was a big shock to me and I apparently wasn't the only one as I heard Lissa's thoughts briefly before she put up her own blocks.

"Wonderful." He said clapping almost happily. I sent a WTF look to the others in the room and Caius smirked openly at my confusion of his mood swings. "We wanted to discuss with you what to do with the information you gave us. It seems that some of our kind are working with the Strigoi and that needs to be addressed. I understand that most guardians are not quite as skilled as you or as powerful so we need to intercept this problem before the Moroi and Damphirs are killed by their lack of knowledge." He said and he did make a good point. If guardians fought their kind, they would lose.

"I do see your point Aro. What do you suggest? I can't be everywhere at once and the only way for them to be aware is to reveal what I am and that would reveal you all of course." I said and he smiled a little.

"If you must tell them, then you must. We have discussed the probability of the fallout and I don't think it would be a problem, but since you are in the most danger with this, it is certainly your choice." Marcus said.

"My main concern would be that there would be a possibility that Liss would be in danger from that revelation. Those that know of me, know that if they want me to go after her." I said and realization crossed their faces for a split second.

"Rose, it wouldn't cause that much more danger to me. Besides, that would make the guardians more aware, possibly saving their lives and their Moroi." Lissa said. Damn I hated when she was right.

"Okay, so when would we tell them?" I asked in slight defeat and Lissa smiled.

"Rose the summit in Russia is for high ranking Moroi and head guardians of each court. They would be able to relay the information at their discretion, but it would help spread the word faster than if we waited for a return to court." She said and I smiled at her.

"Pete, Char, Jazz, Ali. You guys get in here." I said, knowing that they would hear me without having to raise my voice. Peter was smiling widely, hand in hand with Char. Jazz smirked as he entered the room behind them with Alice. "What do you guys think?" I asked.

"Even if they can't defend against our kind, the benefits of knowledge would be great for them." Peter said and Jazz nodded along with his words. I sighed.

"Okay then. Liss, who will be attending the summit in Russia?" I asked.

"Well it is for high ranking Moroi, but I can get all of us inside the meeting." Lissa said and I nodded.

"What about you guys?" I asked Peter and the others.

"We will go to Russia but stay low in case you need us." Peter said and Jasper nodded.

"Alright, I did want to visit with Dimitri's family while we were there. How long will the summit last?" I asked Lissa who was practically bouncing in her seat at the moment. Sometimes I don't know who is worse, Lissa or Alice.

"Three days but I would like to get there earlier so that we could visit and do some shopping." Lissa said and I groaned a little at the shopping part. Alice hearing her favorite word in the English language was bouncing up and down beside Jazz and I rolled my eyes.

"Looks like these two have a new shopping buddy." I muttered and they all laughed. "Okay what do you say Dimitri?" I said looking at him and he smiled a pained smile.

"I haven't seen any of them since before I was Strigoi Roza. I don't know that they will accept me again." He said and I looked at him like he was insane.

"Dimitri Belikov, don't you dare give me that shit. Every conversation I have had with them since then has either started or ended with asking when you were coming to see them. They love you now just as they did before. They are your family and they miss you very much. We already know that Yeva, although she is a crazy old bat, already knows that you are restored and she trusts you. The other members of you family are just the same. They love you and respect you as their grandson, son and brother. Besides that Paul wants to see his uncle." I ranted and I almost missed the tears in his eyes. I stopped and hugged him tightly to me. "I'm sorry Dimitri. I didn't mean to upset you but you have to let go of this self doubt and guilt for something that was completely out of your control." I said and he nodded.

"It's okay Roza. I needed to hear it whether I realized it or not." He said and I hugged him tightly to me.

"Well now that that is settled, when do we leave for Russia?" Christian said and I groaned causing the others to laugh.

"Way to kill the mood there Crissy." I said and he grumbled under his breath. I was about to say more when there was a knock at the door. Felix entered with a smile and bowed to the brothers.

"Masters, sorry to interrupt but you all have a guest waiting in the throne room and their presence is requested as well." He said indicating the others in the room.

"Thank you Felix. We will be there shortly." Aro said and turned to us. "Come." He requested with a wave of his hand and I rolled my eyes a little, causing Caius and Marcus to chuckle silently. We were walking at a human pace to the throne room and I smiled.

"Aro have you ever considered taking Valium or something for those mood swings you have?" I said seriously causing the others in the group to burst into bouts of laughter as Aro glared at me a little with a small smile.

"We cannot ingest anything but blood so there is unfortunately no hope for him…or us." Marcus said with a chuckle.

We walked into the throne room and there was someone I didn't expect to see in a castle full of immortal vampires, but I really shouldn't have been surprised.

Please R&R. Thanks.