Two days I'm proud of myself.
Here is the next one, hope you like it.
My words didn't have the desired effect, for a second, it looked as though she had stopped breathing completely, and her expression could only be described in one word. Terrified.
"No" she said, there was no elaboration, no clever or witty remarks, not even any annoying ones. Just one word. But then, she didn't know any better. The moroi society had made sure of that. From a child's first breath, there was one lesson that was engrained in their minds. Strigoi are bad. Strigoi are unnatural. This, in one sense, was true. We were only bad according to the loser. The prey. The people that matter the voice in my head said.
"You don't know what it's like. It's . . . Amazing. Transcendent. All your senses are alive; the world is more alive --" there weren't words to describe what it felt like when I was first awakened, it was like I was just discovering the wonders of the world. But better.
"Yeah, but you're dead" she said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. She has a point said the horribly outspoken voice.
"Am I?" I asked them both. Wanting to prove my point to at least one of them, I grabbed Rose's hand and placed it over my heart, her eyes widened.
"My heart beats. I'm breathing." I whispered.
"Yeah but. . ." She look downright desperate now, not wanting to believe that they had lied to her. It couldn't be easy, having your core beliefs changed. Even if they were wrong. "It's not really being alive. It's, its dark magic reanimating you. It's an illusion of life." I could hear her heart racing, wanting so desperately for it to be true. She's right said my conscience.
"It's better than life." I reached up to cup her face, to will her to see reason. I needed her. I needed her so I could get all of this. "It's like being a god, Rose. Strength. Speed. Able to perceive the world in ways you could never imagine. And . . . Immortality. We could be together forever." I knew she'd want that more than anything, the ability to be with the person she loved for eternity. So did I at one point. Not like this, never like this my conscience said sadly. How dare you use that against her you filthy creature! My conscience started screaming profanities in every language it knew, though I was sure his tone overcome any sort of language barrier.
"No. . ." she said, in a whisper, looking as though she wanted to cry. "We can't be." I was sure a little more reasoning could do the trick.
"We could" I said, equally a soft as her as I trailed my fingers down her neck "I could do it quickly. There'd be no pain. It'd be done before you knew it." My fingers lingered on the artery. I could imagine what it would feel like to bite down on her soft flesh and drink the liquid, lapping it up. Then afterward, the satisfaction of taking Galina's enterprise for myself. Having Rose lay down at my feet as though I were a god. My daydreaming was interrupted by two things. One was my conscience screaming at me, begging me not to do it, two was the sound of someone entering the key code on the pad outside the door.
I turned and shoved Rose out of the way just as Nathan and his human gal pal walked through the door. He had his same arrogant look on his face, her head was bowed, as if she was frightened. With good reason the voice in my head thought bitterly. He was interrupted by Nathan voice. Nathan's very loud voice.
"What the hell is going on here!" he shouted. My temper flared. And it was only through my
complete self control that I didn't hit him. I'd wait for him to hit me first.
"Nathan, it is none of your concern" My voice sounded like a glacier, I really hoped he would try and hit me.
"Will you just hurry up with whatever it is you are doing!"
"This has nothing to do with you." I replied.
"Are you kidding? She could lead us to the Dragomir girl! If we finish that line off, our names will be legendary. How long are you going to keep her?" I had more important things than the Dragomir girl. I'd get to her later, once I had all of this. The only thing Nathan was doing in here was pissing me off. And ruining my chances with Rose even more. She loved Lissa more than herself. Maybe more than me.
"Get out!" growled at him "And that is not a request!" I added, before he could argue. It didn't really do much.
"She's valuable. If you're going to keep her around as some blood whore plaything at least share. Then, we'll get the information and finish her." I took a step forward before he could say anything else. Every second he spent in this room was damaging. And his utter obsession with trivial things such as eradicating families was infuriating. My head throbbed. According to my conscience, me threatening Rose was one thing, but Nathan threatening her? That was an entirely different matter. Then, before I knew it, it was the both of us speaking.
" Get out of here. If you lay a hand on her, I will destroy you. I will rip your head off with my bare hands and watch it burn in the sun." I was sure these words were menacing enough to get him to leave. But the bastard was in a persistent mood.
"Galina can't be allowing you to play house with this girl. Even you don't have that much favour." he said.
"Do not make me tell you to leave again. I'm not in a patient mood today." I was never in a patient mood when it came to Nathan. He ought to know that. I just stared at him. Surely the fury and hate in my eyes would burn a hole through his skull! He was the first to turn away.
"This isn't over" He snapped "I'm talking to Galina." Just like a kid in second grade. Telling his mommy. Pathetic. Thankfully, for him, he turned and walked out the door.
I turned to the human woman, Inna, I thought her name was, and asked her to put the tray down in Russian. She placed it on the table and lifted the lid. It was Rose's favourite food. Pepperoni Pizza and a Chocolate brownie. I actually thought it looked disgusting. But then again, I was comparing it to blood.
"Lunch" I explained when she didn't pick it up. "Not poisoned."
She looked at the tray as though it held an amazing gift, one she'd wanted her whole life, but then, she shook her head and looked me in the eye.
"I'm not going to eat." She said, her voice adopting a matter-of-fact tone. I raised my eyebrow.
"Do you want something else?" I asked.
"I don't want anything else" she said, looking at me levelly, "Because I'm not going to eat anything at all. If you aren't going to kill me then I'll do it myself."
"By starving to death?" I mocked. Amusing really, how she thought she would get away with that."I'll awaken you long before then."
"Why aren't you doing it now then?"
"Because I'd rather wait for you to be willing." She could only help me if her pride wasn't hurt.
"You're going to be waiting a long time."
I laughed out loud. Didn't she realise how easily I could persuade her. How easy it would be to make her see reason, it was, after all one of her weaknesses. Denying her loved ones something they wanted was nearly impossible for her.
"We'll see" She would see. She had too. If I wasn't able to awaken her, drink her blood....
Out of nowhere, I was leaning forward, tilting my head. I was kissing her. The memories came flooding back. The movements and feelings felt so familiar, so natural. But then unnatural at the same time. As though there was a barrier between us. I was kissing Roza, my Roza. She was here, and I was so, so glad.
A part of me knew that there was something wrong. Knew that this wasn't normal, I shouldn't be doing this. That I wasn't capable of these feelings. It was like a caged animal, thrashing behind that bars. And slowly, slowly, I could feel the bars were about to crack under the pressure.
Then suddenly, they did. I snapped back. My world was one big sensory overload, and the blood, oh god, the blood, it smelt so delicious! I could imagine it. I pulled back. Hoping that I would be able to maintain my cool. Honestly, I was horrified! Because it wasn't me that had been kissing Rose. It had been him.
She looked startled, and under any other circumstances, the face would've made me chuckle. But not today. Keeping a neutral expression was painstaking. I gestured to the human next to me.
"This is Inna." I said, trying hard not to appear anything but casual. "She works for Galina too and will check in on you. If you need anything, let her know. She doesn't speak much English, but she'll figure it out."
"Нам нужно выйти (En-ahem En-oo-Zheh-en-oh Veigh-ye-tee)(We need to leave)" She meekly agreed and her eyes returned to the floor as we made our way to the door.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"I have things to do" like try to figure out a way to get rid of the stupid Dhampir still present in my mind. I thought bitterly ,"Besides, you need time to think."
"There is nothing to think about" she replied, forcing as much defiance into it as she could. I smiled, she was trying so hard. I heard her sigh as I closed the door.
So thats it I hope you enjoyed it.
Please excuse the Russian. I used what I had, which was an online translator and my very limited knowledge of the Russian alphabet.
I'm going away this weekend. But I hope to have the next chapter posted here by this time next week.
xxx