Hi everyone, thanks for the great reviews and comments :) In answer to one of the comments the reason I posted 3 chapters in 9 hours was because I got totally swept up in the story and could not stop! Plus I just finished Uni for the year and so I'm enjoying having nothing but free time.
I hope you enjoy, this chapter isnt the most eventful but hopefully I'll post another one later today, let me know what you think so far xxx
Shopping with Lissa was something I had enjoyed more than anything when we lived in the human world but now it didn't hold the same appeal. It just meant working harder to make sure we went unnoticed and with the large group of us it wasn't easy.
Dimitri and I easily slipped into the roles of guardians as we accompanied Lissa and the others while they bought shoes, clothes and accessories. Mia, who had been practicing with guardians for a while helped out by near guarding with me, she really wasn't into shopping anymore, and Dimitri walked a little behind as far guard.
Abe's cash and credit cards had certainly come in handy because Lissa insisted on being thorough in our disguises. She picked out an incredibly grown up twin set and designer jeans for herself, a casual light weight Ralph Lauren blazer and khakis combo for Adrian, Christian was decked out in Khakis and a polo shirt while Mia was dressed up like a little doll, much to her dismay, in a polka dot dress. Adrian already had a Rolex so he the only other thing he needed were some designer loafers that cost more than about seven whole guardian uniforms. The only thing left was Chanel glasses for both Adrian and Lissa and some Tiffany earrings. I found this all a tad excessive but Adrian insisted that the Moroi working at the Witching Hour would be trained to spot subtle shows of wealth, and to my surprise he was backed up by no other than Dimitri.
When our shopping spree was finally over, and we'd managed to pull Lissa away from the Barney's shoe department, we headed back to the hotel to avoid being caught out past sundown. The last thing we needed was a Strigoi attack, especially when the Moroi were weakening by the hour from lack of blood. After Lissa insisted on everyone trying on their clothes we ordered room service.
Dinner was a solemn affair due to the sluggishness that the Moroi were experiencing from lack of blood. Lissa, Mia and Christian had all lived on little to no blood at some time or another and so weren't fairing so badly, but Adrian was a whole other matter. He'd never had to go without blood or live on a limited supply and was proving to be downright irritable. I caught him more than once heading over to the mini bar and my sharp disapproving looks were met at first with scowls before he decided to ignore me and fix himself some concoction or other that involved lots of ice.
This along with the tiredness and short temper I was feeling growing in Lissa through the bond put me in a foul mood and so I decided to call it a night.
The sleeping arrangements were much the same as the previous night however I wasn't really up for smelling Adrian's booze soaked breath all night so I pulled some of the blankets off our bed and set up a makeshift bed on the couch. The rest of the group had gone off into their respective bedrooms except for Dimitri who had offered to take the fold out couch situated directly across from where I was now dozing off. He exited the bathroom where I assumed he'd been getting changed dressed in pyjama pants and nothing else; he stretched before settling down with one of his western novels.
'Any good?' I asked, suddenly in this proximity to him not feeling so tired. He looked up a little bit surprised, I guess he'd assumed I was sleeping.
'It's ok, I think I've read it before though' he said before lifting it up so I could get a proper look at the cover. It was the book he'd been reading in Siberia when he'd kept me captive. 'Yeah, I think I recognise it.' I said quietly whilst giving him a tentative smile. Trying to be his friend felt awkward and unnatural I realised, as if by being so polite and cordial to each other we were going against nature.
Sitting up on the couch I suddenly felt more awake, there was a burning desire flooding my body and I had no idea where it had come from. Dimitri must have sensed a change in the atmosphere because I saw his body tense. 'Rose...' he cautioned. Christian. Oh crap, not again. The feelings were now coming quite clear and they weren't coming from me but from the bond. I managed to shake off any feelings of lust that lingered on my face and walked over to the bathroom to splash water on my face. I looked in the mirror and groaned, was this how my life was going to be from now on. On the run and alone with people I couldn't safely spend time with? I was always getting pulled into Lissa's romatic interludes, something I resented her for and which was just fuelling the general feeling of resentment that was growing towards her every day. Dimitri, who I loved with my whole soul, who I could never get over because he was a part of me ingrained so deeply that this situation was causing me physical pain. Adrian, who I loved but who I could never love the way I loved Dimitri, I felt as though all I would do was hurt him because I couldn't be the way I was supposed to be.
With these thoughts I curled up on my couch and floated off to sleep, thankful for the reprieve from my own mind.