A hidden past. (A Vampire Academy fanfiction)

The Next Challenge

DPOV

Without hesitation, Rose and I went on the defensive. I had to protect her. I had to do whatever I could do to protect my Roza, and our possibly being conceived Valya. Waves of Strigoi targeted us as we barely crept our way out of the cabin. I don't know how we defeated them all, but we did.

The others had to be alerted. I should have sent Rose back to campus and Valya on her own; stayed at the wards. But I couldn't. Any second she could conceive and I would not take the risk of Valya never existing. I could not leave Rose to return and raise the alarm alone.

Alberta swiftly had the school locked down and the guardians where they needed to be... myself included, even though that meant being separated from my daughter and soul mate. I fought for them. They were the main targets. They were the ones who needed protecting the most. At least to me they were.

When the fighting stopped, I went to find Roza and Valya. But only Valya was where she out to be. Her mother was nowhere in sight. So, I scoured the entire school, only to find her in shock in the Elementary campus Moroi dorms... with Christian Ozera in tow. I should have known. Typical Roza. My typical, typical Roza. Always the controversial one who can never follow rules or requests, especially when her Guardian instincts drive her to recklessness. I just hoped that she was alright and hadn't possibly risked Valya being conceived. I loved them too much.

When daylight came and clearance was received, with our numbers replenished, a collection of guardians, novices and Moroi teachers were headed to a nearby cave. Hoping to retrieve hostages and flush out as many Strigoi as possible. Frustratingly enough, Roza was with us; because she was the one responsible for the idea and locating of the site we approached. I couldn't stand how worried I was, how much of an ominous feel I was flooded with. My instincts were screaming at me to grab Rose, turn around and run. To campus, to the other side of the country, to Russia, to Turkey... anywhere but here. Absolutely anywhere but the direction we were presently going.

RPOV

I had to go. I was torn between leaving her here and taking her with me. What if I never returned? Was she in more danger with me or here? I didn't have definitive answers. She didn't know let alone understand what was going on.

After much consultation with my father, he hired her a fleet on guardians and assured me that she, and really we, would be fine—she hadn't disappeared yet, after all. I think I found that more disconcerting than comforting. Though before I knew it, she was in Academy care and I was headed overseas. Back home. Without her. On a very difficult and emotionally charged mission.

Within a week on my birthday, I was in Russia, all on my own, with not a real clue what I was doing. I started low-key; no matter how much money my father gave me and gave me access to, I was definitely young-looking enough that starting high-end was far too conspicuous. The first night, I stayed in a motel near Pulkovo International, sleeping and scheming. The following day, I checked in to the closest backpackers hotel and went searching for popular clubs nearby and clothes to match the dress code so I blended in as much as possible. By end of the night, I had been to three of the popular nearby clubs, and taken out easily seven or eight Strigoi before returning to the hotel.

Eight days later, I was bored. For the past two nights now, all the nearest clubs were devoid of Strigoi. And none of the others I had encountered and interrogated knew of who I was searching for. Deciding staying was pointless, I checked out and went in search of the next accessible entertainment scene and checked into the nearest hostel.

Ten days later, and I had snagged the same problem. No Strigoi about any of the local clubs or near where I was staying for the past two nights, and again, none of the ones I'd come across could help me except for after their elimination from this earth and removal from this war.