I pulled my phone off the dressing table, scrolling through untill I found Lissas number.
It rang four times before she answered groggily. "Hello?"
"Lissa... Its Dimitri."
"Dimitri?" She responded sleepily, I could imagine her trying to sit up and rubbing her eyes.
"Sorry, youre on vampiric schedule arent you..." I trailed off kind of hesitant, I wasnt sure if she was still angry at me for the way I reacted on the plane and I hadnt even considered the time difference.
"Yeah but its fine, is it important?" I heard her stifle a yawn.
"I recieved a letter in the mail... Its from Rose."
I heard her sharp inhale on the other end. "What did it say? What did she say? Is she alright? Is it bad?" She blurted out.
"Its... Shes definitely strigoi, she basically admits it... And Lissa... It sounds like she likes it..." I forced the words out before I picked up the letter and read it word for word to her, by the time I was finished there was complete silence on the other end. I waited a moment before wondering wether she had actually hung up... "Lissa?"
"...Im still here... I... She doesnt care about me?" I heard her voice hitch and knew that it hurt deeply for her to hear, Rose was like her sister afterall, they had been through so much together. I could hear muffled voices on her end of the phone, she answered quietly. And I knew right away it was Christian trying to comfort her.
"Look Lissa... Ive had time to think about it... " I let out a sigh, I still didnt want to accept it, to believe that it was possible. If I got my hopes up to much and it turned out that bringing her back truely was impossible I honestly didnt know what I ws going to do. I couldnt handle that pain..."These... Stories... Do they explain how to change her back exactly?"
"Both Adrian and I are working on it, we even have help from Sonya and a women Adrian met in Russia whose a spirit weilder-"
"Oksana?" I asked, I knew spirit was a very rare element and so it didnt take a rocket scientist to put it together. Babushka Yeva was friends with a shadow kissed couple in Baia, Mark and Oksana, I had met them as a child.
"Yeah...you know her?"
"Shes an old family friend... So you really think its possible?" I asked, trying and failing to stop the tiny shred of hope that managed to creep into my heart.
"I know it is. Dimitri we WILL bring her back." her voice was suddenly so strong and unwavering I had to smile. As delicate and fragile as Vasillissa looked, she was definitely anything but. She was probably one of the strongest, and sometimes scariest young women I knew. Her passion and drive to do what was right was undeniable.
"So what do I need to do? Shes made it clear that she wants me, she obviously knows where I am." I asked, moving off the bed and over to the window, shifting the lace white drapes so I could see out into the front yard.
The sun was up higher, the sky turning to a pale blue. I suddenly tried to imagine Rose out there somewhere, her skin a pale tinge and her amazing brown eyes ringed in red...
"Just... Try and avoid her? If she wants you then I have no doubt that she will find a way... This is Rose afterall, she was a pretty badass dhampir so she'll be an even worse strigoi and if she catches you... She'll either turn you or kill you... Or you'll end up killing her... I dont want either of those to happen, so just stay out of sight, where she cant find you. We will do our best on this end to figure out a plan and let you know."
"All right, take care Lissa." I said before I snapped my phone shut. I stared out the window for a while, if Rose knew I lived here then it wasnt safe, she could show up as soon as the sun goes down for all I know. So I had to leave, I had to go somewhere she wouldnt...
It all clicked for me then, I knew where I would go. Where I would be relatively safe for the moment.
I started grabbing clothes and toiletries and shoving them into my bag, I wasnt too sure how long I was going for, or if I would even come back here.
Half an hour later I had my bag, my wallet and keys and was out the door. I squealed out of the driveway and towards the airport. Pulling my phone out and dialing Tashas number, I had thought about just leaving a note but I didnt want Tasha in the house alone, not if Rose was going to be in the area. Even as a dhampir Rose had disliked Tasha, as a strigoi she would probably kill her.
"Hi this is Tasha, Im busy at the moment so please leave a message and Ill get back to you." beeeeeeep
"Tasha its Dimitri, listen I need to disappear for a while, I need you to go to court and stay with Lissa and Christian. I know you know Rose is strigoi...shes after me, she left a note at the house this morning so its not safe there. Ill call you again when I arrive where Im going, sorry I cant tell you where... Its not safe for you. Please, please go to court." I rushed out and snapped my phone shut.
I pulled my car into the airport carpark and made my way through the main doors. As I glanced around I spotted the check in desk and started making my way over.
A hand suddenly gripped my shoulder abruptly pulling me to a stop and spinning me around.
"Belikov. Its good to see you again." he smiled a wide toothy grin. His gold earring glinting in the light and his brightly coloured scarf a definite contrast to the grey and black pinstripe suit he wore.
"Zmey." I replied locking eyes with the short, plump moroi man.