RPOV.
Victor Dashkov sat just metres away from me, smiling at me like it was some sort of family reunion, only his smile was cold and sinister. Any words that I could think of saying were caught in my throat as I stared at him in fear. He stood up and glided quickly across to where we stood. He caught my throat in one hand and with the other gently caressed my cheek. I could do nothing but stand there and allow him to study me, still with the cold smile fixed to his face.
"But you're dead," I whispered, finally managing to say something. Victor's smile grew and he stood back from me and Adrian, still watching us carefully.
"So. What do we have here then? Rose Hathaway and an Ivashkov, Adrian isn't it? I must say, I was surprised when someone informed me you had married him, you and Belikov always seemed so... close. But then, I suppose the draw of money and power appealed to you as much as the next person, Rose." At least that was something, Victor had no idea that Adrian and I were divorced or that Dimitri had been turned.
"And children too, yes? Three on the last count, I hear. Or three and half now," Victor continued, indicated my stomach where a small bump sat. The thing that was scaring me was how much Victor knew about my life, he had been in prison for the most part and I had no idea how he'd escaped and become a Strigoi, or where he'd collected these human minions. The fact that he knew about my kids terrified me the most; what if his minions managed to get them too, they'd gotten into court easily enough.
"What do you want with us?" Adrian said next to me. He sounded completely petrified. Victor's gaze shifted from me over to him briefly but then returned to me.
"Revenge," he smiled.
A chill sent down my spine, but I wouldn't let my fear show. I would not show Victor Dashkov any sign of weakness. "Take Lord Ivashkov away," Victor instructed the humans. "And make sure he's locked up tightly," he added menacingly. "Me and Rosemarie need some alone time."
The humans grabbed Adrian and roughly pushed him back out the door. I tried to manoeuvre myself so that I could get them off of Adrian but Victor instantly grabbed my hands and pulled me away. He pulled me close to him and grabbed my hair, yanking it back. I screamed out in pain, much to Victor's amusement.
"Pain, it's a funny thing, isn't it, Rose?" He whispered into my ear as he pulled back up.
"No, not really," I said bravely, trying to show him that I wasn't scared.
"Ah, you haven't changed a bit," he laughed coldly. He whirled me around quickly and pushed my air out of the way to reveal the molnija marks on the back of my neck. "Impressive," he observed. "I always knew that you'd make an excellent Guardian."
He turned back around so that I faced him again and plunged his teeth into my neck causing excruciating pain to shoot through me. I jumped away before he could put any endorphins into my system: I wanted to stay alert. He simply watched me and laughed, "Come on Rose, I know how you like it. Being a blood whore is like a second nature to your family," he sneered.
"How dare you!" I spat back, calling me a blood whore was one thing but Strigoi or not, nobody insulted my family. I struck out at Victor and managed to land a blow on his jaw but he didn't even flinch. Instead, he grabbed my wrists and slammed me to the floor, pinning me down.
"What's the matter, Rose? Didn't you know about you daughters dark past? How did you miss it?" He taunted, I had no idea what he was on about. "Violet Belikov. Mmm, she's more like you than you think," he laughed.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" I yelled at him. His grin grew, revealing his sharp fangs.
"You really didn't know? Oh, Rose," he sighed. "I guess there won't be any parent of the year awards for you," he mused. He was just trying to work me up, and it was working. I had to calm down. When I didn't say anything else he continued.
"Yes, my researchersdug up some interesting stuff about your daughter. Ever heard of Oscar Lazar? No? Well he was Violet's boyfriend for nearly a year. He also liked to feed from her. So much, in fact, that she spent most of that year completely out of it and failed almost everything."
"You're lying! You know nothing about my daughter! She would never do that," I screamed at him, completely unable to control my rage. I knew that I was just making this all easier for him, but I had to protect my little girl.
"If that's what you want to believe," he finished.
"I do," I snapped. He still had my arms pinned to floor and was looking down at me happily.
"I've waited a long time for this, Rose. I spent most of my time in prison coming up with plans to escape and to find you, since you're the main reason that I was in there..."
"You were in there because you're an evil, psychopathic son of a bitch!" I interrupted
He continued like I hadn't said anything, "but I was in so much pain, pain like you wouldn't believe, Rose. The disease had come back and I was dying, but I was dying for a long time. After fifteen years I still hadn't died. So, I used compulsion one day to make it look like I was dead, it worked. They dragged me out and left one guy to bury me outside. With all the strength I could muster I drained him and became a Strigoi. Then I escaped and gathered myself some little soldiers that I ordered to follow you around so that I knew when I could take you and have my revenge." He leaned in closer so that his mouth was by my ear. "I will torture you just as I was tortured, Rose. I gather each of your family members and one by one you will watch them die. I will wait for your baby to be born and then I will kill it before you even have the chance to hold it. I will be here to torture you for the rest of your life. You will be driven made with pain just as I was. And I won't kill you. You will live in your pain for eternity," he threatened me, his voice so low and cold that I shivered with fear.
Tears dropped down my cheeks because I knew there was no way out of this. Victor had gotten into court, what was stopping him from doing it again, or getting into St. Vladimir's?
"No," I whispered, tears still rolling down my cheeks. "Just take me. I did it to you. Not them. Please, just leave them alone," I pleaded with him. He smiled.
"Ah, Rose Hathaway begging me for mercy. The icing on the cake."
AN: Please, please, please, please review! See, I'm not above begging, and apparently neither is Rose when her family is concerned.
Come on, review with ideas and theories and whatever really. PLEASE!
Okay, I'm done now.
