So here's the next chapter! This one is my favorite so far and I hope it's yours too! I also made a LiveJournal for my Vampire Academy story/icons & banners and such. I would love it if you guys would add me as your friend on there! I make new icons and banners all the time and there will also be stuff about upcoming stories I'm going to be posting, so make sure you tune into it! So please check it out! It's at . com You'll have to put it in the right format, of course since this site won't allow URLs. The link will also be on my profile.

Disclaimer : Don't own

Chapter Six

I jumped to my feet immediately and started scanning the area. "Get the Guardians!" I said to Adrian and Lissa. If there were any Strigoi near, Christian and I had a better chance against them than the others so they needed to get inside to safety.

"What is it?" Lissa asked me, looking shaken at my sudden burst. "Is it…Strigoi?"

I just nodded. "Yes, now get inside," I said, shoving both Adrian and Lissa towards the doors of the Academy. "Get in there – now!"

Christian and I watched as Adrian grabbed Lissa's arm, pulling her into the school with him, shouting for the Guardians. "They're here. Somewhere," I told Christian, my eyes straining to see. I had my silver stake in my jacket pocket and I pulled it out, clenching it tightly in my hand as I readied myself for an attack.

"There," Christian said, pointing over by the edge of the woods and we saw them, seven Strigoi, advancing towards us with inhuman speed.

"Let's go," I told him and moved forward towards the Strigoi with Christian at my side. When we close enough, Christian let out bursts of fire from his hands, long, steady streams of it while I staked them through the hearts, making them drop like flies. One Strigoi, one I had never seen before, smirked, moving towards me while Christian was busy incinerating another.

I could see students coming out of the school, presumably to help – they were guardians in training and I could also see Eddie running and staking one who had come out of nowhere - in my peripheral vision.

"Well, well, little dhampir," the Strigoi said as we circled one another. I looked for an opening, prayed for an opening. I didn't like his attitude. "Belikov was right. You are quite beautiful."

"Shut up," I said through clenched teeth.

The Strigoi chuckled, a sound so cold that it made me nearly freeze. "So strong too – but I think it's all an act. Belikov seems to think otherwise though." The Strigoi saw someone past me and that was my opening. I lunged forward and drove my stake into his heart, shoving him to the ground as he writhed, dying before me.

Then, I turned to see who was coming towards me. All the other Strigoi were down for the count and the others were just standing there, staring as he came towards me. He who was in my nightmares. He who I had planned on spending my life with. He who I was madly in love with.

"Rose – good form," Dimitri said, smirking that badass smile he used to use all the time.

My heart clenched painfully. "I'll kill you this time," I hissed angrily. I saw Christian move forward to use his magic but I held up my hand. "No, Christian," I said, but my eyes never left Dimitri's dark ones. My stake stayed clenched in my hand, the other Strigoi's blood staining the silver.

"No you won't," Dimitri said. "I'm faster…stronger…I distract you. Remember what I told you? Do not hesitate."

"Rose," Alberta said, breaking away from the group, stake in her hand. "Get away from him. Let us handle him."

"No," I said, my voice shaking.

Dimitri was close enough that I could smell the aftershave he used. "Do not hesitate," he repeated and then his mouth was on mine instantly.

I heard an outbreak of talking and gasps from the group of students that had gathered and the headmistress said something that would have earned me a detention.

I pushed Dimitri back and I didn't even realize I was crying. "I hate you!" I screamed at him. "You don't love me anymore! All you do is try to kill me! I'm not going to let you!"

The group of students went quiet and Christian was standing behind Dimitri, looking stricken. He was waiting for me to give him the okay to torch Dimitri.

Dimitri looked the same as last time. Paler with his red eyes that looked to kill. He was strong too – so strong.

"This isn't over Rose. You'll be like us soon. I can promise you that," Dimitri said in a low voice. "Then we can be together. We can lead the Strigoi to get rid of the weak."

I took a swing at Dimitri with the stake but before I could make contact, he took off running into the woods, disappearing. I watched him go, breathing hard and I didn't know if it was from the aching feeling in my chest, or from my physical exertion.

"Rose," Christian's hand settled on my shoulder and I flinched away from him. I walked past him and Alberta and all the students who were gaping at me with pure shock in their expressions. I didn't look at anyone though – not directly; I just kept walking. I didn't even pause when Adrian tried to stop me. I only said a simple, "leave me alone," as I walked up to my room. I shut the door and pulled off my clothes that had the other Strigoi's blood on them. I pulled on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, sitting on my bed.

He had kissed me. At least thirty people had seen it. It would be all over the school within an hour. Everyone would know. They would know about me and Dimitri being romantically involved. Of course, Rose, Adrian, and Alberta already knew, but now hundreds of people would know.

I lay down on my bed and curled up on my side, facing the wall. I couldn't keep the tears away. They just wouldn't stop. I heard the door to the room open and then close again. I didn't bother looking. I didn't get that nauseous feeling I got when it was Strigoi. I felt the bed get weighed down a bit behind me and then an arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me against a lean chest.

Adrian.

He didn't say anything. I didn't say anything. We didn't have to. It was all out in the open – all our cards were out on the table and everything was revealed. He knew I wasn't over Dimitri – I'm sure he knew that I probably never would be. Adrian was good for me, I knew. Stable. We could have a future together, children. But stable isn't what I want. Adrian loved me though and I loved him…I just wasn't in love with him. I was in love with Dimitri and that would never change.

We laid there for hours, silent. I didn't even remember what time I fell asleep.

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