Chapter 1:

You would think that being twenty-three is amazing. That you are out partying, drinking and getting yourself into all kinds of trouble. For most college students, it's just that; getting into sticky situations learning from them and then moving on. For me, it's the exact opposite. I already have been through too horrific situations and now all I want to do is stay under the radar, get my degree, and not die in the process.

I should probably introduce myself, my name is Rose Hathaway, and I am a student at the most prestigious institution in the world, St. Vladimir's. Only a few get in. Over half of them come from money, but then there are kids like me here for the special offers that this school has. I was what the school called invited in. I can recall it like yesterday.

Once I applied to every university I could get into my mom and I put my cute sister Emily to bed. After my sister was fast asleep my mom pulled me to the side. She said, "Rose, I know you have had a lot of hills to climb and homes in your past. I know that they have never been permanent but know that this is your home now. I love you like you are my own flesh and blood." She was barely able to choke out these words because she was balling. I was on the verge of tears because no one had ever bothered to open their hearts and home up to me. Everything was golden, perfect, I felt loved and safe for the first time in my life.

That night the darkness came once again. I heard them before I saw them. In the shadows of my room so very slightly you could see the eyes of something that is the shape of a small dog. But it was no dog, it had the stealth of a cat and this creature was made from shadows. I took out my bronze dagger. It was light weight and fit perfectly in my hand, almost like it was made for me. It is the only thing I have had since birth. I have no idea where it came from, but I have been very grateful for it on several occasions. While I was reaching for the dagger, I never stopped looking at the Dat (what I call these creatures). When I had my hand around the dagger that's when the Dat decided to move quicker than my eyes could catch. My instincts immediately knew what to do and I threw the knife. The dagger landed right in between the endless black holes of what I think are the eyes of the Dat. And then suddenly it dissipates; I quickly look around for more not finding any. I then listen to see if my mom or sister has heard anything. I could still hear my sister snoring and my mom hasn't come in to check in on me yet so she still must be asleep. I flip the light on because light is the only thing that can keep these creatures away. I was so foolish for thinking that everything was over because nothing had attacked me for the last year, but I was so very wrong.

Exhausted from an emotional day and kicking myself for what I was about to do in the morning I closed my eyes to fall asleep. I heard my dagger reappear on my nightstand. Grateful that I at least had my dagger as a constant, at least I could never part with it. I literally mean I can't part with it, it's kind of just appears next to me. I fell asleep thinking that at least I got to experience what having a home felt like even though it was only for a little bit.

I wake up early not ready to tell my mom and that I was going to have to leave. I open the door and walk to the kitchen where I hear my mom making pancakes that she has perfected but are annoyingly healthy.

"Mom, I have something to tell you." She has her back turned to me and cannot see what is clearly written across my face. I try to put my emotions back behind the walls I have built for these kinds of things.

"What is it sweetie?"

"Uhm well… I think that… uhm." She turns around and looks with so much concern and love that it stuns me. Her worry touches my heart where no one else has ever been able to before.

"Honey you can tell me anything what is it?" And that's when the doorbell rings. "Hold on let me get that real quick and then we can get back to this conversation." She walks to the door and comes back with a package in her hands. She looks at me puzzled and says, "It is for you." I look at her confused but also feeling blessed for the distraction.

I take the package that has no return address and go to sit on the blueish green couch. She and I both look at each other perplexed and I open it. With it came my first acceptance letter to college, Saint Vladimir's. And I hand it to her not bothering to read the packet. Knowing from my research that Saint Vlad's is way too expensive for me to afford. My FASFA would never be able to cover it. While she was flipping through the packet, I looked back into the package and there was a white envelope.

"Dear Rose Hathaway,

We are pleased to accept you into the prestige university of Saint Vladimir. You have been granted a full ride to our university. We would also like to inform you that you will never have to worry about your family's finances and safety. All we ask of you is that you continue to work on your special abilities here at Saint Vladimir's."

There was also an unreasonable amount of other rules that I would have to follow but more importantly nothing in the packet or letter defines what these special abilities are. I understand my life isn't a normal human's life and I do have some particularities but nothing that will make me special. The only thing special about me was the dagger that I have, and occasionally, something or someone tries to kill me. Besides that, I am a normal girl just trying to get her major and then go to law school. I accept their offer anyways because that means I get to keep my sister and mom safe and that also means I can stay in their lives.

I have been attending Saint Vlad's for about two years now and no one has told me yet what these special abilities are. Hopefully no one will notice, and I won't have to worry about explaining to anyone that I wasn't special to begin with. I just hope when they find out they won't make me pay for the education I have already received and kick me out. But everything has been quite peaceful for the last two years and my mom and sister have been safe, which is more than I could ask for.

Coming back to reality, I hear right out my door my best friend Lissa arguing about something with someone. I wasn't really paying attention to what it was, but I was about to get an ear full from her anyways. She was probably trying to convince someone to go get her something, which she is surprisingly good at. She can convince almost anyone to do anything she wants. It's probably because she is so sweet that it is impossible to say no. The door flies open, and she practically shouts
"That's enough." Seeing her angry is amusing she just looks like a sweet kitten that you want to protect and love. But right now, she is an angry kitten and I must tread carefully.
"Enough of what?' I look up at from the book History of Sexuality, we were supposed to read for my Philosophy class.
"You, staying in this room all break, not getting out and doing things that normal college students do. You need to get out there and live your life. You can't hide behind your books."
"But I have to finish this book before break ends, and you know the rules if I get caught doing something I shouldn't be doing my full ride scholarship is revoked and I have to pay for the education I have already received and we both know that I can't afford it."
"They aren't going to revoke your scholarship because you are having fun Rose, just don't murder anyone and we are fine. There is a party tonight, please come, you will have fun. You know I need you right now with it being the eve of my family's death and all. Please oh please come."

She really does have a knack at convincing people to do things she wants them to do. Lissa lost her family about five years ago and was also in foster care for a while because she is the last of her line. When she turned eighteen though she got her inheritance from her family and with it she decided to attend Saint Vlads. Her and I have opposite personalities, but we were both in foster care which is why we are best friends now. No one here seems to even know what foster care is. I give an exacerbated sigh while looking into those big brown eyes of my best friend. I couldn't say no to that face, she would be so happy to get me out.

"Fine, on one condition though wherever we go must be lowkey. I don't want to deal with too much. "
"Of course!" she says all too happy.
I let her dress me up and do whatever she wanted with my hair and makeup since this was more to make her happy than anything else. She was digging through my closet when I looked in the mirror. I hadn't looked in a mirror in what felt like decades. My style is baggy sweaters and leggings, hair up in a messy bun and glasses that frame my face. I looked like any other girl I guess would look like. I have blue eyes, long flowy dark brown hair that reached to my waist, a nice proportional body. Nothing big just Plain old Jane from down the street. I then sat back and let Lissa take the reins. She put me in her favorite black dress that she had conveniently gotten for me for my birthday last year. It was a strapless dress that had a sweetheart neckline and the rest of the dress just clung to every inch of my body in a perfect way.

Lissa curled my hair and did my makeup just perfectly like the amazing person she is. I didn't look like myself at all. Surely if I get into trouble, they won't recognize me. Lissa then finished herself up while I went to go finish the book I was reading. I had been reading it for months and still don't understand it. She looked like an angel, long blond flowing hair, skinny like those models you see on the front page of vouge but on her it looked healthy.

"I don't understand why you don't dress up more often Rose you look stunning."

"I doubt anyone looks at me when you are in the same room Liss."

"Stop that you are gorgeous. Ready?"
"Ready as I will ever be." I grumble.
We called ourselves an Uber. Lissa politely said hello to the uber driver but the uber driver just nodded and went to our destination. I realized we were too dressed up to go to a normal college party, and then I realized that I forgot to ask Lissa what party we were going to. Already not looking forward to the answer I asked her.
"What are you getting me into?" I asked accusingly.
"My parent's annual party, they still host it even after…" she just let the sentence trail off not wanting to get too emotional. I hold her hand while she stares out the window.
"I can't believe they still host it." I wish I could kill everyone who had anything to do with this party. Lissa doesn't need this to be added to her grief.
"Ya. It is just some stupid publicity stunt, they want to show how much they still care, when they don't. The only time my family is mentioned is when people say the name of the party. It's just a party to rub elbows and schmooze ."
We finally made it to the Ivashov mansion, they at least didn't want to hold it in the Dragomir's because they felt like it was a disgrace, but we all knew that just holding this party was a disgrace. There are twelve "royal" families, royal is just another word for old money around here, all twelve royal families go to this University. From what I hear they all go to the same elementary middle high school and the university. This school seems to be centered around these rich spoiled children. Well everyone except for Lissa who is the last Dragomir who has grown up with these people her entire life. The worst part is when she needed one of them to take her in everyone turned their backs on her.
The Uber drops us off in front and we walk up to the door, I was waiting for her to go in first since technically this was her party, and I knew once we walked in we would be the center of attention or at least she would be. Which I was not looking forward to, I hated having people stare.
"You ready?" she asks
"Ready as I ever will be."
She opens the door and there's another set of stairs and we can here from the sounds that the party was just over them. We make it to the top of the stairs. I look down and I immediately notice all the people that I have been avoiding for the last two years because I didn't want to deal with their stupid rich people drama. I notice that they were all staring at us too. Everything gets quiet for a party, and almost everyone ends up staring at us.
"You think they could make it any more awkward?" Lissa whispers at me.
"Nah I think they could make it a lot more awkward," I whisper to her. As we descend the stairs. I slightly trip on myself on the way down and I can feel the room loosen up almost immediately
"Good one Rose." Lissa laughs and I glare at her in response.

Everything immediately picked up and it was just like the any stickup elbow rubbing party I have ever seen. I then went to the bar. I told the bartender to get me something good. He came back with a cocktail of some sorts. I sipped on the drink not really tasting it. I was contemplating if I should get myself at least a little bit tipsy to get through this night. But I decided against it my alcohol tolerance levels are extremely high for some reason and I would have to have about fifty of these before I even started feeling the effects just a little bit. I was about on my fifth one though because they still tasted amazing and I also wanted an excuse to not talk anyone. But that's when my luck changed and my one and only ex-boyfriend, Jesse Zeklos showed up. He is the biggest ass hole in the universe, and I want him to shrivel up in a hole and die. Remember what he did to me makes me want to punch him in the face which is surprising because I hate confrontation.

"Hello Rose, you sure know how to make an entrance with tripping and making a fool of yourself huh." He smirks at me.