Horror. Horror and chaos. Everywhere. Several bodies littered the yard, of what species, I didn't know.
Clutching my stake firmly, I plunge it into the back of a nearby strigoi. The Guardian who was fighting him catches my eye for a fleeting second, giving me a slight nod. There is no time for thanks or appreciation. Not when death surrounds us.
I am already battered and bloody. I have been fighting for hours, maybe minutes, I cannot tell. Every strigoi, every face, I search for Rose.
There were twenty Guardians assigned to Vasilisa. Twenty. That's more than the Queen had. But it was obviously neccessary. Five Guardian's stayed inside, protecting Vasilisa. The rest, including me, were fighting for our lives, keeping the five guardians inside from even having to fight.
My body ached everywhere, my legs felt like they would give out on me. My arms throbbed painfully, but I continued to push forward, ignoring the agony of my muscles when I tried to push the stake into the chest of a strigoi.
Most of these strigoi were newly turned, or at least had been awakened in my lifetime. Ancient strigoi answered to no one, they were always in charge, although I'm sure these strigoi weren't under Rose's command, they were just after bloodshed.
Dawn was fast approaching, and I was tiring quickly. Sweat pours from my forehead and runs into my eyes as I shove my elbow into the neck of a nearby strigoi. This fight is much longer than the battle at the academy. The very thought of me, fighting at the perimeter of the school, fighting for Vasilisa, fighting for Rose, for us, brings newfound stamina to me, and I slam my fist into the jaw of a strigoi with extra ferocity.
With one last grunt, I bring my fist upwards, sliding the stake between the ribs of the young vampire. She collapses, and everything goes silent. I pant, staring at her body, the death that I caused. It takes me several seconds to realize that this is it, it's over. Rose wasn't here. Unless she's one of these bodies.
I squeeze my eyes shut. How strange, that I was prepared to kill her, but I was falling apart at the very idea of her...dead.
One of the Guardians, the 'head' Guardian assigned to Vasilisa's protection, broke through the stunned silence. "Check the perimeters. Yard and house."
Several guardians made their way to the outside edge of the yard, one tended to the injured, while two of us, me included, took the perimeter of the house. I checked every body, every one of their faces. None of them Rose.
Grief and confusion was starting to get to me. Was I supposed to be captured? Or did this have nothing to do with me. Perhaps this was an entirely seperate attack, maybe Rose's was still coming. I snap out of my thoughts when I hear the sound of my leather boots crunching on glass.
A window was broken. Oh God.
"In the house!" I cry, alerting the others. But all I can think of is Vasilisa. I slam my elbow against remaining shards of the window, breaking it even further, and crawl through it, not wasting any time in moving around the house. I fly up the stairs, and without breathing, kick open Vasilisa's door.
"Glad you could join us, Comrade."
The voice sends chills down my spine. All five of the Guardians are dead, blood running from their necks, their chests. I can hear the pounding of feet on the wooden stairs behind me, and then the silence when they come into view of the room.
Strigoi. Ten, maybe fifteen of them. And about seven Guardians left. Vasilisa is huddled in the corner, tears streaming down her face.
"Dimitri!" she screams, and it makes my heart ache. I've failed her.
"Shut up," Rose hisses, turning her head to the side. "You're next, Liss."
Strigoi are poised threateningly at her sides, but I see only her. Her hair is pulled up, the way she knows I like it. Her body is clad in a leather jacket, and she looks...dangerous. Like she could kill without effort, without thought. She is still beautiful, despite her chalky skin and dark makeup.
"I came back for you, just like I told you I would. And to turn Lissa, of course. So, are you going to fight me and die painfully, or just give in?" she asks, her lips curling up into a smile that chills me to my very core.
I flick my gaze back to Vasilisa. "You won't touch her," I growl. "This isn't you, Rose. You've killed innocent people! You're going to kill the people you love. How many people have to die?"
Rose smirks. "This is me, Dimitri. I'm just who I used to be, but better, stronger. I've told you that."
I lunge. Her eyes widen in surprise, but she quickly recovers. I slam her into the wall, but she grabs the lapels of my jacket and turns, so I'm pressed against the peeling wallpaper.
"Just admit it, Comrade. You still want me, you're tempted to give in, so we can be together," she says, her 'soft' voice still sharp with edges.
"No!" I hiss, but it's too late, she's already seen through me. She's knows she's right.
I push back against the wall, as far as I can go, and shove myself forwards. We both topple to the ground, and I try to manuever my stake with Rose struggling beneath me. My hand draws back when she strikes out, knocking the stake from my hand. I jump off of her and try to grab my stake, but it has already rolled out of my grasp. Rose grabs my shoulders, and jerks me back.
She rolls on top of me, her hands pressing into my chest and her legs on either side of my hips. "You can't win, Dimitri. You know you can't win." And she does the one thing that I cannot be prepared against. She leans in and presses her cold lips to my neck.
It takes all of my strength to remove myself, to not give in. I think of Rose, who she used to be. "No," I whisper, and sit up.
I jump to my feet, gripping Rose's thighs, which are still on either side of me. She roars in anger at being overcome and starts to fight me. She kicks out, and I drop her legs, but wrap my arms around her lower back, pinning her to my chest. My stake, I realize, I'm weaponless. I turn to look for my dropped stake.
I see the spark of silver across the room, and my eyes travel upwards. Vasilisa.
The stake is pressed under her foot, and she looks around at the chaos with fear in her eyes. "Princess," I gasp. She seems to just notice me, and picks up the stake, inching towards me.
Just then, Rose slams her forehead against mine. My vision swims, and she almost gets loose, but I tighten my grip on her waist, and snake my hand around the back of her neck, pulling her against my shoulder.
"Let GO!" she yells, her voice muffled by my skin, fighting against me. Vasilisa has stopped at the sight of Rose's anger.
"Princess," I beg. I need my stake. I can't hold Rose for long.
But Rose manages to pull away enough to jump up and sink her teeth into my neck. I cry out in pain, and soon feel the sudden rush of endorphins hit me. But Rose's teeth are sharp and she pulls and tugs her head, tearing apart my skin from the inside, pulling it off of my body. I cry out, biting back a scream of agony.
"Vasi..." I stop short, becoming more and more removed from reality as another wave of pain rips through me. I grip onto Rose even harder, trying to find comfort, trying to relieve the pain, and I can feel it infuriate her. The blood is draining from me, and I can feel myself growing weaker and weaker. I was dying.
"Va..." My words are shaky and broken, and I can no longer speak. But I can still her see. Vasilisa has tears streaming down her face, but she steps forward, baring her stake.
Princess, NO! I try to scream, but my voice catches in my throat. Through the darkening edges of my vison, I see her push forward, now within arms reach. I'm going to faint, I realize, as the pain pulses through me.
Vasilisa plunges the stake into Rose's back.
Rose lets out a muffled scream and twists in my arms, pulling at my skin even more. I cry out, the force is excruciating. I wanted it to stop. I wanted to die. "Please," I gasp, although no one can help me. I can still feel her teeth and lips on mine, drinking.
Vasilisa pushes the stake in deeper, fighting with muscle and bone. Rose screams again, and I can feel her arms tighten around me. We are now gripping each other, trying to fight the agony.
With one final shove, Vasilisa throws her entire weight behind the stake.
Light. Pure, white light blasts through the room, the very force of it blowing back Guardians, blowing back Vasilisa. But I wrap both my arms around Rose's waist, holding her, protective of her even after the excruitiating pain she has put me through. Slowly, very slowly, can feel Rose's fangs retract, and the stinging pain softens. In it's place, an overpowering feeling soothes me, something warm, electric, passes between us. I can feel the power pulse through my bloodstream.
It is like nothing I've ever felt before. I am drawn to Rose, attached to her very soul, pulling her tighter, holding her closer, as if I cannot breathe without her, I can't live without her nearby. I have to protect her. I need to protect her. Deep within my gut, I can feel...pain. Sadness, grief, and horror.
But, as soon as it has come, the light is gone, like a light switch turned off. The room falls silent, not a breath from anyone. The Guardians are staring at us in shock, Vasilisa is looking up from her place on the floor, stunned. Each second that passes, I slowly gain back my senses. Enough to realize that I am clinging to Rose desperately, my hands digging into her hips. Her teeth are no longer in my neck, and she's...shaking.
At first I think I'm mistaken, but I can feel heat creep into my arms, from...Rose. Her arms are wrapped me and her face buried into my neck. I cannot breathe, but I force myself to say,
"Roza?" My voice is shaking and cracking. I shift so I am cradling her in my arms, as if I could break her. Slowly, so slowly, she pulls her head away. OhGodohGodohGod.
Her face is a beautiful tan, her eyes warm as rich coffee. She's back.
And she's weeping.
Rose is back! (obviously) Please, please review, you guys, it lets me know that people are actually reading this, and it makes me more enthusiastic about updating!