loving the one you protect

chapter 11

"ROSE!" He shouts. "oh thank god. I thought you'd never come for me. My saviour -"

"Hey Adrian" I laugh. Glaring daggers Anna walked away to the corner to continue her phone call."

"It's dinner with the parents tonight."

"Oh god. How could I have forgotten?!" I whine. "Am I even coming? I get the feeling bitchy pants over there doesn't really like me."

He burst out laughing. "Bitchy Pants Rose?" I give him my best innocent look.

"That's a good one!" He wheezes through his laughter. "How was training?"

"Well I - " I see it in his eyes before it happens. Anger. His hands snap out at blinding speed and snatch my wrists.

"What the hell is this Rose?" Adrian practically shouts brandishing my bandaged knuckles in front of me.

Shock ricochets through my body. Talk about emotional whiplash. "Training" I respond carefully. Adrian's agile fingers are already quickly unwrapping my bandages.

"Training Rose? That's what you call this?" Adrian demands his voice sharp.

"Ok" I start. "So maybe they look a little worse than I thought. Johnathan and I pushed it a bit today..." I try to placate him. The last thing we both need is a full blown Adrian tantrum in front of miss bitchy pants.

"Adrian. Please. It's fine. Nothing I can't handle."

"Rose, why didn't you tell me you were hurting?" He asks gently his fingers delicately brushing my knuckles.

"Adrian" I gasp breathily. Warmth spreads through my knuckles making me shiver with pleasure. I stare in awe and watch my torn flesh knits itself back together. Relief fills Adrian's emerald eyes as we stare at my newly healed knuckles.

"Adrian" Annabel hisses icily. His hands drop mine. The warmth and comfort vanish. "I need some assistance getting ready for tonight. You have to help me pick out my dress!"

He groans. "I thought you were gonna surprise me"

"Guardian Hathaway – help me out here will you?"

I sigh and nod in agreement. 10 dresses later and Annabel has finally settled on a skimpy black number that emphasises what little curve she has leaving nothing to the imagination.

Adrian's gaze came to rest on her perky breasts that were almost slipping out of her dress.

"I take it you like it?" Anna grins. Adrian just nods, eyes still glued to her chest.

I scowl at both of them and stalk off to my room. I throw on my guardian uniform and toss my hair into a sleek bun showing off my many marks.

I escort Adrian and Annabel out of the suite ignoring the looks Adrian keeps shooting me. Reprieve comes in the form of Joey and James waiting – rather impatiently – in the hallway.

"Joey. James." I greet. I can tell by their identical smirks that my relief is more than evident on my face.

"Hathaway!" Joey greets jovially. "Happy to see us?" I can only nod.

"You're looking ravishing as always" James adds. Blush colours my cheeks at his compliment

"You're not so bad yourself" I tease. If I'm honest, James is actually quite a looker with his hard toned body and chiseled jaw. He has golden locks and icy blue eyes - almost enough to make a girl drool. It's a shame they weren't green...

"So..." I start, making sure Adrian and Annabel are far enough ahead to be out of ear shot. "how... how bad are these things? The last one was terrible" I mutter darkly to my companions.

"Actually your stomach was damn well hilarious" Joey remarks.

"Hey! I was hungry!" I defend.

"It added some much needed dramatics" James jokes "I fear without that lucky addition it would have been like watching paint dry."

And boy was he right. I would have rather had to sort the entire court's archives. Hell even watching paint dry would have been better. It was filled with stupid frivolities and Adrian staring not so subtly at Anna's breasts as they nearly spilled over the top of her dress. We guardians were at least allowed to eat – at a separate table. A "commoner's meal" is what we were served because we supposedly didn't deserve any better. It's not like we routinely save their sorry asses from the Strigoi. No. Not at all...

The next few weeks pass in a blur. It's more of the same really: non-stop training, formal dinners and a drunken Adrian.

Today is my first meeting with the queen in order to discuss the special op she wants me to run. It was, after all, part of our agreement when she assigned me to Adrian. I round the corner to her stately office...

"Tatiana" I greet professionally. I'm not sure when we made it to a first name basis but I roll with it anyway.

"Rose" she returns. Neither of us bother with niceties. We cut straight to the chase.

"There is new intel about our target. He has been sighted just north of here." Tatiana began gravely. I nod briskly waiting for her to continue. She hands me some documents with text and maps spanning the pages.

"I have arranged a shopping trip between Lady Asher and Lord Ivashkov. When you accompany them you will need to find time to slip away from the group. I want you to investigate as best you can. We both know you seem to have a special talent for spotting the strigoi..." Tatiana trails off giving me a knowing look. I smirk sheepishly. "You'll have to do some quick area scouting before the trip to establish some parameters. I trust you'll be able to find some time to do that?"

"Yes" I respond firmly, meeting the challenge in her eyes.

"Good. You may go" she dismisses me with a wave of her gloved hand.

I turn sharply ready to make a quick exit. "Oh, and Rose?" Tatiana calls to me.

I turn and cock an eyebrow impatiently in her direction. "Memorize those and then burn them." She gestures to the documents in my hands.

I smirk "With pleasure." The office door closes with a smart snap.

t KNg