"In books they say that true love always faces obstacles. Either the lovers have different social standings, or else they were very different ages… Or, even if the lovers are a good match, their love might be ruined by war, death, or sickness, so that the affair only lasts an instant. Their time together might be as fleeting as a shadow or as short as a dream, lasting only as long as it takes a lightning bolt to flash across the sky."

-A Midsummer Night's Dream; Act 1, Scene 1; Modern Text

"Lord Ivan Zeklos is here to see yourself and Prince Eric." Alina, housekeeper to the Dragomirs, told Rhea. "He's in the lounge with his guardians."

Rhea Dragomir drew a deep breath, trying to ignore the ever increasing volume of her husband and son arguing in the nearby study. "Thank you. I'll be there shortly. Please, bring them drinks."

"Of course." Alina hurried away, leaving Rhea alone in the library.

She stood a moment later, straightening her skirt and blouse. She considered interrupting the argument, but decided that she would greet her guests first. She walked downstairs to the lounge where she found a Moroi man in his twenties seated on the sofa while two guardians stood off to the side. One of Rhea's own guardians stood nearby, observing the guests.

She gave Ivan Zeklos her best hostess smile. "Welcome, Lord Zeklos, I'm Rhea Dragomir."

He shook her hand in greeting. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Dragomir. Please, call me Ivan."

"You may call me Rhea. Eric and our son are having a conversation, though I'm certain he will be able to join us shortly."

"I understand. Thank you for welcoming me into your home."

"It's no trouble. Eric told me that you wanted to discuss something about Lissa?" Seeing Ivan's confusion she laughed. "Vasilisa, I mean. Everyone calls her Lissa."

"Yes," he said. "I suppose that I could tell you now, but it would be more efficient for me to tell the story one time."

Rhea took a seat as Alina arrived with water. Alina gave Rhea and Ivan each a glass of water before setting the pitcher, tray, and remaining glasses on a side table.

"Understandable," Rhea said. "I'm terribly sorry, I forgot to greet your guardians. Please, if either of you wish to drink, feel free."

Both of the men said a polite "thank you" from their positions along the wall. Ivan grinned at her. "It's refreshing to meet someone who shows concern for guardians. This is Dimitri Belikov, who has been my friend since we were seventeen. My other guardian is Brandon Metz, who puts up with me far more than I deserve."

The men both nodded in acknowledgement, smiling slightly.

"A pleasure to meet you both," she said. "My parents taught me to show kindness toward all people. She would say that we were all created by God and will one day all stand in the same judgment, none higher or lower than another. My daughter has also been best friends with a dhampir since they were five. One day, Rose will be Lissa's guardian." Rhea didn't mention the other reason her family was kind to dhampirs. Few knew that bit of gossip- yet.

"I do believe that I have heard about her," said Ivan. "Janine Hathaway's daughter?"

"Yes, that would be Rose." Rhea couldn't suppress the motherly smile which emerged at the thought of Rose. The girl was wild and impetuous, but she was utterly devoted to Lissa. Rhea had watched both girls grow up, side by side. She couldn't imagine them ever being apart. She was so glad that they had survived the car accident, and the recent attempt on their safety by Victor Dashkov.

A door slammed, causing everyone in the room to tense. Shouting was heard in the direction of the slammed door, along with the sound of a baby crying. Rhea blanched. "Excuse me for a moment."

She left the room at a quick but dignified pace. God only knew what impression they were making upon Ivan Zeklos. She drew a deep breath as she reached her husband and son. Andre was shouting while Eric was doing his best to keep his tone level. They broke off at her approach, though Andre was clearly seething. The baby was still crying.

"Andre," she said calmly. "Perhaps you should take a quick walk to calm down. We have guests in the lounge who are expecting to speak with your father and myself."

"Fine. Deal with your guests. I'll probably go see Mia and Kevin." Andre looked pointedly at his father. "I'll try not to get her pregnant again. Not that you're one to lecture me about bastards."

Andre turned quickly away. A few moments later one of the side doors slammed shut. The baby stopped crying. Eric clenched and relaxed his fists. Rhea was frozen where she stood.

"I'm sorry," Eric whispered.

Rhea blinked back tears as she shook her head. "It's fine. I forgave you long ago."

Nearly fifteen years ago, Eric had confessed to Rhea that he had been unfaithful and that he had an illegitimate daughter- Jillian or Jill. Jill's mother had wanted the affair to remain secret, so Eric had not acknowledged Jill. Eric and Rhea had worked through that rough patch of their marriage. They chose not to tell their own children about their half-sister, and had never intended for the truth to be known.

Everything changed when Jill was ten. Her mother and step-father were killed by Strigoi. Eric was granted custody of Jill, and the family was thrown into chaos. All five Dragomirs were forced to rebalance their lives. Andre and Lissa were shocked, hurt, and angry. Jill's world was completely transformed and she was grieving her parents. Rhea was forced into the role of step-mother to a girl whose world had collapsed. Rhea was also forced to handle the looks and whispers of the royals at court. Eric had to manage his position at court while his family was in turmoil. Everything had improved over the years, but many wounds were still healing.

Rhea drew a deep breath. "He just wanted to be cruel."

"It isn't fine. He shouldn't use my poor decisions to excuse his own. He needs to learn responsibility. He's failing half of his classes. And how many children does he expect us to help him care for?"

"He only has two children, and you love them both."

He walked to her and took hold of her hand. "I do." He looked to the ceiling, eyes closed, opening them as he returned his gaze to her. "I just keep reminding myself that it could be worse. It could have been with Rose."

With a tired laugh, Rhea agreed. She was very, very thankful that Andre and Rose saw one another as if they were brother and sister. "Yes, that would definitely be a further complication."

As they were speaking, Katrina Lehman emerged from one of the nearby rooms. She was rocking her month old daughter, Violet, in her arms. "I'm sorry to cause so much trouble."

Rhea and Eric both gave her gentle smiles. "You are no trouble dear," Rhea assured her. "We love you and Violet, and you are welcome to stay here for as long as you need."

Katrina tucked stray brown hair behind her ear. "I know, thank you. Your generosity to me is more than I could have imagined. It's more than I feel like I deserve."

Rhea walked to her and laid a gentle hand on the young woman's shoulder. "You are the mother of our granddaughter. It's our responsibility to help you."

Katrina's lips twisted bitterly. "Few people say that about dhampirs."

Her words were true. Katrina was a dhampir, and a court guardian. After becoming pregnant, Katrina had been placed on desk duty by the guardian council. Katrina had moved into the house earlier in the week so that it would be easier for her to care for Violet. Most dhampirs went unrecognized by their Moroi parents, but the Dragomirs set a higher standard for their family.

Eric and Andre had been fighting about Andre's lack of responsibility toward his daughter and his sixteen month old son Kevin. Andre was no longer involved with Katrina or Mia, the mothers of his children, but that didn't excuse him from his paternal duties.

"We aren't most people," Eric told her. "We promised you a place to stay, and are happy to do that for you."

"Thank you again," Katrina said. "I should let you get to your guests."

Agreeing, Eric and Rhea left Katrina and Violet. They walked to the lounge, forcing smiles onto their faces as they entered.

"I'm terribly sorry for the delay," Eric told Ivan. "I was having a minor disagreement with our son." He shook Ivan's hand in greeting. "I'm Eric Dragomir. I assume that you are Ivan Zeklos?"

"Yes sir," Ivan said, giving them a brilliant smile. "I'm no stranger to family disagreements. I hope that everything resolves itself soon."

"I'm certain it will," Rhea lied. "Please, we have delayed you enough, do tell us what you wished to discuss."

Ivan shifted in his seat. He looked briefly at his hands before looking at Eric and Rhea, who had both taken seats across from him. "I heard about the troubles your daughter went through recently." Rhea and Eric both stiffened. "I didn't hear it through the gossip mill. I heard it from my girlfriend, Tasha Ozera. I'm certain that you know who she is, everyone does. Anyway, her nephew is dating your daughter. I hope you knew that?"

Rhea smiled, laughing softly. "Yes, we know. So, Christian told his aunt, who in turn told you?"

"Yes."

"What about our daughter's recent... troubles did you want to discuss?" She asked.

"I heard that she can heal." Ivan drew a deep breath, swallowed, then replied. "So can I."

Eric looked at him in shock. "You can?"

Ivan nodded. "The element, I'm certain you were told, is called spirit. The first of my abilities was telekinesis, which was terrifying to say the least."

He looked at the coffee table in front of him, where his empty water glass rested. He concentrated on it, levitating the glass and the cup holder beneath it. Rhea gasped. Eric shifted forward in his seat, staring at the levitating objects. The Dragomir guardians stared, wide-eyed, at the display. Ivan settled the cup on the table again.

"As I grew older and learned more abilities, I started healing. In Siberia, I met a woman who is also a spirit user. She taught me better control of my skills."

Rhea and Eric exchanged a look. If everything he said was true, their daughter wasn't alone. Eric looked back at Ivan, his face mostly neutral. "Your story is incredible, and clearly you can do some things that are beyond the control of others, but why come to us?"

"I wanted to ask your permission to teach Vasilisa control of her element. I also believe that she probably wants to know she isn't alone."

Inside, Rhea was ecstatic, but she controlled it. After all, she didn't trust people easily after Victor Dashkov's betrayal. "It would be wonderful if you could tutor Lissa. However, I am certain that you understand our reluctance to allow a stranger access to our daughter."

"I completely understand. So, I am willing to show you my healing abilities, though I will warn you that the methods may seem a bit... harsh."

Ivan looked over at Dimitri. The tall guardian raised an eyebrow, then nodded a moment later. He picked up the serving tray, set the pitcher and glasses on the side table, and sat beside Ivan. Dimitri placed the tray on his lap and drew out his stake. Rhea and Eric drew in sharp breaths. The Dragomir guardians shifted closer to their charges.

"It's going to hurt," Dimitri muttered under his breath.

"I know," Ivan told him, "but it's worth the demonstration."

"Easy for you to say."

Dimitri raked the tip of his stake across his forearm. The gash was deep. Blood welled up quickly. Rhea paled in horror. A moment later, Ivan's hand was on Dimitri. Within seconds the skin knit together again. Blood had dripped into the tray, some was still on Dimitri's arm and stake, but the wound was gone.

A servant brought Dimitri towels to wipe up the blood. When he was clean, the servant left with the bloody tray and towels.

Eventually, Eric spoke. "Well, that would be a confirmation of everything we have heard about spirit. It's incredible."

Ivan nodded. "It's an amazing gift, but it is not an easy gift to manage. Spirit takes a toll on those of us who use it. That is the reason I came to offer my help to your daughter. I know the struggles she is facing with spirit, and I want to help."

Eric and Rhea exchanged glances, and nodded. Eric was the one to speak. "I will check with the school to see if you can be cleared to teach Vasilisa. I do hope that you won't make your guardian perform any further displays."

Ivan laughed. "I won't. And believe me, he won't let me forget this."

"Are you two ready to spend the next few months on an easy assignment?" Ivan asked Brandon and Dimitri as they were escorted into the administration building at St. Vladimir's Academy.

"Easy?" Brandon asked.

"You don't think that being at an academy is easier than traveling the world with me?"

Dimitri shrugged. "It may be more secure, and we may have more structured schedules, but our work still won't be easy."

"If you say so."

They were processed through administration with ease. The most difficult part was choosing if they would share a suite or all be housed separately. After a brief discussion, the three men agreed to a three bedroom apartment in guest housing. Brandon left to setup the room while Ivan and Dimitri went with a guardian named Celeste to meet Vasilisa Dragomir.

"They're in here." Celeste told them as they walked to a lounge in the same building. Her blonde, chin-length hair bounced as she walked briskly through the hallways. "I hope you can help, they've been through a lot."

"You mean with Dashkov?" Ivan asked.

She hesitated before answering. "Yes, the incident last month with Victor was terrible for us all. I'm sure they'll tell you more when they're ready. Or administration will fill you in tomorrow when your schedules are settled."

She opened the door without further conversation. Inside were three Moroi and one dhampir. One of the Moroi was male. He lay with his head on the lap of a blonde Moroi girl. The other Moroi girl and the dhampir girl were seated on a different couch. They turned toward the door when it opened.

"Here you are," said Celeste. "If you need anything, I'm certain that they can help you, or you can ask any staff member." She turned, and left.

Ivan knew Christian, the young man sprawled on the couch, which meant that the blonde girl was Vasilisa. Ivan briefly glanced at the auras of the four and saw the shadows around the dhampir girl.

Christian smiled at them. "Hey Ivan, Dimitri."

"Manners Ozera," Ivan chastised with a laugh.

Christian rolled his eyes, shifting so that he was sitting. He introduced the girls, indicating them with his hands. "This is Lissa or Vasilisa Dragomir. Rose Hathaway, her shadow. And Jill Mastrano-Dragomir- Lissa's sister."

"It's a pleasure to meet the three of you. I'm Ivan Zeklos, and this is Dimitri Belikov, one of my guardians." He looked directly at Rose, watching the shadows dance around her. "Rose, you and Dimitri have something in common, you're both shadow kissed."

Rose, who had been staring at Dimitri since he walked into the room, briefly looked between Ivan and Dimitri. "How do you know that?"

Ivan smiled, taking a seat nearby. Dimitri sat next to him, his eyes watching everything. "Auras," he said. "Do you know what those are?"

Rose shook her head.

Lissa answered tentatively. "Aren't auras rings of light around people? I thought that was just some new age thing."

"No. Well, yes, they are rings of light around people. However, they aren't just a new age thing. Some spirit users can read the colors around a person and learn a great deal about that individual. People who are shadow kissed have a black ring around their aura."

Rose looked at Ivan, realizing what he had said. "You've met another spirit user, haven't you?"

"Yes, in Siberia. She is from Dimka's hometown. She also has a shadow kissed bond mate."

Rose wrinkled her nose. "Dimka?"

Dimitri chuckled. "It's a nickname for Dimitri."

Jill spoke up, changing the topic. "Dad told us that you heard about Lissa's abilities through Christian's aunt?"

"Yes," Ivan answered. "She's my girlfriend."

"I told Aunt Tasha about everything that happened with Victor last month. She gets concerned when people attack me and my friends."

Jill's brows were furrowed in thought. "So she knew that you can heal? But Christian never knew?"

Ivan nodded. "Yes. I try to keep it a secret. There are so few people out there with spirit and there are so many dangers to the element that most of us hide our abilities. I told Tasha shortly after we began dating, and she has kept it a secret."

Rose was biting her lip, eyes fixed on Dimitri. "How did you die?"

"Defending Ivan from Strigoi," he replied evenly. "We fought the Strigoi, but one killed me. Ivan realized what had happened..." His voice trailed off.

Ivan finished for him. "Some part of me reached out and saved him. What's your story?"

Rose's reply was quick and simple. "Car accident. A school guardian was driving us to Missoula. The car slid off the road and crashed."

"Healing Rose just felt necessary. I can't explain how I knew to do it, but the magic in me knew how to save her."

They were all quiet for a long time. Ivan broke the silence. "Do you want me to teach you what I know?" It was why they had come, and the Dragomirs had approved it, but Ivan knew that he had to ask.

"More than anything!" Lissa lit up for a moment, but then her face fell. "Only, I'm on an antidepressant right now. I'm blocked from the magic."

"That's fine," Ivan told her. "I understand the dangers of spirit. I understand the toll it takes on our minds. I'm certain that there is a lot I can teach you by just talking to you. If and when you are ready to learn more, we can talk to your parents and psychiatrist about taking you off the medication."

Lissa gave an enthusiastic nod. Rose wasn't thrilled by the idea. "How do you manage the negative side of spirit?"

Ivan and Dimitri exchanged a look. "Balance," Ivan replied. "I also learned to make healing charms."

Lissa's eyes went wide. "You can make healing charms?"

"Yes and I can do quite a few other things." Ivan glanced between Dimitri and Rose. "Dimka, why don't you talk to Rose about being shadow kissed while I talk to Lissa about spirit?"

Rose jumped up. "Sounds good to me."

"Me too," Lissa agreed. "See you in the morning?"

"Of course," said Rose. She gave Jill and Lissa quick hugs before walking to the door. Dimitri stood, walking out of room with Rose.

They were outside in the crisp November air when Rose started the conversation. "So, how long have you been shadow kissed?"

"Five years," he replied. "You?"

"The accident will be one year ago in February." She drew her arms around herself, shivering.

"Are you cold?"

She shook her head. "No." They walked a few more paces in silence before she continued. "I was thinking about the accident. The guardian who was driving us died. I'm still coming to terms with the fact that I died in the accident as well. I've been here, at the academy, since I was four. Guardian Martins had been here for as long as I can remember. He was so nice, and always gave us candies when we were little. He was my mentor..."

A strangled sound escaped her lips. "When I woke up, after the accident, Lissa had passed out. I now know that she had passed out from healing me. Jill was trapped on the other side of Lissa, but she was safe. I could move around enough to touch him, but... he was dead... his... his head..." She couldn't finish the sentence.

"The accident severed his head?"

She nodded, wiping at the tears on her face.

"I'm sorry," Dimitri said, his voice low and gentle. "No one should have to see that, especially someone so young."

She drew a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "I screamed and Guardian Williams, Celeste, found the phone and called for help. We were lucky that we were so close to Missoula when the accident happened. Any further away and there would have been no cell signal."

She shivered again before continuing the story. "When they got Lissa, Jill, and I out of the car, they were amazed we were alive. Jill had the least amount of injury, other than me. She's not shadow kissed, but we think that Lissa might have unintentionally healed her as well."

He reached to her, gently squeezing her arm. "Spirit is a miracle. It saved both of us."

"Yeah," she agreed. She decided to move the topic away from the accident. She didn't want to think about that horrible day anymore. "So, what's it like for you to be shadow-kissed? Do you get randomly sucked into Ivan's head? Is there anything I don't know about yet?"

He chuckled. "I'm certain that we could talk for a long time about being shadow kissed. For your first question, I used to find myself in Ivan's head when I least expected it. I have learned to control those moments. You will learn that control in time. Lissa can learn to silence the bond from her side as well."

"Really?"

"Really."

She chewed on her lip. She wanted to learn more about being shadow kissed, but she was also curious about Dimitri and his skills as a guardian. "So, how old are you?"

"I will be twenty-five next week."

She flashed him a pretty smile. "Well, if you and Ivan are still around, maybe we can celebrate?"

He returned her smile. "I believe that we are planning to stay here for the foreseeable future. Ivan and Lissa will have a lot of work to do. You probably shouldn't encourage Ivan with the idea of a party."

"Oh come on comrade, everyone loves to feel special on their birthday."

He raised an eyebrow. "Comrade?"

She shrugged. "It suits you."

"Do you come up with nicknames for everyone?"

Giggling, she gave him her best mischievous grin. "All the time."

He shook his head, clearly amused. "Is there anything else you want to know tonight?"

"Everything," she said with a laugh. Pursing her lips, she thought for a few moments. "What did you and Ivan mean about balance?"

Dimitri stared off into the distance. Wind blew strands of his shoulder length brown hair across his face. "The darkness and instability that grows in your bond mate can be pulled into you. You can do it intentionally or unintentionally. If you aren't careful to balance the darkness, it can lead to very negative consequences."

Their eyes met. "Balance," she whispered, afraid. He nodded. Something in his expression told her that there was more to being shadow kissed that he had yet to tell her. "I think that's enough before I go to bed." She motioned toward her dorm. "That's my stop. Thank you for walking me."

He gave her a small smile. "It was my pleasure. I'm certain that we'll see one another tomorrow."

She grinned. "I look forward to it. Well, good night."

"Good night," he replied. He turned from her and walked away as she entered her dormitory.

Notes:

This story is dark, very dark. There are graphic descriptions of violence, including Strigoi POVs, and there is some sexual content. There are also some serious issues brought up throughout the story, some are depicted while others are discussed. I'll post warnings at the start of chapters when there is potentially disturbing content. I'll post once every two weeks for the next few weeks so that I don't run out of pre-written chapters. Critiques are welcomed :)