A/N: Thanks to my beta! She is amazing. As she said, this chapter is intense so be warned.
I also had help this chapter from Lissa Dragomir101 who helped me make sure it made sense, She's great and her story's are too so check them out.
If you're into twilight I recommend 'Look past the veil of hate' by MyLifeisEdwardCullen (my beta), I really love it right now.
Disclaimer to Richelle Mead & Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Need to know stuff for this chapter:
There is song lyrics in there, the songs are 'Love the way you lie by Eminem and Rihanna' and 'Neutron star collision by Muse', it's not about the songs as such but their lyrics. (Rose couldn't know the names of every song mentioned nor would she care.)
In one of the songs there is one or two curses, I did not right them in and I couldn't choose another song when this was so perfect for what I wanted.
When the flashback is happening it is all in italics so the lyrics are not, this means that the scrawled comments are in italics and not part of the lyrics.
Chapter 26
Do you know something more than your telling us, party boy?
You'll be one to watch. Won't you?
Does our Rose know how much you care? Does she know how much you know?
Hmm... Do you really care? Destruction seems to be following your encounters.
Like last time, you made her so happy with that little picnic, and then her world comes crashing down. Suspicious isn't it?
Lissa seems to be the only innocent one here; I'm calling it a day for suspicion.
Eddie was being so argumentative, I wonder why... I think he might have gone past over-protective brother figure.
But why consider him when there's our hero to consider...
Rose seems to be considering him, so why shouldn't we? She did ask if he was there.
He was taking control of the situation, what was it he said? Just do what I say and we can ensure she is fine. Sounds like a threat.
But really everyone always considers the people who care most, first. I mean your child gets kidnapped and who do they make number one suspect? You.
Someone's hiding in the shadows here; they wouldn't make it that obvious, would they? Hiding in obvious sight, Christian? So many things to consider, perhaps we should get all the details right here.
4 Hours Previous...
Rose was in her dorm, reading the back of a photo... gathering memories? No. This was all new.
She was running down the stairs and through the doors of the dorm minutes later, photo in hand.
"Because I still love you, even when you're gone, no one can take our time away." She whispered, stopping to stare at the cabin before taking a deep breath and pulling the door open.
She stepped inside and froze, staring around in horror. This was it, the pain was still so fresh in Rose's mind, yet she was here. Of all the places she could have run to, of all the memories she could have trapped herself in, she chose the cabin. Squeezing her eyes tightly closed for a moment she pushed herself past the pain, the memories and the images blocking her path and walked over to the bed. There was a small box sitting there, with an envelope on top.
She should have been more careful, she was training to be a guardian after all. But what did that matter? If she had to die, why not die remembering Dimitri? She tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter.
The writing was the same as that on the back of the photo, large and curvy.
Dearest Roza,
I want to apologise now, I understand how much pain you must be in at this moment, as you're reading this. But you need to learn about life and in life people aren't always nice to you even if you're already suffering. In life there is vengeance, insanity and pain. You'll know all three of those soon enough. Trust that, if nothing else.
Don't be afraid now, I won't kill you today; you're safe from everything but yourself. This box will only hurt you if you let it, knowing you, it will kill you.
So this is cliché, don't laugh, but psycho killers did it for a reason: it's effective. Music as it happens. I have included two CDs, you'll find a CD player under the bed, only one of the CDs is for you, the other is for Vasalisa. I hope that breaks your heart. You would die for her, wouldn't you?
I have also included the lyrics maybe that will help you find some resolve.
Please don't tell your new best friend, music can't kill the Princess but don't be deceived, I can. I do mean Ivashkov, just in case you were going to claim he wasn't your best friend when the last Dragomir's body turns up.
But I don't want to kill her, really, you'll see.
Well, Rose, if you haven't figured out who I am, I'll give you a hint. I don't claim to love you.
Give Lissa her CD, won't you? I would be very upset if you didn't.
I remember needing to tell you something... hmm... something about Pyro... Only I can't quite remember. Oh well.
Remember: Vengeance, insanity, pain, Pyro.
C.
Ps. Castile seems to be getting a little too close to you...
Rose stared at the letter, over and over again, uncomprehendingly.
"Why me? I mean seriously God, I know I don't listen very well in church but couldn't you take a day off the whole wrecking Rose's life stunt?" She said looking upwards.
She looked down and sighed, whispering, "That's right, my God will always be my Russian God."
She opened the box to reveal two CDs in separate cases with names written on the front, two pieces of paper, covered with printed lyrics and scrawled comments in that same writing.
She pulled the CD player from under the bed and opened the case with 'ROSE' printed on the front.
The music played, echoing through the cabin.
Rose picked up the sheet of Lyrics that was taped to the cd case and read while the music played again,
I was searching
You were on a mission
Then our hearts combined like
A Neutron Star Collision
I had nothing left to lose
You took your time to choose
Then we told each other with no trace of fear that
Our love would be forever forever, Rose, doesn't that sound good?
And if we died
We died together That leaves you, my sweetest, your time has come.
And I
I said never
Cause our love would be forever WOULD, listen carefully.
The world is broken your world certainly is.
And halo's fail to glisten
We tried to make a difference but
No one wants to listen Or maybe they just can't hear you, Rose? Pyro.
Hail, the preachers fake and proud
Their doctrines will be cloud
Then they'll dissipate
Like snowflakes in an ocean
Love is forever Love can turn ugly, so ugly.
And we'll die
we'll die together
And I
I said never
Cause our love could be forever
Now, I've got nothing left to lose I really don't have anything left to lose but neither do you.
You take your time to choose Yes, choose, the sooner the better.
I can tell you now without a trace of fear
That my love will be forever I will tell you, sometime, trust that.
And we'll die
we'll die together
And I
I will never Don't trust me.
Cause our love
Will be forever
It was all so confusing, how could Rose possibly make sense of it?
Her suspicions were back on fire boy.
The next CD said 'V' on it, so it was for Vasalisa, but Rose couldn't not listen to it, she was supposed to be guarding Lissa soon.
She read the lyrics as the song played, again there were comments on the page by 'C'.
Just gonna stand there
And watch me burn
But that's alright I understand, Lissa, why you let me go.
Because I like
The way it hurts I always have loved the pain.
Just gonna stand there
And hear me cry
But that's alright
Because I love
The way you lie
I love the way you lie I do love your lies, do you love mine?
I love the way you lie
I can't tell you what it really is Oh; I know what it is- the effects, the shadows.
I can only tell you what it feels like You would not believe the agony.
And right now there's a steel knife Maybe not steel, silver perhaps?
In my windpipe
I can't breathe Thank your BFFL for that one, isn't she the greatest?
But I still fight Breaking hearts subconsciously.
While I can fight
As long as the wrong feels right It feels soo right, but there's a voice saying it's wrong.
It's like I'm in flight
High of a love Love, are you reading this Rose? Remember.
Drunk from the hate Perfect wording, I'm drunk from the hate too.
It's like I'm huffing paint
And I love it the more that I suffer
I suffocate I welcome it though, I'm willing to die.
And right before I'm about to drown
She resuscitates me Wouldn't that suck? Right when you think it's finally over.
She fucking hates me Sorry for the language Princess, but the point stands.
And I love it I don't love it exactly, it's about the meaning of Love, it's hard to get.
Wait
Where you going I was thinking exactly that, you know and then
I'm leaving you she answered but she didn't say a word.
No you ain't
Come back
We're running right back
Here we go again
It's so insane
Cause when it's going good
It's going great
I'm Superman Ah, I was. I wish I was...
With the wind in his bag
She's Lois Lane
But when it's bad
It's awful Somewhere we went wrong, because I'm sure it was never this bad.
I feel so ashamed
I snap
Who's that dude
I don't even know his name
I laid hands on her I did, Lissa, and where am I now? That's when everything unravelled.
I'll never stoop so low again
I guess I don't know my own strength
Just gonna stand there
And watch me burn Sometimes I imagine she's saying this, Vasalissa.
But that's alright
Because I like But I don't think she likes it, but I don't think I care.
The way it hurts
Just gonna stand there
And hear me cry How many ways and how many times have I heard her cry?
But that's alright
Because I love you, I love you.
The way you lie
I love the way you lie I know, I know exactly what you're doing, right now.
I love the way you lie Both of you. I'm not dumb, Rosemarie.
You ever love somebody so much Just read the lyrics, they are so right.
You can barely breathe
When you're with them
You meet
And neither one of you
Even know what hit 'em
Got that warm fuzzy feeling
Yeah them chills
Used to get 'em
Now you're getting fucking sick
Of looking at 'em Only because of their pain, or so I convince myself.
You swore you've never hit 'em
Never do nothing to hurt 'em
Now you're in each other's face
Spewing venom Venom? Endorphins...
And these words
When you spit 'em
You push
Pull each other's hair To pull your hair... Mm...
Scratch, claw, bit 'em
Throw 'em down
She stopped the song there and put the lyrics down, walking over to the wall and sliding down, the world crashing down until her phone started ringing.
...
That was a little warped, wasn't it, Rose? So you're just going to sit and watch your world fall to dust. I would have run personally, staying in that cabin after someone had obviously been there to leave you a threat...? It makes no sense.
So we have the facts, all evidence is presented and yet we have no answer. I'm blaming Rose.
Surely she could have done things differently, found out who 'C' is.
Lissa was sitting in her room, Rose was fine, Adrian had gone to bed, Christian and Eddie were playing video games, Rose was fine. Lissa comes to the best solutions... not.
Why is Rose falling apart in the cabin if she's fine?
Why is Adrian sitting on Rose's bed if he's asleep?
Why are Christian and Eddie death staring each other from across the table, still in the cafeteria, if they're playing video games?
Why is someone watching Rose through the cabin window, with calculating eyes and a mournful set to their mouth, if she's fine?
So many questions, answers will come tomorrow, this can be assured by the pressing hints – someone will figure it out.