CHAPTER NINE

ROSE

Rose, My Roza,

I never envisioned a life full of love, happiness, or a family. From the day I stepped foot into St. Basil's I knew my life would no longer be my own. And I was okay with that.

Until I met you.

You have changed everything, Roza, and you don't even realize it. You have given me things far beyond my wildest dreams. And yet, I can't appreciate these things the way they should be. Because of our world, I have to lie, hide, and run away from the greatest thing to ever happen to me. A woman who knows me better than I know myself, and a child I never dreamed of having, but love more than my own life.

I am sorry, Roza. So-so sorry.

Remember I love you, my love will never fade,

Your Comrade

No matter how hard I pushed myself, it didn't feel like I was moving fast enough. Water from last night's rain splashed around my feet, soaking my shoes and leggings. I didn't allow it to slow me down though, I needed to get to the gates before he was gone. He couldn't leave, not now, not like this.

The tall iron fence came into view, Dimitri nowhere in sight. Sliding the last ten feet to the gatehouse, I gripped the wall gasping for air. I really have to start running again, or something, I have never been winded like this.

"Where ….is …..he?"

"Novice Hathaway, what are you doing?" a young Dhampir man stepped out of the tower. I didn't recognize him, he must be one of the new Guardians.

"Dimitri...Guardian Belikov, where is he?" I stood up straighter, putting one hand on my head, the other over my stomach, begging the air to fill my lungs.

"He signed out ten minutes ago. He didn't say where he was going."

"On foot?" he nodded, "Let me out."

"Excuse me?" he rose a brow.

"I said, let me out, I have to talk to him," I growled.

"Novice Hathaway," he stuck a hand out, "I can not do that, why don't you just go back to your dorm."

"Listen, Guardian," I paused, taking a closer look at his name tag, "Faulkner, you will let me out of this gate, or I will kick your fucking ass and let myself out. Which would you prefer?"

Looking him up and down, I could see his resolve begin to show. He stood about six foot, thin but well built. He reminded me of Mason a bit, red hair and freckles all across his cheeks and nose. And just like Mase, I could easily take him, and when his hand moved to button for the automatic gate, he knew it too.

"Thank you, if I'm not back in a half hour, send Petrov," I yelled back, slipping my thin body through the still opening gate.

A ten-minute head start was nothing if he was walking. I could easily catch up to him if I sprinted, or jogged. Yeah, jogging sounds better. Transitioning from my fast walk to a brisk job I bounced down the Academy strip toward the main road. Knowing him, he called a cab to pick him up at the end. The guardians knew better than to call anyone to come to the gates.

The full moon hung high over the trees, letting just enough light through the branches to see clearly. His leaving in the middle of the night, and my chasing after him was not the brightest idea in the book. After the attack, Strigoi sightings in the area had decreased tremendously, but one can never be too cautious when it comes to dealing with them.

My feet carried me forward while my mind ran in circles. Why would he just leave? Why not come and talk to me before making a life-changing decision. Because you didn't include him on yours, the nagging voice appeared. And damn if it wasn't right. As soon as I find him, bring him back to the Academy, we will sit down and discuss things. I should have taken his feelings into account more, but I thought it was best just to go with my plan. He would understand that, wouldn't he?

After five minutes of running, I still haven't found him. The road was about to curve to the right before it winds back uphill to the left, so I had a choice. Stay on the road and add a few extra minutes, or cut through the trees and save time. I chose the latter, knowing the area rather well, I knew I could go up ten more feet and hit the rock 'stairs' that led up.

Reaching the top, I heard the sounds of fighting a split second before I felt the familiar churning in my stomach. Twenty feet in front of me, three Strigoi circled my Comrade. Two males, both appeared to have been Moroi prior to their undead existence. And a female, Dhampir if I had to guess, and old. She danced with the grace of a ballerina around him. Although she was smaller, she was obviously the biggest threat. Hence why Dimitri was laser-focused on her.

I stilled, barely daring to breathe too deeply, not wanting to distract Dimitri in his battle. Or make myself known to the other two who were standing by watching the fight. Unarmed, and let's face it, running low on stamina, I was a liability here, not an asset.

Watching Dimitri now, I see why Mason called him a 'God'. His moves were fluid, precise, and damning. Each time his fist connected, his leg swung around to knock the air out of her lungs, was like reading an action comic book. I could picture the thought bubbles hovering in the air depicting the power of his moves.

The ballerina launched into an ariel kick, one that I have used on him many times. He responded perfectly. Grabbing her outstretched leg, he pulled her roughly back down. His other hand held his stake with an iron grip as he drove it forward into her chest. I could hear her gasp in shock as her life faded away.

Without missing a beat, he withdrew his weapon and spun to face his next opponent. As he came around, his eyes locked onto mine. And he faltered.

In the short time, I have known him, I had only seen him fall once. The Caves. Because of me. I was a distraction to him. The badass warrior who fought the female was gone, and a man with everything to lose replaced him. I saw it. And so did the Strigoi.

Taking their chance, both men launched at Dimitri, knocking him over. Without a thought, I joined the fray, heading for the larger of the two. I had no thought of myself, not even my child, only saving him. Just like I did in the caves. I ran back into an impossible situation because I couldn't watch him die. I had his back, the same way he has mine.

Tackling the one, I wrestled him far enough from Dimitri and his opponent. We rolled two times before coming to a stop in front of a towering pine. Rushing back to my feet, I dropped into a defensive stance immediately, and he followed. I could hear Dimitri fighting behind me, but I couldn't turn to check on him. I had to stay focused on my target, hopefully, Dimitri will finish his quickly and be able to assist me with mine. The little adrenaline I carried would not be enough to hold this one off for more than a few minutes.

Being Moroi in his previous life, he towered over me. Not as much as Dimitri, but enough that his reach and long legs made up for his lack of fighting knowledge. Granted, my smaller frame and ability to move quickly would be my saving grace, but without a weapon and tiring quickly from the running, I wouldn't last long.

Circling my foe, I laid in wait for him to make the first move. His gaze flickered up and down my body, looking for a sign of weakness. I kept my left side angled toward him since my right was the dominate. He caught on quickly to that, but that isn't what claimed his focus.

His mouth twisted upward into a sickening smile, a deep bone-chilling laugh erupting from his lungs. The sound sent chills down my spine, goosebumps rising along my heated flesh. With a move I didn't expect, he spun to his right, bringing his left leg to connect with my abdomen. The force threw me back several feet, landing back first on the asphalt. My head bounced off the ground, several more stars joining the black sky above me.

To my left, I could hear Dimitri scream, deep and powerful, "Roza!"

There was a flash of light, another strangled scream, and darkness. All in the blink of an eye.

"Roza, please, Roza, open your eyes," his thick accent dripped with concern, "Come on, Rose." My eyelids suddenly felt like bricks, I was unable to lift them even a little. "Ибо любовь Божия откроет вам глаза."

"You know I can't understand you," I whispered softly.

"I said, For the love of God open your eyes," he chuckled, "Come on, Roza, I need you to look at me." He lifted one of my eyelids with his thumb, his other hand brushing my hair back.

Trying again, I managed to open my other eye, taking far more effort than it should have. "Now keep them open." Scooping me up bridal style, he headed back toward the Academy.

Resting my head in the crook of his neck, my arms wrapped around his neck, "Where were you going?"

"I don't know," he whispered.

"You were going to leave me." It wasn't a question, but he had an answer, one I didn't like.

"I didn't see any other way."

"How about…." my words were cut off by screeching tires.

"What the hell happened!" Alberta yelled.

"Three Strigoi," Dimitri nodded in the direction we had just come, "Rose took a hard hit to the head, we need to get her to the clinic."

Dimitri climbed into the SUV, still holding onto me tightly. I couldn't keep myself awake any longer. Exhaustion and a whole lot of pain were draining the little energy I had left in my body. My head pounded like a jackhammer, but I wasn't even worried about that. No, I was more concerned with the excruciating pain stabbing me in my stomach.

"Comrade, call Lissa," I choked out before fading out for the last time.