Chapter Seven

BELLAMY:

I had my first training session with Guardian Belikov after school. I wasn't sure what to expect from him yet. He had seen me in combat class earlier and I had been arrogant enough to tell him that I was prepared. The truth was, I couldn't think I was as prepared as I should be when facing him. He entered the Guardian gym later than me, Bridge, and Mason just before he sent me off to run. This was an excuse for him and aunt Bridge to be alone I figured. My thoughts as Mason and I started our run were mixed about him, about Dimitri, and about this whole school.

"Are you sure you can keep up?" I questioned Mason. I knew he wouldn't have trouble keeping pace, but I couldn't help but tease him, and he did not slow down.

"You've already run seven miles today. You are bound to get tired before me. Maybe it's you who won't be able to keep up." He taunted me right back.

I liked that about Mason. He could take my acerbic comments, and he could deliver them right back. I was starting to slowly come around and realize that even though I would only be here in the middle of nowhere, Montana for a few months, I was starting to really like Mason Ashford. This was not going to be good. This was going to turn into a distraction. The good thing still in my mind was that I wasn't yet convinced that he was feeling the same way at all. He knew I wouldn't be here long, so would it matter?

"The wards follow the same circle all the way around the Academy." Mason informed me. "You can feel it the moment you step outside of them."

I was quite impressed. We had run three of the five miles, and he had not slowed down once. He was in good shape. Every so often, I would catch him glancing over at me, possibly checking on me. We were another half mile in when we were stopped by a Guardian. Unlike Aunt Bridgette, she had short cropped hair like most other Guardians.

"Mr. Ashford." She acknowledged him, turning to me.

"Guardian Petrov, this is Bellamy Pearce."

She looked stunned and embarrassed. "Pearce? You are the niece of Guardian Pearce?"

I nodded. "I am. You are one of my Guardian trainers, aren't you?"

I recognized her name and her protective guard lowered. "How were your classes today Bellamy?"

"My classes are going well so far. Mason has nearly the same schedule, so he was very helpful in showing me the campus and ways of the Academy. Training is far more challenging though, so I think I will start to enjoy it just as much."

She smiled, looking pleased. "I assume your running is Dimitri's doing?"

"Yes." I replied. "He has me running an extra five miles. Mason is showing me where the wards are so that I don't cross them."

With that Alberta let us continue our run, watching as we left.

Once we arrived back to the gym, I was ready to see what was in store for me. Mason left me to go in alone. I think I had put him through enough, so despite the surprising ache of disappointment I felt when he left, I said goodbye for the time being. Walking back into the gym, I stopped as three fierce looking Guardians all turned to me. They separated as soon as I took a step toward them. I had interrupted something-And not just between Dimitri and Aunt Bridgette. The look those two shared was a strange one. There was something between them that I couldn't quite pin down.

"I'm going to speak with the Headmistress about your Moroi tutor." Bridgette stepped to my side. She kept her voice low enough. "I will catch up with you later."

I watched as she left me to the care of these two Guardians. Alberta went to setting up a training schedule between her and me on the wall, while Dimitri beckoned me to follow him to the weight training room. I followed after him, walking into a room that looked more like a torture chamber.

"Your endurance is close to what it should be." He explained. "Now I want to get a feel for your strength. We will start in the weight room when we train. We will then move to combat, and then stretching."

I nodded in acceptance. "Sounds fair enough." I took a short stroll around the room. "Which torture device do I start with?"

He pointed to one and I got straight to work while he kept his eyes on me, trying to determine my level of strength. He added more weight to the machine and I held back any frustration. Instead, I decided to take Aunt Bridgette up on her advice.

"Aunt Bridgette says you two were at St. Basil's together." I attempted to start a conversation with him. "What was she like back then?"

This gained a reaction. He smiled, and it was genuine. Seeing someone look like that when it came to her made me feel good.

"Bridgette was just as amazing then as she is now. She was courageous and determined."

"When you say determined, you really mean stubborn." I added, and I actually got a real laugh out of him.

"Very stubborn. Once she and I got to know each other, I realized just how committed she is to what we do. She is capable of anything. She is so strong and so smart."

"And beautiful." I said.

Dimitri nodded. "Bridgette is…stunning." He said with a whisper.

I watched the look in his eyes change. As he thought about Bridgette, he was different. There was a glimmer in his eyes that told me and showed me how important she was to him.

"Are you in love with her?" I asked him as we continued to work out.

He had me working my calves and thighs on one of the strength machines, so I felt it was imperative that I concentrate on something other than the piercing pain I felt developing in my muscles. I didn't know if he would actually answer such a personal question, but when he did, I listened.

"I love Bridgette very much." He confessed. "I have for a good amount of time, but your aunt and I are not in love with each other. We share a mutual respect for one another."

"And share her bed, or yours. You are having sex with her." Yeah, now I had crossed a line. I saw him purse his lips into a thin line. Too personal. Too far. "Right." I recognized. "None of my business." I stopped lifting the awful weights with my legs, leaning in closer to talk to him. "It's just that I love her too. She is the only family that I have. I don't want to see her hurt."

Dimitri sat down in front of me, placing his palm gently to my cheek. "You are right to be protective Bellamy, but you don't need to worry."

I couldn't suppress my smile, seeing the same good in him that aunt Bridgette saw. I leaned back as the door to our left opened. Alberta walked in a moment later, taking the reins from Dimitri, to further torture and work me until I thought I might collapse. I wasn't about to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing that happen. Once they finally let me go, I wanted to shower and fall into a heap in my room.

I saw Mason in the quad as I walked to the dorms. It was unexpected, but thrilling just the same.

"Bellamy." He acknowledged, striding up beside me. "How was training with Belikov?"

"That man is a sadist." I joked. "Not as hardcore as Petrov though."

Mason laughed, pulling his arm around me. It felt nice to be close to someone.

"Then you all fit well together."

I laughed then, content and quiet as he walked me to the lobby of my dorm. We stopped at the stairs leading up to my room. He looked down at me with those deep concentrated eyes of his.

"What are your plans tonight?" He asked.

"Shower. That's my plan."

"And after that?"

I hadn't much considered anything other than falling onto my bed in pain.

"Meet me in an hour for dinner?" Mason suggested.

"I thought you were going to that party tonight."

Mason shrugged. "Same people I know will be there. I think I'm more interested in getting to know someone new." He was asking me to do something other than train, which indicated that there was some sort of shared interest, so I agreed. He was also willing to skip out on a party with his friends to spend time with me.

"One hour." He reminded me, sprinting off after waiting for me to disappear up the stairs.