Chapter#1

My mother wasn't one for subtly. Not wanting to seem shaken I gave her a rebellious glance.

"Quite pleasurable." I said dragging out the last word.

"Damn it Rose." She quipped, rising from her seat with red cheeks, matching the flames that sprouted from her red hair.

"I can't believe you would do this. Do you have any idea what this will do to Lissa? How this will affect her rule?"

With the theories regarding spirit changing dhampir's into moroi or vise versa there was a fear that dhampir's would choose to be Moroi. Wiping out an entire race of vampires.

Well, it wasn't so much a theory as it was an actuality now, and I was exhibit A.

Though she didn't know the reason for my change, and I suspect even if she had she wouldn't care.

"Of course not." She said when I didn't respond. "You only think of yourself. You selfish brat."

I think that her anger had less to do with her concern for Lissa's reputation and more for hers.

She was a very well-respected guardian, and a blemish like this to her name would cause quite a scandal.

I thought we could have a better relationship. After what happened in Spokane Washington when I made my first two strigoi kills I thought that we could finally have some form of a relationship.

You're a dumbass Rose.

I arched forward matching her towering frame.

"You get to call me selfish? Are you serious?"

It was no secret that my mother had left me in the care of St. Vladimir's academy instead of taking care of me.

She was a guardian before she was a mother.

"That's different." She said with a wave. "I didn't have a choice. I was too young."

She paused, assessing me.

"But if you insist on slut shaming yourself with Dimitri Belikov the least you can do is start using protection now that you are Moroi."

"I mean could you imagine?" She said with a gasp. "The embarrassment that would come with an unwanted pregnancy."

"A bastard child." She hissed under her breath.

No one else at court knew about my pregnancy. Well, except for Christian, Lissa, Jenessa, and Dimitri of course.

We all agreed not to tell the anyone else. Not until the trial.

I hadn't started to show yet. Well, I had a small swell, but nothing that was overly noticeable. I wasn't on track to really start showing until at least 12 to 16 weeks, being a first-time mom. Even then, with the right clothes I could hide the bump.

Hurt pressed against my chest, filling it with a heaviness that I couldn't lift, but I didn't want to cry. Not in front of her.

So instead I turned away and crossed my arms in front of me.

"No." I said, struggling to keep my voice straight. "I couldn't imagine."

I pulled myself from the space. Wanting nothing more than to find Dimitri.

Then my wiser, rational self poked through.

They come first.

As much as I hated to admit it my mother was right. My change would bring out quite a scandal and no doubt Lissa was dealing with the repercussions of that.

I sighed and took a seat on a bench to heave my body from myself and slip into Lissa's consciousness.

She was sitting in a room with Christian, Jenessa, and a Moroi I recognized quickly as a government official with his black suit, green dress shirt, and gold and green stripped tie.

I had met him one time at Lissa's coronation. His name was Albert Fontz. In my opinion, he was a real jackass.

"A whole race of vampires will be wiped out thanks to your guardian. Just because she wanted to be Moroi." He spat.

"She didn't do this because she wanted to be Moroi." Lissa said, in a regal but firm tone.

Jenessa moved calmly to Lissa's side, regarding her with a sympathetic gaze. After a silent discussion Lissa sank down onto the couch and turned to the man.

"Alb… I mean Mr. Fontz." She said beneath her cleared throat. "If I may?"

Why was she on a first name basis with a government official?

Unless this was him.

The man that she had a relationship with. The one who she allowed to drink from her.

He nodded, giving her a stiff glare.

She walked forward, her movements effortless, flowing like an icing waterfall, slow, but calm.

"Her highness is correct, Rose didn't change because she wanted to."

He wrapped his arms around his chest and rose his eyebrow to her.

"Is that so? Then what exactly called for this change?"

"She was injured." She said, motioning with her hands. "And due to the extent of those injuries she would have died in her dhampir form."

She held up her hand as if she knew his next question.

"I am not at liberty to discuss the specifics of said injury, however, I will tell you that it was necessary. I wouldn't have given her the magic if it hadn't been."

"Yes, you said she has a rare magic." He said. "What is it? Did you give her spirit?"

She shook her head. "No, I gave her lightening."

His eyes grew wide and he slumped, barely making the couch and stumbling in the process.

"She's the last of her kind."

"Yes." She agreed. "And the first of this century."

"She will need protection. A guardian." He said, wiping the sweat that had formed on his brow.

"I think I know just the guardian." Christian said with a smile nodding forward.

I didn't even realize that Dimitri was in the room, not until he stepped out of the shadows.

"Yes, Lord Ozera and I discussed this in great detail, and I'd be happy to guard Miss Hathaway."