Homecoming Richelle Mead I hadnt expected to be back in Russia so soon. I certainly didnt want to be.

. It wasnt that I had anything against the place. It was a nice enough country, with rainbow-colored architecture and odka that could double as rocket !uel. I was !ine with those things. My problem was that the last time Id been here, Id nearly gotten killed "on multiple occasions# and had ended up being drugged and kidnapped by ampires. $hats enough to turn you o!! to any place. %nd yet, as my plane began circling !or its landing in Moscow, I knew coming back here was de!initely the right thing to do. &'o you see that, Rose() 'imitri tapped the windows glass, and although I couldnt see his !ace, the note o! wonder in his oice told me plenty. &*t. +asils.) I leaned o er him, ,ust barely catching a glimpse o! the !amous multicolored cathedral that looked more like something youd !ind in -andy .and, not the /remlin. $o me, it was another tourist attraction, but to him, I knew it meant so much more. $his was his homecoming, the return to a land he had belie ed hed ne er see again in the sun, let alone through the eyes o! the li ing. $hat building, the cities here 0 they werent ,ust pretty postcard shots !or him. $hey represented more than that. $hey represented his second chance at li!e. *miling, I settled back in my seat. I had the middle one, but there was no way it could be more uncom!ortable than his. 1utting a six-!oot-se en-inch man by the window in coach was ,ust cruel. He hadnt complained this entire time, though. He ne er did. &$oo bad we wont ha e time to hang out here,) I said. Moscow was ,ust a layo er !or us. &2ell ha e to sa e all our sightseeing !or *iberia. 3ou know, tundra. 1olar bears.) 'imitri turned !rom the window, and I expected to be chastised !or !urthering stereotypes. Instead, I could tell !rom his expression that he hadnt heard anything a!ter &*iberia.) Morning light illuminated the sculpted !eatures o! his !ace and shone o!! his sleek brown hair. 4one o! it could compare to the radiance within him. &Its been so long since I e seen +aia,) he murmured, his dark eyes !illed with memories. &*o long since I e seen them. 'o you think 0) He glanced at me, betraying the !irst glimpse o! ner ousness Id obser ed since beginning this trip. &'o you think theyll be glad to see me() I s5uee6ed his hand and !elt a small pang in my chest. It was so unusual to see 'imitri uncertain about anything. I could count on my hand the number o! times Id e er witnessed him truly ulnerable. 7rom the moment wed met, hed always stood out as one o! the most decisi e, con!ident people Id known. He was always in motion, ne er a!raid to take on any threat, e en i! it meant risking his own li!e. 8 en now, i! some bloodthirsty monster sprang out o! the cockpit, 'imitri would calmly ,ump up and battle it while armed only with the sa!ety card in his seat pocket. Impossible, dire !ights were o! no concern to him. +ut seeing his !amily a!ter hed spent time as an e il, undead ampire( 3eah, that scared him. &9! course theyll be glad,) I assured him, mar eling at the change in our relationship. Id started o!! as his student, in need o! his reassurance. Id graduated to become his lo er and e5ual. &$hey know were coming. Hell, you should e seen the party they threw when they thought you were dead, comrade. Imagine what theyll do when they !ind out youre actually ali e.) He ga e me one o! those small, rare smiles o! his, the kind that made me !eel warm all o er. &.ets hope so,) he said, turning to ga6e back out the window. &.ets hope so.) $he only sights we saw in Moscow were inside its airport while we waited to catch our next !light. $hat one took us to 9msk, a middle-si6ed city in *iberia. 7rom there, we rented a car and made the rest o! our ,ourney on land:no planes went where we were going. It was a beauti!ul dri e, the land !ull o! li!e and greenery that pro ed all my tundra ,okes wrong. 'imitris mood !luctuated between nostalgia and anxiety as we tra eled, and I !ound mysel! restless to reach our destination. $he sooner we got there, the sooner hed see he had nothing to worry about. +aia was a little less than a days dri e !rom 9msk and looked pretty much the same as it had on my last isit. It was out o! the way enough that people rarely stumbled across it by accident. I! you !ound yoursel! in +aia, there was a reason. %nd more o!ten than not, that reason had to do with the large number o! dhampirs li ing there. .ike 'imitri and me, these dhampirs were hal!-human, hal!- ampire. ;nlike 'imitri and me, most o! these dhampirs had chosen to li e apart !rom the Moroi:li ing, magic-wielding ampires:and instead mingled with human society. 'imitri and I were both guardians, pledged to guard the Moroi !rom *trigoi< the e il, undead ampires who killed to sustain their immortal existence. 'ays were longer during this part o! summer, and darkness had only ,ust begun to !all when we reached 'imitris !amilys house. *trigoi rarely entured into +aia itsel!, but they liked to stalk the roads leading into town. $he !leeting rays o! sunlight ensured our sa!ety and ga e 'imitri a good iew o! the house. 8 en once hed turned o!! the car, he sat !or a long time, ga6ing out at the old, two-story structure. Red and gold light bathed it, gi ing it the appearance o! something otherworldly. I leaned o er and kissed his cheek. &*howtime, comrade. $heyre waiting !or you.) He sat !or a !ew moments in silence, then ga e a resolute nod and put on the kind o! expression Id seen him wear into battle. 2e le!t the car and had barely made it hal!way through the yard when the !ront door burst open. +right light spilled into the dusky shadows, and a young !emale silhouette appeared. &'imka=)

I! a *trigoi had sprung out and attacked, 'imitri would ha e had to respond instantly. +ut seeing his youngest sister stunned his lightning-!ast re!lexes, and he could only stand there as >iktoria !lung her arms around him and began uttering a torrent o! Russian words too !ast !or me to !ollow. It took 'imitri a !ew more shocked moments to come to li!e, but then he returned her !ierce embrace, answering her back in Russian. I stood there awkwardly until >iktoria noticed me. 2ith a cry o! ,oy, she hurried o er and ga e me a hug as tight as the one shed bestowed upon her brother. I admit, I was almost as shocked as him. 2hen wed last parted, >iktoria and I hadnt been on good terms. Id made it clear I didnt appro e o! her relationship with a certain Moroi guy. *hed made it e5ually clear she didnt appreciate my input. It seemed now that was all !orgotten, and although I couldnt translate the words she spoke, I got the impression she was thanking me !or restoring 'imitri to her. >iktorias exuberant arri al was !ollowed by the rest o! the +eliko !amily. 'imitris other two sisters, /arolina and *onya, ,oined >iktoria in embracing both him and me. $heir mother was right behind them. Russian !lew !ast and !urious. 4ormally, a hapha6ard doorstep reunion like this would e made me roll my eyes, but I !ound mysel! tearing up instead. 'imitri had been through too much. 2ed all been through too much, and honestly, I dont think any o! us had e er expected to be sharing this moment. %t last, 'imitris mother, 9lena, reco ered hersel! and laughed while wiping tears !rom her eyes. &-ome in, come in,) she said, remembering that I didnt know much Russian. &.ets sit down and talk.) $hrough more tears and laughter, we made our way into the house and co6y li ing room. It too was the same as my last isit, surrounded in warm wood paneling and shel es o! leather-bound books with -yrillic titles. $here, we !ound more o! the !amily. /arolinas son, 1aul, regarded his uncle with !ascination. 1aul had barely known 'imitri be!ore he struck out into the world, and most o! what the boy knew came !rom !antastic-sounding stories. *itting on a blanket nearby was 1auls baby sister, and another, much tinier baby lay sleeping in a bassinet. *onyas baby, I reali6ed. *hed been pregnant when Id isited earlier that summer. I was used to always being near 'imitris side, but this was a moment when I knew I had to yield him. He sat on the so!a, and /arolina and *onya immediately !lanked him, wearing expressions that said they were a!raid to let him out o! their sight. >iktoria, irked at ha ing lost a prime seat, settled down on the !loor and leaned her head against his knee. *he was se enteen, only a year younger than me, but as she ga6ed up at him adoringly, she looked much younger. %ll o! the siblings had brown hair and eyes, making a pretty portrait as they sat together. 9lena scurried about, certain we must be !amished, and !inally settled down when we assured her we were !ine. *he sat in a chair opposite 'imitri, her hands clasped in her lap as she leaned !orward eagerly. &$his is a miracle,) she said in accented 8nglish. &I didnt belie e it. 2hen I recei ed the message, I thought it was a mistake. 9r a lie.) *he sighed happily. &+ut here you are. %li e. $he same.) &$he same,) 'imitri con!irmed. &2as the !irst story 0) /arolina paused, a small !rown crossing her pretty !eatures as she care!ully chose her words. &2as the !irst story a mistake, then( 3ou werent truly 0 truly a *trigoi() $he word hung in the air !or a moment, casting a chill o er the warm summer e ening. 7or the space o! a heartbeat, I couldnt breathe. I was suddenly !ar away !rom here, trapped in a di!!erent house with a ery di!!erent 'imitri. Hed been one o! the undead, with chalk-white skin and red-ringed pupils. His strength and speed had !ar surpassed what he had now, and hed used those skills to hunt !or ictims and drink their blood. Hed been terri!ying:and had nearly killed me. % !ew seconds later, I began to breathe again. $hat 'imitri was gone. $his one:warm, lo ing, and ali e: was here now. 3et, be!ore he answered, 'imitris dark eyes met mine, and I knew he was thinking o! the same things I was. $hat past was a horrible, di!!icult thing to shake. &4o,) he said. &I was *trigoi. I was one o! them. I did 0 terrible things.) $he words were mild, but the tone o! his oice spoke legions. $he radiant !aces o! his !amily turned sober. &I was lost. +eyond hope. 8xcept 0 Rose belie ed in me. Rose ne er ga e up.) &%s I predicted.) % new oice rang through the li ing room, and we all looked up at the woman who had suddenly appeared in the doorway. *he was considerably shorter than me but carried the kind o! personality that could !ill up a room. *he was 3e a, 'imitris grandmother. *mall and !rail with wispy white hair, she was belie ed by many around here to be a kind o! wisewoman or witch. % di!!erent word usually came to my mind when I thought o! 3e a, though it did sound a lot like &witch.) &3ou did not,) I said, unable to stop mysel!. &%ll you did was tell me to get out o! here so that I could ?do something else. ) &8xactly,) she said, a smug smile on her wrinkled !ace. &3ou needed to go restore my 'imka.) *he made her way across the li ing room, but 'imitri met her in the middle. He care!ully wrapped her in his arms and murmured what I think was Russian !or &grandmother.) $he insane di!!erence in their heights made it kind o! a comical scene. &+ut you ne er said thats what I was going to do,) I argued, once she was seated in a rocking chair. I knew I should ,ust drop this sub,ect, but something about 3e a always rubbed me the wrong away. &3ou cant take credit !or that.) &I knew,) she said adamantly. Her dark eyes seemed to bore right through me. &$hen why didnt you tell me thats what I had to do() I demanded.

3e a considered her answer !or a moment. &$oo easy. 3ou needed to work !or it.) I !elt my ,aw start to drop. %cross the room, 'imitri caught my eye. Dont do it, Rose, his look seemed to say. Let it go. $here was a glint o! amusement on his !ace, as well as something that reminded me o! our old teacher-student days. He knew me too well. He knew i! gi en hal! a chance, I would totally battle this out with his ancient grandmother. .ikely I would lose. 2ith a 5uick nod, I clamped my mouth shut. Okay, witch, I thought. You win this one. 3e a shot me a gap-toothed grin. &+ut how did it happen() asked *onya, tact!ully shi!ting us into less dangerous waters. &$he change back to a dhampir, I mean.) 'imitri and I glanced at each other again, but his earlier mirth was gone. &*pirit,) he said 5uietly. $his caused a 5uick intake o! breath !rom his sisters. $he Moroi wielded elemental magic, but most o! them used only the !our physical elements< earth, air, water, and !ire. Recently, howe er, a ery rare element had been disco ered< spirit. It was tied to psychic abilities and healing and was still something many Moroi and dhampirs had a hard time accepting. &My !riend .issa used spirit while, um, stabbing him with a sil er stake,) I explained. 2hile I would gladly go through it all again to sa e 'imitri, the image o! him being staked through the heart was still a little troubling !or me. ;p until the last moment, none o! us had really known i! it would ,ust kill him or not. 1auls eyes widened. Lissa? 'o you mean @ueen >asilisa() &9h, yeah,) I said. &Her.) It was still hard sometimes to remember that my best !riend since kindergarten was now 5ueen o! the entire Moroi world. $hinking o! her now caused a slight knot in my stomach. Her election to the throne a couple weeks ago had been contro ersial in the eyes o! many. *ome o! her enemies werent abo e iolence, and lea ing her !or a week to come here had made me extremely ner ous. It was only the guarantee that shed be surrounded by guardians:along with the need !or 'imitris !amily to see he was no longer one o! the undead:that had made me consent to this trip. $he +eliko s and I stayed up late, answering their many 5uestions. 8 en be!ore hed been !orcibly turned into a *trigoi, 'imitri had been away !rom home !or a while. He kept trying to !ind out what his !amily had been up to these last !ew years, but they brushed him o!!. $hey didnt consider their own experiences important. He was their miracle. %nd they couldnt get enough o! him. I knew the !eeling. 2hen 1aul and his sister were both !ast asleep on the !loor, we !inally reali6ed it was time !or the rest o! us to go to bed too. $omorrow was a big day. Id teased 'imitri that his !amily would ha e to outdo the memorial party theyd thrown him be!ore, and it turned out I was right. &8 eryone wants to see you,) 9lena explained as she showed us to our bedroom. I knew &e eryone) meant +aias dhampir community. &%s incredible as it is !or us, its e en more unbelie able !or them. *o 0 we ,ust told them to stop by tomorrow. %ll o! them.) I cast a glance at 'imitri, curious as to how hed respond. He wasnt the type who really re eled in being the center o! attention:I could only guess how he !elt when it in ol ed the most terrible, traumati6ing e ents o! his li!e. 7or a second, his !ace wore that calm, emotionless look he excelled at. $hen it relaxed into a smile. &9! course,) he told his mother. &I look !orward to it.) 9lena returned his smile with a relie ed one and then bid us good night. 9nce she was gone, 'imitri sat down on the edge o! the bed and rested his elbows on his knees. He set his head in his hands and muttered something in Russian. I didnt know exactly what he said, but I was guessing it was along the lines o! &2hat ha e I gotten mysel! into() I walked o er to him and sat on his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck so that I could !ace him. &2hy so blue, comrade() &3ou know why,) he said, playing with a lock o! my hair. &Im going to ha e to keep talking about 0 that time.) *ympathy burned in me. I knew he !elt guilty !or what hed done as a *trigoi and had only recently accepted that it wasnt his !ault. Hed been turned against his will by another *trigoi and hadnt been !ully in control o! himsel!. *till, it was a hard thing to come to terms with. &Its true,) I said. &+ut theyre only going to talk about that in order to !ind out the rest o! the story. 4o ones going to !ocus on what you did as *trigoi. $heyre going to want to know about how you came back. $he miracle. I saw these people earlier this year. $hey mourned you as dead. 4ow theyre going to want to celebrate you being ali e. $hats what the !ocus will be.) I brushed my lips against his. &$hats certainly my !a orite part o! the story.) He pulled me closer. &My !a orite part was when you slapped some sense into me and got me to stop !eeling sorry !or mysel!.) &*lapped( $hats not exactly how I remember it.) $o be !air, 'imitri and I had hit and kicked each other plenty o! times in the past. It was ine itable with the kind o! strict training regimen guardians had. +ut getting him to o ercome his *trigoi days 0 well, that had re5uired less in the way o! hitting and more o! me trying not to be too argumentati e while he healed on his own. %nd yeah, thered also been one incident in ol ing a hotel room and clothing remo al, but I dont really think it had been all that essential in the healing process.

*till, when 'imitri !ell backward and took me down on the bed with him, I had a !eeling it was that particular memory that was !resh in his mind too. &Maybe you ,ust need to help remind me,) he said diplomatically. & ?Remind, huh() 2rapped in his arms, I cast an anxious glance at the door. &I !eel bad enough ha ing our own room in your moms house= Its like were getting away with something.) He cupped my !ace between his hands. &$heyre ery open-minded,) he said. &+esides, a!ter e erything we e been through( I think we might as well be married, as !ar as most o! them are concerned.) &I got that impression too,) I admitted. 2hen Id been here !or his memorial ser ice, a lot o! the other dhampirs had practically treated me like his widow. 'hampir relationships didnt stand much on ceremony. &4ot a bad idea,) he teased. I tried to elbow him, which was kind o! di!!icult, considering how entwined we were. &4ope. 'ont go there, comrade.) I lo ed 'imitri more than anything, but despite his occasional suggestions, Id made it clear I had no intention o! getting married until there was a &A) at the beginning o! my age. He was se en years older than me, so marriage was more o! a reasonable idea !or him. 7or me, e en though there was no one else I wanted, eighteen was too young to be a wi!e ,ust yet. &3ou say that now,) he said, trying to keep !rom laughing, &but one o! these days youll crack.) &4o way,) I said. His !ingertips traced patterns against my neck, !illing my skin with heat. &3ou e gi en some pretty con incing arguments, but youre still a long way !rom winning me o er.) &I ha ent e en really tried,) he said, in a rare moment o! arrogance. &2hen I want to, I can bevery persuasi e.) &3eah( 1ro e it.) His lips mo ed toward mine. &I was hoping youd say that.) $he guests began arri ing early. 9! course, the +eliko women had been up and awake e en earlier:!ar earlier than 'imitri and me, who were still coping with the time change. $he kitchen was a !lurry o! acti ity, !illing the house with all sorts o! mouth-watering scents. %dmittedly, Russian !ood wasnt my !a orite cuisine, but there were a !ew dishes:especially ones 9lena made:that Id grown attached to. *he and her daughters baked and cooked enormous 5uantities o! e erything, which seemed excessi e since almost e ery person who stopped by also brought a dish to share. $he experience was a mirror o! 'imitris memorial ser ice, sa e that the mood was understandably more upbeat. %t !irst, there was a little awkwardness on e eryones part. 'espite his resol e to !ocus on the positi e, 'imitri still had a little trouble getting o er the !act that his *trigoi time was the central !ocus. *ome o! the guests were e5ually ner ous, as though maybe the rest o! us had made a terrible mistake and he really was still a bloodthirsty undead creature. 9! course, you only had to spend about !i e minutes with him to know that wasnt true, and soon the tension melted away. 'imitri knew almost e eryone !rom his childhood and grew more and more delighted to see !amiliar !aces. $hey in turn were more than happy to re,oice in his being sa ed. I watched a lot o! this !rom the sidelines. Id met many o! the isitors be!ore, and while se eral greeted me, it was clear 'imitri took center stage. Most o! the con ersation was in Russian too, but it was enough !or me to simply watch his !ace. 9nce he settled into being among his old !riends and !amily, a 5uiet ,oy spread o er him. $he tension that always seemed to crackle through his body eased a little, and my heart melted to see him at such a moment. &Rose() Id been watching with amusement while some children interrogated him ery seriously. $urning at the sound o! my name, I was surprised to !ind two !amiliar and welcome !aces. &Mark, 9ksana=) I exclaimed, embracing the couple. &I didnt know youd be here.) &How could we not() asked 9ksana. *he was Moroi, nearly thirty years older than me but still ery beauti!ul. *he was also one o! the !ew spirit users I knew about. +eside her, her husband Mark smiled down at me. He was a dhampir, which made their relationship scandalous and was why they tended to keep to themsel es. 9ksana had used her spirit powers to bring Mark back a!ter he was killed in a !ight, a !eat o! healing that ri aled 'imitris return !rom the *trigoi. It was called being shadow-kissed. &2e wanted to see you again,) Mark told me. He inclined his head toward 'imitri. &%nd o! course, we wanted to see the miracle !or oursel es.) &3ou did it,) said 9ksana, her gentle !ace !illed with wonder. &3ou sa ed him a!ter all.) &%nd not how I originally intended either,) I remarked. 2hen Id last come to Russia, my goal had been to hunt and kill 'imitri, in order to sa e his soul !rom that dark state. I hadnt known then that there was an alternati e. 9ksana was understandably curious about the role o! spirit in 'imitris sal ation, and I ga e her as much in!ormation as I was able to. $ime !lew by. $he day ga e way to early e ening, and people began breaking out the lethal odka that had been my down!all last time. Mark and 9ksana were teasing me about gi ing it another try, when a new oice suddenly got my attention. $he oices owner wasnt speaking to me, but I was immediately able to pick him out o er the hum o! the now-crowded house:because he was speaking 8nglish. &9lena( 9lena( 2here are you( 2e need to talk about the +lood /ing.)

7ollowing the oice, I soon spotted a guy about !i e years older than me trying to s5uee6e his way through the crowd to where 9lena stood near her son. Most paid little attention to him, but a !ew paused and regarded him with a surprise that I shared. He was human:the only human here, !rom what I could tell. Humans and dhampirs looked irtually indistinguishable !rom each other, but it was an ability o! my race to be able to tell each other apart. &9lena.) +reathless, the human guy reached 9lena and ga e me my !irst clear iew o! him. He had neatly trimmed black hair and wore a ery prim gray suit that somehow enhanced his gangly build. 2hen he turned his head a certain way, the light caught one o! his cheeks, re ealing a golden lily tattoo. %nd thats what explained his presence. He was an %lchemist. 9lena had been chatting with a neighbor woman and !inally turned when the %lchemist said her name three more times. 'imitris mother remained smiling and pleasant, but I caught the !aintest glimpse o! exasperation in her eyes. &Henry,) she said. &How nice to see you again.) He ad,usted his wire-rimmed glasses. &2e need to talk about the +lood /ing.) $he more he spoke, the more I could pick out a !aint accent. He was +ritish, not %merican like me. &$his is hardly the time,) said 9lena. *he gestured to 'imitri, who was ga6ing at Henry with intense scrutiny. &My son is isiting. He hasnt been here in years.) Henry ga e 'imitri a polite but curt nod o! greeting and then turned back to 9lena. &Its never the time. $he longer we put this o!!, the more people are going to be hurt. %nother human was killed last night, you know.) $his brought silence to se eral people standing nearby. It also brought me striding o er to stand beside 'imitri and 9lena. &2ho was killed() I demanded. &%nd whos doing the killing() Henry ga e me a once-o er. It wasnt like a checking-to-see-i!-I-was-hot once-o er, though. It was more like he was trying to decide i! I was worth responding to. %pparently not. His attention went back to 9lena. &3ou ha e to do something,) he said. 9lena threw up her hands. &2hy do you think can do it() &+ecause youre 0 well, youre kind o! what passes !or a leader around here. 2ho else is going to organi6e dhampirs to take care o! this menace() &I dont lead anyone,) said 9lena, shaking her head. &%nd the people here 0 they certainly cant be ordered into battle on a moments notice.) &+ut they know how to !ight,) countered Henry. &3oure all trained, e en i! you didnt become guardians.) &2ere trained to de!end,) she corrected him. &-ertainly e eryone here would turn out i! *trigoi in aded our town. 2e dont go out seeking trouble, though. 2ell, except !or the ;nmarked. +ut theyre all away right now. 9nce they return in the autumn, Im sure theyll happily do this !or you.) Henry sighed in !rustration. &2e cant wait until autumn= Humans are dying now.) &Humans who are too stupid to stay out o! trouble,) said a gri66led dhampir woman. &$his so-called +lood /ing is ,ust an ordinary *trigoi,) added another man whod been listening. &4othing special. Humans need to simply stay away, and hell lea e.) I didnt exactly know what was happening here, but pieces were coming together. %lchemists were among the !ew humans who knew about the existence o! ampires and dhampirs. %lthough we o!ten li ed and interacted with humans, my kind generally did an excellent ,ob o! hiding our true natures. %lchemists belie ed all ampires and dhampirs were dark and unnatural and that humanity was better o!! without contact. .ikewise, the %lchemists !eared that i! our existence was public knowledge, certain weak-willed humans would ,ump at the chance to become immortal *trigoi and corrupt their souls. %s a result, %lchemists helped us stay hidden and also assisted in co ering up *trigoi kills and other ugly business those monsters caused. %t the end o! the day, though, %lchemists made it clear they were helping humans !irst and us second. *o, i! there was something out there threatening his kind, it was no wonder Henry was so worked up. &*tart !rom the beginning,) said 'imitri, stepping !orward. Hed listened patiently so !ar, but e en he had limits when someone was trying to order his mother around. &*omeone explain who this +lood /ing is and why hes killing humans.) Henry ga e 'imitri an assessment similar to the one hed gi en me. 9nly, 'imitri apparently passed. &$he +lood /ing is a *trigoi who li es northwest o! here. $here are some !oothills with se eral ca es and twisting paths, and hes taken up residence in there. 2e dont know exactly which ca e, but e idence suggests hes ery old and ery power!ul.) &%nd so 0 hes what, preying on human hikers that happen to wander nearby() I asked. Henry seemed surprised that Id spoken, but at least answered this time. &4o wandering in ol ed. $hey seek him out. %ll the people in these illages are superstitious and deluded. $hey e built up this legendary reputation !or him:ga e him that +lood /ing name. $hey dont !ully understand what he is, o! course. %nyway, all he has to do is wait around, because e ery so o!ten, someone gets it into his head that hes going to be the one to de!eat the +lood /ing. $hey rush headlong into those mountain paths:and ne er come back.) &*tupid,) said the woman whod spoken earlier. I was inclined to agree.

&3ou ha e to do something,) repeated Henry. $his time, he was looking at e eryone as he spoke, desperate !or help where er he could get it. &My people cant kill this *trigoi. 3ou need to. I e talked to guardians in the larger cities, but they wont lea e their Moroi. $hat means its up to you locals.) &Maybe word will e entually get around and humans will stay away,) said 9lena reasonably. &2e keep hoping thatll happen, but it doesnt,) said Henry. *omething in the way he spoke made me think hed explained this many times. I! he didnt ha e such an arrogant demeanor, Id almost !eel sorry !or him. &%nd be!ore anyone suggests it< no, I dont think any humans going to get lucky and kill the +lood /ing either.) &9! course not.) $he room had pretty much gone silent by this point, but 3e as entrance ensured it stayed that way. How did she always make it seem like shed appeared out o! thin air( *he came !orward, using a gnarled cane that I suspected she kept on hand ,ust to poke people with. *he !ocused on Henry but seemed pleased to ha e gotten e eryone elses attention. &9nly someone who has walked the road o! death can kill the +lood /ing.) *he paused dramatically. &I ha e !oreseen it.) 7rom the awed expressions this elicited, it was ob ious that no one else was going to 5uestion her. %s usual, it was up to me. &9h !or Bods sake,) I said. &$hat could mean a hundred di!!erent things.) Henry was !rowning. &Id ha e to agree. 2alking the road o! death could be anything 0 someone who has nearly died, someone who has killed, any warrior or !ighter whos:) &'imka,) said >iktoria. I hadnt e en noticed her standing near us. % !ew people had been in !ront o! her but now mo ed aside as she spoke. &Brandmother means 'imka. Hes walked the road o! death and returned.) Murmurs !illed the room as all eyes shi!ted to 'imitri. Many were nodding at >iktorias declaration. I heard one man say, &'imitris the one. Hes destined to kill the +lood /ing.) I was pretty sure it was the same guy whod earlier sco!!ed and said the +lood /ing wasnt anything special. 9thers were in agreement. &3e a +eliko a has declared it to be so,) someone else said. &*hes ne er wrong.) &$hats not what she said at all=) I cried. &Ill do it,) said 'imitri resolutely. &Ill put an end to this *trigoi.) -heers broke out, so no one heard me say, &+ut you dont ha e to= *he ne er said you did.) -orrection:one person heard me. 'imitri. &Ro6a,) he said, his oice carrying through the growing noise. It was only one word, but as o!ten happened, he managed to con ey a thousand messages in it, most o! which could be summed up as &2ell talk later.) &Id like to come with you,) said Mark. He straightened up to his !ull height. &I! youll ha e me.) 'espite his graying hair, Mark was still lean and muscled, with a look about him that said he was more than capable o! kicking *trigoi ass. &9! course. Id be honored,) said 'imitri gra ely. &+ut thats it.) $his last part was added because suddenly hal! the room wanted to go with him. $heyd rolled their eyes at Henrys initial re5uest, but with 'imitri on board now, this had ,ust hit heroic odyssey status. &2hat about me() I asked dryly. % smile twitched at 'imitris lips. &I !igured that was a gi en.) I wasnt able to speak pri ately with him until much later. %!ter all, people were still celebrating his return to the li ing, and now there was this 5uest to cheer on. $he only one more impatient than me, I think, was Henry. He was pleased to ha e !inally gotten help, but it was clear he wanted to start going o er logistics and plans with 'imitri right now. $hat ob iously wasnt going to happen, and at last, Henry le!t and said hed be back tomorrow. It was nearly the middle o! the night when the remaining guests departed and 'imitri and I returned to our room. I was exhausted but still had enough energy le!t to chastise him. &3ou know 3e a didnt speci!ically say you had to be the one to kill this +lood /ing guy,) I said, crossing my arms to look imposing. &>iktoria:and e eryone else:,umped to that conclusion.) &I know,) said 'imitri, sti!ling a yawn. &+ut someone has to kill him. 8 en i! these humans are bringing it on themsel es, the threat needs to be remo ed. My mothers right that dhampirs around here are mostly !ocused on de!ense. 3ou and I are the only ones who e gone through an entire guardians training. %nd Mark.) I nodded slowly. &$hats why you said he could come. I !igured it was ,ust because he was the !irst to ask and not one o! those other wannabes trying to get in on your awesomeness.) 'imitri smiled and sat down on the bed. &$hese people can !ight. $heyd !ight to the death i! their homes were attacked. +ut to go into battle( Marks the only one o! them Id take. %nd hes still no match !or you.) &2ell,) I said, coming to sit beside him. &$hats the smartest thing I e heard all night.) %nother reali6ation hit me. &Mark can sense *trigoi too.) It was a side e!!ect o! being brought back !rom the dead. &Huh. I guess this might be cra6y enough to work.) 'imitri kissed the top o! my head. &%dmit it. 3ou dont mind going a!ter this *trigoi. Its the right thing to do. 8 en i! theyre walking into it, innocents are still dying because o! him.) &3eah, yeah, its the right thing. I would e olunteered mysel! e entually.) I sighed. &I ,ust hate gi ing 3e a one more reason to think she controls the !ate o! the uni erse.) He chuckled. &I! you plan on being a part o! this !amily, then youd better get used to it.)

'imitri and I had no hango er e!!ects to deal with, !ortunately, but neither o! us was too thrilled when Henry showed up at the crack o! dawn so that we could &get down to business.) .ike the other %lchemists Id met, Henry wasnt the type to get his hands dirty. He had no intention o! going with us to take on this +lood /ing. %lso like other %lchemists, Henry was swimming in paperwork and plans. He brought us tons o! maps and diagrams o! the ca ernous area the +lood /ing inhabited, as well as e ery report the %lchemists had about sightings and attacks. %lchemists lo ed reports. 9lena made us all some extremely strong co!!ee that tasted only slightly less toxic than the regional odka, but the co!!ees ca!!eine bu66 went a long way to help us wake up and strategi6e. &Its not that big a region,) remarked Henry, tapping one o! the maps. &I dont understand why no one can e er !ind him in daylight. $his areas small enough that someone could search out e ery single ca e within a day. 3et, they all still end up trapped there at night and get killed.) My mind spun back to another set o! ca es, hal!way around the world. &$he ca es are connected,) I said slowly, tracing the dots that one map used to mark the entrances. &3ou can search all day and ne er !ind him because he mo es around underground.) &+rilliant, Ro6a,) murmured 'imitri in appro al. Henry looked startled. &How do you know() I shrugged. &Its the only thing that makes sense.) I !lipped through the pieces o! paper. &'o you ha e an underground map( 'id anyone e er do a 0 I dont know 0 a geological sur ey or something() It seemed like e ery other representation o! the area was there< satellite images, topographical drawings, analyses o! the minerals 0 e erything but a glimpse o! what was happening below the sur!ace. Henry con!irmed as much. &4o,) he admitted sheepishly. &I dont ha e anything like that.) $hen, as though to sa e !ace !or %lchemists and their usually meticulous style, he added, &1robably because no one e er actually made one. I! it existed, wed ha e it.) &$hats going to be a disad antage,) I mused. &4ot so much,) said 'imitri, !inishing o!! the last o! his co!!ee. &I ha e an idea. I dont think we need to go underground at all. 8specially with Mark.) I met his eyes and !elt a ,olt o! electricity ,ump between us. 1art o! what drew us together was a mutual lo e o! excitement and danger. It wasnt that we sought it out, exactly, but when there was a need to respond, we were both always ready to take on whate er was necessary. I !elt that spark kindling between us now as this task loomed closer, and suddenly had a good idea o! what his plan was. &+old mo e, comrade,) I teased. &4ot by your standards,) he returned. Henry glanced back and !orth between us, totally lost. &2hat are you two talking about() 'imitri and I ,ust grinned. 9! course, there werent many smiles when we set out be!ore dawn the next day. 'imitris !amily displayed a con!licting mix o! con!idence and ner ousness. 9stensibly, 3e as proclamation that 'imitri would triumph guaranteed ictory. 3et neither his sisters nor his mother were totally care!ree about sending him o!! to !ace an old and power!ul *trigoi with a long history o! kills. $he women showered him with hugs and well wishes, and all the while, 3e a looked on in her smug, knowing manner. Mark was with us, looking tough and battle ready. Henry had said the +aia dhampirs were &local) to the +lood /ing, but that was kind o! a relati e term, as the ca erns were still about a six-hour dri e away. 2e were simply the closest, since the ca es lay in a remote area with little surrounding ci ili6ation. In !act, part o! the dri es length was a result o! the roads in that region being so poorly maintained. 2e reached the ca erns around midday, which was all according to plan. It was a desolate place and really only a small blip as !ar as ele ation went, hardly able to compete with much grander ranges like the ;ral Mountains !ar to the east. *till, it was higher and steeper than most o! the surrounding lowlands, with rock-!aced cli!!sides that were going to re5uire some sure !ooting. 4one o! the ca es were isible !rom where we parked the car, but a small, worn !ootpath meandered o!! between some o! the cli!!s. 7rom what wed seen o! Henrys map, this led into the heart o! the complex. &4othing like a little rock climbing,) I said cheer!ully, hoisting my backpack o er my shoulder. &$his could almost be a acation, i! not !or the, you know, potentially dying part.) Mark held up a hand to shield his eyes !rom the sun as he regarded 'imitri and me. &*omething tells me youre the kind o! people whose acations always end up that way.) &$rue,) said 'imitri, heading out toward the path. &+esides, were sa!e today. 2e ha e my grandmothers guarantee, remember() I rolled my eyes at the teasing in his oice. 'imitri might lo e and re ere 3e a, but I knew he wouldnt count on any ague prophecy to get this task done. His !aith was in the sil er stake he carried at his belt. $he path started out easy but soon became a challenge as the ele ation rose and more obstacles appeared in our way. 2e had to climb around boulders and manage some tricky parts where the path all but disappeared, !orcing us to cling to the rocky sides. 2hen we reached what was apparently the center o! the complex, I was surprised to see how le el it was. -li!! !aces rose up all around us, like we were in some kind o! !ortress, but this area pro ided a small measure o! tran5uility. I wasnt tired:dhampirs are hardy, a!ter all:but was glad we had reached our destination.

%nd that was where 0 we stopped. 2e settled down on the ground, sorting out the contents o! our backpacks, and proceeded to pretty much lounge around !or the rest o! the day. 'espite the wind blowing up here, the temperature was still summer-warm, and this would e almost made a per!ect picnic scene. $rue, the weathered rock and scattered egetation were hardly idyllic, but we spread out a blanket and ate a lunch consisting o! 9lenas !abulous cooking. 2hen we were !inished, I lay down next to 'imitri while Mark began whittling a piece o! wood. 2e kept up a steady stream o! small talk. $his was all part o! the plan too. %!ter Henry had said ad enturing humans had gone hunting and been killed, wed reali6ed that was the down!all< going o!! and getting trapped inside ca es that this +lood /ing guy ob iously knew better than us. 2e werent going to do it. 2e would stay out in the open, making no e!!ort to hide our presence. 2hile *trigoi lo ed human blood, they lo ed Moroi and dhampir blood e en more. $here was no way this *trigoi would be able to ignore us hanging out on his tur!. I! the iolation didnt draw him out, the lure o! our blood would. Hed e entually come a!ter us when darkness !ell, and wed !ight him on our terms. &Mark, you and 9ksana should come to the ;.*.,) I said. &.issa would lo e to meet you and talk spirit. .ots o! people would.) Mark didnt look up !rom his car ing. &$hats the problem,) he said good-naturedly. &2ere worried too many people would, now that e eryones interested in spirit. 2e dont want to become science experiments.) &.issa wouldnt let that happen,) I said adamantly. &%nd think o! all the ama6ing things we might learn. *pirit seems to be able to do something new e ery day.) +e!ore I e en knew it, my hand !ound 'imitris. In sa ing him, spirit had already done the greatest thing it e er could in my eyes. &2ell see,) said Mark. &9ksana likes her pri acy, but I know shes curious about:) 'imitri shot up !rom his lounging position, instantly rigid and !ocused in that way he had. Mark had !allen silent as soon as 'imitri twitched, and now I sat up too. My hand went to my stake, and I saw the guys hands do the same. 8 en as I did, the logical part o! me knew there was no need:not when we were out in broad daylight. 2hate er had spooked 'imitri wasnt *trigoi, but the instinct was hard to shake. His ga6e !ell on a large pile o! rocks and boulders sitting near a cli!! !ace. 2ordlessly, he pointed to it and then tapped his ear. Mark and I nodded in understanding. Blancing down at one o! Henrys maps that wed le!t open, I immediately spotted the rock !ormation 'imitri had indicated. It was large and sprawling, with what looked like a small gap between it and the cli!!. I! there was something lurking and spying on us, it would be possible to sneak behind the !ormation and catch the spy unawares. I tapped my chest and pointed to the !ormation on the map. 'imitri shook his head and tapped his chest instead. I glared and started to protest, but then he gestured between Mark and me. In that uncanny way we had o! thinking alike sometimes, I immediately knew what 'imitri was saying. Mark and I had been talking when 'imitri had heard whate er startled him. 2e needed to continue that in order to keep the co er and surprise this potential threat. Reluctantly, I nodded de!eat to 'imitri. He crept away, silent as a cat, and I turned to Mark and tried to remember what wed been talking about. $he ;.*.:Id been trying to con ince him he should isit !or some reason. $alk. I needed to talk and create a distraction. *o I !rantically blurted the !irst thing that came to mind. &*o, yeah, Mark 0 i! you, um, come isit 0 we can go out to eat and you can try some %merican !ood. 4o more cabbage.) I ga e an uneasy laugh and tried not to stare at 'imitri as he disappeared around a rocky corner. &2e could, you know, go out !or hot dogs. 'ont worry:theyre not actually dogs. Its ,ust a name. $heyre these meat things that you put on buns:thats a kind o! bread:and then you top them with other things and:) &I know what a hot dog is,) interrupted Mark. His tone was light !or the sake o! our obser er, but his stake had replaced the whittling kni!e. &3ou do() I asked, legitimately surprised. &How() &2ere not that remote. 2e ha e $> and mo ies. +esides, I e le!t *iberia, you know. I e been to the ;.*.) &Really() I hadnt known that. I knew ery little about his history, really. &'id you try a hot dog() &4o,) he said. His eyes were on the spot where 'imitri had anished, but they brie!ly !licked to me. &I was o!!ered one 0 but it didnt look that appeti6ing.) &2hat=) I exclaimed. &+lasphemy. $heyre delicious.) &%rent they compressed animal parts() he pushed. &2ell, yeah 0 I think so. +ut so is sausage.) Mark shook his head. &I dont know. *omethings ,ust not right about a hot dog.) &4ot right( I think you mean so right. $heyre like the:) My righteous indignation was interrupted by a yelp, reminding me that thered been another purpose here besides my de!ense o! one o! the greatest !oods in the uni erse. Mark and I mo ed as one, both sprinting o er to the rock pile and source o! the noise. $here, we !ound 'imitri pinning down a wriggling guy in a leather ,acket and worn blue ,eans. I couldnt tell much else about him because 'imitri had the guys !aced pressed into the dirt. *eeing us, 'imitri eased his hold so that the guy could look up. 2hen he did, I saw that he was my age:and human. He glanced between me and Mark:or, more accurately, he glanced between the sil er stakes we both held. Bray-blue eyes went wide, and the capti e began babbling in Russian. Mark !rowned and asked a 5uestion,

but didnt lower his stake. $he human answered, sounding near-panicked. 'imitri sco!!ed and released his grip altogether. $he human scrambled away, only to trip and land hard on his butt. Mark made some comment in Russian, which 'imitri responded to with a laugh. &2ill someone please tell me whats going on() I demanded. &In 8nglish() $o my surprise, it wasnt either o! my colleagues that answered. &3ou 0 youre %merican=) exclaimed the boy, regarding me wonderingly. He spoke with a hea y accent. &I knew the +lood /ings reputation had spread, but I didnt know it had gone that !ar= ) &2ell, it hasnt. 4ot exactly,) I said. I noticed then that both 'imitri and Mark had put their stakes away. &I ,ust happened to be in the neighborhood.) &I told you,) said 'imitri, speaking to the human. &$his is no place !or you. .ea e now.) $he boy shook his head, making his unruly blond hair seem that much messier. &4o= 2e can work together. 2ere all here !or the same reason. 2ere here to kill the +lood /ing.) I met 'imitris eyes 5uestioningly but recei ed no help. &2hats your name() I asked. &I an. I an Brigoro itch.) &2ell, I an, Im Rose, and while we appreciate the o!!er o! help, we e got this under control. $heres no need !or you to stick around.) I an looked skeptical. &3ou didnt look like you had it under control. 3ou looked like you were ha ing a picnic.) I repressed a grimace. &2e were, uh, ,ust getting ready to go into action.) He brightened. &$hen Im in time.) Mark sighed, clearly out o! patience with this. &+oy, this isnt a game. 'o you ha e anything like this() He pulled out his sil er stake again, making sure the point caught the light. I an gaped. &I didnt think so. .et me guess. 3ou ha e a wooden stake, right() I an !lushed. &2ell, yes, but Im ery good at:) &>ery good at getting yoursel! killed,) declared Mark. &3ou dont ha e the skills or weapons !or this.) &$each me,) I an said eagerly. &I told you, Im willing to help= Its what I e dreamed o!:being a !amous ampire hunter= ) &$his isnt a !ield trip,) said 'imitri. .ike Mark, he no longer !ound I an so comical. &I! you dont lea e this area now, well carry you out oursel es.) I an ,umped to his !eet. &I can go 0 I can go 0 but are you sure you dont want my help( I know all there is to know about ampires. 4obody in my illage has read as much as I ha e:) &Bo,) said Mark and 'imitri in unison. I an went. $he three o! us watched as he hurried down the path, toward where it had to make its way through rocky obstacles in order to get back out to the main road. &Idiot,) muttered Mark. He put the stake away again and trudged back o er to where wed been sitting be!ore. %!ter a !ew moments, 'imitri and I !ollowed. &I !eel kind o! bad !or him,) I remarked. &He seemed so 0 I dont know, enthusiastic. +ut I also start to get why Henry was !reaking out so much. I! all the other human ? ampire experts that come here are like him, I can see why theyre getting killed o!!.) &8xactly,) said 'imitri. His ga6e was on I ans retreating !igure, almost impossible to see now as he walked around a stony outcropping. &Hope!ully hell go back to his illage and make up some !antastic story about how he killed the +lood /ing himsel!.) &$rue,) I said. &$he !act that well ha e done it will ,ust back him up when people come here and see no more ampire.) *till, as I settled back down in our makeshi!t camp, I couldnt !orget the 6ealous look in I ans eyes as hed talked about killing the +lood /ing. How many others had come in with that same naC e attitude( It was disheartening. Id grown up with the idea that !ighting *trigoi was a duty and a responsibility. It wasnt something you treated as a game. Mark and I e entually picked up our hot dog debate, much to 'imitris amusement. 'imitri tended to agree with Mark, which I !ound shocking. I could only blame the cuisine theyd been raised with !or such misguided iews. 'espite the easy nature o! the con ersation, though, I could !eel the tension building within all o! us as the sun began mo ing down toward the hori6on. $he sil er stakes had returned, and e en be!ore darkness !ell, our eyes were constantly scanning our surroundings. *hadows darkened the stone walls around us, turning them into something mysterious and ominous. 2ed brought along a couple o! electric lanterns and turned them on once it grew too dark to see com!ortably. %s dhampirs, we didnt need as much light as humans, but we needed some. $he lanterns cast ,ust enough to help our eyes without blinding us to our periphery, like a camp!ire would ha e. *oon, the skies were completely dark, and we knew wed entered the time when *trigoi could walk !reely. 4one o! us doubted hed come !or us. $he 5uestion was whether he would wait and try to wear us down or strike suddenly. %s more time passed, it appeared as though it would be the !ormer.

&'o you sense anything() I whispered to Mark. $hose who were shadow-kissed !elt nauseous when *trigoi were close. &4ot yet,) he murmured back. &2e should e brought marshmallows,) I ,oked. &9! course, then wed ha e to build a !ire !or sure:) %n earsplitting scream ripped through the night. I ,umped to my !eet, wincing. $he problem with superior hearing is that loud noises are reallyloud. My companions were up too, stakes ready. Mark !rowned. &*ome *trigoi trick() &4o,) I said, mo ing toward where the scream had originated. &$hat was I an.) Mark swore in Russian, something Id gotten used to !rom 'imitri. &He ne er le!t,) said Mark. 'imitri grabbed my arm to slow me down. &Rose, hes in one o! the ca es.) &I know,) I said. Id already !igured that out and turned to !ace 'imitri. &+ut what choice do we ha e( 2e cant lea e him in there.) &$his is exactly what we wanted to a oid,) said 'imitri grimly. &%nd likely a trap set by the +lood /ing,) added Mark, ,ust as another scream sounded. &He wants us but is too smart to come out and get us.) I grimaced, knowing Mark was right. &+ut that also means hes probably not going to kill I an right away. Hes ,ust going to mess with him to lure us in. $heres a chance we can sa e I an.) I threw my hands up when nobody responded. &-ome on= -an you really lea e that inept kid in there to die() 4o, o! course they couldnt. 'imitri sighed. &$his is where we could e used a map o! the ca es. +etter to set up an ambush.) &4o such luxury, comrade,) I said, walking toward the ca e again. &2e e got to go in the !ront door. %t least Mark can gi e us warning.) % debate then broke out between the three o! us o er who would lead and who would go last to carry a lantern. 'imitri and Mark came up with lame arguments about why they should go ahead o! me. Marks was that, as the oldest, his li!e was more expendable, which was ridiculous. 'imitris reasoning was that he was sa!e, thanks to 3e as prophecy. $hat was e en more ridiculous, and I knew he was only saying so to protect me. 3et in the end, I was o erruled and ended up behind them. 'arkness !ar deeper than the night engul!ed us as we stepped inside. $he lantern helped a little but only illuminated a short distance in !ront o! us as we walked !urther and !urther into the unknown. 4one o! us spoke, but I had a !eeling we were all thinking the same thing. $he screams had stopped. It could mean I an was dead. It almost certainly meant the +lood /ing wanted to lead us as !ar into the ca es as possible. $rouble came when we reached a !ork in the tunnel. It not only meant we had to choose a pathD it also meant the +lood /ing had the potential to double back on us. &2hich way() murmured 'imitri. I glanced between the two options. 9ne was narrower, but that meant nothing. .ines o! thought !illed Marks !ace, and then he indicated the larger tunnel. &$here. Its !aint, but I can !eel him there.) $he three o! us hurried !orward, and the tunnel soon grew wider and wider, !inally opening into a large &room) with three other tunnels !eeding into it. +e!ore any o! us had a chance to 5uestion where to go next, something hea y slammed into me and knocked me to the ground. $he lantern !lew !rom my grasp and miraculously rolled away, unbroken. Instinct made me !ollow suit. I had no clue where my attacker was, but I rolled away as soon as I hit the ca es !loor. It was a good decision, because hal! a second later, I got my !irst glimpse o! the +lood /ing. $he stories were true. He was old. %dmittedly, *trigoi didnt age once they turned, and at a glance, this guy had the appearance o! someone in his mid!orties. .ike all *trigoi, he had ghastly white skin and the look o! death about him. I! the light had been a little better, I knew Id see red in his eyes too. His long mustache and shoulder-length hair were black with gray streaks, looking like something youd see !rom the imperial days o! Russia. +ut it was more than the anti5uated haircut that marked his age. $here was something about a *trigoi you could !eel, an ancient e ilness that went straight to the bone. %lso, as age increased, so did their speed and strength. %nd man, this guy was !ast. Hed lunged at the place Id !allen, striking out with more than enough !orce to break my neck. *eeing hed missed me, he didnt waste a moment in coming a!ter me in my new spot, and I hurried to get away. I was !ast, but not as !ast as him, and he caught hold o! my slee e. +e!ore he could pull me to him, 'imitri and Mark were on his back, !orcing the +lood /ing to release me. My companions were good: among the best:but it took e ery ounce o! their skill to keep pace with him. He dodged e ery swipe o! their stakes with the e!!ortless ease o! a dancer. I sprang to my !eet, ready to ,oin in and assist, when I heard a moan coming !rom one o! the tunnels. I an. I wanted to ,oin the !ray, but 'imitri and Mark had ,ust parried some o! the +lood /ings attacks, !orcing the whole group to mo e to the !ar side and put my !riends between me and the *trigoi. 2ith no ob ious opening !or me, I made the decision to rescue the innocent and trust 'imitris and Marks skills. 3et, as I mo ed toward the branching tunnel, I cast an uneasy glance back at 'imitri. %gain, I was reminded o! that time long ago, in other tunnels. It was there that 'imitri had been bitten and !orcibly turned into a *trigoi. 1anic sei6ed me, along with an intense, irrational need to go throw mysel! in !ront o! 'imitri.

"o, I told mysel!. Dimitri and Mark can handle this# $heres two o! them and only one %trigoi# ts not like it was last time. %nother moan !rom I an spurred me to action. 7or all I knew, he could be bleeding to death somewhere. $he sooner I got to him and helped, the more likely hed sur i e. Boing a!ter him meant abandoning the lantern, since 'imitri and Mark needed it more than me. +esides, this tunnel was narrow enough that I could reach out and touch both sides with my hands, gi ing me some measure o! guidance as I entered the darkness. &I an() I called, hal! a!raid Id trip o er him. &Here,) came an answering oice. It was astonishingly close, and I slowed my pace, reaching out in !ront o! me in the hopes Id !eel him. Moments later, I touched hair and a !orehead. I stopped and knelt. &I an, are you okay( -an you stand() I asked. &I 0 I think so 0) I hoped so. ;nable to see him, I had no idea i! his blood was gushing out right in !ront o! me. I !ound his hand and helped him up. He leaned hea ily against me but seemed to ha e control o! his legs, which I took as a good sign. *lowly, we made our way back toward the !ight, our maneu ers awkward in the tight tunnel. 2hen we emerged into the light, I was dismayed to see the +lood /ing still ali e. &Rest here,) I told I an, mo ing him toward a wall. He wasnt in as critical a condition as Id !eared. He looked as though the +lood /ing had:literally:thrown him around a !ew times, but none o! the cuts and bruises looked dire. I expected him to sit so that I could lend my strength to the !ight, but instead, I ans eyes went wide as he took in the battle. 2ith an energy I hadnt belie ed possible, he sprang !orward with his ridiculous wooden stake and aimed it !or the +lood /ings back. &4o=) I yelled, hurrying a!ter him. His stake didnt pierce !lesh, o! course. It didnt e en hurt the +lood /ing. 2hat it did do, howe er, was cause the *trigoi to pause !or a split second and swat away I an. He !lew across the ca e, landing hard against a wall. In the space o! that heartbeat, 'imitri and Mark acted with !lawless, wordless e!!iciency. 'imitris !oot snaked out and knocked the +lood /ings legs !rom under him. Mark surged !orward, plunging his stake into the ancient *trigois heart. $he +lood /ing !ro6e, and we all held a collecti e breath as a look o! total shock crossed his !eatures. $hen death sei6ed him, and his body slumped !orward. I exhaled in relie! and immediately looked at 'imitri !irst, needing to make sure he was okay. +ut o! course he was. He was my badass battle god. Itd take more than some super tough *trigoi:e en one with a dramatic name:to take him down. Mark seemed e5ually !ine. %cross the ca e, I an looked stunned but otherwise unin,ured. He was watching us with wonder, and his eyes lit up when he met my ga6e. He held his wooden stake in the air in kind o! a mock salute and grinned. &3oure welcome,) he said. It turned out part o! the reason I an hadnt le!t when we told him:aside !rom his idiotic sense o! heroism :was that he had no means to lea e. *ome !riends !rom his illage had dropped him o!!, with the intent o! coming back in two days to see i! he was dead or ali e. 2e could hardly lea e him there in such a beaten-up state, so we made the two-hour dri e to take him home. $he entire time, I an kept going on and on about how hed sa ed 'imitri and Mark in the nick o! time and how they would e met certain death i! not !or him. 1ointing out that it was only sheer luck that he hadnt gotten them killed seemed useless at this point. 2e let him talk and were all relie ed when we reached his illage, a place that made +aia look like 4ew 3ork -ity. &*ometimes I hear reports o! other ampires,) he told us as he got out o! the car. &I! you want to team up again, Ill let you come along with me next time too.) &4oted,) I said. $he only person more in!uriating than I an was 3e a. %!ter !i e minutes with her, I was suddenly wishing I was back in the car with him. &*o,) she said, sitting in her rocking chair in the +eliko house like it was a throne. &It seems I was right.) I collapsed onto the couch beside 'imitri, bone weary and wishing I could sleep !or about twel e hours. Mark had already gone home to 9ksana. *till, I had enough spunk in me to argue back. &4o, actually,) I retorted, trying to keep a smug smile o!! my !ace, &you said 'imitri would kill the +lood /ing. He didnt. Mark did.) &I said one who had walked the road o! death would succeed,) she said. &Mark has !aced death and sur i ed.) I opened my mouth to deny it, but she had a point. &9kay. +ut when >iktoria said 'imitri would do it, you didnt deny it.) &I didnt con!irm it either.) I groaned. &$his is ridiculous= $hat ?prediction meant nothing= Hell, it could e applied to I an, since he nearly died because o! the +lood /ing.) &My prophecies see many things,) responded 3e a:which was really no response at all. &My next one is particularly interesting.) &;h-huh,) I said. &.et me guess. ?% ,ourney. $hat could mean me and 'imitri going home. 9r 9lena going to the grocery store.) &%ctually,) said 3e a, &I see a wedding in the !uture.)

>iktoria had been listening to the exchange with amusement and clapped her hands together. &9h= Rose and 'imka=) Her sisters nodded excitedly. I stared incredulously. &How can you e en say that( $hat can mean anything too= *omeone in town is probably getting married right now. 9r maybe itll be /arolina:didnt you say youre getting serious with your boy!riend( I! it is me and 'imitri, itll be years !rom now:which, o! course, youll claim you !oresaw since it was ?the !uture. ) 4o one was listening to me anymore, though. $he +eliko women were already chattering excitedly about plans, speculating i! the wedding would be here or in the ;.*. and how nice it would be to see 'imitri &!inally settle down.) I groaned again and leaned against him. &;nbelie able.) 'imitri smiled and put his arm around me. &'ont you belie e in !ate, Ro6a() &*ure,) I said. &Eust not in your grandmothers cra6y ague predictions.) &'oesnt sound that cra6y to me,) he teased. &3oure as cra6y as her.) He kissed the top o! my head. &I had a !eeling youd say that.)