"It's all happening here," I mumbled as we pulled up to the property. Contractors were parked near the main house, having already started ripping fittings out and discarding them into a large skip bin. And down by the workshop more cars were parked, which is where Pavel drove the van.

"I've arranged for the deliveries to be made at nine. The unit has been cleaned, and these young men are going to help you move your things in," Abe explained to me, inclining his head towards his Guardians. "You're not to lift a thing."

"Fine" I grumbled about the lifting, but it was with a smile. While a place to stay at Abe's unit had been a godsend, it was hard for Dimitri to be living as a guest of his now employer. That and we were both seriously wanting some privacy. "I don't know how Dimitri and I can ever thank you enough," I said not for the first time, appreciating how uncertain things had looked before Abe's appearance in my life and then his unexpected allocation offer to Dimitri.

"My pleasure," he grinned climbing out of the van. "Now… before I forget, we've already had another delivery."

He walked over and stood next to the three vehicles parked in front of the workshop.

"Kirk? This is the Guardian van for this property. It seats eleven. Work out with Belikov where to garage it short and long-term," he instructed, tossing the thirty-something Guardian a set of keys to a brand new dark gray van with tinted windows.

"This one is also a property vehicle, but I thought you'd probably use it most of the time Belikov?" Abe continued, passing Dimitri the keys to a brand new dual-cab pickup truck. I looked at Dimitri who was almost drooling. A Chevy. My Russian cowboy would be driving a Chevy truck, and he was beyond thrilled.

It was then I looked at the last car. A small Lexus SUV in deep red it had a moon-roof and tinted windows. The smallest of the vehicles, it was also brand new and gorgeous. Abe reached across and handed me the keys.

"This is from your father for your eighteenth birthday, Rose. It's had every possible safety feature added. He wants you and his grandchild to be safe."

"No!" I gasped in awe, wasting no time in grabbing Dimitri's hand and pulling him over to look at the new car. "It's mine?"

"Sure is," Abe said. "Your father and I would like you to be accompanied any time you leave the property, at least until the Ozera woman is caught, but this way you can visit friends and go shopping when you need to."

I flung myself at Abe, giving him a huge hug.

"Please tell my father thank you so much. For everything! He's been so very generous!"

Abe seemed taken by surprise but returned my hug.

"I will Rose," he said quietly. "He'll be very happy you liked his gift."

"I feel like the luckiest girl in the world," I said, giving Abe a final squeeze before stepping out of his embrace.

"What do you want first, Roza? A drive in the car, or to move our things into the house?" my handsome boyfriend asked me.

It was a hard decision.

"How about I drive the car over to the main house, so it's out of the way for the truck when it arrives? Then I'll move the boxes and stuff upstairs."

"You'll be an moving nothing," Dimitri declared, dropping an affectionate kiss onto the end of my nose. "Guys? Move all the boxes in the van upstairs, please. Pile them out of the way against the far wall. Rose will tell you where she wants them in a little while."

I was surprised to hear the authoritative tone Dimitri used with the other Guardians. Friendly but firm. He opened the passenger door and motioned me in.

"Yeah, I don't think so Comrade," I laughed. "You heard the man. You get to drive the Chevy – but this baby's all mine!" I leaned into the car, adjusted the passenger seat all the way back and gestured for him to sit. He climbed into the seat with a good-natured chuckle.

"You got enough legroom?" I checked.

"Yeah, I'm good," he said sounding surprised. I knew a lot of cars didn't comfortably accommodate his large frame.

I started the car with a flourish, waved to an amused looking Abe and Pavel and drove the three hundred yards to the main house garage.

"I'll park it inside, so it doesn't get dirty," I said, pulling into the darkened empty garage. Parking carefully, I switched off the engine looking around the brand new vehicle with glee. I inhaled deeply, loving the new car smell. I rubbed my hand over the leather seats and steering wheel and looked across to my Russian God. "I've never had sex in a car before," I whispered suggestively, shuffling across the driver's seat towards where he sat.

"I know," he teased, leaning across the center console to join his lips with mine.

"Your boss voice out there turned me on," I added. "I like it when you sound so in control!"

"I didn't overdo it?" he checked. "I've commanded on missions, before but this is the first time I've had a permanent team of my own. I'm trying to get the right balance between friendly but firm. I'm channeling my inner Alberta," he joked, acknowledging the outstanding job she did of being a friend but also a leader.

"It was perfect, Comrade," I assured him, remembering he was here to do a job, not just play house with me. I smiled, loving that he was confiding his worries to me.

"Come on then," he said with a sigh. "The boss man can't be seen to be shirking off and getting it on with his girlfriend on the first day."

We walked back to the workshop hand in hand, and I took the time to survey Abe's new little kingdom.

"Abe's had it warded, so I was thinking of adding a gravel running track along the inside of the fence line. It's an easy way to combine exercise with ward patrol," Dimitri explained. "I also want to put in a vegetable garden near the cottage, a basketball area off the gym and I thought we could start a little orchard where the land dips to the east?"

"It all sounds beautiful," I said, seeing a domestic side to my boyfriend I'd never seen before.

He shrugged a little embarrassed.

"We might only be here the two years, but I'd like Junior to have some of the happy memories I have from growing up."

We were back at the workshop, and together we climbed the stairs. The furniture I'd bought had been stored downstairs overnight – we were waiting for the bed and other items to arrive before bringing them up. Abe had been spot on about the cleaning crew. The place was spotless. I was looking around in pleasure when I noticed there were no blinds or drapes.

"Comrade? I think we might need to order some blinds," I laughed. Our bedroom windows faced out towards the Guardian building, and while it was a good distance away, I didn't fancy being the unwitting subject of a peep show.

"That would put a dampener on things," Dimitri admitted, pulling out a pen and pencil from his pocket and tossing it onto the pristine kitchen bench. 'Workshop: Blinds' he wrote in his neat, clear script. "There's bound to be a lot of things we need. Add them here – we'll do a shop tomorrow and get groceries plus anything urgent we've forgotten."

A few minutes later the truck arrived, and Dimitri bound down the steps two at a time to help with the unloading, a lot of the furniture going to the Guardian's quarters. While that space was livable, I knew Dimitri had upgrades scheduled there, too. The plan was the Guardians were going to live in it and renovate the unoccupied rooms before moving into the renovated spaces and starting on those they'd vacated.

"Bored men get up to mischief, milaya," my Russian God had explained last night. "Pavel gave me lots of ideas from the other houses Abe maintains, but we're lucky there's enough space and projects here I can keep them occupied for years."

Soon I could hear deliverymen and Guardians climbing the stairs to our little love nest. I stood in the kitchen, directing where I wanted each item put.

"That is the biggest bed I've ever seen," Dimitri said in awe as the mattress was placed on the base in our bedroom.

"I bought the biggest one I could find. I intend to spend quite a bit of time there," I whispered so no one else would hear me, giving him a sexy look.

His grin of response said it all, and he gave me a lingering kiss before going downstairs to help move our fridge up. The final delivery was the sofa and ottoman and after checking everything had been delivered Dimitri signed the receipt docket and was about to flop onto our new sofa.

"Not so fast," I interjected. "There's a table and chairs, bureau and a rocking chair to come upstairs, yet."

Rolling his eyes at me Dimitri climbed down the stairs once again, recruiting a couple of the Guardians to help bring up the last of the furniture. I had them set the pieces down where I wanted them, congratulating myself on how good it all looked together.

"Now can a tired man rest?" he asked me jovially, waiting for my loving nod before he dropped down onto the sofa, stretching his long legs out in front of him. "I love what you've chosen for our home, milaya," he said affectionately, lifting his arm up for me to join him.

"I'd get you a drink, but there's no cups or glasses here yet," I explained.

"I thought we'd do a run to that little town ten minutes away and we could pick up some drinks and food for everyone. Was there anything much there?"

"I only actually looked at the second-hand store," I admitted, "but I think there was a general store there. I'm sure they'll have drinks." We cuddled for a few minutes before coming downstairs and walking across to the Guardian quarters. Pavel was there with Abe, looking at what had been delivered.

"Sofas and dryer for here are arriving tomorrow, along with the cooker for the workshop flat, but that's it for the big stuff," Dimitri reported. "I was thinking of heading into the township and picking up some drinks and food for us all?"

"No need," Pavel said. "Alyce is doing another late one at the unit and rang to say an enormous delivery of home stuff Rose ordered online has arrived. She knew you'd be keen to get it, so I said someone would be there to pick it up soon. She thought everyone would be tired and hungry, so she's made a meal for you all. Abe and I will head back now - why don't you and one of the men follow us back in the other van and you can bring back the deliveries and the food?"

"That sounds good," Dimitri agreed. "It's getting late. Why don't you have a rest upstairs, Roza?"

"Ok," I lied, giving my sexy man a kiss before going back to the unit, determined to have most of it unpacked by the time he brought back even more boxes. It took no time at all to get everything done. I had our toiletries arranged in the small medicine cabinet, our clothes hung, his CD player set up and even his Westerns neatly arranged on the shelving at the bottom of the bureau. I'd been unpacking our bathroom stuff when I realized something we'd need.

Comrade. Can you please bring some toilet paper from Abe's unit I'd texted. With the number of times I went to the toilet thanks to this pregnancy, it was a necessity.

Will do. Leaving Court now. I love you he'd texted back.

Twenty minutes later, my weary man arrived back. The back of the van was filled with boxes and parcels, and most of it was for our unit. Dimitri and five of his Guardians took everything upstairs. It was true many hands made light work, as they only needed to make a couple of trips each. Kirk and I set the drinks and food Alyce had sent on to the table in the Guardian quarters. I had to hand it to Alyce; she was a genius! She'd sent individual cold sodas and water bottles plus an ample supply of homemade burgers. Each contained in its own paper wrapper; she'd sent beef and chicken varieties and even a couple of veggie burgers. They needed no prep, no cleanup and with lettuce, tomato, grated carrot, cucumber, beetroot and cheese on each, along with a lean pattie, they were surprisingly filling and healthy.

Dimitri and the other Guardians came back to the Guardian quarters sitting down at the table and eating their burgers in silence. Being midday, it was late Moroi time, and while Guardians were accustomed to pulling long shifts, moving was always tiring. Checking I'd finished eating, Dimitri and I stood, and he pulled a final couple of things from a bag he'd brought in. Two cold six-packs of beer. He placed them in the center of the table.

"Thanks for today. Thought you guys might appreciate a beer," he said to the six men who were his new team. "We're transitioning to daylight hours, so you're off duty until 6 am tomorrow. I'm around, so call me or come to the workshop if you need me."

I smiled and nodded at Dimitri's team shyly before walking with my man back to our little home. There were numerous boxes and bags filled with things, but I found the bed linens and towels fast enough. Together we made the bed, and Dimitri tacked the blanket I'd borrowed from Murray up over the window so we'd have privacy in our bedroom. Dimitri walked into the tiny bathroom, pleased to notice his wetpack unpacked and ready to go. Switching on the taps, and shedding our clothes side by side, I heard my man groan "Oh, milaya!" before he pulled me into the stall with him, and we held each other and kissed as we stood under the refreshing spray.

Coming to Canada had been an inspired idea. As I'd suspected, the Lazar's ski lodge was vacant now the snow had thawed. Warded, and staffed with Guardians when the family was in residence, the building needed no security system. I'd looked around outside for a spare key, appalled to find one under a rock near the downstairs basement entrance. It almost seemed too easy, but trying it in the lock it turned and a stealthy walk through the house revealed it to be completely unoccupied.

Tomas Lazar, the older brother of a school friend of mine, was too trusting. He'd readily accepted my overtures at the Academy – and his invitation to stay over New Years at his chalet had helped separate Lissa from that little bitch friend of hers, not that I'd realized the need for that at the time. I'd been glad to see Christian make friends with Brandon. It was time he started to appreciate that despite what had happened in our family, he was Royal. Lissa's charm and position as the last Dragomir was already working wonders for him socially, but I was relieved to see him finally making an effort to fit in.

I wandered through the house a second time, pleased to find the kitchen well stocked with tinned food, and an abundant supply of frozen blood bags. I smiled knowing the bar in the library was similarly well supplied. Deciding that seeing my love for the second time in as many days deserved a celebration, I selected a good Russian vodka. Remembering to thaw some blood from their supply for when I woke, I downed the last blood bag from my cooler, acknowledging it wasn't the freshest. I followed it with the bottle of vodka to wash away the aftertaste. Idly watching Springer re-runs on television, I fell into an uneasy sleep; dreaming the bitch was one of those on the show, exposed and ridiculed for her pathetic attempts to steal my man.

"She can't have disappeared," I roared in frustration at my oldest employee and most trusted friend. "She tried to kill my daughter and the father of my grandchild! I want her found!"

"We tracked her as far as a motel in Missoula and found tracks beside an exterior wall of the Academy. The tire tracks matched the service records from her vehicle, so there's no doubt it's her," Pavel started.

"I know it's her!" I roared again, knowing it wasn't Pavel's fault but needing to blow off steam about the lack of progress locating Tasha Ozera.

"We have her bank accounts under surveillance. Her phone and known e-mail addresses, too. Her passport is being watched, as is her number plate. We're checking every phone number she's dialed in the last six months, including the service she orders her blood through. We've posed as Court Guardians and contacted her nephew, Christian. He's vowed to let us know if she makes contact, but in case he doesn't, his phone, e-mail, and letters are being monitored. She's resigned from her job, her Minneapolis home is vacant but being watched, including whether she dials in to get any phone messages from her answering machine. As requested, we're also monitoring Rose and Dimitri's phones, e-mails and letters as well as those of Vasilisa Dragomir."

"Let me know if there's anything significant in any of those, even if it's unrelated to the Ozera woman," I said closing my eyes and trying to think where she could have gone to ground. As far as we could tell, other than her nephew she had no family, no real friends, and no contacts. And that made her a loose cannon in my eyes. Someone with no ties was someone with nothing to lose. Having lived that way most of my life, I knew that was the worst sort of enemy. But now I had Rose, even if she didn't yet know it, I was starting to appreciate how it felt to worry about someone you loved.

"How much should we tell Belikov? Can he be trusted not to tell Rose?" Pavel asked.

"No, so tell him as little as possible. What's the initial feedback from the men?"

"Positive so far," Pavel acknowledged. "They said he's pitching in, taking the time to get to know each of them. We'll know more once he settles, but so far so good."

"And he's treating her well?"

"By all accounts," Pavel assured me. "They're all still finding their feet, but she seems happy there."

My phone was buzzing on the floor beside the bed. Rolling to grab it I quickly answered.

"Belikov," I said quietly, looking at the woman lying beside me on our massive bed.

"Dimka! It's so good to hear your voice!"

"Mama," I said happily, rolling out of bed and quietly padding out to the little lounge area so I wouldn't wake my sleeping beauty. I flopped onto the sofa naked.

"Is this a good time? Are you in your new place yet?"

"Yeah, it's ok. Rose is asleep, and we moved in today."

"Asleep? But it's 3 am there?"

"We're transitioning to a human timetable. The contractors working on the house are human, so they'll be here in a few hours."

"Oh I'm sorry – I'll let you go back to bed then."

"It's alright, Mama. I was already awake."

"You were? Is everything alright?"

"I was, I promise. There's just a lot to think about. There's much to achieve in the new role, and I want to do a good job of it. Also, there's been problems with Tasha Ozera…" I told her about how Rose and I had to leave campus in a hurry and how Tasha had set fire to our rooms. "I'm worried, Mama. I have to try and keep Roza hidden away here and happy, but it's only a matter of time before she gets bored and lonely. And I love her so much Mama; I want her to be happy all the time."

"Don't set yourself an impossible task, Dimka. There will always be ups as well as downs. Be honest with her, help her work towards her goals, be there for her and listen. Give her the space to work out what she wants."

"You're right Mama. Thank you."

We chatted a little longer, and I promised as soon as Rose was awake for the day we'd Skype. Mama seemed particularly keen to talk to her. Which reminded me – I'd better ask her how she felt about Mama visiting while we were at St. Vlad's waiting for the baby to arrive. I tiptoed back to bed to find sleeping beauty had awoken and was looking at me in amusement.

"Your Mama?"

"Yes. I promised we'd Skype later."

"Ok," she said pulling her warm naked body against mine. "Dimitri?"

"Yes, milaya?"

"I need you to make love to me," she whispered in my ear.