Hey! Drum roll please! Ladies and gentlemen, introducing…CHAPTER 10! Honestly, I didn't know I could write this far. And I got fifteen reviewers in one day! You think we can make it to 50 reviews? HELL YA! Thank you everyone. But I'll still need suggestions for future chapters. Enjoy and review!

DISCLAIMER:

Lissa: What now, Abe! I won you faggot!

Abe: I can't believe I lost to a girl.

Me: Technically she used compulsion on you so—

Abe: Shut up already!

Lissa: Meg does not own VA or it's characters.

Viktoria was just standing there, wide-eyed.

I didn't have time to pull out of his grasp before the strigoi lifted me up until my neck was near his open mouth.

I freed my arm out of his hand and punched the back of his head, making him release me and fall to the ground.

I landed in a crouch five feet away from Viktoria.

"Run! Run as fast as you can back home! Go!", I yelled as the strigoi recovered and got up.

She obeyed and ran down the road, as if her life depended on it, which, it did.

The strigoi launched itself at me.

I whipped out my silver stake from my pocket and waited for him to be just one foot away.

I jumped up and, with as much force as possible, kicked him in the chest.

Well, tried.

I almost forgot how fast strigoi were. So it surprised me when he grabbed my foot and pulled back, causing me to fall to the ground on my hand.

That's when the pain came to my wrist. I couldn't get back up. The pain coiled around my wrist like a snake.

The strigoi had me pinned to the ground, fangs just inches away from my neck.

I waited for the sharp sting, but it didn't come.

I opened my closed eyes and saw the strigoi on the ground next to me.

The pain in my wrist ceased a bit, but was still there.

A figure stood before me, blurring in the dim sky.

I squinted a little and realized who it was.

Tasha.

She had one of her hands stretched forwards pointing at the strigoi.

I realized what she had done. She had burnt the strigoi.

I took that interlude to get up with one hand and clutch the merely broken one to my side.

My stake was still in my good hand so I knelt before the strigoi and smirked. "Next time, don't mess with Rose Hathaway."

I plunged the stake into the strigoi's heart.

Then, I turned around to meet a still staring, Tasha.

"You-you saved my life.", I said lifelessly.

Tasha nodded. "I was heading back then I found you fighting a strigoi. What are you doing here anyways?"

I shook my head, still in disbelief. "Viktoria and I were going to the mall."

Tasha's gaze then led to my hand. "Is your wrist okay?"

I shoved the stake back into my pocket and examined my wrist. "I don't know."

"We'd probably get back to the house."

I all of a sudden remembered mine and Viktoria's plan.

"Why?", I asked her.

She sighed. "I'm leaving already. My boss wants me to do something for him I guess."

I saw the sorrow in her eyes. Hell, I felt sorry for her.

What was wrong with me? Feeling sorry for a woman who almost stole your boyfriend? Then again, she did save my life…which proved she didn't really care if I loved Dimitri. That she actually did like us together. That she didn't hate me.

I guess she wasn't the person who I thought she was.

I gave her a warm smile. "Maybe someone can talk to your boss and let you stay here."

Her smile was small. "Like that will ever happen."

"Just hope that he will."

I was going to call off the plan. Eventually, I had to let go of the pass, and that moment was now. Playing a senseless prank on a woman just wanted friendship was too low for even me.

Tasha and I turned to leave but she stopped.

"What's wrong?", I asked politely. Wow, I was on a roll!

Tasha pointed to the dead strigoi in the middle of the road. "What about that?"

I smiled. Time to call in an old friend.

I flipped open my phone and called the only alchemist I knew.

"Alchemist services. Sydney speaking", said a voice I knew to well.

"Sydney? It's Rose. Remember me?", I asked.

"Rose! How are you? I heard what happened with you and your boyfriend. I'm so happy for you! So what's up?"

"I kinda killed a strigoi and it's smacked right down in the middle of the road. You think you can…"

She replied quickly. "Of course. Just hide the strigoi behind a bush or something and tell me the address and I'll be in America as soon as—"

I cut her off. "I'm not in America, I'm in Russia."

I heard her squeal. Very, un-Sydney like. "Really?! That's great! You're staying with the Belikova's aren't you?"

I looked at Tasha and she smiled at me. "Yeah. I'm about half a mile away from there. I'll hide the strigoi behind this very ugly oak tree."

I observed the tree. Talk about a deformed tree. But, it was big enough to hide a strigoi behind.

"Okay", she replied. "I'll be there."

I grinned. "Thanks."

"'Kay. Bye!"

I hung up the phone, grabbed the strigoi's legs with one hand, and looked up at Tasha. "You think you could help with…?" I motioned towards the strigoi.

"Oh!", she said and grabbed the strigoi's hands. Together, we struggled to carry the strigoi behind the tree where it was hidden from human eyes.

Exhausted, we headed back towards the house.

Once we arrived, I told Tasha to go in without me because I had to check if Viktoria was in the fields.

She nodded and closed the door behind her.

I waited five long minutes before I took out my phone once again, and called Tasha.

"Hello?", she said.

"Tasha, it's Lissa again. I have great news!"

"What is it?"

I took a deep breath. No turning back. "Your boss called back and told us that he made a mistake. He forgot you were on break so, you can stay in Russia."

She squealed. "Really? That's amazing! Rose was right!"

I smiled to myself. "Well, I'd better go. Christian's waiting for me."

I could imagine her grinning like a fool. "Okay! Bye! Tell Christian I said hi."

I said a quick bye and hung up the phone. She had saved my life, and this was the way to repay her, I reminded myself. Rosemarie Hathaway, absolutely NO more drama between you and Tasha Ozera.

I had almost forgotten my wrist. It no longer hurt, but it was numb in some places.

Entering the house, I automatically was greeted by a worried Dimitri. "What happened Rose? Tasha said you had a strigoi encounter…are you okay?"

I held up my wrist. "I'm fine. Except I landed on my wrist which hurts like hell."

Dimitri grabbed my arm gently and examined it. "It's probably just sprained."

I nodded my head.

Then, Tasha came dashing down the stairs. She explained the cause of her happiness and I smiled slightly.

A few hours later, we were all seated in the dining table, eating dinner.

We were all engrossed in conversation, and yes, I was talking to Tasha as a real friend now.

It was when we were talking about the attack we had earlier, when Viktoria and I noticed Paul staring at me.

"Paul, it's not polite to stare.", scowled Karolina.

Paul didn't move a single inch. His eyes were wide.

Viktoria chuckled. "I think somebody has a little crush on Rose."

We all laughed; except Paul.

"Rose, will you go on a date with me?", he asked. Aw, he was so cute! Viktoria fell off the chair, laughing like a maniac.

Dimitri smiled at him. Good thing he wasn't jealous because there was no reason he should be.

"Sorry, Paul.", I said emotionally. "But I'm dating your Uncle Dimka."

"I'm sure he won't mind." Wow, this seven year old has guts!

Dimitri chuckled. "I won't mind, Rose. As long as you don't go a little too serious with him."

Paul looked back at me with huge eyes that nobody could resist.

"Sure.", I answered playfully. "Where are we going?"

Paul thought for a second and turned to Karolina. "Mama, will you help me make dinner for Rose tomorrow night?"

Karolina smiled warmly. "Of course I will."

"I'll help you pick out your dress, Rose.", said Tasha.

We all laughed again.

After dinner, Dimitri and I excused ourselves from the table and headed to our room.

"I can't believe I have a date with your nephew.", I required to him.

He shook his head, a smile tugging on his lips. "Hopefully I won't loose you to him."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, I'm leaving you for a seven year old who probably doesn't even now what real couples do during dates."

He raised one eyebrow as we entered the room. "Oh? And do I know what to do on real dates?"

I smiled. "We've never been on a date, comrade."

He locked the door behind me. "Oh? I thought all those hours in bed were dates. Guess I was wrong."

"No, no. You were right. It's just that we haven't been on a date for a while."

A wicked smile crept onto his face as he pushed me against the wall. "Would you like to go on a date right now?"

I gently pressed my lips to his. "Hell yeah."

The night traveled on as he led me to the bed and we made love countless times that night.

I know a lot of you are disappointed that Tasha is being nice, but the real questions is, is her niceness only an act? Will she trick Rose for something or maybe even someone? And how will Rose and Paul's "date" go?

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