Author's note: Sorry this took so long. I wanted to update last weekend, but I was under the weather. Feeling better now, so hopefully more updates will happen this week. Thank you for favoriting, following, and reviewing.

Happy reading!

Chapter Five

Adrian was rudely awakened by the pounding on his door. He rolled off the couch, he was never able to sleep in the bed anymore, and stumbled to give the person on the other side a piece of his mind.

"What the hell, Jill?" He snapped when he saw her on the other side.

"Maybe if you would fix your sleeping patterns, you wouldn't be so crabby. And you wouldn't be asleep at five in the evening." She held up a bag. "We brought Chinese."

"I'm not hungry." He walked away and plopped himself down on the couch.

"So, what, now you're on a hunger strike? You talked to her. I saw it." She waited until Eddie came in and then shut and locked the door behind him. "What's wrong?"

"She's being tortured." He rubbed his face. "We need to find her."

"We will. In the meantime, you need to rest properly and eat. You'll do her no good when we find her if you are weak." She handed him a plate and pushed a container in his direction. "Eat. You aren't doing me much good, either. Your exhaustion is affecting me."

He sighed and took the food. "Sorry."

Eddie said, "I'm thinking of doing a bit of a crash course for all of us in self-defense. Neal and Angeline think it's a good idea for you and Jill to know a bit more going in."

Adrian shook his head. "Jill's not going."

"Jill is going." She told him. "I'm not sitting here anxious when you guys are on the run from the Alchemists."

Eddie added, "If we hide among the Keepers it will be easier for all of us. It was Rose's idea. Humans, Moroi, and dhampirs hiding together. It's perfect."

"I won't have all my hair products." Adrian jokingly complained.

Jill giggled. "I'll make sure you do. We won't be completely in the dark ages."

"If Angeline is any indication—"

"But they are still better than being constantly on the run." Eddie interjected. "We'll move around enough for them to lose the trail and then it's off to a village of Keepers to hide out for as long as necessary."

"We have to find her first." As if on cue, Adrian's phone started ringing. He looked at the display to see a blocked number. He pressed it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hello, Lord Ivashkov." Said a smooth voice. "How are you this evening?"

"I'm fine."

"And the princess?" He asked.

"Also fine." Adrian answered tentatively.

The man on the other end laughed. "Ibrahim Mazur. You asked for my assistance."

"Oh. I apologize. I have lost a lot of sleep lately. I'm not in my right mind."

Abe chuckled smoothly. "I understand. Rose explained the situation. I have spoken with a few of my contacts, but the Alchemists keep their secrets locked away almost too well. Sydney was one of my main contacts, you know."

"No, I didn't."

"I helped her with something once and she reciprocated. She and Rose also like each other, so that helped with her reluctance at first."

"Yes, I know that." Adrian swallowed. "I was able to get in contact with her in a dream. She doesn't know where she is. She's being… re-educated. She said there are a number of facilities that could be used for that particular feat. She mentioned St. Louis as the main facility. But I don't know if it would be that obvious."

Abe chuckled. "I have found with the Alchemists, they do the obvious thing most often. Let me poke around a bit more and we will see. Give the princess my best."

The line went dead and Adrian took the phone away. He stared at the screen for a moment and then put it away.

"So what now?" Jill asked.

Adrian chewed thoughtfully. "Well, I need blood to think better. Then we need to work on the self-defense. I think I can get someone to help out. And maybe Jackie will have had some success tracking." He shrugged. "I also need to find a way to get someone to figure out how we could get past security."

"I can work on that." Eddie said. "I've talked with Rose. Whenever we're ready to move, she'll meet us and help with the rescue."

"I appreciate that."

They were silent for a long time, lost in their own thoughts. Adrian noticed Jill and Eddie exchanging fleeting looks across the room.

"You two should just make out already." Adrian teased. "I don't know why you always seem to sit so far apart most of the time."

"'They come first.'" Jill quoted. "He thinks if he stays away as much as possible when we aren't making out or in other private times that he'll do a better job."

"Don't you realize how perfect your relationship is, Eddie?" Adrian asked. "Not only 'they come first,' but specifically 'she comes first.' You don't even have to worry because you will die for her no matter what. It's definitely better than a situation like, say, Rose and Dimitri who would probably risk jumping in front of each other instead of Lissa if the situation is particularly dangerous."

"But they wouldn't. Lissa is the one who is important." Eddie said.

"I would hope. But there is no telling what a person would do for the one they love." He took a cigarette out of his pocket and headed for the door. "Now, if you will excuse me."

Jill said, "Love made you quit smoking once upon a time."

"Yeah, well, then my girlfriend got kidnapped by a secret organization. I think she'll forgive me taking it up again. If she still remembers how to love me." He went outside, leaned against the wall, and lit the cigarette.

Jill joined him after a while. "I hope she doesn't forget how to love you." She said softly.

"But she will." He said just as quietly. "They'll remind her I'm a monster. They'll remind her that I must drink blood to survive. That I may decide her veins to particularly appetizing and drain her."

"Would you do it? Become Strigoi to escape it all?"

At the fearful sound in her voice, he looked over. "Do you think I'm that weak?"

She watched him a moment before she gently asked, "If we can't save her, what will you do?"

"Not turn Strigoi." He promised. "I won't leave you, Jill. Not forever. If I can't save her, I don't know what I'll do. But I do know you're just as important as her, so I won't ruin life for you. But I'll need your help."

She sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "I'll do all that I can. Promise."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and he wrapped a free arm around her shoulders. They stood that way for several minutes in silence as Adrian finished his cigarette. Then he kissed the top of her head and let go.

"Let's get some work done." He headed back inside.