Reading VA: Reading Frostbite (ON HOLD)

Ch 3: TWO

DPOV
"My sleeping beauty awakes," I sighed happily when Roza's eyes fluttered open.

I'd been gazing at her while gently studying her body for an hour or so. She really did look beautiful and at peace when she slept. She looked like precious and vulnerable yet mature young woman she was, and it was my duty to protect and treasure her. It was astounding and exciting to think this stunning and lethal lady would be my wife in a month's time.

"Morning Comrade," she yawned. "Another day of torture awaits," groaned my fiancé and she buried her head into my chest.
"I'll be right here, Roza. We can get through this. We will. Now, where's that beautiful, bold and brave man eater smile?"
My fiancé peeked up at me and unleashed the requested smile. It lit up her face and melted my heart.
"There it is!" I teased lovingly. "Come on, let's get dressed and join the others for breakfast.
"Lissa and our sisters are already talking wedding plans and dresses," Rose smirked. Then an outright, excited grin broke free and she squealed. "Yes! Yes, yes, yes yes yes!"
"Roza? What just went through the bond?"
"It's two-way! It's somehow found a way to allow Liss to read and communicate with me!" Two seconds later Roza laughingly screeched, "Lissa! Get out! I'm busy here!" Rose then rolled her eyes at whatever her friend had just said.
"Rose," I chuckled. "You may wanna think about learning to respond without speaking."
Now Roza burst into hysterics. "That's gonna be a tough habit to break!"
"Clearly," I grinned. Whatever made her happy made me happy.
"Let's get to breakfast before Lissa has our wedding plans finished without us."
"Is that such a bad thing?" I said suggestively against my fabulous and famous fiancé's lips.
"Mmm. Maybe not... Actually... It's definitely not a bad thing." She only allowed me to respond her kiss, her body, her love.

It was tough, but we eventually dressed and headed to breakfast. Because one simply does not argue with my future wife when she's hungry.

"Who's reading next?" enquired Roza after breakfast. Which had been a considerably large even for her serving of Blini.
"I am," said Janine while retrieving Frostbite. Immediately opening up to chapter two. Rose snuggled into my side. I'd never tire of this loving contact with her. "Dimitri made one phone call," Janine started. The group slipped into an intent silence, "and a veritable SWAT team showed up.
"It took a couple of hours, though, and every minute spent waiting felt like a year."
"That's what getting you back to the States felt like Kiz." Abe shook his head. "As was waiting for you to wake up from god knows what it was," spoiler alert before turning to face me. Uh oh. "I need to speak with you, Belikov. Now, if you wouldn't mind." That was a backhanded order.
"Of course." I pecked my fiancé's lips and gently disentangled, "I love you. You're strong, so so strong." I left a lingering kiss on her forehead and followed Abe out the door.

"Belikov," Abe sighed. "About Rose's time in Russia..."
"What about it, Sir?" I asked cautiously.
"Did my daughter drop out to hunt you down? And was the Strigoi responsible for all the bite marks and bruises on her neck when I found her on the outskirts of Novosibirsk? Did my daughter nearly get turned by the Strigoi you?"

Images of her and that tainted time together flashed in my mind's eye. The memory of the addictive taste and feeling of her blood flooded my senses. What I had done and what I had wanted to do to her assaulted my mind-the worst one was the number of times I had threatened to kill her and the number of times I tried to. I had forgiven myself. But that didn't mean it no longer hurt to think about, that I didn't struggle with accepting I had done the unimaginable to my precious Roza.

"Yes." I kept my voice neutral. Well I had tried to, it didn't work judging by the look on my father-in-law's face.
"Amazing." He shook his head in, well I'm not too sure what he was thinking. "Truly tragic. She loves you nonetheless. She's travelled the globe more than once and done things not even I'd be gutsy enough to try... all because she loves you more than life itself. If you think I'm a cunning mastermind she is far, far, far more dangerous and scheming. Don't underestimate her, Belikov."
"I won't. I've been on the receiving end of her scheming before..." I shook my head in something close to amusement, and definitely in awe at the memory of how she figured out how to escape Galina's mansion. "Truly incredible."
"Yes. She is. Look after her. I know she's good at holding her own, but I want her to have someone who focuses solely on her. You do. Make sure you continue to."
"I will, Sir. I can't not focus on her."
"Good." He gave a sharp nod. "Now let's return to our Hathaway women."