It's on!...

Attack – 29

We stood there, getting ready and waiting for the others silently. This was our opportunity to save Lissa. It was now or never. I really felt sick now, knowing that the Strigoi were just beyond this door. Knowing that Lissa was down there.

"Okay," I heard behind me. "We're here." I looked back to see the other group ready with their stakes. I nodded at them and looked back at Dimitri, ready to head down.

I stood by Adrian, trying to give him convenience while we got everything organized. We definitely couldn't mess this up. It's either them, or us, hopefully them; I really don't want to do today.

"Ready?" Dimitri whispered.

"Ready." Everyone said together. We started forward, readying our stakes as we descended down the stairs. I kept looking at Adrian, seeing if he was ready to turn back yet or not. I know he hadn't really killed a Strigoi before, and since it was Lissa we were talking about, it would be even harder. Lissa was like a sister to him.

We reached the bottom of the stairs in no time, trying to look around, but there was no light but the flashlight Dimitri took. He shone it around, trying to keep it low so they wouldn't see us first. But it was pretty hard when it was completely pitch black. I stayed right by Dimitri and Adrian the whole time, with Christian and Eddie right behind me, with Mia right by Eddie. Then Mikhail, Sonya, Janine, and Abe by our side, with the other guardians all around us like a circle. We were pretty much guarded.

We walked further into the darkness, making me feel like this basement just kept on going forever. With each step though, I felt sicker and sicker, letting me know we were headed in the right way. I could hear some heavy breathing nearby, but not being able to know if it was ours or theirs. I thought some of it had to be theirs, 'cause some of it sounded like snoring. I tried to look at Dimitri to ask him if he could hear it, but it was too dark to see. All I could do was make out shapes.

By the time I thought that we should be near the wall, I saw a small light and could see a few hunched over shapes. It had to be them. I was just wondering how we were going to fight them in the dark, but then the lights came shouting on, blinding all of us.

"Well, well," I heard a deep male voice saw somewhere. "It's about time. I knew you were on our tails, but I had no idea you brought backup dear Rosemarie." I squinted my eyes, trying to make out the figures, but it was no help. I rubbed my eyes while getting pulled back against someone, probably Dimitri. I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them, seeing a little better. "Oh my, what seems to be wrong Rose?" I looked around, seeing better now that my eyes had adjusted a bit, and could see the person that had talked to me.

"What do you want?" I asked, looking him in the eyes as my eyes finally adjusted all the way. Robert! I glared at him as I heard someone chuckle evilly.

"What do you think he wants Rose," I heard a familiar voice. So familiar it made a tear fall down my cheek. I turned just to find Lissa, my poor Lissa.

"And what's that suppose to mean? I thought he had what he wanted." I looked around, just now noticing all the Strigoi that were here. There was at least between twenty and thirty. And there were only twenty of us.

"My dear Rose. Boy do you have it so wrong. I just have one thing out of many that I need. Lissa was just step one. Really step two, but whatever."

"And what was step one?" I asked, trying to stale him so everyone could get ready and attack.

"And why would I tell you that?"

"Well, it seems like you're going to kill us anyways, so why not just tell us. Tell us how smart you think you are."

"Oh, and why do you think I'd want to kill you?"

"That's why we're here, isn't it? You draw us out to get Lissa back, so you could kill us."

"Oh, no. You have it wrong, again. You're more useful to us alive." I looked at him, seeing what he truly meant by that.

"Who said we'd turn for you?"

"Oh, I have my ways," he replied, slowly walking circle around us. "I can just make you."

"I'd rather die," I spat out, not even caring that Dimitri squeezed my arm to calm down.

"Oh, but that's not even a choice for you."

"So Lissa had a choice, but we don't?"

"Yeap," he said, not even going to say anything about how I knew she was given a choice. "Even if I had killed her, you would have still come to me to kill me, or at least try to."

"How are you so sure?" He was completely right though.

"I know how you and Lissa are. You'd risk your live for hers."

"Not anymore," I whispered, making Lissa look at me sad.

"Oh yeah. Lissa told me about that. That's another reason you don't have a choice. It's more valuable than you actually."

"And how is that?" I asked confused.

"Well, it is a little you, mixed with Dimitri. Some of us," he said, gesturing to all the Strigoi, "Already know how Dimitri is as a Strigoi. And since it's you and Dimitri together, it'll be even better, stronger, than anything." I stepped back, bumping into Dimitri, not wanting to believe anything he's saying. But it does make sense if you think about it.

"You can't have it," I said, shaking my head and grabbing my stomach. "I won't let you."

"Neither will I," Dimitri said.

"Or us," everyone else said, grabbing their stakes harder.

"That's what I thought you'd say. But you guys don't have a choice, remember?" he said, his eyes getting redder by the moment. He raised his hand up, and then tossed it back down, making all the Strigoi get up and walk forward, except Lissa who stood still. I looked at her, trying to tell her I loved her with my eyes. I think it worked for a second, because she looked down, then back up with red eyes.

Some of the 'no name' guardians ran forward with their stakes raised high, attacking any Strigoi that dared to come forward. I heard Robert yelling orders around, one for sure was to not kill me. I saw one of our guardians fall as a Strigoi cracked his neck and bite him. Then another guardian staked him from behind as he went for someone else.

A few Strigoi got passed all the guardians, running into Mikhail and Abe and the others. Abe, being the show off that he was, kicked a Strigoi in the stomach, knocking him into some other Strigois before running and staking it in the heart. I yelled like a damn lunatic as he pulled the stake back out and headed for anything Strigoi.

Christian was already working on setting some Strigoi on fire, and Mia was using her water, from some in the corner of the basement, to whip some Strigoi and try to drown them, but there wasn't that much water. Dimitri told me to stay close to him and Adrian, so we went around, trying to get to Robert and Lissa.

Robert yelled some more orders, then grabbed Lissa and made a run for the stairs. "Not so fast," I yelled at Robert, running after him, leaving Dimitri to fight Strigoi and Adrian trying to catch up with me. I yelled at Sonya and Janine to block them, but just as they were about to move, some Strigoi blocked them. "Why?" I shouted, trying to be heard. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" Robert asked innocently.

I pointed all around us, "This?"

"Creating an army?"

"No, having a picnic. Dhh?"

"You don't get it, do you? It all started with you Rose."

"What do you mean? What did I do to you?"

"WHAT?" he yelled, eyes turning bright red again. "Don't act like you don't remember?" I looked at him, still confused. What the hell was he talking about? "Dear Rose, let me explain-"

"Please do." I said, interrupting him, which just made him turn redder.

"Well, since you don't seem to remember anything, it all started when me and my dear brother tried to help you. AND WHAT DID YOU GO AND DO? YOU KILLED HIM." I looked at him, still pretty confused. Okay, so yeah, I remember I killed Victor, but I didn't mean to. He attacked me, and then the darkness from Lissa's spirit usage got to me.

"If you don't recall, he attacked me first."

"I don't giving a flying fuck Rose. All I know is that you're going to pay." He turned and ran up the stairs, with me at his heels the whole time. When he reached the top, the door turned into flames. I smiled as I knew who did it, the one and only, Christian Ozera.

"Thanks," I yelled to Christian as he turned and attacked another Strigoi, staking him in no time. I looked at Robert, then Lissa, seeing her look around crazy.

"Kill her," Robert shouted to Lissa. "Just make sure that child of hers," he said pointing at my stomach, "Is gone." And with that he kicked the door open, ignoring the flames, and ran out, leaving Lissa to glare at us through red eyes.