Disclaimer: I do not own VA or Twilight or their characters.

Chapter 8

Rose POV

"Come on Liss, why do we have to go to court again?" I whined and Lissa laughed.

"Because Rose, I have to meet with the council before we go to St. Vladimir's for the All Saint's Day celebration." I groaned.

"I actually hoped that the last one we attended would be just that, the last one." I said and Lissa smirked.

"Well that's what you get for urging me to be a candidate for Queen, remember?" Lissa said. Damn I hated when she was right about these things. I hated the thought of being in backwoods Montana again.

"Alright Liss, but we need to make sure that the others know where we are going. I know Eddie will be there with us but we will need more guardians for an event like that. Tatiana had like eight when we saw her there. So we have Eddie and myself, Dimitri…" I ticked off on my fingers. "…we need at least three more for the trip, maybe Mikhail and two more?" Lissa nodded and we walked out of the house after discussing the conference call she had with the council. She had to go for a few days to take care of some business and then we were traveling to St. Vladimir's for their annual celebration. Just like normal, we walked into the Cullen home like we owned it. A lot had happened since we moved here for college and we were very close now. I had found a little information about why I was so much stronger and faster than before and sure the extra abilities were pretty cool, but I yearned for a simple life, one that I would never get. I hadn't told Carlisle yet but the blood craving was starting after nearly two weeks time and I didn't know why. I promised myself that I would ask him about it today so I had time before we left for court to get things under control.

"Hey guys. What's up?" I said and they all turned to look at us. I rolled my eyes, knowing they heard us before we spoke, hell even I could hear that well now. Emmet smiled and Rosalie returned the eye roll. The others chorused hellos and we sat down, watching Christian get his ass kicked on the video game he was playing with Emmet. Christian groaned and Emmet shot up, cheering with his victory. Christian was quickly uninterested with the game now that Lissa was back.

"So Liss, what did the council want?" I groaned as Lissa explained the need for us to return to court before going to St. Vladimir's.

"Why is going there such a chore?" Alice asked.

"Nothing really, it's just I grew up there. Hell I lived there since I was four and the only times I was away from there were when we ran away and when I dropped out." I said. I squeezed Dimitri's hand as I saw the pained expression. I tried to change the subject quickly. "I needed to talk to Carlisle, is he here?" I asked.

"He had a shift at the hospital. He should be here shortly though." Edward said.

"Good I really need to talk to him before we leave." A thought occurred to me. "Um, when are we leaving to go to court Liss?"

"Whenever you are ready Rose. Dimitri and Eddie can go ahead and get us a bag packed and when you are finished with Carlisle we can go to the jet if you want." I nodded, not really sure when I would be ready. Dimitri and Eddie left to our house. Lissa and Christian cuddled on the couch while I anxiously awaited Carlisle's return home. Finally after what seemed like hours (but was actually only minutes), Carlisle came home and I asked to speak to him almost immediately. I followed him upstairs into his office that doubled as a makeshift hospital room at times. I was so nervous it wasn't even funny and I silently wished that Jasper was standing around here somewhere using his gift to keep me calm. After several minutes and a heavy sigh, I finally opened my mouth to speak.

"Carlisle there has been a little development in the issue of the venom." I pointed to the scar that caused this whole mess. He quirked an eyebrow in question. "I have started to have some…craving for…"

"Blood?" Carlisle guessed and I nodded. He sighed in frustration and ran a hand through his hair. "How long have you had these…cravings Rose?"

"It just started several days ago, but it seems to be getting more intense." I said honestly. "I still feel fine, but I'm not sure if this is a harmless craving or if it's something I need to live." Carlisle looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Maybe Jazz and Edward could take you hunting. If it is something that you really need, it may change your eyes like ours and I'm sure that going back to court with bright red eyes wouldn't be a good idea." I gave a frustrated laugh and nodded in agreeance.

"Yeah that would be bad. Liss wants to leave for court soon, so could we get the boys to go now? I really don't want Liss to know about this, but I guess it would be best if I tell her."

"Yes Rose you should tell her. If she goes to a feeder and you have to follow, it could trigger a bloodlust and it's very hard to come out of that." Carlisle explained. We both walked downstairs where Eddie and Dimitri had come back from the house. Lissa and I were the only ones not finished packing. I sat down and faced the others getting ready to tell them what was going on. Naturally Dimitri noticed my nervousness before Jasper could calm me.

"Roza what is it?" He asked clearly concerned. I sighed heavily and began.

"For the last several days I have had certain cravings….that have been getting worse. Carlisle suggested that I try to feed and see if that helps. Also someone else needs to accompany Liss to the feeders since that could trigger a sort of blood lust if the cravings get too bad." I said and they all sat there in stunned silence for several short minutes. It felt like hours before Jasper finally spoke, placing a calming hand on my shoulder.

"It will be okay Rose. Edward, Em and I will take you with us. We will teach you so that if you get more of the cravings, you can slip off and feed where no one will know." I saw the boys nod their heads and I smiled.

"Thanks Jazz." I said and I stood up and hugged him tightly. They had all become a part of my extended family and the boys were like Eddie and Christian were to me. They were brothers in my eyes. Hell even Jake and I got along most of the time. "Okay enough with the Hallmark card moments, let's get this over with." I said and we all laughed. The whole hunting thing wasn't as easy as I thought it would be and it took me a while to get the hang of it. By the time we were finished, my thirst was sated and we headed home. Since it was getting dark, we decided that it would be wise to wait until the morning to leave for court. It wouldn't take us very long to get to court, but there had been several reports of larger than usual Strigoi attacks and we took precautions. I was glad that I wasn't vampire enough to sparkle in the sunlight like the Cullen's.

We got up the following morning and made our way to court. When we arrived, it was the Moroi night and we went to our old suite. Lissa asked Dimitri and I to stay at her suite in case I had to slip out for an unexpected hunting trip. Eddie went to his suite situated close by and no one said anything about my unusual situation. Dimitri and I went straight to bed so that we would be rested and able to revert to the vampiric schedule they kept here at court.

After only a few hours of sleep, we were up and getting dressed. Lissa wanted to get her business with court situated quickly so that we could spend as much time as possible at St. Vladimir's. Dimitri and I went downstairs and Lissa was in her queenly dress. I hated that she had to dress so professional because since she did, so do I as her guardian. Dimitri and I wore our usual guardian uniforms, but these were specific to the Queen's royal guard. I liked them just cause they were something different from the usual drab and bland uniforms we normally wore. Eddie met up with us and we escorted Lissa to the council meeting room. Dimitri was Christian's sanctioned guardian, but often doubled as Lissa's when he was needed. By the time she was finished with her duties I was bored beyond belief and I missed the easy way of life we had living near the Cullen's. I tried not to think of that as we met our friends for lunch. Dimitri, Eddie, Lissa and Christian were the only ones that knew about my particular issue with blood and I was kind of glad for that.

We were all sitting in the Café eating lunch and catching up when two young guardians started to yell at each other. I didn't catch the reason for their argument as they squared off several tables down from us and started fighting each other. My thirst was sated from the hunting trip yesterday, but when these two idiots started to bleed all over one another, I felt a strong pull towards the smell. I didn't move, afraid that if I did something would go terribly wrong. Dimitri stood up and went to break up the fight while Eddie went to assist. Christian and Lissa were looking at me in concern and I felt so exposed. Dimitri and Eddie led them out and I calmed a little as the overwhelming scent of blood went with them. Mia is too damn smart for her own good. Seeing my reaction she asked if I was okay and of course that alerted Adrian. I averted my eyes down to the small scar on my wrist and I mentally cursed. How in the hell could I do my job as Lissa's guard if I couldn't control myself around someone when they're bleeding? Carlisle told me that it took years of practice for him to be okay around the smell of blood. I didn't know if I'd ever get there. When Eddie and Dimitri returned after getting the situation under control, I talked to Lissa and asked her whether or not we should let the others in on the blood issue. As we were discussing it, I had what I thought was a great idea and it just might work. The only problem was that I was fairly immune to compulsion and with my new strengths I wasn't sure if it would work at all.

"Liss, what if compulsion could curb my reaction to blood?" I asked. She pondered this in her head for a minute and smiled slightly.

"I don't know Rose. It might, but since you're more immune to compulsion than most I think I'd have to get Adrian's help too." Lissa said. We got everyone up to her suite and I started to explain.

"You all know about the Cullen's and how I was kidnapped?" They all nodded and I sighed in frustration. "When Aro was about to bite me and I pushed him away, I actually ended up being exposed to a small amount of venom. Because of that my senses are heightened which is great, but it carries a pretty huge downside. For the last several days I have experienced certain…cravings. I hunted just like the Cullen's before we left, but when the fight broke out and they got to losing blood, the scent kind of made me lose it a little. Carlisle said it's manageable, but usually takes years of practice and concentration. I am telling you this not to freak you guys out, but because I need a little help. I have an idea, but I'm not sure if it will even work. I wanted to see if Adrian and Lissa could use compulsion to lessen the reaction to human, Moroi, or Damphir blood. Animal blood won't be an issue." I explained.

"Of course I'll help you Little Damphir. Actually it is a pretty good idea." He said smiling. I could tell from his scent that he wasn't drinking or smoking as much nowadays, probably because the Cullen's always said he smelled like a smokestack full of cloves. I smiled and thanked him. Mia looked at me strangely but her expression changed and whatever it was, she hid it well. Lissa and Adrian discussed the compulsion for a few minutes and Dimitri looked worried, but understood that I didn't want to hurt anyone and this was the best option at the moment. Adrian and Lissa using the compulsion together seemed to work but since I was more immune than most, it was weak to me. It was made where it could be removed later if needed. The only way to know was to test it and I didn't want anyone bleeding so I let that thought go.

Lissa was done with the council the next day (well Moroi day) so we boarded the jet, heading for St. Vladimir's in Montana as the sun started to rise. When we arrived at the academy, most of the staff were asleep along with the students. Several of the guardians greeted us and showed us to the rooms we would be in for the duration of our stay. I started to feel a little thirsty and decided it would be better to hunt during the day, provided I stayed on the wooded parts of the school's campus. I asked Dimitri to come with me. He didn't need to, but the guardians were more cooperative if guardians went out of the wards in pairs instead of by themselves. Dimitri and I avoided the areas near the cave that claimed him during the rescue. Having Dimitri with me was helpful since he knew where the property lines were. I fed while Dimitri busied himself with random things. I felt much better and I was getting better at the hinting. I made it a priority to wear dark clothing while hunting in case it got a little messy. The more I hunted, the easier it got. Dimitri and I went back inside the wards and we went to our room to sleep a few hours before we had to get up for the start of the school day. A slow grin spread on my face as I thought about taunting Stan. I wondered vaguely if he could throw guardians out of his class as well as students. I drifted off to sleep snuggled up to Dimitri's side.

Edward POV

It had only been a day since Rose and the others left for business at court and we all missed them already. They were a big part of our lives now and it was strange now for them not to be here. We were especially concerned for Rose and the new cravings that she had. Rose had explained to us that as guardians they were often exposed to some blood during a fight and we were all worried that the bloodlust would take over if she was suddenly exposed. I remembered that St. Vladimir's was somewhere in Montana and Jasper, Emmet and I decided we would go there and keep an eye on her. We figured that she would need a little help by at least mid week. We rented a hotel room as close to the school as we could manage and decided that once it got dark, we would observe the campus to see how Rose was handling the blood issue. We had to be very careful because the school ran on a schedule that allowed the Moroi to not be exposed to too much sun. Jazz, Em, and I went towards the school after the sun started to set and watched as the school came alive. We were very careful to dodge the guardians but we didn't see Rose. I made my mind focus on her thoughts and I found her. She had hunted when she got here and her thirst was manageable but there was something else there I couldn't place. Later I saw two guardians coming towards us, walking the ward lines. It was Rose and Dimitri and I got their attention discreetly as possible. Rose's eyes widened as she saw us and looked around to make sure that no one saw. Dimitri stayed inside the wards and Rose slipped into the wood line with us.

"What are you guys doing here? If someone sees you guys here they will think you're Strigoi and I can't do a damn thing about it." Rose whispered. She was mad that we took the risk being so close to the school.

"Relax Rose, we stayed out of sight until we saw you. We just wanted to see how you were handling the blood thing." Jasper said. Rose sighed in frustration.

"I almost blew it at court, but I was able to hold it back enough not to attack two idiot guardians that decided to pick a fight and bleed everywhere. After that I came up with an idea that might work but I haven't actually tested it. I had Liss and Adrian use compulsion to lessen the effect of blood so I don't go insane every time someone decided to bleed." That must have been what I sensed in her thoughts that I couldn't figure out. It was a great idea under the circumstances. I saw her thoughts on the incident at court and she did very well considering the issue.

"You're doing fine Rose. All of us have experienced things like that and actually, you are having a better reaction to it than most of us do." Jasper said and I could tell he was thinking about his moment of weakness when he tried to attack Bella.

"Alright Rose, we are staying at a hotel close by. Call my cell if you need us for anything and we'll be here. We will go now so nothing is suspicious." I said and we all hugged her tightly and told her goodbye.

Rose POV

I can't believe that those idiots came here. I am fine with the being concerned, but there would be nothing I could do if they were detected and the guardians would try to kill them thinking they were Strigoi. As the boys left, I walked back to where Dimitri was waiting and I explained they were just concerned. Dimitri and I were always very happy around the Cullen's and there wasn't any type of jealousy around them. Everyone in the house had their significant other and we were all happy together.

No one had heard anything about Aro lately and that was a little concerning. He went to such great lengths to get me, so why would he give up so easily? We walked the lines of the wards and we finished our patrol. When our replacements came, we went to meet with Lissa to get ready for the celebration. It took several hours before we were ready to head down for the celebration. As we entered the room, Eddie and I flanked Lissa closely while the rest of the guard followed in formation closely behind us. Lissa took her position at the head table and we stood behind her while the others took positions at the sides of the dais. Lissa was as regal as ever and spoke with the authority of her station. Just after dinner and as the party was wrapping up I started to feel the familiar Strigoi nausea. I tensed and the Dimitri and Eddie were the first to notice. Since everyone at the school was present save the guardians on duty, the room was locked down. The nausea was getting stronger and was overwhelming as we heard guardians outside fighting with some of the Strigoi.

Dimitri, Eddie and I went out of the room to assist and left the other guardians to surround Lissa. If the Strigoi got inside the room, we would all die tonight. As we exited the room, it was chaos outside. All the guardians were engaged with Strigoi and we were losing this fight. There were so many Strigoi and I had to push back the nausea. Dimitri and I engaged Strigoi and Eddie guarded the entrance of the room from any that we missed. We had staked Strigoi left and right and there were many more left. I had just staked the Strigoi I was fighting when one hit me hard on my blind side. I sent Lissa a message in my head to call Edward. We needed all the help we could get. I got up quickly as the Strigoi lunged for me. I sidestepped him like a pro and staked him through his back as he stumbled past me. There were still about two dozen Strigoi and I vaguely thought that we could really use Christian's fire power out here. Suddenly the remaining Strigoi present were beating their heads, trying to put out the flames that were now engulfing their heads. Dimitri and I shared a quick glance and staked the distracted Strigoi quickly. Finally the debilitating nausea I had been experiencing was gone. I looked around expecting to see Christian hiding somewhere with a sardonic smirk, but I found he was still inside with the rest of the celebration's patrons. The school guardians piled the bodies where they would be burned by the rising sun. All of the guardians had went back inside. As I stood there recapping the fight in my mind, I tried to figure out where the fire had come from and I couldn't. I looked to the piles of bodies of the Strigoi and concentrated. Suddenly the piles of bodies burst into flame. Holy shit. Did I just do that or is someone seriously messing with me? I heard a chuckle just on the other side of the ward lines. Guardians were now walking around replacing the wards, but this wasn't a guardian.

Edward POV

We had been in the hotel room for several hours when my phone started to ring. I figured that it might be Rose but I was surprised to see the caller ID read Lissa. I answered it quickly.

"Hello Lissa." I said. It sounded like chaos on the other end of the line.

"Edward, Strigoi attacked the academy." I think that what was left of my heart dropped. "Rose, Dimitri and Eddie went outside to help the other guardians. Rose asked me to call you." Lissa said frantically. If Rose told her to call me, then it was very bad.

"We are coming Lissa. Stay inside no matter what Lissa." I said and hung up. Jazz and Em came running into the room wanting to know what happened.

"I'll explain on the way guys. We have to go now." I said and as we were running, I explained what had occurred. We reached the school and we could hear the sounds of fighting. We slipped into the woods and got to a vantage point where we could see the damage. I watched Rose fighting and she was graceful and her hits were accurate. One of the Strigoi hit her on her blindside and she got up quickly. The Strigoi lunged and she sidestepped, staking him in the back. The next thing anyone knew, the Strigoi that remained were all trying to put out the fire on their heads. All of the guardians staked the Strigoi quickly. I watched Rose closely as the other guardians dispersed after piling the bodies to burn in the rising sun. Rose lingered and her thoughts were interesting. She was trying to figure out where the fire came from. I saw her concentrating on the pile of bodies and they burst into flames. I chuckled at her thoughts and she looked up. I knew that she could hear me better than the other guardians. Since the threat was over, we slipped back into the woods and made our way back to the hotel. I called Carlisle and explained what we saw and Rose's possible new power. Rose called later and told me that since the attack, they would be leaving as soon as possible. Because it was daylight now, they would be leaving soon for our home in New Hampshire. They decided that with the attack they wouldn't stay for any longer. Jazz, Em and I started back home to wait on them to arrive. Since we drove like 'speed demons' as Rose said, we would beat them home anyway.

Okay i really love both of my crossover stories so far, but I want a little input from my readers as to how i should proceed with these stories. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.