When Spirit Shows Its Thorns

Chapter 13

"Lil Dhampir," I heard his voice ring through my head but I could not see him. "Lil Dhampir." I heard again.

"Adrian, stop play around and tell me what you want. I'm not in the mood for games." I gritted towards the trees that surrounded the meadow I found myself standing in.

"I'm right behind you, Rose." His voice had become much closer. I spun around to find him lounging against a tree.

"I'm surprised to see you so soon. After, well, everything."

"What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment." His sarcastic reply came. "Your parents are here. I have to admit, as intimidating as your mother is, your father is just downright scary."

"I've met my father Adrian. Please tell me you didn't interrupt my sleep just to tell me that my father is scary and get to the point. Why are you really here?" I was getting irritated with him already.

"We are going back to Court. Aunt Tati is going to call an open council meeting to discuss Dhampir and Moroi rolls. It's a ruse to get Natasha to show her face. If she is unhinged enough to make a threat in the open then she can be arrested and this can all end. Aunt Tati also said to extend an invitation for you and the cradle robber to join her at Court in a few days. She gives her promise that no harm will be done to either of you."

"Adrian, we already know that Tasha wants the Queen dead, isn't that enough to arrest her?" I asked.

"Apparently no one can be held accountable for their dreams. Not everyone will enact their dreams, so she will have to make a verbal or physical threat before the Council will do anything."

"I understand." I mumbled. "I take it that the Queen's invitation is more of a summoning than an actual invitation?" I questioned, putting more bravado into my voice.

"Of course," Adrian scoffed at me. "She has a lot of questions for you and the Cradle Robber." He said as he started to fade into the shadows.

"Adrian! Adrian, wait!" I yelled. He became more focused and looked at me expectantly, so I hurriedly asked him on last question. "When is the Council meeting?"

"In four days. Aunt Tati wants to speak with you before then. It's time for you to wake up Little Dhampir." With that the dream faded and my eyes fluttered opened. Dimitri was staring down at me with a look of concern. I patted his hand that lay on my stomach and gave him a small smile to let him know I was ok. My thoughts were still muddled from the dream and I needed to work out how to explain it to him.

"You were yelling Adrian's name. Was it another Spirit Dream?" He asked softly. I nodded and rose to sit up against the head board, snuggling into the crook of his arm.

"The Queen is summoning us to Court." I told him as my eyes settled on the windows across the room. I knew this wasn't going to go well.

"She will have to understand that we can't just go waltzing back there. Not until your parents or our friends let us know that the threat against you is nonexistent." He cupped my chin in is fingers and brought my gaze to his.

"Lissa's Spirit Dream isn't enough to lock Tasha up. The Queen is going to hold an open Council meeting about the roles that Moroi should have in fighting Strigoi to draw her out. She is hoping she will lose her cool and make a verbal threat. Queen Tatiana wants to talk to us before the meeting. She has promised that no harm will come to either of us."

"Roza-"He began.

"Just listen to me for a minute, please?" I asked. He paused and begrudgingly nodded at me. "I think we will be okay. We have the Queen's word that we will be safe from her people. My parents and our friends will help keep us safe. The only threat will be Tasha. We should be able to handle her."

"I don't know. You're asking me to willingly place you in harm's way, Rose."

"We're Guardians, Dimitri, we are not meant to shrug away from danger. We are meant to face it head on and destroy it. We can't hide away in Abe's house forever. We have a duty to uphold. I mean come on, I am Rose Hathaway; what do you think this is doing to my reputation, Comrade?"

Dimitri chuckled at my exuberance and pulled me tighter against him. "I don't like hiding either, you know. If we go back though, we need a plan."

"So we are going back, then?" I asked hesitantly. Now that he was beginning to cave to me, I was starting to have my own doubts on how just safe Dimitri would be. Just because the Queen had promised that no harm would come to us, it didn't mean that she didn't have something else planned.

"If and only, if we get a good plan in place to keep you from getting hurt."

"Me, I think we have to worry more about you. We know who and what is the threat against me. We have no idea what they have planned for you at Court."

"Call your parents Rose." He told me as he gave me a defeated smile. Well that wasn't has hard as I expected it to be. Dimitri climbed out of bed and began getting dressed while I dialed my mother.

"Rose, can I do anything to help?" Dimitri said as I wriggled uncomfortably in the seat next to him. I was bored, hungry, and trapped on another airplane. I turned sideways in my seat, bringing my legs to rest in his lap. He gently untucked his book from under them, closed it, and put it in the pocket of his duster.

"I need more to eat than peanuts and I'm bored." I sighed as he began to rub circles on my calves. "That feels good."

"I have an extra book if you want to read." He smiled at me. I rolled my eyes at him and sighed again. "Okay so no to the book. Can I get you something else?"

"No, I think I might lay here a bit and enjoy your fingers." I felt the circular motions on my leg falter then press slightly harder. Closing my eyes and moaning as he hit a tense spot in the muscle. "That feels really good."

I woke up a while later with Dimitri's jacket covering me up. His book was perched on top of my legs, but his head was tilted back as he slept. He looked so peaceful. I didn't want to move, but I really needed to visit the powder room. Sitting up, I moved his book and carefully pulled my legs from his lap. Standing up I folded his duster over the end of the couch.

On my way back I grabbed a bottle of water and looked around the plane. Four Guardians had joined us for our trip back to the States and they all had drifted off. Not wanting to disturb anyone I walked back over to the couch and laid down, this time placing my head on Dimitri's lap. I felt his hand weave its way into my hair and looked up. He was looking down at me smiling. "Hi." I whispered up to him. Bringing his arm around me, he pulled me so I was sitting sideways in his lap.

"Hi" he whispered back as his lips gently possessed mine. A few more chaste kisses later, I found myself tucked into his side. "Want me to read to you, Milaya?" He asked reaching for his book. He settled the book in his lap and found his place then leaned his head against mine. Lifting the book up so he could read from the new angle, he quietly began to read. We spent the rest of the flight snuggled together as he gently spoke the words of the book so only we could hear them. I don't remember ever finding a book so interesting in my life.

Arriving at the airport we traded from the airplane to a private helicopter and began the final fifteen minute flight to Court. I was beginning to feel exponentially nervous so I closed my eyes and checked through Lissa's mind to see what the others were doing. They were gathering in her suite, getting ready to meet us when we landed. Deciding that everything seemed to be well enough with them I watched out the window, lost in my own thoughts.

I know there wasn't much 'movement' with this chapter, but it is needed to reach the next part of the story. Saturday will be a family day for me and mine since no one has work or school this weekend, but I will begin writing Chapter 14 on Sunday. Until then, thank you for all of the favorites, follows, and reviews this story is receiving. You guys are just awesome!