Now everyone knows, thanks to that dress."

I clenched my fists and leaned toward him. "Don't you dare talk about her like that, old man."

"I'm not saying anything that isn't obvious to everybody else. It'll certainly be obvious to young Rolan soon."

"You don't know anything about them!" Yet I didn't believe my own words, not after seeing them walk off together. Abe, I could tell, knew what I was thinking.

"These girls all say it won't happen to them. But it always does. It's what'll happen to you if you stay."

"Oh, here we are," I said mockingly. "I knew a threat had to be coming. The part where you order me again to leave the country or else bad, bad things will happen."

He gestured toward the door, where more Moroi and dhampirs were going. "I don't even need to make anything bad happen. You'll do it on your own by staying here. You'll waste your life away, running errands for Olena Belikova. Potlucks will become the most exciting thing in your world."

"They're good people," I growled. "Don't mock them."

"Oh, I'm not denying that." He straightened his silk scarf. "They are good people. But they aren't your people. This is a fantasy. You're deluding yourself." He was all sternness now. "Your grief has sent you here. Your man was ripped away from you, and you've ripped yourself away from your old friends. You're trying to make up for it by convincing yourself that this is your family, that this is your home.

They're not. This isn't."

"I could make this my home." I still wasn't sure of that, but my stubborn nature made me want to contradict him.

"You aren't meant for Baia," he said, dark eyes blazing. "You're meant for better things. You need to go back home, back to your school and the Dragomir princess."

"How the h.e.l.l do you know about her? Who are you? When are you going to tell me who you work for? What do you want with me? " I had a feeling I was on the verge of hysterics. Hearing him refer to Lissa snapped something inside of me.

"I'm merely an observer who can tell you're wasting your time here. This is no life for you, Rose. Your life is back in the States. They say you were on track to be a great guardian. Do you know what an honor it is to be a.s.signed to the last Dragomir? You could spend your life in elite, powerful circles. The reputation you've already gained will raise you in status and regard. You have a stunning career ahead of you, and it's not too late to go back to it. Not yet."

"Who are you to talk about how I should live my life? I've heard that your hands are b.l.o.o.d.y-Zmey. You're not exactly a good role model.

What is it you're involved in, anyway?"

"My own affairs. And it's exactly because of the life I lead that you should listen to me when I say abandon this path and go back home."

His words were urgent and authoritative, and I couldn't believe he had the audacity to talk to me like that. "That's not my life anymore," I said icily.

He gave a harsh laugh and gestured around us once more. "What, and this is? You want to go off and be a blood wh.o.r.e like your friend in there?"

"Don't call her that!" I shouted. "I don't care if you've got bodyguards or not. I will hurt you, old man, if you say anything else about Viktoria."

He didn't flinch at my explosion. "That was harsh, I admit. She's not a blood wh.o.r.e. Not yet. But she's one step away from it. As I said, it always happens in the end. Even if you aren't used by someone like Rolan Kislyak-and believe me, he will use her, just like he did her sister-you'll still end up alone with a baby you're way too young for."

"Her... wait." I froze. "Are you saying he's the guy who got Sonya pregnant? Why would Viktoria be involved with him after he did that and left her sister?"

"Because she doesn't know. Sonya doesn't talk about it, and Mr. Kislyak thinks it's a game, getting two sisters into bed. Too bad for him that Karolina's smarter than the others or he could have had them all. Who knows?" He gave me a sardonic smile. "Maybe he'll consider you part of the family enough to go after you next."

"Like h.e.l.l. I'd never get involved with anyone like that. I'm never going to be involved with anyone again. Not after Dimitri."

Abe's sternness gave way to momentary amus.e.m.e.nt. "Oh, Rose. You are young. You've barely lived. Everyone thinks their first love is the only one they'll ever have."

This guy was really p.i.s.sing me off, but I gained enough control to decide I wasn't going to punch him. At least, I didn't think so. I backed up a little, toward the building. "I'm not going to play your game here. And you can tell whoever you're working for that I'm not playing theirs either and that I'm not going back." One way or another, whether it was to hunt Dimitri or live with his family, I was staying in Russia.

"You're going to have to box me up and ship me there."

Not that I wanted to give Abe any ideas. I suspected he could do it if he wanted. d.a.m.n it. Who was behind this? Who would want to find me badly enough to send this guy after me? Weirder still, whoever it was was someone who cared enough about me to attempt reason. If Abe had actually wanted to abduct me, he already would have. He could have done it the night he brought me to Baia. All he would have had to do was keep driving to the nearest airport. I eventually needed to figure this out, but first I needed to get away from Abe.

I backed up further. "I'm leaving, and you can't stop me. And don't spy on me anymore. This ends now."

Abe studied me for several seconds, his dark eyes narrowed thoughtfully. I could practically see the wheels of plots and world domination spinning in his head. At last he said, so quietly I could hardly hear him, "It won't end with them, though."

"Who?"

He pointed at the door. "Viktoria and Rolan." "What are you getting at?"

"You know what I'm getting at. She thinks she's in love with him. He knows she'll be back in school tomorrow. Tonight's his last chance with her, and he won't waste it. There are lots of bedrooms in there. They're probably in one right now."

I tried to control my breathing. "Then I'll go tell her mother."

"It'll be too late. She'd never find them in time, and tomorrow, Viktoria will be on her way to school -and he'll have no interest anymore.

What can her mother do after the fact? Ground her?"

I was getting angry, largely because I had a feeling he was right. "Fine. Then I'll drag her off myself."

"That'll never happen. She wants to do this. She won't leave with you. Even if she did, she'd just find him again."

I eyed him. "Enough. You're obviously hinting at something, so just get on with it."

He smiled, apparently pleased at my astuteness-or maybe my bluntness. "If you want to save her, you've got to go through him. Through Rolan."

I scoffed. "Not likely. The only way he'd leave her alone is if I offered to take her place." And hey, friendship only went so far.

"Not if I talk to him."

"What are you going to do, give him a talk on morality and sway him with reason?"

"Oh, I'll sway him, all right. But believe me, I won't do it with reason-well, at least not the kind you're thinking of. If I tell him to leave her alone, he'll leave her alone. For good."

I stepped backward without realizing it and hit the wall. Abe looked scary as h.e.l.l. Zmey. I didn't doubt his words at all. He could get Rolan to leave Viktoria alone. In fact, he probably wouldn't even use his dhampirs. Abe could deliver enough terror-and probably a good punch- to make it happen.

"Why would you do that for me?" I asked.

"As a sign of good faith. Promise to leave Baia, and I'll deal with him." His eyes gleamed. Both of us could feel the net closing around me.

"That's your tactic now? You're offering me a trade? My leaving isn't really worth you scaring some Moroi a.s.shole."

The net grew tighter. "Isn't it, Rose?"

Frantically, I thought about what to do. Some part of me thought Viktoria was free to make her own choices, to love whom she wanted...

but I knew for a fact that Rolan didn't love her. She was a conquest for him, as shown by his willingness to go after me -and Sonya, apparently. What would happen to Viktoria? Would she become like the rest of the women here? Would she be the next Belikov to have a baby? Even if she had no intentions of becoming a guardian, this wasn't the right path for her. Karolina had declined to join the guardians and now lived a respectable life with her kids and a job that-if not exciting-was steady and allowed her to keep her dignity. I couldn't let Viktoria turn down a road that could ruin the rest of her life. I couldn't let that happen to Dimitri's sister.

Dimitri...

I knew him. I knew his protective nature. He would never let anything happen to those he cared about. I hated the thought of that blood wh.o.r.e den, but I still would have run in to get her-because that was what Dimitri would have done. But I didn't know if I'd find her there in time. I knew, however, that Abe could-and that he could keep Rolan away forever. And so, I spoke without fully understanding the consequences of my words.

"I'll leave Baia."

Chapter Fifteen

Abe glanced over at one of his guardians and gave a swift nod. The man instantly walked away. "It's done," Abe said.

"Just like that?" I asked in disbelief.

His lips quirked into a smile. "Rolan knows who I am. He knows who works for me. Once Pavel makes my... ah, wishes known, that will be the end of it."

I shivered, knowing Abe spoke the truth. Considering what a smarta.s.s I'd been to Abe this whole time, it really was a wonder I hadn't had my feet set in cement and been tossed into the ocean. "So why aren't you forcefully dragging me out of here?"

"I never like to make anyone do anything they don't want to. Even Rolan. It's much easier if people simply see reason and do what I ask them to, without the use of force."

"And by 'see reason,' you mean, 'blackmail,'" I said, thinking of what I'd just agreed to.

"We made a trade," he said. "That's all. Don't forget your end of the bargain. You promised to leave here, and you don't seem like the type to go back on your word."

"I don't."

"Rose!"

Viktoria suddenly appeared at the door. Wow, that was fast. Pavel was calmly dragging her by her arm. Her hair was mussed, and a dress strap was slipping from her shoulder. Her face was a mixture of incredulity and anger. "What did you do? That guy came and told Rolan to get out of here and never see me again! And then... Rolan agreed. He just left."

I found it slightly funny that Viktoria immediately blamed me for this. True, I was responsible, but Abe was standing right there. It wasn't a secret who his employees were. Nonetheless, I defended my actions.

"He was using you," I said.

There were tears in Viktoria's brown eyes. "He loves me."

"If he loves you, then why did he hit on me as soon as your back was turned?" "He did not!"

"He's the one who got Sonya pregnant."

Even in the alley's dim lighting, I saw her face pale. "That's a lie."

I threw up my hands. "Why would I make that up? He wanted to make plans with me as soon as you were out of town!"

"If he did," she said, voice shaking, "it was because you led him on."

I gaped. Beside me, Abe listened quietly, a smug look on his face. He was so self-satisfied and probably thought he was being proven right.

I wanted to punch him, but Viktoria was my concern.

"How can you think that? I'm your friend!" I told her.

"If you were my friend, you wouldn't be acting like this. You wouldn't try to stand in my way. You act like you loved my brother, but there's no way you could have-no way you really understand love!"

Didn't understand love? Was she crazy? If she only knew what I'd sacrificed for Dimitri, what I'd done to be where I was now... all for love. She was the one who couldn't understand. Love wasn't a fling in a back room at a party. It was something you lived and died for. My emotions surged, that darkness welling up within me that made me want to lash out in return for her horrible accusation. It was only through the strongest of efforts that I remembered she was already hurting, that she only said the things she did because she was confused and upset.

"Viktoria, I do understand, and I'm sorry. I'm only doing this because you're my friend. I care about you."

"You aren't my friend," she hissed. "You aren't part of this family. You don't understand anything about us or how we live! I wish you'd never come here." She turned and stormed away, pushing back inside through the long line of partygoers. My heart ached as I watched her.

I turned to Abe. "She's going to go try to find him."

He still wore that d.a.m.nably knowing expression. "It won't matter. He'll have nothing to do with her anymore. Not if he values that pretty face of his." I was worried for Viktoria but kind of had a feeling Abe was right about Rolan. Rolan would no longer be an issue. As for Viktoria's next guy... well, that was a worry for another day.

"Fine. Then we're done here. Do not follow me anymore," I growled.

"Keep your promise to leave Baia, and I won't have to."

I narrowed my eyes. "I told you: I always keep my promises."

And as I hurried back to the Belikov house, I suddenly wondered if that was true. The blowout with Abe and Viktoria was like cold water on my face. What was I doing here? To a certain extent, Abe had been right... I had been deluding myself, pretending Dimitri's family was my own in order to soothe my grief over him. But they weren't. This wasn't home. The Academy wasn't my home either, not anymore. The only thing I had left was my promise-my promise to Dimitri. The promise I'd somehow lost sight of since coming here.

Some of the Belikov family was in bed when I got home, but others were still in the living room. I slipped upstairs to my room, waiting anxiously for Viktoria to get home. A half hour later, I heard footsteps on the stairs and the sound of her door closing. I knocked gently on it.

"Viktoria," I said in a loud whisper. "It's me. Please talk to me."

"No!" came the response. "I don't ever want to talk to you again."

"Viktoria-"

"Go away!"

"I'm just worried about you."

"You aren't my brother! You aren't even my sister. You have no place here!"

Ouch. Her voice was m.u.f.fled by the door, but I didn't want to risk a fight in the hall and let the others hear. Going to my room, my heart breaking, I stopped and stood in front of the mirror. It was then that I knew she was right. Even Abe was right. Baia wasn't my place.

In a flash, my meager belongings were packed, but I hesitated before going downstairs. Viktoria's closed door stared at me, and I had to fight the urge to knock again. If I did, it would only trigger another fight. Or, maybe even worse, she would forgive me -and then I would want to stay forever, lost in the comfort of Dimitri's family and their simple life.

Taking a deep breath, I headed downstairs and walked out the front door. I wanted to tell the others goodbye but worried the same thing would happen, that I'd look at their faces and change my mind. I needed to go, I realized. I was angry at both Viktoria and Abe. Their words had hurt me, but there'd been truth in them. This wasn't my world. I had other things to do with my life. And I had a lot of promises to keep.