Chapter 9 Escape from Novosibirsk
Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy Everything belongs to Richelle Mead.
So this chapter jumps around a little and lets you know what's going on with Rose and with her rescue party. Enjoy!!! Next chapter is one of my favorite's I can't wait to post it so if this chapter gets really good reviews I will post it asap!
DPOV
We landed in Novosibirsk and had rented a van. Janine was driving. I think it helped keep her mind off Rose. Lissa and Christian were cuddled up in the second seat and in the way back Ivashkov was sprawled out sleeping as well. I hoped he was with Rose. She shouldn't be alone right now. I prayed that we were not going to be too late. The rational part of me said she would either be dead or Strigoi when we got to her.
After about a half an hour Adrian's facial features began to contort as if he were in pain. Tears were leaking out of his eyes while he slept and his breathing was becoming labored. This could not be good. Either he was having a bad dream or something had happened to Rose.
I unbuckled my seatbelt and crept to the back of the van careful not to wake Lissa and Christian. Adrian continued to sob in his sleep and I wanted desperately to wake him and find out what was going on, but I wouldn't tear him away from Rose. Janine just gave me a knowing look from the front of the van and kept driving.
A few minutes later Adrian shot up. The look on his face was pure anguish. I allowed him a minute to compose himself.
"How is she?" I asked quietly wondering if I wanted to know the answer.
He didn't respond right way and I knew that it was bad.
"Were you able to speak with her?"
"Yes. And she's fine!" He snapped rather loudly.
They haven't turned her yet. She's not doing well so we need to get to her quickly. I hope you know where you're going Belikov." He said with an edge in his voice.
I had a feeling he wasn't telling me the whole truth, but I didn't want to hear it if it was worse. I don't think I could handle much more. We were about an hour away from where I thought they may be holding her. The plan was to stake the place out during the early morning when it first became light and then Janine and I would go in fighting and Christian would stay behind to use his firepower to protect the others.
As I sat back and stared blankly out the window at the passing scenery my mind wandered to a few days ago when Rose and I spoke after the attack. She actually thought I regretted what we shared in the cabin. I had done my best to reassure her that was not the case and that I wanted to be with her despite all of the odds against us. And there were many. Getting approval from her mother was a Godsend, but there was still the Academy mainly Kirova, the entire Moroi society, and of course Queen Tatiana herself.
I had phoned a close friend at the Royal Court a few weeks ago to inquire about a change of guardianship for Princess Dragomir. I had yet to hear anything back, but I was hopeful that something could be worked out so I could still be at Court, but would not have to take shifts opposite Rose. If she survived. I sighed and inhaled the stale air inside the van. If she didn't make it out of this alive my duty would be to protect the Princess in her honor. I wouldn't deny her what she wanted not now not ever.
I pondered what type of future we could have with all of the restrictions around us. Of course we would get time off together if we were guarding different Moroi, but it wouldn't be much. We might be able to live relatively close together maybe not in the same house, but within a few minutes walk. Why does life have to be so complicated? I leaned my head back and tried to catch a few minutes sleep.
APOV
I woke up suddenly as if Rose had been ripped away from me. When I kissed her I felt a warm sensation shoot through us. It was a little unnerving. I sat there in silence remembering what she told me. Chances are that she would be dead when we found her, but I had to hold onto the last shred of hope I had left that she would make it through this in one piece. She said that they tried to turn her and failed. She also said that she was now alone. That meant there wouldn't be Strigoi to take on when we got there. That upped our chances of getting her out of there.
She didn't look so good when I saw her though. She was like a walking corpse. Her face was paler than a Strigoi, her body was ice cold and the life was gone from her eyes. It took all I had not to wretch at the sight of her. She didn't look like the strong, healthy, fun loving girl I'd fallen in love with just a month earlier.
She had asked me to tell them goodbye and to give up hope that it was too late, but I couldn't do that. She was everything to me and even though she would never love me the way I loved her I would find her if it was the last thing I did on this earth. I knew if I told the Russian and or Guardian Hathaway the truth that they might abandon the mission. Lissa of course wouldn't give up and would pitch a fit an probably get her way and Christian would follow her to the ends of the earth, but I wanted to be sure so I ended up telling Belikov that she wasn't doing all that well, but they hadn't turned her yet. Which was more or less truthful. She had also been moved into the basement of the dwelling.
The way we had kissed before I left was heartbreaking. I knew she still didn't feel the same about me, but even on her deathbed she was thinking about my feelings instead of hers and she didn't have the heart to push me away. I sighed and lay my head back against the seat. I really needed a drink. I didn't think it would be a good idea though. I needed to be able to dream walk on command so I stayed sober and it was horrible.
RPOV
I opened my eyes slowly and looked around the room. I was confused. Adrian had been with me and then he was gone and my dreams were nothing but darkness. I thought I had died, but as I surveyed my surroundings I realized that life was cruel and I was still in that dungeon of a dark room thankfully alone.
My head was throbbing and I could feel the blood pounding in my neck. Wait I could feel? I wasn't dead. Slowly I attempted to lift my hand. It wasn't easy, but I had some feeling back in my limbs. I managed to put my hand on my head and rub the side of my neck. I could feel it was bruised and crusted with dried blood. Pain shot through the rest of my body as I attempted to bring myself to a sitting position.
It took a while, but I was able to manage it with much difficulty. The pain was almost unbearable. I think I liked it better when I was numb. I sat against the stone wall and tried to regain my strength. I hadn't eaten in I don't know how many days, I had suffered severe blood loss and my throat was parched from lack of water. I should be dead, but I'm not. There was no sign of Strigoi so I stayed where I was and rested my eyes in hopes that I would be able to drag myself to and up the stairs eventually.
I don't know how many hours passed, but I was starting to regain the feeling in my legs. I tried to stand, but it was futile. My left ankle was broken and I had severe gashes covering most of my legs and thighs. If I could only drag myself up those stairs maybe there was a phone or something. It took me an ungodly amount of time and effort, but eventually I managed to pull myself up the stairs. I put my ear against the door and listened. There were no sounds of movement or voices. I quietly pushed the door open a crack and peered out through the opening.
I cringed it was daylight and my eyes were not adjusted to the brightness. My stomach was fine so I knew there weren't Strigoi. I managed to get myself into a somewhat standing position. I glanced around the small one room shack. It was dirty and fairly unfurnished. No electricity that I could see and definitely no phone.
"Just my luck." I muttered under my breath. There was however a small sink and I had to hope that maybe there was some running water. I drug myself over to it and turned on the faucet. The water was a little yellow at first, but it cleared up. I sighed in relief and drank until I wasn't thirsty anymore. There was a small dusty mirror above the sink. I wiped it with the sleeve of my ripped and bloodied shirt and glanced at my reflection.
I gasped at the sight of myself. No wonder Adrian was crying. I looked like the walking dead. I was whiter than a Strigoi and my face was bruised as well as my neck. My hair was snarled and had debris from outside probably from the caves and then being dragged around. My clothing was practically shredded and there was blood and dirt caked over every inch of my body.
I washed my hands and attempted to wash my face, but there wasn't anything for me to use as a cloth so I would just have to stay dirty.
Since it was early daylight time I would have to drag myself outside and find somewhere, anywhere I could come across that had a phone. I didn't even know what country I was in or what the weather would be like. All I knew is that I couldn't stay where I was. I needed to move.
I hobbled uncomfortably to the door and opened it. I was glad to be free of this dump, but as I looked around and saw the nothingness that surrounded me for miles I broke down and cried. When I'd recovered I pulled it together and started walking it didn't really matter what direction, but maybe I could find a road. It was chilly, but manageable because the sun was out. I walked for what seemed like forever and eventually near dusk I could no longer stand up anymore and I passed out.
Well there it is! Hope you enjoyed it. Please Review. Tenth reviewer to this chapter gets a date with Dimitri!! LOL I wish right??
