Alpha Dhampir~ On Hold

Chapter 24

Adrian Ivashkov

I sat down listening as everyone spoke among themselves wondering what the hell was happening. To get a mandatory order to the hall room with only a few hours warning wasn't a common thing for the Court. I had kept an eye out for Christian and the others, but when Belikov ran out of the room like his ass was on fire, dread immediately filled my body. He would only run like that if Rose was in danger, or possibly Ivan, but since I didn't really know him that well, I instantly thought of Rose.

Who would be stupid enough to attack her? I was positive that Tasha hadn't heard me when I had revealed her murders were obsolete as they were back in the land of the living, and I was just as positive that the woman didn't know that my Dhampir cousin was alive and well. So, who would have wished to have her attacked? I knew for a fact that all the Guardians at St Vlad's loved her, including Stan Alto despite what he liked to have others believe. So, unless my pathetic Uncle found out about her, then I didn't know who else.

Minutes later, Guardians walked into the room dragging behind a reluctant and yelling Natasha Ozera, chained up and wearing a disgusting jumpsuit. Jesus, she looked like she belonged on one of those criminal shows, like Orange is the New Black... or Wentworth. Shaking my head, I internally chuckled, Sydney had to stop watching those shows because they gave me too many ideas.

Everyone watched as the Guardians continued to drag Natasha to the bench in front of the crowd, where the defendant was always placed, facing the current ruler and overlooker of the case. This time it was Hans, the head of the Court Guardians and of course my aunt, the Queen. The room broke out into a loud mess as some people yelled their obvious dislike for the woman, while others wondered aloud of what possible charges a royal, such as Natasha, could possibly be brought to answer. Not that the woman was a Royal anymore, Aunt Tati had revoked her privileges, but the târfă had still pranced around Court thinking that she still had rights. Hah!

In walked the defendant and prosecutor and I growled under my breath when I saw who was defending the woman, my own father Nathan Ivashkov; while Rufus Tarus was in charge of prosecuting her. I watched as my father narrowed his eyes at the woman and shook his head, that made me wonder. It wouldn't have surprised me if he was forced to take this case, he wasn't normally one to play lawyer; but then again who would dare deny the Queen?

Rose would, a small voice sing-sung in my mind causing me to choke on a laugh. Damn these voices, but it wasn't as if they weren't true. Rose was the only person of yet to deny my aunt and live for the offence. But then again, Aunt Tati wouldn't dare kill her own family for speaking their mind.

Grinning, I felt Sydney slip her hand into mine, and I turned to look at her. She had her face directed to the side doors, where a regal looking Rose hovered, unseen by majority. Belikov was behind her, his eyes darting from side to side much like a hawk. I noticed that her dress was messy, and this made me frown, as I knew no matter how much she loved the man, she believed that Belikov was speaking the truth in the church and no longer loved her. So, she wouldn't be one to get frisky with him just before a trial, so that cemented it for me. Someone had tried to attack her. As I was looking at her my phone beeped.

New Message from Lil Dhampir

It was a Guardian named Ethan Moore, from his memories, he was the 'lover' of Natasha Ozera. She heard by a Guardian that the Princess of the three Families was to be the next Queen.

The fucking gall of that târfă! It didn't matter that it wasn't a direct attack on Rose, as she didn't know Rose was the Princess. But that didn't excuse it- if anything, it made it worse. An attack on a royal was treason and cause for death, which that târfă had done three times already that she knew of. Lucas, Moira, and Ivan, the 'smoking guns' of our case. Natasha Ozera just threw the shovel into her grave, there was no getting out of it now.