AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hello people! Here's a new chapter! I hope you enjoy it...
I took some liberties with the characters ( Tasha to be more precise) but I needed it for the story...
I hope it doesn't bother you too much.
As always thanks to all the people that read and review my story and an amazing thanks to my beta: ilovesos9467.
If you have a couple of minutes to spare, I would love to hear your thoughts about this chapter... Reviews are always appreciated!
Have an amazing weekend guys
Ciao
P.s. I think I'm going to change the rating to this story in the next chapter ( from T to M) because things are going to heat up between Rose and
Dimitri... But I will definitely take your opinion into consideration,so don't be shy and let me know what you think about it.
DIMITRI'S POV
Leaving the infirmary, I strode towards Tasha's room, hoping to find her there.
After knocking repeatedly, the door finally opened, and the smile on Tasha's face falters the moment she recognizes me.
"Dimitri..." she said in a cold voice.
She's definitely not happy to see me, but it's not like I was looking forward to this conversation.
"Tasha, can we talk?" she nods and steps aside, allowing me to enter her room.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, during which I tried to come up with the gentlest way to tell her what's on my mind, I finally speak.
"Tasha, I'm sorry about yesterday. I'm sorry for leaving like I did, but I thought you knew that my feelings for you are purely platonic.
What binds us is an amazing friendship but nothing more..."
I can see that she's hurt by my words, and this makes me realize that she didn't know any of that... She thought we had something more!
I don't understand... I never encouraged her in any way!
"Dimitri, how can you not see it? We're perfect together. I can give you everything you've ever wanted: a family! If only you gave me a chance,
you would realize that I'm right! Is it so difficult for you to try?"
Tasha walks closer to me and with an hopeful look, she puts her hand on my forearm...
The contact bothers me though, and I take a step back to make sure that there's a safe distance between us...
I don't like having her this close to me!
"Tasha, you're right... I could have a family with you, but how can you not understand that I don't love you? Is that what you want for yourself?
A lifetime spent with a person that won't make you happy because he sees you only as a friend?"
My words don't seem to discourage her, and looking straight at me, she resumes her speech.
"Maybe it's true that you don't love me right now, but I'm sure that, with time, you'll be able to love me like I love you."
I knew that it wasn't gonna be easy to convince her, but the situation is becoming absurd. She keeps talking, but her tone suddenly changes.
"Dimitri, you want to spend the rest of your life with me too... In fact, right now, you just wish to kiss me"
My willpower falters, and at the moment, the idea of kissing Tasha doesn't seem so bad. A victorious smile appears on her face when she realizes
that I took a step towards her.
'Dimitri! The bitch is using compulsion on you!'
Roza's voice in my head hits me like a bucket full of ice water and I immediately regain control of myself.
Tasha is staring at me with an amazed expression on her face, and I'm pretty sure she is wondering why I was able to resist her little trick.
I'm positive she can see the hatred in my eyes... how could she stoop so low?
"You tried to use your powers on me, Tasha? How could you? I knew you could be stubborn, but this goes beyond that...Taking away my freewill?
It seems excessive, even for you!"
"Dimitri, let me explain! I thought that if you had given me a chance, I could have shown you that we are not a mistake...
You could have..."
" Tasha, how do I have to explain to you that I don't love you? I'm not interested in you. Not now, not ever, and after today, I'm pretty sure I don't even want to be
your friend anymore... I thought that under your spoiled girl exterior that maybe, just maybe, there was something more that the average stuck up Moroi
but I was wrong.
You're just like everyone else: ready to do anything to get something or someone that doesn't belong to you... Right now, I'm so disgusted by the sight of you
that I can't even look you in the eyes!"
Without sparing a last glance at her, I quickly walk out of the room; I hear her calling me over and over, but I couldn't care less...
I need some fresh air!
'Dimitri, is everything ok?' I clearly hear Roza's worried thoughts.
'No, Roza... everything is definitely not ok! I cannot believe she did something like that... How could she? I thought she was my friend...'
'I'm sorry comrade. I wish I could do something to make you feel better. I know that all is fair in love and war, but what she did was wrong
on so many levels that even if I wanted to understand her reasoning, I couldn't.'
We stay quiet for a few minutes, lost in our own thoughts, until I finally speak again
'Thank you, Roza, for preventing me from kissing her...'
'You're welcome comrade! Do you really think I would have let her touch you? I told you I'm not good at sharing... It's probably an only child thing...'
I chuckle at her last sentence, and I can feel my mood improving.
The effect this woman has on me! Just talking to her makes me feel better, and right now, despite the difficulties in our relationship, I realize how lucky
I was to meet her.
'Comrade, stop it! You're making me blush...' she answers my thoughts, clearly embarrassed. I laugh just imagining how red her face must be right now.
'Comrade, are you sure you're okay?'
''Yes Roza, don't worry. I'm better now...' and the moment I say it, I realize that it's true.
'Then my work here is done... I should get back to talking to the others, because right now, they're looking at me like I am ready to be locked up
in some mental institute... I'll see you later?'
'Of course. As soon as I'm done with my shift, I'll get back to you. okay?'
'Can't wait! See you later comrade...'
'See you later Roza!'
With this last thought, I feel her presence in my head disappear, and I know that she's too focused on her conversation with her friends to pay attention
to my thoughts.
I walk towards the perimeter, ready to begin my shift when I realize that I'm really impatient to be alone with that brown haired girl that turned my world
upside down.
ROSE'S POV
It's been two weeks since my last trip to the infirmary, and my russian god is being extremely thoughtful...
He says he feels guilty, because if he had been able to stop Tasha in time, all of that wouldn't have happened.
At the beginning, his behavior towards me was very sweet: having his undivided attention was amazing. His being
with me at all times was great, but now it is making me crazy!
Does it look like I'm one of those women who are made of glass? I don't think so, but he inexplicably decided to
treat me like one!
We're in the gym right now. Lissa and Adrian are helping me once again; it's fun, but most of all, is really useful.
Lissa was right: after almost a month of training, I'm able to read more people's thoughts at once; avoiding the usual headache that comes from it.
Closing my mind, though, is still a difficult task, probably because it is unnatural for me to do such a thing. At least that is what Adrian thinks.
He also thinks that I can increase my powers, but I cannot stop them from working.
Great! This means that I will never have a moment to myself for the rest of my life...
'Roza, don't you think it's enough for today? You're using too much energy!'
'Comrade relax! I know my limits...'
'I disagree. In the last two weeks, you have passed out twice...' the annoyance in his voice was clear.
'Yeah, but that was important too: it gave us the possibility to discover something new about me...'
We realized that I can be recharged, like a battery: when my energy fades, I can borrow energy from others.
After a few tries, we realized that Dimitri's energy reaches me faster than the other's. We also noticed that when he is around, my powers are amplified.
Even the most insignificant physical contact between us allows me to read the thoughts of people who are very far from me, and I can hear them as though
they were standing next to me.
'Comrade, would you calm down? You're making me nervous...' I say after Dimitri tried to break my concentration
for the umpteen time today.
'Sorry Roza... I'm just worried about you!'
'I know comrade. I'm grateful for it, but at the moment, you're smothering me!'
'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...'
'I know so why don't you relax, and look at what your wonder girl can do?'
At my joke he chuckles and his frame visibly relaxes... Thank God!
I bring back my attention to the exercise I should be performing, but after an hour during which nothing happens, I give up!
Maybe that's all I'm able to do!
We hear strange noises coming from outside, and after a quick look, we realize that an attack is taking place.
Damn it! I can clearly see Strigoi attacking guardians, and even if I wish I was out there helping them, I know I can't do that: there are three Moroi with us
and we need to protect them.
"How the hell did they get in? Can you read their thoughts?" Christian asks me while Dimitri hands me a stake.
I focus my energy on them but I immediately realize that something is wrong... I try to get inside their minds but it feels like they're empty.
What the heck is going on here?
"I can't hear anything... There are no thoughts! How is that possible?" I say clearly bothered that for the first time in my life, my powers aren't working.
"Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they're already dead" answers Adrian, trying to be as quite as possible.
"No Adrian. Something doesn't add up. I've already met other Strigoi, and I never had a problem reading their thoughts..."
"It's true: when we were in Baker, we met a couple of them, and Rose could easily slip into their minds..." says Lissa backing me up.
We're trying not to make too much noise. They must have heard us anyway, because from the window, I can easily see a group of six Strigoi
making their way towards the gym.
Dimitri and I assume a fighting stance in front of our Moroi, and we get ready for the inevitable battle.
Before the door opens, though, we clearly hear their conversation.
"You can kill the guardians, but don't touch the Moroi. Also, remember that we're here for one thing only: the human."
"I don't understand why a human should be so important..."
"I don't know, and I don't care. The boss wants her for whatever reason, and I don't want to be the one that gets punished for not following an order"
Still shocked by the fact that they're clearly talking about me, I get back to reality: let's face one crisis at a time!
As the door opens, Dimitri and I attack: I get rid of one of those monsters easily and I turn to face another one...
My gaze, though, falls on Dimitri and I get distracted for a second too long...
The Strigoi behind me, locks his arms around me, and I'm not able to move anymore.
"I found her! Let's get out of here..."
Before he can proceed towards the exit, I tilt my head forward, gaining momentum, and then back again, crushing it against his nose
and making him scream in pain...
Oops!It must be broken...
I easily get out of his hold, turn around, and plunge my stake into his heart.
In a matter of seconds, Dimitri's at my side and his eyes roam on my body more than once, probably looking for injuries.
I put my hand on his forearm and give him a reassuring smile; I turn to face my friends; to make sure that they're fine, and I see him.
A Strigoi running towards Lissa, ready to attack her.
I already know that we won't make it in time, and I immediately hear someone screaming "No!".
I realize that I was the one who was shouting a few seconds later while I stare at the weirdest scene I've ever seen.
Lissa is on her feet, perfectly healthy, hands covering her eyes in a clear display of fear.
The Strigoi, on the other hand, flew across the room after crushing against something that I can only describe as a light pink wall.
What the hell is that thing, and what the hell just happened?