Vampire Academy

Chapter One

My head rests against the window of the car, the vibrations caused by the rough road the only thing filling the quiet space. Lissa and I have been driving for hours. Trying to put space between us and the Moroi world which has become unsafe Lissa with Tatiana Vogel spreading lies that she had killed the late Queen making her wanted for treason. My thumb continues to stroke the piece of paper my mother gave me, an international phone number written on the crumpled paper. My fathers number. Lissa's voice brings me out of my trance "Sorry? What did you say?" I take my head off the window and look over at her, she quickly turns her head to look at me then the paper I'm holding before turning her eyes back onto the deserted road. "I said we should stop soon." She's right of course. We've been driving for hours without stopping, not wanting to encounter any guardians who would have been told to arrest Lissa on sight and probably me by extension. "I know but we need somewhere safe from both guardians and Strigoi" Lissa flinches slightly, the trauma of watching her brother be turned Strigoi by Christians mother still fresh in her mind. The car goes silent again before I inhale deeply "Pull over at the next payphone, I know someone we can call. They might be able to help" Lissa takes her eyes off the road again to look at me except I'm looking at the crumpled paper in my hands. 

We drive for another 30 minutes before we come across a small town that has a payphone. I get out the car with Lissa right beside me, my hand close to the stake I had canceled in my jeans that Dimitri had given me before we left. I get in the small phone box with Lissa waiting outside, I put in a few coins and punched in the number I had spent hours looking at and waited. It finally connected and I heard a deep voice come through the phone. "Hello?" I take a deep breath, I can feel my heart racing against my rib cage. "Um hi? I was calling for Abe?" I said, my voice shaking slightly "Who may I ask is calling?" This must be his guardian I thought as the voice spoke. "My name's Rose. Rosemarie Hathaway." I pause for a second, debating whether or not to disclose my relationship with Abe "I'm his daughter" I finally say hoping that will carry enough weight for Abe to come to the phone himself. I hear a slight gasp come through the phone before some rattling. I hear some rushed whispers but I'm not able to make out what's being said. While I wait I look over to Lissa, making sure she's still right next to the door. "R-Rose?" came a new voice, clearly male. "Abe?" I reply not knowing if I've been put on with a new guardian. The man on the phone takes a deep breath "Yes" is the only thing he manages to get out before going quiet again, this must be a shock to him. "Um hi, sorry it's just that mum, that is Janine, gave me your number and told me that you're my father." I pause to see if he wanted to say something but he stays quiet "I-I need your help. We both do" Abe finally speaks "Who's we?" I look at Lissa, should I tell him the truth? "We've had to run from the Moroi. Lissa and I" I decide not to use any titles or last names, maybe he'll just think Lissa is another Dhampir. "Ok, check into a nearby hotel, I'll send some guardians to collect you" My eyes open in panic, he can't send guardians, they'll arrest Lissa "NO please you can't." It comes out rushed but he still understands what I have said "Why not? You said you need help" He asks, confusion clear in his voice "they'll arrest us and take us back to court" I say in a whisper looking around again, Lissa is starting to get impatient waiting outside. "Don't worry, they work for me not the Royal court. Do what I say. I'll keep you and Lissa safe." I agree, he's my best option in keeping Lissa safe. I hang up the phone shortly after and walk out to be face to face with Lissa. "Well?" she asks, her arms wrapped around herself to keep the cold late afternoon air at bay. "We have to check into a hotel and wait, they'll be here soon" is all I say before walking back to the car. 

The hotel is actually a motel but will do for now. The room has two beds and I tell Lissa to get some sleep on the bed furthest from the door. She doesn't protest and slips under the covers and closes her eyes. The silver stake is cold in my hands, I look down at it. It still feels foreign in my hands, despite the fact that I have used it in numerous occasions, all of them with Dimitri by my side. I look at it from all angles, having nothing to do while I wait for Abe's guardians to come and get us. I used the Hotel phone to tell Abe where we were and what room we were in. All I can do now is wait and hope that no Strigoi or Court Guardians come looking. I walk around the room, looking out the window every so often. It's early evening, the perfect time for a Strigoi attack. While it's unlikely that there would be Strigoi in a human town, we are still close enough to the academy for it to be a possibility, especially after the slaughter that had taken place. I sit on the bed again, eyes glued on the door and waited.

I must have fallen asleep because I wake to the sound of banging on the motel door. I open my eyes confused for a second before the last 36 hours came running back to me. The Strigoi attack, fighting with Dimitri, running with Lissa. I get up from the bed and look over at Lissa. The banging had woken her up too, fear written all over her face. I put a finger to my lips to tell her to not say anything as  Walk to the door. "Who is it?" I yell through the locked door, a voice. I recognise from the phone call replied "Guardian Pavel" Lissa makes a little squeaking noise at the mention of a guardian "Who is your charge?" I ask through the door. I may recognise his voice but I'm not taking any chances "Abe Mazur. Your Father Novice Hathaway" Pavel replied. His voice steady and calm. I look over at Lissa a shocked look on her face, I hadn't told her who I called. I gave her a nod and unlocked the door, stake still in hand. I opened the door and faced the guardian waiting patiently on the other side of the door, he's tall with dark hair and eyes. "Novice Hathaway?" He asks taking in my somewhat defensive stance and stake. I nod in response before moving aside so he could walk in. He took in the room before looking Lissa and giving her a polite nod. "Do you have anything you need to pack?" He asked looking at the rather empty room, his eyes making their way to the two small bags in the corner. "No we packed light, left everything but a few pairs of clothes behind. Including our phones" I replied, his eyes showed he approved of this before walking back towards the door "Let's go, Mr Mazur is anxious to meet you." He opened the door looked in both directions before looking back at us, we grabbed our bags and followed the unfamiliar guardian out of the room towards a black SUV. I subconsciously take near guard, staying close to Lissa as Pavel walks a few feet in front of us. Getting to the SUV Lissa and I put our bags in the back before getting in the car. Lissa in the back, me in the front with Pavel. I do the checks expected before leaving and Pavel drives off, leaving the motel in the rear view mirror. 

After about an hour we arrive at a private airstrip, sitting on its only runway was a white private jet with men and a women surrounding it, all of them wearing the same uniform as Pavel. "I'm guessing they're Abe's guardians too?" I say to Pavel as he drives towards the jet "Yes, Mr Mazur wanted to make sure you were well protected" Pavel's eyes never leave the road in front of him "I can protect myself. Is he waiting on the jet?" "I'm sure you can but don't worry Mr Mazur is still very well protected. He has many guardians, they are just a few of them. He wanted to make sure you felt safe Novice Hathaway so he sent half a dozen guardians with me to collect you" I look at Pavel in shock. He sent 6 Guardian's to collect Lissa and I and was still well protected. The car came to a stop just before the stairs, I open the door before walking round to open Lissa's. We may be surrounded by guardians but I was still her guardian. She climbed out the car and we walked towards the jet while a guardian went and got our bags from the car. We climbed the stars and came face to face with a luxurious interior all of it while with splashes of gold. Lissa and I take a seat on the couch near the rear of the plane, taking in our surroundings. Soon the other seats were taken up by guardians and Pavel informed the pilot that they were ready to go. Once we were in the air I turned to look at Pavel who was seated in a chair on the other side of the aisle "Where are we going?" Pavel turned to me saying "Turkey. Mr Mazur had some business to attend to" What business is he in I wondered, knowing nothing of my father I was looking forward to meeting him. "You and Lissa should rest. I know I woke you when I arrived" Pavel said a few moments later "It will make the flight go quicker too" he added noticing the bored looking Lissa sitting next to me. He was right, I couldn't have been asleep for long back at the motel and I would need rest if Lissa and I needed to make a get away.