In Vampire Academy (novel), guardian in training Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway and Moroi princess Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir are brought back to their school, St. Vladimir's Academy, after running away two years previously. On returning, Guardian Dimitri Belikov, who was the leader of the team of guardians sent to retrieve the two, is assigned to be Lissa's guardian and offers to mentor Rose in her guardian training. He also believes Rose can be an excellent guardian to Lissa due to the presence of a rare one-sided psychic bond to Lissa, which allows her to know the latter's thoughts, emotions, and whereabouts. Rose agrees, knowing this is the only way she will be allowed to remain, and on graduation, be Lissa's guardian. When Lissa becomes depressed and engages in self-mutilation, it is revealed that she has a miraculous ability to heal others. Rose reaches through her bond while confined to her room to find that Lissa is being kidnapped. She sneaks out of her room to tell Dimitri that Lissa has been kidnapped, but they are distracted by a lust charm planted by Victor. After Dimitri disposes of the charm, she directs a convoy to the kidnapper's hideout and the school guardians are able to rescue her from the man she has called "Uncle" all her life, Victor. Dimitri reveals that he has feelings for Rose but cannot have a relationship with her because of their age difference, and also because he won't be able to guard Lissa if she is near him. This is where the first book, Vampire Academy, ends.
The story continues in Frostbite with Rose and Dimitri traveling to meet Arthur Schoenberg for Rose's Qualifier Exam. Once they arrive at the home of the Moroi family he protects, they discover a bloody massacre of the entire family and their guardians, including Arthur. To keep the students at St. Vladimir's Academy safe, a ski trip to a lodge owned by a wealthy Moroi family is required right after Christmas. During her stay at the lodge, Rose meets a royal Moroi named Adrian Ivashkov. During