My stake was growing warmer and warmer in my hand with my body heat as I ran down the stairs, going in complete battle mode.

Distraction.

If this Strigoi was anything to worry about, he would take into account everything we had learned in school. That would be my first sign. Distraction. Once I saw him, I would be fine. But at the moment, all I saw was the sunrise. If I could get him outside, I could burn him with the sun. If I took enough time.

"The famous Rosemarie Hathaway," a Strigoi ghosted within the walls. I couldn't see him, but as he talked, I could get a general direction of where he was.

"A bit risky, don't you think?" I talked back. "The sun's almost up."

"And you will die before it does."

Distraction. He was talking to me, distracting me. He was one to worry about, but it was nothing I couldn't handle.

"And how's Dimitri going?"

I flinched, and he took that as his distraction. He pounced onto my back, but I was quicker. I ducked and swooped in and around. I pushed him off me with the force to send us both backwards on the ground.

We both stumbled to stand up quickly, not wanting the disadvantage of being on the ground when the final strike was blown.

He was quicker than me, but not so much to get another strike. I ducked under his arm as he tried to throw a punch and stabbed him in the back with my stake, not killing him, but causing a heck of a lot of pain. He fell to the ground.

I kicked him so he rolled over, exposing his chest, and I pushed the stake through his heart.

He squirmed for a moment, then died.

Such a waste. They could be saved. Dimitri had proven that. But no action had gone into it yet. Dimitri was still under supervision, even though it was loose, it was still there.

I checked my senses. No other Strigois in the area. None would be stupid enough.

I dragged the body out into the back yard, and didn't take my eyes off of him until he was a burning pile of ashes. I had made the mistake of not killing them properly before.

Did I really want to make that mistake again?

Olena had been watching through the upstairs window, so when she walked down and patted me on the back, I didn't need to turn around to know who was there.

"This is getting ridiculous." I told her.

"He knew who Dimitri was." She said. I looked at her. Thank god I hadn't said anything to give it away. She had been eavesdropping.

"That's not the worst of our problems," I informed her. "Of course they knew him, know him." I corrected. "But with that risk? That certainty I would be there? They know where I am. If I'm seen you any of you, it could be catastrophic.

"They're working wit the person who wants to kill me."

"What do we do now?" she asked.

I sighed. "We go on with our lives. Go back to sleep. It's been a long day for all of us. And tomorrow night, I get out of here, and you hide somewhere safe."

I walked towards the back door, but her words stopped me. "You were looking into her head again, weren't you? Lissa's?"

"Good night Olena." Was all I said.

I walked upstairs and into Dimitri's room again. I closed my eyes to think for a moment, but I could feel my mind slipping again. I let it slip, and I was with Dimitri again.

"I need to call my mother. This is just getting insane. I'll give it five minutes."

He stood up from the bed, but Lissa tried to push him down. "No! You know what Abe said! They can't know, Dimitri! They just can't!"

"It's the only way I'd know if she was in Russia. And if she wasn't, no harm done."

"And if she is?"

"Then we've found her." His answer was simple.

Lissa starred into his eyes. "And when we find her? Then what? Great, she's in such-and-such, what do we do then?"

Dimitri's eyes squinted.

"I contact her." He said slowly, still squinting. "I help her find whoever it is who is trying to kill her, and then with everything else in her life. I tell her I-"

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

CRAP! He saw me, I was sure of it. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

I had to pull myself out of there. I didn't need to be caught again with the headache, and not just because I wanted to avoid getting into trouble. But I had both charms. I needed to try it.

Would it make a difference?

"Because she's here." He said slowly. "In your eyes."

"You said that before." She told him.

"And it led you to the most serious headache you have ever had. But I can see her."

Don't say my name. Don't say my name.

"Why you? What does it look like?"

"You're eyes just…change." He tried to explain. "Not their colour, but their….depth. She's listening."

"Rose is here?" she whispered intensely. "Rose? Rose? Are you there?"

I wanted to say something. Anything to her. I had the strangest thought.

I willed her to say yes. I tried pushing all my mind towards hers, imagining her saying it.

And I got nothing.

Dimitri's eyes lit up.

"Rose?"

I was snapped out of her head and back into the bed. My headache was dim enough to ignore, though I knew it would be worse if I took off the charms. It had lasted longer, too. That was a plus.

I breathed carefully.

Five minutes. Shit.

I ran out of the room, only barely opening the door in time for me to get out. I ran down the hall, and when I got to the stairs, I jumped down six, then eight more too the ground. I stumbled for a moment, but quickly caught my ground and bounded towards the kitchen.

The phone rang, and Olena was just about to pick it up when I came through the door.

"Stop!" I said to her loudly. She looked to me in shock, and as I moved towards the phone, on its fourth ring now, she stepped away. I caught my breath, then answered the phone in my best accent.

"Belikov residence." I sounded somewhere between a bad Italian and an American.

There was a pause. "Yeah, hi, is Olena Belikov around?"

I tried not to let my heart take over. It was his soothing voice, nothing like I had seen with Lissa. Just knowing that I could let him know I was here…it was amazing.

"Ah, no, sorry." I said before clearing my throat. "Can I take a message?"

There was another pause. "I'm sorry, who is this?"

"American exchange student." I said quickly, easing my accent up slowly, but still pretending to sound like someone else. "I am Rosetta. Rosetta Montgomery. And you are?"

"Dimitri Belikov." He said in an unsure voice.

"Oh! I thought you were –" my plan was busted, since Olena was standing right next to me, looking at me with a mixture of unsure insanity and worry. "Gone."

"No. See, that's what I'm calling about-"

"Oops! Sorry! Got to go! Bye!"

I slammed the phone down. I leaned against the wall in a huff.

"What's going on?" she asked.

I looked to her. "Nothing you need to worry about, but make sure you're packed."

She paused. "I called Abe." She informed me. "He's arranged a flight for you on his personal jet. We withdrew your academy application. I know you know we have to go, but I just wanted to make sure this was alright with you. The Strigoi…I know he messed up everything. And I know how you're feeling.

"I'm so sorry."

I looked towards her. "None of this is your fault." I told her. "Go back to bed. I think I'll stay up for a couple of minutes more, just to…gather my thoughts."

She nodded sympathetically then headed up the stairs with a quiet goodnight. As soon as she was out of earshot, I pulled out my mobile from my pocket and called Lissa's cell, a risky but necessary thing to do.

She picked up first ring. It was obvious that she had seen the caller ID.

"Hello? Rose?"

I sighed. "Lissa, you need to listen quickly. Dimitri must not let his folks know he is alive. That could be dangerous for everyone."

"But, he just called…that was you, wasn't it? The creepy American exchange student? You're staying with the Belikov's."

"Not for long." I told her in a hurried whisper. "I need to move. Tomorrow. We were attacked, and any preparations have gone down the tubes. He can't contact them in any way. They won't be here if he does, and the last thing I need is Dimitri in Russia. They want him almost as bad as they want me."

"Have you found anything?"

I sighed. "No. I'm getting there, Lissa, you know I am. But I need to talk to Adrian, is he anywhere close?"

"No." she answered.

"then after I hang up, you find him and tell him to talk to me in my dreams. Hurry, it's important."

She sniffled. "Okay."

"And Lissa?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, girl. Don't try to ring this phone."

"I've let you down, haven't I?" she croaked.

"No! No, Liss, you could never let me down."

"Then why does it sound like you're saying goodbye?"

I sighed. "I lost sight on what's really important, Liss. I have to set it straight. And I'm not entirely sure if its gonna work. And if it doesn't…"

"If it doesn't?"

I took a deep breath in. "I'm sorry Lissa."

"NO! RO-"

I hung up, placing the phone on the table. I walked around the kitchen quickly, grabbing the kettle, and then smashing the phone with it.

I could sense that Lissa was crying loudly in her room, and that she could hear people coming to see what was wrong. I pushed her out of my head. I had to do this.

Once again, I walked back up to Dimitri's room and fell asleep, praying that I could get my suspects straight.

There was no way I could find anyone hiding out with people protecting me.

I would have to run away to get anything done.

Hey Everyone!

Lauren here.

I am thrilled with the reviews I have gotten for this story and I would like to thank each and every one of you for the reviews! Some of the best ones I have ever got from a story! I love you all!

Sorry about the mistakes I put in this story. I write it quite quickly as I get caught up in the story, and being me, is too careless to read it again. I like to think about what happens next, rather than what happened before.

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Lauren