(TPOV)
After Rose and Dimitri received their marks, I walked over to them kissed each one the cheek and said, "You have both done this entire world a great service thank you so much. You are the Damphir queen and king, you no longer need to be the protectors you are to be the protected. I know there is no need to try to tell you to let your guardians fight for you should the need arise, because there's no way you'll let that happen. They will fight, but I know you will be right there beside them fighting just as hard if not harder. I am so proud of you both, now everyone kneel to the damphire queen and king."
(DPOV)
After aunt Tati's speech everyone was on their knees and I could tell the royal moroi didn't like it but they'd have to get used to. I need to talk to Lissa and figure out a way to get the ring I want for Rose and get it here by Saturday. Then I heard Queen Rose say, "Rise" I had forgotten to do that again, so much to learn. After everyone left I could see in my Roza's eyes that she was near to collapsing from exhaustion. Putting my arm around her waist I led her to her friends and family to say good night.
"Lissa can I talk to you a minute?" I asked her while Roza said goodnight to everyone else.
"What's up Dimitri? Don't worry everything will be ready and waiting after breakfast."
"Thanks but that's not what this is about. I have a problem I have no ring for Rose and I don't know how to afford the one I want for her. Rose said we have money but I don't know how to access it."
"Oh, I'm so sorry with everything going on I forgot to give you your cards, they are in my room. I'll give them to you tomorrow. None of them have a limit so you could spend millions of dollars on each one and never have to worry about it. They are paid off each month by the royal coffers."
"Alright thanks, now how do I go about getting the ring that's in my head made and here by Saturday?"
"Oh that's easy. Tell me what you want it to look like and I'll contact the court jeweler and have him make it and be sure to have it here on time."
"Once again Lissa you are a life saver. I want it of the best silver there is, that way it can be charmed to deal with the ghosts, I want a three carat pear shaped red diamond (yes there really are red diamonds, I'm a jewelry designer and creator) as the center stone, but only the absolute best for my Roza, surrounded by round one cart white diamonds, then I want a half cart blue sapphire on one side in the shape of a heart and on the other side an aquamarine also in the same shape and size of the sapphire."
"God Dimitri that will be so beautiful. Did you know that the sapphire is Rose's birthstone?"
"Yes, that's why I chose it, the aquamarine is mine. Oh and the filigree work under the stones on the sides I want hearts of every possible size on both sides." (I made this ring up in my head)
"And you thought you weren't romantic, huh. Dimitri you put other men to shame. Don't worry it will be here, perfect and on time. I'll get them to charm it there and when it arrives, Addie and I will add our magic then after you give it to Rose she can add hers and it'll be perfect."
After our conversation I was feeling better about everything, except how tired my Roza is. But we are going to fix the immediate problem right now by getting her some sleep and tomorrow we would fix the other problem.
"Roza, come on honey it's bedtime for you my love." I lifted her in my arms again and carried her to our room. Bless her heart she's so tired she couldn't even change her clothes so I removed her shoes, jeans and top shirt. Leaving her to sleep in her tank top and panties. I undress and lay down next to her already sleeping body. As soon as I'm comfortable Roza turns in her sleep to snuggle into my side and lay her head and hand on my chest. I couldn't stop the smile that came to my face thinking about how even in her sleep she searches for me, until she is right where she belongs which is by my side. In no time, I am asleep alongside my love. Then I'm pulled into another one of those weird dreams.
"Dimitri, this is a spirit dream. Rose, Addie, and I can bring people into our dreams or go into theirs."
"Ok something else I didn't know. Is there very many more things I don't know?"
"Quite a few I'm afraid and there's no way even we can remember them all, all at once anyway. But we will tell you when they pop up or you could just read the scrolls and the book they would help some. But I'm getting of topic of why I brought you here. Is this the way you want the ring to look?" She asked, and in her hand appeared the ring exactly as I had described it to her.
"Yes Lissa that is perfect. It's almost as beautiful as my Roza. I only say almost because nothing could ever be as beautiful as my Roza."
"There you go again being romantic. I decided to dream walk the jeweler and show him what you wanted it to look like instead of just describing it, that way it'll be an exact representation of what you want. And it'll be faster and easier than trading phone calls and skype calls. I'm going to go dream walk him now goodnight Dimitri."
"Night Lissa and thanks again for everything." The dream fades and I drift back into peaceful oblivion. Hours later, I wake to a pair of the most beautiful shining brown eyes I have ever seen, my Roza is starring down at me.
"Morning comrade." She says gently, with the smile she gives only to me.
"Mmm it's about to be." And with that I grab her face and pull her to me filling the kiss with all the love, passion, want, need and desire I have for her.
"Now, it is my love." Stretching my body as she lay above me, I can see love, desire, passion and so many other things flash in her eyes. And I remember how it was physically painful to be separated from her and wonder if it was the same for her.
"Roza, honey I have some questions. The other day when I went to see Tasha and again yesterday when I left you to call Ivan I felt this funny feeling almost like an ache, only painful, did you feel anything?"
"You mean the ache that's actually physically painful?"
"Yes."
"Well love that's because if we get very far apart for any length of time it will actually cause us physical pain, as we've already felt. Like say you went into town for a few hours and I stayed here, the longer and further away you were the more painful it would become for both of us. And the longer it lasts the more the pain will steadily increase till we die." To say I was shocked was an understatement, I was truly stunned, amazed and worried that she was serious, was she truly serious?
"Roza are serious as in we'll actually physically die?"
"Yes, Dimitri it's part of the bond. As long as we are together our bodies feed each other making us stronger and stronger with each passing day. I'm sorry if this bothers you."
"No baby, it doesn't bother me. Other than causing you pain, which is something I never want to do. So I obviously need to read the scrolls and the book. What else do I need to know?"
"Quite a lot actually. I've lived with it for two years and I can't even remember it all. But I can tell you what I remember when I remember it. The scrolls and the book is not all of it, there are more books and scrolls all over the world but the holders wouldn't allow us bring them back. As you felt I can make someone compulsion proof, I can control all six elements. I can fly with help from my air power, I can call forth wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. I can physically fight better than anyone else in the world. I can fight and kill with my magic or with just a thought, I can read minds, I can dream walk, read auras, heal and even cure some diseases. I can hear even better than the strigoi, sense strigoi, talk to and control ghost's except when I fly. That's why I usually sleep on a plane, if I don't sleep or have a piece of charmed jewelry on me then the pain is incredibly horrific. I can control people making them see, hear, and do whatever I want them to without compelling them. I can compel better than anyone including strigoi, hmm there are so many more I can't even list them all."
"Huh...ok that's quite a lot to remember and there are still more that you don't remember? Well that'll take some getting used to. You say you can read minds, sense strigoi, and make people do what you want them to. Does that mean you can do all those things to strigoi?"
"Yes, but before my transition I could only sense them and control them to a certain extent. That's how I got them to go into the house without a fight. I can't sense all of them just the ones that are within a few miles. That reminds me the caves, up in the mountains at the back of campus, are filled with strigoi. They are waiting for something; we should alert the others. I was waiting to see if they were going to attack but there are two in charge that want to attack they are just fighting over when and how to do it."
"I was wondering how you got them to go and do what you wanted them to. Once again you amaze me. Yes, we will alert Alberta later. But if you even think they are about to attack you let me know ok?"
"Of course comrade. I don't want to take the chance of anyone getting hurt."
"Can you tell who any of them are love?"
"Yes, one of them is named Nathan Livingston he's from Texas, and the other one that's in charge is called Stephen Ivashkov he's from Russia, Oh my God. Dimitri he's Addie's uncle what are we going to do?" When she said Stephen Ivashkov I felt an immeasurable amount of fury pulse through my body. I was so angry I was shaking and I knew she could feel it just by the look in her eyes.
"Dimitri baby what's wrong did I say something wrong? Why are you so angry all of the sudden?"
"No baby, you didn't say anything wrong. As for why I am so angry, Stephen Ivashkov is my father. He was a terrible man he used to beat my mother, me and my sisters to the point to where we couldn't move. He would beat us bloody over and over again day after day, but I was so young I couldn't do anything about it. He raped my mother repeatedly for years. When I was thirteen he had beat my momma so bad that she was coughing up blood. Then he tried to rape my sister who was only fifteen at the time. A damn burst inside of me, I couldn't let him keep hurting them. So I gathered all my strength and beat him near to death, with my bare hands. Then afterwards, I called a moroi mobster I had heard of from Moscow. Told him what happened and asked what I should do he said he would deal with Stephen. He was there the next morning having Stephen taken away. Stephen was still laying in the dirt where I had left him the night before. That was eleven years ago and we've never heard anything else from him, until now that is."
"That was nice of this mobster to do that."
"Yes, he said he had a daughter who was seven years old, and he hoped that if she need it someone would look after her, until he could again. He loved her very much it was evident by his face and in his voice when he spoke of her."
"Do you remember his name we should thank him in some way."
"Yeah his name was...Oh. My. God...honey that was your father Abe Mazur. Quick get dressed I need to go thank him and apologies for not recognizing him." We got dressed quickly and left hand in hand and ran to guest housing to the room of my love's parents.
(APOV) Abe
I was making breakfast when all of the sudden there was a loud almost frantic banging on the door. Janien answered it and there stood my baby girl and Dimitri Belikov, I wonder if he's figured out who I am yet. I walk into the room only to be rushed at by my daughter and Dimitri.
"Thank you, thank you so much Baba. I appreciate what you did so much more than you will ever know." Alright I'm confused I looked over my daughter's head to Janien and Dimitri, trying to figure out what I did that was so great. I mean I just woke up and I haven't done anything that rated this kind of reaction in a long time, that I knew of.
"Kiz, what caused this."
"Mr. Mazur thank you so so much for what you did, I can never repay you for helping us like that. I'm sorry I didn't realize who you were or make the connection before." Then I understood what was going on so I laughed a good hearty laugh, like I haven't laughed since I found my child again.
"It's quite alright Dimitri it has been a little hectic since you got back." I told them while shaking his hand and holding my daughter close to my chest, and placing a kiss on her forehead. I could tell Janien was still confused at the reaction. So I explained it all to her as we sat on the sofa. When I finished the story she was shaking with such rage and hatred she was beginning to scare even me, which is almost impossible.
"Janien, honey is you ok."
"Ok?... Abe really?... Please tell me why in the hell some men think they can get away with shit like that."
"I don't know Janien. Some people are just evil all the way to the core." I reach out and take her hand trying to calm her. I know that ever since we found out what Robert tried to do to Rose, Janien has been close to exploding. Then finding out what she just had about our future in laws just sent her over the edge. I know Janien feels the same way I do, that we should have been there for Rose when she was growing up. But as much as I hate to admit it, if we had been she might not have become the glorious and strong woman she is today.
"Janien, she's fine look she's right here with us." Calling her attention to Rose knowing exactly what she was thinking about, because my thoughts had wondered there all on their own. Janien jumped up grabbed Rose and crushed her to her chest, as best she could since Rose is taller than Janien, while sobbing in her hair.
(JPOV)
"Baby I'm so sorry, we should have been there to protect you. I'm so so sorry." I cried into my little girl's hair. I don't know how long we stood there like that arms around each other, both crying together over the lost time and the pain she has had to go through alone.
"Mommy it's ok. Things happened the way they were supposed to, the way they HAD to, just don't leave me again." She begged as she continued to sob into my chest. "Dear Lord God in heaven, please help me protect my family." I said my silent prayer.
"No baby never again. We'll never leave you ever again as long as we live." We stood there and cried for a long time with the men just watching us, smiling and nodding their agreement.
(APOV)
"So Dimitri what triggered your memory?"
"Stephen is strigoi and close, Roza can feel him and read his mind. He and a large group of strigoi are in the caves in the mountains behind campus. We are going to alert Alberta to the situation and Rose is going to monitor them and their movements." To say I was stunned is an understatement, knowing that bastard is this close to my child after what he did to Dimitri's family infuriates me. I may not have been able to kill Robert but I most certainly can kill Stephen.
"Kiz can you tell how many of them there are and when they plan to attack?"
"There are nine hundred and seventy-eight of them and they plan to attack Wednesday night, but don't worry they will never get close enough to carry out their plan. I can kill them all with a thought, I'm just waiting to get as many of them in one place as possible. There are another little over five hundred showing up within the next two days and when they all get here, They. Are. Ash." She tells me with complete and utter confidence in her powers and abilities. Like I said my daughter is a glorious woman.
"Alright, Janien and I will walk over to Alberta's office with you after breakfast. Do you want to eat here with us or in the cafeteria with your friends?"
"I'm sorry Mr. Mazur I made plans for us to meet Lissa and the others for breakfast this morning." Dimitri said apologetically.
"No need to apologize son, oh and call me dad or Abe which ever you feel most comfortable with." I know Dimitri is a good man and he loves my daughter more than anything or anyone else in this world or any other, except God of course and that is as it should be. They turn to leave when Rose stops and turns back to ask me a question.
"Hey Baba do you know when the new headmistress is arriving?" I can't help but grin because when they find out who it is, they will be happy I can't wait to see Dimitri's face.
"Yes, Kiz she will be here by Wednesday. We'll meet you in Alberta's office in an hour, bring the rest of team Thorn with you and I'll get Al to call in alpha team." They walk out the door still unaware of Dimitri's family coming.
(DPOV)
That is an unimaginable amount of strigoi all in one place and to find out there are still more coming. I just thank God my family isn't actually here and that Ivan doesn't arrive till the day after this is all going down, no wait he said he was coming Wednesday and this attack is Thursday. Well damn it we'll just have to get him some extra guardians. I know Roza can do everything she says she can, but that is a hell of a lot of power she's going to have to use. I don't know how much help the 'super nova' as Lissa calls it will be because the caves are over seven miles away. I'll have to ask her how far the reach of the light is. We walk to the cafeteria hand in hand fingers entwined.
"Hey guys after breakfast team Thorn and alpha team have a meeting in Al's office." Roza tells everyone as we sit down with our food.
"That's fine RoRo." I hear Lissa tell Rose.
Then I hear a voice in my head, "Dimitri can you hear me?"
"Yea, Liss I hear you but the question is can Roza?"
"No. The royal suite is all set up Addie will run and turn the music and candles on and leave the door unlocked right after the meeting, while I delay you two. I brought a blind fold if you want to use it to keep her from knowing where you're going and you can move your stuff in anytime."
"Thanks you've been a great help to me. Oh do you know how far the light you were telling me about reaches?"
"Yea about five miles. Why?"
"You'll find out in the meeting. Not trying to be mean but if I say anything Roza will kill me."
"Ok, that's fine don't even worry about it and you're not mean you're putting Rose first. And I couldn't ask for more than that for her, and to be quite honest it's about time someone did that for her. All the other guys that hit on her just wanted one thing from her and her safe, healthy, happy and loved wasn't it."
"Thanks. And if I find any of those assholes that are over eighteen, I'll be sure they get what they have coming."
Then I hear Lissa say out loud. "Dimitri, before I forget here are your cards there are seven credit cards and two new ID's one for the human world, and the one identifying you as the king is for our world. Sorry I haven't remembered to give them to you before now. Once your crowned you'll both need new passports and ID's with pictures of you wearing your crown. The ones without your crown are for the human world."
"Wait, are you saying I actually have to wear a crown?" I asked her a bit incredulously.
"Only in that picture and in all formal pictures and settings."
"So much to learn."
"Don't worry RoRo, Addie, and I will help you navigate your way through it all. Rose wouldn't know any of this either if she hadn't of had two years of training for this too."
"Babe you have had a veryyy busy two years, what all have you had to train for?"
"Well obviously I had to train to fight both physically and with my powers, and I had to train for the transition which was very difficult and hurt like hell. I had to learn all those languages I was telling you about, and finally I had to learn to be queen. So yeah I guess your right I have been busy since I came back to life." She said it like it was a joke.
"Honey, dying isn't funny."
"I know Dimitri but if I sit around and think about all the shit I've had to deal with in my life. I'd curl up in a corner somewhere sucking my thumb crying and begging for my mommy, so I joke."
"Ok I get it, sorry."
"Don't be sorry comrade. There's nothing to be sorry for, it's like I told my mom everything happened the way it was supposed to, the way it HAD to." Once again this amazing woman just floors me.
"We better go the meeting starts in ten minutes." Everyone gets up and takes their trays to the proper place then we head towards Alberta's office.