I know that some people thought the last chapter was the last... but it wasn't... There are a few more yet.
I thought after the intesity of the last chapter, a little bit of fun was needed... I hope you all enjoy it!
Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last Chapter. You guys are awesome!
Sandy
Chapter Forty Nine
My Life's Never Easy...
"Are you alright Rose?" Liss asked when I got into the car. I knew that she was referring to the thirst.
"Sort of."
Do you want me to send you to sleep?
No. Thanks anyway, I have to learn how to deal with it.
Yeah... Hey, I'd like to try something. If using compulsion to put you to sleep works, then maybe I can make you feel different.
"What do you mean?" I asked her.
"Come here." I turned around so that I could face her in the seat behind us. She held out her hand and touched a finger to my forehead and smiled. I could feel the familiar feeling of hot and cold come through the bond and then the thirst slowly started to fade and as it did so, it was replaced by a deep feeling of love and happiness. I must have had a funny look on my face as she explained. "I figured I'd replace the thirst with love, after all it's your only non-lethal attribute." The others in the car thought that was funny, but I didn't care at the moment.
"I wouldn't say that Liss," said Christian. "I've seen Dimitri with a few bruises after....well you know..." Lissa's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and she gave him a quick slap on his arm. I actually agreed with him, my love for Dimitri may not be 'lethal' exactly, but it could certainly get rough.
"Christian... That's so not funny..." she said to him. She turned back to me and continued. "Rose, you may find that the more the thirst increases, so will the feeling of love."
"Thanks Liss." I smiled and turned back around and locked eyes with Dimitri. Big mistake. An overwhelming feeling of love brought on by compulsion swimming around in my head was not conducive to one's self control. Belly notwithstanding, I flung myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and then pushed against him as I kissed him with all the love I had in me...which at this point in time was bubbling away like a witch's cauldron sitting on a bonfire. If the thirst was bad enough to make me try and attack Mia, you could imagine what the same intensity of love would be doing to me... At first he didn't know what hit him, but it didn't take long for him to get into it.
"OH! That's so not what I need to see...." said Christian. "Make them stop Liss... There are kids in the car." The next thing I knew, I was waking up in a huge bed in an unfamiliar room. I looked around to see Dimitri standing at the large window with his hands behind his back.
"Hey Hot stuff." I said sleepily. He turned to face me with a sexy grin. "I'm gathering Liss had to make me sleep?" That comment made his grin turn into a full on, face encompassing smile. He walked over to me with one eyebrow lifted...
"Yeah, you were scaring the children." I smiled as I held out my arms to him and he gladly filled them. "The doctor gave you some blood while you were out to it." I was wondering why I felt so good. "He also said that he wants you to go down for a quick exam when you wake up, just to make sure that everything is fine with the baby."
"Okay. She's really gone, isn't she?"
"Yes." He said stroking my cheek. "She's gone. For the first time in a long time, you can breathe easy and enjoy the remainder of your pregnancy."
"Mmm, that'll be a welcomed change." I gave him a quick kiss and then we got up to go see the doctor.
"Hello Guardian Belikova." Said Dr Walsh.
"Hi, and it's Rose remember." He smiled and then nodded.
"How are you feeling now?" he asked.
"Good actually.... hungry, but good." That got a giggle from both Dimitri and the Doc.
"Just pop up on the bed and I'll have a feel of your tummy." I did what he asked and after he checked everything out, he pulled over an ultrasound machine. "Just a precaution..." he said seeing my concern. I flinched slightly as the cold gel touched my skin and then Dimitri and I smiled like fools as we watched the image of our baby on the screen. I looked up at Dimitri and had to do a double take as I saw his watery eyes. "You don't want to know what the sex is, do you Rose?" I scrunched my forehead as I thought about that for a sec... I really did want to know, but I only had a couple of weeks to go. I looked back to Dimitri who had a small smile on his lips.
"No... I'll wait." I said.
"Okay, well everything seems to be fine with your child. But I am ordering you to take it easy while you're here alright. No training, no lifting, no strenuous exertion." I lifted my eyebrows and looked at Dimitri who was trying to hold in a snicker; he knew what I was thinking.... "I'm staying here now until you go back to court, so if you need anything at anytime of the day or night, just use this." He said handing me a pager.
"Okay, thanks Doc." I said. Then we left to go find everyone else and found them all outside in the courtyard. "Hey everyone." I said.
How are you feeling? Liss asked privately.
I'm good. Thank you for knocking me out... Things could have got a little embarrassing. Everyone looked at her when she started giggling and then realised we were talking.
"Got that....loooove....reigned in Buffy?" Christian asked.
"Only just Sparky... I wouldn't push it though; I might lose control again and show you just how much I loooove you." I smirked evilly. That got a few giggles from everyone, Christian just shook his head. "So Mom, when do we find out what this little shindig is all about?" Her eyebrows lifted, (finally someone who couldn't do just one.) and put on an almost convincing confused look onto her face.
"What do you mean Rose? It's just a get together."
"Ah-huh." I said looking at my father tapping my chin in a diabolical manner. "So daddy dearest... what's it all about?" He didn't have years of experience at holding a guardian mask so I saw the fleeting excitement cross his face before he pulled his own stoic mask on. "Ahhhhh! You're not as good as mother here with the 'unrevealing face'... I saw that. And you know that I'm not going to give up until you tell me."
"I don't know what you mean Kiz, as your mother said... it's just a...."
"A get together." I interrupted. "Yeah... so you both say. So when does this 'get together' start?" My mother stood up and came over to me and held out a hand to me. I took it and she pulled me up into her arms. I was a little stiff at first, but then I relaxed a bit and returned the hug.
"I'm so glad that you're alright, you and my grandbaby." She said into my hair. Shows of affection were very rare for my mother, let alone in public. I scrunched up my forehead as I fought the tears that prickled at my eyes. For many long and lonely years I craved my mother's love, whenever I hurt either physically or emotionally as a kid I wondered what it would feel like to have her hold me like this and tell me everything would be okay, it almost felt too good to be true to have it happen now. We pulled back and she wiped a tear that I didn't know had escaped. "I know I have been a terrible mother to you, but if you only believe one thing from me, believe that I've always loved you, every day."
"Thank you." I said. It came out so softly I didn't know if she'd heard me.
"Come with me." She said with a smile. I looked to Dimitri and quickly raised my eyebrows in question as she led me into the house. We walked in silence up to my parent's suite and she led me over to one of the sofas by the huge floor to ceiling window. "Rose, I know that you know what's going on." I put on a fact innocent look but she shook her head and continued. "Your father asked me to marry him, but I want to ask you how you feel about that." I was rendered momentarily speechless.
"You're asking me for my blessing?" I asked incredulously.
"I suppose I am."
"Why? When has what I've thought ever been issue?" I didn't say it to be nasty, it was the truth. My mother had always done what she thought was best, no matter if it hurt anyone (namely me) or not.
"I've only ever done what I thought was best." I laughed silently to myself... I knew her soooo well. "My decisions haven't always worked out right, but at the time.... well, you're an adult now, married and about to become a mother yourself, and I realise that what I lost, what we both lost when I wasn't around can never be changed. But I can try to be there for you now. I respect you Rose, your opinion matters to me and I really would like to know what you think about your father's proposal." Speechless again.....
"Umm... Do you love him...really love him?" She smiled and nodded to me. "Then I think if he makes you happy, then you should grab him with both hands and never let him go, and never let anyone tell you that it's wrong." She smiled and nodded her head in understanding.
"One of my regrets is that I can't take responsibility for the amazing person you've turned out to be."
"Mom... all these compliments are starting to freak me out. Quit it!" She laughed and stood up and then dragged me over to the door, our 'mother/daughter' bonding now obviously over.
The rest of that day and all through the night my father's staff and Lissa, of course, decorated the house for the 'get together'. The others hadn't been told what was going on, that was to be a surprise and apparently there were going to be more people arriving in the morning for the celebration.
"Liss?" I asked. "You know how you did that compulsion thing in the car?
"Yeah..."
"Did you take it off?"
"Ah, no...Why?"
"I think I need some blood..." Her forehead creased as she tried to hold in a laugh. Just then you-know-who walked in and as soon as I smelt his aftershave...my eyes narrowed in lust and his widened in surprise.
"What's going on?" He asked as I walked towards him with one thing on my mind.
"Ah, I think she needs more blood." Liss said from behind me. A huge grin spread across his face as he realised what she meant.
"Oh, okay. Come on Roza; let's deal with this before it gets too bad." He wrapped his arm around my waist and started to lead me out of the formal living room.
"Mmm, I have an itch..." I whispered. "Wanna scratch it?" I was rewarded with one of his beautiful laughs that only made my 'itch' itchier....
"After you get your blood my love." I pouted which made him laugh more. I stood in front of him making him stop.
"I could always get my blood...a little later." I said suggestively. He didn't answer straight away, obviously thinking about my offer. I leant forward pressing my body against his and reached up on my tippy toes to whisper in his ear. "I'm not thirsty, I won't bite...much." Then I licked the edge of his ear. He let out a soft throaty growl and I knew I'd won. I smiled and then turned to run back up to our room.
The next morning I woke up feeling a little off. Being with my own personal God whilst in the grip of... thirst/compulsive love... or whatever it was, was....intense to say the least. Well it was for me, Dimitri on the other hand was his normal gentle self. I was downstairs with my mother greeting some people who'd come in from Europe for the 'get together' as it was now called. I made a point of exaggerating those two words every time I said them, and the glare I got from my mother kept getting funnier and funnier every time. I knew she wouldn't do anything to me, especially pregnant...so I had a bit of fun at her expense, I just had to....right? Dimitri soon walked in with my father and as soon as I locked eyes with him, memories of last night replayed in my head.
"Hello maya krasaveetsa." He murmured in my ear as he wrapped me in his arms. Liss had taken the compulsion away this morning but memories could never be taken away and that feeling of intense love still flowed through my veins. I wrapped my arms around his body and squeezed, but I forgot about his 'injuries' from last night and he winced slightly.
"What's wrong with you?" asked my father when he saw Dimitri's reaction. I looked up into his eyes smiling...daring him to tell the truth to my father. I should have known better....
"Ask your daughter, she's the one who likes to play rough." My face instantly reddened as peals of laughter emanated around the room. I was suddenly aware that the room was full of people. I looked up at him and growled, my fists balled up and I strode out of the room. I couldn't believe he would do that... It was bad enough that he'd said that in front of my parents, but in front of all the people who'd just arrived... Now they'd just be looking at me like some cheap blood whore, confirming what they probably already thought about all female Dhampirs.
"Rose..." Dimitri called from behind me.
"Go away."
"Roza." Suddenly he was in front of me...damned Strigoi speed. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you."
"You just confirmed what they already think of Dhampirs. We're nothing but..." I couldn't keep going. I didn't know why I was feeling so mad, I could feel myself starting to shake and Dimitri noticed it too.
"Is Liss using spirit?" he asked me. I quickly slipped into her mind and sure enough she was, but not in the normal way... She was 'with' Christian and somehow she was transferring spirit into him at the same time. It really wasn't a good idea to slip into her mind at that point in time...with both of us experiencing extreme feeling right now....we swapped. I suddenly realised where I was, what I was doing and who I was doing it with!
"OH GOD!" I struck Christian in the chest out of reflex and he went flying across the room and slammed into the wall. I jumped up off the bed, pulling the sheets with me and ran to Lissa's bathroom. My heart...Lissa's heart, was thumping against my/her chest, my thoughts were erratic to say the least and I was hyperventilating... black spots started dancing in front of my eyes. Then there was nothing.
Lissa's Point Of View.
"What...? Dimitri?" What in the hell was going on? Why am I looking at Dimitri?
"Rose?" he asked cautiously.
"What? I'm Lissa." His mouth dropped open and he quick looked up. I followed his line of sight and saw I was downstairs, then I became aware of a familiar feeling of something moving in my stomach and looked down to see a pregnant belly! "What in the hell?" I yelled.
"Oh Shit!" Dimitri said as we heard an almighty crashing sound upstairs. Then he took off at his top speed and without thinking I started running too, but I ran a LOT faster than I'd ever ran before in my life. I saw Dimitri push through my bedroom door like it was made of paper and I quickly followed. I almost fell on my ass as I slammed into Dimitri who was standing just inside the doorway looking around the room. To my left I could see Christian lying naked on the floor, unconscious....
"What in the hell?" I whispered to myself as I strode over to him.
"Roza? Where are you?" Dimitri called out. I placed my hand onto Christian's forehead... That's not my hand!
"SHIT!" I looked up to Dimitri and then grabbed at my hair... BROWN! "Oh, CRAP!" Just then we head a slight bang in my bathroom, Dimitri was there in the blink of an eye.
"Rose..." He pushed against the door slightly and then I realised that he had to push against it to open it. He slid in through the opening and moments later he came out carrying...me! Now that was an odd sensation.... He looked over to me and then put me...her down on the bed. Just then Christian moaned as he started to wake up.
"Rose?" He mumbled...
"Not exactly..." I whispered feeling a little embarrassed. He looked confused and then he sat up and saw Dimitri sitting on the bed with me...in his arms.
"Belikov! What in the hell's going on?"
"Christian..." I said quietly. "It's me... That's Rose." If the situation wasn't so.... complicated, I would have laughed at Christian's expression. First was confusion, then realisation, then shock, horror, then anger.... and all this in like three seconds.
"No..." he whispered. Just then Rose started to stir.
"Dimitri..." she said in a confused whisper. "I had the worst dream...." I couldn't see what his face was like but it must have said volumes as she stopped talking and then looked up directly into my...her face. "Oh Shit... it was real? Oh for fucks sake...." I couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped my mouth... and I looked around to see the glares of the three other people in the room.
"Sorry..." I said as I shrugged my shoulders. "Well...this is interesting."
