Hey guys! Sorry about the late update. I haven't really got a hang of this "daily updating" yet xD And I've been really sick and busy, due to the run up to Christmas. Are you guys looking forward to it? So yeah, sorry again ^_^
I also want to say that I do read every single one of your reviews, and I really appreciate them all, believe me. I love to see what you all think of my writing, seeing as though this is my second fanfic ever, and my first one was only a one-shot, and didn't really get a very good review. So thanks again! I really do love you all.
Usual disclaimers apply.
Kirova just looked at Dimitri, and a silent message passed between the two of them. Silently, Dimitri took hold of my shoulders and led me out of the room, down the corridor, and into the guardian dorms. I knew that this was a plot to get rid of me so that the guardians can actually focus on if, how and when they're going to help Eddie and Adrian, but I was too distracted by my rage. It felt very similar to how I felt when I caught Jesse torturing Lissa, but this time, I didn't know who my rage was directed at. It could have been at the Strigoi, for taking them in the first place. At Adrian, for dragging Eddie out. At Eddie, for not protecting Adrian. At the guardians accompanying them, for not protecting either of them. At the guardians back here, for considering not creating a rescue party for them. Finally, at Dimitri, for trying to get me out of the way. As only one of them was currently available for me to talk to, I settled on taking out my frustrations at Dimitri.
However, like the good little girl I was, I decided to wait until he'd taken me to his dorm. To be utterly truthful, I was banking on the small chance that once he was in his own room, he would relax a little, giving me a small opportunity to escape. I knew it was highly unlikely, however it didn't hurt trying. I could tell my Russian Comrade was suspicious about my lack of protest as he steered me through the corridors and up the stairs. Unbeknown to him, I was crying, the tears streaming down my face simply out of pure frustration and anger, and I swiped at them viciously, probably scratching myself in the process. I wasn't really thinking too hard about that at the time. I felt the warm blood drip onto my lip, and didn't even bother to wipe it away. I looked a state anyway, what difference did a bit of blood make?
The walk passed by in a blur. I hadn't really taken in my surroundings as I had stormed, so it was a surprise when Dimitri opened the door and gently pushed me onto the bed. Wisely, he locked the door behind him and pocketed the key. I just sat there, clenching my teeth and glaring at him furiously. He looked behind his shoulder and caught a sight of my face, his own expression changing numerous times in that second before settling on looking at me with worried yet compassionate eyes. He must have known what was coming. He was there the past few times, and through experience, he knew that I would usually shout myself out. But this time, I knew it was different. My friends were in immediate danger. I was scared for their lives, as well as full of rage.
He sat next to me on the bed and put his arm around me. I wanted to scream at him, tell him I hated him, that I never wanted to see him again. Yet I knew this wouldn't be the way to go. Secretly, I had been working on dealing with the Darkness better, and I now knew what were appropriate actions, and which weren't. I opened my mouth, about to tell him to get off me before I hurt him, but I heard a small whimper, and then a louder one. It took me a minute to realise it was me, and then, belatedly, I grasped the fact that I was shaking too. No wonder Dimitri had his arm wrapped around me so firmly. Tears continued to fall down my face, but these were tears of resignation. Dimitri said nothing, simply pulled me to his chest and nuzzled his head into my hair, which was now knotted somehow.
I let all of my anger, sadness, worry, out onto his shirt, until slowly, the tears dried out, and I could think again. I'd never cried so much in my life, but there was a part in me that was glad I cried rather than swear at Dimitri. That would have hurt him badly, even though he knew it wasn't me speaking. When he was sure that I had stopped sniffling, he pulled away from me, holding me at arm's length to scan my face. He frowned when he spotted the bright red lines that streaked my face, and got up to receive the first aid kit from above his cabinet. I sat in silence as he cleaned me up gingerly. He was still cautious, knowing the slightest move could set me off again, either crying or shouting. He didn't really want either, I was assuming. The antiseptic stung, and I winced slightly, making him smile for the first time since that morning.
"You can fight Strigoi no problem, but when I get out the antiseptic, you wince like I've sliced you in half," he joked softly, stroking my cheek softly. I tried my best to smile at him, but I was pretty sure that it came out as a grimace.
"I'm Rose Hathaway. I'm always full of surprises," I replied weakly. My smile came a bit more natural, and he laughed, not because I had been funny, but because he was pleased I had finally stopped my moping. Dimitri kissed me softly, and I responded with a bit more excitement than I probably should have done. However, Dimitri responded to my eagerness with an exuberance that mirrored my own, and before I knew it, I was lying on my back, sprawled across the bed, with Dimitri lying on top of me. We were both minusing our shirts, and he was somehow missing his pants as well. Don't ask me how THAT happened. When I kissed Dimitri, I became a different person, and I usually did things that I couldn't remember doing later. For example, taking his pants off. Not that I was complaining, of course.
After some heavy… fondling and kissing, Dimitri groaned and sat up, running his hand through his tousled hair. I didn't think that it was fair that he got to look so sexy when he was grumpy whilst I looked like I had been pulled through a haystack, and so I decided to make up for the nasty image of me by pulling myself up and kissing his chest. He chuckled before tucking his hand under my chin and lifting my head up. "Roza, we can't. Adrian and Eddie…" Those two names worked like he'd thrown a bucket of cold water over me. I pulled away from him, panic filling my head. How could I have been so stupid? What was I thinking?! Two of my best friends were possibly getting killed that very second, and all I could think about was having sex with my mentor! My eyes filled up with tears for the second time that day, but this time, I was annoyed at myself.
I stumbled out of bed, pulling my shirt over my head clumsily. "Come on, Dimitri! We need to go help them!" I told him angrily, pulling at his large, leathery hand. Dimitri, annoyingly, just shook his head and refused to stand up. Although I was strong, especially for my gender and size, I was no match for him, and I eventually gave up, walking over to his pants, which were somehow on the other side of the room, and fishing the key out of the pocket. He stood up then, walking over to me and trying to take the key. I held it out at arm's length, just far enough away so that he couldn't reach it. It was a pointless effort anyway; I would never be able to escape with him pressed up against me like that. I sighed, but refused to give him the key. Once I had stopped fighting against him, Dimitri relaxed a little, but still kept the exit blocked so that I couldn't do a runner.
"Rose, the Headmistress told me that she'd call us when they needed us. She explicitly said that you wouldn't miss anything important, but she didn't think that the planning was appropriate for someone so young and involved, and she was right. You'd just throw yourself into the fight without thinking about the consequences. Your fast thinking is one of the reasons I love you, but in this case, it isn't the right way to go. We're dealing with the lives of a royal, a minor, and several guardians. Please, be patient. It won't be long now," he told me gently, pushing a strand of my hair behind my ear.
I sighed, and resignedly slumped back down on the bed, glaring at Dimitri as he got dressed. I decided to ask him a question that had been playing on my mind ever since I heard the news. "Hey, Dimitri? Why were Eddie and Adrian out of the premises anyway? It's rare for Kirova to allow us to leave, especially during school time," I asked him, curiosity ringing loud and clear in my tone. Dimitri chuckled again, and turned around to smile at me.
"They had gone to get your birthday present. It's in a few days, and they hadn't got you anything yet. The Headmistress let them go because it's your 18th, which is a big one in any country. And she couldn't stop Adrian. Eddie was allowed to go as it was guardian practice, although he was getting you something too," he explained, his voice turning solemn towards the end. I'm sure he was thinking about what I was thinking about; the fact that ultimately, it was my fault they had gone missing.
Before I could voice this, or he could voice his response, which would probably be him telling me I was being stupid (in nicer terms, of course. My Russian God is a lot nicer than I am), the phone rang, and he raced over to go and answer it. After a couple of "mhm"s and "yes"es, he hung up, turning to face me with a grave look on his face. "It's time."