Dimitri's POV in Blood Promise Vampire Academy

Chapter 19

I sensed dawn approaching and the fire around me was slowly etching its way in my direction. Either way, if I continued to remain here I'll burn because of the fire or the sun that would rise in a few minutes.

I had approximately ten minutes until the entire forest incinerates into nothingness. And I certainly won't be a part of it.

I stood up, smiling at what I have managed to accomplish. I was alert, and ready for anything. This is the aftermath of combat and I found it pleasant. The feeling of just being prepared for anything life throws at me, it makes me feel powerful. Invinsible. And that was what currently overwhelmed me.

In seconds, I circled the forest in search of the one thing I needed most right now. There! I spotted the small mark I engraved into a tree before. I had hidden something to use for my getaway at the tree, and I had purposefully chosen to place it here. In the centre of the forest, there wouldn't be any fire, unless I delay my escape and if I did that, I'd probably be dead. I had also predicted that all of the Strigoi would search the perimeter of the forest to escape, and not here, so the chances of them finding it are lower.

I steadily climbed up the tree. I held onto the lower branches, and hoisted myself up, wary of leaning onto frail branches. The tree trunk was thick, with a rough texture and it had a lot of branches, allowing me to get a good grip as I climbed.

Reaching upwards, I finally managed to clutch onto the neck of the object I had stashed. I pulled it out of its hiding and let go of the tree, expertly landing on my feet.

I brushed away the leaves that seemed to want to hold onto the device. The gadget had a tank, filled with water. It had a long trunk attached to it, with a nozzle. It was almost like a portable garden hose. Before fire extinguishers were invented, these had been around to stop any fires that may break out.

I had found it in the vault, which is where all the magic charmed objects, like stakes, were stored. It's a mystery why this had been placed with them.

I turned it on. The water shot out, and I directed it to the fire. The flames spitted and sizzled with contact and reduced with intensity, but it still wasn't extinguished. I focused the water on one area and a small portion of the fire eventually diminished, revealing the burnt soil. I aimed the hose further to eventually create a wide fire free path.

With the device still in hand, I ran out of the burning forest, almost unharmed. My clothing caught on fire but after using the hose, the flames disappeared. I was out of the forest, alive. I turned around to see that the path I had created was now non-existent. Flames engulfed the pathway and it returned back to surround the forest once again.

That had been extremely risky, even more dangerous that fighting four Strigoi alone. We can catch on fire easily, you could even say we're flammable. Highly flammable. If I had been even just a few seconds slower, I wouldn't have survived. I would have burnt up and crumbled into ashes.

Somewhere, in the back of my head, I noted that. Recently, I haven't been as 'analytical' as I usually am. I do things without a second thought now and I know that if I continue like this, it will be the death of me.

I threw the device into the fire. The water tank was almost empty so it wouldn't be enough to extinguish the fire. Honestly, I actually wanted the forest to burn up. It destroys any evidence that traces back to me being involved. If Galina finds out I've been hunting Strigoi, she's bound to be suspicious. And I didn't want that, it'd ruin the element of surprise I've been working up to. Or she'd probably kill me, which is worse.

I waited till the sun was dangerously close to rising before heading towards the estate. Almost all the Strigoi would go back to their rooms at this time, and I wanted to reduce my chances of running into one whilst I get back to my own room. If they see me in my damaged and blood soaked attire, they'd ask questions. Questions I won't be able to answer, and the 'conversation' probably won't end very well.