I stood there watching the window. I knew our intel was sound and we finally had a solid location. We'd known about it for a few weeks, but red tape and planning had held us back until this moment. Now, standing in the cool air of the Portland autumn, I waited. We were biding our time until the right moment to extract them.

Despite the stillness of it all, I felt my blood pumping, my heart beating faster than it had in months. My new life, the one I had been living for the past year, was dull. It wasn't exactly what I had trained for, but orders were orders. Being back in the field made me feel alive again.

I stood in the shadows, near one of the taller trees lining the road. I had a perfect vantage point on their window and was relaying information as we planned our next move. There were others in the apartment, and the paperwork necessary for getting the Alchemists involved was a nightmare. It would be easier to draw them out than to storm in. At this time of night, however, accomplishing that was unlikely.

A frantic scream and some rustling in the target's room focused my attention. It was faint but still audible to me and a few members of my team. Even in the early morning darkness, I saw a shadow cross the window. Instinctively, I reached for the cold handle of the weapon at my belt. As the lead on this mission, it was my call to rush in. An attack by a greater enemy was not something to ignore, but something still stopped me from taking action. Despite the girl's scream, I didn't feel like there was a critical threat. The screaming had stopped, and I could pick up the sounds of conversation - hardly a sign of immediate distress. I noted the position of a few colleagues and gestured for them to stand down. They complied instantly, trusting my judgment.

A moment later, a lamp illuminated the room. A young lady with dark hair stood next to the window in full view. From the files, I knew this had to be Rose Hathaway. She was not our target, but her presence was a good indicator that Vasilisa Dragomir was nearby. Rose was speaking to someone out of view, presumably Vasilisa. Suddenly, with a flick of her dark hair, a second figure appeared in the window. This time a pale, tall blonde. Since she was facing Rose (who had her back to us) she was easy to identify. We had finally located the princess.

I casually shifted my head to speak into the radio system. "Target confirmed. Wait for..."

Vasilisa bent over her companion, mouth pressed against Rose's neck. To unsuspecting eyes, it seemed like a kiss. The truth was more disturbing but no less intimate. Rose tilted her head back blissfully, no doubt in response to the flood of endorphins filling her system.

My companions and I turned away from the sight. Some were silent, others murmured in disgust. My initial reaction to the taboo morphed into something close to admiration. While it went against every custom in our society, Rose was ensuring Vasilisa's life. She was protecting her friend, even at the cost of her own strength, her own reputation. Not many of us watching her would do the same.

It took only a moment before the blonde figure pulled back. Faintly, I could see blood staining her lips. Vasilisa turned and left the room as Rose leaned against the bed for support. When her strength seemed to return, Rose stood and looked out the window wearing a somewhat spaced-out grin. That just so happened to be the same moment one of the broken street lamps overhead flickered to life. The sudden change was enough to grab her attention and spot my now exposed position.

She locked eyes on me and I pulled back slowly, trying to avoid direct eye contact. I hoped that she might take me for nothing more than a late partying college student who just happened to be walking by. No threat at all. At only 24, it was a plausible theory for my presence near the college campus.

I wasn't so lucky.

Instantly sober, she stepped back from the window, hastily grabbing a few items before leaving the room. This was it — they were going to run. If we lost them now, who knew when we'd find them again.

I spoke into the radio one more, "Let's go, team. Time to make our move. I want to know as soon as they exit the house."

Less than a minute later, I heard the crackle of another voice coming through, "Sir, they exited through the front, heading east towards Brown."

I called out to my team, ordering movements and planning positions to surround the girls and block off their exits. I was positioned ahead of them to halt their escape, while others were waiting to close them off from behind. Without a place for the girls to run, they would hopefully surrender and come quietly - no force should be needed.

I spotted them almost instantly. Vasilisa was barefoot and seemed to be the only thing supporting Rose as they fled. I would have expected the opposite. It wasn't every day you saw a Moroi carrying a dhampir — the protected carrying the protector. The sight would have been almost comical if the situation hadn't been so serious.

Rose eyed my direction several times; she was making a beeline for the green Honda I was positioned behind.

When they were about ten feet from me, I stood and stepped out into the open. The girls both stopped, momentarily stunned. On a silent cue, the other men stepped into view as well, blocking off all points of escape. Rose briefly glanced at them, then returned her focus to me. I don't know if she pegged me for the group's leader, the largest threat (my height and stature would indicate such), or simply the only thing standing between her and her escape vehicle, but one thing was for certain as she eyed me with a fierce determination - she wasn't going down without a fight.

She was weak, outnumbered, and under-trained for what she seemed ready to take on. However, she protectively pushed Vasilisa behind her. "Leave her alone," her voice was almost a feral growl, "don't touch her."

I calmly took a step toward them, keeping my face blank and hands visible to show her that I meant no harm. "I'm not going to-"

She sprang towards me. It was an elementary move but one I still hadn't anticipated from the weakened girl. I had underestimated her. My surprise wasn't enough to keep me from countering such a clumsy maneuver, however. She was weaker than I anticipated, and my simple block sent her staggering back. She lost her footing, falling quickly. Just as quick as my initial movement, I caught her forearm.

She met my eyes with a glare before I noticed the marks at her neck. Once again, I was stunned at the lengths she was willing to go to protect her friend. Not only what I had witnessed through that window but also how she had bravely charged into what she must have known would be a losing battle. She was already willing to put her life on the line if it meant Vasilisa had a few more moments to escape — to live. I met her eyes once more and saw the fire behind them. I admired that. She had the potential to become a great Guardian. I only hoped that there was still a chance for her.

When she noticed what I had been staring at, she touched the wound and winced as blood stained her fingertips. She brushed her hair forward to cover the marks before jerking away from my grip.

I let her go.

She would have been easy to restrain, but the fight she seemed ready to resume left me speechless. She braced for the next move when a pale hand reached out to grasp hers.

"Rose," the feminine voice was barely a whisper. "Don't."

As if encouraged by some unseen force, Rose relaxed her stance. It wasn't exactly a sign of defeat, inasmuch as a resignation. I watched her for a minute or two longer just to be sure that she wouldn't strike again before I focused on the one behind her. I remembered protocol and custom: bowing as a sign of respect.

"My name is Dimitri Belikov," their eyes widened, possibly in response to my Russian accent since they had no reason to recognize my name. "I've come to take you back to St. Vladimir's Academy, Princess."