Dimitri's Point of View in Vampire Academy (VA fans) (Book 1)

Part 13

Chapter 13:

The next day I woke up extra early, we were scheduled to leave right after sunrise. Many Moroi lived separately from the humans; many also lived amongst them, and when shopping at their malls you had to go during their hours.

I walked quickly across the campus, not wanting to be late a day with Rose. As I neared the front gate I noticed I was the only one there. I leaned up against the iron fence waiting for the rest to show up. I was surprised I didn't have to wait long for Rose and the rest to show up.

"Headmistress Kirova thinks you've done well since coming back." I said the moment Rose was in earshot. I was stretching the truth, only a little.

"Aside from starting a fight in Mr. Nagy's class?" Rose asked looking up with hope in her eyes.

"She doesn't blame you for that. Not entirely." I lied. "I convinced her you need a break... and that you could use this as a training exercise."

"Training exercise?" I could hear the curiosity in her voice as well as a hint of disappointment.

I gave her a brief explanation as we walked out to meet the others going with us. Victor Dashkov, was there with his guardians, and Natalie practically barreled into him. He smiled and gave her a careful hug, one that ended when a coughing fit took over him. Natalie's eyes widened with concern as she waited for it to pass.

He claimed to be fine, as he led us towards the vans that we would be traveling in. My heart sank at the thought of his efforts to keep Natalie from worrying. But even he couldn't hide the fact that he was dying slowly and it was killing him.

We rode out the two-hour trip, the back windows of the van had tinted glass to filter the light and keep the worst of it away from the Moroi. Although, the little light that it allowed my human genes welcomed.

We had nine people in our group: Lissa, Victor, Natalie, Camille, Rose, me and three other guardians. Two out of the three were Victor's guardians. Which were named: Ben and Spiridon. Stan was the third guardian.

"Camille and Natalie don't have personal guardians yet." I explained to Rose when I noticed her watching the other guardians with curiosity. "They're both under the protection of their families' guardians. Since they are Academy students leaving campus, a school guardian accompanies them--Stan. I go because I'm Lissa's assigned guardian. Most girls her age wouldn't have a personal guardian yet, but circumstances make her unusual."

Rose sat in the back of the van with me and Spiridon. This was only because we needed to dispense guardian wisdom to her as part of the training exercise. Ben and Stan sat up front, while the others sat in the middle. Lissa and Victor talked to each other most of the way up; catching up on news. Camille, raised to be polite among older royals, smiled and nodded along. Natalie, on the other hand, looked left out and kept trying to shift her father's attention from Lissa, but despite her protests Victor's eyes never shifted from Lissa's.

Rose turned back towards me, breaking my gaze. "She's supposed to have two guardians. Princes and Princesses always do."

Spiridon was the same age as me, with spiky blond hair. He shifted slightly so he could get a better look at Rose. "Don't worry, she'll have plenty when the time comes. Dimitri's already one of them. Odds are you'll be one too. And that's why you're here today."

"The training part." She guessed. Her eyes were knowing as she pasted glances between us.

"Yep. You're going to be Dimitri's partner." Spiridon announced too loudly in the car.

A moment of silence fell. I pushed away the feelings that had started to bubble up in my chest. Rose's and my eyes met for a brief moment. Something flashed in her eyes that confused me, something along the lines of longing. I shook that thought away, it couldn't possibly be that.