An - Firstly I just want to thank every one of you guys for all the reviews. They mean so much to me [All the story alerts, author alerts, favourite story alerts too]I know there was a short delay this week in getting this chapter up and I have to apologise to you –but work is really busy. I will try to get the chapters up as soon as I can.

Star – Sorry to confuse you (Story takes place beginning of FrostBite on their way to Roses Qualifier Exam.)

I will stop the babble now.. And please don't forget to review!

crazydamphirxx

Chapter four –

It was beginning to freeze and the sky had grown increasingly darker. The daylight was fading fast and we desperately needed to find shelter soon. Dimitri struggled onwards still cradling me in his arms. His hair was laced with snowflakes that had fallen from the sky.

The hail and wind cut his face where his skin was exposed. His legs sank into the heavily packed snow as he struggled to move forward. He would not give up –not yet.

"Comrade?" I whispered as I clutched his coat with my hand.

"Ye…yes my Roza?" He answered looking down at me with those dark brown eyes of his.

"Com…comrade.."

"I'm here Rose." He said interrupting me.

I had an ominous feeling just before I saw the eight sets of red eyes coming towards us. We would be no match for them, especially as I was badly injured and Dimitri was almost out on his feet.

"St..Strigoi.." I stuttered.

I sensed Dimitri become very still as he looked up to see the Strigoi. They were closing in on us. I somehow managed to jump out of my mentor's arms but landed on my injured foot.

I swore under my breath as I saw one of the Strigoi move forward menacingly towards us. I pushed Dimitri out of the way and pulled my stake from my pocket.

"Roza!..." He screamed.

"Run Comrade!" I yelled back.

I stumbled forward as the Strigoi growled loudly and lifted me up off the ground. My feet dangled in mid air. I gasped as I looked into those piercing red eyes and tried to grip my stake. The Strigoi flashed his fangs and pulled me closer to him.

The stake fell from my hand as I was grabbed from behind. From the corner of my eye I saw four Strigoi closing in on Dimitri. I could not help as I was being mauled by two male Strigoi.

I tried to fight them off I looked over at Dimitri. I caught his eye and screamed in terror.

"Dimitri!" I screamed….

I tossed and turned as I felt someone shaking me gently and calling my name. My eyelids fluttered and then opened slightly. Everything was blurred as I tried to focus on my mentor's face.

"Roza?" He whispered.

"Comrade?"

"Yes, my Roza. You…were dreaming.. It's ok… Shhh…. rest now.." He said in a soothing tone.

I started to cry as he held me close and gently rocked me.

"St…Strigoi …in my nightmare..they…attacked us.."

"Shhh…Roza ..it was just a dream."

A wave of dizziness came over me as I looked up at him. I felt Iike I had been drugged. I put my hand up to steady my throbbing head. It felt wet and sticky. I took my hand away and saw… blood.

" Are you all right?" Dimitri asked with a worried tone in his voice.

"Why ..am I bleeding?" I questioned him.

" You where hit in the head, Rose"

" Ohh, that would explain why my head feels like I was hit by a freight train….What happened?." I asked with a puzzled look.

"You don't remember what happened?"

"N..no!" I cried.

I looked around the room, it was small and had just a bed, a chair and a stove. Another door led off to a bathroom.

"Where are we?" I asked.

Dimiri explained, as he cleaned the cut on my head, that we had been on our way to my qualifier exam and had hit a snowstorm. He said there had been an accident and that I might have concussion.

He had carried me in the snow and eventually found this small cabin. It was cramped but at least we had shelter from the weather. I could hear the wind howling and it whistled loudly.

I shivered as Dimitri gently wiped the blood from my forehead. When he had finished, he took off his leather duster and put it around me.

"Better?"

I blushed as I realized just how close Dimitri was to me. His hand touched my hair but then quickly moved away. He finished cleaning my wound in silence and without touching my hair again.

"You should rest now..Roza."

I nodded as he got up and moved towards the cabin door.

"Where are you going, Comrade?"

"To get some wood..to light the stove."

" Here take this." I said as I handed his duster back to him.

I watched him put on his leather duster and open the door. The wind blow some snow inside and I shivered. He closed the door and I heard his footsteps grow fainter.

I lay there for a while and listened for Dimitri's return. But I grew impatient waiting for him. I slowly raised myself up off the bed and put my full weight onto my feet. My ankle hurt like hell.

"Son of a bitch!" I groaned.

I managed somehow to make it to the door and walked slowly out into the snow. I couldn't see very far and I shivered without my coat as I struggled forward. I called out Dimitri's name but my voice couldn't be heard above the howling wind.

I hadn't gone very far before I stumbled into the snow. A hand reached out and caught me before I fell into the snow.

"What are you doing outside Roza?" He said exasperately.

"Looking for you, Comrade"

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

He gently pulled me into his arms and sighed as he walked back towards the cabin.

"What am I going to do with you Rose?"

I really hope you guys like this chapter as much as the last ones! I'm hoping you guys will enjoy the next chapter because I know I did say there would be a surprise but …you have to wait till you read the next chapter..sorry I just didn't have the time to make this chapter longer! If you have any ideas let me know. If I use them I will post that in the author's notes.