Chapter 16

I froze, eyes snapping to a group of three people in the shadow of the buildings. I recognised two of them as Anastasia and her novice friend. A girl stood with them, another novice, I realised.

I stared at them, refusing to walk away. If they had something to say, they could say it to my face. "What was that?" I kept my face blank and voice hard.

Anastasia smiled, "I think you hurt her feelings, Kyle."

The male novice, Kyle, threw his head back and laughed, "She's probably out here looking for another bite."

I grit my teeth. It was like last year all over again.

The novice girl shook her head, "Once a whore, always a whore."

"Are you going to shut up, or am I going to have to make you?" I warned, already feeling ready for a fight.

Anastasia flipped her hair over her shoulder, "Not even ashamed of yourself, are you? Poor Dimitri, having to put up with you every day."

I dropped my bag, I could handle her talking down to me, but I won't let her talk about Dimitri, "Says the one that keeps throwing themselves at him. Who is really acting like a whore here?"

"What the fuck did you say!"

I opened my mouth to retort.

"Hey! It's past curfew. Get to your rooms now!" Alberta was marching towards us.

The other three quickly scattered, Anastasia sending me one last glare before heading to the Moroi dorm. I grabbed my bag, swinging it back over my shoulder.

"Rose," Alberta called me. I rolled my eyes. Of course, of everyone, I'm the one to be called out.

"I didn't start anything, okay."

Alberta raised her eyebrows, "Did I say you did?"

"Then what?" I was ready to pass out on my bed, just wanting Alberta to let me leave.

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm just peachy."

Alberta studied me. I wondered if she knows about Stan's class or if Dimitri had told her about the rock incident. Everyone asking how I was doing or checking up on me was getting boring fast. I already had texts and emails from both parents asking throughout the day, and they had only been gone three days.

"It's late; get back to your room. No detours." She finally ordered. I saluted and stormed off, not wanting to be pulled into another conversation about my feelings.

When I finally made it back to my room, I quickly stripped and crawled into my bed. The day's events had worn me out completely—the conversation with Anastasia was the icing on the cake. I closed my eyes, praying that tomorrow would be better.

I sat at a table in the corner, concealing myself in the darkness. The poorly lit bar had a lot of it. I wore a skin-tight black dress. It rode up high on my thigh, legs made to look longer with my six-inch heels. While the world still considered me a child, my body was that of a woman, and I knew it. The men in the bar know it too.

Their eyes ran up and down my form, enjoying what they saw. Many had approached me throughout the night, but they weren't what I was looking for.

I had almost given up when he entered. He was tall, with dark hair and eyes, muscles barely concealed by his shirt. He was perfect.

It didn't take much to lure him to me, a smile, a touch of my hand to his, and he was following me out into the alley.

He pressed me against the wall, I let him, making him think he was in control. He gripped my thigh, hooking my knee around his waist so he could press in closer. Lips moved down my throat as his hands felt me up, gripping and caressing every inch of skin.

I allowed him some fun. If I closed my eyes, I could almost smell his aftershave, hear rambles of Russian whispered against my skin.

Dimitri.

I slipped my hand into his hair, a smile slipping on my face, fangs showing. The man gasped, trying to break away from me, but my leg held him close. Using my grip on his hair to bring his neck closer to me. Before he could scream, I sunk my teeth in his skin, drinking every last drop.

I woke up with a scream on the tip of my tongue. I frantically searched around my room. The afternoon sun shone in through my opened window, leaving nothing in the dark. I tried to calm myself, using the techniques Deirdre had taught me.

Five things you can see around you.

My stake. The photo of Lissa and me from Halloween. My school bag. My alarm clock. The magazine on my desk.

Four things you can touch around you.

My pillow. My blanket. The wooden frame of my bed. The side table Dimitri had brought me.

Three things you can hear.

The birds outside. The clicking from my clock. The creak of the bed when I moved.

Two things you can smell.

My shampoo. The lingering scent of his aftershave.

My heartbeat had calmed, my breathing as well. I felt in control of myself again. I glanced at my clock, realising I still had an hour before I was meant to meet Dimitri for the morning training. My skin felt clammy from the nightmare, deciding to shower before meeting him, I threw back the blanket and gathered my things for the bathroom.

Now back in the Novice dorms, I had lost my personal bathroom and was back to sharing. Luckily, with so few girls, the showers were always available and being this early, no one else would be there.

I stood under the spray letting the hot water wash away what was left of the dream and wake me up. I felt like I had barely slept, tossing and turning throughout the night despite how exhausted I was last night.

Once washed and dried, I changed into my gym clothes. I needed to either shop or do laundry more often. My options of clothes were low. I had plenty of shirts and jeans, but they were all tight. I was still struggling with showing off my body, luckily my uniform wasn't too tight, so it didn't stress me to wear it. The pocket on my blazer allows me to easily conceal my silver stake when I carried it with me.

I found something to wear to training, quickly threw a towel and water bottle, along with my stake, into my gym bag and took off.

I managed to make it to the gym without running into anyone, which I had expected being so early still, but I was on edge from both the dream and the letters I had received.

I pushed open the gym doors to find the lights off, having beat Dimitri here. After yesterday I was unsure as to how he will be this morning if he would give me the cold shoulder again or not. Deciding to get on his good side, I prepared the equipment for the morning, setting out a couple of things in case he wanted to do something new.

While searching in the storage room for the large kick mat, I found a stash of stake hosters. Small belts that guardians can fasten around their waist or hips to hold their stake and conceal them. Novices were allowed to use them when practising using stakes, training to remove them swiftly.

I picked up one of the smaller ones, and it would be the perfect size to hide under my shirts and securely hold my stake rather than the waistband on the back of my pants when I had no other pocket. Quickly rushing back to my gym bag, I managed to shove the hoster into my bag as the doors opened.

Dimitri glanced around the gym, a look of surprise as his eyes settled on me. He appeared wary, most likely expecting another session in silence.

I swallowed nervously, waving, "Hey, comrade."

"Rose."

I tried not to be affected by the flat tone of his voice. Yesterday's events still irritated me, and I wasn't going to apologise, especially after my run-in with Anastasia last night. I just didn't want an argument to come between us, and with me being the one that had resorted straight to anger rather than talking about it, I had to make peace first.

"I wasn't sure what you wanted to do today, so I grabbed a couple of things out." I wrang my hands, "Unless you rather start outside with laps, I can get the stopwatch, or if there's something else, I can try to find it in the storage-"

"Rose," Dimitri cut me off, bringing my eyes back to his, "you're rambling."

"Oh."

He approached me, hands resting on mine, making them stop, "It's okay, Rose." His expression softened. The intensity of his eyes made moisture gather in mine. I could tell his double meaning; it's okay, we are okay.

I cleared my throat, willing the tears away as relief overcame me. "Okay," I hastily wiped at my eyes, "What's the plan, comrade?" I smiled at him. The one he gave me in return made my knees go weak.

By the time lunch came around, I was all but dragging myself around. I had felt sore yesterday, but my muscles were all in pain with the return to classes and training with Dimitri. Still being too nervous about using my full abilities in Stan's class, Eddie had handed me my ass.

"Not looking too good there." Eddie taunted me.

I ignored him, gingerly sitting at our table, Lissa and Adrian already seated. Lissa noticed my wince as I settled into the seat, shifting not to put too much weight on my lower back. "What happened to you?" Her eyes were wide in concern taking in my bruises.

"That asshole," Jerking my head in Eddie's direction making him chuckle, "I think I've pulled something that I'm going to need later in life." I groaned, laying my head on the table.

Eddie just shook his head, "Maybe you should fight back." I hated the knowing tone in his voice. I flipped him off, not caring who saw, too sore to do much else.

"I could give you a massage, little dhampir. I hear I have magical hands." Adrian offered, giving me a wink. I cringed away, making a gagging noise.

"I'm good." Normally I would have flirted back a little, but the only hands I wanted massaging me was a certain Russian, who unfortunately is also to be blamed for my current state. "Between Eddie being a dick and Dimitri's training, I will never be able to walk again."

"There is a joke there, but I will be nice because you are injured." Eddie laughed to himself, Adrian grinned.

"Do you want me to heal you?" Lissa asked. I could already feel through the bond her pulling at spirit in preparation. I shook my head, not wanting to deal with any darkness right now.

"I'm ok Liss, I just need a hot bath and to sleep for two days straight." I rested my head in the crook of my arm, sleeping sounding like a great idea.

Sleep had almost pulled me under when a male voice from behind me rudely interrupted. I didn't even need to turn around, recognising the voice, Jesse Zeklos.

"Rose Hathaway, I must say I missed seeing you around here. Oh, wait, no, I didn't." His voice was dripping in sarcasm.

I rotated in my seat, not bothering to hide my disdain. The last time I had seen him I had been beating him up for torturing Lissa after I took her darkness. It was because of him and his friends that the wards went down. Because of him, I had to go into that cave to help save the people the Strigoi's had taken.

"After what you did, no one would miss you here either." I retorted. I blamed him, and I wanted him to know. I could see him falter for a second, but he continued, encouraged by the group of friends he had around him.

"I heard you have been offering yourself again, don't suppose I can have a bite." The group of Moroi guys are all laughing with him.

Eddie jumped up from his seat, getting close to Jesse, "I suggest you leave." He warned.

"I wasn't talking to you, Castile." Jesse stepped closer, not letting Eddie intimidate him.

I had had enough of the male posturing. I rose from my seat, ignoring the soreness of my muscles. I stepped up to Jesse, fist clenched, "Get the fuck away from me unless you want a repeat of last time you pissed me off." I threatened, my tone dropped low and cold.

His eyes widened in fear, stepping away from us. While he didn't believe Eddie would attack him, he knew I would. His friends were also shuffling away from me, obviously knowing what I was referencing.

"What's wrong, Jesse?" I taunted, "Scared of a bloodwhore?"

"What's going on over here?" A guardian had approached us.

Jesse turned his attention to the guardian faking friendliness, "Just welcoming back Rose."

I didn't recognise the guardian. He strode to the space between Jesse and me, "Well, now that you have, I suggest you be on your way Mr Zeklos." He stared him down.

Jesse left with one last look at me, his friends following. Eddie took a breath before nodding in thanks at the guardian.

I glanced back at the table. Lissa had been radiating stress and fear when Jesse stood before us; I was happy to see Christian comforting her now. I turned back to the guardian, "Thanks for that." I was still on edge, my hands fisted and ready to fight still.

"Happy to help." He replied before returning to the far wall to continue watching the students.

"Rose, are you okay?" Lissa's voice shook, still gripping Christian's hand.

I slipped back into my seat, "I'm fine, Liss." She didn't believe me, but I didn't let her push it. After that, I spent the rest of the afternoon quiet.

In the afternoon training, Dimitri picked up on my mood, either putting the pieces together himself or someone told him; he stopped the session five minutes early and made me sit and talk to him.

"I'm sorry that there are rumours again." He started, reclining in his seat, facing me.

I shrugged my shoulders, "It's nothing new. I knew it would happen." I picked at the tape around my knuckles, trying to unravel them.

Dimitri took my hand in his, easily undoing them and unwrapping my hands, "That doesn't make it easier to handle," Once he unwrapped both hands, he held them, his long fingers massaging my palms, "I wish you didn't have to go through this."

"You and me both. But when have things been easy for Rose Hathaway?" I replied, my tone was flat. I was tired, too tired to truly feel the emotions churning inside me. Even the happiness that came from Dimitri touching me was muted.

Dimitri's hand moved from mine up to my cheek, cupping it, "Things will get better soon, Roza."

I didn't respond, unable to tell him that I didn't believe him.

Another letter had been slipped under my door, noticing it when I returned to my room. I had honestly been expecting it. With how my days go now, it just wouldn't be complete without my threatening note of the day.

I emptied my gym bag and changed before even bothering to read the letter, already guessing the contents. I placed it still folded on my desk and opened my textbooks to complete my homework. With how I felt, I knew there was a chance that the letter may be the thing to push me over the edge. So I put it off until just before going to bed.

Settled in bed, my window open to allow the morning light in as I did each night, I finally unfolded the paper, reading the message.

I choked on a sob.

How does he even stand being around you after what you did to him?

I bet he wants you dead as much as I do.