Chapter 27: Sunday Church

"Roza, wake up" Dimitri said sweetly.

"No" I said as I rolled on my side. I was pulled on to my back and I felt sweet kisses all over my face.

"It's time for us to get ready for church. Mama really wants us to go" Dimitri said.

"Okay, five more minutes" I sleepily said.

Dimitri laughed "Come on, your five minutes will turn into one hour".

I felt the bed move as I assumed Dimitri got out of bed to take a shower, but you know what they say when you assume. A few seconds later, I heard the shower turn on confirming my assumption. 'Victory' I thought.

Then I felt the covers pulled off me and warm arms pick me up bridal style carrying me towards the shower.

"Comrade" I whined. Dimitri put me down on my feet and took my hand leading me into the shower. I stood in the shower with my head on Dimitri's chest while he washed his hair.

"Roza, are your eyes open yet?"

"No" I responded.

"Oh Roza, how are you feeling? Your head doesn't hurt does it?" Dimitri chuckled.

"No, I actually feel okay, I didn't drink that much last night, I'm just tired."

We finished showering, Dimitri went to shave and I went to our walk-in closet to find something nice to wear. I picked out a black pair of pants, a lavender sweater and black ballet flats. I could smell Dimitri's aftershave as he walked into our closet and I took a deep breath in.

He wrapped his arms around me from behind and he placed a kiss on the side of my neck. He let me go all too soon for my liking and went to pick out clothes for himself. He picked out dark navy jeans and a pale blue button up shirt.

As he was putting on his shoes, he said "you look lovely".

"Thanks Comrade" and I bent down and kissed him on his lips. He stored his stakes in his pants and duster and I grabbed a coat in case it was cold. We walked out to the kitchen and we found Celeste, Yuri, Vika and Matt eating and drinking coffee.

"Hey everyone" I said as Dimitri went and made coffee for the both of us and I grabbed some eggs, bacon, fruit salad for Dimitri and myself and chocolate donuts for me. Dimitri brought two mugs of coffee to the table as he sat down next to me.

We talked causally about last night and everyone had fun, so we decided that we would go back there at some point. We went out and got into the cars with the Belikov family and some extra guardians.

We pulled up to the church that was made up of stone and had a few steeples on top of a dome structure painted blue and gold. It reminded me of the famous Cathedral in Moscow. Dimitri and I walked up the steps holding hands following his family inside. For a small town, it was a big church and it was packed full.

Dimitri said "In a small town where people don't have a lot of money, church becomes a social activity as well religious, so most of the town comes to Sunday Services.

Dimitri and I sat down near the back on the outside aisle as Dimitri family sat farther up. I knew Dimitri had picked that spot as it gave us two exits if needed. I looked around taking it all in as Dimitri put his arm around me and pulled me closer.

He whispered "The service will be conducted in Russian but I will guide you through the services".

As the service began and as Dimitri stated it was in Russian, it felt nice to just sit there with Dimitri and take a moment. My life had drastically changed in the last week. As promised, Dimitri explained to me what was happening and we both stayed seated when they had Communion because Dimitri did not want to advertise that we were here.

I was starting to feel like I was being watched. I looked at Dimitri and I could tell he was in full guardian mode probably feeling the same thing as I was. I looked around to the other guardians with us and they seemed on edge as well.

I whispered to Dimitri "What's wrong?"

"I don't know what it is, but I have a feeling that something is not right" Dimitri whispered back.

"I know I have this feeling that I am being watched" I told Dimitri as he pulled me closer as I watched him text message the other guardians.

Dimitri whispered to me "The service will be over in about 15 minutes and we will get up and go straight to the cars. Vika and Matt will take care of my family. Three of the guardians have left to get the cars and they will be right outside the front doors on the other side of the street. You are to be by my side at all times and follow my direction without question, okay".

"Dimitri, I'm not going" I started to say but Dimitri cut me off.

"No Rose, you are not going to help me. If I tell you something, you will follow it without fail and your job is to get to the car, okay?"

"Okay" I said.

"Celeste and Yuri will be the near guards with me" Dimitri said.

I nodded, then I took a deep breath to try to calm myself. I looked around again, I did not see anything out of the ordinary except for our guardians.

"Five minutes Roza" Dimitri said as he took the arm that was around me and held my hand. Dimitri started to rub his thumb in circles on the back of my hand.

I took one more look around and I caught someone looking at me, but they turned around so I could not see who they were. Dimitri must have sensed my alarm because he looked at me and followed my line of sight. But he could not see anything except the back of their head.

"Okay Roza, the priest and a few other people will pass us and then we are going to leave. Are you ready?" Dimitri asked.

"Yes" I responded.

I watched the Priest and other Church officials go past us down the aisle. Dimitri grabbed my hand and started leading me out of the pew. He stopped abruptly causing me to run right into his muscular back.

Before I could ask why he stopped, I saw her and she was looking between Dimitri and me and where our hands were joined: Tasha.

Dimitri stepped in front of me to protect me from Tasha in case she tried to throw fireballs at me.

"Hi Dimka" Tasha said in a sickly-sweet voice that made me want to gag.

I felt someone behind me and I turned around prepared to fight them, but it was Celeste and Yuri. I turned back towards Dimitri and I watched him nod slightly at Matt. Matt and Vika quickly gathered Dimitri's family and led them out a door on the side of the church.

"What do you want Tasha?" Dimitri demanded. I do not think I have ever heard Dimitri sound so menacing, but unfortunately it did not seem to phase her.

"Dimka, I was wondering if you were free to get drinks or dinner tonight since we are both in Baia" Tasha asked.

Dimitri sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "Tasha, I am sorry, but I am not in love with you and I will never be in love with you. And after the way you treated Rose, Vasilissa, and Christian, I do not want to be friends with you. Please respect my wishes and stay away from Rose and me."

"Oh Dimka, you are so funny" Tasha says as she cackles and all I can do is roll my eyes at her.

"Tasha, please move out of our way and leave us alone" Dimitri all but growled. I could tell Dimitri was getting annoyed because I had invoked that behavior from him early on in our training. It was then that I noticed that Guardian Andrew was behind Tasha.

Dimitri stepped out into the aisle blocking Tasha's path and ushering me out of the pew and out of the church to the cars waiting for us. Dimitri was quiet on the way home and it was starting to worry me. Apparently in the confusion of getting Dimitri's family out of the church as well as getting me out, Tasha and Guardian Andrew were able to escape.

Once we reached the compound, Dimitri and I went to the house where the Belikov women were staying. As soon as we walked through the doors, the aroma coming from the kitchen caused my stomach to growl.

I was happy to note that Matt was invited to Sunday dinner as well. He was helping Vika set the table. I looked around and saw my parents and Pavel and Baba indicated he wanted to speak with us on the porch outside.

"What happened?" Baba asked once we had all sat down in the chairs on the patio.

Dimitri took a deep breath and started "Tasha and Guardian Andrew were at church and came up to Roza and me. Matt and Vika got my family out and Celeste and Yuri were protecting Rose."

Dimitri stopped speaking and I could tell Baba and Pavel wanted more information, so I continued where Dimitri left off. "Tasha is off her rocker, she asked Dimitri to go out for drinks or dinner and when he told her no and to leave us alone, she just acted like it was a joke. But she did manage to get away as everyone was leaving church."

"That's alright" Baba said "At least we know that she is here in Russia."

"We will have some guardians search the area for her" Pavel stated. "Rose, as far as what you are seeing the flashing off the property, we can't seem to find out who or what it is. Nothing has been caught by the guardians, nothing shows up on surveillance or any heat signature detected. Since you have seen it during the day, I doubt it was a strigoi. But keep letting us know if you see it again."

"Okay, thanks Pavel" I said.

Sonya came out to let us know that dinner was ready and we all followed her inside. The food was amazing as usual but Dimitri was exceptionally quiet. Once we finished eating, I started to help with the dishes, but Olena took them from me and whispered in my ear "Take him for a walk, when he has a problem on his mind, he won't talk about it if anyone else is around."

"Thanks, Olena" I whispered back. I took Dimitri's hand and lead him out of the house. I figured that the best place was to take a walk around the perimeter. We walked in silence for two laps and I was getting worried that he was not speaking to me, but I took comfort that he was still holding my hand. He was rubbing his thumb on the back of my hand and eventually he would bring my hand up and kiss it.

Every bone in my body wanted to ask him what was wrong and try to get him to talk, but I knew he would eventually talk when he was ready. As we started our third lap, Dimitri said "I'm sorry" so quietly that I almost did not hear him.

"Dimitri, there is nothing to be sorry for, you have been truly clear that you are not interested in her. She just delusional."

"I know, but my biggest fear is that she is going to hurt you in an attempt to get me to be with her" Dimitri said looking off in the distance.

I stopped walking and pulled Dimitri to me and said "Dimitri look at me. I understand what you are going thru, I worry she will do something to take you away from me."

"Roza, there is nothing she can do to take me away from you" Dimitri said as he pulled me into his chest and placed a sweet kiss on my lips.

I froze for a second and started looking around. Dimitri asked suddenly alert "What's wrong Roza?"

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"It almost sounded like a laugh."

"Do you think it was Tasha" Dimitri asked surveilling the area.

"No, it was a male voice" I said as I looked around and I realized we were in the same spot that we were in when I saw something in the woods. I looked and again I could see something in the woods, but this time it was brighter and bigger.

"Dimitri, it's back again. There is something in the woods."

Dimitri looked "I don't see anything" then he called the surveillance room and they stated they could not see anything. A bunch of guardians showed up, half were on our side of the fence and the other half were outside the past the wards.

"Stop" I said "It's right next to you" I said to one of guardians outside the ward. Everyone was looking at me like I was crazy.

"Dimitri, can we go out there so I can get closer?" I asked.

"I don't think that's a good idea".

"Dimitri, there are at least ten guardians here, it's daylight and there is nothing showing up on the cameras. Just let me have a quick look."

I could see Dimitri weighing the pros and cons of letting me go out passed the wards. "Alright, but you stay next to me and if I say go, we leave".

"Okay"

We walked about 100 yards to where there was a door in the fence. As soon as Dimitri and I walked past the wards I stopped and said "Holy shit".

"What is it?" Dimitri asked as he pulled out his stake.

"It's a person, actually a ghost I think."

"Hi, can you see and hear me?" I asked as Dimitri and the rest of the guardians look around for any threat.

"Yes, I can hear and see you Roza. Tell Dimka to relax there are no threats in the immediate area. I'll let you know if something happens."

"Dimka? You know Dimitri?" I asked.

"I know Dimka very well and I am glad he finally listened to his heart and fell in love with you."

"Wait, are you Ivan?" I asked cautiously. I could see Dimitri stiffen next to me and he asked "Roza, what does he look like?"

"Well, a bit like Jesse, tall, thin, blond hair" I said.

Dimitri scrubbed his face and he took a deep breath and said "Ask him what happened when we were fifteen and we took an excursion."

I looked at Ivan and he smiled and said "I convinced Dimka to skip classes and we were going to meet some girls by this lake near St Basil's. While we were walking along the cliffs, I slipped and Dimitri caught me just in time and saved my life."

I turned to Dimitri and said "You were hiking and he slipped and you caught him."

"Oh my God" Dimitri said. "Tell him I am so sorry I let him down".

"Dimka, you never let me down, it was just an accident when I was attacked by a strigoi. It was your day off; you couldn't have spent 24/7 with me".

"Comrade, he says it wasn't your fault that you could not have spent 24/7 with you" I relayed.

We talked for a while and Ivan told me hilarious stories from when they were growing up. He then said "I'm glad he found you Rose; I was getting worried about him."

I then asked him the question I had been wanting to know since I realized he was a ghost. "Have you ever met someone named Mason Ashford?"

"Yes, Mason has been around you, he is here, but he is still working on his abilities so that you can see him and hear him." Ivan said.

"Tell him I am sorry that I couldn't save him". I said as my mood plummeted and Dimitri pulled me to him and tucked me under his arm.

"I am sure Mason feels the same way as I do, he doesn't blame you. As much as I would love to continue this conversation, you need to go, it's starting to get dark and Mason said Tasha is getting closer".

"Okay, thanks Ivan, Comrade we need to go back." I relayed.

"Bye Ivan" Dimitri said and we walked back towards the gate. Once we were back behind the wards and the fences, Dimitri pulled me into a hug.

"Thank you Rose, that helps me with some closure. Hopefully, we can talk with him again." Dimitri said.

"Your welcome Comrade, I am hoping Mason abilities will grow so that I can apologize to him" I said.

Dimitri pulled me closer and we started back to our suite. Once we were upstairs Dimitri said "We have two hour before we are meeting with all the guardians and I just want to hold you."

We both climbed on the bed. Dimitri was on his back and I rested my head on his chest. After the day we had both had, it was just nice to cuddle for a little bit.