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Thirteen

Chapter 17

RPOV

It had been a just over a week since we'd been drug back to the academy and things were ok. Not great, due to being bored out of my mind and sexually frustrated thanks to Dimitri just wanting to be friends. We'd settle into a routine, along with Lissa. He and I trained with Mikhail before and after school and meeting up with Lissa and Natalie for meals. Victor was still hanging around too, but he was supposed to be leaving tomorrow.

"Good work," Mikhail said, nodding in confirmation as I glared up at him and Dimitri from the mat I'd been thrown onto again. Dimitri grinned at me and held his hand out. I took it, an idea forming in the back of my mind. I grinned wickedly and his eyes flashed with understanding, but he was too late. I yanked his hand hard, landing him on the mat next to me. I jumped up and brushed my hands together while Mikhail let out an exasperated sigh. "Put everything away before heading to breakfast." He turned on his heel and left the gym, leaving me alone with my favorite person. Friends, I reminded myself as Dimitri climbed gracefully to his feet.

"Remember when you did that to me my first day here?" he asked, laughing a little. I smirked back at him.

"Yeah," I replied, smacking his hard bicep. "You should know better than to help me at this point."

"I'll always help you," he said softly, more to himself than me. My heart clenched in my chest and I didn't dare breath. He shook his head slightly. "The sooner we get cleaned up, the sooner we can feed you." I laughed and bent to help him roll up the mats. We worked silently for a couple minutes when a thought struck me.

"Hey," I leaned against the wall and he turned to face me. "Mikhail doesn't look familiar at all but I know that name…there was something with him, right?" Dimitri shifted uncomfortably when it suddenly clicked and I gasped. His eyes flew to mine.

"Ms. Karp," he confirmed, voice grim. I covered my mouth with my hand.

"They were together," I said, slowly. "He went after her." Dimitri nodded, lips pressed into a hard line.

"They almost threw him on desk duty when he returned to Court," he told me. "With how much our numbers have dwindled, they decided to assign him here instead. I asked him to be my mentor and…" He looked away and trailed off.

"And?" I prodded. I felt like it was important. His eyes met mine again, fire in their depths. I was mesmerized.

"I told him about you and Lissa…" he took a deep breath. "How worried I was that you guys could be, well, dead. He thought finding the runaway princess and unruly dhampir would be a great way to get his standing back. It probably would've worked too, if he hadn't stuck his neck out for you."

"I guess I should be nicer to him then," I said softly, feeling sick to my stomach over what he'd been through.

"You're nicer than you give yourself credit for, Roza," he put the last mat away then cocked his head towards the door. "Breakfast?" My stomach growled loudly and we both laughed.

"There better be bacon left," I tossed my ponytail over my shoulder and we raced to the cafeteria. He beat me easily. "Not fair," I scoffed. "Your legs are as long as my whole body!" He laughed but I barely heard as a surge of fear sucked me into Lissa's head. She was covered in blood. I pulled myself out, nearly falling over. Dimitri's hands gripped my shoulders, which is probably how I remained upright.

"What happened?" he demanded, eyes fierce. I shook my head; I didn't know yet. I ran to her dorm, Dimitri hot on my heels. I shoved inside as Natalie babbled on and on, tears flowing freely. Lissa stood in the corner next to her bed, staring at her bloody hands in shock. I rushed to her side as Dimitri stood in the doorway and called for a guardian. I gently took Lissa's blood soaked hands, looking for injuries.

"None of it's mine," she whispered, looking over my shoulder. I turned and nearly screamed at the gruesome sight on her pillow. A beautiful, silky fox laid on her bed. Well, it would have been beautiful if it's throat hadn't been slit open. I was glad we hadn't made it to breakfast, certain I'd have thrown up if there was food in my stomach. "I forgot my notebook and came back to get it and it was just there…"

"Did you-" I started to ask but she shook her head sharply, throwing nervous glances at Natalie and Dimitri as guardians stormed into the room. I tried, but I was too late, she thought, locking eyes with me. I nodded, showing her I understood. Kirova arrived on the scene shortly after and I was ushered away, once someone finally realized I wasn't supposed to be there. I paid little attention to my morning classes, eager for lunch to come so I could check on Lissa. I could feel that she was upset through the bond but I wanted to actually speak to her. Dimitri and I walked to lunch in silence as I listened to the gossip about the damn fox swirled around us.

"How're you holding up, Liss?" I asked, sliding into the seat next to her and cutting off Natalie animatedly telling her friends about this mornings horror show. She smiled weakly.

"I'm okay," she lied. I glared.

"Start over," I demanded, voice harsh. She glared back, then sighed, knowing I could just read her mind.

"Everybody's talking about it," she whispered, back to Natalie. "But not to me." She glanced around and leaned super close to my ear. "What if someone saw and they left it because of-"

"No one saw," I grabbed her hand, keeping my voice almost inaudible. We looked into each other's eyes for a moment before nodding and turning to our meals. Lissa simply stirred her yogurt without eating but I was starving after skipping breakfast. I inhaled my burger and fries, snatching some of Dimitri's as well. He playfully smacked my hand away, then slid his plate towards me so I could help myself.

"Looking good these days, Rose," Jesse stopped at our table, leaning down. I felt Dimitri tense beside me as I put on my man eating smile. Friends were allowed to flirt in front of friends, I thought to myself.

"As opposed to other days, when I look horrible?" I teased. He paled slightly.

"Not what I meant and you know it," he winked at me and turned to Lissa. "Did they find out who let you the coyote?" Lissa's face dropped further.

"It was a fox," she said sadly, shaking her head. "And just someone's sick idea of a prank." I squeezed her hand as Jesse dropped the subject and went back to his friends.

"He's such an asshole," Dimitri murmured, surprising both Lissa and myself. We turned to face him, wearing such expressions. "Lissa's obviously traumatized by this. He shouldn't have asked about it."

"Thanks, Dimitri," Lissa finally whispered as the bell rang. "Do you mind if Rose and I walk alone today? I need a moment with my best friend."

"Of course, Princess," he said, with a mock bow as we stood. Lissa smiled a bit and drug me off with her.

"Do we need to go?" I whispered to her after deciding no one was listening to us.

"No," she said, firmly. "Why were you flirting with Jesse in front of Dimitri?" I was taken aback, not expecting this line of conversation, regardless of the bond. I figured she was too focused on the fox to be worrying about anything else.

"Because Dimitri just wants to be friends," I snapped, my feelings hurt all over again. "I told you that." She shook her head, frowning deeply.

"He's lying," she insisted. "He has to be." I sighed, looping my arm into hers.

"Right now," I began. "We need to figure out who left you that fox, in case it is more than a stupid, sick prank. Do you think Aaron's new doll bitch has it in her?"

"I don't know, Rose," she looked off into the trees, mind wondering to the crow. I shivered. "I feel like this is too much of a coincidence. Somebody had to have seen."

"The only three people there were you, me and Karp," I insisted. "Karp's gone. Do you think I killed the fox?" I nearly snapped. She shot an angry glance at me.

"Obviously not," she shot right back. "I just feel like I'm being watched again, that's all." We ran into class as the bell rang, taking our seats. Mr. Nagy explained what we were doing and told us to make our own groups. Everyone was working on what they needed to when Jesse sauntered over once again.

"Rose," he leaned on my desk. "Tell Ralf about the gerbil and hermit crab." I laughed.

"It was a hamster, I think," I pondered. "They were already worked up from being near me and I just dropped the hamster into the cage with the crab and they went at it."

"Karp was freaking out," Jesse added, laughing. I smiled tightly, not liking how much I was thinking about Karp lately. I glanced over at Lissa, where she was making eyes at Christian Ozera. I nearly shuttered, thinking about the few times I'd gotten stuck in her head while they were in the church attic. She was definitely interested in him and it was gross. He was dangerous and I needed to talk to her about but Jesse snapped his fingers in my face, recapturing my attention.

"Huh?" I asked, blinking a couple times.

"I asked if you wanted to escape your prison a bit tonight?" he leaned close, pitching his voice low. "I'm gonna be in the dhampir dorms to work on a project with Shane." I looked over my shoulder, seeing Dimitri clenching his jaw at Jesse's proximity to me. I returned my gaze to Jesse.

"Sure," I murmured back. I scrawled a lounge room number on a scrap paper and handed it to him. I knew it would be empty as it hadn't been used in years. The bell rang and everyone went about their days.

"What did Zeklos want?" Dimitri asked as we cleaned up the gym after our afternoon training.

"He was just asking about the hamster fight from the day you transferred in," I brushed him off. His eyes were almost black as his emotions swirled in them. I think I saw jealously and was moderately pleased with myself. He dropped it and we walked back to the dorms together. I passed Jesse studying with Shane on my way to my room and whispered for him to meet me in half an hour. He nodded in agreement so I ran to my room and changed into a pair of black leggings and tightfitting red top. I quickly did two of my assignments and headed out to the abandoned lounge. I glanced around before slipping through the door to see Jesse already sprawled on the covered couch. I closed the door quietly and flopped on the opposite end, placing my feet in his lap.

"So I take it you and Belikov aren't back together?" he asks, stroking my calf with his fingers.

"I'm not here to talk and neither are you," I avoided the question, leaning forward and placing my hand on his cheek. That was all the invitation he needed, kissing me sloppily. He pushed me back on the couch as our tongues snaked together. His hand slid under my shirt, quickly sliding it up and off my body so I laid there in just my black bra and leggings.

"I'm not having sex," I warned him, panting from the eager kisses. He studied my face but nodded, not pushing it. He kissed along my cheek and down my neck, grazing his fangs against the sensitive skin. I gasped before I could stop and his golden eyes flew to mine.

"You've done it?" he asked in wonder. I gulped and shook my head.

"No, I haven't," I defended, lamely.

"You have," he insisted. "I didn't buy the lots of humans want to do it bullshit story you guys gave out. You fed Lissa." I let out an exasperated sigh.

"You can't tell anyone," I glared into his eyes and he nodded.

"I won't," he assured me. "What was it like? Abby let Zeke bite her but she said it doesn't feel like anything."

"Ew," my face twisted up as the thought of a Moroi drinking from one of their own. But I was saved from answering his question as the door flew open, slamming against the wall and making us both jump. Dimitri strode forward and picked Jesse up but his collar.

"Stay the fuck away from her, Zeklos," he growled. Jesse looked about ready to piss his pants. I couldn't blame him. Dimitri towered over him and was made of solid muscle. "If I see you so much as go near her again, I'll kill you myself." He dropped him and Jesse shot me an irritated look and ran out of the room. Dimitri turned to me, too many emotions swirling around for me to place. The strongest one had to be the longing as he took in my shirtless torso. I leaned onto the arm of the couch, purposely pushing my chest up.

"See something you like?" I asked, feeling myself starting to soak my panties as I looked into his eyes.

"Get dressed," he snapped. "Someone saw you and reported you. You have less than five minutes to get to your dorm without getting caught." His mask was in place and his words were spoken without emotion. I felt tears welling up within me but did as he said.

"Thanks," I whispered, before running back to my dorm. Sure enough, a guardian arrived a moment later, knocking on my door to make sure I was where I was supposed to be. I talked to him for a couple minutes until he was satisfied that someone was mistaken and I'd been here all along. Ten minutes later, another knock sounded on my door. I opened it and nearly screamed when Dimitri slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. We stared at each other for what felt like forever before I finally got the courage to speak.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

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