DPOV

I was in the car, just passing the Novosbirsk city sign as I whipped out my phone and hit call waiting for Roza to answer. The phone only had to ring once before her sweet soft voice picked up.

"Comrade? Are you here already?" She asked sounding somewhat surprised.

"I just passed the city sign a minute ago."

"Ok, Ive got a room at the Baypark hotel down on the harbour, room 401." She spoke quietly into the phone, I could hear sounds on the other end, like she was outside around people, I didnt bother questioning it. I figured she was out getting some air.

"Alright, I should only be about half an hour away. Ill see you soon Roza." I smiled as I spoke. I couldnt wait to see her again, I didnt care about the danger I just wanted to be near her again, to touch her, to hold her... I missed her beyond words. I glanced over at the duffle bag sitting half open on the passenger seat, the white gleaming stake with its rose and vines design on the hilt was sticking out slightly. That one piece of white weaponary held all the hope of getting my love back to the way she should be. I let out a slow breath trying to calm my nerves and to not think about what I will eventually have to do with it. I couldnt help but feel bad, like I would be betraying her by staking her with it, even if it was hopefully going to save her life... I wonder if this is what people feel when they purposefully take anothers life...

I found the way to the hotel easy enough, pulling up outside. I jumped out of the car and looked up at the large white building, the massive BayPark sign was lit up in bright yellow. I walked into the large elegant looking reception, skipping right past the blonde human women sitting behind the desk, her head shot up when she heard me push open the door and her eyes widened slightly as she looked me up and down. She was about to speak to me but I was in too much of a hurry and was in the elevator with the doors closing before she could get a word out.

Thankfully the sign in the elevator told me which floor room 401 was on so I just hit 10 and waited as I was taken up, painfully slow I might add. As soon as the doors were open enough I shot out and ran down the corridor until I found the door with 401 in gold lettering. I paused outside for a moment, calming myself down and making sure I was in control, I didnt want to do anything that might upset her or anything that she cant handle, I dont know how she is coping with everything, whether she is still completely in control or not...

I knocked softly on the door before turning the handle abd easing it open. It was like time slowed down as I took a step into the room and glanced around, my eyes coming to a stop when I saw her standing in the middle of the living room. She still looked like the most beautiful women on the planet. Wearing a pair of faded black jeans, with a figure hugging red tank top, her deep brown hair hung in locks down her back just the way I had always loved it. I tried to ignore the pale tinge to her skin, though I could tell she was wearing makeup to try and bring some colour back, I could still see the deep shade of brown her eyes always were, and I concentrated on that colour rather than the red ring that surrounded them. Her face was wary as she watched me, I could see a hint of fear in her eyes and I couldnt understand what it was until she spoke.

"Dimitri... " She looked away from me now, towards the large open window looking out over the city. "If youre not comfortable being around me, Ive booked another room you can stay in..." She said quietly, trying to sound unhurt by the fact that I might accept the offer.

I shook my head and without thinking I dropped my bag and moved to her in three easy strides untill I was standing directly in front of her. She tensed slightly but still didnt look up at me, so I placed my index finger under her chin and tilted her face up so she had no other choice.
"Roza, you have no idea how much I have missed you, seeing your beautiful face, hearing your sweet voice... I never want to be away from you ever again..." I said as she studied my face.

"..but...im..." She started to speak, I knew what she thought, and I knew what she was going to say so I stopped her.

"Im not afraid of you... Im only afraid you'll run from me again... Please dont leave me Roza... Dont ever leave me again." I couldnt help the emotion that leaked into my voice, it was too much for me to think that this amazing beautiful women who held my heart would ever leave me again. I loved her so much it hurt me sometimes, but the thought of losing her hurt me so much more.

Her eyes watered slightly making them glisten and look even more gorgeous than before, She moved her hand up and traced a line down my cheek with the back of her slim fingers. I closed my eyes and practically melted at the touch, it sent a shiver down my spine. Oh the things my Roza could still do to me.

"You're not scared of me?... of what I could do to you?..."

I shook my head, "No, I know you wont hurt me Roza, I trust you."

She closed her eyes causing a tear to fall and trail down her cheek, I brushed it away with my thumb holding her face in both of my hands. "I love you." I spoke as firmly as I could.

"I love you yoo Comrade..." she whispered.

I couldnt take it, to hell with control. I pulled her face up to meet me, brushing my lips across hers lightly, I still didnt want to step over the line in case she couldnt control herself or she didnt feel comfortable. But the joy that shot through me when I felt her lips respond to mine as she kissed me back made my heart beat like crazy. I savored the soft, sweet taste of her lips as her hands ran up my arms and across my shoulders before twining themselves into the hair at the base of my neck.

We stayed that way for I dont even know how long, it could have been seconds, minutes, hours, days... I didnt even care. We slowly made our way backwards, never breaking the kiss untill the back of her knees hit the bed and we both sunk down onto it.

She pulled away after a moment and just looked up at me as though she was studying me. My eyes took in every single detail about her, about what I knew to be my Roza, the soft tan skin even now as it was a paler than normal colour, her wide brown eyes even tinged with red they were still the most mesmerising thing Id ever seen, and the lush wavy dark locks of her hair. She was perfect.

"What?" She asked, a deep blush crept over her pale cheeks making her look even more amazing.

"Its just... Ive missed being able to look at you... I cant wait until I have you back properly"

She looked at me with confusion, her eyes dancing around my face. "What do you mean have me back properly?"

I sat up then, grasping one of her hands in mine so that I wasnt completely losing contact with her. "I told you last time I saw you, we know how to turn you back... at least we think we know." I smiled at her, I could tell she saw the hint of fear in my eyes as she asked her next question.

"How?" Her voice wavered slightly like she wasnt sure she wanted to know.

I stood and walked over to where I had casually dropped my duffle bag, moving back in three easy strides to sit back by her side. I pulled out the gleaming white stake from the bag and held it up in front of her. "This... its been charmed with spirit by both Lissa and Adrian, as well as a little from Oksana too. We found out that its been done before... Anna-Maree, Saint Vladimirs daughter was a spirit weilder and she saved the man that she loved by using a stake filled with spirit and turning him back to a dhampir with it."

Her eyes widdened as I spoke, she stared at the stake and then back at my face, her bottom lip started trembling ever so slightly. "You... you have to stake me with it?" She asked, her voice wavering again but this time it was even more noticeable. I couldnt bring myself to speak so I just nodded in confirmation.

I put the stake on the bedside table and turned back to her, pulling her up from the bed so that she was sitting against me. I wrapped my arms securely around her waist as I whispered into her hair. "Its ok Roza, everything will be fine. We will get through this, I know you're scared but it will only take a second and then you will be back to the way you were."

She stiffened at my words, pushing her hands against my chest so that I had to let her go. She stood up on shakey legs and moved towards the window. "I cant do it Dimitri, I cant be changed back." She said.

I stood up after her walking slowly towards where she stood. "What do you mean? You dont want to be turned back?" I asked. Was she seriously going to say she liked being a strigoi? I really hope not, she cant stay this way, its not her, its not my Roza, she cant stay a monster... its the strigoi in her talking, I just know it is.

"No...I mean Yes, I want to be dhampir again... just not yet. I have something I need to do first, and I dont think I can do it as a dhampir... I have to kill him Dimitri, I have to kill Riley." She had turned to look at me as she spoke, I could see the determination in her eyes.

"But what if... what if you cant control the strigoi in you... what if you become one of the monsters that we live to destroy? Ive seen you struggle with it Roza, its so much stronger than you think... its not safe for you to stay this way." I tried to reason with her, to make her see that she was running out of time.

"I have to do this Dimitri, I have to try... didnt you say that Anna-Maree saved her man? He must have been full strigoi, he wasnt shadow kissed like I am so he cant have had any of the control that I have... even if I did lose it... which I wont. Then you can still stake me." She moved back over to me, placing her hand over my heart. "I have to do this... but I need your help to do it Comrade."

I closed my eyes in frustration, taking a deep breath. She wanted to stay this way, possibly lose herself to the monster and become a full, evil bloodsucking, murdering strigoi... I couldnt stand to see her this way, to see her tranform from my compassionate, always putting others first, loving women into one of them... but wouldnt it make it easier to stake her? If she was out of control and your life, or someone elses life depended on it? another part of my brain spoke through my worries, and I knew it was right. It would be easier to stake her if I believed she was bad, if I believed she was evil... I let out the breath I had been holding, opening my eyes to see hers still trained on my face.

"Ok... Ill help you My Roza. We'll kill Riley... and then Ill turn you back"

The smile she gave me was absolutely breath taking, it was like it lit up my entire heart. I smiled back as she moved foreward and bought her lips back to mine in our sweetest kiss yet.

But after a minute or so I pulled back from her, keeping my hands wrapped around her waist. "so... whats the plan?"