Chapter 34: Birthday Gifts
Disclaimer: Richelle Mead owns all… but you know that already.
Here's some more Dimitri fluff and a little OOC Janine. Enjoy.
RPOV
It was nearly midnight when we reached my room. There were a lot of other students milling around. The desk clerk looked up as we entered. I faked being a little more dazed than I was so they wouldn't think it was strange for Dimitri to accompany me to my room.
"Are you really alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine." I said.
I was still a little miffed at him for going off on Lissa. So before he sat down I used the element of surprise and kicked him hard square in the right kneecap. I was Abe Mazur's daughter after all and I had a reputation to live up to. His leg buckled and he nearly fell to the ground.
"What was that for?" he cried out in pain.
I stood up straight and put my hands on my hips. "Don't you ever and I mean ever yell at Lissa like that again or I will do more than just attempt to break your kneecap! Got it?"
He looked ashamed. "Rose I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." He said hanging his head in shame.
"I know you're sorry, but this has to stop." I told him.
We talked for a while after that and although things weren't going to be perfect we were both able to admit our wrong doings and understand the others point of view. He agreed to treat me as an equal and I agreed to stop fighting him on every minute point.
We lay next to each other just talking and him holding me for a while in silence. It felt so good to back in his arms.
"I almost forgot." He said suddenly sitting up and pulling something small out of his pocket.
"Happy Birthday Roza." He said smiling. He handed me the box. It was small and velvet.
"You didn't have to do that." I said.
"I wanted to. Now open it."
I loved getting presents and this one would be extra special since it was from him.
I opened the box slowly and nestled inside was a beautiful silver ring. It had two heart stones on it. They were purple.
"Oh Dimitri it's beautiful." I gasped looking at him.
He pulled it out of the box and took my hand in his. He slipped it onto my right ring finger. It fit perfectly.
"I'm glad you like it. I was nervous that you wouldn't." He was grinning like a fool.
I laughed. "No it's really perfect." I said staring at it in awe.
"Roza I know that things haven't been perfect and that many will be against us, but I wanted you to know that I plan on being with you for the rest of my existence." He said his voice thick with emotion.
I looked into his deep brown eyes. " I want that too." I breathed.
Slowly he brought his lips to mine and kissed me with passion. He pulled away after a few minutes leaving us both breathless. I rested my head on his chest and he stroked my hair gently.
"Where did you get it?" I asked as I twisted it around my finger. It looked expensive and I didn't want him spending money on me.
"It was my grandmother's." he replied.
She gave it to me when I left to become a Guardian. She told me to give it to the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
My heart nearly stopped beating. "And you want me to have it?" I gulped.
"There will never be anyone else for me Roza." He replied. "You're my everything."
I couldn't believe how lucky I was. It was rare for Dhampirs to fall in love, but to have someone like him love me completely the way I loved him was once in a blue moon.
I sighed in contentment and drifted off to sleep snuggled in his arms. This might just be the best birthday ever.
I awoke from my peaceful slumber to the sound of someone pounding on my door. Beside me Dimitri was awake as well. He looked at me unsure of whether or not he should hide.
"Rose open up it's your mother." Said Janine sternly from outside.
Dimitri quickly jumped off the bed and righted his tousled pony tail. I ran my fingers through my hair as well. Dimitri took a seat in my desk chair as I went to open the door. I wasn't going to hide him being here from her when she already knew about us, but I didn't want her to think that all we did was have sex. Especially when we hadn't even done it since we left Russia.
I opened the door.
She was standing there and she was not wearing her Guardian attire. To my utter amazement she was wearing a dress and heels. Her hair was pinned back elegantly and she was wearing make-up.
I gaped at her as she entered.
"Close your mouth Rose you look like a fish." She snapped as I closed the door.
I did as I was told.
"Belikov." She greeted him.
"Janine." He replied with a nod.
"Mom you're wearing a dress!" I shrieked. "Why are you wearing a dress?" I don't think I've ever seen her wear a dress in fact I don't think I'd ever seen her without her Guardian attire or workout clothing.
" I am a woman you know." She said flatly.
"Okay what are you doing here?" I asked suddenly wondering what was up with her.
"Can't a mother come see her daughter on her birthday?" she asked.
"A mother can, but you never have." I retorted sharply.
Dimitri cleared his throat and shot me a look of disapproval.
"Get dressed." My mother ordered.
"I am dressed." I said looking down at my Capri sweat pants and my work out tank.
"You're not going in that are you?" she asked with distain.
"Going where?"
"Out to dinner with me." She replied as if I should have known what she was thinking.
"I didn't know we were going anywhere." I replied obtusely wondering if I'd forgotten her telling me or if she'd forgotten to tell me.
"Well we're going out. Hop to it. You have twenty minutes." She said.
I was very confused and I gave Dimitri a WTF look. He just shrugged as I headed to my bathroom to freshen up. I took a two minute rinse off shower, blew out my hair, shaved my legs and applied minimal amounts of under eye concealer, mascara and lip gloss.
I tried slipping into Lissa's head, but she was blocking me rather well I might add. Something was fishy.
I came out of the bathroom in my bathrobe. Dimitri had excused himself while I was gone telling my mother he'd see me later.
I went rummaging through my closet to find something to wear.
"Here wear this." My mother said thrusting the garment bag with the dress Adrian had bought me earlier today in it.
"Okay then can you at least tell me what restaurant we are going to?" I whined.
"It must be pretty swanky if I had to get this dressed up."
"Nope it's a surprise." She said keeping her guardian mask on.
She helped me into the dress and cut off the tags for me. Her jaw almost hit the ground when she saw the designer label and price tag.
"Where did you get this? Did Abe send it?" she asked. Ha! If only she knew what Abe sent me for my birthday.
"No, Adrian bought it for me for my birthday." I said apprehensively. I knew she didn't much like Moroi men who continuously hit on Dhampirs and I knew what she thought of Adrian.
She grunted. "And Belikov is okay with that?" she asked harshly.
"Dunno, didn't tell him." I shrugged.
"Hmph!"
I put on my shoes and before I could stand up my mother thrust a little pink bag at me.
"Err Happy Birthday Rose." She said awkwardly.
Was this a birthday present? I looked down suspiciously at the small pink bag. I wonder what possessed her to do that. I mean she hasn't gotten me anything for the past fifteen years. She didn't even call or send cards. This was definitely going down as not only the best birthday ever, but the most bizarre as well.
"Well don't just stare at it open it!" she commanded.
I opened the bag and revealed a very sleek digital camera.
"Wow!" I exclaimed. "Mom I don't know what to say. Thank you."
"Well you know. I realized that the last picture I have of you was taken almost four years ago and the only one of the two of us is from when you were four." She said almost inaudibly averting her eyes to the ground.
"So let's change that." I said trying to lighten her up a little.
I took the camera out of the package and set it on the bookshelf across the room. I set the automatic timer and grabbed my mom.
"Don't forget to say cheese." I told her as I posed us for the camera. I thought I heard her stifle a laugh.
I walked over to retrieve the camera. The photo was perfect. Although , we didn't look anything alike, what with me being almost six inches taller than her with dark hair and dark eyes. I looked like a giant next to her petit frame and her short curly red hair and green eyes.
"Okay enough let's go." She said practically dragging me out of my room.
I grabbed the camera and quickly slipped on my chotki.
We were walking towards guest housing. Oh man this has Lissa written all over it I thought. Going out to dinner my ass!
Uh Oh It's Party Time!!! Please Review. Next Chapter will be the party and if I get enought people to review this one Roza and Dimitri will make Lemonade in the next chapter ! Yay!!!
