Disclaimer: See previous chapter.
Okay well here is chapter twenty one. Hehehehe...
21
So I was having a very peaceful dream with one of the girls I met last night. Then as the saying goes all hell broke loose.
An explosion broke me from my dream. I sat up in bed to see a dangerous coiling cloud of black smoke.
The first thing I thought was that I forgot to turn something off and the place was burning down around me.
Then I remembered that I don't even know how to turn on anything that could burn the house down.
And that's when a fist connected with the side of my face. The power behind the punch knocked me out of my bed. And whoever was attacking me went after me. I couldn't see because the smoke was still hanging around like an ominous cloud.
I struggled to my feet and tried to see. All I saw before a kick was aimed at my gut was a flash of violet.
"Rose!" I sputtered getting up from where I hit the wall.
"How could you?" she said from somewhere in front of me.
Another fist hit me in the jaw.
"Can you tell me what I did before I can't say it wasn't me?" I asked spitting blood on the floor.
She didn't answer but she did aim another punch that I barely dodged.
"You talked to Dimitri," she growled.
Shit.
"You told Dimitri that I was depressed? Where in the hell did you get that from? I'm not depressed I'm absolutely furious at this stupid life. At all the unfairness I've had to encounter since I got back. All I told you was that it was easier in the Shadow World than here because I don't have to worry about protecting anyone or getting killed!"
I tried to edge away from her but she grabbed my arm and twisted it behind me and slammed me in to the wall.
"What have I done to you that makes you want to ruin my life. The only happiness I've truly had since I came back was Dimitri. I've been trying to protect him from what I've been feeling because it's nothing. I don't want him to worry about me because worrying is unnecessary and dangerous!"
"I'm sorry Rose," I said as best I could. My face was squished against the wall. Her grip was causing spasms of pain to go through my arm. She could easily snap my arm in half if she wanted too.
"Sorry means nothing to me Adrian," she whispered in her deadly tone.
"Well I'm sorry that I'm worried about you and that you seem to only be happy because of one thing. That's not healthy you need to branch out. Find more than one thing that ties you here."
"I have more than one thing thank you," she said letting up on her grip. She pushed me away and I slammed in to the dresser. This time I heard a crack but I ignored the pain that was in my left arm.
"Yes I know that but you sure don't treat Lissa like this," I grumbled sitting up.
The black smoke was completely gone and I could see Rose clearly. She was standing in front of me and looked like an Angel of Darkness. She was wearing another crazy outfit that made her look hotter than should be allowed.
It was almost all black. Black tight pants with a black corset top lined with violet and a long black jacket that looked vaguely like Dimitri's jacket but had a more feminine look. If it was anyone other girl I would….
"Adrian," she said in a broken whisper, "I've always been honest about my feelings and they aren't going to change."
"I know but I still think that you don't break Lissa's arm when you get angry."
She glared at me, "I actually like Lissa though," she snapped. And then she disappeared.
I glared at the spot she disappeared at. I looked around my room. Rose sure did know how to destroy a place.
I got painfully to my feet and went to my mirror. I looked like hell. Blood poured down from my nose and I had a cut across one of my cheeks. I could already see the bruises swelling up around my eyes and cheeks. I didn't want to even look at my arm because I was sure it was broken, something was broken.
I winced as I took a step towards my bathroom. Rose's kicks were worse than her punches. I stumbled towards the bathroom and with my good arm got a wash cloth to wipe the blood of my face.
As soon as it looked like I hadn't walked out of a recent horror movie I went to my dresser. I tried to get my shirt off but it wasn't happening with my arm. I gave up and went to my closet and got a jacket. I draped it awkwardly over my shoulders to hide the bloody mess on my shirt.
Lissa's place wasn't that far from mine. I had arranged it so I didn't have to walk half way across the Court to find her every day.
Her duplex was in sight and I hurried towards it. My arm seared with pain and I wanted it taken care of by her rather than have to wait for it to heal on its own.
But before I got to knock on the door a dark figure appeared out of no where.
I took a step back and took in the figure of Dimitri. The sun was already down but I could still make out his strained expression.
"Were you attacked?" he asked flatly.
"Yeah by an insane woman spouting stuff I told you in confidence."
I saw Dimitri's expression waver, "You saw Rose?"
"That's putting it mildly," I said showing him my limp arm.
Dimitri glanced at my arm and then up to the house, "Lissa's there but she's upset."
"That doesn't surprise me, Rose didn't look to happy when I spoke with her."
I didn't wait for him to answer I just pushed past him and knocked on the door.
Eddie answered and his widened startled expression made me wince. I really looked like hell.
I pushed past him and went in to the living room. Christian was just coming from Lissa's room. He had a ruffled look that made him look like he had just been in a fight.
One look at me and the first words he said were, "You look like hell so I guess Rose paid you a visit."
I nodded, "She seemed a tad bit upset," I said holding up my arm.
Christian looked at it, "Broken?"
"I think so it sure hurts like hell."
Christian shook his head, "I'm glad I'm not you. All she did was shove me through a coffee table."
That was the first time I noticed the shards of wood that had once been a table in the middle of the room.
"I'll go get Lissa," he said turning back towards Lissa's room.
I sighed and went to the couch.
I heard murmurs from somewhere and then finally Lissa in her pajamas came out clutching to Christian's arm.
"I'm so sorry Adrian!" she said flinging herself towards me. I winced.
"Oh God I'm sorry!" she said putting her hands to my cheeks. Her aura shifted from gloomy pale yellow to brilliant gold. I could feel the healing powers she was using on me. The pain in my arm quickly lessened to nothing and I felt my nose which I should have realized was broken form back together.
With a gasp she fell back in to the couch, "She was really mad wasn't she?" she whispered.
"Yes but not at you," I said leaning back too. Oddly I was much more tired than I had been.
"No it's my fault. After she disappeared I was furious with her for leaving. I think she took it and that made it worse."
I tried to remember seeing Rose's aura. There was nothing of the dark shadows it usually had when she took Lissa's anger.
"No Lissa I think this was all Rose. She had a right to be angry with me though. I betrayed her trust."
Lissa smiled grimly, "She'll forgive you. She has too."
"And if she doesn't she sure got her revenge."
Christian laughed under his breath and muttered something about how he wasn't pissing Rose off anymore.
Adrian's appearance should have shocked me but it didn't. I knew Roza and her attitude. I should have gone straight to him to protect him. He was a Moroi and deserved my protection, especially when it was going to be my fault he needed protection.
I turned the corner and stalked back to where I had begun. Roza had gone to Adrian but had left me. She was telling him things but not me.
"Did you ever think that the only reason I was telling him anything was because he invaded my dreams when I was thinking. You know when he gets in to dreams he sees and hears everything, including thoughts."
I turned on my heel to see Roza leaning against the wall. She was back in one of her outrageous outfits that made her look beautiful and lethal at the same time.
I hadn't realized I had been muttering under my breath.
She didn't look at me she just looked at her nails.
"You could have told me," I said sternly.
"There wasn't anything to tell Dimitri," she said coolly.
"You thinking the land of the dead is better than the land of the living is pretty big Rose."
She flinched and then glared at me, "I'll tell you what I told Adrian. The only thing I ever said about that was that it was easier there. That being in the Shadow World is easier because I don't have to worry about protecting anything or about getting killed. That's all I said. But this world has so much more for me to want to stay."
I looked up at her, "Doesn't sound like it. It sounds like the Shadow World is the perfect place what could possibly make you come back here when you don't have to worry about anything there?"
She looked at me with and incredulous expression then spoke, "You."
I had to look away from her. Her expression was too much to look at.
She moved over to me, "You are the reason I come back. How many times do I have to tell you this before it sinks in?"
She was right in front of me I could reach out and touch her if I wanted to.
She placed on of her hands on my chest. "You still think its wrong don't you?" she whispered.
I looked up at her. I hadn't told her what I felt about our relationship. That I was beyond happy that she actually wanted me but the feeling of going against everything I was ever taught was still there. Roza was still young. I've always felt to old for her. She should be someone she could go out with in public and not get stared down, like Adrian. Sure people wouldn't think the relationship wouldn't last because dhampir Moroi relationships never did. But they didn't know that Adrian actually cared enough about Roza to risk his life for hers. And he could give her something I would never be able to, a family.
She sighed, "Forget everything Dimitri. You aren't pushing me away. I know that that's what you've been trying to do. That you think I'm better off with someone else. Well I'm just going to tell you up front that that's a load of shit. Do you think after all that I've been through to finally be with you that you pretending you didn't want me was going to stop me? You tried that once and if I recall it didn't work out well for you. I seem to recall a cabin in the woods? Ringing any bells?"
Her expression was between anger and curiosity. She was angry with me for toying with her and curious at what I was going to say. She thought she had me trapped.
"You would be better off without me. You wouldn't have to risk your career with me. With someone like Adrian you could have a family."
Her expression turned icy, "So let me get this straight. You want me to be with Adrian? To have kids with Adrian? While you what? Go run off with Tasha and become a Dad too? Is that what you want? Do you want to be with Tasha or something so you can have kids?"
She twisted my words so incredibly that I was shaking my head, "No that's not what I'm saying at all."
"Well it sounds like it to me. If you wanted kids all you had to do is say so."
She looked away from me and up towards the lit window above us.
"I have no idea how we got to talking about this but this is not what I want," I told her stepping closer to her.
She brought her gaze back to me, "You're the one who brought it up."
I shook my head, "Roza I don't want to fight with you."
"But you don't want me," she said coldly. It was a harsh statement that broke through my control.
"I don't deserve you," I told her trying to catch her eyes.
She laughed.
"You don't deserve me?" she asked between her hysteria.
"No I don't," I said looking at her crossly.
She glanced back at me and burst in to laughter again, "You are an idiot," she managed to choke out.
"Roza," I said getting slightly irritated.
"You are a big dumb Russian idiot that is what you are. You don't deserve me? Try I don't deserve you. What could you possibly see in me? I'm barely an adult and you are just plain perfect. You don't have to fight for your control like I do. You've had years of experience in everything and I've had like what a month? If anyone doesn't deserve anyone it's me. There is no way on Earth that I should deserve you. But I want you and that is just a fact."
She was back in front of me again. Everything about her drove me crazy from her smile to her scent. She was sweet but lethal, beautiful but dangerous.
To hell with it.
I pulled her to me and kissed her. I felt her hands snake in my hair and I pulled her tighter. She was going to be my undoing. She was what my life revolved around now and there was no changing that fact. Even when I should have been worrying about Lissa and Adrian I was thinking of her.
I was too selfish. I wasn't ever going to be able to give her up, even if it was for the better.
I didn't want them just saying sorry and getting back together. Notice how neither of them said sorry? I wanted them to get their feelings off their chests and just wait till later...those feelings are going to come back to haunt someone...
Thanks for reading! Review!