As usual, I don not own Vampire Academy or House of Night.

I decided to try something I little different in this chapter so let me know what you think! Please review!

Chapter 2 The Search

Dimitri's POV

Finally, after one year trying to track the Dragomir princess and trouble maker Rosemarie Hathaway, we finally had a solid lead. All the other leads we had were not this real. Nobody knew we were going, unlike other times. Guardian Petrov suspected a traitor among us. After careful analyzing, I too came to the same realization. How else would two teenage girls run from us?

We surveyed the location in Portland they were supposed to be staying at and instead of raiding them like we wanted, we watched the house from a distance. If their really was a traitor at St. Vladmir's Academy this would prove it. None of us liked having to watch but it had to be done.

With it being day time, all the guardians did normal—human—activities. I posted some guardians about a mile in every direction so they could not escape our watch. Guardian Petrov made me assigned to this mission, and I was determined not to fail her. Those students would be back at the academy before they knew what hit them

"All clear sir." a guardian said over the headset.

"Now we wait, if we don't see any signs they are here in an hour we will report back to Guardian Petrov and come back again at night."

Our days and nights are reversed but in this case, I meant day and night from the human schedule.

"Yes sir."

Fifteen minutes later I saw movement in the house. "I have motion, but remember the plan, stay undetected and keep tabs on her. I don't have a visual yet." A chorus of "yes sirs" chimed in my ear, not together but not too separate. I smiled, they were all too willing to follow my commends.

Finally I found one small window where a girl with dark brown hair grabbed two black bags. Not completely filled but you could tell there was plenty of stuff in it. I quickly and quietly told everyone "I have a visual, be alert, they are on the run." No sooner I said that, a cat jumped up in the window and hissed at me. They hated us, Dhampir's for some reason I never knew. I was hidden from the view of the window as I watched this beautiful girl run out of the room. I took my place just in time for two girls run out of the house. The one with blonde hair, Princess Vasilisa Dragomir I was told, was slower than the other rule breaking Hathaway. I watched until they were completely out of my sight.

"They went east."

Not even ten second later, the guardian guarding that way said, "they are moving fast. I heard them on the phone, I think they are going to the airport."

Airport? Did they plan to get us off their trail and loose them? That would not happen. Hathaway should know better than that. Once it they hopped in a cab, the driver of course working for us, we knew they were going to an airport an hour or so away. This was almost too easy.

But I had to remind myself who I was dealing with. Rosemarie was top of her class before running away so recklessly. It was one of the stupidest things any novice could do, in my opinion. She probably did not even keep herself trained during the past two years but I knew better than to underestimate her like others have. She did kill two Strigoi before she ran away, out of sheer luck yes, but it is still damn impressive. She had so much potential, I had no idea why she would throw all this away.

Our airport spy confirmed them booking tickets for the next flight out. To Kansas. I laughed at that, they really were trying to make it hard for us. He also bought a ticket on the same flight close enough to them so he could overhear their conversation but not close enough that they could tell he was a dhampir.

Half way their, he sent me a text telling us Mia Rinaldi, the Moroi taking part of a research project in Tulsa, Oklahoma was taking them in. After replying with a quick thanks, I called Mia's assigned guardian, Mikhail Tanner, and told him of this development. He told me he would find Mia and interrogate her. There was no point in waiting. Within a half hour, my team of fully skilled, fully equipped, guardians were boarding a private jet from the academy. After we were in the air, I pulled my phone back out and turned it on. Guardian Tanner sent me a text saying she was not on campus, suddenly I was glad we were on our way to Tulsa's House of Night.

Zoey POV

Ugh I just hate her! Neferet is the most evil person I know! Darius saved me from her bitch session, thankfully, because two girls just arrived. Zoey could have kissed the ground Darius walked on for that but the look Neferet gave her told her this wasn't over. No, it never would be.

Just as Zoey found herself at the East Wall the sound of footsteps invaded her ears. Not just one pair, but at least a dozen. She groaned, this is what Mia worried would happen if she snuck off campus. Before Zoey could think about it, a few of their faces came into view. They were those guardians Mia had with her. Zoey just knew they had were guardians with the stealthy way they moved and the muscles they had from years of training.

Nobody said anything, but they waited for me to pass before they dared to move. I had to tell Mia about this, there was no way she could get out of whatever trouble she just caused if there was so many of those guardians. All the thoughts of Evil Neferet washed out of my mind and I raced to find Mia, thankfully I did not have to run too long before she came into view.

Rose's POV

"...and the Dining Hall. We still have a few minutes before your meeting I don't-"

"Do the guardians know you are here?"

"Uh yeah, but Eddie-"

"Eddie as in Castile? I didn't see him!" I nearly forgot about him.

"Well he's working with the Sons of Erebus guarding the school. But when they sent this other guardian, not a novice, he is around all the time! It's so annoying. I managed to slip his lash to get you."

"Wow I never saw you for ditching security, that's more my thing!" I joked.

"Oh there he is."

I watched the man, in his 20's I guess, stride toward us, half surprised that I did not recognize him. He was not one of the schools guardians but that did not mean he was unaware of who I was. Darius already saw me, but I had to play it cool like I wasn't on the run from St Vladmir's.

"Where did you go, Mia?" her guardian said, "I was about to contact the guardians."

"Oh um I needed to get some coffee. I'm sorry I should have told you." Mia actually looked guilty. Oh man, I need to take a picture of this. Slyly, I pulled out my phone and took a picture before anyone noticed. I held back my smile, I was so going to send this to Mason, he would send it to everyone else.

"Oh sorry, this is Guardian Tanner."

I nodded, before I could say anything a girl ran to calling Mia. "You have to come here! I think" she looked around at our litter gathering "sorry, I'm Zoey. Zoey Redbird."

She had a sapphire crescent moon on her forehead it was filled, like Darius's was, and had some tattoos framing her face. The tattoos brought out her beauty and enhanced what I thought was Cherokee features.

"Nice to meet you." I shook her hand. "So your Marked?"

"Uh yeah, but I'm still a fledgling, I didn't go through the change yet."

"What change?"

"The change from a fledgling to a vampyre. My ex just went through it. It was um scary."

"Oh you should've been here Rose!" Mia said, letting my name slip. The rage overcame me but Lissa words in my head stopped me from doing anything rash We will leave when the sun comes up. I promise. We can't stay here if guardians are near us. I nodded knowing she was right. Mia continued talking like nothing happened. "I thought he was dying! Oh sorry, you don't know about that. Well I guess I have some things to tell you."

So apparently if you didn't complete the change you die. That's the only two options you have once you are Marked. Sounds like a death wish if you ask me. I felt sorry for Zoey, knowing she could die at a moments notice.

After I took that in, I started to see Zoey's uniform. It was dark, much like I thought a Vampire school would have uniforms, but had her own twist on it. The courtyard grown darker and I noticed it was time for my meeting with this Neferet.

"Hey Zoey, what's the deal with Neferet? What kind of name is that?" I laughed.

"I wouldn't make fun of her name. She picked it out."

"What? Why would-"

"We can change our name when we are Marked, I am so glad I don't have to have my mother's last name." There was steel in her voice. How much did she hate her mother? I mean I hate my mom but because she was never there for me and let me be raised by the academy.

I let it go, just because I had to be somewhere.

"Be careful around her, she will act nice and loving but don't fall for it." I nodded.

Mia and Zoey excused themselves to talk about something but were out of hearing range from Lissa. They looked deeply engaged in their conversation. When Mia came back she brought us to Neferet's office but she looked well nervous. I shrugged it off.

We came to a stop just in front of doors, when a beautiful woman with bright auburn hair stepped out of the doors and greeted us with a bright smile. I automatically hated her. She reminded me if my mother but acted like she wanted to be best friends. I had to hide my hatred.

"Welcome to the Tulsa House of Night. I am Neferet, the High Priestess here. Since you are not Marked you cannot join all of our classes but you are welcome to join Eddie Castile in his classes."

"Sorry, but we're leaving tomorrow." I said trying to keep the chill out of my voice. It did not work.

"Oh? Well I am sure you can join classes tonight?" Damn she just would not let it go, would she? I sighed.

"No, tonight we can. But my friend needs a feeder." I said quickly. If she allowed Mia here, then surely there was a feeder on campus.

"Oh I' sorry, I did not know she was a Moroi. Yes, come on dear, what is your name?"

"Lis." Lissa said in a small voice.

I thought I saw something dark pass in her eyes but a moment later it was gone and I figured I had imagined it. But then I remembered Zoey's warning and I just knew something was wrong with this woman. She was something dark.

"We can go later. I cannot leave her."

This time I knew I saw a brief flash of anger shot in her eyes before an understanding look was carefully in place. "Of course, how silly of me. You must be her guardian! Let me see you marks."

Awe fucking crap! I was about to get busted big time. I had yet to receive my promise mark but I had two Molnija marks from right before school nodded and began lifting my hair when someone barged in the room. Or I should say people. Every part of the room was suddenly filled with people. With closer examination, I recognized them of Guardians. Some I knew, others were completely new. Fucking bastard. They found us.

I grabbed Lissa and pulled her behind me, nearly making her fall over. Nobody advanced on me and I could not abandon Lissa to attack them. I could only protect her. While we waited for someone to make the first move, I surveyed the new people. Half way through my observation, I found the hardest, hottest, and tallest guardian. When I say hot, I mean heart breaker hot is below this level of pure hotness.

"You must be in charge of this mission. You're new though." I said, speaking to the man without lowering my guard. All my attention was on the guardians, my threats.

"Yes." The one word held a Russian accent, though not strong. "Rosemarie Hathaway, you are in a lot of trouble with Kirova and Guardian Petrov."

"Fuck them-"

"If I were you I would watch your mouth."

I felt someone hit my cheek. Huh, that was literal. Fine, if that's the way he wanted to play, then it's on. I threw myself into the action but I found myself on the ground in a matter of minutes. This hot Russian guy sure knew how to kick ass. Before anyone could to get Lissa, I jumped up and stood protectively in front of her.

"You're never getting her!" I growled. I don't care how hot he was, I would not allow Lissa to be dragged off by the guardians. She meant too much to me. She was my best friend.

"I don't want to hurt either of you. We just need her back in the safety of the academy."

That was it. I could not control my small amount of self-control any longer. "She is never going back there if I have anything to do with it."

I attacked him again but he deflected everything I had easily. "You can't win! Can't you see that! You are surrounded by guardians!" He said in between blocking my hits.

"I don't care" I said just the same, "she's not going back."

Just when I thought he gave up, he had my pinned on the floor making me unable to move under his body weight. But nobody went towards Lissa. I smiled at that, maybe they knew I was not joking about her not going back there. Ever.

"Rosemarie Hathaway, Vasilisa Dragomir, you are now under control of the guardians. Headmistress Kirova will decide your fate from here. Guardian Grant, hand over the handcuffs she's going to keep fighting us."

Within seconds I felt the cuffs press into the skin of my wrists, behind my back and someone's knee held me down. The only movement I could do was flopping around like a fish out of water but the knee pressing into my back hurt far too much for me to attempt after the third try.

"We have them." he paused to let the person on the other end of the phone. "Yes, in Tulsa. Yes. Okay. We will see ya then."

He hung up the phone, grabbed my wrists, got off me, and pulled me up hurting me just a little. I was sure I would have bruises on my back and wrists tomorrow, not that I cared right now.

"They have been on the run for two years now, Neferet. I have orders from Guardian Petrov for us to keep them here until she and Kirova arrive, if that's okay."

"Yes but they really should be enrolled in classes with Eddie."

The Russian nodded. "Thank you. My team will need to watch them, particularly Rosemarie. She can cause quite a scene if left unattended."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" I yelled at him. "You have no idea who I am!"

"I do, I've seen your record, it's hmm over fifty pages by now. And I'm not counting you elementary record, Miss Hathaway."

"Like your one to talk. Let me guess you beat up someone twice you age when you were thirteen. Am I right? Or-" His grip suddenly tightened on my wrists, making me want to

"You will not talk back to your superiors Hathaway. You are unfit to guard Lissa. You did not graduate and you never will if you keep this up. I would shut up now if I were you."

I opened my mouth to tell him to fuck off when Lissa's words stopped me. Rose, let it go. We can't get out of this. Even you can't take on everyone and win.

I sighed out my frustration and looked down as I said my next words "Fine, I won't fight anymore but she does not leave my sight."

"I can't promise you that." I looked into his eyes and saw understanding. "But I can promise she won't leave here without you."

I nodded. It was the best deal I could get and for some odd reason, he made me want to comply willingly. Or maybe it was Lissa's compulsion through the bond. I did not know. But I didn't care.

"We will get you set you in your room now." The Russian guy released my wrists but did not move away from me or unlock the cuffs.

Neferet assigned Lissa and I different rooms next to each other and gave us our schedules. The guardians followed Lissa, the Russian, and I. Once we were outside, the hot Russian spoke again.

"I will have two guardians stationed in your rooms all the time. I will check in some time to make sure nobody is plotting to run away again." he gave me a serious look. "Kirova will be here tomorrow."

Two guardians took Lissa to her room and the rest stood outside with me and the Russian guy. Shortly after, the Russian brought me to my room with three other guardians.

"I need to talk to her about what is going to happen, give us a minute" The three other guardians stood outside the room and I was left alone with what might be the hottest thing ever.

"Kirova is going to try to expel you and Guardian Petrov will fight for you if she sees you have the potential to be a great guardian. You have to let us help you."

"I don't want to go back." I said quietly.

"You have to graduate if you want to be her sanctioned guardian."

It was quiet for a long time. Without another word, he started to leave.

"You still never told me your name" I said, making him stop.

He slightly turned in head in my direction before saying, "My name is Dimitri Belikov." Then he left.