Dimitri's Point of View in Frostbite (Vampire Academy) (Book 2)

Part 6

Tasha was Christain's Aunt. When his parents had turned Strigoi, they'd come back for him, hoping to hide him away and turn him Strigoi when he was older. Tasha had fended them off, taking a nasty battle wound in return. She had saved Christain by providing enough distraction until the guardians showed up.

Tasha extended her gloved hand out to Rose. "Tasha Ozera," she said. "I've heard a lot about you, Rose."

I caught Rose glaring at Christian.  Tasha saw this and laughed. "Don't worry, it was all good."

"No it wasn't " Christian countered.

Tasha shook her head in exasperation. "Honestly, I don't know where he got such horrible social skills. He didn't learn them from me."

"What are you guys doing out here?" Rose asked.

"I wanted to spend some time with these two." A small frown wrinkled her forehead. "But I don't really like hanging around the school itself. They aren't always hospitable..."

Normally, school officials fell all over themselves whenever royals came to visit. But because Lucas and Moira had decided to turn Strigoi, the Moroi world hadn't been too kind whenever the Ozeras were around.

"Because...because of what happened..." Rose said.

Tasha shrugged it off. "That's the way it is." She rubbed her hands together and exhaled, her breath making a frosty cloud in the air. "But let's not stand out here, not when we can build a fire inside."

I led them all into the cabin, Rose was the last one to arrive inside. The cabin was bare, covered in layers of dust and dirt. It consisted of only one room. there was a narrow bed with no covers in the corner and a few shelves where food had once been stored. There was a fireplace, and after a few moments Tasha had lit the logs, and we had a blaze going that warmed the small area. The five of us sat down, huddling around its head, Tasha then produced a bag of marshmallows that we cooked over the flames.

Tasha always had a kind and loving heart, always caring about others and never for herself. She has been like that since the first time I met her.

As we feasted, Lisssa and Christain talked to each other in an easy, comfortable way the always had. And although I wanted to deny it, in the back of my mind I found myself wishing that Rose and I could do that. Where we could just sit down and talk and not worry about our complicated love life. But life wasn't that easy when you were a dhampir.

To get my mind off Rose I turned to Tasha, talking to her in the same familiar light way. She was always easy to talk to, and made me feel like an equal rather than someone lower than her. I relaxed minute by minute finding myself familiar with Tasha. She was the only one who made life seem easy, with that laid back air of hers. And in no time I found myself laughing and smiling more than I have in a long time.

We had been catching up with each other. Talking about our busy lives. After a while into our conversation Rose interrupted.

"So are you coming on the ski trip?"

Tasha nodded. Stiffening a yawn, she stretched herself out like a cat. " I haven't been skiing in age. No time. been saving all my vacation for this."

"Vacation?" Rose gave her a curious look. "Do you have... a job?"

"Sadly, yes." Tasha said, though I knew she wasn't sad about it at all. "I teach martial arts classes."

Rose stared at Tasha in astonishment. I knew why she had caught sudden interest in martial arts was because of what happened with Christians parents.

A lot of royals didn't work at all, and if they did, it was for some investment or other moneymaking business that furthered their family fortunes. And those who did work certainly didn’t' do a lot of martial arts or physically demanding jobs. Moroi had a lot of great attributes: exceptional senses--smell, sight, and hearing--and the power to work magic. But physically, they were tall and slender, often small-boned. They also got weak from being in sunlight. But those things weren't enough to prevent someone from becoming a fighter, but it did make it more challenging. Most Moroi had shielded away from the physical combat. Hiding in places like the Academy to depend on strong and trained dhampirs to protect them.