"Are you excited?" Rose asked Dimitri as Pavel guided the van past a faded wooden sign that apparently declared they were now in Baia.

"Very," Dimitri replied, grinning at his fiancée. He had called his mother last night, letting her know they were coming today and not in a week as previously planned. It delighted Olena—especially when Dimitri explained they would get married in three days.

Because of Her Majesty's ongoing search for Rose, they were arriving at night, so they were less likely to be observed. Abe and Pavel would deliver the couple to the Belikovas' home, then continue on to a house they'd rented five minutes away. Abe had instructed Dimitri and Rose to lie low; they could not afford for Her Majesty to get wind of Rose's location before they'd said their vows. Not that the couple minded. Their sole purpose in visiting Baia was to spend time with Dimitri's family, and they didn't need to leave the family home to do that.

And Tatiana was still looking for Rose. The news from Court was that she had increased the bounty to a million dollars US. Plus, they'd had a close call two days before, Adrian briefly contacting Rose via a Spirit dream. Thankfully, the communication had been short-lived, Rose pulling herself from the dream almost immediately before he learned anything. When Rose told Abe about it, he'd gifted a charmed Nazar each to Rose and Dimitri. While he was unsure whether it would protect against dream walking, Rose had not been contacted by Adrian since, so they were cautiously optimistic.

"Will there be something to eat when we get there?" Rose asked hopefully as her stomach grumbled loudly, again. Dimitri chuckled, leaning over and kissing Rose's temple. They were only minutes away from his family home, and Dimitri could not be happier.

"Mama will have been cooking all day," he predicted, explaining how his mother was incapable of making small meals. "There will be plenty for all of us."

Olena had not mentioned asking Abe, Pavel, and the four private Guardians traveling with them to stay for dinner, however, Dimitri knew his mother well enough to know that an invitation would be forthcoming. Abe must have suspected it, too, since he'd stopped in Omsk and bought an enormous amount of fresh meat, vegetables, fruit, cheeses, flour, sugar, and vodka. Winter in Russia was an expensive time of the year to buy food, and catering for so many, even for one meal, would be an onerous burden on the family's limited resources. Olena would never let a guest at her table go hungry, but the generous gift of supplies would be very much appreciated and gratefully received.

"We're not far now," Dimitri cooed into Rose's ear, beaming jubilantly. He could not wait to introduce his mate to his family. He already knew they loved her and would accept her as one of their own, but he wanted them to show Rose that.

"It's so pretty," Rose commented as Pavel followed Dimitri's instructions, turning off the main drag onto an unmade road. The whole landscape was white with snow, although pretty timber houses on large lots lined the thoroughfare.

"It is," Dimitri agreed, pointing to a large house at the end of the lane. "And that one is ours!"

The house Dimitri pointed to was lit up. They were clearly expecting visitors. Pavel had barely pulled up out the front when the front door opened and a surprisingly small woman raced out to the van.

"Mama!" Dimitri said as he opened the side of the van, climbing out and lifting his mother in his arms before swinging her around exuberantly. She greeted him in an excited tirade of Russian. Rose slowly made her way out of the vehicle, giving Dimitri time to reconnect with his mother as she waited to be introduced.

"Mama, this is my mate, Roza," Dimitri announced proudly, putting his mother down to face Rose.

"You are even more beautiful in person," Olena declared in a thick accent, fondly embracing her only son's mate. She now had another daughter, and could not be more pleased. "Please come in and warm yourself, darling. Dinner will be ready, soon." Smiling nervously at Abe, Pavel, and the Guardians climbing out of the vehicle, she invited them to share the evening meal.

"Ms. Belikova! We'd be delighted to stop for dinner if there's enough?" Abe said, charm itself.

"There's plenty," Olena replied anxiously, inviting Abe and his Guardians into her home. Seeing a young man who'd followed her outside she ordered "Paul? Take Dimka and Roza's bags up to his room."

Pavel instructed the Guardians to move the large boxes of food into the house, Abe politely stating they were 'a little something' he'd picked up on the way through. While Olena started to object, a look from her son silenced her. They both knew Abe's generosity would make life a lot easier for the household.

"Please come in," she said, opening the front door, ushering Rose, her father and his Guardians inside. "Can I introduce my mother, Yeva, my eldest, Karolina, and my second youngest Sonya?"

"Where's Vika?" Dimitri asked, looking around.

"She's at St. Basil's," Olena explained. "She'll be back Saturday morning in time for the wedding."

"Dimka!" one of the young women present squealed, throwing herself at Dimitri. Heavily pregnant, Rose knew it must be Sonya. Dimitri hugged her liberally before moving to embrace the other young woman present. Taking her into his arms, Dimitri tensed when he heard a loud growl behind him. Pavel.

Dimitri turned and glared angrily at his father-in-law's primary Guardian, recognizing exactly what the growl signified. Pavel was staking a claim. Dimitri stared at him in horror, but Pavel was oblivious, gazing intently at Dimitri's older sister, Karolina. The look on his face was shock mixed with pure adoration. Pavel looked as though he had just discovered the meaning of life. For her part, Karolina was regarding Pavel with a modest smile. She might not be showing as much, but there was no doubt she was encouraging his attention. And it had all happened in an instant.

"No! She's my sister!" Dimitri snapped, scowling at Pavel who'd finally taken his eyes off Karolina. "And she's far too young for you. I forbid it!"

Pavel looked ready to fight Dimitri about the issue, which was the last thing Rose wanted.

"An Alpha has no choice in who is their mate," Rose reminded her fiancé, stroking his chest and purring soothingly as she attempted to divert Dimitri from Pavel and Karolina's blatant eye fucking. Stepping in front of him to force him to look her in the eyes, Rose continued quietly, "You know Pavel is a decent guy. He'd make anyone a wonderful mate…"

"But not my sister!" Dimitri hissed, watching as Pavel and Karolina were again staring at one another. "I don't like this!"

"Let it go, Comrade," Rose ordered, giving her father a look. Correctly interpreting her unspoken request, Abe stepped in, greeting Yeva, Sonya, then Karolina before performing the introductions.

"Is Pavel your first or surname?" Karolina asked sweetly, resting her hand on Pavel's forearm as she led him over to the dinner table.


"I contacted her for a moment in her dreams, but not since then," Adrian explained, nibbling on a piece of toast as he breakfasted with his aunt. He was too hungover to eat more than that, but she didn't need to know that! "She must be somewhere?!"

"Everyone is looking for her," Tatiana placated. At first, she'd been inclined to disregard Adrian's interest in the Omega from St. Vladimir's. However, his continued interest, despite every impediment, told Her Majesty that perhaps her great-nephew had found his match. While an obstinate dhampir wouldn't be her initial choice for Adrian, the genetic variability an Omega could introduce into the Ivashkov bloodline was not to be ignored. Rosemarie's Scottish heritage via her mother would be new to their Royal line. The darker influence, presumably from her father, suggested even more diversity. For that reason, alone, she was worth pursuing.

While she hadn't shared the information with Adrian, Tatiana had doubled the bounty on Rose. She'd also let it be known that any information about the dhampir would earn her favor. Adrian might not appreciate it, but a dhampir showing such blatant disregard had damaged perception of the monarchy. One way, or another, Tatiana needed to bring Rose to heel! Someone out there must know something. Rosemarie's best friend Vasilisa, for instance. Despite what the Guardians reported, Her Majesty did not believe the Dragomir Princess knew nothing about her best friend's escape or current whereabouts. Tatiana had commitments for the next few days, but perhaps a trip to St. Vladimir's was in order for the weekend?

"What are your plans once they find her?" Tatiana asked curiously. She doubted her great-nephew had thought beyond the thrill of the chase—however her priority was to marry off the runaway Omega as quickly as possible. It would be even better if Adrian impregnated her soon after. A new mother didn't have time to focus on politics and more than anything Tatiana needed Rose to disregard and the power she'd unwittingly gained through her public defiance. Thinking about it, a pregnancy would be just the thing to keep young Rosemarie under control—and since the offspring would be Moroi, it needed to be born within marriage so the child would be legitimate.

Adrian didn't need to be faithful, provided he was a little discreet and left no Moroi issue. However, if he were to wed, he needed to be prepared for all that went with that. For appearances' sake, Rosemarie would need to live with Adrian, and they'd have to attend various functions as a couple. Once there was a child, her great-nephew would need to claim the infant as his—particularly if it were a boy. Although even the female offspring of an Omega would be favorably regarded. Genetic diversity was high on the wish list of Royal Moroi mothers seeking a match for their sons. Many promising matches had been allowed to languish when a check of the Royal Moroi database showed a closer genetic connection between potential husband and wife than was desirable.

"We'll marry," Adrian said dreamily, grinning as he imagined the delight of Rose Hathaway beneath him in his bed. He had thought little beyond that, but he'd figure it out. "She'll need a child to keep her busy," he added, supporting his aunt's unspoken ponderings. "We can live in the apartment provided we have a nanny. I wouldn't want to move any further away," Adrian said, considering the proximity of his accommodations to the local bars and also the palace. Yes, he wanted Rose in his house and in his bed, yet he wasn't prepared to relinquish the rights and privileges of a young Royal Lord and great-nephew of the reigning monarch. Adrian was in the fortuitous position of being able to have his cake and eat it, too. And he knew it.


Karolina lay on her bed staring at the ceiling with a dreamy expression on her face. She'd been smiling since the instant she'd laid eyes on Guardian Marius Pavel. They'd sat side by side at dinner, quietly getting to know one another as the conversation ebbed and flowed around them. At thirty-nine, Pavel was a career Guardian, having worked for Abe Mazur for over twenty years. Yet he had spoken little about that, instead telling Karolina about his time at St. Sergius', his childhood and his passion for collecting antique stakes and Guardian paraphernalia.

In turn, Karolina mostly talked about her children and her experiences living in Baia. Pavel had seemed impressed when she mentioned she liked to sew and made many of Zoya's clothes and had eagerly held the infant once he'd finished his meal. He'd also conversed with Paul, asking the boy intelligent questions about school and his future aspirations. Not experienced with children, Pavel had done a good job engaging the sometimes reticent boy and by the end of dinner, the two were chatting as though they'd always known one another.

Dimitri had spent much of the meal glaring at Pavel, which was hypocritical given he was only in Baia to introduce the family to his underage mate. However, he wasn't the only one worried. Her mother had observed her interactions with Pavel with a concerned expression, only quitting once Babushka told her that everything was as it should be and to leave things be. Unfortunately, Mr. Mazur decided not to stay long after dinner, curtailing the opportunity for further conversation. Pavel left with his charge, but not before Dimitri asked for a moment of his time. Karolina was unsurprised when there was a knock at her door.

"Come in," she whispered, not wanting to wake Zoya. The door opened and Dimitri stepped in, ducking to fit beneath the doorframe.

"Pavel asked my permission to call on you," Dimitri stated without preamble. "He said he felt an instant connection to you and believes you are his mate." The words were like battery acid on his tongue. While he liked Pavel better than Paul and Zoya's now absent Moroi father, Dimitri was protective of all the women in his family. Imagining Karolina partnered with Pavel bothered him immensely.

"And what did you say?" his sister asked eagerly. Make no mistake about it—she'd be seeing Pavel again with Dimitri's permission or without it, yet she'd prefer her little brother's blessing.

"I said that I couldn't stop him, but I expected him to treat you courteously and that he needed to remember you are a mother to two children."

"Did he seem bothered by that?" Karolina asked. Potentially taking on a single mother with two kids was a big ask. Dhampir men around Baia had been known to do so in the past, not always with positive results. No matter how much Karo might like a partner in her life, it would not come at the expense of her children.

"Not at all," Dimitri replied sourly. "He was delighted with Zoya and Paul, and wants to get to know them better, too."

"He seems like a good man," Karolina said leadingly, thinking about the way Pavel had hung off her every word.

"He is," Dimitri confirmed with a sigh. "But he's too old for you. And what about his work? It's dangerous! Could you just up and leave Baia to follow him around Vlad knows where? What about Paul's schooling?"

"Dimka, you're worrying about something that might not happen," Karolina said, secretly thrilled about what Pavel had told Dimitri. "He's just asked to call on me."

"An Alpha doesn't misjudge meeting his mate, especially an Alpha who has been unmated for so long. He will do everything in his power to pursue you," Dimitri warned as he left Karolina's room. Lying back down on her bed, Karolina smiled again at the ceiling. She couldn't wait to be the object of Pavel's romantic attentions!


"You're tense," Rose observed, rubbing Dimitri's shoulders as he sat shirtless on the side of their bed, undoing his boots. While her introduction to Olena, Yeva and the rest of the family had been wonderful, and Abe had done an admirable job charming the Belikova ladies, Dimitri's focus on his sister and Pavel had put a dampener on things. "There's no point stressing about it, you know. What will happen will happen whether or not you worry about it."

"You sound like Babushka," Dimitri replied with a sigh. He knew Rose was right.

"Why don't you think about something more pleasant…? Like our wedding!"

"And your subsequent discovery by Her Majesty?" Dimitri growled, moving his ill feelings from one topic to another. "If we were Moroi, it would thrill everyone for us to marry. We'd go on a honeymoon and when we came back everyone would support us in our new life together. Instead, we have to marry almost in secret, then we must justify our love all while facing an uncertain future."

"You sound like you regret meeting me," Rose commented in a sad whisper, removing her hands from his shoulders.

"No. Never," he replied emphatically, turning and grasping Rose's hands. "Meeting you is the best thing ever to happen to me. But I hate how we have to fight to live our lives the way we want to."

"It's always been this way for dhampir," Rose rationalized. "Live to serve," she added, quoting the second edict dhampir lived by, second only to 'they come first.'

"Not for everyone," Dimitri said, thinking about a few dhampir he knew who'd left the Moroi world altogether. Even in Baia, many dhampir families had little to do with Moroi and their government. "We could leave the Moroi world."

"Is that what you want?" Rose asked.

Dimitri shrugged. Abe had mentioned it as a possibility in a private chat they'd had together. Being a Guardian was all Dimitri knew, so the prospect of doing something else was daunting, but he might not get a choice in the matter. "I've never thought about what I want," he confessed. "As a male dhampir, they expected me to train and become a Guardian."

Rose understood what he meant. While female dhampir had slightly more job options, such as working in Moroi service industries, the vast majority of male dhampir became Guardians—especially the Alphas.

"You could have been something completely different," Rose joked, trying to cajole her mate out of his maudlin mood. "You'd make a brilliant cowboy! Or a mechanic. You'd look sexy in a ripped pair of jeans with grease under your fingernails."

"Is that right?" Dimitri asked, smiling despite himself.

"Yep," Rose said popping the p. "Oh! What about a carpenter with a tool belt?"

"I think I have one somewhere downstairs—I could model it for you if you want?" he said, playfully raising an eyebrow.

"Maybe tomorrow," Rose said, climbing onto Dimitri's lap. "Right now, I want you in your birthday suit."

"My birthday suit?" Dimitri asked, not understanding the unfamiliar English idiom.

"Naked, Comrade. I don't want you wearing anything at all."


"Will it be ok, Mama?" Olena was in her nightclothes sitting in her mother's room, talking as the older woman prepared for bed. "Roza is a lovely girl, but she's young. Mr. Mazur said it will displease Her Majesty when she finds out they've wed. What if the Queen has Dimka demoted or fired from his job? And I worry about Rose's father. He was nice enough tonight, but he's Zmey! Can we trust him?"

"Then there's Karolina. Did you see the way Guardian Pavel looked at her? He plans to court her, of that I'm sure. But is it a good match? Some Alpha can be arrogant and hard to live with, plus there're the children to consider," she fretted.

"Stop your worrying," Yeva snapped. She'd had too much to eat at dinner and was now decidedly dyspeptic. "Dimka and Roza will be fine. The future holds bright things for them. As for Karolina, this is a good opportunity for her and the children."

"Are you sure, Mama?" Olena watched as her mother braided her hair before bed. The same way she had done for as long as Olena could remember.

"As sure as I am that I'll have at least two toilet trips overnight," the septuagenarian replied, donning her winter bed cap and climbing into bed. "It will be cold tonight. You'll be warmer in here with me," Yeva added, her voice tender.

"Thank you, Mama," Olena said, slipping into the double bed beside her mother, trying to be reassured by her statements. She needed to get a good night's sleep; after all—tomorrow they had a wedding to plan!