Why do guys only ever think of sex?! WHY?!

In other news, I'm back from my holiday =)


Stress, it occurred to me, is never a good thing. Aside from having a whole load of negative impacts on your health, it also gives you grey hair, makes you ratty, and prone to irritable moods.

For me, it seemed to make me act very impulsively. This explains how I could be found running along the road on the sunny afternoon of the last day of term.

I wasn't training, and I wasn't running for leisure or enjoyment. Some psychotic part of me had decided I'd waited long enough, now, and postponed my mission enough; it had decided that I should go and look for Dimitri. The same psychotic part of me was also quite thirsty for vengeance — I wanted to kill.

I had been running for several hours straight when I came to my senses... that is, well... sort of. Overwhelmed by emotion, I collapsed to the ground and curled up in a sobbing heap.

When I looked up, through sore and bleary eyes, it hit me that I had absolutely no clue where I was. Warily, I clambered to my feet, brushing dust and dirt off of my clothes, and started forward once again - though this time, slightly more cautiously. There were no signs of life around. No way to ask directions, here. I'd have to keep walking until I reached the next town.

*

Valik was frustrated.

"What do you mean?" he bellowed, slamming his fist down onto the desk which shuddered, sending pens and papers flying onto the ground.

Anton looked back at him boredly.

"I mean, she took off. Flipped out and did a runner. They're looking for her now," he returned steadily.

"But this ruins everything," Valik groaned. Anton nodded sympathetically.

"Sounds like the Rose we know," came a terse voice from the corner of the room. Valik's gaze flickered over, and the boy shrugged. He was slumped in a chair, watching the guardian and Moroi intently.

A girl slept, lightly resting on the boy's shoulder. She had dark circles under her eyes, and presently looked the least bit of the princess that she supposedly was, Anton thought.

"Shut up, Ozera," another boy sitting opposite the first said half-heartedly. His head was in his hands and he was slouching forward, elbows propped on knees. His eyes were fixed on the floor. He sighed, sat up and pulled out a cigarette packet. "Do us all a favour and just shut up."

The first boy glared, and the cigarette box in the other's hands burst into flames. He yelped, dropping the box on the ground and stamping repeatedly on it until the fire had burned down. The girl stirred, and her eyes flickered open. She glanced from the boy clutching his charred cigarette packet to the boy beside her, and frowned.

"Sorry," the first muttered, sounding the least bit apologetic. The second huffed and slumped back in his seat.

"Asshole," he whispered. Anton rolled his eyes, and with a brief nod towards Valik, he strode from the room.


So, yeah. You may notice this one is stupidly short. It's another teaser chapter... and it's there to let you know what the surprise was, since things are going to start happening, soon enough. Next chapter.... I've already got it, but it now needs a bit of tweaking.

Reviews?