Chapter 10

I collapsed on top of him and cried my heart out as my bloody stake rolled away from my shaking hand. I hugged his lifeless body, kissing his cold lips, wishing for life to return to him before my anger had me banging my fists against his chest, screaming at him for leaving me. I repeated this until my body was so full of grief and exhaustion that I no longer had the strength, either physically or mentally. I lay on top of him, resting my head on his chest and closed my eyes and my mind while tears rolled down my cheeks, soaking into his bloodied shirt.

I don't know how long I lay there before the cabin door burst open and I looked towards the door, it was hard to see, my eyes so blurry from tears, but I would never mistake that voice,

"O...M...G...is he?" I just dropped my gaze back to Dimitri and overwhelmed by grief, I started crying again. I guess that was answer enough, as the next thing I felt was the warmth of magic, not just any magic, Lissa's magic. When the warmth fell away I lifted my head to look at Dimitri's face. It was so pale, so still, so cold.

"Dimitri." I whispered, running my hands across his cheeks before repeating myself, "Dimitri."

There was no movement. I didn't understand, this was Lissa's magic, it worked on me why not him. My tears spilled faster and I kissed his lifeless lips, whispering between breaths, "Dimitri...You...can't...leave...me" and with that last word, strong arms wrapped around my body, pulling me closer to the warm lips kissing mine. I kissed him back, overwhelmed by joy. But I had to pull away to make sure that this was real and not just my imagination trying to override my grief. I looked into those gorgeous, deep brown eyes and knew that this was real, that this was really my Dimitri.

Tears started up again, but these were tears of joy not grief. He wiped them away with his thumb.

"Roza...I..." he began to say, but I placed a finger on his lips, silencing him and hugged him closer. We sat in silence, embracing each other for a while until I remembered Lissa. She was collapsed on the floor by us; I hadn't even noticed she was there, I guess I was so caught up in the moment, in the relief that he was alive, that I forgot she was here, and that she saved him. I turned to look at her, crawled out of Dimitri's lap and hugged her with as much love as I could.

"Liss...how can I..." I stopped myself and looked at her, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired; it takes a lot out of me that's all."

"Ok, well I think we better get you to the clinic, you don't look too good."

"Either do you two."

"We'll survive."

I continued to hug her until a deep voice behind me said, "May I?" I pulled myself away from Lissa and Dimitri bowed to her,

"Princess, I will forever be indebted to you for saving my life, and bringing me back to my Roza." And with that he hugged her.

Dimitri handed me his jacket and stripped off his blood stained shirt, a small gasp escaped my lips; I had forgotten how gorgeous his body was. It wouldn't look good, him walking around covered in blood and me in a ripped shirt exposing my chest, so I guess it was better him half naked.

Before we left the cabin Dimitri told us that the Strigoi were planning another attack on the Academy and that he, as ashamed as he was to admit it, he was sent to either kill me or change me. I guess he failed. We didn't know how to explain what had happened, I guess the people who know about Lissa's magic can know the truth, as for everyone else; we'll worry about that later.

It was almost dawn, hopefully most the students would be back in their dorms so we could avoid drawing too much attention to ourselves, although that seemed almost impossible; the supposedly Strigoi or dead Dimitri was carrying Lissa in his arms with me leading the way in his leather duster. I was thinking how I wished I was Lissa right now; somehow I don't think she's enjoying being in his arms as much as I would.

And as I thought we drew attention to ourselves. All the Moroi and Novices stopped to stare as three guardians, including Stan, came running at us. I quickly yelled for them to stop, they did, right in our faces, taking up attacking positions.

"Rose, what is this?"

"I don't have time to explain, we must get Lissa to the clinic and Dimitri and I must speak with Kirova and Alberta, NOW!" I said that last bit forcefully, hoping that they'd get the message.

Stan instructed the other two Guardians to take Lissa to the clinic and he would escort us to the headmistress's office. I gave Liss a quick kiss on the forehead and told her I'd see her soon. With that we parted ways.

You guys didn't actually think that I'd kill Dimitri did you? I'm gonna cry if he gets killed for real, in Blood Promise!

And sorry this wasn't a very long chapter, I don't really know where I'm taking the story from here, so instead of making it really crappy I thought I'd sleep on in and hopefully I'll come up with something or one of you guys might have a suggestion. I dunno. Well thanks again for reading my story, until next time.