Rating:
This chapter is Rated M.
The reason this chapter is Rated M, is because there is violence and death.

Beta:
Icestorm51; thank you so much for editing this chapter - much appreciated!

Authors Notes:
Only 1 more chapter left, and an epilogue!
I will be writing another story after this one is complete, so if you haven't done so already - I suggest you add me on author alert or favourite author.
That way, you will be notified straight away once I begin publishing the new story.
My new story/characters will be all human, and I will be using the well created Vampire Academy characters.

Disclaimer:
The author Richelle Mead owns the Vampire Academy universe. I Want To Experience Love is a Vampire Academy Fan Fiction story and it is not intended to infringe on any copyrights held by Richelle Mead or Razor Bill Company. Richelle Mead is the creator of the Vampire Academy characters, however this story is my original work. Copyright 2010 by xx-RedRoseBlackThorn-xx. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without my express written authorization.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

The Horrific Battle

I quickly realised that someone was calling my name and I ducked. I was very thankful to the person who told me, because I soon realised I had two Strigoi ready to attack me. One of the two male Strigoi threw a punch towards my right ribs. I gasped in pain but fought back. He was strong, very, very strong. He must have had been a Guardian when he was turned. He had a very good attack stance and knew how to defend himself very well. He was muscular, strong and knew how to block my hits. I spun around and kicked my leg out for a low kick in his legs. It unbalanced him for the slightest moments which I used to my advantage. I charged at him, full force and knocked him onto the wall behind him. He lunged for my throat, but I pulled away in time to give a forceful punch to his nose. I turned his head to the side, away from my face and noticed the Guardian tattoo on his neck. Well, that corresponds with my Guardian theory.

"Guardian?" I whispered.

He hissed, "Was a Guardian. Now I'm much stronger and better off."

"You're dead!"

"No, I'm alive. My heart is still beating, I still have my memories and thoughts. It's all me, except now I can live for eternity with much more strength then I had before."

I snorted, "You are not alive! You drain the blood of innocents and watch them die in agony. You are a filthy being. A being from the un-dead."

He growled and grabbed my waist to turn me around, clashing my back into his chest. With his free hand, he held my arms away so I was unable to attack him.

"That's where you are wrong little girl... we had it all wrong, we didn't know it's a better life this way. We all say that the Strigoi are evil, but now I know what it's like. It's worth it to become one of us," he said near my ear.

I stomped on his foot and jabbed my elbow into his face. He stumbled back, and I pulled out my stake. He attempted to rip it out of my hands, but instead it scrapped along his skin. He snarled wide mouthed, showing his fangs. I pushed him back one more time and slid the stake through his ribs straight through to his heart.

"So much for eternity," I said, scowling. "Now what about you? You believe in eternity too, or do you believe in death?" I asked, looking at the second Strigoi.

"I believe in your death," he said as he kicked my lower stomach.

I brought myself back up from the blow and into a defence position. I moved my elbows at a 90 degree angle alongside my body with arms in front of shoulders, and fists in front of my chin. He moved forward keeping his elbow close to his body, giving him full power to use his first two knuckles for a forward jab. I brought my knee to my chest and reached up with both hands to pull the Strigoi down by his shoulders and onto my knee. He hissed and fell back while I returned my leg to the starting position. He quickly regained his balance and spun us around so I was pushed up against the wall. He lunged to tear some skin from around my throat, but I used a front high block by bending my elbows to almost a 90 degree angle. I kept my fists tight with my palm facing outward. I then front kicked the Strigoi by bringing my right knee up and extending my lower leg into his chest. I brought my leg down to my original position with control to maintain balance. I pushed him down on the ground and straddled him so he was now locked in position.

"I guess you chose for me to show you what death was like on your way to eternity," I said sarcastically.

I didn't give him a chance to speak because I pushed my stake through his chest. I looked around and saw bodies laying on the ground. Most were Strigoi bodies but I noticed some Guardians and novices. I saw Tasha close by and tried calling out to her, but it was no use. She couldn't hear me. I turned in the other direction and saw Dimitri fighting off a group of Strigoi. He was by himself, and I wondered why nobody went over to help him. I quickly got up from where I was sitting above the Strigoi to help him.

I surprised one of the Strigoi he was fighting and plunged the stake through its back and into his heart. The other Strigoi then noticed my appearance and some turned to attack me. I threw a direct uppercut to the closest Strigoi and he stumbled back directly into Dimitri's waiting stake. I spun nearly in a full circle and laid a forty-five degree angle roundhouse kick on the next Strigoi. He was impacted but didn't budge and threw a cross punch into my chest. I hissed at the pain, but threw him one of my famous right hooks. I felt a body press up against mine and looked out of the corner of my eye to see Dimitri's back pressed up against my back in a defensive position.

We were surrounded. The other Guardians were busy with their own battles. Some of the Guardians whose job was to protect the Moroi made a move to come and help us, but Dimitri's commanding voice set them back.

"Don't leave your Moroi!" he shouted. "Protect them with your lives!"

"We can do this. We can do this. I know you can do this, Rose. Show them who you are," I whispered to myself.

"You can do this, Rose," Dimitri's voice answered me. "We have covered it all in training. Show them who Rose Hathaway really is!"

I nodded even though I knew he couldn't see me, because he was focusing on his side on the circle. "I've got your back covered, Guardian Belikov," I said with determination.

I felt his warm fingertips collide with mine as he said, "As I have yours. Don't give up and remember, do not hesitate."

The Strigoi to the side kicked me on my left rib, I brought my fists up into a neutral stance and then gave him a left jab to the left side of his ribs, with another right jab to the right side of his ribs. Next was a left uppercut to his chin and a right hook to his temple. I caught him off guard by my fighting sequence I had learned from Dimitri and went straight to a fighting stance. I noticed from his first attack that he depended on his right arm. I waited for him to make his next move and thankfully it was with his right arm, going for a punch. I grasped the Strigoi's wrist and applied pulling pressure. He tried to give me a low kick, but I blocked it with my shin. I made a strike for his elbow with my fist and his arm popped. His arm was now broken. I smiled to myself as I watched him scream in pain. I pulled my stake out of my pocket and pushed it into his heart all the way.

I was able to stake three more Strigoi while keeping my defence stance back to back with Dimitri. The next Strigoi I had to face was rather strong. He had me fall to the ground and I saw Dimitri look back. I yelled out that I was fine so that he could concentrate on his own Strigoi that he was fighting. I jumped up, giving him a high kick to the face which was long enough for me to stand up in a fighting position. I aimed a right jab to his face while stepping in closer and then a a left jab to his face while stepping closer again. I quickly followed through with a left jab and grabbed his head. I pulled it down with more force from his struggling and connected my right elbowed to the back on his head. The Strigoi faltered for a second –a second I didn't waste– and staked him.

"How many left on your half?" I asked, breathing heavily.

"On my last... one," he said while I heard the stake being pushed through the Strigoi's body. "You?"

I couldn't reply as a woman Strigoi punched me straight in the mouth. I growled and threw a left jab to her eye and left my hand there to block her view. "On my second to last now," I grunted. I lowered my stance and tackled the left side of her body with my left shoulder. Once her body hit the ground, I punched all areas of her face as many times as possible to wear her down. I felt Dimitri nudge me out of the way, and he sliced easily and quickly through her chest.

I looked up at him, "I can take the last one. Go. They need you more than me."

I could see him hesitate to leave my side.

"You have taught me everything I need to know."

He looked around the building and his eyes stayed focused over on the other side on the room. I looked in the direction his eyes were focused on and froze for a moment. "Dimitri, they need you. You're their leader now... he's dead– Guardian Chase is dead. Make sure the Moroi leave now!"

The Strigoi didn't like listening to our rumbling, so he attacked Dimitri's back but Dimitri was quick enough to land a hard blow to his head and knock him over to the ground. "Be careful," he warned. "If you become outnumbered, you run. You hear me? You run!"

"I will," I said, nodding.

"I'll be back as soon as I know the Moroi are safe outside." He turned around and quickly looked back. "Make sure you run, Roza!"

I turned back to the Strigoi as soon as I heard Dimitri telling Group Two to retreat. Guardian Stephan was telling Group Three to retreat as well. That left us with no more fire, but we were better off, because the amount of energy they would have used would have left them weak and easier targets to kill. A Strigoi ran towards me, growling and showing me his fangs. I used his run up as power to me and gave him a punch, sending him straight back down to the ground. I pulled out my stake, ready for an opening while he attacked me. I drew back my left shoulder and delivered a quick jab to his face. As he was trying to refocus, I stepped forward with my right foot and in an uppercut motion I made a strike for the Strigoi's throat with the stake. He hissed and I took the opening to end his suffering and mine.

It was then that I heard a noise. A noise I had heard before, but wasn't a noise I had heard recently. The noise I heard was growling. Growling of three very, very scary looking psi-Hounds. They had me surrounded and I knew the only way I could escape was to kill them. The psi-Hounds only took orders from Moroi, so there was no point in me trying to compromise. Because seriously, how stupid would I look to try and convince a dog/wolf to not eat me alive? Stupid enough!

I didn't have any weapons to help me beat the psi-Hounds. All I had was my stake and a stake is pretty useless against them. Last time a psi-Hound attacked me, I was outside in a forest, on my way to save Lissa. I was able to use branches to push them away from me, but now... I was stuck. I didn't have time to think of an attack move, because the biggest psi-Hound jumped at me. I gave it a swift kick in the gut, but it didn't so much flinch. It lunged for me again, but I use my stake and cut it across it's flank. It was then I realised I had a gun. I pulled the gun out, aimed and shot. This time I did hear a whine and it defiantly put me in the dog food pile with the other two psi-Hounds. I just about to defend myself and shoot another when all too quickly, I heard an order being shouted. I couldn't hear it clear enough to understand what it was, but the psi-Hounds stopped attacking me and bared their teeth.

I took the opportunity to help another Guardian when a figure I knew all too well stepped out in front of me. He looked pale, withered and bony. Last time we saw him before Lissa healed him, he looked double his age. Well this time around he didn't, but that wasn't to say that he looked in his early fourties. He looked like he was about in his sixties. His skin wasn't as wrinkled but you could see the skin starting to shrivel. His hair was still shiny and thin, but I could see patches of grey throughout his head. His jade green eyes still sparkled with life and a touch of bliss showed through.

Victor Dashkov.

"My dear Rosemarie, how nice it is to see you so soon," he said, smiling.

"I thought you knew it would only be a short matter of time once I received the letter you wrote to me."

"Ah, how could I forget, you were also so courageous and witty with your remarks. You haven't changed one bit, but I never suspected that you would," he said to himself. "How is Vasilisa?"

"Like I would tell you, you disgusting pig!" I shouted while lunging for him. However, I was stopped in my tracks, by strong, cold, hard hands pulling my back by my wrists. I was too caught up in Victor that I hadn't noticed two Strigoi sneak up behind me.

Victor smirked at my description of him and motioned with his head for the Strigoi to drag me out of the room. I tried struggling against them but it was no use. I thought it was better if I tried to save my energy and assess the situation first. While being dragged forward, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that others were being held hostage. Guardians, Novices and Moroi. There wasn't too many of us being held, but it was enough to send a message. From what I could tell, there were three Guardians, four Novices and two Moroi. I didn't know them very well... the Guardians were transferred for this mission, and the Novices were from another year. However, I did know the two Moroi: Carly and Bruno. There was at least fifteen Strigoi following Victor's orders in this new room. Victor ,from what I could tell, ordered the psi-Hounds to leave, and for once, I was relieved.

"What is this, Victor?" I seethed. "You've teamed up with Strigoi now? So, it wasn't bad enough that you kidnapped Lissa and convinced your own daughter to turn, but now you have joined forces? Could you make yourself any more revolting?"

"Now, now, there is no need for snarly remarks. All will be taken care of pleasantly if you listen and follow what I say carefully. Otherwise..." he laughed out loud, "...Well, it's quite simple really. I'll make sure it isn't as pleasant."

"I would never do anything you say," I spat.

"Oh, Rosemarie, you really don't have a choice." He looked around at one of the Guardians and ordered for him to be brought forward. "What's your name?"

"Go to hell!" the Guardian hissed.

Victor shook his head with slight laughter. "Boys, who wants a treat?" he asked, looking at the two Strigoi who brought him over.

They both hissed and fought over who was going to have him. Victor got tired of their bickering, and said that the tall lanky one could have the first taste. He was just about to bite him when I screamed...

"Stop! Please, Victor, please!"

"You have to learn young one, you will not go unpunished for such behaviour," he stated. "As a matter of fact, you should not be standing here now."

I gave him a strong glare and said, "I know you charmed the bracelet, Victor! You thought I was be dead by now, didn't you? Well, guess what, you were wrong!"

"Yes, yes, indeed I was. So, tell me Rosemarie, how are you not... affected per se?"

"It's Rose! And because of you, Christian is dead! Because of you, Lissa is depressed! Because of you Eddie is dying! I came here to kill you, to make you reverse the charm!"

He laughed loudly. "I didn't think the Ozera boy was stupid enough for the charm to work for him. As for this Eddie, another close friend of yours?"

"Don't even pretend that you're interested! If you wanted me dead or out of the way, you should have stopped being a coward and done it yourself."

"I was hoping the charm would pull you out of the picture, but now, ah, I will rather enjoy watching you die before me."

I screamed with anger and pulled my arm free from the Strigoi on my right. He was quick to respond and kicked me in the stomach. The other Strigoi then pinned me down in a headlock. Victor smiled at me and then told the Strigoi to feed. I struggled against the hold but I couldn't move. I heard screams and crying around me, my mind thinking it was Carly and some Novices. The Guardian tried to move out of the other Strigoi's hold, but the tall lanky Strigoi sunk his teeth into his neck and the Guardian screamed out in agony. I closed my eyes and thought about Dimitri. What he would want me to do in this situation? He would want me to get as much information as I could. He would want me to think clearly and not make any rash movement or smart remarks to fasten my death (it's a little late for that now, but I could still try). He would tell me to get out of this position and hold my own fight. But the thing was, the room was full of Strigoi. There is no way I would be able to stake them all and live. I have two more Guardian in the room, but one of them looked out of it and the other well... he didn't look so good either. The novices were too scared and injured, while the Moroi had no chance in hell, being water users.

I needed to get out of this headlock and quick while Victor was distracted. If I was able to move, I would at least be able to stake a couple Strigoi. It would mostly likely piss everyone off enough to want to kill me faster, but it was better than not trying at all. If I was to die, I wanted to die fighting and doing my duty. I moved my head away from the Strigoi's elbow joint, so it was easier for me to breathe. I balled my hands and hammered my fists to his kidneys. I lifted my right hand around his arm and grabbed his ear. I pulled with all my strength while still holding his ear down to my waist. Lastly, I did a hard palm thrust to his face with my right hand. I was then out of the headlock and his chest was exposed. The other Strigoi pulled me by my waist but wasn't quick enough to stop my hand from pulling out my stake and shoving it into his heart.

I spun around and ducked from the other Strigoi's double cross punch. Just as I rose from my position from crouching on the ground, giving me more power in my strike, I drove my elbow upwards into his stomach; right on the lower abdominals, stunning the Strigoi. I took the chance and pushed my stake through his chest. Two down... many more to go. I looked up and saw the Guardian who was being drunken from hunched on the ground. He was dead. The tall lanky Strigoi was about to attack me when Victor said, "Don't attack! If she wants to be free, then let her be." The Strigoi snarled at him, but Victor didn't seem troubled by it. "Candice, Mark, would you like to do the honours?"

I looked at him in horror, waiting for the so-called Candice and Mark to attack me and send me to my death bed, but instead, I heard screaming and begging. I looked sharply to my right and saw a male Novice being pulled by the limbs. The strigoi had his legs around the Novice's body and his hands around his neck. Within seconds his head was being pulled up; the boy gagged and then a popping sound ended the noise. I couldn't believe what I saw... the Novices head had be pulled out of it's socket. It didn't take long for another scream to fill the room, and I turn my body half around to my left. A Guardian had fear in her eyes. She was being drank from and selfishly. I started to run over to her, but another Strigoi was fighting me off. I saw the Strigoi stop feeding from her and she slumped over onto the ground. The Strigoi put his foot on her chest to hold her down and another foot on her face. I clamped my eyes shut, preparing for what was going to be happening next and heard the snapping of her neck being broken.

I opened my eyes and quietly sobbed. I was screwed! There was no way out... I was outnumbered... I watched innocents die... I was exhausted... I knew my time would be up shortly. I was secretly hoping it would be sooner rather than later. Victor walked towards me and stopped about a foot away. He looked at me intensely, searching for something... He lifted his hand up and was reaching to check my cheek, when I slapped his hand away.

"Don't fucking touch me! You make me sick!"

He spoke softly. "It's a shame I can't get you to send a message to Vasilisa. Well, send a verbal message. Now, you'll just be sending a... physical message.

"Leave her out of this!"

"That's an impossible request to fill... I need her. I need her to heal me. Don't you see? This is what I wanted all along."

I looked at him in confusion, "Why don't you just changed yourself? You won't die from your disease in that case." I shrugged. "You'll just get staked instead."

He smirked. "I love your logic, Rosemarie, but I don't want to turn. I can't become King if I turn."

"King?" I scoffed, "You can't become King. The Queen would never allow it and the community wouldn't vote for it. You're a criminal!"

His smirk faded and it became a glare– a death glare. "I'm so sick of your attitude towards me. You make me out to be some type of evil creature. I was willing to let you live a while longer, but now, uh-uh, I think you deserve some pain."

I tensed and took in a deep breath, waiting for my body to feel the intense pain inevitably coming, but instead I was surprised to see the door open. Three Strigoi came in, with Dimitri! No! Shit! He locked his eyes on mine and sent me his love. Victor nodded to one of the Strigoi by Dimitri and he held up a stake. He started to curse in pain from holding it and threw it to the ground. Victor picked it up and started examining it, and smiled at me before deeply scrapping it along Dimitri's chest.

"Noooooo! Stop, oh please, stop!" I begged.

Dimitri didn't scream but I saw his body shake with pain. He was holding it in; being brave. How dare Victor hurt him!

"Don't you see, Rosemarie, you did this. You caused me to hurt him."

"Let him go. You can have me. You can do whatever you want to me. Just please, let him go," I cried.

"Rose, no!" Dimitri shouted at me in agony.

Victor gave another of his throaty, evil laughs. "I see nothing has changed between you two. Still fighting for each other, I see. How's the love going? Won't have much time left together, now. You better say your goodbyes."

"You have no idea about us," I growled. "Break the charm and you can have me. Anything you want, I'll do it. But you have to let Dimitri go, and break the death charm."

"What did you call it?" He asked amused. "A death charm..."

"Is that what it is?" I asked, hoping to find out any information that could be handy were to escape.

"Something along those lines..." He said, knowing full well what I was up to. "The only way I would break the spell is if I died, and then..." He laughed. "It still wouldn't work, because I didn't undo the charm."

I looked at Dimitri in panic and he looked rather calm. Why did he try and be in control, when this was a time when he could be an animal and it wouldn't hurt anybody?

"Don't try and save him, Rosemarie. It won't work," Victor stated. "Dimitri will become one of us. He will be very handy, and welcomed into our clan. Someone like him would be very useful."

"No. I said pick me! I would be useful. I'm aggressive, and strong. I would be better for you then Dimitri."

"She's wrong." Dimitri voice broke the tension. "Take me... I'm all yours. Just leave her out of it. You know she won't be useful to you King Dashkov, she would be a pain in your ass."

I looked at him in shock. Not only did he call him king, but he insulted me by saying I would be useless and a pain to control. What type of tactic was he using? He wouldn't even look at me.

"Don't listen to him!" I protested.

Victor rolled his eyes and spoke, "Will you two give it up? I've made up my mind. Bruce?" He said looking at a rather big built Strigoi. I'm pretty sure he had been a Dhampir. "You can now start the transition. I would like Rosemarie to be alive to see it, if you wouldn't mind."

Bruce nodded, and I connected my eyes with Dimitri. He was sending me his love, and telling me he was doing it for us... for me. I tried telling him to fight, but he wouldn't. Instead I kicked the closest Strigoi who stumbled, which pushed Bruce back. Four Strigoi surrounded me and I knew I had lost. Bruce bit down into Dimitri's arm. He caused Dimitri to shriek and I saw the pain flood flew him. I pushed the Strigoi out of my way and kicked Bruce straight in the head. I bent down to Dimitri and held him in my arms.

"Isn't that sweet?" Victor said, trying to act happy. "Kate," he said, snapped his fingers. "Bring me the girl."

I looked up and Carly was being pulled towards Victor. She looked at me and she was in pure terror. I wanted to get up and fight for her, but I couldn't. I couldn't leave Dimitri. He was in pain. If I left him and tried saving Carly, I could risk losing Dimitri... forever. That wasn't a risk I was willing to take. It's not that I didn't care about watching her die, but I couldn't leave my love. I just hoped she'd understand.

"Victor, you don't need to touch her," I said softly, hoping I could persuade him. "Have us. Both of us. Dimitri and I."

"The council was right about you, Rosemarie, you are a slow learner. Maybe this will help encourage you to learn quicker."

He grabbed Carly by her face; one hand on each cheek. She tried using her water element, but there was no water to use. Victor simply snickered as her and snapped her neck. She was gone! She was dead! Once again, because of me. What would Eddie think? Oh no! Poor Eddie! I gasped and let the tears fall from my eyes and down my cheeks. I felt Dimitri intertwine his fingers through mine and gave my hand a squeeze. As long as I had him. If we survived this, we would be together. A very unlikely scenario, but I had to hope. If we didn't survive, then we would die together. We knew this.

"Now... do you believe me?" Victor asked.

I nodded and whispered, "Yes."

"Roza," Dimitri's voice was harsh and strained. "I love you. Don't ever forget that. You showed me what love was. I'm thankful for that."

"I love you too, naveki." I whispered. He laughed with me at the memory of him teaching me it meant forever on my birthday. "Just so you know... if you asked me to marry you, I would say yes in a heartbeat." He looked at me strongly with desire and love. He leaned in and gave me a soft, slow, tender, chaste kiss.

The kiss was wonderful. It was a kiss I was never going to forget. It probably helped that the feeling I was feeling inside my body was overwhelming. I was hurting and scared, but I was also very happy. Because Dimitri said that he loved me. Okay, I knew that he loved me, but he only ever said it once to me, and that was back at the Royal Court when he had hurt himself badly from taking his angry out on the trees. I always tell him I love him and he always says "same back to you" or "me too." Dimitri never said it back to me after he told me about his illness. I knew that was what the problem was and I didn't want to push him on the subject. I knew he would feel he wasn't worthy of love or loving someone back. But I wasn't too worried. I knew he loved me; he showed me in other ways. This was the first time in months that he was told me to my face. And he told me with love, lust, desire, devotion and honestly. At this moment, I was beyond happy and I knew Dimitri and I just made another step further in out relationship.

"Enough with the chit chat," a Strigoi snarled. "Let's just get on with the kills."

"I agree with you completely," a voice stated matter-of-factly.

It was a voice that wasn't in the room a few minutes ago. A voice I didn't think I would ever be happy to hear. A voice that gave me some hope in surviving.

Natasha Ozera.

I saw the Strigoi hiss and snarl. Dimitri and I turned our heads in the direction the voice came from and as if it was on cue, I saw a bright ball of flames light up the room and set Victor on fire. I couldn't stop the smile spreading across my face when I heard Victor scream in pain for it to stop. Dimitri and I looked at each other and we both knew what to do. The Strigoi left in the room went after Tasha, but she was prepared and sent her fire burning through the room. Dimitri pushed himself up with so much strength returning to his body, from the chance that we may survive and went after to fight the Strigoi after Tasha. I, on the other hand walked over to where Victor was burning.

I knelt down on my knees before him. "What does it feel like?" I asked with curiosity.

"What do you think it feels like!" he spat in pain.

"I'm sorry it had to end like this," I said. "I was kind of hoping to torment you instead, but hey, watching you burn up in flames is high up there too."

"I hope your happy," he struggled to speak. His body was dissolving quickly. "You'll never going to help your friend." My heart stung at the truth. I was unable to get Victor to undo the charm and help Eddie. I was going to lose him, if hadn't already. At least he would be with Carly... in heaven. "I'm happy the Ozera boy is dead. Vasilisa could do much better. Move along now, you don't need to see this."

I heart tighten in my chest. He hit a sore spot, and he knew it. I wasn't unable to even find a cure to what kill Christian, but there was one thing I could do for him. He would be proud. I looked at Victor and gave him a tight I-win-you're-dead smile and said my last words to him.

"I'd rather watch you die," I said repeating the words he said to me earlier. "You thought it would be me instead of you. Well, surprise. We trusted you Victor, but now we know you're a piece of shit who isn't worth anything."

I looked at him and pushed my stake into his heart. His eyes slowly closed shut and you wouldn't believe the amount of relief that flooded through my body. Victor Dashkov was gone. Finally gone. We didn't need to worry about him anymore. I left the tears of joy fall from my eyes. I couldn't help but think Christian would be so proud. I pushed away the thoughts when I heard Dimitri cry out in pain. I looked up to see him pinned up against the wall by a Strigoi.

The number of Strigoi were quite low in numbers and I smiled at the thought of Dimitri killing a lot already, even when he was injured. I ran up behind the Strigoi and jumped on his back, wrapping my legs around his waist. He stumbled back and I hoped he wouldn't fall back on top of me. I pushed my stake through his hard back and pulled it out once I knew I reached his heart.

"That's what you get for touching my boyfriend!" I remarked.

Dimitri gave me a brief smile, before leading me into a defensive position.

"Tasha," he ordered. "I need you to burn them when their not looking. Don't use all your strength. When we are fighting them, just light them on fire, Rose and I will do the rest."

"Sure thing, Guardian Belikov."

There was only six Strigoi left, but six Strigoi was plenty to knock down Tasha, Dimitri and I. Dimitri started fighting and not long after I did too. The Strigoi pushed me back but I had the upper hand and put my guard up. I hit her left cheek with a quick hook, followed through with a uppercut to her chin. I finished her off with an elbow strike to her right cheek right before plunging my stake through her chest. The next Strigoi I was facing was rather strong and I had a hard time trying to find an opening to finish him off. I saw the opening and knew there was only one sequence I knew would work to make him weak. If I screwed the moves up I could permanently damage my torso and knee, not to mention my life. I moved in close to the Strigoi and gave him a boggie hook. I then hit three strong uppercuts to his chin and took two steps back. I moved around the Strigoi's body and hit a sidekick with my right leg to his ribs. He grunted and hissed when I staked him without any damage to myself.

I looked around the room and gasped. There was bodies everywhere. The room was clear and it took me a moment to realise I could stop fighting. The door slammed open and I was ready to give a full blow to the Strigoi head, when I realised it was my mother and four other Guardians.

"Rose, you're okay," she said, rushing over to me. She pulled me into a hug and I couldn't help but squeeze her tight to me. "I'm sorry we couldn't get in here sooner."

"There's nothing you could have done," Dimitri said walking over, "Victor seemed to have had it planned. We are lucky we are alive. Many lives were lost."

"We need to dispose of these bodies," Janine said mournfully.

"I can help with that," Tasha said walking over. "If you allow me, I can burn their bodies."

Janine nodded. "Very well. Try and take it easy, you must be exhausted." She turned to me "And you Rose– how did you learn to fight like that?"

I smirked and bit my lip, looking over at Dimitri. We made it. We survived... together. "Dimitri. He's been training me since I came back to the Academy," I said, admiring him. "All these kills go on my Graduation Certificate, won't they?" I asked my Mother eagerly.

She laughed at my humour at this point of time, but answered, "Indeed they will. You will make a fine Guardian. I am very proud of you."

It was the first time I heard my Mother admit she was proud of me. I wanted to pull her into a hug and tell her that I loved her and that's exactly what I did. She was tense at first, shocked at first but warmed up and hugged me right back. She then let go and looked around the room. It was getting hot in the room, from the fire burning the bodies. I noticed Tasha standing alone. Grieving.

"Tasha?" I asked and she turned around. "Thank you."

"No, thank you. Without your help we wouldn't have gotten this far," she said, keeping a brave face.

I smiled and said, "you saved my life... our life. I will be forever in your favour." And before she could respond I knocked her over into a hug. She softly laughed and pulled me tight to her.

I looked up and saw Dimitri smiling at me with his face and eyes. They showed that he was proud, showed admiration, desire, love and exhaustion. I slowly moved out of Tasha hug and walked over to him. I intertwined my left hand fingers with his right hand fingers and hugged him tight.

It wasn't long after that that Janine insisted that we leave and make our way to a hotel. It wasn't far from the area. She said it was too long to head back to the academy in our current states, so we could go rest up at a hotel. We made it outside and I was so happy to see the sun in the sky. Dimitri and I smiled at each other and I followed Janine to the SUV while Dimitri walked beside Tasha to talk to her. I watched them through the window, and I saw her crying in his arms. I felt sorry for her. I didn't feel jealous of her anymore. I knew Dimitri's feelings for me. There was no need to be threatened by her. Without the need to feel jealous for her, I liked her. She was nice, funny, caring and beautiful. It was everything I saw when I first met her and I hoped I would be able to gain her respect once more. I looked away and wiped the tears away from my face. I saw my mother smile to me through the rear-view mirror and smiled back.

I looked back to find Tasha and Dimitri walking towards the SUV. Tasha walked in and sat down. I smiled at her and expected to find Dimitri sit beside me, but instead he wasn't in the car yet. I stood up and saw Dimitri lying down on the grass.

"Mother," I yelled shaken. "Dimitri!"

"He's going to be alright, he just fainted," a Guardian said beside me, checking Dimitri's pulse.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," he reassured me. "Hathaway, do you mind giving me some help carrying him into the SUV?"

My mother helped lift Dimitri up and placed him lying down in the back seat. I felt the SUV move and was surprised that no one told me to sit in a seat and put a seatbelt on. Instead I was kneeling down beside his body, holding on to his hand. Hoping he would feel better once we were able to eat, drink and rest our exhausted bodies.