A New Beginning (ON HOLD)

Chapter 9

“I’m so glad you’re okay!” A little squeal escapes my lips and accentuates my delight. Looking into his deep blue eyes he really is alive, my smile grows wider. The pain of seeing him, cold and limp, I thought he was dead and I was overwhelmed with guilt. But he’s standing before me, his sandy-blonde hair matted and caked with blood, but he’s alive! It’s a miracle, my heavy heart gets a little bit lighter, one less life I’ve ruined.

“Hey Rose,” Joshua says with a boyish grin and a slight blush reaching his cheeks.

“Dimitri!” Christian yells from somewhere in the tree line. My heart immediately starts pounding, turning on my heels I see Christian running at full speed toward the camp. I glance to Dimitri, his jaw clenched and his eyes dark and menacing. Whatever it is, it mustn’t be good. I walk to Dimitri, his fists balled in tight knots, his arm tense. I place my hand on his forearm; his shoulders slightly relax at my touch. I stand next to him awaiting Christian approach.

“Mikhail and Eddie,” Christian says between breaths, “they found one, a Strigoi. They um…they questioned him. He said they also tracked Rose to some place in Russia. A blood-whore community, I think he called it Baia.” My heart shatters. I look to Dimitri with tears threatening my eyes. Baia. He doesn’t register my look but somehow his hand finds mine. He’s staring at the ground and finally collapses to his knees. I stand taller, blinking away any unshed tears and square my shoulders. He needs me to be strong, I squeeze his hand hard, and after a while he squeezes back.

“Christian, where is Eddie and Mikhail now?” I ask with a tone of authority.

“They’re in the field, finishing him off.” Christian says looking between Dimitri and me, his blue eyes full of questions.

“Where’s Adrian and Sonya?” I look around the camp, faces appearing and disappearing in the flickering of firelight and the shadows of dusk.

“Adrian’s sleeping.” Joshua says. I watch his face as he speaks, his eyes glaze over and his features contort ever so slightly, then looking directly at me he blushes.

“ADRIAN!” My voice is pitched and raspy as it bellows out of my lungs. I squeeze Dimitri’s hand before letting it go. Kneeling in front of him taking his face between my hands I look into his eyes and see his pain. My chest tightens.

“I’ll be right back, okay Comrade.” I say as I gently kiss his lips and then his forehead. “I love you.” Standing up I look to Christian, “Stay with him.” I whisper, pleading with my eyes. He nods and sits down next to Dimitri. I storm off toward Joshua.

“Where is he?” I growl, all prior pleasantries lost.

“I…I don’t know.” He stutters.

“But you can find him.” I eye him warily. It is possible I’m wrong, or maybe he doesn’t know. “Close your eyes and think of him.” My tone softens.

“I…I don’t want to.” He looks down, diverting from my eyes. His rose colored cheeks bring out his golden highlights. Damn. I can only imagine what he’s thinking.

“ADRIAN!” I yell again. This time I hear a growl from a tent across the bonfire. Marching with force I pull open the tent flap and see Adrian’s green eyes watching me with curiosity.

“What’s wrong Lil Dhampir?” He says too innocently. There is nothing innocent about Adrian Ivashkov.

“What have you done?” My voice betrays me as it quivers and struggles against my dry throat.

“What do you mean?” He gives me a questioning look. I sit down, all prior venom and anger gone. Adrian flashes me a look of panic. “Rose, are you okay? Where’s Belikov?”