Chapter Two
Sitting in the very back of the store a tense silence had fallen over them.
"Speak," Rose commanded, more than ready for this to be over with.
"Princess Valissa Dragomir is suffering from spirit. She often has to be sedated to keep her from screaming and attacking people, or attacking herself. Without you the Princess is likely to die soon." Belikov watched as the emotions flitted across Rose's face. It was several moments before she said anything.
"There's more, correct?"
"Well, yes. There is also your track record with strigoi," he stated evenly, with a hint of something like awe and curiosity.
"What does that have to do with my return?"
"Hathaway, do you know how many strigoi you've killed in the last two years?"
"I don't know, 10? 15?" Rose was disinterested and irritated. What did her killing strigoi have to do with Lissa or the academy?
"From what we've counted it's more along the lines of 45. That is an extremely high number for a guardian, and entirely unheard of from a novice, especially one working alone. Guardians are dwindling, dhampirs taken out everyday while the strigoi grow stronger. We need you in our ranks. The Moroi need you." Belikov's voice was matter of factly and calm. Rose could tell what he had said was the truth, but did she care enough to return? Could she leave her life?
"Fuck the Moroi. I'll tell you right now I don't care about royalty or "blood privileges". They can shove their hierarchy up their weak, petty asses. Dhampir have never been anything but practically slaves to them, giving their lives for a culture that treats then like second class citizens. But I do care about the Princess.." Rose was mostly thinking out loud, and in the end she knew she'd have no choice. She had to save Lissa. Even if she fled again right after. Would she even be able to flee again? Could she bring herself to do it? Does she even need to anymore? What of her life amongst the humans?
At this point Rose had sat several minutes in silence, Belikov watching her closely, skeptically. Could this young woman in front of him really have evaded the court for two years and managed to kill 45 strigoi by herself?
She was certainly beautiful, painfully so, and obviously in really good shape, yet it was hard for him to imagine the petite woman killing anything, much less blood thirsty monsters.
"Okay, Belikov."
"Okay?" Dimitri was confused by her sudden statement.
"I'll return to the academy without a fight. However, I need a few hours here to say goodbye to everyone and pack my things." With that Rose had risen to go about doing just as she had said.
"Do you expect me to trust you wont run?" Asked Dimitri with amusement.
"No, I expect you to accompany me," Rose replied with a haughty smile.
Making her way to Logan at the front of the store Rose wrapped herself around him and introduced him to Dimitri.
"Babe, this is Dimitri Belikov. He went to school with me," Rose said with fake excitement in her voice.
"Ahh, it's nice to finally meet one of Rose's people," Logan laughed good-naturedly as he reached out his hand, "it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Pleasure is all mine," Dimitri said as he returned the hand shake.
"I just wanted to let you know I'm heading out early so we can catch up, let him tell me how things are going back home. Meet me at the house after closing?" Rose was trying so hard to keep up her happy expression and tone, not wanting to worry him.
"Of course, I'll make dinner tonight," Logan said affectionately as he leaned in to kiss her forehead.
"Great, see ya soon!"
"See ya, love, and hey! It was great to meet ya Dimitri, come by anytime," called out Logan in all his friendly innocence.
Dimitri nodded as he followed Rose onto the street. The two fell into a comfortable silence before Rose looked up to him with a smug smile.
"45 strigoi, really?"
Dimitri let out a small laugh, "It may be even more, but we have only counted 45. An impressive number by all accounts."
Rose flipped her hair, "Well I am pretty awesome."
She answered Dimitri's amused brow lift with a wink, causing both to chuckle.
"Well, I had best start my goodbyes," Rose said as she went to enter the diner before them, "it'd be best if you waited out here."
Rose took a deep, calming breath before entering the diner. It was hard lying to the people who had become her family. She cried telling them that a horrible accident had happened back home, meaning she had to go visit for a few weeks, and they bought it like she knew they would. They trusted her. What had she ever done to deserve them?
Meanwhile, Dimitri watched as Rose talked to a large group of 20 something people, crying and being comforted. It was obvious she meant a lot to them. He felt a pang of..guilt? He knew the life of a guardian was one of sacrifices, and for some reason he felt the need to protect this beautiful, deadly woman from it all.
After an hour of heartfelt goodbyes and hugs Rose lead Dimitri to her apartment over the book store.
"Logan's parents own the book store, and his aunt owns the diner. They've been a real god send for me," Rose stated conversationally.
"So Logan and yourself are romantically involved?" Dimitri asked, surprising himself.
If Rose was put off by the question she didn't show it, instead answering somewhat dreamily, "Yeah, he pursued me since the moment I arrived, but it took me almost a year to agree to go out with him. He's so pure and innocent, so loving all the time, to everyone too..." She had picked up a framed photo of her and Logan from a few months before and stared at it lovingly, "I was so afraid of tainting him. It seems like he was the one that rubbed off on me though," she finished with a chuckle.
Rose had just finished packing her things when she heard Logan coming up the stairs. She quickly sat down on the couch, looking broken and forlorn.
"Rose?" Logan called out as he was stepping into the apartment, "I figured I'd being you some chi-…" He noticed her on the couch and her packed bags.
"Sweetheart, what's goin' on?"
"Logan, I'm so sorry.." Rose whispered, her voice thick with tears, "it's just that there was an accident back home, people died and someone important is hurt and I have to visit them.." All Logan did was wrap her in a hug and hold her.
"I'm guessin' you don't want me to come, huh?" He asked her softly, but kindly. All she did was nod.
After a moment Rose brought her lips to his for a heated kiss before she pulled away and grabbed her bags. Silent, she left the apartment with Dimitri hot on her heels.
"St. Vlads here I come," she muttered to herself.
