Chapter 2

Footsteps and voices eventually sounded, and I lifted my head up. People poured in through the door, lots of them. I couldn't really make any of them out. I didn't need to. They were threats, threats I had to keep Mason safe from. A couple of them approached me, and I leapt up, lifting the sword and holding it protectively over his body. When I leapt up, I swayed on my feet.

"Stay back," I warned. "Stay away from him."

They kept coming.

"Stay back!" I yelled. They stopped. Except for one.

"Rose," came a soft voice. "Drop the sword."

My hands shook. I swallowed. "Get away from us."

"Rose."

The voice spoke again, a voice that my soul would have known anywhere. Hesitantly, I let myself finally become aware of my surroundings, let the details sink in. I let my eyes focus on the features if the man standing there. Dimitri's brown eyes, gentle and firm, looked down on me.

"It's okay," he said. "Everything's going to be okay. You can let go of the sword."

My hands shook even harder as I fought to hold on to the hilt. "I can't." The words hurt coming out. "I can't leave him alone. I have to protect him."

"You have," said Dimitri.

The sword fell out of my hands, landing with a loud clutter on the wooden floor. I followed, collapsing on all fours, wanting to cry but still unable to.

Dimitri's arms wrapped around me. I looked up into his eyes and saw only love and worry in them. I relaxed into his arms and realised that I was exhausted. I rested my head on his shoulder and heard him gasp.

"Dimitri? What is it? What's wrong? Why did you ga-"

My eyes closed and I couldn't open them. It felt like I had something pushing down on me.

"Rose? Rose? Roza!"

I heard Dimtri's voice sounding frantic through my haze. I tried to open my eyes to let him know I was alright, but I couldn't.

"Roza, stay awake! Stay awake for me please!"

"Belikov! What's wrong? What's with the yelling"

That voice sounded familiar. I tried thinking who it was. Janine Hathaway. My mother. What was she doing here? When did she arrive?

"She was talking and then she just passed out. She must have hit her head or something because her skull is cracked. There's a lot of blood. Then she started spasming. She won't wake up."

His voice was beginning to get a hysterical note to it.

"Rose, honey, wake up. Please wake up. I promise I won't yell at you."

Now my mother was starting to sound frantic and worried. I wanted to open my eyes to tell them I was fine. I just couldn't. I started feeling really cold. Why would I be cold?

"She just went extremely cold. Roza, if you can hear me please wake up. You can't die on me now. I need you. Please, Roza, just wake up." Dimitri started crying. "I'm sorry for all the mean things I've said lately. I'm so sorry. Please wake up so I can see your beautiful eyes again. I need you."

By the time he finished talking he was sobbing. I felt extremely guilty for making the Russian God cry. Why was he crying over me? I'm just another student to him. He doesn't love me. He doesn't need me. He's with Tasha.

I felt strong arms wrap around me and carry me away. I don't know where to but I knew they were Dimitri's arms. How I loved to be in his arms. How I loved him. I'm glad he'll be happy with Tasha and won't have to worry about a reckless teenager like me anymore.

"Roza. Please I'm begging you to stay with me a little longer. We're almost home. Please just hang on. I love you."

He loves me? No. I couldn't have heard him right.

"You love her? You're her mentor! How could you love my daughter? Leave her alone!" there was my mother's voice screaming at him.

"Guardian Hathaway, please. I love your daughter with all my heart but I've made sure she doesn't know my feelings. She is the only one for me but I know we can never be together. I just wish she knew how much I love her. I wish this didn't happen to her. I wish I could have protected her from all this heartache and death but I couldn't."

It was at this point the lovely oblivion of darkness overcame me.