I was pacing the length of my room, waiting for the pizza guy. He should have been here ten minutes ago, let's see what kind of tip I give him. I hate delivery boys. I heard the knock and the familiar yell saying it was Johnny delivering it. I grabbed the twenty and ran down the stairs. I opened the front door and gave him the twenty, slamming the screen door in his face. "Hey, come on Rosie."
"You're ten minutes late, fuck that." He laughed and came in. "Who said you could enter?" I growled. He smirked at me. He grabbed me and pulled me into him. His lips crashing to mine I felt the familiar softness. I loved his kiss at times, and then others were infuriating. He pulled back.
"You know you should give me a tip." I laughed and smacked his arm. He laughed backing away. "I have other runs to make, call me tomorrow. I nodded, not planning to. My roommate was looking at me in curiosity.
"I don't know, but pizza's here." She laughed. I started bunking here about four months ago. Lissa had died almost a year ago today. I unknowingly touched the scar that raked my cheek back onto my neck and back. It wasn't painful getting it, but it hurt knowing why I got it. We sat down munching. I didn't talk much and if I did it was because I was drunk or stoned or both.
"Lissa, come on let's go. I promise I will be good."
"Rose, I think you should just stay and study."
"Psht, I hate studying, we both know that." She laughed.
I hated when the memories crashed into my mind. They felt like bombs. Lissa was my best friend and we ran away from St. Vlad's three years ago at age thirteen. We were fine on our own for two year's until that one night where they killed her. They drank her dry, not even bothering with me. I watched their every move. It pained me to go back.
"Are you going out tonight?" I glanced at Stevie.
"No, are you?"
"Yeah, Jack and I are going to a movie, you wanna join?"
"No."
"Okay, well what are you gonna do tonight then?"
"Study or watch t.v. I don't know which yet." She laughed her silvery laugh.
"Sounds like fun."
"Oh, it will be." She laughed again. She left for the movies about an hour later. I went up to my room to change clothes to go for a jog. I was in Portland, and it was a hot fall. I changed into shorts and a sports bra. I wasn't shy about my body when it came down to it, I was proud to be who I was. I was tattooed and proud. I had Moljina marks across my neck, then lowering into vicious spirals. I also had other tattoos and piercings. Strogoi still came after me, but they didn't test me that often. They knew I had a stake with me everywhere.
I locked up the house and started my run. I could run fifteen miles no problem, I had Strogoi speed. That's what Lissa always told me. I laughed a little to myself. I came to a stop sign; I took out my iPod, turning it on. I continued my run.
I have been running for almost three hours, I turned the corner to my street. I sensed someone behind me. I ran faster, I came up to my door, unlocking it hastily. I felt someone behind me. I sent my foot out. I turned towards my attacker. My door slightly open. He was tall, huge. I kicked his gut, sending him backwards. He grunted, my play list stopped now. I kicked his groin, sending him falling to the ground. I took off, running at full speed. I never expected to be stopped. A tall man stepped out in front of me. I stopped, only to feel twelve other presences. They all surrounded me. I grabbed my stake out of my bra; I know how could I hide it? It was specially made, carved thin and long. It was easy to hide.
The tallest man put his hand up in a truce like statement. I felt a presence that shouldn't have been there. I looked up, seeing a Strogoi watching me. He dropped down, landing on top of me, biting down into me. I growled, rolling over, hitting him until he let go. "How is the Princessa, Rosie?" a tear fell as he traced my scar. I stabbed his heart, his tortures scream muffled by my mouth. He smiled his last smile at me. The guardians all in shock. I reached into his pocket, pulling out the note I knew was there.
My dearest Rosie,
I have missed you so, how is the Princessa? I know you killed him and needed to contact you. I plan to kill you, just like the Princessa. I can not wait until our next meeting. So long for now.
I held my head in my hands. I took deep breaths calming my nerve. I slowly stood, still letting my hair hide my face, my scar. "Ms. Hathaway." I looked up at the deep accented voice, his beautiful face.
"Leave me alone, I am not yours." I sneered.
"My name is Dimitri Belikov, I am here to take you back to St. Vladimir's." I looked at him in anger. "Where is the Princess?" I couldn't let him see falter.
"She died." I put it as simply as I could, without more pain.
"When?" he sounded worried.
"Mr. Belikov, you came to take me to the academy, so take me already." He looked like he wanted to question me, but I threw my long hair over my shoulder, letting him see the twisted, snarled scar I now had. His eyes showed wonder and horror. I threw my hair up into a messy side pony tail. My eyes were cold, heartless.
"Come with us." They dragged me to the private jet.
XXXXXXXXXX
I sat in my seat, looking at the earth beneath us all the twisted mountains, the little lakes and ponds. I wish I was still free. I'm sixteen and I have been dragged back to the academy for my life's torture. I was better than anyone there. I felt him sit next to me. "What happened?" I glanced at him.
"What do you mean?" he wanted to know how and why Liss died. I planned to bring her back, honestly I thought they mixed her blood. I just need to find another spirit user.
"How did she die?" I was almost to hyperventilating now.
"I..." I looked at him, letting the sorrow step into my eyes. "She was murdered."
"Was she changed?" I looked away.
"Hopefully, I can change her back that way."
"Rose, no one can come back from that."
"Yes, they can. I met this woman in Russia who told me, they can come back." He looked at me one last time then stood and left. I curled myself into a ball, letting the pain take over. I only had an hour to get the pain out before we landed. I let my eyes drift closed, I fell asleep. I was in the same haunting nightmare that has controlled me for a year. I screamed out as they bit into her neck. I felt the world shake, I fell to the ground. I looked up to see Guardian Belikov standing there.
"We are here." I stood, brushing myself off. I walked behind the head guardians, Belikov standing directly next to me. No part of my jiggled or moved in any other way then they should have. I walked with pride, until the walked me through the commons. He was stoned face, yet I saw the satisfaction they got in taking me through the commons. I didn't show any emotion through any of it, not even the wolf whistles. We shut the doors behind us; I was in the main office type thing. We went right in to Kirova.
"Ms. Hathaway." I nodded my respect. "Where is the Princess?"
"Six feet under." My jaw clenched.
"How?"
"Strogoi. Can you get me my boarding information?"
"Of course." She typed into the computer at her desk. "There are no free dorms available at the moment, so you will be staying with Guardian Belikov in the outer cabin and an extra bed will be brought out. Guardian Belikov will escort you. You will report to him with any questions and you will do training with him for an hour before school and three after school. Go to Guardian Petrov for your class schedules and extra assignments tomorrow morning. Today will be you beginner training session with Belikov." I nodded, not caring. All I had to do was find a spirit user.
"May I go headmistress?"
"No, you will also do a few weeks of community service, see Petrov for that too."
"Yes headmistress, now may I leave?"
"Yes Rose." I walked towards the door with Dimitri in tow. "Oh and Rose?" I turned to her. "It's really nice to have you back." I smiled a sad smile. "I'm sorry about Vasilissa."
"Me too." I left, pain curdling my stomach. I was sad and happy all at the same time. I just wanted to go cry in a corner. Dimitri had been silent, just leading us through the empty grounds.
"Rose, I am sorry for your loss." I looked at him.
"I don't need pity. Let's just go train." He nodded, leading me to the training gym. I was in no mood to fight, but then again I never was. I fought every day of my life for control, for one ounce of happiness. I was nothing anymore. We walked into the cool gym. He went and dragged stuff out of the closet, while I went to the window to watch the students run the tracks length. I saw a few of my old friends; they have matured quite a bit. I heard someone clear their throat. I glanced at Dimitri, seeing he was ready to start.
"Let's start with the dummies, show me your staking abilities." I walked over to a tall blonde haired one resembling the Strogoi that murdered my best friend. I went to start, staking it over and over again in perfect form. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked at Dimitri. "Good job, you did it perfectly. Now let's spar." I nodded again, complying with my new mentor.
We circled each other, he made the first move. He threw punches only having a few land. I didn't even budge, then it was my turn. I threw punch after punch landing each one. Some part of me was screaming not to bruise his god like body. I was laughing on the inside. I went low, tripping him backwards. I straddled him, feeling him against me.
"I win." He looked up at me with honor and… shock? I slowly stood, my body rejecting the distance. What was going on? He stood too. "Can we be done?" he nodded. "Can you show me the cabin?" he nodded again.
He led me out of the gym and into the woods, along a narrow path. It led right to the cabin. It wasn't tiny, but it wasn't huge either. We entered, to find all my stuff on the main bed. I looked at him, "I want that bed." He cracked a smile. I smiled back at him. I walked over to the bed looking at all my bags and boxes spread out on that half of the room. He walked over.
"Want help?" I glanced over him.
"Sure. Get those three boxes unpacked." He walked over to the boxes holding Lissa's and my's favorite things, all the pictures, all the memories. He started in on the boxes while I unloaded the first suitcase. I went to the closet and dresser. "Um, do you want to do halfsies?" he looked at my strangely. Then realization hit.
"Yeah, take as much as you need. I don't have much." I smiled at him and went to unpacking my bras and underwear. I organized them in one of the three tiniest drawers there.
It didn't take that long to unpack my clothes. I was finished and unpacking my bedroom contents. I saw Dimitri still looking at the photos of Lissa and me. I walked over behind him, looking at the one where Lissa smashed an ice cream cone on my face at the local fair. I smiled at the memory. "How about we switch?" he looked up at me and nodded. I got out the photos looking at them all, at least a hundred. I got out some of the drawings and paintings we did when we were in Russia. In the end I put over half of the photo's away and a few paintings. I set about ten of the photos on my night stands and the rest were hung on the walls. I set the rest of the boxes in a corner marking them not to be touched.
I saw Dimitri move on to the box that had my special stuff in it. It was a smaller box, but not small. He dumped it out onto the now made bed. His face was hilarious. I had all size condoms, pads, tampons, my BC pills, and everything else. He looked at me, then back to the supplies, and then away blushing. I started laughing. "Why do you have all this?"
"Do I really need to explain?" I asked once I stopped laughing. He shook his head.
"I have a… a shift to go to." I nodded, watching him retreat through the door. I shrugged and finished unpacking. The school let out about two hours ago, so I decided to get a shower. I didn't care about being modest; I just stripped and threw my clothes into the organized hamper. I went to the dresser, pulling out something to wear to bed.
I stepped into the hot shower, letting it pound holes into my back. I took my time, letting the warm water heat me up.
"Ah, stop Rosie." Lissa squealed as I sprayed her.
"No, this is hilarious." I let the water stop hitting her. She turned towards me with a bucket.
"Your turn Rose." I screamed backing away. She threw the water, letting it chill me to the core. I was gasping as my body started quivering.
"Evil bitch." I screamed smiling at her. I squirted her with the hose again. She squealed running away.
I shook off that memory, stepping out of the shower. I grabbed my dark purple towel, drying my body off. I changed into my tank and thong. I went through my normal routine: whiten teeth, brush hair, braid hair, facial mask. It went over smoothly. I walked out of the bathroom. I was just hanging up my towel when Dimitri walked in. He looked at me and nodded, then turned away. He froze and turned back to me. His eyes raked over my body, my curves, my breasts, my lowers. I grinned at him. "I was just going to bed." He nodded, not really even hearing me.
"Shower." He mumbled, finally going to the bathroom to shower, most likely cold. I lay down in my bed, stretching. I heard the shower turn on, I thought I heard something else but I guess not. I tried to close my eyes, yet I couldn't fall asleep. I stood, going to my night basket. That basket is where I keep all my night ritual supplies. I took out my lotion, maybe my little crush could turn into something more. No, bad thoughts.
I sighed and went to moisturize my legs. I was on the second leg when Dimitri emerged. He took one look at me and shut the door to the bathroom again. I shrugged and finished my moisturizing. I walked over to the bathroom door. I knocked. "Yes?" his deep voice was accented more.
"I need to brush my teeth, may I come in?" He groaned.
"Um, yeah." He opened the door, letting me in. I slid right by in front of him, feeling him. He groaned. "I'm going to bed." He left.
I went to the sink, brushing my teeth. I knew he had a nice view of my butt, the sink was set in a little. I was going to have fun with this.
"Rose, stop messing with the poor guy." She knew what I was doing.
"Why it's so fun?" I looked across the pool at the two hot twins looking at us, checking us out. We looked hot, we were in tiny bikinis and we were luring them over here, or well I was. I mouthed come here to them. "Liss, they are rich, think how much fun we could have."
"Rose, stop. You can't do this. We will have to leave here sooner or later." I nodded.
"Have fun until then." She sighed giving up, as the twins arrived.
The memories were so much stronger than they used to be. I rinsed my brush, walking out of the bathroom, turning the light off. I sat down on my bed, knowing that Dimitri was pretending to be asleep. I picked up the picture of Liss and I and the twin hottie's. I smiled at the picture. I shut off the light and got ready to sleep. I let my breathing even, soon drifting into the darkness of sleep.