Now, this chapter looks familiar because I have reuploaded this chapter, but I changed the events of the ending because I decided I didn't like the other ending. So, I figured why not just rewrite it.

Enjoy!

The house they were holding Sonya at was further away than I thought it would be. The car ride was awkward, stuck in the middle seat between Dimitri and Alberta. Janine drove with Abe in the passenger seat. Janine didn't say anything to us, but there were enough disgruntled stares to make it obvious that something was up.

"So why so far away?" I asked, attempting to break the silence; it just added to my nerves.

Dimitri had pressed himself up against the door—as much as he could in the car. Janine had all but sneered at him when she took the car keys and told him to get in the back. He didn't want to earn more of her ire by holding my hand or even touching me. He turned his head to look at me, "It's for safety. If a Strigoi did escape or if others came for them, then they wouldn't be so close to the compound."

"Has that happened?" I asked.

"Not yet," Alberta responded, and it felt foreboding.

My hands were in my lap, fiddling with the material of Dimitri's shirt. Even after tying it, it still hung off me and pooled. The scent of pine clung to it, and it calmed me a little, but the further we drove, the more anxious I felt.

Sonya could give us answers if she actually knew what was going on. The blank spaces of when it was meant to happen, how the Strigoi planned to get me would be filled. There was a chance for us to get in front of it, and maybe I wouldn't have to fight Victor.

Maybe…

Dimitri's hand suddenly took mine, the movement obvious in the morning light that shined into the car. My eyes met his, noting the affection in his eyes. "It'll be okay," he soothed. I covered his hand with my other one and squeezed.

I didn't give a damn what my mother or the others thought and shifted to press my thigh against his. No one said anything, and I met Janine's eyes in the rearview mirror, daring her to say something.

I had controlled my nerves by the time we reached the blue house. It was on a large block of land and was unassuming from the outside. The neighbourhood was quiet, houses spaced out enough that you wouldn't be able to hear your neighbours. Cars were parked out front, the other guardians that had brought Sonya there.

There were a line of trees around all four sides and a large fence as well, but it didn't look secure, especially if it was meant to keep Strigoi out. There was a group of Moroi standing to one side. I watched them and tried to figure out what they were doing.

"They are putting up the ward," Abe explained. He stood next to me and tucked his hands into the pockets of his suit pants. "We had to wait for Sonya to be inside before we could put them up. Now she can't leave, and they can't get in."

Alberta stood by the door and spoke to another guardian that had come out to greet us. She nodded at them and called to Janine, "Should we get one of the spirit users now or later?"

Janine had hung back by the car, and I noticed for the first time how pale she looked; her eyes were glazed over as if lost in a memory. Abe left my side and went to hers, kissing her temple and whispering something in her ear.

"We will wait until later. It can be a last resort if we can't make her talk," Abe replied, his expression calm, but the corners of his eyes were pinched. "Don't call Mikhail yet, either. He doesn't need to see this."

I side-eyed Dimitri, but he seemed as confused as me. "What do we need a spirit user for?" I asked, looking between my parents and Alberta.

Abe comforted Janine again, "You need to tell her."

"Tell me what?"

When she just shook her head, Abe answered instead, "Part of what makes a spirit user so special is their ability to heal."

I nodded in understanding, having already experienced that from Lissa, but I didn't understand what it had to do with Sonya.

"What is kept quiet is that they can also heal Strigoi. They can use their magic to restore a Strigoi to what they were before being turned."

My jaw dropped in shock, glancing at Dimitri and seeing him just as thrown. I knew Lissa's magic was strong, but to bring back the dead was a whole other thing. "Holy shit. That's… Why don't you do it?"

This time Janine did speak, "It is taxing on the user, drains a lot of power, and the effects afterwards can be dangerous."

I knew there was something I was missing, the way Alberta and Abe were looking at Janine, and how she wouldn't meet my eyes. "How do you know this?"

"Because Sonya healed a Strigoi once, and the effect of it led to her eventually turning," Janine replied after taking a deep breath.

I tilted my head, taking a step closer to them, "Who did she heal?"

Slowly, my mother's eyes met mine; they were hard and void of emotion, "Me."

All of the air left my body. It was like my brain was short-circuiting—it didn't make sense. How could that have happened? When did it happen?

All I managed to get out was, "What?"

Janine looked away from me, straightened her jacket and marched towards the house. "We can talk about this later."

I moved into her path, "I want to talk about this now." I looked over her shoulder at my father, "Is that what you meant? Is that what she was meant to tell me?" I asked, still trying to make sense of everything. "Is this why–"

"We'll talk about it later, Rosemarie," Janine hissed and stepped around me. I was left stunned, staring with my mouth open as she walked away from me.

I huffed in irritation and stormed after her, Alberta calling for me to wait as I went into the building. For days, I had been trying to find out why, trying to approach Janine so she would talk to me, but each time she turned me down. Then she dropped that bombshell and decided to not even explain everything.

I was determined as I chased after her, but my need to question her more was replaced by the feeling of my stomach rolling and the sounds of struggling. I could hear Sonya snarling, threatening what she would do once she broke her restraints.

Slowly, I rounded the corner and found Sonya in the middle of the room. A small window was on the far wall; blinds open just enough to let a stream of light in. Even though she was tied up with heavy chains, that block of light kept her separated from the three guardians in the room and from the exit.

As soon as I was in the room, her red-ringed eyes locked on me, and I felt a sliver of fear.

I was used to being looked at like I was a meal; most Strigoi I came up against wanted to sink their teeth in me. But that wasn't how Sonya looked at me. There was recognition on her face, her snarl morphing into a chilling smile.

"Rose," she cooed, "I knew you were special. The role you play will be so special."

"How do you know my name?" I asked; the curiosity drew me a step closer.

"I was there," she started, her smile so wide I could see her fangs. "The day the prophecy was told. You will bring about a beautiful ending to your kind. I look forward to it," Sonya laughed, pure joy on her face.

"I won't do shit. I'll kill Victor before he can do anything!" It was an empty threat—a hope of a different outcome, but even I had an issue believing myself. Sonya smirked.

"You will die."

A hand wrapped around my wrist, pulling me back to the wall; I hadn't realised how close I had moved to her. I knew it was Dimitri at my side, his imposing form placed between Sonya and me, prepared to protect me if needed.

Janine took out her stake and was across the room in seconds. The side of her stake was pressed against Sonya's cheek, it made her scream, and her skin burned.

"Tell us where Victor is," she ordered. She pulled back enough to let Sonya reply, but when all she received were threats, Janine pressed the stake down on her skin again.

It was gruesome; the sound, sight, and smell.

I felt conflicted to dislike witnessing it considering Sonya was evil; I doubted she cared about the pain she brought people. I tried to keep my expression blank and not react as Janine continued.

On and on it went. Someone would ask a question, and then when they didn't get a reply, they would torture her in some way. If it wasn't with a stake, it was with fire. None of it worked—Sonya remained tight-lipped despite the pain.

It was what she said in between the torture that made my stomach twist and knot. Sonya explained in detail what would happen after Victor was awakened, the look of elation she directed at me each time as if I was the second coming. It made me feel sick.

I turned and slipped out of the room, not stopping until I was back outside. Bathed in the bright sun, I heaved a deep breath and collapsed against the side of the house. I pulled my knees up, tucking my face against them and wrapped my arms around myself.

I was overwhelmed. For whatever reason, I thought it would be easy.

Get a Strigoi, ask them some questions—boom, we would have a plan. Instead, we had nothing.

"You doing okay, kiz?" Abe stood beside me again, and after a moment of deliberation, crouched beside me; wary not to touch the house with his clothes.

I lifted my head and stretched my legs out. "I'm peachy," I mumbled.

"So you and Dimitri," he started. I narrowed my eyes.

"So mom was Strigoi."

He grimaced. "It really is something she should tell you, but it was before you were born. It's why we think you are special."

I didn't think I was special, just something that almost didn't happen. The fact my mother was Strigoi was the special part. I still couldn't wrap my head around it, especially after seeing Sonya in there. My mind kept imagining how my mother might have looked, and it caused shivers to run down my spine.

I took another deep breath to calm myself. "What do we do if Sonya doesn't tell us anything? Do you think she doesn't actually know anything?"

"I doubt it." Abe clasped his hands, eyes unfocused as he thought. "There were only a handful of people that were aware of the prophecy, and Sonya was one of them. There's a chance that the Strigoi were unaware until she turned."

Great. I dragged my fingers through my hair, careful of how I was moving my arm. "Why did Mom say that Dimitri was meant to stay away from me? Why is she so pissed off about us?"

"Well, that's because of something Yeva told us."

I straightened up, "Because Dimitri and I have a connection?" I scowled, "You know, there is still too much that you all know about but haven't told me. It's really starting to get old."

Abe's hand landed on my shoulder, holding my eyes as he promised, "Once we are done here, we will both sit down with you and tell you everything."

I was hesitant to believe him, not wanting to get my hopes up just to be brushed off again. I nodded; I would just have to wait and see. "What happens now?" I asked. I dreaded the answer being some different form of torture.

Abe stood back up with a sigh, "Normally, we would starve them for a day or two, but we don't know how much time we will have, so we are asking for help."

"Help?"

"Lissa has agreed to restore Sonya."

We had to wait an hour for Lissa to arrive; I remained outside and bathed in the light. I didn't want to be around Sonya and listen to her yelling about how everyone would die because of me.

My eyes were closed, and I could feel myself on the edge of falling asleep. I had been up early the day before and was nearing twenty-four hours straight without sleep. I started to drift off when something cold was held against my cheek; I jolted back with a curse and glared up at Dimitri.

"Hi," he smiled, holding the can of soft drink in my face. I happily accepted it, hoping the sugary drink would wake me up a little. Dimitri sat down beside me, tilting his head back to bask in the sun.

"How's it going in there?" I questioned as I opened my can, gulping down half of it in seconds. I hadn't realised how thirsty I was.

"It's loud. Sonya won't be telling us anything."

I peeked at him and got sidetracked by how good he looked—I got so used to seeing him at night that I forgot how great Dimitri looked in the sunlight. He must have felt my stare, cracking an eye open to look at me. For a moment, I wished I could get closer to him, but then I remembered, everyone knew now. There was nothing to stop me.

My hand took his, and I shifted closer until my head could rest on his shoulder. "This is better," I sighed. "It's almost like we are on a date in the park and not questioning a soulless monster that wants to kill us."

Dimitri huffed; a half smile on his face, "If I took you on a date, it wouldn't just be to a park."

That gained my attention, tilting my face to see him better. "Yeah? What would be your plan?"

"I would take you somewhere nice for lunch, somewhere that serves burgers," he added with a knowing look, "and then for a walk by the river."

"Why the river?"

"Because there's always something happening there, a festival or market, and I know you enjoy seeing new things."

I hummed in agreement. "You aren't worried you'll lose me in the markets?"

Dimitri's fingers squeezed mine. "I'll find you, Roza."

My head dropped back to his shoulder, a grin on my face. We lapsed into silence and finished our drinks. I could hear voices from inside the house, Alberta and my mother talking, preparing for Lissa's arrival.

I tapped my nails on the empty can, squeezing Dimitri's hand to gain his attention. "Did you know Strigoi could be restored?"

"No," he replied after a moment; there was a note of disbelief in his voice, "I'd never heard of someone doing it before, or that spirit could do that."

I chewed on my bottom lip and focused on our hands. "I know we need answers, but if what they said before is true, then I'm worried about what it would do to Lissa."

If Sonya restored my mother and later turned because of it, I worried that the same fate would happen to Lissa. I didn't want someone to risk themselves like that. "How do we even know Sonya knows anything? It could all be for nothing," I argued. "It's not worth it."

Dimitri's hand covered mine. "Sonya knows stuff, and they explained everything to Lissa; she knows the risk and is willing to help. She wants to help you, Rose."

"She shouldn't have to risk so much," I mumbled with a frown. I hated that anyone would put themselves at risk for me.

"Finding out more about what's to come and about Victor will benefit all of us. Keeping you safe will keep all of us safe."

I couldn't argue with that, but I still didn't like it.

A black car pulled up, parking beside the others. Lissa climbed out, followed by Christian and a guardian I had only seen in passing. I climbed to my feet and met Lissa halfway, pulling her into a quick hug.

"You don't have to do this," I told her.

"I know," she replied, returning the hug, "but I want to. I knew Sonya, and if I can help her, I will."

It made me feel marginally better that she wasn't doing it for me. I was still concerned about the effects after. "Just let me know if you change your mind, okay? She isn't like what you remember."

Lissa hadn't been a part of patrols; she'd never been close to a Strigoi before. And now she would come face to face with someone she used to know. She swallowed, gave me a nod and put on a brave face.

"Okay, let's do this."

Lissa was hesitant. She jumped each time she heard Sonya struggle in her restraints and when she yelled. Christian stood next to her, letting her hold his hand like it was a lifeline as my parents explained to her what to do.

Janine held the stake to Lissa and told her to infuse it with spirit and then that she would need to stake Sonya. That was when I began to argue.

"Lissa is not getting that close to Sonya," I hissed, getting between Lissa and Janine. "That's way too dangerous."

Janine held my glare, eyes hard. "Sonya is restrained, and there will be five guardians in there. Lissa will be fine."

"No, it isn't worth it." Putting Lissa directly in front of a Strigoi was too much of a risk.

"Rose, it's fine," Lissa tried calming me, but I brushed her off.

"You don't even know how to use a stake," I pointed out. "It's not easy."

"I practised on a dummy before I came here. Really, Rose, it's okay." Our eyes met, and I could see her determination and understanding. After a moment, I relented, stepping back again and letting Janine continue.

I noticed Mikhail out of the corner of my eye, looking around the corner at Sonya. At first, I thought he was just studying her, but then I saw his expression—it was a mix of horror and amazement. I watched him take a step back, lips parted as if he was about to speak. And his expression hardened, his guardian mask coming back up.

"Are you ready?" Janine asked as she placed her hand on Lissa's shoulder. Lissa stared down at the stake in her hand, the first hint of doubt in her expression.

I reached for her other shoulder and squeezed. "I'll be beside you the whole time," I promised. While I didn't like the idea, if Lissa was going through with it, I wouldn't leave her side.

A tense atmosphere settled around us once we were all in the same room as Sonya; Lissa froze up as soon as she stepped in.

Sonya grinned, but I knew it was fake, a hint of franticness to her voice, "So you've brought Vasilisa. Is this your plan, make her become like me in the end? How very selfish of you, Janine." My mother stiffened, and Sonya kept talking, "You know how great it is to be awakened, and you want to take it away. You're foolish!"

Dimitri and another guardian stood on either side of Sonya; they had to shift the chains wrapped around her so they could expose her chest for Lissa. Sonya began thrashing around, and they clamped their hands on her shoulders to keep her still.

Lissa took a step back in fear, so I took her hand. "I'm right here."

"Okay. I can do this," she whispered, taking a breath and moving forward again.

Everyone shifted back as Lissa stood over Sonya with the stake; even Sonya froze as her eyes flicked about the room. Lissa held the stake out, the tip pointed just above Sonya's heart.

I noticed Sonya smile a second before she moved. Everyone became so focused on Lissa, and Sonya took her chance. She threw her arms out, managing to break her chains; the suddenness of it caught Dimitri and the guardian off guard, and she shoved them both back. I pushed Lissa away, but it didn't matter—Sonya only wanted me.

Her hand wrapped around my throat, and she threw me to the ground, my head hitting painfully.

"You will awaken him, and you will die, Rose. He will bleed you dry!" She screamed in my face before using her hold to throw me across the room.

My sight was blurred from the impact on my head, the feeling of blood running down the back of my neck. Sonya tried to fight the other guardians but didn't make it far as soon as Christian used his magic. I ignored the pain, rushing to my feet and taking Sonya's arm just as Dimitri took the other.

"Do it now!" Janine ordered, and I watched as Lissa charged forward and thrust the stake into Sonya's chest.

Watching it felt surreal; Sonya struggled in our hold as she screamed. Lissa had to use both hands to push it in; the moment it hit the heart everything changed. Sonya stopped, and then a bright light shined. There was a shockwave of energy; the force of it knocked me back and my head hit the floor again. My eyes were squeezed shut from both the pain and the light.

Just when it became too much, it all stopped. Everything became silent.

I cracked open my eyes enough to see Sonya in front of Lissa, everyone else had been knocked back as well. No one said anything.

And then Sonya began to cry.

My head was killing me, a constant throb in time with my heartbeat. I rested my elbows on the table, rubbing at my temples in hope of alleviating the pain. A cloth was pressed to the back of my head, and I winced.

"Sorry," Dimitri whispered. "You're bleeding."

"Yeah," I groaned. I was pretty sure I had a concussion, but I wasn't about to start complaining about it. Bigger things were going on now.

After Sonya was restored, Janine and Alberta took her to another room, and they hadn't left since. Lissa was taken back to the compound to rest and feed, Abe going with her to make preparations for bringing Sonya back. Dimitri and the other guardians with us were outside keeping an eye on the area as we neared sunset.

I thought I was alone and was no longer hiding the pain, but Dimitri had returned and noticed. "You should have gone back with the others. You need to rest."

"I'm fine," I assured him, but even I could hear the strain in my voice. Dimitri didn't stop; instead, he retrieved the first aid kit from under the sink and took out some gauze.

"You need to stop getting hurt."

I glanced at him over my shoulder, giving him a weak smile, "But you are getting so good at patching me up."

Dimitri bent so his mouth was beside my ear, gently kissing my cheek, "I can't do the things I want to do to you if you keep getting injured." I laughed and then regretted it, clutching my head again. He placed two tablets in my hand and got me a bottle of water. "Take these. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"No," I lied and took the pills. A hiss slipped through my teeth when he pressed the gauze to my head again. The blood was probably all through my hair and staining Dimitri's shirt. Maintaining the pressure, Dimitri took the seat beside me, eyes searching my face.

"Do you feel nauseous?"

"No," I lied again. I nodded to where they took Sonya and smirked, "No more Strigoi around."

His eyes narrowed, "You know, I've noticed you scrunch up your nose when you lie." He removed the gauze and took another, splashing some water on it, and covered the cut again. He became silent again, focused on his task for a couple of minutes.

My eyes were closing and I jolted awake when Dimitri spoke again. "I didn't expect… Watching the way that light filled the room, the way she changed. Seeing that life emerge from death…it was…"

"Beautiful?"

He smiled and nodded. "I can't imagine what it must be like to come back from that," he continued in a small voice.

I dropped my eyes back to the table, my lower lip caught in my teeth. Janine knew; it was still such a strange concept that my mother had been Strigoi before I was born. All of this—everything Sonya was going through—Janine had experienced herself.

My mind kept wandering, and with no answers, I kept thinking of what it had been like. I wondered how long it was for; how it had happened. I even wondered just how many people she had killed.

I dropped my head to my hands, groaning from the pain—it was too much for me to think about.

"Roza…"

"I'm okay," I promised softly. Dimitri's thumb rubbed the back of my neck, easing some of the tension. "It's just been a long day."

"Why don't you try to sleep?"

I sat back, replacing his hand with my own, holding the gauze, "Even if I tried, I doubt I would be able to. Sonya is back to normal, which means I can finally get some real answers."

"I wouldn't count on that," my mother interjected. Her expression was drawn, her hair a mess from how many times her fingers ran through it. "Sonya won't be up for talking for a while still. We would be better off returning to the compound and resting."

I had to bite my tongue, wanting to argue, but when her eyes met mine, I stopped. If I had thought her expression in the med bay was broken, it was raw now. The emotions in her eyes were so intense and full of sorrow and guilt. There was so much guilt.

A lump had formed in my throat. I swallowed thickly, "Is she okay?"

Relief flickered across Janine's face, and some tension left her body when I didn't argue. "She will be with time. Mikhail is with her now."

I tilted my head in question, "Were they…?"

"They were together. He searched for her for a while, just as Abe did for me, but she didn't want to be found. Sonya would have known he would want to turn her back if he had the chance."

Abe searched for her…

"What happened to your head?" Janine asked, and I blinked in confusion at first. I realised she was looking at the gauze in my hand, the slight stain of red on it.

"Oh, that," I mused and shrugged my shoulders, "I hit my head earlier. I'm fine now."

"You need to rest," Dimitri stated.

I pulled a face at him and retorted, "You need to relax."

"No, I agree with Dimitri." Janine surprised me; even Dimitri was startled for her to say so after telling him off earlier that day. "I'll talk to Sonya and Mikhail; try to get back to the compound soon. I don't want to be driving too late at night."

"Why?" I asked.

Her expression became one of trepidation. "If Isaiah knows we have Sonya, he won't want her to tell us what she knows."

The drive back was stressful.

Mikhail, Sonya and my mother took one car; with a guardian with them. Dimitri drove the other car with me and Alberta. I could tell they were on edge, and that set me off. With my head still throbbing and the unease growing in the car, I was freaked out.

It was difficult to get Sonya into the car, muttering under her breath and on the verge of crying; she wanted to be back in the house. Each time she tried to run back in, Mikhail or my mother soothed her and convinced her to take a step forward.

I don't think I had seen my mother so gentle in years; the voice she used to calm Sonya reminded me of when I was little and was scared of the dark. Janine acted so differently from what I remembered that I thought that side of her was gone, but my mother was still the same—just not with me.

My hands were on my thighs, my nails dug into the material of my jeans, and my teeth clenched as I looked out the windscreen. Dimitri's fingers drummed on the steering wheel, his eyes shifting to me occasionally.

"We're almost there," he tried to ease, but it didn't help much.

The Strigoi wanting to silence Sonya hadn't occurred to me, and now I knew; it was all I could think about.

If they attacked, they could take back Sonya, and I would practically be handed over to Victor. I wouldn't be much use in a fight with my injuries. If anything happened, Dimitri would try to defend me, but he wouldn't be able to hold them off.

If I had to watch him die—

"Roza. Breathe." His hand took mine, his voice washing over me like a balm.

I did as he said, slowly breathing in and out.

"I'm glad to see you two finally work it out," Alberta commented, her tone lightening the atmosphere.

I turned in my chair. "How long have you known?"

Alberta laughed. "Since the night I found you in that alley. I thought Dimitri was going to have a heart attack when he saw you unconscious on the bed."

I scoffed, then laughed at the look of offence Dimitri wore. I took his hand and squeezed it. "I'm surprised your reaction isn't like my parents," I replied. My anxiety was fading, the dread seeping out of me as we got closer to the compound.

"I trust you two are grown adults and can make your own choices. They still see you as their teenage daughter; it's hard for Janine to accept you've grown up without them there to see it." She gave me an easy grin, "Give them time, and they'll accept that you know what you're doing."

"Thanks," I smirked. I turned to look at Dimitri, noting the slight smile on his lips, and then looked back at Alberta.

Bright lights suddenly filled the car; I was blinded for a second and wondered why headlights were directed at us.

It all happened in a matter of seconds.

Tires screeched, and Dimitri said something—I think it was a curse. His hand flew out to grasp my shoulder just as the cars impacted.

I had never heard metal hit like that.

It felt like I was weightless and yet held down. Unable to control anything as the car was thrown to the side. I think we spun.

I couldn't separate the pain between when they hit and when we came to a sudden stop.

Everything became silent.

And then my ears were ringing.

I could barely see. Shapes and shadows blended. My head was pounding.

It took more effort than it should have to make myself focus, trying to piece together what happened. Distantly, I heard tires skid to a stop, doors slamming close and laughter.

Why would they be laughing?

"Check that car. Kill anyone that isn't Sonya or the girl."

My stomach rolled, and everything snapped into place. They hit us with their car, impacting the back and spinning us off the road and into the side of a building. Smoke billowed from the hood of the car, the windscreen and side windows shattered. Dimitri's side was pressed up against the brick building, close enough I could touch it—close enough that for a terrifying moment, I wondered if Dimitri's head had hit it.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure approaching. Red eyes shined in the night.

I reached for Dimitri while trying to unbuckle my seatbelt. No one else had said anything—they hadn't even moved. "Di…" My throat was dry—or sore. "Dimitri," I rasped, fingers digging into his limp arm. The click of my seatbelt releasing was too loud compared to the silence, as were the footsteps of the Strigoi approaching.

They were looking for me.

I had to do something.

I moved as quickly as I could, ignoring how much my body screamed in protest and reached across and into the inside pocket of Dimitri's duster, where I knew he kept a stake. I couldn't think about if he was breathing or not; I just had to protect us from the threat.

My fingers barely managed to grasp the metal before I heard a growl, and nails dug into my shoulder. I screamed and was yanked back towards the window, finding myself face-to-face with the Strigoi. Black hair fell across his eyes, making the red so much more menacing as it shined through the strands.

He inhaled deeply, nostrils flaring as a sicking grin showed his fangs. "It's you."

The angle made it too difficult to hit his heart, so I had to aim somewhere else. I clenched my fist around the stake and drove it straight into his eye. The Strigoi screamed, ripping himself away from me, and the metal slipped through my fingers.

My hand was coated in blood—I prayed it all was his.

The Strigoi continued to scream, and I knew it would bring more attention quickly. I turned in my seat again, shaking Dimitri.

"Dimitri! Dimitri, you have to wake up!" There was no response, so I turned to the back only to freeze.

Alberta's body was slumped across the backseat, blood pooling.

Oh, God.

"Dimitri, please," I begged.

There was another growl and an arm wrapped around my waist. I screamed, hands blindly reaching for anything to hold on to—anything to use as a weapon, but found nothing. The Strigoi pulled me through the window, uncaring as they dragged me across the broken glass and threw me onto the hard ground. I cried out, coughing violently and splattering. A different Strigoi stared down at me, head cocked to the side. His eyes were even crazier than the other ones.

I struggled to sit up, desperately trying to think of some kind of plan. Where the hell was the other car? Dimitri said we were close to the compound—maybe there would be back up soon. But all I could think of was I was now in the hands of the Strigoi.

"Stop screaming," The Strigoi ordered over his shoulder.

"There's a stake in my fucking eye!" the one I had attacked yelled back. I watched him stumble, my stomach churning at the gruesome sight of his face.

"I can put it in your heart!" I threatened, spitting blood on the ground at their feet.

He didn't appreciate it. A vicious snarl followed the pounding of footsteps before he was above me with a hand around my throat. "I'll give you to Isaiah in pieces!"

Gunshots rang out.

They were so close I jumped each time. Both Strigoi were hit, backing away with groans of pain and the sound of skin burning. I was dropped back to the ground, shuffling away as they continued to shoot.

The Strigoi with the stake in his eye fell to the ground, hands grasping at his chest; multiple shots to the heart. I saw my chance. With a rush of adrenaline, I raced forward and wrapped my fingers around the protruding silver. I yanked it out and plunged it straight into his heart.

"Roza!" Dimitri's voice called from the car, and I almost cried knowing he was alive.

There was just the one Strigoi now, insane eyes trained on me, ignoring the bullets in his chest even as he bled.

"Fuck!" The Strigoi looked from the car and back to me. He rushed forward, attempting to grab me one last time.

There was another shot, and it went straight through his head. I watched him crumble to the ground, inches from me, and I repeated the same as I had before. I held up the stake and brought it down into the Strigoi's back, hearing his scream as it pierced his heart.

And then it was silent again.

My hands were shaking, covered in so much blood that I had no idea what was mine. My mind was trying to make sense of it all but kept drawing blanks. I didn't understand how I managed to survive it.

The desperate call of my name made my eyes snap up. But it wasn't Dimitri that time—it was my mother. Janine was staggering down the street with a limp, gun in hand and eyes ablaze. "Rose, are you okay?" she demanded. Her expression was raw, her concern on display for everyone to see.

Was I okay?

I didn't know how to reply and just stared down at the two Strigoi dead before me.

The sound of metal being kicked and the squeak as it was forced open drew my attention back to the car. Dimitri awkwardly climbed out, a gun in one hand and the other held up to the side of his face where blood trailed down from a cut above his brow. His eyes found mine, and he rushed to my side. "Are you okay?" he asked.

I eyed the gun he laid on the ground. "You shot them," I stated, "I thought bullets didn't hurt them."

His fingers grasped my chin, making me look at him. "Roza," he implored, "are you okay? Are you hurt?"

I looked down at myself, trying to decide if anything did hurt—or maybe I was just numb. I was able to move, not slumped over like– "Alberta," I gasped suddenly, unsteady I climbed to my feet and ran back to the car, "Alberta!"

The back door refused to open. It was the spot they hit us, bent and broken too much to give. Dimitri and Janine called my name as I climbed back through my door and into the backseat.

"Alberta!" I shouted, "Alberta! Answer me!"

Her body was slumped over and still, too dark to tell how badly she was hurt. Glass covered the seats; the back window shattered. It cut through my jeans and dug into my knees, but I ignored it as I shifted her body to sit her up.

I inhaled sharply.

Blood covered her face, a wound on her head bleeding profusely. I covered it with my hands, using the material of her jacket to apply pressure. "Dimitri! We need to get help!"

"Help is on the way," Dimitri replied, body bent to look at me over the seats. I could tell he was on alert, on the lookout for more threats, but there was fear in his eyes. "Is she alive?"

Tears welled up in my eyes. My lip trembled as I felt for a pulse—listening for a gasp of a breath. For anything.

"I… I don't know," I sobbed, "I don't know." I shifted closer, focused on stopping the bleeding. If I could control it then maybe we would get help in time.

"Just hold on, Rose," Janine soothed, "they won't be long." For the first time in years, I took solace in my mother's voice—praying with everything I had that she was right.

A shout-out to Gins_potter, you know what you did haha