RPOV
"That wa-"
"Was Adrian Ivashkov? Yes, I am aware. He's not safe? According to his reputation? Yes. In reality? No. He's harmless. Did you even check why we were there?" I snapped at Dimitri before the lecture could start. It was holidays, I had a black eye curtesy of my mother, and my soulmate in the form of my mentor was being an asshole.
"I don't think so. If you had you'd realise I was shoving a gift back in his face and getting Lissa out of there myself. She's my best friend and charge, not yours. And your not her guardian or my mentor." I kept my voice calm, all too calm and level. As I said before, it was holidays and the guy in front of me was being an asshole. And, frankly, also a player. "It's holidays. I don't need you on my case. You've clearly chosen Tasha, so stick with her. 'Play me once, shame on me, play me twice and it's shame on you.' Don't do it Dimitri, don't hurt anyone else. I know your lessons inside-out, upside-down, and back-to-front. You're predictable."
"Who told you?" He hissed.
"The same woman you seem to think needs defending to her own daughter- Janine Hathaway. Happy now?" I started letting my attitude and anger show.
"If you know my lessons then why don't you follow them?" He accused to avoid the question.
"Because you don't!" I whisper yelled. "How many times? How many times do I have to tell you?! You! Don't! Follow! Your! Own! Life! Lessons!" My voice got colder, icier, more dangerous by the word. My volume never rose and my body never moved. "And I'm not just referring to control either." The control he was about to lose. He either wanted to shut me up with a kiss or punch. "Go ahead, give me another black eye! Do the one thing you can't stand. Be the epitome of a hypocrite." I hissed and he snapped.
Slap! Slam! He did both. His hand came out and made contact with my other eye. But before I could move, his other hand joined to cup my face and his lips came crashing down on mine. It was deep and power filled, fast and furious, and over almost as soon as it started.
"Damn it, Rose! How do you keep doing that?" He actually swore in English.
"Read you like an open book? Know how to piss you off? We both know that answer." I whispered.
"Then why? Why do you insist on pushing me?"
"Because you can't see what you're doing. You're brighter than me, in so many ways, but you can't see what's right in front of you, the damage you inflict. You don't have the "experience" I do."
Speaking of which, I need to do something about that puppy-dog called Mason Ashford. I was hurting him in the same way Dimitri was Tasha. The 'safer' option simply wasn't one. There was a reason I'd not started something with him earlier- because it was wrong to when I couldn't commit. God! I did know Dimitri's lessons. And we were both being hypocrites. No wonder he'd hesitated to take me on.
"Rose? Are they? The rumours?" His brow rose on 'Rose' and kept going to the point it had to be hurting. He looked almost hurt, and certainly disappointed.
"I'm talking just the flirting. I'm still, how to put this tactfully and subtly? Unmarked? Unclaimed? 'Innocent' is the typical code and holds true. The rumours are just that. You know from that night." I referred to the lounge, and lust charm, and his brow came down to furrow with the other one before he nodded.
I could tell a sense of relief flooded through him; I was still a virgin and, if he ever wanted to claim me, I was claim-able. "I do know." Oh, he wanted me. Badly.
And I wanted to be his just as much. I connected with him in a way only soulmate's could. My heart and soul were his no matter what and I wanted my body, my innocence, to be his too.
"Why'd you come Dimitri? What had you in this part of the lodge?" I tried getting on a 'safe' topic, a more 'guardian related' one, to ease the building tension.
He was giving me that smouldering look again, the one that told me he was studying me- as in my soul and being more than my body. And I didn't doubt my face reflected how deep I was looking into him, his being and soul. Us locking eyes was just as dangerous as, if not more so than, us locking lips.
"We got some- oh, never mind! Follow me. I was heading towards a meeting your mother called over another attack." He led me in the direction of my mother's room which was turned into a makeshift office.
"What's she doing here? She's a novice!" My mother exclaimed when she noticed me. Dimitri spoke up before I could- and thank god.
"She's my novice." The way he said 'my' made my heart skip a beat. Oh he wanted me to be anything but his novice. "And she's capable of processing this and keeping it to herself- she was at the scene of the Badica attack."
"Then she's your responsibility, Belikov." My mother warned. Dimitri just gave a small, tight, nod by way of agreement.
Facts, data, numbers and names all came pouring in, if painfully slowly at times. It was an attack on the Drozdov's. Royals, they were targeting royals, I was sure of it. I'd be by Lissa's side, no matter what, from now on in.
There was something else worrying, and irritating, me. It took long enough for me to figure out what the problem was. Mia, her parents worked for them.
"Mom?" I approached the woman I supposedly shared genes with when things had calmed for a bit, "can I quickly check the list of servants?"
"Very quickly." She handed over the clipboard and, sadly, I found the name I was dreading to read- 'Rinaldi'.
"Here. Appreciated." I handed her back the clipboard with a nod.
"Rose?"
"I know one of those daughter." My arch-nemesis had just lost her mom, and she was close to her mom. Unlike a certain someone. Me.
'Where the hell are you Rosemarie Hathaway!' Liss yelled at me through the bond. I sighed and turned to my mother. "I'm out. Lissa's yelling at me." I turned to Alberta, "oh! Alberta?"
"Yes Rose?"
"Can I have permission to shadow Lissa everywhere?"
"As in guard at the banquets?"
"As well as just sticking to her side?"
"I'll look into it. It couldn't hurt her to have you around."
"Thank you." I nodded and left to find my friend and charge.
I checked the bond to find her in a makeshift council meeting and beelined for it.
"Rose?" Dimitri called after me. I stopped so he could catch up and fall into step with me.
"Yes?"
"What just happened in there?"
"I almost started crying because my arch-nemesis lost her mom. Lissa yelled in my head. And I asked to be put on duty, if unofficially. She needs me by her side right now, I can feel it." I wanted to be by his, I wanted him to support me and I wanted to protect him, but, "she comes first."
"Not always, Rose." Oh, that was almost blasphemous. "You're letting the one-way bond, and that saying, turn your friendship one-sided."
"Now you're doing it!" I teased.
"What?" He asked all too innocently.
"Showing me what I can't see. Reading me and pissing me off. What else?" I smirked and he almost smiled as we entered the hall, found Lissa, Christian, Mase and Eddie, and sat. Of course, I had to get sandwiched between Mase and Dimitri.
After hours of, unsurprisingly, getting nowhere, and insane ideas, Tasha spoke up. She also acted up and caused a stir, which created chaos. "Rose?" Dimitri turned to me.
"Yeah?"
"Back to that meeting? Nothing's going to happen now."
"Do I have a ch-" his phone beeped with a message, which he checked.
"Do you have a choice? No. Alberta needs to see you. She's given you what you asked for."
"Then let's go."
"Rose?" Mase called after me.
"It's boring guardian stuff Mase. I promise you'd hate it."
"That's not what I'm asking about. Your eye? You've got another black one." Oh shit! I could feel Dimitri tense beside me.
"I may have, sorta, kinda, maybe got into a fight and asked for it- quite literally."
"Who? They'll have me to answer to for hitting my girl-" and that was another reason why it was Dimitri. I was a woman to Dimitri, young and childish at times but still a woman, but merely a girl to Mason.
"Mase. Enough. I'm not your girl. I asked for it, so there's nothing you can do."
"Rose?" I saw the realisation hit, then the hurt and betrayal. This was gonna get real ugly, real fast. "Did you play me?" Each word came out cautiously, dread filling his tone, and his heart breaking a little further with each one.
"I'll be blunt. Yes." And I wasn't going to appease him by apologising. I wasn't going to wallow in pity and guilt. I had hurt him, enough said. Clean break, fresh slate. I was Dimitri's regardless of whether or not he chose Tasha. I'd told Dimitri to stop playing games. I was going to act like the adult he treated me as, stop being a hypocrite and, own up to and stop playing Mase.
"Why? Who?"
"Why? Because I'm a hypocrite and a fool. Who? I can't say."
"Rose?" Dimitri intervened.
"Yeah?"
"You really are expected. You can continue this later Mr Ashford." Dimitri grabbed my elbow and steered me away.
Once it was safe enough he quietly enquired, "did you just choose me?" while dropping my elbow.
"Comrade, there was no 'choose' about it. I did the right thing; I stopped messing with him. I wasn't going to hurt him further by fawning."
"Good god woman. You. Are. Being. More. Mature. Than I am right now."
"As if!" I chuckled and he pushed me into the nearest storage closet. Locking the door and pushing me against it.
"Roza," it was only my name, in Russian, but it held all the meaning in the world. It was one word, from one man, I was powerless against. I could tell right then he was choosing me. That I couldn't not come first. "You're right. There's no 'choose' about it." He rested his forehead against mine. I could taste his breath and it was making me heady, my breathing became laboured and my heart pounded in my chest. His breath was going in the same direction. "I'm yours. I'm telling Tasha 'no'." He closed the distance. This time the kiss was soft and gentle, full of love, apology and forgiveness. It was over far too soon, with Dimitri breaking the kiss- although his expression didn't harden. He'd made his mind up and made peace with it. "Roza, we need to get out of here." He put his mask back up but I could see the smile and affection radiating through his eyes.
Mason'sPOV
Rose walked off with Belikov, well was being dragged- seemingly willingly. What the hell? What was going on with the girl?
"Did she seriously admit to playing me? Did I really get played? I never thought she'd sink that low." I commented in disbelief to my best friend, Eddie.
"She did. And who is she protecting? You can't possibly think they're one-and-the-same person, can you?"
"I don't know. Possibly. Possibly not." I was too shocked to really try and think about it.
"Do you think Belikov knows? Who hit her that is, he tensed too when you brought up her eye." I thought back through it, he had, he had tensed so he likely knew. Why would she tell him and not me?
"Yeah. I think he does know. Why would she tell him? It doesn't make sense." He's the antisocial god and her teacher. I guess, she'd have to report it and he's one of the rare few teachers she gets along with so why not tell him? She'd be obliged to tell him, but not her friends. She was changing, rather a bit.
"He's her teacher. If she got hit outside class then he'd need to know."
"Ed. It's too fresh. And she said she asked for it." Literally. Then again, she was always asking to be hit.
"She's always asking for it, man. Let it go. She can handle herself. It's why you love her, remember."
"Ugh! I can not believe her. Not even a 'sorry'. I could see in her posture, she wasn't. She wasn't begging or pleading for forgiveness because she wasn't sorry."
"She doesn't beg or plead Mason. You know that as well as I do. She makes a decision, justifies it, and sticks to it. She doesn't show weakness. It's one of her finest qualities. Another reason why you love her."
"Argh. That and she's a battle goddess." Seeing her fight was quite something.
Ed chuckled before responding. "Unsurprisingly. She's Belikov's student."
"I still don't get how that happened. How'd she end up with him? Why'd he take her on?"
"Who knows what went down in Kirova's office when he dragged them back."
"It's been ages and she still doesn't understand who she's got as her trainer."
"And guarding partner."
"She's lucky. She knows her assignment, and partner. She's got the best of both. The Dragomir Princess and Belikov."
"What about Dimka?" Christian's aunt, Tasha, appeared out of nowhere to ask.
"Oh. We were just saying how lucky Rose is to know her assignment and partner for after graduation, Lady Ozera."
She smiled knowingly and evilly, "not any more she doesn't. He's my guardian after this trip is over," she walked away before we could say anything in response.
"Not odd at all. The offer or the attitude." I mused.
"Why do I get the feeling you're not the only one being played?"
"I'd like to know the answer to that myself."
DPOV
"I'll see you ten minutes before the banquet, Rose." I farewelled my woman after we'd learned her shifts for the remainder of the trip's banquets.
"Will do, Comrade." She smiled uncertainly before turning and walking off to find Lissa. And I watched her go, wondering what had her smile wavering, before turning to find Tasha.
My Roza had surprised the hell out of me today. From giving me a reality check and eye opener, to her cold and definite attitude, keeping her control to the point it snapped mine, sacrificing her own need for support to be whatever Lissa needed of her as guardian and friend. And being more mature than me and owning up to playing Mason Ashford.
I still couldn't believe I'd hit her in a non-training situation. She wasn't wrong when she'd said she'd quite literally asked for another black eye. Hurting her in any way was wrong, emotionally was just as bad as physically and I'd done both. She'd showed me I was no better than my father when it came to her. She forced me open, and it scared me.
I had been an asshole and player because I was doing the cowardly thing. I didn't get a say in my soulmate, but I did get a say in the way I treated her and the way I behaved. She was right; I needed to lead by example.
"Dimka? What's with the frown?" Tasha asked, rubbing her hand over the leather arm of my duster. It felt wrong. It was supposed to be Rose touching me like that.
"Tasha," I sighed before continuing. This wasn't going to go down well. "I've rethought your offer. The answer's no. And that is final. I refuse to even be your guardian."
"But Dimka," she whined. She had the audacity to copy Rose's pleading expression, and put her hands all over me.
"No. Tasha. Enough." I removed her hands from me. My body was Rose's to explore, Rose's to take possession of, and that was the-long-and-the-short of it. "You're being childish and petty. My answer is no. Accept it and move on. I don't belong to you."
"Fine. You'll regret this later. You'll come to your senses soon enough and will be begging for me." There was a glint in her eye that told me she knew. That she was planning to hurt Rose to get me.
"Not going to happen, you're not getting me." You're not touching my Roza.
"We'll see." She walked off, thank god! Although her parting words were rather disconcerting.
"Rose? What's going on?" I met my Roza ten minutes before her-well, our- shift. We had met just outside the venue but, thanks to her expression, I was about one 'nothing' away from pushing her into the nearest closet again.
"Nothing," was her response and my reaction was locking us in the nearest janitor's closet. "Comrade? What the hell?" she was trying to be pissed at me, but our proximity and location made her reaction playful.
"Roza, love, you can't fool me. Something's wrong. And don't say 'I'll deal with it' because I'm here to support you. Don't deny yourself the support you need when you have me." Oh, she had me alright. Hook, line and sinker- I was so totally whipped.
I loved her to the point it bloody hurt. The law and society said we couldn't (and shouldn't- for various reasons) be together, but we had to be. We had been made for each other, our souls screamed for the other, and delaying destiny because of duty was idiotic. Our line of work was dangerous and love between two dhampirs was extremely rare. Translation: we needed to embrace our love while we were still alive because it was stupid not to.
"I'm not weak ya know!" my Wonder Woman softly teased.
"I know, Roza, I know," I responded just as softly. "Your strength is one of the many reasons I love you."
"I love you too. The problem? In one word? Lissa." That came as a surprise. "She needs me around, yet doesn't want me. All she's thinking of is Christian. I told her about doing banquet shifts. She was grateful, but..."
"Her thoughts returned immediately to her boyfriend and love life? You were forgotten?" Her expression told me I was right.
"Yup. I accept that as her guardian I'll always be her shadow. But while we're still in school I'd like to have some pretence of my sister back." She was on the verge of tears by the end.
"Oh Roza," I closed the distance between us, brought my lips to hers and let her know I loved her, that I'd be there for her.
"I hate to break it to you, Comrade," damn that nickname that made me want to kiss her. She had no idea of its true meaning, but the way she used it never failed to make me fall for her that tiny bit more. I knew how she wanted to finish that sentence so I gave her one last- for now- kiss then safely exited us from our hideout. Our cover was still in tact, and my other half was now collected, calm and in control.