Hey guys! Thank you for your reviews, they're very much appreciated :)

As I said in the last chapter, there is BDSM in this one. Again, nothing crazy or super intense, but the dom/sub dynamics are there. There's also some fluff. I hope it's not too much.

I had undressed completely, just as Dimitri had asked, and was now kneeling on the bed with my knees spread apart. I was facing my headboard and resisted the urge to look behind me as I kept my head down. My heart was beating fast, but I wasn't scared.

I felt the bed dip behind me as Dimitri came up close, placing his hands on my arms. "Are you afraid?" he asked, rubbing his thumbs over my skin.

I shook my head. "No, sir. Just a little nervous, but I'm okay. I feel safe with you."

"Good." Dimitri moved my hair to the side so that he could whisper in my ear. "I always want you to feel safe with me, Roza." His hands slid down, grabbing mine which had been resting on my thighs. He turned them over so that my palms faced the ceiling.

"Palms are always open," he instructed. I nodded, still keeping my head down. I had never been in such a submissive pose in my life, but I was thrilled and happy to do it for him.

"Close your eyes," he ordered. My breathing increased, but I did as he asked, feeling a little hesitant.

"I-I don't want to be blindfolded," I admitted. I trusted him, but the thought of losing my sight was a little scary. It was supposed to be something exciting, but every time I closed my eyes, I imagined things I didn't want to see. Sometimes, the memories replayed in my head which was why I felt so scared when I didn't have a view of my surroundings.

"I'm not blindfolding you, Roza," Dimitri reassured me, placing a hand over my stomach and rubbing calming circles. "I just want you to keep your eyes closed, but remember, we have to communicate. If you feel scared at any moment, you can tell me and I'll let you open them again."

Now that I could handle. Dimitri was giving me the power to stop things while still being in control. All I had to do was tell him if it became too much to handle.

"Tell me," he said, still rubbing my abdomen to calm me down, "what do you see when your eyes are closed? What goes on in your mind?"

"It's not...pleasant," I admitted shamefully. "I see myself getting hurt again. I feel like I'm back at that...place." I spat the word like venom. "I still remember everything like it was just yesterday. I remember the looks they gave me while they used me. I remember getting beaten if I wasn't good enough or if I didn't make enough money. Or...whenever I tried to escape. I tried so many times, and every time, it was the same result. It made me believe I was the stupid one for trying at all."

By the time I finished, my speech had sped up and my emotions had started to creep up on me. I was ranting—painfully—and I couldn't stop the tears that came pouring down. Dimitri gently wiped my tears away, kissing my cheek before his hands slid down to my open palms again, lacing our fingers together. Now that his hands were holding mine, I felt a little better.

"You're not there anymore, Roza." I could hear the pain in Dimitri's voice despite doing his best to stay strong for me. He was always my source of guidance and strength, but he had feelings too and he made it clear that it hurt for him to know how much pain I was in. I appreciated him so much for being there for me and being strong.

"You're here with me and you're safe," he said, giving my hands a tight squeeze. "Every time you close your eyes, I want you to try to replace those memories with something good. I'm not saying it's easy, but I need you to try. Use your other senses and tell me something else that you can feel—something that grounds you. It can be anything."

I followed his instructions, trying to push the negative memories away. "Right now...your hands."

"My hands?" he asked. There was curiosity in his voice as well as understanding.

"Yes, sir. When you hold mine the way you are now, it gives me the reassurance that you're really here. It helps ground me." I paused, feeling the urge to squeeze his hand the way he had—so I did. Our grips were both tight now. "I know it probably sounds strange—"

"It doesn't," Dimitri interrupted. "There is nothing wrong with needing to hold my hand. If it helps you reconnect with yourself, that's okay."

"Thank you...for understanding," I whispered, still feeling a little emotional. Dimitri kissed my cheek again, but this time his lips lingered there, filled with love and affection. It was crazy that he could do this to me simply by talking. It almost felt like we were bonding.

"Are you still okay with me tying your hands? Or is it too much?" he asked. Although I had been feeling a little nervous before, I felt completely relaxed now. I wasn't thinking of the memories. I was once afraid of doing things like this, but I wasn't afraid now. The fact that I could be this intimate with Dimitri, surrendering to him and trusting him not to hurt me, was both erotic and powerful.

"I'm okay to keep going," I told him. "I'm all yours."

Dimitri groaned against my cheek, and I felt his lips on my neck before he whispered into my ear again. "I want you to keep your eyes closed for me," he said.

I nodded as Dimitri released his fingers from mine before gathering my hands behind my back, holding them together. He used the silk belt from my bathrobe to tie them together, but he was careful not to make anything too tight or cut off any circulation. Although I couldn't see what he was doing, I could feel him looping the fabric and creating complicated knots. For whatever reason, I could feel heat pooling in between my legs and had the urge to close them, but I stayed put and waited.

Dimitri tightened it one last time before wrapping his arms around my exposed body, pressing my back against his chest. He kept his left arm around my chest, cupping my right breast in his hand while his other one wrapped around my stomach, holding me tightly against him. My body ached to have his hand further down, but I didn't move or speak until he asked me to.

"How do you feel?" he asked, kissing my exposed neck. I didn't answer him at first as I was too distracted by his hands until he suddenly swatted my inner thigh and pinched my nipple. I squealed, struggling against the bindings on my wrists.

"Answer my question, Roza."

"I-I feel...good. Aroused." Saying those words out loud was a lot harder for me now that I was vulnerable, but this seemed to amuse Dimitri as he lowered his right hand down.

"And you're not afraid?" he pushed, pausing his movements as he waited for me to speak.

"No, sir," I answered, shivering when he pressed a kiss behind my ear. He lowered his hand again, gently grazing against my intimate area. I gasped when he cupped it firmly in his hand.

"This is mine," he said, tightening his grip to drive his point through.

"It's all yours. I'm all yours. Whatever you want," I cried, leaning my head back to rest on his shoulder. Dimitri's fingers found my clit and started circling slowly while his other hands massaged my breasts. I tried to keep my moans to a whisper, knowing people could hear me from their rooms if I was too loud. When I couldn't keep it all in, Dimitri reached up, putting his hand on my mouth to keep me quiet. This only seemed to turn me on more, but my moans were muffled effectively as he continued to rub my clit in a way that drove me insane. I realized I couldn't touch him or myself with my hands tied despite my urges. I had to be patient and wait for him to give me what I needed.

"Here's how this is going to work," Dimitri whispered, slowing his pace. He removed his hand from my mouth and instead wrapped it around my throat and jaw, being careful not to restrict any breathing as he tilted my head up. He hadn't permitted me to open my eyes, so I kept them closed. "You can open your eyes when you come—and only when I give you permission to do so. I want your eyes on me when I make you fall apart in my arms, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," I gasped out. He resumed, quickening his pace on my clit again. He kept his hand on my throat, kissing me everywhere on my head and delivering endless affection. He silenced my moans once again by sealing my lips with his, darting his tongue out to invade my mouth. I could already feel my orgasm start to build up and I wasn't sure how long I could hold on. As soon as Dimitri pulled back for air, I started begging him. "I'm so close...please let me come for you. Please."

Dimitri kissed my jaw as he stimulated my sensitive nerves at a rapid pace. "Let go for me, Roza."

I had finally been liberated and screamed as my walls clenched tightly. I moved my hips against Dimitri's hand as a wave of pleasure hit me, starting at my clit and spreading all over my body. With my head still tilted upwards, my eyes fluttered open, meeting Dimitri's, and I kept my gaze on him as I came hard in his arms.

Tears were coming down again, but they were simply there from just how good my orgasm was. Dimitri released my neck, brushing some of the tears away with his fingers. He was smiling down at me and I blinked a few times, realizing how incredibly clear my vision was. My eyes must have been red. I was insecure about my strigoi eyes, but Dimitri had other thoughts. The fact that I was so emotional and in a different headspace must have caused them to come out because I wasn't thirsty.

"Beautiful," Dimitri said, unable to look away. "They're so beautiful..." He finished his sentence by saying something in Russian, and although I didn't understand him, it sounded a lot like admiration.

"You think my eyes are beautiful?" I croaked.

"Yes, Roza, I do. I love them. You should never feel bad about those special eyes of yours. They're a part of you and you should embrace them."

I smiled, leaning my head against his shoulder again. My legs were hurting now after kneeling for so long and they desperately needed to be stretched out. Dimitri helped me, keeping me seated while slowly stretching my legs. My limbs were sore, but the pain wasn't too bad.

When he started to untie my hands, I objected. "No, wait," I said, stopping him. "I want to keep that on while you hold me."

"Why?" he asked. I didn't even know how to answer that since I barely understood what was going on in my head, but for some reason, I wanted him to keep the silk belt around my hands for a little longer. Was it for a sense of security? Was it the fact that I was still feeling submissive? Was it because of my current headspace?

"I don't understand it, to be honest," I answered. "Just hold me. Please."

Dimitri didn't question it any further and removed his shirt to give me bare skin contact—something I loved when it came down to cuddling. He set my pillows up against my headboard so that he could sit comfortably. It was hard for me to move, but he helped me, gathering me into his arms and holding me tightly. There was something so intimate about letting him hold me while I was restrained. I still didn't understand it, but I liked it.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked. "Does anything hurt? Do you need water? Blood?"

"I'm fine, Comrade," I chuckled. "Are you okay? I didn't...do anything for you. I didn't please you."

Dimitri pulled away, running a hand through my hair. "You did please me. It's not all about serving me or giving me all the pleasure in the world. The fact that you put so much trust into my hands and let yourself be vulnerable with me is more than I could ever ask for. You opened up about something very personal to you. You did well."

"I did?" I asked. "I was good?"

Dimitri's lips quirked up as he reassured me once again. "Yes. You're a good girl, Roza."

I blushed, snuggling closer to him as much as I could. "Can we do this more often? Everything we did today...and this too," I said shyly, moving my shoulders to emphasize what I meant.

"Cuddling while you're still tied up, you mean," Dimitri clarified for me.

"Yeah," I laughed. "I just like it. Don't ask why."

Dimitri smiled, laying my head against his chest and stroking my hair. "Okay. Your secret is safe with me, Roza." I relaxed, growing more and more tired as Dimitri held me against his chest. After a little while, he whispered, "I think I like this too, but I can't keep you tied up forever. I have to release you now."

"Okay." I moved off of him, sliding down to give him access to my wrists. He set me free and I moved my hands in front of me, rolling my joints around.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, grabbing one of my wrists to check the marks it left behind.

"No," I said. Dimitri looked a little guilty and softly kissed the area. He even ran his fingers over the scars of self-harm that I had inflicted a few months ago and brought my arm to his mouth to kiss those too. I was always ashamed of those marks, but they weren't going anywhere. In Dimitri's eyes, they were like battle scars during one of the hardest times of my life and he never shamed me for them despite being on the constant lookout to make sure I didn't do it again.

"Can you stay here?" I murmured, watching him stand up for a moment to remove his pants as well. He kept his boxers on, sitting down next to me.

"Of course I'll stay. I just have to wake up early for dorm security."

"That's fine." I yawned, still exhausted from our little scene. Dimitri chuckled as he rearranged my pillows and crawled under my duvet.

"Get in here, Milaya," he said cheerfully, pulling me in with him. He wrapped his arms around my small body, making sure I was warm and comfortable. My head rested against his chest, listening to his heartbeat as our limbs tangled together.

"Milaya? Did you really just say that?" I asked, laughing at sweet he sounded. I didn't know the direct translation, but I recognized it as a Russian word that was generally used for affection for women.

Dimitri kissed my cheek, murmuring, "That's exactly what I said."

I was ecstatic the next morning. My sleep was peaceful with Dimitri by my side, and I had a lingering smile on my face after he kissed me goodbye when he had to take his shift. After putting on a pair of warm leggings, it took me a good five minutes to choose which one of Dimitri's hoodies to wear. My closet was filled with them and they were so big they took up at least one-third of the space. It was worth it because his hoodies were warmer and bigger than mine which was perfect for the winter.

When I walked into class—ten minutes late—I spotted him at the back and he shook his head with a smile when he saw me. I sat down at the back once again, pulling out my laptop. I managed to stay awake this time, but I was relieved when the professor called for a twenty-minute break. I was about to talk to Dimitri behind me when someone else sat down, startling me.

"Boo!"

I jumped in my seat, expecting to see Avery, but instead, I saw Adrian.

"Don't scare me like that!" I said while hitting him on the back of his head. He only laughed and leaned over the long table, closing my laptop.

"Little dhampir, are you going to that New Years' party?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh god, not you too. Avery's been bugging me about that all week."

"Well, yeah, she's hosting it. She's a social butterfly." Adrian looked away for a second as he propped his head on his hand. "There's just something about her that kind of pulls me in, you know?"

"You like her?" I asked him skeptically.

Adrian smirked, shrugging his shoulders. "What's not to like? She's..." he paused, and it looked like he was unable to come up with anything. Well, that was sad.

I knew Adrian's personal life wasn't my business and I didn't need to get into the details, but something else was on my mind. "Why did you invite her to our dinner? That was supposed to be for family and close friends."

Adrian narrowed his eyes at me as his brows creased together. His usual attitude started to dissipate, and he looked at me with uncertainty. He opened his mouth to say something, but it didn't look like he had much to say. He suddenly looked confused. Adrian rarely looked like this.

"I have no idea. I don't even remember inviting her," he said, still concentrating. He got up from the seat, heading for the back door of the class. "Sorry. I have to go."

"What? Adrian!" I called. He was already out, leaving me wondering what the hell had just happened. Dimitri approached me where I sat, keeping his guardian mask on but speaking to me softly.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"I don't know. I asked Adrian why he invited Avery to our dinner and then he got all confused," I muttered, leaning back in my chair.

"Maybe he got drunk?" Dimitri wondered. "Or maybe he just doesn't remember."

"Yeah, probably," I sighed. My mind was still replaying Adrian's words. I had never seen him look so confused and out of it. He had popped in here with his usual attitude and walked out looking completely different. Even if Adrian had gotten drunk—which wouldn't have surprised me—something was still wrong. Every time I saw him with Avery, he didn't even look remotely happy. He was just there, following her around like a dog. While Adrian and I shared no romantic feelings for each other whatsoever, I still wanted him to find someone who made him happy. Under all his flirtatious charms, he was a good guy and I didn't want to see his feelings get toyed around.

If I could promise myself not to get drunk at that stupid party, I could go. The school didn't let me do fuck all without my guardians and Dimitri wasn't a student, so all I needed was for Eddie to go with me.

Was it too much? I hope it wasn't. I want to keep the dom/sub dynamic going without going overboard considering Rose's situation. Anyways, I still hope you liked it. Stay safe!