Chapter 1
When I became aware again, I was surrounded by fire, blood, and smoke, there was a twisted metal of a car. I was freaking out; it was a car accident or something and then I sat up with a start looking around confused. I had no idea what or where I was now. Wiping the wet strands of dark hair from my forehead. I got up from the bed and heard someone in the bed next to me, thrashing and screaming. I got up quickly the mother in me wanting to help the blond girl, only a child really from the nightmare she seemed to be suffering from. I shook her gently, not knowing who she was but knowing that I would not give myself away.
"Hey, it is ok. Just a nightmare." Her screams dropped off and it was replaced by whimpers. "Andre,” she moaned. "Oh god." I helped her sit up. "It's ok it was just a dream. She leaned into me resting her head against my shoulder. I put an arm around her and ran a hand over her hair like I did for my own kids. "It's okay,” I told her gently. "Everything's okay." "I had that dream." She said it as if I should know what the hell she was talking about. I just hugged her not knowing what to say. I needed to figure out where I ended up this time. Something was freaking me out. I seemed to be suffering from two sets of emotions my own, confusion and fear and heartbreak. Was I bipolar or something in this reality? I turned on the lamp between the beds and a cat came in. For some reason, the cat gave me a wide berth jumping up on the bed and rubbing against the blond girl, purring softly. Yeah, well I don’t like you either.
The girl seemed to be smiling as she scratched the cat's chin and then I felt the foreign emotions calm. I looked at the girl in surprise as was I feeling her emotions. Was I an empath or something now?" Was I using Jasper's powers unconsciously now? I studied the girl's face trying to figure out who she was and where I ended up. Something in my stomach froze when I took in her appearance. She looked like my baby, my little Nicky. Was this how she would have looked had I stayed to watch her grow? I always hated this part. Figuring out where I was. I looked at her again, there were some differences between my daughter and this girl in front of me. She was fair-skinned and very pale. She had dark circles under her eyes and there was a frailty about her. I focused on the foreign emotions trying to understand them better. She was hungry. When I offered her food, she looked at my neck and then at me. I knew that look, sending some of my magic towards her I confirmed it. She was a vampire, so another vampire world. Great. She needed blood and the way she looked at my neck gave me some kind of indication that I was the one feeding her apparently. Not wanting to give my lack of memories of this world away I tilted my head and tossed my hair back, baring my neck.
A hungry expression crossed her face, and her lips parted slightly, exposing her fangs. Her fangs bit into me hard, and I stiffened at the brief flare of pain, then it faded, and it was replaced by something else. Something that never happened when Klaus fed on me. No more pain but it was as if a blanket of pure pleasure wrapped around me. I was high on something all right and something about this was familiar, I just could not put my finger on it right away. When she pulled back wiping her hand across her lips and studied me concerned. "You, okay?" "Fine," I told her but it actually felt like I lost something and it was weird for me. I was a little dizzy and I laid back on the bed. "I'm going to get you something to eat." Some of the aftereffects of the bite lingered and I forced myself up so I could find some kind of identification or something. I found a school bag and I pulled out the first book my hand touched. Reading the name on the book then I froze. Vasilissa Dragomir. You have got to be kidding me!!! I was in the Vampire Academy series and now I knew exactly who I was. Since I was the one feeling strange emotions and feeding her, I had to be reborn into Rosemarie Hathaway's body. I was a Dhampir again, and I kind of liked the books sure but did I want to be part of this world? Why can’t I just go to one that is really awesome as if Twilight wasn’t enough?
I got up shakily and moved to the mirror to confirm just that, I looked completely different, dark hair, dark eyes almond skin. I missed the emerald eyes and wondered confusedly about it since Death said that I would always be born with those. But I had a slight problem now Rose was a dhampir and did not have powers. There was no way that I could use mine, it was too dangerous. I did cast a quick Tempus spell just to find out where and when I was. Thursday 5 October 2006 just after three. We were in Portland and with a sinking stomach I remembered how the book started. I read the book recently again, I was feeling nostalgic and every now and then I would read the books from my world. This one was the last one I read. This was the day Dimitri came and got Lissa and Rose and went back to the academy.
I knew I was going to have to go there, but I was not going to go in meekly. I knew how to fight, just because this body might not be used to it, doesn't mean I couldn't fight, I will just be a little sore tomorrow. Blood loss might be a bit problematic though, I was still dizzy, and it would work in my favor, I knew we needed to go back to the academy but I wasn't going to make it easy for them. Excitement flashed through my body at the thought of having a worthy opponent again. I really missed Natasha and Steve. No one fought me like they did. Klaus was more often than not scared of injuring me, Edward and Jacob did not want to for the same reason. Emmett and Jasper were always game but only Emmet never held back, Jasper cheated with his powers, so I did the same with mine. I never really had someone to fight with me properly, the only one that I never had to worry about was Natasha, she never went easy on me and never held back. I missed her a lot some days and I wished that I would get a chance to see her again.
I went to the window to check if they were there already, opening the window and looking out to the dark street below. It was quiet, it was on a residential street, the houses were mismatched and across the street, the light was flickering enough for me to see the shapes of cars and buildings. Then I looked at the yard below, the silhouettes of trees and bushes, and then I saw him. Dimitri, I pretended to jerk back he was hiding in the shadows, but I could make out his height. Tall really tall. He stood there only for a moment, but it was enough time for me to see him and then he stepped back, disappearing into the shadows. It was time for me to pretend that we were going to run away. I was planning a better getaway than Rose did. Hers was just sloppy.
I quickly got dressed and started packing things into a bag for me and Lissa, but I did feel the weakness of the blood loss and I hoped that the Adrenaline would be enough to make my defense epic enough. I slung the bag over my shoulder and headed for the door. Downstairs I found Lissa in the cramped kitchen rummaging through the refrigerator. One of our housemates was sitting at the table, hand on his forehead as he stared sadly at a calculus book. Lissa regarded me with surprise and then her eyes snapped to the bag over my shoulder. "We have to go. Now!" I told her urgently and her eyes widened. "Are you sure?" I nodded. "Get his keys and the location of his car, we will leave it at the station." She walked over to him without hesitation, and I felt her fear pour into me through our bond, but there was something else too, her complete faith that I would take care of everything, that we would be safe.
Lissa smiled broadly and gazed directly into the poor guy’s eyes. He just stared at her confused and then his eyes glazed over, he regarded her adoringly. "We need to borrow your car." She asked in a gentle voice. "Where are your keys?" He smiled and shivered. Reaching into his pocket and handed over a set of keys hanging on a large red keychain. "Thank you," Lissa said. "And where is it parked?" "Down the street,” He repeated dreamily. "At the corner. By Brown." "Thank you," she repeated backing up. "As soon as we leave, I want you to go back to studying. Forget you ever saw us tonight." He nodded.
"Come on, we have to move." We stepped outside, heading to a corner, Lissa was the one to walk in a direction and I followed closely with her, trying to protect her but I was still really dizzy from the bite. Lissa was almost holding me up. She was really anxious. "Rose ... what are we going to do if they catch us?" She whispered. "I will fight, Lis, they will take us in over my dead body." She looked at me startled and fearfully. Not something she ever expected from me. By pure will and determination, I kept moving fighting the weakness in my body with only one thought in mind. Get to the car, get the hell out of dodge.
"Do you hear that?" she asked me suddenly and it took me a few seconds to pick up the sound of footsteps moving fast. I quickly adjusted the straps on the bag and grabbed her arm. "Run," I whispered urgently. "But you can't--” “RUN!" I dragged her and we ran for it. I wish I knew where I was before giving my blood. But there was nothing to do about that now. The pursuing footsteps grew louder, and I pulled her to run faster, wishing I could use my magic. Black stars danced before my eyes, but I forced myself to run faster, pulling Lissa with me. I briefly remembered that the guy drove a Honda and we were getting closer to the car. Ten feet from the car a man stepped directly into our path, and we came to a screeching halt, I jerked Lissa back behind me. Dropping the bag down and assuming a defensive position.
Bloody hell this man was gorgeous and huge. The footsteps behind us slowed, and I knew our pursuers had caught up. I did not wait for Dimitri to talk, just told Lissa as soon as she was able to, she must open the car, and get in. 12 Guardians were starting to close ranks and it was getting harder for me to hold my body between Lissa and the threat. So, I attacked the nearest Guardian. I punched hard into his nose and felt the bone crack and him jerking back in surprise. They were not expecting this, they started attacking and one of the Guardians grabbed Lissa, but I could not get to her now. I punched, ducked, kicked, and did several backflips on and off some cars. Ended with a butterfly kick before someone knocked me out from behind. I took down 6 Guardians before I was taken out and I heard Lissa scream before darkness overtook me.
When I came too, I felt everything that I didn't when I was fighting. The adrenaline kept the pain of the hits I suffered at bay, but now not only did I feel all my injuries, but I also felt the stiffness of the movements I had just put this body through. Movements that this body was not used to. I looked around, I was strapped into a seat, and it looked as if we were sitting on a plane, a private plane since it seemed that there were less than 20 seats in the plane. We were already in the air and the seat next to me was empty. I searched for the location of Lissa. She was in the front, and I could not see her so I actively tried to focus looking at her through the bond to make sure she was ok, because I could feel the fear and worry pounding from her.
And then it happened it felt like I was sitting in her seat -- in her skin. Lissa was sitting next to the hot Russian that was probably the reason I was knocked out. No offense to the others but they were kind of incompetent next to me, and I would have been better if my body was used to it, and I was not fighting the blood loss. Her hand was gripping a bottle of water. Dimitri leaned forward to pick something up and I could see the back of his neck through her eyes. He had 6 tiny symbols tattooed on the back of his neck --they looked like two streaks of jagged lightning crossing an x symbol. I tried to remember what they were called but I knew that meant that he killed six Strigoi. Above them, there was a twisting line, sort of like a snake, that marked him as a guardian. The promise mark.
Then Dimitri got up and walked back towards me. It seemed that he realized that I was awake now. But since I was still in Lissa's head and trying to get out. Getting in was easy, I was having trouble getting out now, back into my own head. I was literally shaken out of Lissa's head, and I looked at him startled. "Sorry?" "Are you alright? "Fine." I looked out of the window and with a sigh he left to go to the front of the plane.
We were loaded into a black SUV, and I was pulled back into Lissa's head again. She was afraid really afraid. "It will be ok Lissa; nothing will happen to you. I won't allow it." That seemed to calm her slightly. I was forced to sit next to Dimitri and Lissa was behind me. She did not speak but she knew that I could read her thoughts it seemed. She wondered if I was ok because apparently, my face was a mess. "I'm fine Lissa, don't worry." She looked at me through the mirror on the side of the car. Dimitri was looking at me confused. I ignored him, not willing to tell him squat, he had not earned my trust yet.
I knew more than the original Rose did about the bond. I knew that I could pull the darkness from her, that would keep her safe. I also knew about the ghosts and the darkness and who the threat was from. I could do this, I could keep her safe, that is if the headmistress would let me stay. I grimaced when I moved again, my chest hurt or more like my side hurt and I had a feeling that it was not a pulled muscle. I saw Lissa's face in the mirror she was watching me and then I felt her arm on mine. I felt the magic and felt the pain subside. I pretended to wipe the blood from my face and hoped no one would realize. She healed me, all my injuries disappeared and when the golden feeling of the magic faded, I felt the darkness too. Deciding to experiment a bit with that I pulled it to me, and I felt nothing at all, I kept trying but I only managed to get a headache from forcing something. Something I did not understand yet.
"Thank you, Lissa, but you shouldn't --” “I wanted to." She interrupted me. The two guardians sitting on either side of Lissa were just as confused as Dimitri. I closed my eyes pretending to sleep. Not in the mood to talk to anyone while I tried to calm the rage I felt. When I felt the car slow, I opened my eyes and was faced with wrought iron gates, enclosed small gardens, and doorways here and there. I did not have Rose Hathaway's memories and I was kind of worried about that, I was going to have to wing it. Wouldn't be the first time. We got out and I was surrounded again. They did not trust me, and the few Guardians who had their asses handed to them by me were glaring at me. I looked unscathed thanks to Lissa. I smirked at them, something I probably got from Klaus. We were led through a set of doors -- straight into a huge room. A lot of people were sitting there eating and talking to their friends.
Conversations stopped instantly, and a hundred sets of eyes swiveled toward us. I kept the smirk on my face, I had nothing to be ashamed of, modesty is for the weak, Klaus always said that pain flared in my heart, but I pushed it down. I could not be weak now; I could not deal with that now. Later, I pushed it down to deal with it later. I did not recognize anyone here and I continued on following my jailers. The setting changed as we entered the Headmistress's office. Kirova was old, not at all like the one that played in the movie. She had a sharp nose and gray hair. Tall and slim like it seemed all the Moroi I have seen so far was. Most of our escorts left us once Lissa and I were seated, Dimitri and a woman took up positions along the wall looking stoic and terrifying. Kirova fixed her angry eyes on us and opened her mouth to begin. A deep, gentle voice stopped her. "Vasilisa." I studied the man. So this was Victor Dashkov, he was sitting in the corner and as he spoke Lissa's name he rose with great effort. Lissa sprang up and ran to him, throwing her arms around his frail body. I did not know what to think, it had only been a day and I did not have time to decide what to do about the situation I now find myself in. For now, I needed to follow canon until I could think about it, and experiment with my magic, and the bond.
I needed to figure out who people were and what I was supposed to know about this world. I was startled out of my thoughts when everyone was looking at me concerned. Oops, they were talking to me. "Sorry,” I grimaced and looked at Lissa in apology. She frowned. "Again?" It took me a moment to understand what she meant, but I actually got the answer in her head. Was I in her head again? I was not sure if Dimitri picked up about the bond yet but it wouldn't hurt my situation if they knew, that would actually help me stay here I hoped. "Sorry, you know I can't help it." "What are you two talking about." The headmistress asked bitchy. Lissa looked at me apologetically. Refusing to answer.
I decided that I was going to answer. "We have a bond, she pulls me into her head sometimes." Lissa looked at me surprised wondering what I was doing. "No.... that is impossible. That hasn't happened in centuries." "I suspected as soon as I started watching them." Dimitri piped in. Good, he noticed I held my face blank, not wanting them to know that this was exactly what I wanted. "This is a gift," Victor murmured from his corner. "A rare and wonderful gift." "The best guardians always had that bond,” Dimitri added. "In the stories." Kirova's outrage returned. "Stories that are centuries old," she exclaimed. "Surely you aren't suggesting we let Rose Hathaway stay after everything she had done?"
I knew this was risky but since Mrs. Karp was not here.... "What have I done? Miss Karp looked me in the eye and told me to leave and take Lissa because she was not safe, she even snuck us out in the trunk of her car. I could not understand it at the time, but I think she compelled us to leave. Maybe she can shed some light on the situation?" I asked the room and it looked as if I asked them to strip naked. "You destroyed an entire dorm room." I looked at her confused. "I did?" She floundered and looked at me confused. Even Lissa looked at me now, I could not remember it but everyone was looking at me as if I was a science experiment or an alien. "Do you mean to tell me that you don't remember? That's convenient Rosemarie too convenient." Kirova said glaring. "She has the potential to be a great Guardian, she took down 7 guardians before I could knock her out. And she is still a novice." 7? I thought it was 6??
Dimitri sang my praises and I could see the respect in his eyes. "She took down 7 of my guys?" I looked at the woman now. Trying to remember her name but only came up with the name Alberta, she was the captain of the guard right? "She is undisciplined, hopelessly behind her peers. All the psychic bonds and very raw potential in the world can't make up for that. A guardian without discipline is worse than no guardian." "So teach her discipline. Classes just started. Put her back in and get her training again. Give her extra training sessions." Dimitri said. They continued talking about me like I was not even there.
It gave me the uncomfortable feeling of being Jasmine Potter again, while the Dursleys were talking about me like I was stupid or something. I shut my mouth and hoped that my little manipulations paid off and that I would be able to stay, train with Dimitri, and figure out my life here. Should I get my ass chucked out of the school what would I do? Well, I knew I would survive it, I could always go after Strigoi and take them out before they attack the families. I missed the majority of the argument and was startled to see Dimitri looking at us with a frown. "Yes," he finally said and I looked at him confused. "I can mentor Rose. I'll give her extra sessions along with her normal ones." Oh good everything was back on track and I did not get chewed up like a shoe. "And then what?" Kirova retorted angrily. "She goes unpunished?" "Find some other way to punish her," Dimitri answered.
I tuned out again but felt the compulsion Lissa used. Then looked back at her startled. "You can stay, but your continued enrollment at St. Vladimir's is strictly probationary. Step out of line once, and you're gone. You will attend all classes and required training for novices your age. You will also train with Guardian Belikov in every spare moment you have -- before and after classes. Other than that, you are banned from all social activities, except meals, and will stay in your dorm. Fail to comply with any of this and you will be sent ... away." I just nodded, no use in complaining, I could not remember what Rose did before she left but I knew that she was a party girl so she probably did something stupid.