Chapter Nine: Dimitri Restored

Christian's POV

You know I use to admire Belikov, he was the only one I had ever seen get Rose to shut up just by giving her that 'Think about it' look, not to mention he could kick Strigoi ass like nobody's business.

But that was before he kidnapped me and Lissa to use us for bait… I don't like being used as bait. That and let me tell you seeing a bunch Strigoi drool over us wasn't the highlight of my year… not by a long shot.

Dimitri paced back and fourth before us, for some reason he didn't tie us up and I thought he was supposed to be smart. Anyways he was pacing like a caged animal, his brown and red eyes glanced toward us every now and then and I wondered how long before he said 'All to hell with it' and decided to have a snack.

"Dimitri," Lissa said gently as she held on to my arm. I could feel the cool metal of the silver stake that Serena gave to Lissa when they were showing her how to use it hidden in her jacket sleeve.

We only had one chance at turning him back. If we staked him now and missed we were dead. And my smart girlfriend knew that.

Dimitri turned to look at Lissa as she spoke and I moved a little closer to her in case she needed to be shielded.

"You don't really want to hurt Rose… Do you?" Dimitri laughed at Lissa's question.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked as he leaned against the wall opposite us with his arms crossed. "She was my apprentice, I trained her. I know how deadly she is and I really don't feel like being hunted for the next forty or so years."

Lissa shook her head. "I was there, Dimitri, the night you were taken she couldn't stop crying. I know how you two felt about each other. I know she was more then your apprentice. I know you loved her. You don't kill people you love."

Dimitri got a stony look to his face and I seriously thought I might have to set him on fire. I didn't want too. I loved Aria as much as the others, but I would like nothing more then to pass the 'fatherly' duties that me, Adrian, and Eddie shared to this man as a dhampir. I wanted the old Dimitri back just like the rest of us, but if he struck out at Lissa I'd be forced to kill him.

"You're right, Princess, you don't kill the people you love. I gave Roza the chance to join me, she rejected the very idea. All because of you." He said nonchalantly but I could see a hard look in his eye, like he was angry with Lissa for bringing up his and Rose's feelings for each other.

Dimitri got closer and as he got closer he got angrier. "Roza and I couldn't have been together as dhampirs but as Strigoi we could have ruled together. But she refused and so she will die."

I couldn't take much more of this. "Hey leave her alone, Belikov!" I snapped as I pushed Lissa further from the former dhampir, a dhampir I would have gladly trusted next to Rose.

Dimitri glared at me. Then he backed away and turned his back.

"Dimitri," Lissa said again, despite that I tried to keep her quiet. "If Rose had turned Strigoi, you'd have regretted it." He turned with a dark chuckle. "Oh? You think so? And why do you think that?"

Lissa seemed so calm as she spoke. "Because your love for Rose turned into obsessive possessiveness and if she turned she wouldn't be Rose anymore… she wouldn't be your Rose anymore."

Both Dimitri and me just stared at Lissa… that was kind of deep.

Dimitri narrowed his eyes. "It doesn't matter. Rose will die."

I spoke before I could really think.

"AND WHAT ABOUT ARIA HUH?! WHAT WILL SHE DO IF ROSE DIES?!"

I clamped my hands over my mouth almost as if I was trying to put the words back in. I just couldn't help it. Seeing sweet little Aria's father talk about killing his child's mother and leaving her orphaned, well, it bothered me.

"Aria?" Dimitri looked genuinely confused. "Who the hell is Aria?"

Lissa's POV

"Nobody!" I said as Christian went white as the blood drained from his face. A dark look crossed Dimitri's face but before he could say anything he stopped and looked behind him at the closed door.

It opened to reveal a female Strigoi with long, straight red hair and pretty green eyes, with the usual red around the pupil.

"The Guardians are here sir." She said quietly.

"Is the girl with them?" he asked, completely forgetting about Aria.

"Yes she is. She's leading the attack." Dimitri smiled.

"Good." He turned toward us and nodded to a Strigoi. "Bring them."

Then we were dragged out into the courtyard.

Rose's POV

I focused on the bond as I snuck my way to where it seemed to be pulling me. The swat team that I had with me spread out, trying to figure out how many Strigoi was here, while a small team followed me to get the Moroi.

What I wasn't expecting was the army Dimitri had assembled. I didn't have time to think, only action mattered now so I dodge one Strigoi that cam at me only to have to stake another. I don't know how long I fought but suddenly I saw him. Dimitri was standing near the building he must have been hiding Lissa and Christian.

Even now I could feel my heart break. There he was, the man that I loved with all my heart and soul, the man you gave me my daughter, he stood there next my two of my best friends ready to kill them in a second.

His eyes seemed glued to me and when I got close enough he smiled.

"You are as beautiful as ever Roza."

He smiled sickeningly as he advanced on me. I had my stake at the ready. It didn't matter that I had hoped I'd be able to bring my Dimitri back home to his daughter, I knew if I hesitated he'd kill me, then Lissa and Christian. And one day, when she was older and guardian herself he might cross paths with Aria and he'd kill his own daughter and might never know it. Just thinking about him hurting Aria made me made with a mother's rage and I made a decision then and there, between the two of us it wouldn't be me that died. It be him, no matter how much it broke my heart.

"Get a good look Belikov because I assure you I'll be the last thing you ever see." I snarled as I lunged at him with my stake. He dodged and he caught me in the stomach.

"AH!" he threw me across the room and the next thing I saw was him over me.

"You don't have what it takes to kill me Roza. Your feelings for me make you weak."

I kicked him in the stomach and he staggered back. I leapt up and advanced on him. For a minute it was like we were back at the academy training as mentor and student.

I got close enough to him and I knew I couldn't let him die without at least knowing.

"You're right my feelings for you do make me weak when comes to you. But my love for our daughter gives me the strength I need for this!"

I brought the stake down and as I did I saw Dimitri's eyes widen in shock. But before I could make the killing blow I was encircled in a ring of fire.

"WHAT THE HELL?" I screamed as I looked behind me to see Christian. Then I realized what he was doing. He was distracting me and keeping me from Dimitri… and Lissa.

I turned around just in time to see Lissa run a silver stake blessed with spirit right through Dimitri's heart.

I didn't know what I expected but all saw after the stake made contact with Dimitri's heart I was blinded by a white light and thrown back from the sheer power.

Once my vision cleared I sat up while rubbing my head, looked over to Lissa and Dimitri and what I saw made my heart stop.

Lissa was hunched over Dimitri's form, he was hugging her waist and he was looking dead at me…

And there wasn't a hint of red in his beautiful brown eyes.

Dimitri's POV

I couldn't comprehend what had just happened to me. One moment I was awaiting a killing blow from my beautiful Rose then the Princess was embracing me. I could hear her shushing me softly and brushing my hair from my face as I looked at Rose from across the courtyard. I felt the tears come unbidden and run down my cheeks.

She was alive, my sweet, loving, fierce, Roza was alive with barely any injuries from her fights.

Suddenly an overwhelming feeling of guilt invaded my senses.

I had hunted her, I had stalked her, I had terrorized her, I had fed off of her! My God, what kind of man was I?

I had treated the woman I loved like a fucking blood whore!

Then her statement from before rang in my ears.

My love for our daughter gives me the strength I need to do this!

I couldn't begin to think about what that could mean. Not with this guilt.

All of this happened in only the span of a minute then the guardians were on us. I felt them trying to pull me away from Vasilisa and her away from me but I couldn't let go. I couldn't let go of her. She was the only stable thing I had right now. Vasilisa and freed my soul, I hadn't hurt her, she was safe.

"NO! Leave him alone, he's not a Strigoi anymore!" I heard Rose's scream and I glanced back at her to see her being restrained by guardians and suddenly she wheeled around and socked Hans in his face.

After that she was subdued and I was separated from the princess.

I was stuffed into a car with four other guardians. Lissa and Roza were put into separate cars and we headed back for Court. And all I could see in my mind was the last time I had seen Rose in Russia as I fell over the railing of a bridge with a stake sticking from my chest.

YAYYAYAYAAYYYA Dimitri is back! But is he ready to see Aria or will he be in denial? Please review and Thanks for reading.

I do not own Vampire Academy. All rights got to Richelle Mead. Thanks again.