Chapter 22

This was a trap set by Strigoi.

I felt the familiar feeling in my stomach just before I saw the red-ringed eyes glowing in the distance.

They haven't seen the Strigoi's yet.

I quickly climbed past the seats to the front of the van, reaching past the wheel to hit the switch to turn on the high beams. Light flooded the road before us, illuminating the three Strigois before them.

I watched as they went into fight mode. The suddenly flashing lights disorientated the Strigoi enough to give Dimitri and the others the upper hand, though not for long.

I had to pull my focus away from them. My only concern was keeping the Moroi safe. They come first.

"You three get down in the back!" I yelled at them. There was no window back there and provided us with more room to defend if a Strigoi gets in. Eddie followed them back, taking a stance before them. I checked the doors, ensuring they were all locked before crouching at the ready between the three entry points. If any Strigoi were to get in, I was the first line of defence.

My gaze shifted around me, taking notice of any movement. Dimitri, Stan and Wyatt had killed two of the Strigois, but unfortunately, another two had replaced them. Daniel remained by the van, guarding the side door.

Movement off to the side of the van caught my eye. Three more Strigois were coming from the forest, and Daniel was by himself. Before I could react, a loud bang rocked the van from the opposite side, making Lissa scream. A Strigoi was banging a rock against the window, trying to break it.

There were too many for the four outside. I looked at Eddie. He nodded.

"Keep them safe!" I yelled. I threw myself into the passenger seat and out the door, slamming it closed after me, knowing that Eddie would lock it.

The Strigoi had been too focused on trying to break the window to react to me. Drawing my stake from my holster, I slashed at his arm making him pull back with a scream. Not allowing him the chance to attack, I rushed him with a series of kicks and punches to put distance between us and the van.

With one last kick to his chest, I took the opening and plunged my stake into his chest, hitting the heart.

My mind flashed back to the memory of Lissa staking me. But I shook those thoughts off. I couldn't allow myself to get distracted.

The sound of a struggle grabbed my attention. Now I was behind the van; I could see Daniel fighting against two Strigois, Wyatt having come help with the other. I used the fact the Strigoi's backs were to me to my advantage. My stake sliding in through the back of another male.

Before I could turn to the other, a hand gripped my shoulder and threw me into the side of the van. I groan at the impact, feeling pain explode from my ribs, the air knocked out of me. I saw a fist flying towards my face, bringing up my arm just in time to block it.

"Rose?"

My eyes widened. I recognised that voice.

I stared up in shock at the Strigoi before me, he had dark brown hair and brown eyes rimmed red. I knew him.

I felt bile rise up my throat.

I was the one that turned him.

I was frozen in place. Not noticing the fist that swung at me, colliding with my jaw. The force sending me tumbling to the hard road.

The Strigoi, David, strolled towards me, "Here, I thought you were dead."

Unable to convince my body to stand, I tried to shuffle back away from him, but he was faster, swiftly kicking me in the ribs. The pain stopping me in my tracks. His hand reached down and wrapped around my throat.

"How is this even possible?" He lifted me into the air, my feet dangling above the ground. In my desperation to claw his hand from my neck, I had dropped my stake. The metal clanging on the ground. "Just wait until Nathan finds out about this."

I was gasping for air, black dots clouding my vision.

"Rose!" A new voice cried out.

I was suddenly dropped, a yelp escaping as I collided painfully against the road. I struggled to breathe; I wasn't sure whether it was from the panic or my injuries. I squinted up to see Dimitri attacking David. Dimitri had the upper hand in the fight; David was weak even for a Strigoi.

I only kept him around because of how he looked. Who he reminded me of.

The fight was over in a couple of minutes but felt longer to me as I struggled to maintain consciousness. Finally, Dimitri's stake hit the mark, piercing David's heart, killing him. His body fell to the ground, his head rolled to the side, dead eyes staring at me.

"Rose, are you okay!" Dimitri demanded, he was scanning the area for more, but I knew there was none left. The churning in my stomach stopping as soon as David died. "Rose!"

I couldn't tear my eyes away from David's. A reminder of what I did.

Bile rose again, and this time I didn't stop it. Only rolling enough to the side to not throw up on myself. It was painful, fire burning through my chest with each dry heave. A gentle hand rested on my back, trying to guide me up and away from the ground.

I gasped in pain as Dimitri lifted me to my feet, leaning heavily against him.

"Get her in the van Belikov. We need to get going!"

Ignoring my moans of pain, he lifted me into his arm and hurriedly made his way to the van, climbing in and placing me on the empty front row of chairs. I heard the door slide close behind me and the van taking off down the road before Dimitri had been able to sit down.

I screamed in pain as my side was pressed into the seat from the force of the sudden speed.

"Oh god, Rose!"

"Is she okay?"

"We are almost there, Rose, just a bit longer." Dimitri kept telling me. His voice became distant. The black dots from before taking over my vision, and I gladly let the darkness take me.

Slowly I blinked my eyes opened. A familiar white ceiling greeting me.

"Roza?"

I gingerly tilted my head, regretting the motion as it caused my vision to swarm.

"Try not to move too much," He told me, now standing to be in my line of sight. He looked exhausted, dark circles forming under his eyes. His face was strained and pale.

"What happened?" I croaked out. My throat felt like fire. Realising this, Dimitri held out a paper cup with a straw to me; I took a small sip from it. Immediately I started coughing, which turned into a pained whine at the intense pain that radiated from my chest.

Dimitri cursed, hands hovering above me, unsure of what to do. His head whipped to the side as a door opened.

"Just let me heal her!" Lissa yelled.

"We already decided -" Alberta tried calming her down, but Lissa cut her off.

"I have fed and slept. I'm more than capable of doing this."

Now that the pain was subsiding somewhat, I tried to locate Lissa in the room. I was still so confused. Why was I in so much pain? My mind felt so sluggish.

"I can help her." Adrian's joined the mix.

I tried to swallow, forcing my voice to come out stronger, "What's going on?"

Four faces came into view, Dimitri on one side and the other three on the other. Lissa's eyes were rimmed red, cheeks puffy from crying.

She released a shaky breath, "Rose, I'm so happy you're awake."

Adrian nodded, his expression serious for once, "You need to stop scaring us, little dhampir."

I felt Lissa cover my hand with hers, giving a slight squeeze, "I can heal you, Rose."

"It's too much of a risk with the amount of darkness she already has," Dimitri told her. From the tone of his voice, I wondered if this was an argument they had before.

"That's why I will help," Adrian turned to glare at Dimitri.

I could understand their desperation to help; going off how I feel currently, I'm assuming I'm in bad shape. The attack on the highway was slowly coming back to me, though a lot was hazy.

Regardless of the pain I was in, I agreed with Dimitri. The darkness that I would take from Lissa could be dangerous to me right now; it hadn't been long since I was at my breaking point, I didn't want to risk taking anymore.

"I'm okay," I tried to tell them, "I don't need you to heal me."

All eyes focused on me, none of them believing that I was fine at all. Lissa looked on the verge of crying again, "Rose, you don't even realise how bad you are hurt."

"Then tell me."

Alberta was the one to speak up this time, "Two broken ribs, two cracked. Sprained wrist, concussion, bruised windpipe, and not to mention multiple bruises and cuts. What you did last night was very dangerous. You should have stayed in the van like you were told."

I really had taken a beating, but I didn't regret helping, "There were too many. I did what I had to do."

"You're job was to stay in the car Rose!" Dimitri yelled. His sudden outburst caused me to jump and then clench my teeth from the sudden onset of pain. Regret instantly covered his face.

"I think that's enough for now. She needs to rest," Alberta told them, levelling a look at Dimitri.

Lissa shook her head, not releasing my hand, "I'm not leaving her in pain like this."

"What if we just did enough to ease the pain. Not completely healed, just enough that she can at least breathe." Adrian asked. I had to admit I didn't mind the idea. I would still be in some pain, but easing some of it would make it more manageable.

"Okay," I told them, "Just a little." A smile broke out on Lissa's face. Adrian moved to my other side, not so gently knocking Dimitri away from me so he could grab my other hand.

Slowly I felt a warmth flood through me, a sigh of relief escaping me. As the warmth slipped away, so did my consciousness.

When I woke up again, the room was quiet again. I attempted to sit up, I wasn't feeling the same intense pain as before, but it was still enough to make me groan. A familiar hand gripped my shoulder, pushing me back against the bed.

"You need to stay still," Dimitri was beside me again. Or maybe it was still. I wondered how long it had been since the first time I woke up. He somehow managed to look worse than before. I could see a bruise from the fight on his face, the colouring of it standing out against his pale skin.

"Are you okay?" I asked. My voice wasn't as rough as earlier; it felt like it was more due to my throat being dry than injured.

A dark look crossed Dimitri's face before he closed off his expression. He picked up the cup from before, offering the straw to me again. I tentatively sipped the water, able to swallow without struggling.

"How do you feel?" He asked in a strained voice, almost as if he was scared of the answer.

I lifted my hand until I could touch his. He was gripping the railing on the side of the bed so tightly his knuckles were white. His eyes flicked down to our hands, releasing a shaky breath as he wrapped his fingers around mine. His touch was so gentle as if he thought I would break.

His eyes remained focused on our hands, his other hand brushing against my knuckles and down to my wrist. "They said they healed your ribs, so they were only bruised, and your throat too. Just enough that you won't be in pain all the time. It will still take a week for you to be completely healed."

"So no training for a couple of days then," I sighed, disappointed. With my trials coming up, I hoped to clock in more time with Dimitri to make sure I was ready. "I'm going to get so far behind."

"You still have a month until your trials. We have time."

I tried to catch his eyes, but he stayed focused on our hands. I squeezed his fingers, hoping for a response, "Dimitri?"

"You should have stayed in the van."

I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. I know I did the right thing despite what he and Alberta said. "There were too many for just the four of you."

"Then you should have used the keys and drove away."

I felt my temper rising, "And if I did that, you would all be dead."

His head snapped up, eyes on mine, anger burning in them, "And you almost did! Hell Rose, you all could have died if anymore showed up!"

I tried to not cower away from the fury in his voice. Dimitri released my hand and dragged his fingers through his hair, sighing in frustration. He turned away from me to face the wall taking a deep breath.

His words felt like a slap in the face because he was right. I was almost killed, all because I froze up. I hesitated and almost paid the price for it. I swallowed down the guilt that rose at the memory of David; his blood was on my hands. And because of my past, others could have been hurt.

"I knew him."

Dimitri turned as I spoke. It sounded small and broken. He raised an eyebrow in question.

"The Strigoi that almost…." My hand went up to my throat, remembering the feeling of his fingers digging into it, "I turned him."

Silence stretched between us. He stood holding my eyes as the weight of those words settled. Dimitri knew about David; I had told him that night in his room. I felt the most guilt for that. Killing innocents was terrible enough, but to turn someone, to take away their soul. It was the most unforgivable crime I committed.

"I was fine, and I was in control. But then I saw him, and I just…." I squeezed my eyes closed, a tear escaping. I covered my face with my hands. I didn't want him to see me being so weak again.

"Roza," He tugged at my hands, leaning over me to press a kiss to my forehead, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I was just so scared. When I saw him holding you up like that, I thought I was going to lose you again." His voice trembled, the emotions becoming too strong for him to hold back.

I curled my fingers into the collar of his shirt. The desperate need to touch him, to feel him close to me taking over, I was sure he felt the same. Needing to know that the other was okay, that we were both alive. His lips covered mine. It was gentle, being wary of my injuries still. I put all my affection and love for him in the kiss, feeling his in return.

"Belikov."

Dimitri broke apart from me, leaving me breathless. I stared in shock and fear at the person in the room.

Alberta stood before us, eyes ablaze.

She saw us. Alberta saw Dimitri kissing me.

I felt like my world was about to fall apart.

She stalked forward, "What the hell are you doing?"

All my fears of Dimitri being separated from me took hold of my heart. I pushed myself up in my bed, "No, it's not what it looks like. Please!"

Concern replaced some of the fury in her eyes, "Rose, you shouldn't move -"

I ignored her and swung my legs off the mattress, rising unsteadily on them. I needed her to understand. "Please, Alberta! I love him. You can't take him away!"

Dimitri rushed to my side, taking my elbow to stop me from collapsing. "Rose, please get back in the bed," He pleaded with me. I just shook my head.

"No, she has to understand. Please, you have to understand. I need him!"

Alberta crossed the room and took my other elbow, helping Dimitri lead me back to the bed, "I understand, Rose. Calm down okay," She attempted to soothe me.

Tears were starting to run down my cheeks. I refused to give in, afraid that if I stopped, she would send him away. I desperately gripped at Dimitri's arm, "No, no, you don't understand I -"

Alberta took my face in her hands, "Rose, I know. Okay, I know."

Her tone gave me pause. She knows? I searched her eyes. She knows.

My eyes widened in realisation. "How?"

She sighed, "After the caves, the way Belikov was acting, and then when he was taken," Her eyes flicked between us, "I put the pieces together. Will you please get back in the bed now?"

My mind was reeling; I didn't fight as they placed me in the bed. Dimitri gently laying me down on the pillows, threading his fingers through mine before turning his attention to Alberta.

Alberta set her eyes on his, "While I may know about it, that doesn't mean you should be blatantly displaying it. Anyone could have walked in." She reprimanded him.

"I'm the one that kissed him. It's my fault," I spoke up.

"You aren't the adult here Rose, he is."

That made my temper flare, "I am an adult."

She eyed me, "You are still a student."

I bit my lip. Dimitri squeezed my hand.

"I will take any punishment you wish to give me, but I will not leave her side. I love her," Dimitri's deep voice filled the room. I felt butterflies in my stomach. This was the first time he ever said he loved me in front of another person.

I watch as the two guardians stare at each other; the longer the silence stretched, the more an unease grew in me. Finally, Alberta stepped back, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I do not condone a relationship with a student," She started. I felt like my heart was going to stop. " But, I will not separate you. Nor will I tell anyone."

I stared up at her in shock, "You won't send him away?"

"No, Rose. I have seen how you care for each other. I can tell that it isn't some fling. After everything you have been through, I wouldn't take away the one person that has been helping you through all of it."

A smile broke out on my face, I beamed up at her. Alberta was like a mother figure to me growing up at the academy. Having her blessing for our relationship was more than I could have ever asked for. "Thank you."

She gave me a warm smile in return before turning hard eyes on Dimitri, "You and I will talk."

Dimitri nodded his head, unwavering under her stare. "Of course."

"And please in the future be more discrete," She gave me a look of warning, "And you stay in bed and rest."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I will let Dr Olendzki know that you are awake."

As soon as Alberta left the room, I let out a long breath. My hand was still in Dimitri's; his eyes glazed over deep in thought. I tugged on his hand, getting his attention, "That wasn't so bad."

Dimitri huffed a laugh, shoulders sagging, "I would have prefered her not walking in on us, but I suppose you are right. It could have been worse."

I scrunched up my nose, "Yeah, you should have locked the door."

This time he chuckled, "Yes, because that wouldn't have raised more questions at all," His eyes overflowing with affection, making my heart skip a beat.

"I'm glad you aren't being sent away," I told him, gazing up at him. He pushed my hair behind my ear, letting his finger run down the length of the strand.

"I am never leaving you."