"Another shadow-kissed effect?" I asked, taking a step forward, putting me on the bridge. I could see the fear coursing through her eyes. I met her eyes and smiled.

"Yeah." She swallowed hard, before speaking again. "Turns out ghosts don't much like strigoi." I almost laughed, because I had just watched how hard she was trying to get them to go away. I then thought back to my vague dhampir days, when she's cried and screamed when she saw them. I remembered what they did to her.

"You didn't seem to like them much either." I mused. I stood there watching her, waiting on her next move. I was waiting on her to start running again, but she knew I'd be on her too quickly. She knew I would have her the moment she turned her back. I knew Roza, I knew her strategy, I knew the way she thought, and I knew she wouldn't make that mistake. She took a slow step backwards, trying not to make it too obvious, but I'd seen it. She finally spoke again, her voice traveling to me on the wind.

"So, did I go far enough for you to not want to turn me?" She asked, trying to put up a cheerful façade, but failing miserably. I smiled at her again, something I could tell she didn't like much anymore."No. Your shadow-kissed abilities have their uses… Too bad they'll go away when you're awakened." She looked like that upset her. I knew she didn't want to be awakened. I knew she wanted to go home to Lissa, but I wouldn't allow it. After seeing her, missing her for so long… I couldn't let her walk away. I had to be with her. I would be with her. I wanted her. I wanted her so much. I wanted her around forever. She'd be my companion, my partner in crime, my Roza. It would be just like it was when I was a dhampir, only better. So much better. I saw a realization flash over her features like she'd just made a very hard decision.

"You're not going to awaken me," She said. I raised an eyebrow, and stared at her for a moment, weighing my words before I spoke.

"Rose, there's no way you can-"

"No." She said. What she did next… I wasn't ready for. This wasn't what I'd expected her to do. She climbed up onto the railing of the bridge, swinging one leg over. She was.. She was going to jump. Every muscle in my body froze. I swear my heart stopped beating. She wouldn't jump. She wouldn't.

"What are you doing?"

"I told you. I'll due 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." A light breeze blew, and I smelled her stronger. I could smell the fear in her. I wasn't sure what to do, what to say. I just stood there, frozen by fear. There was a time when I'd said I'd rather be dead than become what I am now, but I was wrong. I didn't know what it was like. I didn't know how amazing it was until now. Was Rose's life worth losing for her to become Strigoi. I watched as she swung her other leg over, and looked down into the water. She was weak. She looked so weak. Her knee's were shaking and her beautiful hair was a mess. I looked down at the water too. She may be able to survive the fall, the crash of the water meeting her body, but in her weak state, there'd be absolutely no way she could out swim that current. She was looking back at me now.

"Rose, don't." I said. I could hear the panic in my voice, and she could too because I saw the pain flash through her eyes. She looked back down at the water, and back to me.

"Please?" I begged. I watched the pain flood through her features again. She didn't want to lose me, she didn't want to die. I could see it, but she also didn't want to become what I am, and because of that… she would kill herself. She would jump off this bridge and into the raging water below. I looked into her eyes and took two careful steps forward, making sure she wasn't going to jump. "We need to be together."

"Why?" She asked softly, her voice carrying with the wind.

"Because I want you." I said. I didn't understand why she kept asking me that. It was the most obvious thing. I wouldn't have put up with all of this if I didn't want her. She gave me a sad smile, and shook her head.

"Wrong answer." She told me. I watcher her hands let go of the rail. One word rang out in my head: NO. I sprinted forward with my strigoi speed, grabbing her, catching her before she could fall into the water. I only had one of her arms. I dragged her almost halfway back over the railing, but most of her body still hung out over the river. She was fighting me, struggling with me, trying to get me to let go. I was weak, and I was tired from fighting three strigoi, and her, but I wasn't about to let her die. Not here… not this way.

"Stop fighting me!" I said, trying to pull her farther onto the railing with the arm I held. I was in a strange position, trying to pull her over, but I couldn't let her die. I wouldn't let her die like this. I just wouldn't.

"Let go of me!" She yelled back. I was weak, but I was damn sure strong enough to save her. I managed to haul most of her back over the rain, so she wasn't in complete danger of falling. I hadn't believed Rose all the times she'd told me she'd rather die than become Strigoi. She'd told me that time and time again back at Galina's estate. Now, I knew she meant it. I was still trying to pull her back over the rail, when she looked me dead in the eye.

"I will always love you." She said. Then, she used the stake that was in her free hand, and plunged it into my chest. It wasn't that great of a blow, because I saw what she was going to do, and tried to dodge it. She still got it in me though. She struggled, trying to dig the stake deeper. I tried to get away without letting go of her, and letting her fall, but I couldn't. I felt the world fade around me, and everything stated to go dim. I tried to smile at her, but it was hard with the pain. The silver and the magic were affecting me profusely. The pain was almost unbearable now, and the world was starting to shimmer.

"That's what I was supposed to say…" I gasped. I felt myself begin to fall and the world faded around me.