Sorry if the chapters seem rushed but can't slow it down or else I will never finish the story! This is the third chapter I finish today! Can you believe it? God, I am typing like crazy. 11 more days with my broadband and its goodbye :) I'll miss those poker nights with my Tony . . . Again . . . thanks for the reviews! They make my day! Anyways, have fun reading the chapter!

I don't own Vampire Academy . . .

"Ms. Lazar?" asked a servant I had hired—well more like forced to work for me a couple of days ago—when I walked in through the door of my newly acquired mansion. I had "convinced" the previous owners that they had no further business in this house and I had made them leave somewhere else. Compulsion was great because it got you what you wanted. Slaves being one of those things.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Taylor is waiting for you in your office."

I smiled at the servant, who's name I'd forgotten and then I walked off to look for Mr. Taylor; my powers sensed him exactly where the servant had said he would be. I opened the door of my office and sure enough there he was.

"Mr. Taylor, nice to finally hear from you," I said as soon as I sat down on my desk chair.

We addressed each other by our last names because it was strictly business here.

"I've some good news for you; I finally found some Strigoi who are willing. You have a price to pay, though."

"Blood? Money? Sex?" I saw his eyes flash with lust as I said the last part. "What shall it be for them?" I flashed my eyes at him. Mr. Ryan Taylor was a sexy man and he was one who couldn't really resist a pretty woman like me.

"Yes to all, but they want something else as well."

I looked at him expectantly.

"Life . . ."

I smiled with understanding. "And that's their price?"

"Can you give it to them?"

"Of course; nothing is beyond my power, my dear."

He stood up. "I knew that already. I'll tell them that you agreed to their terms."

I stood up as well, folding my hands together. "And tell them if they try anything funny, they will regret it."

"I will be sure to pass the message along. You are not to worry, Ms. Lazar. Not to worry."

"Good, your salary just doubled."

He smiled before he left.

All this is for you, my love.

"Tom!" I yelled out.

He was right there in an instant. His red eyes glowed as he walked in my office. Tom was a recently made Strigoi that worked for me because I had promised him to restore his soul. He and I were the best of partners.

"Yes, Avery?"

"Get ready. We have some hunting to do."

That smile, that cruel smile that I loved so much appeared on his face. He loved hunting. He rarely went hunting, always getting his blood from donors I would pay to come to the house. And this wasn't hunting for blood, either; this was hunting for people that he could turn into Strigoi.

"As you wish, Avery."

"Shall we leave already?" I could hear in his tone his anxiety.

"We shall."

I linked hands with him as we made our way to the best place you could get very skilled guardians, the place where my love had betrayed me . . . St. Vladimir's Academy.

Tony

I looked down at Maya at how beautiful she was as she slept. Nothing could compete to her beauty. I sighed as I looked out the window after gazing adoringly at my beautiful woman. The scenery of outside reminded me of childhood when my father came home, drunk and would beat my mother. But my mother knew how to fight back. She would torture my dad with her element of water. She would suffocate him until she finally was satisfied.

Such things should be witnessed by little kids, but it didn't traumatize us like it should have to normal children, it made us stronger in our minds. He was that kind of man, I had heard. He was a man that didn't care about anything but himself. My parents argued a lot and it was all because of my dad. That was why they never took their kids in consideration.

When I was old enough, I told my mother I wanted to become a guardian and she had enrolled me in one of the academies in order to get rid of me. I became a guardian, a guardian with the same amount of skill that my father had. I loathed my father but his badass fighting skills what I appreciated him for. Then later, I had found out my father had teamed up with this lady that killed the person I loved most, my grandfather, who was like a father to me.

I was repulsed. I found a guardian who wanted to rid the world of that person and my dad and I teamed up with him. He and I both are assigned to the Ivashkov/Hathaways to protect them from Avery Lazar, the woman my father had teamed up with. She wrote hundreds of letters from the mental institution she had been locked in, claiming that she would "Kill Rose. Keep Adrian." She wanted Maya's dad all to herself. I was still waiting on the day where I would get that phone call saying that Avery had escaped the institution and was coming after Maya.

My mom and dad's dysfunction life made me appreciate greater things in life like Maya.

Just then, my phone rang. It was Guardian McCarty. "Guardian Lewis, how can I help you?"

"Tony, she escaped." I was still waiting on the day where I would get that phone call saying that Avery had escaped the institution and was coming after Maya. . . who would have known it would have been now. "You have to be extra careful now." I hung up the phone, needing to hear no more. I knew what I had to do now.

I looked down at Maya again. I put my guardian mask on when I felt the other side of the bed stir. I put an arm around Maya and pulled her closer, trying to not let the phone call I had just received ruin the thoughts of last night and Maya.

"It's cold," Maya whimpered.

I went under the covers so our bodies were skin to skin.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she noticed my worried face. She already had enough problems in her life. She didn't need more. Instead of answering, I kissed, trying to not let her see my worry or feel it for that matter . . .

Maya

There it was again—the mini heart attack. I was debating on whether or not to tell Zara about Kyle. I looked down at my fingers and all my nails were already chewed off. Gross, Maya. Well, if nobody told Zara about Kyle, somebody had to. It might as well should be me. Nobody could make her see reason aside from me or . . . Kyle. Oh, God. Kyle. He just couldn't die . . .

I felt a sigh of relief as I heard someone knock on the door just as I was about to press the green button that would make the call to Zara. I hopped off my bed and almost ran to the door about to hug the person that saved my life for the second. I opened the door and I so did not expect to find Tony standing there. Thinking back to the other night and that morning ( I was pretty sure my schedule was off) brought a blush to my face.

"Maya, is everything alright? You seem kind of edgy?" There was concern written all over his features. Not really a Tony I was used to.

"Yeah, I am fine; just a little tired." That was part of the truth. He was still wearing that look of worry, so I decided to bring back my Maya Ivashkov bravado. "It was probably because I was thinking of you," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

The look of anxiety rolled off his face. A Tony that had just evolved when he had had sex that other night, smiled with a flirty smile. "I was thinking of you, too." He grazed my cheek. "Come to my room, and I'll help you sleep. Or rather, I'll tire you enough to make you want to sleep."

"Ah! There's the Tony I love!" I said sarcasm all over my tone.

He said nothing, just stared at me with gorgeous blue eyes. This look was making my body feel all warm and fuzzy. His eyes were trying to convey something. After a while, I spoke up, while tossing some of my hair to the side in a flirty manner. He noticed my action as he noticed everything about me. "You want in or something?"

"Maya," he whispered in a way that you would pray a prayer, "have I ever told you how stunning beautiful you are?"

No, my dear, but you did show me.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure . . . but don't try anything funny this time. I don't feel like doing anything tonight." I stepped aside to let him in. He closed the door behind him.

Totally tired and emotionally drained, I went to go lay down on my bed again. Tony came to join me, taking one of my hands in his. "Maya, what do you think of going to Missoula tomorrow?"

"To see Kyle?"

"Yes."

"I would love to go."

"And also, your parents need to speak with you. They told me to pass the message along," He said as he played with my hair. I loved it when he did that.

"Since when do you keep in touch with my parents?" My mom didn't like him that much; my dad could deal with him, but still.

"Since I work for them, actually."

"When did this happen?" I always last to know.

"Last night."

"And why didn't I know about this until now?"

"If you would answer your phone, maybe you would know things."

"Okay, I am so calling my mommy and daddy." I took out the phone again and dialed my mom's number since I was using my dad's mobile at the moment. I put the phone on speaker when my dad answered.

"May, darling. Nice to finally hear from you. We were worried."

"Sorry, been tangled in some things." That was somewhat true.

"Is being tangled in Tony's arms one of those things?" Tony laughed and I was pretty Dad and Kyle? laughed as well. It warmed my heart to hear his laugh. "Need to say no more—I see the answer is yes."

"Maybe." I was sure my cheeks were red. "Dad . . . so what did you want to talk about? Tony said you and mom needed to talk to me."

"Kyle is being released from the hospital tomorrow." I almost clapped but the seriousness of his condition stopped me. "And he wanted to go visit Zara. So we're going to go visit her in New York tomorrow and you're coming with us. Tony you should get ready as well, since you're now a guardian for the family."

"Will do, Mr. Ivashkov."

I heard my dad sigh. "Call me, Adrian. Mr. Ivashkov makes me feel old."

"Daddy, I am sorry to say this, but you are old."

"My dear, how would you do without all those credit cards?"

"Oh, God . . ."

"Yes, my dear, so watch your words next time." He laughed when I didn't say anything. "So, yes, Maya. The plane will be there to pick you up in the morning, so be ready. Get some sleep tonight. Intimacy between you and Tony can wait."

"Adrian, but you told me to keep as close as possible to Maya."

My dad stayed quiet. "Sometimes distance is good," he said at last. "See you in the morning, darling. Have a good night."

"Love you, dad. Give Kyle and Mom a hug for me."

"Love you, too, darling. And I will. Get some sleep."

Tony took my hand. "Your dad is right, you should get some sleep."

"What about you?"

"I should head back to my room."

I moved closer to him and he put an arm around me. "Don't leave. Stay." I closed my eyes, silently begging for him to stay.

"As you wish, Maya."

I scarcely heard him . . . I was falling asleep. I was so, so tired. I was out in seconds.

The cool, wet sound of rain woke me up from my wonderful dream.

Although my body was laxly lying on the bed, I was gazing energetically out the window. I looked at the clock and noticed that it was at least two hours before I had to leave and get ready for our trip today to New York, but time flew by so it was better to get ready now than to be late. Knowing that I couldn't and wouldn't go back to sleep I turned to the side and admired Tony sleeping. I leaned closer towards him and kissed him on the cheek. If I was awake, then he had to wake up as well. But I didn't really want to wake him up.

"Can't sleep?" Of course I had to wake him up.

Ugh, Maya! Slap yourself!

I looked out the window again. "There is something about the rain that makes my sleep fade. It makes me restless."

Tony looked at me with amused blue eyes. "Quite the contrary; rain makes me feel alive."

I raised an eyebrow but decided to let it go. I started packing my shirts, pants, coats, shoes, socks, bras and panties, and all the essential stuff needed for a trip. I didn't pack much because I knew if I needed anything, I could just buy it. I randomly added things to my bag and I was distracted when Tony was having a conversation on the phone.

"Maya," Tony called out in a hard voice as he struggled to get dressed.

"Yeah?"

"We need to go."

"Right now?"

"Yes. Right now. Grab your bag and let's go!" He seemed crazed and determined on getting me out of the room, out of the place. He slung my bag over my shoulder, grabbed my hand, and zoomed out the door. "Your family is waiting on the runaway already. We need to hurry!"

I power walked behind him because it was really hard to run in flats. He didn't give me a chance to put on boots and because of that I was falling and my toes were freezing with the snow. Besides feeling cold, I was also feeling like something was watching me or following.

"Tony? I'm scared."

Tony slowed down a little, but didn't stop. He turned to look at me, face softening just for me. "Maya, don't be scared. I am here to protect you; I'll always be, no matter what. I would die just for you, Maya." His eyes were intense on mine. "Don't be scared."

His words warmed my heart but did not take my stress away. "What's happening? Can you tell me?"

"Someone wants you dead. That's why your dad requested me as one of the family guardians." He felt me shiver and squeezed my hand. "Maya, I told you already. I would die protecting you. I'll die before anything happens to you . . . I'd pick death over seeing you get hurt anytime."

He was my hero.

But it made me guilty that he was in danger because of me.

I stopped walking, making him stop with me. I looked him level in the eye. "Run away, Tony. You don't have to put yourself in this dangerous situation because of me—"

"Maya!" He put his hands on either side of my cheek. "I am not going to run away. I can't run away. My life, the rest of it, I'm going to spend protecting you."

I didn't have any words to say, not because I didn't want to say anything but because I was not capable of speaking coherently.

He looked around. "Now, you have to promise me something."

I nodded, encouraging him to speak.

"What we're in for is bad. We don't know the outcome." He took hold of one of my hands. "I want you to promise me that if anything does happen to me, I want you to live on, move on as if I had never come into your life."

"Tony," I sobbed.

"Maya?"

"I promise." In that moment I did not feel the need to promise him anything because I knew Tony and I knew that he would get us out of any situation, alive and well. But it was now, and I never knew what the future could hold . . .

"You promise me something, too."

"Anything . . ."

"If we survive this, I want you to ditch your guardian duties and come live your life with me."

He stared into my eyes for a while before he kissed me.

That's all I needed to know the answer was yes . . .

He pulled away first. "We have to run!"

And we did, not knowing what the future would hold . . .

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