Does Love Really Fade? {Vampire Academy}

A Stroke of Something

Gonna be honest, I forgot my original plan so this kinda came out of no where.

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"Boris is careful, but he's also a business man. Whenever he relocates he assigns some of his younger lackeys to stay behind. Direct business, finish whatever deals he was working on at the time, that kind of thing. I remember a couple of his old hideouts, we might get lucky and find some information at one of them. One of them isn't far from here."

I nodded and thought about it, "Who else knows about this place?"

"I've told the guardians about it, but it's right outside of the threat zone and since Guardian numbers have done nothing but decrease in the past few years they can't risk sending anyone there to investigate or bring it down as needed."

"So there's a Strigoi complex within distance and they're not doing anything about it because it's ten feet outside the threat zone?"

Dimitri nodded and I was once again reminded why more Moroi and dhampir than ever were dying. "So what are we doing with it?"

"The purpose of the facility, at least as far as I know, is to send out an alert if important royals leave Court."

"We're not using Lissa as bait."

He raised an eyebrow, "Do you honestly think I'd suggest that?"

I didn't, but I'd still wanted to make it clear. "So what are we doing?"

"Occasionally, they'll put out an alert if a particularly important Guardian leaves. Especially if they've killed a lot of Strigoi."

"Like me." I said bluntly.

He nodded, "Most likely. I take it you had a lot of attacks for the first month or so after you left?"

I shrugged, "Two or three but I moved around so much for the first year that I doubt anyone could have tracked me."

"But now that you've returned to Court, and believe me, they're well aware you're back, they'll be on the look out for you, even if you aren't a Guardian. If you leave they'll come after you."

"So, what? I use myself as bait and then interrogate them? How is that any better?"

"Because you get to choose the setting. Pick somewhere familiar but somewhat deserted. As soon as you leave they're going to have tabs on you. If you're out in the dark, they'll find you. And I'm going with you."

"Excuse me? I never asked-"

He held up a hand, and I was too pissed to react, "I know you didn't. What you asked for is my help, and I'm giving it. You've killed a lot of Strigoi, Rose. They're not going to send one or two Strigoi. They're sending five or six."

"I've done more with less training." There was no way I was dragging Dimitri into this in this way, not after the alley incident.

"Dammit, Rose. Take this seriously. If the only way you're going to find Lissa's sibling is through Boris and Sonya, then you need to know exactly what's going to happen and you're going to need back-up."

"Because you've always had my back, right?" I was being petty, and I knew it, but I'd seen the look in Dimitri's eyes the last time he went up against a Strigoi. They were haunted even more than they normally are nowadays.

"Don't." He said, his voice low as he leaned against the table, his palms flat against it.

"Don't what? Try to keep you from sticking your neck out just to find Lissa's sibling? That's why you're so eager to help, right? Anything to help Lissa? But guess what, I'm not about to take you into a situation where your fucking guilt could get us both killed."