Part 34
Dimitri POV
I lunged forward, watching in horror as Robert angled the piece of wood toward Roza's chest, her own fear hitting me in the gut. Our eyes connected for a second before he stabbed it deep into her chest.
Her pain was instantaneous, feeling like it was penetrating my own chest. It was like being staked all over again. Only it wasn't me; it was Roza.
Robert ripped the wood out of her chest and let her fall to the ground, turning to me with the bloodied piece in his hand as I crashed into him. I fought against him, managing to avoid being cut by the wood. Pavel was by my side, helping me to pin him down.
As much as I wanted, we couldn't kill him. Not yet.
"Rose!" Janine cried out, crouched beside her daughter, hands covering the bleeding wound in her chest.
I winced. Roza was fading. I could feel her getting weaker just as I felt the bond tearing. I was losing her.
"Go to her," Pavel ordered gruffly, taking my spot on top of Robert, using his silver stake to hold him in place.
I was quickly beside Roza, hands covering where Janine's were, pressing whatever material she had gathered against it. "Roza, you need to stay with me!" I held her eyes, pushing through what I could to keep her hanging on. I spun to face Janine, "Go to the car and get something to stop the bleeding. We have to stop it!"
I looked back at Roza; her eyes were unfocused, blood seeping from her mouth. Please don't die. Please don't die. I kept repeating, praying to anyone that would listen.
I love you, Dimitri.
Her voice was in my head, a wave of love flowing over me. I took a moment of joy from it, taking solace that she could still use the bond. But then her eyes closed.
Pure horror filled my body, my blood freezing as my worst nightmare came true. Roza was dying, and there was nothing I could do. I felt the bond ripping, my heart breaking in two as a part of me was being taken away just minutes after I had gained it.
I pressed at the wound on her chest desperately, "No, no, no. Please, Roza. You have to open your eyes. You can't leave me. Roza, please!" I looked around at the two guardians watching me with grim expressions, Janine not moving. "You need to get something!"
She shook her head, "It's too late. We can't -" Her voice broke, biting back the sob, her expression hardened. "There's nothing we can do."
Robert's laugh echoed in the house, "Good! It's what she deserves!"
I couldn't believe it. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening.
"There is something…."
My eyes flicked to Janine's, a deep frown on her face. "What?"
Her eyes met mine and then moved to Robert. I saw red.
"No! I won't do that to her. Roza doesn't—she can't–"
"We can restore her, just like the Princess did for you!" Janine argued.
I felt bile rising at what she was suggesting. Janine didn't understand; she didn't know what it was like. I couldn't put Roza through that.
"If we don't do it, then Rose is dead and never coming back!"
Her words broke me, seeing the truth in it. Vasilisa wasn't here now; there was no one that could bring her back, no spirit to heal her. I didn't want to lose Roza, but could I let her become one of the undead?
I looked at Roza's face; it was so pale. If it weren't for the bruises and blood, she would look like she was sleeping, not on the edge of death. She was so full of life; to see her motionless like this felt wrong, like it wasn't real. There was so much good she could do for the world, so much she hadn't had the chance of experiencing. If there was a chance I could give that back to her, that I could have her back…
"If you are going to do this, you have to do it now," Pavel's voice broke me from my thoughts.
Time was running out; the change would only take if she were still alive, even if barely. "I—I don't know."
"We are doing it! I'm not losing my daughter when there is a chance to save her." Janine was moving, crouching beside Pavel. With him still on top of Robert holding him down, Janine was able to take one of his arms. "Bring her closer."
I hesitated for only a moment before following the order. I hated myself for this weakness, but I needed Roza. I didn't want to live without her.
Robert started struggling against Pavel's hold, "I won't help her. She deserved to be dead for what she did. Victor is dead, and so is she!"
Once Roza was in reach, I moved to help Pavel restrain Robert, our combined weight keeping him still enough for Janine to extend his arm, so his wrist was above Roza's mouth.
"Please let this work," Janine begged.
Using the tip of her stake, she slashed the skin, letting blood fall from the cut and onto Roza's parted lips. When she was satisfied, she maneuvered Robert's wrist to be over the wound on Roza's chest—falling into the open wound and mixing with the blood that was still being slowly moved around her body by the weak pulses of her heart.
I could feel Roza was still there, barely hanging on by a thread.
"I swear I will kill her, and then I will kill you! I will kill you all!" Robert started thrashing around. "Just let the bitch die!"
"Shut him up!"
I had had enough of Robert; his taunts, knowing he was the one to do this to Roza, was all too much. My control broke as my vision became red; my body moved before I could think of what I was doing. I swung my arm down, my stake going through Robert's back and into his heart.
Robert released a sound crossed between a scream and a groan before falling silent and still. Pavel glanced at me but didn't say anything.
"How do I know if it's working?" Janine asked, having released Robert's arm, eyes searching Roza for any signs of his blood taking effect.
I gritted my teeth, knowing I was the only one that had any experience with this. I lived it.
"It will take a while still. She's not-" My voice caught, "she's not dead yet." I could feel it; bit by bit, she was close. I looked at Pavel, and he nodded at me again in understanding. If this didn't work, I was going to lose my soulmate; I wanted to be as close to her as I could.
I crawled to her side, taking the space Janine had been in. My hands hovered over her face, not wanting to tarnish her beautiful face with the blood that covered my fingers. I almost laughed at the notion, considering most of her face was already covered in blood, her's and Robert's mixing together.
I couldn't tell if it had worked, if our desperate attempt at saving her was in time. As much as I never wanted her to experience the horrors of being Strigoi, I wanted her to wake up.
I needed her to wake up.
She had to.
If Roza didn't wake up, I don't know what I would do with myself.
Fate couldn't be that cruel to take her away from me now, not when I finally felt the bond. As soon as my eyes had found hers, it just snapped into place. I had never felt anything so amazing, never imagined that it would feel like that.
That sense of being complete, of feeling Roza was more than I could have ever dreamed of.
And now I could barely feel her.
The last thought she had sent replaying in my mind; my heart would clench each time. I love you, Dimitri.
What if that was the last time I ever heard those words?
My hands started to shake; I shifted forward, one hand taking her's as the other cradled her cheek. It was faint, but there was a slight shock that went through me when my skin pressed against hers, just like she had sent through the bond that time. That morning in my bed was only two days ago, but it felt like years.
I just needed her eyes to open, for her to move.
I just needed anything.
Tears slipped down my face as I leant forward to press a kiss to her forehead.
"I love you, Roza," I whispered against her skin, sending all the love I had in me through the fading remains of the bond, relishing in this feeling of being connected.
Then as suddenly as it had snapped into place, I felt the bond break.
I doubled over, gripping my chest as an unimaginable pain exploded from my chest; it felt like I was being ripped in two. A pained whine passed through my clenched teeth. It was too much. Where I had once felt complete and full of love, I now felt empty and cold.
She was gone.
Roza was dead.
My throat was raw; my body felt like I had been beaten for hours. Each movement just brought more pain. But despite that, I kept rocking Roza's body in my arms, refusing to leave her. Janine and Pavel had left the house to give Abe the news. I had heard yelling, but I couldn't spare the effort to focus enough on what they were saying.
Roza was dead, and there was nothing left. I wanted to die with her; I couldn't bear this feeling, this emptiness.
But there was still the slightest sliver of hope. I couldn't give up on her yet.
I couldn't remember enough of my awakening to know how long it had taken me, but from what I had seen and was told, it could take hours for it to take effect and then even longer for them to wake up after the change.
It was hard to tell if it worked; the first sign of the change happening was their wounds would start to heal. There had been no change in Roza's wounds yet.
I looked down at her face, mourning my loss. I wondered if this was how she felt when I was taken in the caves or when she learnt I had turned. I prayed that she would forgive me for forcing this fate on her, one that I promised myself I would never let her have.
"I'm so sorry," I whispered, tears flowing down my cheeks again, "I'm so sorry, Roza."
My hand trailed down her cheek, carefully pushing her hair back; it had stuck to the blood drying on her face and neck. I was careful, knowing how much she loved her hair, how much I loved it as well. It was so beautiful. When she would stand in the sun, it would shine, and I would be memorised by it.
I moved down to her neck, trying to detangle her hair when I saw it. My body froze as my heart picked up in speed.
The bites on her neck were healing.
"Pavel!" I yelled, hoping it was enough to get the older man's attention. I didn't know how long it had been since the change had started, but I didn't want to risk Roza waking up and escaping. She may have to become Strigoi, but I wouldn't let her live with the guilt of murdering innocents.
There was a rush of footsteps, Pavel running into the house, followed closely by Abe and Janine.
"What's happening?" Abe demanded, looking more distraught than I had ever seen him before. His daughter's death greatly affected the man. They had only known each other for a few short months, but Abe clearly loved her.
"It's happening," I explained, "We need something to restrain her with and somewhere dark." I have moved Roza to the darkest corner of the room, but the sun would still be too much once she wakes. "And we will need blood."
My first hours as Strigoi were a blur, but I could still remember the hungry. The bloodlust. If we could control it by providing some blood, she would be easier to contain until we could get Vasilisa here.
Pavel had disappeared back outside, leaving Roza's parents. Though this was Janine's idea, the fact it was happening shocked her. She stood, staring wide-eyed in horror at Roza's still form.
"Abe, you and Janine should go to town and get blood and some industrial chains and anything else you think we will need." They didn't need to be here for this, and once Roza woke, I would need Pavel's help keeping her restrained.
Thankfully, they didn't argue with me, Janine seeming like she appreciated having a task to focus on.
Pavel returned with some rope and a set of thick handcuffs; I raised an eyebrow at them.
"I work for Zmey. We have to keep certain things in the car," He explained with a shrug.
I nodded, "Go find a room we can restrain her in." I didn't want to leave Roza's side, knowing what was coming; I wanted all the chances I could get to hold her close to me. In a few hours, she won't be my Roza anymore.
Pavel managed to find a room down the hallway. From the looks of it, with the discarded chair and rope on the ground, I guessed this was where she was being held before. It wasn't my first choice, but the door did have a lock on it that we could fix, which could be useful.
I forced myself to move, ignoring the pain flowing through me still from the loss of my soulmate. I couldn't imagine how Mikhail had been living like this for years. Taking comfort in the fact he was able to reunite with Sonya, just as I will with Roza. I just had to wait.
I gently sat Roza in the chair, taking the chance to search her body more. The bite marks were gone, not even a scar left on the skin, and when I looked at the stab wound, I found it closed. She may be waking up sooner than I thought.
I held her upright in the chair so that Pavel could lock her wrist behind her; it wouldn't be enough to stop her. She won't wake up with the strength of a usual Strigoi; the first few days, she'll be weaker, especially if we can limit how much blood she has, but she will still be stronger than a dhampir.
"So, what's next?" Pavel asked as we wrapped the rope around Roza's legs and upper body.
"When she wakes up, she will be confused and hungry. She won't be herself, so don't get too close." I explained, going through the memories I had of watching other Strigois awaken. "Hopefully, they are back before she wakes and, we can restrain her properly. I don't know how long this will hold."
"Then what?"
"Then we get Vasilisa here, and she restores Rose." It sounded so easy. There were so many ways this could go badly, so many possibilities that we didn't consider before going through with this plan.
My stake felt like it was burning me where it sat in my holster on my hip, the weight a constant reminder of the worst-case scenario. I don't know how Roza had built up the determination to stake me on that bridge, but I knew that I would do what was needed if it came to that.
We both stood back from Roza; she was slumped in the chair, hair hanging around her face like a curtain. Silently I prepared myself for what was to come.
"There is still the matter of how this whole mess got started," Pavel mused out loud. I nodded in agreement.
There was something suspicious about how Roza was taken and how Strigoi could get her. It wasn't just a random attack, not when Robert was the one holding her captive. This was planned.
The likelihood of Robert finding her by luck was extremely low. Either he had been watching us at Court, or someone gave him the information about her whereabouts. And we couldn't ask Robert now.
"You should clean yourself up."
I looked at Pavel with a raised brow and then down at my hands, covered in dry blood. "I can't leave her."
Pavel waved me off, "It will take a couple of minutes. I can watch her. I'll yell if anything changes."
I glanced at Roza before conceding, leaving her side for the first time in hours.
No matter how many times I washed my hands, I could still see it.
Blood. Roza's blood.
There was so much of it.
I had seen people be seriously injured before, watching throats be torn out, limbs torn. And yet, I was not prepared for how much blood had seeped out of her body. The floor that was underneath her was stained where it pooled.
I could still feel what it was like, feeling her life slip away.
My hands were clean now, and yet all I could see was red.
I was crouched against the wall in the small room Roza was tied up in. Watching. Waiting.
There hadn't been any change, and with the way her hair fell across her face, I couldn't see her skin. Not that there would be much to tell, she was already so terrifyingly pale; I doubted it would change much once she turned.
Pavel stood by the door, head turning at the sound of a car approaching. It had been over an hour since Janine and Abe left; I was grateful they were back now, and hopefully with a strong chain.
A couple of minutes later, I hear their footsteps and the sound of metal clanging against metal. I stood and met Janine at the door, taking the heavy chain from her hands.
"Hope this is enough," She commented as she passed it over. I nodded as I crossed to Roza.
It was much easier to tie a Strigoi down when they were passed out, unlike when Roza and I had to do the same thing to Sonya, taking both of us to do so. I started at Roza's feet, wrapping the chain around and up to her arms.
"This is good. When she wakes, she'll be desperate to feed, so we need to keep our distance and -" I saw the movement out of the corner of my eye. I jerked back in time, barely avoiding the fangs aimed at my neck. I landed on the ground, staring up in shock.
I could never have prepared myself for the sight, how it made my heart break and blood freeze. I could understand why Roza had hesitated when she saw me in Siberia. Those eyes that I had begged to open now were. Deep chocolate brown that I could get lost in stared down at me in want and longing and hunger—red rings around the pupils.
Roza's didn't move her eyes from me as she strained against the restraints; newly grown fangs bared as she snarled at me.
Roza had awakened.
So, that's a twist... please don't hate me, and I hope you keep with the story. Original I was going to finish it in like 2 chapters, but then I was inspired and this happened. So yay the story is going to be longer.
Please be kind, but I am interested to know what you think :)
