The blood of a Dhampir: Vampire Acdamey

The attack. Chapter 8

Rose's POV

I felt my heart drop into my stomach for a second or two, before I managed to push my body into a sprint. The terrified people starting to scream in terror but I blocked them out. I need find to Lissa, get her to safety and then find Dimitri.

Seeing it was the beginning of the Moroi day, most of the people were at Restaurants or entertainment events. Therefore, I didn't run into many people. The ones I did meet were already heading to the stairwell or elevator. I wasn't to worried that the Strigoi had reached this level until I saw the broken in doors and smashed skylight in the second corridor I ran down.

As I rounded my fourth corner, into the corridor crossroad's, my foot slipped from underneath me causing me to crash to the ground head first. My vision was dark and blurry as I stared up at the ceiling, momentarily stunned when it hit me. The smell of iron. Siting up, I looked down at my hands, my body and then the ground around me. I was surrounded and cover in blood.

Normally blood doesn't bother me, but I have never seen so much of it before and the smell of iron was overwhelming. No! Get it together Hathaway, you are not about to barf over some blood.

Grabbing onto the handrail, I hurled myself to my feet which was a difficult task as my feet kept slipping in the blood. Once I had a solid grounding, I slowly peeked around the corner. For the second time in the last few minutes my heart dropped to my stomach. Two feet away for me, led the body of Guardian Celeste and a freshly staked Strigoi.

Celeste was lying on her back, her throat was ripped out and her legs looked mangled. It was a gruesome sight. Pushing myself forward, I managed to stumble a few steps before I kneeled down next to her head. Taking a haggard breath, I gently brushed her hair from her face, which revealed her glassy eyes that seemed the be staring at something beyond me. Celeste had work at the Acdamey for years and was always kind to me. She was to young to die.

I gently lowered her head back to the ground and slowly prised her stake from her left hand. Holding her stake in both of my hands, I rested them on her chest, just above her heart.

"I am a Guardian,
I protect all Moroi across the land,
I fight for love and freedom,
As I walk across the sand.

I do not walk unworthy,
I do not stand alone,
My race stands with me,
As we defend land, blood and home.

I am a Guardian,
A comrade and a friend,
A sister and or a brother,
A warrior to the end.

I do not walk unknowingly,
The risk upon the way,
For God travels with me,
Each and every day."

I lifted her stake, placed a kiss on the handle and saluted to the fallen Guardian. Rising from her body, I felt Lissa's terror suddenly pulling me into her mind.

"Princess, I need to get you to the east bunker. Now!" Dimitri ordered at Lissa, his stakes prime and ready in his hands.

"I can't go! Not until we find Christian and Rose!" Lissa wailed, thick tears rolling down her face as she clung to a equally looking terrified Tasha.

"Princess." Dimitri said, walking up to her and bending so he meet her at eye level. "I need to get you to safety and then I PROMISE you I will find Rose and Lord Ozera."

Dimitri looked calm and collected to Lissa but I could see the panic in his eyes, his panic for me.

Forcing myself out of Lissa's head, I blinked at my own surrounding came into focus. I was still standing in the corridor crossroads and fortunately for me the east wing was signed posted right in front of me. Thank you Albert for making sure all Novices knew where the bunkers are situated. The east bunker entrance was on the ground floor, on the outside the of the main eating hall.