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

Shadow Kiss (Chapter 1)

“You must be freezing. Do you want my coat?” I asked ready to take it off at her command.

She shook her head. “I’m fine. What are you doing out here. Are you testing security too?”

“I am security. This is my watch.” I said.

“Well, good work.” She said. “I’m glad I was able to help test your awesome skills. I should be going now.”

She turned to walk back the way she came. Her eyes hurt and betrayed, and looking into them brought me back to the day in Spokane. When I and too many guardians to count went in search for her and four other students from St. Vladimirs. Mason, Mia and Eddie had ran from the ski resort in search for Stirgoi. They were revengeful for what the vampires did to the two royal families in the past and planned to kill them all.

Rose had heard about it and took off, not bothering to tell me about it. And in the process she wound up taking Christian with her as well. I thought at first it was to get her boyfriend Mason back saftly. But really it was about saving all of their lives; she had realized how stupid they were being and wanted to put some sense into them.

On their trip back the five of them ran into humans who had helped the Strigoi. Rose and the other novices had put up a good fight, but in the end they had lost and were held captive in a basement under a house. There the Strigoi had tortured Eddie and teased the Moroi.

Eventually after two days of their captivation Rose had the idea of using offensive magic. This was strictly prohibited and looked down upon. But that didn’t stop Christian from using fire to free them. When Rose and Mason had thought the cost was clear they left the basement. Only to run into the two Strigoi that lived there.

Rose had got everyone out into the sunlight, leaving herself to die. She had put up a very good fight, but not good enough for Mason who in the end got killed because of his love for Rose. We had found them shortly after that.

Mason’s actions was the exact reason why I didn’t want my love for Rose to get in the way. I didn’t want a risk like that to happen where we lost Lissa because of some romance between Rose and I.

“Rose---“ I caught her arm, and despite all the wind and chill and slush, a flash of heat shot through me. I released her with a start, she looked up at me shocked. As though she’d felt it too. “What are you really doing out here?” I used my strict voice then, wanting a clear answer out of her.

“I had a bad dream. I wanted some air.”

For a moment my mind flashed back to my earlier thought of Spokane. I quickly pushed it away. “And so you just rushed out. Breaking the rules didn’t even cross your mind---and neither did putting on a coat.”

“Yeah,” she said. “That pretty much sums it up.”

“Rose, Rose. You never change. Always jumping in without thinking.”

She furrowed her brow, a frown spread on her lips. “That’s not true,” she protested. “I’ve changed a lot.”

Blood…Rose screaming…dead bodies…Spokane…flashed through my mind all at once. And it was then that I realized never before had I been so scared in my life. Scared for Rose’s safety, afraid that she will never be the same. And the death of her best friend would scar her forever.

And as I had predicted it has given her a darker outlook on life. As well as everyone here at St. Vladimir’s Academy, but Rose especially.

She noticed my frown as my face shifted unpleasantly at the thoughts of what happened three weeks ago. “Well, don’t worry. My birthday’s coming up. As soon as I’m eighteen, I’ll be an adult, right? I’m sure I’ll wake up that morning and be all mature and stuff.”