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Next Chapter is the end and I already started it so it'll be up soon.

I'll start Shadow Kissed within a week so be sure to look out for it!

Chapter 17

I told Janine what Adrian had relayed to me which only worried her more.

"That can only mean that they've been captured by Strigoi," she told me, her voice sounded devastated. She was no longer the stoic and strong Janine Hathaway, for once, she looked really vulnerable. It was making me lose hope.

Plus, all we could do was wait, wait for a phone call or something, something that might never come, or something that'll come too late. What would I do if Roza never came back to me? No, that couldn't happened, not to my Roza. She was so full of life; I knew that she'd be strong enough to face anything. I had to believe that, had to keep hope alive –it was all I had left.

A few hours later we received a call. It was transferred from the front desk to Janine. I don't know what the other person on the line said, but it was serious because she immediately said, "We'll come now," and got up.

I looked at her for some sort of assessment. "They've escaped. They're okay. They're in Spokane, we have to go get them," she spoke quickly and in short sentences. Relief was edged in every word.

My legs started to feel like jelly.

Please God, I prayed, let them all be okay, let Roza be okay.

I immediately moved and calls were made to arrange and airplane. I sat next to Janine and finally managed to choke out, "Who called?" I wasn't entirely sure if I was ready to hear this right now. I hung on to the fact that Janine would be torn apart if they had told her that her daughter was dead, but how much had they really told her anyway?

"Mia, she said she was with Christian and Eddie at some gas station. They're all very weak from the starvation I think. She said Rose and Mason had to stay behind, she was frantic, I don't know what this will turn into," she explained. Suddenly, I realized the cloud hadn't just passed over.

We weren't in the clear just yet. Of course Rose would sacrifice herself for the Moroi, she would sacrifice herself for anyone, and I was here.

The worst part was that I trained her to do that, when I should've been telling her to protect herself.

I wasn't much of a religious guy, but for once in my life I decided to pray, pray that Rose would be okay.

The plane only took about an hour and a half, but that was the longest hour and a half of my life. We finally managed to grab Christian and Mia, get them emergency food supplies and Eddie to lay down since the Strigoi had been continually feeding off of him.

Pigs.

Mia relayed that Rose wouldn't leave Mason's dead body. That she didn't know whether more Strigoi came, but she led us to the house.

The entire time I could hardly breathe. I begged God that no Strigoi came back or that she was strong enough to beat them. I wanted to break something with all the anticipation.

Finally, we set up some teams. I led the first one that would go into the house.

What I saw horrified me.

I saw Rose, holding Mason's limp body, the look of death in her eyes. She was completely disoriented; blood everywhere, along with two decapitated Strigoi.

I was relieved that she was okay, but the look in her eyes, I didn't think she'd ever get over this. Why hadn't I been paying attention to her? Why did this have to happen to the most wonderful girl in the world? Why my Roza?

Some of the Guardians approached her but she screamed, "Stay back, stay away from him."

"Stay back!" she yelled again. Something about her voice was frightening and terrifying because everyone froze, they could see that she was seriously powerful with a rusty sword. I think they were even scared of her.

I tried to get her to reason. I wasn't scared of her at all. All the innocence was gone from her eyes, but she was still my Roza. I just needed to bring her back.

She looked like someone who had seen too much war, too much death.

I felt ashamed that I hadn't been able to protect her.

I tried to reason with her, everyone else stayed silence as I said, "Rose," while approaching, "Drop the sword."

Rose's hand shook though and she just swallowed saying, "Get away from us."

That hurt like hell, but I wasn't giving up, I'd never give up on her.

"Rose." I spoke again. It was like she didn't even recognize who I was anymore. Had it really been just a few days?

I looked her dead in the eyes then and said, "It's okay. Everything's going to be okay. You can let go of the sword."

She seemed to be trying to hold on the hilt, "I can't. I can't leave him alone. I have to protect him."

The words broke my heart. She was so young.

"You have," I insisted.

Something seemed to register at that because she let the sword fall which made a loud clatter on the wooden floor and collapsed on all floors.

I wrapped my arms around her protectively and held her up. I didn't let go, I didn't care about appropriate anymore, I was never going to let someone hurt her like this ever again.

I moved Rose towards the door but she sort of fought me on it, looking back as she hand clutched my shirt crumpling the fabric.

I saw how hurt she was.

I would've done anything right then to make her feel better.

I kept one arm on her and then smoothed back some of her hair, back away from her face. I was faintly aware of the voices that swarmed around us, but honestly, all I could see now was Rose and feel her safe in my arms.

I felt sorry that Mason had been brutally murdered, he was just a kid, but honestly, I was ecstatic that it hadn't been Rose.

Losing her would have killed me.

Rose leaned her head against me, and I continued stroking her hair and murmuring in Russian, that everything was going to be find.

Guardians spread around the house, examining everything and not really noticing Rose's interaction with me.

Kneeling besides the decapitated Strigoi bodies, one of the Guardians commented, "She did that? Both of them?"

Another added, "That sword hasn't been sharpened in years!"

I should have been proud, but right now, all my energy was focused on nursing Rose back to health.

Rose made a funny sound, like she could care less about her success or the Guardians praising her and I squeeze Rose's shoulder, letting her know I was here and that I would always protect her.

Janine then ordered, "Get her out of here, Belikov.

I squeezed Rose's shoulder once more. "Come on, Roza. It's time to go."

This time she actually followed as I guided her out of the house, holding on to her with each agonizing step.

I swear I would have picked her up and carried her away in my arms, but she looked so fragile and breakable then I was afraid the abrupt movement would shatter her.

Eventually, we ended up back at one of the Academy's jets. The engine roared as the plane took off. I kept an arm around Rose the whole time, holding onto her, letting know that I wouldn't let anyone hurt her again.

I knew Janine would want to talk to her daughter eventually, and though I hated to leave Rose's side, I had to be reasonable too. Besides, it wasn't like Strigoi were lurking in the Academy's jets, right? Maybe I should double check, just in case.

I told Rose that I'd be right back and that I'd be watching her the whole time and if she needed me to just call out and I went to grab Janine and let her know that her daughter was fine.

Mia went and sat next to her as I got up, normally I'd be worried about those two interacting and I was about to make the little girl move but I saw compassion in her eyes and realized she was just trying to comfort Rose.

I guess that meant the bitch war was over.

I went to Janine and said, "She's fine. She'll be fine."

Janine looked back at Rose and seemed a little unsure.

The Mia girl walked up then, and I wondered that for a little girl she sure moved fast, "I think she wants to see you," she said looking at Janine.

"Of course," Janine responded and went to sit next to her daughter; I went along and sat in the seat behind them.

I wasn't trying to spy, but I was sort of being extra over-protective with what had just happened.

"Rose," began Janine awkward as ever. "Mia said you wanted to see me."

Rose just looked away. I was about to kneel down by her, but it wasn't really my place.

"What...what do you need?" continued Janine.

Rose looked pensive, and all of a sudden, she broke down. She started sobbing and I went to put my arms around her and hold her but Janine beat me to the punch. Rose's mother put her arms around her and Rose brought her face in her chest.

I seriously wanted to break something then; she was so hurt, in so much pain. I couldn't take it.

I couldn't stand to see Rose like that, she was so broken.

I didn't know if she'd ever heal.

I went into the back of the plane and started punching the bathroom steel door. It wasn't exactly the smartest idea, at least that's what my hand was telling me but I couldn't deal with seeing my precious Roza like that –ever.

I just wished I'd been able to heal Rose.

Eventually, I calmed down and went back to sit across from Rose.

Jeeze, who was the mental patient now?

Eventually, the plane landed and Rose went off to her room, looking… well, dead.

I wanted to follow but we had to deal with the death, call Mason's parents and I think Roza really just needed rest.

A little unsure feeling arose in my chest that told me not to leave Rose alone, what if something happened to her? But I let it leave me, I couldn't really treat her like she was a little girl…could I?

Later I knocked into Janine.

She spoke first, "I want to thank you for being so insistent on finding my daughter, and for being there for her," she began.

"Of course," I replied.

She looked worried.

"Take care of her, please, I don't know if anyone else can," she answered.

"I will, I promise," I answered. She nodded and walked away. For a naturally stoic person, I'd say she was starting to get pretty attached to her cub.