A/N: Big thank you to everyone who has favourited/followed this story so far, especially to those who have taken the time to leave a review! I love hearing feedback, and it's so wonderful to know that this story is being enjoyed and that the last chapter was such a hit :D It's all very motivating!

Anyway, on with the next chapter!

Chapter eight:

DIMITRI P.O.V:

WE HAD MADE GOOD TIME on the road, and had gotten back to the Jet around midday. We said our goodbyes to Jackie, who thanked us for agreeing to go along with her part of the plan. I could tell by the way she hugged Sydney goodbye, that she loved her like a daughter, and she would have done anything to have rescued her. If Rose hadn't agreed to take Sydney's place, she would have. Even if it meant her death. If she had the energy, I know she wouldn't have asked Rose to go in the first place.

Rose was still completely out of it as I carried her onto the small plane. I carefully placed her on one of the soft, plush chairs, and then hunted down a blanket to drape over her beautiful sleeping figure. She looked like she always had, but there was still a sinking feeling in my stomach that I couldn't shake. I took a seat next to her, and closed my eyes in concentration. I felt the Jet start to ascend into the air, but I blocked it all out.

They must have done something to her, was my first thought. What else could it be? I tensed at the thought of anyone hurting my Roza. I'd go back and rip their heads off if they had done something!

But she didn't seem hurt, just… different.

Maybe I was just reading too much into things, after all she hasn't been herself ever since the incident with Tasha. Maybe, it had something to do with that…

"Is Rose okay?" I opened my eyes to see Sydney standing right beside me. The Jet had finished ascending, and was making its way back to Court. We would be able to use the internal landing strip this time, making for a quicker return. "She looks pale."

I quickly turned my focus to Rose, and saw that Sydney was right. She was white as snow, and had a sheen of sweat covering her face. I stood up abruptly to go get some medical supplies, but Sydney ushered for me to sit back down.

"I've got it," she said as she moved to kneel in front of Rose. I noticed she was holding a small first aid kit in her hand. She grabbed Rose's wrist, to read her pulse I presume, but immediately dropped it with fright. She gasped, and fell backwards.

Adrian and I were by her side in an instant.

"What is it? Is she okay?" I demanded, as we helped her back up onto her feet. As soon as I knew she was okay, I grabbed Rose's hand, I sighed with relief when I felt the strong beating of her pulse.

"Sorry, she's fine. I don't know what just happened, it was weird…"

Sydney's gaze was critical, and her eyes were filled with disbelief as she shook her head. "No, it can't be… that can't be right."

"What do you mean?" Adrian asked, spinning Sydney around so their eyes met.

She paused for a moment, thinking. Then her eyes widened.

"This isn't Rose." Sydney leaped forward, and grabbed Rose's hands. She gave them a quick once over, and the dropped them.

Horror washed over me as I realised what she was suggesting.

"No…"

Sydney began to feel around the back of Rose's neck. She froze, and I knew what she had found. She moved her hands to reveal a silver chain. And with a flick of her wrist, she undid the clasp and threw the tiny necklace onto the floor. But this necklace was no ordinary piece of jewellery, it had been enhanced by Spirit.

Rose's dark hair turned to a lighter brown, and the shape of her face changed to a rounder form as she went from being the woman I loved to a young girl I had never seen before. But the Golden Lily Tattoo on her cheek told me that Sydney knew exactly who she was.

I should have known! We had even used Spirit in this exact manner only a matter of hours ago. How could I have been so blind?

Rage began to boil up inside me, as I turned to Sydney. She was already looking at me though, my expression mimicking hers.

"This is Zoey. My sister."

I couldn't contain my anger. Kicking my seat with so much force it almost broke, I turned to Zoey's still sleeping form. Leaning over, I grabbed both her shoulders and shook her until she woke up.

"WHERE IS SHE? WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO TO HER?" I demanded, still shaking her.

Fear made her turn even whiter.

I realised I was speaking in a voice that I hadn't spoken in since I was on the run with Rose. I sounded like a Stirgoi.

Sydney and Adrian grabbed both my arms, and tried to pull me away from Zoey.

I let them.

"Belikov, calm down!" Adrian placed himself in between Zoey and I, as Sydney knelt next to her sister. "We'll find Rose! We'll get her back, just calm down!"

I clenched my fists, and closed my eyes. Breathing heavily, I forced myself to calm down. I couldn't let my dark side win. I wasn't like that anymore. I wasn't a Stirgoi anymore.

When everyone was satisfied that I had control over myself, Sydney turned her focus to Zoey.

"Now, I don't give a damn if you hate me or not, or whose side you're on. But either way, you're going to tell us where Rose is."

But no matter how many times Sydney asked, Zoey just sat their staring blankly into the distance, refusing to say a word.

After a few more tries, Sydney sighed and then directed her words towards us.

"She's not going to talk. By the look of her tattoo, I think she's been marked with new orders. She's not going to tell us anything."

I wasn't sure what she meant by "marked with new orders," but it didn't matter. We just had to go get Rose back.

"Then let's get this plane turned back around. We should head back to St. Louis, she might still be there," I stated, heading for cockpit.

"The chances of her still being there are slim. Out best plan is to go back to Court and-"

"No," I said sharply, cutting Sydney off. "Our best plan is to keep moving. The longer we stand around talking, the less chance I have of finding her…"

I realised that I sounded exactly how Adrian did when Sydney had been captured.

"Look, if we can get back to Court. I can do a locater spell, which will hopefully tell us where she is."

Hopefully meant that there was a fifty fifty chance of this working, and I wasn't a fan of those odds. But what else could I do? As much as I wanted to go search every street, and every building in St. Louis, I knew that wouldn't achieve anything.

"And I'll try and contact her through her dreams," Adrian added, causing Sydney to turn abruptly towards him. She was about to say something, but Adrian waved her off and mouthed to her, "Not now."

Knowing it was our best option, I conceded, and went and took a seat at the back of the plane.

Just hang in there Roza, I'm coming for you.

Further down the Jet, I could hear Adrian and Sydney chatting, and I couldn't help but hear part of their conversation.

"What I want to know is where on earth did they find another Spirit user strong enough to make such a powerful compulsion charm?" Adrian muttered, as he picked up the necklace from the floor.

Sydney shrugged as she sat down next to her sister, who had fallen back to sleep. Zoey had been pale out of fear, not sickness. But she was still exhausted.

"I've never known the Alchemist's to work with a Spirit user before. I wonder how they managed to even find one, let alone get one to cooperate with them…"

That was something I wanted to know as well. Something told me that the Alchemists were more secretive than we had been led to believe. It looked like there was much more going on than we first thought. And Rose was caught right in the middle of it.

ROSE P.O.V:

RED SWIRLS OF BLOOD COVERED the white tiles around my feet, making small puddles. Jeff had even managed to get some of on the walls, when had slashed me with the knife, instead of stabbing me with it. My black Guardian uniform had rips and tears all over, and was soaked with blood. My blood.

I had been in and out of consciousness for… I don't even know how long. But it seemed like days. But when I awoke this time, I was able to lift my head up and focus my eyes.

But I wasn't alone. The older man who I had seen the first time I had woken up in this room, was standing right in front of me. I wanted so badly to sink into my seat, in attempt to put as much distance between us, but I needed to stay strong. I would not let them break me.

"Ah good, you're awake," he said, looking quite pleased. "Strong enough to stay conscious, but weak enough that you won't be able to resist. Not that you would have been able to hold off in the first place, but then again you are Shadow Kissed, so we thought it best to take some extra precautions and weaken you just in case."

Shadow kissed? He thought that I was still bonded? Looks like the Alchemists didn't know everything.

I tried to speak, but my throat was too sore and dry. All I could manage was a painful gulp.

"I know you don't know what I'm talking about, so let's just get on with it so we can put your curiosity at rest."

Right on cue, the doors slid open behind me and I heard multiple footsteps.

Jeff came into view, but he wasn't alone.

A tall, slim girl lagged behind him.

I froze.

She was a Moroi. But not just any Moroi.

Her smile was as cruel as she was cunning.

"Avery Lazar…" I managed to hissed, pulling on my cuffs. I wanted to grab her and slam her head against the wall for what she had tried to do to Lissa!

"Rose!" She leaned over, and her smile widened. "How's Lissa? Heard she's Queen now, but something tells me that that won't be for much longer!"

Bad move.

Using all my strength, I smacked my head against hers, almost knocking myself out in the process. She stumbled backwards, growling as she went.

"OW! That hurt you bitch!"

She started to come at me, but Jeff held her back.

"Now, now girls," the older man said sharply. "Behave."

Avery eventually calmed down, but it took Jeff having to repeat something over and over silently in her ear for her to do so. Looked like she was still a nut case.

"You know what you have to do," Jeff stated as he released his hold on her. Avery nodded, and then made her way slowly back to me. She crouched down next to the chair, out of range from my legs.

Her eyes locked on mine, and I found myself entranced by them.

"I'm going to ask you some questions, and you're going to answer me honestly. Okay?"

She spoke using a tone I recognised, but I couldn't quite remember where I had heard it before. Either way, answering her questions suddenly seemed like a good idea. But I had to make sure I told her the truth.

"Yes," I replied.

I mean, what was the harm in answering some questions?

A/N: No harm in Rose answering questions, right? Mwhahaha!

Let's hope Sydney and Adrian can work out where Rose is!