... Hey, guys. Sorry it's been a while. But congratulate yourselves! I got to 100! Special shout-out to Seth'sONLYIMPRINT who gave me my 100th review. ^_^ Thanks!! Okay, a few technicalities to get out of the way.
(1) Updates will not be as fast. Unfortunately, I am now in more advanced classes (i.e. Advanced Placement, and Geometry {which at my school is for 10th grade, and I am a freshman. O_O}... )
(2) In reference to the harder classes, that means that I have more homework. : P Which sucks for me, and for you guys. Updates will most likely be only on the weekends.
(3) I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. You guys make me feel like my little stupid story is something interesting to more people than just myself. :D Your words have made me incredibly happy.
(4) I started a forum on the triplets. You can find it on my profile at the top, next to my e-mail and profile picture. (E-mail me if you want! Just tell me your username so I can come and look you up later!) Start discussing if you want!
(5) I need an opinion from my readers. On January 20th, it will be 6 months since my mom has died. Should I update all my stories on that day, or not update anything? She loved that I wrote, but I'm not sure what kind of mood I will be in that day... If you guys could tell me in a review, or a PM, that would really help me out. c: Thanks so much, to everyone! You've really given me reason to keep doing what I love doing.
Disclaimer: Rose, Dimitri, Lissa, and Christian are not mine - Adrienne, Jeremy, and Sabrina, however, are. ^_^
"I believe you're looking for me," Dimitri chuckled darkly, touching Christian's shoulder. Christian spun around.
"Holy shit," he gasped. I could almost hear the wheels in his head cursing his stupidity. He now realized that Dimitri had been here the entire time, heard every taunt he'd said about him. I glanced at Lissa, who was watching both curiously and worriedly. Her lips were twisted into a small smirk, but her eyes held nothing but concern for her boyfriend. I wasn't worried. I knew Dimitri would never really hurt Christian.
"I didn't see you there, Guardian Belikov," Christian apologized. I thought it was a harmless statement, but Dimitri's eyes grew darker, and his face hardened.
"Don't call me that," he muttered, turning away. I was afraid he was going to start a little pity party for himself again, but Christian hadn't seen Dimitri's eyes yet.
"What is his problem?" Christian asked me.
Lissa's eyes widened. "You didn't see?" she whispered, still being mindful of Jeremy and Sabrina. I glanced at Dimitri, who was cradling his daughter reverently. He seemed calm, but I knew that he was one wrong word away from blowing up.
"See what?" Christian asked, his eyebrows dipping. Dimitri whirled around, glaring at him fiercely. I cringed internally. Here came the explosion. I hoped that his control wouldn't completely snap or else little Adrienne would be a goner. Of course, I had the utmost faith in Dimitri. That, and I knew that if I even acted like I was going to take her from him, he would become even more infuriated.
"These," Dimitri hissed, glaring at Christian. Dimitri growled softly and turned away. I knew he hated himself for what he had become even though it wasn't his fault. And Christian looked like he was about to faint. Normally, Christian would have noticed Dimitri's eyes right away, but with everything that had happened, he probably wouldn't have thought anything of it. That, and the fact that everyone thought it was impossible to sneak a Strigoi into the Academy was also an issue.
Christian's eyes widened, and he stumbled backward, spitting, "Shit. What the hell, Lissa?" He glanced at me incredulously. "Forget this. I'm gone."
He tried to run for the door, but I beat him there. "No. You can't leave. Not until you promise you won't tell."
I had been hesitant about telling Christian because of his past with Strigoi. I had known that Christian would try to tell Kirova about Dimitri. I hadn't worried about telling Lissa. I was her best friend. Regardless of what our society told us, she would never want to jeopardize something or someone that I loved. It was why I had told Lissa without concern or discomfort. It was nice to hear that she hadn't snitched on me and Dimitri.
Christian glared at me, his chest rising and falling in rapid succession. "Get out of my way," he bit out.
"No." He reached out to grab my shoulder and move me but froze when Dimitri snarled at him.
"If you cherish your life, you will not lay a hand on her," Dimitri growled. Needless to say, Christian retracted his hand extremely quickly. I glanced at Dimitri who looked like he was about to pounce on Christian, despite the fact that he had followed Dimitri's instructions.
"Dimitri, deep breath," I said quietly. I didn't need him trying to kill Christian. That wouldn't go over well with Lissa or the Academy.
Dimitri's bright red eyes flashed to mine, and there was an element of danger in his eyes. They were almost daring me to say something, to stop him. I knew he wasn't in control of himself very well right now.
"It's okay. I'm okay," I soothed. I longed to go to him, to hold him, but I couldn't. I was still blocking Christian's exit. I was afraid it wouldn't do anything, but right then, Adrienne shifted in Dimitri's arms. He looked down at her, and I could see the tension in his body disappearing. He cradled her and kissed her forehead gently. He glanced up at me, and the usual tranquility I saw in his eyes was back.
I breathed out a silent sigh of relief. Dimitri had found his self-control again. Now we still had Christian to deal with. I took a deep breath and looked at Christian who was looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here.
"Promise me you won't tell about him," I said, my voice low.
He glared at me. "Hell no. I have to tell Kirova about him."
I scowled. "Christian, it's simple. Keep one secret for me, for Lissa, and that's it. Don't push me on this."
Christian scoffed. "No. I shouldn't be here. Hell, Lissa shouldn't be here," he insisted.
Lissa rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Christian. Just don't tell. It'll make things easier on everyone, especially yourself. She's serious about this."
"This is stupid," he groaned. "Fine. I give. I promise I won't tell anyone about him."
I sighed. "Christian, do you take me for an idiot? I know you don't mean it."
"Of course I don't mean it," he said in exasperation. "How can I? God, Lissa, how can you be standing here like nothing is wrong?"
"Because nothing's wrong," she replied fiercely, looking up at him. "Just promise and mean it. They're not going to let you leave unless you do."
I glanced worriedly at Dimitri whose gaze was firmly locked on Christian. He was staring daggers into the back of Christian's head, most likely remembering the comment about Dimitri raping me.
Christian sighed deeply. "This is all so messed up. How can you stand it, Lissa?"
My best friend shook her head slowly. "It doesn't bother me." Lissa glanced at Dimitri. "It doesn't bug me that you're a Strigoi anymore. Not when you hold your daughter like that." Dimitri offered her a small smile. She smiled back.
Christian locked his jaw and gritted his teeth. His nostrils slightly flared. "For God's sake, Lissa, he is a monster." Dimitri flinched, and this time I lost it. I whirled Christian around so fast he didn't know what hit him. My hand wrapped around his throat, and he was pressed up against the door, his toes barely touching the floor.
"Rose, don't hurt him," Lissa whimpered.
"Stay out of it, Lissa," I snapped. "This is between me and him. Now take it back." I tightened my grip around his throat, emphasizing my point.
"Never."
Fury washed over me in waves, and I felt my eyes narrow. I pulled back slightly and slammed him into the door. "Take - it - back," I threatened.
"Make me," he spat. I gritted my teeth and put all of my force onto Christian's throat. He began to choke, and I couldn't bring myself to care. I could hear Lissa in the background crying and begging, but that was all in the back of my consciousness.
The only thing I cared about now was forcing an apology from Christian even if he didn't want to give me one.
There was a light touch on my shoulder, and I spun angrily, wanting to kill whoever was interrupting me. I heard Christian's form hit the ground, and I took pride in hearing him gasp for breath. It made me feel accomplished. Maybe now he would pay attention.
"Rose, breathe," Dimitri whispered intently. I looked at him like he was crazy. I was fine. What was wrong with him? Did he think something was wrong with me? He was watching me carefully, his eyes holding nothing but concern.
He pulled me against him, and my arms automatically locked around his waist. What was the matter with him?
"Roza, come back to me," he murmured.
Come back to him? I was right here! I heard Christian gasp in another breath, and I stiffened. How I wanted to turn around and smash him into that door again and again. Dimitri locked his arms tightly around me so that I was stuck in his arms. There was a faded memory that tried to come to the forefront of my mind, but I ignored it.
"Roza, breathe. Let it pass," Dimitri whispered softly. I was still infuriated, but I decided to humor him by breathing deeply. It began to work, and the haze that had been over my mind began to recede. I felt us moving, and then I was curled up against Dimitri's side, my eyes squeezed shut as I tried to calm down.
Now I could find the memory that had been telling me to stop. I remembered that night with clarity, seeing Lissa so upset, and becoming that infuriated myself. Dimitri had stopped me, and that had begun the night in the cabin. Which had resulted in my daughters and son. I opened my eyes slowly and saw Adrienne, still cradled in Dimitri's arms. She was looking back at me, and I suddenly felt my age.
I was eighteen. What was I doing with three kids? But an overwhelming sense of calm washed over me, and for the first time, I had the courage to tell Dimitri that I wanted my eldest daughter.
"Give her to me," I whispered. I glanced up at him, and he was watching me, his face full of concern.
"Roza, are you -"
"Give her - to me," I said sternly. I chanced a look at him, worried that he would take the steeliness of my voice the wrong way.
He nodded slowly and handed Adrienne to me. I held my daughter, sighing in contentment. I smiled at her, and she smiled back, like she knew what was going on.
"Rose, what the hell?" Lissa snapped. I looked up and saw with relief that she still had Sabrina and Jeremy safely in her arms.
"It's not her fault," Dimitri murmured. "This anger - it's not something she can control," he hedged. I knew it was because Lissa used spirit, but she didn't need to know that she was the reason that I would periodically go insane.
Lissa looked at me sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Rose. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, Liss. Thanks." I smiled halfheartedly. My eyes glanced to the floor where Christian had gotten to his feet finally. His throat was red from where I'd gripped it too hard, and I cringed a little.
Christian caught me looking at him and chuckled. "I don't know, Rose. Think you could have made me a brighter red?"
I chuckled uneasily. "Listen, Christian, I'm really sorry about that whole thing. I didn't mean to -"
"Heard the story, don't need it twice," he interrupted. "I'm sorry for pushing you to that." He glanced at Dimitri. "And I'm sorry for saying that you raped -"
Dimitri growled softly as a warning. Christian stopped speaking, apparently understanding that Dimitri got what he was trying to say but didn't want to hear more. "You're forgiven," Dimitri muttered.
Christian nodded, smiling a little. "Liss, I'm gonna go."
I looked at Christian, afraid that he would still tell Kirova about Dimitri. Christian's eyes grew almost gentle as he looked at me.
"I promise I won't tell people about him, Rose. I'll see you later." I watched as he left and let out a silent sigh of relief. Hopefully, he would keep that promise.
"Rose, are you all right?" Dimitri murmured, touching my cheek gently with the back of his knuckles. I looked up at him, feeling my age again. And as much as I hated to admit it, I was afraid.
His eyes were tender and gentle. His lips were pulled up into a small smile. "I love you, Rose," he said, his voice strong and steady.
I smiled a little and looked back down at my daughter. "Yes, I'm okay," I sighed, answering his question.
"Dimitri, could you take Sabrina?" Lissa asked. Dimitri took his youngest daughter, and I smiled, wishing we had a camera. The scene unfolding was one of perfection. My best friend had my son, my only love was holding his youngest daughter, and I had Adrienne. And we were all okay.
It's the longest chapter yet! Awww... Evil Dimitri, Evil Rose, then fluff! Yay! Seriously, though, guys, I am blown away by the amount of hits I get, but the low amount of reviews I get. : / Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! And to everyone else, please, I'm two seconds away from begging for your feedback.
Again, I need some help on what to do when the 20th rolls around. (See top for explanation.) So please send me a PM or review telling me. :| Thanks.
And if you cherish your life, you will review!
- J.C.
