Dangerous Lives

Chapter Eighteen

APOV

Only two days. Just two more days. I kept telling myself this but it wasn't helping. I couldn't relax. Lisa was in the corner of the cell cradling her daughter. I watched her as she rocked back and forth. Christian had given up talking to her. All she wanted to do was hold her baby. She wouldn't even let Christian hold her and I could tell that it hurt him. The pain was obvious on his face.

"Adrian." The thick accent was unmistakable. "Have you tried communicating with Rose?" I sighed and shook my head. "She's been awake all day?" It didn't seem like someone was blocking me.

"I... believe so." Dimitri sighed and leaned his head back against the concrete wall. "I haven't tried Alexa, but I'm not really sure it would be best to talk to her about this." Dimitri shook his head in what I assumed was agreement.

RPOV

Luka would not stop crying. It had been at least three hours. Max sat at the center island squinting as the buzzer went off on the microwave. I had never heard someone scream so loud or long, in my life. Babies were supposed to tire out eventually right?" Alexa's had sat perched on the top of the headrest. I watched as her head sagged every few minutes. I dumped the bag of blood into the bottle and up to Luka's lips. He moved his head away in protest. Max slammed his fists on the table.

"I did not sign up for this." Max growled just as the door unlocked and a tired looking Tanya walked in. There was blood all over her arm. I tried not to gag.

"What the hell is going on in here?" She screeched, slamming the door. Luka still refused to drink the blood. Exasperated I slammed the bottle on the counter and started banging my head on the cabinets. Luka was loud to me. I did not want to know what the Strigoi were hearing.

"Where's Nathan?" Max yawned laying his hand on the counter.

"How the hell should I know?" Tanya hissed. "I am going to take a shower. That thing better be quiet by the time I get out." I was tired. I was hungry. Luka would not shut up! In a last ditch effort I grabbed a kitchen knife and slit one of my writs, pressing it to his mouth. Nothing. Growling, Max grabbed his phone and stepped outside. He came back in and shut his eyes a few minutes later.

"Rose, shut him up!" Tears sprang in my eyes. I was overwhelmed. Max was mad. Luka was mad. Alexa looked mad. It took another ten minutes for Nathan to make an appearance. He stopped in the doorway and blinked.

"You're not supposed to be out of bed." I was shaking. My body was literally shaking.

"Are. You. Kidding me." I snapped. "It has been hours." Nathan sighed and walked over to me, taking Luka out of my arms. Max hadn't left yet I noticed.

"I'm not a child whisperer what do you expect me to do?"

"Shut that thing UP!" Tanya yelled opening the bedroom door. Everyone ignored her.

"He won't eat. He doesn't need changed. I don't know what to do." Nathan studied me for a moment.

"Alexandra," He spoke, not removing his eyes from mine. "Come over here." He handed Luka back to me and opened a drawer. He pulled out a syringe. My blood went cold. Nathan picked Alexandra's sleepy self and set her on the corner and plunged the needle into her arm. She was too tired to notice. After it was full he pulled out another bottle and poured her blood into it.

"Nathan..."

"Shut up Rose." The bottle was barely half full. Nathan held it up to Luka's lips. I expected him to turn away in revulsion but no. He opened his mouth and greedily sucked the bottle dry. When the bottle was removed there was silence. Luka curled into my chest and fell asleep.

"Shit." Max muttered from the counter. "He drinks Moroi blood." Dread filled me. Luka was been more Strigoi than I'd originally thought. He had the red eyes but...

"He-he's been drinking human blood the last few days." Nathan looked at me.

"It probably sustained him but he's getting to the point where he knows what he likes and dislikes." Once again I handed Luka off to Nathan.

"I'm going to sleep." I was so sick of this.

NPOV

The crying was do loud I thought my eardrums would burst. Luka was obviously hungry and Rose refused to open her eyes. He drank Moroi blood. Galina and I had discussed this possibility earlier, after noticing how quickly he'd drunk the human blood. It wasn't filing for him, more like a light snack. Alexandra was so exhausted he'd barely even acknowledged me sticking a needle in her. Rose didn't even put up a fight. When the crying died down Rose practically threw Luka into my arms and stalked off to bed.

"That was ridiculous" Tanya hissed. I turned on her.

"Get to sleep Tanya. You won't get much as it is." Tanya gave me a look that I shot right back at her.

"Where were you?" I ignored Max's question. Alexa had fallen asleep on the counter.

"Rose won't be able to handle this." I whispered mostly to myself. Max set a hand on my shoulder. I stepped aside to allow him access to Alexa.

"What do you mean?" He asked cradling her in his arms.

"Feeding Luka Moroi blood. She won't do it." I looked down at my sleeping son.

"What are you suggesting?"

"I don't know." I sighed. "I'm not sure it's a good idea for her to be around him."

AHPOV

Daddy thought I was asleep. I wasn't though I wish I was. I knew one thing. They were going to kill mamma. My first attempt was to talk to Adrian but he was unavailable so I tried mamma. I'd never actually tried to talk to mamma through spirit before. She'd always told me not to. But this was important. My background was on the beach my favorite place to be with Adrian. Mamma stood by the waves with her eyes closed.

"Mamma," I whispered. She looked over at me.

"Adrian taught you to do this." It wasn't a question. "You should be asleep." She didn't look angry, just tired.

"Mamma papa was talking to max..." I stopped talking and hugged her around the thighs. Her hands rested on my back. "He wants you dead." Strigoi dead or dead dead. It was all the same. She knelt in front of me and smiled softly.

"Forget about all of that. He needs me anyhow. Look, I was able to talk to Adrian while Nathan and Max were together. They have a plan. I want you to go with him." No, no no no no no. I wasn't leaving mamma.

"I will not leave you, mamma!" Mamma kissed my forehead.

"Sweetheart you must. Eventually you'll die too if you stay here. I'm not allowing you to be preyed upon by these Strigoi." Tears filled my eyes.

"Adrian won't leave you mamma." Mamma closed her eyes and sighed. It seemed she and Adrian had already had this conversation.

"You need to rest, a, doctors orders."