"No," she repeated adamantly. "Absolutely not."

"Anya, do have to always be this difficult?" he said with a heavy sigh.

"Do you always have to be so rude and insensitive? You know most people find me rather amiable, it's only you I don't get along well with," she pointed out.

"I wonder why that is," Vlad muttered under his breath to Pooka with a smile.

"Did you say something, Vlad?" asked Dimitri offhandedly, his attention focused on the infuriating woman before him.

Vlad sighed. "Really, Anya, as much as I understand your concerns, you have nothing to be concerned about. Dimitri will be nothing but a perfect gentleman and you already know how heavily he sleeps. There is nothing to fear from him."

"I can't believe this!" she cried, stalking to the side of the ship angrily, before returning, her color high and the more serviceable dress Dimitri had bought her to wear when she wasn't in the pretty blue one whipping around her legs. "Did you have this planned from the very beginning? I'll give you one thing…this is quite an elaborate trick to get me into your bed."

Dimitri's lips twisted wryly. "Trust me, Anya, I don't need any ruses to get a woman into my bed."

Something about the look in his eyes unnerved her. "I…I just can't," she said softly.

He was no match for this show of vulnerability. "Ah, Anya," he murmured gently, settling his hands on the sides of her face and tilting her head up to his. "I would never do anything that wasn't in your best interests."

Anya stared at him for a long time, seeming to search his eyes for some sign of his sincerity before nodding briskly. "Fine, just try not to snore so loudly."

"I do not snore!" he shouted at her retreating back.

"Like a bear in the dead of winter!" she shouted back.

Normally he would have gone after her but for now he was content with her agreement. "See, Vlad, that wasn't so hard. I don't know what you were so worried about," said Dimitri.

Vlad sighed. "Just concentrate on getting the two of you through tonight with minimal injuries."

Dimitri groaned as he was reminded of exactly what he had won in that argument. He glared at Pooka. "What are you looking at?"

The dog just whimpered and turned away huffily.

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I know the chapter is short. Nevertheless, PLEASE REVIEW!!!

Much love, Cat.