A/N: Hello! This is Limited with a new story on one of my favorite series Vampire Academy. However this time I will not be writing alone. I am co-writing this with my good friend secretswritethemselves! We are going to be doing it in the format of me writing one chapter and then the other writing the next with no input about where the plot is going to go. I have read a story where the authors did this and it was a lot of fun so I wanted to give it a try. The only constraints were "Write it about Dimitri's time as a Strigoi". So here it is!

-Limited

People often say that when you're getting ready to die things just suddenly slow down and everything happens with an agonizing clarity with individual strands of hair whipping by and particles of dust swirled in the air. Well Dimitri could safely say that was all rubbish every single word. When your life is at stake, like it is in every battle, things just fly by. It's like your body and mind just want to fast-forward to the end of the fight like an impatient child with a good book. So the when a blond Strigoi leapt on top of him seeming to rip himself out of thin air Dimitri didn't even have time to think; he only reacted. He arms were raised just in time for impact yet, he couldn't help but notice his reaction was a little slower than it usually was. His kicks and punches as he grappled with the Strigoi were just a little weaker. And when the man suddenly threw his head forward, his fangs flashing in the waning light Dimitri knew it was all over. His limbs were deadened with fatigue and his heart was racing out of control. For the first time in a long time Dimitri felt true fear for his life, if only for an instant. His constant worry over Rose had long since become a familiar tightness in his chest whenever she was away, but this… this paralyzing of the heart and mind was something he thought he had learned to control long ago. He was a Guardian. Guardians showed no fear, they showed no weakness lest it get in the way of protecting the Moroi; but that was the text book ideal. Right then and there? He wasn't Guardian Belikov, he was Dimitri, and it would be many years before he could look back and admit to himself that yes, at that moment he had been afraid.

'No!'

The fangs sank into Dimitri's neck. It felt as though his very soul was being wrenched from his body. Blond hair and sweat obscured most of his vision as everything but a freezing pain began to fade away. He heard a faint scream as he sent one last prayer to heaven, not for his own salvation but for Rose's. He'd go to hell with a smile if it meant saving her.

'Roza…'

Dimitri's breath hitched and his limbs went slack.

'I'm sorry."

Dimitri slowly came to, still flat on his back, in a poorly lit and unfamiliar room. Where was he? He was still alive? That could only mean- His train of thought fell apart as he registered the pain radiating throughout his body. He had known agony before but never like this. It felt as though liquid nitrogen ran through every vein, piercing and destroying him from the inside out.

"I'm impressed." a voice remarked "Not a single scream." Dimitri's eyes rolled in his head as he attempted to find the speaker. "You know I almost didn't believe the others" the voice went on "when they said they had Dimitri Belikov. The vengeful angel of the Moroi in our hands with his wings" there was a short pause "clipped." He heard footsteps approach him before a figure with a mass of scarlet hair slowly came into his vision, painted red lips standing out from her pale skin. "We have already called Galina and she is on her way for you. She doesn't come all the way from Russia for just anyone you know."

Dimitri felt something deeper than physical pain twist at the sound of his old instructor's name. Galina. She had molded him into the perfect Guardian and now, it sounded as though she was going to make him into the perfect monster. But wasn't he that already? After all he had more than Strigoi blood on his conscience. With a small smile the woman lifted her hands to gently cup his cheeks and jaws, her thumbs barely skimming the surface. "Nathan is the one who turned you." Without warning she swiftly dug her fingers into his face with an inhuman strength. "But the change is taking longer for you than it does for most. I should have been the one to do it!" She hissed "I would have done it right!" Years of training suddenly undid themselves at her cruel touch. His vision blurred with pain and he screamed without thought, his whole body jerking on top of the table. He heard the sound of shouting and pounding feet but the woman paid them no mind. She merely threw her head back with a sultry laugh. "Do you feel that?" She asked "That agony and that weakness? It will be gone once you are fully awakened." Her laughter cut off abruptly as she glanced over his head, her chest heaving with excitement. "You are so close; I can feel your heart slow with every beat." When more Strigoi burst into the room Dimitri suddenly realized that he had never stopped screaming. One of them stepped towards her.

"Dammit Morgan, let him go! If you damage him it's all of our heads!" He snarled. Morgan's voice twisted around him like the body of a snake, her stabbing fingers making up the fangs.

"Admit it, had he woken during your babysitting shift you would have done the same." But nevertheless she lifted his head off the table only to let it go, sending him back into the realm of unconsciousness with yet another burst of pain.

This time when Dimitri woke every ache and pinprick was gone. There was no discomfort. In fact he wonderful, fantastic even. When his eyes snapped open he could easily tell room was darkened yet it was clear as day at the same time. It was inexplicable. But when he slowly sat up he noticed something was wrong. No it was more like something was… missing? Was that the word he was looking for? Dimitri's brow furrowed as he slid a hand up his shirt searching for something he knew should be there. First it went to the right, then to left a bit where he pressed his hand flat against his chest in confusion.

"Aw is sleeping beauty looking for his heart?"

Dimitri's head snapped towards a corner where a lanky figure lounged in the corner.

"Man you really aren't on point right now; you should have known I was here, even as a newborn." In a flash Dimitri had crossed the room to grab the man by the neck.

"You!" He roared recognizing the blond hair "You did this to me!"

"Did what?" The man questioned snidely "Awakened you?" With a rough shove he easily knocked Dimitri off balance and threw him across the room. "You're welcome." Dimitri slowly got up, inwardly marveling at the lack of pain from such a hit.

"I have been Awakened?" Everything that Dimitri had ever known had just been turned on his head. All his life he had been told how death was preferable to being a Strigoi, and all he life he had believed them. But this! He looked away from the other Strigoi to set a hand on the table he had been laying on. Dimitri swallowed in an attempt to soothe his dry throat before he lifted the heavy steel table without effort. This was extraordinary. With another dusty gulp he dropped it and turned his attention back to the blond.

"Done playing yet?" he asked flicking his hair out of his eyes impatiently. Dimitri may have turned away from him for a moment but he had never forgotten where he was. The last thing he would allow was for a worm like this to get the jump on him again. Dimitri wanted to be angry at him for turning him, but honestly this felt like a gift more than anything. Despite this Dimitri privately swore he would have his revenge for what happened in the cave eventually. The man smiled and the way it clashed with the malice in his eyes only made Dimitri more cautious of him than he already was.

"Name's Nathan by the way," he said haughtily "You should know the name of your sire." His smirk only widened as Dimitri's fury spread across his face like lightning. "But anyways Galina said to feed you. So I took the liberty of arranging your first dinner." Nathan quickly stepped out of the room and into another. Before he could take a step toward the door he heard a frantic shriek and Nathan was back, dragging a bruised and bloodied girl with him. He casually threw her at his feet before flicking on the light overhead. Dimitri couldn't help but take a step back as a familiar face stared up at him from the floor, his previous anger forgotten. Alexis Riley.

He knew this girl.

And from the look of pure horror in her wide brown eyes she remembered him as well. Alexis had been one of the students that were taken back to the Strigoi caves, and beyond that she had always stood out in a crowd; blue dyed hair will do that for a person. He never would have thought they would have kept her alive for so long.

Nathan hummed in approval. "A Moroi for your first meal! Not bad even if she's common." He gave another chuckle before walking away only to stop in the doorway. "Oh and by the way, if you leave this room and she's not dead," he gave them a sly look "We'll kill you both. You walked away from me once Belikov; it won't happen again."

A/N: I really struggled with how to portray a newly turned Dimka; I tried to picture him going instantly evil but I just couldn't. He had too many morals in life, so I decided to go with a more of a confused with hints of Strigoi that peep through. And ah arrogant Nathan, Dimitri won't be a fledgling forever, he needs to remember that. What will he do now? I don't know! Ball's in your court Secrets!

-Limited