A/N: I wish I could tell you that you are getting those answers right away...but back to the past we go. Poor Rose and Dimitri will have some interesting times ahead.

Dimitri

Chapter 11

One Month Earlier (Week 2, Day 2)…

It had been a week since Sonya had called and informed us that the Strigoi we had captured back at St. Anna's was unable to be restored thanks to whatever drug concoction that had been created.

Hearing that news, made me push harder to try and find out anything about what was going on at the club, but I was coming up empty handed. The head of security, Marcus, still didn't fully trusted me yet, even though every security measure I had implemented, had increased effectiveness for the business.

The club owner, Zachary Webster, seemed to be pleased with the work I had been performing. A few times I could hear my name come out of his mouth in talking with Marcus. Whatever was going on at this club, I was inching my way closer to gaining their trust, but hadn't reached it yet.

It was a Friday night, and the club was hopping as usual, but on Friday and Saturday's it double in occupancy. If I had to guess, classes were done for the week, and those needing to decompress after a long workweek, used the club as a way to let off steam. I had already spotted two Moroi and three Dhampir's here this evening. In passing, I alerted Rose who between the two of us made sure to keep our eyes on all five of them in the event whoever was behind the kidnappings decided they wanted to strike tonight.

I had taken another stroll around the perimeter, when I stopped at the door at the back of the club—the employee entrance out back—at the sound of raised voices. Not just any voices, but Zachary and Marcus's voice.

"He's proven himself," Zachary argued.

"The Russian has only been here a week. That's not enough time to fully assess if he is someone that we can count on," replied Marcus

"We need someone else on the inside," Zachary pushed.

I moved closer to the door, peeking my head out and around the edge to get a better look.

"Do I need to remind you of what happened the last time we rushed this and trusted the wrong person?"

Zachary let out an exasperated sigh. "I am not in the habit of making that same mistake again."

"Give me time," Marcus requested.

Zachary shoved his hands in his wool coat. "I don't have time. The boss expects the next shipment within the week. We are low on supplies as it is. I don't need to tell you the consequences if we can't deliver."

Marcus's shoulders snapped back. He certainly didn't like being scolded or told what to do. "I am well aware of the expectations."

Zachary removed one of his hands from his coat and pointed it in Marcus's chest. "I like you Marcus, but if it comes to you or this—" he said, pointing to the building and his business— "—I want you to be really clear on which one I will choose."

"Understood," he ground out.

"Get it done. Call me when it is," Zachary demanded before storming off and to his waiting SUV.

I backed away from the door, quickly blending back in with the crowd just as the back entrance opened, and a pissed off Marcus came back through.

This was the first piece of solid information I had. We might be able to confirm that whatever the shipment was coming through the nightclub might directly be related to the drug making the new breed of Strigoi's.

It wasn't coincidental that the fact that since Rose and I had landed in St. Anna's and now working here at the nightclub, there hadn't been a single report of a missing Moroi or Dhampir. Could that be the reference to the shipment issues that Zachary was speaking of, or could it be something entirely separate?

It would be something I would need to find out first.

Zachary was away from the club, but Marcus was back here. I looked up at the stairwell at the end of the corridor where Zachary's office was. I was due for another pass soon, but with Marcus's eyes on me, it had made it difficult getting a moment to get in and try and put the necessary software to download all of the files on the computer.

Tonight, would be my best chance if Zachary was out of the club. I just needed a distraction. My eyes skidded across the room, instantly finding Rose as she sashayed from the busy dance floor back over to the bar, to drop her empty tray.

I could see by the expression on her face, that she was hating every moment of having to play the role of a cocktail waitress, one she made known several times was unfair, since my role was practically the same thing I did everyday as a guardian.

Like always, when either one of us was in the room, her senses that someone was watching her kicked in, and she looked directly in my direction. Her eyes found mine, and I could see her mouth fall slightly open as our gazes met. It was like this every time. A pull that could never be ignored.

She nodded at me, her lips forming into a smile. An idea came to my mind. It border lined Rose-logic, but I needed to get in that office.

I abandoned my idea to head up stairs and headed directly to where Rose was standing. Her body angled towards me as she watched me striding towards her, as if she was readying herself for me to just walk up and claim her to me. If we hadn't been in the club and undercover, I would do just that.

"I need to speak to you," I said roughly, in passing as I kept walking straight ahead.

To anyone watching, it would just seem like to passing colleagues. I heard Rose behind me turn back to Jack, the bartender.

"Jack, I'll be right back for the drinks. Need to grab a few more supplies," Rose said.

The small room down the hallway of the patron's bathroom where Rose had caught the Moroi her first night, had ended up being our makeshift meeting place if either of us needed to pass along a discreet message.

"What's up, Comrade?" she asked, as soon as she shut the door behind her.

My breath hitched; my eyes instantly traveling to her chest. She had been wearing this outfit for over a week, and yet, every time I saw her, she still stole my breath away. She was seriously testing my self-control, especially when she knew I was looking—like now—and would strategically put her hands on her hips to jut her chest in my direction even more.

When my gaze flitted back to her eyes, hers sparkled with desire and a bit of mirth. Busted! I could see she was going to make a witty remark, thinking that I might have called her in here for some quick fling, so I beat her to it first.

"I have news," I said, which instantly took her from seductive temptress, back into guardian mode.

I ended up telling her everything I had witnessed outside along with what my plan was since now was the best time to try and get into his office. The only thing, Marcus had gone straight up there, making it more difficult to get the task done.

"I'm on it," Rose remarked, a grin glittering to her face as she started to turn.

I instantly grabbed her arm. "No. I didn't bring you here to involve you in that. I want you to watch security."

She turned back, her eyes squinting. "Dimitri, that doesn't make sense."

"You're not going in there," I warned; my eyes drifting back down to her chest.

A look of recognition dawned on her face. "I can handle him," she said confidently.

"It's not about—"

"Besides, you're the second in command in security. If things do go south, no one would question you being in the surveillance room. I'm a cocktail waitress, which means…whether you like it or not, Comrade, I'm going in."

My lips twisted into one of disapproval. Logically what she was saying made sense. I was confident that Rose could do the job, she always did. She got in, got the job done, and got out.

I didn't have to like it.

Her hand on my cheek, pulled my gaze back to her eyes. "I got this, Dimitri. You don't have to worry."

I frowned. "That's what worries me," I retorted.

She grinned; just before placing a kiss on my lips; turning, and running from the room. I waited another moment, before I left behind her, my eyes taking a look around the club. Rose was back at the bar, leaning in to Jack to whisper something in his ear. He nodded, a second later, placing a single glass of what looked like whiskey on her tray.

Rose looked in my direction one more time as I started to move into the direction of the surveillance room on the first floor, giving me a reassuring nod.

I entered into the room, the single security guard, turning towards me as I entered and nodded.

"Do a perimeter check," I ordered, in my voice that all the details knew by now was not to be questioned.

Luckily, this detail was one to fall in line and not want to ask questions, as he swiveled in his chair, got up, and immediately left the room without another word.

My eyes glanced between the six different screens, catching Rose just as she reached the stairwell, where the two-security detail that stood at the bottom entrance blocking her from passing. She could easily take both with her skillset if she needed too.

They exchanged a couple of words as her head lifted, pointing in the direction of Zachary's office, before both details looked at each other and then stepped aside.

"You know, Comrade, outside of you…most men are so predictable," Rose whispered through our comms.

"It's basic biology, Rose," I countered, knowing exactly what she probably said or did to get them to pass.

She moved quickly down the hallway, stopping on the office door, taking a quick breath, before knocking and then letting herself inside.

My insides twisted; just like they always did whenever I knew she was on a mission. Rose was talented and has proven time and time again that she can be very resourceful when she needed to think on her feet, but that didn't mean I liked it, or that I didn't worry about her.

Marcus's head snapped up the moment Rose walked into the room, his brows furrowing as she shut the door behind her.

"What are you doing in here?" Marcus's tone inquisitive, but not quite fully annoyed that he was being interrupted.

"I noticed that you always seem to be working so hard, thought you could use a drink," she purred, as she took a step forward holding out her tray.

The papers in Marcus's hand dropped to his desk, as his eyes took in a long slow appraisal of her from head to toe. My body tensed, a dark feeling inside me started to intensify that suddenly made me wish there was a punching bag around me.

His brow quirked. "You noticed?"

The hidden meaning in his words was also in his expression that he was equally telling Rose that he had been noticing her too. The way his eyes continued to roam down her body, said he was more than interested if she let him.

Rose took the last few steps, swinging the tray around in front of her, until it was just below her chest, giving Marcus the perfect opportunity to get a thorough review of her assets. He looked back at the drink before returning his glance to her face.

"Whisky," he noted. "I'm impressed."

"I believe that's the second time in a short time you've mentioned that to me," her voice lowered into a seductive one.

He leaned in, making my fists clench even harder. "It appears you have a habit of doing that."

She giggled; pushing some of her hair from her face. My self-control was really starting to be pushed to its limits.

Rose grabbed hold of the drink off the tray to offer in his direction. The moment his hand reached to take it, he leaned in to her, Rose doing the same.

"Rose…" I hissed into the com.

I could see a small grin cross her lips, just as her hand accidently dropped the glass of whiskey that not only spilled all over the desk, but got most of Marcus's shirt and pants.

It was no accident.

"Oh! Oh, my, god, I'm so sorry," she squealed, dropping the tray to the side with the now empty glass.

Rose pulled a few napkins from her apron, quickly trying to pat his shirt near his stomach where some of the whiskey had spilled. The lust and want in Marcus's eyes returned; before his hand grabbed hold of her wrist to stop her.

"Leave it," he demanded in a clipped tone, as he took one of the napkins from her.

"I'm…I'm so sorry," Rose repeated, doing her best to sound and look as if she was in fact sorry.

"It's fine," Marcus tried to soften his voice, but it came out more strangled.

"I'll get this cleaned up right away." she promised.

He looked at her; Rose doing her best to put on her most innocent look, before he did as exactly as I hoped and left the office—with Rose inside—so he could clean up.

Rose dropped the pretense of attempting to clean up the mess, and rounded the desk until she was standing exactly where he had been standing.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked through gritted teeth.

She shrugged. "It got the job done."

She reached in between her breasts, which only caused another groan from my lips as she pulled out the small USB drive, and jammed it into the port of the computer.

"The package is in," she advised through the com.

Now it was my part, which was exactly why this was a two-person job. An alert popped up on the screen of a potential security breach. As the second in command, I quickly dismissed the alert and wiped the drive clean of any notifications that one had appeared.

Another twenty seconds and the software that would allow us to comb through all of their files and documents, make copies, and even upload anything we wished without even a trace that we were there, had successfully uploaded.

"Your good. Now get out of there," I ordered through the ear piece.

Rose grabbed the stick from the computer, shoving the USB back down her chest into her bodice. "You don't have to tell me twice."

She grabbed the now empty glass, her bunch of napkins, and tray and moved towards the door. Just as the door opened, Rose barely stopped before smacking into Marcus.

He was still taller than Rose by a couple of inches, needing to look down to even meet her eyes. She brought her tray around just enough to create a separation, her eyes dropped half-mast to the floor.

She cleared her throat. "All cleaned up," she informed, a note of apology in her voice.

Marcus grunted; his position giving him the perfect opportunity to see directly down her bodice. He looked back to his desk and then her face.

If he touched her, I was going to break every last finger on his hand before I literally cut his balls off. I had told Rose once before that there many things that I would do to protect her, and I was not above this.

The silence between them lingered, before Marcus's head snapped up and he stepped aside. "Get back to work."

"Yes, sir," Rose replied, the sarcastic edge to her voice that I knew all too well.

She took a few steps before she whispered through the com, "That was a close one, Comrade."

I sighed; sitting back in the chair. "Too close."

Rose

The rest of the night went on without any further incident. After my little Mission Impossible stunt in Marcus's office earlier, I spent the remainder of the night keeping my head down and blending into the crowd as I must've served my thousandth drink of the night.

Last call had finished about an hour ago, and the security detail were walking around doing their final job of the night of helping those that indulged too much to their feet and out the club door.

"So, Moscow, Martini, Jack, and I were thinking of going out and getting a drink afterwards. Do you want to come?" Merlot asked as she flipped her red hair and put her dirty rag on the counter to grab another clean one.

While the girls had been much nicer than those back at the academy, this was the first time they had included me in anything remotely personal outside of work.

It was already pushing two in the morning, my feet were tired, and between still getting up early so Dimitri and I could do recon and keep up with our training, I was beat. I didn't really have any interest in wanting to socialize, but I couldn't turn down gift.

"Thanks, Merlot. I'd like that," I answered.

It took us another thirty minutes to finish cleaning up, before we were ready to pack up and head out. I managed to discreetly pass along a message to Dimitri to not wait for me that I was going out, which only earned me a concerned look on his part.

"So, where are we headed?" I asked, once Martini, Merlot, and Jack all grabbed their belongings.

"There's a really chic bar a couple of miles down the road. They stay open in the later hours for those of us in the same field that need to wind down before going home," answered Martini.

The irony that we worked at a bar and nightclub for the last seven or eight hours to just end up going to another one wasn't lost on me, but as long as I could get off my feet and relax, I was game.

Since Dimitri was technically my ride, I needed one to the next place. Both Merlot and Jack offered and seeing that I had already put poor Dimitri through enough tonight, I took Merlot's offer on the ride.

I was well aware that Dimitri had been sitting inside the SUV in the back, watching until we all safely made it to our cars and left for the evening.

The bar that they referenced was quaint and chic. Filled with rich brown wood, it looked like it could be a speakeasy right out of the fifties.

The head bartender nodded in our direction as we walked in, Jack offering to get us all our first round of drinks as we took our seats at the table.

"He likes you, you know," Martini said, as we deposited our jackets on our chair and sat down.

Lucikly, I was smart enough to keep a change of clothes in my locker, like they all did, now dressed in a pair of black pants, and a deep red sweater. Martini and Merlot chose more low-cut revealing tops and tight jeans, but it was much better than being stuck in our uniform.

I looked over at my shoulder. "What…the bartender?"

Merlot chuckled. "No, Jack."

"Oh," I said, looking back at them.

Martini arched her brow, her brown locks that had been pulled back into a ponytail during our shift now fell around her shoulders. I wished I could do the same, but until I got back home, my black shoulder length bob had to stay in place.

"He's cute. You're not interested?" Merlot asked.

I tried to play my answer cool, looking down at the table versus them. I hoped it would appear that I was shyer and more embarrassed then that I wasn't interested at all.

Not that Jack wasn't an attractive male. Even pre-Dimitri, he wouldn't necessarily be my type of guy to date—maybe a make out session—but not enough to want anything further. Now, post Dimitri, the only thing that did get me all flustered was my sexy Russian's whispers into my ears.

"He's not really my type," I said casually.

Merlot gasped. "Are you crazy? He is like crazy hot!"

I looked up, her cheeks turning red when I titled my head to the side. "It sounds like you might have a crush on him."

Her cheeks went from a slight shade of red to crimson now. She tucked a piece of hair from her face, which was something I knew she did when she was nervous, and looked down at her lap.

A sad smile reached her lips. "He would never go for someone like me."

Now it was my turn to scoff. "Why would you say that?"

"Because…I'm not his type," she argued.

"And what's that type?" Martini asked.

She looked at the both of us. "You two. Extremely thin and toned with big breasts and confident personalities."

While it was true that Martini and I were a bit more outgoing and confident with our bodies, Merlot was just as pretty. Her fiery red hair was unique to those of us that just had the normal blonde and brown color. She may not have been thin like a stick, but she had curves that had many men looking in her direction. Some even in this bar tonight and we hadn't even been here that long yet.

Our rebuttal was cut short once Jack returned to the table, with four drinks shuffled into his hands. I reached up to grab two passing both Merlot and Martini's directly over to them, as we all took a seat.

"So, what did I miss?" Jack asked.

"How much Merlot loves this song, and we think you should take her to dance," I said.

His brows actually shot up, which made me wonder if Jack did actually have some sort of feelings for Merlot as well. Merlot's face turned beat red, but after a brief pause, Jack's eyes met hers.

"Do you want too?"

She looked at me and Martini, both of us giving her an encouraging nod, before she agreed and off the two of them went to dance to what was a much slower song.

I turned my attention back to my drink in front of me, catching that Martini was staring at me.

"I know I don't always come off as the warmest and inviting person, but we actually are glad that you are here," she said.

"Thanks, Martini."

She laughed. "Oh, stop with the ridiculous names, that Zachary makes us use. We're off duty and away from the club. I'm Faye and she's Becca," she offered, pointing to the couple that was now on the dance floor.

"And Jack?"

Faye's eyes looked back at the dance floor. "His name is actually Jack, so it ended up working out for him."

Getting their actual first names was a start. Now, that she had almost half a drink in her, and was letting her guard down, I decided now was the time to make my move.

"You guys seemed a little short staff before I arrived."

Faye's finger circled the edge of her glass. "We were," she admitted. "In the matter of a week, we had lost both a waitress and a security detail."

That pulled my interest. It wasn't uncommon that people might quit, especially considering the high pressure of the job and hours, but considering why we were here, I couldn't just write that off.

I tried to keep my voice casual. "Does that sort of thing happen a lot?"

Faye shrugged. "Not really." She titled her head up as she looked off to the side. "Now that I think about it…it's the fifth person to quit in the last month."

"That is a lot." I agreed. "Then again, Zachary and Marcus don't seem like the kind that accept mediocre work."

She nodded. "That's for sure. But Bourbon, Ryan was his real name, he had been there for a year. I thought he always got along with them at least. He always seemed to enjoy the work."

I took a swig of my drink. Alcohol in small doses didn't affect us Dhampir's like it did humans, but I still didn't want to drink too much tonight with already being on the verge of exhaustion.

"So, why did he leave?"

Her eyes looked up at me with a curious expression. "Why the interest?"

Crap! Pushed to hard. "Ugh, because this is the best tips I have ever made, and want to make sure I stay on their good side," I fumbled, hoping it did the trick.

Her head bobbled up and down at the same time her shoulders shrugged as if she understood. "Seems like you get along with Marcus ok."

That had not been a comment I had been expecting. "Me? Marcus?"

She chuckled. "I saw him coming out of his office. He was adjusting his clothes and then I noticed you came out not shortly after," she added, her tone taking on one of amusement.

"Oh, no…." I quickly interjected. "That was not what it looked like. One of the security details said he wanted a drink. I was a tad clumsy and accidently dropped the drink all over his papers and him."

She gasped. "And he didn't fire you on the spot?"

I grinned. "So, you can see why I am asking my questions. I've been afraid all night he would just fire me."

There…that should get us back on track.

"Makes sense," she said, taking another large gulp of her drink, her glass almost empty now. She sighed, looking back out at the dance floor to the few couples who were dancing, including Becca and Jack. "To answer your question, I don't know why Ryan quit. He just stopped showing up a week ago. Then Marcus's second hand was gone the next day along with our waitress, Jean. We've been short staffed since then."

I lifted my glass, motioning it towards hers. "Well, I'm glad I am here now," I said.

Faye lifted her glass as well, clinking hers next to mine before we both took drink.

"What did we miss?" Jack asked as he and Becca joined the table.

"Oh, nothing," Faye answered. "Just that Rose over here almost got fired for dropping a drink all over Marcus tonight."

"You did what?" Becca squealed.

"It was an accident," I corrected.

"Did you help him clean it up?" Becca grinned, her brows wiggling.

I laughed awkwardly. "You guys are too much."

"You know…" Faye started, picking up her glass in her hand as she looked at us, "you want to spill a drink on someone, it should be that new sexy second in command to Marcus. I would gladly help him clean up."

That got my attention. Because now we were talking about Dimitri. My Dimitri.

Becca fanned herself. "Have you heard him speak? The Russian accent. Oh, my, god, it's so sexy."

"And…that's my cue for another round," Jack said, pushing his chair out to stand and head for the bar.

"What do you think, Rose?" Faye asked.

"Huh? What?"

They laughed. "The new sexy Russian. I think his name is Dimitri, which is even sexier. We were saying how extremely hot—"

"And muscular. Don't forget muscular. I wouldn't mind be carried around by him all day," Becca added.

"I thought you liked Jack," I snapped, a little more snidely than I intended.

"I do. But that doesn't mean I can't keep my options open," she replied.

I wasn't thrilled with our new topic of conversation, mostly because that topic had to do with the fact that both of these ladies were intent on talking about how hot and muscular Dimitri was. I mean he was, but I didn't want them noticing and talking about it.

"Why, Rose, if I didn't know any better, maybe you might be harboring a crush on him." Faye accused.

You have no idea!

"Ugh, he's not really my type," I lied. Again.

Both girls' mouths dropped open. "What? Tall, dark hair, and handsome is not your thing!"

"No, it's…I just was in a serious relationship and not looking," I clarified, hoping that would end any further discussion on the topic, or about my love life.

Unfortunately, that did not end the conversation where Dimitri was concerned. I had to sit there and not break my glass in half at the way they talked and guessed what Dimitri looked like underneath his clothes, and most likely the type of lover that he would be. All things I knew, and things they would never find out. It had been the only thing to keep me sane at that point.

"Can we talk about that coat that he wears. He's like our own personal cowboy you read about in the romance novels," said Becca.

"God, yes. He can lasso me anytime," Faye agreed.

If only they actually knew how much Dimitri loved those western novels, they would squeal and alien life on Mars would be able to hear them.

"You should ask him out," Becca suggested to Faye.

My eyes opened in horror. "Dimitri?"

"Yeah," Becca confirmed. "Faye's single, and I haven't heard him talk about anyone, so why not?"

Bile rose up in my throat.

"I don't know," Faye said, suddenly going shy. "I don't know if he would go with someone like me."

"Oh, come on. You guys are the ones that encouraged me with Jack and look at that…we danced tonight. Take a shot and walk right up to his brooding sexy ass and ask him out."

I wanted to suddenly stake Becca—who I liked up until this moment—right through the heart.

"You think?" Faye turned hopeful.

I had to shut this down. I mean, if she did do what Becca suggested, Dimitri would end up turning her down when she tried. Being turned down always hurt, and I had been on the receiving end once when Dimitri had been the one to turn me down.

Though his reasons were because he felt our age difference as too much of a reason and then because we might both have to protect Lissa once I had graduated from being a novice, he had still had feelings for me. It still didn't hurt any less when he had rejected me. Especially, because I knew he had felt the same way.

"Rose," Becca called my name, pulling me from my thoughts, "would you please tell Faye to stop being scared and just take a chance."

Um, hell no!

Both faces turned to me. "Ugh, I don't know. Usually, quiet hot guys like that…end up having some girl back home they are too preoccupied with to really give any of us a chance."

"See," Faye remarked with a pointed look at Becca.

Becca shrugged. "Whatever. I would still try."

Luckily, Jack approached our table just at that moment, saving for anymore talk about Dimitri and encouraging anyone to make a move on him. If they started to poke around, we had to make it seem he was detached, but I was hoping to discourage them from even trying.

I stayed for another hour, before sleep was calling me. Faye, Becca, and Jack were still to wound up to call it a night, so I laid down a couple of bills, told them I could catch a cab and see them for our next shift.

Lucikly, the club was closed on Sunday's so Dimitri and I had the day off that we could start to look into some of the information we had both collected and possibly see what other snooping around we could do.

I grabbed my jacket as I left the bar, securing it over my shoulders since the temperature had dropped at least ten degrees from when I had left the nightclub until now.

I took a couple of steps towards the parking lot, when a cry over to my left caught my attention. It wasn't just any kind of cry, but what sounded like a cry of pain.

I pulled my purse to my shoulder as I moved towards the left side of the bar, which led around the corner to where I could see a green dumpster poking out. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, my hand reaching behind the waist of my jeans, until my fingers curled around for my stake.

I crept as quietly as I possibly could, dropping my purse at the edge of the building as I crouched and moved silently around the first of the two dumpsters to get a better look at what I was dealing with.

A blonde female's back was pressed against the brick wall of the bar, her blonde hair fanning around her. Her head was to the side, her body slumped as a male hand pushed against her shoulders, his head bent right at her neck.

Strigoi.

His head jerked back, blood dripping from his mouth as he moaned out in satisfaction. I clutched the stake from my waist in my hand and brought it to my side. The Strigoi was about to lean back in to no doubt finish off his snack, when his head dipped back further, his nostrils flaring.

His head snapped right in my direction.

I stood to my full height, abandoning the cover of the dumpster and stepping into his full line of sight.

The Strigoi's eyes gleamed with delight when he saw me, his nostrils flaring again. "Dhampir," he purred. "Tonight, must be my lucky night."

He removed his hand from the blonde's chest, her body instantly slumping to the ground as she fell on her ass. Her eyes opened and closed gingerly, which was a good sign in this situation. It meant that I had stumbled upon them before he could finish her off.

"Your lucky night to die," I clarified.

He cackled; his lips curling back, showing his red stained lips, tongue, and the inside of his cheeks, from his feeding.

"A rather cocky Dhampir. Master will be very pleased," he commented. He cocked his head to the side, before a sickening grin formed on his lips. "That is if I don't manage to kill you first."

"Are we going to do this, or are you just going to keep up with the pillow talk?"

The Strigoi growled, before he took a step forward and then another and came right for me.

I ducked at his first attempt to reach and grab for me, following up with a punch to his head and then a kick to his abdomen. The Strigoi stumbled back, shook his head and was already coming at me again.

The thought that this could be one of those new terminator Strigoi's crossed my mind, and considering that the only thing we knew was that it took thirty of us guardians to kill one of them, had me on even greater edge.

He charged at me, just as I dropped low to kick him directly into his knee, causing him to drop down to one knee, as I chopped him right in the neck. He hissed; blocking my next hit, getting me square in the chest, causing me to fly directly on my back.

I rolled to my side; pushing myself back to my feet the same time, he had already reached his feet.

"I'm going to make you pay for that," he hissed.

"Come and get me," I egged on.

His eyes narrowed just as he charged, but I was quick to check him with my elbow, followed by another side kick to his stomach, a punch to his face, and another kick to his mid-section in rapid succession. Each kicked pushed him back closer to the wall, but didn't do enough to even break a sweat to the fight.

He managed to grab my jacket, striking me against the cheek, head-butting me right in the forehead, before turning us and slamming me directly into the brick wall. I could feel a cut on my forehead as a trickle of blood ran down my temple.

He attempted to pull at my hair as leverage, but only came away with a fistful of my black wig, giving me just the distraction I needed to push his arm aside, and kick him hard in the chest.

The Strigoi stumbled backwards. Taking my chance, I grabbed my stake, and my sliver light from my pocket and advanced. His head snapped up, and I had to hope and prayed this wasn't one of those Strigoi that didn't have the capability of being able to suddenly walk in the sunlight.

As he came at me again, I brought the light up first, exposing the UV rays right in his face. He cried out in pain, his hands coming to cover the light as he faltered backwards, his back hitting the brick wall of the club.

I advanced forward; my stake at the ready, winding my arm back. The Strigoi brought his hand down to attempt to protect his chest, but between the light and my stake, he was unable to ward my defenses.

"You won't be able to stop us all Dhampir. We're coming for you. All of you."

I did something that Dimitri would have my head if he knew. I hesitated, my stake stopping right at his chest before I plunged it in. It was risky, since Strigoi would say and do anything to keep from dying. That hesitation could cost a guardian their life. I should know…it happened to me twice. First with Natalie and then with Dimitri. Although Dimitri I was glad, I had hesitated, or he wouldn't be with me today.

I jammed my forearm into collarbone, my stake pricking his skin. "What do you mean by that?"

A knowing gleam flaunted in his eye. "You might stop me today, but you won't be able to stop us all in the future," he replied cryptically.

I didn't know if his threats were just that, or if he was bragging about what he knew and what was to come. Did he work for the same master that was behind this unknown drug that was making terminator Strigoi's, or was this simply a tactic to attempt to stay alive.

There was one way to find out.

"Who do you work for?" I demanded.

He pressed his lips together, his gaze on me as if he thought he held all the cards. Apparently, he needed incentive. I jammed the sliver stake into his left shoulder, the Strigoi thrashing out in pain.

"Who do you work for?" I repeated. "Any don't make me ask twice."

"Bitch!" he spat.

I stabbed him again in the other shoulder. "Answer me!"

The Strigoi just cackled, as the pain intensified. I could see what he was going to do in attempting to disarm me, so before he could I elbowed him in the face, pulled out my stake and then swung it back until my aim went right for his chest.

"Better luck next time," I hissed, before pulling out my stake from his lifeless body, as he slumped to the floor.

I shoved both my light back in my pocket, the stake in its holder. My head and cheek hurt, but I had worse injuries then that before. I used my sweater to wipe away some of the blood, before I raced over to the fallen girl who was laying on her side, and mumbling.

I sighed in relief that she would be ok. I did my best to close the opened wound and get her to a sitting position. I couldn't just leave her here, and she could use medical attention.

First, I had to move the Strigoi before anyone happened to come around the building and find us. I ran back to my purse, pulling out my burner phone and dialed the number from heart. I alerted the alchemists there was a dead Strigoi body that needed to be dealt with, as well as recovery for a human who had been bitten.

While I waited for the alchemists to show up, I grabbed the Strigoi's arms and moved him until he was behind the dumpster and completely out of sight.

"I just would like one quiet night at home," I muttered, grabbing my wig and my purse while I waited for our guests to show up.

Ten minutes later, I was able to leave the human girl who was still completely out of what was going on. She was the alchemist's problem now. They had ways to make sure she would forget what happened here, and would make sure she was healed enough before going home and noticing she had been bitten by one of the undead.

"Hey!" I called to one of the alchemist's who was still standing there. While he didn't look at me with utter disgust like most alchemist still did, I could tell he was a bit uncomfortable. "I need you to give me a ride home."

He looked over at what I assumed was his supervisor, who then took one look at me. My hair was a complete tangle and utter mess after the fight with the Strigoi. My head was no longer bleeding, but I definitely had a cut that needed to be dealt with, and I was sure I was already starting to sport a bruise on my left cheek where the Strigoi had managed to get in a good shot.

I looked over at the supervisor challenging them to tell me no at this point. Lucky—for him—he had decided to give the approval, and I hopped in the back after collecting my things.

Ten minutes later, I hopped out of the alchemist car, and was at home. As soon as I opened the door, I dropped my things to the side, and noticed Dimitri laying on the couch, his eyes closed, with a stack of papers resting on his chest. His laptop was opened, with more papers were on our small coffee table. I couldn't help but smile.

I walked over to the couch, bending down to press a kiss on his forehead, before I was going to grab a shower and clean up.

"Roza…" his voice said sleepily, as his hand instantly reached for mine.

"Go back to sleep, Comrade," I said softly.

His eyes blinked open and closed gingerly. "I must've fallen…" his words died on his tongue when his eyes instantly snapped open taking in my appearance.

His body jerked up with a quickness I had seen many times from him before, his hand only holding onto mine more tightly. "Roza, what happened?" he said, looking my body over for inventory.

"I ran into a Strigoi," I stated simply. His eyes went wide, no doubt fearing the same thing I had when I initially had stumbled onto him. Had it been one of the altered ones. "He lost, if you cared to know."

He shot me a look that said it wasn't funny. "Sit down," he demanded, pulling on my wrist until I was seated next to him.

"Dimitri, I'm—"

"Don't you dare say you are fine," he snapped angrily.

I clamped my mouth shut, as he pushed back my hair from my face to examine the cut on my forehead and then the bruise on my cheek.

He stood abruptly. "I am going to grab the first aid kit. I want you to tell me everything."

He walked over to the kitchen, grabbing the first aid kit we kept in the kitchen before striding back over to me. He was wearing a pair of sweats low on his hips, and a tang top that showed off his extremely toned arms and chest.

Even with everything going on, I couldn't help but go back to earlier in the night when Becca and Faye had been talking about him and all his sexy muscles. He really was sexy. And muscular.

"Rose?"

I looked up; only to see Dimitri was standing in front of me now. He frowned as he looked at me.

"I'm fine. I promise," I said, trying to ease his fears. "You should see the other guy."

It had done the trick, his lips quirking up into a smile. With ease, he reached down to effortlessly pull the coffee table closer. He sat down directly across from me, our knees touching as he laid the first aid kit out next to him.

He grabbed the gauze, antiseptic liquid, and bandages and got to work. Like always, he was methodical and gentle as he inspected each of my wounds and started to tend to him.

"Tell me what happened, Rose. And not the abbreviated version."

Damn. He knew me too well.

So, I did. I told him everything from when I had left him to when we got to the bar, including all of the information that Faye had shared with me, up until my run in with the Strigoi.

"I'll run all the names through the database now that we have access to their systems," he said, once I was done telling the story.

He finished cleaning my forehead, putting a small butterfly bandage in the middle, his thumb coming up to rest on my cheek. His eyes blazed with anger as his thumb gently traced over the small bruise. My hand came up to rest on his.

"I'm ok, Dimitri," I said, seeing that he was trying to maintain his cool and composure.

He let out a shaky breath. "What if it had been one of those other Strigoi's?"

I gulped. I could understand why he was upset. It had crossed my mind the entire time during the fight. I was good. Damn good. But I also wasn't cocky enough to understand that if it had probably been one of those other Strigoi, I wouldn't be standing here with him right now.

"It wasn't."

It was the only answer I could give him, even though I know it wasn't going to be enough to ease his fears. My thoughts went back to the plane with Sonya and the deep-seated fear I knew he carried.

I pulled his hand from my cheek, tugging him towards me. He knew what I needed, coming to sit back on the couch next to me. I climbed onto his lap until I was straddling him.

"Roza…" my name came out like a strangled cry. "I can't lose you."

He brought his forehead forward to my chest, my hands running through his hair as I wrapped my arms around him and held him tight.

"You won't lose me, Dimitri. I mean it, nothing will keep me from coming home to you," I said fiercely.

He lifted his head so that we were both looking deeply into each other's eyes. His hands came to my waist, before lowering under my sweater, flattening against my back. His hands making direct contact on my skin was like the ignitor to kindling. It only took one spark, and already my entire body was blazing for him.

I knew that no amount of words at this point would ease either of our fears, so the one thing that always brought us back together was our bodies coming together, our souls uniting as one.

The palms of his hand moved up my back in a slow antagonizing progression. I moaned his name as I tilted my head back getting lost in the feeling of him.

"Roza" he breathed. He said my name over and over again in a hushed desire, that would've made my knees go weak if I hadn't already been firmly straddling his lap. I could feel his want and need for me through his sweatpants, making me heady and in desperate need of him.

"Dimitri…" I groaned, once I felt him starting to tug my sweater up and over my shoulders.

It was colder tonight, so I was still wearing a tank underneath, but the way that Dimitri was looking at me in this moment, he could've been looking at me with nothing on, with how much my body was crying out for him to touch me in other places that ached for him.

I wanted him to wipe out all of the bad from today. The earlier moments with Marcus in his office, and the way the Strigoi had tried to end my life tonight. So far, he was doing a pretty amazing job.

My hands came to grip his shoulders for support, as I angled my head back even further to allow him better access to my neck and throat as he trailed sensuous kisses all up and down my body.

He pulled back; a groan of protest escaping from my lips. My eyes were heavy-lidded with desire. I blinked them open to see a fire like I had never seen before burning in his own.

"You're so beautiful," he said, his voice turned husky.

My fingers dug into his shoulders. Being with Dimitri was always exciting and passionate and amazing. I never knew that sex could be this way. Granted, Dimitri was the only man I had ever been with, I was sure that nothing, nothing could or would ever match up. Nor, did I ever want to find out.

I was sure he could feel my heart thumping in my chest, my blood felt like it was boiling in my veins as he tortured me over and over again with his hands, but never enough in the right places.

I squirmed in his lap, his hands coming back to my waist to keep me seated there. "More. I need more," I pleaded.

"Patience my мое сердце," he whispered, as he left kisses against my ear.

Russian. I loved when he whispered Russian into my ear and he knew it. I knew patience was a virtue, but tonight, I was all out of it.

I lowered my hands to his waist of his sweatpants, lifting his tank, my fingers brushing against his taut muscles of his abdomen as I raised it up over his shoulders, throwing it to the side.

He grinned. "See something you like?" he asked, throwing words I had once said to him back at me.

I liked my lips. "So…so…so very much," I croaked.

That remark earned me a wolfish grin. Then his mouth was on mine. His hands were in my hair, and mine were in his. Both of us tugging and pulling, neither being able to get enough of the other.

When he pulled back for air, I kissed his cheek, before moving down to his jawline and neck.

"Roza…"

"Hmm…" I replied, not stopping my onslaught of kisses.

"I have to tell you something."

My eyelids fluttered shut. "Unless it's to tell me to take my jeans off, maybe we can save it for later," I suggested.

He chuckled, his breathing hitching just as I reached the spot that I knew would drive him crazy.

"Rose…"

I pulled back. "Yes, Dimitri?" I asked as innocently as possible.

My next words died in my throat when I saw a determined and serious look cross his expression.

"After you left tonight…I almost went back in. Back in to hurt, Marcus."

That revelation had not been what I was expecting. I pulled back so I could look at him. "Why?"

His lips pressed together tightly. "Because." It wasn't exactly the greatest of all answers, but then he continued with his explanation. "When he touched you earlier tonight, the way he looked at you…" his hands were back on my waist above my jeans his fingers digging into my flesh. "I wanted to hurt him."

His words caused a flutter right in the center of my chest. Dimitri had always been a protective man, one that would do anything if anyone tried to harm me. He had seen me plenty of times in comprising situations.

Jesse. Mason. Adrian.

This was the first time; I had actually seen him in a way that he was this wild and upset at the thought of me being with another man. Like that would EVER happen. It set a hot bomb off in my chest as a reminder that he loved me that much.

I brought both of my hands up to his cheeks to make him look at me. "You know that no one else matters to me, right?"

He nodded; but that wasn't enough. I wanted him to understand. My mind suddenly went back to the day in the hotel room when we had been on the run. I could see, I could feel that Dimitri still loved me, but for whatever reason he was still holding back.

His morals that because I was with Adrian, that it meant that he had lost his chance for us. That we no longer could be together. He had made a comment that I had belonged to Adrian. I had been mad at the time, because I felt I didn't belong to anyone. Ever. I made my choices and no one could control them but me.

As I straddled his lap, years later, looking into his eyes now, I wanted to correct my statement and make him understand how much I burned for him. Ached for him. Love him.

"Dimitri," I said, waiting for his eyes to look at me. "No one or nothing matters but you. You and me." I took my left hand and grabbed his own, bringing it to my chest so he could hear how fast my heart was beating for him. Always for him. "I belong to you. Now. Forever."

"Roza…"

He reached up to grab my neck; our lips crashing together again. My hand scraped against his sharply sculpted abs as they jerked under my touch, eliciting a moan from him.

This time it was me pulling back, to his glazed over eyes full of lust and now protest.

"If we are being honest, I almost did the same thing tonight," I admitted, without even feeling sorry. Dimitri might have felt bad about having those thoughts, but I didn't.

He pulled back with a puzzled expression. "Why?"

"Becca and Faye went on and on about how sexy you were. Your muscles and your hot stoic demeanor." My expression turned dangerous. "If I had to hear them one more time discuss who was going to try and ask you out so that they could get you in bed, there was going to be one more murder then just a Strigoi tonight."

He laughed. He actually laughed.

"It's not funny," I admonished, smacking him on his very firm peck.

"We certainly are a pair, aren't we?" he asked.

"What can I say, you complete me," I teased, the words coming out so corny.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"You know that no one could ever even hold a flame compared to you. I don't even notice other woman, especially when you're in the room."

I grinned. "Good answer, Comrade."

His lips pursed. "There not just words, Roza."

I put my finger to his lips. "I know," I said. "But if you recall, I was never really good when it came to studying and flashcards. Visual demonstration was more my thing."

He growled; ripping my tank from my body so all I was left with was my black bra and jeans.

"I've wanted to see you like this since you put that damn uniform on tonight. You drive me сумасшедший." Crazy in Russian.

"Back at you, cowboy."

I couldn't help but grin, thinking back to the conversation with Becca and Faye. The fact that he looked every bit of a cowboy. I mean, we were in Colorado. Cowboys were a thing here.

His hands came down to grip my ass as he squeezed and in one fellow swoop, he stood and kept me in his arms.

"It's time I put you to bed and make sure I check every ounce of your body for anymore injuries."

I shivered at the thought. "I could really use a shower first."

He grinned. "Shower first. Bed later."

"Okay," I agreed happily, biting my lip as we headed for the bathroom.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed!