POV: Dimitri
My eyes jolted open as I realized somebody was pounding on my door. I was surprised that somebody woke me up, more because I thought I wouldn't be able to fall asleep because of the task that awaited me, then because I didn't expect anyone to be up at this hour. I tumbled out of bed and half ran towards the door swinging it open. In front of it I found Adrian, his fist lifted up in the air ready to hit the wood of the door again. He was covered in sweat, his hair sticking out in every direction possible, his eyes alarmed and his whole body tensed. He had a cut on his forehead just below his hairline that looked fresh. His usual fancy clothes were nowhere to be seen, instead he wore a tracksuit that I couldn't believe he even owned and that looked far too big on him.
"Are hell-hounds chasing after you Ivashkov?", I asked finally realizing a bright afternoon was surrounding us.
"Something like that", he breathed out looking down the hallway like the devil himself might show up, "We have to go, now."
"Go where? What are you talking about?"
"Tasha is dead", he announced giving me a panicked look.
"WHAT?", I exclaimed sobering up immediately.
"Keep your voice down", he hissed checking his surroundings again.
"Did you-?"
"No", he cut in, "Now will you please stop asking questions I don't have time, will or energy to answer and get your shit, because we need to move, NOW!"
I moved faster then I thought was possible, picking up my bags and joining Adrian who was nervously shifting from one leg to another as he waited.
"Where are your things?", I asked seeing he wasn't carrying anything with him.
"Locked up in my room. I dropped my keys while I was coming to get you. So forget my things. I'll buy new ones. We need to leave."
"Adrian. Look, I understand you don't have time to answer question, but can you at least give me a moment to think. Tasha is dead. We didn't kill her, so why are we running?
"You are joking right?", he exclaimed glaring at me, "We paid the guards to take a little walk today. She was killed. We were planning her murder for a while now, you really think we didn't leave any evidence behind? Everybody knows how much we hate her. We'll be the ones they'll point their fingers at without thinking."
"But we didn't do it", I mumbled to myself wondering about the ultimate question of who did.
"Yeah, good luck explaining that one", Adrian said turning to leave.
I reached out grabbing his hand and he winced, folding back around. I frowned looking up at him before I tugged his sleeve up only to see three red lines that marred his skin right underneath my grip. Nail scratches.
"When did you get these? Where were you?"
"When I was sneaking out of my parents place, where I was the entire night. The Court is crawling with guardians."
"So you ran into one of them?"
"No", he fumed, "I ran into the neighbor's cat jumping through their yard, now come the bloody on."
"Dimitri. DIMITRI?", Eva almost shouted shaking me out of shock.
"Yes, yes I'm here", I mumbled standing up in a daze.
"It gets worse. There is more", she blurted out worried.
"How can this possibly get any worse?"
"Among the evidence is a set of keys. Keys to his place. They were found shoved into the corner of the space in front of Tasha's cell. And more DNA."
"Stop", I whispered.
"His blood wasn't the only thing there. There were traces of his skin underneath her fingernails, hair follicles-."
"Stop."
"Clothes he was seen in that day disposed of in one of the guardian's storages completely cover in Tasha's blood."
"STOP", I cried out gripping her tightly.
"Dimitri what has he done?", she gasped tears forming in her eyes.
"It doesn't matter."
"What do you mean it doesn't matter? Of course it matters, he killed someone."
"We don't know that", I argued fighting against myself just as hard as I was fighting against her.
"What more proof do you need?"
"We don't know that", I repeated numbly.
"Oh my God, what are we going to do?", she sobbed, "I can't believe, I just can't-."
She leaned forward burying her face into my chest. Her shoulders shook and I could hear her muffled weeps. I hugged her, completely at a loss. This can't be happening. This can't be true.
"Eva listen", I whispered tried pulling her chin up. She shook her head, but I managed to do what I intended anyway: "Listen. I'm going to take care of this. I'll figure this out. Don't worry."
"How am I supposed to not worry? I just found out my best friend-."
"Evangeline let's not jump the gun on this. Maybe there is an explanation. You know Adrian, I know him, let's give him the benefit of the doubt."
"I-."
"Please", I begged cupping her face.
"I, okay, but what-?"
"Let me worry about it. You just keep an eye on Adrian. There is something I need to do."
"Dimitri for the love of everything don't do anything stupid", she whispered blinking her tears away.
"I won't", I lied through my teeth before adding something truthful, "I'll do something I should have done a long time ago."
I'll protect him.
POV: Adrian
I need to change my clothes. I glanced down to the edges of my shirt trying not to puke as I noticed the blood that the material has soaked up. I just need to go home, back to my apartment, change my clothes and get Dimitri. That's what I need to do. Go home. Shit.
I stopped in my tracks barely resisting the urge to smack myself in the face. Stupid, stupid. I peered over my shoulder in the direction I just ran from. I've forgotten all about the stupid keys. I stood there reluctantly for a few brief seconds. The sun was on the verge of coming up. The Court was already deadly quiet, most of its residents in bed, only a few lights shining behind the windows around me. There was a gentle breeze that tickled the skin of my neck, drying the drops of cold sweat there. I felt dizzy, disoriented, out of breath. I thought I might collapse. I thought about going back. I needed those bloody keys plus if anybody was to find them-. But I was running out of time. Somebody could come back and find-.
I felt my legs move before I even decided on the direction where they were supposed to go. I raced towards the guardian's storage room stopping only to check if there was anyone there before I slipped through the door. Inside I saw a guy. He sat at the front desk, his head ducked down as he stared at some paperwork. He lifted his gaze as I reached him looking bored as he asked: "Are you lost or something?"
"Hi", I politely said doing my best to hide behind the, luckily, high counter that stood between the two of us, "What's your name?"
"Err, Jack", he responded frowning.
"Jack. Listen, I'm going to need your help", I sang fixing him with my eyes.
His frown faded, replaced by a hypnotized expression. It was working. Thank heavens I stopped after only one drink. He stood up rounding the counter almost falling as his legs stumbled upon seeing my shirt.
"It's alright Jack. It's all okay", I whispered slowly, "It's just ketchup."
"Ketchup."
"Yeah, ketchup. Lots of ketchup", I confirmed nodding, "Now Jack I'm going to need you to unlock that door over there for me, the one that leads to the changing rooms and lockers."
"Okay", he mumbled moving like he was drugged.
As he pushed the door open for me I stared him down one last time slipping into the room and whispered: "So Jack, if anyone asks, you won't remember I stopped by. You just forgot to lock the room and somebody must have went in while you were in the bathroom. Okay?"
"Yeah."
"Good", I confirmed pushing the door closed with my leg and letting out the breath I was holding as I tried to concentrate.
I walked up to the bench that was set across from the lockers and slumped onto it. I began lowering my head down as I wanted to bury it in my hands, but then I noticed the blood that was still there. I jumped to my feet immediately, stripping all of my clothes off and rushing towards the showers. I rubbed at my skin frantically, until it was wiped clean and then I tried a few lockers before I found the one that wasn't locked up. I pulled out a tracksuit that was neatly folded on one of the shelves. It looked slightly big for me, but I've been in here more than five minutes already so I stripped it on fast and picked up my previous attire stuffing it into the locker and slamming the door shut.
Footstep. Voices. Somebody was coming. I twirled around scanning the room until I registered the window in the back. Bars. Damn it. The voices grew closer.
"Those idiots are supposed to be guarding Ozera's cell. You know where I saw them instead? Drinking down at the gates."
Ozera. My stomach turned.
"So what? She ain't going anywhere my friend. She is behind bars."
"Yeah, so was Viktor Dashkov, twice."
"Oh wait, damn, I forgot to sign us up for the next shift."
"Come on man are you serious?"
"Just hold up."
One pair of footsteps echoed fading away. But the other one didn't move, until I heard the voice say: "Yo, Jack, hey man what's up?"
He moved. This was my shot. I launched towards the door, jerking it open and racing across the hall towards the back exit.
"Hey, who the fuck are you?", Jack and the other guy yelled behind me.
I didn't stop to see if they'll follow. I ran, my heart thumping in my chest, praying to God I reach Belikov before anyone else does.
"Where did you say Dimitri went again?", I yelled from the kitchen.
"To get the car checked out. He thought there might be something wrong with it", Eva yelled back peering over the couch.
"Why don't we just get a new one?"
"Because stealing a car attracts attention."
"Right", I mumbled into my chin pouring milk over the bowl filled with cereals.
I registered Eva getting up and wondering to the bedroom at some point and as I headed for the table she reappeared holding something in her hand a shocked look on her face. Something that was producing a ringing sound. A phone.
"Adrian, your phone is ringing", she breathed out in panic.
"I can hear that. Who changed the ringing tone?"
"Nobody. It's not a message. It's a call."
"Dimitri?"
"No", she said dumbfounded as she finally handed me my phone.
I took a look at the screen and felt the blood in my veins freeze. I swiped the screen and lifted the phone to my ear with shaky hands.
"He-, hello?", I stammered out.
"Adrian. You need to run. You need to run now. They are coming for you. They are not far away", the voice on the other end said.
I knew who the voice belong to. I would be lying if I didn't say it didn't cross my mind that the person I was talking to was the one that's been helping us all along. I was still speechless. Eva waved in front of my face mouthing "who is it?" as the words came tumbling into my ear again: "Adrian, pull yourself together, I can literally hear you falling apart over there. The guardian's will be there in less than ten minutes. Somebody ratted you out. You need to move NOW."
"And go where?", I breathed out.
"Home."
POV: Dimitri
"Randall Ivashkov, I'm his brother", I said cringing at my own words.
"Alright Lord Ivashkov, I'll put you right through."
I waited for what seemed like forever, until I heard that same cold, dead voice my father has come from the other side of line: "Yes?"
"I'm guessing you know who I am?"
"Of course I know. My brother is probably fangs deep in some blood whore or too drunk to even remember his family", Nathan retorted, "The real question here is what do you want mister Belikov?"
"You told Adrian you could clear his name. What's your plan exactly?", I swiftly spoke not bothering to make any kind of introductions to the topic.
"You've got a lot of nerve, I'll give you that. However my plan is my own. I'm certainly not going to tell you and allow you to ruin it. My son will come around and when he does I'll be ready."
"I want to help", I stressed in a confident voice.
"Help. How could you possibly help?
"Well, I won't know that until you tell me what your plan is", I snapped not being able to restrain myself.
"Why would you of all people want to help?", he challenged ignoring my impoliteness.
"Because you are right. Every day they are getting closer to finding us and if at least one of us can make it out of this alive it should be him. I'll do anything to make it happen."
"Why?", he persisted.
"Adrian is family. I care for him and I want to save him."
"Family? That's an interesting choice of a word-."
"Look if you are going to waste my time, be done with it", I cut in my voice slightly raising, "Do you want my help or not?"
"Will you bring him home?", he huffed out.
"Yes."
"Will you take all the blame for the crime?"
"Yes."
"Will you say you framed him?"
"Why would I need to say that if I take the blame?", I questioned.
"Let me put it this way. If you reached the decision to call me now mister Belikov, me of all people, that means you probably know the same things I do. You know that Adrian killed that God forsaken woman in cold blood and that he left behind a pile of evidence. Now, I'm just as surprised as anyone else that he had the actual backbone to do something like it, but this is what it is and you need to come forth and say you are the one who counterfeited all of that evidence in order for Adrian to get that clean slate you claim you want to give him."
"Fine. How do I bring him home? We can't cross any borders now that everyone is looking for us."
"You can and you will. I'll have an airplane waiting for you in Moscow. You are still in Russia?"
"Yes", I breathed out. I wasn't surprised he knew where we were. Probably the entire world knew by now.
"So you'll get on that plane and you'll come back to America."
"What am I supposed to tell Adrian? He is not just going to board some plane with no explanation of where we got it and where we are heading."
"You'll figure it out Belikov, you are a resourceful man. Now get a pen and a paper and start writing-."
POV: Evangeline
"How the fuck am I supposed to get there?", Adrian fumed as he gripped the phone tightly in his hand.
I moved in closer despite Adrian's attempt to push me away so I could at least hear bits and pieces of the sounds coming from the other line. There was a pause and some ruffling before I could hear a muffled voice speaking to Adrian. It was a female voice.
I couldn't decipher anything she was saying until she yelled: "Now go!"
He moved the phone away from his ear as the call disconnected.
"What is it? Who were you talking to? What's going on?", I showered him with questions.
"Get dresses", he ordered rushing towards the bedroom.
I followed him there persistently asking again: "Who was on the phone? Was it your secret helper? Do you know her?"
Adrian pulled open the drawer of the nightstand and took out the gun that was stashed in there. He swung around at my words and gripped my arm hard enough to stop my circulation.
"Whether I know her or not is not important. What's important is that guardians are going to come crashing through the door any minute now and we need to be gone before that. So get fucking dresses."
I stared at him dumbstruck as he grabbed his coat pulling it on hastily and stashing the gun behind his back.
"You're still not moving", he spat out without even looking at me.
I backed away slightly before turning to grab the first pieces of clothing I could find. It turned out to be Dimitri's sweater, but I didn't bother to look for anything else. I grabbed my stake and our documents, running to catch up to Adrian who was already at the door.
"We need to call Dimitri. Tell him what's going on. Tell him about the phone ca-."
It happened in a flash. Adrian moved so fast I didn't even have time to think about what he was going to do. He pushed me into the wall one of his arms pressing my ribs and the other gripping my chin tightly.
"If you breathe a word to Dimitri about the phone call you and I are going to have a problem. Is that clear?"
I was too shocked to speak. Since the moment I heard about the evidence I've been telling myself that it must have been some kind of a mistake. Adrian could never do something like that. He doesn't have a single evil bone in him. He wouldn't hurt a fly. I was trying to explain to myself that it wasn't possible. But as he pinned me down with his body and his gaze I felt a chill run up my spine. The person in front of me wasn't Adrian, yet he was. He wasn't the man I knew, but in the same time he was like a perfect copy of that man.
I nodded still not being able to find my words. He stepped back let go of me. And then I heard an engine of a car outside. Dimitri was back. Only when Adrian moved to peer through the window and I got a glimpse over his shoulder too, did I realize that the car driving up to the cabin wasn't the one Dimitri left in. And there was another car behind it.
Adrian grabbed me by my elbow and pushed me towards the back of the house. He took out the gun, clicking the safety off and gripping it firmly in his hand. From that moment everything seemed like a series of short actions that I took without even thinking about them. Like a routine, automatically sliding by.
Go to the bedroom. Open the window. Jump out. Start running. Voices. Shuffling of feet. A door breaking down in the background. More voices. Run. Voices. Run. They are getting closer. Run. They are right behind us.
"Stop", somebody yelled.
Adrian pushed me. I'm on the ground. He lifts his hand up. Gun. Fire. Scream.
I'm a monster, I know! But I can't help it! I love cliffys! Though as you all might have noticed my updates are very frequent, so you'll get the rest of the story pretty soon!
I hope you guys liked this one, especially since it had a very Dimitri-ish Dimitri in it (or at least I would like to think it did)! Please do review if you want to, I'm always happy to hear your thoughts! Thanks for reading!
Kisses, T!