"Are you sure you're ok with this?" Hans asked Mirabelle, wrapping his arms around her stomach. Six months ago, Hans insisted Mirabelle take leave from work. Seeing one too many Strigoi attacks, she'd been physically and emotionally exhausted. For weeks she'd barely left their bed, him joining her whenever he could. Now recovered, Hans was more protective of her than ever. "I promise Belikov won't stay with us long. If having him here stresses you out…"
"It doesn't," Mirabelle said, spinning in Hans' arms and stroking his face, purring softly. "They seem like such a sweet young couple. What's happening to them isn't fair - they don't deserve it!"
"They don't," Hans agreed. A lot of what happened to dhampir wasn't fair or just, but the treatment of Omega stood out as particularly abhorrent. Once a dhampir declared as Omega, their life ceased to be their own. Considered incapable of managing their own affairs, they were brought to Court and kept there until coerced into accepting a union with an eligible Royal Moroi. A prize amongst Moroi men, Omega were courted by the crème de la crème of Royals.
Never, as far as Hans understood, had an Omega been the mate of an Alpha – which is what made this situation even more difficult. As a mated Alpha, Croft understood how deep the bond between mates ran. He would do anything… anything… to protect Mirabelle if circumstances required it, which is why he felt so sympathetic to Belikov and Hathaway's current situation.
"What do you think will happen?" Mirabelle asked, leaning her cheek against Hans' chest and purring. He was the perfect height that her head rested above his heart.
"They'll keep her and try to convince her to marry a Royal. Probably Adrian Ivashkov."
"That's barbaric! Rose and Dimitri are bonded and in love! Oh, Hans! You can't let this happen! It's too horrible to contemplate!" Mirabelle said, getting distressed.
"There's a limit to what I can do. I can't be seen to be helping the couple," Hans said before purring deeply. He didn't want anything or anyone upsetting his mate.
"I understand that. But you'll come up with something. You always do."
"You're here!" Rose sighed, lying cuddled in Dimitri's embrace in Hans and Mirabelle Croft's spare room.
"I'll always come for you, Roza," Dimitri said, wrapped around his mate, inhaling her scent. It hadn't been that long since he'd seen her at the Academy, yet it seemed like forever.
"I was so scared! Who knows you're here?"
"Hans, Mirabelle, and Celeste. Alberta suspects it, but the official word is that I am on leave visiting my family. Again. How has everything been so far?"
"Fine. It's just been me and Celeste, then Croft came to bring me here."
"Are you guarded?"
"Only the corridor outside the unit. Celeste and I are the only ones in the suite, so far, but my mother is joining us from today."
"That's good," Dimitri said, running his fingers through Rose's hair. He'd been so stressed, but the physical contact was going a long way to calming him down.
"Is it? I haven't seen her in years…"
"If they're allowing you your mother, it suggests they intend to treat you well. Your mother won't allow you to be taken advantage of."
"I wish I could believe that," Rose said in a small voice. It had been so long since Rose had seen Janine, she had no idea of what her mother would or wouldn't allow. Guardian Janine Hathaway's sense of duty and rigid adherence to the idea that 'they came first' was legendary. For all Rose knew, they might situate Janine with her to pressure her into a Royal Moroi marriage. Not that that would happen. Rose would take off into the human world before she allowed herself to be forced into any relationship that wasn't with Dimitri.
"What are we going to do?" Rose asked, looking at Dimitri.
"I'm not sure yet. I get the sense it will have to be fast. I guess the question is what are you willing to endure? What if we have to leave the Moroi world?" Dimitri asked, echoing her previous thoughts.
"If it's with you then we'll manage," Rose said, knowing it to be the truth. She would miss her best friend horribly, but her allegiance, first and foremost, was to her mate. "How long can you stay here?"
"Not long. A day or two at most? Croft is seriously sticking his neck out for me."
"But you've done nothing wrong! What does it matter if anyone knows you're here?" Rose asked.
"They won't let me see you and, for now, they don't appreciate you're claimed. I have a few ideas, but I need to talk them through with Croft."
"How will you get word to me?"
"I can call Celeste, but it's probably best I get Croft to pass along messages," Dimitri said with a sigh. "Perhaps Mirabelle could bump into your Mom or Celeste out shopping?"
"I still can't believe you're here! You followed me!"
"We belong together, Roza. I'll follow you anywhere!"
Conscious they were in another couple's home, despite lying on the bed they went no further than reassuring cuddles and kisses. Rose shared everything from the moment she'd left their study session through to when he'd walked down the stairs and then Dimitri did likewise. Then they lay there purring to one another, relishing the chance to just hold one another close.
After an hour they heard footsteps on the stairs, and a knock at the door.
"Come in," Dimitri said, releasing Rose from his arms and letting her stand, then following her. The coverlet was still on the bed and they were both clothed. Mirabelle smiled at them.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you – I am sure you both have so much to talk about. Lunch is ready – beef roast."
"Thank you. It smells amazing! I haven't had a roast since my best friend's parents died," Rose said.
"Ahh yes. You're at St. Vladimir's, right?" Mirabelle said as Rose and Dimitri followed her downstairs. "I studied there, too. I take it the food hasn't improved?"
"Hard to say. It's difficult to imagine it being worse, but I suppose anything is possible," Rose said with a giggle that went straight to Dimitri's cock. "Monday is pasta day, Tuesday is pizza but there's always more dough than topping, Wednesday is…"
"Fried potatoes, chicken nuggets, and cheesy breadsticks, Thursday is macaroni and cheese and hot dogs and Friday is meatballs or fried rice?" Mirabelle completed.
"Bastards!" Rose said before apologizing for her language. "They haven't changed the menu in what…Ten years?!"
Mirabelle laughed. "You flatter me. I'm thirty-two; I left St. Vlad's fourteen years ago."
"And I doubt they've cooked a roast since," Rose said causing her and Mirabelle to titter.
Lunch ended up being a surprisingly pleasant affair. The food was plentiful and delicious. After a delicious dessert of apple crumble, the two couples retired to the Croft's small but immaculately appointed front room, sitting in front of a roaring fire.
"What should Rose expect?" Dimitri said, bring up the subject that, until now, they had avoided.
"I'm not entirely sure. To my knowledge, an Alpha/Omega pairing is a first. If past precedent is any indication, they will detain Rose. They claim not to drug single Omega outside their estrous, but I'd be suspicious about the food. Somehow Omega seem a little too complacent about their fate," he explained. "I'd be worried about being overheard in the suite, too. With other Omega, it's started out slow. A lunch invitation with one or two Royal Moroi men present. After that it escalates until they were invited to every party of the season, ending with the announcement of an engagement."
"But I don't want that! I already consider myself married to Dimitri," Rose said, tears welling in her eyes as she tried to rearrange the cushions on the Croft's sofa to make herself more comfortable. Mirabelle observed her sympathetically. The poor thing was trying to fashion a nest – and no wonder given the stress she must be going through!
"Do you suspect Lord Ivashkov will try and compel you again?" Hans asked. "You said, so far, his information is limited."
"I'm sure he will," Rose replied, her heart sinking.
"Then make sure you are never alone with him. Share your concerns with Matthews and your mother so they are vigilant. That, so far, he is unaware of your connection with Belikov is an advantage here."
"He's the Queen's great-nephew. He can do whatever he wants, and she'll protect him," Rose grumbled.
"You're probably right," Croft said, outlining several ideas.
"I love you so much," Dimitri groaned when it was time for Rose to return to Guest Quarters after lunch. Wrapping her in his arms, he didn't want to let go.
"I love you too, Comrade," Rose replied, almost shy which was silly considering she was bonded to this man.
"As soon as you get the message, be ready. We might only get one shot at this."
"I'll be ready," Rose promised, kissing her man one last time before they headed downstairs. Rose thanked Mirabelle for her hospitality, accepting a backpack filled with plastic containers of leftovers before switching her slippers for her shoes and putting on her coat. After seeing then having to leave Dimitri, she felt worse after lunch than she had before.
"Try not to worry," Croft consoled as he drove her back to her suite in Guest Accommodations. "He won't let you stay there, long."
The tension when Rose walked into the suite in Guest Accommodations was so thick you could pierce it with a stake. Understandable, given Adrian Ivashkov sat on one sofa attempting to make polite conversation with Guardian Janine Hathaway as Celeste watched on.
"Rosemarie!" Janine greeted, plastering a smile onto her face as she stood to greet her only child. "I was wondering when you'd get back." Mother and daughter embraced, although the latter could feel the rigid tension in her mother's body.
"Hi, Mom. Just let me put my bag down," she said, disappearing into her room to drop off the backpack filled with the leftovers Mirabelle had prepared for them. Stepping back into the living room she noticed Adrian and Celeste were sitting in stony silence.
"So, Rose. I thought I'd see how you're settling in," Adrian said giving Rose a tentative smile that she met with a sarcastic eye-roll. "There's so much to see and do at Court – I'm sure you'll have a great time."
"I wouldn't know. Apparently, I will be locked in here."
"Not at all. I'll come to take you out every day, I promise," Adrian replied attempting his most winsome smile.
"Don't waste your time. I don't want to go anywhere with you."
"I hope you change your mind."
"Don't hold your breath. Now if that's all I'm going to go have a rest," Rose said, standing up and moving to her bedroom, pointedly closing the door behind her.
"I'm sorry, Lord Ivashkov," Janine apologized. "Just give her some time – I'll try to talk her around." After a few minutes, Rose heard the door to their suite open then close.
"Rosemarie?" Janine said knocking on her door. "I'd like to speak with you."
"What if I don't want to speak with you?" she answered petulantly. She should have known better than to think Janine would be on her side!
Her mother opened the door, before saying forcefully: "Take a seat!"
"I'd rather stand."
"And I said SIT," Janine said in a fierce voice, pushing Rose down by the shoulder until she was seated on the bed – at the same time pushing a note into her hand.
Room probably bugged. We'll talk later.
Croft had intimated the same, so Rose nodded to show she understood.
"Rosemarie, I don't like the way you spoke to Lord Ivashkov. I understand you're angry, but he's only trying to help you."
"I'm sorry, Mom. I just don't want to give him any encouragement. The guy is a creep. At St. Vlad's he was always following me around and trying to ask me out even after I made it clear I'm not interested. I don't like him or enjoy his company and I'd rather sit here than have to go anywhere with him."
"I think you'll change your mind. In the meantime, make sure you keep a civil tongue in your head."
"Fine. Are we done?"
"For now. Dinner will be here soon, then I thought I'd go for a walk if you'd like to join me?"
"Sure. I'm going to lie down now. Get me when dinner arrives."
"We don't have long. What's going on?" Janine asked in an undertone as they walked in the sunlight after dinner, followed at a distance by two Guardians. "Are you really Omega?"
Rose considered her options. Her mother giving her the note hinted she was on her side, but they'd never had a loving, trusting relationship. She didn't know what to expect of her.
"Yes. I had no idea. I had my first estrous at New Year."
"Who knows? For sure?"
"Alberta and Lissa," Rose replied, lying by omission.
"No one else?" Janine probed.
"Can we talk about that later?" Rose prevaricated. She wasn't ready to tell her mother about Dimitri given this was the first time they'd spoken in years! "What's going to happen?"
Janine checked they would not be overheard. "I asked around and what I've learned is alarming. The suite we're in is likely to be bugged, so watch what you say. There's also a good chance that the food we're eating has a sedative in it to make you more compliant. Celeste and I will bring you in food where we can, but it's important you eat as little as possible of what they provide."
Rose nodded. Mirabelle had insisted on packing all the leftovers from their roast lunch, and she'd consumed a serve for dinner. Hopefully, Croft could continue to bring in clean food.
"What happens when the tests come back?"
"I'm hoping we won't have to find out. I'm not sure how, but you need to be out of Court before it's proven you're Omega. Once they're sure, you will be drugged and coerced into marriage – probably to Ivashkov. I know you've barely left the Academy, but do you think you could survive in the human world? At least for a while?"
"It's something I've considered," Rose admitted.
"I'll do whatever I can to help," Janine said, grasping her daughter's hand and pulling her into a hug.
"I had one idea…" Rose said, hesitant to ask so much of her mother. "What if I married? Not Ivashkov. Someone else I mean?"
"By the time your eighteenth rolls around, you'll be so drugged you'd agree to marry a lamppost," Janine argued, "and you can guarantee they won't let you near anyone other than a Royal Moroi man."
"I know. What if I married before I turned eighteen? I can do it with parental permission…"
"Do you have someone in mind?" Janine asked, eyeing Rose speculatively.
"I might… If I had your permission I could marry, and then there'd be no argument about the whole thing."
"But are you ready to marry? It's a lifelong commitment and one that shouldn't be made lightly. It's also not fair to ask a man to marry you only to avoid marriage to another."
"It wouldn't be like that. I love him and he loves me. We'd be marrying because we wanted to."
Janine looked troubled. "He knows about you being Omega?"
"Yes. He's willing to go into the human world with me if that's what it takes."
"Are you certain Rosemarie?"
"He's the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I'd rather die than be forced to marry Adrian or some other Moroi guy."
"It would mean going up against the establishment. Both of you. And if they proved I helped you escape or signed for you to marry; I could kiss my career goodbye… Of course, I'm not your only parent…"
Rose nearly fell over in shock. For years she'd asked about her male parent, only to be redirected or rebuffed. It was hard to believe Janine was now prepared to discuss him.
"I'm not sure if your father would sign for you to marry, but he would protect you – even against Her Majesty herself."
"Are you sure?" Rose asked. "My whole future is riding on this."
"I'm certain, Rosemarie. Your father is… unconventional… but a particularly powerful man. Despite being Moroi, he despises the establishment, and all it stands for. He'd like nothing more than to stick it to Court by defending his only bairn."
"He knows about me?"
"He does. He's met you a few times when you were very small. There's a lot to explain, and no time to do it. Just trust me when I say he'll be over the moon to help you."
"Ok. So how do we do this?"
"Rose! I have to say it surprised me to get your invitation to dine together," Adrian said, showing up for dinner the following evening wearing jeans and a light-knit sweater and carrying some beautiful roses. Typical! It didn't take a genius to appreciate that a woman called Rose may well favor a different flower.
"Thank you. Mom said I'd been too hard on you and convinced me to give you another chance," she replied, referencing the huge argument that had no doubt been eavesdropped the previous night.
"Whatever the reason, I'm delighted to join three lovely ladies for dinner."
"Actually, Mom's gone out, so it's just you, me and Celeste."
Lord Ivashkov's face hid nothing. It was clear he was devising ways to rid them of Matthew's company.
"I'm not prepared to meet with you without another person present. I'm sure you understand?" With her eyes locked on Adrian's, he had the good grace to blush. Last time they'd been alone, he'd compelled her!
"Absolutely! Aren't I the lucky one having dinner with two beautiful dhampir ladies?" Adrian remarked, laying it on thick. Rose wanted to roll her eyes – and Celeste did, behind the Moroi Lord's back.
"Yes, well. Let me put these in water," Rose said, digging through the tiny kitchenette cupboards until she found a water jug that could be used for a vase. Taking her time arranging the flowers into an artful display, Rose could eventually put it off no longer so returned to sit on the sofa beside Celeste, facing Adrian.
"So, did you go out today?" Adrian asked Rose, although he already knew the answer. The suite had listening equipment installed, so he knew Rose, Janine and Celeste had spent most of the day at home watching cable. Celeste had gone out to shop for clothes, and Janine had arranged to meet a colleague for an early dinner but would be back by eight am.
"Nope," Rose said, popping the p. "I hung out and watched cable. It was great! We don't have a TV in the dhampir dorms, so it's a real novelty!"
Adrian grinned. He'd hoped the luxuries at Court would be an inducement, and so far, so good! He didn't know most of the time had been spent with Rose and Janine scribbling notes to one another on a notepad planning what would happen next.
"Have you been out today, Guardian Matthews?" Adrian asked, also knowing the answer.
"Yes, I did thank you, Lord Ivashkov. I trained this morning, then I shopped for a little while. It's been a while since I've tried on clothes."
"I can imagine," Adrian said, barely listening to what Celeste had to say, his attention wholly fixed on Rose. A door knock announcing the arrival of dinner interrupted his eye-fucking. Celeste shot a meaningful glance. Rose had eaten all Mirabelle's leftovers at lunch and was to eat sparingly tonight.
"Dinner is here," Adrian announced, letting in the Guardians with their steaming hot meals. Even though she'd eaten earlier, Rose's stomach was growling. Still – tonight's plan hinged on her consuming next to nothing.
Placing everything on to the already set table, Rose let Adrian and Celeste serve themselves before she took a small portion of everything. Celeste ate her meal, peppering Adrian with questions about Court. Every time Adrian would look away, Rose would dump a forkful of food into the large opaque soda cup in front of her. She'd half filled it with the lemonade Celeste had bought when they'd all sat down, but quickly drained it. Then she used it to dispose of her dinner. Taking enough bites to be believable when Adrian observed her, her deception allowed her to keep a level head.
Dinner over, Celeste having eaten a lot, and Rose very little, Adrian was angling to stay for a while, but Janine's arrival was the perfect segue to prompt his departure. After several pointed comments from Celeste and Janine, Adrian took his leave – but not before securing an appointment for the following day.
"I'm not sure what's come over me," Rose said with a yawn. "I'm never this tired. Perhaps we could have a late lunch tomorrow? One-thirty?" Adrian agreed, taking Rose's hand and kissing the back of it before saying farewell to the two Guardians vouchsafing her safety. If only he knew! After the door had closed on Adrian and the Guardians tasked with removing the food, Rose asked sweetly: "Would either of you like a hot chocolate? The weather is so cold – I really feel like one."
"That would be lovely, Rosemarie! Thank you."
"Why not," Celeste added. "You're right – it's the perfect weather."
Rose pottered around the kitchenette, boiling the water. "The secret is to double the sachets," she commented, pulling out six packets from the tea and coffee station. Looking at them, there was no hint someone had tampered them with so they were probably ok. But since the last thing she wanted to do was cause her mother or Celeste to overdose, she split half a sachet between two cups, emptying the other five into the sink and washing the powder down the plughole before putting the sachets into the bin. Then she added a strong sleeping tablet to each cup.
"This is the perfect thing at the end of a long day," Janine said, fabricating a yawn and nodding to show she knew she was about to be 'sedated.' Matthews didn't have to fake a yawn – the heavy meal and now a hot chocolate laced with a mild sedative had her sleepy. After discussing the order of their showers, the three women retired to bed.
"Thank fuck!" Dimitri exclaimed an hour and a half later when Rose let herself into the rear of a van in the unattended Court motor pool. The van had no windows and was freezing, although Dimitri had it equipped with many pillows, blankets, and duvets. "I thought you might need to nest?" he said while securing the rear door from the inside. Her mate's tender expression was everything. Rose nodded, dumping her duffel beside his, climbing into Dimitri's lap before fussing with the blankets, duvets, and pillows, arranging them until they were comfortable and more to the point warm.
"We need to hide here all the Moroi night," Dimitri whispered, nuzzling his mate's neck as she cuddled against him. "Someone will be back here to guard the vehicles soon, so we can't make a noise."
"Will they hear us if we purr?" Rose whispered.
"Not if we do it softly," Dimitri replied, pulling their duvet cocoon around them, clasping his Roza against them as they quietly purred to one another.
