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CHAPTER FOURTEEN

ROSE

Feather light kisses brushed my neck, a calloused hand running along the curve of my hip. I pushed my back closer to his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing. I needed as much contact with him as possible to drive away the running worries of our lives. Adrian. Tasha. Trials. Graduation. It was all too much. But here with him, skin to skin, wrapped in the sheets, I am at peace.

At this moment, I could pretend that my best friend isn't chasing another broken heart. I could forget about Tasha and her attempts to keep Dimitri close. Trials and Graduation get pushed back in my mind, leaving the forefront of it open to enjoy the feeling of being encased in Dimitri's embrace. While one hand rubs gently along my body, the other rest protectively over my still flat stomach.

Based on Dr. Olendzki measurements, I am now at eleven weeks, almost the end of my first trimester. I have gained a whopping three pounds, and Munchkin is growing right on schedule, now the size of a fig. The chances of miscarriage are still high right now, but I hoped Lissa's extra healing last week will keep that at bay. My breast is much more tender, and thankfully, the 'morning' sickness is over. Or rather I just haven't had any in the last two weeks. Dimitri was counting on the old wives tale that said minimal or no morning sickness means it's a boy. Honestly, so am I. I could picture him now, Dimitri's eyes and hair, my facial features, and attitude. Oh- he would break some hearts one day, just like his Mama.

Breathing out a contented sigh I snuggled even closer to him, rubbing my cheek on his arm before placing a soft kiss to his hard muscle. My eyelids grew heavy, and I gave up on trying to keep them open any longer. I only had another half hour before I had to return to my dorm since Abe and Alberta refused to let Dimitri and I share a room. My pointing out that he already got me pregnant didn't help our fight, so I had to go back to my own by curfew. I didn't like the arraignment, but I didn't want to fight my father, neither did Dimitri.

His hand on my stomach started drawing delicate lines across my skin, driving me deeper into the abyss. "Roza," his voice only a whisper, but loud enough to draw me back, "I have to tell you something," uncertainty clear in his voice. Shifting myself to lay on my back, I looked up at him, waiting for him to continue. There are many things I could have imagined him saying. Maybe some undying love comments, or even something he dreamed about. Nothing near what he actually said.

"I told Tasha." Pushing away from him, I sat up. "Roza, I.." he reached out, but I moved further.

"Don't," I shook my head, "Why would you do that?"

After the attack, when he and I talked about who we wanted to let in and who not too, Tasha was on the do not list. Christian had been told the truth, along with Lissa and Eddie, but I didn't feel comfortable with her knowing. I may be willing to let some things slide, but in the back of my mind, I didn't trust her.

"She wouldn't stop going on and on about how you cheated and I was being played for a fool by sticking around. I couldn't listen to it anymore," he pleaded his case, "I didn't know what else to tell her to get her to understand."

"How about, support me or leave me alone? I think that would have worked wonders," I scoffed. "That's basically what I did with Adrian, and it turned out just fine. If she is really your friend, she would support you not belittle your choices."

And stop trying to convince him to leave me. That's what it boiled down too, she still wants him. Honestly, I can't blame her. Who wouldn't want Dimitri Belikov? But, unfortunately for her, he is mine. Sooner or later she will have to learn, and I'll be damned if it's later.

Untangling myself from the sheets, I left him alone in the bed and started locating my clothes. "Rose, where are you going?"

"Back to my room, it's almost curfew," I didn't look at him, hoping he didn't catch the lie on my face.

"Roza," his disapproving tone not lost on me, with a sigh, he continued, "You know you can't make it all the way to the Cabin and back to the dorms in time."

I groaned at the reminder. Tasha wasn't staying in guest housing. Like usual when she visited, she laid her head in the cabin. Our Cabin. Thinking about anyone being there after what happened, broke my heart. Then, I chuckled lightly to myself at the thought, does she know that is where our child was conceived. I bet she would run for the hills knowing what Dimitri and I did on the bed she sleeps on.

He crawled out of bed, naked as the day he was born, and wrapped his arms around me. "I will talk to her again, make sure she knows how important it is that the information remains secret. I'm sorry, Roza."

It was hard to be mad at him when he held me like this, especially since there was nothing but a thin piece of lace between us. I had only managed to get my underwear back on. He placed a kiss on my hair before pulling back slightly, "Are you really mad?"

"No." yes. "I just don't trust her, Dimitri."

"I'll talk to her again, don't worry, Moya Lyubov'."

My only response was a simple nod. There was no point in fighting about it now, the damage is done. I only hope she doesn't do anything rash with that knowledge. Giving him a quick kiss, I finished getting dressed to go back to my room.

There are worse things than Tasha knowing our secrets, but for one reason or another, it sat like a brick in my stomach. She strikes me as the type of person to go to the extream, one that can't take no for an answer. Her display at the council meeting proves that theory. When people didn't see things her way, she showed them why she was right. She may smile to your face, but behind that smile, she is plotting your demise. But Dimitri couldn't see that. Neither could Lissa or Christian. They were all to close to her, but I'm not. I see what lies underneath that fake as fuck smile, those piercing blue eyes that men swoon over. She is as two-faced as they come, and I'm not just talking about the scarring on the one side.

I needed her to know her place, and I would need help getting her there. Turning around, I headed toward guest housing to pay the old man a visit. If there is one person I can think of that has a way of making people do things they don't want to, it's him.

Taking the stairs two at a time, I knocked three times when I reached his door. The person to open it was not who I had expected.

"Rose, what are you doing here, it's almost curfew."

"Just needed to talk to Dad, is he here?"

"Let her in, Allie," Abe called from somewhere behind the half-open door.

Stepping inside, I had to pause to take in the room. Much like Adrian's, there was a living area off to the right, with two couches. A full dining area, complete with a large oak table and a set of six chairs. The kitchen held the top of the line appliances and marble countertops. I scoffed inwardly if you walk into a Guardian's guest accommodations you wouldn't see any of this. Only the best for the Moroi. Moving further into the suite, I noticed the papers scattered across the table, an open bottle of wine and two glasses. Not sure of the facial expression I had a the moment, I turned to look my father in the face.

"It's not what you think, Kizim, I promise," he held his hands up in a surrender pose.

"Then what is it?"

"Come and sit down, I will show you." He pulled out the chair next to him, offering it to me. "I have been doing a bit of research on my own," he started, shuffling through the many piles. "There has been one, albeit old, case of a Dhampir/Dhampir conception that I could find." I sat up a bit straighter, wanting to know more. "During the early 1900's, there was a Dhampir by the name of Rebekka Kavinsky, her partner was a shadow-kissed Dhampir."

I let go of the breath I didn't realize I was holding. Adrian had assumed it had been possible due to Spirit, but this confirms it. "Did you find out anything about the child? Was everything...normal?" I shifted in my seat, suddenly very excited about this conversation.

Abe's head fell forward, "No. Unfortunately, the mother and child died during labor."

I fell back in my seat, that high was short-lived, "But, that doesn't mean it isn't important information." Alberta chimed in, "and it doesn't mean you will have the same outcome."

"Yes, we confirmed that because you are Shadow-Kissed, you are able to reproduce with another Dhampir, that is a good thing." I nodded, but didn't speak, "and it also means that your conception cannot be replicated by medicine."

"What do you mean?"

"The only way to become Shadow-kissed is to die and be brought back, you can't replicate that into a pill or injection. People like Vasilisa and Adrian would be safe, you would be safe, and so would Dimitri if this was to get out," Abe explained.

Resting my elbows on the table, I placed my head in my hands, scratching my nails against the crown of my skull. I didn't know whether to jump for joy or wallow in the endless 'what if' questions. One the one hand, this is really good news. Knowing that our situation cannot be manipulated for a higher power is amazing. But, what if someone still tries. Or what if it's looked at as an abomination, something ungodly, and needs to be destroyed. What if the baby has different attributes than normal Dhampirs. What if. What if.

"You don't have to make any permanent decisions yet, Rose," Alberta spoke through my internal battle, "You can keep letting people believe what they want, this doesn't mean you have to become a history lesson."

"I'll have to talk to Dimitri first, I won't leave him out of anything again," I sighed.

"Whatever you think is best for you and your family, Kiz, we will support you," Abe smiled. "Now, Abia, how about another glass before we turn in," he began to pour the wine into Alberta's glass.

"What's Kiz mean? And Abia." I looked between the two of them. I had heard Abe call her that once before, along with Allie, which no one has ever called her that. I couldn't help but wonder what connection the two shared to have nicknames for each other.

"Kiz, or Kizim, means Daughter in Turkish," Abe answered, pointedly avoiding the second part.

Alberta lifted her glass to her lips, mumbling something before taking a long drink.

"Didn't catch that, care to repeat," I gave her a pointed look.

Swallowing deeply, she cleared her throat and looked to Abe, "Abia, ….. it means sister."

I had read a, quote I guess, a long time ago when Lissa and I were on the run. It was about how to handle life when it throws things at you that you are not expecting. When I had first seen it, I laughed and said, 'that is stupid, it makes no sense,' but now, I get it. Because right now it is the only thing I could think of doing that didn't end with me saying things I would later regret.

"Plot twist," I mumbled and left the room. With trials and graduation only one week away, this is the last thing I need. More secrets coming to light.

Mom always avoided the topic of my father, I never understood why. Meeting him now, knowing what I do about what he does, I have a better grasp of why things had to be this way. In my earlier years, when mom refused to talk about him, I would ask Alberta. She always denied knowing anything about him. Who he was, and why he wasn't around. When I first found out she knew about him, I was shocked and albeit angry. Now, I'm fucking pissed.

I grew up with no one, an orphan to the Academy. At least until Lissa came along, and Mason, then Eddie, but they weren't my family. Sure, over time they became like brothers and a sister to me, but it's not the same. My Aunt has been right here this whole time, and they never bothered to tell me. If I had known that, maybe I wouldn't have felt so alone growing up. Outcasted. Unwanted. Unloved.

My earlier exhaustion now long gone, I turned toward the gym instead of the dorms. I needed to release some of the pent-up emotions before I even tried to go to sleep. Thirty minutes or so with a practice dummy should do just fine. After all, what better way to take out your aggression than stabbing an inanimate object and pretending its everything you hate in the world.

Starting with the lies and betrayal of my 'family' and ending with the gut-wrenching hatred for Tasha, I was beginning to feel better. Wiping my brow with the back of my hand, I took in the damage I did. I honestly felt kind of bad for the dummy, he gained about fifty new holes tonight. It could be replaced though, so no harm no foul. My emotional state, however, couldn't be. I was still angry about Alberta and Abe, but when I stopped my self long enough to process the burning feeling, I knew it was best to let it go.

When Mason was killed, I couldn't help but feel guilty for the last real conversation he and I had been an argument. Not that I planned on any of us dying soon, or anything, but I didn't want to harbor anger for something I can't change. Who knows when it will be the last time I see or talk to them. This growing up thing, becoming an adult and all, is hard.

"Hathaway," a rough voice called out.

"Yes, Guardian Alto."

"It's past curfew, come on, I'll walk you back." He moved his arm in a circular motion, beckoning me to follow.

"She called you?"

"Yes, and they both asked me to tell you they are sorry."

I nodded, "Me too." Pushing the dummy back against the wall, I followed Stan out. "Did you know?"

He shook his head, "I knew she had Moroi siblings, just not who they were."

Stan bid me a good night when we reached the dorms. Laying back on my bed, I let my mind wonder one last time about the way my life is. It seems everything is changing and there is nothing I can do to stop it. One more week and it will change yet again. And in a few more months. Looking back on the last year, all the ups and downs I have gone through, it seems so minimal now. A year in time, a lifetime is nothing. How much more will change before its over?

Author's Note:

The last chapter before I leave for my cruise, I hope you all enjoyed it.

Much Love To All, I will be back in week and a few days!

Dream