AN: Here is the revamp of chapter 1. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Richelle Mead owns Vampire Academy.

BLACK INK

ACT I: In the Arms of the Devil

Chapter 1: Now You're Mine

"My thoughts like black ink in the water,

Drown in the blackness of my mind.

Numbness surrounding your senses,

I coil around you, now you're mine.

And you can't escape from the reason,

Bursting throughout you now you're gone."

~ Onision – Black Ink

Her eyes fluttered open and all she could see was one massive fuzzy blur. Everything bled together and swirled around making her dizzy. It took a long moment for the room to cease spinning and for her vision to focus. Rose winced noting the pulsating pain in the back of her head. A heavy throb that dominated her thoughts making it impossible to ignore. Even the dim light of the room irritated her sensitive eyes. The blissful, drug-filled, haze that usually followed a Strigoi bite seemed strangely absent. She closed her eyes briefly forcing the pain in her head to the back of her mind. Thankfully that worked. At least, for the meantime. Once she managed to accomplish this, she looked around the room to get her bearings. Where was she and how did she get here?

However, when Rose moved to sit up, a sharp stabbing pain jolted up her right arm when she tried to put weight on it. This caused her to cease any and all movement. The pain she was experiencing proved one thing at least, she was still a Dhampir. Remaining calm, she looked down at her arm to investigate the cause of her pain. It was encased in a thick, plaster-like substance which kept the limb from shifting out of place. Confused by this she tossed the soft and fluffy blanket resting over her form aside revealing her battered and bruised legs. They were spotted with purplish bruises and lined with cuts and abrasions, some new and some old. Her eyes followed the appendages down to her feet. Her left ankle rested on top of a pillow and was wrapped tightly and expertly to keep it from moving in a less than desirable way. She flexed it feeling the bandages strain and the injury beneath throb. She could not see or feel any other injuries.

After assessing her condition, Rose carefully turned sliding her legs off the bed and resting them on the cold, wooden floor. She took a deep breath preparing herself for the pain in her ankle but grimaced at the stab of pain in her ribs instead. That was when she realized that her chest was also wrapped up tightly, although not uncomfortably so. Actually, it was quite comfortable. Somehow during the events of her escape, she had injured her ribs as well. She tried to recall the moment when she had sustained the injury, but everything came up a jumbled mess. She felt as though she was lost in a fog. Ignoring the pain in her head, she shook it an attempt to clear her thoughts.

With her good arm, she reached up to touch her shoulder where she recalled Dimitri's fangs had pierced her flesh. Remnants of the puncture wounds remained. She could feel them underneath her fingertips, but they were old and crusted over letting her know that some measure of time had gone by since they were made. This confirmed to Rose that she had not imagined the incident of her escape. It had been real.

However, this reality made no sense to her. How was it possible for her to end up in a place like this? Well cared for, and cleaned up, but more or less unharmed. Unchanged. Everything Dimitri had said to her had hinted towards the outcome of her recapture that she be awakened. When he had bitten her, she had resigned herself to that fate. She had expected it really. It was perplexing that she was still, very much, alive. Maybe this was all just a dream. It certainly felt that way but the pain she felt radiating through her body was a constant reminder that it was all very real.

Looking down at herself, she took note that someone had changed her clothes. The sweater-dress and hooded sweater that she had been wearing the night of her escape were absent and instead she was dressed in a flimsy, and almost sheer black tank top and loose pink PJ shorts. Both articles of clothing were soft and very comfortable, but the top left nothing to the imagination since you could almost see straight through it. After examining her own state, she took to inspecting the room that she now found herself in.

This was, most definitely, not the apartment that she had been confined in before. Even with her suddenly questionable memory, she was certain of this. Gingerly, she rose to her feet taking great care to keep most of her body's weight on her left side and off of her injured ankle. Her legs shook a little unsteady from lack of use. She stepped forward and her legs gave out from under her. She grabbed onto the bedpost to steady herself. Rose winced at the dull ache that crept up her arm at the sudden movement, the injury momentarily forgotten in that instant. Using the post to support her weight, she righted herself waiting until the shaking in her legs subsided before daring to release it. Rose's whole body ached with the effort it took to keep her upright, but she ignored it. There were more important matters at hand. She needed to know where she was.

Rose carefully stepped away from the bed turning slowly to get a better look at her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was that there were no windows. Not surprising considering where she assumed she was, back in the compound. Overhead, dim lights illuminated the room giving it a dreamy and slightly romantic feel. The bed on which she had been lying, was enormous and took up most of the room. It was a tall four poster bed surrounded by thin red curtains. The fabric was sheer and soft to the touch. The blanket she had tossed aside was a deep shade of red and the sheets below were smooth like silk. Her fingers gently stroked the sheets enjoying the coolness of the fabric against her skin. She smiled despite herself. She could not deny that she liked the luxury of it all. The walls were a shade of dark grey and the floors were dark hardwood. The only other furniture in the room was a dresser and a nightstand with a lamp resting on top. All looked like antiques that belonged in a Victorian mansion. A large metal mirror hung above the dresser which created a make-shift vanity. Although the room was quite large, it felt small with the bed dominating the room.

Satisfied with her quick assessment, Rose shuffled along slowly to the dresser across the room. She shivered as the cold travelled through her body from the floor. As quietly as she could she searched the drawers for a sweater. It did not take long for her to find something suitable. The sweater she found was deep red in colour and extremely soft. She pulled the sweater on, thankful that it was a heavy knit. However, she didn't bother searching for something to replace the shorts.

Now that she was up and about, she felt the need to investigate and explore. She moved slowly and carefully being extra diligent to keep the pressure off of her obviously sprained ankle. There was no need to cause anymore injury to herself. She was already in enough pain as it was, and she did not want to add to her burden. When she pressed down on the handle of the door, she was met with no resistance. It was unlocked. She was surprised as she half expected to be confined to this one room. After opening the door, she stepped over the threshold and out into a living area.

The walls were a warmer colour in this room. It made it more inviting. They were a cream colour that went well with the floors. The same floors that resided in the bedroom. It felt as though the temperature seemed to shift a good ten degrees lower from the bedroom to this one. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but she did not think it was. It was of no surprise to her that this room was also completely void of any windows. No avenue of escape. The apartment reminded her a lot of a hotel room sans the windows. There was a door to her left which appeared to be a bathroom, but it was hard to tell with the door closed. A wooden table was pressed up against the wall to her right. It was small but sturdy with two chairs on either side. Both the table and chairs were crafted into one solid piece. Unbreakable. The sofa was the predominant piece of furniture in this room. The couch was large, plush, and looked both expensive and incredibly comfortable. It was upholstered in a rich green fabric. Mounted on the wall across from it, was a large TV. It was currently turned off filling the room with an eerie silence that set her on edge. There was a bookshelf filled with books next to it. From her position she could not make out any of the titles, but she had a suspicion that the books would be about topics that she may like. There were two other doors, one across the room, just beyond the couch. There was a keypad next to it, and this she assumed was the exit. The other door was made of steel and stood out against the cream coloured walls. Both doors possessed the same lock as the door to the apartment that she had resided in before. Scanning over the room again, it took her a moment to realize, that throughout her inspection, she had company.

Seated on the couch, much to her surprise, was Dimitri. How she had overlooked this before she was unsure, but his presence startled her. She could feel her heart start to beat a little bit faster as she took in his appearance. His brown hair was pulled back and tied at the base of his neck keeping it away from his face. He looked almost relaxed, casual, with a book opened in his hands. A western. No surprise there. After a moment, he glanced up and met her gaze. Her heart stopped and a trickle of fear settled into the pit of her stomach. In that moment, she had forgotten that this was not a dream. The red-rimmed eyes staring back at her grounded her and brought Rose back to reality. It was like a bucket of ice water had been dropped over her. His firm and stoic expression worried her more. The worst part was that she could not recall exactly why she was afraid of him. Had she not gotten over this feeling and overcome it? In her insecurity, she wrapped her arms around herself forcing out the slight chill in the room. The sweater was helping but not enough. She should have changed her shorts.

This action seemed to distract him, and his attention fell back to his book for a moment. He folded the corner of the page to mark his place. "I see you are awake," he commented tossing his book aside and devoting his full attention to his company.

Rose stared at him, too shocked to speak. After escaping and trying to kill him, miraculously, he had let her live. Not only that, but he had bandaged and treated her injuries. The emotions running through her barely registered as she gaped at him. Fear, anger, betrayal, love, and hope. Perhaps there was a small part of the man that she loved buried deep down inside this monster. She swallowed hard erasing these thoughts from her mind as she recalled the vicious glint in his eyes as he had hunted her down. Before she could dwell on it further, it quickly vanished into the mysterious haze that had consumed her memories.

"Why am I here?" she questioned taking a cautious step backwards. A quiet nagging voice in the back of her mind said that he could not be trusted and to run away. Although it was barely above a whisper, she could not ignore it. It was an instinctual response to the potential danger surrounding her, to the predator sitting mere feet from her.

Rose's apprehension did not seem to bother Dimitri in the slightest. In fact, he seemed to be expecting it. "We no longer have a deadline," he stated simply answering her question without delay. He shrugged his broad shoulders as he rose onto his feet. He played it off like the answer was so obvious, yet he was patient with her and explained further. "I'm in charge now, so I decided to bide my time. My intention is to keep you here as you are now. At least, until you're ready for me to awaken you." He said it so simply in a matter-of-fact fashion that left her completely baffled. This whole situation was just bizarre. "We have all the time in the world now Roza."

The pieces were not adding up. Nothing made sense. He had been so adamant, so eager, and insistent that she make the decision for him to awaken her. That she allow him to turn her Strigoi. He had been desperate almost. It was very strange that he seemed to be so relaxed about the situation now. What had changed? There were too many inconsistencies with the events in her mind that Rose just could not make heads or tales of. It felt as though it were all just out of her reach taunting her.

"But, why?" she still found herself asking out loud. She tilted her head to the side slightly her confusion clearly displayed on her face.

Dimitri sighed but did not seem irritated by her questioning. Slowly, he approached her keeping his body language as non-threatening as possible. She remained rooted to her spot simply watching him intently with apprehension. "Is it not obvious by now Roza," he questioned her his tone taking on a gentle note. He stopped his stride a few steps from her and reached out resting his hands on her shoulders, gently. Rose automatically flinched under his touch, but he seemed to pay it no mind. "I've grown rather fond of you despite your rebellious nature."

This did not satisfy her. All it did was create more questions. "But you tried to kill me," she remarked taking another step back letting his hands fall back to his sides.

His expression hardened at this accusation, "And you tried to kill me," was his blunt retort. Rose winced as though she were slapped in the face. She wasn't sure why, but those words stung, and her heart dropped at the icy tone that had slithered back into his voice. He paused for a moment watching the shift in her expression at his words. It was obvious to him that they had hurt her. He knew her well enough. "It would take a lot for me to kill you. What you've done, isn't enough," he added a smirk spreading across his handsome features.

She looked down unable to hold his gaze any longer. Those red rimmed eyes taunted her, reminding her of what had happened. It was like he knew a secret that she did not, and he relished in that knowledge. Something he did not want her to know. Rose pushed that aside noticing that his statement seemed oddly familiar, but she could not recall where from. Her expression fell and she frowned at this observation. Looking down, she caught sight of herself and once again and recalled the plethora of injuries littering her body. She lifted up her plaster-cast arm inspecting it briefly.

"You bandaged me," she stated reluctantly raising her eyes to meet his once more. "Why?" There was a hint of suspicion and accusation in her voice as she spoke.

"You seem so surprised that I would help you," he mused watching her carefully never taking his eyes off of her. Not even for a moment. "You were injured, and I called someone in who owed me a favour. It was the least I could do considering," he explained allowing his sentence to trail off without further explanation assuming that she could piece it all together without his help.

He was wrong. It seemed the longer she remained in his presence, the more muddled her memory became. Rose ran her hands through her hair, wincing at the pain caused from the gentle tug. Her headache was beginning to return at full force the pain spreading like an infectious disease. "I don't remember," she mumbled biting her bottom lip having been distracted by the sudden resurgence of her headache. She did not mean to say it out loud and it did not go unnoticed by Dimitri.

"We gave you an injection that will speed up your healing, temporarily. Enough so that we can take that cast off of your arm in a few days." He reached out and gently grabbed a hold of her wrist untangling it from her long dark locks. She tensed up at his touch but again he seemed oblivious to it. "You should rest," he informed her flatly. It sounded more like a statement than a direction. "Your body is still healing, and you need to let it."

She shook off his statement, bypassing it all together. "How long was I out?" she probed still trying to figure out the strange direction in which this whole ordeal had taken. He was the only one who could provide her with any sort of explanation, and she felt that she deserved one.

He hesitated for a moment before responding calmly. "Three days," was his flat response. However, he quickly glossed over this and focused Rose's attention elsewhere. "Is the pain bothering you? I could fetch some more painkillers or sedatives if you wish," he questioned releasing her wrist allowing his fingers to linger, slightly longer than they should have, before removing his hand completely.

His diversionary tactic seemed to work as Rose shook her head again. She refused to acknowledge the pain this time. It was nothing that she could not handle. "I'm okay, I just feel a little rundown and sore," she admitted finally letting her guard down a bit. If Dimitri was going to hurt her, he would have done so by now. He had ample opportunity thus far and had not yet so there was little sense in being afraid of him. At least, that is what her mind was telling her as the nagging voice that had popped up before began to fade out. It must have been her own insecurities and reservations that had caused such a reaction.

He nodded accepting her dismissal of the idea. Her response was satisfactory, but he did not like it when she kept things from him. He turned around heading back towards the couch, "It's to be expected. I hurt you more than I originally thought."

Rose winced at his admission. Looking at him now, she had a hard time recalling exactly what had happened when she attempted her escape. Not only that, but everything throughout the whole ordeal since she had been detained was all a blur. Random thoughts and incoherent images flashed, out of sequence and lacking detail, in and out of her mind. It was as if they were glossed over, or partially erased, altered in some way. Certain things remained in full detail. These were mostly snippets of conversations with Dimitri or intimate moments they had shared during the course of her captivity. Her mind was a jumbled mess and trying to sort all the information out was making her headache worse. She sighed rubbing her temple with her good hand to hopefully soothe the dull throb. Considering the facts, Rose believed that she remembered everything, but her usual clarity was absent. Completely missing. What she could recall took her up to the moment that she had pulled off the ring Oksana had given to her. After that, everything simply went black.

'What had happened exactly?' she wondered looking down at her hand. Instantly, she noticed that the ring was missing. There was a faint groove in her finger where the ring had been, but that was the only evidence that proved she had not imagined that too. 'Did I lose it?' she asked herself inaudibly staring down at her hand and that small indent in her flesh. Only vague images came to mind recalling her fight with Dimitri as she was determined to escape him. Desperate to get away from him.

This only compounded with the other inconsistencies making her more confused than she had been moments before. 'Why did I try to escape? Didn't I like it here? Didn't I want to be here?' Her eyebrows furrowed in thought as she sorted through these questions pondering them and trying to put the events in order and recall the holes in her memory. However, she was unsuccessful. She growled in annoyance.

"What's wrong Roza?" Dimitri asked suddenly appearing beside her. It was like he had materialized out of thin air. Rose jumped in surprise at his sudden closeness. She must have zoned out lost in her own thoughts. He regarded her with curiosity. "You look lost." he commented watching her expression closely.

She glanced up at him expecting concern to be present in his features, but she was disappointed. The softness she had anticipated was no where to be seen. His eyes bore into her, and it became obvious that he was studying her. Inspecting her with critical eyes, his face masked of any emotion. Rose shook her head eliminating her numerous questions for the time being.

"Nothing," was her slightly delayed reply. She ignored the stab of pain that shot through her skull from the rapid movement of her head. "I just, have a headache," she admitted dropping her hand back down to her side.

He nodded accepting her response although his stare was still intently focused on her. He was searching for something in her expression. Something to reveal what was on her mind. She hoped that whatever he was looking for was hidden well because the intensity of it was very unnerving. After a moment, he shifted his gaze away from her face and shrugged his shoulders accepting her reply.

"That is also to be expected. You've been through quite the ordeal," he remarked resting a hand on her lower back, "You should rest." The subtle touch of his hand sent a wave of warmth through her body as he attempted to steer her back into the bedroom.

She shifted away from his touch. Despite the heat it generated inside of her, it felt wrong at the same time. She did not know why she felt that way though. Strange. "I feel fine. I think I've rested enough," Rose disagreed dismissing his suggestion politely. Truly she felt that she could use some more sleep, but she was not about to admit that to him. Not when she felt so unsettled in his presence. "What I could really go for right now is some food," she confessed feeling her stomach begin to protest its empty state. This did not come as a surprise considering the circumstances. If she believed what Dimitri had told her, which she was skeptical about, she had not eaten in nearly four days. Not since before her failed escape attempt.

He looked slightly annoyed at this proclamation. "You can eat later," he stated coldly his voice firm and commanding. It became obvious that he was unwilling to relent on the matter and allow her to dictate her own needs without an argument.

It was becoming apparent that he wanted her locked back up inside the bedroom. This created more questions for her to ponder. She was not overly concerned about her body's condition. She would heal given time and no real amount of rest could speed that process along. She was battered, bruised, and suffering from a disturbingly rapidly growing headache, but it was nothing she could not handle. Perhaps it was her stubborn nature or her defiant tenancies trying to creep back into her that made her so eager to explore when he wanted to contain her. She did not like to be kept in a cage.

Before she could take more than three steps away from her captor, his hand clamped down on her shoulder preventing her from moving any farther. In one swift movement he spun her back around to face him, a displeased look etched into his strong features. "Why do you insist on being difficult?" he asked lowering his intense gaze to lock with hers once more.

Her breathing hitched at the harsh tone of his voice as he spoke. 'Where have I heard that before?' She wondered growing frustrated with the constant holes popping up within her memories. "I'm not being difficult," she spat back shrugging her shoulder in an effort to dislodge his hand. However, his grip held firm. "Look I'm hungry, sore, and very confused about this whole situation," she continued her voice rising in volume as she spoke. "If you could feed me or tell me what's going on I would be more obedient," she added changing tactics realizing that being forceful and stubborn was not getting her anywhere with him. It would appear that he was completely immune to this behaviour.

However, her outburst had only added to his irritated state. It may not have shown in his face, but his tense body language said enough. They stared at one another for a long time neither refusing to back down or look away. She braced herself preparing for the possibility that he would lash out at her. She was surprised however, when he merely nodded in agreement. "Alright," he spoke up after a small, but heavy, pause. "I will see about getting you something to eat, if you agree to go back to bed afterwards."

It was not what she had wanted entirely, but it was a compromise. She could accept that. There was no point in arguing further because it would get her no where, but it was a small victory. A small smile broke out on her face as she nodded gratefully. "I would like that," she replied accepting his terms. Anything to fill her empty stomach.

He stood to his full height and stepped away from her. His expression shifted and resumed its usual emotionless state. "I will return in a little while," he announced grabbing his duster, which had been folded over the back of one of the dining chairs. He shrugged it on before heading towards the heavier of the two doors. The steel door. He punched in the code and turned back to her. "Feel free to get comfortable. This is your home now." Then he was gone.

Rose stared at the door, through which he had exited, digesting his words. Her thoughts swirled around her head mixing together and becoming entangled forming a large ball of frustration in the process. This was not her home. The Academy was her home, or was it? The puzzle pieces were too numerous, and the shapes would not fit together no matter which way she turned them. It was a never-ending cycle that left her feeling lost and on the verge of losing her sanity. She rationalized that she was simply thinking too hard. Over thinking something needlessly that would eventually be explained if she were just patient. There was no sense in stressing herself to sort it out, for that just made it worse. Given time all the information would simply fall into place. After she had talked herself out of her own head, she shuffled over to the couch.

It looked so soft. This was confirmed once she sat upon the plush piece of furniture. She sighed happily sinking into the soft cushions. It was like sitting on a cloud and she was instantly comfortable and unwilling to move. This was heaven. She grabbed the remote off of the small end table beside her and turned on the TV. Shifting through the numerous channels, most of which were in Russian, she felt her eyes beginning to droop and it was not long until she fell asleep.

A loud bang yanked Rose out of the comfort of her nap. She did not know how long she had been sleeping, but she awoke with a start bolting up from her relaxed position on the couch instantly alert. Her heart pounded in her chest as her eyes frantically scanned the room searching for the source of the disturbance. Her eyes fell onto the tall intruder standing by the steel door and she let out a small sigh of relief. It was Dimitri. Immediately, his eyes were on her. A ghost of a smile appeared on his face, but it was only a flash and in a fraction of a second it disappeared. Rose blinked a few times trying to decipher if she had imagined the small display of emotion. It was entirely possible. By this point, she was certain that she was going completely insane. Thankfully, her small nap had one positive effect, her headache had dissipated.

Dimitri said nothing and walked towards the table. He placed a greasy paper bag down onto the surface along with a wax cup. A fast food meal. She had been so distracted by his sudden return and his expression that she had failed to notice the delicious odor of fatty, greasy, foodstuffs that had now consumed the room. Rose's mouth began to salivate, and her stomach growled loudly as she eagerly inhaled the heavenly aroma. Her tongue slid across her lips as she closed her eyes to better appreciate the scent.

Dimitri watched her with amusement. She fascinated him. "Are you going to smell it or eat it?" he spoke up suddenly interrupting her love affair with her sense of smell.

This snapped the brunette out of her daze. Wasting no time, Rose stood up and rushed over to the table. She plopped down onto one of the chairs grabbing the bag tightly in her hands. Dimitri sat down opposite of her and watched as she ripped the bag open and pulled the contents out. Three hamburgers, fries, and what looked like some kind of pie. Food was food and it smelled delicious. Tearing the wrapper from one of the burgers she bit into the warm and salty sandwich. She moaned in delight at the taste of it. It tasted far better than it smelled. Suddenly realizing how hungry she had become she made quick work of the food. She consumed them so quickly that one would have asked if she had chewed since she practically inhaled the meal that had been provided for her. All the while, Dimitri sat silently and patiently waiting for her to finish.

Afterwards, she leaned back in the chair sighing contently. That was exactly what she had needed. "Fast food never should have been invented," she remarked resting her hand over her full stomach. She was stuffed. "Did you get that yourself?" she wondered tilting her head to the side in her curiosity.

"No, it's the middle of the day," he explained still studying her every move and gesture. "I had one of the humans retrieve it for me. I would have a hard time passing for human in any capacity," he admitted folding his hands on the table in front of him.

An image of a dark haired woman flashes in front of her eyes at the mention of a human servant. "Inna?" she asked recalling the name with complete confidence. It was one of the few things she could remember.

Dimitri scowled at the name. Anger flickered in his eyes for a brief moment before disappearing again. "Inna is no longer employed here," he stated coldly. "She had outworn her usefulness."

Rose frowned. Inna had never really been kind to her, but she could not help but feel sorry for the woman. It was her misguided love for Nathan that had kept her bound to this seedy underworld of the vampires. She could not hold that against the human woman, especially since they seemed to be in a similar situation. She could only imagine what Dimitri's words actually meant. She knew that he had not simply just let her go. He meant that she was dead.

Rose clicked her tongue. "That's too bad," was all she could say to that information. "Why did you keep me but get rid of her?" she questioned with only a momentary pause genuinely curious. She was not useful. At least, not with how she was being kept sequestered in this apartment prison. How was being kept like a pet useful to anyone?

"I'm keeping you safe," he informed her unperturbed by her inquiry. He had anticipated as much from her. "You've made a lot of enemies among the Strigoi," he began taking this time to clean up after her. He rose from the chair gathering up the discarded food wrappers and shoving them inside the ripped paper bag. "I can protect you only if you remain here with me. You want to be here with me, don't you?" he asked glancing at her in his peripheral vision.

The way he was constantly staring at her was completely unnerving. Despite this, and his frequent shifts in temperament, she still felt completely at ease with him. It was strange how she no longer felt threatened by his presence as she had when she had first laid eyes on him. It felt comfortable, as if he were a Dhampir again. She liked that. It made her feel safe.

She considered his words and nodded meekly suddenly feeling tired once more. It seemed her short nap did not have a long lasting effect. "I do," she informed him before yawning.

This did not go unnoticed by Dimitri. "Are you ready to head back to bed?" he suggested sensing the shift in her mood.

Rose nodded wordlessly and pushed herself to her feet as well. She recalled her time hunting the Strigoi with the unpromised and torturing them for information on Dimitri and she did not doubt his words about others looking to harm her. Something in her expression must have given away her train of thought because she was pulled out of those thoughts by Dimitri's hand on her shoulder. She jumped slightly at the unexpected contact.

"Are you alright?"

She took a deep breath steadying herself. She was far too jumpy for her liking. "Yes, just thinking is all," she replied running her fingers through her hair.

"You spend far too much time in your head," he commented a smirk tugging at his lips.

She looked up at him surprised by his words. In that moment she had the answer to her failing memory fall into her lap. 'Is he using compulsion on me?' She wondered briefly. However, as quickly as this idea processed through her mind, it vanished. Wiped clean as if it had never existed. Gone without a trace. She blinked a few times simply staring up at Dimitri with a blank look on her face.

"Is something wrong Roza?" he asked her reaching out and tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Rose shook her head looking down at the floor breaking the eye contact, "No, just can't seem to remember something," was her mumbled response.

He cupped her face, tilting her head back up to meet his gaze once more. "Forget about it and focus on me now Roza," he reasoned his voice suddenly changing to a more seductive tone. His voice was low and thick with desire, and the sudden shift in tone instantly caught her attention.

She held his gaze feeling her body heat up from the way he had spoken her nickname. She loved it when he called her that and he had done so many times today. Suddenly, she felt drawn into him desire flooding through her veins. As if sensing this he leaned down capturing her lips in a firm and dominating kiss. She could not help but yield to him and return the gesture. There was a strange warmth about him that had been missing before. It was not like it had been back at the Academy, when he was alive, but it was more than it had been the last time that she had kissed him. Before she had plunged the chair leg into his heart.

'Why had I done that?' she asked herself.

Something did not seem right about this. Something was wrong, but she did not know what. However, she pushed that thought from her mind and focused herself on the moment at hand. Whatever it was, it was not important right at this particular moment. The only thing she cared about was the feel of his lips, and body, pressed against hers. His tongue ran across her bottom lip, and she eagerly parted them to allow him access.

Deepening the kiss, he lifted her into his arms, resting his hands underneath her bottom easily supporting her weight with his immortal strength. In return, she wrapped her legs around his waist pressing herself against his hard muscled body. She molded to him perfectly. He maneuvered them through the opened doorway and back into the bedroom where she had been resting previously. Supporting her with only one arm, he closed the door behind them. It would not have mattered since they did not really need the privacy. They were completely alone.

Immediately he brought her over to the bed and laid her down gently. In doing so he pulled his lips from hers earning a whine from Rose at the loss of contact. She felt as though he were merely teasing her with his touch like he had been doing before she had made her escape attempt. He would only let it go on for so long before pulling back and it had been extremely disappointing. He'd get her all hot and bothered and just leave her like that without giving her the satisfaction she so desperately desired. She craved his touch. She needed and wanted it so badly that it was all her mind could focus on. He seemed to sense this and smirked at the small complaint that floated from her parted lips, but he said nothing in response. Instead, he leaned down and kissed her again. This time it was more urgent than before. Rose wrapped her arms around his neck in an effort to hold him there. His hands made quick work of the buttons on her sweater sliding them past the fabric and underneath the thin shirt below.

Rose gasped at the electric shock that she felt as his bare skin came into contact with hers. It excited her and sent a wave of heat down in between her legs. The anticipation made her shiver. It was strange how his mere touch could have such a profound effect on her body. She did not remember it being quite this intense before. However, it felt so good that she was not about to complain. His hand slipped underneath her supporting her back and with little effort he lifted her off the bed and made quick work of her clothing. He tossed it aside with no regard as to where the assorted garments landed. He laid her back down on the bed leaving the bandages across her ribs securely in place.

His hands caressed her body sensually trailing kisses down her neck to her collar bone. Deciding to return his attentions, Rose tugged at the hem of his shirt eager to be rid of it. He pulled away from her in order to remove the useless article of clothing. In seconds it disappeared along with the rest of his clothes. Before long he was just as naked as she was, and she could not help but blush at this. It was nothing she had not seen before, but it just seemed different somehow. He was different. Her fingers slid up the muscular planes of his chest enjoying the feel of the hard flesh beneath her fingertips. She loved how muscular he was.

He hovered over her, kissing her again before whispering in her ear. "Do you want this?"

She paused briefly at this. She recalled him asking her that question before. She had said no, and quite adamantly. 'Why?' She wondered looking up at the man she loved. 'Love? Why would I refuse him? If I loved him, why wouldn't I want this?' She thought her foggy memories making it nearly impossible to recall the event or bring any reasoning to mind.

The matter was slightly disconcerting. Her memory had never been this bad before. It was nagging at her, but his lips pressing against her skin provided a good distraction from her wandering mind. Forcing her to push it aside and focus on the feeling of his roaming hands. He lifted his gaze locking eyes with her once again. Any and all thoughts apart from him were instantly left behind. Nothing else was important. The only thing that mattered was him and her together and the way he made her feel. She knew her answer to his question this time. Without a doubt.

"More than anything," she breathed leaning into his touch desperate for more. He had a strange magnetizing and hypnotic effect on her. There was no way she could even begin to explain but she loved it. He could do whatever he wanted to her in this moment, and she would not care.

He smirked at her reply and said nothing further. He spread her legs apart sliding his cold hands down the inside of her thighs. The action made her shiver both from the cold and from the delightful anticipation. He positioned himself between her legs placing them on either side of his hips. She bit her bottom lip a little nervous, but still ready and willing and it appeared that he was just as eager as she was.

Rose gasped loudly as his hips shifted forward and she felt him enter her. Her eyes fluttered closed as an intense wave of both excitement and pleasure rushed through her body. It was everything she had anticipated, and more. She relished in the feel of him. There was a hint of pain mixed with the pleasure, but she paid it no mind. It was almost exactly as she remembered, and she quickly found that the absence of warmth no longer bothered her. The cooling touch of his skin felt so right against her heated flesh. It was perfect.

Dimitri paused for a moment giving her some time to adjust before he began to move. His hips thrust forward before pulling back and repeating the motion over again. Rose could tell he was holding back, but surprisingly she did not care. Somehow, she trusted him. He knew exactly what to do in order to make her body sing. The pleasure completely eliminated any pain that her body had previously been experiencing and she quickly became lost in the sensations.

Their rhythm started slowly as they reacquainted themselves with one another and adjusted to the changes that had taken place. His one hand gripped her thigh keeping her exactly where he wanted her. It was not long before he picked up the pace and the pleasure coursing through her intensified. She moved with him rolling her hips to meet with his eliciting moans and groans from both parties. It seemed to last only moments before she felt herself winding up for her release. Her breath came out in small gasps as his speed increased again. His back arched and his lips brushed against the veins in her neck. She shuddered at the feeling. A rush flowed through her as she felt his fangs graze against her skin leaving welts in their wake. It was the exact feeling she needed to push her over the edge. She cried out his name as her orgasm began to take hold. In that instant, his fangs plunged into her flesh unable to hold back any longer.

Rose sighed with happiness as he bit into her neck, drawing out her blood in a slow and sensuous way. His tongue glided across the broken skin in a soothing motion as he lapped out the blood that leaked out of the puncture wounds. She moaned feeling her body high mixing with the endorphins creating a mind high as well. She was lost in the bliss of it all. No wonder blood whores enjoyed this so much. She was on cloud nine, soaring through the air high above the world. Ground Control to Major Tom. It made her feel like she could conquer anything, like she was unstoppable.

His thrusts continued as he fed reaching his own release shortly after hers with a loud muffled groan. When his movements stilled, he pulled away from her skin licking the excess blood off of his lips. He paused for a moment looking down at Rose's glazed expression with a look of triumph on his face. He had conquered and tamed the wild girl. She was no longer a threat to him as he had her eating out of the palm of his hand. Controlling and manipulating her was proving to be way too easy. Much easier than he had originally anticipated. She was his now and he was not about to let her forget it.

She could barely focus, but she let out a cry of disappointment as he separated his body from hers. He chuckled in amusement at this response. He ran his fingers through her hair, leaning down and kissing her cheek softly. His gaze locked onto hers again and she could not help the shiver that ran up her spine. "Sleep now my Roza." His voice was soft and smooth like velvet. Commanding but in the most subtle way.

Rose could not help but comply to his gentle urging. She curled up in the comfort of the numerous pillows and blankets, completely content with the happy and numb feeling coursing through her buzzing body. The endorphins his bite had given to her made her feel totally relaxed. As a result, she was too tired to rise and put her clothing back on. All of a sudden, she felt completely exhausted. It could have been a lasting effect of her injuries, the activity they had just engaged in, or the blood loss but she did not care which. All she wanted to do now was sleep. She smiled. For the first time in a long time, she was happy. Truly happy.

Dimitri pulled the blanket over her naked form, and she sighed contently as she nuzzled her head against the pillow. His fingers ran through her hair again and it had an intense calming effect on her. His presence made her feel safe. Immediately, her eyes drooped, and she felt herself nodding off into sleep. She lost track of the world falling into a deep and peaceful slumber nestled in the large comfortable bed. Falling into the blackness.