Vampire Academy Seven: Guardian Promise

Chapter Eight

I wasn't too thrilled with Lissa the moment we stepped into the council room. She still didn't want to drop idea number three this idea and after a tense conversation this morning she said she wouldn't bring it up.

I clenched my fist against my side just thinking about our argument this morning as we entered the room.

The room had walls painted white with a large black conference desk in the middle of the room. A tall, young, and dark haired Moroi man sat at one end of the table with three male guardians sitting in the middle to his right.

Lissa walked into the room channeling her Queen status with the crown and fashionable green jumpsuit. I had made sure Dimitri checked Christian to match with Lissa's outfit perfectly. He hadn't seemed thrilled playing costume designer, but did it nonetheless. While Dimitri handled the Moroi, I made sure Nikki and Marc had on their sharpest guardian outfits today.

"Queen Vasilisa," The Moroi man stood. "My name is Austin Zeklos and I run the Strogoi control around here."

"It's a pleasure, Mr. Zeklos." Lissa said formally.

"Please have a seat at the head of the table, your honor. And Mr. Ozera, Guardian Belikov, and Guardian Belikova, please have a seat as well." Austin gestured to the middle seats across from the other guardians.

A slight blush came to my face as I sat when I realized he called me Dimitri's wife. I glanced at Dimitri to see what he thought and saw him staring at me.

Should I tell him I'm a Hathaway? I tried to mentally ask him.

Do what you wish but I happen to like Belikova. Dimitri seemed to say back.

My blush darkened further but I made no attempt to correct Austin. Christian would be safe as he positioned himself in the seat between me and Dimitri and that I was the closest to Lissa. I turned around to Nikki and Marc who remained standing and signaled for them to stand on either side of Lissa.

"I am here today to talk with you about forming a plan to fix the mass population of Strigoi in this area." Lissa said as she straightened her posture and leaned up in her seat.

"Have you encountered a Strigoi here yet?" He asked.

"No, and I plan not to."

"Don't we all." Austin chuckled to himself while no one else seemed to find it funny considering the circumstances. Even his guardians had straight faces as they stared down me, Dimitri, and Christian.

"Before I tell you my plans, do you have any of your own?" Lissa asked. I could tell that she was getting annoyed with Austin's antics and wanted to get to the point. This was never an easy topic to debate and it didn't help with his attitude.

"Every idea I came up with I've tried with no success."

"Then they must have been horrible ideas." Christian added. Lissa sent him a smoldering look and then glared at me to keep him in line.

"They weren't that bad." Mr. Zeklos shrugged. A part of me wondered if he was drunk or high but I wasn't close enough to tell.

"I'm sure they weren't." Lissa burst in. "Now, do you mind me calling you Austin? It'll make things easier."

"I don't see why not, your majesty." Austin shrugged, again.

"Thank you, and please call me Lissa."

"Ok... Lissa." He said and laughed. I ducked my head down to cover my smirk on how stupid this man was. It made me wonder who his father was in the Zeklos clan that got him this position. When I lifted my head back up I made eye contact with one of his guardians that still continued to show no emotion.