Chapter Two

Dean sat on his bed after school and studied the packet Guardian Belikov had given him on Cas Szelsky. Cas was a senior. He had just started at St. Vladimir's in January, which explained why Dean didn't know who he was. He was disappointed he hadn't been assigned to Adrian, but at least the Szelskys were royals. That would bode well for him in the long run.

"Come on," Adrian said to him. "Stop staring at his picture and let's go get dinner," he said, effectively breaking Dean's concentration.

"I'm not staring at his picture," Dean replied, though one had been provided and Cas wasn't half bad looking. "I need to know everything about this guy so I'm prepared for anything."

"You can't do that on an empty stomach. It's bad for you. I read it in a book," Adrian insisted.

"You don't read books…even ones with pictures," Dean commented as he set the packet down on his nightstand. He stretched and rolled his head a few times to get the kinks out of his neck.

"I'd be insulted…if you weren't right," Adrian said. He grabbed his keys and pair headed down to the dining hall.

"Eddie's a good guardian," Dean said after they had gotten their food and sat down. Eddie Castile had been assigned to Adrian for the exam.

"Yeah, but he's so by the book," Adrian said with a sigh. "Can you imagine how he's going to act if he has to go to a party with me?"

"Maybe you shouldn't be going to so many parties then," Dean suggested.

Adrian looked at Dean like he suggested he stop wearing pants. "Then what would I do with my time?" he asked him.

"You could take your dad up on his offer to intern at his company after school," Dean suggested.

"Okay, now you're just talking crazy," Adrian said between bites. Adrian and his father didn't have the best relationship in the world.

"Do you know how many people would like to be in your position?" Dean asked him.

"Then let them have it," Adrian replied. "I'm not stopping them."

Dean sighed. As much as he loved Adrian he didn't always understand him. Sure, Mr. Ivashkov wasn't the easiest man to get along with, but at least he showed an interest in his son. Dean and Sam's own father was a very wealthy Moroi business man. Dean had spent a little time with him when he was younger (mainly around the time Sam was born), but he hadn't seen him in years. As was common practice with most Moroi/Dhampir relationships once the man had gotten what he wanted out of the affair he was rarely seen again. Dean and Sam grew up with their mother on a commune until they were old enough to attend St. Vladimir's Academy.

"Don't give me that look," Adrian said, waving a breadstick at his face.

Dean flinched and knocked the carb filled side dish out of Adrian's hand. "I just want this to go well," he said.

"Cas is in my math class. He's pretty low-key. You won't have any issues…at least with him, I mean" Adrian reasoned. "I don't know serious these Strigoi attacks will be, though. You might break a nail or something."

Dean ignored the side commentary. "What else do you know about the family?" he asked curiously.

"Isn't that all in your packet?" Adrian asked him.

"Yeah, but they aren't going to put anything but the basics in there," he said. Dean knew Mrs. Ivashkov was a gossiper. If there was anything worth knowing she'd know and tell Adrian and pretty much anyone who would listen.

Adrian shrugged. "They aren't exactly front and center from what I know," he replied. "They're one of the families that keep to themselves."

"The packet said Cas had a private tutor until he came here a few months ago. I wonder why the change," Dean mused.

"You could just ask," Adrian pointed out.

"That's his business, not mine," Dean quickly replied. The motto drilled into Dhampirs from day one was 'They come first.' No matter what you thought of the person you were guarding they were entrusted to you. You made sure they remained safe no matter what.

"You could get to know the guy. It wouldn't kill you to make another friend around here," Adrian said. "Maybe even a boyfriend," he added, but much quieter.

"Shut your fucking mouth," Dean snapped in a similar pitch. "I knew I shouldn't have told you."

When Adrian wouldn't stop trying to set up Dean on dates he finally revealed to his friend that females didn't exactly interest him. It was something that only Adrian and Sam knew and he planned on keeping it that way. Besides, Dean was going to be a guardian for the rest of his life…it's not like he was going to get married and have a family. It was a non-issue as far as he was concerned.

"I'm just saying…it's senior year. It wouldn't kill you to have a little fun. Kiss somebody. I'd offer myself, but I don't want you mooning after me for the rest of our lives," Adrian teased him.

"Seriously, Adrian…stop it," Dean said. No one around them was listening, but he didn't want to risk it.

"Okay, okay…shutting my mouth," Adrian relented.

"Shutting your mouth about EVERYTHING," he said, stressing the last word of the sentence.

"Your secret is safe with me. You know that," Adrian said sincerely.

Dean had met Adrian the day he arrived at St. Vladimir's. He didn't like him from the moment Adrian opened his mouth. Everything about Adrian was bold and loud, the opposite of Dean. But that was probably why they got along so well. They balanced each other out. And in all the years of their friendship Adrian had never let Dean down.

Adrian gave Dean a softer look as he continued speaking, "You're going to do great, man. You were born for this."

Dean started to relax. Adrian was right. He was born for this (literally). "Sorry, dude…I just can't afford to make any mistakes," he explained.

"And you won't. You're the hardest working guy I know…not that I know much about hard work," Adrian said. "But that's beside the point," he said with a wave of his hand. "You got this."

"I got this," Dean repeated. He prayed he was right.