Title: It'll Be Okay
Pairings: Dimitri and Rose storyline with appearances by the VA gang.
Warning: Rated T. May have more adult themes throughout; however, will alert you at the start of each chapter if that were to occur past a T rating.
Summary: (Starts at end of Shadow Kiss) Rose goes back into the caves to save Dimitri before the Strigoi can get their hands on him. Just when Rose thinks her and Dimitri might be out of the woods, with only her graduation looming, so she can officially become Lissa's guardian, does someone from Rose's past have other plans for her. In order to protect the ones, she loves, she might just have to do the unthinkable.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. They belong to Richelle Mead and the fans of Vampire Academy.
A/N: I hope you enjoy this story.
Important Author Notes:
- Thank you to all of you who may have read my first VA story, "Come Find Me." This story is separate from that, but if you happened to stumble on this…take a peek at that one. You might like it. :)
- I have been wanting to do a story on this for a while. I hated Dimitri being kidnapped and his whole becoming Strigoi. This will be my take if that part never happened. That means Blood Promise and Spirit Bound didn't happen in this story.
- Note: Not everything might be exactly to the books. I tend to take some liberties with my stories so I may pull some plots from the books and then change some others…but I will always try and keep the characters authentic.
- Also, I have to say, I finally got inspired to write this after I listened to the song, "It'll Be Okay" by Shawn Mendez. I don't know why, but it gave me the Romitri feels. So, if you have or haven't yet heard the song…know it help inspired a lot of my creative juices in writing this story.
I think that is it for now…feel free to drop or ask any questions in your reviews and I will be happy to answer them as I post new chapters. Reviews and feedback are always welcomed and appreciated. It lets me know if you like it and if I should continue.
Oh, and forgive me if there are any typos. I try and catch them all and then go back if I see any glaring…but some are bound to slip through.
Lastly, from one VA shipper to another…I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 1 – The Rescue
We had been at a stalemate. It was time for us to go in the caves. I could see the other novices I had been with were scared out of their minds. I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared too. But I had been training for this. Dimitri had trained me for this, and he was the best. He was a literal guardian god. Plus, I had one extra advantage on my side with my ghost detection.
We entered into the cave. Chaos surrounded us everywhere. There were screams and cries and sounds of battle cries in every direction. The best of the best was stuck on the inside and they needed our help.
My mother. Dimitri.
The further I stepped in the cave, the worse my nausea became. There were Strigoi all around me. I was sure of it. Over my shoulder I gave the only warning I could that danger was lurking everywhere. Guards had to be up and stakes at the ready.
I easily picked up the stalemate. A section of the cave had crumbled blocking a good portion of the exit that was blocked to us, making the only exit the one we had just come in from.
A flash off in the distance told me that Dimitri and Alberta were caught on the other side. I could count that the two of them were facing ten Strigoi just on their own. Five on one were not good odds at all. Even with the aid of fire Moroi, I could still hear their fighting. That was my Dimitri. He didn't give up. Ever.
The Strigoi realized there were new threats. It prevented the larger ones from getting to us, but the smaller ones that could descended upon us were already in motion. I was ready. Battle ready. Even when the first Strigoi slammed me against the wall, all my fighting and training with Dimitri prevented me from clamming up and potentially getting myself killed.
I eluded The Strigoi's next attack, already guessing what he was going to do, landing a few of my own blows before I saw my opening and took my shot. Dimitri had always said that my disadvantages were my height and weight being a girl, and this Strigoi thought I was no match for them. As soon as he failed to protect his chest, I aimed my stake and struck him right in the heart. He fell instantly to the ground with a thud.
With our help, we had already knocked off another four, the Strigoi pinned with Dimitri and Alberta starting to come and attack us more, realizing we were trying to take away their potential score.
The sweat was pouring from my forehead as we all continued to battle. Especially, after Stephen and I had just tagged team to take down the strongest—and very old and powerful—Strigoi that attempted to end the newest evasion.
With only two Strigoi left, we heard Alberta yell to all of us to start going back out to the opening. Relief started to fill me that everything was going to be ok. We ended up tipping the scale to our side, and we were going to get everyone out, plus those that we had come to rescue.
We started making our way out, each time my head looking back—even though I knew I shouldn't—to make sure I had eyes on Dimitri. I caught him staking one of the final two he and Alberta were dealing with as they started to push towards the front of the cave to retreat with us.
Once I had passed the gap, seeing Dimitri walk through, the relief on both of our faces, that we had made it and were unharmed as we continued on the move, was like unclasping the claw like vice that I hadn't realized until now was gripping a hold of my heart.
I saw the light ahead, already seeing my mother and Ms. Carmack fighting three Strigoi of their own. Lucky for them, with the four of us coming, it put six on three, and we took them out easily.
We learned from my mother that the group had gotten out. I could see her brief glance that she was relieved to see that I had made it out too. Alberta quickly had reminded us that we weren't out of the woods yet, with all the hidden branches within the caves that Strigoi could be lying in wait. More importantly, we needed to get out now if we were going to hustle the five miles back to the academy before the sun fully set.
We rounded the last corner, following my mother's lead who had remembered where the tunnel was that would lead us out. Just as she told us it wasn't much farther; I felt the next wave of nausea hit. I didn't even have the opportunity to warn anyone it happened so fast. The one reason everyone brought me was that I would be able to at least give notice, and I had failed this time.
Up ahead, one of our guardians that was waving at us to make it out, didn't see the Strigoi coming right at him, as the Strigoi quickly grabbed him and snapped his neck. I gasped, seeing his body fall to the ground with a loud thud.
My heart lurched as another guardian fell in front of me, the cave walls getting thinner making us need to flee either in a single file line, or no more than two at a time based on build. I was being ushered out so quickly, I had lost sight of both my mother and Dimitri.
Just as I made the exit, emerging into the air and the sunlight, I anxiously turned back to see who had made it out behind me. As my eyes scanned each face, Dimitri wasn't one that was coming out behind me. I knew he and Alberta would once again do what they could to give us all the advantage to get out, but now at this point, I just needed them to come out safely as well.
My mother was the last to come out. I heard another blood curdling scream behind my mother who flinched as we both knew someone else from our party had fallen prey to a band of Striogi that had been waiting for us as we attempted to leave.
My mother came rushing to me, her arm coming up to grab mine. "Go! We have to go now!"
I dug my feet into the ground. "Where's Dimitri?"
She didn't say anything, as my eyes glanced back at the opening. There! He was just at the edge, getting ready to come out, when that blond Strigoi from the battle at our school earlier, jumped down on Dimitri from above, grabbing him back inside. They grappled the both of them using all of their strength to fend the other off.
I knew it before I saw it. I braced myself, but nothing could prepare me for when I saw his fangs go into Dimitri's neck. The bastard made sure to flick his red eyes in my direction. A moment later, he dragged Dimitri back into the cave until I couldn't see him any longer.
"NO!"
I tried to run back, but my mother's hold on my arm tightened. "Rose, what are you doing? We have to go. More are coming and we don't have time."
"I am not leaving without Dimitri!" I clawed at her vice like grip, but she didn't let go.
She jerked me forcefully, pulling me to a stop. "Stop this. We have to go!"
I pointed back at the cave. "He's in there!" I screamed, again trying to pull out of her grasp, as Alberta, Stephen and now Ms. Carmack were looking at me.
"He's gone, Rose. We can't save him. You have to let him go," my mother's words came out clipped and emotionless.
I looked up at my mother frustrated. "It's Dimitri. He's in there! I will not leave him. We can't leave him!" Why wasn't anyone hearing me!
"Rose, the sun will be down any minute. We can't go back and make it out in time. It's either him or all of us."
I narrowed my eyes at her. I didn't believe that. I could never believe that. "I'm going back." I stood firm, finding the strength I needed to wrench my arm free. "You do what you want, but I won't leave him."
"No, you are coming with me." She yelled.
I shook my head. "No. I'm not. I'm eighteen. I'm an adult now." It was a tad stretch since my birthday was only a week away. "You can no longer tell me what to do. So, either help me, or leave without me."
I saw the indecision in all their faces. Going back for Dimitri was suicide. This had been a rescue mission that we had barely gotten out of. As it was, the sun was about to go down, which meant if we didn't leave now, this could have all been for nothing. The Strigoi could descend upon us the moment we reached dusk.
We had too many injured that we still had to carry on foot and make it five miles back before it was too late. To me…none of that would matter. This wouldn't be a successful mission if Dimitri wasn't coming back with me. Alive. Safe.
I was going back in the cave whether any of them came with me or not.
"Well then," I said looking at a few of the faces around me. "Are any of you coming, or am I doing this alone?"
"Go. Get them out of here. Rose and I will catch up," Janine barked to Alberta and the others.
Alberta wavered as she clutched an injured dhampir to her side. I could see the indecision in her face. She respected Dimitri. She considered him a friend. I know she wanted to go back with me, but she was a Captain, and it was her responsibility to make sure those that were injured and captured during this attack made it back safely.
I nodded at her. I think she was stunned to see the determination on my face. I wasn't oblivious that she suspected there was more to Dimitri and my mentor and student relationship. She knew I wasn't going to come back without him. If I didn't know any better, maybe that made her just respect me a little bit more.
She turned with the stumbling dhampir, her arm over his shoulder, as she pulled him to her side, her other hand still holding her stake, armed and ready in case another Strigoi happened to jump out of nowhere.
"Good luck," she said to my mother and I, before started hobbling out of the cave maze and back to the academy.
My mother turned to me, looking intense and more than adept to taking on a whole army. "Let's go, Rose!" she barked. "This is your mission, and we don't have long."
Those words snapped me back into focus. I turned my head briefly back into the deep opening of the cave, seeing nothing but darkness. Dimitri was back there. I was going to find him.
I gripped my stake in my palm tightly. I had nearly forgotten how intimidating and scary it could be going after one of these bloodsuckers when you didn't have an army behind you. Despite everything, a smile broke out on my lips. Something Dimitri had said to me once during one of our many practice sessions together.
"Your mother is one of the most feared and respected guardians," said Dimitri after he had just recently taken one of my outbursts in strides.
He had set up a practice dummy in the gym. I had been bothering him relentlessly on showing me how to fight. Showing me how to do something other than run away. I had been begging him to show me how to use a stake.
Ever since we had gotten back to the academy, the attacks—or pranks is what the other guardians dismissed it as—were getting more intense. Worse. Everyone wanted to shrug it off as just hazing since Lissa and I came back, but I knew it was more than that.
Dimitri was Lissa's official guardian. He knew that we had a bond. I knew at this point, he even suspected we were shadow kissed since he wasn't just a god with incredible fighting skills, but apparently a god in educational knowledge as well. He didn't just believe that what was happening to Lissa was pranks, but he didn't have a theory he was willing to share with me. Whether it was because he didn't trust me, or because he was still working through it—that I didn't know.
At least he believed me.
So, he was entertaining me now, with giving me a choice. Tell him exactly where on the dummy, I needed to stake him, and then he would show me how to use a stake. I had been at it an hour—I paid attention in anatomy class—and each time I struck the dummy, he barely looked up from his stupid western novel to make an annoying buzzer sound that told me I had hit the wrong spot.
That was when my impressive outburst began. It had quite a few curse words, that I was sure Dimitri would reprimand me for, but instead, he just tried harder to suppress his grin behind his book.
"How do you say, "what a dick" in Russian," I muttered through my clenched teeth, as I gave up on finding the "right" spot and just started punching the dummy in rapid fire.
Dimitri dropped the book in his hands, coming to stand in front of me with that quickness I had been known to see him do. He placed both his hands on either side of my shoulders as he gently pushed me back from the dummy.
"Enough!" he snapped.
I stopped; mostly because the anger that had been bottled up inside me had now been released, my chest rising and falling in quick pants. I rubbed at my knuckles—which were not taped properly, since I wasn't supposed to be hitting the dummy with my fists—pushing the few strands of hair from my face that had fallen from my ponytail.
I was mad. No angry. Tired. Tired of not feeling good enough as Lissa's guardian. That I was letting her down, because I was behind—not as much now since I started training with Dimitri—and still couldn't figure out how to stake a stupid Strigoi until they were actually dead. How could I really protect her, if I couldn't figure out where it was, I needed to stake the bastard to kill it.
I didn't mean to show Dimitri this weakness inside of me. Maybe it was because I was worn-out and frustrated in this moment but opening my mouth to say that I was a failure, that Lissa deserved him because he could do what I couldn't, got the better of me.
I saw the flash of annoyance in his expression. Not at my outburst, but at the fact that I was putting myself down. I had been hard on myself before, most times Dimitri agreeing with me…but even I had to admit this was different. This…it felt like I was giving up on myself. And by that, utterly wasting his time in the process.
Then he mentioned my mother. I don't know why, since our relationship was rocky. If there even was a relationship at this point. She never called. Never checked in. Outside of a few telegrams here and there, I hardly knew anything about her. She was just the woman that gave birth to me and then dumped me off at the academy for me to be their problem.
My initial cynical reaction was that Dimitri even knew her better than I did. How could someone from across the continent, who I only met a few months ago, seem to know the woman who gave birth to me better than I did. It wasn't fair. It also wasn't fair of me to take it out on him either.
"Great! So, I'm even more of a disappointment." I stepped back, Dimitri's arms falling from my shoulders. I was well aware he could have held me there, but he let me go. "I will disappoint you when everyone sees all the extra work you attempted with me was a failure. They will look at her and then me and wonder how she ever gave birth to a failure like me."
Dimitri crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze turning sharp. "You are not a failure."
I glanced back at him, only to delve further into my pity party, when he held up his hand to stop me from speaking. Based on the rigid set of his broad shoulders and the fact that his eyebrows met in a stern line, told me that now he was angry.
"Rose," he said, his voice softening just a bit. "I'm not saying this because you have had a rough couple of weeks. I'm not doing this to try and build you up because I think you need it. I am telling you this, because it is the truth." I turned to fully face him now, finding that I didn't want to interrupt him. I was already glued to every word he was saying, and he really didn't say much yet. I needed—no wanted—to know what he was going to tell me. "Yes, you are a likely choice to guard Lissa when you graduate. Yes, having the bond makes you that much more a likely choice." He took a step closer to me, the anger dissipating in him. His look was serious. "But that is not why I am hard on you. Why Alberta or anyone else is hard on you. You have a gift, Rose. Better than anyone I have seen your age. Even myself when I was that age."
"But you're a…" I let the words die knowing he heard the rumors about being called a god and how much he hated it.
When I didn't speak, he went on, taking another step closer so we were within arm's length of each other again. "Your mother may be fierce and well-respected, Rose, but you have the potential to be better than us all. Even better than me. The Hathaway's, would be a force I wouldn't want to go up against."
I bit my bottom lip to keep from smiling. It was the nicest thing he had said to me so far. I think I had already started to form a crush for him, and these words weren't helping. I mean, he was old enough to practically be my uncle. "You aren't just saying that? You mean it?"
There was a quick gleam in his eye, before he masked it. "I always say what I mean, Rose." He stepped aside, so that the dummy was back in my view. "Now, go and show me where you are supposed to stake that dummy."
The memory seemed so long ago. Dimitri believed in me even back then and my ability. A large part of me even being able to go on this mission—and not just because of my ghost senses—was because I was talented and strong enough to be here.
I was that force to be reckoned with.
My palm gripped the stake tighter, as I inched closer into the heart of the cave. "Hang on, Dimitri. I'm coming," I whispered.
"Rose, move faster!"
My mother's rushed voice, snapped me from my thoughts, pushing me quicker down the path. I heard grunts and faint sounds of fighting ahead.
Dimitri!
I bolted; running the rest of the way, well aware of my mother's voice behind me as she attempted to tell me to slow down. Move faster, slow down…she was making it difficult to know what the hell to do, but my legs and my sickening feeling deep in my stomach told me what I already knew.
A Strigoi was close by. Very close by.
Just at the end of the cave, I paused, but only for a second, before I jumped out, my heart seizing as I saw two tall male Strigoi tag teaming Dimitri.
He had blood running from his forehead from a cut, and even more blood running down from his neck. He had been bitten. The image from a few moments ago slammed back into me, making me wince. A cold shiver ran down my back.
His movements were slower, most likely from the loss of blood, but he was still fighting. He looked ever like the god he was, never giving up without a fight. He had to know by now that he wasn't going to make it. That he figured no one else would be coming back for him. He still fought anyway, because that is who he was. Even if he didn't make it, he would give the group every last possible second to make it out alive, by taking down what he could.
These caves were nothing but a maze. There were tons that would still be left in here, and if they happened to come upon us, there was no way the three of us—Dimitri in an extremely injured state—would be able to make it out alive.
I might have just doomed myself and my mother. I couldn't think about that now. I had to keep pushing forward. I had to keep the faith that we would make it out ok. All of us.
Dimitri teased me about my battle cry. Told me several times it had been my mistake in that he was easily able to disarm me because of it. Sure, it was mostly because I was still an extremely green novice, but even now…he could probably still take me. This…this was strategy.
One of the two Strigoi turned just as I lunged, hearing my battle cry as I came at them, hissing at me, as he abandoned Dimitri and came at me instead. I was now the bigger threat to them all.
The Striogi's lips curled backwards as he bared both his large and pointy fangs at me. My arm was up and ready with the stake, but he was quick to stop my arm and push me back towards the wall of the cave. A blur to my left, informed me that my mother had just broke through the opening. Her eyes narrowed at the Strigoi on top of me, getting ready to come in my direction.
"No!" I yelled. "Di…Dimitri needs you," I choked out. My mother hesitated, taking a step in my direction. "Please…"
She stiffened her shoulders, looking back in Dimitri's direction seeing what I saw. He was losing too much blood, and his strength was fading at the much older and stronger Strigoi attacking him.
I let out a sigh of relief when she turned and ran over to Dimitri. Knowing he was going to get the help, I turned back to my Strigoi, whose eyes gleamed with delight. He thought he had the upper hand. He thought me to be weak. He should have guessed again.
My hand grabbed around his wrist that was aiming for my throat, just as I brought my knee up to hit him right in the groin. The Strigoi's hand dropped, stumbling backwards, giving me just enough space to take a few steps into a flying leap, straight at him.
I jumped up, wrapping my legs around the Strigoi's waist, bring my head back and forth forcefully several times to his head, before jamming my stake right in his chest. The struggles from beneath me stopped. I unwound my legs, as the Strigoi's lips parted, an awful gurgling sound coming from his mouth as blood trickled down his lips. The stunned expression slowly left his face as the life left his eyes. He clearly was shocked he had been beaten and his life was ending. His hand went limp to his side, his head making an awful thud as it fell back to the cave floor.
"Rose! I need your help."
I tore my eyes from my kill, my mother and Dimitri already having dispatched their bloodsucker. Dimitri had sunk to the floor, my mother attempting to try and lift all of the six feet, seven inches of pure muscle all on her own. Dimitri was out of it and not making it any easier on us.
I ran to his side, lifting his other arm to place it over my shoulders. His chin dipped to his chest. He was so still, it scared me.
I grunted as I tried to lift him, but he wasn't budging. "Come on, Comrade," I gritted through my teeth.
From this angle, I could see the bite wound into his neck that faced me. It wasn't just a bite, but a hole where it looked like someone had torn the flesh when trying to wrench the fangs free. It didn't look good, and the spot was even worse. I feared it may have actually nicked near one of his arteries…which meant if we didn't get help, and help fast, he was going to die.
This time the cold shiver that ran through me was both at the thought of losing Dimitri and the dampness of the cold here in the caves.
"Roza…" his voice was low and sluggish.
"Yes, Dimitri, I'm here. I need you to get up."
He moved slightly, giving both my mom and me a better angle to help maneuverer him up. "You have to go…you'll die."
I clenched my jaw, as my mother and I both looked at each other at the same time, counting down to one as we both lifted at the exact same time. We at least got him to a standing hunched position.
"I'm not leaving without you, Comrade. I need you to start moving," I retorted.
It looked like it took him a considerable amount of effort, but he slowly lifted his head, turning in my direction. His eyes blinked open slowly as he looked in my direction. "Roza…"
"Rose, we have to move. Now!" My mother shouted. I could hear the sense of urgency in her voice.
"Rose, leave me. I'm dead weight. You have to go."
We got him in a secured position, both of us equally taking as much of his weight as we could. "No," I said sternly to him. His head was still in my direction, my mother luckily focused on the entrance of the cave as me moved. I turned my head slightly to him, making sure my voice was just a whisper. "Please, Dimitri. I can't do this without you. I can't imagine a world without you and I."
Those words had done it. Something crossed his expression, enough for him to take his last remaining strength as he started to shuffle his feet one in front of the other.
As we broke through the cave and back at the entrance, I tried to keep the depressing thoughts from my mind. My hand on his chest was covered in blood—his blood. It dripped down the side of my neck and my top, as I forced myself to keep pushing us forward.
My arms were aching, my legs were burning, but I kept pushing onward. Always onward. I might have groaned and gripped about Dimitri making me run all those laps and lift all those weights during our practice sessions, but I was thanking him for it now.
"Rose…"
My mother's frantic voice pulled me from my thoughts, as I followed her line of sight. The sun was almost fully set, and we had only made it a mile out of the cave. We still had four more miles to go.
"We're going to make it," I said with a profound determination.
My mother's mouth tightened, but I could tell she didn't agree. Dimitri's head started to dip to the side, as his eyes were starting to close.
"Stay awake, big guy. I need you to stay awake," I urged, my hand patting him on the chest. His eyes had opened and closed gingerly every few seconds. He was going to lose consciousness any minute.
Three more miles.
We maybe had only minutes left before the sun would go down and the remaining Strigoi in that cave would be after us.
"Rose, I need you to understand. If that sun goes down, and we are aways out…my priority is to your safety."
I gritted my teeth. I wasn't leaving Dimitri behind. I didn't care how many Strigoi came after us. I would take them down one by one.
"Yes…" Dimitri agreed his words slurring. "Y-y-you shouldn't h-ave come back." His head swayed back to my side. "N-nt sm-mart."
It took me a minute to get out my response in between pants. "Yeah, well, something you can lecture me on in our next practice."
Two miles to go.
"Rose!"
I looked knowing exactly what my mother was trying to point out. The sun had now set. In the distance, we could hear sounds. Sounds of cries and shouts. Sounds from the caves behind us as we knew the Strigoi were going to descend any minute.
"Keep moving!" I shouted.
I was pushing my body to the limits. I would push it beyond the limits if I had too. We were so close. So close to safety. I refused to give up now.
One mile to go.
Dimitri's steps faltered, as he fell to his knees. His eyes were fully closed now. I almost fell with him, but somehow managed to maintain on my feet.
"No! Come on, Dimitri. Please," I begged.
"Rose—"
"No!" I looked up at my mother, water starting to form at the back of my eyes. I was on the verge of breaking down and tears spilling from my eyes, but I somehow managed to push them back. I did not make it this far, to lose him now. "I am not leaving him." There was a finality in my voice that told her I wasn't going to discuss this again.
She pressed her lips tightly together, before nodding, and going back to put Dimitri's arm around her shoulder as we both lifted again and started running. Slower this time now that he was out.
We were both well aware of hearing the sounds of the leaves and bushes behind us. I could hear the whoosh of the wind that told me Strigoi were closing in on us and fast.
"We're almost there," I said in an encouraging voice.
We grunted through our pain and exhaustion, only a half a mile to go. I could see the academy in the distance, guardians standing at the gate just within the protection of the wards.
I glanced back, catching a quick flash of something out of the corner of my eye. "Mom!"
She glanced over her shoulder, her lips turning into a frown. She removed Dimitri's arm over her shoulder, me now taking all of his weight.
"What are you doing?" I yelled.
"Go!" She bit out.
"Mom!"
"Go!"
She turned behind me, as my pace slowed trying to keep moving us forward with Dimitri's full weight on me now. He was too much for me to carry with his dead weight and my body reaching its limits. I stumbled but forced my legs to keep going one in front of the other inch by agonizing inch.
Another step, and then I fell to my knees. I let out a cry, my lips trembling knowing we were so close. I wasn't going to be able to make it. I looked back at the woods where my mother had turned, grabbing for my stake. I would have to fight. That was the only option I had left.
"I got you."
My head whipped back to see Alberta, at my side, already going to take the place my mother abandoned. My mouth opened, not sure what I was going to say at the puzzled expression I knew was there, but I didn't need too. Alberta put me in my place.
"Move Hathaway."
A renewed sense of strength filled me as we managed to lift him again and finish the rest of the distance until we were all safely behind the wards. Two other guardians where waiting with a stretcher, immediately coming to take Dimitri from Alberta and me and lay him down.
"Doesn't look good," one of the guardian's commented.
Alberta's lips turned down in a disapproval. "Hustle," she barked at them. No doubt just as upset they would say something after all that effort.
I so desperately wanted to turn back and go with them, but my mother hadn't crossed the wards. She turned back for me. Alberta guessing what I was about to do, quickly grabbed hold of my arm.
"Wait!"
"I can't. My mom…"
"Wait," she repeated sternly.
I was about to open my mouth, when I glanced to the right, just outside of the woods beyond the wards, seeing my mother and two other guardians running alongside her as they made a beeline for the academy entrance.
I didn't realize I had been bouncing up and down, until all three made it across, huffing and puffing as they came to a stop. As I looked out beyond the horizon, I saw at least five Strigoi starring down at us, their fangs visible as they hissed in annoyance.
I finally let the sigh I had been holding in out, as I sank to my knees.
We made it. We made it.
"Get her to the infirmary," Alberta ordered.
I didn't fight them. Mostly because I knew that was where Dimitri would be. I just had to hope he survived. I did the one thing I can't remember doing in the longest time. I prayed.
Two guardians came to help lift me to my feet as they offered support towards the infirmary. My mother was still at the opening of the academy, her and Alberta talking in hushed whispers.
I glanced over my shoulder, looking back at her, her eyes watching me intently as they led me away. It was a look that told me she had a lot of questions, and I wasn't sure if she would like the answers. If I was even going to give them to her.
For now…that would wait. I needed to see Dimitri. I needed him to be ok.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Good, bad, or ugly...let me know...haha!
