Going to jump from Dimitri and Rose in this one.

Part 36

Dimitri POV

"Tasha?" I asked, my surprise showing on my face for a second before I covered it. Her sudden appearance was questionable, especially given her guardian's part of Roza being taken by Strigoi. I didn't believe his story. I wanted to believe that Tasha had nothing to do with it, but my gut wasn't sure. "What are you doing here?"

Tasha smiled at me, "I heard what happened and came here with Lissa and Christian. Is it true?"

"Wow, Tasha," Roza groaned from behind me. Her form had been hidden from Tasha's view by my body. "Read the room."

Tasha craned her neck to look around me, eyes widening.

Roza smirked, "Let me guess. You heard poor Dimka here lost his soulmate and came to offer yourself as comfort?"

My jaw clenched, noting the flush that works its way up Tasha's face.

"And I haven't even been dead a day. You sure move fast."

Tasha splattered, shifting back on her heels, "That isn't why I came. I came to help bring you back."

Roza opened her mouth to retort but caught sight of Pavel holding his stake threateningly towards her, warning her to stop. She scowled but complied.

In the silence, I could hear others entering the house, hearing Vasilisa's voice float down the hallway.

"Go warn them of what to expect. I can watch her," Pavel told me, nodding his head towards the door.

I thought of turning him down, but glancing at her, I agreed with Pavel. I needed to warn Vasilisa of what to expect. Roza knew what her friend was here to do and would use every weakness she could against Vasilisa to stop her.

"Don't worry, comrade. I'll be good," Roza winked at me.

Shaking my head, I walked out into the hallway, only making it a few steps before I was stopped by a hand on my arm, tugging me through an open door to the bathroom. It was dirty and small; my back was leaning against the shower stall, looking at Tasha with a raised brow.

She put her hands on her hips, "What were you thinking dragging Lissa into this?"

I blinked at her in confusion, "She can restore Rose," I replied, stating the obvious.

"Did you even think about how much magic it will take her to restore another Strigoi?"

I dropped my eyes. I had thought about it, knowing how much spirit it did take and then the resulting side effect of the darkness. "Yes, Tasha. But Rose is her best friend. Don't you think Vasilisa wants to do this?"

Of that much, I was certain, Vasilisa even offered to do so before we had left Court to find Roza. That meeting in Hans' office felt like a lifetime ago, rather than being only hours. It was late into the day, the sun would set soon, and I wanted to get her restored before then. If things went sideways, there would be nothing keeping Roza here once there was no sun.

"I get that Rose was important to you, but don't you think this is taking it too far?"

My eyes shot up, narrowing, "Roza is more than just important to me. She is my soulmate! She did everything she could to save me, and I am going to do the same!" I bit out. "You can either stay and help, or you can leave." I didn't bother waiting for a response, pushing past her and out of the bathroom.

I didn't like raising my voice at someone I considered a friend, even if we were in a weird place currently. I had known Tasha for years; she was someone I could talk to about Ivan if I needed to. But her constant belittling of my relationship with Roza was grating on my nerves.

There was a time when I did consider trying to be more with Tasha, but I was already in love with Roza. I would never regret choosing her.

Entering the main room of the house, I found Janine talking to Vasilisa and Christian, Sage standing close to the Princess, stake out and ready. What I didn't expect was Adrian standing behind them, cigarette in hand.

Adrian took a long drag, smirking when our eyes met, "Heard you fucked up."

"Adrian!" Vasilisa was quick to scold him. She looked back at me with a sympathetic expression. Her eyes were bloodshot, cheeks red from crying. With their bond, she would have felt the moment Roza had died. "Guardian Hathaway explained what happened. I know you didn't have much of a choice."

Her words didn't do much to ease the guilt that weighed down on my chest.

"He could have not let her get stabbed."

"Thank you, Lord Ivashkov, but this isn't helping anyone," Janine's icy voice drew everyone's attention. I never thought I would see the day Roza's mother would defend me.

"Yes," Vasilisa agreed, "Adrian is here to help, not point fingers." She shot him a pointed look. Reaching down, she laced her fingers through Christian's. "We can turn Rose back and then put all of this behind us." It sounded like she was trying to convince herself of her words more than anyone else.

I cleared my throat, stepping towards them, "I know that this is asking a lot, with your making and the side effects. If there was any other way…." I trailed off. It was empty words, there was no other choice, and everyone knew it.

Vasilisa gave me a small smile, "It's fine, and I don't really have any darkness right now." She looked down, chewing on her bottom lip, "I felt Rose pull it all from me not long before…." A tear slipped down her cheek, which she was hasty to wipe away. Her expression hardened, looking back up with determination set in her eyes, "I can do this."

I felt the corner of my mouth lift up in a slight smile. The Princess had matured a lot since I first met her almost a year ago. Her dedication to her friendship with Rose only grows stronger.

"This should be easy enough to do," Janine steered the conversation, her voice back to being respectful in front of the Royal Moroi. "Rose is restrained currently. Is there anything that you need?"

Vasilisa shifted awkwardly, "Umm, no. I blessed the stake on the way here. I just need her to stay still."

I couldn't help but wonder what Roza would think if she heard her mother and best friend discuss how to go about staking her. I opened my mouth the warn them about Roza trying to get under their skin with her words when there was a loud bang from the hallway.

My feet moved instinctively towards the sound, prepared to fight. Knowing already what had happened. A sense of dread made my blood run cold.

Before I could make it two steps, Tasha came bounding around the corner, flames produced from her palms. Her eyes locked on mine, her expression unreadable. She was screaming at us, "She broke free. I tried to stop her! But she -"

I couldn't ask what had happened as another came around the corner.

Roza strolled into the room, no fear of the fact there were three guardians, all with their stakes out. Her red eyes shifted between each of us, a sinister smirk spreading over her face. The sight of it was wrong, sending chills down my spine.

She was licking her fingers as her eyes locked with mine. "I warned you that wasn't going to hold me for long."


xXx


Rose POV

The hunger was unbearable, the cravings making me feel like my skin was itching. My newly formed fangs ached to sink into someone's neck and taste the blood that runs just beneath the surface.

I understood now why Dimitri had been trying so hard to convince me to turn back in Siberia. This was amazing.

Everything was different now. I was different. I was better.

The power I could feel going through my body like I could do anything. My dhampir body was so weak and useless compared to this. Even my senses had greatly improved; I could see everything and hear everything.

Dimitri knew this, and yet, he kept thinking just disappearing around the corner would stop me from listening to their conversation.

Tasha was still holding her touch for him out and about for all to see, and yet somehow, no one had called her out for it. Of course, she had to show up, taking every chance she could get to try to take what was mine.

I knew she had something to do with my kidnapping. Sure, I didn't mind how it played out in the end, but I still was going to make the bitch pay.

This lack of care for others, this freedom from my guilt weighing me down with each decision, was extraordinary. I couldn't believe Dimitri didn't miss this. How could he have gone back to being dhampir, to that weak being that cowered in the corner crying over the people he killed?

Prey or predator. It made sense now. Everything he said to me made sense.

I wish I had realised it sooner. Now I have to get myself out of these chains and awaken Dimitri again. It would be difficult; his sense of always doing the right thing is guiding him again. He won't just sit there and let me bite him.

I'm going to have to hurt him first, but that's okay. In the end, he'll be grateful to me.

"Roza is more than just important to me. She is my soulmate! She did everything she could to save me, and I am going to do the same! You can either stay and help, or you can leave."

I grinned at Dimitri's determination; it was cute how much he wanted to save me, so dedicated. It was why I needed to awaken him; he would be loyal to me, my own warrior. We would be unstoppable.

At least he was finally pushing Tasha away, not that it would stop her. Her obsession with him was worse than mine, and at least I had a chance.

Hearing Dimitri march off to Lissa, to bring me his saviour, another set of footsteps came back to the room—Tasha.

I smirked at her as she emerged into the room, no longer putting on the mask of pretending to care. A harsh glare and a look of pure jealousy. That was the real Tasha now.

"Ouch. Guess he turned you down again. Do you ever get tired of being rejected?" I asked, tilting my head. The flare of anger in her eyes was delicious.

She stood a foot away from me, crossing her arms, "He isn't thinking clearly right now."

Her words made Pavel's eyebrows raise, irritating me that she managed to get a reaction from him. That man's mask was good, but even he couldn't hide his shock at Tasha's words.

Tasha noticed it too, stepped in front of him, catching his eyes before he could pull away. "You will ignore our conversation and mention it to no one. Do you understand?"

Tasha must be giving her all to compel him. Guardians were trained to break through compulsion; Abe's would be no different. And yet, after a moment, Pavel slowly nodded his head. It wasn't going to hold long, his confusion already showing in his eyes.

It seemed Tasha was finally going to make her move.

"So, what's the plan?" I shifted under the chains. Without Pavel's trained eye on me, I could do so without risking his stake against my neck again. "You kill me and then just fall into Dimitri's arms?"

"Mostly," She admitted, stalking closer to me. "I would give him time to grieve, and then he'll come back to me. With that stupid bond gone, there won't be anything stopping him."

I snorted. "You really think that it's because of the bond that he didn't choose you? You are pathetic."

This was too easy, watching her nostrils flare. She's made a big mistake talking, hesitating. She's given me all the time I need.

"Goodbye, Rose." Flame grew from Tasha's hand, poised to throw at me.

It was predictable, and I was ready for it. As she threw her magic at me, I twisted my body and broke the back and legs on the chair, rolling my body out of the way from the fire. The rest was easy; the tension had slacked, the chains easy enough to slide off my body and to the floor in a heap.

Tasha's eyes widened in panic, aiming another fireball at me, but it was slow, easy to dodge with my speed.

Feeling the strength and speed in my body was nothing compared to actually using them. And the fear I could see in Tasha's eyes was so alluring. I couldn't wait to hear her scream.

Seeing the faults in her plan, Tasha ran, slamming the door behind her as if that could slow me down. Rolling back onto the ground, I pulled my legs up so I could slip my hands around them, bringing my cuffed wrist to the front. I didn't have the strength to break the metal; I needed to feed.

Fortunately for me, Pavel was still standing in the room.

He was fighting the compulsion, reaching for his stake, but I was quicker. Yanking his head to the side, my fangs sunk into his neck. As soon as the blood hit my tongue, I moaned. It was like sweet ambrosia; the crap Dimitri gave me before was nothing compared to this.

I released his neck and let him slump to the floor. As much as I wanted to take my time, Dimitri would know I was free by now. I kicked the door off its hinges; the strength feeding gave me made it easy for me to snap the chain holding the cuffs together.

I ran my finger around the corners of my mouth, licking the drops of blood off my finger as I walked into the room. It was a sight to behold; everyone I wanted to kill all rounded up for me. This was going to be fun.

I found Dimitri's eyes, watching them pinch in pain. A smirk on my face. "I warned you that wasn't going to hold me for long."

No one moved straight away. I watched as Sage dragged Lissa behind him, Christian and Adrian crowding her. None of them could save her from me. The fear in the room was suffocating, and I loved it.

Dimitri moved first, lunging for me. His stake was out, but the tip pointed away from me; he wasn't trying to kill me. His weakness will be his downfall.

Having fought Dimitri so many times, we knew each other's style, our tells. But I was stronger than him now. I blocked his punch, surprised that there was still so much force behind it. Guess he's always been holding back on me.

I grinned.

I gripped his arm, twisting it painfully behind his back and kicking him away. I didn't want to kill him yet; when I drank from him, I was going to take my time and enjoy it. All those times he fed on me and left me floating on the endorphins, it was only fair to return the favour.

Janine came next; she was quick on her feet and dodging my hits. My mother didn't have as much of a concern when it came to attacking me, using her stake to wound me. I cried out when the tip sliced across my stomach, cutting through my ruined shirt.

I growled and backhanded her, feeling satisfaction when she hit the wall and fell to the ground. That woman deserved more, and I would come back to finish the job, but I had to get rid of my main threat in the room—spirit users.

As much fun as they would be to toy with, I couldn't risk them getting close enough to me to stake me. My eyes caught Lissa's, feeling a rush from the pure terror on her face. My gaze shifted from her to Sage, "Two down, one to go," I mused aloud.

I had barely moved when a wall of fire went up between me and my target; I snarled, glaring at Christian. I had forgotten about him and his magic. I had to be careful, or I would end up trapped in a ring of fire just like Dimitri was.

Dimitri was on me again, hands pulling at my arms to restrain them behind my back. It would leave my chest exposed. I struggled against him managing to break his hold, shoving my elbow back into his stomach, hearing the breath leave him with a wheeze. I turned and punched him in the chin, making his head snap back, and movement falter. When I fisted the labels of his duster to pull his neck towards me, I felt a burning pain in my shoulder.

I screamed, releasing Dimitri to turn back to Christian. I bared my fangs at him. Forget everyone else; Sparky had to die first.

He had dropped the wall to throw the fireball at me; I took my chance and lunged forward. Sage assumed I was going for Lissa and tried to shield her, leaving Christian exposed.

He must have been practising his magic, summoning more fireballs quicker than I had seen him do before. Each blow scorched my skin, the smell of burnt flesh filling my nose. But with my healing, the wounds didn't hold me back for long.

"Now!"

A force hit me in the back, knocking me forward as another kicked out my legs, the combined moves throwing me off balance and tumbling to the ground. I was so focused on Christian, Janine and Dimitri got the jump on me.

Dimitri's knee pressed into the centre of my back as Janine put all her weight on my legs. Sage surged forward and held his stake against my face, pinning me in place as it burnt my cheek.

I struggled against them, searching for any weak spot. When I kicked out at my mother, her stake drove into the flesh of my thigh, preventing any more movement. I was panting, starting to feel worn. I needed more blood.

I felt Dimitri shifting above me, gripping my wrist again.

I fought him, "Get off!" I tried to snap at Sage's hand, fangs barely grazing his hand.

Something was wrapped around my wrist, and everything paused. I stopped struggling; a strange feeling nudged at my mind. Something felt different.

My sudden stillness made the guardians wary. Sage lifted his stake, so it was no longer burning me, but I didn't move. Part of me still wanted to kill them, reminding myself of my goal, but the other part didn't want to hurt them.

"What are you waiting for? Kill her before she does more damage!" Tasha screamed from across the room.

I couldn't help but agree. Why were they waiting?

The weight on me shifted, hands gripping my arms to lift me up to my feet, holding them behind my back, chest exposed and facing Lissa. I pulled at the firm hold, but it was half-hearted.

I looked to my side, finding Dimitri's eyes were boring into mine as he ordered, "Do it!"

I couldn't look away from him, just as he didn't turn from me.

Tasha screamed something again, seeing from the corner of my eye as Abe gripped her arms, stopping the fire that was about to fly from her hands. Still, Dimitri didn't look away. I could see the hope in his eyes, mixing with his desperation. Blood was running from his mouth, the hit I got to his chin already marring his skin.

I couldn't fight him anymore.

A piercing pain exploded from my chest as the thought passed through my mind. My mouth opened in a silent scream as I felt a stake slowing being driven in. I broke eye contact with Dimitri to look at who was staking me.

Lissa and Adrian stood before me, hands forcing the metal deep. This was it.

The tip hit my heart, and I felt like I was being ripped in two from the pressure flowing through my chest. My body felt like it was burning, but not from fire. This was hotter, spreading under my skin, and blinding white.

Just like with Dimitri and Sonya, the light blew out from my chest, a force throwing everyone back from me.

I don't remember falling to my knees or when I started crying, but I was. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I looked down at my hands. And then I felt it.

God. What have I done?