Hi guys, firstly, wow. Thanks for all the reviews. What a lovely surprise it was for me to see all those reviews in my email inbox! Secondly, damn. My cliffie wasn't so much of a cliffie after all. I must be rather predictable as you all thought it would be Dimitri! I absolutely adore him and can't imagine Rose being with anyone else. Anyway, I hope that my predictability means that I didn't put anyone through too much torture. :)

Before we start, I would just like to remind that this story is rated M for a reason. Also, this chapter may be a bit distressing to some (hint: near rape) so please don't continue reading if you think it will upset you.

Lastly, the usual disclaimers apply – VA and associated characters belong to Richelle Mead.

Chapter 6

Rose's Point of View

He took off his mask and lowered his lips to mine. I tried to step away but he held onto me. He kissed me hungrily and the moment his lips touched mine, it was electrical. I knew I was a goner. His tongue probed my mouth gently and my knees came close to buckling. His right hand tilted my chin gently upwards; his left rested on the small of my back. He sucked gently on my bottom lip and waves of ecstasy overtook my body. I sighed deeply with pleasure and decided to let myself go. I kissed him back and I felt him shudder in pleasure. It delighted me to know I had such an effect on him and my kisses grew bolder.

Hell, I wanted this more than anything. I'd forgotten how good he tasted, felt, smelt. The memories came rushing back to me as I lost myself in his kiss. I moaned softly as he flicked his tongue again.

The rest of the world seemed to fall away as I hungrily drank him in. His touch against my skin was like fire and I felt like my body ignite with his every touch. He ran his fingers through my hair and I let out a small moan of need. His coarse fingers brushed my shoulders gently and I pressed myself harder against him.

'Happy New Year, Roza,' Dimitri whispered as he pulled his lips away from mine. I whimpered softly as he broke away from our kiss, not wanting the spell to be broken.

Unfortunately, it was as though a veil had been lifted and I stared ahead at Dimitri in a mixture of surprise, yearning and disbelief. I touched my lips, wondering if I was in a dream, whether he had actually kissed me, 'Why… What just happened?'

I stared at him as I came to my senses. Dimitri just kissed me. The one man I wanted to forget forever just kissed me. The one man I had ever loved just kissed me. The man who had single handedly broken my heart only to come back to haunt me again just kissed me. He must have feelings for you, a part of me reasoned, but another part of me clung onto his hurtful words and vowed to never be vulnerable for him ever again.

Suddenly, it was as if the spell was broken, the magic was gone and I was plummeting headfirst into reality. What the fuck was going on? I snapped out of my blissful haze and quickly became angry at him. Anger was an emotion I was becoming very acquainted with.

'Is this some kind of joke?' I snapped at him, 'Didn't I tell you to stay away from me? What part of that did you not understand? Shouldn't you be with Tasha?'

He looked stunned at my sudden change of mood.

'Happy fucking New Year to you too! I was supposed to be with Adrian,' I spat, going for overkill. I saw his yes turn dark with anger but I was far from caring. How dare he trick me like this. How dare he take advantage of me. What did he think I was? Some girl he can get with when he feels like and cast away when he doesn't?

'How dare you do this to me,' I yelled at him, tears threatening to spill over, before turning around and running back into the ballroom.

'No… Wait…' I heard him call out but I was already pushing my way through the crowd, trying to find Lissa.

I felt sick. And dirty. What the hell was he thinking? What the hell was I thinking? Why did I even kiss him back? You wanted it. I did, more than anything, but it wasn't right. I couldn't let him get to me again; I didn't think I could survive a second heartbreak. I wanted the holidays to be over so I wouldn't have to see Dimitri again, wouldn't have to be constantly torn between wanting to kiss him and punch him. Life was so much simpler when he wasn't around.

Just as I walked past the bar, a strong wave of nausea hit me and I keeled over, gagging ferociously. Strigoi. It was my first instinct and I fought past the queasiness to try and get to Lissa. Now would be a good time for the bond to work both ways. Then, I heard a loud crash and I spun around to see one of the large glass windows shatter. Another loud crash followed and the ballroom erupted chaotically.

Lissa, I thought, I have to get to Lissa. Where the hell was she?

I pushed purposefully through the crowds of screaming Morois, yelling out her name. I felt her anxiety through the bond and her call for help, where are you Rose?

Damn, why did there have to be so many people? There weren't so many when everyone was dancing, but now that there were people running in all directions screaming and pushing, I felt like I was caught in the middle of Moroi-Guardian hurricane.

'LISSA!' I yelled out. There was another crash and a cold, loud laugh. I turned around and standing on the window sill was a tall blonde Strigoi. His eyes flashed red as he licked his lips. The Guardians were all bracing themselves for a fight; the Morois were screaming and running chaotically.

'LISSA!' I screamed again frantically. Backstage, Rose.

I shoved myself through the screaming Moroi as I made my way towards the stage. Lissa was backstage with Christian, Adrian and Eddie. She was pale with fright. 'Lissa,' I cried with relief, moving to hug her, 'There are Strigoi everywhere. They must have somehow gotten word about this ball. Christian, take Lissa and Adrian home. Eddie, you stay with me and fight,'

Eddie's eyes flashed with anticipation. He cracked his knuckles eagerly.

'No way, I'm staying and fighting,' Adrian protested, grabbing my arm.

'So am I,' Christian growled.

'NO! You're all Royal Morois. Christian, you need to take Lissa somewhere safe. That's probably why they're here. They want Royal blood. By staying, you guys are just giving them what they want. GO!'

Lissa touched my arm, 'Rose…'

'Don't be scared Lissa, I'll be fine,' I smiled at her reassuringly and turning to the rest, 'GO!' There was no time to spare.

Christian finally caved and dragged Lissa away. Adrian lingered behind. 'Adrian, you need to go. It's too dangerous for you here,' I insisted impatiently. Adrian looked at me sadly before pulling me in for a kiss. He kissed me deeply and whispered fiercely, 'I know I'm not Dimitri, but I wish you would give me a chance to protect you,'

I stared at him. Did he see what happened on the balcony? Before I could say anything, he hugged me close and said, 'Be safe, Little Dhampir. I'll see you soon,' before fleeing with Christian and Lissa, his Guardians Peter and David in tow.

--

Fighting in a ball gown was not easy. I had long kicked off my heels – who fights in heels? Maybe I can train in them one day. There were a lot of Strigoi that night. I don't think I've ever seen that many Strigoi, they must have somehow managed to get themselves organized. Although, considering the amount of Royal blood available, it was no wonder that they chose to strike tonight. I should've known it was a bad idea to have so many Royal Morois under one roof. But, as many Strigoi there were, there were as many Guardians. Somehow, the wards must have been broken. It must be those damned Humans. Although, I couldn't think of how they found this remote resort. No doubt, there will be an investigation into it. I felt sorry for Alberta – as Lissa's official on-duty Guardian, and as the person responsible for Security tonight, she would receive the brunt of interrogation from Tatiana. And trust me, being interrogated by Tatiana is nearly as bad as fighting a room full of Strigoi.

I was probably meant to flee, seeing how I'm dressed in a ball gown and I'm not on duty (even Guardians need a break) but there was no way I was going to miss this. I knew Lissa would be safe with Christian and Adrian. The training they took together, however limited, to hone their skills over the year paid off. They were some of the most powerful Morois with offensive skills. Lissa would definitely be safe. Moreover, they had Peter and David with them. They were going to be okay.

Besides, no one crashes my best friend's engagement party.

I don't know how many Strigoi I stabbed that night. I probably earned another star. At this rate, I'd have no more neck room left to tattoo. I glanced around for Eddie. He was stabbing another Strigoi and didn't notice another was sneaking up on him. I ran as fast as I could and delivered my best flying kick, which hit the unsuspecting Strigoi squarely in his chest. I couldn't have Strigoi sneaking up on my friend. As I had the element of surprise on my side, I easily took him down by delivering a punch to his face, kneeing him where it would hurt most and then, stabbed my silver stake into his heart. I drove it in vehemently, possibly harder than I needed to but I was pissed off. I stabbed him again and blood poured out of him. I breathed heavily and I stared at his lifeless body as chaos reigned around me. By this time, my dress had ripped. The bottom was in tatters and cuts and bruises covered my arms and legs. It was freezing, I could see my breath in the cold air, but the fighting kept me warm.

'Thanks,' Eddie whispered hurriedly before rushing to find more Strigoi to kill. I stood up and wiped the blood from my hands. I didn't know whose blood it was then. It didn't matter. There were more Strigoi to kill. I scanned my room across the bloodied bodies and the battle scene in front of me. As I made my way towards a corner of the ballroom, I heard Alberta scream, 'Retreat!'

Instinctively, I turned around for a split second to find her. What a mistake. Dimitri's Lesson 201 – never be distracted; always be aware of your surroundings. I felt a cold hand grab my arm and found myself face to face with a black haired Strigoi.

His red eyes flashed as he looked at me in my torn dress, 'We've got a pretty one,'

I snatched my hand away and went in for a killer punch but he blocked it. He sniggered. I threw another punch at him which he easily dodged. I tried a roundhouse kick but he skidded aside and I let out a loud yell of frustration. He laughed loudly and rushed towards me, aiming a punch at my face. I barely dodged his fist. We continued to throw as many kicks and punches at each other; he easily dodged mine, whilst I struggled to avoid his, which cost me a few more bruises. He was fast, faster than the other Strigois I had fought that night. He must have just fed or he was older than he looked.

'RETREAT!' Alberta screamed again. Well, how the fuck was I supposed to retreat?

More Strigois started to surround me. Fuck. This was not looking good. My black haired Strigoi smirked, 'You'd be a tasty little snack you know,'

'Fuck you,' as I delivered another kick. Again, he easily blocked it. His Strigoi friends seemed amused at our fight and started cheering. I was surrounded by now and could hear the Guardians slowly retreat. Fuck, fuck, fuck. The blonde Strigoi stepped into the circle and before I could blink, was behind me, and had my arms locked behind me. I struggled against his grip but he held my arms tightly, his fingernails digging painfully into my skin.

He snarled at the black haired Strigoi, 'If you want her, hurry up and take her. Stop fooling around. We didn't get any of the Morois; I didn't get what I want,'

Silently, I breathed a sigh of relief. Lissa was safe. Okay, so I'm in a lot of trouble but at least Lissa was safe. The black haired Strigoi tied my hands behind me and gagged me. 'We're going to have a little fun, my Dhampir,' he said as he dragged his fangs gently across my neck. I gasped out of habit, anticipating the ecstasy rush that came with it.

He sniggered, 'Been a bit of a blood whore have you?'

I glared at him. The prick. I would've spat at him if it wasn't for my gag. 'Don't worry,' he said, 'There'll be plenty of that soon,'

Okay, if he just wanted to suck some blood from me for a bit, that was fine. I could handle that. In the meantime, I had to come up with a plan to escape. The blonde Strigoi slapped the black haired Strigoi across the head, 'Adam, hurry the fuck up. What do you want her for anyway? We need to go before they bring reinforcements,'

With that, the blonde Strigoi led the rest of his Strigoi friends through the central window into the darkness. What a great way to start the New Year. I glanced at the ballroom. There were bodies everywhere. Strigoi and Guardians. I couldn't make out who was who. I just hoped that Eddie was safe. And Dimitri. Oh God. Where was he? Was he alright?

Adam circled me, a menacing gleam sparkled in his eyes, 'I think we'll catch up with them later,'

I tried to give him my meanest stare, but there wasn't much malice I could command when I was bound and gagged. What the fuck was he going to do with me? He dragged me across the ballroom and sat me down next to the stage. I glared at him, daring him to touch me. He was amused. He lowered his fangs to my neck and dragged them across gently, not hard enough to puncture my skin. I shivered again in anticipation. I wondered if he was going to turn me into a Strigoi. I shuddered at the thought and tried to scream through my gag.

'No one's here to help you now, my sweet,' he laughed darkly.

Then, he looked down at my dress, which was now a poor excuse for one. The skirt had ripped and my thighs were exposed. He ran a finger up my leg and rested it close to my sex. I froze when I realized what was going to happen. Fear and horror flooded me as I instinctively tried to squeeze my legs together. This made him laugh even more, 'Do you think that's going to stop me?'

He dropped his gaze to my heaving breasts and ran another finger across them. I couldn't believe this. I was about to lose my virginity to a fucking Strigoi. Could things get any worse? I gritted my teeth and tried to calm myself. This isn't the worst thing that can happen, I tried to convince myself as I felt my stomach knot up. Being near the undead naturally made me nauseous; being raped by one was going to make me throw my stomach up.

He hitched my dress up and pressed his fingers on the flimsy cloth that was covering my sex. I screamed through the cloth and tried to wriggle away. He gripped my legs tightly and laughed at my struggles. As he pulled my panties aside, he licked his lips at the sight of me.

'You are one beautiful Dhampir. I didn't know Dhampirs this beautiful could fight too,'

He leaned in to look at me in the eye and I smashed my head against his forehead. He stumbled back a little. His red eyes flashed with anger, 'So you like to play hard to get eh?'

He slapped me hard and I fell from my sitting position onto the ground. I tasted blood in my mouth. I realized I was in an even more compromising position. He laughed coldly and picked me up easily from the ground, before throwing me halfway across the room. My head smashed into a table and I felt the effects of a concussion start to engulf me. Maybe if I faint, I can pretend all this is not happening, I thought to myself as I laid on the ground in front of Adam, who had moved towards me.

He pulled his pants down and extracted his penis. Fear thudded through my heart as he approached. He held me down and pried my legs open. I squirmed and managed to kick his balls. He reeled back from the impact.

'You BITCH! Now you're really going to pay!' he roared, swiping his fingernails across my chest. I felt pain sting my chest as I tried to inch myself away from him. It was futile, I know, but I wasn't going down without a fight.

He moved quickly and lifted me up in the air again. He threw me across the room once more, and I felt my body slam into a wall. I was certain I felt a bone crack. He approached my slumped body menacingly. Laughing maniacally, he ripped my dress apart and pulled my panties off me. He used his legs to pin my legs apart and despite all the struggling, I wasn't able to pull away from him. He stuck a finger inside me and I clenched my teeth. Pain seared through me as I felt my sex naturally start to moisten. He started to pull his penis out of his pants again and I closed my eyes, waiting for the nightmare to begin. I screamed, cried, begged for him to let me go. Then, I heard a bloodcurdling scream and felt his weight on me.

I opened my eyes and saw Dimitri standing over Adam and I. He looked like a murderous Russian God. He rolled Adam off me and drove his stake into Adam's heart again. And again. And again. I watched in a hazy awe as he unleashed his fury on the already lifeless body of the Strigoi. When finally, Adam's chest had been hacked to pieces and blood was splattered all over Dimitri's face, Dimitri stopped and looked at me.

I was safe. He had rescued me. My Russian God had rescued me. I felt my eyes roll back. It was as if my brain knew I was going to be safe and it decided that it was time to shut down. Dimitri's arms were immediately around me. 'Rose,' he whispered urgently. My eyes fluttered open for a second, 'Roza!'

'Dimitri…' I started, before darkness overcame me.

What do you think? I hope this chapter wasn't too distressing. I'm not great at writing fight scenes so please forgive me if they weren't fleshed out properly. Anyway, I didn't want to end on a cliffie (Rose is safe, phew) because I didn't think it was fair to do that to you guys again so soon. : )

I promise happier days are coming (in the next 2 chapters) so look forward to that soon. In the meantime, write to me, I love reading your comments. And, have a good weekend everyone! x