"That didn't take you very long, cousin," Adrian muttered under his breath when Belikov came to the breakfast table the next morning. Seated to Adrian's left, Abe lifted his eyebrow inquiringly, while Adrian shrugged as if to say, 'it is what it is.'
Not hearing Adrian's words, Dimitri sat at the other end of the table with Eddie, Grigor, and Celeste. Lissa and Christian had yet to appear, and to almost everyone's relief, neither had Tasha. Rose said it would be less suspicious if they did not arrive for breakfast at the same time, so she'd sent Dimitri in first, where his aura apparently revealed he'd spent a passionate night between the sheets.
"Good morning, Belikov. Sleep well?" Abe greeted. Something about his smile was a little unsettling.
"Very well, thank you, Mr. Mazur."
"You were warm enough? It snowed overnight. I hope you weren't cold?"
"No complaints."
"Glad to hear it. I'd hate to learn that you weren't well-rested…"
Grigor, Eddie, and Celeste were watching the exchange with interest. It wasn't that Abe was unfriendly, but there was clearly something going on. Before they had too much chance to ponder it, Pavel arrived with the morning papers, looking a little put out to see Adrian seated in what was his usual chair. With a soft grumble of annoyance, he went to sit on Abe's other side, and in an uncharacteristic display of pique, pointedly opened the paper and ignored everyone. The entire table was tense when Rose entered the breakfast room, dressed casually in yoga pants and a hoodie.
"Merry Christmas," she chirped, referring to the American custom of celebrating Christmas on the twenty-fifth of December. Sitting down next to Adrian, grabbing a piece of toast from the toast rack, slathering it in butter, and then pouring herself a coffee, she didn't even look at Dimitri. Not that she had to. Her aura, like his, was all deep reds and hot pinks.
"Aren't you in a good mood? And since when do you drink coffee, little Dhampir? You've always been a hot chocolate or chai girl."
"Baba drinks it like it's going out of fashion. He made me try Turkish coffee when I first arrived, and I was wired all morning. After that, a long black didn't seem so bad. Besides, I need something to get me up and going this morning," Rose said, giving Adrian a grin. It was clear he knew what she'd been up to last night and with whom. The two continued their friendly banter, the tension dissipating, only to return when Lissa, Tasha, and Christian arrived.
"Morning, everyone. Happy Christmas," Lissa greeted, her usual cheerful self. Christian looked half asleep, while Tasha was already fully dressed, with a face full of makeup and an ingratiating expression. Immediately claiming the seat beside Dimitri, she engaged him in conversation.
"Dimitri? I know it's not Christmas here for another week or so, but I was telling Lissa about how everyone goes ice skating here in winter, and I thought maybe we could go this afternoon? If we went to the rink in New Holland, we could go to the bazaar afterward? It would make a delightful afternoon and evening. Very festive."
"And pray, tell - are the rest of us invited on this outing, or would it be just you and Belikov enjoying such a romantic interlude?" Adrian drawled, engaging in his new favorite sport—baiting Tasha Ozera. Celeste's eyes met Eddie's, and they both snickered. Adrian had a way of saying what everyone else was thinking.
"I meant the entire group, obviously," Tasha said, her irritation clear. "It's a shame that Rose won't be able to join us, but since she's still a fugitive…"
Given Lissa's suspicions about Tasha, and that Tasha was still trying her luck with Dimitri, Rose was seriously tempted to tell Lady Ozera to go fuck herself, but Abe got in before she had the chance.
"I'm sure Rose will be fine. It's not like there's anyone out there looking for her. What do you say, darling? Do you fancy some ice-skating?"
"I'm in if everyone else is."
"Then that's settled. How about you young folk go skating with Lady Ozera at New Holland? Have dinner then go to the bazaar. When you get back, we can have a Christmas supper and exchange gifts."
After a hilarious morning eating mince pies and playing Pictionary, which ended with Lissa's drawing of a wrench being universally declared to look more like a sex toy, the group rugged up and set out on their excursion. Not trusting Tasha near Rose, even with Celeste, Eddie, Grigor, and Belikov present, Abe sent a few of his private Guardians along to keep an eye on the Moroi Lady. Loaded into his van, spirits were high as the group set off for the trip from Kamenny Island, through Petrogradskaya, across Troitskiy Bridge, and on to New Holland. With one of Abe's Guardians driving, Dimitri automatically assumed the role of second, but explained what they were passing as they drove through the city. Rose smiled seeing Dimitri so obviously relaxed and happy to be back in his homeland. So very different from their last time in Russia together.
When they arrived, Dimitri explained that the man-made island had originally been used for timber storage, and then shipbuilding. Most recently, it had been the site of a military prison until it fell into disrepair. The island and its buildings had undergone substantial renovation, being converted into a family-friendly entertainment venue with an ice-skating rink, restaurants, shops, museums, and even an art gallery. It was truly beautiful.
"But it's the Christmas Market here that is special at this time of year. It will be busy later on, so let's skate, have an early dinner, then move on to the bazaar."
As a group, they walked through the snow-covered grounds, admiring the red-brick buildings festooned with twinkling string lights. Adrian had been right about one thing; with the firepits dotted around the open outdoor areas, the trees covered with a smattering of fresh snow, and the music that could be heard even outside—the entire space was very romantic.
"So, you and Belikov, again?" Adrian teased, looping his arm through Rose's as an elated-looking Tasha used the opportunity to sidle up to Dimitri while Lissa was distracted commenting on the sights with Christian.
Rolling her eyes at Adrian and Tasha, Rose replied sarcastically, "I don't know what you mean."
"Oh, come on! Your auras were hot hot hot this morning."
Rose grumbled under her breath about having no privacy.
"Vlad… Tell me you did not mention this to my father?" During her stay with Abe, he'd made it clear he was far from impressed with the way things had played out between her and Dimitri, especially his refusal to see her after his restoration and before her removal from Court. He'd agreed to give the young man a chance but had also declared he wouldn't hesitate to step in if he didn't like how things progressed between the two of them.
Sleeping with Dimitri on the first night might not have been the best move if he's trying to win Baba over. I wonder if Abe would be any happier about it if I told him the sex was smoking hot?
Rose giggled at her inner dialogue; grateful Adrian did not share Oksana's gift of reading thoughts.
"I'm pretty sure he knows. I doubt there's much that escapes him."
Groaning in agreement, Rose steeled herself for a potentially humiliating discussion with her father in the near future. Still—she'd take a bird and the bees talk with her father any day rather than one with her mother!
Finally at the rink and booted up with hired skates, Eddie took one for the team by offering to skate with Tasha. During the time she took to say no, that she'd prefer to skate with Guardian Belikov, he and Rose had already taken off across the ice hand in hand, leaving the rest of the party behind. Both skilled and confident skaters they were soon whizzing across the ice together.
"About last night…"
"Stop there, Comrade. If you're going to say it was a mistake or that you regret it, then just zip it."
"I wasn't going to say either of those things. I just wanted you to know that I didn't come to your room last night with that in mind. My intention was for us to talk."
"So you do regret it?"
Dimitri spun, so he was skating backward, facing Rose and holding her hands in his own. He could tell from her voice that she was feeling embarrassed and insecure. "I could never regret being intimate with you. Last night was perfection. But we still need to talk."
Mollified, Rose allowed herself to relax a little. "Yes, we do. I just don't know where to begin."
Dimitri moved back to skate beside Rose, still holding her hand. "Then let me start. I knew last Christmas I was falling in love with you, but before we had a chance to explore what was going on between us, I was turned. When I was restored, my guilt about what happened between us during your first visit to Russia—the way I manipulated and even fed from you—was overwhelming. There were times I wished myself dead rather than having to remember what I did."
"You thought about killing yourself?!"
"No. But it crossed my mind that it might be a blessing if my next fight I didn't win."
Rose shivered before wrapping an arm around Dimitri's waist, instinctively wanting him closer.
"I couldn't bear to be anywhere near you. I was so ashamed of my actions, and seeing you brought it all back, which is why I tried to avoid you at any cost. Knowing everything you'd done to save me made it twice as bad because I didn't think I deserved to be saved. I couldn't imagine anything more painful than those memories, so instead of thanking you for saving me from that damned existence, I pushed you away. It wasn't until I thought you'd died that I realized there was something worse than remembering what I did when I was undead, and that was living a life without you in it."
"You still love me?"
"I've never stopped. But I'm not the same man you once knew."
"I think that's part of the problem. We never got the chance to get to know one another. Not as a couple. Everything happened so quickly… One minute you were there and we were at the start of something wonderful, and then you were gone."
"Do you think we could get back there? That you could learn to love me as I am now?" Dimitri couldn't meet Rose's eyes, so kept them trained in the distance as they skated closer and closer side by side.
"It's not that I don't love you," Rose explained, her voice serious. "I do. But after you pushed me away, I need to learn to trust you again. And I need to get to know you again."
Their party too large to sit at one table for dinner at one of the many restaurants, Rose ended up at a table with Lissa, Christian, and Eddie, while Dimitri, Adrian, Celeste, and Tasha ended up at the other. Just like last Christmas, Tasha was never far from Dimitri's side.
"You and Guardian Belikov looked close on the ice," Lissa said quietly while Christian and Eddie chatted.
"We talked," Rose said, not wanting to share all the details with Lissa when she was still working things out in her mind.
"Are you back together?"
"More like a work in progress."
"He still loves you, you know?"
"I know." Further conversation was halted by Tasha's loud laughter at the next table. Reacting to something Dimitri had said, she used the opportunity to wrap her arm around him and half-hug him. "She really needs to give up."
"Doesn't she?!"
"Are you guys ready to head to the bazaar?" Christian asked, their meals now finished, oblivious to his aunt's performance at the adjacent table. A very different Christmas Day to their last celebration, Lissa had not wanted to distribute the small gifts she'd brought for each person when she had nothing to give Rose or Adrian's new Guardian. At the next table, Dimitri's thoughts were headed in a similar direction; he wanted to buy something for Rose.
"Let's do it," Rose said, imitating an enthusiasm she was far from feeling. Tasha's over-the-top interest in Dimitri pissing her off.
Adrian settled the bill with a Mazur Industries credit card Abe had loaned him before coming across to the other table. "Little Dhampir? Will you do me the honor of accompanying me around the bazaar?" As the only one who knew he'd be seeing Rose on Christmas Day, he already had a gift for her in his luggage back at Abe's home. Everyone else would need to purchase something now.
"Sure," Rose replied, a little happier when she saw Lissa co-opting Tasha to accompany her and Christian with some of the Mazur Guardians. Agreeing to meet at the front in an hour, the crew split up, wandering the various stalls and stores.
Since she knew who'd be visiting, Rose already had gifts organized for everyone. However, everything she'd bought had been purchased online as, until now, she'd been unable to leave the house for the risk of being seen. She was enjoying seeing more of St. Petersburg than her father's house and getting the chance to buy additional presents in person. Stopping at every second store, Rose ended up purchasing a traditional Russian shawl for Lissa, Osobiy Krupskaya chocolate for Grigor, Medovukha for Pavel, Russian tea for Christian, Vodka for Eddie, earrings for Celeste, and the ugliest paper mache figurine she could find for Tasha. With a hand-knitted scarf for Adrian and a second for Abe, Rose had almost everything she needed to supplement her Internet-bought presents.
"No idea what to buy for Belikov?" Adrian asked, recognizing Rose's dilemma.
"None at all. Nothing seems appropriate."
"You could always dress up as Mrs. Claus," he joked, pushing down thoughts that he'd give his left nut to see Rose dressed up in a sexy ermine fringed red lace number for him at Christmas.
"Fuck off, Adrian."
"What? It's not like you're not doing it. Trust me—any guy is gonna want that as his Christmas treat."
"Not going to happen!"
They were wandering past a shop that sold posters, figurines, lamps, and other popular culture items when Rose spotted just the thing. A scratch-off '100 dates bucket list' poster. Fortunately, it was printed in English, otherwise, she'd have no idea what it was. With a hundred different dates listed, the idea is you'd scratch each one off until you had the completed poster.
Everything between her and Dimitri had happened at warp speed. Getting to know one another and dating seemed like the logical step if they wanted a long-term future together.
"A dating poster?" Adrian asked, confused.
"It's the perfect gift," Rose replied confidently.
"Darling! How did you enjoy New Holland?" Abe asked, embracing Rose when she and her companions returned home. Since they'd had an early dinner, it wasn't late, so Abe had arranged a light supper with spiced wine served in front of a roaring log fire in the smaller living room. It had started to snow just as they piled into the van on their way home. Gentle, at first, by the time they pulled up in Abe's driveway, it was becoming quite heavy. The perfect time to be warm indoors, with food, good company, and mulled wine.
"It was awesome. We all had such a wonderful time." Sure, she was still pissed off with Tasha, but after her first trip outside Abe's compound in six months, Rose was on a high.
"It was all so beautiful and romantic," Lissa chipped in. "And the food was delicious! Adrian said you paid for dinner. Thank you so much."
"Yeah thanks, Baba. Everyone, Christmas isn't celebrated here for another week or two, but I've got a little something for everyone," Rose said, looking at her friends. "I'm going to go upstairs and get changed into something more comfy, and then maybe we can meet back here in fifteen minutes?"
Everyone bar Abe and Pavel adjourning to their suites to shed their thick outerwear. Meanwhile, the Turkish mobster and his right-hand man shared their impressions of what was going on.
"Adrian knows. The Princess does, too, and their Guardians have at least an inkling. The only ones I think are unaware are Belikov and Christian. If Rose does not already know, she at least suspects…"
"Lissa would have told her," Abe said, certain that was the case.
"Do you think Lady Ozera suspects anything?" Pavel said, asking the sixty-four thousand dollar question.
"If she did, and she's still here, then she's as stupid as she is guilty. I want to see her suffer."
"She will."
Before long, everyone had reassembled in the living room. With more luck than good planning, Dimitri ended up sitting on a sofa between Rose and Tasha, the latter slowly moving closer to the Russian Guardian at every opportunity. Seated opposite them, Christian was embarrassed to witness his aunt's shameless and unwelcomed advances on his girlfriend's Guardian but was unsure how to go about addressing it with her.
"Present time!" Lissa said, clapping her hands when everyone had assembled. "Mr. Mazur—you're up first! This is from Christian and me." Handing Abe a festively decorated bottle bag, Abe accepted it before commenting favorably on the aged bottle of wine within. Not knowing with whom they'd be staying, before they left for Russia, Liss had chosen a quality wine from her parent's cellar at Court as a thank you Christmas present for their host. She continued distributing gifts to everyone present. Admittedly, her presents to Pavel and Grigor—both got socks—were not particularly inspired. Still, she was pleased they'd given a gift to everyone.
"And for you, Rose…" Lissa handed her best friend a wrapped parcel, followed by an envelope. "Open the large one first."
Rose took the larger gift, ripping the paper to expose a gorgeous knitted stole. She had to suppress a giggle—she'd shopped at the same stall, buying Adrian and Abe's presents there.
"I love it, thank you."
"This is not so much a gift as returning something to you. I gave you something last Christmas. After you died, your room was cleared and your Mom returned it to me. I've worn it almost every day since, but it's time for you to have it again."
Already suspecting what the envelope contained, Rose ran her fingernail under the seal, opening the paper to display the Dragomir chotki. Both unable to articulate their emotions, the two young women hugged before Vasilisa plucked the bracelet from its envelope and secured it around Rose's wrist.
After receiving more gifts from Eddie, Celeste, Pavel, Adrian, and even Grigor, Tasha leaned across Dimitri, passing Rose an unwrapped jar.
"I'm sorry I didn't have time to wrap it. It's a deep conditioning hair treatment from the bazaar. I noticed yours is looking a bit overgrown and too dry, so I thought you might like it." Almost everyone regarded Tasha with distaste. It was hard to misunderstand the implied criticism in her words. Deciding to be the bigger person, Rose was about to thank her anyway, when Dimitri snagged a lock of Rose's long hair between his fingers, twisting it around his digits.
"There's nothing wrong with Roza's hair. It, and she, are beautiful."
Lissa almost swooned, Abe looked happy to hear the sincerity in Dimitri's words, and Tasha could break teeth given how tightly her jaw was clenched.
His fingers still entwined with Rose's hair, Dimitri looked at her tenderly before removing them to pull a velvet pouch from his pants pocket. "It's not much, but I thought you might like it?" he said, taking one of her hands in his before placing his gift in her palm with the other. He seemed a little nervous as Rose untied the fabric and tipped a necklace into her hand. Three circles in gold, white gold, and rose gold suspended on a delicate chain, the necklace was pretty, subtle, and just the sort of thing Rose could see herself wearing.
"It's beautiful! Thank you, Comrade!"
"Not as beautiful as you." Lifting the necklace from her hand, Dimitri waited for Rose to sweep her hair aside and turn her back to him so he could place the necklace around her neck. While Rose might not appreciate its meaning, several others recognized that the three rings represented faith, hope, and love.
Moving on to less emotional exchanges, gifts were exchanged and polite thanks delivered. Lissa and Celeste looked quite pleased with the $20 Sephora gift cards Dimitri had gifted them. Tasha, a little less so.
The last to receive gifts was Dimitri. One by one, he received his presents. Like Grigor, socks had proven a popular option, as were books. Nothing was particularly interesting until Tasha handed him her gift. Within a hot red envelope was a voucher for a weekend away at a spa / golf / country club venue.
"I know you rarely have time to relax and spoil yourself. This is a voucher for a weekend away, with massages, golf, all food, and wine included. You can use it whenever you get a chance. I've booked myself one, too—so just let me know when you're free and we can go together."
Adrian had a sudden violent coughing fit and had to leave the room. Citing concern for the Moroi Lord, Eddie was forced to follow. That Dimitri was dismayed by his 'gift' was clear.
"Um. Thank you, Lady Ozera. I appreciate your generosity, but I am not sure whether I will get be able to get away."
Lissa met her Guardian's eyes, wordlessly expressing he wouldn't get a weekend off between now and the voucher's expiry if that's how he preferred things!
"Well, let me know," Tasha simpered, failing to recognize his disinterest.
"Any more pressies?" Abe asked loudly.
"I have a couple for you," Rose said, turning to Dimitri as he did likewise, effectively turning his back to Tasha. "They're not much…" Handing him the recent release Western books she'd ordered online weeks ago, she was pleased to hear he'd wanted to read several of them but not yet had the chance. Westerns for Dimitri were an easy gift. It was her second present that had Rose concerned. What had seemed perfect might now not go over well. Still—it was too late to turn back now, so she handed him the cylinder that contained the scratch-off date suggestions poster.
Dimitri opened the tube, carefully pulling out the poster. Unfurling it gently, he smiled when he saw what it contained, his eyes flicking to Rose's hopefully.
"We need to get to know one another again," she whispered.
Dimitri nodded, grasping her hand in his. In the past, Rose had always been the one championing their relationship, and he'd been the voice of restraint and reason. Her gift showed him she was willing to give him a chance. But Rose deserved to be wooed, and he needed to be the man who wooed her.