"Rose, run!" my Mother called from behind me as I wavered catching sight of Dimitri being dragged away. So I did exactly what she said. I ran...right back into that cave to get him. I picked up his stake and put it into my belt then plunged into the darkness of the cave.
I crept along the walls of the murky cave holding my breath while listening to a battle going on just around the corner of the passageway. I heard Dimitri cry out in pain.
"Just do it Nathan!" hissed a Strigoi. I heard about three voices chiming in agreeing with him. I had to act fast. I peeked around the corner clutching my stake to see Dimitri on his knees with two Stogoi holding him down, one of them grabbing his hair and pulling his head to the side to expose his neck. Nathan began to lean down, teeth bared. The fourth Strigoi was directly in front of me with his back turned to watch what was going on. I sprang into action. I threw my arm around the one in front of me and brought my stake up hard, right into his heart. He let out a scream and crumpled to the ground.
"I believe you have something that is mine." I growled raising my stake, ready for the next one to try something. Nathan (I assumed) lunged toward me. I stepped aside at the last second and slashed his cheek with the tip of my weapon. He screamed and that alone gave me the opening I was hoping for. I took the offensive position and fought with all my might praying I would not lose that stance. He brought his hands up hoping to protect his face from the next blow. Bingo. With a quick movement I brought my stake down right into the center of his chest hearing his ribs cracking in the process. The Strigoi around us screamed and Dimitri used their distraction to his advantage breaking out of their hold.
"Dimitri!" I yelled, pulling his stake out of my belt and throwing it to him. One Strigoi launched himself into me sending my into the nearby wall, knocking over one of the two lamps lighting the room. I kicked him off just barely pushing him away enough to be able to get back on my feet. He lunged again but I was quicker. I blocked his attack and shoved him into the Strigoi that Dimitri was fighting. They stumbled on each other trying to regain their balance but both out stakes sung out effectively piercing their hearts. Their screams were cut out by gurgles of them chocking on their own blood and then it was silent. We needed to move. The sun would be gone in a matter of minutes. Dimitri as always seemed to have read my mind and reached down to help me up. We bust out of the murky, dark cave into an empty sunlit forest. Running hard, we reached the gates as the sun disappeared completely. There were no guards watching the entrance and the cameras surrounding the post were absolutely destroyed.
"With numbers as low as they are, they probably have everyone guarding the church." Dimitri said threw tight lips, shoving the gate aside. We walked in and he shut that gate once again. I slumped against the gate and into the ground utterly exhausted. I felt Dimitri sit down next to me.
"Rose..."
"Don't say it," I interrupted him before he could lecture me. "I went back because I love you. I could not watch you die, much less be turned into one of them." His eyes softened and he pulled me into his lap.
"Oh Roza." he murmured, running his fingers threw my hair. He kissed the top of my head. "What would I do without you." I rested my head on his broad chest listening to the steady beating of his heart. I could have stayed like this forever but I new we had to get back. I let out a sigh squeezing my eyes shut hoping it would help give me the will to stand up and return to the mentor/student relationship we had. I opened my eyes to see Dimitri staring up at the night sky probably thinking the same thing.
"We should head back now." he said, not making any attempt to stand up.
"Yeah." I sighed, standing up and offering him a hand to help him up. We began silently walking back to campus hand in hand.
"I love you Roza." he suddenly said. "I can't imagine what my life would be without you."
"I can and it seems pretty boring." I smirked bouncing up to press a kiss to his cheek. With a grin on his face, he wrapped his long arms around me, pulling me into the the shadow of the trees and pressed a kiss to my lips.
"Very." he agreed smiling. We began walking back and as soon as the church came into view he dropped my hand giving me a knowing look. We walked up the steps of the chapel to see my mother talking with Alberta looking quite distraught. It looked like she had been crying but it seemed like she was trying hard to keep her self composed.
"Miss me?" I announced and got the attention of everyone there. Heads snapped up and it was completely quite for a split second before people's who's faces I did not register began to rush forward asking if we were okay. I think Eddie and Stan were in that crowd but I paid no attention as my eyes where locked in on my mother and Alberta shoving their way though the crowd.
"Rose!" My mother gasped pulling me into a hug. "You are so stupid. How could you have done that. I told you not to go! You could have gotten yourself or someone else killed-"
"MOM." I cut her off pushing her back ever so slightly to look at her. Her face was dirty and her hair was not in any better condition. "I am fine. Dimitri is fine. We are alive." She was about to say something else before Eddie, who happened to be standing to my left, spoke up.
"You took out more than half of the Strigoi out there all by yourself!" People began to murmur around me in approval and some even cheered.
We finally were able to go get some food after everyone had a chance to speak with us. My mother went off to check on the Moroi who where still in hiding in the tunnels under the school and everyone else just started making their way to their dorms or the cafeteria. We walked into the lunch room when the smell of something delicious hit. Pizza.
"Yes." I said under my breath. Dimitri heard it and chuckled. I grabbed a tray and just started loading up on the cheesy goodness. To my suprise Dimitri did as well. I thought he was going to you know, get a salad.
"I think I deserve this." he shot back noticing my confused expression while slapping another slice on his plate.
"You most definitely do. You fought hard." I nodded in approval.
"So did you. How is your head?" He asked, referring to when I had been thrown against the cave wall. I was about to answer but I saw Alberta making eye contact with Dimitri and began to head towards us.
"We need to talk." She motioned towards the door. I looked down at my food longingly, wishing she had picked another time to talk. "You can bring your food." She rolled her eyes as I immediately cheered up. She pulled us into Kirova's office but to my surprise she was not there. I plopped down on a brown leather sofa and dug into my food.
"Rose. You disobeyed a direct order. Everyone heard and saw it." Alberta finally spoke up. My chewing slowed and I looked at Dimitri who's face had gone expressionless.
"But we are alive."
Her eyes narrowed as she looked between Dimitri and I.
"You can be expelled and if you are not... Then people are going to wonder why you went back for Dimitri."
"I went back for him because I care for him, Alberta. I would have done the same for you." I replied, my own calmness surprising me.
"I don't doubt you but I know it's more than that." Crap she knows. I thought.
"What do you recommend we do?" Dimitri asked Alberta. His guardian mask was up and boy was it good. I could tell he was nervous but obviously not for himself. He was nervous for me. I took another bite of my pizza unable to shake the hunger off with what was unfolding in front of me. Expulsion. Being a blood whore. Dimitri fired or worse... in jail.
"I wanted to offer you guys something before Kirova finds out about you disobeying an order." Alberta said slowly. Dimitri raised his eyebrow and I leaned forward, my food long forgotten now. "Moroi don't understand how much we need you, but we do. You are both incredibly dangerous and even more so when you are together... There is a new Academy opening up near Baia and we want you both to oversea the guardian program there while Stan and I try to convince Kirova to not report this to the Queen."
"You want us to train students in the new school? What about me graduating?" I asked running my hands though my hair stressing out a little.
"Stan and I will count this as part of your training as long as you don't get expelled."
I looked at Dimitri who now looked more relaxed.
"What do you think, Comrade?" I looked at him grinning ever so slightly. His eyes twinkled with a bit of excitment that only I could ever see though that mask of his.
"We accept." He replied holding my gaze.
