CHAPTER THIRTY TWO- HE UNDERSTANDS

I'm sorry for not updating in forever, but here's a really long chapter. It's 25 pages. And yes, I have read the actual Blood Promise'!!!!! I thought it was good. Though i was pretty angry at everyone most of the time. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.

I walked numbly back to my room in the guardian building, thinking about what Myra had said. My time would come? What was that supposed to mean?

I shook my head. "Well, Rose, just another complication," And speaking of complications. I thought as I looked up and saw my crew walking up to me at a very fast pace. I clutched the roses to me and turned in the other direction, walking away very quickly.

"Rose!"

"Go away," I muttered under my breath and then put on a smile, as if I was pleasantly surprised. Keeping the roses behind my back, I lifted my right hand in the air. "Hey, guys!" I called. "I didn't notice you! What a great surprise! I hate to be a party pooper, but I have to go. Tata!" I turned and started to walk away again, but they yelled once more.

"ROSE!"

I looked up at the sky. "What did I do to you?" I growled. If the Big Man could hear me, I bet He knew I was pissed.

"What are you doing?" Lissa demanded. They had closed the distance between us by now.

"Thinking that I should start praying," I said honestly and she looked at me like I was crazy and proving my suspicion, she thought, Is Rose truly insane?

"Yes, mommy dearest, I am insane. Does that surprise you?" She blinked then blushed in embarrassment. "Why don't you voice your thoughts, Princess Dragomir, it's not like everyone present doesn't know." I added in an offhanded tone as Lissa blushed even redder.

"Rose, don't," she said in a small voice.

"Terribly sorry," I bowed my head in mock respect then looked at them inquiringly. "Well, what do you want?"

"Rose, that's no way to treat your friends," Etienne scolded and I smirked at him.

"Well, you're my brother so you don't count," I said loftily.

"I was talking about the others that are in your very gracious presence," he returned dryly.

"Oh, ha, ha, very funny; now, seriously, what do you want?"

"Can't we just spend one day with you?" a very soft voice said and all eyes turned to stare at Eddie.

Eddie hadn't spoken much while we were here and when I looked at him, I saw the stress and worry lines on his face, I saw the sadness in his eyes, I saw the pleading in his eyes.

I winced and I softened as well. "When I come back, you can spend as much time with me as you want to, Eddie."

"Rose," he said, his voice begging. "We can't stand to loose you, Rose," I saw tears in his eyes. What his statement really was saying was: I can't stand to loose you, Rose; I can't go through what happened with Mason again.

"Oh my God, Eddie," I whispered and looked away shamefully. "I-I…I have to go," I lowered my gaze and all but ran away in the other direction.

*8*8*8*8*8*

I found myself back in the gym; no one was there except for a Moroi who was cleaning up. He gave me a nod and I barely acknowledged him as I stared around at the empty space. For once, I didn't find comfort in the thought of fighting.

I sighed and went to the class I knew Dereck was in: Theory.

Slipping in through the back door, Mikhail caught my eye and I winked at him. His eyes shifted to the box I still held in my hands, his eyebrows raised questioningly. I shrugged and started to weave my way through the guardians over to him. A scornful voice stopped me.

"Well, well, a guest speaker," Cormack sneered; I swear he was Stan Alto's twin. "Come on up and share your techniques with us, Guardian Hathaway," his lips curled around 'guardian' making it sound like a derogatory term.

I suffered a momentary shock as all eyes turned towards me; then I shrugged and strode up to the front of the class. "What do you want to me to say?" I asked innocently.

"Explain what the box in your hands is," he sneered, seeming to know it would set me off.

I wouldn't let him. "I don't think that's necessary," I said calmly, making my voice emotionless.

"I do, now explain, Hathaway," he snarled.

I leaned comfortably against the wall. "No, I don't think I will,"

"What did you say?"

I pushed off from the wall and strolled towards him, the bouquet behind my back. "I said no, because you have no authority to order me to do anything. And may I remind you, Guardian Cormack, that I am your equal so you have no power over me whatsoever?" I was only half a foot away from him now and I could see the fury glinting in his eyes.

"And you," he jabbed a finger at me. "Have no right to speak to me that way,"

"And why not? I'm speaking to you as I do any other person, well, truthfully, I' very, very controlled right now, so I don't understand what you're complaining about. If I didn't control myself so studiously, you'd be through that wall right now," I smirked, seeing the anger in his eyes increase.

"You think you could put me through a wall?" his breath, let me tell you, smelled horrible. It was one of those times when you didn't offer just one tic-tac; you offered the whole pack.

"I'm not incapable of it and I'm not above doing it," I added conceitedly though it was nothing to be proud of.

I saw him getting ready to shoot something else at me when Mikhail decided that it was time to stop the argument before things went too far.

"Alright, Guardian Hathaway, that's enough; Guardian Cormack, how about you take the rest of the period off? We know how much Guardian Hathaway can provoke someone," he shot me a warning look and I obediently kept quiet as Mikhail probed him out the door. Once Cormack was gone, he shot me a knowing look that I knew I'd have to explain myself later.

"Guardian Hathaway?" someone asked and I looked at the boy who'd spoken, I recognized him as the boy who was sparring with Dereck when I'd first met him.

"What's your name?" I asked him.

"Jack," he answered. "Um…what happened to your hand?"

I blinked in surprised and glanced down at my right hand where the bandage still was; I knew very well that beneath it lay a carved heart that would forever stayed scared on my skin. "Just…just a scratch," I replied softly as I lightly tracing my finger over the rough material. I regained myself and looked back up at the class unseeingly for a moment.

Then, suddenly, a quick 'vision' flashed before my eyes.

It was cold…freezing…campus was covered with white snow…looking peaceful…then the ground…

Oh my God.

The ground…there was blood spattered against the ground…standing out so brightly…insanely drawing my attention…no one was around…but I wasn't alone…

And then my vision faded to black and I slumped backwards.

"Rose!" Mikhail's voice snapped me back to attention and I jerked upright, out of his arms – he'd caught me when I'd lost myself for a moment. "Are you alright?"

I blinked again and sighed, rubbing my forehead. "Yeah, I'm just tired," I leaned against Cormack's desk and let out a heavy breath, placing the bouquet beside me. "Okay, I'm going to play teacher here…um, just ask questions, but, please, don't talk all at once,"

"I'm Jennifer, Guardian Hathaway," a blond girl said, leaning forward in her seat, she was one of the five girls in the class.

"Yes, Jennifer?"

"I was going to ask…um, you're eighteen, right? The same age as any of us here, I was going to ask you how you became a guardian so young and where is your charge?"

I laughed humorlessly. "You know, I could say that my charge was on campus right now, but that's not true because I don't have a charge." I laughed again and ran a hand back through my hair angrily. "Yeah, I'm the same age as you and I dropped out of my academy – and because of that, I don't have a charge."

"You said that you could say that your charge was on campus right now…what did you mean?" a boy asked.

"I mean that the Moroi I would have been assigned to if I had went though with my place at St Vladamir's is actually on campus right this moment,"

"Lissa's here?" Mikhail asked before he could stop himself.

"Yep," I nodded, my mouth twisting with displeasure. "Her and the whole happy fam-damn-ily," I murmured, it came out very spitefully.

"Now, what is with that tone?"

"Nothing," I brushed him off. "Any other questions?"

"How many injuries have you had?" someone else asked.

"More than enough," I grunted and the class laughed, Mikhail reached over and messed up my hair. I elbowed him.

"Guardian Hathaway," someone said and I glanced around, searching for the speaker, I noticed it was someone who was standing in the door. My eyebrows rose as I stared at Etienne. He could always find me – I don't even know why he wanted to know me.

I waved my hand at him and saw the girls eyes widen adoringly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Etienne Spencer, my lovely brother," I said proudly.

Etienne nodded to the class briefly but his eyes were on me. "Can I talk to you?" there was an urgency in his tone I didn't understand.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I walked towards him.

"I need to talk to you,"

I picked up my bouquet, as stupid as it seemed, I was going to keep it. "I'll see you guys later," I called over my shoulder to the class as I followed him out of the room.

He engulfed me in a tight embrace before I'd barely gotten out of the door. "I'm worried about you, Rose," He murmured into my hair.

I wound my arms around his waist. "You don't need to worry about me,"

"Rose, I have to,"

"No, you don't; you just feel like you have to."

He pulled back and looked at me with the most serious look I'd ever seen on him. "Rose, you're my sister and I love you, but you don't have to act so tough all the time,"

"Etienne," I murmured, a smile playing at my lips. "I act so tough because I am so tough."

He shook his head. "I know, but you're not super-human – wait, you are. So, you aren't completely unnatural so you have to let go some times."

"You sound like a therapist," I grumbled, pulling away from him. We walked down the hallway and outside. A sharp blast of cold wind greeted us as we made our way across campus.

Etienne caught my hand and twined our fingers together, lightly swinging our arms as we walked. "Where are the others?" I asked quietly.

"Back in their rooms, I wanted to find my favorite person," he smiled at me and squeezed my hand.

I sighed. "I'm…sorry about earlier, you guys caught me at a bad time, but that isn't fair. I shouldn't have been such a bi –"

"That's okay," he cut me off quietly. "I understand,"

"You want to know something?" I asked after a quiet minute. "I think you really do,"

He grinned at me. "That's because we have a relationship that goes deeper than blood,"

"I bet," I smiled kindly. He led me to a bench, just inside the cover of the trees. It was warmer in there; the large trees were breaking the wind. Even though there was less wind, I was still cold, so I curled up on Etienne's lap, feeling like I was about two years old.

He wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my head. "You are much older than you should be," he said quietly.

"You're not the first person to tell me that," I replied.

"Hmm," he rumbled and we sat there, content to be in each other's presence.

"You know what?" I said after quite some time.

"What?"

"I think that I should sort of clean up some things up tonight," I declared.

"Like what?"

"I think that we should all have dinner tonight,"

"Who?" Etienne asked with confusion.

"Who do you think?" I snorted. "Lissa, Christian, Adrian, Eddie – you know, the people you brought to me,"

"I didn't do it on purpose, you know that."

"I know, but that doesn't matter now, I just think we should go out and eat tonight,"

"Hmm, you know, I think that's a good idea,"

"Me too,"

He kissed my forehead. "I'm proud of you, I'm proud to be your brother."

8*8*8*8*8*8

Etienne made me dress up.

Even after my protests and arguments, he'd still managed to get me into presentable clothes. Never mind the fact that I had to borrow them from Laura.

I ended up wearing a bright red silk shirt over a lacy black tank top and a pair of black slacks. I wanted to do things a bit my own way, so I had the shirt buttoned up to the middle of my stomach, so the top of the tank was showing. I was studying myself in the bathroom when Etienne walked in.

"You know that this is the girl's bathroom, right?" I asked, a small smile playing across my lips.

"Of course," He fluttered his eyelashes ridiculously and posed, making me giggle in a way that I hadn't in a very long time. "That's my girl," he grinned. "I have something for you,"

My brow went together in confusion. "What is it?"

"Close your eyes," I did as I was told and felt something cold clasp around my neck. I opened my eyes and stared in the mirror – Etienne had bought me a necklace. It was a thin silver chain with a heart locket. On the locket were intricate designs, swirls that I immediately fell in love with. Some part of me warned that the last time I'd been given an amazing necklace, I'd been put under a lust charm and been made a fool of, but I knew that Etienne wouldn't even think of doing something like that to me.

"Etienne!" I screeched as I turned and threw my arms around his neck. "Thank you!" I exclaimed, squeezing his neck. "You obviously shouldn't have, I don't deserve it, but thank you so much!"

"I didn't have to, but I wanted to," he said kindly. Then he pulled back and said, "You didn't look inside,"

My brow went together again and I slowly pulled open the locket. Inside there was a gorgeous picture of him grinning; I smiled and hugged him again.

"Thank you so much, Etienne," my voice was embarrassingly thick.

"Rose," he sighed happily and he patted my hair before he pulled away from me again. I pointed to a bag on the counter, "Put those on," he ordered.

I opened the bag and saw a pair of stylish black heels, they didn't buckle up or anything, it was the kind I loved – the ones that just had the bottom of the shoe, but your foot was held in by a ribbon.

I grinned from ear to ear. "Where did you get these?" I checked the size. "Ah, perfect for me as well,"

He nodded. "You can't know everything – most of the time." He added with a teasing smile.

I slipped on the shoes and after Etienne had forced mascara and eyeliner on me and deemed me 'perfect' we set off to meet the others, hand in hand.

8*8*8*8*8*8*8

Everyone's eyes widened when they saw me, but they only saw my appearance, they didn't know that I had a stake concealed in my black purse – Etienne had supplied that as well, he was much too good to me. I would be ready to jump into action if there was a need and I knew that there would be. Dimitri would never pass up a chance to wreck my life even more in front of everyone that mattered to me.

Etienne seemed very pleased at their shock and even more pleased with their complements.

"Uh-oh, looks like the old Rose Hathaway's coming back a bit," Christian said smirking. "Run while you can, Ivashkov,"

"You look amazing, Rose," Adrian said, leaning in to kiss my cheek.

"If beauty could kill," Lissa mused in a hesitant teasing voice. I gave her a smile to show that I was willing to clean up the shit I'd started with her, she returned the smile brilliantly.

Then, I focused completely on Eddie. I went to him and hugged him tightly. "You'll never loose me, Eddie," I whispered to him and in response, he tightened his arms around me, but he didn't say anything. That was fine, the message got across.

I went to the Academy's parking and got a van so we could all fit in it. I sat in the driver's seat, Etienne in the front passenger, Eddie directly behind me, Adrian beside him and in the very back were Lissa and Christian.

I drove into town, my eyes sharp on any potential threats. Then, my ears caught on to what the guy on the radio was saying.

"Alright, well, here's one from Three Days Grace, off their new album 'Life Starts Now', this is 'Break'."

Then the song started and because I'd become fond of Three Days Grace lately, I turned up the radio to hear it better.

Tonight my head is spinning
I need something to pick me up
I've tried but nothing is working
I won't stop, I won't say I've had enough

Tonight I start the fire
Tonight I break away
Break! Away from everybody
Break! Away from everything
If you can't stand the way this place is
Take! Yourself! To higher places!

At night I feel like a vampire
It's not right but I just can't give it up
I'll try to get myself higher
Let's go! We're gonna light it up

Tonight we start the fire
Tonight we break away

Break! Away from everybody
Break! Away from everything
If you can't stand the way this place is
Take! Yourself! To higher places!

If you can't stand the way this place is
Take! Yourself! To higher places!
Break! Away from everybody
Break! Away from everything
If you can't stand the way this place is
Take! Yourself! To higher places!
Higher places!
To higher places!
Higher places!
Take yourself to higher places!

I'd been drumming my fingers against the steering wheel and I found myself disappointed when the song ended.

"That was a good song," Etienne commented and I smiled at him.

"Three Days Grace is a good band," I returned.

"Since when have you been into rock, Rose?" Lissa asked from the back seat.

"Since when haven't I been into rock, Lissa?" I countered and we laughed. For once, I thought I was going to be okay.

8*8*8*8*8*8

When we walked into the restaurant, we drew a lot of eyes. Understatement!

People automatically glance up when they sense a new presence enter the room, whether they know this or not, but instead of glancing up and returning to their meals or conversations, the eyes stuck to us.

The young man, probably my age or so, who was standing at the little booth by the door blinked when he saw us. Then I stepped forward and his eyes widened. He studied me seeing that none of the boys were standing too close to me and seemed pleased by the prospect.

I smiled. "Is there a table for six?" I asked politely.

"O-of course!" he grabbed the menus and led us back into the restaurant and everywhere we went, the eyes followed. I wasn't unaccustomed to stares, but the Lissa seemed a bit uncomfortable to receive so many looks from humans.

I quickened my pace so I walked beside the boy. "Do you think we could get a quieter part of the restaurant, my friend isn't very good around a lot of people," I whispered to him and he glanced back, obviously seeing Lissa's scrunched up expression.

"Of course," he smiled in an over-friendly way at me, I returned it kindly. He led us into the back of the restaurant where a group of college or university guys were sitting and there was also a family of four.

I smiled to both groups kindly and turned to my friends. "Is this okay, guys?"

"If you don't mind being stared at by a group of idiots," Etienne muttered beside me and I laughed quietly, lightly bumping him with my shoulder. The others nodded but neither Eddie nor Adrian seemed happy about the group of boys.

Lissa slid in on one side, Christian beside her and Eddie on the end; on my side, Adrian went in and then Etienne followed by me.

"So, Rose," Christian said leaning back into the booth, putting his arm around Lissa's shoulders. "Are you coming back, personality and all or what?"

I met his gaze. "Not yet, I'm not finished with my 'business' yet," they all knew what my 'business' was. "So, how are things at the Court?" I asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Oh, they're okay," Lissa added, sounding disappointed.

"What she means is, it sucks without having someone to raise hell," Adrian said and we laughed together. I reached around Etienne and pushed his shoulder lightly, he grinned and winked at me, he pointed at me and mouthed, "Gorgeous,"

I smiled and mouthed, "Right back at you," And I wasn't lying. He looked good, as always. He was wearing black dress pants that fit him perfectly, of course and his brown hair was styled just the way he liked it. Under his designer coat he wore a nicely fitted black sweater that looked very good on him.

Lissa was wearing a nice fitting dark purple dress that set off her hair very well. She was wearing black heels as well, but I could smugly say that mine were much cooler.

Christian was wearing dark blue jeans and a black coat over an ice blue t-shirt that set off his eyes. I smirked at him because that was the most I'd ever seen him dressed up – ever.

Eddie was wearing guardian slacks and the black jacket, very standard; even though we were just supposed to be a bunch of friends hanging out, he believed he was on duty.

Etienne was dressed in blue jeans that fit him exceptionally well and he wore a collared long sleeved shirt – yeah, I'd picked it out. He'd also brushed his hair, but no matter, it still had its attractive unruliness, it had irritated me, but I'd smiled anyway.

I looked at the table thinking of how weird we were, all of us together. Lissa, born into Royals; Christian, from a disgraced family; Etienne, from whereabouts unknown; Eddie, who'd had a very close encounter with death when we'd gotten captured in Spokane; Adrian, who was the Queen's great nephew but had no opinion on most political affairs; then, strangest of all, there was me who was so messed up with everything…

I had way too many guys – Alex, Adrian and Dimitri.

I had way too many tasks – kill Dimitri, mentor Dereck, deal with Leo and Tristin, talk to Mikhail some time, deal with Lissa and I had to deal with Adrian.

I had way too many trusts to hold – Alex trusted me, my crew trusted me, Dereck and his crew trusted me.

I –

"Rose!"

I glanced up in surprise to see everyone watching me. "Yeah?"

"Well, we're going to order drinks," Christian hinted, glancing sideways and I followed his gaze to the young man who was now looking at me with a little note pad.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm completely out of it," I smiled at the guy and he grinned back. "Are you guys up for some wine?" I asked with excitement.

"Alright, my party girl is coming back, woo-hoo!" Etienne exclaimed loudly, throwing his arm around my shoulders.

I laughed. "You don't know how I partied," I countered and he laughed boisterously.

"Well, I'm going to find out, little sister!"
"Don't call me little!" I protested as the others laughed at our banter.

"We're okay with wine," Lissa said nodding and smiling.

"Alright, can we get a bottle of white and a bottle of red wine please?" I asked, smiling up brilliantly up at the waiter.

"Sure thing," he wrote something down then held out his hand to me. "My name is Ash,"

"Rose," I said smiling as I lightly took his hand.

"Nice to meet you," he said, his hold on my hand lingering much longer than was necessary.

"Like wise," I replied taking my hand back. When he left, we stared at each other for a few quiet moments then we all burst out laughing.

"Rose! It's not nice to play him!" Lissa scolded, laughing.

"Yeah, Rose, don't lead him on," Etienne giggled.

"I am not!" I laughed wiping my eyes. "I was being polite!"

"Rose Hathaway is being polite?" Christian asked feigning shock. "The world is ending."

"Very funny, Christian," I rolled my eyes.

"I thought so,"

"But come on, Rose, don't you remember the old days at St Vladamir's?" Lissa pressed, leaning towards me.

"Yeah," I grinned.

"Do you remember how hard-core you were?" she laughed then she turned to Adrian. "She was absolutely hilarious at the parties; she could get anyone going with a couple of words!"

"I still can, Liss, don't insult me," I said loftily.

"Ooh," she laughed and we touched hands across the table.

"And what would you get people going at, Rose?" Adrian asked, leaning around Etienne so he could see me.

I regarded him with the utmost seriousness. "Any way I wanted."

The waiter came back and set the wine bottles and glasses down for us. "Thank you so much," I grinned and touched his arm lightly, he smiled and went away. I began filling up glasses for everyone and passing them around the table. Once we all had a glass we lifted them in the air and clinked them together.

"Rose, will you take a picture with me?" Adrian asked suddenly and I blinked in surprise.

"Uh, sure," I said smiling. "Shove a bum, Etienne," I said to my brother and I crawled over him in the booth so I was sitting beside Adrian.

"Oh, I have a camera!" Lissa exclaimed, digging in her purse, she pulled out a pink digital camera. Adrian wrapped his arm around my waist slowly at first and when I didn't protest he smiled. I threw my arm around his shoulders and leaned my face close to his, grinning. Lissa had some trouble with the camera so Adrian and I waited patiently.

He turned his face sideways and whispered in my ear, "You are very beautiful, Rose,"

"Thank you, I like to think so," I replied quietly and at that moment, Lissa got the camera working and she snapped a picture when Adrian's lips were still at my ear.

"Ooh," she said happily. "I think this should be called 'A Secret to Love'," she displayed the picture to our group and we laughed.

"It certainly looks that way," Etienne said with upraised brows.

We took more pictures, Etienne and me posing differently each time the camera came our way. Once, we were both faking shocked faces at the camera, then we did a James Bond pose, then there was the telephone conversation they taped, then there was the fighting one and then we did an angry one.

I also took more with Adrian, each different in their own ways. One, Adrian was kissing my cheek; another we were holding up our hand, fingers intertwined in front of our faces; another Etienne had pushed me and I'd fallen across Adrian's lap where he'd caught me and Lissa took a picture.

"Romeo and Juliet!" she cheered.

I took pictures with each of my friends, letting them all know in my special way that I was sorry for everything I'd put them through – and in their own ways, they each let me know I was forgiven.

We laughed and grinned and chatted like we were a group of normal people. It felt really good. We ordered our food and we began eating it, breaking into different conversations with each other. Etienne and Eddie were talking about guardian things, Lissa and Christian had their own things to pay attention to, so that left Adrian and me.

"How have you been, Rose?" he asked softly, putting a noodle in his mouth.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. "I'm alright,"

"I was…kind of…hesitant to come with Lissa to see you at the Siberian Academy. I didn't know if you wanted space or what…but in the end…I just couldn't resist to come see you." He admitted and a fork of lasagna stopped halfway to my mouth.

I slowly set my fork down and stared at Adrian. "Why do you even like me?" I all but whispered.

He blinked and took a hold of my hand over the table. "Rose, you're strong, you're brave, you're not afraid of anything, you're insane…and you drive me crazy, Rose." I saw the earnestly in his eyes.

"I'm afraid of a lot of things, Adrian," I said quietly, not looking at him.

"I don't care if you're afraid of things, Rose, we all are afraid of some things, but that's not the point. Rose, I –"

Oh my God, he cannot say it. No! Shut you're mouth! Be quiet! I thought in panic, but Christian saved me just in time.

"Adrian," he said in his provoking voice. "How many girls have you been with in all your time?"

For the first time, I saw Adrian Ivashkov incredibly uncomfortable.

I could've kissed Christian right then.

Seeing Adrian this uncomfortable was very comical – he glanced uneasily at me and then down at the table as he mumbled something and withdrew his hand from mine.

"What? I didn't catch that?" Christian said loudly, clearly enjoying Adrian's discomfort.

"I don't know," Adrian said again, blushing bright red. We howled with laughter and Adrian's blush deepened.

"Hey –" Etienne began but he was cut off when a group of staff came to our table, they were all strangely grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm the manager, my name is Kristina and tonight we're having a karaoke contest. We went around the restaurant asking who they wanted to start it off. Most of them said the group of six with two girls; one blond and one brunette, they said they hadn't arrived that long ago and we're sure that you're the group." A girl with bright red hair announced cheerfully.

"You can't be serious," I laughed.

"Completely," she grinned at me and I grinned back.

"We're in," I said immediately, I hopped out of the booth, dragging Etienne with me.

"Rose!" Lissa exclaimed.

"Come one, Liss, it's going to be fun!" I called over my shoulder to her. I reached back and grabbed her hand, pulling her out over Christian and Eddie. The rest of the group, bemused but left with no other choice followed.

The group of staff led us back to the front of the restaurant and to a little stage I hadn't noticed before. We stumbled up onto the stage bursting with giggles and wine-drunk.

"Okay," Kristina said into the microphone and all the people turned to stare. "We've got the most requested group up here to do karaoke!" the crowd clapped and laughed. "Alright, how about you introduce yourselves," she held the microphone out to me and I took it, grinning.

"Hey, I'm Rose Hath-a-way," I made my last name three syllables and I got a lot of cheers, though, I was sure the male variety cheered louder. I bowed and handed the microphone to Lissa.

"I'm Lissa," she got a lot of cheers too and I grinned and joined the people that were clapping. I suspected that she left out her last name for a reason.

Next, my brother bellowed, "I'm Etienne Spencer," but he did it like he was an announcer so he said it like 'I'm EEEEEE-teeee-nnnnnn Spenc-er!' it was quiet comical, he got a lot of feminine cheers.

"I'm Adrian," the Royal said, his blush starting to fade and he looked as dashing as ever – he got a lot of feminine cheers. I looked around and noticed that Christian and Eddie had slipped off the stage, or hadn't come up at all.

I took the microphone. "And that's Christian and Eddie, but they won't be performing tonight," I pouted and much to my pleasure, they got a bit of boos. I handed it back to Kristina.

"Well, we have a song for you guys, we want you to start our show with 'Into the Night' by Santana and Chad Kroeger," Kristina announced.

"Yeah!" I exclaimed and the others smirked at me.

Kristina said, "Here you go!" she and her co-workers ran off the stage handing the four of us microphones and they turned on the screen and music. I grinned and got ready to sing, I winked and Lissa and received a charming smile from Adrian; Etienne bumped his shoulder into mine and I bumped him with my hip.

Like a gift from the heavens, it was easy to tell
It was love from above, that could save me from hell,
She had fire in her soul it was easy to see
how the devil himself could be pulled out of me,
There were drums in the air as she started to dance
Every soul in the room keeping time with there hands
And we sang

We did sing and it was hilarious, I grinned and looked out into the crowd of people, I didn't need the words.

Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
and the voices bang like the angels sing,
We're singing...
Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And we danced on into the night,
Ay oh ay oh,
Ay oh ay oh,
And we danced on into the night,

Like a piece to the puzzle that falls into place
You could tell how we felt from the look on our faces
we was spinning in circles with the moon in our eyes
The room left them moving between you and I
We forgot where we were and we lost track of time
And we sang to the wind as we danced through the night
And we sang

Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And the voices bang like the angels sing,
We're singing...
Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay, And we danced on into the night,
Ay oh ay oh,
Ay oh ay oh,
And we danced on into the night
And we danced on into the night

I started clapping, getting the crowd in on it as well. Lissa, Etienne and Adrian followed suit. I was laughing hysterically, but I continued singing.

Like a gift from the heavens, it was easy to tell
It was love from above, that could save me from hell,
She had fire in her soul it was easy to see
how the devil himself could be pulled out of me,
There were drums in the air as she started to dance
Every soul in the room keeping time with there hands
And we sang

Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And the voices bang like the angels sing,
We're singing...
Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And we danced on into the night,
Ay oh ay oh,
Ay oh ay oh,
And we danced on into the night

Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And the voices bang like the angels sing,
We're singing...
Ay oh ay oh ay oh ay,
And we danced on into the night,
Ay oh ay oh,
Ay oh ay oh,
And we danced on into the night

We finished the song and it was the happiest I'd been since I'd left the St Vladamir's. We received a standing ovation.

I pulled a very dramatic bow and slipped off the stage with my friends.

Kristina retook the stage. "Great, performance!" she enthused. "You're meal will get be on the house tonight, as well as anything else you might want."

I shook my head. "That's not necessary –" I began but she cut me off.

"It most certainly is," then she addressed the rest of the crowd. "Do we have a volunteer for the second song of the night?" the group of college or university boys came up, chucking and stumbling over themselves.

"We'll go," one of them said, he was tall and had blond shaggy hair.

"Alright, you're singing 'Break' by Three Days Grace,"

"Oh, man!" I pouted. "I want to do that song!" one of the other boys who'd been standing near me, turned. He wasn't as tall as the other boy, but he had longish brown hair that came down in front of his eyes and on the back of his neck, he had startling blue eyes.

"Then come up and do the song," he said.

"You guys are singing," I said confused.

"If you want to, come up, the guys won't mind," he shrugged.

"That's not fair," I objected.

"If I say it's fair, it is; now get up here," he grinned at me and I took his outstretched hand, going up on the stage with them. The boys introduced themselves like our group had. There was Eric, Mitch, Kyle, Sam and the boy who'd brought me up was Destrey – it was pronounced like Dest-dree.

"Hey, I'm Destrey and we're bringing back Rose Hathaway for an encore!" he said, putting his arm around my shoulders – I got a very large applause again. There were more than a few wolf-whistles and males shouting and clapping. I saw Adrian glance around with a slight irritation – I also caught the look he gave Destrey and his arm around me, I was amused.

We sang the song and it was awesome! I just loved the chorus. Throughout most of the song, Destrey and I were singing it together with either doing the same movements or looking at each other as we sang.

At a part about two minutes into the song, where it was the instrumental, Destrey and I found ourselves face to face and we sang it together, leaning towards each other.

"If you can't stand the way this place is, take! Yourself! TO HIGHER PLACES! BREAK!" we jumped at the same time and began swinging our heads, throwing our hair around in the air. We finished the song with a dramatic jump and a pose, back to back.

The crowd went wild.

We laughed and I chatted with Destrey after we came down and the next group went up.

"That was awesome," I laughed as we stumbled off the stage.

"Yeah, it was," he agreed laughing with me.

"So what do you usually do? Do you just jump from restaurant to restaurant?"

"Nah, we go to –" whatever he said next was lost when I glanced at the ground. I suddenly had a very brief flash of the blood spattered snow I'd seen earlier today.

"Yeah, but we had a big exam so we went out to celebrate," Destrey was saying.

I nodded and smiled like I'd heard everything he said. "Yeah, of course,"

"So what about you? What do you do?" he asked me.

I smirked dryly. "I work at an academy,"

"Oh, yeah?" he seemed surprised. "You must be older than –"

"Nope, I'm the same age, if you're eighteen, that is."

"I am." He smiled. "But how'd you get a job at an academy? It sounds pretty serious,"

"Experience got me the job," He raised an eyebrow at that but I glanced to my left, out the window at the front of the restaurant. Dimitri was leaning against the window and when he caught my eye, he tinkled his fingers at me. "Um, Destrey, I…I'll be right back," I said without looking at him and I retrieved my bag from our table without a word to anyone.

I walked out of the restaurant very quickly and shot one look at Dimitri then I walked further away from the restaurant, away from the window.

"Lissa's in there," Dimitri said and I turned to face him. "You look good," he commented.

"You're not getting near anyone of my friends," I said not even bothering with titles.

"No, I'd much rather have you,"

"You're not going to get anything,"

"Tonight," he allowed with a slight nod.

My eyes narrowed and my hand slipped into my bag.

"That was quite a performance," he said and the knowing glance he shot at my hand told me he knew exactly what I was trying to pull. I didn't waste any time, I dropped the bag and lunged at Dimitri. He met my attack full on, blocking with his body. I threw a kick at his ribs that he absorbed with a flinch, I smirked at him.

"You're a good fighter, Roza."

My name in Russian hit me hard; it would have been nicer if he'd broken another one of my ribs. I blocked that out and threw another hard kick at him, he blocked it with his forearm and grinned, obviously aware that it had hit home.

One of my punches was a bit too slow and Dimitri reached out, grabbing my arm he pulled me closer. "Roza, I don't like fighting you," he whispered and I ripped out of his hold, glaring at him with a menacing look.

"Leave here." I ordered him. "Leave right now."

"That's not –"

"Leave!"

"As you wish," he inclined his head and walked past me, unnecessarily close. "Goodbye, Roza,"

When he was gone, I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I checked myself over for any flaws in my outfit, there were none. I was such an efficient fighter now, it didn't even faze me now and I could walk away from a fight looking like I'd walked away from touch-ups in the bathroom.

I picked up my bag and looked towards the front of the restaurant, I was surprised to see Destrey standing there looking shocked. I walked by him and held open the door.

"You work at an academy," he murmured in shock.

"I didn't tell you what I worked as," I reminded him with a certain smugness.

He shot me a disbelieving glance and as we were going in his group was going out. "Oh, I guess I'm leaving," he said disappointedly.

"Well, give me your number," I said as I fished around in my purse for my phone. "We should talk some time or hang out,"

His friends nudged each other and shared smiles. I laughed as Destrey got out his phone. We exchanged numbers and I said goodbye to the boys and returned to the table we were first at. I slid into the booth silently.

"We were wondering where you got to," Christian said.

"I'm sorry, daddy, I promise to tell you next time I take a piss," I replied snidely and he quirked an eyebrow.

"Why didn't you tell me, Rose? We could have gone together," Lissa complained.

"I don't think I would have gotten lost," I smirked even though I knew what she meant. I filled up another full cup of wine and took it down in one long drink.

"Hey, slow down there, girl," Eddie warned.

"No way, can't slow down; my life has only one gear," I took another large gulp and my eyes slid around from one friend to the next. "Outrageous."

"That's not a speed, Rose," Lissa said in amusement.

"You're right," I agreed, pouring myself and others another cup. "How about insane? I quite like that one, very fitting."

"Rose is worse than Adrian," Christian said to no one in particular.

"This is true." I raised my glass to him then to Eddie I said, "I think you'll have to drive back,"

He nodded but he looked concerned so I decided to let off for a bit while they debated my sanity, though I really did want another drink. When I tried to discreetly reach for the bottle, Etienne caught me and snatched it away.

"Nu-uh, sorry, darling, but I'm cutting you off." I pouted and he'd just messed up my hair.

"Rose," Christian said with his trademark smirk, apparently he was going to have some fun. "How's your lovely student? Devin, isn't it?"

"Nope, his name is Dereck Hays," I didn't know how drunk I was, because my words were slurred together a bit. It sounded like; 'sh-ope, shis name ish Dereshk Haysh,' I tried again. "No. His name is Dereck Hays." I was proud when it came out properly.

Christian smirked. "Has he hit you again?"

I blinked and leaned forward, no longer feeling woozy. "Yeah, in our practices because I am training him for the field experience so he can pass."

"Unlike his mentor?" Christian shot back and I recoiled as if I had been slapped by him. Suddenly, I was pulled into Lissa's head; she was remembering what had happened at the academy after I'd left…

"Hey, Lissa," Shane Rays called to her as he jogged up to be in step with her. "Where's Rose?" he asked and Eddie began to put himself in between Lissa and Shane. But not before Shane saw tears fill Lissa's eyes. She turned and ran off in the other direction, leaving Shane startled and Eddie to follow.

Soon, word of Rose Hathaway's disappearance was all around the school.

People where staring openly at Lissa, pointing and whispering about me, though, no one dared provoke her – not with Eddie there, ready to do anything to anyone that upset Lissa.

Then the rumors started.

I'd gone off because of pregnancy, because I was too scared to fight anymore, because I was afraid I couldn't protect Lissa well enough, because I was so pissed I went off to hunt Strigoi. Many other rumors were circulating but Lissa did her best to ignore them.

Though, when Adrian came to visit her, she did her best not to drop as many hints about where I had gone and what I was doing. But Adrian, Royal, but smart, figured it out all on his own.

He was worried about me, angry with me, furious even. But most of all, he was terrified, he was scared for me. He was afraid of what he would become if I never came back for him. Lissa was watching Adrian carefully, aware that he was getting drunk more often and smoking eve more frequently.

Not getting any word from me, only a short email now and then, but she desperately needed to see me.

Then came graduation. Lissa was oblivious to everything that went on around her, she only knew that she, Christian and Adrian would be going to the Royal Court with Eddie as their guardian. She had full confidence in Eddie, she trusted him, but she wanted me.

Christian, Adrian and Eddie began to worry about her, afraid she might go into her dark depression that she had before and they wouldn't know what to do if she did because I was always the one that had pulled her out of it.

Rose. She needed Rose. She couldn't LIVE without Rose…

I blinked and stared at Lissa with wide eyes. "I'm sorry…" I whispered brokenly to her. I bit my lip and turned away. "I'll get the car," walking out of the restaurant, I got a lot of smiles and compliments that I returned politely. When I finally navigated the car, I remembered that the key was somewhere in my purse, so I began to fish around in the thing.

"Would you like some help?" a voice said and I glanced up momentarily to see a Strigoi smiling down at me. I knew he was a Strigoi by the way he was standing, predatorily, and by the glowing red in his eyes – he was old. But he still looked about nineteen.

"Yes, I'd like some help," I smiled. "You can help me by answering the question: are you with Dimitri's coven?"

The Strigoi didn't look surprised. "He told me you were smart," he said and he leaned on the car that was parked beside the van. I took a moment to examine the car, a very nice Italian sports car – Ferrari, very sleek and red. My colour. I had an idea.

"Is that your car?"

He nodded and looked at the car proudly. "Yeah, this bad boy is mine,"

"Are you up for a bet?" I asked, a grin slowly spreading across my face.

"What type of bet?" he asked suspiciously and he shifted like he was trying to stand protectively in front of his car.

"We fight – I win, I get your car; you win, you get to kill me."

His eyebrows raised and I saw anticipation in those red eyes. "And your Moroi and dhampir friends?"

Suddenly, I feared for them, but by now, I was in control of my emotions and facial expression. "Of course,"

He grinned. "You're on," He slipped his car keys into the back pocket of his pants.

"Alright," I grinned and came to the sudden revelation that Dimitri must have sent this Strigoi to watch me. Annoyed, I thought I wouldn't really regret killing any Strigoi that was associated with Dimitri. After all, it was what I was raised to do.

We made our way to a more open part of the parking lot and stood across from each other, about five feet apart.

"I hope you had a good night, Rose," he said as if were we old friends.

"I did," I said smiling slightly.

He carried on like I hadn't spoken. "Because it will be your last,"

I shook my head, still smiling. "For you, I hope you got some good out of that car, because it's going to be mine shortly." For a moment, I saw the panic in his eyes, but it was taken over by bloodlust.

"Let's begin, darling,"

"Let's,"

He lunged at me and I dove to the side. He smiled and I began to leisurely took off my stunning black heels. "Very classy,"

"I thought so,"

He waited patiently as I discarded my shoes then, we began circling. "I'll be very sorry when you're dead, or wait. I'll turn you." He said like it was a fantastic idea.

"I'd rather be dead,"

"I used to think that when I was a dhampir too," he said thoughtfully. "But you'll get used to it,"

"I don't think so," I threw myself at him, stake in hand. I wasn't going to use the stake to kill him just yet. We threw kicks and punches at each other, dishing out and receiving hard blows. I threw a clean kick to the side of his head and it made contact but I caught sight of Eddie who was going to come up behind the Strigoi, his stake in hand.

"Don't Eddie, watch the others," I said because I knew they were there, watching in fascinated horror. I just knew it – that and that I could see them out of the corner of my eye. The Strigoi turned on Eddie and I saw that he was going to lunge so I went down and kicked out his legs, not wasting time, I pounced, landing on top of him.

"That's not fair!" he protested, trying to wriggle away from me. I dug my knee into his stomach.

"Well, if you hadn't gotten distracted, it wouldn't have happened," I said. "Fairs fair," I held out my hand. "Keys,"

He shook his head, looking desperately at his car. "Call it quits, I'll go quietly and so will you, no one the wiser?"

I thought for a moment, or, well, pretended is probably a better word. "Sure," I shrugged off of him, offering my hand. He took it civilly and I went towards him, as if we were to embrace, he thought so too because his arms went around me. I plugged the stake into his heart and whispered, "I bet all or nothing and I never go back on anything," I pulled the stake out. "Sorry, darling," I imitated his voice and reached into his back pocket, pulling out the keys. I walked with him leaning heavily on me to the very back of the parking lot where there was a forest. I dumped him in it, behind a bush so none of the humans would see him.

I went back to where we had fought; I picked up my heels and turned to my friends. "Eddie's going to have to drive you guys back," I said calmly, then I just turned and began to my new car.

"Rose, wait!" someone called and I paused by the door, looking over my shoulder at them. When no one said anything, I shrugged and jumped into the Ferrari. I popped out the CD that was in there, it said Brokencyde. I thought they were a screamo band; I shrugged that off too and popped out the next one, Red Hot Chili Peppers. I loved these guys. I quickly flipped through the CD and found 'Californication'. I cranked that and swung out of my parking space so the driver's side was right up to my friends. I paused the music for a moment and said, "I'll see you there," then, with music pulsing in my ears, I sped out of the parking lot and down the road.

8*8*8*8*8*8*8

As I came up the road to the Academy, the nausea warned me that there would be an entourage waiting for me. I skidded to a halt, swinging the back end around in a circle, drawing up dirt – very dramatic, my style.
Stake in hand, smirk on my face, I got out of the Ferrari and walked towards the line of Strigoi.

"We mean you no harm, Rosemarie," one of them said. It was a girl, she looked very small, she must have been a Moroi at one point in her life. She had little blond curls and flashing red eyes – it actually reminded of how Mia Ronaldi looked when I first saw her.

"Really," I deadpanned.

"It's true," she said desperately. "We have a message,"

"Oh?"

"It's from your lover, Dimitri!"

"Oh," I said emotionlessly. "I thought you meant my other Strigoi lover,"

"Shut up," one of the other Strigoi ordered the girl and she looked confused at my comment, but offended at the other Strigoi's comment. "Hey – that's Reggie's car!"

I raised my eyebrows. "No, that's Rose Hathaway's car,"

"No," he protested. "That's Reggie's Ferrari, what did you do to him, he wouldn't have given up that car if it was it or his life."

"Well, fair trade then, huh?"

Realization flashed in the Strigoi's eyes and he lunged at me, snarling. I staked him without a moment's hesitation. I might have been drunk, but I could fight under any circumstances.

I turned back to the girl. "Now, continue with your message," I waved my stake listlessly and she and the other two Strigoi flinched back.

"H-he, Dimitri, that is, not the other one, he said, 'this has to end, Rose.'" She stuttered and I had a smile, she wasn't exactly the smartest Strigoi I'd ever met.

"I agree,"

"So you'll meet with him then? Tonight?" the girl asked excitedly.

I shook my head and smiled at her in a not so nice way. "I was thinking about ending it in a different way." I looked pointedly at my stake and heard her intake of breath, I smiled. Maybe I was extra insane when I was under the influence of something. "You tell him that, kid,"

"B-but won't you even consider –"

"Now you are testing my patience, I have guests that will be coming by very soon and I do not want them to witness a gruesome scene, so I suggest," I said slowly in a quiet voice. I was extremely dangerous when I was loud and angry. But when I was calm and quiet…I was deadly.

The Strigoi scampered off and I walked back to my car. I leaned out the window so the guardians could ID me. Once I was in the gates I went to the Academy's parking lot and cranked the music. Leaning back my seat, listening to one of my all time favorites, 'Scar Tissue', I prepared to wait for my friends.

After all, an academy van couldn't even come close to a hot Italian sports car.

8*8*8*8*8*8

After some time, Etienne rapped on my window and I pulled out the keys and hopped out to greet them. "Good evening, I would walk you back to your guest housing, but, honestly, I think I'm going to pass out any moment."

Etienne wrapped his arm around me and I leaned my head contently under his shoulder.

"Rose," Eddie said. "The Strigoi you fought –"

"There's nothing you need to worry about, I have everything under control."

"Do you?" asked Lissa, knowing the answer.

"Well, no. But, you know, if you feel like you're under control, you're just not going fast enough."

"Then you should be given multiple tickets for speeding," Christian murmured.

"This is true, but I think it's time I crash,"

Lissa agreed. "I'm pretty tired too,"

We all went our separate ways and when I stumbled into the guardian building, I received quite a shock to see a meeting taking place.

"What's this?" I asked in surprise as all eyes turned towards me.

"A guardian meeting, Hathaway; where have you been? All guardians who weren't on duty were supposed to be here." One of the guardians said.

"Well, next time it would be good to inform me of this shit before I get drunk," I muttered so no one could hear. I plopped myself down in an empty seat at the end of the table that no one was sitting in. Alex was at the far side of the table, also at the head, but looking much more coherent than I probably was.

"What is this meeting about?" I asked not bothering to listen and figure it out.

"A coven of Strigoi being so close to the Academy would be considered a threat, Miss Hathaway," another guardian said. "We need to dispatch of them,"

I nodded in sudden understanding. "Please don't talk to me as if I am a student," I added to no one in particular.

"Is there any information on this coven of Strigoi you have to share, Hathaway?" Alex asked. "It will be needed."

The way he addressed me was a surprise, but I didn't show it. "Well, continue with the meeting and I'll tell you what's needed," I said offhandedly and Alex, seeming to understand that I wasn't at my best right then, nodded silently. The guardians, on the other hand, looked shocked that I had spoken to my superior so casually and practically told him I would tell him what to do.

"Does anyone have any idea on how we should attack?" Alex asked and one guardian, two people to my right, stood up looking fierce.

"I say we gather the guardians, put the school on lock down and raid the forest," he said confidently.

I shook my head, he caught the action. His head whipped around and he glared at me. I studied his expression and I noticed that he seemed way too emotional for just a simple hate for Strigoi. "Who did you lose?" I asked suddenly, watching him carefully. Pain flashed across his features.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, obviously playing stupid.

I rolled my eyes and lounged quite comfortably in my chair. "Who – did – you – lose?" I asked again. "Obviously you've lost someone important to you, so who was it?" I didn't miss that when I asked this, Mikhail Tanner, who was sitting four people to my left tensed and stared studiously down at the table.

"None of your business!" the guardian shouted at me.

I looked at my stake and then back at the guardian. "What's your name?" I asked softly.

"Mathew," he answered, now confused at my change of direction.

"Mathew, can I call you Matt?" I didn't wait for him to answer. "Matt, I would like to know because that information might be useful to me. Who did you lose?"

I held his gaze until he looked away. "Mmhmmther," he muttered, turning his face away.

"Pardon?" I asked, leaning forward intently as I raising my eyebrows.

"My mother!" he shouted and I slumped back in my chair looking at my stake thoughtfully.

"Hmm," I murmured as I twirled my stake in my hand slowly.

"It's obvious you don't understand anything, Hathaway!" he yelled spitefully. "It's obvious you haven't lost anyone!"

The stake stopped. My eyes went up. Everything was silent.

"Why do you say that?" I asked very softly.

"By the way you act!" he shouted at me, leaning over the table. "You are so stupid! You have no idea what it's like!"

"I don't know what it's like to lose someone or I don't know what feeling like I've lost someone is like?" I asked watching him carefully with narrowed eyes.

"Neither!"

"You're wrong," I said quietly, my eyes going back to my stake.

He laughed harshly. "Then who have you lost, Hathaway?"

Now, it was my turn to laugh. "More people than you care to know about," I answered, then I put down my walls, I would not reveal myself like this. "Now, this is supposed to be a guardian meeting, not group therapy." I snapped severely. It was silent for a few moments and Alex and Mikhail shared at meaningful look that I did not miss.

"I'm afraid that that would not be the best tactic, Mathew," Alex said finally. "We need to strategize." Another guardian stood up and I very diligently ignored the hard stare I was receiving from Matt.

"I say we keep some guardians here, put the school on lock down, and we go into the forest at the beginning of the night and search for their nest."

I shook my head.

"Is there something you have to say, Rose?" Alex asked.

"Yeah," I nodded and looked at the guardian. "You obvious are not thinking straight. Do you know how stupid that sounds?"

"Do you have a better idea?" he asked emotionlessly.

"Well, first of all, they aren't birds and they are not as stupid. Second, you don't go waltzing into a Strigoi infested forest at night to look for them. You'd be dead before you could make a sound. Third, if you want to go straight for their hide-out, why not search in daylight?"

"What Strigoi would come out in daylight?" he countered.

"I did not say that Strigoi would come out into the light, I just said you should search in daylight because then you would lower the risk of being attacked. If you found a cave or something a few miles from here, I'm sure you would be able to tell if Strigoi were inhabiting it or not." I said calmly. "But you might not want to start your search so soon, you should wait for a weather report," I added very softly.

"We already know the weather," a female guardian stated, thinking she's caught me. "The weather will be constant like this for the next few weeks."

"You're wrong,"

"Are you implying that our sources are unreliable?" she demanded primly, sitting straighter in her seat.

I snorted. "What sources? The weather network?" I rolled my eyes. "And besides, you are wrong. It will snow over night and it will stay."

"And how do you know this? Are you the oracle?"

"Yes, I am the spirit of Delphi," I said dryly. "I am in no mood to fight at the moment, just listen to me, it is going to snow and stay – don't ask how I know, just fucking listen." By now I was exasperated and I just wanted to go up to my room and sleep off a hangover.

They continued to debate over other matters concerning the 'raid' but I got up from my chair and stumbled over to the fridge. I pulled it open and peered inside. There was line after line of drinks and healthy stuff; I scrunched up my nose in distaste at the healthy things but I grabbed a bottle of root beer and ambled back over to my seat. I watched with little interest as they came to a decision. Too bad I wasn't listening so I was examining the ingredients on the root beer when everything went quiet. I glanced up to see everyone staring at me.

I looked at every guardian and sighed, setting the root beer on the table. "You can stare at me all night, I really don't care. But if you're waiting on something, you might as well just tell me because it'll take one hell of a time if you want me to guess."

"We were talking about what happened at St Vladamir's, Rose," Mikhail said to me.

I recoiled like I'd been slapped. "And why are you staring at me?"

"We wanted to know what happened," he replied.

I felt my features harden and all my walls went down. I knew no one would be able to get anything out of me, emotion or anything else; they'd just have to do with my words. "Strigoi attacked, we fought, they took our people, we went after them, we came back, end of story."

"Rose, we're going to need more detail than that," Mikhail complained. "How did the Strigoi attack? Were they organized?"

"They just attacked; you know they aren't good at working together."

"Yes, we know that, Rose –"

"Then what do you want from me?"

"Rose, don't be an idiot."

"Don't ask questions you know I won't answer."

"Rose." He warned.
"Give it up, Mikhail," I snapped harshly.

"What is with you?" he exclaimed.

I snapped. "What the fuck do you want to know, Mikhail?" I shot up from my chair, putting both my hands on the table. "What do you want to know? How many people died? How many guardians were lost? How many Moroi? How we fought? What?"

He looked shocked, but it was Alex who spoke.

"Rose, calm down." His voice was firm and when I looked into his kind brown eyes my anger subsided enough for me to control myself. I slipped my hands off the table and bowed my head.

"I don't know how many people died," I said quietly. "The attack was unexpected so we acted; we put the students in their dorms and fought out on the yard. When the Strigoi managed to get into the Moroi dorm, we fought them there as well. Sunrise was coming and the Strigoi had to flee, they took thirteen of our people with them, we went after them, loosing guardians along the way. We also brought some Moroi to fight." I admitted.

"I'd heard about that, I just didn't believe it was true," a guardian murmured.

"Why did you bring Moroi?" another asked.

"Because I suggested the idea after I'd already fought with one," I said.

"What?"

I rolled my eyes for the millionth time and sat back down in my chair. "Do I have to read you a story or what? I fought with a fire user against Strigoi on campus. Then, because we'd lost so many people, I suggested that we bring novices and fire users. They only allowed Moroi adults and some senior novices."

"You were a novice then, why were you at a meeting?"

"Because I can get into anywhere I want when I want." I said without emotion. "I had ideas so I voiced them."

They mulled this over then someone asked, "How did you know where the Strigoi were?"

I froze for a half a second and then a witty comment came almost effortlessly to my lips, "We used the weather network,"

A few people snickered, some openly others trying to cover it up with coughs.

"Rose, we're serious here."

"And I'm serious when I say, I'm drunk and I need to sleep off a hangover. I'm also serious when I say, it does not matter how I- we knew where the Strigoi were." They didn't miss my slip.

"How did you know, Rose?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Rose, we need to know,"

"Hathaway, don't play games."

"Hathaway, this is not the time to be childish."

"Guardian Hathaway, please."

I blinked; it was the first time they'd called me 'Guardian Hathaway'. I looked around for the person who'd said it and my eyes met with a female guardian with deep blue eyes. "We are going to need the information, Guardian Hathaway,"

"Yes, but none of you will understand nor am I willing to share anything on this topic."

"May I ask why not?"

"Because it is much too complicated and if I even wanted to tell you anything, it would take eternity to explain." I sighed.

"Why?" she asked with confusion.

"Because it is, now drop the subject, you aren't going to get anything out of me." I snapped and everything was silent once again.

"Rose, why are you so stubborn?" Mikhail groaned.

"Deal," I muttered and then I stood up. "If you come to a conclusion sometime, let me know, just don't attack without telling me, then I'll be really pissed. Goodnight." I bowed out and when I was almost out of the room, a new voice rang out.

"Where's Rose?" Etienne asked.

I spun on my heel and stared at him in shock. "What are you doing here?" I demanded, holding my root beer by the neck of the bottle as I held it in the air. He scrambled across the room to me.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Yeah, mommy dearest, I'm great," I said as I bashed him on the side of the head with my root beer. "What are you doing?"

"I was worried after you fought –" I smacked him harder with the bottle.

"Come on," I grumbled tugging his hand so we could go up to my room.

"Male and female interactions aren't appreciated even though you're a guardian, Hathaway," someone said and I turned around with a look of amusement on my face.

"This is my brother,"

"Oh." Matt, who'd obviously spoken, blushed. "Sorry."

I sighed and tugged him up the stairs to my room, ignoring everything else. When my door closed behind Etienne, I turned on him.
"Why are you here?"

"I was worried,"

"Aren't you always," I grumbled, turning my back on him. "Well, I'm going to change and crash so whatever you're here for, get it over with."

"I think I'll stay the night," he said calmly, I glanced over my shoulder at him and saw he was smiling slightly.

"Because I totally invited you, right?" I asked sarcastically.

"No," he said easily. "Because I invited myself,"

I laughed, "Of course you did," he grinned at me. "Do you have pajamas?"

He shook his head. "Nope," he said, popping on the 'p'.

"Spur of the moment thing?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah,"

"We share that," I said softly and I grabbed a pair of low slung black silk pajama pants from my bag I quickly shed the slacks, pulling on my own pants and I just took off the silk shirt. I climbed into my bed and looked at Etienne expectantly. He got rid of his jeans and hopped in beside me wearing his boxers and shirt.

I raised an eyebrow. "That's not exactly appropriate, Mr. Spencer,"

"And you are? Getting rid of your pants in the presence of a boy? I should be worried,"

I smiled. "Whatever,"

"Rose, about the Strigoi –"

"Hush," I whispered, pressing my fingers to his lips. "Don't talk," I rested my head on his chest and he wrapped his arms around me.

"Rosie's crazies but we lovzies cauzies she's cutzies," Etienne hummed to himself.

"What was that?" I demanded.

"My little song,"

I closed my eyes and rested my head. "Goodnight, Etienne,"

"Love you, little sis."

go to next chap!!!!