Rosemarie Hathaway

Warning: This chapter contains Mature Material

Mason scored! He caught me on the way to breakfast with a box full of dusty books. It took me days to leaf through them all, but I was able to gather some information.

· Saint Vladimir was thought to be full of madness by some and Spirit by others

· He could use mass Compulsion, even over Moroi and Dhampir (I only knew of one other Vampire who could do that-Lissa)

· Vladimir could heal plants and animals

· Using that kind of power had made him crazy and depressed

· Making everything even more weird, Anna was always referred to as being shadow-kissed

· Anna was his Guardian

· Vladimir had saved Anna's life when she was a child

I had first heard the words shadow-kissed from one of my old teachers, Ms. Karp. I had not seen her since we had returned; she had been carted off and had chosen to turn Strigoi. When I raised questions about her, everyone grew hushed and would placate me with saying things along the lines of "Ms. Karp is no longer with us." I needed answers. Ones I felt that only she could give. Leaning back against my bed, I let the memory of the last time I had seen her come to surface in hopes that it might hold answers.

"You're shadow-kissed! You have to take care of her!" she shouted at me. "Do you understand?"

"No." I said as she shoved me against into a wall, holding me there. I probably could have fought her off, but I was too shocked at her actions.

"They're coming for me, they'll come for her."

"Who?"

"Lissa, you have to protect her. The more she uses it, the worse it'll get. Stop her, Rose. Stop her before they notice, before they notice and take her away too. Get her out of here."

"What do you mean? Get her out of…you mean the Academy?"

"Yes, you have to leave. You're bound. It's up to you. Take her away from this place."

Feet pounded in the hallway, and a group of guardians rounded the corner. They weren't from the school and they pried her off of me. Someone asked if I was okay, but I couldn't stop staring at Ms. Karp as she wildly thrashed against their hold.

"Don't let her use the power!" she screamed. "Save her. Save her from herself."

Later I was told that she had been taken to a place where she could recover. They told me she would be safe and cared for. She would recover. Only she hadn't.

My brain was on overdrive and I needed a break. For now I just settled with the fact the Lissa, Ms. Karp, and St. Vladimir seemed to have a lot of shared qualities. I pushed all thoughts on it from my head, beginning to feel like the tiny apartment was closing in on me. My mom was on Guardian duty tonight, so trying not to think about what had happened last time I snuck out, I slipped out of my window. I didn't really have anywhere to go and Lissa was sleeping. Since Dimitri was a good sport last time, and we had been getting along great, I decided he would do.

My entrance into his room was much more graceful this time. I stood up flashing my best 'magician' pose, only to see that the room was empty. Disappointed, I turned to leave back out the window, but the sound of his shower reached my ears. I closed the window and plopped down on his bed to wait.

A few minutes later the door opened, letting out a cloud of steam. Behind that, Dimitri entered his room only wearing a towel around his waist. Perhaps I should have thought this through a little more.

"Rose?" He was frozen in shock as he noticed me.

"See something you like?" I smiled at him as my eyes roamed his muscular frame.

"Sweet Molasses," I murmured as I met his molten brown eyes.

"I-um-give me a minute to-uh," He fisted his towel to keep it from slipping and quickly grabbed some sweat pants from his dresser.

"Just let me get dressed." He said as he disappeared into the bathroom. I took a little glee in the fact that in his haste he had forgotten a shirt. I removed my jacket and shoes while I waited. I was just leaning over to grab his TV remote when he came back out. "What are you doing back so soon?" He asked me, giving me one of his lopsided grins.

"I figured I still owed you a movie night since our last one got botched." I answered, keeping my attention on scrolling through the guide. I was a bit nervous of what I might do if I looked at him right then. I knew all he was wearing was a simple pair of sweatpants and that thought alone had my mind racing.

"Won't your mother notice you are missing?"

"Nah, she has guard duty tonight." I told him as he lowered himself into the bed next to me. "So, what's good on here?" I asked as I pointed to the television with the remote.

He shrugged at me. "I usually just watch channel 538."

"Oh." I punched in the channel numbers only to be met with an old western movie. "John Wayne? You gotta be kidding me, Comrade!"

"I like John Wayne. He has a lot of good movies."

"You watch westerns….for fun?" I asked trying to hold back my smile.

"Have you ever actually watched one of his movies?"

"Well no, I've never seen the point of watching a movie that was made before I was born, not for fun, at least." I told him. He smiled and yanked the remote from my hand.

"Tonight you do." He said laughing as I scowled at him and tried to wrestle back the controller. Dimitri stilled under me. In my haste to grab for the remote, I had come to lay stretched out on top of him. I felt his body react to the position and I looked up to meet his smoldering gaze.

Dimitri dropped the remote to the floor and bringing his hands to my arms, slid me up his body until our lips were so close they nearly touched as he spoke. "Why do you haunt me so, Roza?" His lips then brushed mine, once, twice, before settling firmly. He pressed my lips apart and I met him in an openmouthed kiss that quickly ignited the hunger I tried to avoid when around him.

At just one taste of him the ever-present embers of passion began to rage inside me. Being close to him always brought the need for what was forbidden. He rolled us over and tilting his head forward, pushed me further into the pillows. I wound my arms around him, one arm around his shoulders and the other gripping his damp hair. His hand ran down my side and snaked beneath me. His large palm cupped my derriere pulling me closer, as he ground his rapidly swelling shaft against me. He made a rough sound deep in his throat and for a moment all edges of reason faded away. He pressed kiss after intoxicating kiss along my mouth and throat.

I gasped as his mouth found the sensitive spot just below my ear. He nipped the area and then soothed it with his tongue making me shudder. I pulled him back to my lips. His tongue skated along the ridges of my teeth, probing beyond them, flicking the sensitive roof of my mouth. I sucked delicately on his tongue causing him to groan into my mouth.

He pulled away from me, avoiding my movements as I tried to follow. "What are we doing Roza?" He asked against my ear, his voice a guttural rasp. My body trembled as his breath slid over my heated flesh.

Rational thought fully returned to me, although desire still sped through my veins. "Not all the way, just above the waist." I whispered, though I wanted more. When he was this close to me, I wanted everything. I respected him more for giving me the choice. I knew that he would respect my boundaries and not push for more than I was willing to give.

At my response his fingers tightened on my waist before he consciously untensed them, caressing the taught skin apologetically. He nuzzled my ear and my throat, dropping kisses in random patterns against my heated skin.

He pulled away from me as he unfastened the band I'd used to tie my hair up. He ran his hands through the thick mass of curls, smoothing them against my shoulders. Dimitri then buried his face in the scent of my hair. "It's gorgeous," he said thickly. "You should wear it down more often."

I swallowed. He had made the simple act of untwining my hair so sensuous I was unable to concentrate on his words, much less respond to them. "It's…easier…to keep…it back. Then it doesn't" my words broke off as he began to press soft kisses at the corner of my mouth. "get in my way during training."

He kissed me softly then, his hands slowly moved up to cup my breasts. His kiss changed, became deeper, more passionate. While we explored each other's mouths, he slowly ran his hands down my stomach before hooking the bottom of my tank top and inching it upwards.

Leaning back he stared down at my lace demi bra that was the last barrier between our chests and swallowed hard. One finger began tracing where my skin met the frilly edge of lace. Then dipping inside the bra, his fingers splayed wide at each side of my breasts, he lifted them free of the material with his thumbs. His tongue dipped into the crevice that he created. His head lifted at my gasp and his eyes locked onto mine.

Slowly his hands slid to my back, lifting me towards him. He unclasped my bra and pushed my shirt off my shoulders and over my head. His hands went back to my waist stroking the skin lightly. I trembled under his gaze as he slid the scanty material of my bra from my body. He groaned audibly as he gazed down at me, bared to the waist.

Lowering his head, he flicked one peach colored nipple with his tongue, wetting it, teasing it to a tighter point. With a low growl he took it into his mouth, suckling deeply. I moaned, as my fingers dug into his shoulders. His free hand was stroking my other breast, kneading it gently as his thumb rasped its nipple. He took his time pleasuring one breast before switching to the other. Wetting one nipple generously with his tongue, he then gently blew on it, pulling another moan from my lips.

I had played around like this with other boys in the past, but none of them were as gentle and caring as Dimitri was. I never knew my breasts could be so sensitive, so sensual. I wondered if it would be the same for him.

I slid my hands down his back and up his sides. As I moved them between his, he lifted away a bit so I could caress his chest. His breath hissed as he drew it in. Sliding my hands over his pecs, I settled one finger along his sternum and slid it down following the line of his abdominal muscles. When I reached his waistband, he caught my hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss on my palm.

"As much as I enjoy your hands on me, if you move any lower, I'm not sure I can maintain my control. I'm too close as it is." He said huskily.

I blushed at his admission, but something inside me swelled with pride that I could make him feel that way. I tested my newfound power by peppering kisses along his chest, flicking my tongue against his buttoned nipple as he had done me. Suddenly we were shifting as Dimitri rolled over, pulling me on top of him. He lifted me above him so that my breasts swayed dangerously close to his lips. Once again he closed his mouth around a nipple, batting at it playfully with his tongue. I closed my eyes and pressed demandingly closer to his mouth. He heeded my unspoken request as he flexed his cheeks and he suckled strongly.

I felt a sob of pleasure escape me and unconsciously moved on top of him, squirming and rubbing against his bigger, harder body. The movements were sending me out of orbit, and I ground against his swollen member, seeking friction and crying out his name. Dimitri's hands went to my jean clad bottom and stilled my movements. I opened my eyes to see that his brown eyes had darkened to nearly black.

"Roza," He growled in warning as he impatiently flipped us over again. My hands began roaming again as he landed partially on top of me. He captured my wrists in his hands and trapped them above my head. He leaned down; his mouth attacked mine deeper and wilder than before. He let go of one of my wrists and brought his hand down to trace intricate designs along her stomach, circling my navel before he griped my hip and slid my legs to rest on either side of his.

I gasped, opening my mouth wider to the onslaught of his tongue as his fingers gently bit into my flesh and he ground his hard ridge against my most intimate area. I trembled at the electrical shock that expanded outward from my core. I was on fire and couldn't control the whimpers that escaped from my throat. I could feel how hard his throbbing manhood was through our clothing and for the first time I felt a brief flare of alarm as panic began to well inside me. I sat up on the bed as uncertainty washed over me.

Dimitri moved to sit next to me, giving me a soothing embrace. Lifting my chin with one finger he forced me to meet his eyes. "Nothing will happen unless you want it to. I'm willing to go only as far as you want." He whispered hoarsely.

I nodded my head, in that moment I trusted him completely. "Do you think we could watch a movie now?" I asked unsure if I could stay within my own boundaries.

Dimitri gave me an understanding smile before brushing his lips across my cheek. "Of course," he said as he settled against the pillows and tucked my in the crook of his arm. "I think the remote is lost, so you're stuck with a John Wayne movie."

"It's okay. Who knows, maybe I'll learn how to ride a horse or something." I smiled up at him not realizing the effect my words would have until his eyes began to darken with need again. He quickly blinked and snuggled me closer to him, turning his attention to the television. We sat in comfortable silence as we allowed our emotions to calm under the droning of horse hoofs and gunshots.

Eventually Dimitri began to doze off and after a chaste kiss goodnight, I redressed and slipped out of his window and slowly made my way to my bed. Sleep came easily now that my mind and body had relaxed of the built up tension I had been harboring.

I really struggled with how far I wanted to go with this chapter. I feel that without the mentor/student/age difference between Dimitri and Rose that they would have had some heavy moments sooner, I just wasn't ready for Rose to lose her virginity…yet….though that chapter is already written *wink wink* I'm working up to it…slowly.