Hey all, thank you for all the sweet reviews. Sorry to keep you all waiting but here is the next chapter in Dimitri's POV. Please let me know what you think of it.

[ Yeah I will be doing Dimitri's POV for Last Sacrifice after Spirit Bound ]

-Chapter 7

I sat on a small bench beside the Princess and while three other Moroi and Hans sat opposite us. Guardians scattered around us, tense and ready to jump in if things went bad.

I looked over at the Moroi who continued with their questions. I was beginning tire of these interrogations but I knew that they would never let me be until they finally realized that I was no longer a Strigoi.

The court's church stood nearby. This grassy area wasn't exactly holy ground, but it was close enough to the church that people could run to it in an emergency. Crucifixes didn't hurt Strigoi, but they couldn't cross over into a church, mosque, or any other sacred place. Between that and the morning sun, this was probably as safe a location and time as officials could muster up to question me.

"Do you find the sun blinding?" Reece asked

"No." I said, voice smooth and controlled.

"What if you stare into the sun?"

"Anyone would go blind staring into the long enough," I replied. "I would go through what anyone else here would."

"Does it scald your skin?"

"Not at the moment."

"Have you noticed whether your eyes occasionally turn red?"

"I. . ."

I turned to see what had caught Lissa's attention and found myself staring at Rose. She looked beautiful in this light. The way her hair framed her face. It made me falter on Reece's question. I couldn't help but stare into those deep brown eyes of hers.

I jerked my head around to face Reece and the other guardians once more and continued to answer they're questions.

"I haven't been around many mirrors. But I think my guards would have noticed, and none of them have said anything."

"I can go right now." I told them "I'll go to services tomorrow if you want."

Reece began to question both Lissa and me about the night of the raid. I talked about what it had felt like when Lissa had pierced the stake through my heart. The flash of light, it had been so bright.

Then Lissa began to recall her version of that night. I listened with awe, amazed that she had actually saved me.

Reece finished and handed the questioning over to Hans. I watched Hans as he gripped the stake in his hand and asked me to touch the stake. I could see the guardians tense as I reached out calmly and touched the stake with one hand.

I drew my hand back and held my forearm out to Hans, "Cut me with it."

"Cutting you with this will hurt no matter what you are."

"It would be unbearable if I was a Strigoi," I pointed out. "Do it. Don't go easy on me."

He didn't reach at first but then he struck out with the stake and swiped me with the pointy side into my skin. The point dug deep and I watched as the blood swelled up. I bit my bottom lip as the pain hit me but if I where still a Strigoi it would have burned me.

I heard several Moroi gasp in reaction and then I saw Lissa reach out with a hand. She wanted to heal me but Hans stopped her.

"Wait" Hans said. "A Strigoi would heal from this in minutes."

Everyone watched for what seemed like a lifetime. When it seemed that the wound on my arm wasn't going anywhere Lissa was given the go ahead to heal me. This too seemed to cause a reaction as a bigger crowd had begun to circle our small group.

"Does anyone have any questions to add to ours?"

Nobody spoke. I guess they where still in shock at what had just happened. Then from the corner of my eye I saw a figure more towards us.

"I do," I heard Rose say.

She was the last person I wanted to see. Why couldn't she just stay away, but unfortunately the Rose I knew didn't listen to anyone but herself. She moved forwards with her hands on her hips and began to question me.

"When you used to be Strigoi, you were very well connected. You knew about the whereabouts of a lot of Strigoi in Russia and in the US, right?"

"Yes"

"Do you still know them?"

"Yes," "So long as none of them have moved."

"Would you share that information with the guardians?"

"Would you tell us all the Strigoi hideouts so that we could strike out against them?"

I looked into my Roza's eyes a connection flashed between us as did my approval and gratitude.

"Yes," "I can tell you everything I know about Strigoi plans and locations. I'd face them with you or stay behind –whichever you wanted."

"That could be invaluable." Hans said eagerly.

"Now hold on." "That has never been a tactic we endorse. Besides, he could always lie." Reece explained.

Reece's protests were cut off with a feminine scream. A young Moroi boy broke from the crowd and ran straight for us. I watched as Rose stopped the little boy.

"I have questions." The little boy said.

"Hang on a second. What do you want to ask? Go ahead." Rose asked.

"This is ridic…"

"If you're Strigoi, then why don't you have horns? My friend Jeffrey said Strigoi have horns."

Once more my eyes fell on Rose for a moment before turning to the boy.

"Strigoi don't have horns. And even if they did, it wouldn't matter because I'm not Strigoi."

"Strigoi have red eyes," "Do his eyes look red?"

"No. They're brown."

"What else do you know about Strigoi?" Rose asked.

"They have fangs like us."

"Do you have fangs?" Rose asked in a singsong voice.

I smiled back at both Rose and the boy named Jonathan. Showing all my teeth, which were all flat like any human or dhampir.

"Okay, Jonathan," "you asked. Let's go now." His mother said anxiously.

"Strigoi are super strong," "Nothing can hurt them."

"Are you super strong? Can you be hurt?"

"Of course I can," I replied "I'm strong, but all sorts of things can still hurt me."

"You should go punch him and find out."

With that the little kid ran straight up to me and punched me in the knee. I pretended to be hurt and fall backwards. I clutched my knee and groaned as though I was in terrible pain.

Several people laughed at my reaction. My guardian mask fell as I caught Rose's eye and smiled at her, one of my rare full smiles.

"He doesn't seem very strong to me. I don't think he's a Strigoi."

"I've seen all I need to. I don't think he should walk around unguarded, but he's no Strigoi. Give him a real place to stay and just keep guards on him till further decisions are made."

"But…"

"Don't wait any more time. It's hot, and I want to go to bed. I'm not saying I understand what happened, but this is the least of our problems right now, not with half the council wanting to rip the other half's heads off over the age decree. If anything, what we've seen today is a good thing –miraculous, even. It could alter the way we've lived. I'll report back to Her Majesty."

Only the guardians stayed close to me as Lissa and I rose from our seats. The rest of the group had dispersed. Except for Rose who immediately moved towards us. I had let my guardian mask fall when I had smiled at her. That could not happen again. I had made a promise to myself.

I shielded my emotions once more with my guardian mask. I should have known that it would take more than the things I said to her when she came to visit me in my cell for her to leave me alone.

"I just furthered your case."

"We were doing fine without you," I said stiffly.

"Oh yeah? You seemed pretty grateful a couple minutes ago when I thought up the idea of you helping us against Strigoi."

I turned to the Princess and under my breath I said, " I don't want to see her."

"You have to!" Rose explained, "You can't ignore me."

"Make her go away," I growled. . .

Please don't forget to review this chapter. I really love reading them all.

-J