"WAIT!" I yelled. Viktoria stared at me. "We have to go back to that damn shoe store and get your shoes."
"Okay!" She said eagerly. I really did not want to go and Lissa didn't either. I peeked inside her and I gasped again. More darkness went inside me. I rushed over to Lissa.
"How much Spirit are you using?" I whispered sharply.
"Not a lot, I swear. Why?" She asked me.
"Every time I peek inside your head, I accidently pull darkness. Why are you so mad?"
"Just the relationship you have with Viktoria, it's making me jelly." She giggled softly. "I'm fine now, I promise." I nodded and went into the shoe store only to see that Mattie was there. Fan-fucking-tastic.
"Mur-Guardian Hathaway! How can I help you?" I was turning beet red and I started clenching my fists. Lissa saw me get angry and she did the talking.
"We need a size 8 ½ pair of heels for her." She pointed to Viktoria. Mattie beckoned Viktoria to the heels that would match the dresses and Lissa came over to me.
"Rose, it's just the darkness. Take a deep breath." I took a ragged deep breath and hugged her.
"It's going to become harder, isn't it?" I asked. She didn't say anything. She just nodded. Viktoria came out with the first pair and we did a so-so sign. Mattie frowned at me and I gave her my famous homicidal look. She paled and went to look for another pair. "I need to get the hang of this."
"Hang of what?" Mia and Lissa looked at me in confusion.
"Having the Bond back," I whispered. "It's so weird. I just hope your sex life doesn't wake me up at night again." I smirked at Lissa and she smacked me on the arm jokingly. Viktoria came out with the second pair and it looked like she was angry. I frowned. I looked to Lissa and Mia. They were frowning too.
"What do you guys think of this one?" Mattie asked, smiling sweetly.
"We love them." I spoke for all of us. To be honest, I hated the pair, but I needed to talk to Viktoria. I went over and grabbed her arm. I took her to a private corner and wondered what the Hell was up with her.
"Why didn't you tell me you committed murder?" She practically yelled. Mia and Lissa were giving Mattie the death stare.
"Viktoria, I was wrongfully accused. Can we please talk about this somewhere else?" I pleaded.
"Then you get my brother involved when he needed to prove he was a Dhampir!"
"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, VIKTORIA! SHUT UP!" I shouted. I went over to Mattie and smacked her across the face.
"Natasha Ozera murdered Tatiana Ivashkov. Not me. Get your fucking facts straight, bitch." I swore at her and ran out of the store so people wouldn't see me cry. Where are you, Dimitri? I ran to our room and closed the door and locked it. Dimitri was watching TV when I just decided to flip the table. I screamed, louder than I ever have before. Possibly louder than when I got arrested for Tatiana's murder. Dimitri came at me, but I shoved him away. I threw the pillows off the bed and suddenly I was pinned on the bed. Déjà vu much? I struggled within Dimitri's grasp, but he was too strong.
"Get OFF of me Dimitri!" I shouted.
"Roza! What happened? This isn't you!"
"This is me, damn it! That stupid shoe saleswoman told Viktoria shit that wasn't true." His grip softened and I tried to make a break for it. I almost made it off the bed when he pulled my legs to get me back on the bed.
"Don't let it get ahold of you, Rose. What did the saleswoman say to Viktoria?"
"I murdered Tatiana and I took you on the run with me when you were trying to get brownie points for being a good little Dhampir." His eyes widened. I was thrashing and kicking. He put his knees on my legs.
"Roza, look at me. You know this isn't you. Don't let the darkness take ahold of you."
"Why the hell shouldn't I let off some steam?" I shouted. "It feels good now." Dimitri could see that talking wasn't going to do any good, so he did the next best thing. He kissed me. I pushed all of my anger into passion as he released my legs and arms. He looked at me and I nodded, a few tears falling down my face. He wiped them with his thumb and then I put my hands in his hair and I yanked his head down to me. He gasped as his mouth was on mine. I kissed him ravenously, just like Dimitri did last night. I was not holding back and it looked like Dimitri didn't want me too. He pulled me to the top of the bed where we kissed and kissed and kissed. He pulled back and I took a ragged deep breath.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Just shut up and kiss me," I said and put my mouth back on his. There was suddenly a knock on the door.
"Rose! Rose, are you there?" Viktoria's voice called out. I gave Dimitri my homicidal look.
"No. Do not answer that door." I told him.
"Roza, it was all a misunderstanding." He said calmly.
"Dimitri, the fact that she believed Mattie the fucking saleswoman pisses me off. No. Answer that door and I'm going to punch something."
"You need to learn to release that anger." He said walking towards the door.
"Don't you dare!" And the bastard opened the door. Viktoria, Lissa, and Mia walked in and I thanked God that my real friends were there. Viktoria looked guilty, like she should. I rolled my eyes and flipped through the channels. Lissa came over and grabbed the remote.
"HEY!" I yelled at her. She glared at me.
"Just listen to her! She wants to apologize!" Lissa shouted.
"Why the hell should I? I went through Hell on that jailbreak and I might not have ended up with Dimitri! I broke one of my best friends heart in the worst way possible. I didn't want Dimitri to come with. I never did! I told him to leave like, fifty times! He. Just. Wouldn't. Leave." I looked to Viktoria. "Tasha Ozera framed me for murder so she could be with Dimitri. She knew about our student-teacher relationship before everyone else, even before Lissa. If Dimitri didn't help break me out of prison, I would be dead right now. No doubt." Viktoria was just wide eyed.
"Rose, I'm so–" I interrupted her.
"Go. Now. All of you." I looked away from them, wiping a tear from my eye. Lissa nodded to them. I'll be back later to check on you. I nodded slightly. She saw it and left. Well… Mia came over and hugged me. I accepted the hug and then she went to her room and relieved Olena of Skylar duty. I just got changed and cuddled into the blankets. Dimitri pulled me into his arms and I just lost it.
"Did – did you ever have feelings for her – Tasha?" I sniffled. He kissed my neck and held me tighter.
"I did – as a friend. I never felt that way about anyone like I do with you. Tasha wanted more… I didn't. The week before Mason died, she had given me the offer and right when I saw you in Spokane," He took a deep breath. "It was like a revelation. I realized that I needed you like you needed me in that moment."
"Souls in sync," I muttered, remembering Sonya's words when we were on the escape.
"So I told Tasha I couldn't accept her offer and that I'd just like to stay friends."
"Why does the bad shit always happen to us?" I whispered.
"Oh, Roza," He pulled my hair back and then he put his head on my shoulder. I could tell he didn't have an answer. I didn't have one either. He just started murmuring words in Russian that I STILL did not understand, because for all I know he could be saying: 'Fuck you,' or 'Fuck this.' I really want to learn how to swear in Russian, but he won't teach me! My inner fight came to a halt as I dreamt of Lissa.
"Hey," I said. We suddenly were walking on a beach. I headed for the shoreline and she walked with me.
"Are you okay – I mean from earlier?" She asked me.
"I'm fine. I think Dimitri would be my Guardian if I was a Moroi." I joked. "Why did Viktoria believe Mattie?"
"We don't know. I asked her if she was compelled and she said no. Then I compelled Mattie and she said she didn't, so we're thinking Viktoria's just really gullible."
"Did I ruin Dimitri's future?" I asked in a small voice, looking to Lissa. She looked shocked.
"Rose, you made it all the more better. If Dimitri had a relationship with Tasha Ozera, his reputation would have been ruined. Don't tell him I said that." I laughed a little and agreed.
"I let Spirit get the best of me today. It was terrible." I shuddered.
"There was something Mark told me while you were talking to Oksana." Lissa said. I raised an eyebrow.
"What was that?" I asked.
"I could heal the darkness out of you." She said looking at the water. She went a little deeper, like ankle deep, and I went with her. I suddenly realized where we were. We were in Portland.
"Mark told me that too when I was hunting Dimitri. I completely forgot about it." I looked at her. "Are you willing to do that?"
"Rose, I'm willing to do anything for you. You saved my life and you're my best friend." She grinned. I "accidently" pushed her into the water. She laughed and asked for a hand up. I sighed and held my hand out and she pulled me down with her.
"Really, Rose. Oldest trick in the book; grabbing the hand and pulling them down…" She giggled and I laughed with her. The dream dissipated into pure darkness until I woke up in Dimitri's arms. My vision blurred for a couple seconds and I blinked a few times. Finally, I could see clearly. I could feel myself being much calmer. I slowly turned around and put my head on his chest. I felt his heartbeat and it was at a steady pace. Mine? Mine was racing faster than a Strigoi. I closed my eyes and I suddenly felt his chin on my forehead, as if he were looking down at me and he snorted softly. I smiled.
"What's so funny?" I asked and he jumped. HA!
"You are. Why is your head on my chest?" He asked and I looked up at him.
"I like listening to your heartbeat. It's soothing and it helps me remember the miracle I made happen."
"Lissa helped," He corrected.
"Don't ruin this moment." I warned him. His warm smile made my heart leap and I kissed him softly on the lips. "About that rain check…" I grinned. He started kissing me and kissing and kissing and kissing and it didn't stop. I pulled his pants off and he practically ripped his boxers off. He ripped the buttons off my pajama top and pulled the shirt off me. I got my plaid shorts off me so easily without even missing a beat. Dimitri pulled my underwear off and we were completely naked in bed. I had this weird déjà vu moment of my Junior year and the Equinox Dance when I was naked in his bed. He flopped on top of me and I gripped his hair and pulled him down. He eased inside me and I gasped. I kissed him just like I did last night and he went faster and faster. Christ, I love this man. The door suddenly opened. FUCK!
"Mia! If you don't want to be emotionally scarred for life, don't come out!" I shouted.
"O-kay… Have fun you two…" She giggled and shut the door. Dimitri smiled at me and I started kissing him again. He still thrust inside me. In. Out. In. Out. He came inside me and it felt like heaven on Earth.
"CHRIST, DIMITRI!" I gasped. He eased himself out and lay down next to me.
"I love you, Rose Hathaway." He said, in-between gasps.
"I love you, Dimitri Belikov." And I grasped his hand. He squeezed it and I squeezed back. I thought about yesterday. "Well, shit. I have to do the right thing, don't I?" He kissed my forehead, giving me the answer. "If that Mattie bitch pisses me off once, I swear –" And my words were muffled by a kiss.
"Hold in your anger and then you can take it out in bed." He grinned one of the rarest grins I have ever seen. I got up and got a tank top and jeans on. I put my hair in a ponytail because it would show all of my molinja marks and my promise mark. I turned around to Dimitri.
"How do I look?" I asked.
"You're putting your hair up to show off your marks, aren't you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
I flushed. "No! Maybe, kind of, yes…" He put on his bathrobe and came over to me. He then pulled down my hair tie. I turned around and frowned at him.
"Everyone knows who you are, Rose. You don't need Marks to show it." Dimitri gave me a look. I knew that look.
"Okay. I'll see you soon." I pecked him on the lips. I went over to Mia's room and right when I was about to knock, she opened the door with Skylar in her carrier drinking a bottle. Just to be sure, I kneeled down and felt Skylar's forehead. I sighed in relief.
"How is she, Rose?" Dimitri asked, coming over to me.
"Better, much better," I said. "That pain medicine really helped." Mia and I waved to Dimitri and then left.
"So what do you think life would be like without Dimitri?" Mia suddenly asked me. I looked at her in shock.
"What? You did say he could've ended up with that psycho path." She said.
"I honestly can't imagine a life without him. I would risk my life to save him and I know he would do the same for me. But if he didn't exist or if he were with Tasha? I would most likely be with Adrian right now."
"Adrian had the hots for you?" Now Mia looked at me in shock. I nodded. "Wow, what happened?"
"During the jailbreak, Dimitri and I rekindled our feelings for each other and so we got back together. Adrian didn't know that. When we were going to see the Alchemists to see what they knew, Dimitri kissed me on the forehead and Adrian saw it. I saw his whole world crashing apart. Then you remember me getting shot, obviously," She nodded, "After I healed, he confronted me in my bedroom about it. I had never seen him like that. It scared me."
"Adrian Ivashkov… serious," She repeated. I nodded. "Wow, but I mean, you and Dimitri were meant to be together!"
I laughed. "He understands now. He's even dream walked a couple times to me. He hasn't recently though and it worries me. I can't call him, well I could – Screw it. I'm calling him." I got my phone out and dialed Adrian's number.
"'Lil Dhampir! How are you?"
"How am I? How are you? Why the hell haven't you dream walked to me in the past week or so?"
"Just… some weird shit is going on in Palm Springs, Rose. I'll tell you that."
"Can you give me a hint?" I pestered.
"It has to do with Sydney's Lily tattoo. That's all I can tell you."
"Why can't you tell me anything more?" I demanded. I started walking again.
"I just can't, Little Dhampir. Jill wants to say hi."
"No! Adrian don't you dare!"
"Hi Rose!" Shiiiiiit.
"Hi Jill!" Oh, I am SO fucked. Mia gave me the same look and I gave her a pained one.
"How're you? How's Court? I mean things have got to be good since you're there protecting Lissa."
"Jill," I said quietly. "Give the phone back to Adrian."
"You don't want to talk to me?" She sniffled.
"It's not a won't, it's a can't." She sniffled again and I heard the phone shuffling.
"What the hell Rose?" He asked.
"Don't 'What the hell?' Me. What the hell, Adrian! I'm not supposed to be in contact with Jill." Lissa came out right then and there and her eyes widened.
"Why the hell not?" He demanded.
"Because I'm close to Lissa and people will think I know where she is." I whispered. I heard a deep breath.
"Okay, I'm sorry." He said sincerely.
"It's fine. I have to go shopping."
"Wait… you want to go shopping?" Well, fuck.
"No, it's more of, 'I need to go shopping.'"
"Oh. What for?" He asked eagerly.
"Your Christmas present," I said, deadpan. "Bye, Adrian." There were no interruptions as I hung up. Mia and Lissa were staring at me.
"You really think I could tell him I was marrying Dimitri? Over the phone – nah uh. I'm telling him in person."
"Whenever you see him again," Mia mused.
"Why did Jill have the phone?" Lissa practically growled. Here we go.
"I wasn't going to talk to her, Liss! Adrian just handed her the phone. Mia, tell her." I said, looking at her.
"It's true. Even when Jill did have the phone, Rose told her to give the phone back to Adrian." Lissa sighed. I peeked inside Lissa's head to pull the darkness. I had too! It's what I was doing before. Viktoria caught up with us and I promptly ignored her. She tried to make conversation with me, but I just said, "Yes," "No," or, "That sucks," We got to the shoe store and Mattie's there again. Seriously. Where is Platinum Blonde Number Two when I need her? I went up to the desk and started talking.
"We're here to pick up Viktoria Belikov's shoes." She looked up and saw it was me. HA! She had a nice red mark from where I slapped her. She nodded briskly and went to go get her shoes. I tapped my foot, just to be a bitch, and when she came back, I paid her – no tip and then made to leave.
"Murderer," Mattie muttered. I turned around, ever so slowly. It just so happened that Dimitri was walking by.
"You MURDERED Tatiana and made Tasha take the blame!" She shouted. See… I'm really not good with impulse control and when I have Spirit's Darkness inside me. So, I Iunged for Mattie. I tackled her to the ground and HELL! She could fight. Oh wait. She's one of Tasha's friends! Lissa and Mia tried to pull me off of her, but it was no use. I was much stronger than them. I got a couple of good punches in.
"DIMITRI!" Lissa shouted. Dimitri saw what I was doing and I thought I heard him swear in Russian. I heard footsteps and I was suddenly thrown over his shoulder. I punched his back and kicked and I really didn't care that I was acting like a little kid.
"Rose Hathaway did NOT murder Tatiana Ivashkov. Natasha Ozera did. Stop making a fight out of everything and turning everyone against Rose." Lissa stepped up.
"Mattie Dashkov, you are hereby fired from the Royal Court. Please pack up your things and leave immediately." Lissa said in high command.
"Your – Your Majesty, I'm sorry." Mattie started, but Lissa finished.
"Leave. Now," Her other Guardians stepped up and I smirked. I couldn't see what was happening, but I love my best friend! I punched Dimitri's back again.
"Will you let me down?" I grumbled.
"Once she leaves. Then I know she's safe from your wrath."
"Is her eye purple?" I said a little too loudly.
"Yeah," Mia said. Mia hated her as much as I did.
"Bitch," Mattie muttered.
"WHO'S THE BITCH?" I shouted and started struggling again. With my feeble attempts, I fell to the ground. "Ow," I muttered, but I practically ran after Mattie. Dimitri grabbed my arm and held me in place.
"How much darkness did you take today?" He asked sharply.
"Well take one, carry the two, I'd say a lot." I shrugged. I put my head on his chest and let out a ragged breath. "I'm sorry."
"I know, Roza. I know." And he held me there. It could have been minutes. It could have been hours. I pulled back and he pulled hair out of my face. I smiled at him.
"Okay, Viktoria has her shoes, now all we need to do is send out the invites and get the bouquet." I said, not quite as cheerful.
"The invitations were already sent out." Lissa said, smiling slyly.
"I didn't even set a date." I frowned.
"April 18th," Lissa smiled.
"Perfect. Do we have a place?" They waved their arms around. "Here? The Royal Court? Wow, um, okay." Dimitri looked at me.
"Then we can finally start our lives together." He said and I smiled. We kissed like there's nothing or no one else in the world.