Part 37
Dimitri POV
The shock from spirit restoring Roza threw us all back, the light blinding. This was the second time I had seen it, and I still couldn't believe the power behind it. I had to blink the white spots from my eyes, trying to focus on the room. I could hear crying; though it was soft, the sound pulled at my heart.
My eyes found her, still in the spot we were holding her, now on her knees crying as she stared down at her hands. As with me, when she was restored, it healed all her wounds. The burns and cuts from our fight were gone, leaving her clothes tattered. She was still covered in dry blood. I wondered if that was why she was focused on her hands.
My heart started beating rapidly in my chest, the pull of something emerging. Tears sprung to my eyes. I could feel the bond again. Roza was alive.
It was like a buzzing just under the surface. I couldn't feel anything from her, but the pull was there. I stood, taking a tentative step toward her; I remember how overwhelming it was. Even though it was only a couple of hours for her, Roza had been dead, she had been Strigoi, and now she was alive again. It was a lot to process.
She didn't react as I approached, crouching a foot away. Everyone's eyes were on us, waiting to see what happened.
I ducked my head, trying to catch her eyes, licking my lips as I worked up the courage to speak. "Roza?"
Her reaction was instantaneous. Wide eyes full of fear and regret turned on me, and then she jerked back, crawling away until her back hit the wall, all while whispering, "No, no, no, no…."
That wasn't what I expected and definitely not what I had hoped for. My heart broke at her broken tone. I held my hands out in what I hoped was a calming gesture. I wasn't sure if she could feel it, but I tried to send soothing waves through the bond to her. "It's okay, Roza. Everything is okay now."
She covered her face in her hands, shaking her head viciously. "No…" She sobbed, "I-I fed… I bit him…." Whatever else she was going to say was lost as painful sobs shook her body.
I felt the blood drain from my face, my body tensing at her words. Pavel. He was in the room when whatever transpired between Roza and Tasha happened and had yet to emerge. Roza licking her fingers when she came into the room flashed in my mind.
"I'll go," Janine offered, giving me a haunted look before disappearing into the hallway.
Forcing my fears back down, I turned back to Roza. She was trying to make herself small, pulling at the dirty strands of hair that framed her face; the ends were frizzed from the fire. I tried to approach her again.
"No! Stay back!" She screamed at me, making me freeze. "Just don't… don't…."
Adrian, who had been standing silently, stepped towards her. "Little dhampir," He started, slowly inching closer until he was beside her. Carefully he raised his hands, detangling her fingers from her hair. "It's going to be okay." He soothed her.
I watched on as Roza allowed Adrian to approach her, her bloodshot eyes looking up at him with wonder before throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his chest as more sobs escaped her body.
It felt like all the air left my body, an ache growing in my chest as my soulmate sought comfort from another.
I tried to tell myself that she was still overwhelmed. Adrian and Lissa both pooled their magic to save her; Roza probably had the same connection to them as I had Lissa when I was first restored.
Though I knew all of that to be logical, it still hurt.
I dropped my eyes, unable to watch the scene before me. Fortunately, at that moment, Janine returned, supporting the weight of Pavel's body was slumped over her shoulder, feet dragging. I quickly raced over to them, taking his other arm and most of his weight. The shift in weight made his head lull forward, revealing the bite mark on his neck.
There was a sharp intake of breath. "Oh, god. Did I…?" Roza asked desperately, unable to get the words out.
I glanced at her; she was still clinging to Adrian. A lump formed in my throat.
"He's alive, just passed out from blood loss," Janine responded, her voice surprisingly gentle.
Together we lead him to the lone couch in the room. Robert really had found a run-down building, I hadn't explored much of the house, but I could assume it looked just like this. Broken furniture and rotten wood.
Roza continued to cry, Janine's words doing little to comfort her and seeing Pavel like this wasn't helping. I clenched my jaw but drew Adrian's attention, "Take her to the bathroom and try to clean her up a bit." Hoping getting rid of the blood on her body would help.
Adrian nodded, then, with the help of Lissa, led the distraught Roza to the room I pointed to. Sage trailed after them, continuing his job of guarding the Princess. I heard the door close behind them, only the muffled sounds of their words drifting through the thin door.
"How the hell did Rose escape?" Janine demanded, pulling out a first aid kit from bags by the door. They must have bought it when out getting the chains and blood. She pulled out some gauze and pressed it to the bite.
"I would like to know that too," Abe agreed, "I suggest you start talking."
I glanced over my shoulder at Abe; his voice had become harsh. Expecting it to be aimed at me, but instead discovered him focused on Tasha. He had a grip on her forearm, using it to yank her forward when she didn't immediately respond.
"I don't know. She just broke out and tried to kill me," Tasha replied, trying to break his hold.
Abe shook his head, "Not good enough. You were trying to kill Rose. Why?"
Tasha's mouth opened and closed, "I was trying to stop her from hunting Christian and Lissa. Just like everyone else!"
"Hey! Let her go," Christian forced his way between them, knocking Abe's hand off his aunt. A brave move against Zmey.
"They had already restrained her, and yet you were going to shoot fire at her." Abe kept pushing.
I remembered Tasha conjuring fire as well, but I was more preoccupied with Roza.
Tasha again was unable to answer. Abe stalked closer, dropping into a menacing tone, "Why were you trying to kill my daughter?"
"I don't have to answer to you," Tasha spat out, backing away and slipping past Abe, moving towards the door. But before she could reach it, Janine stepped into her path, not even hesitating before swinging her fist up and into Tasha's face. The hit knocked her back, falling unconscious on the ground.
"What the hell are you doing!" Christian cried, crouched by his aunt, cradling her head.
Janine ignored him, eyes shifting to Abe's, "You're sure it's her?"
Abe strode over to Janine, tilting his head as he stared down at Tasha's form. "I am now. Tie her up and put her in a different room. I don't want her anywhere near Rose."
As much as I trusted Janine's judgement, I had to question their motives right now, "What do you know? What does Tasha have to do with it?"
Abe looked up, his face that of the terrifying man he is. He was no longer Abe; he was Zmey now. "I know the identity of our mysterious Moroi."
Christian was not a fan of his aunt being punched and tied up, but with Janine standing guard over her, there wasn't much he could do. He had attempted arguing with Abe but was silenced with a look.
Pavel had come back around, though he was still a little out of it. When asked what happened when Roza broke free, he said he couldn't remember. Providing him with food and water, he sat in a chair observing the room Tasha was being kept in. It was another room further in the house; Tasha laid on a mattress in the middle. Other than that and the chair Pavel was perched on, there was no other furniture in the room.
As I walked down the hallway, away from the others, I dragged a hand down my face. Today was non-stop, leaving me both physically and emotionally exhausted. It felt like the shock of the bond being restored was wearing off, small bursts of emotions coming through; it was sporadic again, leaving me feeling agitated and scared.
What if the block was back? What if I had lost Roza's trust again, and she changed her mind?
There were just too many questions. All I wanted was to hold her in my arms and know she was alive. Roza died in front of me today, and now I couldn't get close to her.
I had to stop, resting a hand on the wall to support myself as I took a ragged breath.
How could everything change so much in such a short time?
"Oh."
I looked up at the sound of a startled voice finding Vasilisa looking at me in surprise, her expression morphing into concern.
"Dimitri, are you-" She shook her head, "That's a stupid question. I know you aren't okay. She's calmed down more now. Adrian is talking to her."
Both joy and sorrow filled me with her words. While I was glad Roza was doing better, I wanted to be the one to bring her comfort.
"I was wondering where Christian was? Sage said you were all down here but didn't say why."
I sighed deeply, not wanting to go through everything that happened. I gestured behind me, "Third door on the left. Christian can explain." Even if I tried to explain it to her, I didn't even know all the reasons why Abe and Janine were so sure Tasha was up to something. Both keeping their lips sealed until she woke up.
I knew there was something questionable with her guardian's story and how much she was defending him. But I wanted the facts before I passed judgement.
Vasilisa nodded in thanks, stepping around me and down the hallway while I headed back to the main room. I halted in the threshold, taking a moment to observe. Roza was sitting on the couch, her back to me as Adrian spoke to her in hushed tones, their hands clasped between them. It sent a pain through my chest, my hand coming up to rub above my heart.
This is what Roza had experienced when I was restored; dread settled like a stone in my stomach at the prospect that it would just get worse.
The sun had set now, only a slight orange glow in the skies through the opened door that Sage stood guard at. The dark was making him tense; I couldn't blame him, with the amount of Moroi with us and the fact we were still in the house that Strigoi had been hiding out in.
His eyes met mine for a moment, dipping in acknowledgement before returning to scanning the surroundings outside. Roza caught the motion, barely peeking over her shoulder at me before spinning back to face Adrian. I couldn't hear what she said, but she sunk further into the couch. Adrian nodded, standing from his place on the couch and crossing the room to me, his usual look of disdain missing from his eyes.
When he was close enough to speak, he told me in low tones, "She isn't ready yet."
Another pain ripped through me. "Is she okay?" I knew she wasn't, feeling the faint emotions of anger, regret and sorrow from her.
"What do you think?"
I rubbed at my eyes, desperately fighting the pull I felt. Every cell of my body screamed to just go over to her, but I knew that she needed space even if it felt like it was killing me to do so. "Has she said anything? About what happened?"
Adrian shrugged, "She's not saying much except for apologising." He studied me for a moment before adding, "She did ask if you were okay, so there's that."
It didn't sound like much, but that small piece of information eased the pain I felt growing, my heart swelling with joy and love. Out of habit of trying to do so for days, I sent my love through the bond to Roza. She flinched on the couch, sinking further into the cushions again.
I started to feel the stabs of rejection when I felt something push back through the bond. It wasn't love, more like a feeling of gratitude. The feeling faded as quickly as I had felt it, but it was enough.
Roza could still feel me and connect to me. It was more than enough for now.
XxX
Rose POV
Was this how Dimitri felt?
Somehow I felt both numb and overwhelmed. Feeling the emotions I had lost as a Strigoi return bit by bit, as I felt the loss of the power and enhanced senses. The world felt dull, sounding muffled to my ears and dark to my eyes. I hadn't been turned long, but the difference was noticeable.
With my emotions, my guilt came too.
I may not have killed Pavel, but I fed on him, hurt him. I hurt the others as well. I can still remember the look of terror in Lissa's eyes. I could remember how much I wanted to kill them.
I didn't trust myself around others, scared that the bloodlust would return. But for some reason, Adrian and Lissa felt safe; they made me feel safe. I could understand Dimitri's looks of awe when he would see Lissa in those first few days after being restored. They really were my saviours.
I wasn't sure what they were saying to me as they cleaned the blood from my face and hands; I just sat there and let them. When Lissa had pulled back my hair, a comment about the burnt ends slipping past her lips, I had started crying again.
I wasn't sure why that sent me over the edge again, but it had.
Lissa held me closer, rubbing her hand on my back as she tried to soothe me. They offered to get Dimitri, but I refused.
I was still so confused. Feeling so much regret. Not only for my actions today but also for how I was to him when he was restored. I can understand now. What I was going through now just barely scratched the surface of how he had felt. How he still felt.
I could also understand why he didn't feel the bond. I had become so used to it being there, but now I felt nothing.
There were so many questions going through my mind, mainly about how I had been turned. I could guess the why, remembering Dimitri saying that if they didn't, I would have died. With the piece of wood Robert had put through my chest, I could believe it.
I had wondered if that was what getting staked felt like, and now I knew.
When we re-emerged from the bathroom, there was no one in the main room, distant voices drifting down the hall, but not loud enough to make any of it out. Adrian led me to the couch, Lissa going to find Christian. I fell against the cushions, rubbing against my wrist; they had retrieved the key to unlock the cuffs before. Now, all that I wore on my wrist was the charmed bracelet. It still surprised me how much the spirit healed when restoring. Not only my wounds but the darkness as well.
I had felt it ease back when the bond connected with Dimitri, but it was still there pressing on me. But now, they have healed most of it. Even Adrian had commented on my aura being brighter. He had also confirmed what Lissa and I both knew. Our bond was gone.
I died, and the bond broke. Restoring didn't create the same connection. I was no longer tied to Lissa.
It was ironic that the day my bond to Dimitri connects is the same day I lose the one with Lissa.
"Do you need anything?" Adrian asked.
I wanted Dimitri but didn't feel the courage to see him yet. "Are they okay?" My voice was rough, the tears having strained it. "Dimitri and my mother… when I was fighting, I -"
He took my hand in his, thumb rubbing over my knuckles to soothe me. "They are okay, both of them. And I'm sure they both want to talk to you, especially cradle robber."
I ducked my head, knowing he was right. Movement out of the corner of my eye made me look up, seeing Sage looking at someone behind us.
He couldn't sneak up on me when I was feeling the bond, but now I was surprised to see Dimitri watching us. His expression was guarded, but I could see the pain in his eyes.
I looked back down at my lap, slouching. "I don't want to talk yet."
Adrian followed my unspoken request, talking to Dimitri. I wasn't sure why exactly I couldn't face him yet. There was regret for hurting him, how desperately I wanted to kill him and turn him back into what he hates. But there was also anger. I never wanted to turn, not having any choice in it happening to me.
If they hadn't saved me in time, and I had actually killed someone before they did, the guilt would eat me alive.
Which was exactly how Dimitri felt. I understood now that simply telling him he had no choice in his actions when Strigoi did little to ease the guilt.
Suddenly, I felt a warm stirring in my chest, it wasn't as strong as it had once been, but it was there. I could feel Dimitri; I think it was love, feeling him sending the emotion through to me. I couldn't send it back, not yet. My feelings were still too muddled and numbed. So I sent back what I could, focusing on our bond, feeling the connection again.
There was yelling again; this time, I was drawn to it. Adrian trailed behind me as I walked down the hallway, purposely not looking into the room I had been held in. Following the voices further down.
"I'm telling you, I don't know what happened!" Tasha's voice echoed out into the hallway, "I went in there to make sure he didn't need any help, and she broke free! Please, Dimka, you have to believe me."
I cringed at the nickname and at Tasha's lie. Before, I was still too out of it to act on it, but I knew the truth. Tasha was trying to kill me, and now she was stuck in a tangle of her own lies.
"And what about the Moroi that attacked them at the store?" Abe asked. I hadn't heard him use a threatening tone like that before, except for when he had been trying to make me leave Siberia.
"What about that?"
"You knew him."
This was new information to me. Glancing at Adrian showed that even he was unaware.
Tasha didn't respond, prompting Abe to continue, "He was your bodyguard. Now, why would he be attacking them?"
A thick silence followed.
"Is that true?" Christian's voice was barely a whisper, but it was so loud in the silence, he might as well have yelled his question.
"Yes, I knew him. But I had nothing to do with the attack. Why would I want to harm Lissa or Jill?" Tasha defended.
The pieces clicked in my mind. Finally, it all made sense. I stepped the rest of the way into the room, revealing myself to those inside. There was a mixture of reactions to seeing me, but my eyes narrowed on Tasha. "That's because he wasn't there to hurt them. He was there to kill me, wasn't he?"
Tasha's expression fell; all of her lies were about to become unravelled.
"You sent him to kill me, and when that didn't work you made a deal with Robert, didn't you? Got your guardian to knock me out. But everything was ruined when Dimitri found me. That's why you came here, so you could try to finish the job." I gestured to Pavel, "You compelled him so he wouldn't remember and then you tried to kill me yourself!" I was yelling by the end, breathing harshly from the anger that coursed through my body.
Strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me back. I could tell it was Dimitri, feeling the spark where our skin met, his warmth and calm following into me.
"It's okay, Roza," He whispered into my ear. He turned me in his arms to hold me close, wiping the tears I hadn't realised had fallen with the pad of his thumb.
"And if getting my daughter killed wasn't enough, you also told James to kill himself, didn't you? Make the suspicion die down." Abe continued, looking down his nose at her.
Tasha looked around the room desperately, "You can't be serious? I didn't do anything!" When no one believed her, she turned back to Dimitri, eyes pleading. "Please, you know me. You know I could never do that."
I scoffed, glaring down at her, "You really are pathetic," I repeated my words to her.
It seemed it was enough to break her facade. A scowl replaced that fake look of innocence, "Everything would have been fine if Robert had just done what he was meant to, but no, he had to play with the bloodwhore! Doesn't matter what any of you say, no one in Court is going to believe you. I am a Royal, you're just some dhampir slut." Tasha spat the insult out at me.
It was all her fault. Because of Tasha, Robert got his hands on me and killed me. Because of her, I was turned into a Strigoi and hurt those I cared about. I saw red, lunging forward at Tasha. I needed to hurt her, to make her pay for all the pain she had caused me.
I was able to punch her in the jaw before I was pulled off her, back into Dimitri's embrace. I could feel Dimitri tensing, body vibrating in anger at her words, but he stayed focused on me, grounding me again.
Abe laughed. "They will believe us, especially when they use compulsion to make you speak."
The blood drained from her face, realising the truth in Abe's words. Tasha may be Royal, but even she couldn't escape the punishment for these crimes. And her speech had sealed the deal for those in the room, everyone seeing Tasha's true character.
My heart broke for Christian, he was close to his aunt and had learnt that she had been trying to kill his friend and also putting his girlfriend's life at risk. Even Dimitri would be taking this hard, losing another friend.
Janine started making calls, as Pavel stood to help with the arrangement to return to Court. My body felt drained, leaning on Dimitri as he walked me out of the room and away from her. I stopped in the hallway, embracing him, which he was quick to return.
"Can we go home now?" I asked.
He hesitated for a second, before pressing a kiss to the crown of my head, "Yes, Roza. We can go home."
Tasha has been stopped. And both Hathaways got a hit in :D
A big, lovely, thank you to everyone that has reviewed and sent me kind words! It really means a lot you sticking with my story :)
