A/N: Hey, you guys! I hope you've been doing well and that you'll continue to read and review my fanfic despite my horrible delay.

So, without further ado, here's chapter 7!

Enjoy!

~o~0~o~

"Are you completely out of your mind?"

"Well if you have a better idea I suggest you say it now or-"

"Hey, you guys, stop it! We have to calm down if we're gonna work this out!" Jill exclaimed while looking at me and Rose.

The whole room had gone quiet and as I glanced around at the small group of people that sat on the couches and armchairs in our circle, I saw the same exhaustion written on all of their faces.

Lissa had snuggled up in one of the room's two satin couches and was leaning on Christian's shoulder, his arm around her. Her eyes closed, brows pulled together. Christian had a similar look on his face, but his eyes were focused on his girlfriend.

Eddie and Mia were both sitting in their armchairs just as quiet as they had since the beginning of the meeting a few hours ago. Though just as tired as everyone else of how incapable we were to make a decision, they were at least giving a slightly more concentrating vibe as they happened to both be staring intensely at the floor.

Dimitri was sitting on the room's second couch opposite me, right beside his standing girlfriend whose venomous glare at me showed her anger. He, on the other hand, just gave me a look that seemed to be of approval. He agreed with me. Rose's idea was stupid.

My eyes, which had given the room a small inspection, now reached the little fur-ball Jill. Her hair seemed to be even more sprawling than usual and the left sleeve of her yellow cardigan was halfway down her arm. The only thing that managed to break the tense and heavy silence was her catching her breath.

"We are all upset and worried, tired and irritated. I know. But we need to focus." She said. "We're supposed to think of a plan against Robert Doru. Not go against each other."

Rose snorted. "I already told you my idea. The only idea we have so far, I might add." She fell back into the couch, folded her arms and crossed her legs.

"Yeah, well, it doesn't change the fact that it's a stupid idea." I snapped at her. "You can't just expect us to sit back and let you play bait!"

The Dhampir just sighed. "You all know I can take care of myself. I'm a guardian, so if I can't even protect myself, I'm no good to protect Lissa."

Lissa seemed to react at the mention of her name and was looking at her best friend and guardian with her newly opened, sad eyes. "Rose...We know you can beat down any Strigoi that comes your way, but we're talking about Robert Doru. He's a spirit user and who knows what he can do?"

I could see a hint of defeat in Rose's eyes, but I also saw that she opened her mouth to argue a little more. This time it wasn't Lissa who spoke, but Dimitri.

"Roza," He began, using his Russian nickname for his girlfriend, which by the way I despised. It sounded way too cheesy in my opinion. "Victor's brother is a very powerful magician. Besides, you already know that by exposing yourself and acting as a decoy, he'll have the advantage, since he could easily see through it and ambush us"

Rose and Dimitri exchanged a long look at each other, almost as if they were continuing the discussion telepathically. A few seconds later Rose former stubborn features relaxed and were replaced by a sigh of true defeat.

"Fine," she said. "You're right. I know it was a stupid idea, but..." Rose raised her hands. "We don't have any other choice, do we? We need to lure the bastard out. If Robert wants to stay hidden, I'm sure he can, despite his mental condition. And I'm sure he will until he decides to attack. And when he does...He'll kill me."

Everyone in the room fell, if possible, even more quiet than before. It was true. If Robert Doru, the Robert Doru who had managed to find a way to turn Strigoi good, then he should be quite capable of avenging his brother's death. And that would mean Rose's death…

"I'll get something for us to eat." Jill said, breaking the heavy silence a few moments later. "We've been here for hours."

Lissa gave her a weak smile. "We can just call for a maid to bring us-"

"No, your highness. It's fine. Really. I need to stretch my legs anyway."

"Okay, but will you be able to carry everything? Maybe Eddie could walk with you-"

"I'll go with her." I interrupted Lissa. To Jill, while heading for the door, I said. "You coming, Jill?"

I saw everybody's eyes turn up to look at me at the mention of Jill's name.

She, on the other hand, just gave me one of her adorable smiles and nodded. "Yeah."

I held up the door for the little princess and as we walked out of the stuffy and intense room, I could feel its inhabitants lingering, piercing stares on my neck. Well out in the hallway and towards the restaurants Jill confirmed my thoughts.

"Well that sure was awkward."

"Yeah."

"You think they know? I mean, you offered to help me and you know...you called me by my name."

I laughed. "So what you mean is that my usual behaviour towards you requires me to be rude and unhelpful. Plus, calling you bad names. Am I right?"

Jill blushed. "Well, no. But what if they did find out? There's so much going on right now and me going off having a fling with the royal courts official bad boy ought to be troubling for Lissa's political carrier. "

"Sure, but if this is just a fling…" I said dragging out the word she'd just used to describe our relationship and took her hand. I planted a kiss on it which made Jill blush, both because she was still innocent when it came to physical contact, but also because I'd exposed her attempt at downplaying our relationship.

We had left the building and were now outdoors. The air that would feel chilly to humans felt to Morois, like myself, like tepid moist. And the moon shone discreetly in a comforting way, glowing in the background of the sky as a reminder that we were not alone.

'Ah, sweet empress of the night. You glow as if you were the true sun. Not strongly, blinding us with your greatness like the one of day, but your beams are humble and filled gentleness...You are magnificent and-'

"Um, Adrian? Hello? Are you okay?"

Jill was looking up at me, waving her hand. I was standing still, looking up towards the sky. My head started to hurt. I turned my head down and as all of the restaurants, shops and cafés started spinning around, something caught my eyes. A neon-glowing sign that said 'Bar'.

"No, I'm not fine. I need a drink." I said.

"A drink?" I could hear disapproval in her voice. "But you've been so good and... and we need you to help us right now. Sober."

Her words agitated me. What the hell was her problem? I needed a drink, couldn't she understand that? And I wasn't going to be of much help if I was angry and had a headache, was I?

"God, shut up, Jill!" I was kneeling now, my head throbbing so much and everybody's problems kept piling up inside of me, setting me almost to tears.

Lissa had problems as queen, Jill had problems becoming a princess and my ex girlfriend had a crazy spirit-person after her, looking for revenge. And now Jill wouldn't even let me have this little treat? It would help me, couldn't she see that? I wouldn't get drunk, just, you know, have a sip.

"Adrian!" I heard someone yell at me through the constant pounding inside my head. "Adrian! What's wrong? Jill, what's going on?"

"I...I don't know, Rose. We were talking and...and...oh, my god, Rose! He's hurting! What should we do?"

I felt a hand on my shoulder. The pain inside of my head ceased for a while, but it was replaced with a murderous intent. How dared they talk about me like I wasn't there! With a power I didn't know I had, I grabbed the hand holding me and sent a wave of spiritual darkness into her. A tortured scream erupted and was followed by a heavy thud to the pavement.

"Rose!" Jill screamed. Her next moves were so fast that I had no time to shield myself against the flow of water coming at me. The impact was so strong it sent me flying towards the bricked wall of a shop across the street. The water was so cold that it cooled me down, allowing my mind a moment of clearness. What had just happened?

I rubbed my head, which was bleeding, I discovered by looking at my hand. Jill was standing in front of me now with a floating ball of water at the ready. And before I passed out I could see Rose's crumpled body behind her and Jill's tearful eyes were filled with resentment…

~o~0~o~