Rose Melissa Ivashkov, seriously, she's the best beta around.

Disclaimer: Do not own anything VA. Richelle Mead does so no copyright infringement in intended. Just having some harmless fun with the characters :)


Chapter Three


We walked towards the caves as Mason chatted about nonsensical things. His silly stories lifted my mood further and by the time we reached a fire pit, I was giggling nonstop.

There were only two girls lying on the beach, near to what I assumed were the goods that belonged to Mason's cousins, and they didn't acknowledge our presence. I was fine with people disregarding me as we approached but Mason sure was not okay with being ignored.

"Hello, rude girls. It would be nice to get a hello, ya know?" Mason huffed, grabbing two water bottles.

The blonde, who reminded me of a porcelain doll, opened one eye, noticing that Mason wasn't the only newcomer.

"Oh!" She quickly sat up from her position and smiled lightly at me. "Who's your friend, Mase?" She spoke in a way that reminded of a cat's purr.

"This is Rose. Rose, this is Mia and that over there is my mother, Meredith."

Meredith continued to ignore us, while Mia greeted me. She batted her lashes and complimented my light green dress. I tried to focus as much as I could, but my eyes kept sliding to the girl beside her. I couldn't believe that the orange haired girl was Mason's mother. Yes, they looked alike, but she couldn't be old enough to have a 13 year old, a conclusion I came up with by judging her looks.

"Mom. . ." Mason tried to get her attention. "Mom."

Mia laughed, poking the woman's arm. "Ow—jeez, Mia. No need to be a bitch," she grumbled, removing something from her ears. That explained why she hadn't heard us before when her son was trying to get her attention. Her eyes widened and she spoke seconds later. "Oops. Mase, you should have called that you were on your way. And forget I said that word, the B word, it's very bad."

"Of course, Mother. I just wanted to introduce you to Rose. She's my new friend."

Meredith's eyes glanced at me, politely smiling my way. "It's good to meet you."

"Likewise. Mason has been very helpful. He's been showing me around."

"That's my boy!"

I felt Mason tugging my arm as he addressed his mother again. "We're just going to get something to eat. We'll be over there."

"Okay, Masey!"

He crinkled his noise at the nickname, a slight blush appearing on his cheeks at having been called that in front of his "friend", but didn't express his obvious distaste for it. "They seem nice," I commented, while he dragged me along.

We reached the barbeque pit and Mason began to rummage through the cooler, handing me the water he was holding. "Ya, they're cool. Mia likes chicks. She was checking you out, did you notice that?"

My eyes took notice of almost everything that had just happened, but that one detail had passed me by. "Ummm. . ." What could anyone say to that?

"She once told me that penises scared her. I don't know why. I have one and it's not scary at all. Do penises scare you?"

"Ummmm. . ." I didn't know whether to laugh hysterically or be embarrassed. I took a sip of the water because I didn't know how to answer that question. He was thirteen for Christ sakes!

"I hope you don't. Because you're so beautiful and Dimitri once told me that when a woman is beautiful, you show her your penis and maybe she'll play with it."

The water managed to slip through the wrong tube and I began to choke on it. He gasped and began to harshly pat my back while continuing to talk. "I mean, I'll ask you before I'll show it. But you said you were too old for me. I really want to show you it, but do friends do that?"

"Mase," I managed to gasp out. The coughing fit stopped and so did Mason's odd conversation. "I don't think showing me anything is a good idea. How about we keep those things to ourselves?" I had just gotten on this island. I didn't want to be banned forever because the authorities thought I was some kind of rapist or pedophile.

Mason nodded, grabbing a bag of chips. "Want some?"

I laughed in disbelief, accepting one. This day was not going as I thought it would, but it was oddly entertaining. I realized Mason wasn't very socially aware of certain things, but he was fun to have around. . .even if he did talk about penises.

I gratefully took the hotdog Mason made for me and followed him to where a few white lounge chairs were placed.

He was too busy eating, so the silence that emerged over us was uncomfortable. It wasn't easy getting used to the silence, but I didn't want to bother Mason with conversation that wasn't needed—especially when he looked like he was enjoying his food. The waves that crashed against the shore eased the apprehension I felt to the silence.

I didn't understand why I felt this way when it came to peace and silence. Maybe it was because the city girl couldn't be happy in a place where everyone took it one day at a time. Or maybe the peace here represented the upcoming peace that I would receive for eternity. Was there even an eternity? I had so many questions that emerged in time of silence or when I was alone. Perhaps that was the real reason why I hated the lack of chaos; it gave people space to give into their musings. In the city, with the lights, the roar of the population, the restless atmosphere by which people lived by—it was enough to distract anyone from their thoughts.

"You look sad," Mason commented, with a chunk of hotdog in his mouth.

"I'm okay."

He frowned, looking at me. "You're too pretty to be sad."

"I'm not sad. How can I be sad with you around?"

The corners of his eyes crinkled, expressing his delight to my comment.

I eyed the blue ocean, suggesting to Mason we take a swim. Mason was excited with the idea but was afraid of going inside the water so soon after eating.

"I'm sure nothing bad will happen. That whole thirty minute thing is all fake, you know?"

His eyes widened. "Really?"

I nodded my head in a serious manner. "Oh yes, really."

"Well, then. Let's go swim!" he cheered, quickly discarding his shirt and running towards the ocean, seeming like a little kid excitedly running to dip their feet in the upcoming wave.

I laughed as I watched him go, rapidly discarding my own clothes. The bikini top was too small for my ample chest, but I thanked God that the bottoms fit well. I placed the clip that held my hair up beside my dress, running after him.

The warm water caressed my overheated skin in delightful relief. Mason was laughing as he splashed around and I mimicked his movements.

"Let's play a game!" Mason suggested.

I pushed some hair out of my face, asking what game he would be interested in playing.

"Sea tag!" He gently tapped me, before attempting to run in the water. "You're it!"

He was surprisingly fast, but I swam as quickly as I could to catch up to him. The waves were harsh and powerful, but I didn't let that hinder my chase. My chest squeezed in discomfort, but I ignored the feeling.

He swam out of the water, towards the sand, and I was quick to follow him onto the shore. My main focus was the lanky boy in front of me, so I didn't notice others had reached the beach. But I did notice the piece of wood in my way but it was too late. I fell with a thump and landed front first onto the beach. Sand blinded me and I might have swallowed some of the sand.

"Rose! Are you okay?" Mason screamed.

I couldn't contain the giggles that burst through my lips. "I think that landing deserved a 10," I spoke while spitting some of the sand out of my mouth.

"I agree."

I froze at the new voice. It was deep yet gentle and resembled nothing like the voice I thought I would hear.

I looked up to see three tall figures watching me with amusement. One was much taller than the rest and my heart sped in recognition. It was the boat man. The sexy, tanned, and muscled boat man.

He was wet from the water and tiny droplets dripped down to his shorts. I watched in fascination as the water caressed each and every toned muscle before disappearing past the "v" on his waist. I tore my gaze from the hypnotizing water and looked up to his hair was quite long, reaching his chin, and he held a white and blue surfboard in his hand. The sun shined behind him, creating a halo effect and for a second I truly believed he was an angel.

His long arm reached down to help me up and with red cheeks I accepted the help. Once I stood at full height I had to crane my neck to see his face. Pieces of his dark brown hair fell into his eyes while he gazed at me like he did yesterday.

The struggling thump, thump, thump of my heart momentarily distracted me from his painfully beautiful face. I staggered back before dusting the sand of my body.

"Thanks," I spoke in a hushed tone, too nervous to do anything else.

"That was quite a fall, bikini girl," a new voice commented.

I quickly looked toward boat man's two friends and noted that they were hot in their own way but they didn't compare to the man who helped me up.

"Here, Rose, let me help you," Mason offered. He began patting the sand off my body, while I stood there helpless. He seemed to realize what he was doing, rivalling my blush and stepping back. "Wow." He continued to stare at my chest while said chest rapidly moved up and down. I didn't realize how winded I was, until I stopped running. "Those are nice. I mean big. Like juicy." He blushed again. "I mean. . .that's a really tiny bikini."

The boat man's gentle laughter was a delightful distraction from Mason's comments. He patted Mason on the back and smiled down at him; even his smile seemed ethereal. "Let's calm down, shall we Mase? No need to molest the poor girl."

His voice wrapped around the words in a way that signified some sort of faint accent. It was very subtle, but it was there.

"I was just helping her, Dimitri. I always respect the ladies."

So, this God like figure was Mason's "cousin" and Dr. Belikova's son. I definitely didn't expect this, but I was pleasantly surprised. This Dimitri fellow chuckled at Mason's response and ruffled his hair. "You sure do, bud," he turned his attention to me and smirked, internally making fun of my great fall, no doubt. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just a little sand." My response sounded much too breathy.

His dark eyes swept across my body, before looking back at my face. "I'm glad. It's good to see you're dressed for the appropriate weather. You didn't look too comfortable in those jeans and t-shirt yesterday."

I was surprised he remembered. I obviously did, I mean who could forget the topless hunk on the boat? But, beyond that—he remembered me! "I wasn't prepared, but now I'm getting the hang of things."

He stepped closer to me and stuck his hand out in a welcoming gesture. "Since Mason is forgetting to introduce me to his beautiful friend, I'll just go ahead and introduce myself. I'm, Dimitri."

I took his offering and shivered as his large, warm hand enveloped mine. The heat was so unexpected and my reaction surprised me. I was afraid that my heart would actually stop beating. "Rose."

"It's nice to meet you, Rose." My breath hitched at the sound of my name coming from his lips. He lightly placed his lips on my hand, releasing it moments later. That little contact of his lips made my body haywire, heat forming inside my body. I even forgot to breathe for a second.

"It's nice to meet you, too."

He smirked again, turning his back and addressed his friends. "Adrian, go pack up the things, we have to get going before it gets too dark and Christian, can you get the truck?"

Dimitri grabbed a set of keys from his pocket and handed it to the black haired man with the crystal blue eyes. "Ya, no problem."

The lighter brunette just rolled his eyes and headed to their belongings.

"Why are we leaving?" Mason whined.

Dimitri turned back to us and quickly glanced at me, focusing on Mason. "We're going to do some rock climbing. Don't want to go too late."

"Awesome! Can I come? I love to watch you guys."

"Sure, buddy. You have to tell your mom, she's going to stay with Mia." His dark eyes turned to me. "You interested? We have some space in the truck."

It wasn't such a good idea to cause such exertion on my heart. The blood already had enough trouble circulating, but I couldn't say no to the idea of having more time to look at this man, and I was excited at trying something new. I always loved the adrenaline of playing sports and this was no different. "I've never rock climbed before, but I guess I can come along."

His smile widened. "Don't worry. We'll be gentle, since it's your first time."

I blushed at his insinuation but didn't comment back. I wondered, if given the chance to sleep with this man, if he would be gentle on me, as he claimed he would? No. Probably not. My thoughts caused a deeper blush to appear.

Mason took over conversation, as we grabbed our stuff and walked over to the truck. I kept stealing glances at the God like figure, while he joked around with his cousin. It was endearing to watch them interact. Dimitri knew how to keep Mason on track and it was clear that Mason adored and admired Dimitri.

We reached the truck and Mason immediately took a seat in the back.

"Come sit with me, Rose!" he exclaimed from the back seats.

I smiled gently at him, while I got in. I was aware that I only had my bikini on, so I quickly covered myself up.

"Looks like bikini girl is coming with us," the brunette, Adrian, commented.

I smiled at him, as he got in beside me. "The name is Rose."

He slumped in his seat and shook his head. "Nah, I prefer bikini girl."

"Ignore him. He's a little high right now, so he's a pain in the ass. But, high or not, he always is a pain in the ass." The black haired man, Christian, spoke as he put his seatbelt on. He rode shot gun, while Dimitri took charge of the wheel.

The black SUV truck was large and it was very comfortable, with its beige leather seats. Adrian had plenty of room to sit comfortably, but he decided to lean into my shoulder. He snuggled into my side and sighed. "Ahhh. Comfy."

Christian looked back and rolled his eyes. "See? A pain in the ass."

"Oh don't be pissy because Lissa isn't giving you any. Jeez, you need to rid yourself of the blue balls," Adrian slurred; I could smell the marijuana on him. It was heady and took over my senses.

"Both of you, shut up." Dimitri looked into the rear view mirror and smiled. "I apologize for their childish behaviour. I wish I could say they weren't always like this, but I'd be lying."

I smiled shyly back. "It`s no problem. It definitely beats exploring Hawaii alone."

"How long have you been here?" he asked.

"Two days."

It seemed like two years.

He looked into the mirror again. "Where are you originally from?"

"Chicago."

"She came here because her parents wanted a change of scenery. She also knows your mother," Mason spoke up.

Dimitri raised an eyebrow in the mirror. "My mother? The doctor?"

I cleared my throat and looked outside the window. "Ya. I met her today, we just had to pick up some papers in the hospital and she was there."

"I see."

"Enough with the chit chat. Put on the radio," Adrian demanded.

Christian looked back again and rolled his eyes, turning on the sound system. Duran Duran's Hungry Like the Wolf blared through the impressive speakers while Adrian and Christian groaned.

Christian was about to change it when Dimitri spoke. "Don't even think about it."

They groaned again, while I watched Dimitri lightly sing along. I giggled as I remembered what he was listening to yesterday; he really did have a thing for the 80s. I could imagine Dimitri chilling with Abe back in the 80s.

He looked back into the mirror and raised his eyebrow again. "Something funny?"

"Just your taste in music. Yesterday it was Take on Me and now this? Someone is stuck in the past."

His eyes widened in what looked like a mock gesture of hurt. "I'm not stuck, the 80's happens to be the best decade for music. All this Lady Gaga crap is disgusting; I'd rather listen to this."

"Someone needs to move on," I sang.

He chuckled lightly, focusing back on the road.

I felt oddly at peace with these men. I had just met them minutes earlier but it felt like I had known them longer. They were all easy to converse with, and, as we drove on, I was hysterically laughing at their antics.

Dimitri was much quieter than the two, but anyone could tell that he was the "boss" of the group. I had to admit—I found that unbelievably sexy. He oozed power and peace all at once.

The truck came to a sudden stop and Dimitri turned off the ignition. I looked outside the window, but all I could see were trees and trails. I guess we had to walk the rest of the way.

"We're here!" Mason cheered.

We all got out of the truck and made our way to the back where our things were. It was a lucky thing that I had running shoes and some shorts to get into. The shopping spree was very successful. I put on my running shoes but kept the dress on. I decided I could change when we reached wherever we were going.

"Here, let me take that for you," Dimitri spoke while taking a shopping back from my hands.

I looked up and noticed he was carrying a heavy backpack. "It's alright. You are already holding so many things. I can manage."

He shook his head while smiling softly, "It's no problem." He hauled the bag on top of his shoulders and winked. "See, light as a feather."

I bit my lip and nodded. "Okay, thank you."

He quickly looked to where my teeth were abusing my bottom lip but his eyes moved away right when I realized where his lips were looking. "Alright, let's get going."

We began following a trail but after a few minutes got off it. It was difficult to walk, but Mason helped me through it. I marveled at the different types of flowers and plants that surrounded us. The air was warm, and for once, I felt good to be on this island.

We reached to what I assumed was the cliff we would be attempting. I thought it would be smaller, maybe a beginner's cliff, but the thing was huge! I gaped at the large rock monstrosity, while the boys took off their gear.

Dimitri smiled widely, as he took out some sort of powder, gloves, and placed it on his hands. Christian did the same, while Adrian placed a blanket on the floor and sat with Mason.

Mason turned to smile at me. "You gonna climb?"

"Umm. . .sure," I spoke hesitantly.

Dimitri was already inspecting the rocks and grabbing onto the cliff. "Where are the ropes?"

Dimitri looked back at me. "What ropes?"

I gestured to the cliff. "You know, the ropes to climb?"

He chuckled and let the cliff go, before walking towards me. "We don't use rope."

"Excuse me?" I squeaked in confusion.

"We go free hand."

I looked back at the cliff, turning to stare at the handsome man. "Free hand? As in, if you fall, you can die?"

He laughed, gently placing his hand on my lower back; I shivered at the contact. "Yup. Makes for a more interesting rush."

I knew this would be a bad idea.

My heart squeezed in agreement.


No teaser this week cause I'm not finished chapter four but a review would be most lovely :D