Okay, guys, well, that was just the intro and kinda boring I know, but now this is the REAL story!!!
But before I get on with the next chapter, I'd like to throw out a HUGE thank you to sk8tergrl700 because if she hadn't told me how to work this, my story would never be up. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
Now, on to the story.
"ROSE. BE CAREFUL, WHATEVER YOU'RE doing, please- just please- don't get yourself killer." A voice said shattering my dreamless sleep. The blackness suddenly changed to a beach, mid-day (for humans) with the wind blowing through my hair. My dream-walking friend usually preferred this setting.
I looked down and saw that I was wearing a black bikini top, jean shorts, black flip flops and the nazar my mother had given me for Christmas hung on a chain around my neck. I stared out over the sea watching the waves roll gently onto the sand.
"Adrian, nice of you to visit. I was wondering when you might stop in." I said softly, not turning to face him. It did not surprise me that Adrian had chosen to visit my dreams, I'd been expecting it.
He came to stand beside me and his expression is what did surprise me. His face was strained, lined with worry and compassion. It hurt to see him care for me that way, it reminded me too much of what I had with Dimitri.
"Glad you're well. Nice to see you too, Rose." Adrian said. "Where are you now?"
"On a plane." I said quietly, still watching the waves.
"Where are you flying to?" Adrian asked, his questions were only polite and I could tell that he didn't mean to be offensive.
"I don't really want to talk about it now. I'll tell you everything when I get back." There was no need to mention that there was a very large possibility that I might not come back.
"Alright." Was all he said. Great, I'd pissed him off in not even the first five minutes.
"Adrian, I'm sorry, I just can't talk about this now. When it's all over, we'll talk. I promise." I sighed, finally turning toward him. Adrian's face softened and he put a gentle hand on my cheek.
"Rose…" His voice was pained and my brow furrowed in confusion. "Promise me something else. Promise me you will be careful." When I didn't answer Adrian stepped closer so I could feel the heat coming from his body.
"Promise me, Rose." He murmured his lips only inches from mine. What was keeping me from saying anything was that I was wondering if I really wanted to be careful. Did I even want to come back? Wouldn't it be easier if I just finished my duty and died? I'd put everything behind me and wouldn't have to worry about one single thing. It would be so easy…
"Remember Lissa." Those words were like splashing cold water into my face. They shoved my thoughts of dying away and were replaced with new ones of how hard Lissa had cried when I left her at the Academy, just one short week ago.
Then suddenly the dream started to face, taking Adrian with it.
"I promise." Were the last words said before I was jolted awake by the pilot's voice over the intercom: "Please put on your seat belts we will be landing in Siberia shortly." I obediently buckled up and then sighed as I stared out the window into the night. With my enhanced dhampir sight, I could vaguely see the lush green of the trees in the distance. Siberia was nothing like I thought it would be. I thought of Dimitri's childhood here, happy and content, growing up with his two sisters, mother and grandmother. I could just imagine him bickering with his siblings, it made my lips pass a small smile. But my smile quickly vanished as I remembered why I was here and what I was going to do or die trying. I had to end his life, to set him free. I had to kill him.
But he already lost his life; I wouldn't be taking anything from him. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to handle this. I wasn't even sure I could handle seeing him let alone fight him. But I've got to. I promised.
The plane landed smoothly and I grabbed my duffle bag (which was the only bag I ad and it was my carry on) and climbed down the steps. As I made my way down, I remembered the dhampir boy who had been in front of me when we were going through the metal detectors. The machine caught onto my nazar and when the guys pulled it out of my pocket, they had also pulled out my silver stake. The boy in front of me had gotten me out of that little stick by persuading them that it was of no harm, but what struck me as odd was that his friend, a Moroi boy, had used compulsion on the guard. I didn't get a good look at the Morio because both boys sped away before I could even say thank you.
I'd been confused but wasn't going to waste my time chasing after somebody who helped me once.
"Hey you!" a voice behind me called. I instinctively turned to the sound and saw the dhampir boy who'd helped me with my stake loping towards me. I pointed to myself and raised my eyebrows. The boy nodded eagerly and grinned. Okay…
"Hey," the boy said when he finally reached me. I cocked my head to the side and studied him. He looked about my age, probably a year younger, but definitely not older; he had unruly blond hair and hazel eyes. He had a kind face and looked really sweet, but considering that he was a dhampir, that would probably change in a fight.
"Yes?" I asked politely. Then he looked kind of uncomfortable and kept glancing over his shoulder at the other boy, the one who had used compulsion on the guards.
"Um, do you have someone to travel with?" he asked hesitantly and it seemed as if he was going to add more when the Moroi boy came storming up. I raised my eyebrows higher and watched them in amusement.
"What did she say?" the Moroi hissed.
"Calm down, I just asked her." said the dhampir, shooting me a worried glance.
"You can't get anything done- at least not right. I'll just compel her. Move." The Morio said, rudely shoving around the dhampir to face me. Then I got a good look at him and I was taken back. This Moroi boy was about two or three inches taller than me and had black hair and cold eyes. Ice blue eyes. I'd recognize those eyes anywhere, but right now, this boy didn't seem very friendly.
"Don't," I warned. "Don't you dare try to use compulsion on me."
"Or what?" he sneered, yes, he definitely had Christian's attitude. He must be an Ozera.
"Or I'll kick your asses." I said curtly as I glared up at him.
"My guardian will beat you first." The Moroi retorted. I saw the dhampir shoot him a frantic glance which told me that he was afraid to fight me… or he was afraid to lose.
"What about having someone to travel with?" I said changing the subject, not so subtly. I really didn't need to start a brawl at the airport and nor did I want to.
"Can we travel with you?" the dhampir said quickly before his friend could get a word in.
"Why…would a Moroi and dhampir randomly be asking others to travel with them? Especially a royal…?" I mused aloud and saw them both stiffen noticeably at the word "royal". Hmmm.
"How did you know I was royal?" demanded the Moroi tightly.
"I know one of your relatives. Another Ozera," I said slowly as I gauged their reactions. The Moroi's eyes narrowed dangerously and danced like blue fire- just like Christian's did when he was angry. That told me something else about this odd boy.
"Let me guess, you element is fire." I said slyly as I watched both boys' eyes widen in disbelief.
"How did you… who are you?!" the Moroi screeched. I rolled my eyes and turned around and starting walking motioning for them to follow.
"Not here. I'll explain later." I murmured to the two boys as they lugged their bags after me.
"How do we know you're not going to kill us the moment we turn around?" the Moroi growled.
"Shut up," groaned the dhampir. "You're lucky she's even talking to us. I'm Blake Macy and this is my friend Tory Ozera, which you already know so much about because…"he trailed off probably expecting me to answer.
"I told you – not here." I repeated then walked to the side of the road and flagged down a cab. I glanced behind me and saw that both boys only carried a duffle bag each. "Is that all the luggage you have?" I asked sceptically.
"Yes, we wanted to travel light." The dhampir- Blake- responded. Why would they want to travel light if they had graduated from their academy?
"Is that the only luggage you have?" the Moroi- Tory- asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Yes." Was all I said. It's not like I was going to give them any answers for my life. A cab pulled up and I ushered the two boys into the car and tossed their bags in the trunk. I slipped in beside Blake and gave the cabby directions to a hotel in a city near the dhampir commune Dimitri grew up on. Blake gave me a confused look, which I pointedly ignored, and then he sighed.
No one spoke the entire way to the hotel and as the boys retrieved the luggage, I paid the cabby a hundred dollars. I smiled at his shocked expression. "Keep the change."
Neither of the boys said anything as I led them into the hotel lobby which was large and buzzing with the chatter of the occupants and the white marble floor contrasted with the black marble fountain in the middle of everything. It was graceful and elegant I wanted to stop and admire it, but I remembered that Blake and Tory were with me. I mentally scolded myself as I walked up to the counter. I booked a room called an Adult Sweet which included two king size beds, a couch, a balcony and a master bathroom. Neither of the boys commented on this either. The room was three hundred per night, which didn't seem too bad, but I didn't know how long we would be staying here. Hopefully not long, because I needed to take care of my own business, but wouldn't it be the wrong thing to leave them unprotected?
I mulled over this as we rode the elevator up to the room and I silently led them down the hallway. I slipped the card in and the door unlocked. Stepping aside, I let the boys in first and locked the door behind me. I took my shoes off and ran straight into Blake's back.
"Where do I sleep?" he said.
"On the bed." I grumbled as I walked past him and dropped my bag at the end of the couch before settling myself down.
"Well, that's not-" he started but I cut him off as I marched over and tossed his bag on the bed to the right, the one on the left had already been claimed by Tory.
"Are we all nice and cozy now?" Tory said sarcastically as he leaned back on the pillows at the top of his bed. I rolled my eyes and plopped back down on the couch. I fixed the boys with a stern stare.
"How old are you?" I asked
"We're both seventeen. You?" Blake answered calmly. What the hell? Seventeen? They should be at an Academy.
"Eighteen," I said absent minded. "If you are both seventeen, why aren't you at an academy?" I demanded sharply.
"We broke out." Tory shrugged nonchalantly like it was not big deal.
"Why?" What reason could they have for breaking out of their academy?
"No. We're not telling you anything else until you tell us something." Tory said glaring at me from across the room. Oh, I'm scared, I thought sarcastically.
"Still think I'm going to kill you?" I joked, but his glare didn't waver so I rolled my eyes, seriously. I'm a dhampir, not Strigio. "What do you want to know?"
"Who the hell are you?" Tory hissed.
"I'm Rose Hathaway." I answered bluntly. I heard Blake gasp and saw Tory's eyes widen, what the hell? I turned to Blake.
"Are you…fucking kidding?" he said in a shocked voice. I threw my hands up exasperated.
"Why the hell would I lie about who I am?"
"No way." Tory mumbled. Both boys looked at me with a new respect for God know what.
"What?" I said after about five minutes of silence. What was their fucking problem?
"You're the Rose Hathaway? The one who broke out of St Vlad's Academy for two years?" Blake asked, staring at me like I held all the answers to the world, right, like I could even pass advanced Culinary Science. Christian would definitely kick my ass in that.
I nodded. "Yeah, that's me." I said quietly, remembering all the fun me and Lissa had had in Portland before Dimitri and his badass crew caught us. For a moment I wished that they hadn't found us. I immediately shoved that thought out of my mind; if they hadn't found us, I would have never met Dimitri.
"Whoa," I heard Tory mumble as he shook his head. Then I felt the atmosphere in the room become less tense and more relaxed.
"How do you know me?" I asked slowly.
"Who doesn't know you?" Blake retorted, grinning from ear to ear. "You're famous! Especially with the novices." Oh. Of course. This was the Moroi we were talking about; I should have expected that there be gossip about me.
"Where did you and Princess Dragamir go?" Tory asked, he was sitting up straight now, all his attention focused on me. Great, now they were going to be shooting questions at me non-stop.
It was going to be a long night.