I love how no one likes Tasha ? Here is the Dimitri POV - Enjoy!

Also a quick shoutout to MagpieandtheHound and to Alice-Roza for both being incredible and helping me with this story!

Part 30

Dimitri POV

Rose was only gone for a couple of minutes, and yet I was already missing her. She brought a warmth—a light—to my life that I had assumed was lost. All the terrible things that I did, the people I hurt, when I was with Rose, the weight of those actions fell away. I was drowning under it all, and she dragged me back to the surface.

I only wished I had been able to pull myself out of that dark place before I had hurt her.

My actions were not without consequence. Not only had I broken the trust and love between Rose and me, but I had also damaged the connection of our soulmate bond. If I could go back to that moment after I had been restored, I would have asked for Roza instead of Vasilisa.

I was grateful for what Vasilisa did for me, what she gave back to me, but I should never have pushed Roza away. Things would have been easier. But I couldn't change any of that now; I could only do my best to prove my love to her again.

I became so lost in my guilt that I almost lost Roza; I would never allow that to happen again.

Моя родственная душа.

A grin spread across my face. Long since given up on the possibility of finding my soulmate, accepting the sad reality that they could be dead or that we would just never find one another. But then there was Roza. The wild girl that managed to take my breath away the first night we met.

Since that night, she was always on my mind, easily able to get under my skin; no matter what I did, I could never separate myself from her. And now I understood why. We were feeling the pull of the soulmate bond before it had even connected. Granted, even without it, Rose would have gained my attention. She was fierce and passionate, drawing me in with every quirk and flaw that made her Roza.

And now she wants to be mine. Roza wants to complete the soulmate bond.

I thought I had lost my chance, but she still loves me. Somehow, she managed to forgive me and welcome me back into her heart. A trust that I would never break again.

As much as I would have loved to complete it now, Rose had to guard Vasilisa on her trip to tour Lehigh University, leaving me to count down the minutes until she returns and is back in my arms.

Lately, I had been noticing her absence from my side more, my hands itching to have her in reach again. When we were looking for Jill, there were so many times I could touch her and hold her close. I wasn't able to appreciate it at the time; the guilt of what I did to her made me feel like I wasn't worthy of being near her.

Each time I hurt her with my words and actions, I hated myself more. Feeling weak in my own inability to do the very thing I wanted—to protect her from being hurt by me again.

I took solace in being in her room, everything reminding me of her. Though they were wilting, the flowers I had gifted her sat in a small glass by her bedside, a photo of my family beside it. When I thought of facing my family, revealing to them what monster I had become, a panic would fill me. But with Roza by my side, I could do it. With Roza, I feel I could do anything.

I don't think she realised how much life she breathed back into me; each kind word and caring gesture she gave me despite everything brought me back. The letter she wrote creased from all the times I would pull it out and read over the words.

When I had picked up the fallen paper off the ground in my cell, I was tempted to throw it away, but I was grateful I kept it. That I had kept everything Rose had gifted me those first few days. When, at night, I couldn't sleep, I would read the books she had returned; each time I touched the covers, I was reminded of her smile when she teased me for my love of the Western stories.

And when I felt myself on the edge of getting lost in my guilt and regret, I would read her letter. When I first read it, I was in disbelief at the words written. There was no possible way she had forgiven me, every terrible deed I committed, her words promising that she loved me despite it all.

I remember touching the warped spots of the paper, spots where the ink had run from drops of water—tears. That was the first time I felt something again, a spark of concern for Roza. Then, slowly, I felt more each time, until her words filled me with hope and longing, a desperate need to see if these words were still true.

Vasilisa may have been the one to return my soul to my body, but Roza was the one to bring me back. Without her love, I would have been an empty shell of what I was.

I gave Rose's room a once over, smiling at the large purple teddy bear sitting on her bed, the size of it comical on the small bed. Looking at the bed also reminded me of what had happened between us half an hour ago, positive that if Sydney hadn't called, we wouldn't have stopped.

Thoughts of Sydney and her description of the woman seen by another alchemist at the compound where the files were taken, it brought more questions than answers. And with it, also a concern that Jill and Vasilisa were in danger, and in turn, Rose in danger.

A sudden warm feeling flowed through me, making my heart pick up in speed while also making my body relax. Instantly recognising the feeling as Rose sending emotions to me through the bond. This one was love.

Roza loves me.

I had been trying to send emotions to her through the bond. Having done it once before, I was determined to do so again. For that brief moment, I felt connected to Rose in a way I had never experienced before.

When I felt a spark of happiness, I didn't understand what was happening, but then I realised it felt like someone else. Like Roza.

I wanted that connection again.

But for now, I had to settle for what I could give her. Knowing Rose could feel my reaction to the emotion she sent, I sent her a text message as well, so there was no doubt about my feelings.

It was nearing the Moroi evening, the sun rising in the distance; I had a couple of hours before my shift, enough time to check in with Abe and then Eddie and Hans. If there was any chance there was still a threat for Jill, they needed to know. While Rose had a rocky relationship with Hans, I trusted the man, knowing that he would make the right decision in going forward.


Abe's guardian, Pavel, was the one to open the door to the suite, welcoming me in with a tilt of his head. The guardian wasn't a man of many words, something I could relate to. It was the only sense of comfort I had when around Abe, or as I had grown up being warned to stay away from—Zmey.

As shocking as it was to discover that he was Rose's father, it was easy enough to see the resemblance in both looks and personality. Honestly, it was more surprising that Janine Hathaway had had a relationship with Abe.

While I respect Rose's mother as a guardian, I had a great dislike for the woman herself, especially given Rose's last two interactions with her ended in Rose becoming dangerously close to losing herself to the darkness.

I had never felt such fear for someone I loved as I had when the darkness had taken over Rose, sending her down into a spiral of madness, which, thankfully, Sonya was able to pull her back from. For those few minutes, I was terrified that I had lost her.

Rose didn't talk much about what had happened, but I knew she was just as terrified of it, the fear of it always in the back of our minds.

If I hadn't already perfected keeping my emotions concealed, my disdain would have shown clearly on my face when I entered the suite to find both Abe and Janine. Careful to keep my irritation from seeping through the bond to Rose and from her parents, I gave them both a curt nod.

Abe grinned, looking as cunning as always, eyes always glinted as if he was planning something. "Belikov, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"

There was an underlying tone to his voice, a clear question of whether the visit involved Rose somehow. I focused on Abe, doing my best to ignore Janine and the many things I wanted to say to the woman. "Rose and I spoke to Sydney, we have some new information, and I was hoping you would be able to confirm it."

Abe's eyebrow raised in interest, "Do tell."

I eyed Janine for a moment before revealing the name, "An alchemist was able to provide a description of a woman seen at the compound. Rose believes it matches Daniella Ivashkov."


Abe had made some calls after I revealed the new intel, trying to confirm her whereabouts and a possible motive; as he did that, I called Hans and filled him in as well. Though he was sceptical at first, he took the potential threat seriously, reassigning me from guarding the wards to instead guarding Jill tonight at her residence with her parents. I would be guarding inside, while another would be assigned for outside. He also assigned a guardian to track Daniella's movements discreetly.

I finished my call before Abe had returned, leaving me standing in the living area alone with Janine and Pavel. The man stood against the wall, eyes watching carefully as if he expected an altercation, and it seemed he wasn't wrong.

"How long have you been in a relationship with my daughter?" Janine demanded, arms folded as she glared up at me.

I wasn't sure how much Rose had revealed to her, choosing to play it safe, "It has only been recently that Rose and I have begun courting."

Her jaw clenched, "I know there was something happening before at the academy, and I want to know exactly what transpired between you two when she was still underage."

"Well, that didn't take you long to begin interrogating him," Abe's voice interrupted us, a hint of amusement to it. He took a seat on the lounge, waving his hand to encourage us to take a seat.

I sat opposite him on the sofa chair, eager to find out what he had learnt.

"I have put out some people to gather what information they can. It shouldn't take too long to hear back." He explained, "I have also been trying to gather some more information about the man that attacked Rose. It seems that no one has been able to identify him."

"You believe he planned it all by himself?" I questioned, having been thinking the same.

Abe didn't give anything away, simply replying, "It's always good to be thorough."

"You never answered my question, Belikov," Janine growled out.

I gave her a pointed look, "I would rather not speak of Rose when she isn't here." If Janine was demanding to know of our relationship, I wanted Rose to be the one to decide what she was told. Thinking of Roza brought a slight ache to my chest, my hand moving to rub at it. The action caught Abe's eyes.

"How has Rose been?" He asked.

I knew he was worried about Rose since she was here the night before. When he called me, I could hear a slight edge to his voice, his concern for his daughter coming through.

"She is doing better," I answered, again concealing my anger.

"Honestly, that girl," Janine muttered with a shake of her head.

I clenched my fist as my control started to slip, "Rose has been through a lot lately. With everything that she has accomplished, you should be proud of her."

Her eyes narrowed, scoffing at my words, "Destroying her reputation as a guardian is not something I would be proud of."

"Rose has gained the respect of many guardians here at Court and the academy. She will make a better guardian than more than half of the guardians here. Despite what you may think, Rose is not weak. If you don't realise that soon and realise just how extraordinary your daughter is, you will lose her." By the time I had finished speaking, I was on my feet, towering over Janine. The ache in my chest had grown as my need to see Rose increased. Hearing just how little Janine thought of Rose was not helping.

Janine sprung to her feet, face red with anger, "What makes you think you can talk to me about my child like that!"

I leant in a little closer, "I am her soulmate. And I won't let anyone that would harm her anywhere near Roza." The threat in my words was clear. Before Janine could reply, I turned to Abe, "Call me if you find out anything. I have to leave for my shift."

With that, I stalked out of the suite, nodding at Pavel as I left, noticing the amusement and approval dancing in his eyes. It seemed the older guardian either wasn't a fan of Janine or had grown to like Rose in the short time he had known her.

I didn't stop until I was outside, standing in the sun, taking a deep breath to push down my emotions until I was in control again. That ache still there.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling it out to find a message from Roza. Just seeing her name made some of the pain ease. Reading her concern for me made me smile. I replied about my chest hurting since she left, choosing to leave out what I had said to Janine.

All of my anger from Janine fell away when I got Rose's reply. Was I feeling the bond?

As my hand rose to my chest to rub at the spot the pain radiated from, I realised she was right. After having seen Rose do the same before, I understood.

I was feeling the pull of the bond from the distance between us.

I couldn't help the joy that built inside me. This was another part I had yet to feel; this was proof that we were a step closer to breaking through the block. Soon I would be able to feel Roza just as she could me.


Hans had already contacted Eddie before I arrived, a grim expression set on his face.

"So we are just going to wait around and see if she tries to hurt Jill or Lissa again?" Eddie asked incredulously. He paced the small kitchen of the suite Jill was staying in. Her parents were at the markets; Jill decided to not tell them yet about the danger to her life again. She sat at the kitchen table, watching Eddie with worried eyes.

"Hans has someone watching Mrs Ivashkov, and Abe is using his contacts to get more information. Until we know for sure she is behind the attack, we have to wait." I didn't like Daniella walking around free either, but the only evidence we had to go on was a description.

"Will Lissa be okay?" Jill asked, speaking for the first time since I had arrived.

I nodded, "She has more than enough guardians with her."

Eddie gave Jill a reassuring smile, having calmed down, "Yeah, and she has Rose and Tasha with her, remember."

"Tasha is with them?" Rose hadn't mentioned it. My relationship with Tasha had become strained since she asked me to be her guardian again after I was reinstated. I didn't know if I was more shocked or annoyed that she would make me such an offer knowing that Rose was my soulmate.

"Yeah, she asked to join them earlier today," Jill explained.

I shrugged it off, not too surprised that Tasha would want to spend time outside of Court; it was never a place she liked being for long periods of time. I changed the subject back to guarding Jill. "I will be keeping watch tonight, and then Eddie will take over again in the morning."

Jill frowned, "I'm going to have to tell my parents, won't I?"

"Yeah, I think so," Eddie replied, placing a hand on her shoulder.


The sun was setting when I returned to my room at the dorms, my night spent at Jill's uneventful. I decided to use the downtime to try reaching out to Rose; while I could feel the emotions sent to me, I was still unable to do the same. Rubbing at my chest as I grew annoyed at the little amount of improvement I had achieved.

There were times I thought I could feel her, though it was muted, just barely on the edge of the bond. Each time I tried to reach for it, it slipped away.

Passing her door on the way to mine made the ache grow, knowing it wouldn't be until sunrise that Rose would be returning.

As if she knew I was missing her, my phone rang with her name flashing on the screen. I answered while opening my door, a smile on my face. "Roza, I was just thinking of you."

I could hear the smile in her voice, "Oh, really? How convenient that I called."

The ache in my chest had noticeably eased as soon as she spoke, "It is. It's nice hearing your voice. It makes things a bit more bearable."

"So you've been feeling it this whole time?"

I sat down on my bed, feeling my exhaustion starting to hit me. "Not at first, but it's become more noticeable. I hate it. I can't wait for you to get back." Memories of Roza sleeping in my bed this morning returned as I looked at the rumpled sheets.

"Yeah, it sucks, though I've had worse."

I winced at her words, knowing that it was true. I could only imagine how much pain she had been in. For days she was in agony because of me.

I heard her sigh, "Crap. I'm sorry -"

I cut her off, "No, it's fine. You need to talk about it, and I need to understand what I did to you. Maybe that will help." It could all be adding to the cause of the block in the bond, Rose still held some resentments, and I didn't blame her for it. I just hoped she would allow me to make up for it all.

"Maybe. But not right now. I'm too tired to get into all of that."

"We will have time to talk about everything when you get back," I promised. "When are you on shift?"

"Midnight until four, and then we will be heading back. Did Abe say anything?"

"He said he had some leads. I won't know until later, though." I explained. I had hoped to know more by now, but there was nothing that could be done.

The stress of everything building the longer I worried that there was a possibility of something happening to Rose while she guarded Lissa. Rose was a dedicated guardian and wouldn't hesitate to throw herself in front of Lissa to save her, as she had when she took a knife to her arm.

"Breathe, comrade," Rose ordered, followed by calming emotions coming through the bond, love intertwined with it. Each time it felt like my body was tingling, almost like there was the ghost of her touch moving across my body before the feelings would settle in my heart.

It felt so perfect and right. Focusing on the bond and the connection I was feeling to her, I tried to return the feelings.

I heard her breath catch, "Are you doing that on purpose?"

Pride and happiness filled me. I made the connection. "I was wondering if it was getting through."

"Do you think you could keep doing it until I fell asleep?" She asked in a soft voice.

It was faint, but I could feel a sense of joy that I knew wasn't coming from me; the feeling increased my own. "Of course, Roza."


I jolted up in bed, a groan pulling from my throat as I gripped my head in my hands. I wasn't sure what caused the pain; it was so sudden and intense it woke me violently.

I could feel something pulling at the bond, almost like Rose had called for me.

There were so many questions running through my mind, but one thing I knew for sure. Roza was in trouble.

Sorry that this chapter was more of a filler, but I wanted to give a little about what has been going through Dimitri's mind leading up to everything.

Let me know what you think.

The next chapter will move things along again.