"This is getting out of hand," Queen Naomi's exasperated voice echoed through the silent meeting room. "Guardian Castile, how much have the numbers grown since last reported?" They were in a meeting with the Queen, and every guardian involved in the Strigoi faction's threat was there. Rose had left Adrian's pretty late the night before, and not even two espresso shots in her extra large coffee could keep her from the occasional yawn. Janine was there too, as well as a few other high-ranking guardian's that were staying in Court at the moment. They were standing against the walls in silence. Rose worked hard to not make eye contact with her mother, instead focusing on Alex as he checked through some papers on the desk.
"Previous numbers totaled 13. Now, our numbers have reached to approximately 25 or 26 - and at least 5 of them are newly turned Strigoi since the last report." Alex stated in a monotone voice. A few guardian's mumbled under their breath, and Eddie whispered, "Jesus Christ. By the time we deal with this, we'll be overpowered three to one." Rose nodded, keeping her eyes forwards. She hated playing the waiting game.
"And the letters?" Naomi asked in a clipped voice. At least she sounded stressed about it too. Alex handed her a few grungy-looking pieces of paper, and Naomi scanned them all, before sighing, "Everyone dismissed. Guardian's training with Guardian Gorbachov, please remain." Rose watched many people shuffle out, until the training group was left. Naomi handed out the pieces of paper, and said, "These are more direct threats to your Moroi. I think its good you have them with you - think of them while your training. Remember our goal." Rose took her piece of paper without reading it - it would just made her angry, and a punching bag was a better outlet then the Royal Moroi Queen or other guardians. They were dismissed, and Rose left without waiting for Eddie, walking briskly down the hall. Adrian was meeting his sister for lunch, so Rose went to Lissa's, knowing it would be easier to read with someone else there. Besides, she wasn't sure if she wanted to show Adrian just yet, until she knew the contents.
"Rose!" Lissa exclaimed, hugging her quickly, "Good timing. I can't figure out if I want orchids or..." She trailed off, seeing Rose's serious look, and said, "What's wrong?" Rose hesitated, then shook her head, putting a smile back on her face, "Nothing, Liss. Let's see the plans!" She stepped inside, closing the door behind her. As much as she needed to read the letter, she knew that as far as best friend duties had gone lately, she hadn't fulfilled her end very well. Time to fix that.
Rose spent the next few hours with Lissa, holed up in her dining room, looking over example book after example book. The wedding was in two weeks, and Lissa had ever detail almost honed down. She just needed someone else's opinion. Rose did her best to help, and was fairly confident it would be the most beautiful wedding in Court history. As she flipped through a book displaying pictures of napkin embroidery, Lissa emerged from her bedroom, carrying a thin, long box.
"Your dress," Lissa said simply, explaining. She pulled it out, holding it up for Rose's inspection. Since Lissa was wearing pure white, she wanted her bridesmaids to be gold - Rose's dress was a halter neck, long and fitted, with gold that sparkled under the light. Rose smiled, touching it softly, "It's beautiful, Liss. Good choice." Lissa beamed at her, and gave her a hug, "I'm so excited Rose. I wish we could have done it out of Court, but..." She trailed off, and Rose shrugged, "At least you'll be in a resort in Fiji for your honeymoon." Lissa nodded, and she sat on the couch, "Eddie said he saw you New Years Eve. What were you doing running around with a ripped dress and no shoes?" Finally, Rose gave her a big grin, and said, "I had to find Adrian before midnight." Light dawned in Lissa's eyes, and she gasped, "And?"
"And I did," Rose stated simply, "He was at Ana's. I kissed him." Lissa nodded, waiting for more details, and Rose continued, "We're together. I think. We never said anything, but I think its implied." Lissa laughed, hugging Rose tightly, "I'm so glad. God, Rose, this has been coming for-"
"Forever, yeah yeah," Rose laughed, batting Lissa away, "Well its happened now. I'm going to work really hard not to let this get screwed up."
"Why would it get screwed up?" Lissa frowned, pulling her legs up under her to get comfortable. Rose sighed, "He's a Moroi. He's MY Moroi, Liss. How are his parents going to like him dating a Dhampir? His guardian?"
"I think he'd like to go a bit further then just 'date'," Lissa said delicately, "And its his decision." Rose shrugged, nodding, "I'm just worried that he'll realize what he's doing one day, and I'll have to go back to being just his guardian, and pretending I don't feel anything anymore."
"That won't happen," Lissa said fiercly, "You need to trust him, Rose. He's crazy about you." Rose went to reply, but there was a knock at the door, and Adrian walked in. As soon as he saw Rose, his face lit up and he grinned widely, "I was hoping you'd be here. Excuse me, cousin, may I steal my guardian from you?"
"Be my guest," Lissa smiled, amused. She shot Rose a look, indicating they would speak of this again soon, and Rose followed Adrian out of Lissa's.
"How was the meeting?" He asked automatically. She sighed, knowing that would come up, and said, "Lets wait til we're back, and I'll tell you about it." They walked quietly to Rose's rooms, and she let him in, pulling the folded note from her pocket. Sitting with him, close together on the couch, she said, "Lara's group sent letters to all of the threatened Moroi. This one was addressed to you." He put his arm around her, holding her tightly as they looked at it together. It was written in a nice script - obviously Lara was schooled before she was turned.
Lord Ivashkov
I watch you. You think you're safe, but your Dhampir is no match for me. I will taste you, until I've nearly had my fill. And then, you will taste me. I want you, my dark prince. Beside me where you belong. And I will have you. We'll feast on your Dhampir's dirty blood when you awaken.
Lara
"Well, she sure got her point across," Adrian finally said, in a mild voice. Rose's hands were balled into tight fists, nearly ripping the sides of the paper. Adrian gently pried them opened, moving her to sit in front of him more, "It's okay, Rose. I'm not worried."
"You should be!" Rose burst out, eyes burning with frustration, "That bitch is out there, and all we do is train with stupid blindfolds. You know what Gorbachov wants us to do next? Train with earplugs! How the hell is that going to help me protect you?" Adrian kissed both her hands, and said, "Save the anger for her, Rose. Your with me right now. We're both safe, here in your living room. Please." She sighed, trying to shake the anger building up in her chest at Lara. She was going to kill her. Slowly, Adrian kissed down her left arm, placing a soft kiss to her wrist, elbow, and shoulder. He brushed his lips against her neck, and her jaw, then across to her lips.
"Why aren't you scared?" Rose asked softly, after a moment or two. Adrian grinned, "Why would I be scared? I have you as my guardian." She shook her head, "I'm not invincible. The mall proved that."
"You are to me," Adrian continued his soft kisses down her other arm as he spoke, and Rose sighed, leaning into his touch. God, she needed him. The revelation scared her and excited her all at once. She wasn't used to needing people - after Dimitri, she had closed her heart for good, or so she thought. Adrian took her lips again, kissing her with a sudden hunger that wasn't there before. Rose kissed back, her fingers sliding through his tousled hair eagerly. He broke away, staring into her eyes with his brilliant green ones, "You won't let anything happen, Rose. I believe that." She knew he did, and she leaned her head closer, biting his bottom lip gently. She felt him groan, and he crushed his lips back onto hers. She vaguely wondered if she might have accepted their relationship turning into this sooner, if she knew he could kiss like that. Sure, she'd heard many stories - but it was entirely different to experience it first hand.
His lips nuzzled her neck once more, and he sighed, "God, Rose. I've waited so long for you." She smiled hazily down at him, head swimming, and replied, "And now you have me." She could see his eyes change when he heard what she said, going from bright and cheerful to dark, wanting. With effort, he pulled back slightly, and gave her a smile revealing his fangs, "And I will take you, if we don't slow down. I don't want to rush with you. We have all the time in the world." She smiled, giving him one last kiss on the lips, "I'm glad you said that, Adrian." He pulled her back, resting her head against his chest, stroking her hair slowly, not saying another word. Slowly, Rose drifted to sleep in the comfort of Adrian's arms.
When Rose woke, she sat up straight, looking around in confusion. The last thing she remember was snuggling with Adrian on the couch, and now she was in a cold, stone room that looked as if it came from a medieval castle. She heard a soft laugh, and jumped out of bed quickly, turning defensively towards the sound.
"Welcome to my home, Rosemarie," Lara's melodic voice said softly. Lara was lazily reclined on a day bed, her fiery red hair strewn carelessly around her. She wore nothing but a flimsy black robe, and the same, toxic bright red nail polish. Rose's heart thudded in her chest - what was going on?
"Your precious Moroi isn't the only one who can dream walk," Lara smiled wickedly, getting up languidly. She walked over to Rose, standing a good two or three inches higher, and said in a low voice, "When he's mine, we'll dream walk together. Terrorizing pretty little guardian's like you is much more fun in their subconscious. Leaves more of a mark, don't you think?" Rose backed away, eyes darting around for something wooden and pointy. She wasn't going to take Lara's word on anything - even if this was a dream, she wanted to be armed.
"You can't kill me," Lara laughed, "I'm not really here, stupid girl. Although, you did get my pretty good last time.." She turned, dropping her robe so she stood naked, an ugly wound in her back showing Rose where her stake had embedded at the mall. Lara turned, smirking, not bothering to pick up her robe, "You know, you could join us. Of course, Ivashkov would be mine - but you could command my army."
"What army?" Rose growled, determined not to lose her cool at the mention of Adrian. She kept her eyes trained on Lara's slight movements, waiting for an attack. Lara lifted a silver dagger from the table, carefully not touching the blade so not to burn herself. She gazed at it almost longingly, and said, "It always ends the same, you see. You'll die for him, as guardian's have in the past. And he dies with you. But not this time - I won't lose my prince this time."
"What?" Rose hissed, confused. Lara's eyes flashed as she looked at her again, "You don't know. You never do. When was it last? Oh, yes. 1853. She called herself Victoria - a simple name, for such a complex Dhampir. And my, wasn't Antonius just divine?"
"I don't know what your talking about," Rose stated again, eyes still trained on the dagger. Lara laughed softly, shaking her head, "You won't, until its too late. Until I kill you. Every era, a new female guardian is charged with the Ivashkov heir. Ivashkov's are mine. Check your history records, Dhampir. You'll see that I'm right - they always die. But I always win."
"Give him my love. Oh, and just to make things even.." Lara said in a suddenly menacing voice, and she licked the sharp edge of the blade, suddenly moving faster then Rose could track. A sharp pain blossomed from her leg, and as the dream started to waver, Rose fading back to consciousness, she looked down to see the end of the dagger protruding from her thigh...
"Rose! ROSE!" Adrian's voice was yelling close to her ear. She gasped deeply, sitting up straight as she held her thigh, "Fuck. Adrian, get Lissa." Adrian just stared at her in shock, "I already called her. Your bleeding. Rose-" She shook her head, cutting him off, as she shimmied her pants down. She was wearing lacy red underwear - at least she had done laundry recently - and a stab wound in her thigh was bleeding freely.
"It was Lara," Rose managed to get out through gritted teeth, "She can dream walk. She stabbed me." Adrian went from shocked to furious, and he pushed a towel against Rose's leg hard, trying to stop the bleeding. He closed his eyes, and said, "When you spoke in your dream, you were speaking out loud. Its like I had a once sided version of it - and then you just started to bleed. I barely had time to realize, and suddenly it was everywhere. God, Rose.." He trailed off, shaking his head. She was starting to swoon from blood loss, but she lifted his chin, kissing his lips softly, "If I pass out, explain what happened to Lissa. It'll be ok, Adrian..." She trailed off at his name, her eyes drooping heavily as the room spun, and she let them close.