Chapter 2

I was running, and the nausea that I felt let me know that he was close behind me. Too close. I picked up the pace, my legs screaming from the exertion. I dodged in and out of trees, hoping to lose him, but he knew my scent too well. He was gaining on me, but I couldn't go any faster. So I turned to fight, my stake raised to strike him. He stopped about eight feet from me.

"Roza, please," he pleaded with me, managing to look so much like the Dimitri that I loved that my heart flipped over.

"No! You're not Dimitri," I screamed. I spat at him, "You're a monster!" we circled each other. He put his hand out to show me he wasn't armed. Like that mattered when he was super-fast, super-strong, and super-deadly.

"Please, it's me! Please! I love you! My Roza, I love you so much. I tried so long to hide it from you, but it doesn't matter any more! I love you, no matter what we are, no matter how old we are!" his voice was so pleading that I faltered, losing my control. He saw it and rushed to me, pulling me into his arms. His face rested against my hair, and he kissed the top of my head. I couldn't stop myself. I dropped my stake, throwing my arms around his neck.

I said nothing; just let the tears run down my face. It did not surprise me when his lips found mine, and I kissed him back. He stopped when I was gasping for breath, hugging me again so that his head rested against my neck.

"I love you, Roza. I always will. Forever," and his teeth clamped down on my neck. I screamed.

And then I woke up, but not completely. I was still screaming and my face was soaked with tears. I found myself in Adrian's meadow.

"That has to be the worst nightmare I've experienced," his face showed no sign of his usual sarcasm. And I realized that he wasn't drunk, for once. He looked slightly nauseas. "You okay, little dhampir?" I was sitting on the ground, my knees curled up under my chin, rocking myself back and forth. He sat down beside me, throwing a comforting arm around my shoulders and rubbing my arm.

"No," I sobbed. I threw myself at him, digging my head into his chest and clutching his shirt with my fingers. He pulled me in and ran his hand comfortingly over my upper back in a soothing gesture. He let me cry into his shirtfront for what seemed like forever. Finally, the tears stopped and I pulled back enough to see his face. "I'm sorry…" I didn't know quite what to say.

"Don't worry about it," he smiled. I smiled back and hugged him again.

"I have to go. I need to find him before he kills too many. Or anyone, for that matter," I said, trying to pull away.

"Okay, Rose. But be careful," he pleaded with me, and I knew that he actually cared. He pushed my hair back from my face and kissed my forehead. I must have looked surprised, because he chuckled when he saw my face. He released me.

"Bye Adrian," I waved.

"Goodbye, little dhampir…"