RPOV
"For someone who claims to want to gather as much information as possible, you sure do have a hell of a lot to figure out about yourself," Mason sighed tiredly before walking out of the room with a slam of the door being the only sign of just how pissed he was.
He was right, though. I had a lot of growing up to do about this messed up attraction to Dimitri and being in love with him situation. Dimitri'd clearly moved on with Tasha; she made him happy and could give him kids—something he wanted and deserved. No matter how much I loved him and wanted to be with him, it was that love that led me to believe I had to be strong enough to let him go. I wanted him happy, no matter how much pain that brought me. I loved him with all my heart, but I'd never be able to be with him.
I buried into the huger than huge bed's comforter. Wanting to disappear in it, hide away from the world and Dimitri. I was sick of fighting with the man I loved... well, fighting verbally, physically, in training... yeah, that was another thing entirely. Sensations and memories of the feel of his warm skin on mine, the taste of his breath, the feel of his body pinning mine to the gym floor—or even the store room wall—all assaulted my mind and overloaded my senses. Unbidden, tears sprung in my eyes as the ache of loss tore at my chest and stomach.
A knock sounded on the door. Please don't be him, please don't be Dimitri, please don't be Dimitri. I would always love him, and it hurt to think I was reluctantly, but willingly, handing him over to another woman.
"Rose? Rose are you in there?" came Dimitri's honey accent that just made me melt even when I tried to fight it and fought to stop its effect on me showing.
I pulled myself off the bed and made a mad dash for the bathroom to rinse away my tear stains before returning to the door Dimitri was knocking on again.
"Hi," I greeted almost shyly, definitely being uncharacteristically timid.
"Rose," his voice was anything but tough-love mentor right now and his eyes flicked around. I got the message before he said the words. "I want," he paused then edited, "need, to talk to you, Rose." If I didn't know better, I'd say he was nearly scared of me, of my reaction. Then he uttered the words I was thinking and wanting to say, "I'm tired of this arguing."
"So am I," I said and pulled the door back, gesturing him in. "Do you want to come in?"
"Yes," he stepped over the threshold, "thank you, Roza."
The use of my Russian nickname caught me a little off guard while I shut—and locked—the door. He only used that when he was letting himself acknowledge and feel his love for me. He hadn't slipped in weeks, and I'd begun to believe he never would... especially with Tasha around.
"No worries. Take a seat," I gestured to the plush sofa that sat opposite the end of my bed. "I have a feeling this'll take longer than it's supposed to," I sighed and sat on the end of the rumpled bed.
"Either you've been crying and hiding in that comforter, or another male has been in here with you that shouldn't," Dimitri observed as he sat on the sofa and leaned forward, elbows on knees, chin in the palms of his hands. His words didn't come out like an amused but disciplining teacher, but soft and tender, concerned and maybe even jealous. His mask was down enough to see he was definitely worried about me in a way no teacher should be. It made my heart skip a beat. "Roza," Dimitri nearly groaned as he took in my features and what I was sitting on. All of a sudden I realised what was going through his head. I saw it in his eyes, he was vividly remembering us being ensnared by Victor's insidious lust charm and him taking me to bed— causing his dorm bed sheets to be just this rumpled, more so. "Stop being a tease," Dimitri's words were shocking enough, but the way he'd delivered it surprised me more, so so much more. He'd all but moaned the words, in a very sexual tone that had my own body reacting in a very worrying way.
"Where else am I to sit?" I asked innocently.
"With me?" asked Dimitri and he sat back when I stood and slowly sauntered over to him.
"Why are you here, Dimitri?" I asked curiously while standing over his knees; if I sat the right way, I would straddle his lap.
"I had to tell you that I told Tasha no," he said, his dark brown eyes boring into mine as his hands grabbed my hips to guide me to sit on his lap.
"B-but you could have had a baby," I argued, "and her interest in you rivals mine," I admitted.
"Exactly," whispered Dimitri, one hand now on my butt and one on the middle of my back. "And I can't return that," the hand on my butt brought me further forward, closer to him, while the one on the middle of my back lightly trailed up my spine and over my left shoulder. I failed suppressing the shiver his burning feather-light touch created. "Not when one special young woman already holds my heart," his right hand moved over my left breast and between them to press his palm directly over my heart. "You," breathed Dimitri as his eyes met mine. "You claimed my heart the second I laid eyes on you, Roza. It took that charm to truly understand the magnitude of what we have, but I'm sick of it, of fighting it that is." His right hand glided back up, up my neck, across my jaw, and over my cheekbone, right up and into my hair. A lock was being wound around his fingers as he regarded me absolutely adoringly and with utter seriousness. I saw it then, I wasn't just beautiful in his eyes, he wasn't just burned by my beauty.
"I'm your salvation," I breathed in astonishment.
"How, Rose?" he whimpered in... well... fear. I'd done it, figured out yet another of his secrets. I could see it in the way he looked at me, I saw it in his eyes. I gave him peace, just as he did me, but that came at a cost... to both of us. We knew things about the other that we didn't want to acknowledge ourselves, things we didn't want the other to know. "How do you do that? How do you know me so well?" His fear of me was clear in his eyes, oh so clear.
"How do you know things about me I don't know?" I questioned quietly in response. "How the hell do you know how to go from making me want to hit you one second to kiss you the next?"
"You scare me, Rose," admitted Dimitri, both hands tracing patterns on my back. "That day," the kiss against the wall, we both knew he meant that day, "you figured out my biggest struggle, my deepest secret, and it scared me. You scare me, Roza. It made me want to squirm. I can't hide from you, and that totally and absolutely terrifies me." Yet another piece of the puzzle fell into place, I understood him a little bit more.
"Tasha doesn't get you the way I do, she doesn't understand," I stated and his hands froze on my back. I was right. "It's why you told her no, no matter how easy it would be to be with her." Just like my situation with Mason.
"Exactly. It's why I'm sick of fighting you, of fighting my feelings for you, of trying to pretend that my attraction to you will ease if I'm not around you. If anything, the reverse occurs." Dimitri came back to life and pulled me into an earth-shattering kiss. "I can't lose you, Rose. You are my life, my home, my family now." He regarded me seriously again, meaning every word.
"It's selfish of me to keep you here," I tried to rebut, but only got shushed by Dimitri's forefinger tracing my slightly swollen lips.
"It's selfish of me to stay, Roza. But I can't stay away. I need you, Rose. I need you in my life to be complete, to be happy and content. I know I should go, I know going is the logical thing, I know all the reasons I should stay away. But I'm sick of being reasonable and responsible. Being with you is the most reckless, risky, and selfish thing I'll ever do, but I have to have you in my life, Roza."
"Oh, Dimitri," I sighed lovingly and understandingly, quickly burrowing into the crook of his neck.
"We will make this work, Roza. I promise we will find a way to be together," he murmured lovingly and resolutely while holding me tightly and running a hand through my hair.
"I love you, Comrade," I dared to speak the forbidden and risky words in a whisper in his ear. Saying them made me feel so much better, like a weight had been lifted off my chest with the bold admission. I knew how dangerous it was for anyone to overhear any and every part of this discussion, especially the part that happened next...
"I love you, Roza, with all my heart I love you," responded Dimitri in my ear. Immediately tugging lovingly on its lobe with his teeth. He was testing and teasing me.
"Don't start," I warned lustfully. "You're torturing me enough already," I moaned when he kissed down my neck, starting behind that ear.
His hands were being as possessive of my body as mine were of his. This was so wrong, but so right, oh so right. He eventually moved us to the bed, both still completely clothed yet wishing for the complete opposite. He hovered over me, looking at me with so much love and adoration I thought I'd explode... or melt. I could feel how desperate we both were to finish what the charm had started... "Dimitri," I half moaned and half pleaded.
"No, Rose," he softly said against my lips. "Not now. I'm not taking your innocence when you're still suffering a hangover from whatever it was Ivashkov exposed you to last night. I love you. I want to make your first time special and memorable, and definitely not rushed. Roza, love, I beg you to understand that I want to make love to you, not simply have sex with you... the latter degrades and disrespects you far too much." Aww. He was a romantic, and I was more than okay with that. I knew how high his standards and morals were, combine that with how much he clearly loves and respects me and that response was what I expected him to say. That's not to say I missed the hidden, "we don't have the time or privacy to do so now." I most certainly heard the "we can't get caught," undertone.
"I understand, Dimitri," I murmured seriously. Then asked in curiosity, "How do you know I'm still innocent?"
"Because I know you and I saw how nervous you were even under the charm's influence." The way those brown eyes looked at me with that studious and appreciative look made me shiver and flush. "That is one thing I know you won't rush into, my love. I won't push you into what you aren't ready for." That just made more of me turn red.
"You're clueless," I said, my mind still rather foggy as my body still had control of it.
"And you still have so much to learn."
"And you're going to be the one to teach me, aren't you?"
"You're so much more innocent than anyone knows," he chuckled and pulled me on top of him, straddling him, with his arms around my waist holding me in place. Not that you're gonna hear me complain.
"I am not," I defended myself, I knew when things were dirty and had a double meaning.
"You so are, Roza. You have no clue how often I hear things come out of your mouth that you don't even realise have a second meaning." His hand started tracing and learning my curves. "Then when you try to give your male classmates sick fantasies, you're an absolute master at putting images of you in their heads."
"And you? I don't give you sick fantasies?" I feigned my innocence and hurt.
"Oh, I'm the one lucky enough to have you let me live most of those sick fantasies, to truly want me, to be with me that way."
"You know..." this was embarrassing. "That accent of yours is my downfall."
I looked at him with eyes full of love, and saw all that returned and then some. We both knew he had to leave, but neither of us wanted to split. We both knew he'd already been here for far too long. And had anyone overheard any of our discussion or make out we were in deep shit. Still, but the effort to even move from the bed was hard enough, we found.
And something neither of us managed before there was a knock on the door. Shit!
"Bathroom. Now," I hissed frantically into my mentor turned love interest's ear. I raked a hand through my hair and straightened my clothes while rushing towards the door. Dimitri beelined for the bathroom and, once inside, I unlocked and opened the door.
To find Alberta. Oh shit! Holy crap! I slammed my mask into place before I greeted her.
"Alberta."
Something close to amusement flashed in her eyes. "Rose," she nodded.
"What do you want Alberta?" I asked innocently.
She didn't seem to buy it. She knew me too well. I swear. "I was wondering if you've seen Guardian Belikov." Something in her eyes and tiny smile told me she knew he was here. Uh... I would normally be able to outright lie flawlessly and without hesitation, so what the hell was stopping me now? "I know he intended to come by here, Rose." That did it.
"I'm assuming that also means you want to come in to have a talk to me?"
"Yeah, I do," her words came out in the almost mothering tone she used to use on me when I was little.
"Come in," I sighed and let her step through. I immediately shut the door and leaned against the back of it, my arms folded in front of my chest.
"Rose," she chuckled, letting that minut smile turn into a full fledged grin after surveying the room and me.
"What?" I asked defensively.
"I would believe your disheveled state—and the state of the bed— was nap induced..." she seriously looked as though she wanted to laugh, and that was really rather unnerving, "if it weren't for your swollen lips and the forming hickey."
"The what?!" I screeched in a whisper. I hadn't realised we had been that intense, that heated. I would have thought Dimitri would have more control than to leave a hickey where it could be seen.
"I can't believe the day has come where you're more worried about a hickey than a Strigoi attack," Alberta somehow managed to be somber while shaking her head in amusement and disbelief.
"Yeah, well, Dimitri has me rethinking my reputation," I admitted. I knew Dimitri could hear it, and just how genuine it was.
"Speaking of Dimitri," uh oh, "has he come around yet? He said he wanted to inform you himself of whether or not he returns to the Academy and continues as your mentor."
"Yes, he's been," I warily responded, "he told me he was staying on as my mentor because he trusts nearly no one else to be able to manage me." Not exactly true... at all.
"I know he cares about and for you, Rose. I can see it in his eyes every time your name is mentioned. I can tell you he's very defensive and protective of you. He very possibly doesn't realise it, but his whole demeanour changes the second you're mentioned or when he's within ten miles of you. I've seen the way you look at him, Rose. I've seen he has similar effects on you. I hear the same fondness and worship whenever one of you says the other's name." We. Are. So. Busted.
"Alberta," I gave a frustrated sigh.
"I'm assuming he's in here hiding in a similarly disheveled state. I'm not reporting, but please just try to at least wait until your birthday before ripping each other's clothes off. I can see this isn't one of your normal stunts; I can see and almost feel the power pulling you together. I can tell this isn't about the physical, well," she rethought my current state, "it's not primarily the physical. And do try to find a way out of both being Lissa's guardians, because I know there is one—but I'm leaving it up to you two to figure that out," she wore a knowing and mischievous look under her guardian mask. She sighed. "I need him back in the makeshift meeting room, Rose."
"I'll see what I can do," I said evasively. "If anything."
"Rose," she chuckled, "you could get him to do anything and everything; you'll be able to get him to return to that meeting," she said as she headed for the door and I let her out.
"I can't believe we're busted," laughed Dimitri as he exited the bathroom, quickly closing the distance between us.
"I can't believe she almost seemed to be trying to play matchmaker," I returned with a cheeky smile while Dimitri wrapped his arms around my waist, my hands automatically linking at the back of his neck.
"That she did," he agreed with a smile. I think I wanted to faint. "I better not press my luck with her, my love." I smiled in a love sick way and a pleasurable shudder ran through me at that.
"I love you," I whispered and pulled him into a kiss. I shouldn't have, because I got sandwiched between the door and Dimitri as things heated up again.
"I love you, Rosemarie Hathaway. Don't you ever doubt it," he murmured against my lips before gathering all of his dubious self control to straighten himself out and walk out my door.
I now had an urgent task on my hands. Break Mason's heart. I moved to the bathroom and looked at my appearance... and there was definitely a hickey I'd struggle to cover thanks to its location on my neck. I didn't need people mistaking it for a bite mark and restarting blood whore rumours. A hickey I knew Dimitri had left, not Mason.
My black eye was disappearing, thank god.
My hair definitely screamed sex or a heavy make out session. And yes, my lips were swollen—also screaming sex or something close.
I did my best to sort it out. I couldn't find a way to hide that hickey without make-up— thanks Dimitri, I sarcastically but affectionately thought. One problem— I had no make-up. Lissa did. I didn't. As if being summoned, I heard my best friend open the door.
"Hey Liss!" I called from the bathroom.
"Yeah?"
"Can I use some of your foundation?" At that confusion ran through the bond as to why, but she immediately wrote it off as me wanting to cover my black eye.
"Sure," she happily responded.
"Thanks!" I called back and set to work covering both the hickey and black eye.
"Hey Rose," Lissa said as she approached the locked bathroom door.
"Yeah?" I called back, still working on the hickey. God, I love him and didn't want to cover the mark that reminded me of his love and his willingness to embrace what we have, that I come first no matter how many reasons exist why I shouldn't.
"What's with the rumpled bed?" she asked teasingly. "Did Mase come around after that Adrian visit this morning?"
"Why do you suspect that?" I chuckled in response. "Can't I just have had a good nap to try combatting the hangover and another bitch-out from Dimitri?"
"He's far too strict on you, I swear," said Lissa as disbelief and disapproval—aimed at Dimitri—coursed through her. If only she knew.
"Actually..." I slowly started and opened the door. "I have something to confess," I nervously continued while letting her in and re-locking the door.
"About?" she asked in genuine curiosity. She'd missed our time to just be best friends. So had I. Please don't shoot me for telling her, Comrade.
"Dimitri, Adrian, Mason and me," I responded.
"Why is your mentor's name on that list?" she cautiously asked.
"Because," here goes, "he's not just my mentor, Liss."
"What?" she softly asked in shock and confusion.
"He loves me and I love him," I confessed, and it felt like a ten tonne weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
"B-but he's with Tasha...?" she trailed off, not too sure now.
"No, he's not," I told her. "Just like I'm not with Mason or Adrian." She just stood there, completely speechless as she processed what I'd just revealed, all the pieces falling into place. Then she spoke.
"Is that bed rumpled because of him?" I could read the silent, "Has Dimitri been by and have you two been at it?"
"Sorta," I admitted. "No clothes came off, but I do have a hickey."
"He?" she burst out laughing at the image of the perfect, duty driven, stoic, seemingly emotionless and completely in control Guardian Dimitri Belikov giving me a hickey. "Him? Of all guys? I can't ever imagine him losing control."
"Yeah, he did," I smirked and laughed with her. "And I've seen him lose his control—often because of and at me."
"I don't wanna know," she nearly whined.
"We haven't done That." I thought for a moment. "Yet."
"Ew! Don't wanna know about my guardian and guardian-in-training getting it on."
"I guess not. I just don't know how long we'll last until we cave," I sighed. It was so intense it was suffocating. But we couldn't do anything yet. Well... we could, but I doubted we would find the time and privacy. I loved him with all my heart and hated not even being able to show him what he meant to me because I wasn't allowed to.
I soon escaped to find Mason and break his heart. If he'd even listen to me right now. And I highly doubted he would.
When I found his room and knocked on the door, his roommate—Shane—answered.
"Hey Rose," he greeted.
"Hey Shane. Have you seen Mason?" I asked urgently.
"Yeah, he came in a couple hours ago fuming about no one doing anything. Something about getting Eddie and Mia to do something they wouldn't. He was whining about how you sounded like Belikov," Shane finished with a chuckle. "I'd love to see the day you sound and act like that Russian god of a guardian." My Russian god, period, I mentally corrected. Not that he could know. My mind was spinning as I connected the dots.
"Well, you're in luck, today's the day. He's the one being rash, running into a situation he's not ready to deal with, one I'm not ready to handle no matter how much training I've received from Dimitri."
"Wow. You really do sound like Belikov when you want to."
"Yeah, yeah, I know— and it scares me. Now, details, Shane. Why Eddie and Mia? What was he rambling on about?" I asked, needing him to confirm my suspicions.
"Something about something in Spokane—" BAM! Hit the nail on the head.
"Thanks Shane! I need to go talk to Dimitri about this!" I called over my shoulder as I hastily turned and left.
I hurriedly made my way to the makeshift meeting room. Only to find Dimitri wasn't there. Had I really taken that long?
"Alberta, where's Dimitri?" I urgently whispered when she came to meet me at the door.
"He's on the slopes, I think that's where his shift is. Why?" she looked and sounded a tiny bit worried by my panicked state.
"It's something only he can sort out, Alberta," I told her.
"Okay," she nodded and let me go.
I found him right where he should be.
"Dimitri," I said, trying to keep my mask up—both on my face and in my voice.
Damn soulmate saw right through it! "Rose? What's up? Why aren't you skiing with your group?"
"I can't 'cause stupid Mason, Eddie and Mia have disappeared," I whispered with worry and regret lacing my voice.
I trusted him, but feared his reaction as my mentor. The only thing that was making me brave enough–and foolish enough–to be here and tell him was that he feared losing me. I'd already disappointed him once by telling Mason, so I wasn't about to do it again by being just as rash running after them—though god knew I wanted to.
"Why?" Dimitri asked slowly as he looked at me with a 'don't fool around' expression in his eyes between scans of the area around us.
"Uhh..." I nervously started.
"Rosemarie," he warned. He almost never used my full name, at all, let alone in that way—it was usually only "Rose" that kept us on some level of professional terms. I was in deep shit. And damn him, he was the only one I'd never correct for using it.
"I was kinda, you know, mad at you and trusted him like you tried to trust me—"
"You told him," his eyes narrowed in disapproval and disappointment. Just as I knew they would; it didn't stop me from cowering under his intense glare. "I should have expected no less," said Dimitri in a reprimanding and disciplining tone.
"I know, I know," I thew my hands up, half in a sign of truce and half in exasperation. My voice mirrored my actions, giving off my mixed emotions. I hated disappointing Dimitri— I wanted nothing but his approval when my mentor (and when not). "I know I'm an impulsive schoolgirl who doesn't know where to draw the line and keep her mouth shut." Now I was definitely more than exasperated because I knew what lecture he wanted to give me.
I swear being my mentor's soulmate made things so much damn freaking harder, much more painful, and blurred the lines beyond belief.
"Rose," he sighed. "Tell me what you already know," he hastily added, "in private once I get someone to cover for me." I gave a swift nod, which he returned and hastily had Yuri finish his shift.
Surprisingly, he didn't lead me to my room. He led me to his. Payback's a bitch—he sat on the edge of his bed while I was given the comfy lounge opposite.
"No fair, Comrade," I pointed out. His mask dropped and he joined me on the lounge, encompassing me with his strong, warm arms.
"Oh Roza," he sighed into my ear. "I hate seeing you like this," he gently guided my head to face his. "I hate seeing you on the verge of tears—even more so when I put them there." Dimitri placed a kiss on my forehead before pulling me into his chest.
"You have every right to be mad at me," I mumbled. "I did the one thing–"
"Roza, love, I understand why you did it. Yes, as your mentor, I'm disappointed, but it's not as though I'm not at fault either. If this had happened before we were fighting, and I'd confided in you, then I know for sure you wouldn't have passed it on to Mason."
"I thought he'd understand, I thought he'd be trustworthy enough to not take action. I was pissed at you, or our situation, whatever, and thought I could vent with him. When he started sounding like I did to you, I tried to talk him out of it and he just went and told me I sounded like you–"
"Hang on," he chuckled into my hair and tipped my chin up with two fingers.
"What?" I asked, looking into his dark eyes to see amusement and curiosity.
"Were you just repeating what I said to you? Or—"
"I understood it," I said seriously. "I understand it. Which is why I came to you instead of running after them. Well... that and I don't want to give you a heart attack while I'm gone." I meant every word.
"You're right I'd have a heart attack if ever you disappeared on me," he returned with so much love lacing his words and showing on his face.
"So... what are you gonna do?"
"We, Roza, it's 'what are we going to do?', sweetheart." Man, I've turned him soft.
"And that is?" I asked with my heart racing in overdrive.
"Lock the door," he whispered suggestively in my ear with one hand shifting my hair behind my ear. My breath hitched and I looked into his eyes questioningly and longingly. He nodded. "We have the time, Roza," he smiled at me and I think I was on the verge of fainting. "I love you." That broke my trance.
"I love you," I returned, closing the distance between our lips, and the battle began.
My hands snaked into his hair, releasing his ponytail from its holder and tugged. His hands left a burning sensation in their wake as they glided down my curves and to my waist, despite the layers of clothes. His tongue glided over my bottom lip, begging for entrance, which I gladly gave. Our tongues fought each other as we fought our way off the lounge and to the door so it could be locked.
"I love you," murmured Dimitri as he kissed down my neck and undid my jacket.
"I love you, Dimitri," I breathed as my hands slipped under his duster, readying to send it flying seconds after he removed my jacket. Moments later both items were somewhere in the large room, our lips back together, and we were fighting our way to the bed. My hands traced the outline of his muscles under his shirt. His calloused yet warm and gentle fingers trailed over the soft, sensitive skin of my stomach, burning and teasing me as they made their way to just under my bra.
My nails dug into the small of his back and he had a firm grip on my waist when he threw us onto his bed, without breaking the kiss until hovering over me. His look said it all; he loved me and wanted me, but it all rested on my decision in this moment. We had the time and the privacy, but he wanted to know if I was ready, if I was willing. By god, did I want to be with him this way because I loved him more than anything. We may never get this chance again until after graduation, and the thought of holding off any longer was as dangerous as taking up this opportunity.
"I love you, Dimitri," I whispered with all my love coming through. "I'm ready." His lips fused back on mine and I knew there'd be no turning back this time. No turning back and no regrets.
I wanted to stay in that bed and blissful ignorance forever. But, reality came crashing down on us, and the pressure of finding and saving the missing trio mounted as time became of the essence.
"Rose, we're going after them. And not through the right channels," said Dimitri once we were finished redressing and I was using his brush to brush away my 'sex hair'. Said brush froze where it was and I looked at Dimitri in shock via the bathroom mirror.
"But you're risking getting fired—"
"I already have, and you're worth it; trust me, sweetheart," that made my heart skip a beat. "You're going to be the better guardian, you already are the better guardian."
"I'm not gonna get there without your help, Comrade," I argued while fighting a losing battle with my hair.
"With any luck, we'll be back before they notice we're gone."
"We can't count on luck, Dimitri."
"We could count on compulsion," he slyly suggested.
"No. Absolutely not. We are not taking Lissa into the danger zone, we are not involving her. It'd be like taking a puppy to target practice, or a firing range," I put my foot down—hypothetically—while furiously trying to pull the brush through my hair.
A coy yet amused smile graced his lips. "Here," he said softly as he stepped forward and removed my hand from the brush's handle, only to replace it with his. "Let me," his smile grew before falling back into its place in his guardian mask. "Your passion and resolve, fire and dedication are just a few of the many reasons I love you," said Dimitri while he gently pulled the brush through my hair. Succeeding where I didn't. Typical. God of everything. I had to hand it to him, he was doing an amazing job of making me fall for him all over again with this bonding moment, no matter the topic we were discussing while he was reverently untangling the knots he'd worked into my hair. "I wasn't thinking of Lissa, Roza."
"You'd take Christian? He's your friend's only family..." I stared at him incredulously—again via the mirror.
He only regarded me with an even, calm and level, yet loving, expression. "Do you know any other combatant fire users who'd go after your motley crew?" asked Dimitri with a raised brow, still working through my hair.
"It's not my crew, and it's not motley," I defended. "How about Tasha? She'd do anything for you."
"The second she learned we were going after your crew—don't give me that look, they are your crew and they are motley—no, she wouldn't. She's not too terribly happy with me right now. If she knew what Mason did, I don't doubt she'd be out there too, trying to burn them in revenge. I think she's guessed you're the reason I turned her down. I didn't tell her anything other than it wasn't fair to lead her on when my heart's been claimed—that's almost word for word." He was still working through my hair, giving me an impromptu head massage in the process. "Gimme a sec," he hurriedly put the brush on the vanity and went rummaging through his toiletries bag. "Had the oddest feeling I'd need this while here, though didn't quite get why," he muttered as he pulled out leave-in detangling conditioner.
"Oh, am I glad you've got long hair," I sighed while he sprayed it in my hair and picked up the brush.
"I'm serious, Roza, when I say don't ever cut your hair," he looked a tad worried that I may consider it.
"I promise I won't."
"Thank you, my love," a bright smile graced his luscious and still slightly swollen lips before they pecked my cheek.
"So, after I sneak out of here, I've got to get Christian Ozera, my mortal enemy?"
"He's not your mortal enemy, Rose. The Strigoi are."
"You're sounding like a Christmas special again," I warned.
"Sorry, love. And yes, you do. I'll escort you back to your room, then you go get Christian while I make sure Alberta sees me at that meeting."
"Oh, I told her you'd be the only one to solve my little problem."
"Thanks love, I can work with that," said Dimitri while styling my loose hair off to the side to help hide the hickey. "I can't believe I did that," he chuckled.
"I can. I gave you my virginity, so I can believe you left me with a hickey." I smiled at him in the mirror.
"You are so precious, Roza. You have no clue how precious you are." Dimitri dropped the brush to wrap his arms around my waist, my back snugly fitting into his front. He placed a kiss on the crown of my head before resting his chin on the same spot. "I'm honoured to be your first, Roza. I truly am."
"I'm so glad I waited for you. It'd be totally wrong with anyone else. And if I'm to only have sex once, then I'm glad it was with you, the one I love with all my heart and soul." I spun in his arms and pulled him into a quick kiss, pulling and walking away before hands could find their way into hair. "I love you," I said, adding "I'll wait while you clean that up."
"Yes, ma'am," mock saluted Dimitri.
"Leave the jokes to me, Dimitri, leave the jokes to me and stick to the sarcasm," I responded over my shoulder while sauntering away, swinging my hips teasingly.
"Get out!" he teased. "You're giving me a problem."
"That's not my fault," I retorted as I sat on the lounge opposite his bed.
"Mmhmm. I'll believe that," he chuckled.
"You want me to try straightening out the bed sheets?" I called back to him in the bathroom. I wouldn't have offered if it weren't absolutely crucial we cover our tracks.
"No!" he nearly screeched in worry as he came running from the bathroom to the bedroom, immediately setting to work.
"Perfectionist," I teased with a smile, giggle and loving look.
"If and when we get an apartment together at Court after grad, you're leaving the bed making to me," he warned playfully yet seriously.
"Happily. If it weren't for the fact it may be my bed alone for stretches of time. So, if you have a way you want it done, you're gonna have to teach me."
"Oh, Roza," he sighed contentedly, the tiniest smile playing on his lips as he finished making the bed and returned to double check the bathroom was evidence free.
"I love you," I murmured and pecked his cheek before turning the unlocked door's knob.
"I love you more," he returned the peck and quiet murmur before allowing me to pull open the door. We stepped out into the hall, put some space between us and resumed the façade of student and mentor, as if we hadn't just deepened our love by having sex and having a normal couple bonding moment. Talk about a buzz kill. We soon made it to the door of my room. A nod of our heads indicated our farewell for now and understanding of how the next short while would pan out. Once Dimitri was outta sight, I walked into my own room.
A check of the bond told me Lissa was storming out of Christian's room. I couldn't afford to run into or deal with her right now, as much as I wanted to put her first. I had to make sure this went to plan. It was too vital to get that trio back. So, I exited the room and went out of my way to avoid her and meander my way to Christian's door.
I thankfully got there without incident and knocked on the door.
"If she sent you..." he started bitterly.
"Shut up," I snapped. "I was on my way over anyway. Mason, Mia and Eddie are missing—"
"And we're going after them?" he clicked and immediately brightened.
"Yes. Now let's get outta here," I ordered.
"What do I need?"
"Your wallet, your wits and your warrior magic." He nodded before quickly slipping back into the room and returning seconds later.
"I'm assuming the last thing we need is a note left?"
"Precisely," I said with a swift nod.
"Good, 'cause I didn't leave one."
"Now let's get outta here."
"Belikov?" Christian asked curiously when Dimitri met us at the gates.
"Yeah, I'm in on it. Blame Rose, but we need to get out and back in with the others before they notice we're gone," answered Dimitri.
"Okay," Christian agreed readily but shot curious and concerned looks between me and Dimitri before addressing the guardian at the gate. Yes, it was singular since the partner had his back turned. "Let us out," Christian stated smoothly, the compulsion coming into play. "Let us out and forget you did. Rose Hathaway, Dimitri Belikov, and Christian Ozera were always here," Christian struggled to keep a hold on the magic, but the guardian's glazed eyes, compliant nod, and letting us out the gate indicated he'd been successful enough.
Once out the gate, we made a break for it. Dimitri threw me a spare stake and we fell into position, with me in front of Christian and Dimitri behind him. It was still dark enough to be dangerous so neither of us let our guard down, and Christian didn't argue or ask questions. For once.
We made it to the main road—which wasn't much of one—soon enough and without issues. Christian was still a little scared but determined to help us out, and Dimitri and I never dropped our guard.
Before long, a car pulled up. I didn't like the dangers of hitchhiking, but it was the only option we had. Much to Dimitri's discomfort, I used my feminine wiles on the impressionable young human man in his mid to late twenties. I managed to pass Dimitri off as my step-brother and Christian as my cousin. The human man was more than happy about sharing a confined space with me. Personally, I was just as uncomfortable as Dimitri about the way the creep was looking at me.
"Where would you like to go, beautiful?" the guy whose name was Dennis asked with a smile that I think was supposed to be seductive. It was simply creepy. Beside me, Dimitri bristled. I sat in the middle of the back row, between the guys. It wasn't guardian formation, but we did what we had to to remain inconspicuous.
"How far are you going?" I continued the suggestive and flirty act—hating every second since the man I'd just given my virginity to in the last few hours was sitting beside me.
"All the way?" I did not appreciate the innuendo.
"The interstate bus stop," Dimitri tersely answered, playing up the over-protective big brother act.
"Of course," he nodded, not looking too shaken or perturbed as he took off in the direction of the interstate bus stop—or so I hope.
"Rose, take a nap," softly said Dimitri. "We'll be fine."
"Yes, Rosie Posie," echoed Christian.
"Okay," I reluctantly agreed and rested my head against the back of the seat. Focusing on my breathing and the bond, I allowed myself to "slip into" my best friend. A few moments later and I had succeeded.
Lissa was trying to find me. She wanted to talk about the fight she and Christian had had. Inviting me to tonight's dinner was also high on her priority list. So far, she just assumed I'd hit the slopes with Mason and or Eddie given I'd left my bags in their place... or I was sneaking around with my (as far as she knew) almost lover of a mentor. Meaning she was just as happy to spend time with Camille Conta and co. Lissa soon found them and her worry over me got pushed to the back of her mind as she reassured herself I was a guardian and could look after myself... as could Dimitri if I was with him. Since I'd told her, she now thought I was his perfect match, and vice versa; she felt terrible over thinking that he should take Tasha's offer. Just as my mother had assumed he'd do.
I pulled out of Lissa's head when things got boring. My eyes fluttered open, scanned the car, and closed again. This time the blackness of sleep engulfed me. I was more tired than I had assumed. Apparently my earlier activities with Dimitri had taken more out of me than I had thought.
"Rose..." a voice said. "Rose," it repeated, I recognised it as Dimitri's voice and it broke through my sleep haze as he lightly shook my left shoulder with his right hand. I opened my eyes to find my head had come to rest on his shoulder. We had to cut that out — it'd give us away. Oh well. If all went well, it wouldn't matter that Dennis the stranger had seen.
I snapped to attention.
"Sleeping beauty awakens," Dennis tried to flirt with me. "We're here. It's a shame to see you go."
"Ahh well. Family duty calls, unfortunately," I returned, sounding and looking semi-seriously saddened, semi-flirty.
"Come on you two, we need to go," Dimitri turned to Dennis, "thank you for the lift." He even handed the stranger a twenty, "for fuel if you went out of your way," said Dimitri while Christian and I exited, soon joining us.
"That was dangerous, Comrade," I muttered as we entered the bus stop. "Not to mention it could send you broke." I wasn't joking, I was uncharacteristically serious.
"It was the polite thing to do," he responded as we all stepped up to the desk. It wasn't much of anything that bus stop, but it did lead to Spokane and that was what mattered right now. Christian may be annoying, but he was in no way slow or oblivious. He figured this was where he came in again—both to pay for tickets then to use compulsion to get the female attendant to wipe the CCTV once that bus had left, and to forget us. Again, he struggled to call that much compulsion into use, but somehow managed it... only just.
"Christian," I started. Dimitri looked at me warningly. "Don't tell me what to do, Dimitri," I glared back, determined. My lover reluctantly nodded and I turned back to our temporary charge. "You need to feed," I whispered.
"I'm fine, Rose," he tiredly retorted.
"You're not," I hissed in response. He rolled his eyes. I pulled my hair out of its bun before continuing. "Come on," I whispered suggestively, grabbed his hand, and led him towards the bathroom. Once in the shadows, and close to the disabled bathroom, I spun around, wrapping his arm around my waist in the process. "We have to do this, Chris," I said while walking my fingers up his arms. "We have to," I purred as my hands locked together at the back of his neck.
"I know," he sighed, his other arm wrapped around around my waist and tugged me to him. His lips crashed down onto mine and pushed me up against the wall. So much for the cousin act. I knew Dimitri had to be feeling terrible while watching-without-seeing this go on, with Christian's hands running through my hair. I knew I had to do it though.
We tumbled into the disabled bathroom and he locked the door behind us. Immediately he pulled back, "Are you sure?" he asked.
"You're not gonna survive the rest of the trip without, so yes, I'm sure." His lips briefly returned to mine, before trailing their way down to the clean side of my neck. He supported my neck while allowing him better access by grasping the hair at the back. His fangs grazed over the sweet spot and I felt my heart rate pick up. The excitement of a bite, however, was nothing compared to what Dimitri did to me while we made love. A brief flare of pain surged through me when Christian's fangs pierced my skin. That eased to a sting as he drank. I focused on listening to the slight suckling sound and making myself repulsed by it so the endorphins didn't take too much of a hold. I couldn't afford to be high on endorphins right now. It was over seconds later. He had taken almost nothing and already he looked better.
"Can't afford the drug getting to you, Rose," he said seriously as he helped me over to the sink to clean up. "What's up with you and Belikov, Rose? I've seen the way he's looked at you over the last couple hours, and just then. Aunt Tasha texted me while you were with Lissa, to say he turned down her offer of a family and a job in one."
"You promise you still have no friends to tell?" I asked while cleaning the bite mark, surprisingly put together and coherent.
"He's with you, isn't he?" Christian's voice held genuine amusement and curiosity. "You've somehow captured The Guardian Dimitri Belikov's heart. I never thought you'd cross that line, Rose. I never imagined he would either. Though, I must admit, you're a much better match for him. You work together in a way similar to me and Liss. I've seen that knowing and worshipping look in his eyes when he looks at you, the same look I—"
"Yeah, I know," I shivered.
"Ew! Gross!" he snidely commented.
On the bus, Dimitri and I fell into formation for the two hour ride.
We told Christian to sleep, after both he and I had refuelled on snacks we'd gotten from the vending machine and bottled water. I was already over the endorphin rush that Christian barely let enter my system.
"You're brave, Rose," said Dimitri once Christian was lightly snoring between us.
"You've got nothing to be jealous of, Comrade. Trust me. He's all hers."
"I know," he sighed, both of us still repetitively and routinely scanning the bus for internal and external threats, the sun would rise in about 2 to 3 hours. From what I'd gathered, the mall was a very rare one open 24/7. "It's just uncomfortable watching you do that sort of thing with him, or anyone... especially after... well, after we'd..."
"Yeah, I know. But it had to be done. Trust me, I didn't enjoy it... well, when I was remembering and seeing you there instead, yeah, that was enjoyable."
"Rose!" Dimitri cut me off with the closest thing to a whispered agonised whine.
"Sorry," I shrunk back, putting on an embarrassed and innocent pout.
"I really don't know what to do with you sometimes," he shook his head.
"You don't know what you'd do without me, period." I retorted.
"No, I really don't know what to do without you. We've just tried that—and it's hell," he responded. "You should check in with her, Rose," suggested Dimitri.
"Just quickly," I nodded and dived into my best friend.
Lissa was in our room at the lodge. She hadn't found me and was beginning to worry. She couldn't find me, yet all my stuff said I was around, sending her mixed messages. Just as I'd hoped. She hadn't seen Mason or Eddie either, but wasn't too terribly worried—believing they'd be trying out every activity on offer, so were around somewhere, and hoping I was with them. She was regretting her argument with Christian, but now too preoccupied with preparing for the dinner Pricilla Voda was hosting tonight. She just kept chanting to herself to calm down and get prepared for the dinner that started in a handful of hours. It was currently four in the human morning, and the dinner was to start at eight—late for a Moroi event to start, but with recent attacks they felt it would be safer as the sun would be more than shining.
I pulled out and gasped, starting to hyperventilate with my blood pumping in overtime, and the bus suddenly seemed to be going too slow. We weren't going to make it there and back before investigations began.
"Roza?" worriedly asked Dimitri. "What did you learn?"
"What," gasp, "what did you tell Alberta we were doing? That you were doing? You're meant to be at that dinner, remember?" I was panicking, and I never panic.
"I've warned her that I needed that shift covered in order to deal with the situation you presented me with. I told her I need that time with you as a training exercise."
"She bought it?" I asked incredulously.
"She was skeptical, but let it slide. Too worried about the bigger issue currently at hand. She trusts me with you."
"Everyone trusts you with me," I rebutted playfully with a teasing smirk.
"Because I'm the only one who pulls you into line."
"You do not!" I retorted. "You do not discipline me..." I dropped my voice lower, my breathing became laboured and I leaned toward him, "... at least not properly."
"Rose..." Dimitri's breathing had become as laboured as mine, begging me just like that day in the gym not so long ago.
"I'm not repeating that," I reassured once I'd brought my breathing back to normal and pulled away.
"You tease," he openly whimpered in a whisper so quiet I wasn't sure if I heard it.
Mason'sPOV
"What do you three have to say for yourselves?" demanded the girl who'd broken my heart. She'd certainly given me whiplash with her hot and cold nature and I was tiring of it. I loved her with all my being and it seemed as if she was indifferent. And right now I didn't like whom she'd brought with her to find us in the food court of the rumoured Strigoi hideout mall in Spokane.