AUTHOR NOTE: Hi guys! Welcome back to Chapter 3 where Rose is slowly back to the path of normalcy. Her relationship with Adrian is beginning to turn into maybe friendship or romance? I'll let you guys take a guess! Please let me know what you think and leave a review if you feel like it! I'm excited for you guys to read this chapter as I'm very proud of it! I know this is a slow burn but it'll be worth it in the end. Rose is beginning to come to terms with things in her life after a discussion with Adrian. This is a slow chapter but focuses on Rose and her relationship with Adrian. The next step in getting her life together is discovering how her relationship with Lissa can be fixed while at the same time convincing Headmistress Kirova to let her back into St. Vladimir's. There is also the problem of Avery Lazur. Will Rose be able to handle all of this while dealing with the death of Dmitri? Read to find out.
CHAPTER THREE: THE LONG DAY
"Love will find a way through paths where wolves fear to prey."
-Lord Byron
BEGIN FLASHBACK
I could feel my heart pounding like an orchestra in my ears as my blood pumped through my body. The sweater dress getting caught on twigs as I ran through the forest. Panting, trying to catch my breathe. The endorphins pumping through me as I vaulted myself over every branch and rock in my way. "Roza, where are you?" His sing song voice hunting after me. I could feel him gaining, getting closer. "I can smell you, Roza." It was not the man I loved hunting me. Instead, it was a monster who resembled him. My feet kept ripping against the cold Siberian Forest floor as I hoped for my salvation. Finally, I spotted it. I came upon the bridge hanging over the faulty river, swinging, with the vicious rapids below. The boards barely holding and the rope swinging back and forth. If you could not beat the enemy in his field, then I would meet him in mine. There out of the corner of my eye was him approaching. Dmitri. His features contorted in a sick smirk as he neared me; "Just join me, Roza, awaken and we can be together." I listened to him, slowly backing away to the railing. The stake was in my hand feeling like a thousand pounds."No, Dmitri, not now, nor ever.". I slowly brought myself up over to the railing. He paused, almost shocked. "You wouldn't do it."Shaking my head, I looked back to the man I once loved then to the rapids. They were merciless. "I would, Comrade.". He came forward once more until he was only steps away, red eyes gleaming in the darkness. "We could be forever together, Rose.". His words dripped with venom as he spoke "You think you are alive now? You're not."I shook my head once more as he approached: "Why do you want me, Dmitri?" My hand gripped the stake even tighter as his lips parted "I want to be together".There it was the truth. Dmitri didn't want me because he loved me. He wanted me because of what we could be together. I prepared to jump off of the railing, leaning forward. Dmitri ran forward gripping onto the back of my dress. He yanked me back and that was my opportunity. So, this was the thing, I knew Dmitri would have done something like this. I was okay with dying honestly. But Dmitri had just given me the perfect chance. I leaned into him, looking him in the eyes, and shoved the stake upwards through the rips. "I will always love you." His eyes widened in surprise as the red gleamed out of them returning to their natural state. "Roza..." He gripped my hand as I continued to push the stake forward. His pale hand gripping my olive one as I shoved it to his heart. He gasped "That's the thing I was supposed to say."
FLASHBACK OVER
I woke in a cold sweat as the night light peered in through the windows. It was just a dream. I could still feel the coldness of the river and his voice coursing through my ears: "Roza.". It was just a dream, I knew that. I couldn't believe it had been forty-eight hours since I killed him. I felt numb as if I was existing only on fumes. He was really gone. I had done it. There was no bringing him back. He was gone. I placed my hand over my heart feeling it. The morning light streamed in through the windows as I felt my heart thump out of control. My chest feeling as if it was a million pounds. The room that Adrian had given me was simply decorated. The walls were a soft color that Lissa would probably call cream. It was just beige to me. There was an ottoman nextto the bed that looked like it was made out of velvet. Two windows secured by antique bars for security, likely. The bathroom was too the corner of the room with the door jarring out. It was a simple room but had been designed for a woman, strange. There was nothing moving in the house as I rose up from bed. It was too early for Adrian to be awake.
It was strange how he cared for me. I had never seen that side of Adrian before. Sweet, soft, caring. It was always usually a flirtatious game with Adrian. One of us always giving too little. Last night, Adrian was there though.
There was no point in thinking about the man with the gorgeous emerald eyes and the perfect imperfections. I didn't have time to worry about him. The carpet on the floor was plush against my feet as I moved to the bedroom's bathroom. In the morning light, it was actually a pretty bathroom. Marble floors with black details from the outline of the shower to the all-black bathtub pressed against the wall. It was something I would like. The countertops were lined with female products from expensive Chanel bodywashes to neatly organized makeup products. The mirror stood out to me the most.
I stared back at myself with almost disgust. My long brown hair was matted in places I had no idea that could be matted. My eyes were sunken in and under where dark shadows. My face gaunt and pale, lacking warmth. But most importantly, I couldn't see myself in my reflection. There was no resemblance of myself. In the corner of my eye, I spotted the scissors in the multitude of organizational tools. "Don't cut you hair, Roza.". His voice whispered to me as I brought the scissors up to my hair. I snipped.
By the time, I had finished there was a pile of hair surrounding my bare feet. I had cut it up to my shoulders. It wasn't exactly the best cut with the jagged edges, but it was enough. There were no more matts but most importantly it was the last trace of him. The last thing he would have wanted. Looking back in the mirror, I knew this probably wasn't the best idea. Christian would laugh and ask what weedwhacker I went through. Lissa would be the first one to find me a hair stylist. But somehow, I liked it. It was enough. I pattered over to the shower as I slowly turned on the hot water. It came streaming down in a waterfall of droplets.
My fingers hooked around the bra straps, slowly shedding the black bra. My breasts perking at the cold air. My fingers hooking around my panties and shorts as I slid them down my thighs onto the floor. I was still attractive but hardened by the scrapes and bruises that Siberia left.
I hissed as I stepped under the steaming hot water that rained down onto my skin. "Ouch, hot, fuck." The water streamed around my skin as I stood under the water for what felt like minutes. Then the minutes turned into an hour as the water came from hot to cold. I didn't notice I was crying until the only thing warm was the tears that came down my cheeks. My breathing was ragged as I stood in the shower naked with tears streaming down my face. I couldn't breathe. It was collapsing, caving in. "Fuck!".. "Please, please.".It was just too much. He was gone. I slowly turned the water off, stepping out from under the cold falling water. My skin pale, teeth chattering, and hands shaking as I wrapped the plush towel around my frame. Tying it at my breasts, I stepped back from the bathroom. Peering into the bedroom, I glanced around to find a dresser. Great, there was not one. No clothes. This must have been Adrian's perfect way to get me naked.
The morning light had slightly faded painting the room in a soft light. Turning my head, I took in the small details that had been placed in the room. Soft pink Peony's in a vase next to a delicate expensive lamp. Glancing towards the bedroom door, I drifted towards it, unlocking the oak door. The hallway was empty devoid of any signs of someone living here. There was a door to the corner of my room. I could hear the soft rustling coming from behind it. Curiosity was the biggest threat to me. I turned back towards the door, slowly unlocking it, careful not to make noise.
There Adrian was in a cotton cloud with barely anything covered. The wrinkles of the duvet covering his body. The sharp line of his pelvis leading down were exposed. Soft curls framing his pale ivory skin as he soundlessly lay in bed. He looked peaceful, secure. His chest barely rising as he snored peacefully. He looked like one of those expensive sculptures that I had seen once in an art museum in Portland. He was the most imperfect perfect person I had ever seen. The light barely made its way in through the thick heavy blackout curtains. His room was everything I had expected. The masculine touches were evident from the hard copper dresser to the casual display of pictures and sports magazines lazily displayed. But in the middle of the room was the most magnificent bed you had ever seen. It was made entirely out of wood and fit for the man that lay in it.
Slowly approaching the bed, I leaned forward slight, tugging up the duvet to cover him. Adrian barely stirred as I adjusted the duvet around him. His chest carved in perfect lines but not too much muscle. The opposite of Dmitri in every way. I reached my fingers up stroking at the soft brown tendril, curling it around my finger, then releasing. Sitting on the corner of the bed near Adrian, I felt the minutes pass. The light diminishing throughout the room. My body long since dried from the shower.
Finally, Adrian began to stir. His eyes softly opening to reveal the wide Emerald orbs blinking back at my face. Stirring, Adrian turned to me "Is this a dream?" I could feel the soft smile rising on my face "Shh, you wish it was." He sat up slowly from his throne of the plush duvet and expensive pillows, scooting back slight. "If it was a dream, you'd be naked." I swatted him slightly with the soft of my hand before glancing back at him. "Scoot over, bed hogger." Adrian obliged as the covers tossed and turned as he made a dramaticmotion of scooting his body over. "As my lady wishes then." I shifted the covers over across my legs as I made my own place in his large bed. I could feel his bare thighs brushing against mine and if I had been myself, I would say something. I could feel him watching me from the corner of his eye as he leaned back into the welcoming bed.
Adrian smiled wryly before placing his arm of my shoulder. I couldn't help but flinch at the physical closeness. His face shifted slightly in an unreadable expression as he moved his arm back to his side. "Didn't know you felt that bad about me, Little Dhampir." He nodded "Do you want to talk about it?" Glancing back at him, I shifted a tiny bit closer "What's there to say, Adrian?" I shook my head once more as he took one look over my body. His eyes trailing especially to the rise in my breasts in a very careful elevator glance "Maybe the fact that you killed him." He was right, unfortunately. "It was what he wanted; you know?" His eyes narrowed "We spoke about it once in a mall in Missoula.".
Adrian leaned in closer to me "Where did you g-" I interrupted him hastily "To his home, Adrian." It was the easy truth. "Baia... It's a village in Siberia where Dhampirs live amongst the humans." Adrian nodded as I continued but I found myself tell him the entire story from how I met Sydney to Dmitri's sisters and Yeva. I talked until I was so breathless that Adrian had to hand me water to console my throat hoarse from talking.
But finally, I told him about how it all ended. I didn't realize I was crying until he wrapped his arms around me. His hands running down the soft curls of raven tendrils and his course hands rubbing circles on the small of my back. "Don't worry, little Dhampir. You might be surrounded by clouds, but you'll always be like sunshine to me." It was the most perfect thing he could say to me in that moment. Leaning back from Adrian, I realized how close we had become. His arms wrapped around my frame with no attention to the towel that had slipped from my breasts. The duvet covering our legs. "Was this your way to get me naked then?" His eyes briefly shifted to my breasts as I yanked the towel up. "It's exactly like I thought it would be." He let out a soft wolf whistle as I swatted my hand towards his arm. "You wound me, Little Dhampir." I shook my head "Oh, I could do a lot worse damage to you." He gave me a wolfish grin as he climbed out of the bed. I knew Adrian was going to have a good body, but this furthered my expectations. Even from behind, I felt my jaw drop a little.
Jesus, Rose, snap out of it, I thought to myself as Adrian swagged a bit to the dresser. He pulled on the shorts, covering himself. "Like what you see, Little Dhampir?" I could tell he was smirking without even looking "Oh shut up." He glanced back at me then shifted his eyes slightly "You're going back to school, Rose." His eyes narrowed slightly as I shook my head "What's the point, Adrian?" Adrian leaned slightly forward on the bed as my eyes traveled over his frame. "Lissa is the point, and you know it, Little Dhampir."
He was right. My best friend since I can remember was my point for existence and I had left her to find the man I loved and kill him. "Okay, fine, fine, I'll go to Kirova later, I promise." Adrian looked rather proud of himself as he jaunted toward the hallway but with a singsong voice, he turned towards me "You need to see, Lissa." Groaning slightly, I pulled the covers further up my nude body. "She's broken up with Christian and that Avery girl isn't any help either." Raising my brow slightly, Adrian continued; "It's not like her, Rose. Lissa doesn't party and kiss a boy that she once liked." He was right. "Kirova then Lissa then Avery, okay?" Adrian looked rather proud of himself at my agreement.
It was time to get back on track to where I wanted to be in life. I needed my best friend back and I needed to find some normalcy in a life without Dmitri. It was time.