I Never Told You I Love You - Complete

Chapter 34 - What You Need

Trying not to freak out, Dimitri closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply and willing himself to stay calm. Rose was a good fighter. Better than most. Provided they'd armed her, she'd be in with a good chance. Surely if something had happened to Rose, Abe would have called him? He wasn't sure Abe approved of their relationship, but Abe did seem to care for Rose. If she'd been injured, Dimitri had no doubt Rose would want him there with her, and surely Abe wouldn't deny her that comfort?

Who would have Abe's number? Demyan, perhaps? It didn't seem likely, but it was worth a try. Maybe he should head to the hospital? The biggest human hospital in the area was forty-five minutes away, but it was a fool's errand going there without knowing for sure Rose would be there. Maybe he should try and call the Alchemists? They always knew what was going on. But they were a notoriously secretive bunch, so unlikely to tell him anything, even if they did know.

"Belikov? What's wrong?"

His colleague at the base station was looking at him carefully, seeing the usually stoic Guardian unraveling in front of him.

"My girl was out to dinner with Zmey tonight. She's Dhampir, and she's not answering her phone. I don't have Abe's number, and I'm wondering who'd have it," Dimitri explained trying hard to keep the tension out of his voice.

"A friend of mine used to work for Zmey. He probably won't have his number, but he might have his head Guardian's. Would that help?"

"Pavel's? Yeah, that would be a huge help," Dimitri said gratefully. "I'm sure she's fine - but I'm worried. Can you ring and see?"

The other Guardian was pulling out his phone to scroll through his contacts when the internal communication channel on the radio crackled with a message.

'Gatehouse. Have visuals of a van of Abe Mazur's Guardians traveling along the fence line. They're bringing a Novice from the earlier attack back to the compound. Estimated arrival five minutes.'

"Oh thank God," Dimitri gasped, taking a deep breath and exhaling.

"Your girl?"

"Must be. She's the only Novice who would have been with them tonight," Dimitri explained, sagging with relief.

The other Guardian reached across to his desk, tossing Dimitri a set of car keys. "Off you go then. I clock off at midnight, and I want the van back by then. The others and I are not walking back up to the school in the snow," he chuckled.

Dimitri promised, thanking him profusely. He drove to the Gatehouse positioned beside the main gates and explained he was the mentor of the student believed to be involved in the incident tonight.

"The Hathaway girl? They're bringing her back now."

A couple of minutes later their van pulled up to the gates and was directed to enter the compound and stop at the Gatehouse. Listening to the end of Leslie's life story, Rose looked up and was surprised to see a very agitated Dimitri stride out the Gatehouse door and over to the van. Knocking on the side to get the driver to unlock, he slid the door back his eyes settling on Rose.

"Roza! Why aren't you answering your phone? Do you have any idea of how concerned I've been?" he admonished, anguish evident in his face and voice. "I'll take her from here," he said more calmly addressing the carload of Guardians.

Beside Rose, Guardian Hughes tensed. "Rose? Who's this? You don't have to go with him if you don't want to."

"It's ok. He's my boyfriend," she smiled, reaching out and giving him her hand as he helped her from the van. "And it looks like he's been worried sick. Thanks so much for bringing me back. I might see you next time I see Abe."