Chapter 5

Once me and Lissa got back to the room, I noticed how exited she really was. It hit me through the bond, and I couldn't help share her enthusiasm. She could barely calm down enough to sleep. I mean, not only might we be finding he brother, but we could be going to Rome! I drifted off to sleep after a while of thinking about some of the things we could do once we got there.

We woke up in the morning, and Lissa headed off to Dimitris rrom to hang out with Christain for a bit, whil I went down to the Casino. I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted to try my luck on the games. Adrain joined me, and I was afrais It would be really akward. But, It turns out, that it wasn't. We didn't say much, but we both got into poker pretty good. After a while, I screwed up and lost all my chips, so I just paired with him. he's pretty good, but I don't know wether that was the compulsion talking or not. He denied it up and down on the way back to our rooms, but I wasn't falling for it. "Whatever. You know you used it. Who would fold after putting half their money in when barely raised it? You made them do it." I said. "Ah, little dhampir. Atleast try to see the reasoning." I rolled my eyes an dwalked in His room. Thats when I dedcided some one had gone insane, because some of the furniture had been pushed to the side and Lissa was sitting on the bed, Intently watching Dimitri show Christain some fighting moves. "Uh, whats going on?" I asked. It was Dimitri who answered. "Christains been doing alot of fighting with magic, and he asked if he could learn acouple fighting moves. So I said I would help. Come one Rose, Help me." I had plopped on the bed With Lissa and had just gotten comfortable, even though Figting one on one with Dimitri sounded good, I didn't want to get up. "Don't we have a plane to catch?" I asked. Lissa answered,"Yeah, later on tonight so when we get to Michigan, it will almost be daylight." Of course. I hauled myself up, and went to stand infront of Dimitri.

We wrestled for a while, every now and then stopping to ask Cristain if he got it. He seemed to find us funny, and he said he understood. After about thirty minutes, we were playin rather than fighting. It ended with me laying on top of him pinning his hands down. if he had wanted to break free, he could have, but even he was having fun. He was laughing, the sound like silk. Lissa was laughing too, and Christain was pretending to sheild his eyes. I glkanced at Adrain, and he was staring at the wall, not looking to amused. I felt a twinge of guilt, but then shook it off, and remembering we had an audience, I rolled over onto the floor. Dimitri hopped up and gave me a hand to get up as well. I took it and said I would go and check out the hotel and make sure there wasn't any strigoi that way we could walk around, seeing as it was daylight and they couldn't get in for a while.

After a couple rounds about the hotel and I was positive there wasn't any strigoi near by, I went back to the room. Lissa and Christain went to eat and Try they're luck at the games, and Adrain went to the bar, leaving me and Dimitri alone. I Sat down on the edge of the bed, and he stood a couple feet away. "So comrade. Rome, Huh? Cool Place." I said, striking up conversation. "Yes, I've never been there before. I've heard the sights are amazing. Its a very Romantic place..." He leaned over to me while saying that last part. My body tingled, but I ignored it and put my hands on his shoulders. he kissed me, and I pulled him back on the bed with me.

Once again, I wish I could descrie what its like to be with him. But no words are good enough. I was laying be side him, tracing patterns on his chest with my fingers. I told him about the fantasy that the insane spirit user Avery who had tried to control Lissa had planted in my head. He replied "Once we get back to court, thats a very big posibility. I think we could make that work." "Its not a bad Idea. Us living together, staying with you every night... I could get used to that." He just laughed and said,"Roza..." He kissed my head and suggested we get out of bed and dressed unless we wanted to give everyone a show. I decided that was best, and reluctantly pulled away from him.

It turns out we were just on time getting dressed. I went back to my room and started packing, and Lissa walked in a few Minutes later. It was around six, six thirty. Our plane was at eight, so we had plenty of time. Lissa started getting ready to, and we chatted about random things for a while.

When it was time to go, it was still a little daylight outside, so Me and Dimitri Relaxed, just a bit. The plane ride was just like the first, And we landed without inccident. We had another nice hotel, and we all went to bed as soon as we got there. After a few hours of sleep, we got up to go eat breakfast. Lissa had written down all the details about the woman. We were in dertroit, and she lived in one of the slum like neighborhoods in the south. Dimitri figured out how to get there, and once we got to her street, I decided I didn't want to be here. There was grafeti everywwhere, and Half naked kids were playin in the road, looking like they haven't had a bath since god knows when. I was extremely glad that we stayed in the nice part of the city. Teh houses were really run down, andthere was almost no grass, just dirt and bricks. Dimitri pulled up to one of the nicer looking houses that didn't have cuss words written on it. Her name was supposively Mariana Bakens, and she lived in rome two years before coming here. We all slid out of the car, and I could tell that every one else was thinking the same as me. That this place is not a suitibale place to raise a royal child. We trudged up to the door, and Christain knocked. A pretty blonde opened the door. She didn't look like she belonged here, either,, She had the same figure as all moroi, deep blue eyes, and when she talked her voice was a calm, sweet sound. "Can I help You?" she asked, looking confused at abunch of teenagers sitting at her door. "Are you Ms. Bakens?" I asked. "Yes. Do you need something?" "I guess, yeah. We need to talk to you. Im Rose Hathaway, and these are my..My friends. And this, well this Is Valissa Dragimor." She gasped, and her eyes widened. "Yes, come on in. Make yourself at home.." I felt Lissa get excited through the bond, and we all walked in, hoping to find what we were after.