Vampire Academy Seven: Guardian Promise

Chapter Six

There had been little trouble getting onto the plane to Russia. The pilot must have heard the urgency in my voice because as soon as we pulled to the runway, the plane was ready. We did have to take a minor detour to pick up Eddie so he could take the car back.

"Alrighty, you'll be okay with Lissa and Christian?" Eddie asked. He was inside the car and ready to leave and I was just about to board the plane.

"Yeah, do you expect me to fail, Castile?" I joked.

"Hmm. Well stay safe and don't let anything happen."

"What could happen under the watch of The Great Rose Hathaway?"

"You'd he surprised." He smiled. "Just be safe. I don't want to see you end up like..." Eddie's voice trailed off as we both remembered our friend we had lost too soon.

"Same to you." And with that Eddie pulled away and I was left standing by myself outside the plane.

The atmosphere inside the plane seemed lighter this time. Lissa and Christian were close together in an intense conversation. Nikki and Marc were a few rows behind them in their own little world and Dimitri...

Dimitri was sitting in the very first row.

"First class, comrade? Didn't know they had that option in Russia!" I joked and sat next to him. He gave me a tight smile and panic set into my veins.

Lissa and Christian had been attacked on my watch.

We weren't supposed to be in that area so how were we tracked so easily? That should have never happened after everything I did to cover our tracks. We paid in cash and used the private jet and stayed anonymous at the airport.

But Lissa lost her bag and a Strigoi had it. A voice in the back of my head chimed in.

And why did Dimitri look like he just ate a bag of rocks?

"Are you worried about going back to Russia and facing everything." I asked softly and grabbed him upper arm. I rubbed his bicep and savored the muscles there.

"Wow, you think?" He remarked in a dry tone. I sighed and let go of his arm. So he was going to be this way.

I had learned from when he was my mentor, that Dimitri didn't always open up about things. He would say what bothered him, but wouldn't tell you why. It was like giving you a pie that has no filling.

I was fine with this. I accepted that Dimitri just wanted to be difficult, so I would let him be difficult. He clearly wanted the time to think things over and not be bothered.

"You know you can tell me if something's bothering you." I reassured Dimitri. I still hated the thought of him not opening up.

"It's fine Roza, maybe go talk to Liss. I'll tell you later when we get closer to Russia." He smiled softly and rubbed the back of my hand.

I stood up and headed to another part of the plane. Maybe Lissa and Christian, oh god no... I was definitely not heading over there now that they just kissed.

"You know if you two need a minute to procreate, there's a bathroom in the back that's unoccupied." I suggested to them as I passed. I prayed that Nikki and Marc would be willing to accept me into their conversation.

"Hey guys," I slumped into the seat next to Nikki. "What's up?"

Marc shrugged with his usual Romanian stoic silence. God, he was nearly as unbearable as Dimitri. Nikki just grinned with her teeth showing.

"Nothing important." She teased. Just then Lissa and Christian decided to get up and go to the bathroom holding hands. I coughed and Nikki cheered them on while Marc sank back into his seat trying to avoid all attention.