A/N: Again I really hate to beg, particularly because I'm usually a stubborn mule...but reviews really do brighten my day. So if you read please review :) And apologises for any mistakes, gramma or story related. )

Okay so we really needed to have a 'safe' word - not in that dominatrix, leather bound, whip in hand, guy tied down to a bed or cuffed by shackles hanging down from the ceiling, say mom when you want it to stop kind of way …well I suppose the same concept applied just minus the leather, the whip, the rope, the shackles and any kind of sexual activity. The world renowned guardian had been kicking my ass, throwing punches at what I had considered a pretty enough face for thirty minutes straight. And that had only been the warm up.

Taking a chance to catch my breath I also had the chance to right myself by positioning my workout clothes back in their intended areas and by redoing my hair so that all the loose strands were once again tied back in a tight high pony tail. Dimitri while admiring my long locks of raven coloured hair had also stated that it often blocked my peripheral vision which was never a good thing when your opponent was high tailing it around the gymnasium at the speed of the Tasmanian devil, being everywhere at once.

"Your hand to hand combat while advanced for your novice status," The Nazi guardian began his critique, "Is far too sporadic." I turned and watched as Guardian Davis walk across the gymnasium, his back to me. I couldn't help but think that if Dimitri were here I would have taken my chance for an advantage and jumped at his back as I had done before, only this time my motive would have been far more devious duplicitous, sure gaining an advantage over him would have been nice but having his tall, lean body pinning mine down would have been better. "You attack on instinct," He said pulling my attention away from my fantasy and back to the crappy reality, "when you should be attacking because it's what you are trained to do"

Was there a difference? "Well," I said crossing the gymnasium to stand back in the center on the workout mat. "It's kept me alive so far…" Not a great comeback there, Rose. I chided myself. It also left him an opening to make some comment about how it may have kept me alive, but it also had a hand in others deaths. Mason.

"Don't get me wrong," He said bending down to open the large bag in front of him. "Fighting on instinct is a powerful weapon, if not the most…" Retrieving two long wooden staffs from what was apparently his weapons bag; he turned and threw one in my direction.

"But if you keep your head, if you use your instincts with your training then you will be unstoppable." He approached the training mat as I spun the staff in my hand. Something about his facial expression stopped me from making a 'zmmm' noise to imitate a lightsaber. I was going on a hunch that he wasn't a Star Wars fan.

"No-one's unstoppable," Thank you Zen lessons. "So," I said ignoring the aches and pains protesting loudly against my skin, my body even in a bruised state would always burrow on through when combat was imminent. "Is this the part where you tell me to take a hard long look at the wooden staff in my hand because it's the last time I'll be seeing it for a while until I learn the best techniques on how to take out an opponent with….a stick?"

"No, this is the part where you hope that your weapons training is better than your hand to hand, otherwise you'll be sporting some nasty looking bruises in the morning."

His training sessions were officially the opposite of what I had been used to. Dimitri had me running laps to not only build stamina but also to show me that running away from an opponent if outnumbered and weighed down by my ward was the sensible thing to do. Guardian Davies had me going five to six rounds with him as a warm up. Dimitri had me looking at the pretty silver stakes and learning how to use them before actually using them. Guardian Davies had me learning on the spot. Davies sessions were most definitely hands on and Dimitri's were most definitely hands off… in more ways than one, despite my very vocal protests.

--

My body was literally being dragged to the commons by Mia, little Mia who was both shorter and more fragile than I. My body had refused to give up during my hour training session even though a part of my brain was telling it just to wave the white flag and surrender. Mia moved me to an empty table and waited until I had sat down before leaving me to go off to the feeders, where Lissa and the others were undoubtedly getting their blood fix. That was the bad thing about having just Moroi friends – being left stranded at dinner. Sure I could have joined one of the other tables and most likely would have been welcomed to as I was very popular among the other male novices but I hadn't spoken to my friends, to Lissa in just under a week. At least not properly, being holed up in the school's hospital wing with a visitor ban forced on you was the right way to miss out on all of the juicy gossip.

I dropped my head against the cool marble table, relishing the cool contact against my already bruised skin.

"You look delicious."

I caught his clove cigarette mixed with alcohol scent before I heard his voice. "Yeah, well I'm too tired to put up a fight." My head turned slightly and my dark eyes opened to find his dark jade eyes staring back at me, a little too closely. "So go…have your wicked way with me." I said closing my eyes and letting out a drained sigh.

"Ah," I didn't need to see him to know that he was smiling, his smile was evident in his voice. "But having my wicked way with you would require an energetic Rose Hathaway, for I would wear you out soon enough." Adrian sat down on the seat beside me and took in deep breath. "Though I have to say, you also smell delicious."

"Maybe I should somehow bottle my scent and send it to you, that way you would hopefully stop making remarks about how you find my sweat so appealing." I lifted my head, folded my arms on the table and settled back down, resting my chin on my arms. "Besides," Turning my head to peer out of the corner of my eye at him, I raised my brow "who's to say it wouldn't be the other way around?" His brow furrowed slightly, trying to follow my train of thought. "Who's to say I wouldn't wear you out first… before we even got started?"

"Is that a challenge?" A hope, eager expression lit his eyes as he stared down at my beaten body.

"Is what a challenge?" Saved by the bell, or rather Lissa and Christian's presence, I glanced away from Adrian to see the impossibly beautiful blonde holding hands with…him. She moved around the table with her little lapdog following her every move and sat down opposite me. Her brow still raised, the question spinning in her head.

"Your little cousin there," I said mocking the way they referred to one another, "Wants to challenge me to a sexathon." I stated as though I was barely interested in the topic, the truth was sex seemed to be on my mind lately, not sex with Adrian. Being locked up for two days with only Cosmo to read was a sure way to get a girl's mind wandering. 'If your boyfriend is lacking in the bedroom, here are ten ways to ensure his success and your bliss.' Of course I didn't have a boyfriend and my sex life was non existent. It was probably a good thing I was training hard with the new guardian, that way all my pent up frustration would be released through violence.

"Oh come on, Rose…" Adrian's eyes twinkled with amusement. "You know you want me!" Cocky, arrogant and self centred…yes they had been my type in the past. Now it was brooding, athletic, tall guardians.

"You're not my type," Sitting up and leaning back in the chair, I was able to pay more attention to my surroundings.

"Dark haired, older guys... I thought that was your type." I turned and looked at Adrian, who in turn winked in my direction as if to say our little secret.

"Rose," Saved again from having to think of some retort that would falsify his claims. Turning my head I watched as Mia walked around the table to sit on the other side of Lissa. "When are we going to start…" She paused trying to find the right words. Leaning in across the table, she whispered, "Our practise sessions?"

It took me a moment to figure what she meant but then it all came flooding back to me. I had promised her after disastrous skip trip that we would make time to practice offensive magic, something which Lissa and Adrian were already doing in their spare time. I could hardly tell the twelve year old look-alike porcelain doll that it wasn't a good idea, I had already promised. "Meet me at three over on the west campus."

"Three?…but that's past curfew." Mia said confused. Our school days were the opposite of the normal, human ones. They attended class during the day and slept at night, where as we attended class during evening hours and slept during the day.

Adrian laughed beside me, enjoying the moment.

"I doubt Kirova's gonna give me a hall pass to help you practice offensive magic," I said explaining. Surely Mia wouldn't have any qualms about breaking school rules…she hadn't in the past.

"Why over at the primary campus?" Christian voiced his confusion.

"Because that's where the pool is…"

Adrian leaned closer in and whispered in my ear. "Is this an closed pool party or can anyone join?" His cool breath ticked my cheek, "Because if I remember correctly, Rose Hathaway in a swimsuit is not to be missed."

"Pervert," I ignored his advances and continued to look at Mia. "It'll be the best place for you to practice as you specialise in water…"

Lissa's mind prodded me again. I turned to look at her. "And yes, it's a closed pool party." She had been debating about asking me whether she could join, just to watch as we practiced. "I think you've been doing enough practicing don't you?"

She eyed me innocently, "I don't know what you're talking about." But the blush on her cheeks told otherwise. "Adrian and I have been practicing with Ms Carmack, you know that Rose."

"I know a lot more than that." I said not explaining further as there was no need. Besides, she hated it that I could... 'spy' on her without any given notice.

Her foot reached under the table and collided with my already bruised shin. She covered her mouth with her hand and quickly apologised as she studied my already bruising skin.

"You lied to me." It wasn't a question. Christian stared across the table at Adrian but his words were for Lissa. This was the one area with Christian Ozera and I agreed on.

"I'm still taking my medication; it's just not working as well as it did…" Lissa frowned and turned her attention to her angry boyfriend. "And anyways, now I'm beginning to understand the spirit element, maybe I'll be able to control it."

"Right," Christian scoffed, taking her arms in hands and turning them upright to stare at the very faint, barely visible scars covering her wrists. "Is that what you call controlling it?" His face darkened and his eyes grew hard. Sure his intentions were coming from a good place, but he was starring to irritate me.

"Back off, Ozera"

"No, it's okay Rose…" Lissa knew that he was only trying to protect her. Well screw her patience understanding ways.

Ignoring her, I stared him down. "I may be broken and bruised…"
"Don't forget bitchy," Christian added for his own amusement.

"But that doesn't mean I won't climb over this table and literally beat you to death, understand?" How's that for bitchy, you moody ass! Pushing back on the chair, I stood up and glared down at him, hoping that we had an understanding.

"I'd like to see you try," He said raising one brow in my direction as one of his notebooks sizzled alive with flame.

A dry smile touched my lips; this was the kind of interaction I was used to. Sarcastic comments, death threats…not having him save my life and wink at me after AGCT classes. My eyes turned to Lissa, "I'll speak to you later…I've gotta try and get out of these training sessions with Guardian Davies otherwise I don't think I'll be walking by the end of the week."

Lissa nodding wishing me luck, thinking that I was going to take my request to Kirova. Ppfft, like hell I was. She had already made it abundantly clear that I wasn't to make waves when it came to hiccups in the schedule. No, I was going to take my complaints to compassionate ears.

--

Brown, expecting eyes greeted me at the door. He sidestepped and allowed me entrance into his room without questioning. Walking into the bedroom my eyes glanced around, quickly studying it. His small tableside lamp was being used as a reading light; I noted seeing that a paperback book was pressed down next to the base of the lamp. His bed was made but the covers were slightly ruffled no doubt from his six foot six body. I was little put out; here he was resting in his own comfy abode…and he was still fully clothed.

"I know why you're here."

I turned in my white sneakers to stare up at him, confused. "You do?" Of course he did, otherwise his deep, bottomless brown eyes that had greeted me at the door would have been confused rather than anticipating.

"Davies is a distinguished guardian." His tone was rough and his words were forced, apparently they weren't BFF's. "His teaching methods are…" He struggled to find his words.

"Brutal?" I interjected. Dropping my shoulder bag to the floor, I raised my chin in the air slightly so that he could see the bruises that were forming on the side of my neck where Davies staff had beaten through my defences and collided with my skin.

Dimitri closed the distance between us and lifted his hands to my face, cupping my chin with both hands as he examined the damage. He exhaled and muttered something under his breath in Russian. "Have you seen yourself?" Dimitri asked as he removed his hands gently from my face and tilted his head to study my bare arms.

"Well if you think this is bad, you should see him." I bantered, though of course it was a fib. Sure I may have done some damage to him, my wooden staff had made contact with the back of his legs more than three times and had even made contact with the side of his face. "At least it's not on my face," I grinned as I watched him continue to examine me. "I mean we all know what I look like with a purple shiner…" I said referring to that one time when my mother had given me a black eye.

"Sit down on the bed." His voice was completely level as he spoke, his thoughts obviously not reflecting my own.

Walking across the bedroom, I sat down on the edge of the bed watching as Dimitri retrieved something from a drawer. He moved gracefully and silently across the room and sat down on the bed, behind me. My heart moved from first gear straight to fifth and began to bounce around hyperactively in my chest.

His hand touched the side of my temple and moved my head gently, so it was at an angle. Suddenly his hands were on side of my neck, rubbing something cool into my skin.

"Let me guess," I said closing my eyes, content with his touch "some kind of ancient Japanese ointment to cure bruises?" I asked half hoping, there was nothing less sexy than sporting large black and blue marks over your body.

"Vitamin K cream," He spoke as he massaged the cream into my neck, a process which wasn't exactly uncomfortable… "It'll help reduce the bruising." Dimitri stopped massaging my neck and moved his hands to my arms and began to rub the remaining cream on my biceps.

My hands moved to the bottom of my wife beater and lifted it up past my stomach. Dimitri's hands instantly moved from my skin and he stood up, to put distance between my body and his. "I thought you had mastered your control?" I joked, referring to one of our earlier conversations…which happened to take place before one of our few kisses. Lifting the top over my head I dropped it to the floor, grinning as Dimitri looked away from my half naked body. Turning, I sprawled out face forward on the bed with my head touching his pillow. "I can't do my back…" I explained, looking over my shoulder at his stiff stature.

Dimitri finally turned his attention to me and shook his head, as he moved back towards the bed. He placed more cream on his hands before he sat down on the side of the bed, our bodies barely touching. He looked directly into my eyes before turning his attention to my bare back.

I turned my head so that I didn't have to look at him, knowing that I would blush with embarrassment as I spoke. "If the bra straps are in the way…feel free to move them." I had been half naked in front of Dimitri two times previous, the first was when he had caught me making out with Jesse Zekklos and the second was when we were both under a lust spell…only I was wearing a little less then…I had been practically naked.

He let out a deep sigh and whispered my name as his hands went to work on my back, not just applying the cream to my bruised skin but also massaging away the aches and pains in my muscles.

My eyes closed completely satisfied.