Hey Guys!

I've been a member here for a few years now, but this is my first published story.

Hope you like it!

R&R! :)))

-zanessa-efgensfan333

Disclaimer – All characters belong to Richelle Mead and no copyright infringement is intended.

SHADOW KISS, DIMITRI'S POV

I woke up from the loud noise of my clock. "Great. Just Great." I muttered to myself. My clock told me it wasn't the first time he tried to wake me up. I will be late if I don't start moving. I quickly got up took a bath & put on clean warm clothes. I was on duty tonight. I must've slept too much. I can't remember the last time I've taken a real 'goodnight sleep'.

As usual it's a very cold winter day in Montana. I was on my way thinking about my life, Thinking of the ones I love. My family. My grandma. My mother, Olena. My sisters, Karolina, Viktoria & Sonya. And my nephew, Paul, Karolina's son. And of course, my love, my one true love … Rose. Even though I try to deny it, she still is the one. Sigh. Why her? Why not Tasha? Why does it have to be my 17 year old student? Then in a distant I heard someone call me.

"Guardian Belikov!" I forgot his last name, but I know he's the guardian on duty. "I was about to find you."

"I'm sorry I took some of your time." I said.

"Oh, no, not at all."

"I guess I'll start my shift now, thanks for covering for me."

"Don't mention it."

And with that I started patrolling the school grounds. Hmm. I said while raising my head up to be showered with the fullness of the sun.

It's the middle of the day for humans; but for us vampires, it's the middle of the night. Day or night, we guardians maintain shifts in patrolling the school grounds, may students be awake or asleep. Strigoi, the undead vampires who stalked the living Moroi vampires like the last Dragomir, Princess Vasilisa Dragomir, - I meant Lissa, - didn't come out in sunlight, but students, especially Dhampir students who can go out in sunlight may break the rules like sneak out of their dorms, say like my Roza, I meant Rosemarie Hathaway, - wait do I really consider her as one of the rule breakers? With all her records, no doubt she'll be on top of the should-look-out-for list of the guardians. If there was one. - Now that is a problem day or night. Might as well be cautious.

I was somewhat a few more feet from the gym when I saw someone, her back facing me. I knew right then & there who she was. From that long brown hair of hers to the shape of her body.

No doubt it was her.

I hovered her, when she didn't notice I asked.

"Are you sleepwalking?"

She spun around, startled. Wow, who knew someone could make her look like that. I continued watching her. I gave her a curious look & also an amused one. She's probably the only one who could sneak in & out of the dorm. Let alone the school.

She must've been conscious that I was watching her. She hastily ran her hands on her hair probably trying to fix her messy hair. She looked like she just got out of bed. Messy hair or not she still looked great. No one could probably look more beautiful than her. Ugh! I should stop making these kinds of comments on her.

"I was testing dorm security," she said. "It sucks." I hid a smile.

Oh yeah? Wait 'till she hears I'm security, I said to myself.

Then she looked at my body. She must've seen my thick clothing. It was also the only time when I noticed what she was wearing. She's still in her night gown topped with a robe. She only came out with her slippers & nothing more.

"You must be freezing. Do you want my coat?" I offered.

She shook her head. Now that's the stubborn side of Rose Hathaway. "I'm fine. What are you doing out here? Are you testing security too?" curiosity washed her face.

"I am security. This is my watch."

"Well, good work," she said. "I'm glad I was able to test your awesome skills. I should be going now." Hah. As if I'm falling for her excuse.

"Rose—" I reached out & touched her arm. Despite the coldness that surrounds us I't still felt right touching her. She's warm even though it's obvious she's feeling cold now.

"What are you doing here?" I used my stop-fooling-me-'coz-I'm-not-buying-it voice.

"I had a bad dream. I wanted some air." Okay, she sounds honest, but I still,-will—argue with her just to make sure.

"And you just rushed out. Breaking the rules didn't even crossed your mind—and neither did putting a coat."

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up." She admitted.

"Rose, Rose." I said in an exasperated voice. "You never change. Always jumping in without thinking."

"That's not true," she protested. "I changed a lot."

I thought about what happened these past few days, even weeks. Then it hit me. I misjudged her. I badly misjudged her. "You're right. You have changed"

I can still clearly remember what had happened three weeks ago. I suddenly felt weak. I remember her when we found her. Her face, her posture, her protective side showing up when we arrived there, at a small cabin somewhere deep in Spokane. Mia, a Moroi sounded like she was about to faint on the phone. Eddie, on the other hand, looked liked he doesn't even know what was happening. I was cut off with my thinking when Rose tried to make the topic lighter.

"Well, don't worry. My birthday's coming up. As soon as I'm eighteen, I'll be an adult, right? I'm sure I'll wake up that morning & be all mature & stuff."

I felt my features softened. I gave her a small smile & said. "Yes, I'm sure. What is it, about a month?"

"Thirty-one days," she announced primly. She looks so cute.

"Not that you're counting" I joked.

She shrugged, I laughed.

"I suppose you've made a birthday list too. Ten pages? Single spaced? Ranked by order of priority?" I guessed, these kinds of conversations make me feel more … open to her, which is so rare.

I expected a joke in response to mine but instead she stared at the floor & said in a small voice, "No, no list."

I tried to look clearly at her face. Some of my hair fell onto my face, I brushed them aside only for them to fall back again. I can't believe she don't want anything for her birthday. "I can't believe you don't want anything. It's going to be a boring birthday." I teased.

What she said took me off-guard, "It doesn't matter."

I can't believe what I'm hearing, "What do you—"then it hit me. Just that look in her eyes told me what she's meaning to say. She wants to have something she could never have. Wow, I thought for the first time, - or well at least not the first—she sounded mature. She did change. This side of her is new to me. If I was to be asked the same question by someone, I would've said so either. I would've wanted her more than anything else. If only it was possible. If only I could be with her.

The silence grew longer. I was growing uncomfortable with the subject. "You can deny it all you want, but I know you're freezing. Let's go inside. I'll take you through the back." I said as I tried to change the subject.

She look a bit … shocked? Well maybe because I tried to avoid this subject, I'm not in the mood to push it to her right now, since I know what she wants.

"I think you're the one who's cold," she teased as we were walking to her dorm. "Shouldn't you all be tough & stuff since your from Siberia?"

Here she goes again. "I don't think Siberia's what you think."

"I imagine it as an arctic wasteland."

"Then, it's definitely not what you imagine."

"Do you miss it?" she asked while turning to see me, since I was walking behind her.

"All the time," I've never discussed this topic to anyone else. "Sometimes, I wish-"

"Belikov!"

Wow, Alberta must stop yelling like I'm a teenager in trouble for sneaking out our dorm. "Stay out of sight." I told her, I don't want her to get in trouble.

I immediately walked, or sprinted the distance between me & Alberta, "You're not on watch." I said, intrigued.

"No, but I need to talk to you." There was hint of weariness in his voice. "It'll just take a minute. We need to shuffle some of the watches while you're at trial."

"I figured," I said to her. A few days ago, Headmistress Kirova informed me that I will be one of the witnesses for the trial of Victor Dashkov. We were to make our statements on what happened the day Princess Vasilisa Dragomir–I mean Lissa—was kidnapped. I hope Alberta will mentioning about the trial. If Rose'll know, she'll be difficult to handle. "It's going to put a strain on everyone else—bad timing."

"Yes, well, the queen runs on her own schedule." She sounded frustrated now. Still, with the queen running her own schedule most, well all of the Guardians will be affected. Ugh. I hate having collisions here in the Academy all for one person. "Celeste will take your watches, & she & Emil will divide up your training times."

"They say they don't mind the extra work, but I was wondering if you could even things out & take some of their shifts before you leave?" Man, this is pressuring me. Still, I don't want to disturb my fellow Guardians just because of this. I will make Rose my inspiration. No! I shouldn't even think of her that way. Hell, no.

"Absolutely." I said with no hint of my emotions.

"Thanks, I think that'll help." She sighed. "I wish I knew how long this trial was going to be. I don't want to be away that long. You'd think it'd be a done deal with Dashkov, but now I hear the queen's getting cold feet about imprisoning a major royal."

Great, just great. Now Rose knows about these, might as well tell her the truth.

"I'm sure they'll do the right thing."

"I hope so. And I hope it'll only take a few days, like they claim. Look, it's miserable out here. Would you mind coming into the office for a second to look at the schedule?" We'll this'll keep me away from the now-aggressive Rose.

"Sure, let me take care of something first." Rose.

"All right. See you soon." said Alberta as she walk away.

I rounded up the corner & stood in front of the holly. When Rose saw me she stood up immediately from her hiding place.

"Rose-" I said. I know I have to say something before her mouth works.

"Dashkov?" she exclaimed keeping her voice low. "As in Victor Dashkov?"

"Yes. Victor Dashkov."

"And you guys were talking about … Do you mean …" she stopped, probably putting her thoughts together. "I thought he was locked up! Are you saying he hasn't been on trial yet?"

I didn't even bother to answer her. Honestly, what more could I say? My conversation with Alberta says it all. Our silence grew longer. I know I have to hurry before Alberta comes back, again. I noticed her face she wore that I'm-going-to-punch-someone look. I gave her my own knowing look that I use when she has that look on her face. "He's been locked up—but no, no trial yet. Legal proceedings sometimes take a long time." I finally said. I need to comfort her. I don't like it when things upset her.

"But there's going to be a trial now? And you're going?" she said, trying to sound calm, although her expression tells it all.

"Next week. They need me & some of the other guardians to testify about what happened to you & Lissa that night."