WARNING: There IS spanking in the first half of this chapter. If that kind of thing makes you uncomfortable, do not and I repeat do NOT read it.

On another note: Thank you so so much for the positive reviews and to those who continue to support my writing! I love hearing your thoughts and it's taken a lot of courage to write something like this, so thank you.


Dimitri had us sit down on the bed shortly after his earlier statement. I knew without a doubt that I probably deserved to have my ass reddened, but it didn't really make things easier for me. I had never been seriously spanked before, and I could only imagine how painful it would be if Dimitri was going to deliver it. He was so strong.

"Tell me how you feel," he said, holding my hand tightly in his. "I need to know."

"I don't know...guilty. Nervous."

"Understandable," Dimitri noted. "You know this kind of thing can relieve guilt, right?"

"Yeah...but that doesn't make it easier. It's going to hurt!" I complained.

"It's meant to," Dimitri said. "I understand why you're nervous, but you know I'd never really hurt you. It's for your own safety."

I could already imagine how pink my ass was going to be after this. I was both anxious and excited. It wasn't so much of a trust issue, because I trusted Dimitri more than anyone, but I still dreaded the pain I'd be experiencing soon.

I stood up to face him, still holding his hand. "I won't be able to sit down at the meeting."

This made Dimitri chuckle. "With your healing abilities, I think you'll be fine. Now, let me ask you something: do you think you deserve this?"

I moved my feet around, almost feeling like a child that was being scolded. I wasn't thrilled by the idea of a stinging backside, but I did deserve it. "Yes."

"And you trust me?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, sir," I corrected.

"Better," Dimitri said proudly. He bit his lip, and it almost seemed like he was second-guessing things. "Listen, before we do anything, I still want to give you the other option. I know you've been through a lot, and if you really don't want to go through with this, I won't force you. You're still my equal, and it's your right to say no. I won't do this to you if you're not okay with it."

Despite dreading the punishment, I loved Dimitri's awareness and consideration of my feelings. He wanted to make sure we were on the same page and that I was comfortable with what we were doing. It made me trust him that much more.

"I don't want to back out," I admitted. "Maybe I need this. I trust you, and I'm willing to try."

"You do need this," Dimitri agreed. "Think of this as not just a punishment, but also as therapy. You can relieve stress and guilt—and I'll be right here with you."

"Even after it's over?" I asked.

"Especially after it's over. I would never punish you without caring for you afterwards," Dimitri reassured me. I smiled down at him, seemingly ready to get things over with until another thought came to my mind.

"Wait...it'll only be your hand, right?"

Dimitri smiled. "Yes, Roza, it'll only be my hand."

"Okay," I breathed, trying to compose myself. I was still nervous.

"Just relax, Roza. You're safe with me." Dimitri stood up, wrapping his arms around me. He pulled me in close, letting me relax and feel secure as he rubbed my back. He pulled back when my breathing calmed. "You're okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I trust you."

Dimitri kissed the top of my head before sitting back down. His fingers hooked into the waistband of my sweatpants, indicating that he wanted to take them off. He paused and looked up at me. "I know this is a big step for you. If you're comfortable, I want these to stay off, but I'll let you keep your underwear on. Okay?"

I nodded, allowing him to slide the sweats off my legs. I stepped out of them, now feeling more vulnerable than before. This was Dimitri though, and I had put my trust in him.

"Alright," he said. His voice remained calm and controlled, but he had an authoritative hint to it as he patted his left thigh. "Come here."

I let a breath out, releasing my control as I bent over his lap and rested my torso on the bed. I flinched when Dimitri's hand touched my bottom, rubbing soothing circles on each cheek. "Remember, I'm doing this because I want you to think twice before making the wrong choices. And because I want to remind you that you're not alone and I'm always here for you. I love you, Rose. Don't forget that."

"I love you too," I murmured. Before he could start, I moved my right hand back. I had a feeling I wouldn't be able to stop myself if I threw a hand back and decided it was best to just do it now so that I wouldn't interrupt him. On top of that, I wanted to squeeze his hand if I needed to. It helped me feel closer to him and brought me some comfort.

"Can I hold your hand?" I asked. My voice sounded so small and submissive. It wasn't usually like me, but in this moment, that's what I was. I was submissive. Dimitri's submissive.

"Of course," Dimitri said, holding my hand tightly in his against the small of my back. He patted my bottom, silently warning me that we were about to start. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, sir," I answered. Dimitri lifted his hand before bringing it down, landing the first smack. I gasped in surprise, but had no time to recover as his hand started to rain down. His pace was fast and continuous, and I squeezed the comforter in my left hand. I could already feel a slight burn start to spread throughout my skin. With his rhythm, I wondered how his hand didn't hurt or get tired.

For the first minute, I was able to stay still, but it became harder to do so when the sting got worse. I didn't want to make things difficult, but it hurt, and it wasn't long before I started squirming around on his lap. Even with my struggling, Dimitri kept a strong hold on me, landing each swat wherever he wanted. The grip I had on his hand tightened.

When he increased his pace, I moaned in pain and let out little protests. "Oh, god...oww! Fuck!"

"Language," he rebuked, hitting my sit spots. That area seemed to hurt even more.

"It hurts!" I whined, struggling harder to somehow avoid the swats. It didn't work.

Dimitri paused for a second, caressing my hot skin. "Why are you getting spanked, Rose?"

"B-because I put myself in danger," I whimpered.

"Good. And you're aware that you could have woken me or anyone else up for help—yet you still chose to go out on your own. You knew it was dangerous, am I right?" he asked sternly.

"Y-yes, you're right. I'm sorry!" I cried.

"I know," he said, adjusting me so that my bottom was slightly propped up and vulnerable to his view. He rubbed my upper thighs which hadn't been spanked. That area was bare and far more sensitive. Dimitri turned his head, looking back at me. "Give me one more reason, Rose."

I sniffled, wilting against his lap. "Because...because I need it. Because you're trying to help me...and because you love me."

"Yes. Good girl," he praised, raising our linked hands to kiss my fingers. "We're almost done here. You're doing well so far and I'm proud of you for that. Before we end off, though, I want you to take one more minute."

"Yes, sir." Dimitri's words had given me an extra load of reassurance and encouragement, so I squeezed his hand again and braced myself.

He resumed the spanking right after that, this time focussing on my upper thighs where it hurt the most. I yelped, no longer holding back my cries. I needed to release the emotions I so often held back. I needed to let myself go with the person I trusted most. I needed to remind myself that this was a safe space, and with Dimitri, I could let myself be free while trusting him to take care of me.

The wall I'd been holding up in my head broke. I stopped struggling and simply laid there, sobbing into the comforter. The swats came to an end followed by Dimitri's gentle caresses on my blazing skin. "Roza?" Dimitri whispered, leaning back and brushing some wet hair away from my tear-stained face. "Are you okay?"

I didn't have the courage to speak yet, and all that really came out were heavy sobs. Dimitri turned me around and gathered me into his arms, cradling me against his chest. With my body being so small compared to his, I was a perfect fit as he held me. My fingers clung onto his shirt, tightly wrapping the fabric in a fist.

"That's it, Roza. Just let it out...let it all out. I'm right here. I've got you." His arms tightened around me as he continued to whisper soothing things into my ear. He switched his language to Russian at some point, and I closed my eyes, snuggling impossibly closer to him.

Dimitri was patient with me and let me cry for however long I needed. It could have been ten minutes, maybe twenty, but I wasn't sure. I didn't really keep track of time, but I didn't care. Even in the midst of all my crying, I felt...happy. I felt safe. I felt loved.

My cries came to a stop after a little while. There were still some tears here and there along with some sniffles, but I wasn't sobbing anymore. Dimitri was rubbing my arm while planting soft kisses all over my head. I couldn't help but smile as I was engulfed by feelings of love and warmth.

Dimitri reached back behind him to grab a water bottle I hadn't even noticed was on the bed the whole time. He twisted the cap open, handing me the bottle. "Here. Drink some water."

I obeyed instantly, taking large sips to refresh my throat. It felt nice after crying so much. When I was done, he closed the bottle and threw it back behind him before holding me again. He kissed me in that moment, gently sealing our lips together. He buried his hand in my hair, gathering a bunch of strands into his fingers and tightening it into a fist. He held my head in place as his mouth tamed mine, and I could feel myself melting before he finally let go and pulled back for air.

"Are you okay?" he repeated. His voice was so soft now. I was still a little dazed from that wonderful kiss.

"Yeah," I responded, releasing the grip on his shirt which was now wrinkled from my hand. Instead, I rested my palm on his chest, feeling his heart beat against my hand. "Thank you...for all of this."

Dimitri smiled. "No need to thank me. You needed it. How do you feel right now?"

"Better," I admitted. "A little drained, but better. I never thought something like that could be so helpful. I mean, it hurts like hell, but while you were doing it, I felt so safe. I felt like I could just let go of everything. It almost felt like...being free in a way."

"Free of responsibility?" he guessed.

"Yeah," I murmured. "You know, all those times I hurt myself, I was always struggling just to get in control of something—but this was different. I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I liked giving up my control to you. I felt like I didn't have to worry about anything. I just trusted you to take care of me."

"I'll always take care of you. Even if that means warming up your bottom until it turns pink."

Dimitri's comment made me blush, but I understood and took it seriously. "I'm afraid to know what it would feel like if it was all bare, or if you used something other than your hand."

"I probably will," he said. After seeing the timid look on my face, he laughed and was quick to ensure me. "Not now, silly. Just at some point when you're comfortable enough, and if you need it."

"Let's hope I can keep myself out of trouble," I laughed. I looked up at him as he gently wiped my wet cheeks. "So, is this going to be part of our relationship now? The discipline, I mean."

"I was thinking of it. It seems like it's helping. To be fair, that spanking was light, but you seem to respond well. Maybe this can help you heal emotionally."

If that was what Dimitri considered to be a 'light' spanking, I couldn't imagine how bad his severe ones were. He had a good point though. "I think so too. Even the idea of...you know, submitting to you."

Dimitri fell silent, opening his mouth to say something before he closed it. He looked down at me and caressed my cheek, speaking softly. "If you're open to the idea of a dominant/submissive relationship, I'm all for it. I think we'd need to discuss a lot of things, but that'll have to wait until after this is all over."

"I've always thought about having that with you," I sighed. "I just never really brought it up. I'm definitely open to it, but you're right about discussing things."

"Mhm." Dimitri started to unravel me from his arms, helping me stand. "Look, I could talk about this with you forever, but we only have a few hours until we go downstairs with everyone else. I'm going to put some cream onto your bottom, and then I want you to sleep until then."

"Dimitri, I'm sure my ass can heal on its own," I protested. He retrieved a little bottle of lotion from the washroom, refusing to give in.

"Oh, I'm sure it can," he said sarcastically, sitting down on the bed. "Alright, back over my knee."

I smiled sweetly and did as he asked. This time, instead of bending over, I crawled onto the bed and squirmed onto his lap, letting my legs stretch out. This way, I could fully lie down and let myself relax.

Dimitri's fingers hooked onto the band of my underwear. "I'm going to pull these down," he said. I nodded, hiding my flushed face as he pulled the fabric down to my thighs. His hand was on my skin again, but this time, I was bare. I usually would have felt embarrassed, but right now, I didn't. Dimitri never hid the fact that he loved my body.

I heard a squirting noise followed by a cold substance on my cheek. It made me flinch, but I calmed as soon as Dimitri's hand massaged the lotion into my skin.

"Mm...I could get used to this," I murmured. I heard Dimitri chuckle behind me as he caressed the skin, taking some of the sting away. I squealed when he squeezed one of the cheeks.

"You should be proud of what you have here, Rose. Your hard work pays off."

His compliment made my face flush, and I barely bit back a giggle. "Thank you, sir."

I could practically feel him looking at me as he continued to rub my backside. I yawned, already starting to become sleepy. Dimitri massaged me for a little bit longer before picking me up and laying me down with my head in the pillows.

"How long do I have again?" I asked tiredly.

"About...two hours. Just rest for the time being. I'll wake you up," he said, laying down beside me. I moved closer until his warm body enveloped mine. Finally, I dozed off.


I was beyond tired when he woke me up. An interrupted sleep was just as bad as getting no sleep at all. Dimitri seemed fine, but he was probably more used to this than I was. I also just so happened to wake up with the urge to get some fresh blood into my system. I wasn't sure if an institution for guardians even carried a supply of blood since it was totally unnecessary for dhampirs.

Dimitri had to do a great deal of shaking to get me out of bed. I moaned into the pillows, murmuring that I just needed another five minutes despite the fact that he had been trying to wake me up for almost twenty minutes now. When I refused to get up again, Dimitri flipped me onto my stomach and gave my ass a sharp swat.

"Ow!" I shrieked, reaching back to rub the spot. I was surprised to find that the skin still hadn't fully healed from the spanking he had given me just a few hours ago.

"Up," Dimitri repeated for the tenth time. "We have to be in the boardroom soon."

I sat up, trying to shake off my sleepiness. As much as I wanted to stay in his room, I had a meeting to go to. I gave Dimitri a quick hug—well, a bear hug—before heading for the door. "I'm going to go put some proper clothes on. I'll see you downstairs."

"Rose, wait," he said. He was in a bit of a rush, but he still wanted to check up on me. "Are you feeling okay right now?"

"I'm fine, comrade. I'll see you, okay?"

Dimitri sighed, giving me a small nod. I unlocked his door and headed back to my own room, quickly changing into some clothes that would allow more flexible movement. With a pair of stretchable black leggings and a matching tank top, I could fight more easily.

I stepped into the washroom, sighing when I saw the medical wrap on my arms. They were starting to bother me, so I took them off, exposing all the red lines that started from my wrist all the way up to my elbows. My skin was tinted a light shade of pink, and each cut had a ring of swelling.

I made sure to wear a sweater on top of my shirt so that I could keep things discreet. Some people already knew what I had done to myself, but I didn't want the rest of them to see anything. Surely, they would think I was weak and incapable of fighting—and I planned on fighting as hard as I could if needed.

I headed to the main floor of the building and found the boardroom which was now filled with our guardian crew. I was late to this meeting, and my entry was so quiet and slow that nobody seemed to notice me walking in. I stood at the back, listening to Alberta as she spoke. "...it won't be easy. We haven't gotten any reports or sights of our girl, but I'm thinking of having us split up in groups."

"Split up?" Eddie asked. He was standing next to Dimitri, and I actually had to admire him for a second for his determination even at such a young age. "You mean searching different areas?"

"Yes," Alberta replied. "We should check as many places as possible. That includes clubs and dens in the area. We just need to be discreet."

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

Several heads turned towards me. It made me a little uneasy, but I kept my guardian mask on. Nobody had seen me upon my arrival, and my sudden words took everyone by surprise.

Before anyone could respond, I continued as I walked towards the long table in the middle of the room. Two guardians spaced themselves out, making room for me so that I was visible to everyone. "Some of those clubs are infested with strigoi. Now, I have no doubt we can all take them down, but what makes this complicated is that they're working with moroi and dhampirs—and the occasional human." I looked pointedly at Damian who gave me a subtle eye roll. If there was anything we shared in common, it was our blatant attitude.

"She's right," Damian said. "Walking into a bloodwhore den like this isn't ideal unless you plan on arresting them all on the spot. Right now, you're all just looking for people with the right answers. They won't listen to any of you, but they might listen to her." Damian emphasized his point as he cocked his head towards me. He was definitely right about that. With my status, people might be willing to spare me some information.

"You're suggesting that Rose should talk to those people?" Alberta asked, crossing her arms. I exchanged eye contact with Damian, and even he didn't expect the next few words to come out of my mouth.

"I'll go undercover," I offered. Just as I expected, almost everyone in the room started to protest.

"Oh no you're not," Abe said. "You are not walking into one of those ever again. Not after what happened to you. Absolutely not."

"If I can find anyone who might know Sanders' whereabouts, I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

"Rose," Dimitri interrupted, "it's not happening. Unless we can come up with a way to be near you the whole time...but even then, it's risky."

"I need answers. There's no other way to get in without causing total chaos." Ironically, that seemed to stir things up even more. People started arguing against my decision, but at one point, it seemed like they were just talking to each other rather than to me as they tried to search for an alternative.

"What about the house?" Damian suggested. The arguments came to an end as Damian once again drew attention to himself.

"You mean...the house?" I asked. Just the thought of going back there made me shiver, but I didn't doubt it being a hiding spot for Nevaeh. I was pretty sure the house hadn't been touched in a while.

"Before we dive into anything, we should check the place. If Nevaeh's not there, we'll figure something else out. I just think it's worth a shot." Damian said. For a moment, I thought I could see some kind of determination in his eyes. In a way, he had cared for Nevaeh despite the horrible environment she was living in. He had done everything to keep her away from Sebastian and all his horrible plans and had been trying to figure out a way to help her escape. I wished she never had to grow up in that environment at all, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how little power Damian actually had. He was young—maybe Dimitri's age—and was often belittled by people who had been in the blood-whoring business for several years. Sebastian had been controlling him, using him as his little puppet slave for dirty work. Damian was still a little cold and had a lot of dirt on his hands, but he wasn't heartless.

"Alright," I said, making my decision. "Let's go."


What did you think? I hope the spanking wasn't too harsh as I tried to use it for a punishment as well as therapy. I wanted Dimitri to be strict in getting his point across, but to also let her know that he loves her and is always there for her. Any (hopefully positive) thoughts are appreciated!