A/N: Enjoy this next chapter!
Guest - I won't keep you in suspense any longer!
Peggy - Your answer is right below ;)
Beckysiro - Gracias! Me siento honrado por sus palabras. Me alegro de que te encante esta historia. Le agradezco que se tome momentos preciosos de su día para leerlo. Como autor eso significa más. ¡Espero que disfrutéis de estos dos últimos capítulos!
Dimitri
Chapter 19
We were perched outside of a large Victorian house.
"Dimitri, are you sure about this?" Mikhail asked.
This time, we had six squad leaders with one fire Moroi on each team and one element Moroi on the first team breaching the house. As one of the squad leaders myself, Christian was assigned to my team. My team's sole purpose was to locate and rescue Rose, killing any Strigoi along the way, of course.
"No. But from what I know of Robert, this makes the most sense."
After the video surveillance had shown that Robert Doru was behind Rose's kidnapping as well as what we now figured the operation, Hans had his guardians and trackers pull every associated residential property and commercial listing that either belonged to him or to Svoboda enterprises.
We had uncovered over twenty properties. We didn't have time or resources to check all of them—not if we wanted to attempt to rescue Rose alive. The fact that the properties were spread out across the state, gave me hope that the research and operation hadn't yet spread among other Strigoi groups outside of the state of Colorado.
While Hans and his team looked for clues regarding the operation, my haunch was to look deeper into Robert Doru. I had to get inside his mind to take a guess on which of the properties I had figured he would base his operation or take Rose, to do whatever it is he wanted to do with her.
One of the properties stood out to me. A Victorian house that Victor's father had in his family generation for over one-hundred years. It had been in Victor's name, since Robert was only a half-brother and still only recognized as an illegitimate son. With Victor dead, and no other family to claim—outside of Lissa who didn't even know the property existed until now—it hadn't come up on any radars.
Similar to our approach at Igor's compound, this time we were stationing one team outside, and one additional team would be tasked to get in and guard any potential tunnels or escape routes, in the event they were there since none were noted on the plans. This time we weren't taking any chances.
"We're on your word," Mikhail said, turning towards me.
I turned, my hand resting on my stake as I nodded, and gave the command into the com for each of the teams to breach the house.
Robert might be crazy, but he wasn't stupid. He had expected that we might find out about this place, a wall of Strigoi waiting for us the moment we breached the house. They were all enhanced Strigoi's, and these weren't freshly made ones.
From their movements and plan, I had to guess these were Strigoi that had probably been made fairly long ago during the initial stages of Robert's experiments. As my eyes scanned the room, it was four to five of us on just one of them.
A Strigoi threw down one of the guardians on Eddie's team just as he sank his teeth into the guardians' neck. For me, it meant that the Strigoi was now at its most vulnerable state, when it was feeding. I grabbed my stake, and before he could lift his fangs, I staked him in the back making sure to reach him all the way to his heart.
The guardian below him, eyes were closed as he groaned in pain. He would survive as long as another Strigoi didn't come back to finish the job. Bursts of flames fanned out all around me.
"We have to keep moving," Christian grunted, his eyes intensifying as his flames grew, attacking several Strigoi at once to try and even the fight.
I pushed through, allowing the remaining teams to deal with the surrounding Strigoi piling into the room. The next Strigoi that had been guarding the very door Christian and I had to go through, came at me with a knife, my hand instantly coming up to his wrist and disarming him from his weapon. I punched him in the face, sending him flying backwards into the wall behind us. I followed with another strike to the face, Christian adding his flames giving me the perfect distraction to stake him in the heart.
Christian and I passed through the door, a tiny female Strigoi lunging at me. Her legs barely reached wrapping around my waist, my forearms coming up to push her neck back and block her fangs from trying to come at my neck. It was a textbook dhampir fighting move, which told me she had likely being a guardian prior to being turned.
I hated to ever have to hit a female, but it was her or me. She was the undead, and past saving. She tried to push against my strength holding her back. I brought my head forward, cracking her good in the forehead, before unclasping her legs and shoving her off and onto the floor on her back. I lunged at her quickly, my arms pinning hers to her side as I leveled her with punch after punch. Christian's fire burst out to the sides of me, making the Strigoi lose focus, giving me the perfect opportunity to bring my stake home and finish the job.
I jumped to my feet, the two additional Strigoi's whose arms were flailing around, their screams echoing in the room around us. I staked each of them, Christian only extinguishing the flames once they dropped to the ground and went still.
Our guardian teams started to breach behind us, allowing Christian and I to keep moving forward. My eyes scanned the room, estimating our best avenue to find Rose. I found my best choice, my eyes trained on the two Strigoi standing stoic outside of a closed door when all of the other Strigoi were jumping into the throws of battle.
"Christian!" I hollered, my head pointing towards the door.
His eyes followed mine, his hands never faltering as he continued to light Strigoi's on fire that threatened him or surrounding guardian's piling into the room. There was too many of them and not enough of us.
I disarmed the current Strigoi coming at me, flipping him on his back as I pushed forward. The two Strigoi saw my advancing, the one closest to me attacked. He blocked a few of my punches, but I managed to get in a few of my own as the Strigoi dodged and tried to spin away. From his quickness of his movements, I knew this wasn't all Strigoi. He had likely been a Dhampir or guardian before he had been turned.
He came at me again, my hands gripping the collar of his shirt as I picked him up off his feet and slammed him into the wall next to me. He growled out in pain as I struck him in the neck.
His fangs protruded out as he tried to get out of my grip, causing me to jerk backwards to avoid his fangs. I blocked his next path again, my arms wrapping around his neck, turning his head to the side. His neck snapped, which only give me a few seconds. I pulled my stake from my waist, turned him to face me, and jammed the stake into his chest.
The force of my leg against the thick wood of the door, snapped, as I kicked it open with force. I had expected to find several more Strigoi on the other side, but that hadn't been the case. Robert had figured if it I had made it this far, he was past help.
"Guard the door," I ordered Christian.
He turned so his back was to me, his eyes scanning the room ready to eliminate any threat that tried to get past that door.
As I stepped into the room, my eyes first landed on Rose. She was laying in the hospital bed, her eyes closed, her skin so pale. My eyes took in the tube to her arm, blood leaving her and into the bags that had been set up. As it was, already three were full of Rose's blood, a human lady standing next to her bed getting ready to switch to another empty one.
As I turned, Robert didn't even flinch, sitting on a stool just at the edge of her bed, his cane sitting right in front of him. He turned to me, not even an ounce of fear in his eye.
"I didn't tell you to stop," he snapped, his eyes on me, but his words aimed at the nurse.
I growled, as she switched the bags, but her fingers trembled as she moved the full one to the side and clipped the next one. I figured I knew why he didn't worry about needing protection. He was a spirit user. All he had to do was attempt to compel me, and I would be another useless soldier like he wanted.
"I've waited for this moment for a long time," Robert admitted. "Ever since the day you and Rose took my brother from me."
"He was a mad man…just like you."
Robert's eyes narrowed. "How about some respect!" He snapped. "If it wasn't for Victor and me, you wouldn't even be here. How do you think your precious Rose knew that a Strigoi could even be restored!" It wasn't a question, but more of a rhetorical statement.
I moved closer to Rose's bed, judging how quickly I could disconnect the tube draining the last of her life force before it was too late.
"You won't make it out of here alive. I will see to that." I promised.
He shrugged. He knew that was going to be his fate all along. "I don't plan to. I have done everything I needed to." His eyes drifted back to Rose. "The last thing that needed to be done, was eradicating the world of Rose Hathaway."
I moved forward with a quickness that even surprised Robert Doru, as I lifted him from his stool, his feet dangling from the floor. I was right up in his face, making sure to keep from making full eye contact in case he tried to use compulsion on me.
He gasped as I squeezed his neck, his eyes glancing at Rose. "My work is complete."
The rage took over, my hand coming up, so that I spun Robert around, and snapped his neck. There would be no coming back from this. His eyes went wide, his mouth fell open as I heard the final gasp, before tossing his body to the ground.
The nurse in front of me gasped and then screamed. I blocked her path from being able to leave. "Reverse what you've done." I ordered.
She looked from me to Rose, the blood still coming from her arm, not flowing as strongly as it once was.
"I…I…"
"Do it. Now!" My voice low and warning that I wasn't going to accept any other answer, or tell her again.
The nurse's hands fumbled, as she clipped off the tube from taking any more blood, her hands slipping as she reached for the cabinet next to the bed, pushing items aside as she started to look for something.
It was seconds, but it felt like agonizing minutes before she removed the initial contraption and added another, her finger flicking it back open. Internally I let go a sigh of relief, seeing the blood leave the bag going in the opposite direction and back into Rose.
I moved over to Rose's bed, pushing her hair from her face. Her eyes were closed, her skin cold as my hand rested on her cheek. I noticed the cuffs on her wrists keeping her immobile.
"It is working?" I asked the nurse, but my eyes stayed on Rose.
"It's going…but…I don't know. We had already taken a lot from her," she stated.
I raced back over to Robert, searching his pockets for the keys to the cuff. I held them in the palm of my hand as I raced back over to Rose, unlocking both of her wrists from the restraints. My hand pushed back her hair, as I climbed onto the bed, bringing her head to me. She didn't move. She didn't stir, her body just lifeless as I held her to me.
"Your safe now, Roza. I won't let anyone hurt you," I said sternly, into her ear, holding her face to my neck.
I closed my eyes, praying to anyone that would listen that it wasn't too late.
Rose
"Rosemaire Hathaway, what are you still doing lying around?"
My eyes opened suddenly, looking around. I was in a house, in a living room. Whose house was this? I sat up from the couch, my hand coming up to my head. My head hurt. There was a pressure so intense above my eyes, it felt as if someone was inside trying to split my head in two.
"Abe, can you please get in there and get your daughter up!"
Mom?
I closed my eyes to try and make the room stop spinning. I swung my legs over the couch to push myself to a standing position.
"Rose, you need to get moving."
I turned to my left, a male in his forties standing in the living room entryway. His black hair, brown eyes, and tanned skin staring at me as if he was amused by my obvious confusion.
"Dad?"
"Yeah, kiddo." His brows drew together. "Did you hit your head or something? You're looking at me as if we had never met before."
I instinctively brought my hand back to my head. Did I hit my head? What the hell was this? What was going on?
"Where am I?"
He frowned. "Are you ok?"
I looked around the room not recognizing anything. The home, the furniture, even my father who looked nothing like the scary Zmey I was used to.
My mother stopped in the doorway, wiping her hands in a towel, as she pushed a piece of fallen strand of her hair from her face. When had she let her hair grow out? Why did she look as if she hadn't trained in months or years?
"Breakfast is ready," she announced. Her eyes glanced between Abe and I, her excitement starting to fade. "What's going on?"
Abe crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't know…but I think our daughter is having some sort of out of body experience. She doesn't seem to know where she is and confused by us."
Janine sighed. "Rose, you are not getting out of your test today. Nice try."
"Test?"
Janine let out an exasperated sigh, turning to Abe to pat him on his shoulder. "This one is all you. Hurry up, if you want something to eat."
"What's wrong, little girl?" My dad asked, stepping further into the room towards me.
None of this made any sense. There was no way my parents would be shacked up in some kind of house in the middle of the suburbs. My dad was a powerful and wealthy Moroi that had no problem making things disappear or doing things that definitely borderline unethical.
My mom was a respected guardian that protected some of the most powerful Moroi. They had only recently started just talking again after everything from the academy and my supposed charges of assassinating the former queen.
What is going on?
When did they get so close?
"Dad, why would a powerful Moroi like you just suddenly move here?"
His eyes grew more pensive, another wave of bewilderment etched in his expression. "Moroi? Rosemarie, what are you talking about?"
Now it was I who was confused. Was I in some alternate reality?
"Where's Dimitri?"
His eyes narrowed. "You're on first name basis with your teacher?"
"Teacher?"
Now I was beginning to see some of that intimidating expression I knew all to well from Zmey. "Why are you inquiring about Mr. Belikov? Why would your high school PE teacher be here? Is there something you're not telling me?" He asked in rapid succession.
"PE teacher?"
I could see my dad's patience was waning at my inability to answer any questions outside of questions myself.
"What's going on, Rose? Are you on drugs? I know what goes on with some of those kids at your school."
Woah, ok, what fresh hell did I step into that I suddenly had two parents that were in my life as if I was some normal teenage girl. Wait…is that what is happening?
"Rose. Rose! Rose, are you listening to me?"
My dad's voice faded around me the room around me starting to go in and out of focus. I closed my eyes trying to stable my balance and make the spinning stop.
When it did, my eyes opened, and I was back at the academy.
"Rose, look alive!" Mason called, crouching in front of me.
"What…"
My words died in my throat as he flipped me on my back, his pretend stake hitting me in the chest plate.
"Ow! What the hell, Mason?"
Mason! Wait…he was dead. Oh, god, am I seeing ghosts again? But my parents weren't dead…were they?
Mason looked down at me with a grimace as he extended his hand to help lift me up. "Why didn't you block?"
"Block? What are you talking about?"
He crossed his arms over his chest, his earlier amusement gone now. "You've been goading me all morning that you could kick my ass any time anywhere since you were lucky enough to score a couple of one-on-one sessions with Guardian Belikov."
My body perked up. "Dimitri? Where is he?"
Mason's expression faltered. "With Tasha Ozera. Where else? Why do you care?"
"Tasha?" The word tasted sour in my mouth. Why would Dimitri be with Tasha? She tried to kill me.
He let out a frustrated sigh, his eyes glancing to a spot behind me. "Yeah. The two have been dating for years. They're inseparable. The Guardian God and the warrior Moroi. Together they kick ass and have killed more Strigoi than anyone."
I shook my head, suddenly feeling like I wanted to throw up. Or lie down. Or throw up and lie down. That couldn't be. Dimitri and Tasha had been friends. She may have wanted more, but he never could give that to her because he was in love with me.
I turned to see them standing together just outside of the outdoor training for Dhampirs, talking and laughing together. She was smiling up at him in a way that set off a possessive jealousy in my chest.
I stormed over to them without even a thought. "Comrade!"
Dimitri's laughed died, as he and Tasha looked at me coming straight in their direction. His expression seemed timid. There was no recognition of the warmth and love I was used to seeing in his eyes anytime that he looked at me. No, he just looked at me like he did any of the other students at the academy.
"Guardian Hathaway, for the last time, stop calling me that," he snapped.
My steps faltered, at his words. Not just the words, but the way in which he spoke to them. As if I was some annoying brat that he couldn't be bothered with and wanted to avoid me like the plague.
My hands were on my hips, trying to cool back some of my rising temper. I noticed Tasha move closer to Dimitri, her guard up as she leaned into his shoulder and arm.
"What the hell is going on here?" I said looking between the two of them.
His eyes went round, his face all but telling me that I was completely out of line. I was well aware how loud I had been, and that my voice had carried, enough that some of the other novices in training, stopped to look over at our small group. Including additional faculty and passing Moroi.
"You are out of line, Guardian Hathaway." His scold made me wince inwardly. I had remembered being on the receiving end of his disappointment a time or two. "If you walk away now, I will forget this ever happened and won't report you."
I could see that Tasha didn't like that Dimitri would overlook my outburst. She never had been the forgiving type. She was a woman. She understood when another woman was seeking vengeance. She could read the emotions on my face.
I ignored Tasha and kept my gaze on Dimitri. "What are you doing with her? You don't love her, remember?"
"Rose!"
Mason's appalled tone from behind me, let me know he was standing there.
"Stay out of this, Mason!"
Dimitri looked from me to Mason and back me. The furrow to his brows deepened further. "Guardian Hathaway—"
"Stop calling me that!" I snapped. "It's Roza. You call me, Roza. Always Roza."
Some of my anger dropped, a disheartening please in my voice showing some of the depths of my emotion. Tasha looked at Dimitri now, her expression morphing into anger.
"What's she talking about, Dimka?"
I was aware of the feral growl I was letting out. Dimitri turned to Tasha. "I have no idea. I have never called her that."
"That's a lie!"
"Rose!" Mason tried again to intervene.
He grabbed my arm, but I shook him off instantly. I forced Dimitri to look back at me by grabbing his arm, which his demeanor told me wasn't welcomed. Dimitri…my Dimitri would never act this way.
"What about us? Why are you doing this?"
Three sets of "what" from Tasha, Dimitri, and Mason were voiced out loud.
"How dare you make a false accusation against Guardian Belikov! Especially after he tried to help you so you didn't get kicked out of this bloody school," hissed Tasha. "Have you no respect? Have you no feelings? Look at what you are doing to your own boyfriend."
I opened my mouth to give her a piece of my mind when those words died on my throat. "My, what?"
I noticed Dimitri and Tasha look behind me at Mason, whose face crumbled at what I had said. His eyes searched mine and when I didn't show remorse in attempting to refute what I had just said, his eyes grew sad.
"Excuse me," he said dejectedly, before he turned and stormed away.
Now I felt a pang of remorse in my chest. This was the first time since I had seen Mason as a ghost where he had finally left me for peace. Instead of being happy to see him, I was tossing him aside like I had previously done before.
I turned back to Tasha and Dimitri whose faces were definitely angry. If I didn't know Dimitri—the real Dimitri that loved me—I would have sunk back at the look that he was giving me right now.
He took a step forward, his voice low and lethal. "You're making me very much regret the fact for helping you, Guardian Hathaway. I don't know what game you're playing, and I want no part of it. You leave me and Tasha alone, or I will have no problem reporting you and having you removed from this academy."
He turned without another word, Tasha only hanging back long enough to issue me her own threat if I even thought about coming near Dimitri again.
"Rose?"
Mason?
I turned behind me, only this was not the Mason I was looking at just a few minutes ago. It was Mason, but it was the Mason I had seen as a ghost for the very last time a few years ago. His hands were clasped behind his back, as he shot me one of his grins.
"Sorry, it took me a minute to find you."
My brows drew together in confusion. "Didn't you…" my finger pointed in the direction where he had stormed away minutes earlier.
He briefly looked in that direction before he turned back to me. "That's this universe's Mason. Not me."
I shook my head. "I think I have had enough of surprises and confusion for one day," I muttered.
"Care to take a walk with me?" he asked.
I looked back up, but I couldn't help but catch Dimitri and Tasha walking away from the training area, Tasha's shrewd eyes still following me. Mason followed my line of sight.
"I promise I can explain everything," he offered.
I looked back at him, and nodded instantly. "Okay."
We fell into step together as we also started walking away from the excitement, moving towards the back of the academy that I had recalled we used to make a diversion back when I had been accused of killing our former queen.
"Am I dead?" I asked. Because honestly, that was really the only thing that made sense at this point. That or this was the most messed up dream I have ever had.
"No…" the word hung in the air. I could see the hesitation in his expression.
I bumped his shoulder. "I think the words you are looking for are not yet," I said for him.
He grimaced. "I'm sorry. I'm not really good at this sort of thing. You're my first."
"First…what?"
He let out a long slow breath. "Some folks would refer to us as a guide."
"A guide?"
He nodded.
"You are in what is called the in-between. Your body and your soul are separated. Whether they might connect back together is entirely dependent on you and the powers that be."
"That's not cryptic," I grumbled. I put a hand on his arm and stopped us. "Wait! So, it's true. We have souls?"
He shook his head and laughed at me, like he had used to when we were at the academy together. "Of course, we do, Rose. I know it wasn't something you always necessarily believed."
He started walking again as the buildings behind us got further away, moving into the field of open space. I decided to focus on the next question that was bothering me.
"What do I keep visiting these—" –I paused, thinking back to the word he used— "—universes that are so different from my own? Ones were Dimitri and I aren't together or aren't even remotely friends?"
"I don't know," he answered honestly, "but one thing I can tell you for certain, is in each one, there is always certain things that remain the same."
I scoffed. "You saw what happened back there. If looks could kill, the Dimitri here would have." He laughed at me, as if he was aware of some kind of inside joke that I was not privy to. "What?"
"Rose, the Dimitri in this universe cares for you."
"Okay, now I know you are lying. He just threatened to throw me out of the school!"
He kept walking, an amused smile on his lips. "Yeah, and he didn't deny his feelings for you when he was your mentor and you were his student," he remarked.
"That's different. He wasn't with Tasha then." I argued.
"Rose, there is always one thing that is plain to see when it comes to you and Dimitri. No matter where you might be in that moment of your relationship, your souls are always connected. The bond between you always ends up pulling you back together at some point."
The words were comforting after what I had just experienced. I still hated experiencing what I had. Seeing Dimitri with Tasha. Him and I at odds and not in love with each other.
"And what about the ones with my parents?" I asked, needing a break from the emotional heartache of Dimitri and my relationship in this universe.
He grinned. "You did always say you wanted to know what it was like to grow up with both of your parents."
"Yeah, but that was like living with the Brady Bunch. Besides, I mentioned the word Moroi and my dad looked at me like I was on drugs. He even asked," I pointed out a little miffed.
"You should have seen one of the ones I visited about myself. Let's just say…scary!" His body involuntarily shivered.
"Why am I visiting these places?"
"I think it's a way of us being comfortable until our fate is decided. At least we are around people that we know, even if the circumstances and surroundings aren't necessarily the same."
We were halfway across the wide-open space now as we continued to walk side-by-side. "How wise, Yoda." There was a moment of silence, before I sucked in my bottom lip and worked up the courage to ask the question I had been also dying to ask. "Mason, are you…ok? Your still not…"
"Stuck?" he finished for me.
I nodded.
"No, Rose. I'm not stuck. I'm at peace. I'm only here for you."
That notion was comforting to me and sad that I was pulling him from his peace. "Did you experience something similar?"
He glanced down at his shoes. "No. I was dead dead."
"So, why do I get this?"
He sighed. "Because your Rose Hathaway, and you don't tend to just fall in line."
I bumped my shoulder into his. "I miss you."
He grinned. "I miss you, too." He looked back up, the sun shining on his face. "I mean it though, Rose. I'm happy. I'm at peace. It sucked to have died so young, but I died an honorable death. I still get to check in on you and Eddie from time to time."
I was glad that he was happy. I was glad that he was at peace. Even though deep down, the guilt I still felt associated with that day was hard to ignore.
"You need to let it go, Rose," he said, breaking me from my thoughts as if he knew exactly what I had just been thinking.
"Mason—"
"No," he interrupted firmly, pulling me to a stop. "You need to get something straight here. You didn't force me into that cave or on that mission. I went willingly. Even knowing how it would play out, I would do it again, Rose. My death, was not your fault."
His words were like a comforting salve on a burn, even if a part of me still couldn't resolve all of the guilt.
"Victor to," he added. "The jerk had it coming."
That had me on the verge of almost laughing again. "So, how do I get back?" I turned to him quickly. "Not that I don't love hanging out with you, but I want to go home. I want to go back to my life, my friends, my loved ones…"
"Belikov," he guessed. He shot me a smile. "It's ok, Rose. We're best friends and we dated for like two seconds. A part of me always knew that you belonged to someone else. I didn't know it was Belikov at the time, but I get it now."
"You…do?"
He nodded. "I've seen you two together. In our life and even in the others. Like I said, no matter what, you two always find your way back to each other."
That made me smile. "Is…is he ok?" I asked hesitantly.
His expression morphed into a guarded one. I could sense he was trying—for my benefit—to not say something that would make this harder on me, but Mason knew I wasn't one that needed to be coddled or babied. No matter how difficult the news might be.
As we reached the end of the field, the outline of the woods in front of us, Mason grabbed hold of my hand to pull me to a stop. His other free hand waved out in front of him, causing me to take a step back once a weird cloud like substance appeared in front of us. When I looked back down, the white started to separate.
I leaned in closer. There I was, laying in a hospital bed, dressed in an ugly hospital gown, hooked up to so many wires it was hard to keep count. The room was dark, but for only a soft glow of light. Dimitri was curled up next to my side, his arm resting against my stomach, his face buried in my neck.
I looked back up at Mason. "Is this…"
He nodded. "You had passed out from the blood loss just before Dimitri and the other guardians had showed up."
"Robert?"
"Dead," he said, the note in his voice said that if he wasn't dead, Mason would want to do it himself. "Dimitri had the nurse start pumping your blood back into you."
My eyes took in every inch of his face. His eyes were closed. He appeared to be sleeping, but even from here, I could see the sleep was restless. He was already sporting a five o'clock shadow, making me wonder how long he had been there.
"How…how long have I been like this?"
His eyes looked down at Dimitri and my still form. "About two weeks now."
I gasped. "Two weeks?" I looked away as I started pacing back and forth. "I don't understand. I want to go back. I want to be there." I pointed at my still form. "Help me. Help me get back."
He sighed. His face twisted. "I wish I could, Rose."
"You said you were a guide. So, guide me back."
He shifted his eyes back to look at me. "I…I can't. I don't have that capability. I can only guide you here. Trust me, If I could, I would. Your one of my best friends."
I walked over to him and done something I should have done at the start of this conversation. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him. After a moment of surprise on his end, I felt his arms around my back as he hugged me back.
Once I pulled back, his arms dropped. "There must be something here. Something I am supposed to learn or figure out that will probably help me get back."
His hand came up to rest on his chin. "I don't think it works that way."
"Yeah, well, this place has never met, Rose Hathaway. Sitting around just isn't my thing."
That earned me a smirk. "No…I guess not."
I don't know how long it had been as we poured over all types of ideas and options that could possibly move me on, but as we tried each one, I still ended up staying exactly where I was.
Mason and I had been walking for hours, and even as we did, I didn't feel tired or that I needed to rest. Every time I asked Mason to show me my body, it was the same. My sleeping form. Dimitri either lying next to me, or sitting in the chair next to me when he was awake.
I wanted to reach out and touch him so bad, the ache was unbearable. Outside of the brief moment in Igor's compound, I was almost beginning to miss the feeling of his arms wrapped around me. His lips on mine. The connection that took my breath away every time we had made love.
I wanted to get back there so badly.
"What happens if I just stop?"
Mason's brows furrowed. "Stop, what?"
"Stop trying," I clarified.
When I looked into his eyes, I could see the concern and doubt that he thought I was thinking about giving up. "Then it's a real possibility that you die. You cross over. If you're lucky, we're in the same place and you get to hang out with me." He paused. "Is that what you want?"
"No," I replied automatically. "I guess, I'm just trying to prepare in case…in case…"
Mason came to stand in front of me, his hand resting on my shoulder. It was a very Dimitri thing to do. I had seen how much Mason looked up to Dimitri when he had come to St. Vladimir's. Maybe some of that was because he could see how much I had been attracted to him, and maybe it was because I could see he wanted to strive to be like him.
Everyone did when they were around Dimitri.
He had this goodness about him. He was loyal. He stood by his morals and principals, and no matter who it was—myself included—he always made me strive to want to be better. Do better. It was what made me fall in love with him.
It was what made me never want to let go.
My hands started to tingle; my body started to twitch. "Mason!"
He looked over at me, but instead of looking worried, his face looked relieved. He smiled at me. "I knew there was no way it was your time."
I looked back at him and then my body. I couldn't feel my feet anymore, it felt like I was weightless as if I was floating. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying, you figured out how to fight to go back. This is where I leave you."
I tried to move forward, but I couldn't. Mason took a few steps forward to me, his hand coming to rest of my cheek. "I love you, Rose."
"I love you too, Mason."
"Be happy."
Those were the parting words he left me with as I glanced back, his form starting to drift away to the white mist from earlier.
My eyes opened. They blinked shut, and then opened again. I squinted, as my eyes going from pure darkness to adjusting to the dim light in the corner of the hospital room.
I could feel the weight next to me, my eyes glancing down to see Dimitri was still snuggled next to me. I felt like my heart couldn't expand any further than it had with love for the man lying next to me.
Dimitri stirred as if he could sense something was different. My lips spread into a smile.
"Hey, Comrade," I croaked.
He pulled back suddenly, and with the deadly grace that I knew he was used to in making sure that he didn't do anything to hurt me or the wires that had been connected to me.
"Roza?"
The question in his voice broke my heart. The hope that what he was seeing, and hearing wasn't a trick. I did the only thing I could think of, which was to move my hand, so it came up—albeit slowly—until my palm rested against his cheek. He titled his face into my touch, and it felt like home.
He pulled back, but not far enough so our connection was broken. His brown eyes met mine, as I shifted to look down at him.
"Roza?"
"I'm not going anywhere," I assured, my words coming out hoarse.
His hand came up to rest on top of mine, his eyes closing as we let the silence linger. After a moment, we looked at each other, and my lips spread into a smile.
"Can I have some water?"
His eyes opened wide, and I half almost kicked myself for ruining the moment. He rested on his elbow as he angled his body so he could turn and get me a glass of water, before he handed it back. I took a couple of slow slips first, letting the cool liquid sooth my dry throat as it went down, before I finished the contents of the cup, handing it back to him.
"I should call the nurse."
I grabbed his arm. "No!" He stopped, my expression turning sheepish. "Not yet. I just want some alone time with you."
I could tell he was weighing his want for the same thing versus his need to make sure that I was ok. He studied me for a moment, before finally nodding.
"Just a couple," he relented.
I let out a content sigh, when he carefully shifted so that his back was against the bed, and he maneuvered me so that I was snuggled against his side, my head resting on his chest. I had wondered for the longest time if I would ever get the chance to feel and hear his hearting beating underneath my ear. It was the greatest sound I had ever heard.
"Roza…" His voice stroked my skin, rough and strangled. "I thought I lost you."
It occurred to me in that minute that I had no clue how these last few weeks were for Dimitri. If they were anything like mine and the way I felt without him, my heart squeezed painfully for him. An involuntary shudder went through me, Dimitri bringing me closer to his body as he pulled up the blanket around me. Just him. Just his arms were what I needed.
"For a moment there, I thought I would never find my way back," I admitted. I pulled my head back so I could look up at him. "But I made a promise to you. I told you, nothing would ever keep me from coming back home to you."
His eyes flashed with pure love, his arm that had been wrapped around my body, moved his hand so his fingers could trace up and down my bare arm. He leaned in slowly, so slowly, I could feel the growl catching in my throat before his lips softly pressed against mine.
How I had missed his kisses. It was ultimately, why I think I was able to come back. It couldn't be my time when I had Dimitri back here waiting for me.
He pulled back, regret in his expression. "I promised Lissa that I would let her know first thing when you were awake. There are a lot of people waiting for that moment."
My hand rested on his chest. "Do we have to?" I snuggled closer. "Five more minutes."
He laughed. "I guess you earned five more minutes."
My smile turned devious. "Five minutes of making out, that is."
"Roza…"
My eyes dropped half-mast, as my finger trailed around his chest. "Just this once…ignore that self-restraint of yours."
He groaned. Dimitri hated to refuse me if he could help it. "You just woke up after being unconscious for two weeks," he reasoned.
"Yes, and your kisses really are the best medicine."
He pulled me closer to him, and I was sure I was going to win the battle. "What am I going to do with you, Roza."
"Well, for starters you can—"
I didn't get to finish that statement, before his lips crashed down on mine, something wonderful, amazing, and earnest shooting through my chest. I found my way home. Right where I belong. Always.
"Rose!"
Lissa threw her arms around my neck—as she leaned over Dimitri and wormed her way in—to hug me tight.
"Uh, Liss, can't breathe," I choked out in between breaths.
She released me, only because Christian had come to help pull her away. Not before she gave Dimitri a bit of a glare. "I told you to get me when she woke up."
His eyes dropped, and I tried to stifle a laugh. "It was my fault. Leave poor Dimitri out of it."
"It's about time you stopped laying around all day and slacking," teased Christian, as Lissa parked herself on his lap on the chair at the side of my bed.
I smiled, because I actually missed seeing Christian's face each day. "Good to see you to, Lord Fire Breather."
"I expect you back and up and running in a day. Not that I don't mind Jared, but I could use my official sanctioned number one guardian."
My hand came to my chest. "You hear that folks…he likes me. He really likes me."
That got a chuckle from everyone in the room. The door opened and in came Sydney and Adrian as they each gave me a hug. I don't remember getting this much affection since the last time I had almost died. I really needed to stop making a habit of this.
"Little Dhampir, I thought we told you last time that you dying were not agreeable terms," scolded Adrian.
"Hey, it was not my fault. You get kidnapped by multiple homicidal nutcases and see how you fair."
Sydney frowned. "I can't believe it was Robert Doru."
I wanted to say that I agreed, but I guess it was only a matter of time before that looney toon was going to show back up in our lives. I was just glad it was done and over with. Dimitri didn't want to talk to much about his death—but I knew I would be able to get the full details from Christian later on. Seeing as how he was there when it all went down.
I found Dimitri's hand next to mine on the bed, interlocking my fingers with his to offer the additional support and reminder that everything would be ok now. That both our enemies were dead, and we were both going to be ok.
The group had wanted to hear all about the operation and what had happened to me starting with Ryan kidnapping me, being taken to Igor's compound and his plan for killing Dimitri out of vengeance.
My mood shifted when the topic of Josh's death came up. Lissa had told me she had gotten word to Josh's family personally, very much doing a similar practice the military did with parents when they were lost in battle. I had felt tremendous guilt over his death, but as Mason's face flashed before my eyes, it was once again a reminder that it wasn't fair for me to carry the full burden either. I just hoped that Josh was at peace. After all, he did die as a hero.
I filled the rest of them in on the what had happened once I woke up in Robert's home, and his plan for me and everyone I loved in the room.
Dimitri and Christian told me how pleased Hans was with our work and his request to pass along a thanks—which was a lot coming from him—in being able to collect all the research and notes Robert had performed all these years. A detailed wipe of both Igor and Robert's drives had told us that we had been lucky the information hadn't been shared with others.
Sydney now possessed copies of the information. According to Dimitri, she and Sonya, along with help from Adrian worked together to try and break down what had been researched to see if there was a way to reverse the procedure. Now that we knew the blood levels, how it was concocted, and administered, there was a possibility we could replicate the same process to reverse it.
The raids on both compounds had killed over sixty of the terminator Strigoi's created. We still weren't certain that all of them had been killed, but we would continue to monitor and should any of them come out of their hole, we would be ready to track them down and take them out.
I also learned that we had lost twelve guardians and one Moroi in the battle at Robert's compound. Unlike Igor's compound where many had fled using the underground tunnel system, they had all escaped back to Robert's home to regroup and prepare for battle. It was still a huge loss for us to lose that many, but a worthy sacrifice for what we had been able to stop.
"How's Hans taking everything?" I asked.
"Hans?" Lissa asked.
"Yeah. I can't imagine how difficult this must be for him."
I was aware that everyone in the room was looking at each other with puzzled expressions. Did they not know…
I shifted my body in the bed so I could look at Dimitri. He had looked just as confused as the rest. "Wait, you guys don't know?"
I looked at each face in the room, before my gaze landed back on Dimitri. "Know what, Rose?"
I remembered back to my conversation with Robert just before they had started draining my blood and I had passed out.
"I didn't believe that Robert had been the mastermind behind the plan to want to start a full-on war with us. Don't get me wrong, I know he fully supported it, but he all but confirmed it when he had said that killing me was his primary focus."
I felt the grumble in Dimitri's chest at the mention of Robert's plan to kill me.
"We figured that Igor was the one that Robert had been working with," said Christian.
"Yes and no," I said. "He was working with Igor as a means to an end. They both got what they wanted out of the deal. Igor wanted Dimitri and Robert wanted me." I paused. "Don't get me wrong, Igor wanted to be the one to lead, but Robert made a deal with another person."
Dimitri's brows furrowed. "There was nothing else mentioned in any of the information we collected. Everything ran through the dummy corporations and through the nightclub."
I could feel the excitement course through me. Dimitri was right. If it hadn't been for the fact that Robert knew he was going to die and that he actually didn't care with what had happened after we both died, he had let a crucial part of the plan slip.
And they would have gotten away with it to.
"But there was still the one piece that we hadn't figured out," I said.
"What's that?" Adrian asked, his chin resting on Sydney's shoulder as she rested against his chest.
"How Igor and Robert were being supplied the Moroi and Dhampir to drain their blood for the concoction."
Dimitri's body stiffened next to me when he must have realized that it was still the one missing link. Not that it was their fault. It would make sense that the Strigoi could just be staking out and searching for Moroi and Dhampir. It was their day-to-day nature as it was…so it was easy to ride that off.
Dimitri swore in Russian, which I pretty much knew was the word shit, as our eyes met. I could see the question in his eyes as I looked back and nodded.
"Ian," we said in unison.
"Ian?" Christian repeated as if he hadn't heard us right.
I looked away from Dimitri to each face in the room, landing on Lissa last. "You know we're right. The missing Moroi and Dhampir at the school. Dimitri and I had interrogated some of the Dhampir and Moroi that visited the nightclub, each of them recalling they had heard about the place and the experience from someone at their school."
"As Headmaster, he could easily cover up any disappearances, as transfers or unenrollment's out of the academy. Add the fact that his brother is the head of guardian security to the Royal Court, no one would ever think twice," Dimitri chimed in.
I nodded, because now I was on a roll. "Plus, how was it that not only right after I called St. Anna's to request an extraction, somehow Igor's people beat you there first. I was off the grid. Igor's people didn't know about the Keepers."
Lissa's face contorted with anger. "I will throw him in the cells to rot for the remainder of his existence."
I sat up abruptly. "We have to get a team out there," I said. "He's the one behind it all. He's the one that wants to start a war with the Royal Court," I explained.
"Rose, we decimated most of his army. We have the files. There is no way he could start a war with us now," Christian spoke up.
"He has the copies," I argued. "I know he does. He's in the perfect position to replenish his supply." I shivered thinking how many students in his academy he already had pegged to be his next victims.
"Yeah, but doesn't he need a spirt user?" Lissa asked. "The spirit user at Igor's compound that tried to kill you, he's dead. Robert is dead to."
"Rose is right," Dimitri spoke up. "Being the Headmaster means he know exactly who would be undeclared and potential spirit users. All he would have to do is ask them to create the concoction and they might not even know what they are doing."
Lissa stood tersely. "I need to speak with Hans right away. He must be stopped."
"Wait!" I exclaimed, hating the fact that I was recovering and still in the bed. "Ian will see it coming, and if we spook him, he will be long gone before we can even arrest him."
"What are you proposing, Rose?" Dimitri asked.
I smiled.
"Oh, no, she's got that look again," Adrian commented.
I showed the whiteness of my teeth. "You bet I do." I looked to each person in the room, "Here's the plan…"
One Week Later…
Dimitri and Lissa weren't happy that my plan required that I got to be a part of the takedown of Ian Croft, but considering the hell Dimitri and I went through on this assignment. It was well deserved.
I had to wait a week before the doctors would officially clear me since I had lost a lot of blood. Something about my need to rest so I could get stronger. Luckily, my dhampir healing abilities helped move things along. In fact, it was probably the very reason I ended up living. Had it been a regular human who went through what I did, they would have likely not even survived when they had started putting my blood back into my body.
The other reason for the delay, had been that both my parents, Janine and Abe had dropped everything and flown in once they had learned what had happened. Poor Dimitri, he had gotten the worse of the wrath from Zmey, who casually mentioned it was time they had another excursion out in the woods. I groaned, threatening my old man to leave my fiancée alone.
Once I had been cleared from the hospital, Dimitri, myself, and Hans were on the next flight out to Colorado. It was going to be a surprise visit to St. Anna's Academy. No doubt, Ian would think we were coming as some way of thanking him for his work and support on the case.
"Didn't think we'd be back here so soon, did you, Comrade?" I asked, as we landed and got off the plane.
Hans had been quiet, in the back of the plane, no doubt still trying to come to terms that his own brother was behind the plot to want to overthrow our queen and start a war with Moroi and Dhampir—not to mention the world—in order to rid of anyone other than Strigoi as part of the new order.
Once we pulled up to St. Anna's Academy, Ian's assistant froze upon seeing us and Hans with a request to immediately see Ian.
As we entered into the office, Ian stood, his brows drawing together, his hands on his hips, clearly upset about our surprise visit. His eyes travelled to his brother, a curious look in his eye as to what could bring Hans all the way here from his head of Guardian Security position at the Royal Court.
Ian turned back to me and Dimitri. "Guardian's Belikov and Hathaway, to what do I owe this surprise visit?" he asked inquisitively.
I really just wanted to punch him in the face. A good punch that would be a nose gusher, but held back, schooling my expression as he turned from looking directly at me to Dimitri.
"Headmaster Croft, we are sorry to drop in so unexpectedly. We'd concluded our assignment here in Colorado and thought you would appreciate hearing our findings. Since you played such a major role in assisting with the captors of Igor Zeklos and Robert Doru," said Dimitri.
Dimitri really was impressive in being able to keep his cool and not let his emotions cloud the outcome of the job. Well, generally when my life was in jeopardy.
Ian's eyes brightened, his gaze traveling to his brother as if he was silently waiting for his brother to issue whatever accommodations he thought we were here to give him.
"Well, that is very kind of you, Guardian Belikov. Really, I'm just doing my job. The health and safety of my students are first and foremost the most important piece of my job," he replied proudly.
I felt myself take a step forward, Dimitri's hand discreetly grabbing hold of my forearm to hold me in place. The nerve of this guy to sit here and lie to our faces—his brother's face—knowing he was the one that was providing the intel and candidates.
After I had told everyone in my hospital room what Robert had told me, we had gone back to comb through the files again. There was that one additional piece of information that had stuck out to me that didn't make sense until Robert disclosed Ian's part of the operation.
It was when I had learned that Jack was one of the scouts as he had told me when he tried to keep me from going after Dimitri. Anytime there was someone needed, Ian would notify the nightclub where either Jack or Ryan would find a way to lure or kidnap the Moroi or Dhampir from here. It made me see red all over again.
"Yes, I know from the last time we were here you advocated for your student's safety," Dimitri said. There was an edge in his tone that was borderline lethal.
Ian looked from Dimitri and me and then back to his brother. Next to Dimitri, Hans had the best guardian mask than anyone I had ever met before. Ian's eyes now rested on Hans figuring something was amiss here.
"What's going on, brother?"
It was Dimitri who answered. "What's going on, is that you almost got away with it."
Ian's eyes flickered back to Dimitri a flash of annoyance and recognition there. "Got away with what?"
"We know what you've been doing, brother," Hans's voice reverberated through the room for the first time. The way he accented the word brother was dripping with a mixture of disgust and betrayal.
Ian crossed his arms over his chest, all necessities and formal pretenses gone now. "And what is it that I supposedly have been doing?"
Dimitri let go of my arm as he took an intimidating step forward. "We have proof of your involvement of working with Igor and Robert. You funneled your own students as lab rats and worse as sacrifices for the ability to create enhanced Strigoi's."
To my surprise, Ian didn't even flinch at the accusation. He didn't immediately say anything, which most innocent folks would never just willingly let something as egregious as that stand.
"I doubt you have proof," was the only response he gave.
I couldn't keep my mouth shut any longer. "Robert Doru implicated your involvement himself."
Ian let out a boisterous laugh. "That's your proof!" He dropped his hands until they were flat on his desk. "That old bat was just as crazy as his brother. You should be ashamed you even made the trip."
"You should be ashamed that you would think that is the only evidence we would have," Dimitri countered. "I bet you thought you were clever in hiding your files and research. The exact same files and research Igor and Robert had in their possession."
Ian squinted at Dimitri as if he was some kind of annoying bug. "Again. I ask what proof you would have that I put that there. You can see their operation obviously ran deep. It would make sense they would try and implicate me, being the only academy here within considerable distance."
"You seem to argue a lot of points for someone who claims to be innocent," I pointed out.
His gaze glinted over at me. "You don't get to my position without making sure you do."
"You got where you are, because of me," Hans said.
Ian's face transformed to pure anger as his cheeks grew bright red. "Contrary to what you think, big brother, not everything resolves around you."
There it was. I can't believe I hadn't noticed it before. Noticed the way that Ian looked every time he talked or looked at his brother. Jealousy. He hated everything that Hans had because he wasn't Hans.
"We have your phone records. We have you on surveillance meeting at the nightclub with Igor's number two, Reed Parker. You might have thought you were careful, but you weren't," Dimitri disclosed.
That prompted Ian to look back at Dimitri. "Well, I guess if you collected all that…"
Everything had happened so fast. Ian opening the desk drawer and pulling out a gun that he pointed it at all three of us. Leaving me for last. Dimitri's eyes narrowed, swiftly pulled me behind him.
Dimitri put his hand that wasn't holding me behind him up and out, trying to defuse the situation. "You don't want to do this," he said calmly.
Ian tilted his head to the side. "I don't?"
"You still have a chance to be the brother I once knew," added Hans.
Ian sneered. "Like you ever really knew me at all." He pointed the gun at Hans. "Do you know what it was like to constantly be compared to you? To have to live in your shadow? To have all my opportunities given to you on a silver platter?"
Dimitri glanced over his shoulder at me, his finger coming to his lips, asking me to keep silent. I held onto his arm, knowing exactly what he was going to do. Our eyes met, Dimitri giving me a reassuring nod. Against my better judgment I let go. We only had a short window that Ian's attention would remain focused on Hans.
Hans who had the gun now aimed directly at him, didn't even bother to flinch or show any fear that Ian might pull the trigger. I could feel the tension in the room, so thick it could be cut with a knife.
"I was never given anything," Hans replied calmly. "I worked hard for everything I had."
Dimitri took another small step towards the side of Ian's desk.
"And I didn't!" Ian yelled. "I was top of my class to. I was just as strong and capable to. Instead of looking at me, you had them send me here, so you didn't have to have any competition."
Dimitri took another step.
"Is that why you are a part of this Strigoi operation? Is this your way of trying to prove you are better than me?"
Ian spat. "I am better than you."
"Then prove it," Hans clapped back. "Put the gun down and let's settle this like respectable guardians."
Ian let out a humorless laugh. "You want me to believe you will fight fair? Three on one? Your two best against me?"
"You say you're the best," he challenged.
He leveled the gun right at Ian's chest, a devious and murderous look in his eye. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Dimitri moved with a quiet stealthies I knew he possessed.
"Sometimes, being the best is knowing the better strategy isn't always the most honorable one." I heard the click of the safety being turned off. "Say good-bye, brother."
Dimitri lunged, his arm coming up, to swipe down at Ian's before he could get the shot off. He managed to knock the weapon away from him as the gun slid across the floor stopping right at Hans feet.
Dimitri and Ian engaged back and forth in blows and blocks, Dimitri being the more skilled and fluid with his movements and combat choices. Dimitri landed a good shot at the back of Ian's head, kicking him in the back, knocking him directly down to his knees.
Hans kept the weapon trained on Ian, as Dimitri reached in the back of his pocket to pull out zip ties, wrenching Ian's arms behind his back as he secured his wrists together. Blood was dripping from Ian's lip as she scowled up at his brother.
"Do it."
Hans looked at his brother for a moment, before his hand slowly started to lower. "I am not a murderer. I am not you, brother."
Ian snarled. "Coward."
Hans shook his head sadly. "Death would be the coward's way out. You will answer for your crimes against the court and your people."
Dimitri lifted him to his feet, as Guardian Foster entered into the room along with the other senior guardian faculty members at the academy. They took one look at all of us, before looking at Hans, and coming to terms that something was seriously wrong.
Once Ian was secured and ready for transport back to Court, Dimitri and I said good-bye to our new friends at the academy.
"Who do you think will replace Ian?" I asked.
He sighed, as he glanced back at me. "Guardian Foster would make a good choice. He has a lot to learn, but he cares about the faculty and students there. He showed remarkable leadership on both raids in trying to find you," he answered.
I interlocked my fingers with his, Dimitri lightly squeezing my hand back. I rested my head on his shoulder. "It's really over, isn't it?"
He placed a kiss on my forehead. "Yes, Roza."
I smiled. There was a part of me that had worried if I would never hear my name from his lips again. I was so glad that hadn't been the case.
"You know…I was thinking…"
He groaned, which only made me smile wider. "What idea and trouble are you planning for us now?"
"I was thinking we were due for a vacation."
I could tell that had not been what he thought I was going to say, his body angling so he was facing me and looking at me now, his hand coming up to run through my hair.
"What did you have in mind?" he asked.
I leaned in, so we were mere inches from each other. "I was thinking maybe some place warm. Relaxing. Where less clothes are optional."
His eyes burned with desire. He kissed my cheek, sending a shiver down my spine. "It's been a while since I've seen the red bikini." His voice was thickly and it did wonderful things to my insides.
I lifted my heavy-lidded eyes with desire. "I remembered how much you like it," I observed.
He kissed me on the lips. "If Hans wasn't on this plane and we didn't have a homicidal killer, I would make the pilots take us wherever it is you want to go."
I laughed. Mostly because I knew it was true. I brought my hand up so that it rested against his chest, his heart thumping under my hand. "Dimitri?"
"Yes?"
"I want to marry you."
I expected him to pull back, but instead he just brought me closer until I could feel his lips just above my ear. It sent a wave of goosebumps down my back. "Rose, you already told me yes."
This time I pulled back, or I would end up getting to lost in his touch and the feel of his lips on my skin that I would lose track of what I wanted him to know.
"Yes, but I want to marry you now. I don't want to put it off any longer."
He looked down into my face, studying me intently. "Rose, is this—"
"No," I said quickly.
I had a feeling he was going to wonder if I was only doing it because I had almost died. That wasn't the case. I was doing it because it finally showed me that I wasn't truly living. All my fears about what if I didn't do this first before I got married. What if I didn't have the opportunity to experience these because I was so young.
None of it mattered. Time was promised to no one. Time meant nothing when it came to the love that Dimitri and I shared between each other. All that mattered was that I would have the opportunity to stand up in front of all my family, friends, and loved ones and show them just how damn much I loved the man sitting next to me.
I always have. I always will.
"I want to marry you, because I love you. No other reason. Just that."
His smile made my heart expand. "I love you, Roza. I will always love you. I will always be here for you."
I rested both hands on either side of his face. "Back at you, cowboy." I slowly started to pull him closer, stopping just before our lips touched. "Now, how about we practice the part where you kiss the bride."
He grinned. "Yes, ma'am," he said, his voice mimicking that of a western cowboy.
He kissed me only the way that Dimitri knew how…with all the love in his heart. Forever…our hearts belonging to each other.
A/N: Alright, down to our final chapter!