CHAPTER SEVEN
DIMITRI

Babushka's vague instructions left me curious as to what was to come. Arriving at the airstrip in Omsk, I realized I had every right to worry. I have not seen Zmey in many years, but he is still as terrifying as I remember.

He was speaking to one of his Guardians, anger evident on his face as they conversed. The younger man nodded rapidly, before running off toward the main offices. Abe stood up straighter at his departure, pulling on the jacket of his suit. He rolled his shoulders and turned toward me.

Babushka has assured me he is more than happy to give me a ride across the ocean, but I briefly contemplated purchasing a coach ticket home. Twenty-six hours stuffed in a plane with the king of snakes, I'd rather take my chances on a commercial flight.

"Belikov," he gestured me forward with a tilt of his head. "It's been a while, Son, how have you been?"

"Well, Sir, thank you, and thank you for the ride," I shook his hand as I answered.

"No problem at all, Yeva came to me a week ago said you and I were going to take the trip of a lifetime." I rose my brow, he laughed, "I don't know what she meant, but when my sister Alberta called, I figured part of it out."

My eyes widened, but before I could ask further the younger Guardian returned advising we were clear for take-off. Handing off my belongings to be loaded into the undercarriage storage, I climbed the steps to settle in for the longest flight of my life.

I slept through the first leg, waking up when we landed in London to refuel. Having not slept the night before, and not to mention I have been waking up with the sun, exhaustion claimed me as soon as the plane leveled out. Leaving London, I decided to read to pass the time before our next refueling. In the last month at home, I breezed through my collection of westerns, for the hundredth time. But I can never grow tired of reading them. Our next stop came to Utah.

If I hadn't been curious about Abe's dealings at the Academy, seeing the Alchemist join our flight would have changed that. She was young, about Rose's age, but carried herself as though she were in her late twenties. Poised and controlled when dealing with Abe, and by the look on her face, she knew of his reputation.

"Did you bring everything I requested?" Abe lifted a brow.

"Yes, I have all of her information here for you," she handed a large file over, "I also have the programs to fabricate the documents when needed." She kept her voice low, but my Dhampir hearing caught every word.

"Good. Do I need to remind you that this assignment is of the utmost importance, and you are not to share your knowledge with anyone? Including your superiors."

"No Sir, I have been briefed."

"Excellent." Abe moved back to his seat, and the girl took up home in the last chair beside me.

She fingered the delicate gold cross that hung around her neck. Her other hand fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. She wouldn't look at me, only staring straight ahead out of the window.

"I'm Dimitri," I stuck my hand out, after several moments she reached forward.

"Sydney Sage," her response deadpan.

"Nice to meet you," I chuckled. With only a small nod I left her to her thoughts, I returned to another novel.

The rest of our flight passed in a blink. Before I knew it, we were taxying the runway at the Academy. My leg bounced in anticipation to see my Roza. We may have left things on the wrong foot, but I couldn't wait to hold her again. Sydney watched me curiously but didn't say anything.

The plane stopped moving just then, the stairs lowered for us to disembark. I waited until Abe and his Guardians excited to head out. They would be headed toward the Admin building I'm sure, and I would be going straight to the Novice dorms. It was still early in the Moroi morning, so Rose should be just waking to get ready for her day.

"Belikov," a familiar voice called.

"Guardian Alto," I nodded to him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I decided to come back early," I shrugged, "Rose had called and we got into a fight, so I caught a ride home to work things out."

Alto looked between me and the SUV Abe had just climbed into, his face contorted as he tried to piece together the puzzle. "Come with me, Dimitri."

"I was…"

"Follow me, Belikov," he ordered.

Stan drove us around to the Admin building, all of us filing behind him to Alberta's office. Each step drove more questions into my mind. And when I stepped in front of her, they all vanished into clarity. She really has gotten into something big if it requires Abe's influence and an Alchemist with false documents.

"Comrade!" God how I missed the sound of that name rolling off her lips.

Rose jumped off the couch and directly into my arms. Burying my nose in her hair, "Roza, oh- Roza, I missed you so much."

"What are you doing here?" she sounded scared.

"I didn't want to be halfway around the world anymore. We needed to talk and I wanted to be here."

"There's a lot to talk about," she mumbled, climbing down from my body, I placed a kiss to her hair before letting go.

"Allie, how are you, abla," Abe bellowed as he drew Alberta into a hug.

"Just fine, abi," she laughed.

Abe whispered something to her, but it was too low for us to hear. With a head shake from Alberta, he looked back to Rose, "Rosemarie, it's been too long, you have grown into a beautiful woman."

"Far too long, seeing how I don't even remember you," she snipped.

I looked between the two of them, watching the silent exchanges, "Well, can your old man get a hug?" Abe laughed.

Rose left me to embrace him, and my heart about jumped out of my chest. Looking at the two of them, I don't know how I didn't see it. He is her father. Why couldn't my witch of a grandmother warn me about that?

"Now, how about we sit down and talk about what is going on, Dimitri, care to join us?"

Rose came back to my side, pulling me toward a corner away from everyone, "Look, I didn't want to talk to you like this, but I guess it's better all at once." she paused, grabbing both of my hands. "Please, please, keep an open mind, and know that I love you, only you."

"What is going on here, Rose?"

"I will tell you everything, I promise, but since I have to tell him too…" she looked over to the table where everyone had gathered. "It's easier to tell you all at the same time. Can you trust me?"

"Of course, Roza, just tell me you're okay."

"I am just fine, Dimitri, just fine."

She pulled me toward the table, and we waited for someone to begin. Abe took the lead, "Rosemarie, Allie filled me in on some minor details, but would you care to tell your story?"

Rose shot a look toward Sydney, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. "Don't worry about Ms. Sage, please, Rose."

"A few weeks ago," she paused, turning to look at me, "I found out that I am pregnant." Remain calm, Dimitri, she said you need to keep an open mind. "I have only ever been with one man in my life, you."

"How?" my voice a whisper, my heart thudding widely against my ribcage. I knew I was her first, her only, but this couldn't happen.

"We still don't know. Adrian has been looking into every book, scroll, and internet forum he can, but we have yet to find anything like this in history."

"You're Shadow-kissed, correct," Abe asked.

"Yes, and we considered that being the reason, but we just can't prove it," Rose answered.

"And who all knows about this," Sydney asked.

"No one outside of this room, other than Lord Ivashkov," Alberta spoke up, "The school doctor knows she is pregnant, but not who the father is."

Questions and answers continued to run through the group, but I tuned them out. I learned long ago to not underestimate Rose. She seems to have a tendency to do things people shouldn't be able to do. Between surviving the car accident, and the Spokane incident, she is a force to be reckoned with.

She has captured me in every way shape and form, heart, mind, and body. She is everything I ever wanted, needed. And just when I thought she couldn't give me anything more, she does. A child. I could picture it now, her hair, and smile. My eyes and cheekbones. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. And ours.

"Comrade?"

"Huh?" I shook my head, coming back to the debates around the table. "Sorry, I was just…"

"I get it, it's a lot to take in, believe me," she laughed. "But I need you around for this part."

"What?"

"We have to choose where to go from here."

"Okay," I nodded for her to continue, only Abe is the one who spoke.

"If you want to stay in the Moroi world, you will have to let people believe someone else fathered the child."

"That's not happening," I growled.

"Or," Rose sighed, "We can leave, and live in the human world. But honestly, I don't want that."

"You would rather stay here and have to hide?" I lifted my brow.

"I would rather not abandon my life." She corrected me, "I don't want to leave Lissa, I don't want to give up being a Guardian. I want things to stay the same."

"So what are you going to tell people?"

"People already assume they know who the father is, so I figured we could just let them believe that."

"And who would that.." realization dawned on me, "No. Hell no!" I pushed away from the table, feeling claustrophobic with everyone around me.

"Belikov, sit down," Abe barked.

"No. You can't be serious, you expect me to let everyone think that royal drunk is the father of our child?"

"Awe, Belikov, and just when I thought we were becoming friends."