Hey guys! Just a heads up that there are mentions of sexual abuse in this chapter - though I tried to tone it down as much as possible so I hope it isn't too much.

Sebastian's sinister voice sent shivers down my spine, causing memories of the experimentation room to flush back into my mind. All I could feel in that moment was pure hatred and disgust as he continued to laugh. I would never get over how terrifying his laugh was.

His arms were restrained in front of him with thick metal cuffs that were linked with a chain as well as his ankles, making it impossible for him to get out. His skin was getting pale—a sign that he was low on blood and had probably gotten weaker over the past month of his time here. He had been accompanied by two guards here, meaning I had three guardians in total if he wanted to do anything stupid. He couldn't attack me either way since he was both restrained and short on blood.

"Tell me," he said. "How have you been? Have you been eating recently? You're looking awfully pale."

I scowled at him but refused to answer his question. What he really meant was to ask me if I had been drinking blood recently.

"You're looking a little empty yourself," I said bitterly. "I can only imagine how painfully long it's going to be before your body starts to rot."

Sebastian's creepy smile never faltered, but I knew he was probably thinking the same thing. Moroi prisoners that committed crimes like this were given very little blood—but just enough to survive—and were usually exposed to sunlight to be weakened. Over time, their bodies would start to deteriorate without actually dying. It was a cruel process, but I had no sympathy for Sebastian at all. A deeper, darker part of me wanted him to suffer for as long as he lived.

"I know you didn't come here for a warm welcome," he said. "What are you really here for?"

I stared at him for a few seconds before straightening myself in my seat. "I need information," I said emotionlessly.

Sebastian laughed again. "Of course, darling. Ask away!"

I rolled my eyes before leaning closer, keeping my voice down. "I want to know why I was so damn important to your little pack of strigoi."

"Oh, Marie," he said. "Such a curious little girl. Always wanting to put the pieces together. Doesn't it ever get tiring? Don't you remember what happened the last time you tried to figure things out?"

Another cold shiver went down my spine as I imagined myself back in the experimentation room. Sebastian was right about one thing—sometimes, knowing the truth was too dangerous. I had walked into that room because I wanted to know more about what he and his people were doing. My curiosity had pretty much costed me my life.

"Did Damian tell you about that?" I asked.

"In case you didn't know, there were cameras in there. Damian didn't have to tell me anything. Useless boy that he was—always trying to protect you for whatever reason. If anything, you probably should have listened to him."

I looked away as regret started to fill my heart. Damian wasn't anywhere near kind, but he always tried to put as much distance between me and Sebastian as possible. He had protected Nevaeh too even if it meant keeping her in a room all the time. I wondered how he had even gotten into such a horrible business. Needless to say, he really had been nothing more than Sebastian's little tool.

"You didn't answer my question," I said. "Why all the tests? What was the point of it all?"

"You don't know?" he asked. He leaned closer this time, speaking so quietly that only I could hear him even in the small room. "Come on, Marie. I thought you were smarter than that. Think about it—you've got spirit in your blood. If a strigoi feeds on you, they'll be walking in broad daylight within 24 hours. They can pass through wards and take all your precious little moroi lives for their own. To possess that kind of power...it's to kill for. Literally."

"What about all those other girls?" I prompted.

Sebastian shrugged. "They're just a lost cause, I suppose."

I gritted my teeth as the urge to attack him started to rise. A while ago, Olivia—the same girl that was with me on my first night out—had told me that girls were usually coming in and out. They kept her there with a few others, but then there were girls like me and Kira. I still wondered where she was. She was so scared and wanted me to teach her how to fight before she was taken away. I wished I had.

"What really happened to Kira?" I asked.

"Her? Well, she's immortal now, of course. The poor girl took off. She didn't have the same up-bringing as you, it seems, but turning into a strigoi made her just as deadly."

"And you were well aware that I could turn out the same way. That I could die or turn into a strigoi. You knew that, didn't you?"

Sebastian tilted his head, looking at me like I was some treasured possession. "Yes. I knew. But after discovering your spirit, I knew you had to be the one—and it was well worth it."

I didn't respond. I was too angry to say anything. All I could do was glare at him.

"You don't think so?" he asked.

"No, actually, I don't. Do you even realize how much danger you've put me in? How much danger you've put the moroi in?"

"Oh, come on, it's not like everyone knows about it—yet. And I couldn't care less about the moroi—"

Before he could finish, someone burst through the door. It was Dimitri, and he was furious. Anger radiated off of him, making me cringe back into my seat. I was in so much trouble.

"This is what you do in your free time?" he demanded.

"Dimitri, I'm sorry. I promise I'll explain later. I just needed some information—"

"And you're going to listen to him? I don't think so," he growled, stomping over to where I was sitting. He grabbed my arm, pulling me out of my chair.

"You haven't told them?" Sebastian asked, laughing again. I wasn't sure how bad the other prisoners here really were, but he had definitely gone a little crazy.

"Go on, Marie, tell him," Sebastian continued. "Or should I do the honors?"

Before anyone could react, I leaped over the table and knocked him out of his chair. I started punching him relentlessly until I saw blood and was sure I had knocked a tooth out. A pair of arms grabbed me and pulled me off within seconds, and it took every ounce of self-control in me to not go after him again.

"You want to tell him about that nurse, darling?" Sebastian taunted, blood leaking out of his mouth. "Please, tell them all the details about how you tore her pretty little throat out—"

"Shut up! You should be dead!" I shouted angrily. The darkness from within me was starting to take over, and I lost it again. I tried to go for him, but was stopped when Dimitri put his body in front of mine, gripping my shoulders firmly. The spirit mixed with the anger I had over Sebastian was still overwhelming me, and all I could think about was killing him. When I wouldn't stop fighting, Dimitri turned me over and pinned me against the table, holding my hands together behind my back.

"Calm down," he commanded. Although he was calm, his voice was strong and authoritative as he tried to get me to relax. I realized that even with my strength, I could not overpower him. As long as he held me down, I had no chance of getting away. So, instead of fighting, I fought the persistent urge to attack. The monster in me wanted to torture Sebastian, but I had to fight that impulse. If I let it control me again, there was a chance I wouldn't be able to stop. I could hurt someone else without intending to.

"Okay...okay," I whispered after a few minutes. I let a breath out and let my muscles relax for a moment. Dimitri shushed me and rubbed my back to help me calm down.

"Good. Good girl." His whisper was so quiet that only I could hear him. Hearing him talk to me so softly again made me feel a little better and helped divert my attention for a bit. "Just relax. I'm going to let you up, but if you fight me, I'll restrain you again. Do you understand me?"

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

Dimitri sighed and pulled me up off the table. He kept a hand on my arm though, watching me as if I might lash out any second. He didn't trust me just yet.

I faced Sebastian who was being held up by two dhampir guardians once again. Just the sight of his face made my blood boil.

"I might have underestimated you, Marie. You know, on our last night together, you should have probably killed me before I could sedate you," he said. "I'll admit, it was cheap of me—always taking you while you were knocked out. But in the end, it was worth it. Out of all my test subjects, you were the only one who granted success."

"I didn't grant anything, you son of a bitch," I snapped. "You used me!"

"Yes, yes I did—but what can I say? You were my most precious guinea pig."

I punched him again, causing blood to fly out of his mouth. Dimitri had to hold me back once again. Sebastian's hysterical laughter filled the room, sounding loud and obnoxious. "You know, all the girls there were nice, but you were always my favourite little doll. Consider this a blessing. You're too...special. One of a kind. Nobody will kill you now."

I couldn't help but feel vulnerable as everyone's eyes started to land on me. I averted my gaze back onto Sebastian who had a wicked smirk playing at his lips.

"We're done here," Dimitri said quickly, dragging me out of the room. Sebastian was still smiling at me on the way out.

"Why the fuck did you stop me?" I asked, still shaking from the anger. "He deserves to die!" I yanked my arm away from his hand, turning back towards the interrogation room. Dimitri grabbed me again, this time pinning me against the wall with my arms near my head. He also looked like he was trying to hold back his own anger.

"I stopped you because I didn't want you to hurt yourself. Damn it Rose, this is the royal court. You could get into a lot of trouble for assaulting anyone here. Those guards are just letting you off the hook because of what happened to you."

"Assault?" I exclaimed. "You call that assault? What about what he put me through? He deserves every last bit of—"

"Roza, please, calm down," Dimitri said. "Believe me, I want him to suffer just as much as you do—and he will. He'll get what he deserves, but the last thing you need right now is an undeserving punishment for beating someone up in court."

Slowly, I started to relax again. He was right, and far more rational than I was. To be fair, he didn't have the dark side effects of spirit running through his body, and he wasn't half strigoi either. The anger towards what was done to me, however, was undoubtedly there. Dimitri was just really good at controlling himself.

"This isn't fair. I can't—I can't just sit back and do nothing." My voice was starting to break. I thought I was going to cry right then and there.

"I know. Trust me, none of this is fair. If I could torture him until he wished he was dead, I would—but I can't, and neither can you. It's not worth getting yourself into trouble."

I slammed my palms against my face, hiding my eyes behind my fingertips. I didn't want him to see me cry. I didn't want anyone to see me cry. I needed to be alone before I broke. There were too many emotions going on in my head.

"Are you okay?" Dimitri asked. Whatever anger he had earlier was gone. He was worried now.

"I need to be alone," I whispered. "Before you say anything, I'll explain everything later, but right now, I just really need to be alone."

My body language must have given everything away. Dimitri's expression started to change, and a million messages seemed to pass through us as his eyes locked onto mine.

"Will you at least let me take you to your room?" he finally asked. All I could give him was a small but grateful smile as I nodded. He took me to the room I was staying in, not saying a word on the way there. Like me, his thoughts were probably all over the place despite how calm and composed he was. But even through his tough exterior, I could see the pain and worry in his eyes when he faced me.

After unlocking my door, I rested my hand on the knob. "I'm sorry," I told him. "I shouldn't have seen him. I get it if you're mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you, but you should have at least told me. You shouldn't have seen him alone."

"I had my reasons for going alone," I said. "Believe me, if you knew, you'd understand."

"Then why won't you tell me? Why won't you open up to me?"

"Because I fucking can't!" I cried. No. You're just afraid. This is Dimitri. You can tell him anything—you just don't want to.

"Can't or won't?" he asked. I opened my mouth to say something, but closed it when nothing came out. I didn't answer him, but I didn't have to—he already knew the truth.

I couldn't bring myself to speak, so I walked into my room and closed the door. The tears finally fell as I sat down on the ground. I rested my forehead against my knees as I cried uncontrollably.

Something poked my shoulder. I jerked my head up to find Nevaeh standing before me and quickly wiped my tears away. I didn't even notice that she was in here.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Her voice sounded so young and innocent. I hoped she would never have to go through the heartache I was experiencing now. I'd only known her for a few months, but I would destroy anyone who dared to lay a finger on her. I was as protective over her as I was with Lissa and Dimitri, but it was different. She almost felt like a daughter to me.

Nevaeh came closer and wrapped her small arms around my curled body. She was such a comfort in that moment, and I kissed her forehead, draping an arm around her.

"You should go to bed," I told her, pulling back. "Did you brush your teeth and wash up?"

She nodded, giving me a big smile to show off her clean baby teeth. I managed to smile before picking her up and tucking her under the covers. I picked up her plush toy from the floor and brushed the tiny specks of dust off, chuckling slightly when I held it up. Nevaeh held her hands out, silently begging me to give it back. I sat down on the bed, handing her the toy which she happily latched onto.

"Goodnight, baby," I said, caressing her soft cheek until her eyes closed.

It was happening again—the nightmares. This time, I was in the one of the bloodwhore dens. I felt like I was on drugs again, but I knew it was just the effects of being fed on. There was a slight buzz from what I suspected was alcohol, and I almost felt like I needed to throw up.

I recognized the men that were using me—they were both moroi and had been feeding on me all night. These clients were regulars. One was named Tony—the other one was Ethan if I could remember correctly. We were in Eric's club—the same club I was taken to several times. He always had ties with Sebastian, and the clients here liked me which was why I was constantly brought here.

Unfortunately, this dream was far more vivid than I would have liked. Everything felt so real. It was as if I was really there.

"Take another shot," Tony said, handing me a shot glass. I didn't want to take any more, fearing that I might throw up all over myself, but his compulsion was strong. I took the shot, shaking my head around as the strong liquid burned my throat.

"She's a lot nicer when she's like this," Ethan said, running his hands up my leg. I tried to move myself away, but he pressed my ankles down, preventing me from escaping.

"Now, now, Marie. Don't be difficult. You know what'll happen if you give us a hard time," he warned. A tear escaped my eye as they started to take off the remaining undergarments I had left. All I could see on my naked body were long streaks of blood that ran down my chest. This sight wasn't anything new, but it still disgusted me every time.

They flipped me over onto my stomach, and I started struggling again. This time, they both held me down. Ethan spoke up once more as he yanked my hair back.

"What did I say about giving us a hard time?" he demanded. All I could do was utter hopeless sobs as he bit my neck once more.

Tony had his hands all over me, groping me in places I would've never allowed anyone to touch. The blood loss mixed with the intoxication was enough to make me go still. I cried with my face pressed against the mattress as they used me for their own satisfaction. I was really starting to wonder if I was actually dreaming. I felt everything—even the pain. It was too real. I was reliving all of it.

Somewhere in the distance, I could hear my name being called. The voice sounded so familiar, and whatever was happening to me slowly started to fade out.

"Roza, wake up! Wake up!"

Just like that, I was back in my room again. Tony and Ethan were gone. It really had just been a horrible dream—or, well, a memory. It was almost always a memory.

My body was trembling. My cheeks were covered by a sheer coat of fresh tears, and I couldn't stop the sobs that shook through my chest. Dimitri hovered above me, and even in his severe distress and concern, he was relieved that I was finally awake. Behind him, Nevaeh sat in the armchair, biting her fingers as she watched us curiously.

"I thought...I thought it was real," I whispered with a shaky voice. As if reacting on instinct, I grabbed onto Dimitri's neck, pressing our bodies together. I needed to hold him to feel stable. I needed to remind myself that I was here and that I was okay.

"You're not there anymore, Roza," Dimitri said soothingly, tightening his arms around me. He rubbed my back to calm me down, whispering soft things into my ear. He held me for what felt like ten minutes, and over time, my sobs turned into soft sniffles and occasional tears.

"Can you whisper to me in Russian?" I asked, still holding onto him. I wasn't ready to let go. Having him hold me like this made me feel so safe. Hearing him whisper to me in Russian was even better. It helped me find a peaceful state, and the way his tongue rolled when he spoke the language was beautiful.

Dimitri tensed at first, a little stunned by my request, but gave in. He shifted a little bit, moving his lips to my ear. His whispers began, and in that moment, all I could think about was him. His scent, his voice, his hair—everything. I didn't really want to admit it to myself, but in that moment, he was my source of stability. Even in moments like this when I felt like I couldn't cope, he was there to ground me.

I couldn't understand him, but he must have been saying something reassuring and sweet. I realized he was repeating some of his words, and I even heard my nickname in there a few times.

"Are you okay?" he asked after holding me in silence for a few minutes.

"Yeah," I mumbled. There was a certain edge to my voice. I sounded so innocent and soft. It was totally unlike me, but in this moment, I was in a different state of mind. I was vulnerable.

"Talk to me, Roza," Dimitri said, cupping my face in his hands.

"Can we go to your room?" I asked. Tilting my head towards Nevaeh, I whispered, "I don't want her to hear any of it. She's too young."

Dimitri looked at Nevaeh who had now gotten out of her chair. He nodded in understanding, and we both left the bed before tucking the child in.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I just need to talk to Dimitri," I answered. I felt bad about leaving her to sleep on her own, but I knew she'd be okay. The royal court was by far the safest place, and Dimitri and I were right beside her.

"Go back to sleep," Dimitri told her.

"Will you all be here tomorrow?" Nevaeh asked, looking up at him with her big eyes.

"Yes. Promise," he said.

"I'll be right here if you need me," I assured her. We finally left my room and walked into his.

"How did you know?" I asked as Dimitri closed his door. "Was I loud? Did I scream in my sleep?"

"No," Dimitri said. "Nevaeh woke me up. I asked her why she was knocking on my door, and she told me you were crying in your sleep."

Great. She had to witness me having a fucking nightmare. I was supposed to be strong. I was supposed to be someone she could look up to, and I had completely broken down in front of her.

"I can't believe she had to see me like that," I said, looking down at my twiddling fingers. "Both of you saw me like that."

Dimitri reached forward and tilted my chin up. "Don't hide from me, Roza."

I sighed, bracing myself for what I was about to say. I couldn't hide from him any longer. If anyone deserved to know the truth, it was him.

"Dimitri," I said cautiously, looking him in the eyes. "There's something I need to tell you."

Rose is finally opening up to Dimitri! Also, I'm kind of a die-hard romitri fan and wanted these two to get close again without over-doing it. I'm trying my best to make Rose's reaction (and coping skills) a little more realistic after what she went through. I hope Rose's nightmare wasn't too graphic as I tried to minimize that as much as possible. I really hope you liked it though. Please leave a review if you'd like :)