I suffered through all my classes, once again. The only bright side was practicing my magic, and even that was slightly dimmed. It wasn't just because Christian was in there, but also because it was dead boring.

I met Dimitri immediately after school, excited to tell him about what I had decided I wanted to do for the day.

"You look happy," he commented as we fell into step. Admittedly, I had to take longer steps to match his pace.

"I figured out what I want to do today, Comrade," I said.

He raised an eyebrow. Man, I was so jealous. I had never managed to raise just one.

"I want to practice my magic some more!"

He frowned. "But Rose, I can't help you with your magic. I know next to nothing about it."

"I just wanted to be able to practice it outside of school. I want to get better at it. Better than my classmates," I told him.

He frowned but agreed. "Should I keep a fire extinguisher nearby?"

I gasped. "Did Dimitri Belikov just make a joke?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow again. "It happens from time to time. Where do you want to practice?"

"What would be safe from prying eyes?"

He looked thoughtful. "Probably the gym," he said.

"Won't dhampir's be in there?"

He shook his head. "They only occupy it during the day."

I nodded and began to follow him to the gym. I had never been in there before; I had never had a reason.

"Nothing in here is flammable, right?" I asked. I didn't want to set the gym ablaze. That would ruin all my plans, and out I would be. Without Lissa.

"No," he smiled. He had a nice smile.

I couldn't help but smile in return.

"So what were you planning to do, exactly?" he asked.

"Just practicing certain spells. Keeping the flame alive longer, making it stronger and larger, being able to aim it at stuff."

He nodded once again. "Sorry I can't help you more, Rose."

"It's not your fault, Dimitri," I said as I concentrated on making a flame appear in my hand. It wasn't as easy as it once would have been.

"You know," I said. "I've been thinking. It's not proper for Moroi to use magic offensively, is it?"

His eyes narrowed as if wondering where our conversation was going.

"But how am I supposed to protect myself?" I asked.

If possible, his eyes narrowed even more. "I will protect you, Rose," he said.

Okay, so I shouldn't have used that line of logic. Of course my guardian would be indignant.

"Okay, but say you've got some time off- don't give me that look! You need personal time too! Say you've got some time off, and I'm all alone. How am I supposed to protect myself?"

He opened his mouth and closed it. "I wouldn't let anyone come near you," he said. There was a fire in his eyes, but I couldn't figure out why. Maybe it was a guardian thing.

"Okay, how about this?" I tried to reason. "I don't want to be as helpless as the rest of the Moroi. I don't want to be docile. I don't want to be vapid and scared of my own shadow. I want to fight alongside guardians and dhampirs in general."

He smiled, something like pride in his eyes.

"I can train you, if you want," he said. "But you have to be willing to work. You won't be treated as a Moroi anymore. I'll treat you as if you're a dhampir."

I grinned. "Good."

TRSTRSTRS

The next day after school , I met Dimitri at the gym.

Dimitri looked at my clothing appraisingly. I looked down at my outfit, wondering if there was anything wrong with it.

I was wearing a pair of running shorts and a tank top. What could possibly be wrong with it? Unless he was checking me out, which I highly doubted. I was used to boys checking me out, but if it was Dimitri… It would be different. I already looked up to him so much.

Not that it changed anything about my plan. I still planned to break Lissa out. She needed it. She was already having trouble functioning.

"See something you like, Comrade?" I asked to cover up my discomfort.

He shook his head. "Come on Rose, let's get to work."

He held the door to the gym open and I walked past him, not bothering to say thank you.

He was lucky I even let him hold the door for me. Most guys would have been set on fire. Well, metaphorically. My magical strength right now was at a bit of a weak point. Also, I could be imprisoned for practicing offensive magic. NO thank you.

The gym was different than I had expected it to be. Half of it was covered in mats while the other half had practice dummies and stakes.

I looked up at Dimitri. "Where are all the machines?"

"They're in the weight room," he answered.

"There's a weight room?" I asked.

His lips tugged up at the corner. "Yes, though usually only dhampirs use it."

"So what are we going to do first?" I asked.

"Run," he said.

"Running? That's it?"

"Running is the basis of stamina and strength, Rose," he explained.

I rolled my eyes. "Is this some sort of Zen life lesson?"

He just chuckled a little. "We will be stretching first, of course."

I wasn't a fan of running and I wasn't a fan of stretching either. Couldn't we get to more kung-fu things?

He showed me a few stretches. I found that I was sort of flexible.

When we were done stretching, he looked at me and motioned for us to walk back outside. We got to the track and he said, "Eight laps."

"Eight laps?" I asked, shocked.

"It's only two miles, Rose."

"That's a lot!" I told him.

He just shook his head. "I'll run with you."

TRSTRSTRSTRS

Halfway through the second lap, I was out of breath. By the third, my muscles were cramping. By the fourth, I was exhausted.

"Can we stop soon, Comrade?" I panted, barely able to speak.

"We're halfway done, Rose," he said. "You can keep going."

"But I can barely breathe," I wheezed.

"You're the one who wanted to do this," he reminded me. "If you're as tired as you say, just take the next lap slower, and try to even out your breathing."

I took his advice as we neared the next straight on the track. I allowed myself to slow to a jog. It wasn't even really a jog, however; it was more of a walk in running motion.

"In through your nose, out through your mouth," Dimitri told me.

He wasn't tired at all. I appreciated that he was running with me, even though I felt like a slug.

How did he do it? "How do you do it?" I puffed.

"Do what?" he asked.

"Run so well?"

His eyebrows lifted up in surprise. "It's a lot of technique, as well as practice," he explained.

I didn't say another word as we ran for three more laps.

Once we were done, I collapsed on the turf field next to the track.

"Rose, do you need water?" Dimitri asked.

I could only nod, too out of breath to speak.

I could barely even take a drink, I was so out of breath.

"Arms over your head, Rose," Dimitri suggested. "It'll open up your ribs and lungs."

I nodded, and felt it become easier to breathe the longer I held my arms above my head.

"We still have half an hour," he told me. "What do you want to do?"

I didn't have any ideas.

"I don't know. What do you want to do, Comrade?" I asked.

He looked mildly surprised. "Does no one ever ask you what you want?"

He shook his head carefully. "It's not my job to think about what I want," he explained.

I frowned in confusion. "Are you saying you don't like being my guardian?" I finally asked.

"No," he corrected quickly. "It's just that guardians basically give up their lives when they receive their promise marks."

I thought about it. Guardians were told who they were to guard, where their charges were going, where they would live. How would I feel about living like that? I would hate it. I hated being caged in.

"Well, what would you like to do with the rest of our hour, Dimitri?"

He considered my question. "How about we run some more?"

"No!" I shouted, before I saw the smirk on his face and the look in his eyes. "Oh, good one," I told him.

He smiled, and my heart fluttered. I wanted to make him smile more often.

"What do you really want to do?"

Dimitri smiled once again, taking my breath away. What was wrong with me?

"Why don't we just work on your homework?"

I made a face, all thoughts of his beauty gone from my mind. "Really?"

"I think it will really help your future to focus on your grades, too," he told me.

"But what about what you want to do?" I asked petulantly.

He chuckled. "I want to help you, Rose. I'm your guardian."

I hmphed, but followed him to the library. I didn't bother to tell him how gross and smelly I probably was, and how it would probably ruin my reputation to go gallivanting across campus in this state.

Instead, I just pulled my Russian textbook out of my backpack and got to work on my homework, asking Dimitri questions every once in a while when I got stuck, or to check if I was right.

It only took me fifteen minutes to finish that, so I started working on my Pre-Calculus homework. "Do you know anything about Pre-Calc, Comrade?" I asked.

He arched one eyebrow, and I felt jealous. "What are you studying at the moment?"

"Inverse functions."

He helped me with the problems I needed help on, which was basically all of them.

"Are you good at everything, Comrade?" I smiled.

The smile slipped off my face when I saw the haunted look that had taken over his eyes.

"No, not everything," he said.

"What's wrong?" I asked him. I could tell, somehow, that whatever it was had been bothering him for a while.

"Nothing," he shook his head, a strand of hair falling out of his hair-tie and into his face. I fought the urge to brush it behind his ear.

"You can talk to me about it, if you want," I prodded.

He shook his head again, and then placed a mask back on his face. His guardian mask. He had tucked whatever had been plaguing his conscience into the back of his mind.

"I'm sorry about whatever it is," I told him.

TRSTRSTRS

That night I tried to devise a plan for the escape I knew Lissa desperately needed.

I came up blank, though.

Maybe it was because really, I didn't want to leave. I knew Lissa was happy to be back, too. I wanted to stay, where it was easier to find feeders. I wanted to stay where it was easier to be the real me. Well, sort of. Closer, anyways.

I wondered what Lissa was doing. As if I had summoned her, I felt some sneakiness coming from her.

Was she going to see Christian again?

I tried to find a way into her mind. Finally, after a little digging, I was in.

Lissa was sitting in the church attic, at the window seat.

She and Christian were facing each other, talking. She flipped her hair, and I noticed that the gesture was distinctly flirty.

I needed to stop their budding romance before our reputations got ruined.

I had worked so hard to save them for the past few days.

What I couldn't figure out was why I cared so much when I planned to run away.

TRSTRSTRS

Every afternoon after school, I continued to run and work out with Dimitri. I was fine with that, but I was bored in all my off time.

In English one day, Jesse Zeklos approached me.

"Hey Rose," he said. "Do you think you can slip the leash tonight? Mark's got some weed and we're hanging out in the woods."

"I don't know," I hesitated. "It sounds like fun, but I don't think I can get away from my Russian jailer."

"Can't you at least try?" he asked.

"I'm confined to the dorms," I said. I really didn't want to disappoint Dimitri if he found out.

"How about I meet you in the dorms instead?" he asked. "We can have our own party."

I smiled, up for a little fun. I had been itching to find out how good Jesse actually was at kissing. "Sure," I said. "Six good for you?"

He smiled at me, flashing his fangs a little. "Yep. See you then!"

The bell rang and he went to sit in his desk.

After lunch, I chastised Lissa for hanging out with Christian again.

"You were in my head?" she asked. "For that long?"

"It's not my fault!" I defended. "You're the one who dragged me there. Anyways, don't get too attached."

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because I'm going to get you out," I explained.

Her face showed shock, and then she smiled. "You would, too, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," I said. "I don't know how yet… maybe if I could get a hold of some C4, or maybe if you compelled someone…"

She bit her lip nervously. "I think we should stay, Rose."

"What?" I asked. It wasn't a very eloquent response, but whatever.

"I think we should stay."

"But Liss, this place drove you crazy last time."

"But I see how you are, Rose. You missed it here. I see how happy you are to be back."

She was right. I had missed it. She turned her green eyes on me, pleading.

I buckled. "Oh, alright," I said. She smiled brilliantly. I couldn't help but smile back.

"Great, now, you need to go off and hang out with Guardian Belikov for your required hour!" She smacked my bottom, shooing me towards the gym.

I waved to her, excited to see Dimitri.

"Hey, Comrade!" I said cheerfully as I entered the gym.

"Hello, Rose," he answered bemusedly. "Nine laps!"

He pointed towards the track. I nodded, pulling my hair up into a ponytail. I walked into the ever lightening night. I stretched my hamstrings on the fence next to the track, and then moved on to my quadriceps and calves.

Dimitri was walking towards me. "Dimitri, can you help me stretch my back?" I asked.

My back pained every time I ran.

"Which part?" he asked.

"My lower back," I looked up at him, finishing rolling my ankles.

"Okay, kneel down," he ordered. I complied, wondering how this would help.

"Lean forward until your chest touches your quadriceps," he told me. I did as I was told, and continued to list orders. "Now, put your hands flat in front of you."

When I did so, he placed one hand on my upper back and one on my lower back. I tensed, electricity running through my veins wherever he touched. What was wrong with me?

He pressed a light amount of pressure on my lower back, all the while pushing my upper back forward.

I moaned, "That feels so good," I told him.

He chuckled. "I would imagine, with how tense your back was at the beginning of the stretch."

I held back another moan. "And that was thirty seconds," he said. "Time to go run."

I sighed. I really hated running laps. I got so bored. However, if it got Dimitri to spar with me, I was up for it!

When I was finished with my laps, I did all the stretches again, including the back stretch with Dimitri.

"Thanks, Dimitri," I smiled at him.

"For what?" he asked, confused. "For getting me in shape," I said.

He nodded. I left the gym and went to clean up for my meeting with Jesse.

TRSTRSTRS

I took a shower, blew dry my long brown locks, and put on a fresh outfit.

I saw Jesse in the kitchens. I walked past him and whispered, "I'll meet you in the abandoned second floor lounge," I told him.

It was the only lounge that was unused in the Moroi dorms. I had heard it was closed down because of the kitchen it housed. Students apparently had frequently snuck alcohol and drugs in through that kitchen. I didn't really care. It wasn't like the lock was hard to pick.

The sun would come up soon, I noticed. The lounge had a giant bay window that wasn't as tinted as I was used to. The colors of the sunrise were beautiful.

I pulled a bobby pin from my hair and unlocked the door.

I sat down carelessly on the couch. It was a hideous eggplant color.

A few minutes later Jesse entered the lounge.

"Hey," he smiled, flashing his fangs.

I smiled back, flashing my own at him.

He didn't waste any time. As soon as he sat down on the couch, he placed his hand on my thigh. He began to kiss my neck, and smiled as his teeth scraped against my skin. That was so sexy.

I pulled him away from my neck and began to kiss his lips. He undid a button on my blouse, while I moved onto his neck. I scraped my fangs against his carotid artery. He moaned sensually. I smiled and nibbled, though not enough to break the skin.

Soon, my shirt and bra were off.

I didn't mind. He placed his hand on my breast, and began to move his mouth to suck on my nipple. "I'm not having sex," I told him.

"Okay," he said, refocusing on my breast.

I buried my hands in his hair, tugging gently on the soft strands.

The door burst open. We sprang apart. My eyes widened when I saw that it was Dimitri who had barged in on us.

I had the urge to cover up, but decided against it.

Dimitri stormed over, and grabbed Jesse by the shirt. "What's your name?"

"J-jesse Zeklos, s-sir!" he stuttered out.

"Mr. Zeklos, are you aware of the rules on male-female interactions at St. Vladimir's?"

"Yes, s-s-sir," Jesse whimpered.

He lost any cool points.

"Good, now Mr. Zeklos, if I find you touching my charge like this again, I will deal with you! Understand?" His Russian accent was even more pronounced than usual. Seeing this side of Dimitri was hot.

"Now, go!"

Jesse didn't need told twice.

Dimitri and I stood there staring at each other for a few moments. I felt my body heating up. I saw how tense he was, how powerful he could be. I wondered how all that maleness and power could translate into, well, sex.

I realized that his gaze was doing much more to me than Jesse's kisses had done to me.

Mirroring my words from a week ago, I said, "Like what you see?"

"Get dressed," he said gruffly. I immediately regretted shattering the moment. Now all I wanted were Dimitri's lips on mine. I wanted his hands on my body, buried in my hair, teasing my skin…

I broke out of my haze and went in search for my bra. I found it next to Dimitri's feet, and I didn't know how to ask him if he could give it to me.

"Um, Dimitri, can you throw me my bra?"

He glanced at me, at my bra, then at my exposed chest.

He muttered something in Russian and bent down gracefully to pick it up. It looked so small in his large palms. I blushed. Dimitri was handling my bra. Dimitri was touching my bra. Dimitri was touching the piece of material that had been touching my breasts, and soon would be again. He was touching my lacy, sheer, bra.

I blushed again. He seemed to be struggling with something as he threw it to me. I regretfully had to let go of covering my chest as I placed the offending material on my body.

I looked at Dimitri, trying to gauge his reaction, as I struggled with the clasp around my back. I contemplated asking him for help, but decided against it.

I finally got the clasp and went in search of my shirt.

The tension in the room was crackling by the time I finally found it and buttoned it up.

"How did you find us?" I finally asked.

"A janitor saw it and reported it," he said.

A janitor? I hadn't seen any janitors. I shrugged the thought off and wondered why Dimitri cared so much.

"Why'd they report it to you?" I asked him.

"Because I am your sanctioned guardian," his voice was still angry. "You make yourself look cheap!" he finally exploded.

I backed up from him, his voice reverberating through the room.

"What's wrong with having fun?" I asked him, angry now.

"You're making a reputation for yourself. I've heard the stories about you," he said this accusingly. "This will not only reflect on you, but also on your best friend and family," he told me. "You know how cruel everyone can be."

"But the rumors aren't even true!" I yelled. "I'm a virgin! I haven't even kissed as many boys as everyone says!"

"I'm sorry, Rose," he said. He came closer, and I looked up into his eyes. They were still stormy. There was a wrinkle between his eyebrows as he frowned.

"What's wrong with having a little fun?" I asked.

"Nothing," he said, "if you were a normal Moroi or human. Your life is very high-profile, however. Your mother is an important figure at court. Your best friend is the last Dragomir princess. The world is watching what you do."

I closed the distance in between us and buried my head in his chest. He stiffened for a moment before placing his arms around my torso. I felt as if I belonged in his arms. The same wonderful electricity flowed through his arms into my body, and I listened to his heart.

It was beating madly, thrumming, like a bird.

I wasn't crying, but that didn't mean that I didn't want to.

I held him tighter and closer to me, relishing in his embrace.

It was then that I realized that I was crushing on my guardian.

I had a crush on a dhampir. I had a crush on my much older, dhampir guardian.

I stifled my gasp and pulled away. I pulled myself together, and smiled wearily up at him.

"Rose, if you can show me how serious you are about things, I can start to seriously train you," he said gently.

My eyes widened. "Really?" I asked.

"Yes," he answered. "But it will be a lot of work. You will be tired a lot, and will have a lot less free time."

Who needed free-time? It wasn't like I had any, anyway.

"I'll do it!" I told him.

"Meet me in the gym at six tomorrow morning," he said, taking one final glance at me. With that, he left the room, his duster billowing behind him.

Man, he was hot.