Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All characters and the Vampire Academy series are owned by Richelle Mead!

Rose Hathaway looked out the window, anticipating the plane's descent. Nervous knots began to collect in her stomach, and she quickly flipped open a magazine to calm her racing thoughts. Her eyes gazed the various articles on celebrity breakdowns, pregnancies, and romances, but it was to no avail. Rose's thoughts would not give her a moment's peace.

Adrian came to mind first, without his interference for once. She felt guilty about using his feelings to obtain his money, really she did. After leaving St. Vladimir's, she walked to the nearest bus station. With his money she was able to afford the flight, and it was pricey. She thought of when he would look at her and call her "little dhampir" while the smell of his horrid cigarettes would cloud her nostrils. Would it be possible to have feelings back for him after she killed Dimitri? Would it be possible to love anyone?

Dimitri. There wasn't a moment when he wasn't in her thoughts. His long black hair, his beautiful Russian accent and the way he said "Roza." How could I possibly kill him? She knew he was a strigoi, that his soul was lost forever. But when she looked into his eyes, Rose knew that all she would see was the love of her life, not an evil monster. She had to get over this, or it would cause a dangerous hesitation. If she stopped for a second, it would cost her life. Why couldn't it work out for us? We finally had a plan, we could finally be together! I can never have anything I want! she thought to herself with anger.

"Goddamn it!" she exclaimed out loud, not realizing the volume of her outburst. The other passengers on the plane turned around and looked at her, and she sank into her seat in embarrassment.

"Can I offer you a drink miss?" asked the flight attendant. He was quite young, probably only in his early twenties. He was pretty attractive, with blonde hair and ice blue eyes. He flashed a pearly white smile as he waited for her response.

"Yeah, can I have some vodka, with ice, please?" she answered sweetly. He didn't ask her for I.D., and said "Sure thing, and don't worry, it's on the house." He winked and walked away to get her drink. Rose knew that she had to use any means possible to complete her task, even if it included flirting and turning on the charm. Hey, if it throws in a free drink, why not?

The attendant returned after a moment with a glass of vodka. Rose could smell it as he placed it on her tray, and eagerly began to sip it.

"So, what brings a pretty girl like you to Siberia, there isn't much of a party scene there."

"Well luckily, I'm going for business and not pleasure," Rose responded, making sure to giggle and smile.

"My name is Chris, if you need anything, and I mean anything, you just let me know, ok?"

"Oh, I will, not to worry." He left her to attend to other customers, and she reached under her seat for her pocketbook. Discreetly under the tray, she counted a roll of bills that Adrian had given her, and then put it away. Since she obviously couldn't bring silver stakes or other forms of protection on an airplane, Adrian gave her a list of contacts that she could go to for supplies. Rose pulled out her wallet and made sure the slip of paper was tucked neatly and securely inside. Seeing that it was, maybe, just maybe, she could finally relax.

Lissa's face appeared in her thoughts a moment later, pale white skin, long blonde hair and piercing green eyes. Rose could feel through their bond that Lissa was extremely emotionally distraught. She was sobbing in Christian's arms, and could feel him trying to console her by speaking to her softly and stroking her hair. School officials and guardians, including her mother, were working to try to find Rose. None of them understood why she would just leave when she was so close to graduating. "How could she throw away such promise and achievement?" they said.

None of them would ever understand.

They never experienced Dimitri the way she did. Sure they saw the great guardian. They saw his superb fighting skills, his complete dedication to his job. His stoic expression and responsible demeanor.

But they never saw him.

They didn't feel his kisses, how they were soft but exciting. None of them would ever hunger for his body the way she did, and how she would be in total bliss as he threw her around during training. How he whispered her name and held her close as they had sex, enjoying every little inch of her body. Sure, others have wanted her in bed before. But no one appreciated it the way Dimitri did.

And no one would ever comprehend the love between the two of them, and how glorious it truly was.

"Attention passengers, please put on your seatbelts as we are preparing to land in Siberia. Thank you for flying with us today."

Rose fastened her seatbelt and picked up her carry-on bag. She was shaking nervously; there was no turning back now. Was there a way for her to change Dimitri, possibly save him? And how far would she go to be with the man she loved? Suddenly a frightening idea crept into her mind.

What if I let Dimitri turn me? Maybe we could finally be together…

Horrified, she quickly shook the idea out of her head, quickly finished her vodka, and prepared to exit the plane.