"This must be very different from Russian Christmas dinners?" Tasha trilled, smiling at Dimitri as she passed a platter with roasted carrots, turnip, parsnips and sweet potato to him. That she was thrilled she snagged the seat to Dimitri's right was clear in every simpering grin.

"A little," he allowed. "In Russia, we have goose rather than turkey." Serving himself vegetables, he held the platter while Rose served herself. Seated on Dimitri's left, Rose was opposite Lissa and Christian. Eddie, Mason, Meredith, Chelsea and some other Novices were also seated at the long table along with Lissa's guarding team.

Moroi usually ate separately from their Guardians, and would never sit down with dhampir on formal occasions like this, however, Lissa had been adamant. Her parents had shared Christmas dinner with their Guardians for as long as she could remember, and it was not a tradition on which Lissa was prepared to budge. She'd made it clear Guardians were free to sit where and with whom they liked, but they were welcome to sit with her. Since the food was always better on the Moroi tables, it was a no brainer, really!

"Did you get good Christmas presents, Lady Ozera?" Celeste asked, interrupting Tasha's shameless eye-fucking of Dimitri. Honestly, the woman had no off button. Lady Ozera had already undone more buttons on her shirt than was seemly and kept bringing her arms in close to her sides to push her meager cleavage together. Not that Dimitri was paying her any attention.

"Lots of lovely things… But sadly not someone tall, dark and handsome at the foot of my bed," Tasha replied with a theatrical sigh, batting her eyelashes at Dimitri.

"What did you get, Sparky?" Rose asked, even though she'd helped wrap many of them.

"A new leather duffel, some books, and some shirts." Rose sniggered. Lissa had been trying to get Christian to dress in anything but black ever since they started dating, however, Rose wasn't convinced the plum and peacock blue shirts Lissa had selected for him this year were likely to do the trick. There'd also been the gift of a very sheer pale pink set of underwear from Agent Provocateur that Lissa had worn for him last night, but Rose could understand why he didn't want to mention that.

As they ate, Meredith was fingering a pretty silver necklet which must have been a gift from Eddie. He was looking pretty happy, so perhaps a trip to second base had been his Christmas gift? Speaking of which, Rose's mind kept slipping back to what almost happened that morning. Even thinking about Dimitri's thick, hard cock made everything south of her bellybutton clench.

For all their talk of waiting until she was eighteen, that just wasn't going to happen. The more time they spent together the closer they were becoming. There was now no doubt in Rose's mind Dimitri was her mate—and she wanted to give herself to him completely. But before that there was another milestone; something they were planning to accomplish today. After lunch, they were going to Skype Dimitri's family!


"I am so full I can barely move!" Rose groaned, grinning across the table at Lissa and Christian. "What does everyone have planned for the rest of the day?"

"Lissa and I plan to rest for a few hours," Christian said, stepping in immediately, staking his claim. Chaung would be guarding, so Christian was confident in his suggestion since Dimitri would not be around to disapprove.

"I'm meeting Dean at the bonfire," Mason stated, eyeing Rose hopefully.

"Meredith and I plan to hang out for a bit," Eddie said, his voice indicating company would not be welcome.

"I'm off to spend some time with Alberta," Rose lied, giving Dimitri a loaded look. They'd already agreed to meet to Skype the Belikovas.

"You seem to be at a loose end, Guardian Belikov!" Tasha announced gleefully. "I'd love to spend the afternoon with you!"

"Sorry, Lady Ozera; Guardian Belikov and I have plans…" Celeste said.

"You and Guardian Belikov?" Tasha snapped, eyeing Celeste with distrust.

"I have a Guardian leveling test coming up. As the senior Guardian on our team, Guardian Belikov is helping me study for it."

"A Guardian's duty is never done," Lissa commented solemnly, giving veracity to Celeste's claim.

"Then I might as well go to the bonfire," Tasha sulked, referring to the annual Christmas event held to the side of the commons. It would be filled with students, Guardians, teachers, and visiting family and was usually a festive celebration; not that Tasha looked enthusiastic at the prospect.

"Great idea," Christian said. "We'll join you there later."


"Thanks for getting me away from Lady Ozera," Dimitri said, hoping Celeste didn't really need help with her exam preparations.

"She's persistent, isn't she?! Is it true she showed up at Stan's door in her underwear last night thinking it was your room?!"

"I believe she was also wearing a robe," Dimitri replied, the edge of his lips twitching. Tasha's antics were prime gossip and had spread like wildfire throughout the Guardians' dorms. Guardian Alto had become the unwitting recipient of grins, high-fives and lewd comments from his colleagues, even though he'd done nothing more than open the door to his room.

"Did you really need help studying?" Dimitri asked as they wandered toward the Guardian Administration building.

Celeste laughed. "I'm so prepared I think I've been reciting the info in my sleep! I'm going upstairs to color my hair. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon."

Dimitri smiled as he walked across to Alberta's office. Waiting in the corridor, he could hear Rose give Alberta her Christmas present. Five minutes later Rose was back out in the corridor.

"Boo!" Dimitri said, grabbing Rose and pulling her into an empty office and kissing her.

"Shit, Dimitri! You scared the hell out of me!" she replied before eagerly returning his kisses in the dark room.

"Much as I'd like to continue this, we have a video call to make," Dimitri said, rubbing his nose along the side of Rose's neck and inhaling her scent before peppering her neck with kisses.

"Where do you want to do it?" Rose asked. Dimitri's dorm room was out as they could be overheard. Rose's room was out for the same reason.

"What about the small Moroi common room? Everyone will be in their room or at the bonfire, anyway. If anyone sees us, I'll say I was helping you with your Moroi Culture Four studies."

"That works," Rose agreed. The common room was far enough out of the way and had a lock on the door. Not that she planned to go all the way today, but she wasn't averse to a little Christmas cheer in the form of a make-out session! "I'll go to my room and grab my books so if we're found it looks legit. Meet you there in five."

"Hurry," Dimitri said, kissing Rose a final time. Checking the corridor was empty he stepped out and strode off toward the Moroi dorm building. He was excited about introducing Roza to his family. He'd texted them last night to let them know he planned to call today with Rose.

Back in her dorm, Rose grabbed her Moroi Culture Studies text and notepad. She also took the time to comb out her hair. She would put on some perfume, but Dimitri had previously told her that nothing was more appealing to him than her natural scent. She already had her nicest underwear on, so not wanting to waste any precious time, Rose locked her door and hightailed it to the smallest Moroi common room.

Inside she found the lights on low, the blinds were drawn, and a documentary playing on the television. One of the boring movies often played in Moroi Culture classes, it was the perfect excuse for the two of them to be sequestered alone together.

"Hey, beautiful! Are you ready to meet my family?" Dimitri asked, greeting Rose with a kiss before locking them inside the common room.

"I guess…" Rose replied nervously. "I've never met anyone's family before. What should I call them?"

"Trust me—they'll love you. My mother is Olena, my grandmother Yeva. My sisters are Karolina, Sonya, and Viktoria. Karolina has a son, Paul, who is almost nine, and a daughter Zoya. Sonya is pregnant with her first. I should warn you, Babushka can be a little abrupt even with us, so do not take offense to anything she says."

"Ok…" Rose replied. "They do speak English, right?"

"Yes. Everyone can speak English, but if they don't know how to say something, they will probably speak in Russian so I can translate."

"How come your English is so good?"

"My siblings and I all learned English when we were children. Our Moroi father didn't care much about our upbringing, but he insisted we were fluent in English and French. After we graduated, my charge Ivan traveled throughout Europe. The first two years we spent in the UK speaking English exclusively. After that we spent close to a year in Paris," Dimitri explained. "I was able to refine both my second languages."

"Traveling must have been magical," Rose sighed. "I've never been outside Montana. Well—not as far as I know. I can't remember anything before I came to St. Vlad's."

"I'll take you. We'll go to Russia to visit my family, then I'll take you wherever you want!"

"What about guarding?" Rose asked.

"We can take some vacation time. I can't wait to show you the world!" On the worn leather chesterfield, Rose was curled into Dimitri's side, raising her lips to his. The prospect of seeing the world together was overwhelming. "You're my mate and I love you, Roza. I can't wait to share my life with you!"

Rose gasped. She hadn't expected Dimitri to declare his feelings so soon. After all, they'd only known one another ten days! But despite the brevity of their association, Rose now had no doubt about her feelings.

"I love you too, Dimitri. I'm always going to."

They kissed tenderly. Their first kiss as loving partners.

"Let's call my family. It's time for you to meet them."

Dimitri played with his phone, pressing the required links to place a video call to his family. Rose was tucked under his arm as the connection rang through. Dimitri placed his phone on the table in front of them, angling it against Rose's textbook.

"Dimka!" a young woman a little older than Dimitri greeted, her face filling the screen of Dimitri's phone.

"Karo! Is everyone there?" Dimitri responded in English. Before she had the opportunity to respond, Dimitri's family filled the small screen.

Studying the women, Rose was able to distinguish each of his family. Olena and Yeva were easy to identify, as was Karolina. Sonya and Viktoria were a little harder, but the latter's form gave her away; she carried herself like a Guardian in training. Cuddled under Dimitri's arm, Rose was surprisingly confident.

"Hey! I'm Rose—Dimitri's mate," she boldly declared, smiling at the phone screen.

"We already know that," the old woman Rose knew was Yeva replied. "I want to know how you feel about him?!"

Rose's eyes caught Dimitri's. She gave him a tender smile before facing the phone. "I love him," Rose said, squeezing Dimitri's hand.

"And I love her!" Dimitri replied, leaning to kiss his woman, not caring that his family saw.

There were happy sighs as Dimitri's family regarded the couple, then Rose was kept occupied answering question after question from the inquisitive females of Dimitri's family. Everything from queries about her family to the latest American fashions, nothing was apparently off-limits. For the most part, Dimitri sat beside Rose in silence, holding her hand and occasionally bringing it to his lips to kiss.

"You need to bring your mate home to meet us in person," Dimitri's grandmother said, interrupting an animated ten-minute discussion about the different styles of Converse shoes between Rose, Sonya, and Viktoria. Dimitri could already see another shopping trip in his immediate future.

"Nothing would make me happier," he replied, meaning every word. Showing his homeland to his mate was something he was keen to do.

"You are one of us now, внучка. You make sure that grandson of mine brings you home to meet us."

"Nuchka?" Rose asked, attempting to reproduce the word Yeva had said.

"Granddaughter," Dimitri translated, touched that his grandmother was claiming Rose as part of the family. As the Belikova matriarch, her word was law… Even to her Alpha grandson.

"Thank you, Yeva," Rose said, suddenly shy.

"Babushka," Dimitri's grandmother corrected. Even on the small phone screen, Rose could see the old woman's eyes soften.

They'd been on the video chat for over fifty minutes when Dimitri explained he needed to talk finances with his mother and grandmother, so one by one his sisters said goodbye, leaving just Olena and Yeva in shot.

"It will be easier if I speak in Russian," Dimitri explained before slipping into his native tongue. While Rose was used to hearing the occasional word or phrase, she'd never heard Dimitri converse in Russian before and hell was it sexy!

With no idea what was being said, Rose leaned further into Dimitri, closing her eyes and resting her cheek on his broad chest. The sound of his voice was soothing, and she loved how he wrapped his arms around her, casually toying with her hair as he spoke, winding her long tresses around his fingers.

Switching back to English, Olena and Yeva said their goodbyes.

"Hold tight to each other through everything that's coming," Yeva counseled. "If you stay true to each other, you will get through it." Then before either of them had a chance to question her, the call was disconnected, Rose and Dimitri sitting side by side on the saggy chesterfield sofa.

"What did Babushka mean?" Rose asked Dimitri, wide-eyed about the older woman's statement.

"Nothing that will make sense until after whatever occurs has been resolved," Dimitri growled, unprepared to admit to his mate how much his grandmother's premonition had disturbed him. If Babushka said trouble was coming, it was when rather than if—and that worried Dimitri.


"Here you are! I was wondering when you would join us," Lissa said to Rose with a devilish twinkle in her eye. She was standing outside near the bonfire. At just before dawn, almost everyone on campus was there. Christian and Tasha were melting marshmallows on sticks at the fire's edge while Lissa stood further back looking on while cuddled up in an enormous warm coat. "How did it go?"

"Amazing," Rose sighed happily. "Dimitri's family are great… and he told me he loves me!"

"Really?!" Lissa gasped. "What did you say?"

"I told him I love him too," Rose replied, immediately engulfed by her best friend's exuberant hug.

"Rose! That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!"

Rose paused wondering whether she should confide her thoughts to her friend. They usually told one another everything.

"I'm ready to take the next step with him… I thought maybe on the night of the Yule Ball?"

"Sex?" Lissa hissed, causing Rose to look around her nervously. Thankfully no one was within earshot. "Are you sure?"

Rose gave a shy nod, briefly explaining how it was becoming more and more difficult for them to hold back. She didn't tell Lissa that after her make-out session with Dimitri she'd ended up so turned on she'd had to change her panties and jeans before coming down to the bonfire, nor did she mention an extraordinarily frustrated Dimitri had returned to his dorm room to take care of himself before his shift. They both wanted to make love—it was now just about the logistics.

"I just can't think of where. Both our dorms are out…"

Lissa thought back to her first time with Christian. "There isn't a bed there, but the sofas in the church attic are pretty comfy. Father Andrews locks the side door when he leaves for the night, but as a Guardian, Dimitri would have a key, right?"

"Lissa! That's brilliant!" Rose exclaimed. On New Year's Eve, no one would be anywhere near the chapel. Rose had been up there a few times with Liss looking at books that mentioned Spirit. It was nice now Lissa and Christian had cleaned it up a bit, but most importantly it was private!

"When will you tell him?" Lissa asked.

"Soon - but maybe not for a few days, yet…"

"Are you nervous?"

"Let's see—as an Alpha, he's hung like a horse plus there's the whole knotting thing… What do you think, Liss?!" The girls were giggling when Christian and Tasha noticed them.

"What are you two laughing about?" Christian asked. He must be in a good mood because he was wearing the plum-colored shirt Lissa had given him earlier in the day. Even Tasha looked happy and for once she was not looking around to try and find Dimitri.

"Nothing," Lissa replied, winking at Rose.

Rose returned her best friend's smile, although it was a little forced. The truth was, she was nervous about giving herself to her mate. During their make-out earlier, Dimitri had placed her hand on the front of his pants, and she'd stroked his rock-hard erection through the fabric. She'd been stunned at his size, as well as how much touching him excited her.

Lissa and Rose were eating the melted marshmallows Christian had made when Eddie, Mason, and Meredith spotted them and walked over.

"Nice blouse, Ozera," Mason teased. "You look good in pink!"

"It's plum!" Lissa corrected.

"More like prissy," Eddie said, high-fiving Mason.

"Never mind them," Rose said. While Christian pretended not to give a fuck, through Lissa she knew he could be insecure at times. "I wouldn't be taking fashion advice from a guy who chose a swimsuit with rubber duckies on it!"

"I was four," Mason objected.

"And Eddie has a lovely wardrobe," Meredith defended.

"Sure does," Rose agreed. "I've never seen a guy devote so much time to his appearance! He takes longer to get ready than me."

"I like to look my best!" he said.

"You sure do. Anyway, Sparky, pay no attention to Ducky and Glamor Guy. I think your pink shirt looks very manly!"

The death knell for Christian's plum shirt, Rose honestly felt she was doing the guy a favor. Next year she'd help steer Lissa toward shirts Christian might actually want to wear! Seeing Dimitri approach from the other side of the bonfire, Rose slipped over toward him before anyone else noticed.

"Everything ok?" she asked him shyly. When she'd left the Moroi Common room earlier, Dimitri had been ridiculously turned on.

"Everything is fine," he replied softly.

"Did you…?"

"In the shower. I closed my eyes and imagined it was with you."