I did not, however, tell her just how much Dimitri knew. She would freak out. I trusted Dimitri with my life and hers, but I knew Lissa did not have the same connection. It would take time for her to trust Dimitri.
                          
But I was glad that today at least would not revolve around dead animals or even school. No, today we would be going shopping. Well, they would be shopping. I would be guarding them. I guess it was the only way they would let me go. I smelled Dimitri's hand in this and for that I was grateful.
                          
We piled into the cars. Viktor, Natalie, Lissa and a few other royal girls were along for the trip. So this meant there would be a horde of guardians coming along for the ride. There were Viktor's personal guards, as well as some school guardians, which I guess, included me at the moment.
                          
Natalie and Lissa sat next to each other and I sat a row back behind Lissa. Dimitri joined me there in the backseat.
                          
"I know this is not what you wanted but it is better than nothing. So let's go over the rules for today. Today you will be pair guarding. I will function as far guard and you will be Vasilisa's near guard."
                          
I saw Lissa look at Dimitri funny when he called her Vasilisa. I keep telling him to call her Lissa, but he doesn't seem to want to butch. He even now and then refers to her as the Princess. Not when she is around, he knew she would chastise him for it. But in official settings, he would say it to others. At least he isn't reciting her full name and title every time he talks about her. That is like two lines long. I guess we would have to pick our battles on that one.
                          
"I think me being near guard is a good strategic move. I mean you would look rather silly if not a little creepy hanging so close to teenage girls."
                          
I laughed, Dimitri sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He tended to do that a lot when I was around. He took a deep breath before continuing.
                          
"You will be wearing an earpiece to communicate with me and the other guardians. But your main focus is on Lissa and communicating with me directly. You can join them in the shopping to look as natural as possible, but you cannot leave their side for an instant, meaning you cannot go into the dressing stall to try on clothes."
                          
Now it was my time to sigh.
                          
"Here, just in case. I am sure you know how to handle one of these."
                          
Dimitri handed me a stake. Actually, I had no idea on how to handle a stake. I had used weapons in my Strigoi fights, but this was mostly whatever I could get my hands on, on the black market. Knives and swords mostly. It isn't that easy to come by a silver stake infused by vampire magic on the human black market. Who would have thought?
                          
"Pointy end goes into the bad guy?"
                          
Dimitri chuckled at this.
                          
"Remind me to start on stake training tomorrow."
                          
The rest of the trip was spent in silence. I put my iPod on and started to stare outside the window. We were leaving during daylight hours because it would diminish the chance of Strigoi. This did mean we were going during our night time. Usually, we were asleep right now. I decided to try and take a nap. It was a long way to the mall.
                          
When we got there, we divided the group into teams and started shopping. Natalie, Lissa and I were in one group. We were escorted by Dimitri and two of Viktor's guardians. Dimitri and the two other Guardians stayed at a distance while I stayed close to the girls.
                          
Lissa was dragging me into store after store. I could feel how excited she got over each and every item she was holding. In an hours' time, Lissa and Natalie had already piled on the bags. Of course, they were not the ones holding the bags. Most of the bags were carried by Viktor's Guardians. Occasionally one would go back to the vans to drop some bags off.