"What, little dhampir, you're not happy to see me?" Adrian asked, grinning broadly as he stumbled, no doubt steaming drunk, onto the plane. I could smell mischief and martini radiating from every smiling tooth.
"I'm surprised," I said, giving no sign of rising to an argument, I wanted Adrian to give friendship a chance, "But I'm not unhappy. In fact, I'd go as far as far to say I'm glad you've decided to come Ivashkkov." I smiled sincerely, "I missed you." His face flickered for a moment, a brief loss glazed over his eyes, quickly replaced by drunken jealousy as Dimitri stepped on board with Christian.
"Mr Ivashkov." Dimitri nodded, had someone turned up the tension in here.
"Guardian Belikov." Adrian gestured his glass to Dimitri as he took a seat. His eyes locked on Dimitri. The drink was not doing him any favours.
"Well, this won't be a long flight." I said through the side of my mouth, heavy with sarcasm. I'd rather go back on the run but with a heard of Strigoi after me than sat politely between my ex-boyfriend and the love of my life.
"How long till we land?" I asked turning to Dimitri quietly, who obviously could tell how awkward this was creakingly becoming.
"Long enough, I am afraid."
Distracting myself from Adrian's drunken slurs and Dimitri's professionally held silence, over the next few hours I sat with Lissa and Christian chatting with Johnny about England and the academy he attended there; training sounded extensive and demanding, even by Saint Vladamir's standards. "So, are there many Strigoi in Britain?" Lissa asked, I had only ever visited London once so didn't have much experience.
"The cities can be our biggest problem, and the poorer areas are usually' worst hit." He started, twisting a small silver ring on his index finger, "But the countryside is peaceful, a lot'ut Moroi keep care of large estates in the North, so most of the rural areas are regularly patrolled by Guardians. There are some specific families of Dhampirs, that form official guards for the hills, 'cause our countryside is so vast like." he looked up from his ring, I could now make out a small seal engraved into the metal. "My family, Cast, we're not like most Dhampir families you might find else-where, you don't have to be born into the family to join it. We patrol mountains, moors, caves and forests regularly, for Strigoi hide outs. Our name," he said meeting my eyes with his, "Cast. Some say it means people who live in rocky places," He smirked, "Others say 'virtuous', but I think," He said, his voice trailing off, almost to a whisper of something that I, and no doubt Lissa and Christian could tell, pulled something in him a lot deeper than just a name. "I think it's because so many of us were thrown away... Cast-offs." I sat there, slightly surprised by the turn of the conversation but also that, from a young man not much older than myself, all of a sudden I was staring at the face of a young boy whose family.. For all I knew.. Well, I didn't want to ask more just now, or let him stay so glum. Lissa looked to Christian, who had stayed primarily silent through the converstaion, They both knew what loosing or feeling separated from family felt like, well, we all did in one way or another. Time to bring out some of the good old Rose comedy charm. And as Johnny and Lissa finished laughing over my truly appalling attempt at a British accent, I noticed over the groups laughter that whilst Jill had spent the whole journey so far nattering to a disinterested Adrian, Adrian's eyes had been fixed on me, just slyly over the rim of his decanter glass. And slightly to my amusement, so had Dimitri's.
Both of them portraying the alpha male team spirit. Moroi, Dhampir, human? Men. I internally shook my head. Especially these ones. Whilst Dimitri looked warily protective over me, but not too intense. Adrian's face couldn't decide if he was upset with me for getting on so well with Johnny or secretly pleased that it bothered Dimitri. No doubt Adrian's spirit power could see a change in his now slightly ruffled aura.
As day drew closer and Lissa and Christian cuddled together for a nap, I crossed over to the seats where Dimitri was gazing out of the last uncovered window. Rising orange sunlight breaking over the clouds and glinting off his deep brown eyes, like treacle. I sat down next to him, he turned to smile at me, as the sun kissed my skin.
"My sweet Roza." His expression, filled with warmth, "Sometimes, I think the moonlight suits you, but here," He paused, and stroked my cheek lightly, "I would bathe you in sunlight always." I smiled, everyone else was dozing so I kissed him, lightly, on the lips and sat back to admire his adoring eyes.
"Are you ready to go back?" I worried that Russia was going to bring too many memories for him, too soon.
"It is better sooner than later Roza, but I appreciate your concern.. My Sweetheart."
That was a knew one, but I liked it a lot. Sweetheart? Me, a sweet thing? I smiled internally at my own ridiculous blushing.
"I just want you to know that if you do need to talk or if things get too much for you-"
"I know I have you to come to Rose."
Well, at least we were agreed on something.
"But, I suppose.." I said lying my head on his shoulder, "...me, you, Russia - second time lucky right?" I chuckled to myself, and although I expected him to disapprove of my too-soon comment, he simply stroked my hair, and I drifted off into a peaceful airborne sleep.
Or so I thought.
A soft pink light warmed the cabin, it all looked the same, except nobody was there and I was wearing, a rather revealing set of black, lacey night wear may I add. "Adrian! You give me my clothes back, right now!" I hissed. And as like ink, my tailored uniform spilled back onto my body he came out from the pilots cabin chuckling.
"Oh little Dhampir, I have missed our visits."
"What are you doing here? In my sleep?"
"Well, I have decided to take the high road Rose, and move on." He said, lighting a cigarette, "I too, much as my ego kills me for it, have missed you."
I smiled back at him. Maybe we could work this out after all.
"Seriously?" I said gazing at the glass and cigarette in his hand, "They're not even real?"
"True.. True.." He said looking down my body and back to his drink, "But old habits die hard Rose." He said with a wink and walked away. I was back in the damned lacey contraption wasn't I. Bastard.
But my temper would be shook out of me as we started to descend rapidly. I practically bounced a foot out of my seat, completely stunned I just sat wide eyed, "Is that us? Are we landed now, everyone fine?" Everyone was just looking a me, Lissa laughed.
"Rose, you were the only one left snoring with dribble for the last hour."
"Oh, I don't know," chimed in Adrian, "I think she looked a lot more glamorous" he chuckled into the remnants of this evenings first drink.
"You'll pay for that Ivashkov." I glared, Dimitri looked to me, confused. "As much as I want to tell you comrade, right now, I don't want this plane getting ripped in two. Wait till we touch ground at least." He shot a glare back to Adrian.
"Oh calm down," Adrian said smirking and walking past Dimitri, patting his shoulder. "Nothing I haven't seen before, friend." Dimitri looked as if he was indeed about to rip Adrian in half, but instead let him wander into the next room, followed promptly by Jill.
"What happened?" Dimitri demanded to me.
"Nothing that was my fault!" I said putting my hands up, "He came into my dream and... Well, he'd dressed me in his own version of pj's." Dimitri's eyes narrowed.
"That is a breach of trust Rose. He shouldn't inflict that on you, it is wrong."
My eyes lowered, "I know, but he's hurting and-"
"It's not excuse for him taking advantage." I had to admit, he had me there.
The sun had fallen below the horizon as we stepped off the plane. It was cold, but not as bad as I had expected. I skipped over to Lissa.
"So, Queenie, where abouts are we exactly?"
"Apparently, this is my stately Russian Palace." Lissa smirked, she couldn't deny, despite the challenges and risks, there was a lot of perks that came with the job. The building that lay before us was all of the fairy-tale castles you could have ever dreamt of. Ascending turrets, fine carvings and grotesques decorated the ornate masonry of the palace, and you could smell the gardens from the runway. It truly was beautiful, with hundreds of glass panes glinting in the starlight, and the Dragomir crest flying on every flag.
"And what does one do, at the Russian Palace your highness?" I said, rolling out my fake British accent once more, Lissa Laughed.
"Why, throw a party of course!"