So! Chapter 26, here we go! Thanks to Twilighternproud, roseskyangel, loventherussian17, klaus-is-epic, , sherryangel, Dimitris-number-1, reenabernadette, Lil-Miss-Disaster, Do'B for all the lovely reviews! Sorry for the long wait! I've been busy and had a writer's block so forgive me! I will update more often now!

Disclaimer: I don't own VA or any of the characters!

Chapter 26

"Hey now, stay awake," I felt Dimitri rock me a bit. I forced my eyes open. "I know you're tired, but if you pass out, I'll worry," I smiled weakly as I coughed a bit. "Shh…" Dr. Olendski came in.

"Guardian Petrov, if you may, I need to talk to Dimitri and Rose privately," Alberta nodded and left. My eyes closed again and Dimitri shook me. "No, let her sleep. She needs it more than ever,"

"Excuse me?" Dimitri asked.

"Ah, it's not too bad. Her powers just kind of short-circuited her. Rose, I'm afraid you should stop fighting for a while,"

"NO!" I sat up quickly. My head throbbed and I quickly laid down on Dimitri's lap, cringing a bit.

"I heard from Vladmir that you have something that helps," I glared at Dimitri, trying to warn him not to say anything. 'But since when did I have any power over him?'

"That is true. Here," And out was the collar from his pocket. I turned away but Dimitri brought me to his arms.

"No more rebelling, Rose," He strictly commanded me. I twisted and turned, trying to get the collar from getting on me. "I said no more rebelling. Am I clear?" I nodded as he put it on. The rosary glowed and my powers seemed to balance out now. Vladmir came in, staring at me intensely.

"Rose, how are you feeling?" When I touched the rosary, it shocked my hand.

"You can't take it off. Only Dimitri and I have the power to do so. This'll keep you in control and out of harm's way," Vladmir told me. "So! If you try to take it off, Dimitri and I will know, so be a good girl," I snarled and snapped at him. Ha! That was a bad idea.

"SLAP!" I looked at Vladmir, shocked as hell. Fire burned in his eyes and I instantly knew he was enraged as is.

"Do not snap at me like that," He looked at Dimitri, bowed a little and left.

"Rose, are you okay?" I yanked on the rosary, but was shocked in return. "Rose, stop!" I stopped.

"Am I just like some pet to you?" I asked Dimitri.

"Of course not. We just need you to stay safe and recover in the meantime," He tried to calm me, but to no avail.

"I can fight! You know I can!" I got out of the bed now.

"Roza…I know you can. But I don't want you hurt. Can you try to understand that much at least?" He used my Russian nickname again.

"No! I don't want to understand that! I'm eighteen already! I'm not some child to be babied!" My eyes turned into slits as things around me grew sharper. I snarled and my feral transformation kicked in. I saw him focus on the rosary as it started to drain my powers, but I kept supplying it nonetheless. If I could beat Dimitri, that would show that I was able to rebel back. Sure, I love Dimitri with all my heart, but I hate it more when he underestimates me. I didn't transform into a wolf, but my entire body was surrounded with darkness as my wings spread out.

"Rose…please, stop this already!" He tried to calm me again. I put my hands on the rosary and tried pulling at it. It didn't budge.

"Damn it!" A shock forced my hand back and I glared at Dimitri.

"Rose…don't fight it anymore. I'll take care of you. I promise," My transformation reverted itself slowly. I looked at my ring.

"You said you would marry me when I'm eighteen, right?" I asked him darkly.

"Yes. Why?" I took the ring off and threw it back at him. He caught it in his hand.

"Wha-"

"Apparently I'm not eighteen to you. You don't have a reason to marry me," I ran off.

"ROZA!" I ran, fast. Faster than I ever have. It wasn't so much that I had the collar that pissed me off. It was the fact that Dimitri didn't seem to have any confidence and trust in me at all. When I ran outside, I just screamed.

"MOM! I need you back! Please!" It had already started pouring. I looked up into the sky as my tears mixed with the rain.

"Roza! Please, come back inside!" I saw Dimitri at the school entrance. I shook my head.

"Sweetheart?" I turned to another voice, one that used the sweet compulsion on me.

"Papa…" I took off in a mad dash to find my dad.

"Rosemarie, over here," When I saw my dad come out of a black Cadillac, I ran to him.

"What are you doing out here?" He wrapped his arms around me as I cried.

"I want mom back! I want everything to be back to the way things were!" He stood in the rain with me and held me.

"I know, baby. I know…"

"Roza!" Dimitri finally ran out.

"Dimka, something wrong?" My dad asked. I turned to Dimitri and pushed him back.

"Roza…please…I'm sorry,"

"What happened? What did you do to her?" My dad flew into a rage and slammed Dimitri against the car.

"Nothing. She's just overreacting. I put a rosary on her by Vladmir's command to help keep control on her powers. She just thought I was babying her and became infuriated," I pushed him back again.

"Stay away from me!" I yelled at him.

"Kiz, look at me. Turn to me," I turned to my dad who reached behind my neck. He, with no effort, took off the rosary. I looked at him. 'Why is he helping me?'

"Abe! She's supposed to have that on!" Dimitri retorted.

"She will. In due time, she will have it on. I'll make sure of it. This just isn't the time though. One thing that I've learned about Rose is that she needs to be herself. Restraining her, tying her down, ordering her, that's not something she appreciates. She may be eighteen, but to me, she's still a little girl. My little girl, at that. She'll run into problems, but she has to figure them out on her own. She'll come to realize that the rosary is needed. But you need her to find her own way to that solution. If not, she'll always think you're underestimating her. That's why she's so much like Janine," My dad stroked my cheek. "Is that better?" He handed me the rosary before petting me a bit and heading inside. "Now if you excuse me, I'd rather stay out of this lover's quarrel," He took his bags and headed inside.

"Rose?" When Dimitri approached me, I flinched.

"Shit…" I heard him curse under his breath. "Rose…I'm not going to hurt you. Calm down," Every step he took closer, every step I stepped away. When the roar of thunder crashed down, I flinched. "Damn it!"

'Rose, I'm not going to hurt you. Come over here already.'

I gave him a wary look. Instead of going to him, I turned back and headed back into the school, but not to him. Sure, I know I was probably being a bitch to him, but the one thing that I hate the most is being underestimated and surely he was doing just that. When I ran back to our room, I looked behind me. There was no one. When I looked out the window, there he was, gazing at me. I opened the window and started singing.

Night time sharpens, heightens each sensation

Darkness stirs and wakes imagination

Silently the senses abandon their defenses

Dimitri studied me carefully.

Slowly, gently night unfurls its splendor

Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender

Turn your face away from the garish light of day

Turn your thoughts away from cold unfeeling light

And listen to the music of the night

Dimitri walked to my window and climbed up a tree to the balcony. There, he started singing too.

Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams

Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before

Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar

And you live as you've never lived before.

We started to sing together now.

Softly, deftly, music shall caress you

Hear it, feel it secretly possess you

Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind

In this darkness that you know you cannot fight

The darkness of the music of the night

I sung this portion by myself, leaving the rest to him.

Let your mind start a journey to a strange new world

Leave all thought of the life you knew before

Let your soul take you where you long to be

Only then can you belong to me

He touched my cheek, stained by tears and sung to me.

Floating, falling, sweet intoxication

Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation

Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in

To the power of the music that I write

The power to the music of the night

You alone can make my song take flight

Help me make the music of the night

I pulled him up into the room. As he came into the room, he closed the window.

"Rose?" I slowly walked to him. He came at me and kissed me with utmost gentleness. I looked at him carefully, but turned away eventually. "Rose! What can I do to make it up to you?" He asked quickly. I pointed him to a card that I had written before I left the room.

"The ball is tonight. Your chance is there," I left the room and closed the door behind me. My aura enraptured me and my appearance had transformed. My hair unraveled as it turned to a silk black color and a dark black and purple dress appeared on me. Before I headed to the ball for the royals, I sang to myself once more. Dimitri's task was given. It was only up to him to see if it could be fulfilled.

Floating, falling, sweet intoxication

Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation

Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in

To the power of the music that I write

The power to the music of the night

You alone can make my song take flight

Help me make the music of the night

Before I walked into the ballroom where everyone else was, my wings expanded as I barged in. Everyone gasped. "It's the angel of darkness!" Everyone stood aside as I came in. "Guardians!" All the guardians surrounded me since they had no recognition of this figure. The guardians pulled out their stakes. When I waved my hand in front of them, they were struck at with a wild force of darkness.

"Roza!" Dimitri ran in right on time.

"That's Rose? Can't be. She's…" I heard the murmurs and laughed.

"This is reality, Dimitri! This is who I am! Show me your compassion, your lust for this! Show me you can fix this," I yelled out in the crowd.

Floating, falling, sweet intoxication

Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation

Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in

To the power of the music that I write

The power to the music of the night

He approached me with caution and people gasped as he walked closer to me.

"The task was to save you," He whispered in my ear. "Love, I will fight to the bitter end if I have to in order to have you in my arms," He brushed my hair back before kissing me. "Roza, I will love you, always. There's no more need to be afraid. I'll be here with you," I relaxed in his hold as we swayed a bit. "Relax…" He whispered into my ear. Vladmir suddenly barged in. When he saw me he pulled me away from Dimitri.

"You destroyed one man. I won't let you destroy another. Give Rose back to me," He snarled. I looked at Dimitri. "Look at me. You are not Rose. Let Rose go," I smirked and transformed back. "Rose, listen to me. You must not ever do that again. The angel of darkness is a dangerous person to play with and use. Do not let her out again like that unless you are in grave peril. Understand?" Vladmir took my hand and gave me back to Dimitri before storming out.

"Hey, are you okay?" Dimitri looked at me as I glared at Vladmir. I ran to him and pushed him hard. He quickly turned back to me.

"Why do you order me around so much?" I finally yelled at him.

"That's not for you to know," He continued to walk away. I cut him off.

"Is it so fun for you to see me being treated as like a lab rat for you? I don't know how to control my powers so I try to see what I can do. But the minute I do, you stop me. Just why are you caring so much. You were supposed to teach me how to use these powers, but the minute I do something stupid you stop," He looked into my eyes before hugging me.

"Shh…listen to me. I mean no harm to you though you may think it. Just believe in me. The angel of darkness is not for now. I will let you know when the time is right," He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear before leaving.

"Rose!" Dimitri ran over to me as I saw Vladmir walk off.

"Forget it then!" I yelled to Vladmir as he kept walking. Suddenly he paused and walked back.

"Dimitri, go back to chaperone the ball. I need to talk to her," Vladmir held my hand tight and I looked at him worriedly. Dimitri looked at me to make sure if I was alright too.

"Sure…just return her to me when you guys are finished," I headed off with Vladmir. At first it was silent, but when we entered the gym, he started to talk.

"Why are you acting like such a brat?" He finally yelled. He took the metal chair in the gym and threw it violently to the other end, startling me. "What the hell is getting to you?" He looked at me. As he took giant strides to me, he covered my eyes with his hand. "I want to see what you're seeing. There has to be something making you do this," I felt his presence in my mind and I knew what he was trying to find so I threw everything I could in his way, all my happy memories. But he was getting close, really close. "Let me in, Rose," He commanded me. I shook my head. Finally I pushed him back, and sank to my knees as I collapsed.

"I can't!" I yelled back.

"Why? Why not?" He yelled back just as harshly.

"Because I don't trust you!" I finally admitted. He was silenced now. I looked at him while tears stung my eyes.

"Then tell me what you see then. You know my secret, don't you. You entered my mind a long time ago by accident," I nodded.

"Say it," He told me.

"You're a Strigoi," I told him.

"Exactly. I was sent as a Strigoi, but only for immortality reasons until you can take care of things on your own. But that's not what's bugging you. So tell me what it is. Is it Lady Ozera?" He asked. "Are you afraid that she's going to take Dimitri away from you? What is it? I can't help you if you can't tell me!" He scolded me as I looked away.

"Yell back, scream, do whatever you need to, but I will not let you leave this gym until you tell me what is wrong," He sat in the chair he threw. Now I had no idea what he was talking about. I went through everything I remembered to find something. I just about gave up. There was nothing. Finally a screech came to my head and I bent over screaming. "Rose!" He ran to me. "What's going on? Tell me!" Finally I opened my eyes.

"A dragon…a black dragon burning everything. It's a memory, a vision I got in the past. When I was little," I told him.

"Good. Keep going,"

"The dragon is covered by hatred, anger, and sadness," I explained quickly.

"Why is covered by those?" He asked, trying to delve deeper into my mind.

"Its' lover…turned into a Strigoi, turned evil, against it to protect it," I kept going.

"Who's the lover?" He pursued.

"The lover…a guy…tall…brown hair…" I stopped. "Dimitri…" Now everything came together.

"I'm the dragon that will destroy everything…" Vladmir held me quickly.

"That's bothering you? Rose, Dimitri loves you very much. I don't think he would leave just like that, even if it was to protect you. He would rather die trying then turn into a Strigoi," He explained. Suddenly the school alarm went off. "Attention all guardians and students, please return to your dorms as there have been sightings of Strigoi near campus!" It warned us. I looked at Vladmir and ran. "Rose, don't let it happen! If Dimitri knows you're with me, then he will do all he can to protect others. You cannot fight!" He ordered.

"Maybe he'll turn Strigoi, maybe he won't. But Vladmir, I love him, just as you love Anna. I have to go," I ran to find Dimitri.

So! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Haha! New twist to things! Sorry for being so, so, so, late! I've been busy as hell and then had a writer's block. But no worries, now onwards!

Please review! Thanks! Keep it up! Sorry for the long wait again!