AN/ Thank you to ELEFINA01, laura handy, Farmer Joe-Gothic Fairy, Rosalie Hathaway, KissOfAShadow'sAngel, crystal49s, Princess Steffany, BelikovsRoza1697, Nicia, fanpiretothemax, nicole, , laineylane03, CandiGal, Sunni D. Lockhart, TheVampLuvr1, ShadowkissedAngel and rivereq for all your reviews. Much appreciated. I can't believe we're up to 116!
Disclaimer: The Vampire Academy novels are all the property of Richelle Mead.
MJ
Xxx
She's all alone again
Wiping the tears from her eyes
Some days he feels like dying
Some days it's not worth trying
Now that they are both worth finding
She gets so sick of crying
Extraordinary Girl ~ Green Day
Fighting for a future: A Last Sacrifice Novel
Everyone was silent for an immeasurable amount of time where they just started at each other in stupefied horror. No one seemed to even notice I was hovering in the background wondering whether to make my presence known or just wait for the inevitable. Quietly I slid off the bed and shuffled slowly forward. My movement seemed to catch everyone's attention and snap them out of their stunned state. Five pairs of eyes swivelled to focus on me- Victor was still facing the door- and multiple emotions flickered across their faces; anger, relief, fear, irritation.
"Umm, hi?" I tried to break the awkward situation.
Lissa was the first to make a move, shoving past Victor and into the room, forcing him to stumble back a step. She then threw herself at me and wrapped her arms around my neck in a choke hold. I returned her embrace just as tightly, a small part of me happy that she was here; I had missed her.
"What the hell were you thinking Rose?" She drew back and looked at me demandingly while gripping the tops of my arms. If she had been a dhampir it would have hurt, but being a Moroi it was only uncomfortable.
"That I needed a holiday," I joked, hoping to avoid a massive confrontation. No one looked amused.
"This isn't a joke Rose!" Lissa exclaimed as everyone else filed into the room. Victor looked vaguely worried and when Dimitri shut the door and leaned back against it with his arms crossed he even looked a little frightened. I was just insulted – he hadn't ever looked afraid of me.
Lissa gained my attention again by slapping me sharply on the chest. "You just disappeared! Again! I had no idea where you were! Have you any clue as to how worried I was! You can't just keep running out of my life Rose, I need you."
I sighed and rubbed my temple with my fingertips. "I know you do Liss. Why do you think I came all the way out here in the first place? I came for you!" I was getting frustrated about having this same old argument again; Lissa doubting me and me assuring her she always came first.
"Why didn't you take me with you?" She demanded, bordering on hysterical.
"Because I didn't want you to end up dead!" I snapped. "Any of you," I added glancing around at everyone else. They had all moved further into the room except Dimitri who still hovered near the door, glaring at me. Christian and Adrian had taken up residence on the vacated bed while Tasha leaned up against the back of the sofa, making a small semi-circle around me as if they thought I would bolt at any moment.
"It's good you're so concerned about us," said Christian dryly. "But that doesn't explain why he's in your room." He jerked his head towards Victor who had once again sat down at the table and was observing the scene, that annoying little smirk back on his aging features.
"He picked me up in a bar and took me back to his room for some fun," I deadpanned. Christian's eyes widened fractionally before he caught on that I was joking. I sniggered.
"Rose," broke in Tasha softly. "We were just worried about you."
I sighed. "Yes, I know." I tapped my temple, my meaning implied.
"They why didn't you call and let us know where you were? Or even that you were still alive?" demanded Lissa.
"Because it's not safe!" I exploded, throwing my arms up in the air. "I've wound up boarding with an escaped convict for God's sake!"
Lissa snorted and looked at me in disbelief.
"You don't think we're just going to leave you here with him do you?" she asked.
"Well..." I hedged, unsure as to how to explain the deal I had made with Victor. Fortunately I didn't have to as the man in question did it himself.
"Actually she is staying here where I can keep an eye on her," he said as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.
Dimitri growled. I swear to God he actually growled.
"We're not leaving without her," he promised.
Victor gave him an up and down look before coming to some sort of conclusion.
"I don't doubt that you would. Вы потеряли вашу душу однажды, почему Вы охотно оставите это снова?" He finished in Russian so only Dimitri understood. Though judging by the way Tasha stiffened I had an idea she knew what was being said. "I was merely stating that Rosemarie will not be leaving here until I have what I have been promised. As it so happens there is an adjoining room to this one, also booked out in my name. Well, my alias' name. I had a feeling we might be having more company. My brother is staying there at the moment, but things can be arranged."
Well, fuck me. He was a clever bastard, I'll give him that.
Everyone had identical looks on their faces that screamed 'No!' so I spoke up before an argument could break out.
"Perfect. We'll do that."
Everyone then looked at me with complete outrage in their eyes, minus Dimitri who remained stony faced though I could see his jaw twitch ever so slightly.
"Are you insane?" Questioned Adrian, speaking up for the first time. I had a feeling he was a bit wary of me seeing as the last time we spoke we both said some things we now regret.
I shook my head.
"No. Believe it or not I trust him on some level. And like it or not I need him. Plus, it's not like he could hurt us; the odds are certainly in our favour."
"Must be a very, very, low level," he muttered before sighing resignedly. "Fine. I'll stay, for you."
These words seemed to have an impact on everyone in the room. Lissa groaned and leaned her head on my shoulder- which must have looked a little weird seeing as she's taller than me- and nodded her head in acceptance.
"Fine," she moaned. "Fine."
Christian followed Lissa's example and nodded his agreement.
"I'm in," Tasha stated, surprisingly calm despite the situation.
I looked towards Dimitri questioningly. He was watching me, an undecipherable look on his face. I half expected him to step forward and haul me over his shoulder then drag me kicking and screaming back to Court and I mentally began to build up my defence.
However, it wasn't needed in the end as he eventually gave me one slow nod, looking me dead in the eyes.
"I trust your judgement," he said sincerely, causing a grin to break out on my face. He didn't smile back or relax his stance and I had a feeling this was just the calm before the storm; no doubt I would get yelled at by him later.
"Now, for the love of God, please tell me this room has room service," begged Christian and I laughed before handing him the call-down phone.
~o~oo~o~
Later that night everyone was curled up in bed sleeping. Victor and Robert were in the main room, separate from us to stop any drama. It turns out the joining room was a 'family room' ie it had a double bed and two singles. Tasha, Lissa and I had been nominated to share the double – which was thankfully big enough so there wouldn't be any uncomfortable and embarrassing squashing – while Adrian and Christian each took a single each. Dimitri was lumped with the sofa though I had a feeling he would be staying up most of the night 'keeping guard' anyway. We were all full of pizza and bloated ourselves out on hot chocolate. It was almost a giant slumber party if you ignored the whole dangerous-undead-vampires-trying-to-kill-us-while-we-search-for-an-illegitimate-child thing.
The lack of sleep had finally caught up with everyone and we had called it a night. I could hear Lissa's heavy breathing on my right indicating she was asleep and the light snores across the room indicated Christian and Adrian were in the same state.
Despite all this I couldn't keep my eyes shut. The room was completely dark; the heavy blinds blocking out the lights from outside but I could see Dimitri's silhouette on the sofa. I could see the gentle rise of fall of his chest and he wasn't moving. Everything indicated he too was asleep but I knew, I just knew he wasn't.
I warred with myself for a moment before I silently slipped out of the bed. Lissa mumbled something in her sleep and rolled over onto the spot I had just vacated. Feeling I didn't really have a choice now I tip-toed over to the couch and stood uncertainly above Dimitri's restful state.
Even though I was expecting it, I was still surprised when he abruptly sat upright in his seat. I let out a little squeak then quickly clamped a hand over my mouth to muffle the noise.
"Rose?" he asked softly. "What are you doing?"
"I didn't get a chance to speak to you earlier," I murmured, trying to keep my voice down.
He sighed and moved over so I could sit down. The electricity crackled between us due to the darkness and our close proximity.
"I don't think I would have spoken to you earlier," he whispered. "There would have been a large volume of shouting involved."
"What's new?" I joked and felt his smile in the darkness.
"You're right. I'd hate it if you were any different." He sighed and I automatically shrunk back from him.
"Why did you do it Roza?"
"You know why," I replied quietly. "Ambrose told you about...about Lissa's sibling. I have to do this for her. She means so much to me. I just want her to be happy."
"But why didn't you tell anyone else where you going? Why didn't you tell me?" There was a hint of vulnerability in his voice that I hadn't heard before and it made my heart ache.
"Because I wanted to protect you as much as I do Lissa. If not more," I revealed, an uncharacteristic blush covering my cheeks.
He was silent then but I heard his breathing pick up ever so slightly. Suddenly he reached out and yanked me into his side, enveloping me in his arms. He buried his face in my neck and inhaled sharply.
"What did I ever do to deserve you, you stupid, beautiful, girl?" He breathed.
My heart took off in my chest, beating out a disjointed rhythm that threatened to break my ribs. I briefly wondered if I was actually dreaming but this seemed all too real.
"You were just you," I whispered in response.
He groaned and tightened his grip around me. I sighed into the comfort of his embrace. His lips were on the skin of my shoulder – Lissa had given me some spare clothes after I explained my situation and I was now wearing a tank-top and pj bottoms- as he kissed me softly. My breathing was now embarrassingly loud in the otherwise silent room but I couldn't quite find it in me to care.
He peppered light butterfly kisses up and over my neck while he whispered softly in Russian.
"Я никогда не собираюсь позволять Вам идти снова, я нуждаюсь в Вас слишком много. Когда-либо не оставляйте меня Roza, пожалуйста. Никогда снова. Мое сердце не может взять больше вред."
"What does that mean?" I asked breathlessly as his lips descended on the corner of my mouth. He just shook his head and I felt him smile against my skin. "Tell me!" I demanded, possibly a little too loud, but I didn't care.
"No," he murmured and stopped any future protests from me by pressing his mouth firmly to mine.
Eventually, I thought sluggishly as I responded to him with rigorous fervour.
We kissed passionately, our bodies pressed together intimately on the sofa. I sighed softly as his hands wandered up the back of my top and caressed the skin on my back. Feeling bold I recuperated and he moaned into my mouth as my fingers danced over his skin.
He drew back and rested his head on the crook of my neck again. We were both breathing heavily and our bodies were pressed so close together that I could feel his heart facing in time with mine.
"We should stop," he said reluctantly and I pouted. He smiled and pressed one more kiss to my lips before lying down and pulling me down next to him.
"Я буду всегда любить Вас."
"Tell me what that means," I muttered sleepily, already feeling my eyelids begin to droop.
He shook his head, jolting me slightly and I snuggled close to him feeling more content than I had in a long time.
"Go to sleep Rose," was his only response before I was overcome by the darkness of sleep.
AN/
Okay-doke you know the drill. Tell me what you think. To sappy? Too soon? Just right? I live for your reviews.
Well that doesn't sound remotely sad at all...
Anyway!
Translations:
Выпотеряливашудушуоднажды, почемуВыохотнооставитеэтоснова? - You lost your soul once, why would you willingly leave it behind again?
Я никогда не собираюсь позволять Вам идти снова, я нуждаюсь в Вас слишком много. Когда-либо не оставляйте меня Roza, пожалуйста. Никогда снова. Моесердценеможетвзятьбольшевред. - I'm never going to let you go again, I need you too much. Don't ever leave me Roza, please. Never again. My heart can't take any more hurt.
Я буду всегда любить Вас – Iwillalwaysloveyou.
MJ
Xxx