Hey this is my favorite chapter in Vampire Academy so I'm very excited.

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All characters are property of Richelle Mead.

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Sorry for taking forever.

Chapter 16

"Rose, what is it?" I asked, I could tell she had something on her mind, something difficult to get off her chest… and I had an idea of who it was about.

"It's Lissa –she's, she's in danger," she told me.

"Where is she?" I asked, trying to be efficient.

"At the church… in the attic…" Rose answered a little out of it. She was doing that whole bond thing again.

"Okay –stay here—I'll go get Alberta," I told her and immediately ran to get Alberta.

I reached her office a few seconds later, "Alberta."

"Dimitri, is something wrong?" she asked, probably guessing from the seriousness in my face and she immediately began getting up.

"Yes, something is wrong with Vasilisa, Rose just informed me through the bond," I answered and I went out the room, running now knowing she'd follow.

We ran towards the church and then up the attic.

I thought that she had been hurt or attacked maybe, but no, that wasn't the case. I would've been okay with that. What I saw, both surprised and horrified me.

I wasn't prepared for it.

An unconscious Lissa on the floor, at first I thought she'd been attacked but after further assessment I realized –she was bleeding from her wrists and she had a sharp object in one of her hands. She'd done the damage herself. How long had this been going on? Why hadn't I realized.

I picked Lissa up and immediately rushed her to the clinic; I could tell that she had lost a lot of blood. Alberta rushed to get a feeder and we tried rousing Lissa to consciousness to drink some blood.

Finally, they were able to wake her up to drink some blood. She was going to be okay. I never thought I'd have to worry about protecting one of my charges… from themselves.

I waited around the exit after Rose had been allowed to visit her in the middle of the night. Rose didn't notice me when she came out, she just walked right passed me but I saw the look on her face. I don't think Lissa was happy with Rose telling on her. However, Lissa could have died had it not been for Rose and I'm glad she had the courage to speak up. I know how she is, always trying to take care of situations herself, but she did the right thing in telling.

She should have told sooner, however, this all could have been avoided. But then wasn't realy like Rose, I realized a little frustrated that she would keep something from me.

Dr. Olendzki came out then and we spoke.

"We'll be releasing Vasilisa tomorrow morning on the condition that she has to come back for daily visits with a counselor. We are also going to put her on some sort of medication to help with the depression," Dr. Olendzki informed me.

"Of course," I answered.

"Rest assured Guardian Belikov, she's going to be fine," she responded.

"Okay," I answered and headed back to my room for some sleep.

The next morning I informed Rose about Lissa's condition that she would be out of the hospital but that she would need therapy and be put on an anti-depressant.

"Are you and Lissa going to be okay?" I asked Rose then.

"I don't know, well, yeah eventually," Rose responded. "She'll probably be angry with me for a while for telling."

"You did the right thing," I assured her, "She could have died."

"I know," Rose added bitterly.

"She'll come around, don't worry about it," I told Rose and then we went ahead with our normal practices.

The rest of the week went by pretty normal. I did my rounds and trained with Rose who seemed a little sad and distanced, but I knew that Lissa would come around soon and be her friend again.

Saturday was the dance and Alberta asked me to go take a walk with her. We were discussing the current security system at the academy when we knocked into Rose and Mason.

I did a double take and whatever we had just bend discussing completely faded from the world.

She was wearing the dress.

Rose looked stunning, and like I had told her before… she'd endanger the school… because she'd endanger me.

Then I noticed Mason's arm around her.

Envy filled me all over.

But Rose's beauty distracted her. All I could do was stare and stare. Rose looked back, but neither of us said a world.

Alberta gave them a smile however, clearly not as affected as I was.

I could hear their conversation faintly in the background as Alberta said to Mason, "Mr. Ashford, Miss Hathaway. I'm surprised you aren't already in the commons."

But all I saw was Rose… I looked and looked and couldn't stop.

I tried to keep my face composed.

Mason defended himself, "Got delayed, Guardian Petrov. You know how it is with girls. Always got to look perfect. You especially must know all about that."

What a suck up.

Besides, Rose always looked perfect, even after getting all hot and sweaty at the gym. I could think of other times when she could be hot and sweaty… but those places shouldn't be visited.

Rose always looked great but tonight, she looked out of this world. A part of me wanted to grab her a take her away, but I have a feeling that wouldn't be in our best interest.

Rose just kept staring back at me, our eyes were locked. I could hear their conversations going around us, but all I saw was Rose and the a haze was building between us. In that moment, she was everything. I tried to keep my expression from giving away anything.

The dress Rose wore clung everywhere exposing every curve and the rest of the shape of her body.

It was almost taunting.

Finally, Mason and Alberta stopped their remarks and we parted ways.

As Alberta and I walked on, I couldn't help but look back at Rose.

"They make a good couple, don't they?" asked Alberta.

"No," I responded too quickly.

"No? Dimitri!" she joked, " I think you're getting all protective over Rose, Mason's a star student and I think he's always liked Rose," responded Alberta.

"Did you see how he was touching her? I'm sure his interest are more hormonal than anything else" I answered.

"Dimitri! Rose can handle Mason, I think he'd be good for her, don't worry about them. Rose is a smart and beautiful girl, maybe dating a guy like Mason would be good for her," Alberta told me.

"Maybe she doesn't need to date right now," I answered, silently adding unless it's me, of course.

"I'll see you later Alberta," I commented and started to walk off, it was getting hard to mask my feelings.

"Wait, Dimitri, are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes of course," I answered and stocked off before she could say anything else.

I ended in my room, angry and not able to get Rose out of my head.

For a second I had decided to march right into the commons and yank her away from Mason and take her away with me.

What was I thinking.

Seeing her though had caused some animalistic passion in me.

She stared back… I thought.

When I had looked at her, her eyes had been tied to mine too. She had held my gaze the whole time too.

I refused to take satisfaction in that, because allowing myself that privilege meant fantasying other things that would never be able to happen.

That seemed like the saddest thought in the world right now.

To want something so desperately, to be taunted by the sight of it, to be so close to it, but to never be able to touch or feel it.

Oh Roza.

Eventually, as the night drew on, I was able to fall asleep but it wasn't in the least bit peaceful. I moved all over the bed, yanking the sheets all over and all I could think about was Rose.

Some hours passed when I heard continual loud banging on my door. I immediately jumped out of bed, anxious to see what could be the problem.

I didn't expect to see Rose when I opened the door, and my eyes widened as I asked, "Rose?"

"Let me in. it's Lissa," she insisted.

I immediately stepped aside so that she could walk in. She was assessing the room and then she stopped and gazed at me.

I expected her to explain herself, but she didn't, she just stared at me.

"What's wrong?" I urged.

She just gazed at me, and then looked at my bare chest…. Almost as if checking me out.

Rose then aimed at my chest, trying to touch it and kiss it.

"Rose," I exclaimed as I stepped back, "What are you doing?"

"What do you think?" she responded, charging forth again, trying to kiss me. Smart ass.

"Are you drunk?" I asked, holding my hand out in a warding gesture, trying to stop this situation from happening… it was too tempting. It was only so long before my self-control waned.

"Don't I wish," she answered, trying to dodge around me.

Then her confidence seemed to diminish because she stopped her attempts and stared at me with an uncertain look, finally she said, "I thought you wanted to---" damn, she had noticed.

"Don't you think I'm pretty?" she asked.

Was she ridiculous, of course she was beautiful but that wasn't the situation? Besides, didn't she understand it wasn't about that.

I tried to be stern, "Rose, I don't know what's going on, but you need to go back to you room." Please leave Rose, before I can't hold back.

Instead, she moved at me again, not being deterred but this time, I reached out and gripped her wrists and suddenly, whatever self-control I had completely faded. It was like an electric current shot through the both of us and whatever I had been thinking to tell her fell away. Suddenly, all I wanted was Rose. Suddenly, nothing held me back.

I released her wrists then and moved my hands up her arms, slowly feeling her soft skin. I held her gaze, and I was hungry, hungry to feel and touch her and do so many other things.

I grabbed her then pull her towards me and pressing her against my body. One on my hands moved up the back of her neck, grabbing a hand full of her hair while I tipped her face towards me. Then I brought my lips down, barely brushing my lips to her. She had been untouchable for so long.

I had wanted this for so long, it seemed like if I moved too fast this haze would melt away. I wanted to treasure this moment, but I wanted to do so many things I don't think I could contain myself for much longer.

Rose than asked, "Do you think I'm pretty?" grabbing me out of my head.

I regarded her with utter seriousness then and said, "I think you're beautiful."

"Beautiful?" she asked.

I continued and admitted, "You are so beautiful, it hurts me sometimes."

I moved my lips back to hers then, and kissed her gently; however, soon passion took over me and I kissed her hard and hungry. Her kisses consumed me but soon kissing wasn't enough.

My hands slid down her arms, down her hips down to the edge of her dress, feeling her all over.

I gathered the fabric of her dress then and began pushing it up her legs. I continued while she kissed me, sliding the dress up and up, until I'd pulled it over her head and tossed it on the floor.

"You… you got rid of that dress fast," Rose said in between heavy breaths. "I thought you liked it," she commented.

"I do like it," I answered, "I love it," I said in between my heavy breaths. I liked her better without it though.

I grabbed her body then and took her to my bed, getting her completely naked.

Rose seemed a little scared, so I took thinks slow, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do.

We laid on the covers, clinging to each other and kissing and kissing. Every touch felt like fire on my skin… I couldn't believe this was happening.

Touching her like this… it had always been a fantasy, something untangible.

It wasn't just because she was beautiful, but just being so close to her felt so good.

I murmured her name "Roza, Roza," as I kissed her and she seemed to melt under my gaze.

I could tell by the way she acted that she wasn't as experienced as people it was rumored as it was. She was almost shaking and I guessed she was really nervous.

I wanted to do so much more, and I think she realized that but I kept my pajama pants on so as to not pressure her.

At one point she hovered over me and as I tilted my head slightly, and she caught sight of my neck and lightly brushed my marks tattooed there.

"Did you really kill six Strigoi?"

I nodded.

"Wow," she said.

I brought her own neck down and kissed it, my teeth gently grazing her skin, "Don't worry, you'll have a lot more than me someday," I told her.

"Do you feel guilty about it?" she asked.

"Hmm?" I questioned.

"Killing them," she responded, "You said in the van that it was the right thing to do, but it still bothers you. It's why you go to church, isn't it? I see you there, but you aren't really into the services."

I smiled at her, surprised and amused that she had guessed another secret of mine, "How do you know these things?" I questioned. "I'm not guilty exactly… just sad sometimes. All of them used to be human or dhampir or Moroi. It's a waste, that's all, but as I said before, it's something I have to do. Something we all have to do. Sometimes it bothers me, and the chapel is a good place to think about those kinds of things. Sometimes I find peace there, but not often. I find more peace with you."

I rolled her off of me then and moved on top, this time the kissing was harder, I could barely hold back when she was completely naked here in my bed.

I looked at her eyes then and saw the decision in there; she wanted me inside of her.

Smiling, I slid my hands behind her neck and unfastened Victor's necklace and set it on the bedside table.

The minute the chain left my fingers; however, I felt like I'd been punched in the face.

I blinked in surprise and asked, "What happened?"

"I… I don't know," Rose answered, voice relaying that she felt it too.

I felt like I was trying to wake up out of this haze. I still wanted Rose, but that animalistic passion was gone and the current situation was slowly dawning on me.

Rose. Naked in my bed.

My head felt strange, and I frowned, no longer turned on.

I pondered for a few minutes, retracing what had happened.

Everything changed when I took off the necklace.

The necklace, I realized, and I grabbed it. Suddenly, desire swept all over me and I slid my hand onto Rose's hip, trying not to keep it from going and tracing all over her naked body.

I saw Rose's expression changed and she perked up her body, and her breathing became heavy once again.

I moved my lips to her… neglecting what had just happened. All I wanted was to touch her, nothing else in the world mattered.

Then she whispered, "Lissa," voice strained. "I have to tell you something about Lissa. But I can't…remember. I feel so strange…"

"I know," I responded, still holding on to her, laying my cheek on her forehead.

Then the pieces seemed to fall into place and I realized what I had to do.

I would never get to touch Rose or see her like this again, I realized. But it was something I had to do. We were trapped here by someone. Someone….

"There's something…." I tried to explain, "Something here." I pulled my face away and said, "This necklace. That's the one Prince Victor gave you?"

Rose nodded and I took a deep breath, removing my hand from her hip and pulling myself away.

"What are you doing?" she exclaimed. "Come back…." She said.

I seriously wanted to. All I wanted in that moment was to make her mine, but instead I climbed out the bed. I felt animal passion and had to fight myself the whole way to the window.

Couldn't I just make love to her first?

No Dimitri, you idiot, I thought, you're taking advantage of her.

I finally reached the window and managed to open it one-handedly.

"What are you going to?" Rose asked, and then realization took place because she sprung out of bed gasping, "No! Do you know how much that must have---?"

I let the necklace disappear and suddenly I woke up.

"Lissa!" Rose immediately gasped out. "Lissa's been taken!" she screamed.