I made Janine the good guy for so short :( . I find her a very complex character and interesting to explore, being a young mother myself, I kind of understand her motherly love but can never imagine myself leaving my child behind even if my life depended on it. Thank you again to all for your warm reviews.
Chapter 10
Rose was safe, it was all that mattered to him. When he had finally surrendered to a love he could not do without, he had also known this moment might come. The door opened, Adrian came in looking still strained by the recent events, he had saved Rose before it was too late and for that Dimitri would always be in his debt. The young man set next to him without saying a word for a while.
"Is she awake?" Dimitri finally ask not being able to remain silent, he needed to know.
He just shook his head still not looking at him directly in the eyes. "Than what is it Adrian?"
Adrian looked at him a little surprised, his rival was not in such a good shape, he had multiple concussions, broken ribs and cuts all over his body.
"Janine Hathaway is throwing a fit in Kirova's office, she wants you arrested. The Royal Court had been notified, they will be here in minutes," he said in a grave voice.
"I see" was all that Dimitri said in a calm voice.
"How do you do it...remain so calm and composed, do you even care?" Adrian suddenly raised his voice unable to control himself. He regretted his outburst as he spoke the words, the man in front of him had just thrown his life away to save her. If he and Lissa had been more careful all of this would have not happened, they had almost killed them both. He was also angry for being so weak and powerless against a tyranic system that would punish a man whose only crime was to have fallen in love. Dimitri did not talk, he got up flinching in pain but did not stop, some needles in the arms pierced the blood veins because of the sudden movement. He pulled them off liberating himself "would you please give me that shirt?", he asked a shocked Adrian.
" You cannot go anywhere like that, Belikov sit down " he said doubting Dimitri's sanity in that moment but made no real attempt to stop him.
Dimitri just groaned and reached for the shirt himself, one of the deep cuts on his side had surely burst open again as blood stained immediately the bandage. Adrian stood up speechless and sad to see the man in this state, he extended his hand and touched his back lightly.
Dimitri felt a hot tickling sensation on his back, it took him by surprise but his reaction was fast.
"I don't need your healing Mr. Ivashkov" he stepped back scolding him. That little quantity of Spirit had been enough to almost heal his major wounds, the dizziness desapared instantly.
" Do you hate me that much? Adrian asked offended by his reaction.
"I don't hate you! I envy you... never the less I will be forever in your debt for saving her, you need your energy. We Dhampirs heal fast."
"That is ridiculous, how could you envy me, isn't it clear that you are the only one she wants?"
"I didn't mean that," Dimitri said walking towards a small wash basin in the corner. He cleaned his face and pulled his hair in a ponytail " you could have given her a normal life even a family later on. I am a selfish man Adrian, putting her through all this but still unable to burry my love."
He grabbed his duster and headed towards the door, Adrian was speechless again observing his movements in silence.
"Take care of her for me, please" Dimitri's voice sounded almost pleading, Adrian felt the urge to scream in frustration. The fool was planning to take all the blame on him.
Minutes after Dimitri left, Adrian had calmed himself but was unable to come with a solution that would be any helpful at all. He decided to check on Rose, it was a good thing she was still in a drug induced coma, reality would devastate her upon her awake.
"Adrian something terrible is happening" Lissa said in panic as soon as she noticed his arrival. It was just , Eddie, Christian and her in the room with Rose obviously, looking so peaceful in her forced sleep.
"They want to expell Rose...they say she and guardian Belikov are involved but it is not true right? her voice shaky, " Rose would have told me..." she added seeing that he was not answering.
Rose's love was hardly a secret anymore but he hadn't want to be the one to tell Lissa. Rose and Dimitri had kept the truth from her so that she would not feel guilty for keeping them apart, they had put her first.
"No it can't be" Lissa screamed buring herself in Christian's chest. His silence was a clear answer in itself and she refused to believe her best friend had lied to her for so long. Christian on the other side did not seem surprised, he had witnessed Dimitri's outburst in the gym after Rose had been called a whore by the Queen herself while he had been to sit still and calm.
"She did not tell me Liss, I could easily see it in their auras..."
"How could she lie to me like that and now they will throw her out for her stupid behaviour and I will be left alone." Lissa said while still crying, she was hurt and angry.
"It is her life Liss, I am sure she was waiting for the right moment," Christian tried to pacify her.
"When? She has done it this time Chris, hooking up with her mentor...and what the hell was he thinking...I was supposed to have two of the best guardians ever and now they will be gone, both at the same time."
"This is not about you Lissa," Christian scolded her this time, she detached herself in anger pushing him away " Is it not?...I am the Moroi, I come first not him, she knew what consequences her escapades would have on me but did no care at all. She chose him over me..."Lisa was hysterical.
"Lisa that is Spirit talking, not you," ...
"Don't touch me" she screamed running to the door " this is me and I will never forgive her." she said banging the door.
Andrian and Christian looked at each other worried, and run after her.
"Guardian B..Belikov?" Kirova stuttered as if she had seen a ghost. The rest of the people in her office turned to look at him all surprised apart from one, Janine Hathaway.
"You son of a bitch" she threw herself at him but Alberta got a hold of her before she could reach. Dimitri did not move an inch or show any sing of surprise, he just looked at her passively, his main worry was to spare Rose an expulsion from the academy.
"I am glad to see you are on your feet but you have not been summoned yet," Helen Kirova had gathered herself and tried to sound as grave as she could. That very instant her office door opened again, old guardian Hans entered followed by a couple of other grey haird individuals.
Kirova, Janine, Alberta, Yuri and Alto took a grave stance, Dimitri included, Hans was one of the most important exponents of Dhampir guardians.
"Relax and take a seat everybody" he said while seating without looking at them.
"But Sir..." "Not now Janine" he interrupted her right away " I will hear you out" he said opening a file he had brought with him. He took his time to read the entire report written by Alberta prior to his arrival, occasionaly looking towards Dimitri.
" How is it possible that such a large number of Strigoi was around the academy undetected? " it sounded almost like a rhetorical question.
"He has lost every right to be part of this conversation, send him out," Janine pointed at Dimitri not forgetting a second how much she resented the man.
"We will come to that, first thing first. Am I the only one concerned with the attack?"
"No Sir" Dimitri spoke this time gravely " if the wards would have been broken, we stood no chance. "
"Do you think it was their objective?" Hans asked interested to hear him out.
"There were few humans amongst them, and considering the numbers, I am sure they were here for an attack,"
Hans reflected a little before asking again "Yes, but it was almost morning, why would they consider to attack at such unfavorable time for them?"
"The wards were all in place Sir, when Christian Ozera came to tell us about the princess, I contacted all the duty guardians to check the wards and nothing had been touched" Alberta intervened.
" because it was not ment to happen tonight " Dimitri continued.
"Please elaborate!"
" I think they were studying us, our guarding rounds and weak points. One of them called me by name and I have never seen the Strigoi before, they know us. It was ment to be a highly prepared attack, the first I have ever heard of, they got distracted by the Princess's and Adrian Ivashkov's presence in the woods,probably not expecting Rosemary would back them up so fast. Sir I believe it is time we put in place our new ward defense system, we cannot delay any longer. "
"Where was novice Castille?" Kirova interrupted with an obvious question, Eddie was supposed to be with her since duty time had not been finished.
"Castille had requested prior for early relief," Alberta filled in " he broke two ribs during the training fight with guardian Belikov in the aid was necessary. "
"So it was novice Rosemary Hathaway who killed the bodies in the second location?" Hans was incredule.
" she has already made her first two kills couple of months ago" Dimitri feeling proud of his Roza who had not gone down without a fight.
"So that makes five... a novice who has already killed five Strigoi, hmmmmm"
"You are her mentor, I understand"
Dimitri started to feel unsettled, this was the part were the discussion changed to him and Rose.
"He was" Janine barked angrily " he has abused his position of trust and taken advantage of my daughter "
"Janine your daughter is hardly an innocent flower from what I hear"
" She is right Sir," Dimitri interrupted not wanting anyone to gossip about Rose " I knew what I was doing and I am ready to face all the consequences, Rose is innocent. "
" Do you understand what that implies Belikov? " the older man looked at him raising an eyebrow "in the best case scenario you will be stripped of your guardian status without possibility of reinstatement. If Janine presses charges.." he looked towards her, who shook her head in agreement " you would face charges of sexual assault on minor and constitutional rape. Prison would be inevitable. "
Dimitri just nodded but Alberta got up in protest " Rosemary is already eighteen years old Sir, I am sure there has to be another way."
"She turned eighteen just yesterday" shouted Janine at her side but Alberta did not back down, even Helen Kirova seemed to attempt some kind of reasoning but Rose's mother wanted to hear no one. "She is my daughter Petrov, he layed his hands on her knowing his position."
"He took on an army of Strigoi to save her for Vlad's sake" Helen Kirova's threw her hands up in the air surprising everyone, she had always been known as Rose's worst enemy.
"Enaugh" Hans got up and all discussions ceased.
"Dimitri Belikov, you are to transfer, effect immediately at St Basils, they have requested some extra help for few weeks with their field training. You will remain there until a commission decides on your future, you will be communicated the decision. Your flight leaves in two hours, you'll get your mark in..." he looked at the time " 30 min. You may go. "
" Do you guarantee Rose will not be expelled " Dimitri asked not moving without an answer.
"You have my word" Hans said looking at him understanding the situation with a sad expression.
Dimitri nodded his head in a silent greating, Janine snored ironically on the other side of the room, while Kirova was trying to hold back tears. Alto and Yuri nodded back honoring him in a guardian salute while Alberta followed behind. She closed the door looking at Dimitri who leaned against the wall as soon as he was out, there was so much pain in his features that she felt the urge to go back inside and beat the hell out of Janine Hathaway. She had suspected Dimitri to be in love with Rose and soon had understood his love was reciprocated, Rosemary had changed him as he had changed her. Guardians rarely had the chance of love within their own species, it was not permitted, not accepted, considered futile since nothing would come out of their relationship and Moroi life would be put to danger.
"Come with me" she ordered him.
When she pushed the clinic door open his knees almost gave away, his Roza was there, sleeping a peaceful sleep, her chicks rosy again. He rushed to her side, taking her hand in his, knees on the cold hard floor, she was warm.
"Thank you" he said turning to Alberta.
"You have few minutes Dimitri and I am so sorry I could not do more" her voice broke at the end, she felt overwhelmed by the scene.
"She has to continue her training at any cost," he said looking adoringly at his lover, he brushed some locks from her face.
"I will see to it...Goodbye guardian Belikov, it was an honour to serve with you" she quickly bowed her head and left the room in fear of her pending tears. Dimitri Belikov did not deserve his fate, the world was so unjuste.
Everyone was still discussing strongly when she entered the room "there is no reason to delay his lock up, I want to press charges now," she insisted her face red from anger.
Hans patiently looked at her probably experiencing already in the past the Hathaway character.
"I am not sure if our world can afford to loose a guardian like him,that is why I am calling a comission to discuss the matter," he said in all honesty.
" and in mean time you let him walk away? " Janine asked incredulous.
"Can you imagine what mark is he to receive?" Hans moved towards the window.
"It has never been assigned in recorded guardian history, it cannot be," Alberta was positively had seen many bodies burning in flames but Arthur Schoenberg had been the only guardian so far to be assigned with two Zvezdas so far. The Jager mark had never been put on anyone, thought impossible for any guardian alone to perform that many skills.
Her superior handed her back some papers and left with the two man he had come in, soon after Janine left the room not sparing a look at her, clearly upset she had taken Dimitri's side. Alberta and Kirova fell back simultaneously looking at each other worried about the coming events.
Dimitri kissed her hand brushing his lips over he skin drowning in the sensation, she was alive her heart pumping regularly in her most beautiful sound in the world.
"More than my heart, more than my soul, forever yours" he soflty said, hoping she might hear him " this is my vow printed on that stake. Besides the sun the silver is the only way to protect yourself form them and that is why I have put my heart in it, I want to be always with you, fight with you. I don't have much time my love but you will forgive me for rushing things a little " he pulled out of his pocked a small velvet box. He had intended to ask her that very night before tragedy took over."I am playing unfair my Roza " he said placing a beautiful saphir stone on her finger and kissed the place where his tear touched. " I will forever wait for your reply "
He got up, placing her hand gently down and kissed her lips unable to control a second tear rolling down, his heart was breaking in a million pieces.
"Goodbye my love..."