Vampire Academy One-Shots

From Afar

Guardian Petrov nodded, "Dimitri Belikov. Heaven knows what they're arguing about now. Although judging by her reaction she lost."

"They were just arguing out in the open like that? Isn't that something they should keep to themselves?" I asked, still shocked at their display.

"Trust me, that was nothing. If it had been a serious argument they probably would have waited until they got home or done it before leaving their shifts."

"They would have argued in front of their Moroi?" That was even more shocking than this public display.

She laughed again, "You really didn't pay much attention to gossip, did you?"

I shook my head, "Gossip was a waste of my time, ma'am."

"None of that anymore. You're a guardian now, act like it." She turned towards where the couple had just reappeared, Guardian Belikov trailing behind Guardian Hathaway-Belikov as she hurled insults over her shoulder. "And to answer your question, Rose's best friend is her charge, and Belikov's charge is her charge's boyfriend."

"She's best friends with the Queen?" The queen of the Moroi was best friends with a dhampir?

She snorted, "That's what I just said. Now close your mouth. They're coming over and they don't appreciate staring."

"Alberta!" Guardian Hathaway-Belikov shouted as she walked over, a grin on her face as Guardian Belikov laced his hand through hers. I flinched at her casual use of Guardian Petrov's name. She noticed, of course. She was a trained guardian of the Royal Guard. She had to notice the small things.

She scrutinized me before nodding, "Ah, I forgot today was new guardian day. It's good to see you again, Alberta." She pulled Guardian Petrov into a hug and got one in return. That was more shocking than anything else.

"Shouldn't you address her as Guardian Petrov?" I blurted out and got three very amused looks in return.

Guardian Hathaway-Belikov even let out a laugh, "The first thing you need to know about me is that I don't use titles too often, especially when the person in question practically raised me."

Guardian Petrov raised an eyebrow, "I hardly raised you, Rose."

She snorted, "Yes, you did. You signed all my permission slips, and before this guy came around I went to you for advice if I couldn't go to Lissa."

I was able to hold back my gasp at her calling the Queen by her first name. A nickname, no less.

"Oh, Rose. Even three years later you're still a handful."

I expected a frown, even an offended remark, but the woman in question simply grinned, "You wouldn't have me any other way, you know you love me."

Guardian Petrov smiled good-naturedly and turned to Guardian Belikov. "What about you, Belikov. Treating Rose right, I assume?" I didn't miss the warning note in her voice and wondered if it had anything to do with the connection she apparently had to Guardian Hathaway-Belikov.

The man who I'd nearly forgotten about grinned, "Of course. Although I can't say the same for her."

That got an offended response. "Not cool, Comrade. Besides, as I recall I wasn't the one dragging you away over my shoulder."

Guardian Belikov rolled his eyes, "Because you were making a scene over my music selection."

Music? That's what their argument had been about?

"Still?" Guardian Petrov asked, amused, "You two need to work out an arrangement before you kill each other over eighties music."

Guardian Hathaway-Belikov groaned, "It's not even the eighties music! That I can usually deal with. But he keeps insisting on listening to country music lately and it's driving me nuts! He refuses to admit that modern music is way better."