Snakes In The Grass

26

"Nobody, aside from Dimitri, me, Croft and my father know that they're alive. They worked very hard to stay hidden. Christian doesn't even know," I explained. Tasha nodded and wiped her eyes.

"If we do this, he can come home?"

I nodded and Tasha dropped the phone back onto the table, leaning forward as she covered her face. Her shoulders shook and I got up and moved to crouch beside her, rubbing my hand over her shoulder. I couldn't help but feel for her. She truly believed that her brother was dead and that it was her fault. For years she carried the guilt of the death of her brother and sister-in-law, seeing them in Christian every time she looked at Christian.

"I can't believe they're alive," Tasha whispered thickly, looking at me with bloodshot eyes. I nodded and chuckled.

"To be fair, Dimitri almost tore a strip of your brother when we met them. He was furious, mostly because he thought that two Strigoi were living three houses down from us," I explained and Tasha laughed wetly.

"I can see it," she chuckled before wiping her face, "This is going to crush Christian."

"What do you mean?"

Tasha sighed and got up, went to the small kitchenette and pulled a jug of water out of the fridge and poured two glasses before she came back. She took a long drink of hers before she answered me.

"Christian is going to feel abandoned more than he already does. He isn't going to give them the response they think they're going to get. He's going to be cold and then warm up to them," she explained. As soon as she said it, I understood. I remembered what he was like when we came back, I could only imagine what was going to happen with his parents.

Tasha cupped her face in her hands. "If only I had just let them ruin me, none of this would of happened."

I shrugged. "I'm a firm believer that fate and destiny are bitches and life would have found itself back on this track. Don't beat yourself up too much. You were young, you were worried about the reputation of your family. I can see why you did it," I said sympathetically.

Tasha laughed and lifted her hands. "And to think that I thought you hated me," she said and I shook my head.

"Tasha, I respect you. Sure, I wasn't happy about you asking Dimitri to be your Guardian, but that never meant I didn't respect you as a person. You fought for Dhampirs, you tried to convince people that Moroi were part of the problem. It was only recently when I didn't like you, and you went and did the right thing. That means something to me, and to Dimitri."

She looked at me and pressed her lips into a thin line. "Do you think he'll ever forgive me? Dimitri?"

I sighed. That was a difficult question to answer. He felt wrong by her, and he was furious with her for the trauma I endured. He uprooted his life to protect me and our child.

"It will take time. But me forgiving you will sway him," I said with a small smile, "But you still need to earn his forgiveness."

Tasha nodded again and I stood up, noticing the time.

"I need to get going. I have to take Briar for a check-up," I said. Tasha stood up and sniffed quietly before hugging me. I was taken aback by it before returning the gesture.

"I haven't told you, but I am happy for you and Dimitri. Al of this has made me see the truth, and you make him happy. You understand him in a way I never could. You gave him a child that I was adamant wasn't his. You gave him exactly what he wanted. And you make him smile. I really hope that you two live long and happy lives together," she said before pulling back and looking down at my left hand.