Chapter 5

"Roza, Roza, Roza." He cooed walking over to hold me.

I didn't protest but I stay absolutely still. I didn't pretend to breathe as he held me. He stroked my hair and kissed my neck as I lay. I tried to ignore the fact of how close he was and how easy it would be for me to…

There was a soft knock on the door and Dimitri jumped up and slipped into the empty bathroom. Lissa, Christian, and Mason walked in and gasped.

"What-What happened?" Lissa asked, looking around at the dark room.

"Lis, please, just go." I said, not looking at her. Lissa didn't respond but walked over and grabbed my wrist. When she didn't see anything she sighed in relief.

"So, I'm taking it that you don't want to go to the party." Lissa said, trying to change the subject.

"Did we do something?" Mason asked, looking at a picture of him, Lissa, and I. But I tore myself out of the picture. I didn't need to be reminded of… Things.

"No, I just got tired of me." I said, truthfully.

"Oh," He said, still not sure how to treat me. I smiled and said, "I'm not going to the party. I'll see you guys at school tomorrow."

They all really didn't want to leave but they did, like I knew they would. As soon as the door shut Dimitri walked out of the bathroom.

"I think you should go to," I said, not wanting to look at him.

"Roza-"

"Please, just go." I didn't want him to see me, I really didn't. He walked out, just like I asked. I curled up tighter and waited.

I was ready 4 hours before I should even be up for the old early practice with Dimitri. I walked out and into the bright morning sun. It hurt to look at it so I ran as fast as I could inside the school building. My throat, burned again. I had to get my thirst under control.

I walked into Ms. Koski's office to find a note.

Rose,

The feeder is ready are your need, but you need to tell me when your taking blood.

I looked around the room and saw the feeder girl sleeping.

"Pst," I hissed, the girl's eyes opened and she smiled.

"Time to feed?" She asked, as she got up from the cot on the ground, "Yay." She held her neck out to me and I began to suck…

After my fill I let her drift back off to sleep, scribbled the time on the note, and walked to the gym. I looked at one of the dummies and let my leg hit it at full force, it tore in half. For some reason, we Strigoi seem stronger… Faster…

Maybe it was from all the clean blood we were getting regularly, or was it something else.

I kicked another dummy, harder. The stuffing flew everywhere. I growled. Than the back of my neck prickled. Someone was near…

I turned to see someone walking down the hall, towards me. I let myself slid into the darkness and it hid me as the person walked in. The person looked around than flicked on the lights, my cover was blown but I saw who it was.

Lissa.

Why didn't I sense her coming? Fear hit me hard. Are we losing the bond? She looked at me surprised.

"Rose, what are you doing here?" She demanded.

"Practicing." I said, "What are you doing here?"

She lowered her head, "Practicing battling."

I nearly laughed at this, yet I was touched.

"What made you want to learn?" I asked, coming as close as I would allow myself, adrenaline was in my veins and it was never a good thing.

"You were gone and I-" She broke off. I nodded as I got the unspoken message. I wasn't there for her, she lost some faith in me. I walked over to her, "Show me your stance."

"Why don't you eat anymore?" Lissa asked as we walked to breakfast.

"You know, never hungry at the time," Than I felt her emotions of worry and saw her look, "But I'm kind-of hungry now."

She smiled as I went to go stand in the line. I got a doughnut and a water. I took them to the table and smiled at my friends.

"Ah, Rose is eating." Mason said. I smiled and bit into the nasty doughnut. Gagh, I can't believe I liked these things.

It tasted like cardboard with too-sweet sugar on it, as though it was trying to balance each of their nastyness out.

TWO WEEKS LATER

I had reported to Samuel three times. He wanted Lissa soon. It made me sick just to think about it. He was so tempting…

My friends and I sat at the usual table. I glanced at the window and felt it. Lissa's thoughts.

Rose does smell different…

Christian…

Her thoughts disgusted me and made my interested at the same time. Then I saw it, Jackie, a Strigoi.

I got up and said, "Fresh air."

Then walked out; keeping and eye on where Jackie was from the corner of my eye the whole time.

"What are you doing?" I hissed as we stood behind the garbage cans.

"We are putting phase one into action."

"WHAT?" I snapped, then lowered my voice, "Is it…?"

"Yes, it's" –There was a shrill scream and people yelling- "Done."

"I thought you were supposed to wait for my call." I snapped.

"My call," Jackie sneered, "You wouldn't have done it-" I snapped her neck and pulled out the cross and drove it through her heart.

"Idiot." I growled. I let her body drop and I pulled the cross out.

ROSE! Lissa's thoughts rang out loud and clear.

I didn't think I just ran. I was at Lissa's side in moments. I threw the Strigoi off her and growled.

The Strigoi growled back.

"You were supposed to wait." I snapped.

"Too late, Sister." He sneered; my friends were frozen behind me. All except Mason.

I lunged and snapped his neck quickly. I moved to another and another, and then shot the remaining looks.

"Get out." I barked.

"Samuel will not be happy," A voice hissed.

I lunged and snapped the girl's neck as the others retreated.

I stood up and wiped the blood from my hands on my pants, the smell of the room made me gag. I choked back all my feeling and disappeared down the hall.

I got to Ms. Koski's office and saw her head lying feet away from her body. Phase one was done, Phase two was the Queen.

My mother and Dimitri walked in.

"They're demanding to know what you are." My mother said.

I glared, "Mom, call the Queen."

"What?"

"Call her, she'll be dead if you don't." Then I ran out of there, no need to tell her all the details.

I got to the lunchroom and people attacked me with questions.

"What are you!" People screamed at me.

I took a deep soild breath, "Either stop demanding or I'll rip your head off of your body like every stupid Strogi in this room."

Lissa looked at me, absoulte terrror in her eyes.

"W-w-what are you?" She demanded.

"I'm your best friend," I managed weakly.

"No," Lissa shook her head and took another step back, "You're a monster."

Sorry about that Long wait. COMMENT!