"The poor guy is what, six foot seven? Book him the extra legroom seat," Adrian said to Lissa over the phone. An unlikely advocate for Guardian Belikov's comfort, he felt it was bad enough the Russian Guardian would be stuck on a plane for ten hours with an obsessed woman who made him seriously uncomfortable, there was no need to add being squished into his seat like a sardine.
"I'd like us all together. How about Guardians Belikov and Castile in the extra legroom row given they're the tallest, Christian and me in the row behind, then you and Guardian Matthews the next one back, with Tasha and the new Guardian from Court the row behind?" Neither of them said it aloud, but this seating arrangement would put Christian's aunt as far as possible from the long-suffering Guardian Belikov.
From the moment their Christmas travel plans had been agreed, Tasha had called almost every day with ideas of things they might want to see and places to go in St. Petersburg. With Dimitri having once been a local, Tasha felt it necessary to consult him on each of these plans, leading to several lengthy conversations. To say the man had reached saturation point would be an understatement, and he was now actively avoiding Tasha's calls. However, flight bookings needed to be made, and with eight people in their party, it made sense to book the tickets all at once, which is why Lissa was on the phone consulting with Adrian, working out which seats to request.
After what seemed like an hour of inputting passport numbers, checking the correct spelling of everyone's names, then inputting her credit card details, Lissa was on the last screen.
"It asks for any special requests."
"Put a note that the seating allocations are not to be changed," Adrian suggested.
"So Tasha doesn't try to shift seats and sit next to Dimitri?"
"Yes. But I don't want her sitting next to me, either!"
Adrian was looking forward to their upcoming trip. Tasha's presence, while necessary, was a definite minus. Although he now had some inkling of what Abe might be up to, Adrian still didn't relish a ten-hour flight playing nice sitting beside the renegade Moroi. No. It was best all-around if Tasha sat beside the Court-issued Guardian who would accompany Adrian to St. Petersburg then on his European tour afterward.
"Done!" Lissa declared, closing her laptop lid with a flourish.
"Thanks. I'll transfer you the money for my fare and my Guardian's now."
Adrian knew he didn't need a Guardian, in the short term, since they'd be staying with Abe. Rose's father employed a veritable army of private Guardians and had assured Adrian their entire compliment, Moroi and Dhampir, would be protected during their visit. However, protocol demanded four Royal Moroi traveling overseas needed at least an equal number of Guardians, which is why Adrian had been allocated a young Russian-speaking Guardian who would accompany him to St. Petersburg and beyond.
"When's your aunt arriving?" Eddie asked Christian as they waited for Celeste and Lissa to return to the apartment. Lissa had her last exam to complete, whereas Christian was already on break, having turned in his last assignment the day before.
"Any minute now. She's coming with Adrian's new Guardian in the van from Court."
Adrian had arrived yesterday and was in the spare room sleeping through the human day. Lissa had booked them on an evening flight, so Tasha and Grigor Smirnov, Adrian's new Guardian, were driving to Lehigh, then the group would travel together to Philadelphia International Airport. As if speaking of her made her appear, there was a knock at the door and sure enough, there stood Tasha Ozera flanked by a Dhampir Guardian.
"Come in," Christian said, gesturing for Tasha and Guardian Smirnov to enter the apartment before hugging his aunt. "Lissa's just finishing her last exam, but as soon as she and Celeste get back, we're good to go."
"My charge?" Guardian Smirnov enquired.
"Asleep right now, but it's time for him to get up," Christian said, walking over to one of the two closed doors off the living room and knocking on it a few times. After a moment or two, they could hear a grumbling acknowledgment from within. "Give him a few moments. He's not his best when he first wakes."
"Then I should wake Dimitri," Tasha cooed, knowing he usually guarded at night, so should be asleep now. Without waiting for Christian to respond, she went to the other closed door, rapping once, then trying the handle. "Dimka? It's Tasha… time to wake up, sleepyhead." To her disappointment, the door was locked, but moments later it opened, and the object of her affections emerged, showered, shaved, and fully dressed in cargos and a button-up. Since they'd be traveling with humans, his uniform was not required.
"Lady Ozera," Dimitri said tightly, before stepping into the living room and introducing himself to Guardian Smirnov before introducing him to Castile and Christian. "Castile? Smirnov? Help me load the van?" In a scene reminiscent of when Christian and Lissa left for college months ago, everyone else had a single bag, whereas Lissa had three, as did Adrian.
"I still don't know why they pack so much," Christian said with a brief shrug of apology as the Guardians carted the first of the luggage down three flights of stairs to the Court-issued van they'd be taking to the airport. Back at the apartment, ready to do a second trip, Lissa and Celeste had arrived and Adrian was up. Whether he was awake was another matter. The Moroi chatted while Lissa used the microwave to reheat a blood bag for each of them. Not their preferred manner of sustenance, it was easier than trying to organize additional feeders for Adrian and Tasha. At least they wouldn't have to worry about that in Russia. The van packed, blood bags drained, and last-minute checks completed, it was time to go.
"I'll drive. Smirnov, you're second," Dimitri declared. He wasn't expecting any trouble given they'd be driving during daylight, but it was part of Guardian protocol to establish their roles. "Castile and Matthews in the back row, please."
Tasha was disappointed when Adrian claimed the seat behind Belikov, leaving her to sit behind Guardian Smirnov, who was in the front passenger seat. Lissa and Christian seated themselves in the third row, Eddie and Celeste in the fourth. Still, it wasn't all bad, Tasha pondered. From where she was sitting, she could see the side of Dimitri's face.
"You must be so excited to be going home? It seems like forever since you, me, and Ivan were all there together, Dimka." If Tasha had been trying to ingratiate her way into Dimitri's affections, she could not have chosen a worse way to go about it. If any mention of Rose was painful for him, talking about Ivan was little better.
"Dimka is a name only my family use. Please do not use it. And you forget, I was in Russia only a few months ago," Dimitri said with a frown. He started the engine and drove through campus toward the freeway he'd take to Philadelphia. Suitably chastised, Tasha turned in her seat to speak with Christian and Lissa, while Adrian closed his eyes and rested his head against the van's window, trying to tune out his seatmate's blabber.
"I don't see why I can't sit next to Guardian Belikov," Tasha whisper shouted while Dimitri, Grigor, and Eddie were stowing everyone's carry-on bags in the overhead lockers.
"Because he needs the extra legroom," Lissa snapped back, the hour and a bit's drive to the airport had given her ample time to become irritated with Christian's aunt.
"I can swap with Castile, then."
"Be reasonable, Tash. He's almost as tall as Belikov. Just take the seat they have allocated you," Christian said, annoyed by his aunt's rudeness. Pretending not to have heard Tasha's attempts to rearrange the seating plan, Eddie and Dimitri walked toward the left bulkhead where their seats were situated.
"You take the window seat," Eddie said. "Otherwise, she'll stand in the aisle and try to talk to you."
Giving Eddie a thankful nod, Dimitri buckled himself into the left seat, Eddie doing likewise in the aisle seat beside him. Very grateful to be in a row with additional legroom, Dimitri made himself as comfortable as possible. For someone his size, flying commercial was never much fun, but he'd take his blessings where he could find them.
Once in the air, they had a brief dinner service, and then the cabin crew dimmed the lights as most of the passengers attempted to sleep. Eddie, Celeste, Lissa, and Christian had all been running on daylight hours, so this was their natural time to rest. Used to being awake at night, Tasha, Adrian, Grigor, and Dimitri were all wide awake. Appreciating Tasha might well use this time to approach him, Dimitri donned the complimentary headphones, found an 80s soft rock channel amongst the onboard entertainment options, and closed his eyes, letting his mind wander.
Although he would not get to see his family, returning to Russia was exciting. He missed the familiar sights and sounds of the country where he was born. And the food. Nothing he'd found in America was quite the same as what he'd grown up with. It would be painful walking familiar streets and markets in St. Petersburg without Ivan, but the one whose absence he would feel most keenly was Rose. The brief time they'd spent together in his homeland had been in Galina's mansion. He'd never showed Rose all the places and things he loved. At least she'd had the opportunity to see Baia, and to meet his family. Knowing that they'd loved Rose as much as he did was a balm to his wounded soul, and it was some comfort to know that she'd seen where he came from. That perhaps she'd got to 'know' him a little better by visiting the people and place he called home.
So very much had happened in the last twelve months. Last Christmas, he'd turned Tasha down because of his love for Rose. Even then, he'd known no one else could compare. Now, a year on, Rose was gone, taking his heart with her. Where once he'd hoped to spend the rest of his life with her, now he was resolved to be the best Guardian he could be—because he knew there'd be no one else for him. He had no heart to give to another.
It was also coming up on a year since Mason had died at Spokane. Making a mental note to take some time out to talk to Eddie about it, Dimitri's thoughts strayed to the Guardian beside him, who'd lost his two best friends six months apart. A nice young man, and shaping up to be a fine Guardian, like many in their profession, Castile had experienced too much loss too young.
"Did Adrian say where we'll be staying?" Eddie asked as the air steward removed his coffee cup to prepare for landing. Surprisingly, Dimitri had fallen asleep during the flight, so was moderately refreshed today.
"Just that it's a large private house in Kamenny Island." Appreciating this meant little to Eddie, he described the different districts of St. Petersburg and remarked that this was a prestige location with stately homes.
"I hope the place isn't too big. Some of those old places are a nightmare to defend."
Thinking that's likely to be exactly what it would be, Dimitri instead replied, "At least it's warded."
Twenty minutes later, they were touching down at Pulkovo Airport. Since he couldn't stand beneath the bulkhead, Dimitri remained seated until the rest of the passengers had deplaned before opening the overhead lockers and passing his companions their belongings.
"How are we getting to the house?" Celeste asked Adrian, who was looking far too pleased with himself in her opinion. Ivashkov was up to something, no two doubts about it.
"We'll have to take two taxis. Guardian Smirnov? You can come with me, Tasha, and Guardian Matthews. Lissa and Christian can go with Belikov and Castile." Lissa suppressed a smile. Adrian was doing everyone a kindness by volunteering to travel with Tasha. While she didn't look happy about the arrangements, Christian's aunt consoled herself she had an entire week to spend time with Dimitri.
Their luggage collected, Grigor and Dimitri easily securing them taxis out the front of the passenger terminal, both vehicles were soon en route to their home for the next week.
"Has Adrian told you whose house we'll be staying at?" Christian asked Lissa.
"No. But he promised it was luxurious, and we'd be very comfortable." She wasn't too concerned. If they didn't like the place, they could always check into a hotel. Used to the finer things in life, if Adrian promised the accommodations were up to standard, she knew they would be.
Sitting behind the driver as they made their way into the city, Eddie was looking out the window in fascination. It wasn't currently snowing, but it recently had been. The ground and treetops were icy, the rich colors of the old buildings contrasting with the pristine white blanket of snow. People were rugged up, and as they crossed over bridges, he could see the canals they spanned were frozen solid. Having attended St. Vlad's in Montana, snow was not a new thing for him, yet it looked somehow different here. Ethereal. Almost magical.
"We're just passing the Golden Triangle area, which means we're almost there," Dimitri commented to his car mates. Just being here, in Russia, was enough for the Guardian's accent to thicken. Sure enough, a few minutes later, the two vehicles pulled up outside an enormous house that would be better described as a mansion. Winding down the window, Adrian said a few words to a Dhampir guarding the gate, then it slid open, allowing both cars entrance to an immaculate forecourt. Moroi and Guardians alike stepped out of the cars, Dimitri paying both drivers in rubles and giving them a generous tip while Eddie, Grigor, and Celeste retrieved the luggage. The man who'd opened the gates for them walked up to the group, inviting them inside and showing them through to a sumptuously appointed reception room off the foyer.
"Please wait here and I'll get our host for you," he said in heavily accented English.
Everyone looked about them curiously. A large piano, and heavily filled bookcases, gave no indication of their host's identity, and for the first time, Lissa worried it might have been foolhardy to travel to stay at a house with a stranger on Adrian's word alone. Given they were in what appeared to be a rich Moroi's home, the Guardians had positioned themselves against the walls of the room, adopting their 'on guard' poses, simultaneously looking at everything yet nothing. Hearing steps on the stairs, the door to the salon opened and everyone bar Adrian was surprised to see their host.
"Mr. Mazur… Thank you again for opening your home to us. I hope we won't inconvenience you," the Moroi Lord said, stepping forward to shake hands with their host.
"Not at all, Lord Ivashkov. Happy to have you all here. I have suites prepared for you upstairs. My housekeeper will show them to you in a moment, and then perhaps some of you would like to visit a feeder?"
Abe was being his most charming, yet Tasha Ozera could not look more surprised and horrified if she tried. Catching her eye, Christian gave her a pointed look. She was being rude. Lissa, on the other hand, stepped forward to greet Rose's father, graciously thanking them for the invitation. Things were just about to get awkward when there were hurried footsteps on the stairs and someone skidded to a stop in the room's opening.
"Oh my Vlad! You're here!"
And that's when all hell broke loose.
"Rose?!" Lissa shrieked, taking one look at her best friend before throwing herself into her arms. All pretense of decorum forgotten, the Moroi Princess was almost hysterical, and it was several moments before she pulled away to look at Rose before once again embracing her. Rose was holding Lissa just as fiercely, telling her how much she'd missed her and promising to explain everything.
Finally releasing Rose from her hold, Lissa flopped down onto a chaise lounge beside the piano and allowed her copious tears to fall unhindered. Rose looked at the other travelers, going first to Christian.
"So did you miss me, fire boy?" she asked with just a hint of her usual swagger.
"You know what, Rose? I did." Christian pulled Rose in for a hug, releasing her only when Eddie approached.
"All this time? All this time we mourned you, and you were alive? Fuck Rose! Do you have any idea what we went through thinking you were dead? I fucking sat there at your funeral! Fuck!" The guy was angrier than anyone had ever seen him, pacing back and forth in front of Rose and shaking his head. And then he stopped. "Don't ever do that to me again!" he whispered, before pulling Rose into his arms and kissing her temple. Rose's eyes were brimming with tears as she promised not to.
"It's wonderful to see you," Celeste said when Eddie was done.
"Yes," Tasha agreed, now having a reason for looking blindsided and shocked. "I can't believe you're alive!"
"Nice to see you in the flesh, little Dhampir," Adrian said, continuing the hug-fest. "I see learning you're in the land of the living has been a shock to some." His arrogant smirk revealing he had not been as ignorant as his travel companions.
Glancing around, since she didn't know Adrian's Guardian, that only left Guardian Belikov. Still in his position against the parlor wall, his eyes were steadfastly fixed on the bookcase opposite him. He hadn't moved from the moment Rose had stepped into the room. He could have been a statue he stood so still. Not even appearing to breathe, his only sign of humanity was the tears trickling down his cheeks.
"Guardian Belikov?" Rose said, gingerly stepping toward him.
There was no response.
"Dimitri?" she tried again.
Nothing.
Moving forward again until she was right in front of him, Rose tried a final time.
"Comrade?"
So quickly it could almost not be seen, Dimitri's arms wrapped around Rose, pulling her hard against his muscled chest. As he clung to her, Rose reciprocated by snaking her arms around his waist, holding him every bit as tightly. Resting his cheek on the top of Rose's head, her head pressed directly over his thundering heart, the two of them started to cry in earnest.