Chapter 12
Lissa's POV
"I know she is here, Christian!" I said as we walked quickly through guest housing looking for room 2164. "Ugh! Why do all these rooms have one's and not two's in front of the actual number?" I said as we passed room 1164.
"Because we are on the first floor, Liss." Christian said calmly to me.
"Oh." I sprinted up the stairs. I started looking at rooms again. 2148. 2149.
"She can't be here, Liss! She is a Strigoi! You said it yourself!" I ignored him. 2155. 2153. "Liss! Do you think it will be long before someone notices that you and I are out of class and that two guardians that gave you this info -under compulsion I might add- are walking aimlessly around campus, looking for a snipe?" I love the movie Up.
2164. "Here it is!" I yelled, and banged my fist against the door. Janine Hathaway answered the door. She looked at Christian and me and bowed.
"Princess Dragomir. Lord Ozera." She said.
"Guardian Hathaway, where's Rose?" She looked at me stunned that I would know.
"How did you- the bond." Realization hit her. "I thought it was only one way."
"So did I. We'll figure that out later. Where is Rose?" I asked her.
"She is in her room down the hall with Dimitri." She said.
"What number?" I asked.
"Princess, I think you should wait-"
"Guardian Hathaway, I order you too tell me the number." I told her- outraged that she would not give it to me.
"Princess. You are out of-" She was cut off by someone man coming up behind her.
"Princess Dragomir. I am Abe Mazur, Rose's father." I was momentarily taken back.
"Rose has a father?" Christian asked bewildered.
"Everyone has a father, Lord Ozera. That's common knowledge." Abe said with a smirk. Christian mumbled something but otherwise stayed silent. Abe turned back to me. "She is in room 2173."
"Oh thank heaven for 7-11!" They all stared. "What? Haven't you guys seen that commercial?" The kept staring; even Christian.
"You scare me, Lissa." He said incredulous. I sighed and took off running toward room 2173.
Rose's POV
Me and Dimitri were both lying in each other's arms, fully clothed and awake when anger flashed through the bond. I leapt out of bed and started freaking out. "Crap! She's coming here and she's angry at me!" Dimitri got up and tried to calm me down. "I can't face her right now."
"Okay, Roza. Then let's leave." I nodded vigorously. He grabbed my hand and we split out the door.
I heard Christian's voice down the hallway. "Rose has a father?" Everyone has a father you idiot. We ran the opposite way, down the stair, and outside. Nobody was out and we made a b-line toward the gym. We got inside and relaxed. Hopefully, she wouldn't think of looking here.
We stayed silent for a moment and looked around at the place our love developed. I saw the red headed dummy and chuckled to myself. "Do you want to spar?" Dimitri asked me.
"Yah, sure why not?" I shrugged and got into a fighting stance on the mats. We circled each other and waited for an attack. He lunged at me and I dodged him. I tried to hit him and barely hit his shoulder. We circled a few more times. I went at him and got through. I hit him in the stomach, and he flew back and hit the wall. I gasped and ran over to him. "Holy crap, Dimitri! Are you okay?" I asked. He reached to the back of his head and I saw blood on his hands as he pulled them back. I turned his head so I could see, but there was no cut there. I looked at his hands and the blood was still there. I looked on the wall and there was a little there, too.
"I guess we have Strigoi healing." I said.
"Yah and Strigoi strength." He said getting up of the ground. I laughed.
"Sorry, Dimitri. I didn't know."
"It's fine, Roza. I still love you." We kissed.
But, we broke apart when the door crashed open and stormed in an angry Lissa. "How dare you run from me!" She said. I looked at her and could tell it was Spirit's Darkness eating away at her. I immediately took it from her and I could feel and see her get better.
But I got worse. "Rose, you skin is turning pale and your eyes are turning red. Calm down. Just calm down." Dimitri said.
"Lissa! Run and get my parents." I said with my last few sane breaths. I snapped and was about to take off for Lissa, but Dimitri slammed me in to the ground. I knew I was stronger than him. I could feel that I was stronger than any Strigoi at the time. I struggled against him but didn't win because in this state, I was unfocused and thrashing wildly. The few times I was able to flip him over so I was on top of him, he just flipped right back on me.
I could see the relief in Dimitri's eyes as my mother, Abe, Lissa, Oksana, Mark, and 2 of Abe's guardians came running in. Abe's guardians grabbed both of my arms as my mother and mark both got my legs and Dimitri kept a firm hold on my torso, since he was the strongest. Oksana slowly came forward and kneeled down next to my head. She put both of her hands on my head and healed me. I felt the Strigoi part of me slip away and the Dhampir part come back. I gasped and stopped struggling. As soon as Oksana told them they could release me, they all got off me and Dimitri helped me up.
Just then, Alberta walked into the gym. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Dimitri and I. "Rose? Dimitri?" She stared at us. "How… I thought you were dead Belikov. And Rose, you just left. We thought you were dead too."
I sighed and looked at Dimitri. He nodded. "Alberta?" I asked. "We have something we need to tell you. And some of the other guardians too." She nodded and told us she would be back. She did come back about 20 minutes later with about 10 more guardians. One of whom were Stan.
"Alright. Abe, you and Oksana need to leave just in case. Take your guardians with you and make sure no one enters the gym." He nodded and led Oksana and his two guardians out. We explained everything to Alberta and the others. They all stared at us like we were crazy at the end. "We'll show you. Dimitri, mom, and Mark? Get my ring back on me afterwards or I won't be able to be controlled. They nodded." I turned toward Alberta and the others. "If they can't restrain me, you have to help them. And if all fails, one of you guys have to stake me."
They all nodded and got into fighting stances. My mother, Dimitri and mark circled me and I slipped my ring off. It dropped to the floor and I looked at my hands. They turned white and I felt my sanity slip. I jumped at Mark, knowing he was the strongest. We fell to the floor and I felt hands on my back. They ripped me off of mark and into a standing position with Dimitri behind me. Dimitri pulled my hands behind my back like he was going to arrest me, and I saw my mom pick up my ring. I kicked at Dimitri's legs, but he managed to avoid me. She came closer with the ring. I thrashed around and Dimitri pushed me onto the floor, my face being smashed into the carpet. I felt the ring being slipped on my finger, I stopped thrashing, and they waited a moment more to make sure it worked. When they saw my skin return to its normal color, they let go of me and Dimitri helped me up for a second time today.
I turned towards the guardians. They all stood there with their mouths wide open. I looked at Stan. "Finally, no snappy retort from Stanny boy." I said.
They all shook their heads and snapped out of it. I laughed. "You all look like you've seen a ghost! And I should know, since I can actually see them!" No one moved. "Geeze, tough crowd. I know it was a bad joke but I was at least hoping for some fake laughs…"
