AN- Firstly thank you for all the reviews, follows and favourites. It really does mean so much to me when I read the comments! 71 reviews - you guys are amazing, I didn't even think I would get 1!
Secondly, I AM SO SORRY! Sorry it has taken me so long to update. I never thought I would take this long to do an update but between work and then getting a concussion which has knocked me for the past week and half I have been in no position to sit and write the next chapter. It isn't great and mistakes are probably as I'm still not 100% over the concussion but I wanted to give you guys something!
I also kept adding things on the proof-reading so have now given up and just decided to post it, so if parts don't make sense or fit well, it's because I added it in the last proof-read and didn't bother to reread to make sure it flowed. Honestly it was starting to hurt my head too much.
Chapter 17 – The WTF Moment. Part 1.
We had been at the ski lodge for three days now. I'd hardly seen Dimitri in that time. He'd given me the two weeks we were here off from training. I was both happy and sad about that fact. I got two weeks of lie ins and time off with my friends, but I didn't have an excuse to see him every day.
There had also been another attack, this time there had been no survivors. The day it happened the mood all around the lodge was for a better word morbid. You could see in everyone's faces it had affected them. A one-off attack was one thing, but this was two attacks in a week. My earlier words came back and hunted me. This really did change everything. The strigoi were banding together to fight against us.
What was worst was Mia. I'd seen the list of the dead. I'd seen her walking around like a zombie. Her mum had worked for the family that was attacked and she didn't survive. I tried to be nice. I tried to offer her comfort, but she let her bitchiness out and through it back in my face. I could see she was hurting. Luckily her dad had managed to get some time off so had come to the lodge to spend some time with her, so they could both grieve together. I found it ironic that none of her so called friends where around her now when she needed them. I felt bad for her, but I tried. There was nothing more I could do.
This all happen two days before Christmas. I don't think anyone was really in the mood to celebrate now. Well the stuck up royal Moroi were. I knew I wasn't, but then I wasn't before this all happened either. I knew Lissa and Christian were spending there day with Tasha so I was going to be on my own, I had been offered to spend it with Eddie and Mason but after everything that went down with Mason, I didn't feel that would be right. Or so I thought.
On Christmas morning Lissa informed me that Tasha had said I could come to Christmas as well. I knew Lissa had something to do with it, it was a given. She felt bad about leaving me alone, but the thought was nice. Something about Tasha drew me in. I could see fight in her, that she wasn't one of these Moroi that didn't want to defend herself. She had no guardians protecting her although I wasn't sure if that was by choice or because of what Christians parents had done. Either way as a royal she could demand a guardian detail, yet she did not. She chose to live out in the human world unprotected and honestly, I respected her for that. I could see me and Tasha getting along.
That being said. She was obviously carrying a torch for my man. The whole plane ride she was always touching him and trying to get his attention even though he kept his firmly on the book he was reading. Except for a brief conversation they had at the start of the flight, which I didn't catch any off. For the most part though Dimitri kept to himself. In her defence she thought he was free game. It still irritated me though, especially since I couldn't do anything to say he was mine.
So that is how. Three days after arriving I found myself stood outside a small cabin. Honestly it looked abandoned, trees and bushes over ground, I nearly missed it. If it wasn't for the smoke coming out of the chimney and the lights evident through the windows, I would have thought it was abandoned, but this is where Lissa had told me to come and I could sense she was inside through the bond. I had no idea why she was out here as it didn't really look like some place she would go but I knew she would have her reasons. I hadn't yet knocked on the door. I had no idea why, but I felt uneasy. Knowing that eventually Lissa would start shouting at me over the bond or actually come and look for me I braved it and knocked.
After a minute or so the door opened to reveal Tasha. Stood in a dress that all I could think was wildly inappropriate for a Christmas celebration. It was a shiny deep red floor length gown with three quarter sleeves and shirt collar, which was the most modest the dress looked. It left very little to the imagination, the neckline plunged to near her belly button and a slit that stopped just above her hip line making it clear that she was not wearing any underwear. The dress flared from her hip showing off her deathly pale legs which did not suit the colour she was wearing. How she thought it was appropriate to wear around her nephew I'll never know, or even why she would think to wear something like that to a closed off celebration with family and dare I say friends.
After I got over the initial shock of what Tasha was wearing, I managed a warm smile and a quick merry Christmas's were swapped as she welcomed me into the cabin. As I looked around, I noticed that the inside actually looked lived in. The whole place was decked out with Christmas decorations, a fire going in the fireplace giving the whole place a winter vibe, and obviously it was winter outside. Deep snow lined the floor all around. I spotted Lissa and Christian already here, both sat on a blanket in front of the fireplace. They looked like the perfect couple straight from one of them rom-coms Lissa loves to make me watch. As I neared, Lissa turned and gave me a wide grin and left her spot next to Christian.
''Merry Christmas Rose!'' She squealed as she wrapped her tender arms around me. Luckily Lissa was dressed a lot more conservatively than Tasha. She was in blue skin-tight jeans and a Christmas jumper. It was a tradition we had started while on the run and I was shocked she was keeping it up. I'd also worn a Christmas jumper and was so glad I had. As I removed my coat she squealed again. ''OH, you remembered!'' Lissa sighed happily. I rolled my eyes.
''Of course, I remembered. It's our thing. Merry Christmas, Liss!'' I said giving her a tight hug.
''Well I for one think it is cheesy.'' Christian muttered from his place on the blanket. ''But Merry Christmas Rose.'' He added.
''It is not cheesy. It is what we had done the past two years and just because we are back, we aren't stopping it.'' I muttered. ''Merry Christmas to you, fire crotch.'' I said as I stuck out my tongue towards Christian. We were getting along a little better since everything went down with Lissa's kidnapping but would still bicker much to Lissa's dismay. I didn't think we would ever truly like each other, but we would deal with the other for Lissa sake.
''Ah Rosie, you just couldn't be nice for once could you.'' He replied sarcastically.
''Enough you two. Today we are going to all be nice to one another.'' Lissa said. We both nodded at her commanding voice but as she turned away from us, me and Christian both stuck our tongues out at each other behind her back. Laughing I took the seat near to where Christian was still sat. I was surprised the sofa looked new. Everything in the place looked new yet it had an eerie sense of being abandoned.
''My Aunt always chooses to stay away from the rest of the royals and Moroi. They treat her like an outcast because of what my parents did.'' Christian uttered. Probably seeing me looking around the small cabin. I should have realised that sooner. The royal Moroi at school treated him differently as well. He was a social outcast. Heck people probably only just started acknowledging him more because he was dating Lissa and they all wanted to get in the Princesses good books.
I looked towards Tasha and felt sorry for her. The women had been dealt a hard hand and it was entirely not her fault. She was being victimised for something that she didn't do. She had no choice in being related to Christian parents. Just the same as him. As I was looking towards Tasha, both her and Lissa turned around and came over to where me and Christian were sat. Tasha taking the seat next to me and Lissa sat back with Christian. He wrapped his arm around her waist as she leaned back on him.
''So, Rose? Lissa tells me that Dimka. Sorry I mean Guardian Belikov is your mentor?'' Tasha asked. My heart immediately jumped in my chest as the way she said his name. Like she was caressing it. It was so obvious she was carrying a torch for him and what was with Dimka.
''Yeah, he is. He volunteered to give me private lessons when me and Lissa were brought back to the academy. To help me catch up with my peers.'' I said, looking at her sideways trying to see how she would respond to me having private lessons from Dimitri. Her eyes flared with something I couldn't recognise, but I was fairly sure it looked a little like jealousy. Oh, yeah, you be jealous. Bitch.
''I'm sure he has taught you a lot.'' She muttered in response. I could see Lissa and Christian in a conversation of their own, so I fully tuned into my own conversation with Tasha.
''He still has a lot more to teach me.'' I replied. Something about the way she was speaking had me on edge.
''Surely not that much. I heard what you did with the whole issue after the dance a month ago. You saved my nephew and Lissa. You fought psi-hounds and won, not many people can say that. Surely Guardian Belikov has taught you enough now?'' She asked, a hopeful glint in her voice and eye. What the hell was she trying to get out of me?
''We still have a long way to go. I still need to get better at handling a stake which we are working on now. I graduate in a couple of months and I need to be prepared for everything and anything in order to protect Lissa. Guardian Belikov can teach me that.'' I muttered. The implication clear in my voice that I don't usually call Dimitri by his proper guardian title.
''But I heard you were involved in the Badica attack. So surely you know how to use a stake now?'' Ok. What the hell was this woman up to. She was pushing and pushing but why? I knew me being involved in the attack would have made its way around now. There was no way they could keep it a secret. I knew though that my kills had been kept classified until I was ready to let people know, which would be soon as I had to get my markings.
''I would rather not discuss the attack. That is classified information that I can not nor want to discuss.'' I replied, hoping she would just drop it. Obviously, I was not that lucky.
''But as a royal you can tell me.'' She insisted.
''No. I can't. I have been told by Guardian Petrov not to talk about the attack with anyone. So, until she tells me otherwise, I will be doing as told.'' The assertion clear in my words. Tasha shrugged and look defeated as she turned to face her nephew and Lissa.
I continued looking at her trying to figure out what the hell that was all about. What was she trying to accomplish? Was she just trying to get gossip from me about the attack in an attempt to get back into the inner circle of the Moroi world? She didn't seem like the person to bother with that. She didn't seem bothered that she lived out in the human world away from this society. In fact, she seemed glad she lived away from the hustle and bustle of the Moroi world with how she talked about her life.
I was brought out of my musing by a knock on the door. Tasha jumped up and rushed to answer it, a smile gracing her features and a flirty look in her eyes and I immediately knew who was at the door. Suddenly the way she was dressed became clear. She had dressed like that to try and get a reaction from him. But I knew that would never happen. Dimitri wasn't as shallow as to be attracted to someone by appearance alone.
''Hello Dimka. So glad you could make it!'' Tasha over enthused giving him an even bigger smile which made my blood boil. This was just going to be torture. I had enough of having to watch this on the flight here, now I had to watch it all over again while she was dressed in that.
I saw Dimitri give her a once over and could register the shock in what she was wearing. It was slight and no one else would have noticed but I saw a flick of disgust cross his features as he noticed how inappropriately she was dressed. Tasha stepped aside to let him into the small cabin and once he did his eyes roamed the room in typical guardian fashion. He nodded towards Christian and Lissa then his eyes landed on me and I saw surprise cross his face. He obviously didn't expect me to be here. I gave him a sheepish grin which he returned. Tasha scowled from his side when she noticed I got more of a reaction than she did.
''Rose. I didn't know you would be here.'' Dimitri mumbled as he walked closer into the seating area.
''Oh. I invited her. Lissa told me Rose and her usually spend Christmas together so I said she could come as well. No point being alone during the Christmas period.'' Tasha enthused.
Actually Rose, I asked Tasha if you could join. She just said it was ok to invite you. Lissa said through the bond. I turned to look at her and raised my eyebrows in question. Lissa shrugged. Just thought you should know. Even Christian said she's been acting weird since she's been here.
''Now. Now, you two. If there is something to be said. Say it out loud.'' Christian muttered from his place on the floor next to Lissa. Looking between us with a knowing smirk on his face.
''Nothing that needs repeating, Christian.'' I said in response. I looked back just as Dimitri took the seat opposite me on the other sofa and Tasha quickly sat beside him. A little too close if you asked me. Dimitri must have felt it as well as he moved further away. Does this bitch not think about personal space? I sighed.
As I looked around the room again, I noticed the confused look on Tasha's face as she looked between me and Lissa. She didn't know about the bond and I didn't really want to tell her, but I would leave that up to Lissa. I saw Tasha move slightly and then she opened her mouth. ''I'm sorry I don't understand.'' She enquired.
Lissa turned to look at me again. What do you think? Shall we tell her? I shrugged in response, letting her know with my eyes it was up to her. I quickly swept her mind and found she didn't quite trust Tasha just yet. I don't want to just yet. Not after what happened. Lissa shivered as the memory of Victors torture flashed through her mind, causing an involuntarily shiver of my own. I stood from my seat and walked over to Lissa and wrapped her in my arms. Whispering soothing words to her to calm her.
''It's ok. You don't have to.'' I whispered in her ear. Shooting Christian a death glare.
Thanks Rose. Lissa said in my head before she turned to look at Tasha who was watching us clearly confused. ''He didn't mean anything by it.'' Lissa shrugged and looked at Christian.
''Yeah nothing.'' Christian waved it off as if nothing had happened and took Lissa into his arms and muttered a sorry in her ear.
''Okay then.'' Tasha said happily. I sighed in relief that she wasn't going to press this anymore. She had also somehow managed to inch closer to Dimitri, and he had moved closer to the edge of the sofa and now had nowhere to go. Seriously did this woman not know any social cues whatsoever. I saw him watching me closely as I went back over and sat on the opposite sofa. As our eyes locked, we had one of our silent conversations. He knew what those shivers probably meant and was silently asking if I was ok. I shrugged in response looking down. I will never be able to rid myself of them memories, and they weren't even mine.
I tried to stop watching Tasha and Dimitri throughout the rest of the day, but it was difficult. They were having their own conversation and I could see from the corner of my eye how uncomfortable Dimitri was. I'd have to find him later to figure out what was going on. I looked over towards them again and caught Dimitri's eye and he gave me a small smile, but it was the look in his eyes that confused me. Fear and a little bit of longing. I couldn't think up and reasonable explanation for those feelings, so I pushed back the sense of dread that washed over me. As he was looking over at me, Tasha placed her hand onto his upper thigh, I saw Dimitri recoil from the touch but otherwise not react. 'They come first' in every situation, but right now my anger was flaring, I wanted to punch her or at least yell at her. She was openly touching my man, not that she knew he was my man but still and it was obvious he did not want to be touched. This action made Dimitri turn his attention back into the conversation they were having, luckily removing Tasha's hand from his leg for what was possible the millionth time today. After another few more minutes Tasha got up to check on the food. I saw Dimitri physically relax when she left him alone for a few minutes. After a second, he moved from the sofa he was sat at and came to sit next to me.
''Are you ok? Earlier I'm guessing you and Lissa were discussing via the bond and memories surfaced?'' He asked quietly, concerned clear on his face. It was so like him just to know what had happened. He could read me so easily. All I wanted right now was to be held in his arms and him to promise to keep the bad away, even for a short time, but we couldn't. I honestly couldn't wait for graduation when we didn't need to hide anymore.
''Yeah, I'm fine. Just flashbacks from the torture that's all.'' I replied in a whisper.
''I'm always here if you need to talk. I know I haven't been around much, but we will find some time soon. Maybe we could meet in the gym and have a training session?'' He asked, by this point we were leaning close to one another and talking is very low voices. Moroi had more sensitive hearing than we did but I even knew we wouldn't be overheard, hell I was having a hard time hearing him as it was. I smiled up at him, knowing that training would just be a ploy. Yes, we would probably train but we would also mostly talk and catch up. We still had loads to talk about which we hadn't got round to since the B&B.
''Yeah, that would be nice.'' I replied quickly as we heard Tasha come back over. Dimitri stood almost reluctantly went back over to his previous sofa.
''That's settled then. Tomorrow afternoon in the gym.'' Dimitri said louder so everyone could hear, if I had to guess it was in case people had indeed overheard us.
''Oh, come on Dimka. Give the poor girl a break.'' Tasha said in what sounded like anguish.
''It's just a one of session so she keeps her skill up.'' Dimitri muttered in response.
''But she is on holiday.'' Tasha responded.
''It's fine. Like I was saying earlier I need the extra training. I still have so much to learn before I'll be ready to graduate and safely protect Lissa.'' I interrupted. With that Tasha sat down and sulked for a few minutes. Doesn't look like she had anything to say about that one then.
We had been here a few hours now so it would soon be time to sit down for food then gifts afterwards. I was a little apprehensive as I hadn't managed to get anyone gifts, hell I didn't even know I was coming until this morning. It was bound to be a little awkward. Me and Lissa didn't do gifts anymore, not since before we ran away. Our tradition was the Christmas jumpers. We made a promise not to do gifts until we could BOTH afford to buy something for the other and that wouldn't happen until after I graduated. We had spent the time making idle chit chat. I could see Dimitri wanting to talk to me more but each time he tried Tasha diverted his attention back to her. I shrugged it off, trying my best not to read too much into it. I knew Dimitri loved me and she wouldn't change that. But the constant touching was seriously running my patience thin. I could see Dimitri was uncomfortable too which was not helping my simmering temper.
Finally, Tasha called us all through to the small dining table which was set up to the side of the large room. We all took our assigned seats. Annoyingly Dimitri sat between me and Tasha however I was sat right next to him as Tasha took the head of the table, so I took it as a small win. It was even better when Dimitri placed his hand on my thigh and squeezed gently. I was surprised he would do something so openly, but he hadn't had time to talk to me much since arriving. So, I was taking that small act of affection and grasping at it. As quickly as I had his touch though, it was gone as Tasha quickly finished placing everything on the table and handed the knife to Dimitri so he could carve the turkey which he did skilfully. Why I was surprised I didn't know. That man could do anything. After he finished carving, we all plated our own food up and ate in a comfortable silence.
Eventually conversation started flowing, mostly between Lissa, Christian and Tasha. They were talking about plans after graduation and how Lissa was yet to decide what college she wanted to attend but knew she wanted to further her education, she also knew that she would have to factor in her guardian detail which would grow if she wanted to go to a bigger school.
I was distracted by the conversation at hand when I felt a hand on my thigh, and I'd be lying if it didn't feel like coming home. Like I could finally breath again. I moved slightly in my chair closer to Dimitri and turned my head to look at him with my eyebrows raised. He smirked but hidden within his eyes I could see the longing there; he'd felt the same as me. We hadn't seen each other in days. Ever since we left the academy, practice had been cancelled. It was a holiday after all, but it sucked because we didn't have an excuse to spend any time with each other. His gently rubbed his thumb in soothing circles on my thigh. I could feel the tingle from his thumb moving against the skin even with my legs being clad in jeans. A shiver ran through me and from the corner of my eye I saw his smirk grow. He knew what he was doing.
I knew I said to him I'd try to behave. I said I wouldn't torture him or test his self-control, but he started this and now I was just binding my time until I could relay this torture and really see how long his self-control lasts. I smiled to myself. Let the games begin Comrade I thought.
I tried tuning back into the conversation we were having. We were still talking about colleges but now Lissa was looking at me, I knew she'd just asked me a question by the look on her face but for the life of me I couldn't remember what she had asked. Dimitri's hand was still rubbing circles on my thigh and it was very distracting. Suddenly his thumb stopped moving but he kept his hand firmly on my thigh, giving a slight squeeze. I breathed a sigh of relief and my brain started working again. I was really going to have to take this into my own hands soon. No joke.
''Sorry. What did you say?'' I breathed. Oh god, as if my voice sounded like that. All breathy. They were all going to figure this out. Get it under control Rose!
''I said that we were looking at courses the other day and you said what you would like to study. And how I was trying to find something we would both like to study as you would have to enrol with me.'' Lissa said again eyeing me closely. I gulped. Crap. She was on to me.
''Oh yeah.'' I was cut off by Dimitri moving his thumb again. Seriously I am trying to hold a conversation here man. What happened to the 'nothing can happen until after graduation rule' or the 'no one can find out' rule. We were in a room full of Royal Moroi, one who I was damn well sure had a crush on my man and here he was distracting me and putting everything at risk, and I wasn't allowed to torture him when we were in a closed off gym! Oh, hell no, this game is on.
As I looked sweetly at Lissa and tried to conjure any form of response as I slipped my hand onto Dimitri thigh, higher than his was on mine and didn't even hold it there a beat before I started moving my hand up closer to his crotch. I held my hand high on his upper thigh, all I would have to do is move it over slightly and I would be resting on his crotch. I smiled to myself as I felt him tense under my hand, he gave a small cough, and his hand on my thigh squeezed a little harder, but this time I knew it was in a silent warning. I wondered how long he would let this go on for before he put a stop to it. He had to know this was dangerous. What had gotten into him? It was lucky the tablecloth covered everything.
Okay, I know. He probably just wanted some contact with me. To feel close to me since we had been away from each other for so long and I was making this into a game. We had both been starved of each other's touch for days. It wasn't too bad with training. We still got the touches in, even if they were mostly combatant. He still knew full well what he was doing. He knew the effect this game would have on me. It was always him having to stop when things started to get heated. Otherwise why would he stop the second he realised he was distracting me from the conversation then restart once I made one comment. He knew full well what he was doing, and I couldn't understand it or resist it.
I shook my head. Focusing as much as I could back to Lissa. ''Yeah. It's amazing honestly. We still need to figure out where to go, then we can make our choice but, in the end, I will do whatever Lissa wants.'' I said while shrugging. It was true. My job was to follow her wherever she went, no question.
''No Rose. You deserve a life too. Not just one in service to me. You need to do something you want to do as well.'' Lissa said, her royal tone coming out full force. Dimitri's hand shifted slightly, rising further up my thigh to the apex but went no further as he squeezed again. I also didn't miss the look Tasha shot in Dimitri direction, but I don't think he caught it.
''Lissa, I know that. But in the end, whatever you want to do is fine by me.'' I said. I was close to taking my next step if Dimitri kept his hand there much longer. I was also trying to move this conversation on in the hope it would deter the attention from me and well Dimitri to. Luck was on my side and Tasha started questioning what options she was looking at, I sighed in relief which immediately turned to anger as I felt Dimitri twitch his hand, making contact with my core with the lightest of touches. But that touch is all it took to evoke a fire within me. Even if he immediately pulled his hand away from my core. That's it I'm upping the game. This needed to end. I'll ask again, what game is he playing. We would be having words about this tomorrow. Why could he play with me, literally, when I couldn't do the same to him. He would be pissed if I had started this. Hell, I am pissed he started it.
Without a second thought I moved my hand across and rested it firmly on his growing bulge. To my surprise he was already hard under my hand. Huh this game was turning my man on. I sighed, even to my own ears it came out more of a moan than I would have liked. I quick glance around the table told me no one had noticed but I saw Dimitri giving me a warning glare. Ha Comrade, you started this.
I pressed more firmly down onto Dimitri, wondering just how far I could push before he stopped us. I heard his sharp intake of breath. I gave him a smirk, again he shot me another warning look and I just started to stroke him through his pants. He managed to conceal a grown by coughing again, I smiled to myself. My hand stilled and my smile went slack as I registered what Christian just said in my lust filled brain. What the fuck did he just say?!
''So, Tasha. When are you and Dimitri going away?'' He'd asked. I quickly pulled my arm away as if it had just been burnt. It hadn't, obviously but it felt like it. As well as a cold bucket of water just being dumped on me. With that one sentence I was left confused.
''Oh, nothing is set yet.'' Tasha said, waving the comment away with her hand. She looked uncomfortable with this new development.
Luckily for me, Christian didn't take the hint. ''Oh, I just thought with me graduating soon. You two would have already made plans.'' Christian replied matter-of-factly. I felt Dimitri tense beside me. His hand still resting on my leg clamped down so hard I was sure to have bruise there later and I held back a yelp. I placed my hand over his and squeezed his hand. Thankfully he loosens his grip and squeezed my thigh back gently, caressing it. I knew it was in an apology. I kept my hand on his to try and calm him. I had no idea what was happening. Dimitri just looked uncomfortable.
Tasha was looking between Christian and Dimitri so quickly I was starting to get whiplash, so I looked away, towards my best friend just as she spoke. ''I'm sorry, I'm a little confused. Where is Dimitri going?'' Thank you Lissa! Right now, I could kiss the girl for asking the question I was burning to ask. I reached for my drink and took a sip as Christian responded. Still ignoring his Aunt who looked like she was pleading with him to stop talking.
''Oh well, Dimitri and Tasha have always had a connection of sorts. They just never acted on it because Tasha needed to take care of me.'' Christian shrugged as if it meant nothing. Meanwhile I splattered my drink across the table that I was halfway through swallowing and started choking in surprise. I was coughing so hard, fluid started coming back out my nose. Very attractive Rose. Meanwhile my heart broke all over again in my chest. I quickly pulled my hand free of Dimitri's and pushed his hand off my knee, standing up trying to get in a better position to cough.
''Rose! Are you ok?'' Dimitri asked, getting up himself and patting my back to help. I stopped coughing quickly after that and moved away from his touch. I turned to look at him and saw him flinch away. Good. I nodded in response. Not able to form proper words right now nor knowing what else to say. Did Christian just imply that Dimitri and Tasha were together? Then what the fuck was I to him?!
I saw Tasha flirting with him all night. Rubbing her hand along his arm and foot up his leg but he didn't seem to play into it. Didn't seem to take any notice in her advances. Was that all part of the act because they had to stay away from each other because of her responsibility to Christian right now? Or was it for my benefit so I wouldn't catch on? Was his reaction earlier because of Tasha's advances and not mine?
My head was spinning a hundred miles a minute. Suddenly all my own fears came flooding in. He could literally have everything he could ever want with Tasha so why the hell was he messing around with me. He wouldn't have to worry about jail time, about his job being in jeopardy, basically anything that he has to worry about with me. Then suddenly his earlier actions came to the forefront of my mind. He was using me. Why else would he start that game at the table? Playing with me until he could have what he really wanted. But he wouldn't, right? He said he loved me. He couldn't fake the guilt he felt after the lust charm, could he? The questions were squirming around in my head faster than I could think them and I started to get dizzy and black spots started clouding my vision.
I quickly sat back on the chair resting my head on the table breathing in deeply trying to stop the black spots from taking over. I didn't want to pass out but knew if I didn't calm down soon I would. I could see Dimitri watching me closely making sure I was ok, so I used his voice to calm me. Stupid I know since he was basically the cause of my panic, but I needed something to ground myself.
As I calmed, I looked around the table to find everyone looking at me. All with concerned looks on their faces. ''Sorry went down the wrong hole.'' I shrugged and took another cautious sip. Everyone smiled at me, then Lissa returned to conversation back to the previous topic, which right now I wish she hadn't. My head was still flooded with unanswered questions. Questions that I knew I wouldn't get the answer to for a while.
''I haven't had any requests for leave put in from Dimitri.'' Lissa said, looking towards Dimitri in question.
''That's because I don't need any leave Princess. I'm not sure what is going on.'' Dimitri said, clear confusion lacing his words. Damn the man was good at acting. I huffed beside him, to which he gave me a sideways glance which I ignored. Tasha was about to respond when a knock at the door sounded through the room again, however no one moved.
''I'll get it then.'' I said as I stood up from the table. Anything to get away from this. I could see Dimitri staring at Tasha with a look of anger. Well I was angry to. How could he do this to me?
I wondered who else could be here. We had already eaten so whoever it was couldn't have been coming for the food. I shrugged and swung the door open a little harder than needed and it crashed with a loud bang against the wall, startling Dimitri out of his thoughts, he quickly looked around the room and saw no attack as he eyes rested on the person in front of me. A person I would recognise anywhere with her auburn curls in a short pixie cut. She was shorter than me and unless you knew who we both were you wouldn't think we were related. Because the women in front of me looked nothing like me. Standing in front me was my famous guardian mother Janine Hathaway. She looked me over as if judging my outfit choice and I scowled at her.
''Rosemarie. Good to see you.'' Janine said as she stepped forward, she raised her arms slightly as if to hug me but then decided better of it. I just stood there staring at her. Staring at the women who had abandoned me from the age of 4 and who I had only seen a handful of times since then. A woman who would basically be a stranger to me if not for that famous reputation.
I hmphed in response and turned back to the room where I could see Dimitri still staring at Tasha after his initial shock. He didn't just look angry now, he looked without a doubt furious. Had something happened while I was answering the door. I looked towards Lissa and Christian and could see surprise written on Lissa's faces, not so much Christian's. Using the bond, I tried to figure out what was happening and found out that Tasha had said that her and Dimitri were together. I pulled myself out of the bond not wanting to know anymore as I felt a hand on my arm. I spun and saw my mother had walked into the cabin and was saying hello to everyone. I looked between her and Dimitri not knowing what to do. It was all too much. My absent mother showing up and my lover or whatever you want to call him, and this situation was just all too much. In the end I did the one thing I knew how to do. The thing he had trained me to do. The one thing that I hated myself for doing before but right now I just had to get away.
I ran.
As soon as I made my way up the path leading to the cabin, I heard footsteps behind me. Footsteps I would know anywhere even with the snow on the ground. Dimitri's. I already knew he would follow me. I heard him shouting me and telling my mother to leave me alone and he would speak to me. This only made me push harder to get away from him. No way was he going to see me break down. He had had too many tears from me. Had broken my heart to many times now.
''Rose! Wait!'' He shouted. I knew running was hopeless, I was running in snow for crying out loud. Even on his worst day and my best he would still catch me with his long legs. I was screwed. We were far away from the cabin now that even if we started shouting at each other we wouldn't be overheard so I turned on him. Giving him a fierce look, which made him stop dead in his tracks, he stopped about 3 feet in front of me. I needed more space. I took a few steps back adding another foot of space between us.
''What was that back there?'' I shouted as I spun completely to face him. My anger being taken to a whole new level. I wasn't just angry at him. I was also angry at my mother's unexpected reappearance. How did my mother think she could just show up out of the blue? ''A quick last-minute feel before you leave. What was I to you?'' Tears were threatening to spill from my eyes, but I sucked them back in, refusing to let him see me cry. He was breaking my heart. Again. How could I have let him back in so easily?
''NO!'' He shouted in reply. Apparently, his self-control had also slipped as I never thought he would shout so easily at me. He took a step closer to me, reaching his hand up but I backed away further raising my hands to protect myself, he looked scared in that minute. I couldn't let him touch me. If he touched me, I'd break, and I didn't want to do that just yet. ''Rose, Please. Calm down so we can talk. Please.'' He begged. I could see the earnestness in his eyes. He was begging me with his voice, his accent caressing every word, but his eyes. His eyes were pleading with me. Unfortunately for me, my anger was too far gone.
''TALK?! Talk about what? How you used me until you could go off with Tasha.'' I snarled her name, I didn't even want to speak it, but I had to right now.
''NO! I don't even know what that was all about. I have no idea what she or Christian was on about. Rose, I love you. Only you.'' He was lying. I know he was lying but it sounded so much like the truth. But I knew. Everything from his lips had been a lie.
''Stop lying. Everything you say is a lie. Everything. I'll give you one thing. You are good at acting. You should have become an actor! All the guilt you so called felt. The pretending to be ashamed of what happened. Pushing me away. Was it all a game to you?!'' Ok, so I knew that was a low blow, but I was angry and unable to stop to words spilling from my mouth. I saw him physical recoil from my words as if I'd slapped him. I saw him falter slightly as he took a step further away from me.
''No.'' He breathed. ''Nothing was ever a lie. I'm being honest with you. Nothing in my life means more to me than you. I know I shouldn't say that but it's the truth. You come first for me.'' He declared. In a blink of my eye he was stood before me and his lips crashed onto mine. Moulding to my lips like they were made for me. My lips started moving before I had a chance to think. Once my mind had caught up with my body, I managed to push him away.
''Don't you ever do that again! I hate you!'' I yelled as I turned to run again. ''And don't follow me!'' I didn't have far to go and once I didn't hear any footsteps behind me, I slowed my speed down to a gentle jog. I really didn't want to fall on any ice and hurt myself. Once I slowed down though the chill in the air caught up to me and I started shivering. It had taken me just under ten minutes to walk to the cabin from the main resort and I could see the resort from where I was so I would be in the warm soon. I sighed. I'd left my coat in the cabin in my need to escape from everything.
How did things go so wrong? I could hear Lissa through the bond asking me if I was ok and that she would come and see me later if she had chance or tomorrow. I sighed again. I could really do with my best friend right now. Not for the first time I hated that she didn't know about me and Dimitri. I just wanted someone to talk to about this. Talk through it all. I thought about going to see Celeste or Art, but I didn't want to bother either of them. They were probably in on it anyway. Nope, don't think that. They wouldn't. He must have fooled them too. I let a few tears I had been fighting slide down my cheeks until I was a few feet from the steps entering onto the vast porch surrounding the ski lodge, drying my eyes and putting on my own mask I composed myself enough to get me back to my room.
''Hey, little dhampir.'' A voice said from the shadows and a familiar scent wafted through the air.
AN – I know it's probably not great but I'm still not 100% but at least it's something right?
Ok so I was contemplating for ages whether or not to keep the 'under the table' part in this. It was a little out of character for Dimitri I know. It was even worst the first time I wrote it as he did a lot more touching than he did in this version if you get my drift.
Do you love it or hate it? Let me know!
Also – Do you want to see more of Art and Celeste? I'm thinking of doing a few chapters in either of their point of views... What do you think?
I have also decided once I finish this story, I will write the alternative version of this story. The story I originally had planned instead of this but was too scared to stray from the original plot from VA.