When Darkness Falls
"That's what I was supposed to say…"
Words lifelessly left my lips before the night swallowed me.
The fall was brutal.
Blood spilled from the hole in my chest. Damn, she's good, I thought before my body was paralyzed.
Death seemed so sudden, until I realized. I can't move, but I can feel. I remember my first death, before I awakened. Before my real life began. But this…this was nothing like it.
The air whipped past me, ignoring my weight. Suddenly, I felt the impact of the rocks below me and the icy chill of the water.
The current swept me away down river. Without my strength, I was useless against the natural force. Jagged rocks rose sharply above the water, causing my body to slam against them. Sometimes the rocks, so weakened by the water, crumbled to rubble at my impact and I went right through it.
Immobility was starting to piss me off. Until my back slammed hard against another rock—
And the stake slid out.
I gasped. My body arching as I could suddenly coil my muscles and release the tension death brought with it.
Crisp air filled my lungs. Using my strength, I pulled myself out of the water. Grunting as I hoisted myself up, the water heavy despite my physical power.
I started crawling along the vertical river shore when something silver caught my eye.
The stake.
It flashed in the moonlight as it drifted wildly away, staying afloat the water's surface.
Quicker than the average eye could see, I threw off a layer of my clothing, bundling it up in one hand. Sprinting across, I was able to snatch the stake in a flash, before walking back to the river's edge.
Thought not out of breath, the stake had still weakened me.
My shirt was soaked, but blood was still slowly oozing out.
Mustering up some of my remaining energy, I focused it all on my wound. Within seconds, I could feel my skin crawl over the hole of open flesh and close. The bleeding stopped. And I felt relieved as I took a deep breath without the pain of further opening the injury. Transforming it into an imaginary scar on my chest.
Wasting no more time I glanced up—the climb was steep and treachery.
In Strigoi speed, the climb was quick, but in an attempt to save my strength, I slowed down, bringing my body over the ledge and stood up.
The night was still alive. But in the far east, the sky was becoming a lighter shade of blue. Dawn was approaching.
If anything, I had four hours left.
Four hours would be enough to get to town, its violet glow in the distance. Enough to reach Novosibirsk before the sun rose and find a victim to satiate my growing thirst. But still, I stood there, facing the distance ahead. Almost prolonging the inevitable.
To my left, the bridge was a dark silhouette against the eerie night. I almost considered going back. But Rose had probably been long gone by now…
Rose.
Her name sprung up a stir of emotions from me. Desire, frustration, pride.
A smirk made its way across my face.
Muscles still fresh from the rocky ascent, recalled my conscious to the trench.
A mortal life would have never survived the fall. Rose had been daring…no, she had been completely serious. She would have jumped. Or perhaps she knew I would catch her and planned it all. Such a clever dhampir.
Remembering her final attack, the last thing I said…everything was dimmed to the absolute last thing I saw before the stake had consumed me. Her face, her eyes, the expression she wore. Was it shock? No…sadness. Mournful, courageous, even…longing. She longed for something, something more. She said she would always love me. My final response could barely free my full thought. I knew what she wanted me to admit. That I loved her. But those words were hollow, something I couldn't say to myself, but just aloud, so that she could hear it and only she could believe it. I only wanted. Wanted her. Everything else, the reason behind it, was worthless and unimportant.
I tossed the stake up, the smirk still lining my lips, careful to catch it so that it landed on the cloth and avoided my skin. Strigoi were strong. Undeniably powerful in a way I lived for. But I cursed the fragility of our weaknesses—silver, sunlight, now ghosts, if Rose was around…
Again, the thought of Rose caused my smirk to grow. I relished in the feel of my fangs touch my lips, a symbol of my heightened abilities, the invincibility only a Strigoi as good as me could feel.
I took several steps, aware of my existence.
I wasn't dead. I wasn't gone. Rose had failed, so close, but not enough. And yet…
I wanted her more than ever.
But no, she was too dangerous. She almost destroyed me. Almost. But no doubt she wouldn't hesitate if she ever got another chance.
A chance I would never give her.
She was amazing. And I regret it so much. She would have been a great Strigoi. But she was so stubborn! She had no idea what awaited her. If only she had let me awaken her…
The taste of her blood felt so real in my mouth. I almost felt the need to lick my lips clean of the red stain. But this pleasure was imaginary. For now.
She would have been a great Strigoi. But I underestimated her. She was too much of a threat. A dangerous ally.
Eternity with her would have been impossible. And the idea emotionally punished me slightly—I couldn't have her. It wasn't in my power. But it was in my power to assure no one could.
Rose was dangerous. She had to be stopped.
My covered grip tightened around the stake.
She was mine. She'd always be mine. Strigoi or not.
A thought appeared to me then. Rose was falsely led. She had left—her tasteful scent no longer in the air—never confirming her kill. My pride slightly faltered. Had I not taught her anything? In a way, however, this had worked to my advantage.
She didn't know I was still alive, still here. And self pride replaced the loss of Rose's.
The tension around my hand came into focus. My hold on the weapon was unnervingly rigid. I released my grip lightly, bringing it up.
Admiring from a close distance, I noticed the geometric engraving on the silver stake I held. The one encrusted with spots of my dried blood. Most of it had cleared away with the river, but I used my shirt to rub the remaining stains away. This stake had value—sentimental value, it seems—considering the crafted design on it. It had become so close to piercing my heart…
A snarl made its way to my face. I wanted to hurl the thing across the field, uncaring of its destination. Until something occurred to me. A smile took the place of my scowl, I should hold on to this. After all, a stake like this, Rose would be wanting it back.
It wasn't over. I would come for her. Mine.
"Roza." I breathed her name into the empty night, approaching the light of the city…
Through the vast of darkness.
Hope you enjoyed it. I loved writing in Strigoi-Dimitri's perspective. Blood Promise was my favorite novel in the VA series, the entire ending was so heart breaking, but it was good! I almost believed Dimitri was truly gone, but no! Anyway, favorite and REVIEW!