A.N: Hey guys!!!

So, as promise here is chapter 19 with some hot Dimitri in it lol. I want to thanks Natasha and Shella again for taking the time to reread my chapter and tell me what they think of it.

I was absolutely delighted to read all your reviews and I really hope you will enjoy this chapter just as much =D

For the poll on my profile I wanted to tell you that Vampire Diaries is wining for now and that you can vote till Sunday.

Well, don't forget to review and tell me what you think. =D

Chapter 19:

We all set up the alarm for an hour before sunset, just to be sure THAT we were ready for Dimitri when he came to attack…or to take me away.

Would he want to change here, right on the balcony, or would he take me away again and lock me up in order to taunt me more?

I sighed and stroked my stake idly. I'd decided to take the one Dimitri sent to me at the Academy.

I put some 'attract strigoi' potion on my neck. It had a sickening sweet scent, but if it could drive Dimitri directly to me, it was worth it.

"Wow girl you stink!" Christian said, sniffing my neck.

"Well it's a nice change…Usually you are the stinky one." I said, playfully punching his shoulder.

"Oh really? I didn't know you were smelling me." He wiggled his eyebrows. "That's nice info Miss Hathaway."

"Yeah well---"

"Rose it's time." Said Pavel, trying to sound relaxed but I could see from the way he stood that he was stressed.

I nodded. "I'll be right over," I said before pulling Christian into a bear hug.

"You be careful Rose, ok? No kamikaze trick." He said, hugging me tight.

"Always." I said with a smile before letting go of him.

"That's not very reassuring." He grimaced.

I chuckled. "Same to you fire boy. Lissa needs you… I need you." I said, pulling him into a hug. It was a good thing the others were already in the secured room or there just might have been some sort of mix up and death wishes and threats would've flown.

Adrian had been the hardest to convince. They all went in the room more or less happily to finish setting everything up for the reversion and Dimitri's captivity. But Adrian…Adrian was a different story.

"I'm not going anywhere! I said to your mother I would help to keep you safe," he said, sitting stubbornly on the kitchen chair.

I sighed and took his hand to help him up. "I know that, Adrian. Believe me, I know you are brave enough. It's just," I intertwined our fingers and looked into his intense emerald eyes."You know what we talked about yesterday don't you?"

"Of course! How could I forget when you said that--"

"Good," I said, cutting him off. Maybe we were alone in the kitchen but the house was full of Moroi and dhampirs so…super hearing all around. "And do you think I would let you get hurt even a little?"

"I guess not," he said. I could hear the caution in his voice.

"Ok, and do you think I could be totally focused on the goal if I knew you were roaming somewhere in the house unprotected? Of course not."

Adrian frowned suspiciously, I could see he didn't like where I was going because he knew I was right.

"And you also know that I would risk myself to keep you safe, out of harm's way." I took a deep breath and squeezed his hand. "The best way to keep me safe is to do what is planned and to keep yourself safe so I don't worry unnecessarily and keep my mind sharp and focused."

Adrian groaned and grimaced. "You win," he said grudgingly.

"It's not a game," I said darkly. "Whatever happens, I lose in some ways." I pulled him toward the safe room where the others were already setting things up.

"I love you," he whispered as he went into the room.

"Me too," I replied, squeezing his hand once more.

Adrian walked into the room and one of my father's guardians guarded it

"You ok?" Asked Pavel, bringing me back to reality.

"Uh? Yeah." I replied, shaking my head. "I was just…thinking."

"Do you need help thinking?" He asked, trying to sound lighthearted but I could see the honest concern in his eyes.

"It's ok…it's all thought out. But thanks," I said, forcing a smile.

"Anytime," he said with a sharp nod before leaving the room.

I watched his retreating form, thinking that he would've been an awesome friend if he'd just remove the stick in his ass.

"Alright," I whispered to myself. I hid my stake under my hoodie, tightened my hair into a high ponytail and went to wait on the rear deck.

My heart was going a thousand miles an hour and I fought to breath normally so I could regulate it. If Dimitri picked up on my heart rate it would be a disaster. He would know I was waiting for him and be even more weary.

Calm down Rose…Just breathe. I kept repeating to myself. I took deep breaths and forced myself to think of those moments right after we would bring Dimitri back. The human look back in his eyes, the tenderness, the love…Soon after, my heart slowed down.

I let my eyes roam on the dark forest around me. I really hoped I'd made the right decision in following the divagations of a mad man.

After a little moment I saw a blinding light coming from a tree on my left.

Here we go, Christian is fighting,I thought, gripping the banister.

"Roza," I hear a voice breathe in my ear.

I whirled around, a gasp escaping my lips. I didn't even have to fake my surprise. Dimitri stood before me, my stake lying at the ground at his feet. I couldn't believe he's managed to get to me so quickly and silently.

Dimitri placed my stake on his belt.

"Dimitri how--It's---" I looked around. I heard Pavel shout something but he was too far for me to make out his words.

"Shush Roza," He said, his cold gaze and heartless smile sending shivers down my spine. "How I made my way back to you is not important." His smile grew wider. "You wouldn't want your friends to worry and come out right?" He shook his head." You know I wouldn't mind killing them, don't you?"

"I know," I whispered, still dazed that he made it to me so fast.

"Good." He chuckled. "Come on, cheer up, Roza! We're finally reunited!" He walked closer to me. "That's what you always wanted, remember? For us to be together."

"Yeah… " I said, looking down at my hand. I took off the healing ring I was wearing on my thumb and pretended to play with it. I knew Dimitri would hate the distraction.

"I'm talking Roza, don't you dare ignore me! Don't get me mad!" He took the ring from me violently. "You know you don't like me when I'm mad," he said, coldly sliding the ring on him index.

"I…" I kept looking down, doing my best to hide my smile.

"You know, on my way here I was still unsure of what I should do with you," he said, placing his icy cold fingers to my chin. I shuddered at his touch as he slowly lifted my face to look up into his eyes.

Seeing the ring of red around his irises made me sick, but I tried to keep my emotions in check and my expression blank.

"I changed my mind so many times. Should I just kill you? I mean--" he kissed my lips forcefully. "You don't deserve much more! You staked me…Twice!" He said, showing me two fingers.

"So kill me," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking. I looked down, again playing with the ring I was wearing on my other thumb.

"Would you just stop doing that?!" He growled, taking my other ring and sliding it onto the forefinger of his other hand.

I thought I could see the light flickering in his eyes, along with a hint of confusion, but he didn't seem to realize that it was coming from the rings.

"I can't kill you Roza." He brought his hand to my cheek and gently brushed my cheekbone with the pad of his thumb. "Ask me again."

"Ask you what?" I asked, honestly confused. I had to move along now. The others were waiting in the room and I just hoped they wouldn't get impatient and start moving around.

"What you asked me on the bridge." He said, so close I could feel his breath on my face.

"What I--" I froze as I remembered now. I had asked him why he'd wanted me to join him, and he'd said that he wanted me. Just that he wanted me, and nothing more. "W-why do you want me to join you?" I asked to humor him.

"Because I love you, Roza." He said. His smile was warmer now. The healing was working; I had to move now. "Always have, always will."

I nodded. "Okay then."

"Okay?!" He asked, surprised.

"I'll join you but… but not here," I said, taking his hand and intertwining our fingers.

Dimitri's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I…I can't risk my friends, and I'm still a dhampir for now so I don't want to take the risk and end up hurting them."

"Why would you join me after… after refusing for so long?" He asked, still suspicious.

Think Rose think! I thought. "You love me…That's all I need and…" I sighed. "I'm tired of fighting you because," I brought his hand to my lips and kissed it. "As much as I tried hating you, I just couldn't. I mean ,yeah a part of me hated you, but a bigger part of me loved you and I know that I won't be able to get rid of that part. I will love you forever Dimitri, Strigoi or not." I said, keeping my eyes on his because it was the truth and I knew it was the only thing that could convince him.

He was still for a few seconds before he pulled me up and crushed his lips onto mine with so much passion I nearly forgot all of this was an act. I did my best to kiss him back just as fiercely. Once he could feel I was breathless, he bit my bottom lip, piercing the skin with one fang before sucking slowly the small amount of blood.

"I missed your blood Roza, it tastes just…" he sighed with content. "It's just like heaven."

"Let me just say goodbye to Lissa," I said, pointing to the door. "I'll be out in a minute. "

"I'm not letting you out of my sight Rose. I trust you(,) but I'm not an idiot. I'm coming with you."

"But…" I started, trying to look worried, but it was exactly what I was hoping for.

"I won't hurt them, I promise you," he said, squeezing my hand. "I have no quarrel with them, I told you already. I came here to claim what's mine, and that's you. As long as they don't try to stop me," he shrugged. "Nobody will get hurt."

"Ok…" I said, trying to sound wary. I kept my grip on his hand as I pulled him silently in the house with me. I had to remind myself I was doing what was best for him, for us.

As soon as I crossed the door from the kitchen to the living room, I dodged as Pavel, who was as fast as lightening, plunged his stake hard into Dimitri's chest.

Dimitri gasped and let go of my hand, allowing me to turn around. I could see so many emotions in his eyes beside the life escaping him. Pain, betrayal, anger, fear and the most painful…love.

"Why?…" He whispered crashing as he fell to the floor but Pavel caught him before he completely crumbled.

"Open the door!" I shouted, going to Dimitri's left side to help Pavel drag him into the room.

As soon as we walked in, Arch took over for me and helped Pavel set Dimitri down in the cot. The three Spirit users almost immediately knelt down beside him and started to send a small stream of healing magic into him while the two guardians tied Dimitri's almost dead body to the cot just in case.

"Leave the stake," said Victor, who was leaning against the far wall, his hand resting on Roberts' shoulder.

"Christian?" I asked worriedly, looking around.

"Here," he said from behind me.

I turned around and sighed with relief. He looked tired but unarmed.

"Glad to have you back."

"Same goes to you," he said hugging me before rushing beside Lissa.

"Yeah… I'm not done here." I whispered to myself.

At this instant, Andre appeared, materializing with the black hole.

"It's my call," I said to Sydney, and I could see that she handed me the potion with reluctance. "It'll be alright," I said, trying to reassure her…well everyone actually, myself included.

I sat on the chair and drank the potion in one gulp, wincing as the fluid burned down my throat. I closed my eyes as the taste faded and opened my eyes to find that nothing had changed.

I jumped from the chair. "Your potion didn't work!" I shouted to Sydney.

She didn't even turn around to look at me, but kept looking at the healing team working on Dimitri.

"Syd! I'm talking to you!" Still, she didn't move. I growled with exasperation.

"She can't hear you," Andre said loud and clear. I almost forgot how his voice sounded like.

"What?" I asked, surprised.

Andre pointed to a point behind me and when I turned I saw myself! Or, at least, my body that my worried father was cradling. Holy shit, I looked like crap.

"Holly shit!" I looked at my hands. "I'm a spirit!"

"No shit, Sherlock." Said Andre, not able to conceal the sarcasm.

I shook my head.

"Come on, let's go" he said, extending his hand toward me.

"Yeah…" I said, trying to sound far more confident than I actually felt. It was so odd to actually grip his hand, to feel his soft skin. Well, I guess since we were both spirits, the laws of the whole spirit thing were all getting screwed didn't really apply to us anymore.

"I'm here for you; I'll help you make it back. You and him both," he said, squeezing my hand reassuringly as the black hole sucked us in.

God help me! I thought as everything went black.