A.N: Hey guys!!!
Firstly a special thanks to Natasha and Shella ( the work you've put in this chapter was absolutely wonderful thanks buddy!!) for taking the time to beta this chapter =D
Oh just so you know there is a new poll on my profile, it will let you guys to choose the subject of my next story. I will let it up for about 2 weeks so…
Well here is some Rose/Adrian that you were longing for.
Don't forget to review and tell me what you think in next chapter….Dimitri.
Thanks again for your support. You guys really rock!!
Take care.
Chapter 18:
Once we landed I had made my decision, I was going to go and look for Dimitri's soul. After everything my friends sacrificed and risked, I couldn't just turn away at the last moment and I had to ask myself: Could I ever live with myself, knowing that Dimitri's redemption was within my reach yet I didn't seize it? Did I even have to ask? I knew the answer in my heart. There was no way I would've forgiven myself.
When we stepped out of the plane, there was a black sedan car parked a bit further down with a woman standing by the hood. I knew she was the other Secret service agent and boy, did she made it obvious. I was sure that woman could never go unnoticed in a crowd. If she ever infiltrated something she had to have done it as a guardian, a cop, or something, because anything else would have just been impossible for her to impersonate.
She wasn't old, maybe mid thirties, with pale brown hair cut short like a pixie. She was about my height, so nothing special about her on that level. It was everything else! Her face was hard and her grey eyes were expressionless. It was as if she'd seen far too much, and that fact alone made her seem invincible. From her glance at me, I felt like she no longer expected anything good out of the human race.
Arch went down first to talk with her and I stood under the plane threshold looking down at them. He said that he would gesture to us to come down when we were ready to go.
"It's a state of mind Rose; you will never be like her." said Victor looking down at them, from the shadowy spot beside the door.
I stayed silent. Victor may be an earth user but he had the very annoying ability to read me way too thoroughly.
"And look at the bright side, with the way you are living your life…" he shook his head. "You probably won't reach her age anyways."
I took a deep breath and took the bait like he knew I would. "You don't think we're going to succeed do you?"
Victor look down at me silently for a minute. "For your sake, I really hope we do, because I know you well enough to know that, if you fail, you'll keep fighting the impossible till you fall in the heart of a battle."
I snorted. "Like you care!" I said, still not looking at him, and I was relieved when Arch gestured us down, stopping the possibility the discussion continuing.
"Ahhh, the Dragomir cabin, I missed this place." said Victor as we reached the car.
"I bet you did." I muttered, getting in the car beside him.
When we arrived at the cabin, Arch and the woman, apparently named Smith, took Victor and Robert in the main room, probably to arrange every aspect of the security. Pavel and I took the back entrance as I wanted some alone time with Lissa before she would have to face Victor.
As soon as I walked in the kitchen I froze on the spot.
"No!" I gasped. "No, no, no! You can't be here! You have to go!" I said taking a step back bumping on Pavel's chest.
"Calm down Rose." Said my father approaching me.
"You…" I shook my head "you weren't supposed to be here. It's dangerous; you have to go."
He smiled and rested his hands on my shoulders." It's not that dangerous remember? You keep saying that you are all overly prepared, that it's safe."
"I---" I gave him my best death glare. "THAT was a low blow." I simply said.
"Like father like daughter," he said with a wide smile. "But did you really think I would let you risk your life without being here?" He asked rhetorically. "Think again Kazim."
I sighed, shaking my head in defeat.
"Plus I brought my other two guardians" he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "The more the better, right?"
"But baba I---" I started.
"We're all good and it's pointless for you to say anything, I won't budge anyway." He said, walking me toward the main room.
I followed him there, completely forgetting that I wanted to see Lissa. But it didn't matter, because anyways as she was already in the living room.
Lissa was sitting between Adrian and Christian, who held her hand tightly. When I walked in, I felt her joy of having me back radiating through the bond, but surprisingly, that wasn't overshadowed by fear. In fact, there was almost no fear there.
I looked at her quizzically and she smiled.
'It's actually a lot easier than I thought it would be' she said directly in my mind. "I'm surrounded by all the people that love me and six killer guardians. With all these people, he's really not scary anymore. Besides, you're here now."
I nodded smiling. My Lissa was becoming tougher and it was a relief to figure that one out, she would probably heal and move on with time if I didn't get out of this one alive.
After that we all went in the dining room and sat around the big oak table as the six guardians stood against the wall.
I related what Robert already told me in the plane concerning my need, as a shadow kissed dhampir, to go and retrieve Dimitri's soul from the 'Land of the dead'. I of course left out the whole 'I-might-not-make-it-back' part and Victor kept it his mouth shut. He just looked at me with a mocking smile.
"The healing hands have to keep the dark one in the shadow, between the worlds. The dark will be weak enough for the light to claim back its place." Said Robert keeping his eyes on me only.
It was lucky I remembered how much I needed him and that his mental health was not the best, because I was one step away from telling him to take a picture because it would last longer.
Christian shot me such a 'dude-what-the-fuck?!' look and I had to use all my will power to keep from laughing.
"What my brother means is that you have to weaken the strigoi in Belikov, so that when Rose comes back with the soul, the Strigoi in him won't be able to fight or reject the soul."
"But…how can we weaken a strigoi enough to do that?" Asked Oksana with concern. "I know we're going to make him wear some healing rings and stuff but it's barely enough to glitch his conscience, much less considerably weaken the Strigoi side of him"
"We'll have to stake him." Said Adrian from beside me.
I looked at him with horror. He patted my knee from under the table.
"But that's going to kill him!" Gasped Lissa before I even got a chance to say it myself.
"But that's exactly what we need," Said Victor looking at Adrian approvingly. "You see that's why the spirit users are so important. Once the artificial life escape him you--" he said pointing at Oksana, Lissa and Adrian. "will have to maintain just a thread of life. Just enough for his body to stay intact while 'little miss hero'"he said pointing at me "retrieves his 'real' life and puts it back in his body."
I could feel panic coming from Lissa, she was scared that she wouldn't be good enough, that her power would fail her somehow.
"It's all going to be alright." I said looking only at her. "Three spirit users are more than enough. Even if one power breaks, two should be enough."
Lissa nodded and I could feel her relax slightly.
"I still can't believe you managed to get a little alchemist into your rank Rose…I'm impressed," said Victor, diverting the conversation for the whole, 'we need to kill Dimitri to give him his life back' chat.
"So what?!" Snapped Sydney.
"I know you have a potion that helps the spirit to leave its body," Victor pointed at me. "You should make one, it would help Rose travel faster."
"How do--"
"How I know things is irrelevant." He said raising his hand stopping Sydney in mid-sentence. "Ask Rose, I know a lot; I just never tell how I know."
I pursed my lips but didn't reply because it was true.
Sydney looked at me. "Yeah I can do that if it can help," she said in defeat.
"Thank you."
"Are we done here? At least as far as you are concerned?" Asked Christian pointing from Robert to Victor.
Victor just smiled, he didn't seem offended by Christian. "Why are you in such an hurry little fire user? But yes, we're done as far as the healing is concerned. At lease in theory; now we need to wait for the practice."
"We need to speak offensive now and since you guys will be in the safe room with the spirit users and three guardians," he shrugged. "You don't really need to hear the fighting strategy."
Victor chuckled "Oooo I see, you want to get rid of the traitor while you are going over your strategy one more time, am I right?"
"Can you blame me?" Asked Christian coolly, keeping his hold on Lissa's hand.
"That's enough!" my father snapped, who'd stayed silent till now. Everyone looked up at him apprehensively. I think my father IS the only person who could actually manage to wipe the smug/cocky smile from Christian's face.
"It's alright," said Victor raising his hands in surrender. "Don't need to get worked up. Robert is hungry and tired anyways, and I don't really care about your tactics little boy. Only the end result matters to me."
When Victor stood up both Arch and Smith took a step forward.
"Two guardians for me alone?? I'm so blessed," he said, shaking his head to gesture Robert to follow him.
As soon as they were out I concentrated on Christian again. "So, 007 what's the big secret?"
Christian chuckled and stuck his tongue out. "It was no secret, I just wanted to annoy him."
"Very mature," I said trying to sound serious although I couldn't help but smile. "So what did you decide while I was away?" I asked looking at Lissa "apparently the plan has…evolved," I added locking eyes with my father.
"Nah nothing changed we just had an…addition" Said Adrian from beside me."We decided to put a weak ward around the cabin."
"Yeah without a ward…" Abe shook his head "no guardian could have bought it and Strigoi or not Belikov used to be one."
I nodded, now grateful that my father was there. I couldn't believe that none of us thought about the ward before.
"Oh and believe me or not but you can totally call me 'captain awesome'" Said Christian with a wide grin.
"And why is that?" I asked teasing.
"I took only half a potion and I managed to completely burn three dummies at more than 150 yards!" He said literally beaming.
I wanted to tease him, to tell him it wasn't that impressive, but really, it was so impressive. Christian was now the deadliest weapon against Strigoi around. "Well the four Strigoi are going to be a piece of cake for you."
"Yep….First line Ozera." He said as a joke
Lissa smiled to that but I could feel the uneasiness to that statement. She knew he was almost unbeatable as the Strigoi wouldn't except that much power, but she couldn't help it; she just loved him so much .
The rest of the plan remained mostly unchanged. Every Moroi except Christian would be in the safe room with the two secret agents and one of Abe's guardians. Pavel and Eddie would do some fake rounds, although they would still be alert, but with Christian high in a tree they probably wouldn't have to fight any Strigoi as Christian would strike the Strigoi as soon as they passed the ward, except for Dimitri. We had the element of surprise. No one would ever expect a Moroi to be waiting first line.
For position I had to fake the surveillance of the back balcony while wearing the 'Attract-strigoi' potion, the Strigoi would be attuned to my sent only…how charming!. I remembered Sydney asking me who would be idiotic enough to want to wear that. I guessed the answer was Rose Hathaway.
Once I face Dimitri, I would have to somehow put healing jewelry on him just for him to have enough of a conscience to let me lead him in the safe room and then…and then it will be the end, good or bad.
Once we were all set I went outside to have a little word with Andre. I was positive he would help me to get to the other side.
Andre showed up as soon as I called him. He informed me that Dimitri was on his way and he only had three other Strigoi with him. Yeah, apparently the Strigoi version of the love of my life had a temper and rather enjoyed decapitating any other being that questioned him with his bare hands…How nice!
Andre also agreed to come with me to the other side.
"You're one of the best option for me to find my way back to this world. Will you guide me through the limbo? " I asked him uncomfortably knowing it was like a death sentence.
He nodded.
"Are you really sure? You…you know that you won't come back afterward."
I know he mouthed then he just shrugged and disappeared.
The evening was pretty tense for obvious reasons, the presence of the most famous Moroi traitor, the risky mission we'd face in less than a day, the secret I was hiding… Everything!
We all decided to go to bed early but I kept staring at the ceiling rethinking the plan, imagining how my face to face with Dimitri would turn out.
After about 2 hours, I gave up trying to sleep. How could I, knowing that I would face Dimitri tonight? I looked at Sydney who was snoring soundly.
I was glad that I was the only one worried enough to stay awake. I sighed, wrapping myself tightly into the blanket. I was sure that a little moment in the fresh air of an early morning in the Dakota mountains would help me sleep.
I walked quietly to the back balcony and sat on the wooden bench watching the sun finish raising through the high trees.
"Can't sleep?" Asked a husky voice from the threshold.
I turned my head and smiled to a sleepy Adrian. He was still sleeping, which made him both beautiful and vulnerable.
"I could ask you the same question."
He shrugged slightly and came to stand across from me resting against the banister, protected from the sun by the balcony shade . "Are you ok, Rose?"
"As okay as I can be." I said truthfully with a small smile.
"Everything will be just fine, even…" he looked at me through narrowed eyes. "Even if I know you are hiding something from us. Your aura's told me that much."
I nodded and looked back at the trees' shadows. Adrian was not a fool and I wouldn't insult him by lying. "I'm hiding something but it's not that important. I swear you guys are safe."
"It's not really my safety I'm worried about, Rose." He said with concern.
"I want you to promise me something Adrian," I suddenly said with urgency. I realized… I realized that I couldn't bear the thought of him being hurt.
"Anything." He said almost immediately.
"Well I expect things to go smoothly but we never know right? If something, anything at all goes wrong, I want you to run." I said not able to hide the urgency in my voice. "Run to the plane without looking back. The planes are heavily warded and you'll be safe there."
"Awww, Rose," he smiled at me but he stayed against the banister. "You know how much I like pleasing you, but I guess that's the only thing I can't promise."
"I need you to be safe." I said stubbornly.
"And I need you to stay alive."
"I---Please?" I tried.
Adrian chuckled. "Do you remember when we left the Academy, your mother told me not to forget something?"
"Yeah…" I said warily.
"You asked me what she was talking about and I told you that I would tell you in due time." I nodded, getting more and more intrigued. "I think the time has come."
"I'm all ears." I said crossing my hands on my lap.
"You see, your mom came to see me just before we left, because she knew I wouldn't lie. She asked me if it was really safe enough for you."
I bit my bottom lip so hard I could taste blood in my mouth. He was touching on the thing I was feeling the worst about.
"I told her that you were safe enough, but—" he chuckled, and I could hear that it was to hide his embarrassment. "I said that I didn't know if it would change anything but that I would fight till my last breath to keep you safe."
I looked up at him, mouth agape. I knew Adrian loved me, he'd proved it to me over and over again, but I never thought it was to the point of risking his own life for me. I thought he would value his survival over mine and I didn't blame him for that. I just never thought he loved me to THAT point.
"You know, I realized you need someone to fight for you and I know that I love you more than you love yourself." He looked at me with so much tenderness that my heart tightened in my chest. "You always choose everyone else over yourself but I just can't choose anyone over you…not even myself and I wish I could say I'm sorry but I can't because I'd choose you over anyone and everything else over and over again."
"I love you." I blurted out and right at that instant I knew it was true. But of course it was not enough…far from being enough, especially when I was ready to die for another man.
"I know you do."
I had to laugh. "Well, cocky much!?"
He shook his head. "Your aura…has plenty of pinkish spots when you are with me, and since you came back the pink has increased."
"But I know it's not enough." He continued before I could comment that I was still loved Dimitri with all my heart and soul.
"Not enough?" I tried.
"In any other circumstances I would have taken that love. I would have thought you could love me but…" he shook his head. "I saw you with him, I saw your aura." He took a deep breath and I could tell what he was going to say next hurt him deeply. "It was full force red…I actually never saw an aura like that not even with Lissa and Christian. This love is…after seeing that, I knew that the feelings you may have for me are irrelevant even if it is love. It was far from being Rose worthy."
I stood up and walked to meet him. I raised my hand to his cheek and he leaned into my touch.
"Rose…" he whispered closing his eyes.
"I just want you to know that whether it works or not, whatever will happen from now on, you'll always have a very special place in my heart and that I do love you." I said in his ear fiercely. His words had made me happy yet sad at the same time, and I didn't want him to see that I was on the verge of tears.
Adrian captured my hand and leaned down to give me a chaste kiss. "I think I loved you since the moment I saw you," he whispered against my lips.
He let go and turned to walk back in. He turned back to face me just before reaching the threshold. "And just so you know, I pray every night hoping that things will work out and that you get Dimitri's soul back." I could see the utter sincerity in his eyes.
I was confused. If he loved him that much…why would he help me get someone else? "Why?" I was brave enough to ask.
Adrian stayed quiet for a minute and gave me a sad smile. "Because I love you enough to want your happiness over my own. I love you enough that if you are happy, then I am too. And I know that he is what you need…what you want." He shrugged "It's as simple as that."
I didn't know what to say and just did my best to fight the tears.
"Good night, Rose," he whispered before walking quietly back in the house.
"Goodnight…" I whispered back.