CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE- CHILDISH

Hey there, next chapter is finished. The dark angel idea belong to XxNight'sheartxX, becuase she is briliant. ;) okay, okay, here's the next chapter and thanks to everyone who's reviewing my story. here's the next chapter, you might be surprised...

I pulled away from Etienne and went for the casual approach. "Hey, Alexander, I'd like you to meet someone," I said with a small smile. Alexander's tense posture did not ease as I spoke, I continued as if I didn't notice. "Alexander, this is my brother, Etienne Spencer, Etienne this is Alexander Contrive,"

Alexander's shoulders relaxed when I put extra emphasis on 'brother' and he stepped forward to shake Etienne's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Etienne," Alexander said, seeming more at ease now, he shot me a quick glance but he looked away far to fast for me to read it.

"Yeah, you too," Etienne smiled at Alexander. "So…are you…Rose's…I don't know, what are you?" he seemed confused, but there was also a protectiveness there too; I couldn't help but blush, just a little.

Alexander glanced at me again, this time with an amused smile on his face. "I'm the Head Guardian here,"

"Oh," Etienne paused for a second as he took his hand back. He fixed Alexander with a stern stare. "And you will watch over Rose?"

"Of course," Alexander nodded then looked over to me and smiled. "But I'm sure Rose doesn't need looking after, from what I've heard from some of the guardians who've seen her fight…she's amazing. Have you seen the back of her neck?"

Etienne shook his head and turned to me with raised eyebrows. "Turn around, Rose," he smiled and I did as I was told. I felt him lightly brush my hair aside and heard his small intake of air. "Rose…you've got about nineteen or twenty molnija marks," he all but whispered.

I nodded feeling uncomfortable. "Yeah, it's nothing," I mumbled and shrugged uncomfortably and it was Alexander to come to my rescue.

"Well, I've got to go; didn't you say that you had some things to attend to, Rose?"

I didn't really but I agreed eagerly. "Yes! I did, I've got to get everyone settled and in…" I paused to look at the clock. "Now, I've got to go." They both looked at me strangely so I hurried to explain as I backed towards the door. "I've got training with Dereck right now and he's in trouble."

"Was that the kid who hit you?" Etienne's voice growing cold.

"Dereck hit you? That's why you had a bloody nose?" Alexander was getting angry now too.

"No, no, it's all fine, I've…bye," I called over my shoulder before I bolted out the door and to the gym. As expected, Dereck Hays was waiting at the gym, not really wearing proper attire. I momentarily forgot about my earlier anger towards him and was confused. Dereck was wearing a nice long sleeved shirt that hugged his chest and blue jeans, his expression was sober as he stared at the ground but he glanced up when I came in.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I took a hesitant step towards him. Dereck didn't look as if he were going to fight me, so I took another step, he lowered his eyes as if he were very ashamed of something.

I was confused; this isn't the Dereck I know, the Dereck I know is careless and rude and certainly not the type to be ashamed.

"I'm very sorry, Rose." Was all he said and I stopped just where I was, only feet from him.

"For what, Dereck?" I questioned, trying to hold his gaze but he wouldn't look at me for more than a millisecond.

"For acting the way I did, for making a huge scene of something that wasn't my business," he said quietly and I was shocked, then, very suddenly, I was angry.

I closed the space between me and Dereck, grabbing his face between my hands and forcing him to look me in the eye. "What the hell is wrong with you?" I demanded loudly and his eyes widened in shock.

"I-I I'm sorry –" he started but I cut him off.

"No! That's the problem! Where's my Dereck?" I demanded and he was stunned into silence. "Where's my Dereck?" I asked again more quietly and in a softer tone that was somewhat desperate. "Where's the Dereck who isn't afraid of hurting people's feelings, where's the Dereck who snuck into my room in the morning when I was late for practice? Where's the Dereck that would laugh with me after I made him do sixty push ups and sit ups? Where's the Dereck who had a tiny water fight with me after practice? Where is my Dereck?"

There was silence as we stared at each other.

Finally, Dereck seemed to regain his baring and said, "He's right here,"

"No, he's not. My Dereck would be ready for me, ready to insult me, ready to hit me, ready to throw anything he could at me until he was calmed down. My Dereck is the boy who called me a blood whore in front of the whole school and before that, in front of his friends. So where's my Dereck, what's wrong with you?"

There was a pause before he admitted, "Jane guilted me,"

I let go of his face and stumbled backwards laughing. "Jane Ivashkov?" I squeaked through my laughter. He was giving me a strange look so I added, "You actually let a girl talk you into something? Well, a girl who wasn't me?" I was still laughing and I was having fun, playing with Dereck this way.

Dereck hung his head and blushed which made me laugh harder. I was laughing so hard that I fell over and was clutching my stomach.

After a few minutes, I was trying to catch my breath as Dereck stood a few feet away, looking down at me. "Are you done now?" he asked.

I propped myself up on my elbows and gazed up at him. "Yeah, I think so," I sighed contently. "You really are a funny kid,"

"Thanks, I try," he replied sarcastically.

I lifted a hand and pointed at him, grinning. "That's my boy!" I chuckled as he gave a small smile. Then my eyes raked him up and down and finally landed on his face. "So what's with the clothes? Are they even yours?"

He looked offended. "Yes, they are mine! And I was supposed to look nice when I apologized; I was also supposed to offer to give up my evening to make it up to you, if you were the slightest bit forgiving."

A smile escaped despite my efforts as I looked up at him from the ground. "Jane tell you that?" I pressed my lips into a tight line as I saw him blush again. "It's okay…what did you want to do tonight? Or did you just want to hang out with your friends without practice?"

He looked shocked. "You're going to let me off?"

"Well, if that's what you want, but if you want to train, that's fine. I'm up to anything right about now. I'm trying to avoid some people for a bit," I added in a whisper.

"Who?" he asked curiously as he sank to the ground beside me.

"Do you remember the people I was with in the hall?" his shoulders tensed and I sighed. "Okay we need to talk,"

"About what?" he asked tightly.

"About your issue. Let's get this straight right now; I am not a blood whore and certainly not Adrian's blood whore."

"Then why were you holding hands?" he questioned, narrowing his eyes.

"Umm…" I hesitated. "It's quite a long story," I finally hedged and his eyes narrowed further. I sighed in frustration. "Dereck…do you remember when we first met and I accidently told you my whole story?" he nodded. "Yeah, remember how you guess that I…that…" my throat closed up and I couldn't speak. "That I-I-I…" I just stopped talking and pulled in on myself. I held my knees tightly and held in a sob. I had no idea that I'd react like this. Pain ripped up my insides and I held tightly as I squeezed my eyes shut. I knew Dereck was watching me, but I couldn't think about that now.

Oh, Dimitri…why did things end up like this? I sobbed internally.

You could join him, a voice sneered at me. You could tell him what you want, let him know you want to be eternal with him, tell him everything you want and you'll get it.

No, no, too tempting, I can't…I've got kill him…I promised…

I was struggling to convince myself and it wasn't working.

But you don't have to kill him, spend the rest of your existence with him. Do everything you should have been able too do…

No, I don't…

Yes, Rose, you know you want it…you do and you know it…it's obvious…

Maybe…

Yes, you do…

"That you loved him." Dereck finished quietly, snapping me out of my interior battle. I looked at him, sure he could read the pain in my eyes, and I was sure he could see my indecision.

I took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "Yeah…that, so I'm not…really…I couldn't…be with Adrian after…that," I said weakly and Dereck saved me.

"You don't need to talk about it," he said softly and I nodded. There was an uncomfortable silence then I stiffly got up.

"Hey! Where are you going? We're supposed to do something together," Dereck called after me as I headed towards the door.

"Hmm…not tonight," I mumbled distractedly as I walked out. It was like I was being pulled against my will mostly, but I went willingly enough. I found myself at the gates and I asked the guards to open them.

Yes, that's it, Rose, just tell him what you want. That cold voice sneered and I brought myself back to the present looking around.

It was dark, there was a misty fog winding its way towards me and I felt eyes on me as I stood there.

"Well, well, aren't we playing dangerously tonight?" Dimitri's voice made it to my ears and I glanced down, somewhat numbly, to find that I did not have a stake.

I'm such an idiot.

My fists clenched as I sensed the nausea increasing because he was nearing me. I held my breath as he leisurely took his time as he came to stand in front of me.

He caressed my cheek lightly. "Rose Hathaway…so impulsive…so childish." He chuckled.

"I'm not a child," I protested half heartedly.

"Oh, but you are…you are unarmed, in my territory, surrounded by those under my command and are helpless…you are childish."

I feebly shook my head as I watched with a fascinated horror as he bent closer to me, I could feel his breath on my face. "You want it…all you have to do is come with me…Rose, that's all,"

"Yes…" I whispered and I felt him chuckle.

"That's good, because I wasn't going to take your permission anyway."

His face came closer to my neck, and then he was nuzzling it. It felt great, I felt great. Then I felt the light brush of his fangs against my tender skin. I moaned in anticipation.

"That's it, Rose…so naïve, so…childish."

I didn't have it in me to protest…

And then his fangs pierced my skin.