Dimitri led me down the street, holding onto me tightly. I let him lead me blindly, until we ended up at a small diner at the corner of a city block. Actually, it was the same one where Viktoria and I had met Olena.

I had stopped shaking by now, slowly realizing that I was safe now. Dimitri's hand on my shoulder had calmed me, enough that I was mad that he had found me at all.

He stepped back, waiting for me to slide into the both, so he can slide in after me and prevent me from escaping. Being as stubborn as I am, I move to the other side, flopping down into the vinyl seats. But my cockiness fades as Dimitri follows me, trapping me between him and the wall.

Damn.

I cross my arms over my chest, irritated, and he sighs, as if he knows my thoughts, as if he knew he was going to have to deal with my sour attitude.

But my temper was far beyond sour. He thought he could just walk back into my life and pretend nothing happened? He wasn't my mentor anymore. He wasn't my teacher. I'm an adult, I'll do what I want.

Now, my irritation growing with every thought, however childish, I flick my gaze to Dimitri, who seems to be examining me.

"What?" I snap, surprised at the venom in my voice.

But Dimitri doesn't flinch. "How long has it been since you've had something to eat?" he asks. My eyes follow his gaze down my body. I had lost weight. Quite a bit, actually, considering I'd only been gone a few weeks. But I could only afford to eat every few days, and even now I hadn't eaten in two, maybe three. My curves had softened, practically non-exsistant now. I probably looked more like a Moroi than Dhampir.

I shrug, a lame attempt at hiding my answer. Dimitri sighs and shakes his head.

"Order something, Roza."

Sadly, the truth was I couldn't even afford to order a fast food hamburger, or whatever food they had at this diner. I was broke. Completely broke.

"I'm not hungry. And I'm not your Roza."

This time, Dimitri does flinch, but he quickly shifts back to neutral. "You need to eat something."

"I'm. Not. Hungry." I'm starving.

He rolls his eyes, irritating me further, then waves over the waitress, speaking in rapid Russian to the girl.

I look down, afraid to even look at him. What was I supposed to say to him? So...You still don't love me? I still don't mean anything to you?

But I feel his fingertips brush against my temple, sweeping my hair away from my eyes.

"Rose, are you okay?" His tone was serious, obviously not just a casual question.

"What do you mean?" I ask stupidly, hoping to completely avoid the subject.

"What happened? Why did you leave?" he whispers, so softly.

I sigh. "You know what? I'm am okay, or at least I was until you showed up! I was not okay when you completely brushed me off. I am not okay with you dragging me back to Court and making me ruin everyone's lives. And I'm definately not okay with you pretending like you give a damn about me or my problems."

Silence. He wasn't saying anything, and that made me nervous. I heard him inhale, possibly about to speak, until the waitress steps in, setting down two plates of food.

Piled on the plate are what looks like bloated bread, the small square having been deep-fried. I give Dimitri a questioning look, but he gives me a small smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

"Just try it," he says simply.

"What is it?"

He sighs. "Just trust me."

We both freeze at his words. Trust him? He broke my heart, my faith in him, everything.

But slowly, so slowly, I take one of the bread pieces off of the plate and take a bite. It had some sort of a meat filling, and it was wonderful. My stomach throbs, and I find myself grabbing them rapidly, as if they might disappear.

We both finish our meals, although I haven't gotten all the way through mine after my stomach has contracted through a lack of eating. I really can't remember the last time I've eaten, and the fullness of food feels wonderful.

But I can't pay the price.

I quickly shut my eyes, feeling so stupid. How was I supposed to tell him that? That I just happened to have left my ten measly dollars at my motel, even though that was the truth?

"Rose, what's wrong?" Dimitri asks, immediately sensing me shutting down.

"Rose-"

But I shake my head, waving him off. When the bill arrives, I am humiliated, although this really isn't that big of a deal, right? One bill. One small bill.

But Dimitri pulls put the cash from his pocket, not even thinking, paying for the entire thing, like the gentleman he is, and dropping it onto the table, then cautiously slipping out of the booth, careful not to give me too much access to the door.

"Thank you," I whisper, relieved, and let him lead me out of the diner.

Once we step out onto the street, though, he immediately becomes 'The Russian Jailer', grabbing me firmly by the arm and dragging me down the street.

"Where are you staying?" he demands. I think of the tiny, dingy motel room, and shake my head. If I can get away from him, that's the only place I can go.

"Yeah, right."

"Rose, we're getting your things. Now you either tell me or you have to wear those clothes for as long as it takes to get back to Court."

I shrug. A day or two, no big deal. I was wearing a red, satin shirt and a skirt, after hunting strigoi at a nightclub. At least they were nice.

Dimitri sighs again. "I know you've taken Oksana's ring with you. And I know you don't want to leave it."

I freeze, remembering. "You know about that?" I blurt, my cockiness fading.

He nods. "The Princess."

I groan. Of course. "See? It's obvious I'm not needed. She has someone to talk to, you have someone to pretend your listening to, to pretend you care about. It all works out." He ignores me, infuriating me even further. "So leave me the hell alone!" But, to my surprise, he drags me down the street towards my motel.

"Where are we going?" I gulp, afraid to give anything away.

"Viktoria told me where you were staying. I thought I'd see if you'd actually tell me."

I grunt and fall silent, trying to rip my arm away from his steel hold.

When we get to the crappy motel, Dimitri questions, "This is where you've been living?"

I shrug, and give up, leading him to my room, ramming my shoulder against the door to open it. Dimitri steps in, standing in the middle, as if anything he touches will infect him. I know it's disgusting, but somehow, I feel ashamed.

"We're getting you out of here. It's...unsanitary. And this is a dangerous neighbourhood to be staying in. Horrible things have happened here. I don't want you walking around down here at night."

But, once again, I realized that I couldn't afford to stay here. Or leave.

I had asked the manager if I could pay afterwards, hoping to get a job. That obviously wasn't going to happen, and now I was out of cash.

"I don't want to go anywhere with you! I can take care of myself," I lie, watching as he raises a brow.

"Too bad. We're going. Somewhere where the sheets are actually cleaned and there aren't bloodstains in the carpet."

But I fought him, trying to pull away as he tugs on my arm. "No."

"Rose, stop being stubborn. Don't you want to be able to sleep on a clean bed?"

Yes. "I'm not your student anymore! You can't force me to go anywhere with you!"

But he quickly grabs my bag, which I regret keeping so neat and full, and jerks me out of the room, the scratched and worn room key in his hand.

Dimitri drops the room key onto the counter of the front desk, looking like he really wants to be out of here. He's not the only one.

"You still have to pay," the man said, his thick Russian accent making it hard to understand.

"Pay?" Dimitri asks, looking at me questioningly, and I try not to burst into tears.

I'm embarrassed. I've killed strigoi, single-handedly, and yet I can't provide for myself.

I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head. Pulling Dimitri away from the counter for a moment, I try to keep my attitude.

"See? If you would have just left me alone, I could have gotten a job! Looks like I'll be staying here. Have a nice life."

But suddenly, Dimitri's comforting hand is on the small of my back, pulling me close, and he quietly pays the man before we both depart.

The streets are dark, and Dimitri is in guardian mode, one hand tightly on my shoulder, making sure that I am walking ahead, as if we'll be attacked from behind. When we reached a brighter-lit area of the city, I feel him relax. As much as he ever does.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper, mortified.

Dimitri sighs. "Rose, don't be sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to stay there, that you had to be on your own."

I wanted to snap, telling him I could take care of myself, but I obviously couldn't.

"Rose, why didn't you take Adrian's card?" he asks.

"Because, Adrian's bank would have phoned him, making sure his card wasn't stolen when all of the sudden money was being spent in Russia. They would tell him what motel I was staying at, and he could have found me. Not that it really matters anymore."

I heard him mumble under his breath, but he continues to drag me along. "Where are we going?" I demand.

But Dimitri doesn't answer, he just drags me along with him, down several streets until we end up at a tall, modern building.

The lobby is bright red and white, the entire place sleek and streamlined. He speaks quietly to the receptionist, and she hands him a card, but not before her eyes travel over me.

I'm a mess, and I know it. My hair is ungroomed, my clothes creased and probably stained. I look like...well, a captive. And by the looks of it, she knows something's wrong.

But Dimitri gives the woman a microscopic smile. "Nightclubs," he explains. "Are becoming much too crowded," as if we were there partying as a couple, and he thanks the woman, I think, and pointedly slips his hand into mine, making sure the woman sees this display of our "relationship" and leads me into the elevator, dropping my hand, and up to our room.

"There is no way she fell for that," I say, after we are out of earshot of the woman.

"Fell for what?"

"That whole act. Not a chance."

Dimitri sighs. "It wasn't like I was planning on having to come up with an excuse. Besides, how do you know?"

I snort. "No way anyone would ever belive you would go to a nightclub. You're too uptight, like you have a stick up your a-"

"Rose," he scolds, and opens the door to our room.

There are two double beds, with a small bathroom to the side. Everything is clean and white, the towels bleached and the carpet spotless. I don't know what looks more tempting. The shower, or the bed.

But sleep is an overwhelming, and after weeks of sleeping on a stained cot, I want nothing more.

I quickly change, Dimitri waiting at the door, as if I'll run out with strigoi speed and escape. In nothing more than an oversized tee shirt. Yeah, right.

But when I sink into the bed, I can't think of anything else but the plush mattress underneath me.

"Goodnight, Rose," I heard Dimitri whisper, before I fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.