~ Chapter Twenty Six ~

The air was quiet as I watched some of the Novices whack at hard padding or learning to climb tall posts. The air was cold, a mix of the approaching winter and the remaining air particles of summer. I sighed, rubbing my arms up and down to warm them.

"How's training going?" Mason asked. He was sitting by me, keeping me equally warm. His body heat helped the chill in the air, so I scooted closer to him. Hopefully, he would not get the wrong message.

I threw back my head and groaned in a dramatic show. "Everything hurts. My body, my muscles. Even my brain." I rubbed my temples to prove it.

"Aw, come on, Rose." Mason put his arm around me in a friendly gesture. He had a boyish grin on his face. "That Dimitri guy can't be so bad."

I tried to hide the anxiety I felt every time someone said Dimitri's name. My feelings were unorganized. I barely knew what I felt about Dimitri myself. I had to figure out everything. I couldn't make a show of my strange feelings for my Russian trainer.

"He's not," I say, pushing my fists into my eyes. "It's just. . . you have no idea how frustrating it is. He makes me run half the time. And for what reason, I have no idea. There is no staking or combat training. Just running!"

Mason's nose scrunched up, but his grin still stayed. "Running's good."

I nudged his ribcage with my elbow playfully. "Shut up, Mase. Don't be siding against me."

"I won't, Rose. I promise." Mason looked at me with giddy eyes. "Is he really that bad?"

I thought about it for a minute. Mason stared at me, waiting for an answer. I huffed and crossed my arms. "No. He's not that bad. He's actually. . . good. I mean, he is a nice guy and all."

"See? He's good and decent. You have nothing to worry about." Mason chuckled and leaned back. I couldn't help but smile and sit back with him to watch the others train.

"Hello, Rose," Dimitri repeats in that same perfect Russian accent. I grip the edge of the table so hard my knuckles turn an ugly shade of white, the blood draining out of my fingers. I manage a tight smile and nod in his direction.

"Guardian Belikov," I say, making no eye contact with him. How could this happen? After everything I have done, he just suddenly shows up out of the blue? Is life against me or something?

Dimitri almost gives me a curious look, but instead, he maintains emotionless and quiet. In the moments we stare at each other, Dimitri turns in Alberta's direction.

"Guardian Petrova," he says, slightly dipping his head. I glance over at Alberta through my peripheral vision. Her eyes are darting back and forth between Dimitri and me.

Nothing to see here. Moving on.

"It's so nice to have you back, Belikov," Alberta says, reaching out her hand. Dimitri firmly takes grasp and they shake hands. And all I get is a hello? "It's actually quite unexpected, though."

Dimitri nods and replies, "Tasha heard about the attacks. She's flying down here tomorrow afternoon to be with her nephew."

"And you came a day early. Why?" I ask with a little more venom in my voice than I had hoped. Alberta does not seem to notice, though.

Dimitri simply shrugs in reply and walks further into the room. "I heard the Court was especially low on guardian numbers."

True.

"Why are you here?" Dimitri asks. It feels like an interrogation, but the truth is, he just seems curious. Interested in what my life has become since he left.

I lean against the table and give a warm smile, or the best I can manage. "I am here on guardian duty."

Maybe, at one time since he left me for Tasha, he heard about a new dhampir becoming a guardian to a Conta family up in the Montana mountains. Then again, maybe he is over me. Finished. And he did not even bother to wonder what has become of me, my life, and my career.

Either way, Dimitri does look slightly shocked. Stunned. Astonished. Etcetera. Alberta notices, too, and she says, "You two have a lot to catch up on. Rose, is there anything you need?" I remember why I stayed. To ask Alberta a question.

"Oh, uh, yes," I say, glancing over at Dimtiri. He is staring at me intensely, probably still shocked from the aftermath of my revelation. "You said there was one survivor?"

Alberta seems a little too sad to discuss Gin's murder. But, as a guardian, she just nods and simply explains, "Yes. His granddaughter. Smart girl. It is a terrible thing, what happened."

Dimitri listens, but does not speak.

I nod. "Well. . . Have you tried talking to her? About the attack?" I ask, truly interested in Gin's granddaughter. I could not imagine what she feels like. To lose my family, if I even had one, or if I could count on Janine to actually be my mother, I would be devastated.

"Of course not," Alberta says, like I simply do not get it. "She's a mess. There's no way we could ask her to tell us all the details. She is too shaken up."

"Yes, but. . ." I sigh, wanting this to be slow and sure. I need Alberta to realize the importance of what I am about to ask her. "Maybe she needs someone closer to her age to talk to. Someone who understands death and loss. And. . . well, no offense, but if my entire family just got killed, I wouldn't want to talk to a bunch of Strigoi-killing adults."

I look at Dimitri from the corner of my eye, silently pleading for him to either stay quiet, or help me win this case. "It'd be a little awkward, but maybe I could talk to her?"

Alberta thinks about this for a moment. "Absolutely not."

My shoulders slump down. "What?"

Alberta shakes her head and says, "No one is talking to that girl until she is stable enough to stand on her own two feet. She's traumatized, Rose. She won't talk. And I'm not letting a novice do a guardian's job."

"I have done a guardian's job for the last month and a half!" I say, a little too loud for my liking. "How am I not ready?"

"You are not ready, Rose," Alberta says. "Trust me, I believe in you more than you know. But how would it look if I sent in a novice to investigate a crime scene and the one survivor?"

I open my mouth to say something, but Dimitri interrupts. "What if I go with her?"

Alberta raises a questionable eyebrow and I say in a most surprised voice, "What?"

Hell. No.

"Belikov, you don't have to do this. I think it's best if-" Alberta starts to say, but Dimitri cuts her off.

"I do not have to do this," he says, "but I want to. I'll be there when Rose investigates and it will look a lot less. . . amateur."

"Excuse me?" I shout, turning to face him with arms crossed and a pissed look on my face.

Dimtri raises his hand to hush me. "You can trust me, Alberta. You know that. I will make sure Rose does nothing stupid or says the wrong thing."

I roll my eyes and mutter under my breath, "Gee, thanks."

Alberta ponders over this for a few minutes. She glances at me, then Dimitri, then back again. Finally, she sighs and says, in a most serious tone of voice, "This better work."

I smile, despite the consequences. "Thank you, Alberta." She nods at me in reply.

"Figure out what you're going to say," she says. "You have one shot. If you mess this up and don't get the information we need, I'm not giving either of you a second chance."

I nod and grab my bag, pulling it over my shoulder. Dimitri watches me, and after I thank Alberta and start to leave, he follows me.

"I didn't know you were a guardian," he says quietly, his arms tucked behind his back in a professional way. I glance over at him, a scowl on my face.

"What does it matter to you?" I spit. "You left, and that immediately gave you no right to be a further influence in my life."

"Well, for one, you are my student," he explains with his hands. His hands are callused, more than the last time I saw him. What has he been doing?

"Were," I correct him. "I was your student. Not anymore."

"I suppose," he says. "Here, let me get that." He reaches for my the strap of my bag, but I pull away on instinct.

"Don't touch me, Belikov," I say, and start to walk a little faster, which means nothing, since he has a tall figure and long legs. His strong legs manage to keep up a stride beside me, his duster flapping behind him. He's close. So close. I can smell his scent, and it's perfect. I turn my head away, not wanting to smell such a familiar scent.

"I'm sorry, Rose," he says.

I laugh and say in a sarcastic tone, "For what? For calling me an amateur back there?" I nod back toward the meeting room. "Or for making sure I get that investigation by going with me? Was that just in spite of me?"

"I knew you wanted that duty, Rose." His tone is low and serious, his accent shining through at the moment. "I helped you get it. You should be thanking me."

"Well, I won't," I say defiantly. We walk on in silence, treading down the staircase and into the first floor's hallway. I glance over at him, my voice hardly a whisper when I speak up. "How is Tasha?"

"She is fine." Dimitri watches me for any sudden emotion or movement. I do nothing, and he turns back to face what is in front of him. "She's flying down tomorrow."

"I heard."

"Rose?"

"Yes?"

"I-" Before he can reply, we walk out of the door that leads to the front steps of the building. The night air is cool and sweeps across my face and through my hair, blowing it into a tangled mess. Dimitri's hand brushes against my back and I jump at the sudden movement, gulping back whatever feelings sparked at that moment.

"Are you cold?" Dimtri asks. We stare at each other, quietly and, if it's only me, there is a desirable connection between us. I use my hand to comb the top of my head, my hair falling back in place. I shake my head.

"No. I'm fine," I say, a shiver running up my spine when I realize his hand is resting on my arm, my arm crossed against my chest. I lick my chapped lips and look around. "I hate cold weather sometimes." Dimitri nods.

"Rose. . . "

Whatever moment there was, whatever connection or spark of recognition between us, disappears down the drain. I look around, only to spot Julius leaning against the stone railing. He gives me a lopsided smile and waves, but I know he is watching Dimitri, carefully, for any signs of danger or something.

"Hey, Julius." I smile and turn to look at Dimitri. "We'll talk about the investigation later, okay?" I doubt he hears me, though. Him and Julius seem to be having a stare-down. God, guys can be such guys sometimes. I roll my eyes and wave my hand.

"See you around, Dimitri," I say, taking the steps one at a time. As I reach the bottom, Dimitri calls out my name.

"Rose." I turn back to look at him. He opens his mouth to say something, but his eyes move in a certain direction. He then shakes his head. "Nevermind. We can discuss it later."

I narrow my eyes and watch him for a moment, for any signs of whatever just happened, and then turn. Julius walks over to meet me halfway, and his eyes stay steadily on Dimitri, who is standing at the top of the stairs, pretending (or at least I think he is pretending) to survey the courtyard we are in.

"Who's he?" He asks, nodding his head in Dimitri's direction. I glance over my shoulder and shrug.

"He was my trainer before I became a guardian for Vivian," I explain calmly. Whatever grudge he has, he can get over it. "It doesn't matter."

"What was he saying?" Julius asks. "Was he bothering you?"

I'm touched that Julius is so protective of my honor, but really, I can take care of myself. I shake my head. "No. We were just talking about guardian business. Nothing personal."

Julius nods, staring at Dimitri with a blank expression, before taking my hand and lacing his fingers through mine. We walk away, and I glance over my shoulder to see Dimitri's gaze fixated on our intertwined fingers.

"Rose!" Mia squeals as soon as I walk into the small Court café. I'm entangled in a hug in just a few quick seconds and I laugh, hugging Mia back. It is so weird. Mia used to be my and Lissa's biggest enemy. Now. . . we're friends. Good friends, at that.

"I'm so glad you're here!" Mia says happily, a grin on her face. It reminds me how I did not speak a word to her the other night. The night I found out Julius was a Sprit-user. I have yet to confirm Lissa's suspicions, and I know her patience is wearing thin. She wants to know, and I know that, and I wonder if Adrian knows yet. God, I hope not.

"It gets so boring around here sometimes," Mia says, leading me to a table in tbe back corner. Lissa is there, sitting, and we quickly hug. She watches me, and I shake my head. Not now. Talk later. I mouth to her, and she nods without the Mia seeing.

I sit down and look around the café. On the far wall is a glass case, revealing sugary cookies and strawberry tarts. There is also a carrot cake. The front of the café is filled with white circular tables dotting the floor, and there is a door leading to the kitchen. The room is mostly filled with dhampirs, but I spot a few Moroi blending in with the crowd.

That is when I notice a small room off to the side. It resembles one of those dressing rooms you see in department stores. A plastic blue curtain is pulled to the side, and on the other side is a white chair and a small table. I realize it is a feeder room, but the feeder is nowhere to be seen. I look down at my fumbling hands and turn on a bright smile.

"Hello, little dhampir." I immediately realize the voice it belongs to, and I turn to see Adrian, having returned from outside, the tip of a cigarette box peeking out of his breast pocket. I roll my eyes.

"Wow. And I thought we could an all-girls chat without you barging in," I say with another roll of my eyes.

"You thought," Adrian says, "but you were wrong." He takes his thumb and taps the tip of my nose, which I reply by elbowing him in the rib. He chuckles and slides into the chair between Lissa and Mia. Right across from me. "So what is the latest gossip?"

I give Lissa a look and say, "Dimitri's back."

Lissa sits up straighter and looks at me with a weird expression on her face. "Wait. Really?" I nod, for which she continues. "That's crazy. Isn't he Tasha's new guardian."

Don't remind me, my sub-conscious says, but all I say is, "She's flying down tomorrow." I suddenly wish I would not have said that. Maybe Tasha coming was supposed to be a surprise. I mean, Lissa will probably tell Christian and it won't be a surprise business.

"That's so cool," Lissa says, a big smile on her face. Mia nods and agrees, even though she does not know Christian's aunt all that well.

"Yeah." I order a drink from a nearby waitress, and while I wait, I play with the plastic straw, watching Mia, Lissa, and Adrian interact with each other. I wonder where Christian is, but, then again, him and Lissa are not bonded like we are. They are not stuck together twenty-four/seven, either.

I smile and nod every time they ask me a question, but all I can think about is how things have changed. Lissa and I have both changed since I left. It has not been the same since. We don't talk as much, or hang out as much. And I have no idea what is going on in Lissa's life.

And, strangely enough, I never get sucked into Lissa's body anymore.

Which is totally strange, right?

I remind myself of what has happened. I have been so busy with my own complicated life, I have barely had time to check up on Lissa, or anyone else in particular. The Contas' have been all I have had, and I don't get to see my friends nearly as much as I used to, not anymore.

And what about Dimitri? Or Mason? I have not thought about them since Julius. Ever since meeting him, I have not thought or talked about Dimitri. And Mason is almost forgotten. Even Henry does not remind me of my dead friend anymore. He is not a look-a-like anymore. He's just a little boy.

And even I realize, I have lost my other life, the life I lived at the academy, ever since I left.

Author's Note: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!