Light in the Dark

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Vampire Academy belongs to Richelle Mead.

Ch.3

DPOV

I was curious.

That girl, Rose Hathaway, had me curious about her. I wanted to know everything about her. So I turned to one of the closest people to her.

"Are you okay?" Eddie asked. "I apologize for her attitude."

"Is she always like that?"

He shrugged, avoiding my eyes. "It's not my place to tell you that."

"Then whose is it?" I asked.

He didn't look at me.

"Does it have something to do with the fact that she was smiling at your back just before we arrived in the gym?"

I watched as his muscles tensed.

"Does it have something to do with her element?"

"Like I said, it's not something I can tell you without her permission!" he snapped.

I stared at him as he worked to get himself under control. "You could ask her if you could tell me," I pointed out.

"Can we just abandon this conversation?"

"Who do you think is quite close to her?"

He studied me before answering. "Well, there's me, obviously, Lissa, and our father. But if you want to say as in Royal friends, there's always Adrian Ivashkov."

I frowned. Adrian Ivashkov, the son of Nathan Ivashkov and great-nephew of the High Queen? Playboy extraordinaire? I could ask him a few questions about Rose Hathaway, I suppose...

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, I hurried back to the privacy of my room.

I honestly can't catch a break.

"Dimka!" I heard my youngest sister's over-enthusiastic voice sounded just outside the door of my room just as I had collapsed on my bed. With a sigh, I stood up to let her in.

"Yes, Vika?" I was not in the mood to talk.

"Wow, what happened?" she giggled. "Did someone beat you in a match? You sound like you've just lost your favorite duster." Then she took a look at my stormy face, and said nervously, "Maybe I should go..."

"No, stay." I sighed again. "What do you want?"

"Why do you have to assume I want anything?" she frowned.

"Because you wouldn't be knocking on my door otherwise."

"Fine," she grumbled. "You're no fun. I was wondering if you'd let me take Rose Hathaway - you know, the gorgeous girl who may or may not be going to be your fiancée, Rose Hathaway - to my room for some girl time sometime?"

"Of course," I said. "Why do you need to ask me?"

"Because you might go all pissy when you find out your maybe-girlfriend missing, and then you're going to rip this house apart searching for her. Until next time!" She breezed off.

What the hell had just happened?

RPOV

After that eventful swordfight with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Silent, I decided to take a run. A run always helped matters.

I walked out the door I'd seen, the one I'd thought had led to outside. I was right.

I stepped out to a running track, one that was currently empty. Perfect.