My gaze circled the perimeter of the maze. I wasn't sure which way to go. It's been so long since I had relied on instincts, other than my sense of smell, to hunt someone down. Tracking Rose by her scent would be useless to me now. The maze consisted of many night blooming flowers, with extremely overwhelming fragrances that irritably masked her scent perfectly well. I wanted to destroy the maze and awaken Rose now, but the damage would cost a lot of money. And a lot of time to fix.
Things like this in life don't heal as fast as a Strigoi does, it's very unnerving.
I felt like I could hear Rose's breaths, frustrated sighs, gasps of hopelessness, but the sound seemed to come from all directions. I have to concentrate, I was born a hunter and I clearly possess the right skills of a predator. My hearing can be an asset to me, to track Roza before the sun sets. I randomly took the closest entrance to me, and glanced at the familiar surroundings.
"Roza!" I taunted, a smirk planted on my face. "Roza, I know you're out there, I can smell you." I knew a small lie like that was enough to stir something within her, and make her realise she had no chance of ever leaving.
As expected, there was no response. I could sense her fear and uncertainty in the air, it would be so much easier if she gave herself up and we end this quickly. The sudden events have changed a lot, and left the estate in a mess. I, as the new owner and one in power, have to sort this out and deal of with the damage. It's not very pleasant to do so, but with this much power, it's worth every second.
I continued moving in an almost straight line horizontally, so that I eventually would have passed (but not go out of) every exit. This method meant that I would be able to detect which part of the maze she was at. The strong fragrance of the flowers didn't entirely make my sense of smell useless. Once I'm close enough, I'll be able to catch her scent and track her down.
She's smart enough to work out that I was lying, but I still hoped otherwise. If she had stopped trying to escape, I would have caught her scent by now. I remained persistent in my attempts to convince her. "I won't kill you, not if you give yourself up. I owe you. You took out Galina for me and now I'm in charge. Replacing her happened a little ahead of schedule, but that's not a problem. Of course, there aren't many people to control now that Nathan and the others are dead. But that can be fixed."
I continued forward, alert. She's dangerous, and that's also what makes her a valuable asset. Everything Rose did and caused was quite troublesome, but reasonable in a way. I truly do forgive her for it, knowing that she can make up for it when she awakens. Her will and determination to even attempt to leave, even when it was clearly against all odds, makes her a badass. I was proud to have taught her, and even more delighted to awaken her. I taught her well. Too well. Here, I have no option but convince her to give up. I'll be able to turn her once she's out of the maze, and she'll soon figure that out way.
"I'm not upset about you attacking me, either. I would have done it in your place. It's just one more reason why we should be together." I tried to sound romantic, to lure her. A small part of me knew that my efforts were fruitless, but I refused to believe it. I followed the rustle of leaves, my only trail to finding her.
"You're still dangerous, though. If I find you, I'm probably going to have to kill you. I don't want to, but I'm starting to think there's no way we can both live in this world. Come to me by choice, and I'll awaken you. We'll control Galina's empire together." That wasn't entirely true, I was going to awaken her regardless of whether it's by choice or forcibly. I also don't want to kill her, I'll regret it later. Letting go of someone with as much potential of becoming a perfect Strigoi as I have, wouldn't be the smartest move on my behalf.
I used the threat of killing her to scare her, a different approach to 'persuade'. She must already know that there's no way I'll let her leave here a dhampir. But she must fear death too. Everyone does, even those who take their own life. Her inner fear of death will make her turn to the only option she has left. And if not, it may at least make her consider what she is throwing away if she refuses.
I was getting close, I could feel it. I wonder if she could too, or maybe she had really given up and she was trying to find me. I don't think she did, that was just wishful thinking. The important thing is that I'm close, I only wish I could end this quickly and relax for once---
I caught a faint scent through the air. I have her scent, I finally have it! We must be very close, if I can detect it in the heavy flower fragranced air. I followed it, expertly travelling through the maze. Her scent was getting stronger; I was getting closer. There was only one thing that influenced Rose to keep moving, despite my threats. She was determined. There was no way she can escape, yet she still had hope. I have to destroy that hope, only then she willing come to me. After weeks of trying (and failing) to convince her to awaken, I doubt I could do it now. But I have to try.
"Even if you get out, where will you go?" I questioned, not expecting an answer. "We're in the middle of nowhere." I hit home, her steps faltered for a few seconds before she continued. As her scent got closer, the soft thudding of her steps grew stronger. The regular paced walk became a hard core run. Footsteps crashed against the fields, she clearly wasn't trying to hide now. She had made it out of the maze. I desperately looked around, and the fact suddenly dawned on me. I didn't know where I was, I didn't recognise this part of the maze. I was so keen on finding Rose that I hadn't kept track on which way I was heading!
I kept moving regardless, I'll find a familiar route soon enough. And I did. In seconds, the displeasing smell of flowers vanished as I stepped onto the empty fields. I immediately headed towards the purple glow of the horizon to my side, Rose's scent and heavy breathing as my guide. I sprinted at full speed, towards a cluster of thick trees. She's here, I could sense it. I just couldn't see her.
"Rose! I swear it's not too late." She's had enough proof to know that she truly can't leave, we really are in the middle of nowhere for miles. Only a miracle can save her now. I cautiously took a step forward, taking in my surroundings. The trees masked her well, I couldn't see her and she could attack at any time. She really could kill me. But I doubt she could see me.
I kept moving forward in the shadows. Rose had stopped running, I noted. She must be hiding, I couldn't hear her steps. A few moments later, I stood where her scent was the strongest; in front of a thick tree. "Roza . . . I know you're here. You have no chance of running. No chance of hiding." My voice was soft. I scanned the area, aware that I had made myself visible. She was hiding behind that tree, obviously plotting to attack me. Well it was obvious to me, she was that predictable. "Roza . . ." I called, my final attempt to get her to surrender herself. Guess I'll have to take her by force then.
I took a last wary step forward. I will finally be able to awaken her-
The snap of a branch above caught my attention, I looked up. Before I could react, a body crashed into mine, and I lost my balance. I fell back first against the grass. I tried to throw her off, just as she tried to drive the stake into my heart. Very clever, I thought, for her to attack from above.
She's trying to kill me, after everything we've been through at the estate. Then again. I had threatened to kill her. I suppose it is reasonable for her to want to do this, but in her state? It's almost impossible. Signs of fatigue were all over her; I must be in a similar shape, I certainly felt the effects. Fighting or maybe killing all those Strigoi in one night, it was exhausting. Even after feeding, I still felt pretty exhausted. That's why it frustrated me so much that she won't let me awaken her.
Rose pointed her dangerously sharp stake, poised directly above my heart. I used my arms to defend my chest, though our position didn't really help me in any way. I successfully managed to block any leads that would result into me being staked. My full focus had been solely towards avoiding death, not pain. Her stake grazed my cheek. My cheek burned at the touch, literally, and the pain wasn't anything I had ever experienced before. It was worse, much worse.
I let out a snarl in pain, whilst continuing to guard my chest. If she was trying to distract me, or direct my attention away from the threat, it almost worked. "You. Are. Amazing." I complimented, prideful. She was going to be with me for eternity, an accomplishment for what I have become.
Rose managed to pierce the tip of the stake into my chest, but I was ready. I knocked her hand away, and knocked her off me in the process. She flew several feet away, immediately rising to her feet and taking off in a sprint. I did the same, running as fast as my weary legs would allow. I was fast, but not as fast as I usually am at my full strength. It didn't mean I couldn't catch Rose. She ran into the trees and I followed. If I remember correctly, the river Ob, the one that runs through Novosibirsk should be around this area---
"Ahhh!" Her scream rang into the night. Once I reached the area, I knew why. We stood on the edge of the river, a few feet above the water. Rose must have fallen in, and a few seconds later I saw her. She turned and just . . . stared at me. Or that's what it looked like. She stood, facing me, as if she was waiting for something . . .
I stood on the top of a very steep hillside, looking down at Rose, She wasn't going to make a move, and I didn't have enough time to wait. I carefully began my descent, taking one slow step down the ridge, and like that, she took off in a sprint. I quickened my pace down the slope, but it didn't help much. I had to be cautious, if I don't want to do what Rose had. She was trying to buy time, to probably plan another attack. I could have easily out run her from above. Rose was heading towards the bridge, the only one the river has.
Once I reached the bottom, I raced towards the direction Rose was heading, reliant on instincts. Closer and closer, I managed to pursue her. Only a few inches away . . . I reached my hand out towards her, grasping her jacket in a tight fist and pulling her forward. She instantly began fighting, trying to break free. Her weak attempts were fruitless against me. I may have been exhausted and weary over recent events, but Rose was clearly in worse shape than I was. I'm stronger and faster, she looks like she is very close to collapsing. I have the upper hand, and I already have her so why does she keep fighting me?
"Stop it!" I yelled. "Don't you get it? You can't win." There is no chance I'd let her. I don't deserve this, I should be able to get what I want, and that is for her to be with me for all eternity.
"Then kill me!" She retorted, whilst trying to get free. I gripped her upper arms in a way that prevented her from using the stake as a means to escape. "You said you would if I didn't surrender myself. Well, guess what? I didn't. I won't. So just get it over with."
I knew she was bluffing, she must be. She fears death just as much as everyone does. It's a shame she never saw things in my perspective, she would have loved the thrill of being at the top of the food chain. I'll have to forcefully awaken her, and I believe many problems will rise with this, but there's no other choice. If I want to be the strongest, rule a promising estate and be regarded as the fiercest Strigoi alive, then I have no choice. My expression was cold and emotionless, as I registered the brave but foolish words of the dhampir before me.
"It would take a lot for me to kill you Rose." I said, after a few seconds. "This isn't enough." I leaned in towards her neck, how long have I waited for this moment? To finally be able to do what I've longed to do, since I found out she was here, in Siberia. As I got closer to her tender flesh, I was one step closer to my goal. I hadn't lied about what I said, I meant every word. In serious cases, if she became a threat to my power, instead of the asset I hoped for, I may have to kill her. But now? All I wanted to was sink my teeth into her warm flesh---
There was a burst of light, ahead of me. The light stung my eyes and I blinked, pulled away and glanced at the new 'threat', Whoever it was, I was going to rip their heads off--- Unfortunately, that wasn't possible. If you're being circled with the dead, it isn't. Because that's exactly what happened. Dark silhouettes, all in pale colours loomed over as if attacking. I should have known I couldn't hurt a ghost, even if I haven't ever met one, it makes sense. It doesn't mean that I didn't try. Rose had been telling the truth back at the Academy, I must only be able to see them because of what I am now.
I tried to swat them away, and for once I felt vulnerable. My strength as a Strigoi provided no benefit here. They all tried to attack, but remained ineffectual. They didn't hurt me, but they clearly didn't like me. If they had a real form, they'd try to kill me, surely. I don't know how they came, but I'm sure Rose did something. The spirits, just being visible to me, were terrifying. They weren't trying to physically attack me, leaving my mind vulnerable. The only part of me, I believe, with no form of defence. Even in my 'disturbed' state, I couldn't help but notice that I was missing something.
The scent I had struggled to get a hold of, was diffusing with every moment I remained idol. Rose! I took a slow step forward, trying to see past the phantoms. They were, luckily, translucent so it did help with navigating. A shadow shifted in the distance, which I assumed was Rose. Spirits surrounded her, and she struggled to keep them away. I headed towards that direction, not making much progress, but it did mean I was actually getting somewhere.
I eventually caught sight of the bridge again, and proceeded to my slow paced pursue. Spirits swarmed everywhere, and it took a lot for me to ignore them. It was starting to work, I could feel myself gaining speed with every agonising step. "Go!" I heard a shout. And like that, they just . . . disappeared. Every last spectre vanished from sight.
I glanced around and caught sight of Rose, on the bridge. I rushed over to the ridge and hoisted myself upwards.. This one was much higher and steeper than the other one, but I still managed to climb to the top. I rushed towards the bridge, and stood opposite Rose.
"Another shadow-kissed effect?" I asked, referring to the spirits.
"Yeah, turns out ghost don't much like Strigoi." That explains a lot.
"You didn't seem to like them much either."
She took a slow step backwards, "So, did I go far enough for you to not want to turn me?" She asked cheerfully, but it didn't help much with masking her fear. Fear of me.
I gave her a faltering smile, "No, your shadow-kissed abilities have their uses . . . Too bad they'll go away when you're awakened." I glanced at her disappointed expression, confused. Why does she refuse to have true power, what's really holding her back? Whatever it was, it didn't matter right now. She's going to be awakened now, I'm not waiting any longer.
"You're not going to turn me." She stated, as if it was an actual fact.
"Rose, there's no other way you can---"
"No."
She climbed onto the bridge railing, swinging a leg over. I didn't understand at first, until I registered the crashing of waves below, and her exhausted state. We were both really tired, after all that's happened. But she clearly had the worst of it. I stiffened, when I realised what she was contemplating.
"What are you doing?" I hoped she could prove me wrong because surely, surely, awakening was the better option. Not death . . .
"I told you. I'll die before I become Strigoi. I won't be like you or the others. I don't want that. You didn't want that, once upon a time." I mentally cursed my dhampir self for thinking like that, I was the reason she so strongly dislikes, no hates us Strigoi. I influenced it.
If I hadn't said all those things on that day, the day we had discussed this very topic, things would have played out so differently. She would already be at my side, willingly agreeing to awaken . . .
"Rose, don't." I pleaded. If I lose her, what can I do? I don't think I'd be able to find anyone as strong, skilled and reliable as Rose. If she dies in the river, I won't be able to awaken her! Why does she have to make things difficult, all I wanted was a better life for her. Someone I can trust. Someone just like me. Someone too powerful to be hunted down. Someone to always be with me forever. To be the strongest of the strong, we're more than capable together. Was I wrong to want this?
"Please," I begged with as much sadness as I could muster. If she cared for the dhampir me, sounding like him may make her reconsider at the very least. I took two wary steps and stopped. "We need to be together."
"Why?" Her voice was gentle and soft, and barely audible.
"Because I want you." I spoke uniformly, like I did the previous times. This time, though, it didn't thrill her like it usually did at the estate.
"Wrong answer." She let go.
I lunged forward and caught her free arm. I stood in a dangerous position, close to falling myself. Then again, it's not like I could drown and die. Dhampirs would, obviously. I forced Rose back onto the railing, but she kept fighting me. Maybe I should let her fall to her death, since she wanted it so badly, I thought bitterly. No, she's too valuable.
"Stop fighting me!" I ordered. I didn't have a good grip on her, and if I tried, we'd both fall in. She was half on the railing and half dangling over the river.
"Let go of me!" She yelled, but I ignored it. After a few seconds of trying, I managed to haul most of her onto the railing and out of immediate danger.
"I will always love you." I turned my head towards her, puzzled. Just as her stake plunged into my chest.
I struggled to block it from reaching my heart. I twisted and dodged out of the way. And the deeper the stake dug in, the heavier my muscles became. Till eventually, I froze. The pain was excruciating, a billion times worse that I have ever encountered. Even as I struggled to cope, a bright light flashed in my line of vision. I must have imagined it but it gave me warmth, and radiance, and love and ironically, it made me feel alive. In those last few moments, I felt like I was my real self. Oh, how I missed my old life, with Rose. Our love. Why did things have to end like this, why couldn't I return to my life back at the academy? Death was approaching and I gladly invited it. If it came for me, I wouldn't be able to hurt Rose ever again. She'll be happy, and safe.
I forced a genuine smile. There were so many things I wanted to say, I wanted to apologise for everything, and thank her, and say my goodbye. But there was no time for that. She'd always love me, she said so and I believed her.
"That's what I was supposed to say . . ." I gasped. I could feel myself falling, but that didn't matter. I won't be able to hurt Rose as much as I have these past few weeks. That's what made me smile, before I lost contact of the world.
********************************
If you're confused about the end, I'll explain.
Rose is shadow kissed, so she has some spirit (she can't use it). Because of this, when she staked Dimitri, he had returned back to his badass guardian self in those last seconds.
This doesn't happen unless a Strigoi is staked by someone who's shadow-kissed, according to me and not the original book.
I like to think of it like that, and it makes sense :-)
x_aNoNYMouSTaCHe_x