~ ROSE POV ~
Yesterday was a dream. Without a doubt the best Christmas ever because I got to spend it with my best friend, my mother and my boyfriend. Although, they didn't know about that part. I had to tell Lissa soon. I could feel her excitement through the bond when she saw me talking with Adrian. Though I reassured her nothing was happening or ever would happen between us, she had already set several plans in motion to try to set us up. I had to sit down with her and explain before she commences the first part of her master plan.
The loud Bing of a text message on my phone woke me before the moon began its ascent. Because of the holidays, Dimitri pushed our morning training session back a couple of hours, allowing me to get a little sleep-in each day until classes went back. I had just started to get into a steady routine of getting up early and now, with the added luxury, I have returned to my slothish lazy ways.
I was about to throw my covers over my head and fall back to sleep when another Bing reverberated throughout my room. With a groan, I rolled over picking up my phone. My frown morphed into a smile when I saw Dimitri's name on the screen with a text telling me to meet him at the Gym in fifteen minutes for a bonus session. I didn't know what he had in mind, but I could tell the 'bonus session' was a code. My Comrade was up to something.
Suddenly wide awake, I threw off my blankets and cosy pyjamas. I changed into my cutest gym clothes that were still practical for the cold winter weather and training with my hot mentor boyfriend. Placing a freshly refilled water bottle in my gym bag, I caught sight of the old tattered pair of gloves. I longed for the new pair Dimitri had given me yesterday, but they were in Lissa's dorm which was a little too far away for a detour on my way to the gym. Plus, I didn't want to walk in and see Christian naked. That image was horrifying enough through the bond, I didn't need it in person. These gloves would have to do for today.
Just as I was about to leave. My eye caught the gleaming silver of Dimitri's other gift. I picked it up and ran my finger down the beautifully engraved pattern. It must have taken him a while to sketch the intricate design into the silver. I was touched at the thought he had put into this special present. I hoped my gift was just as meaningful to him as this one was to me.
Just for fun, when looking for presents I looked up 'Cowboy stuff' and found a bunch of stuff that screamed 'Dimitri'. I eventually stumbled upon the holster and couldn't resist, though it was a little over my budget. It was worth it to see his face light up like it did when he opened my poorly wrapped gift.
I shook my head and moved over to my nightstand about to leave the stake behind but at the last moment, I tucked it into my bag underneath my spare sweatshirt. Maybe after our 'bonus session', I could try it out on a couple of dummies.
My heart raced with anticipation with each step across the academy grounds towards the gym. I tried to relax and ready myself for disappointment just in case the bonus session was actually just a bonus session. If I walked in and saw Dimitri waiting with a new exercise schedule, I was going to kick his ass for waking me up before I got a decent four hours.
The sun was shining high in the sky, slowly melting the thick blanket of snow covering the academy. It was one of those rare warm winter days that indicated spring was approaching. Sadly, It wouldn't last long. As soon as the sun disappeared over the mountains, the night would turn cold, and the melted slush would freeze into solid ice.
It was one of the downsides of being stuck at the academy during the holidays. Any Dhampir lucky enough to leave the academy grounds would be living on a human schedule with their family, sunning it up and enjoying every minute spent out during the day. I was jealous. At least I was with the people I cared about.
Before the accident, Lissa's family used to take me with them on their winter vacations. Every holiday was a new adventure with them. My favourite holiday had to be when they took us to this fancy ski resort in Switzerland. I spent every possible second on the slopes in the sun. I hoped to one day go back with Lissa and Dimitri. Fine, Sparky could come too, I guess. But first, I had to survive graduation.
I made it to the gym and walked in to find the building empty with all the lights turned off. I moved in further, letting the door close behind me. Even my enhanced Dhampir eyes struggled to make out any shape in the darkness. Something didn't feel right. I dropped into a defensive position just as I felt a presence sneak up behind me. I reacted but was a moment too late. A hand caught my striking fist, stopping my blow then a mouth lowered to my neck, placing a gentle kiss at the juncture between my neck and shoulder. I would know those velvet soft lips anywhere.
"Your dead," whispered a silky accented voice that made my knees wobble. He pulled away and a moment later the lights came on. I had to blink, letting my eyes adjust to the brightness of the room. Dimitri stood a few feet away grinning like the cat that ate the canary. I groaned.
"It really is a bonus session isn't it?" I asked. I was going to make him regret that so much.
Dimitri laughed and pulled me into his embrace. "Not quite. I just wanted to test you."
"Well, I guess I failed that test."
"I wouldn't say failed," he said. "You sensed something was amiss and you knew where I was when I approached you. Your timing was slightly off, but I'd still call it a pass."
"Are there going to be more of these tests?" I asked.
"I've got to keep you on your toes. But that's all the training we will be doing today." He released me and made for the door. I ran to catch up to him.
"Where are we going?"
He smirked. "You'll see."
I followed Dimitri as he led me out of the boundaries of the campus and into the surrounding woods.
We walked quietly for a while, our feet crunching through thick, unbroken snow. A few birds flitted by, singing their greetings to the slowly setting sun. I almost had to run to keep up with Dimitri's longer stride, particularly since the snow slowed me down a little.
My heart sped up as I saw the cabin. Our cabin. I entertained the hope that Dimitri was leading me off to some romantic getaway. It took all my will power to keep the disappointment off my face as we continued passed it to a small frozen pond.
"I never noticed this before," I said.
"It has gotten bigger since the last time we were here, and we were a little distracted last time," said Dimitri. That was an understatement. My world was imploding the last time we were here. The future of our relationship hung by a thin threat Tasha dangled before us. A pond was the last thing on my mind.
"What are we doing here?" I asked at last.
"Well," Dimitri began. I watched as he knelt and dug through his deep bag. At last, he pulled out a pair of ice skates that looked to be about my size. My jaw dropped. "I found theses a couple of days ago and I remembered a story you told me when you went away with the Dragomir's and learnt how to Ice skate. You sounded like you missed it a lot and since you can't go away this year, I thought this would be the next best thing."
"I…I mean-" I struggled to get the words out. In the end, I only managed to spit out two words. "How? Where?" Dimitri smiled understanding my bafflement.
He pulled out another pair that must have been his. "My mama sent over my old pair from home and I found these in the academies lost property Box. The blades were a little blunt and rusted but I fixed them up and they should be fine now." I was amazed beyond words. This was such a beautiful gesture.
"I can't believe you did this. You've already given me so much, I don't deserve this." Dimitri stepped closer to me passing me the smaller pair of skates.
"What you deserve is a break. Some time to have fun. A day where you don't have to worry about making Vasilisa happy or worry about anyone else but yourself. I know you Rose, and I can see how you always try to make other people happy before thinking about your happiness."
I shook my head. "That's not true. You make me happy." He smiled a genuinely sweet smile that was rare for everyone but me. I kissed him quickly before pulling away and smiling at him with tears of joy shining in my eyes. "Thank you, comrade. For everything. Let's skate."
I was a little wobbly at first, like Bambi learning to walk wobbly, but it didn't take me long to get back into the grove. Dimitri was a pro naturally. If he wasn't already a Guardian, I would suggest he become an Olympic figure skater. We left the pond an hour later. My ass was wet from one of my many tumbles. It was embarrassing to fall in front of Dimitri who looked so natural on the ice.
After letting me embarrass myself a couple of times, he gave in and took my hands towing me around the pond. He even taught me how to skate backwards. In the end, I was able to make it around the small pond without help and managed to change directions on my own. We walked back hand in hand until we exited the shade of the trees. We went back inside the gym and placed our skates in one of the small storage lockers Dimitri kept for our sessions. I couldn't wait to go back out on the ice with him. Maybe he would teach me how to do some jumps. With one final kiss, we parted ways. Dimitri promising that next session we could do some staking practice so I could use my new personal stake.
I was walking back to my room to get ready before meeting Lissa when I heard a voice calling out my name in the distance. My head shot up and I spotted a familiar head of red hair.
"ROSE!" he shouted again, waving enthusiastically. I waved back and he ran over to me.
"Hey, Mason. What are you doing back? I thought you would be gone until after New Years."
"Yeah, Mom decided to send me and Eddie back earlier. She thinks we'll be safer here," he said shrugging.
"Why? You weren't that far from the academy. It should have been safe enough." Mason bragged for a week straight that he was spending two weeks with his mother and Eddie in Spokane. His mother wasn't a guardian like mine. Instead, she chose to raise her children and live in a human area near the academy. Mason still spent a lot of time and some holidays at the academy, but his mother took him away often to spend time with her son.
"There have been a lot of Strigoi attacks near Spokane recently. The place we were staying was in a human community without wards. Mom was worried so she dropped us back late last night."
His mother must have been very worried. It's a long drive from Spokane to the academy. She was right though. The academy had several wards surrounding the perimeter with guardians on duty twenty-four hours a day. That thought did little to reassure my racing mind. Strigoi were close. The Academy was full of Moroi and Untrained Dhampir students. What would stop them from attacking us? I blinked rapidly and turned my attention back on Mason.
"It's good to have you back, Mase," I said lightly punching his shoulder. "I gotta run, I'm meeting Lissa in a bit and I need to get ready."
"Hold on, Rose. Lissa can wait a bit. You see her every day. I need to talk to you."
"Okay, shoot," I said smiling friendly. He walked us over to a bench under a tree near the edge of the academy.
"Rose, I did a lot of thinking the past week and I've been trying to think of the right words to say to you." He took a deep breath. "I like you." Shit. "I really like you." Double shit. He took my hand in his and squeezed gently. "I want us to be more than friends." His handsome face beamed with hope. I should have known this was coming. We had always flirted but it was just for fun on my part. Even before Dimitri, I had never liked Mason in that way. I flirted back because it was so easy and he was a good flirt, but I knew it wasn't just fun for him. It was unfair of me to let it go on for so long.
I had to break his heart. I squeezed his hand back and took a deep breath, readying myself for the words that would hit like a killing blow.
"Mase, Listen… We can't be together." I could almost see his heart shatter as his smile disappeared. I kept holding his hands and pushed through my feelings of guilt, continuing my speech which I hoped would soften the rejection as much as possible. "You are one of my oldest and closest friends. You have been a huge part of my life and I don't want to lose you. I love you, Mason. Truly. Just not in that way."
"Maybe you can grow to have feelings for me. Maybe-"
"No. I can't," I interrupted. He had to know my feelings for him would never change.
Masons face morphed from sorrow to anger. He jumped from the bench letting go of my hands. "Why not? You used to flirt with me all the time and you're telling me it meant nothing to you?"
"I enjoyed flirting with you. It was so easy, and I liked the attention. I didn't mean to make you think there was a future. It was my fault. I should have been clearer."
"You think?" he shouted. I flinched. "I had a crush on you for years, Rose. I stood by and flirted with you then watched you hook up with other random guys and I was grateful when you came back and flirted with me again. I told myself they were nothing and that one day you would notice me. God, I am such an idiot." He dropped to the bench and ran his hands over his face.
"No, you're not, Mason. You are many things, but you are not an idiot. You just fell for the wrong girl. But there is a girl out there waiting for you to sweep her off her feet and flirt with till the sun goes down," I said gesturing to the sun slowly setting. Dark was falling rapidly. The temperature was already beginning to drop. "You are such a good guy, Mason. Ang girl would be lucky to have you. I'm just not the right one." I stood, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "I should go. Lissa's expecting me." I turned to leave but heard Mason mumble something I couldn't make out.
I paused. "What?"
"There's something else." He lifted his head from his hands. "I've always been able to tell when you're lying to me, and you just did."
I blinked. "I didn't lie about anything," I argued.
"I heard the truth in your words, but I can tell there's more. Something you're not telling me." He stood from the bench and crossed the small distance to where I stood.
"I don't know what to tell you, Mason. I explained everything."
"There!" he exclaimed. "You're voice wavered. That's your tell. I first picked up on it when we were kids. So slight you wouldn't notice unless you knew how to look for it. You're hiding something. You're seeing someone."
"No," I protested but it was too quick and even I heard the waver in my voice. Mason Smirked.
"Who is it?" I said nothing. "Adrian Ivashkov? No, he has only been here a couple of days and I'd hope you'd never stoop that low." Mason moved in closer. My stomach turned with nausea. Mason knew me so well, almost better than Lissa. If anyone could figure out my secret, it would be him. "Hmm. Who could it be? It's not like there are many options. You wouldn't get to spend any time with him because you spend way too much time with Guardian Beli-" Mason froze, his eyes wide and jaw dropped. He'd figured it out. Fuck.
"Mason," I called waving my hand in front of his face. No response. "Mason." Finally, his pupils dilated, his eyes fixed on me and he took off storming across the field. The sky turned dark with no moon in the sky making it hard to make out his marching figure, but his blazing red hair basically glowed in the endless night. I sprinted after him. "Mason! Mason Wait!" I called. He whorled around to face me, his face was angrier than I had ever seen it before.
"He's a teacher, Rose. Your teacher!" he spat. My eyes scanned to make sure no one was nearby.
"He's not my teacher. He doesn't grade me he just mentors me there's a difference."
"No there isn't. He is employed by the academy. I expected this kind of thing from you-"
My brow furrowed in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, my tone warning him to think about his next words very carefully.
"You've always been reckless. Always found the worst situation and thrown yourself into it head first. But I didn't think that would mean you'd ever get involved with Guardian Belikov. You should have known better and he definitely should have known better."
"Mase it's not what you think. Please just let me explain-" he cut me off.
"Did you sleep with him?" I froze. My expression must have told him everything. He turned around and stormed off again. I chased after him pulling on his sleeve.
"Where are you going?"
"To tell Alberta and Kirova and everyone. This needs to stop right now." He said. My breath hitched. He was going to destroy us. All of my fears were coming true.
"Please, Mason. You can't. Please!" I cried.
"Why not?" he asked still not stopping. At that moment Mason wasn't my friend. He was someone trying to hurt someone I loved, and I wouldn't let him. My hysteria broke and all my training kicked in. I yanked the back of his shirt as hard as I could, pulling him around. He hadn't seen it coming before my first flew into his side. The air rushed from him and Mason fell forward clutching his ribs. I didn't let him recover before I swung his legs out from beneath him and knocked him to the ground. Mason readied himself for the next blow, but he was too late. I had him pinned in a position Dimitri taught me that I knew he wouldn't get out of easily.
"Because I love him." Mason's glare softened as he looked at me. Tears ran down my face, but I refused to move. "I love him and if you hurt him you hurt me too." Mason stared at me for a moment before sagging back into the snow. I waited a moment but finally let him go, collapsing beside him in the slushy mess.
"I'm sorry. I should have known that there was more to it," he whispered.
"I don't blame you. I did have a pretty slutty reputation. But I'm not that girl anymore. A lot has changed since coming back. Dimitri helped with that." Mason tensed at the mention of Dimitri's name.
"You really do love him, don't you?" I nodded.
"I do. And he loves me."
"I never stood a chance against him," Mason muttered. I turned my head to face him.
"I meant what I said. I love you, but only as my friend. I hope that's enough for you because I truly do not what to lose you." My stomach turned again. More violently than before. I thought it was because I was freaking out about Mason. But now it was worse. Something was wrong.
"That is enough for me." He sat up. "Let's get out of here. I'm cold and wet and I need to unpack."
My stomach turned again. "Hold on. Something's not right."
"Rose? are you okay? You're looking a little pale." Just then something zoomed past and hit the ground a few feet away from us. I jumped to my feet and followed Mason to see what it was. Mason brushed through the snow until he came upon the hilt of a silver stake. I remembered what Dimitri had told me about Badica attack a few weeks ago. A group of Strigoi. Arthur Schoenberg dead. Wards down. Pierced by humans with a silver stake.
"The wards are broken," I whispered.
"Who would throw a stake at the snow?" asked Mason.
I had to act fast. The wards were down. They would be here any second "Mason, I need you to run to the Guardian building. Find Alberta and Dimitri."
"Why? What's going on, Rose."
"Tell them to sound the alarm. We are under attack," I said pulling out the beautiful stake Dimitri had given me.
"What? I don't understand."
"Strigoi."
And then all hell broke loose.
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Will have an update soon. Thanks for the constant support and sweet comments. It makes me so happy to hear people are enjoying this story. Please Review your thoughts and feelings and I'll see you again soon.