A/N: I am so glad you all are enjoying the story. I am having a ton of fun writing it! Enjoy this next chapter. This was a blast for me to write.
Rose
Chapter 7
Present Day…
My back smacked into the floor. Hard.
"Ow!"
"Roza! Roza…are you ok?"
Dimitri was at my side, falling right to his knees as he pulled me closer to his body to look me over.
"I'm fine," I groaned. "Well, except my pride."
He helped me to a sitting position, while I rubbed my lower back. Dimitri seeing the area I was focused on, bent me forward so he could pull up my shirt to get a better look.
"Everything appears in working order," he said through his exam.
"Wish it felt that way," I muttered.
He laughed. "You said to stop holding back."
I shot him a glare. "Have you seriously been holding back all this time?"
He pushed back on his haunches, holding out his hand. I placed my hand in his, as he swiftly lifted me back to my feet. I gritted through the pain, as I continued to rub at the sore spot.
He shrugged nonchalantly. "Not always."
My eyes squinted. I could tell when he was lying or downplaying, which I didn't know in that moment. Practically the same thing. "Liar."
He chuckled; turning to grab both our bottles of water and passing mine to me. He only needed a swig—because Guardian God was just so badass—while I needed to down the entire thing to prevent myself from dying. Okay, a bit dramatic…but not too far from the truth.
"That's because in my downtime when you are away or on shift, I spend my time refining my skills in the gym. You like to gossip."
I gasped, as he turned to grab our practice mats and start putting them away. Anytime we weren't on shift or away—and not in bed—we usually did spend time in the gym together. Although not has much sparing as I would like from our earlier days, I still loved the time we did spend sparing and training together. It was one of the very first ways I fell in love with him. Training days like this…were still important. Especially on days like this. When I needed a swift reminder that I had a lot left to learn, even though I was damn good as it was.
I couldn't help myself. I had to be classic Rose and hit him back. "You know, I think you just like kicking my ass."
It couldn't be farthest from the truth. The fact that he was holding back was just proof of that, but I also knew he did it to make sure I strived to be the best that I could be. The badass guardian that matched his skill and level, because that is what I was capable of doing.
He whirled on me, and instead of looking appalled at my statement, his lips spread into a grin. He titled his head to the side, and it was then I realized he was actually checking out my ass.
"I do love your ass," he said boldly.
Suddenly, I forgot all about the ache in my back, a different kind of ache, making heat rise to my cheeks. "I do have a nice ass."
He stepped closer to me, his voice low and seductive. "If we keep talking about your ass…"
The door to the gym opening, killed that moment, both of us pulling apart. We smiled at our fellow guardians coming in for warmup and we left the gym.
"Hmm…Dimitri…let's not practice today. I'm really sore," I said sleepily, my hand shooting out to reach for him, only to come up with a handful of dirt.
I blinked; my eyes opening gingerly. It had been a dream. My eyes opened and then closed immediately, the sun that was beginning to rise, causing me to wince.
I sighed. When I was finally able to open them longer than a few seconds at a time, I saw the empty space next to me and everything came crashing back to me.
The chase. The fight. The fall.
The fact that I was alone in the woods with a bum arm and ankle.
My shoulder was still hurting, more of a dull ache now, but enough to cause discomfort anytime I moved my body an inch. I rolled flat on my back, looking up at the sky, knowing I needed to get up and keep moving.
I groaned, pushing myself to a sitting position. My fire was on the last moments before it burned out. Between the pain in my body and needing to tend the fire, my sleep had been less than eventful. Coupled with the fact that the temperature had lowered considerably last night, with only the leaves I procured as my blanket, the fire nearly made a dent in the chattering of my teeth as I tried to sleep.
I pushed the leaves from my bare legs, using my good arm and leg to help get myself to a standing position. Going to the bathroom wasn't the thing I was looking forward too, but I couldn't put it off any longer.
After twenty minutes and a couple of failures, I finally was able to do my business and make my way back to my makeshift camp site. With the sun moving towards the high point in the sky, I was hoping it would help warm the temperature a bit.
I bent down to reach for my pants, my clothes still damp and chilly between them being drenched and the cold temperatures during the night. I gritted my teeth; putting the chilly fabric back on and over my legs, grunting and groaning trying to put damp clothes back on, with only one good arm.
I stomped out the remaining ambers of my fire, and grabbed the large walking stick I was lucky to find during my walk to find a suitable spot to use the restroom and started my way forward.
First thing was first, I would need to try and find some water to drink. I was starving, in desperate need of a donut, but food I could survive without for a couple of days. Who was I? Water on the other hand, would be a different matter if I didn't find some soon.
I didn't have a pot to be able to boil, and it was too risky to try and drink the water from the riverbed, even with my resistance to diseases and most toxins as part of our enhanced metabolism. I still wasn't sure if that would extend to things like dysentery as well. Alcohol still affected us if we drank too much, but in my current state, not a condition I wanted to risk.
As it was, my ankle was good enough that it no longer needed the splint, giving me the ability to be back to at least a brisk walking pace by the evening. My shoulder was at least another day or two before it didn't feel so stiff.
I pushed forward; knowing there had to be another waterfall nearby. Afterall, we were in the Rocky Mountains. Waterfalls were a dime and dozen out here.
I had been walking for what felt like a couple of hours, my skin damp with sweat, before I finally heard the sounds of water. I moved in the direction, stopping just at the edge of a small waterfall and pond.
I hobbled over, cupping my hands together as I brought handfuls of water to my mouth. Even in my current predicament, it was hard not to take in the beauty after the horrifying night I just had.
I used some of the water to rub off the dirt spots and clean some of my scratches. I ran my hands through my hair, doing my best to clean and untangle as much as possible after a night sleeping on a pile of dirt and leaves in the woods.
After Dimitri and I had to spend our time on the run a couple of years ago, I had hoped I would never need to do that again. At least last time, we had a tent, sleeping bags, and some snacks. This time, I had none of it. Especially not having Dimitri. That was the worst part of it all. He was good at stuff like this, and worse of all, he even enjoyed things like roughing it.
My mind couldn't help but wonder what he was doing right now. Did he think I was dead? Did he have any idea that I was alive? I knew deep down he wouldn't believe that I wouldn't have made it. Rose Hathaway doesn't just go quietly in the night.
I couldn't help but wonder about Ryan's body either. Dimitri would have ensured they started a search for bodies after we went into the river. Would they still be searching, or would they have found his body? Would there even be a body left, or was it left to forever belong to the deepest darkest depths of the sea?
My head snapped up, at a sound wrestling in the trees behind me. My eyes surveyed the surrounding area, looking for any signs of threats. Not just possible human or Strigoi, but now adding animal predators to the list as well.
I really hated the woods.
Another sound to my left, had me standing back on my feet, my hand clasped around my stake I had shoved back in my boot, as I continued to look left and right in the surrounding area.
"Whose there?" I asked, getting straight to the point.
I couldn't actually pinpoint anyone, but my senses told me someone was there. Someone was watching me. I got no response to my question, as I turned in a complete circle looking all around me. I gripped my stake tighter at my side.
"Show yourself. I don't want to hurt you, but I will."
It was quiet for another moment, before I heard leaves shuffling right off to my left. I crouched into my fighting stance; my stake ready, when my eyes went wide.
It was a girl. A girl no more than five or six years old. Her eyes went huge seeing my body ready in its attack stance, her thumb shoved in her mouth.
"Cassie, no!"
A woman—who I assumed was her mother— shrieked at seeing me, coming to a halt. I quickly stood, hiding my stake back behind my waist and out of their view. The woman pulled the little girl to her body, her face twisting with fear. Her eyes were frantically looking behind her, no doubt getting ready to scream for help.
"Wait. Please. I won't hurt you," I said calmly, my hands up, palms out to show that I was no threat.
The woman still didn't ease her hold on her daughter, but at least her eyes no longer looked as if they were going to pop out of their sockets.
"We don't want any trouble," she stammered.
"I mean you no harm."
"Mummy, she's hurt," the little girl pointed out.
I couldn't tell if the woman was sad or happy about that from a strategic advantage. What I found interesting, was that the little girl was wearing a dress, and the woman, wasn't dressed in anything that I would think would make sense for an outing or hiking in the woods.
"Please, I'm one of the good guys. Do you have a phone? I need to call my people," I pleaded.
The woman shook her head. Who the hell came out into the middle of the woods, and didn't bring a phone with them? They didn't have any backpacks with them, so either their camping spot was nearby, or maybe I was closer than I thought to some sort of town.
"Are you the police?" the little girl asked.
At least she didn't seem scared of me at all. I didn't want to lie, but I also needed their help. "Sort of," I said evasively.
My response instantly made the woman relax. "We might be able to help."
Might? Great. Last thing I needed was her to have a husband or boyfriend around that called all the shots.
"Rose?"
My body stilled.
No way…
The little girl, Cassie, the woman, and I all turned behind me. My eyes glanced up, until I landed on the widest, shit eating grin staring back at me.
"Josh?"
He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the tree. "I knew you would be back. The ladies always do."
Dimitri
"Dimitri!"
I turned; from the group of new guardians that Hans had sent to help with the search party for Rose. Lissa had demanded double the efforts once she had been debriefed of what had happened, learning that Rose was missing.
Mikhail was flagging me over. I wanted to start my search for Rose on my own. I would be faster, and spent time studying and practicing my tracking skills. I wasn't as good as those that made it their specialty, but as a guardian that was the sole protector of our queen, I made sure to refine any and all possible skills I could to my resume.
"Excuse me," I said to the guardians, letting another of the more senior guardians take over for me.
"What do you have?" I asked, stopping directly in front of Mikhail.
"A body," he answered triumphally.
"Not that body," Eddie quickly cut in behind him, at seeing the look that must've crossed my face.
Mikhail winced, realizing his choice of words.
"Show me," I demanded.
Eddie took me down by the bank, where indeed I could make out a body lying there, covered by a white sheet. We might not be human, but our investigative protocols mirrored the government agencies and their efforts.
I pushed down that sudden panic that the body might be Rose, remembering that Eddie had already eased that fear. He walked over to the body, crouching down on his calves, as he pulled the sheet back.
Ryan's body lay still. His skin held a pale blue twinge having been in the water. Based on when Rose and he went into the water, I was confident that he had died not long after.
I couldn't help but smile at the knowledge that this meant my Roza was still alive. It confirmed it.
Ryan's eyes were still opened, large red-looking spider veins all in his face and neck. His expression and been frozen in shock, as my eyes traveled down his body, I could see why. There was a gaping hole in the middle of his chest, where Rose must've staked him in the heart.
"She survived," Eddie said happily. "This is Rose's work for sure."
I looked back into the body of water. "And we found him here?"
"About a mile up the bank," Mikhail answered. "One of the trackers estimates that his body may have traveled at least twenty-five miles between the time they went over the cliff and with the current pushing him from last night."
I frowned. Twenty-five miles was a lot of room to cover in a short period of time. Especially without any sort of equipment or reliable shelter. Thankfully, Rose was alive, but none of us knew what condition she was in.
My heart ached at the thought that she was out there alone and possibly injured. Rose wasn't the kind of girl that loved to camp. I recalled the days we spent on the road when she had been accused of murder, and even with the basic amenities, she had a hard time adjusting to the elements.
I looked back at Ryan's body, vowing to stake him again if anything happened to her.
"I need to get moving," I announced to the both of them.
Mikhail shifted his stance. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"
My face hardened. "She's out there, Mikhail. I need to find her."
I turned; but his arm stopped my forearm. "There are trackers. Lissa sent double the resources to help aid in her search. You would be better off here where we could use your strategy and experience."
I gently shook off his hand. "They aren't me. And they don't have the same incentive to want to find her," I replied frankly.
"We all care about her. We all want her to come home safely," added Eddie.
I nodded curtly. "I know. It's just something that I have to do."
Mikhail's eyes studied me. "It's not your fault, you know."
I pressed my lips together tightly. "You know that isn't the case."
He shook his head. "I used to think that about Sonya all the time. The guilt ate at me when she turned Strigoi."
"She made that choice," I argued. "Sorry," I said a moment later to ease the tension when his expression turned to hurt.
"No, you're right. She did make the choice to turn." He paused, before he met my eyes. "But I spent every waking moment wondering what I could have done, or hadn't done that could have helped. Helped her talk to me about what was going on. Help her feel comfortable that she could have confided in me so we could have found another way. Even though she is back, those thoughts still haunt me. Sonya assures me that it wasn't anything I could have done."
"Yet, you still feel you were at fault. So, how is this any different?"
"Because I learned that no amount of blame or questions can change what happened. All I can do now, is take what I have learned and be there for her now." He held up a hand before I could cut back in. "Blaming yourself or running off on your own mission won't help what's already happened."
"No, but I am the best chance she has. No tracker knows Rose like I do." It was my turn to hold up a hand before he could talk. "I appreciate your guidance. But this is something I have to do."
He looked like he wanted to protest, but nodded. "Then what's the plan?"
Rose
"Josh?" I repeated dumbfounded.
"You know this woman?" the lady asked, releasing her clutching hold on the little girl named Cassie, now that she was able to confirm I was in fact no longer a threat.
"Yes." He smirked. "You're looking at the future mother of my children," he answered.
I narrowed my eyes at him. "I turned you down, remember?"
He grinned. "You were on the run. Confused. You didn't know what was best for you. I see that you do now. That's why you came to find me."
I scoffed. "Keep talking, and I am going to hurt you," I threatened. "What are you doing all the way out here in Colorado anyway?"
He shrugged. "I needed more with my life."
"So, you left the Keepers behind?"
He pushed off from the tree and moved closer to me. "No. My parents would never accept that. However, ever since your visit, it changed some of our thinking. Especially after the Lily-girl. What was her name?"
"Sydney."
He snapped his finger. "Sydney. She was cute. How is she?"
"Married," I replied hotly, growing tired of this conversation.
His grin slipped, his brows pinching together. "Your hurt," he observed extending his hand out to touch me.
I slapped it away. "Hands off the merchandise."
Cassie laughed. "Mummy, she's funny."
I looked over in the direction of where they were standing forgetting for a moment that they had still been there. "Who are they? Why are they with you?"
Josh moved closer to me but had enough sense not to attempt to touch me again. "They are part of the Keepers colony here in the Colorado mountains."
It was the first time I had realized they were human. I still didn't understand the human's interest in wanting to live the archaic way of the old times, instead of wanting to live with the modern amenities we had.
"I am Rebecca," the woman said, stepping forward her hand outstretched. I stepped forward to take her hand. "You've met my daughter, Cassie."
I looked down at the little girl. "It's nice to meet you, Cassie."
She beamed a large smile. "Mummy, can she stay with us? I like her."
"Of course, she can," Josh said instantly. "After all, I couldn't let my bride-to-be just ruff it on her own."
I shot him a pointed look. "For the last time. We are not dating. We are not engaged. We are not even remotely anywhere near any sort of romantic feelings. Ever!"
Josh put his hand over his heart as if he was wounded. It reminded me a lot of Adrian's personality. The Josh I was meeting today was a bit different then the Josh I had met a few years ago. The only thing that hadn't changed was a bit of the cockiness.
Josh had grown taller since the last time I had seen him. He bulked up a bit too, but he was nowhere near the same level as my Dimitri. A grin spread on my lips. Josh had met Dimitri before. He would be in a rude awakening if he ended up meeting him again. Especially, since Dimitri had to fight for my honor last time, and won pretty easily. I was sure he would do it again.
"There's another colony here?" I asked.
Rebecca nodded. "We're a rather larger colony. We have about hundred of us spread out in our community. There are more both north and south, but it would be more than a couple of days walking by foot."
"Great!" I grumbled.
Considering my experience from the last time I had spent time with the Keepers, I wasn't really looking forward to have to try and explain the ways of our society and attempt to live their norm while I waited for my rescue.
"I appreciate any hospitality you can provide."
Rebecca smiled warmly. "We would be glad to assist."
Cassie stepped forward and tugged on my ripped sweater, which I realized was now very much showing off my toned midsection. "Are you a hamper?"
Josh laughed. "That's Dhampir, little one," he said, poking her in the stomach and making her giggle.
"Josh-ie…can I ride on your shoulders?"
I could see he was going to let her down gently, but luckily it was her mother who stepped in. "Cassie, another time. Come with me. Josh and his friend have some catching up to do."
I didn't like her hesitancy on the word friend that she didn't fully believe yet what we were to each other.
"Rose," I offered up. "As opposed to friend or anything else."
Cassie's hands clapped together excitedly. "Mummy, like the flower." Cassie turned to me. "Your just as pretty, too."
"Isn't she?" Josh commented, looking at me like he had hearts in his eyes.
"Down boy," I warned.
"Come along, Cassie," her mother beckoned.
They stayed a few steps ahead, leaving Josh and I to walk side-by-side. "Um, how far is this colony?"
"A couple of miles." He glanced over at me with a mischievous smile. "Do you need me to carry you?"
I groaned. "Let's get one thing straight. You touch me, and I break your fingers. We are not romantic in anyway. We are just passing acquaintances."
He chuckled. "Were more than that, Rose. I was once your betrothed."
I let out a frustrated growl." We were never…" I let out an exasperated sigh. "You know, what? Never mind."
We resumed walking, my injuries getting better in that I was almost able to keep up with their pace. A few times, I could tell they were slowing down to allow me to keep pace with them.
"So, what happened to you?" Josh asked after a few minutes of silence.
"I jumped off a waterfall with a Strigoi."
His eyes bugged out. "No way! That is badass!"
"Language!" Rebecca called out in front of us.
"Sorry," Josh called back, before turning to me. "Must've been a pretty bad fall with the way you favor your ankle and shoulder."
Josh was more astute than I gave him credit for. "You should see the other guy."
His expression turned prideful. I had forgotten how enraptured he had been with the way Dimitri, Sydney, and I held ourselves. More so, with the skills we had when it came to fighting. Before we had left, we had spent a few days giving them pointers, and helping to fortify their colony.
"See, this is why I left home. I would never be able to do anything this cool. I was made to kill Strigoi. Like you," he remarked proudly.
I arched a brow. "Is that why you are here?"
He nodded. "Not long after you left our colony, I spent time refining my skills. One day, I went into town to pick up supplies from the lily-folk, and one of them were talking about Strigoi. They felt the numbers were rising instead of lowering. They didn't think your queen was doing enough."
I scoffed. "Lissa is doing enough. She takes it very seriously."
He held his hands up. "I didn't say that, they did."
"Still," I said grumpily. "That's exactly why I am here."
"Me too," he remarked, as if he was a solider dying to get into battle.
I suddenly wanted to know why he picked Colorado. Did it somehow reach all the way out here what had been going on? All of the work we had done in the last month, had been under lock and key. If our world knew what was really going on with Strigoi and what enhancements they could possess, there would be outrage and panic.
Strigoi were everywhere. Some states, like Colorado, Montana, and especially Alaska picked these more rural places as their coven while they went into the cities to snag their food.
I tried to keep my voice casual as we continued our walk. "Why Colorado specifically?"
"The next time I went to town, I managed to go myself. Which you met my parents and leader. You know how difficult that is to score."
I did remember. They weren't just sticklers about their ways of living but by traveling in groups. It made it difficult having any sort of privacy when we were last there. It seemed like every corner I turned there was a Keeper, watching us and waiting to see if we were there to destroy their entire way of living.
"Anyway, I used the local library to get on their computer and do some research. Lili-girl, Sydney, had showed me how. Reached out to a couple of contacts and before I knew it, data told me that Colorado was a good place to start," he answered smugly as if he just cracked his first case.
"And you just packed your bags and left?" I asked inquisitively.
Some of his smugness dropped a bit. "Took a bit of convincing, but I think once ma and pa knew I was coming to another Keeper colony, they were more inclined to let me leave." We passed another tree line, before he asked, "What about you? What are you doing here all by yourself?"
I had to be careful in what I said to Josh. My work was still top secret. If Strigoi were around these parts, it would be important for the colony to know, but I wasn't going to share anything other than that.
"I was working on a case. The Strigoi kidnapped me and brought me here…and well, you know the rest," I answered evasively.
"All by yourself?"
I could tell by the look in his eye and by the note in his tone that question was a loaded one. "No. Not by myself. I have a small team. Which is why I need to get word to them. They are probably out there searching for me now," I answered.
He stopped, which caused me to stop. "We don't have any outside means of communication around here. We would have to walk towards town."
"Ah, crap!"
"But we can head to town tomorrow. It would be a half a day's walk, and then you can get word out to your people," he said quickly.
"Tomorrow?" I asked in a strangled voice.
He nodded. "We still have a couple of miles before we get back to our colony. There is no way we would make it to town and back before nightfall. It's too risky."
I didn't have the heart to tell him there could be Strigoi still lurking around these woods that could attack us in the daylight. I had hoped that wouldn't be the case.
"I guess one night won't be bad," I surmised.
Josh's face lit up like a kid in a candy store. "I have far better accommodations this time around. Now that I am older, and the colony here sees me more as a protector, my accommodations are worthy of my status."
"Oh, great!" I said, feigning as much interest as I could.
He bumped into my good shoulder, leaning in to give me a devilish smile. "Besides, you can stay with me, and I would be happy to tend to your wounds."
I ground my teeth. "Josh," I said in a warning tone. "You need to get it out of your head that there will be anything romantically happening between us."
It didn't matter how many times I had told him no; he was like an annoying mosquito that just kept at it.
"Are you dating anyone?"
"Yes," I answered automatically. "In a very committed, loving, and happy relationship."
His face fell, his frown becoming more prominent. "Anyone I know?"
I was trying not to lose my patience, especially since he was providing me shelter and giving me a way that I would be able to reach out to Dimitri and let them know I was ok.
"Not that it is any of your business, but yes. You remember, Dimitri?"
"Dmitri. Dimitri." He said his name over and over as if he was trying to somehow will it from his recollection.
"Oh, for heaven's sake, big scary Russian guy that fought for my honor last time."
He narrowed his eyes, in concentration and now I knew he was messing with me. No one who ever met, talked, or even fought against Dimitri Belikov forgot who he was. Especially since Dimitri had beat him in hand-to-hand combat.
"I think he might ring a bell, but honestly, I just mostly remember you and Lily-girl."
"Sydney," I gritted out.
We walked for another hour, when Josh let me know, it was another mile before we would make it back to his colony. Cassie came back every once in a while, to ask me questions, and compared to Josh's company, I liked hers a lot more.
"So, do you think when we go to town tomorrow that once you make contact with your team, I might be able to join and help out?"
"I'm sorry, but no."
He kicked a fallen log in front of him, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, you said that last time, too."
The last thing I wanted was the only person on my side to be mad at me. I tried my best to make him understand.
"It's not because I don't think you can't be helpful. If I recall, you're fighting skills from last time were pretty impressive."
His face brightened. "I've gotten even better." He wiggled his brows. "I have all kinds of moves."
I yanked him by the collar. "One more dirty reference, and I will pound your face. Capeesh?" He nodded. "Good." I slapped him a little harder on the face then necessary, as I released his shirt.
"So, if my fighting skills aren't the problem, what is?"
We moved out of the flat clearing, looking up to see that we were going to have to climb a bit to get over the next mountain. I cringed inwardly considering my arm, but since I didn't have much choice, we moved onward.
"Because the work I do is on direct orders from the queen. If you want to leave the Keeper world behind, you could always petition to join one of the academy's and become an official guardian."
"That would be amazing, but I don't have the kind of resources that would allow me to attend one of your fancy academies."
I shrugged. "How about we make a deal?"
He stopped, and I stopped to face him. "What kind of deal?"
"If you hold up your end of the deal by ensuring I have safe passage for tonight, and take me tomorrow to town so I can make contact with my team, then I will petition to Lissa myself for your enrollment into guardian training. All expenses paid."
His eyes turned glassy, a dreamy look in my direction. "You would do that for me?"
"It's a deal of convenience. You help me out, and I will help you. Everyone wins."
He held out his hand. "Okay," he said excitedly.
I placed my hand in his outstretched one. "Okay," I agreed.
I started walking, but when he didn't follow, I half turned back. He was rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, looking at the ground, his boot digging a hole in the dirt.
"What's wrong?"
"Well, about my end of the deal. About ensuring your stay for the night…"
I didn't like where this was going. "Yeah? What about it? You said you could ensure they would let me stay."
"Yeah. Yeah, of course. Just one tiny little problem."
I let out an exasperated sigh. My patience was running a bit thin. I was hungry, tied, cold, thirsty, and extremely grumpy. "What's that?"
"Well, you remember your time with us, right?"
I shot him a puzzled look. "Yes…"
"Um, you remember that we operate in the old-fashioned way?"
"Spit it out, Josh!"
"Fine. This colony is a bit more old-fashioned than my colony. Not as dependent on the Alchemists as we were."
I crossed my good arm over my chest. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying…the only way they will let you stay…is if you're married. Or betrothed…to me," he said, grinning sheepishly.
"I take it back. I am going to punch you in the face."
He jumped out of my reach, just before I caught his shirt. "It's just an act. Just pretend. Only for a night."
I growled. I stood there for a moment, wondering if it would be best just to take my chances out here in the woods then go through all of this. Normally, that would be what I would do, but I was in desperate need of a bath, food, and water.
"And they patrol close by at night, so they won't let you stay near the land either. That would be about a mile away," he added.
"Oh, is that all?" I asked sarcastically.
"Come on…we can still make this work for the both of us. It's just one night."
I chewed on my lip as I thought. It was just one night. And I really really wanted something to eat, or I would most likely end up murdering someone to eat for food.
"Fine," I relented. "But this is how it's going to go…"
A/N: Oh, Josh. He couldn't handle Rose even if he tried...LOL!
