When Spirit Shows Its Thorns

Chapter 10

I found myself relaxing on a blanket at one of my more favorite parks at Court. As the sun warmed my skin, I took in the beauty surrounding me. My eyes settled on Adrian as he perched on the blanket, watching me with a knowing look. "You slept with him." He took a sip of his wine. "I suppose that should answer my question, but I have to ask anyways. Did you give any thought to my offer?"

I pursed my lips and scowled at him in vexation. Adrian's game was already ruining one of the best nights of my life. "Adrian, I will always choose him. I care for you, but there could never be anything more than friendship between us."

"That's where you're wrong, Rose."

"Give it up Adrian." My temper was at snapping point. "I will never want you in that way. You need to wake up. Why do you think I never went further than a few chaste kisses? Even subconsciously I was choosing his memory over you. You are the one who has built me up in your mind. I cannot be who, what you want me to be. There will never be a you and I. I kept my word to you. I did give you a chance, but even then you never could hold up to the memory of Dimitri. Now that he is back, I have no intention of ever letting him go again."

"There you have it Rose. You won't let go of him. Did you just blow off everything I had said? What are you going to do in another year or two when you will not be enough for him?" He interrupted my tirade.

"Look, I spoke with Dimitri. He knows what we talked about and I know he will be happy with whatever life we will have. We both will be happy as long as we are together. He feels as I do, Adrian. Children or not, all we want in life is to be together. The rest will work itself out."

"You will regret this one day." He spat at me. His face showed his hurt and disappointment in my choice. "Don't think I will be there to help pick up the pieces of your heart when he breaks it again either."

"I don't expect to have my heart broken ever again." I countered, frankly. "Now leave me alone to my own dreams Adrian."

"As you wish, Rose, I won't bother you ever again." He said as the dream began to fade away.

"Adrian, wait." I called out. The dream began to rematerialize. "How are things going at Court? Are they still looking for us?"

"Only you would have the audacity to stomp my heart into a bloody mess and then ask me if it is safe for the man responsible to return to Court." Adrian's laugh was near maniacal. Then shaking his head at me, the dream turned to blackness and I heard his voice floated through my head. "I wouldn't care if you could ever return to Court again, but I know that if you cannot return, neither will Lissa. I will help you with this, but not out of any kindness to you, but for her sake. Goodbye Rose."

I startled awake as the last steely note grounded its way through my brain. Dimitri lay sleeping by my side, and shaking the spirit dream from my thoughts, I returned to his embrace, letting his warmth lull me back to sleep.

Just as I felt my body begin to give in to sleep, Lissa's screams permeated our room, sending Dimitri and I both scrambling into our clothing and running down the hall towards the shrill cries. Dimitri tossed open her door, readying to protect the two Moroi that were inside the room beyond it. Christian was trying to grasp Lissa's wreathing body to calm her. I could feel the darkness that had surrounding her. Her screams growing louder as the darkness built. "She's having a nightmare." Christian called out to us. "I've never seen them so bad." His voice dropping in volume with each spoken word, he tried to pin Lissa against him to slow her thrashing. I ran to bed and wrapped my arms around her as best as I could. Moroi lacked the strength of a Dhampir, but her uncontrolled movements made it hard to get too close to her. Draining the darkness completely from her, I felt her body still and her breathing become less labored. I could feel the anger building that always came when I pulled the darkness from her, but ignored it as I saw her eyes fluttering open.

"Oh God, it was so horrible." She said blinking as she sat up. "She was so angry and hurt. I was trapped in the dream and I was so scared I forgot how to get out. I know that I shouldn't have been practicing, but I wanted to be able to use Spirit Dreams to see what was going on at Court. I was only trying to enter dreams unnoticed and watch what others were thinking. She's going to kill you, Rose. She wants you to suffer. I couldn't escape. It was so horrible being trapped there, watching her dream of torturing and killing you." Lissa began rambling about the dream. Dimitri was now beside me pulling me into a protective hold against his chest. Much like a mother would do a hurt child. My parents and several Guardians filled the room. The Guardians stood still with no expression, but both of my parents looked on with fear as they took in Lissa's dream.

Lissa was crying against Christian's chest, no longer speaking. I tried to coax her into telling me who this new threat was, but no reply was uttered to my pleas. I finally gave up, deciding that she needed to rest. We would all get more answers once the sun had set and everyone had gotten some sleep.

Dimitri carried me back to our bed, followed by two Guardians. Abe had decided that until we got the answers we needed, I would always have at least two Guardians protecting me. I tried to tell him that I would be fine with Dimitri by my side. We would only be sleeping for another few hours at most.

The Guardians stopped inside my sitting room, one taking post at the door leading to the hall, the other at the doors leading to the balcony. At least they didn't intend to stay watch beside my bed. That would have been a little too creepy.

I was frightened as to what may have happened in the dream that Lissa had so innocently invaded, but once tucked inside Dimitri's safe embrace, the world faded away leaving me to finally sleep until the sun was casting its last rays of light upon the earth.

Another short chapter, but I am as exhausted as Rose is in the story at this point. I still have so much of this story floating in my head, but I feel that I cannot finish another chapter tonight. Five chapters in one day was a way more than I ever thought possible. I am off to bed so I won't be extra grumpy at work tomorrow. Before I go, I would like to thank everyone for all of the reviews, follows, and favorites you have bestowed upon this story. Swimming, you have especially been a great encouragement. Your words of wisdom truly inspired me to go outside my box.

Until Next Time,

Rea