It was as if time had stopped. Rose felt her vision going fuzzy, and saw all the movement in the room in slow motion as her mother's side hit the floor, and she rolled onto her back with a low groan. All the relief she felt over killing Lara was gone, replaced with a sort-of frenzied panic fluttering in her chest. She left Lara's side, stumbling blindly over glass and debris, and blood, to fall to her knees next to her mother. She knew Adrian was across from her, and Dimitri behind her, but she couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from the dark puddle forming under her mother's body. Janine was still breathing, but her eyes were closed, body immobile.
"We have to take it out," Rose suddenly said, her voice barely audible. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up into Dimitri's sad eyes. He shook his head, "You will have longer with her if you don't." Rose took another ragged breath, not wanting to hear what Dimitri - and her mind - were telling her. She looked back to her mother, to find her eyes open, watching her. Rose leaned in closer, saying, "Mother. Mom, you-"
"Stop," Janine said, in a weak, tired voice. She closed her eyes, opening them again after she caught her breath once more, "Get them out of here. Don't stop until your in the sun." Rose said nothing, watching in growing horror as the bloody pool grew, soaking her pants where she knelt. Adrian had shifted as well as he could on his sore leg to Dimitri, who had one arm around his shoulders to help him balance. They both watched silently, as Rose whispered, "Mom, please.." She had started to cry, and Janine smiled softly. She said, "I'm proud of you, Ro- Rosemarie."
"Don't die," Rose said, sounding like a child. She took her mother's hand, feeling a faint squeeze in return. Janine whispered, "Tell Abe... Tell him, Rose..." She trailed off, coughing up a large amount of blood. Rose pulled her mother up gently, so that her head rest in her lap. Studiously ignoring the wound, she stroked her mothers hair, and said, "I'm so sorry, mom. I love you..." She cut herself off, as she watched Janine's chest take one last shuddering strain, then still, her fingers uncurling from a fist.
"Oh jesus.." Rose heard Eddie's voice whisper, from the direction of the doorway. She felt like her world was spinning. As gently as possible, she lowered Janine's head to the ground, looking up to see the three men, waiting for her.
"We need to go. We will have to come back for her." Dimitri reasoned carefully.
"She'd understand," Rose agreed, trying to keep her voice steady. She leaned over, kissing her mother's forehead from behind. She saw a glimpse of something familiar around Janine's neck, and she reached down, unclasping the beautiful, simple necklace her mother had worn on her neck since Rose could remember. She slipped it into her pocket, stood up, and proceeded to throw up beside the bed. No one spoke as she emptied her stomach, and then wiped her mouth with the bedspread. When she turned back, she had fire in her eyes, and she grabbed a long chunk of bedpost. Quickly, she snapped it into two long, splintered pieces, "I'm first. Dimitri, your with Adrian. Eddie, watch our backs." They fell into line, not messing with Rose's sudden authority. She wouldn't have listened to protests anyways - she had blood in her mind, in her eyes. She would make any Strigoi who got in her way regret the hell out of it. They moved from the room, heading quickly in the direction they came in.
It was too quiet. Rose knew they made a ton of noise in the bedroom, and the Strigoi would know that their leader was gone. Dimitri had been thinking the same thing, and he said, "Watch the stairs. Its the best ambush point - many will have fled, I'd imagine. But those who stay will be there." Rose nodded, aiming her bedpost forwards.
"Rose, hurry," Eddie said, glancing backwards, "There's a lot of blood trailing behind us from you and Adrian - its bound to draw attention of anyone left down here."
"Wait ten seconds, then come," Rose instructed, slipping out of the narrow hallway and into the landing where they'd taken the stairs down. A giant of a man jumped down from the level above, landing with two feet on the stairs, knee's not so much as buckling under the pressure of the jump. The stairs caved in a bit where he landed, and he had his arms folded, a grin on his face showcasing his fangs.
"You took care of Lara - I didn't stop you, because you've placed the power right into my hands," He grinned, his eyes flashing red as he leaned down towards her. As he spoke, Rose could see Dimitri and Eddie watching, waiting, from the hallway. She adjusted her grip on her bedpost, and said, "Who gets the power after you die?"
"Who says I'll die?" The man laughed, disappearing just to reappear a moment later, behind Rose. She had anticipated this, and she spun around, her bedpost aimed splintered-end down. He caught her wrist, his other hand shoving her between her shoulder blades. She winced, taking an extra step so she could spin around with some momentum. As she did, she saw Dimitri flashing out of the hallway, coming at the man from behind. His arm came around his neck, pulling it into a tight choke hold with his other arm. Rose aimed a hard punch at the Stigoi's jaw, for good measure, and brought her bedpost down, splintering it into his heart.
"Eddie!" Dimitri called, and Eddie helped Adrian into the open, starting on the stairs. They had buckled more then Rose realized under the big man's jump, and as Adrian tried to avoid putting pressure on his injuries as he climbed over it, she heard footsteps approaching from the main hallway. She swore, reaching down to take Adrian's hands. She hauled him up with a strength she didn't know she posessed, and shoved him into Dimitri, "GO!"
"Rose-" Dimitri started, but she had already spun around, crouching, ready to fight. Eddie said, "Go, I'll stay." Dimitri made a frustrated noise, but nodded sharply, pulling Adrian up the stairs. Adrian said, "No, what are you doing-"
"You need to get outside! She won't if your not," Dimitri explained quickly, scanning the empty foyer. He said, "This is going to hurt."
"I'm ready," Adrian said, and they made a mad dash across the large, so-far empty space for the main doors. Rose could hear their footsteps disappearing, and she made a small growl as she spied a few Strigoi approaching, appearing from the dark.
"I got left," Eddie muttered, leaping to get the first attack. As Rose ducked a punch, she saw two guardian's come down the same path, in pursuit of their attackers.
"Die, asshole," She muttered, kicking one hard in the chest. She had lost her bedpost in the big Strigoi's chest, but one of the guardian's saw her kick, and was ready with his stake. Knowing they could handle the last Strigoi, she turned, and bolted up the stairs. As she reached the top, she felt sick as she saw the trail of blood Adrian was leaving. She raced with intensity towards the main doors, and heard Eddie and the other two guardian's were right behind her. They must have overpowered the last Strigoi with no problem. Praying they were the last ones needing to get out, she slammed her shoulder into the doors, bursting them open. She felt the sun warm her skin, and she skidded to a stop, turning and urging Eddie forwards with her mind. He was running at full speed, and she barely registered they'd lost a guardian at the bottom of the stairs. The other fought to keep up with Eddie, wanting to escape the hellhole they'd just miraculously lived through. Just as they reached the main doors, a huge explosion sounded above them, making Rose freeze. The guardian's based outside during the assault had planned to set up C4 around the roof, ready to blow it. They weren't supposed to until everyone was out, but she knew the real plan. Blow it as soon as the Moroi were safe or accounted for. That meant Adrian was the last Moroi out, or alive. She took off, pushing her legs to run faster across the large porch as the roof began to cave in. Eddie raced past her, grabbing her arm to get her momentum going. They reached the stairs as the building above them began to collapse, and a charge went off close by, against one of the main support walls. The intense heat and force of the explosion launched them off the porch, and Rose felt like she was never going to hit the ground. Bracing herself, she smashed into the lawn, rolling but unable to absorb the shock of the blow. She came to a stop against a stone flowerbed, cracking her forehead against it, and loosing consciousness.
A/N: I know this chapter was a little short. But in fairness, the last one was a little longer then normal, and I had to get them out! The next will be back to normal length, I swear :)