A/N: Hello lovely readers! ; ) I'm excited about this chapter. Similar events that happen in the books happen in my story too, just not in the way you'd think they would. The letter from Tatiana in this chapter I copied straight from "Spirit Bound" so credit goes out to the amazing Richelle Mead. Everything else is of my own twisted doing. Enjoy!

Saturday night

RPOV

My movements were quick and steady, but he successfully dodged each one. I was starting to get frustrated, we'd been at this for fifteen minutes and none of us had been able to land a single blow on the other.

We knew each other's moves too well. Our attraction wasn't helping much either, we were physically linked-automatically tuned to one another's movements. And now in this fraction of time, I didn't want to practice with him in this way, I wanted something else.

I faked left and sent a blow to his ribs, I had finally caught him off guard. I took the chance and tackled him to the gym's floor. And just before he went in for a defensive move, I seductively ran my hands up his torso. His struggles ceased as he shuddered from the sensation.

I stopped at his chest and made a staking gesture over his heart. "You're dead." I purred and before he could say anything in response, I crashed my lips to his. I was expecting him to pull away, but he didn't. Instead, he wrapped his arms around me and passionately kissed me back.

My head was swirling but in a good way. He was so skilled with his mouth on mine. Outside of our practice sessions, he always wore a stern mask and constantly took everything seriously. No one hardly ever saw him loosen up.

He was well respected by other guardians, struck fear into the strigoi he fought and his fighting style was an elegant mix of authority and lethal talent. But around me, none of that mattered. He would let all his guards down.

And now, with his lips caressing mine, I could feel his intimidating exterior dissolve away as he relaxed. His lips were gentle and soft, yet they held so much heat and power and I couldn't get enough.

I reluctantly pulled back gasping for breath, and he just continued his sensual kisses down my neck to my collarbone and back up to my ear. In a husky voice he whispered "I love you", and gave a quick peck just behind my ear before pulling back to gaze at me.

His eyes radiated with warmth, happiness and love. I was overjoyed to see him so carefree in this moment. I slid my fingers into his silky brown hair, staring back at him with a goofy smile plastered on my face as I replied, "Love you too Comrade". He gave me one of his breath taking smiles in response and attacked my lips once more. One of his hands that had been resting on my hips, slowly slid it's way up my spine. I sighed in pleasure as he sent tingling electrical currents into everyone of my nerves endings with his touch.

Heat...Passion...Lust...Love...

Whatever you wanted to called it, was the only thing that my heart was beating for in this moment.

My eyes popped open and I gasped. My hands felt numb so I glanced down in my seat to find that I had been clutching the armrests in a vice grip. I abruptly let go and a tingling rush swirled around my palms as the blood flow returned. I glanced around my aisle in the plane to see if I startled anyone. Thankfully I hadn't, everyone was fast asleep seeing as it was late at night.

I forced myself to calm my breathing as I tried to collect my thoughts. It had all just been a dream. Dimitri and I used to have similar moments like that back at the academy when we were in love.

As much as it killed me to admit this, I still loved him. And right now after a dream like that, I couldn't help but miss him. I couldn't stop the whimper that escaped my mouth from the thought. I longed to feel his warm skin against mine and just breathe him in...

I immediately scrubbed the thought out of my mind. I refuse to waste another thought or second on him. I was moving on, he was my past now, it's time for me to forget...

The plane landed an hour later, and I'm now currently scanning the enormous parking lot. I'm still reluctant to waste my money on a rental car, so I'm searching for a vehicle to "borrow". My eyes finally settled on a shiny deep ocean blue coupe. I started walking up to it and the closer I got the more my pulse started to accelerate.

My eyes glazed over in lust as I ran my fingers over the hood. It was a Maserati GranTurismo. I felt my mouth water from just thinking the name. I read about these cars once in a magazine Mason practically slept with. He would go on and on for hours about how epic these italian cars were.

My stomach gave a sharp twinge from the memory of my good friend. If Mase were here, I knew he would of basically gotten down on all fours and start to worship this metal beast. So in honor of my late friend, I was going to take it out for a nice workout that it's so desperately begging me to do...

To say I'm in love with this car is an understatement. This by far has been the most invigorating experience I've had on this trip. It felt right to drive this breathtaking car in celebration of the end of my vacation. After driving around for a bit, I settled on staying overnight at a hotel a few miles outside of court. I had drifted in and out of sleep during my flight, but my body was sluggish from the lack of rest. So I decided to have one last goodnight's sleep before returning back to hell- er, I mean the royal court.

I took a long hot shower and ordered room service. When my food came I was given a skeptical look my the man delivering it. I ended up ordering four different dinners and demanded to have a plate of one dozen chocolate glazed donuts. But hey, it was my last night of freedom and I wanted to take advantage of every indulgence.

I think he thought one lone person especially a girl couldn't devour this pile of yumminess in one sitting, but he was so wrong.

I was still recovering from my injured jaw, but I was capable of eating solid food now. So after an hour of feasting on every square inch of the plates before me, they became licked clean. I hadn't eaten much in the past few days so I was hungry. And just now I made up on all those lost meals.

I wobbled over to the bed and flopped myself down, I let out a peaceful sigh as I rubbed my belly in contentment. My eyelids started to droop down, but there was one last thing I had to do to complete this perfect moment. Check on Lissa.

I promised myself I wouldn't play nice with her after she hurt me so badly, but I just couldn't bring myself to ignore her anymore. So the compromise was to open myself back up to the bond to make sure she was fine. But I still haven't forgiven her. I was just going to keep tabs on her until I eventually do.

I let my eyelids close as I removed my barriers. And the moment they were completely lifted I was sucked into her head. I immediately regretted doing this because what I saw or rather what she was experiencing was horrifying-something that would most likely cause me to have permanent brain damage.

Somehow during my little 'leave of absence', Lissa had gotten back together with Christian. And right now it seemed they were reconnecting in every way possible. I knew I had to get myself out of her head because the last thing I wanted to see on my last night of vacation was Pyro's repulsive naked body.

With as must strength as I could muster, I pried myself out of Lissa's head. I didn't put my barriers back up but I managed to block her out. My head started throbbing from the mental encounter. Maybe ignoring Lissa was going to be harder than I thought...

Assassin lurking within the Royal Estate

Do you know that there's practically no place the royal queen can be left alone unless heavily secured by guardians? Everywhere, there's security. Her office, private jet, house, cars, garden, even her bed chamber. Well, unless she has company. But even then, she has guards stationed outside her bedroom door! But that seems pretty obvious though right? She is after all the Queen of our people.

But there is one place our dear queen can go where she is left completely alone in private. And that's where I am at the moment. At first, I thought it was going to be impossible to gain access to this place, but over the past two hours, I've learned I can be very persuasive in getting the things I want.

I stood very still behind the shower curtains. My hand was gripping the stake so tightly my knuckles had turned stark white and a thick throbbing pulse had formed in the center of my palm. My breathing was very slow and calculating. I needed to be very quiet.

I could feel my heart pumping roughly against my chest. I tried my best to slow down my heartbeats, but it was a lost cause. It was the only thing than reminded me of my guilty conscience of what I was doing. It was the only thread that tied me to my old self. The woman who wasn't a murderer.

But I had no choice. This task that lies before me was a sacrifice I was willing to make if it meant protecting the ones I love.

I stiffened as I heard the doorknob to the room jostle and then a soft creek as the door swung open. My heart skipped a beat and froze as the door gently closed and I heard the click of the lock being turned.

I heard her cough slightly as she moved farther into the room where I was hidden. An icy, sharp coil thrashed in the pit of my stomach. It was a tiny moment where I relished in the featherlight option of hesitation. This was where I could choose my fate as well as the other woman's in this room.

But that little coil immediately dissolved away as the dark fog emerged from it's hidden cove deep in my mind where it tugged and urged me on. I could almost taste her breath from how close she was getting. I braced myself as I sensed her arm lift upward towards the light switch.

The next five seconds will always be permanently burned into my memories. The moment her finger flicked the switch, my free arm swatted the shower curtain away. I heard Tatiana's sharp intake of breath right before I plunged the stake deep within her chest, striking the heart. My movement was clean, quick, and packed with force.

I watched her eyes widen as her recognized my face. I grinned widely, baring my fangs as I secured my hands firmly over her throat. Silver stakes didn't kill Moroi right away, but suffocation certainly would. She grasped my arms, desperately trying to free herself, but the damage was done. Her body sagged down to the marble floor as I continued to choke her. And as her grip on me loosened and her eyelids began to flutter down, I couldn't help but flinch from the feeling of regret that fired through every one of my nerve endings.

I was now a monster...

Sunday Morning

RPOV

I checked out of the hotel early and went to a little coffee shop for breakfast. Seeing as I was still on a human schedule, it was sunny and bright outside. Relishing in being in the sun for a little while longer, I decided to eat outside in the patio area of the restaurant.

I closed my eyes briefly, soaking up the warmth. Despite the growing pulse from my barriers set up against the ghosts, I felt completely relaxed. After opening myself back up to the bond with Lissa, I was expecting to feel nervous, jittery, or even on edge. But aside from almost watching a porno starring Fire-crotch, I felt the complete opposite. It felt good to be able to feel her again. To know she was okay and safe.

But that didn't fix the problems I had with her. I stilled loved her, but that didn't suddenly make things right. I was sick and tired of her always taking me for granted. Constantly and completely negligent to my feelings and wants. I hope after I return and shut her out of my life for awhile, she'll learn to understand and appreciate me better. I brushed the thought aside though, for now I wanted to enjoy my last remaining moments of bliss.

I had just taken a sip of my coffee before I was abruptly sucked into Lissa's head again. Damn it! Can I never get a peaceful moment? I thought bitterly before I was engulfed by her emotions. They were all over the place: shock, anger, worry and determination were the most dominate ones. I searched her memory to see the cause of this outburst but I stopped when I saw the flyer she was staring at.

It was taped to the door of one of the court's many conference rooms. In bold letters it read:

WANTED CRIMINAL: ROSEMARIE HATHAWAY

Suspect Warranted for High Treason. Accused murderer of the late Queen Tatiana Ivashkov. Reward granted to the capture of Hathaway.

And to top it off they had a very unflattering picture of me blown up so that it fit most of the page and I had a menacing glint to my features. Obviously this photo had been taken when someone had pissed me off.

I was convinced this was just some kind of sick joke. Because honestly, at times I did hate the old Queen bitch. But kill her? I would never go to that extreme. So it came to me as a shock when Lissa's feelings weren't that of being annoyed by someone's humor. These were her genuine pure emotions. And that's when I started to panic.

But no sooner had I came to that realization, I was kicked out of Lissa's head. I tried to slip back in, but I couldn't get through. Why was Lissa blocking me out? Oh crap. This is real. I thought. Because why else would she suddenly block me out?

The idiots at court really think I'm an assassin? Strigoi killer sure, but royal murderer? That's ridiculous! My breathing started to become ragged, I was overreacting. It was right at that moment I noticed a form standing in front of me.

It was a young boy about eight years old,human, with hazel eyes and brown hair. He gave me a confused look but asked, "Are you Rose Hathaway?"

Could the news of me being a murderer run so fast and deep that even the human world would be notified? I knew I was crazy to believe any of this nonsense, but either way I put on a poker face.

I wore a nonchalant expression and flicked my hair as I replied, "What's it to you?"

The boy furrowed his brows and muttered, "He said you'd say that. Here." He extended his arm out that was holding a letter. I hesitantly look the letter, and no sooner had I touched the note, the boy turned on his heel and ran off through the ally that was adjacent to the restaurant.

I glared at his retreating figure and examined the note. My name was sprawled across the front in an elegant cursive. I looked up from my table and scanned the area looking to see if anyone was watching me, but nothing came up suspicious. I opened the letter and read it quickly:

Rose,

If you're reading this, then something terrible has happened. You probably hate me, and I don't blame you. I can only ask that you trust that what I did with the age decree was better for your people than what others had planned. There are some Moroi who want to force all dhampirs into service, whether they want it or not, by using compulsion. The age decree has slowed that faction down.

However, I write to you with a secret you must put right, and it is a secret you must share with as few as possible. Vasilisa needs her spot on the Council, and it can be done. She is not the last Dragomir. Another lives, the illegitimate child of Eric Dragomir. I know nothing else, but if you can find this son or daughter, you will give Vasilisa the power she deserves. No matter your faults and dangerous temperament, you are the only one I feel can take on this task. Waste no time in fulfilling it.

-Tatiana Ivashkov

After my initiation scan of the document I read it again more slowly and tried to make sense of it. I was in utter disbelief. First, people think I killed the queen, and now I'm getting a mysterious letter from the supposed "dead" queen, saying she knew something was going to happen to her and Lissa has some random illegitimate sibling roaming this earth? Well that's just wonderful!

I'm starting to think I'm still in my hotel room asleep and this is just all a weird dream. Before I could continue my musing my waiter came out with my order, but as he got closer I noticed something was off about him. But what? He placed my food down on the table and as he leaned forward I noticed a gun wedged in between his order notepad in his apron pocket. That's odd, I thought. Since when do human waiters carry firearms about at work?

One hand was lowering my plate to the table and the other was reaching into the apron pocket where his hand clutched onto the handle. The next few movements happened within the span of seconds. I pushed my chair away from the table as he cocked the revolver and swiftly pulled the gun out of it's hiding place and pointed it towards my heart. But my dhampir reflexes reacted quicker.

I jumped out of the chair while my right arm knocked into the hand with the gun successfully deflecting it's intended target. But just as I had swatted the gun away the trigger was pulled. The bullet went flying across the street where it collided with a parking meter and shattered the glass while it made a loud clanking sound as it squished into the steel backing.

In that moment of distraction, I punched the waiter across the jaw and kicked him in the gut. He stumbled backwards where his back smashed through the coffee shops' glass window and he fell through. I took that as my cue and ran as fast as my legs could take me to the Maserati where I hopped in and sped away from the scene.

The car snarled as I weaved my way through residential housing where I knew would be the best short cut to the interstate to be left undetected and unseen. The last thing I needed was to grab the attention of human authorities. I could handle them, but I need to get as far away from this place as possible.

I let out the breath I was holding as the car turned onto the merging ramp to the interstate. After ten minutes of driving I was satisfied I had put up enough distance between me and the shop where I could collect my thoughts and try to make sense of what just happened. A human tried shooting me. Why?

I jumped as my phone vibrated in my pocket. I clumsily grabbed it and with a shaky breath answered, "H-hello?"

"Rose!", yelped Sydney's voice. "Where are you? Whatever you do, DON'T go back to court. Something's happened and you're in danger!"

Well this conversation was going to be interesting...

A/N: Go on and push that review button already, you know you want to...

; )

ps- link to the car mentioned in this chapter is on my profile!

~Fabulous