THE DEATH OF DUTY
OR
FROSTBITE: DIMITRI AND TASHA'S STORY
December, 2009 - January, 2010
Rating- Teen, contains mentions of canon violence
Third Person POV- Dimitri, Tasha, Janine, Adrian, Christian, and Lissa
Contains a lot of dialogue from Frostbite, which is obviously the property of Richelle Mead. I tried to focus on moments which aren't covered in the book except for a few important scenes.
Dimitri
Dimitri had awoken far earlier than he wanted, but it had been necessary. He had to finish his reports from the previous day, detailing everything he had seen and done at the Badica house. When his report was finished, he walked to the administration building to file one copy of the report, the other copy was already at the Guardian Administration Building.
As he neared the door, he caught sight of an unexpected, though familiar face. "Tasha?"
She turned in his direction and smiled. "Dimka! Good to see you."
He walked to her and hugged her. "I didn't know that you were coming."
She laughed. "I only decided quite recently to come. I had already been planning to spend time with Christian over the holidays. Since he has a girlfriend, he wanted to remain on campus. So, I came here. How have you been?"
"Writing reports." He held up the paper which was in his hand, face serious.
She sobered. "You were at the Badica massacre?"
"Yes."
She drew in a deep breath. "That must have been hard."
He sighed heavily, thinking of the bodies and then of Rose. "It was harder on my student I think."
Her eyes widened. "Student?"
"Novice Rose Hathaway. I was taking her to Arthur Schoenberg for her qualifier. She saw it all."
Tasha grimaced. "That's horrible."
"Yes, it is."
"Christian has told me about her." A small smile crept across her lips. "She sounds pretty impressive."
Dimitri raised an eyebrow. "I can only imagine what Christian told you."
She laughed. "It wasn't all bad. He said that she helped save his life when Princess Vasilisa was taken and that she's a very good fighter."
"She did, and she is," he agreed. He glanced at his watch. "I have to get going. We should catch up later."
"I'd like that. They are allowing me to stay in one of the old outposts, near the outskirts of campus." She explained which cabin she would be staying at until he knew which one it was. "Too many royals are going to be around for me to want to stay in guest housing. Do you want to come by after your shift is over?"
"Sure," he agreed. "I think it would be nice."
In his room, after spending time in the cabin with Tasha, Rose, Lissa, and Christian, Dimitri admitted to himself that it had been nice to spend time with all of them. Catching up with Tasha was always fun, but the time had been made better with the presence of the other three. He had never spent time with them casually before and it had been a refreshing change of pace. He knew that one day they would be out there together, and it was good to build a rapport which was friendly instead of purely professional.
Spending time with Rose in a more relaxed setting had been better than nice. He felt guilty for the joy he took in her presence. He managed to keep his feelings for her in check most of the time, seeing her as his colleague and student. He was tentatively trying to build a friendship with her as well, which was easier to do in relaxed moments. The drive to the Badica house and in the cabin earlier had both been times of bonding, of growing a friendship.
Other times, other times he relived the brief moments they had shared in his bed. The scent of her, the taste of her lips, the way she had looked when her dress had come off…
No.
He clenched his jaw and went to the bathroom to freshen up before his trip to Missoula with Tasha.
He splashed cold water on his face, cursing his lapse in control. He had to see Rose as only his student. He couldn't think about how much he wanted to be with her.
In moments like this, he hated Victor Dashkov. If Dimitri had never touched Rose, he could easily have kept his feelings in check. Having touched her, kissed her, and seen her beauty in all its fullness… control was much, much harder to maintain. Victor had used them, and taken away any choice Dimitri or Rose had in beginning a relationship or avoiding their feelings. That their choice had been taken away was sickening.
On one hand, it was a good thing that Rose wanted Dimitri as much as he wanted her. She was willing to protect him, and to overlook the fact that their first kisses had not been their choice. On the other hand, everything was more complicated between them now.
He forced thoughts of Victor and Rose from his mind, focusing instead on getting ready to leave. Yet even as he left his room to walk to the cars, his mind wandered back to Rose.
In little over a day, he had seen so many sides of her. She had been her normal, playful and witty self during their drive to the Badica house. She had been horrified at the sight of the bodies. Even so, she had pulled herself together to assess the scene. Then there had been her sharp rage, so unlike her, as they left. He had seen her anger and vulnerability regarding her mother. He had seen her wisdom and insight when she had assessed Tasha. In the gym he had seen her fierce desire to learn, to be the best. And in brief moments, he had seen her adoration of him.
She fascinated him, more than anyone he had ever known. Some moments he was amazed by her, she was so strong and insightful. Other times he was stunned by her immaturity. It was that duality, watching her blossom and grow into a woman which drew him to her.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
Dimitri looked up, startled. He had arrived at the cars without realizing it. He shook his head, needing to get Rose off his mind.
Tasha laughed, clearly amused, and handed him a coffee. "You need to relax more Dimka."
He shrugged. "You're probably right."
She motioned him toward a Jeep which was nowhere near as nice as the Academy's vehicles. "If I drive there, can you drive back?"
"Sure," he agreed. "Is this your own car?"
She smiled. "Yes. I drove here from home. Sure, I could have flown, but driving was actually cheaper and more fun."
"We could take one of the Academy's cars to Missoula if you want."
"I prefer my own car, besides which, this way I can use the Academy's gas to fill up my tank."
Dimitri shook his head and got into the passenger seat while she got in the driver's seat. A few moments later, they were on their way to Missoula.
Tasha
The drive to Missoula was pleasant. Tasha and Dimitri spent the drive catching up and reminiscing. They had last seen one another over a year ago, at one of the memorials for Ivan Zeklos. Since then, Dimitri had been distant from everyone who had been connected to Ivan.
"You seem happier again," Tasha said as they neared the mall.
He didn't respond for some time. "I've found a new purpose in protecting the Last Dragomir."
"She's an impressive young woman. I've never seen Christian so happy before."
"They're good for one another."
"Haven't you ever thought about it?"
"Hmm?"
"Falling in love, settling down." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as she turned into the mall's parking lot. His expression, as usual, was impossible to read.
"I'm a guardian. I do my duty, that's all." His voice was cold.
"You're not a machine!" Her voice shook with outrage. She pulled into a parking spot and looked at him. "Forget about the damn system! The way dhampirs are treated is horrifying. You and all dhampirs should be allowed to follow your hearts and have lives of your own."
His expression was still impossible to read, but she saw something soften. "Ivan said something very similar to me once."
Now she softened, her anger replaced by a shared loss. "He was a good man. I know you must miss him."
He took a deep, steadying breath. "It gets easier as time goes by. All losses get easier to deal with eventually."
Her thoughts turned to Lucas and Moira, to her parents, and to Vinh. "Yeah, they do." She lightened her tone. "Anyway, shall we go shopping?"
His lips twitched into a half-smile. "Sure."
Inside, they kept their discussions light. She would ask for suggestions on what to get some people and he would do the same.
They stopped in front of an upscale dress shop. "I want to get something for Rose."
He raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Yes. She saved Christian's life, a pretty dress is the least I can do for her at Christmas."
He gave her a soft, genuine smile. "I think she would love that."
"Do you have any idea what size she wears?"
"What?" He flushed red at the question.
Tasha laughed. "Her size? You're her trainer; you must have some idea."
He eventually stammered out a size, which he said might be correct. Tasha bought a dress in that size and decided to get a gift receipt in case Rose needed to exchange the dress for a different size.
"Do you think she'll like the dress?"
"I think she'll be overwhelmed that you bought her anything, let alone a dress that nice."
Tasha smiled. "Good." If her nephew kept dating Vasilisa, and Rose did become the Princess's guardian, Tasha wanted the girl as an ally. A pretty dress would hopefully be a step in the right direction.
When they were finished shopping, they stopped in the food court for lunch and coffee.
Dimitri
Dimitri was enjoying the day with Tasha. It was nice to spend time with an old friend, catching up on everything. Spending time with her lacked the complicated set of emotions he felt around Rose. At lunch, she began talking about their shared friends.
"They all miss you."
"I know, but I no longer have Ivan as my charge, I have Princess Vasilisa. They were Ivan's friends, so we always saw them. Vasilisa is still in school. I also spent months searching for the girls. Since finding them, I have been training Rose so that she can graduate. That leaves very little time to be social."
"I know," she said simply. She was quiet for a moment when a sudden smile crossed her lips. "Did you hear from Karina?"
He shook his head. "I keep forgetting to get back to her."
Honestly, he was avoiding Karina. He had been visiting her and her family when Ivan Zeklos and Brandon Allen were killed. They were only apart for three days. Dimitri had flown to Toronto for his trip while Ivan and Brandon stayed at court. They had been planning to reconnect in New York City, and return to Europe afterward. The car Brandon and Ivan had been in broke down along the highway from court to New York City. The Strigoi killed them before any help arrived. Dimitri knew that there was nothing he could have done. He also knew that it wasn't Karina's fault at all, but talking to her made him feel guilty. He blamed himself. He wondered what would have happened if he had stayed with Ivan instead of visiting her.
Tasha rolled her eyes, exasperated. "Dimka, you can't keep avoiding everyone connected to Ivan, it's not healthy! Anyway, she just had her daughter." Tasha pulled out her phone and showed him a picture of a baby girl. "Isn't she adorable?"
He smiled at the picture of Karina holding a newborn. "She is. What is her name?"
Tasha pressed a few buttons on her phone before she replied. "Elisa Ludmila Ivashkov."
His heart twisted. Of course Karina would name a daughter after her deceased family members. Memories of pale grey eyes in a solemn, though mischievous, face floated to the front of his mind. Tasha's eye color was similar, he realized a moment later. "A good name, I'll be sure to congratulate her."
"I'm sure she'll appreciate it. I actually saw her a couple months ago. You should see how good she's getting at defense and offense." A smile, full of trouble lit her features.
"Ever since her sister died, it has given her a purpose. I heard that her husband is involved as well."
"Yes, he is. Water and air work well together, and they can do some damage. If only we could get the council to do anything useful. We should all be out there fighting."
"Tasha," he laid a hand on hers to calm her. "I agree with you, but change takes time."
"How many more will die before the time is right? Would the Badicas still be alive if they had known how to fight?" Her voice, though hushed, was animated.
"I don't know." He tried to keep his tone neutral in order to calm Tasha. He knew how passionate she was about Moroi fighting, but the middle of a mall was not the place to talk about this subject. "Maybe we should talk about this topic in a less public place?"
With a laugh, her passion subsided. "You're right, this isn't the place for that type of conversation. Well, I think I'm done shopping. Do you need to get anything?"
"No, I have everything I need."
He paid for both their meals, though she protested the gesture. Then they walked to her car. She fell asleep on the drive back to St. Vladimir's, for which he was glad. He enjoyed spending time with her, but there were moments when she got under his skin.
He was a bit annoyed at her presumptions regarding his friends. Karina had been his friend since childhood. Yes, they had become somewhat distant recently, but he knew that whenever he spoke to Karina again, it would be as though no time had passed between them. The rest of the friends Tasha had claimed he was ignoring had been Ivan's friends, not Dimitri's. Yes, Dimitri was friendly with them, but he wasn't close to any of them. Even so, spending time with Tasha had distracted Dimitri from Rose, which was a good thing.
When they arrived back at the school, Dimitri helped Tasha take her bags to the cabin.
"Thank you for taking me shopping," Tasha said, suppressing a yawn. "You must be exhausted."
He shrugged. "I'm fine. Is there anything else you need?"
"No." She gave a light laugh. "Go get some sleep. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
Dimitri's day began with learning that his after school training with Rose was cancelled by Dr. Olendzki, due to Rose having been injured in her morning training session. Rose's mother standing in had been Alberta's idea, though Dimitri had agreed with the decision. He ran into Janine Hathaway in one of the guardian lounges, and he could see how worried she was.
"What happened," he asked her, taking a seat beside the older woman.
She looked up from the report she was reading, her expression far away. "I assume you mean with Rose?"
He nodded.
She gave a resigned sigh. "Rose... She is very good at pushing buttons." She set aside the report and buried her face in her hands for a moment, centering herself. "I lost control. I lost focus. Nothing else can do that to me, just my daughter. I have never known how to deal with her. She has always been so willful, so headstrong."
"She is quite spirited," he agreed. "She tried to fight me the day we met, in defense of Vasilisa."
A tight smile tugged at Janine's lips. "Does she actually listen to you or does she just push your buttons?"
Dimitri chuckled. "Both." He didn't tell Janine that Rose pushed his self-control to its limits in every sense of the word. He was fairly certain that Janine Hathaway would kill him if she knew anything that had happened between himself and Rose. "Rose will be one of the best guardians our society has known in a very long time. She just has some rough edges which need smoothed out."
"I've heard that you have helped her immensely."
He shrugged. "She still has a lot to learn." He stood, needing to escape this conversation. "I wouldn't worry too much about her injury, she's taken her fair share of hits over the years."
Janine nodded but didn't seem particularly convinced.
The following morning, Dimitri's training session with Rose didn't go as planned. Rose kissed him, and he kissed her back. He felt so much relief kissing her. Weeks and weeks' worth of tension released and ignited as their lips touched. He wanted her. He wanted her so much that it was driving him crazy.
He left her in the gym and took a walk around the Academy's perimeter. The long walk helped him to gain control over himself again. He couldn't do it anymore. He knew that if he stayed as Rose's mentor they would end up in bed together, which would most certainly end Dimitri's career and possibly land him in jail. He needed to get away from her, for both their sakes.
When he returned to the guardian building, he left a message for Rose, saying that their next two practices were cancelled. She would know the reason was fake, but no one else would. When he was off duty, he made his way to the cabin where Tasha was staying. He hoped that she could distract him from Rose again.
Tasha was indeed a good distraction. They talked for a long time about places they had been and more friends they had in common. He had genuinely forgotten how many friends and acquaintances they shared.
"What's wrong," she asked him after they had been talking for over an hour.
"What makes you think something is wrong?"
"You seem distracted."
"I just have a lot on my mind," he answered evasively.
She nodded. "Well, if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here."
"I know."
She smiled at him, then looked away, more distracted than he had been a few moments ago.
"What's on your mind?"
When she looked back at him, she seemed nervous. "I was wondering... I have really enjoyed catching up with you again over the past couple days. I know that I don't have the right to ask this, but I was wondering if you would like to be my guardian." She pushed on, seeing the shock on his face. "I know that guarding me isn't prestigious like guarding Princess Vasilisa. From a career perspective, it's probably the worst move you could make."
Worse than being caught in a sexual relationship with his seventeen year old student?
Worse than putting Rose's life before Lissa's?
Compared to those two options, working for Tasha was a golden opportunity.
"I'm surprised and flattered by the offer," he said, calmly interrupting her. She had been stumbling on her words, almost embarrassed by what she was asking. She seemed grateful for his interruption. "What made you think of asking?"
She blushed. Since when did Tasha Ozera blush? "I like you Dimka. It's more than friendly admiration. I enjoy spending time with you and have often wondered if you would consider a relationship with me?"
He couldn't form words. He stared at her, utterly blank. He had never seen this coming. Had she shown romantic interest in him? Did he just not see it?
She stood, taking a few steps away from him. "I shouldn't have said anything. I've probably scared you off from ever wanting to talk to me again."
"No," he said quickly. "Tasha, it's okay. I am just surprised."
She nodded, still looking embarrassed. "The offer for you to guard me is genuine. You don't have to want a relationship with me to take the offer. Our talks about mutual friends made me think of the idea. If you were my guardian, you could spend time among your old circles. I adore Vasilisa, but she's young, and won't have the same circles of friends and acquaintances. Besides which, I know how to defend myself. I'd be an easy ward."
Her last words were teasing, so he responded in kind. "You think I want an easy assignment?"
She shrugged, smiling. "Well, we could go Strigoi hunting if you want a challenge."
He took a deep breath, still not able to process everything she had said. "That could be fun," he admitted. "You have given me a lot to think about." He stood. "I should get going. I have a few things to do before I retire for the evening."
She nodded, giving him an anxious smile. He walked to her and embraced her. He felt the tension leave her as they hugged.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said when they broke apart.
"See you tomorrow," she agreed.
Dimitri walked back to the guardian building more confused than he had been after Rose's kiss. Tasha was offering him an escape, but it would be cruel to take her offer just so that he could avoid Rose. However, taking the offer would prevent him from sleeping with Rose, which was a very good thing to avoid. He needed advice, but really there was no one he could go to about these issues.
He entered one of the lounges and made a hot chocolate for himself. He sat on one of the couches, near Alberta and Janine. Celeste was there too, typing on a laptop. A few others sat further away- talking, reading, or on their own laptops.
"You seem troubled."
Dimitri turned to Alberta, since she was the one who had spoken. "I have a lot on my mind." A moment later, he decided that he could tell Alberta about Tasha's offer. He trusted Janine and Celeste enough to know that they wouldn't talk about what he said to anyone, and they might offer good advice as well. "Tasha Ozera asked if I wanted to be her guardian." His words earned looks from everyone within earshot.
Celeste looked at him, confused. "Why? You're guarding the Dragomir Princess. To go from Princess Vasilisa to Tasha Ozera seems like a backward move, at least as far as your career goes."
"Tasha and I are friends, and she is interested in me."
"Are you interested in her," asked Alberta.
Was he? No, not really. "We're friends," he repeated.
Alberta gave him a soft, almost motherly, smile. "Then I would recommend you take your time and weigh your options. If you think that Tasha presents a good opportunity, then that is what you should pursue. If you would rather maintain your position with Princess Vasilisa, then that is what you should do."
If only it were that easy. He knew only too well the issues remaining with Lissa would cause for himself. He knew that if he remained, Rose was a problem. He wasn't worried about his career if he chose to guard Tasha. He was worried that if he chose to guard Tasha that he would end up hurting both Tasha and Rose. "Thank you for your advice," he told Alberta. "It does make sense to take time to weigh the options."
Janine
Janine Hathaway was performing a duty walk along the boundaries of campus when she saw Tasha Ozera. A small smile lighted on Janine's face when she realized what Tasha was doing. Tasha was practicing magical combat. They were far enough away from the main campus that only guardians could possibly see her, and Tasha was well liked by many guardians.
"Tasha," Janine said, as she walked closer.
Tasha snuffed out the fire in her hand as she turned. "Janine, it's lovely to see you! I'm sorry we haven't had time to catch up yet. I know how busy you are as a guardian."
"Duty comes first," Janine said.
Tasha rolled her eyes. "I wonder how many of you guardians actually mean that."
Janine's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "We all want to fight the Strigoi. Sometimes, we must sacrifice our desires for the greater good."
Tasha softened. "How are things between you and Rose?"
She sighed. "Do you want to walk with me on my rounds while we talk?"
"Sure." Tasha said in agreement.
Janine began talking as they walked. "Have you heard what happened in the gym the other day?"
Tasha nodded.
"I haven't spoken to Rose since we fought. My... sacrifice for the greater good was my daughter... I don't regret choosing to remain a guardian. I only wish that I could figure out how to talk to her without it turning into a fight."
"I know it isn't quite the same thing, but with Christian, I try finding a common ground and then working from there. We've had many fights since I became his legal guardian. One time he even began to yell at me that I wasn't his mother, but he stopped mid-sentence." Tasha let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know what all you need to work through with Rose, but maybe if you start with small steps it will get better."
Janine nodded, taking in everything Tasha said. Her hand went to the nazar at her throat. "She wanted to know about her father." Janine paused, her tone becoming rueful. "Though her way of expressing that interest was rather... crude."
Tasha failed to fully suppress her laughter. "Rose is quite the expressive young woman."
"She is. Sometimes I am proud of her spirited nature and other times..." She sighed. "I have heard wonderful things about how skilled she is in her combat classes, but testing that didn't work out as intended."
"Does she know that you are proud of her?"
Janine sighed. "I try to tell her, but every time I do it comes out as a lecture. One more small step I guess."
"Don't be so hard on yourself. I have heard both good and bad things about Rose. It isn't easy to try parenting someone who is so spirited. I know that from raising Christian."
"Have you ever thought about having your own children?"
A shy smile lit up Tasha's features. "I would need to find the right man."
Janine considered her words briefly before speaking. "I heard that you asked Guardian Belikov to be your guardian."
Tasha's cheeks turned crimson. "Oh?"
"Don't worry. You know how Belikov is- only asking for personal advice when he feels it is important. He was mostly asking Guardian Petrov for her opinion since she could see that he had a lot on his mind. I happened to be there."
Tasha nodded. "Dimka does like to keep his own councils. Did he mention that I embarrassingly told him that I am interested in him?"
"He mentioned that as a reason for your offer, but he didn't say that it was an embarrassing request. He wouldn't have asked for advice if he wasn't considering your offer."
Tasha sighed heavily. "I always fall for the impossible ones. I don't want anything to be awkward between him and I. We have been friends for a very long time."
"Was the first time you met in Moscow?"
"That was the first time we actually spoke for any length of time; we met in passing once or twice before that week. We have the same circles of friends, or did when Ivan Zeklos was still alive. He has been rather distant from his friends since Ivan's death."
"It isn't an easy thing to lose a charge or colleague, especially when they are your friends."
"I understand that. Honestly, that's why I'm hoping Dimka will take my offer, so that he isn't alone anymore."
"Not just for your interest in him?"
Tasha laughed. "No, not just for that. Though honestly, if he accepts the offer and never returns my interest, it might become an unintended a form of torture."
Janine's hand rested on the nazar again. "Sometimes our interests are unexpected."
Tasha turned to her, curiosity written all over her face. "Who was he?"
"Hmm?"
"Rose's father? Is he the man who you think about when you touch that necklace? The one who was an... unexpected interest?"
Briefly, Janine's mind wandered to him, to Ibrahim. "He is a good man. Our relationship was brief, and very unexpected, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. He gave me the necklace as a Christmas gift when I was pregnant with Rose. Being with him taught me many things, including that sometimes we can find love when we least imagine it."
Tasha simply nodded, taking in Janine's words. In the distance, Dimitri was walking his rounds the opposite direction. When they drew near, Dimitri and Tasha smiled at one another. It was a warm and affectionate smile. With a few words to Janine, Tasha began to walk with Dimitri.
"Oh, Janine," Tasha said, turning around.
"Yes?"
"I'm having a small get together for Christmas. You should come."
After Tasha told Janine the rest of the details, she thought about it for a moment, and then agreed. "Of course. Thank you for the invitation."
Tasha smiled. "Great! We'll see you then."
Janine watched them go. She saw the way they talked and laughed. Honestly, she couldn't see any reason why he would say no to Tasha's offer.
Dimitri
Avoiding Rose became one of Dimitri's goals after their kiss in the gym. He did so by focusing on work and spending his free time with Tasha. He didn't offer Tasha any answers regarding her offer, and she never brought it up again. She was flirty with him, and he responded in kind. She was a good distraction.
Other than brief words at their Christmas party, the next time Dimitri spoke to Rose was after the assembly at the ski lodge. He sat beside her while the royals wasted everyone's time. Chills ran through him at Monica Szelsky's words. That she would think of sending children to fight was abhorrent. Then again, when had the royals ever cared about dhampirs?
For a while, Dimitri had been proud of Tasha's speech... then she went over the top. Sometimes, she and Rose were very similar, acting in ways which would incite problems rather than resolve them. It was honestly the most infuriating trait in both of them. Even so, Dimitri tended to admire Rose's passion while Tasha's worried him.
In frustration and disgust, Dimitri stood, telling Rose and her friends that staying was pointless because nothing else would be accomplished that night. Not that the royals ever accomplished much. Rose followed him out of the room, and proceeded to launch into a tirade.
"Shouldn't you be in there protecting Tasha? Before the mob gets her? She's going to get in big trouble for using magic like that."
Where was her hostility coming from? He raised an eyebrow. "She can take care of herself."
"Yeah, yeah, because she's a badass karate magic user. I get all that. I just figured since you're going to be her guardian and all..."
"Where did you hear that?" He thought through everyone who had been in the guardian lounge, and was fairly certain the only person who would have told Rose anything was her own mother.
"I have my sources." Definitely her mother. "You've decided to, right? I mean, it sounds like a good deal, seeing as she's going to give you fringe benefits..."
What on earth had her mother told her? "What happens between her and me is none of your business." He was angry. Angry with himself. Angry with Tasha. Angry with Janine. Angry with Rose. Sure, nothing was happening between him and Tasha, but even if there were, it would be no one's business.
Rose was apparently just as angry. "Well, I'm sure you guys'll be happy together. She's just your type, too- I know how much you like women who aren't your own age. I mean, she's what, six years older than you? Seven? And I'm seven years younger than you."
"Yes," he said after several moments of silence. He did not feel like dealing with her childish attitude. "You are. And every second this conversation goes on, you only prove how young you really are."
They both flinched at his words, but before either of them could say anything further, Adrian Ivashkov appeared. Dimitri felt himself go cold, especially when he saw Adrian look at Rose. He knew Adrian Ivashkov, and didn't want the young man anywhere near Rose.
"Little dhampir. I don't want to interrupt or anything. Just wanted to talk to you when you have time."
Dimitri knew that the way she smiled at Adrian was intended to hurt, just as Dimitri's words had hurt her. She walked over to Adrian and put her hand on his arm. "I've got time now," she said, obviously flirting. She gave a nod to Dimitri as she walked away with Adrian. "See you later, Guardian Belikov."
His world spun. He walked away, back to his room. He needed to unwind. He needed to get his mind off of Rose, Tasha, Adrian, and the Badica and Drozdov attacks. However, in his room, Dimitri was unable to get his mind off of Adrian Ivashkov, and the first time they had met.
Dimitri- Three Years Earlier
"Drink," Ivan said, pushing a cup into Dimitri's hand. "You're off duty."
"I'm never off duty with you around."
Ivan rolled his eyes. "I'll put you back on duty and drink with Brandon."
"He never drinks," Dimitri scoffed. "I promise that I will pretend to have fun."
"I swear that you never have fun anymore. Come on, my party awaits."
Dimitri placed the cup on a counter. Then he followed Ivan from the kitchen to the living room, which was already filled with guests. Dimitri was fairly certain that only half of the visitors had been invited. The rest of the partiers had simply showed up and joined the festivities. Late summer at the royal court was always a popular time to host parties.
Ivan found a seat beside a red-haired Moroi girl. Soon, the girl was in Ivan's lap, giggling with him. Dimitri stood to the side, watching the room- so much for being off duty. He caught sight of Brandon Allen, his guarding partner, and gave the older guardian a small smile. Brandon gave him a similar, almost weary look. Brandon was less comfortable at parties than Dimitri was.
Eventually, Ivan convinced Dimitri to sit. The redhead was named Fiona. She wasn't from a royal family, but her family was well off. She was also fairly intelligent, which delighted Ivan. Dimitri was glad that she wasn't boring. Everyone Ivan had dated since Karina had been dull, which was probably why none had lasted longer than a month. He wasn't holding out hope that Fiona would be around longer than tonight.
An hour or so later, while Fiona was across the room, a different girl came over and began speaking rapidly with Ivan. To Dimitri's surprise, Ivan stood, wrapped an arm around her waist, and led her to Dimitri.
"Dimka, this is my cousin Elise. She's mad because an ex-boyfriend is here. Would you be willing to have my pretty cousin sit on your lap to ignite his jealousy?"
Before Dimitri could muster a response, Ivan pushed Elise onto his lap. Dimitri couldn't just push the girl off, so he shifted her so that she was comfortably seated on him. Ivan sat back down and winked at Dimitri. For a moment, Dimitri weighed the idea of throttling his friend, but he promptly dismissed the notion. Instead, he looked at the girl in his lap.
"Hello," he said politely.
She smiled at him, fangs showing. "Elise Zeklos."
"Dimitri Belikov. Who is your ex-boyfriend?"
She rolled her eyes. "Adrian Ivashkov. We didn't really date. We were just, together, for a few weeks. He was fun, but he started sleeping with a couple other girls, so I dropped him." He followed her gaze across the room to where a young Moroi man was obviously flirting with three girls. Dimitri was fairly certain that Fiona was one of the girls in the group.
"Do you really want to make him jealous?"
"Ugh, I don't know. He's infuriating. He was so much fun in the beginning. He's cute and charming, but his moods change so often and sometimes... he's really weird." Her voice took on a strange quality at her last statement, but she shook it off. "I just want to forget, you know?"
He smiled at her. Wanting to forget was something Dimitri knew all too well. "Yeah, I know the feeling."
She took a cup from one of the passing servers and curled against him. Elise was pretty, with dark blue eyes and light brown hair. He didn't mind having a pretty girl on his lap. He had spent a long time without the touch of a woman. She was half way through her drink when she turned to face him, a sly smile on her lips.
She kissed him. He was surprised, but he responded, kissing her back with a growing intensity. When they broke apart, she grinned, kissing him on the cheek.
"My night is getting better by the moment."
Dimitri simply smiled. He looked at Ivan, whose lap was again occupied by Fiona. Ivan was laughing. "You're finally having fun."
Dimitri rolled his eyes, and turned his attention back to Elise. She was pleasant. They talked and kissed for about an hour. Then she stiffened, her eyes focusing on something in the crowds.
Elise muttered something angry in what Dimitri suspected was German, though he didn't know what she said. Dimitri and Ivan both looked where Elise was staring and saw Adrian Ivashkov kissing a Moroi girl. Ivan stood, gently pushing Fiona off his lap. Fiona was rather drunk, so she remained on the couch. Ivan began to walk toward Adrian and the girl. Dutifully, Dimitri followed, trailed by Elise.
"Leave my cousin alone," Ivan growled, when they were close to Ivashkov and the girl.
Cousin? Dimitri was confused. He knew that Ivan had many cousins, including Elise, but who was this girl? Ivashkov and the girl broke apart. She was young, no older than fifteen, with blue eyes and brown hair.
"Marina!" Elise shouted at the girl.
Dimitri looked between them and came to a rather disconcerting conclusion- Elise and Marina were sisters.
Ivashkov was clearly drunk. He looked between Marina, Elise, Ivan, and Dimitri in utter confusion. Something seemed to click for him and he stepped away from the younger girl. "Is she your sister?"
"Yes," Elise spat. "It's bad enough that you ditched me for a dhampir, but now you're going for my sister? She's only fifteen!"
Adrian looked between the girls, his drunken state clearly slowing his thoughts. "Why is your fifteen year old sister even here?"
"A good question," Ivan said, staring down his young cousin. "You were most definitely not invited."
Marina rolled her eyes. "It's not like anyone was watching me. Dad's visiting his mistress. Mom is sucking up to the Queen. And Elise is throwing herself at your hot guardian."
Ivan was shaking. Dimitri was actually worried that his charge would hit someone. "Ivashkov, please leave. Dimka, can you put Marina in one of the guest rooms and watch her with Elise until they are sober enough to go home?"
Adrian laughed, holding his hands up in surrender. "Fine, I don't feel like dealing with your family drama anyway." He turned to Elise for a moment. "And you're one to talk about being interested in dhampirs." Adrian walked away from them. He stopped in front of Fiona. She stood, and left the party on his arm.
Back in Frostbite
Tasha
The meeting had gone as poorly as Tasha had anticipated. She knew the royals wouldn't do anything useful, but she also knew that she would likely gain more supporters from her display. How many years had she been fighting for reform? Nine years? How many lives had been lost because their people were too stupid to fight back against the enemy? Centuries of blind tradition was killing her people and some days she felt like absolutely no one else wanted to fight back.
They were sheep, blood drinking sheep, but sheep all the same.
Tasha's belief that she would gain supporters was confirmed by the small swarm of young Moroi who spoke to her after the meeting. Children were the future. Influence the children, and you can change a culture. She spoke to them for more than an hour, hopeful that many of them would truly be willing to learn how to fight.
Tasha slept soundly that night, assured by some of her supporters that their movement was at least gaining some ground. Some ground was better than the meager headway she had made since Lucas and Moira's deaths. Their deaths had been her rebirth. Only death would stop her from pushing for reform.
Word reached her the following day that there was a pool tournament going on. She wanted to play, to focus on something other than politics and death, if only for a few hours. She decided to search for Dimitri, knowing that the two of them could wipe out any competition in a game of pool. When had they played last? It had to have been at least four years since they had played pool together.
She pondered her recent interactions with Dimitri. He had been flirty with her, but there was no depth or passion to his flirtation. She felt like he was merely flirting with her to distract himself from something. She wanted more. She wanted him to love her. They hadn't talked about her offer at all since she had brought it up. She thought he was considering it, but he was so hard to read that she really didn't know what he wanted. Part of her wanted to kiss him, just to see what would happen. Fear of rejection was the only thing holding her back from kissing him.
She found Dimitri talking to Rose in the lobby. They seemed to be in a tense conversation. Something was strained between them, though Tasha had no idea what the problem was. "Dimka," Tasha called, announcing her presence. "Hello, Rose."
"Hey." Rose's tone was flat.
Tasha wondered what was wrong with the girl, she seemed moody lately. However, having been a teenage girl once, Tasha didn't take it personally. Tasha placed a hand on Dimitri's arm, smiling at him. "You've got that look."
"What look?" He gave Tasha a playful smile.
"That look that says you're going to be on duty all day."
"Really? I have a look like that?" His tone was teasing.
She nodded. "When does your shift technically end?"
"An hour ago."
"You can't keep doing this," she groaned. "You need a break."
"Well ... if you consider that I'm always Lissa's guardian..."
"For now," she said. It was the first time she had brought up the offer since she had made it. "There's a big pool tournament going on upstairs."
"I can't," he said, but the smile was still on his face. "Even though I haven't played in a long time ..."
"Come on, then," she begged. "Just one round! We could take them all."
"I can't," he repeated, regretful. "Not with everything going on."
"No. I suppose not." Tasha's sober tone of agreement shifted to teasing when she looked at Rose. "I hope you realize what a hard-core role model you have here. He's never off duty."
"Well, for now, at least." Rose's tone was light and mocking.
Okay, there was definitely something up with Rose. Tasha reminded herself that Rose was a seventeen year old, but still felt like something was amiss.
Dimitri's face and voice hardened. "We're finished here, Rose. Remember what I said."
"Yeah," Rose muttered, turning away. "Definitely."
"What was that about?" Tasha asked as soon as Rose was out of sight.
Dimitri drew a deep breath. "We have been having disagreements lately."
She gave him a thin smile. "You wouldn't have to worry about that if you take my offer."
He laughed, but she didn't hear any humor in it. "True. I am sorry. I haven't had much time to think about your offer."
"That's fine," she assured him. "I know it's a big decision for you. I also know that the murders are your priority at the moment. I have seen you in full guardian mode before Dimka."
He gave her a genuine smile then. "Yeah, you have."
She gave him her best playful smile. "Are you really sure that you don't want to play pool?"
"I really should be getting to bed."
She could see that he wanted to play, but she could also see exhaustion in his face. "Fine." They had been walking and were now standing in one of the halls, alone. She placed a hand on his cheek. "Sleep well." She pressed a kiss to his cheek, and left.
Dimitri
Dimitri looked at Rose as she sat on the snow covered rooftop. The snow glittered all around her in the early morning light. She looked like a snow princess, surveying her kingdom. He opened the door, taking off his coat as she looked at him. He draped the coat around her, letting it warm her.
"You must be freezing," he said, sitting beside her. She deflected his concern by saying that the sun was out. He looked toward the bright blue sky, seeing the mountains in the distance. It was all so beautiful. "It is, but we're still on a mountain in the middle of winter."
She said nothing for a long time. So, they sat together in the silent winter morning. Eventually, she spoke. She told him about what her mother had said at the party. He told her that her mother was just worried about her. Dimitri desperately hoped that Rose and her mother could mend the rift in their relationship. Maybe he could help Rose see her mother's perspective.
"She overreacted," Rose was saying.
"Sometimes mothers are overprotective."
"Yeah, but this is my mother. And she didn't seem that protective, really. I think she was more worried I'd embarrass her or something. And all that becoming-a-mother-too-young stuff was stupid. I'm not going to do anything like that."
"Maybe she wasn't talking about you," he said.
He saw something click in her mind. Maybe, hopefully, she understood that her mother was simply trying to do the best she could. Long ago, Dimitri had realized that his own mother had simply been doing the best she could when she was raising him and his sisters. Olena Belikova hadn't been strong enough to keep Randall away, but she had done the best she could even when things were at their worst.
"We aren't fighting right now," Rose blurted out.
He was surprised by her words. "Do you want to fight?"
"No. I hate fighting with you. Verbally, I mean. I don't mind in the gym."
A small smile tugged at his lips. "I don't like fighting with you either."
"You should take it."
He flinched at her sudden words. "What?"
"Tasha's offer. You should take her up on it. It's a really great chance."
He was stunned by her words. He had never expected her to be so... selfless. Her further words confirmed the thought. Rose was letting him go.
"I don't want to fight anymore. I don't want us to hate each other. And...well ..." She squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them. "No matter how I feel about us ... I want you to be happy."
He wrapped his arms around her, and only said her name. "Roza." He held her for several long moments. Eventually, she pulled away and pulled off his coat. "Where are you going?" He asked her as he held the coat in his hands.
"To break someone's heart," she replied. She walked away, and back into the lodge.
Dimitri stared after her for a long time. He didn't know what to say or think. She had let him go. How could a seventeen-year-old love enough to let go? Why did he always underestimate Rose? Could he do it? Could he leave Rose?
Eventually, he stood. He walked aimlessly through the lodge. What should he do?
He loved Rose. He loved her more than he had ever believed possible.
If he chose to stay, he didn't know if he could put anyone before Rose. If he chose Tasha, he wouldn't worry about her life the same way he worried about Rose. He cringed, realizing just how terrible that was for him to think. He would still care if something happened to Tasha, but he knew that it wouldn't be the same as losing Rose.
Still, if he chose Tasha, he knew that she had feelings for him. Feelings which he didn't reciprocate. What had Rose said? That she was going to break someone's heart? She was going to end her flirtation with Mason.
He admired Rose for her bravery. Dimitri wasn't brave enough to tell Tasha yes or no. He wasn't brave enough to pull Rose close or shut that door behind him.
Dimitri knew that it would be easy to be with Tasha. He could make her laugh and smile while keeping his heart safe from being shattered again. He could probably make her believe that their relationship was everything she wanted without her ever getting to know him. For all the flirting between them and all the hours of conversation, Dimitri knew that Tasha didn't understand him. Rose had understood him within a few weeks. Yes, there were many things which Rose didn't know about him, but that was understandable since they had only known one another for a few months.
His inner voice decided to remind him at that moment of one very important fact- ROSE IS SEVENTEEN! Seven years his junior and very, very wrong to think about as a romantic partner.
He had to choose Tasha. Rose had let him go. He had to choose...
"Dimka?" Tasha's voice broke Dimitri's train of thought. They were in a lounge on one of the upper levels of the lodge. It was completely deserted. He didn't even remember entering. "Are you alright?"
He gave her a tight smile. "I have a lot on my mind."
She rested a hand on his arm. "Do you want to talk about it?"
He let out a slow breath. "Sure." They began to walk out of the room when he turned to her, curious. "What were you doing up here at this hour?"
"Making phone calls to the human world. My cellphone gets better reception up here and some people I needed to call refuse to answer numbers they don't know, so I had to use my phone instead of one of the lodge's phones."
"That makes sense."
She gave him a soft smile and slipped her arm through his as they walked through the halls of the lodge. "How was Pricilla Voda's banquet?"
"As exciting as every royal banquet is from a guardian's perspective."
"Well, you know my offer still stands. I can promise you that life with me won't involve watching the wallpaper."
He burst into laughter at her words. "You spend too much time with Karina." Karina was fond of referring to royal banquets, from the guardian's perspective, as 'watching wallpaper'.
She laughed with him. "I really do. You should hear the things Ryan and Karina say when we're together."
"I miss those days," he said honestly. He looked at her. He had to choose Tasha, didn't he? "Maybe we can spend time with them again."
She stopped walking. "Do you mean..."
"I'm considering saying yes to your offer." He turned so that they were face to face, and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. He had apparently stunned her so much that she didn't move or say anything. "Are you alright?"
She opened and closed her mouth twice before she could form words. "I'm just surprised. We haven't talked about it at all since I made the offer. I thought, well that you would say no."
He pulled her along, starting their trek toward their rooms again. "I'm still thinking about it, but I'm leaning toward saying yes."
She nodded. "That's fair. I'm glad that you gave me an idea of what you're thinking."
He gave her a light smile, but said nothing. What he was doing was hardly fair to her. It was also nothing close to what he was thinking. They reached her room first. He was planning to leave her there, so that he could walk to his own room, but she stopped him as he was turning to leave.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He responded automatically, kissing her with the passion she expected. It was nice. She was a good kisser. She knew exactly how to move her lips, her tongue, her hands.
But it was only nice. He didn't feel any passion or lust or desire when his lips touched hers. He ran a hand through her dark hair. It was soft and silky. It reminded him of Rose's hair. They pulled back and he saw her eyes, full of such happiness. Pale eyes, like the ones he had loved so long ago.
He gave her a smile, but it was fake. Within a heartbeat, while kissing one woman, he had thought of two entirely different women- one lost to him forever and the other...
"Good night Tasha."
Her smile was real. "Good night Dimka." She turned from him and entered her room.
When Dimitri was finally in his room, he sat on the bed and cursed himself for being so selfish and cruel.
He hadn't slept when he was called to an emergency meeting of guardians and school staff.
As he listened to what was said, his world shattered.
"Five students, two Moroi- Christian Ozera and Mia Rinaldi, along with Novices Mason Ashford, Eddison Castile, and Rosemarie Hathaway, are missing."
Dimitri listened to his colleague's words, felt them reverberate in his mind. Rose was missing. Why had she run away? Dimitri could almost understand Rose, Mason, and Eddie running off on some crazy adventure, but why had they gone with Christian Ozera and Mia Rinaldi?
The guardians on duty had realized something was amiss when one of the gate guardians was found unconscious. When he woke up, they had learned that Rose and Christian had overpowered him. They eventually learned that Mason, Eddie, and Mia had left several hours prior to Rose and Christian.
By the time Dimitri and Janine Hathaway met with Lissa, guardians had been sent to scour the roads and nearby town for any clues about where the students might have gone.
Dimitri looked at Lissa. She was his charge, the girl he had searched for and returned to St. Vladimir's. He cared about her, and he knew that she cared for both Rose and Christian. "I know you want to protect them, but we need to know where they are." He was trying his hardest to be guardian formal, while still being gentle toward Lissa. Inside, he was anything but calm.
"I told you. I don't know. I don't know what happened." She was clearly upset, both angry and afraid.
"I can't believe they wouldn't have told you where they were going," said Janine. "Especially with your...bond."
"It only works one way," said Lissa sadly. "You know that."
Dimitri knelt down so he could be at Lissa's height and look her in the eye. "Are you sure there's nothing? Nothing at all you can tell us? They're nowhere in town. The man at the bus station didn't see them... though we're pretty sure that's where they must have gone. We need something, anything to go on."
Lissa gritted her teeth and glared. "Don't you think if I knew, I'd tell you? You don't think I'm worried about them too? I have no idea where they are. None. And why'd they even leave... it doesn't make any sense either. Especially why they'd go with Mia, of all people." She sounded genuinely hurt that she hadn't gone, and that they had taken Mia.
Dimitri sighed, leaning back on his heels. He was afraid. He was afraid for all five students, but when he thought of Rose... He loved Rose more than anyone, more than... no, that name still hurt too much. Abruptly, he was back in Moscow, in that basement, looking at the corpse of the woman he loved, but the face he saw was Rose.
He shuddered, returning to the present. He drew a deep breath. He was stunned by how visceral his feelings were. He forced himself into the present, his mind on the task at hand. He took Lissa's hand and squeezed. "We will let you know as soon as we have any information."
Lissa squeezed his hand and nodded her head. "Thank you."
Dimitri and Janine left the Princess a few moments later. "I need to speak with Tasha," he told Janine.
"Of course," she said. "She will want to know as much as you can tell her about her nephew."
He gave her a brisk nod of his head before he left to find Tasha. He found her in a lounge on the third floor of the hotel. The lounge had a panoramic view of the mountains which surrounded the ski lodge. She was staring out across the landscape.
"Tasha?"
She looked at him, panic and fear were written plainly on her face. He wrapped his arms around her and she clung to him. A moment later, she began to sob. He led her to a nearby couch, sitting with her, holding her until she calmed.
"I can't lose him," she whispered when she stopped crying.
"I know."
"He is the only thing I have. If he... if he dies..."
He rubbed her shoulders, attempting to soothe her. "I know."
She shifted from him, suddenly angry. "Do you? You have a family. You may not see them all that often, but you still have a family. I only have Christian. He has been my world ever since Lucas..." She stopped speaking, unable to finish her sentence.
"You're right," he agreed. "But you aren't alone right now. Princess Vasilisa and Guardian Hathaway are just as distressed as you. Rose means the world to both of them and Lissa loves Christian. Right now, all three of you are feeling the same pain."
She drew a deep breath. "You're right. Please, Dimka, let me help with this investigation. If there is anything I can do, please."
"I will let you know if there is anything you can do. Right now, we're doing everything we can to find a lead and prevent further panic."
She nodded. He led her for a few moments longer before they both stood and walked to where the guardians were coordinating their efforts.
Along the way, Dimitri finally made his decision. He didn't care about the consequences. He would choose Rose. If only she could be found.
Adrian
No one ever expected Adrian Ivashkov to do anything, so he had lived up to those expectations. He had accomplished nothing spectacular. He had done nothing worthy of note. His school record was mediocre and his college record was just as terrible.
What Adrian Ivashkov excelled at was being charming and drinking copious amounts of liquor. Well, and walking in people's dreams. He had no idea why he could see auras or enter the dreams of others. He just knew that around the time all the other kids were specializing in an element, he began to be able to do really weird things.
So, when he had learned that Princess Vasilisa Dragomir possessed rare abilities, ones which were off the public record, he knew that he needed to talk to her. He had learned about Vasilisa from his aunt. Being the Queen's favorite great-nephew came with some perks, including top-secret knowledge about other royals. He had agreed to go to the ski lodge in Idaho because he knew Vasilisa would be there.
Meeting Lissa was the best thing that had ever happened to Adrian. He wasn't a freak anymore. He wasn't alone. He wasn't crazy... well not entirely anyway. Knowing that his weird abilities came from a fifth element known as spirit was both exciting and terrifying.
The second best thing to happen in Idaho was meeting Lissa's shadow-kissed guardian-in-training. Rose Hathaway was stunning, snarky, and fascinating. Her aura had been the first thing to pique his interest. The black ring around an otherwise brilliantly colored aura. Her colors showed passion, loyalty, a hint of anger, and a lot of indecisiveness. The indecisiveness intrigued Adrian because every word which left Rose's mouth screamed that she knew what she was doing.
So, Adrian had watched her and flirted with her. And in watching her, he had realized why she had such a complicated aura. She was in love with her instructor, unhappily in love. Dimitri Belikov, the aforementioned instructor, was also unhappily in love with her. Now, that had been shocking to see. Rose was also intensely in like with her friend Mason, while he was head over heels in love with her. Dimitri was pretending to be more than friends with Tasha Ozera, while she was definitely in love with him.
Adrian vaguely recalled seeing Belikov at a party a few years past, but the details of that meeting were lost to memory.
The auras of the four were hilarious to watch from an outside perspective. So was the fact that Rose definitely enjoyed Adrian's flirting. Adrian decided somewhere along the way that teasing Rose would be a new game. Perhaps winning her heart could become an achievement. Not like a conquest. Adrian had enough conquests under his belt. She would be something more. It's not like one more person in her love life would complicate it all that much.
So, when the news broke Rose Hathaway and four of her classmates were missing, Adrian realized that he needed to help. He didn't tell the guardians or Lissa his plans, not right away anyway. The idea of coming out to them as another spirit user was rather uncomfortable. So, he tried to reach Rose in her dreams.
When it worked, he only reached her for a few minutes. She was alive. She was also in a basement... somewhere.
Later in the day, Adrian met Lissa in an empty banquet hall. He was later than planned, but that was due to his father being an idiot.
He sat on the floor beside Lissa. Worry was written in her body language, but she maintained a rather neutral expression on her face. "Cousin, sorry I'm late."
"It's okay."
They talked for a little while about spirit and auras. Then they talked about trying to use the bond to find Rose. Then they talked about dream walking, Lissa being on meds, and her ability to heal. Healing sounded like an amazing ability to possess.
When they were done talking, they decided to tell what little Adrian knew to the guardians. He knew that some had left on a plane earlier that day to search somewhere. He didn't think that telling the guardians that Rose was in a basement would be much use, but at least they would know she was alive.
Tasha
Tasha's responsibilities, as the teams of guardians scoured the mall in Spokane, involved holding pictures of the missing students, and asking if anyone had seen them. No one knew anything. It was maddening. She needed to know that Christian was alive.
A call from the ski lodge had told them that they knew Rose was alive, as of a few hours ago. The details had been confusing on how they knew she was alive, but any news was good news.
They were taking a meal break in an Alchemist owned building when Tasha's phone rang. She didn't know the number, but she answered it. Her heart nearly burst for joy at the voice on the other end.
"Aunt Tasha, it's me, Christian."
She drew in a sharp breath. "Christian." She said his name loudly. Around her, the room fell silent. She put him on speaker.
"Yeah, it's me, we… we escaped."
It was hard to breathe. He was alive. "Where are you?" Behind her, the leaders of the teams whispered, got on their own phones, and took out paper to write down details.
Christian paused, and spoke to someone in the background. "What's the address?" A moment later, he relayed the address. Several guardians in the background repeated it to their teams. "Eddie's been hurt pretty bad," he said. "Mason and Mia went back for Rose."
Beside Tasha, Dimitri swore in Russian. Tasha looked up at him as Christian continued to talk. "I… I don't know if she can get out. She… she saved us."
The look in Dimitri's eyes spoke volumes. Tasha had seen it before, in Moscow. In that moment, she understood why Rose had been so irritable. She understood the tension between Dimitri and Rose. She understood Dimitri's hesitation to give an answer. Dimitri loved Rose. Rose loved Dimitri. Tasha was afraid. If Dimitri lost Rose the way he had lost Karina's sister, she was afraid of what he might do.
Tasha swallowed. There were far more important things to worry about at the moment than affairs of the heart. "Is there anything else you can tell us? How are you and the others? Christian?"
"Aunt Tasha," he interrupted. "I need to get Eddie inside, he's going to freeze if we leave him outside. We're at the gas station."
Looking at the paper one of the guardians had set down, Dimitri spoke. His voice was like ice. "Twenty minutes."
"I love you," Tasha said.
"Love you too," Christian replied, hanging up the phone.
Tasha ended the call and slid the phone into her pocket. She laid a hand on Dimitri's arm. "She'll be alright. She's a fighter."
He didn't say anything. His face was emotionless as he pulled away from her and walked toward the door. Tasha took a deep breath, hoping that her words had been true. If Rose died, Tasha was fairly certain that Dimitri would stop living as well.
Christian
Feeling sunlight hit his face was the most beautiful thing Christian Ozera had ever known, which was funny really since Moroi were sensitive to the sun. He and Mia, along with Mason and Eddie, were quickly making their way along the sidewalk, away from the house. After passing three houses, they were out of the cul-de-sac. There was a gas station with an attached convenience store at the end of the block.
They stopped, resting Eddie against a tree. "Go to the gas station, call for help." Mason turned around.
Christian was shocked. "Where are you going?"
"To get Rose!" A second later, Mason was running back to the house.
Mia and Christian stared at one another for several long moments before she ran after Mason. Christian swore, looked down at Eddie who was passed out under the tree, and ran to the gas station. Inside, he found an old man behind the counter. He looked at Christian in shock.
"I need to use your phone to call the police. My friends and I were kidnapped but we escaped."
"Of, of course," the man stammered. He led Christian to a side room and let him use the phone.
He called his aunt, knowing that she could reach the Guardians. After two rings, she answered.
"Hello?"
"Aunt Tasha, it's me, Christian."
He heard her sharp intake of breath. "Christian."
"Yeah, it's me, we… we escaped."
"Where are you?" He could hear that she was now on speakerphone, several voices were in the background.
He looked at the old man who was regarding him with concern. "What's the address?"
Christian relayed the address to his aunt and heard several people repeat it, likely they were talking on other phones. "Eddie's been hurt pretty bad," he said. "Mason went back for Rose." In the background, he heard Dimitri swear in Russian. "I… I don't know if she can get out. She… she saved us."
He took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself. He and Eddie were safe. He didn't think that Mia would do anything to get herself killed, but Mason… If anything happened to Rose, he didn't think Mason would keep it together. Rose… she didn't stand a chance. He didn't want to imagine Lissa hearing that her best friend was dead...
He didn't hear his aunt, though she had been talking. "Aunt Tasha," he said, interrupting her, "I need to get Eddie inside, he's going to freeze if we leave him outside. We're at the gas station."
"Twenty minutes," Dimitri said, his tone hard.
"I love you," Tasha added.
"Love you too," Christian replied, hanging up the phone.
He turned to the man, telling him that police were on the way. The man left another worker in charge of the shop, and walked the block to Eddie. Mia was kneeling beside him, her eyes wide and terrified.
"Mia, where are Mason and Rose?" She shook her head. His heart sank. "Are they…"
Mia struggled to find her voice. "Rose… Rose is alive, but…. Oh God, she killed…" She stopped talking when she saw the human man. "Our captors are dead, but... so is Mason."
Christian sank to his knees next to her.
No…
"Children," the man said. "Why don't you come inside the gas station? I'll get you something to eat while we wait for the police."
Mia shot Christian a questioning look. "I called for help," he replied. "They'll be here soon." He looked back at the house. "Is Rose going to stay?
A short, hard sob escaped Mia's lips. "She's protecting Mason's body and refuses to move. She threatened me with the sword…."
A sword... a dull sense of realization crossed his mind. The only way for Rose to have killed Isaiah and Elena was by decapitation. Christian shuddered and stood, casting a long gaze back at the house. Together they made their way to the gas station, and huddled in a break room. The shopkeeper gave them sandwiches and drinks, which they consumed in silence.
When he heard the cars, he stood and walked outside. Mia and Eddie remained in the breakroom. He saw the swarm of guardians flooding the street and met them in the parking lot. His aunt embraced him before he recognized her.
She pushed away, fussing with his hair and kissing his cheek. "Thank God."
The hard voice of Janine Hathaway pulled them apart. "Where are the others?"
Christian swallowed. "Mia and Eddie are inside. Rose is back in the house, with Mason's body."
Dimitri
Christian's words were like a shard of ice piercing into Dimitri's soul. What had happened here? Why was Rose still in that house?
Janine asked the question before he could. "Which house?"
Christian pointed. "The brick one with green shutters and a hedge, the door is still open."
With a brisk nod, Dimitri set off toward the house. He needed to see Rose. He needed her to be safe. He felt the others beside him, though he didn't know who all had stayed with Christian, Eddie, and Mia. Most of the guardians were from St. Vladimir's, they knew the students and had watched them grow. This would be devastating for many people.
Upon entering, Dimitri could do little but stare in horror. His feet kept moving forward with the others, but his eyes scanned everything. There was so much blood in the room. He saw the two Strigoi, heads separated from their bodies.
And then he saw Rose, wrapped protectively over Mason. As Dimitri, Janine, and a couple others neared, she leapt up, sword in hand.
"Stay back, stay away from him." Her voice was a raspy growl, her eyes wild and unseeing.
Dimitri and Janine exchanged terrified looks, then attempted to move forward again.
"Stay back!"
Everyone stopped, except Dimitri. He had to break through to her. He had to save her. He kept his voice gentle and soothing. His heart twisted within him. He had never seen her look so helpless. "Rose, drop the sword."
She trembled. "Get away from us."
"Rose." He prayed that she would come to herself. He couldn't lose her. He saw her blink, as though she were waking up. Slowly the panic faded from her eyes. "It's okay. Everything's going to be okay. You can let go of the sword."
"I can't." Her voice cracked. She sounded so young, so vulnerable. "I can't leave him alone. I have to protect him."
"You have."
The sword dropped from her hand and she collapsed. Dimitri was beside her in a heartbeat, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. She was frozen in place, unmoving as he tried to take her out of the house. She clung to him, her bloody clothes staining his own.
Dimitri moved one hand to her hair and face, stroking her hair and moving it from her face. He wiped the blood from her cheeks. She relaxed into him, resting her head against his chest.
In gentle tones, he murmured to her in Russian. "You're safe Roza. No one will hurt you again. I'll keep you safe."
A few moments later she made a strangled noise as two of the guardians commented on the dead Strigoi. He squeezed her shoulder, comforting her, strengthening her.
Janine looked at them, and he could see the worry in her eyes. "Get her out of here, Belikov."
Dimitri agreed. "Come on, Roza. It's time to go."
With no resistance, she walked with him. She didn't speak. She was barely responsive. He took her to one of the medical vans which were waiting outside. She had a few cuts on her hands, and her wrists were burned, but otherwise she was physically unharmed. When given food and water, she ate and drank. She didn't talk, she didn't resist, she simply did as she was instructed.
Watching Rose, Dimitri felt himself numbing. She was alive, but would she ever recover? How could he live without her?
He held her hand as she sipped her water and nibbled at the sandwich she had been given. Beside a different van, he could see Tasha sitting with Christian. There was a feeder in the van, and which mean that Mia was probably inside feeding. He could see two Alchemists speaking with the two gas station attendants, giving a cover story. Dimitri met Tasha's eyes, and saw a mixture of exhaustion and relief in them. He needed to speak with her. He needed to tell her that he couldn't accept her offer.
Within the next twenty minutes, after ensuring that the students were stable and the house was mostly cleared, they left for the airport. When Rose was settled in a seat on the Academy's jet, Dimitri got up to check on the other students. Mia passed him as he walked forward, giving him a nod of her head. Of all the recovered students, she seemed to be managing the best. He watched as she draped a blanket around Rose's shoulders and sat beside her. To his amazement, the girls began to talk.
He tore his eyes from Rose, and the strange sight of her bonding with a former enemy. Fighting to survive with someone was bound to create a bond. He saw Eddie further ahead, sleeping. A Moroi nurse was beside him, tending to his injuries. He kept walking, finding Christian and Tasha sitting together in silence, hand in hand.
He stopped, looking at the young man who had been instrumental in the escape from the Strigoi. "You did a good job today."
Christian looked up, a wry smile forming on his lips. "I only wish we had thought to use magic sooner. Mason..." He shook his head, sighing. "Rose was willing to die to save us, but Mason couldn't let her die. If it was Lissa, I would have done the same."
Dimitri rested a hand on Christian's shoulder. "You did the best you could do under circumstances where many people would have given up."
There was something genuine in the smile which formed on Christian's lips. "I'm an Ozera. I don't give up without a fight."
Pride showed on Tasha's face, brilliant and overwhelming pride. "I'm glad, but please never scare me like this again."
"I'll try not to."
Dimitri felt his lips twitch into a small smile. Christian Ozera staying out of trouble was just as likely as Rose Hathaway staying out of trouble. His eyes wandered back to Rose, who was now sitting with her mother. Both women were crying. "I'm going to take my seat. I'm glad that you are safe."
He was about to walk away when Tasha spoke. "Dimka?" He met her eyes. He could see that her mind was full of unspoken thoughts. "When all the paperwork is done, and the students are settled, can we talk?"
He nodded and walked away, finding a vacant seat where he could process everything that had happened over the past few days.
Lissa
All Lissa wanted to do since Rose and Christian had come back from Spokane was spend every waking second with both of them. Instead, she had been forced to go to a dozen different royal functions while Rose and Christian had been questioned extensively.
The longest stretch of time she had been able to spend with either of them since they returned was Mason's memorial. His actual burial would be held at a later time, with only his family. The memorial was held at the school. Mason's mother and a few other relatives came for the service.
They filled the small chapel, listening to the priest's soothing words. Lissa didn't think that Rose or Christian heard anything the priest said. She stood between them during the service. To Rose's right were Eddie and Mia. On Christian's left was Tasha.
Lissa held Christian and Rose's hands throughout the service, needing them both to know that they weren't alone. She realized at some point that Rose was holding Eddie's hand, and Eddie was holding Mia's. Somewhere in Lissa's mind, she knew that together they all made a strange sight, but she also knew that they were all bound together through this tragedy.
Christian seemed to be recovering quickly. Mia had a lot to heal from since she had lost both her mother and a friend, but she seemed to be holding up okay. Eddie and Rose hadn't smiled since Spokane. A darkness hung over both of them, thick and impenetrable. Lissa wondered if they would ever recover. She knew that they would never be the same.
Dimitri
Dimitri knocked on the door to Tasha's cabin. Classes would be starting tomorrow. She would be leaving today. "Come in," she called. He entered the cabin and saw that she had packed, though she had left canned food on the shelves and a bedspread on the small bed.
She gave him a small smile. "Hey Dimka."
"Hi Tasha. I see that you are ready to leave."
"Yes. All I have left to do is say good bye to Christian and Lissa."
He nodded, drawing in a deep breath as he leaned against the cabin's wall.
"You're staying," she said, before he could utter word.
"How did you know?"
She sat on the bed, folding her hands together. "Because I know that you love Rose."
His eyes widened in shock. "How...?"
She managed a laugh, though it sounded bitter. "Because I saw you in Spokane and I saw you in Moscow." He moved to the chair and sank onto it. "I knew as soon as I saw your face when Christian called. I knew that no matter if she lived or died, that you would never choose me."
They were quiet for a long time before Dimitri spoke. "Ivan once told me that he believed I would fall in love again. I never believed him. Then I met Rose. We can't be together for a million different reasons, but I can't leave her, not after what she just went through."
"Dimka, if anyone finds out... I don't want you in trouble."
He gave her a soft, rueful smile. "Nothing has happened between her and I. We just know how we feel and we know that we can't act on those feelings."
"So, I was a distraction?" There was an edge in her voice, full of hurt and a bit of anger.
He flinched. "You are a dear friend. I am sorry for how I treated you. It was wrong for me to use your feelings."
"Were you actually considering the offer?" The anger was gone now, leaving only hurt in her voice.
He nodded. "Yes, I was. I knew that I needed to leave and that the life I could have with you would be a good one. But the moment I heard about Rose disappearing, I knew that if she was returned alive I couldn't leave her. I'm sorry."
She nodded slowly, her face a mask. When she looked at him, their eyes locked. He could see the pain and concern in her eyes. "Dimka, I need you to answer one question."
"What do you want to know?" He steeled himself for any number of questions, except the one she asked.
"Who would you put first, Lissa or Rose?"
He didn't answer, but he knew that she could see the answer written on his face. She knew that he would choose Rose over Lissa.
She rested her face in her hands. "Love is the bane of honor, the death of duty," she murmured.
"What?"
"It's a line from a book." Standing, she unzipped her bag, rummaged around for a moment, and pulled out a book. She handed it to him. "You can read it if you'd like. It's not a western and I'm certain that the series will not have a happy ending."
His fingers idly ran along the pages of the book. "Few things in life have happy endings. We simply make the best of the time we have."
She rested a hand on his cheek. "Yes, that's true. Promise me something Dimka."
"Hmm?"
"Please be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you."
He stood, placing the book on the chair. Then he embraced her. "I'll do my best."
AN:
Thank you all for your lovely comments on the story so far! :)
That's all the backstory scenes I have planned until I get around to Tasha's trial/ Tatiana's murder.
This chapter was kinda fun, and very challenging to write. (After way too many audiobook read throughs, I decided that Frostbite is my least liked book in the first 6, partly because Rose is very bratty and Dimitri isn't particularly likeable in it. I also would have skipped him kissing her entirely in this fic if it wasn't for his lines at the end of the book about wanting a relationship with Tasha to take him away from Rose...) I also know it's been done before, but hopefully I did it differently enough that it was fun for you! I loved writing the Christian and Adrian parts of the story. I also am enjoying writing Tasha (I love writing a good people manipulator).
The book Tasha quotes is A Game of Thrones... and I really need to update my fics over in that fandom since my poor readers have been waiting months for an update to my nearly completed 2.5 year long fic.
