Lissa was explaining to Dimitri who Alex was and stopped when she saw me. "What are we going to do?" She asked. "We need proof he is related to you, we need a DNA test" I said. "They take weeks though Rose" She told me. "Well we'll just have to wait, won't we" I said as I held up a piece of Alex's hair I'd pulled when I was pushing him up the stairs. Lissa smiled and plucked a piece of her own platinum blonde hair. Dimitri went into the kitchen and brought out a plastic zip lock bag and an envelope. Lissa and I put the hair in the plastic zip lock bag and put it in the envelope. Dimitri found out where the closest DNA testing lab was and we sent the envelope to that address.
All we had to do was wait. I hate waiting. Lissa and Dimitri followed me up the stairs, and when I got to Christian's room, I found him and Alex talking about using their powers to help fight with Guardians. "Christian," Lissa glared, "has he told you who he is?" Christian looked confused, so I told him. "This is who we've been looking for, it's Lissa's, um, half-brother sort of thing" I couldn't find the exact words, so I just did what I did best and made something up. Christian looked surprised. Lissa walked in and sat beside him and began joining in the conversation like nothing had happened.
Dimitri and I went to where we were staying, and he closed the door behind us. He walked towards me and pinned me up against the wall, his movements graceful as he did it. His lips moved along mine, barely touching, then kissed me. It was like the time when he was training me, he'd done the same thing, except, this one was soft and sweet. We kissed forever until he pulled back. He let me go and took a step back just as Viktoria walked in. "Oh, um, I'm sorry. I should have knocked. I, uh, just need to get some stuff" She said awkwardly. She ran over to her dresser and pulled out a few things, then ran out closing the door behind her. I quickly slipped into Lissa's head, and I was looking at Viktoria. She had a huge grin on her face. I immediately got out, sensing Dimitri moving closer.
There was suddenly a knock on the door, and Dimitri moved away. Olena opened the door and said dinner was ready. We walked down the stairs holding hands. His hands were so warm on my skin, and I felt electricity every time he touched me. The moment of happiness disappeared when I saw Yeva sitting at the table. She looked so frail, but I know for sure, looks are deceiving. She forced a smile at me, and I did the same.
I sat down beside Dimitri, who was in an intense conversation with Yeva. They were speaking in Russian, so I didn't understand a word they were saying. Paul sat the other side of me with Viktoria beside him. Sonya, Carolina, Olena, Christian and Lissa sat on the other side of the table. Alex had left not long ago, and I kept thinking how we could do this. I knew we'd have to turn ourselves in sooner or later, but I knew I'd be executed if I couldn't prove myself innocent.
After dinner I helped with the dishes and then went back to the room with Dimitri. I threw on a tank top and some grey slacks, then slid under the covers. Dimitri took off his shirt and that wonderful body was still the same as I remembered. He slid in next to me and I snuggled up in his chest. He whispered goodnight and then I drifted off to sleep.
One of Adrian's dreams began to materialise, and this time I knew it was him. We were in a garden; I hadn't been here before though. I was wearing what I had worn to bed, but with a few changes. I was wearing the chotki and my nazar, like always. Adrian came into view and I ran over and hugged him. I'd caught him by surprise, because he nearly fell over when I put my arms around him. I'd never been so happy to see him, but I needed to talk to him, about who we found.
"Little Dhampir, I miss you" He smiled. "I miss you too" I said. "You need to come here; I know a spirit user and her shadow-kissed husband. I also found Lissa's step brother guy!" I told him excitedly. "Slow down Rose, where exactly are you?" He asked, "Baia, in Siberia" I told him. He gave me a look of disapproval then gave in, "Fine, but I have to get out of this place first, and it's chaotic. They've sent the best guardians after you, but they've found some evidence that could help you win the case." He explained. "What, what evidence?" I asked. "They found fingerprints on the door handle, and some type of material, latex or something, on the stake. They think someone framed you, but they want more evidence to prove it" He explained. "Well, it's obvious I was framed, but who's fingerprints were they?" I asked. He hesitated then looked at me apologetically. "Robert Doru, they were Robert Doru's" My jaw dropped.
Victor was out to get me, and he sent his spirit user step-brother out to get me killed. That must be why nobody saw who did it, he must have used compulsion on the guardians. I had as much proof as I could get, and I couldn't wait to tell... I couldn't tell Dimitri that we'd broken Victor Dashkov out of a high security prison. How was I going to explain how we knew Robert Doru. I had to tell him the truth, but I didn't want to risk everything. I could trust Dimitri, couldn't I. The answer is yes, I'm going to tell him.
"Adrian, Victor framed me" I whispered. "I know, some think Victor was the one to actually do it, but nobody's seen him" He told me. "Adrian, I have to go, I have to tell everyone, please let me go" I whispered. "I'd do anything for you, Rose" He said as the dream started to disappear.
I woke up, ready and alert. Dimitri was still awake beside me and he sat up as soon as I did, "Dimitri, it was Victor and his step-brother, they framed me." I whispered. Dimitri looked confused and then pieced it together. "It was you, wasn't it?" He asked. I nodded and felt tears in my eyes. He pulled me closer and I rested my face on his neck. I started sobbing, I didn't want to be killed, and I didn't plan to be framed by Victor and his step-brother. Why wasn't my life normal?
Ever since I was bought back to the school, bad things have happened. First of all, my best friend was kidnapped, then I went to a massacre and got kidnapped by humans working for strigoi. I then killed two strigoi and lost my best friend, yet, that isn't enough. I start seeing ghosts and see my best friend use super compulsion, I then take all the darkness out of her a nearly kill a moroi. Strigoi later attack the school and take away moroi and dhampirs, we go on a rescue mission and the person I love gets turned into a strigoi. I go after him and nearly get turned myself, then I put a stake into his heart, which falls out. My best friend gets kidnapped by my lover-strigoi, we go on another rescue mission and my best friend changes him back with a spirit infused stake. Then I get framed for the Queen's murder when it was actually the moroi I'd freed from a high security prison that killed her. My life sucks.
"Roza, it's going to be all right, we're going to get you out of this" He whispered. I then had an idea, I needed to find out the truth. I jumped out of bed and Dimitri got out too. I let down my mental wall, and she was there. "Rose, what are you doing... Oh my God, Rose, am I seeing things?" He trailed off. "Rose, why is the Queen in here?" He was getting hysterical now. I put the wall up as soon as he said that and I looked at him. "You, you can see her can't you" I said. "Rose, what's going on?" He asked. "You were on the edge of death when you were a strigoi, you can see them when I bring them" I said more than myself than to him. He looked at me pleadingly. "Dimitri, don't worry, they can't, won't hurt you. I am going to bring her back, I need to know the truth" I said.
I dropped my mental wall and Dimitri looked exactly where she was standing, he could see her as well. "Who killed you?" I asked. "Did Victor kill you?" I asked. She shook her head. "Was Victor there?" I asked. She nodded. "Was he with someone?" I asked and she nodded. "Was he with Robert Doru?" I asked, hoping she knew who he was. She nodded and I immediately put my mental wall back up. "Robert Doru is Victor's step-brother, isn't he?" Dimitri guessed, "Yeah" I replied just as there was a knock on the door. Viktoria opened it and stuck her head in. She looked confused when she saw us standing next to each other looking at her.
She walked in and stood in front of us. I still had tears on my face and she came and hugged me. "I thought I heard you crying, it's going to be okay" Viktoria assured me. I smiled at her and hugged her back. Dimitri still seemed astonished that he'd been able to see the ghosts. He looked over at us and smiled. Viktoria took a step back and said "Um, I need sleep, so could you guys be a little quieter" She asked. I smiled and nodded, then she left the room closing the door quietly. I looked at Dimitri and smiled. "Adrian was the one who told me, I asked him to come here" I told him. "He's coming to see Oksana and Mark, him and Lissa are going to learn about spirit a bit more" I hastily added. He went back to bed and I followed, sliding in next to him. I rested my head on his chest, and he ran his fingers through my hair. "Don't do that again Rose" He whispered. "I won't, I promise" I whispered. I could hear his heart beating, and I fell asleep after a few minutes.
I slept the whole night without an interruption from one of Adrian's dreams, but I did end up waking up to what I thought was one. My eyes fluttered open and I could hear running water. I looked around the room, bleary eyed, and noticed someone standing in the doorway. At first I thought it was Dimitri, but when I rubbed my eyes a few times, I noticed Adrian standing there.
"I called Dimitri," He grumbled when he said Dimitri's name. "He told me where to find you." He smiled when he noticed I was only wearing a skimpy tank top and tight sweat pants. I realised that I'd already pushed the covers away and was walking towards him. I wrapped my arms round him. I couldn't believe how much I'd missed him.
"Whoa, slow down there, you might upset your man" He joked. I dropped my arms by my side and smiled. "Rose, I'd like to meet everyone, if you don't mind" He told me. "Of course I don't mind. Who first?" I asked. "Your friends, y'know the shadow-kissed one and his wife, the spirit user." He laughed. "Okay, I'll get dressed and you can get Lissa" I said. "Why can't I help you get dressed and we can go get Lissa after" He pleaded. I laughed and said "You only wish, go get her" He whimpered and walked out of the room.
I met Adrian and Lissa in the kitchen, Dimitri was helping with the dishes and smiled at my arrival. "Good morning sleepy head" He smiled, drying off his hands. He handed me something wrapped in foil and said "I heard you guys were going somewhere, eat this" He walked over to me and kissed my forehead.
Adrian, Lissa and I walked to Oksana and Mark's house. On the way there, I unwrapped a glazed donut. My favourite, I giggled. Lissa and Adrian gave me confused looks, then shrugged. When we arrived Adrian knocked on the door. Oksana was the one to answer.
"I thought I could sense someone, I just thought it was the Princess. Welcome, Lord Ivashkov" Oksana welcomed us and led us into the kitchen. Adrian and Lissa sat with Oksana, then I heard some noise out back. I thought it was Mark, and because he was nowhere in sight, I knew it was him. I heard some banging and crashing, then I got the feeling.
Nausea rolled through me making me shudder, just the thought of a strigoi being out there made me feel worse. "Everybody, hide" I whispered. Lissa knew straight away that I must have felt something, because she stood up and whispered something in Oksana's ear. Oksana nodded and led them toward what must have been the living room. It was at that moment I realised I didn't have a stake. I'd learnt to make do with whatever weapons necessary, so I ran over to a draw, and opened it. Luckily it had all the cutlery, so I grabbed the biggest knife and quietly walked over to the back door.
As I opened the door, I heard some grunting, and the nausea grew stronger. Mark was over near a tool shed fighting off two strigoi. They were stronger than him, but his guardian training had given him great reflexes. One of the strigoi lunged at him, and Mark quickly dodged, a little clumsily. He picked up a shovel and started hitting one of the strigoi with it, but the other one was coming up behind him.