Chapter 37:

DPOV

That night was a little easier. She was still clinging to me, but at least we both slept. When the light came pouring through the window I woke up and so did Rose. I had left the curtains open so Rose could see when it became light outside. We got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast. I could already smell my mother's cooking.

I walked into the kitchen and started helping my mother. It was early and everyone else was still asleep. Adrian was still snoring loudly on the couch in the living room.

Rose was watching us from the kitchen threshold.

"I am making blini's, they are little pancakes, you want to help?"

I started to grab the ingredients and Rose actually came into the kitchen and handed me a bowl to put everything in. I suppose she wanted to help. I put some ingredients in the bowl and handed her the mixer. She started mixing. I put in the flour, and some of it got on her. She looked up at me angry, than a large smirk was plastered across her face. She took a bit of flour and she flung it in my face.

After that she put to bowl down but kept a firm hold on the flour package. Not good. She started flinging more my way. She was enjoying herself, I grabbed her hand that held the flour package and playfully took some out of it and flung it in her direction. Now it was on. I could see a bit of the old fire in her eyes returning. Unfortunately it distracted me long enough for Rose to deck me. I pulled Rose down with me. I was now on the ground. My elbows carrying my upper body weight. Rose was straddled in my lap still holding the package of flour. I could tell she found the position we were in as compromising as I did and for a moment I saw her breath hitch. It took me a few breaths to calm myself back down and I noticed Rose was doing the same. The moment was over and before I realized what happened the smirk was back on Rose's face and she was dumping the entire contents of the flour on top of me. For good measure she even shook the package to get every last speck of flour on me.

"Honestly, you two, look at my kitchen. Go and wash up before breakfast. Just look at you two, you look like a pair of ghosts."

I saw the smile behind her words. If she had wanted to stop us she could have after we threw the first bits of flour, but she didn't. I realized it had been very long since I had been remotely happy and the smile on my face was convoying that exact message to my mother.

I laughed and got up with Rose still in my lap. I picked her up and carried her over my shoulder up the stairs into the shower. I heard Rose laugh behind me. It was good to hear her laugh.

I stripped down and Rose did the same. I had hoped she would talk to me but she didn't. She got in the shower with me and we helped each get rid of the flour, which was no easy task after it had gotten wet. Rose did seem to notice my naked body now, I saw her desperately trying to look anywhere but at my groin. Although she made no move to act on it, it was progress.

After the slightly arousing shower we went downstairs. My mother cleaned up the kitchen and everyone was at the kitchen table eating breakfast. Adrian lifted an eyebrow when we both came back down with wet hair. But he didn't say anything, not out loud and not through the bond. Good.

After breakfast my grandmother came over to the three of us. She spoke Russian to me, Rose and Adrian. Although my grandmother could speak perfect English albeit it accented, she refused to speak it, making everyone think she couldn't.

I wasn't going to spoil her secret. I was wondering what she was up to.

"Pick up those bags; we are going to help a friend."

I picked up all three but my grandmother slapped me across the arms. She pointed at one and I only picked up that one. Adrian and Rose picked up the other two. I noticed that mine was heaviest followed by Rose's, Adrian seemed to be the lightest.

We walked across town. It was hot outside and the bags were heavy. I could see Adrian sweating, the sun affecting him more than us. Adrian was complaining and whining though the bond. But every time he wanted to put his bag down, my grandmother would look back and glare at him. He then reluctantly picked his bag up and complained through the bond again that my grandmother was a sadistic hag. I also saw Rose struggling, but she soldiered on. That's my girl. But I must admit. I was having trouble to. These bags were heavy. What in god's name had she put in there?

We finally arrived at a house on the outskirts of town. A man was standing in the yard and greeted Babushka. I felt shock coming from Adrian. So large I was pulled into his head. I saw why he was shocked. I could see the man's aura, it was rimmed in black. This man was shadow-kissed. A Moroi woman walked out of the house and she greeted my grandmother. I could see gold in her aura. She was no doubt a spirit user and his bondmate. Now I knew why she had brought us here. But what was in those bags.

"Mark, here are the stones I promised you."

I just stared at my grandmother. She actually had us hauling bags with bricks? Adrian and Rose came to the same realization when Mark opened the bags and I swear Adrian was about to strangle my grandmother.

She simply waved her hand dismissing his rage. She pointed at the door indicating we should go inside. Adrian was fuming but his curiosity got the better of him.

We entered the house and the woman seemed to immediately know who we were. Or more accurately, what we were.

We sat down at the table.

"It is rare to see another bonded pair, We have only encountered one other pair in our lives. A guy in America."

This peaked Adrian's interest. "Actually, Rose was bonded as well but the bond is broken now. So I know of one other Spirit user. And I met this guy in Vegas, but you know another one?"

"In Las Vegas you say. Robert Doru lives in Las Vegas."

"That is the guy, the guy I met. He knew so much about Spirit but he didn't seem to have it all together anymore."

The guy: Mark looked sad. "No, after his bondmate died he was never the same. He described it as losing a limb even though the bond is one way, he felt is when it was broken. But you broke the bond, how did you do that, Oh I am sorry, did your bondmate die?"

This question was directed at Rose, I could see her feeling anxious, contemplating the question and more importantly the answer. But we knew so little about Spirit and about what had happened to Rose, if anyone could help us it was them.

"No I did. Do you think she felt it?"

"Felt what?" I asked her.

"My death."

I considered this and realized I didn't know. I didn't know anything about Lissa after Rose had died. She was my charge and I didn't even check in on her before I was transferred to Adrian. I felt guilty. Maybe Lissa was as crazy as Robert by now and I didn't even know.

Adrian answered the question.

"I know she felt it. She was the one who told us you died, we still had hope that maybe you were just taken, but Lissa was sure, she actually described it very similarly as Robert did. She never felt the bond, but she knew the instance she was alone again. But she is fine. I dream walk her sometimes and although she misses you terribly and is still grieving, she isn't going insane."

Well at least one of us is a good friend.

"Rose, I know it would mean everything to her to know you are alive, maybe if we…"

"No, I can't Adrian. I can't, please Dimitri he can't tell her."

Damn it, Rose was doing so much better. I pulled her close to me and comforted her.

"Don't worry. He won't tell her. We won't do anything until you are ready."

She was sobbing in my chest. I wondered why Lissa was such as trigger for her.

Mark and his wife Oksana were confused. We ended up telling them what happened to Rose. They were surprised, but intrigued. I told them everything including what the darkness did to her before she was turned and what her coping mechanism was. I saw Mark contemplate this.

"Well I never thought about it like that. Burning it off?"

"Well how do you cope? Rose hunted Strigoi, Lissa got depressed and Adrian just drinks a lot."

"Well we try and keep the magic to a minimum but when I feel there is too much darkness, Oksana just heals it out of me."

Adrian looked like he was stupid.

"Isn't that just making it worse? I mean that just creates a circle doesn't it?"

"It is a delicate balance. I can only heal small bits and Mark will only take small bits, but we have been bonded for many years and it works."

Oksana answered. It wasn't a perfect system, but at least we had a back-up plan other than getting wasted and going on a killing spree.

We talked for hours. Well Adrian and Oksana talked. Mark and I occasionally shared comments and looks, Rose just listened. I could tell she was taking in everything we said, but she didn't say anything else anymore.

On the way back, Adrian was walking besides Rose and talking about how incredible this was. He was distracting Rose long enough for my grandmother to have a private moment with me.

"This isn't working, Dimitri. This isn't how you get her back. Treating her like a child and cuddling her won't help her. If you remember who she used to be, how you two communicated before, you will know how to get her back."

Okay almost there. Yeva to the rescue. won't be long now before we have our Rose back