"How are you feeling lately?" I asked, recalling her concerns about the medication. "You still feel like the pills aren't working?"

"Mmm…well, it's hard to explain. I still feel closer to the magic, like maybe they aren't blocking me so much anymore. But I'm not feeling any of the other mental side effects…not upset or anything."

"Wow, that's great."

A beautiful smile lit her face. "I know. It makes me think there might be hope for me to learn to work the magic after all someday."

Seeing her so happy made me smile back. I hadn't liked seeing those dark feelings starting to return and was glad they'd vanished. I didn't understand the how or the why, but as long as she felt okay.

— Everyone has light around them, except for you. You have shadows. You take them from Lissa. - Adrian's words slammed into my mind.

Frostbite

-Richelle Mead

Bonds of Time

Chapter Twenty Three

The Weekend

Dimitri stood on the other side of the shabby room, his silhouette tall and broad as he watched the city far below. Adrian leaned on the wall next to me, and quirked an eyebrow at me in silent encouragement.

I coughed quietly, gaining Dimitri's attention, causing him to spin around and pin me with a piercing look.

"Roza," Dimitri stared, his gaze roaming over my body. "What are you wearing?"

My eyes dropped down to inspect my clothing, and I immediately wanted to beat the hell out of a certain spirit user. A black leather catsuit was not what I wanted to wear for my reunion with Dimitri. I cut my eyes over to said dream-scape manager and growled lowly in my throat.

Adrian looked guilty as he darted off to hide behind the worn out couch before Dimitri noticed his presence.

"You look tired." I blurted out then grimaced at the wry look he shot me.

"This mission has been far more difficult than I anticipated." Dimitri took a few steps toward me then stopped.

My heart ached for him and I took the last few steps with a speed I didn't know I was capable of. My arms wrapped around him and I let out a shaky breath, finally feeling whole and alive again.

"I've missed you." I whispered, ignoring Adrian, as my feet carried me forward until I was just a few inches away from him.

Staring up into his eyes, my heart felt like it was going to burst with relief and joy as I pulled him into a kiss. Dimitri kissed me back slow and hesitant at first then deepened it as he pulled me up in his arms. My legs wrapped around his waist as I ran my hands through his silky hair.

"I know I'm only dreaming, but it feels so real." Dimitri lifted my chin with his fingers and stared into my eyes.

He thought he was dreaming. He didn't believe that I was actually real.

"I love you." I whispered against his lips.

"The depth of my love for you is unfathomable, Roza." Dimitri pinned me with a kiss that left a trail of heat along my jawline and down my neck.

My hands roamed his muscular body in reverence and worship as he unzipped my leather suit and found the large scar made by the emergency flare.

"You're going to be the death of me." Dimitri growled lowly.

"Don't ever say that." I pushed him back, harder than I'd intended, leaving him peering down at me with an undecipherable look on his face.

"I apologize." He bowed his head, not taking his eyes off me.

"How's the search going?" I hoped for good news. "Have you found any sign of Tasha?"

Dimitri sighed deeply as he reached out and ran a hand down the side of my face. "We've lost the trail. The others have been called back immediately due to an emergency at court."

"What's happened?" I asked worriedly.

"Victor Ivashkov's transport to Tarasov was attacked by Strigoi." Dimitri's tone was dark and low. "There were no survivors."

Chills crept up my spine as I realized just how drastically things had changed. "When are you coming home?"

"I spent the past two nights in Baia with my family, before coming here to Moscow. I have one more lead to follow, but I should be home in the next few days." He said quickly.

"How are they?" I noticed as his grip on my arms tightened slightly as his forehead creased in worry.

"They are fine." He shook his head. "My grandmother worries me though. I think her age is getting to her."

"Yeva is tougher than you think," I said and then backtracked quickly. "I mean you said that she was pretty bad ass back in the day."

Dimitri gave me a long searching look. "She's been speaking of crazy things. It scares the children when she rambles on about spirits and ghosts, always telling them to avoid the cities and main roads."

"She's just worried." I tried to brush it off, but knew deep down that Yeva wasn't wrong in her warnings. "It's a good thing to listen to your elders. Wiseness and all that shit."

"Grandmother told me you've seen the future." Dimitri stated flatly.

I froze for the briefest second, not noticeable to anyone but him and looked up with my best innocent expression, as I slowly backed away. "I'm sorry, what?"

Unfortunately, Adrian was not as practiced as I in sub-diversion. He poked his head over the couch. "Damn girl, you're on your own." He whispered before he ducked back down again.

"Ivashkov!" Dimitri narrowed his eyes at Adrian and marched toward him. "What are you doing here?"

"A spirit dream, I swear!" Adrian held up his hands. "Rosie missed you so I surprised her with this little arrangement."

Dimitri turned to look at me as I mentally hissed a million curses at my idiotic, big mouthed friend. "My grandmother chewed me out quite harshly, in front of my entire family, for how oblivious I've been. And for how I hadn't recognized the signs of someone with a gift like hers."

"Did she get into the bad vodka again?" I shook my head and frowned as I took a few more steps towards Adrian.

"She's always claimed she could see glimpses of the future." Dimitri took a step toward me. "I never really believed her. But I've always trusted her intuition. Now I'm not so sure.."

I stared him down as Adrian started choking on his breath behind me. "Hey Rose, can I..."

"NO Adrian, I will not get you any Russian vodka." I ground out, interrupting his request. I turn back to my Russian and simply stated, "We can talk about this when you come home."

I looked back at Adrian, and the dream-scape began to waver. The dream-scape faded away and I find myself back in my seat on the plane.

I slapped the shit out of the person sitting next to me. "You grew up in court. You could not have survived this long without a better poker face! What the hell, Adrian?!"

"He's scary, darling." Adrian gave me a long look. "Plus, he needs to know."

"He doesn't need to know." I hissed at him as I gripped my aching head between my hands. "He is just fine without knowing. Everything that happens now he's just going to feel bad about."

He rubbed my back consolingly. "Did you take that into consideration when you told me?"

"Of course I did!" I said quickly. "I just thought that you'd be too drunk to remember."

Adrian waved his arms madly in the air, "You don't forget that shit, Rose! When a beautiful women that you've never seen before shows up in your dreams and knows intimate things about you, you have a tendency to remember!"

"So sorry!" I apologized. "But you were the only person I could trust with that information. You're very lucky that I didn't say more about the future that I saw."

Adrian looked suddenly shifty, "Oh really darling? What else is there you haven't mentioned?"

"You tried to make out with a moose on your 22nd birthday after chasing it through the forest and proclaiming your love for it." I deadpanned as Adrian looked horrified. "Your mother's Guardian had to rescue you."

"That's not true." He looked at me in denial, but seeing the serious look on my face, he yelped. "They found out?!"

"Oh, it happened stud muffin, they caught it on camera right after the incident with the squirrel."

"NO!" He cried out and put his hands up in a sign of surrender. "No more! Not the squirrel!"I couldn't help it after that, I busted out laughing and fell to my knees.

"I thought that was just a rumor." I shrugged my shoulders as I picked a bottle of vodka out of the little basket. "Thanks for the confirmation though."

"It was a complete accident!" He said desperately.

"Whatever." I rubbed my face and groaned. "You're officially helping me with damage control. Like the moose and squirrel, we are going to deny any kind of dream walk ever happened tonight. You got that?"

"Denial." Adrian sighed. "How boring. You know he's going to feel very betrayed and hurt when he finds out you've hidden this from him."

"I'd rather he hate me than end up dead." I pulled my knees up to my chin.

Lissa was at my side the second the plane landed, looking tired, but better than she had the previous day. Christian was to her right and nodded at me in greeting as we waited for Nurse Agnes to help Mason down the steps. It broke my heart to see him looking so lost and empty, and it was made no better by the swarms of dark spirits hovering around us.

Cold hollow eyes glared at me. Icy hands reached for me. I plunged my hand into my coat pocket in search of the bracelet Adrian had made me, and came up empty. The visage of my mother stood before me, her eyes wide and staring up at me as she shook her head angrily.

"Rose?" Adrian walked right through her spectral form and cocked his head to the side in question.

"Bracelet." I hissed out, feeling at the end of my tether with sanity.

"Shit." Adrian gulped, digging through his bag and then marvelously dropping the contents. I could smell the alcohol wafting off of him and new it wasn't clumsiness.

"Got it!" He crowed, kneeling in front of me, arm outstretched with a beautiful silver ring pinched between his fingers. "Well put it on."

The muttering and whispering of the crowd grew louder by the second and I slapped a hand to my face while reaching for the ring with the other. "I hate you."

Adrian noticed our audience then realized his position. "Nothing to see here. Move along."

"How sweet." Camille Conta smirked sarcastically. "Finally find yourself in a bad spot, Rose?"

"You have no idea." I smiled back with maniacal sweetness.

She cringed and walked away, chatting with her buddies.

"Tell me you didn't propose?" Lissa giggled, holding on to Christian's arm.

"Not intentionally." Adrian shrugged. "It'd suck to be bound to this one. None of the perks are worth it."

Thankfully, the ring had done it's job, and I used it's magic to ground myself and block out the spirits before they could tear me apart. It'd been so long since they'd affected me that way that my recovery time was crawling at a snails pace. I felt itchy all over, like something was completely wrong. It unnerved me.

Bound to this one. Bound to this one. Adrian's words replayed over and over in my mind. Nah, I couldn't be bound to him. I thought, mentally shaking my head at the sheer insanity of the idea. I just couldn't be.

As soon as the doors to the SUV were shut, I popped my earbuds in and blared my happiest tunes as loud as my ipod would allow, keeping my eyes closed and trying my best to block out the outside world. I didn't want to see the judging disappointed faces of the dead any longer.

Someone shoved my shoulder and I started violently, having been pulled from my light doze and automatically thought I was under attack. My fist clipped someone's hair and a muffled oof snapped me out of my sleepy haze.

Dean Barnes laid sprawled out on the concrete drive in front of the Academy's parking garage, staring up at me in shock. "Sorry, Hathaway."

"My bad." I hopped out and extended a hand to help him up. "I've been a bit on edge."

"I'd hate to be your alarm clock." He grumbled, shaking his head and rubbing his back as he walked away.

"Nice swing." Christian commented, exiting the SUV and holding a hand out for Lissa.

"You look rough, Rose." Lissa observed, pulling me into a hug.

Picking up her bag and mine, I followed behind the lovebirds. "I need a years worth of showers and sleep."

"Go ahead, Rose." Lissa quirked a grin at me. "Christian and I are going to the chapel."

"Don't come crying to me when you both get struck by lightning." I shook my head at them.

"We'll take our chances." Christian smirked, pulling Lissa closer to his side.

My grimace must have spoke volumes because Lissa giggled and tugged Christian into a jog, leaving me there with the bags. I looked around at the other groggy students, all shuffling towards there dormitories, and wondered where Adrian was lurking. His convoy had made a trip into the small town and hadn't made it back while I was sleepfighting.

After spending an insane amount of time in the shower I changed into my most comfortable pajamas, intending to sleep until Dimitri returned, but sleep eluded me. My mind failed to shut down long enough for me to relax. Doing the only thing I could think of to ease the ache in my heart, I changed back into my running gear and exited the room.

I was almost to the door when the door to the nearest suite swung open and Adrian emerged, glassy eyed and smelling strongly of alcohol.

"Rosie, darling!" He crooned. "You must have read my mind."

"You want to go jogging?" I quirked an eyebrow at him.

He rolled his eyes and grabbed my arm, pulling me into his room. "I've just finished stocking the bar."

My gaze went to the kitchen, or what I could see of it beneath the bottles of liquor that covered every surface. "Holy shit! Did you empty the store?"

"Just about." He shrugged smugly. "Will you join me?"

I looked forlornly at the door, but knew that running wouldn't be as cathartic as a fifth of something nasty. "Why not?"

The next two days were spent in a haze of glorious numbness that left my mind foggy and my body sluggish. By Sunday evening, I was a wreck and spent almost an hour under the hot spray of the shower trying to scrub the alcohol out of my pores. I put on my uniform and pulled my hair up into a bun, dreading the long night before me.

Lissa patted the chair next to her when I stumbled into the cafeteria for breakfast. "Where the hell were you all weekend?" She kept her voice down and a fake smile plastered on her face.

"Adrian." My single word gave her more than enough information to answer all of her questions.

"You have glitter in your hair and you seriously need some eye drops. Your eyes are the color of tomatoes." Lissa pushed her untouched tray of food in front of me. "I'll go get another one."

I shoveled the hot food into my mouth halfheartedly, not feeling hungry at all and still slightly nauseous from all the drinking. But emotionally, I felt better than I had in a while, or I would have, had there not been that persistent ache in my heart.

Lissa sat down with another tray, smiling over at Christian when he walked in the door. "Guardian Belikov returned a few hours ago."

My entire body woke up at the news and I itched to turn and search for him, but knew that I had to keep my giddiness on the down low. "Where?"

Lissa poked out her bottom lip and shook her head. "I saw him in the office, he's not here here."

"Oh." I sighed, pushing the empty tray away from me.

"Hey, Hathaway." Dean called out from his table. "We get our assignments for field trials today. Try not to punch anyone."

"I make no promises." I groused back, patting Lissa's shoulder and pushing my chair in.

The whole trek to the gym was spent in a veil of apprehension that didn't subside. I'd dreaded this day for weeks. There was no telling who I'd be assigned to. With my luck it'd be Jesse Zeklos or Camille Conta and I didn't think I'd feel much like protecting either of them. But I would. I knew that. It just didn't sit well with me that I didn't know which course the future would take.

But I did know enough that I totally zoned out while Alberta and Alto explained the trials in excruciating detail. We'd be assigned to a random Moroi student and spend the next six weeks protecting them from any and all threats for the next six days. We wouldn't leave their sight for any reason what so ever. We had from Saturday night to Sunday night to ourselves, the rest of the week we'd be on their ass like mosquitoes.

"Mason Ashford," Alberta called out, "you're with Camille Conta."

Mason's eyes widened dramatically as he stepped down to receive the packet of information from Stan. Meredith clenched her fist and I sent her a sympathetic smile. Camille's reputation with the male population was right on par with mine, but she had experience to back hers up, whereas most of the rumors about me were wildly exaggerated.

"Meredith Jacobs," Stan announced, "you're with Vasilisa Dragomir."

Meredith turned to me in shock, but I shook my head and smiled, letting her know that I was okay with Alberta's choice. Meredith would take good care of Lissa.

"Shane Reyes," Alberta held a packet out, "Christian Ozera."

"Rosemarie Hathaway," I looked at Stan with thinly veiled suspicion. "Adrian Ivashkov."

My jaw dropped and I forced myself to shut it back and walk down to accept my packet. Being assigned to Adrian would be a nightmare. He didn't take any classes and spent most of his time drinking holed up in his room. The Guardians would have to stage in a break in if they wanted to test my skills. Not to mention I was still hungover from the weekend and couldn't contemplate how the next six weeks would be remotely survivable for either of us. Death by glitter bombs and kamikazes. I wanted to scream and cry, then maybe hit something.

Stan handed me the packet and I grimaced as I went to stand next to the other assigned novices. When Alberta was finished handing out the death sentences, she walked over and gave me a pointed look.

"I know it's unconventional," she started, holding her hand up to keep me from arguing. "Mr. Ivashkov will be staying here for an extended time and volunteered to be part of the trials. As our most experienced novice, I'm fully confidant that you can handle him."

"Do you expect me to shadow him as the other novices do or am I supposed to be keeping him out of trouble?" I asked with a feigned calm.

Alberta just sighed deeply, looking harassed. "Do what you can. We wont hold his actions against you. Just know that you will be graded on your professionalism and overall ability to handle a difficult assignment."

I put my head in my hands and groaned when she walked away. I stalked out the door and was ready to find something to destroy when I spotted it.

In the middle of the quad, next to the fountain was a picture of Eddie, surrounded by candles and flowers. Guilt overwhelmed me. I should have done more. I should have been faster. But I could do better. I wouldn't let it happen again.

I'm sorry, Eddie.

A gust of wind blew in from between the buildings, blowing out the candles and removing the orange glow candlelight from the dimly lit walkway. A figure in the distance caught my eye and I recognized the tall form even at the other side of the commons. I followed him with my gaze, but didn't trust myself to move. He was walking across the commons to the Guardian buildings, his duster billowing out behind him. I wanted to run up to him and hug him. I wanted to pull him back to my room and kiss him until neither of us could breathe. Instead I put my head down and went back to the dorms, hoping to speak to Lissa before my assignment began.

Our room was quiet and empty so I used the time to get a few things together for the long trial period, mainly what little bit of sanity I had left and a few changes of uniforms. There was a light knock on the door and I was building up my rant to Adrian when I flung the door open to find Dimitri standing there instead.

"Is the Princess here?" He asked quietly, hands behind his back.

"Nope." I quirked a smile and pulled him into the room before shutting and locking the door.

"How was your trip?" I asked as curiously as I could, trying not to act like the horny teenage girl that I very much was.

Dimitri leaned down until his face was level with mine. "Don't you already know?"

Oh shit. "Know what? I haven't heard anything other than you and the other Guardians returned earlier."

"Really?" He peered into my eyes, pinning me with the intensity of his gaze.

Unable to hold it back any longer, I launched myself at him, burying my hands in his hair and pulling his soft lips to mine. His long fingers gripped my thighs and drug them upwards until they covered my ass. I moaned as he pressed me firmly up against his lithe body, wanting and needing more.

My breath hitched when his hands roamed up under my jacket and blouse, grazing the sensitive skin on my lower stomach. It seemed as though he was trying to replay what had happened in the dream and I was more than willing to pick up where we left off.

"I've missed you, comrade." I whispered breathlessly.

We didn't break our kiss until my bedroom door was also shut and locked. Then clothes went flying, scattering in very direction as we fought to keep our hands off each other. Dimitri lifted me up and placed me in the center of the bed and crawled toward me, his muscles flexing, making him look like a lion going in for the kill. It was quite possibly the sexiest thing I'd ever seen. His slow and gentle pace did nothing to ease the need I felt for him and I let him know by flipping him onto his back and straddling him.

By the end of our session, I was breathless, sweaty, and in severe need of water. But laying there beside him was far too impossible to resist. He was lying on his side, facing me, his eyes following the path of his fingers that were ghosting along my thigh and side.

"What are you thinking about, Roza?" Dimitri ran his fingers along my rib cage.

"I don't ever want to leave this bed." I answered, staring up at the ceiling. "I don't want you to leave it either."

"We can't stay here." He stated nonsensically.

"I know." I shrugged. "But that doesn't mean I don't want just that."

"What are you afraid to face out there?" He questioned curiously.

Everything and nothing. "Did you hear about my assignment?"

"Ivashkov." Dimitri said gruffly. "Do you want me to speak to Alberta?"

"No," I shook my head. "I don't want to cause a fuss."

"You have no need to fear him." The vehemence in his tone warmed my heart. "If he's causing you any problems..."

"He's just being Adrian." I laughed. "The only problems he causes are harmless and unintentional. I'm more worried about my sanity than anything. The majority of the student body is convinced that he proposed because I'm pregnant with his love child."

"What?" Dimitri growled. "Why would such a rumor be spread?"

"Lissa and Adrian have been trying to infuse jewelry with spirit to help me fight away it's worse effects." I tried to calm him down. "He dropped the ring when we were on the landing pad and it looked like he was proposing when the big idiot handed it to me." I lifted my hand and showed him the little ring. "It's mojo is already wearing off."

Dimitri stared at the ring and I swear I could see thousands of emotions drifting threw his eyes, but I couldn't place a name on any of them. "We have little time before you have to be in the cafeteria."

"We have more than enough time." I pulled him into another kiss.

Half and hour later my hair was wet from our shower, and back up in it's bun when I exited my room dressed in a fresh unwrinkled uniform.

"Why hello, little dhampir." Adrian laughed from the couch.

"Get your feet off of my coffee table." I hissed at him. "How did you get in here? I locked the door.

"Moody, darling. Lissa gave me a spare key." He showed me the offending piece of metal and moved his feet as I sat down next to him. "Have you heard the good news?"

"Oh yes." I clapped my hands together and smirked. "We're going to have so much fun."

Dimitri glared at Adrian when he stepped out of the room. "Ivashkov."

"Belikov." Adrian replied in a mocking deep voice.

Ignoring their macho bullshit, I flopped down on the couch next to my weirdo friend. "Since you don't have any classes for me to follow you to, I'll be spending the next six weeks teaching you to fight and defend yourself."

"I'm really more of a lover." Adrian leaned away from me.

"Too bad." I patted his arm. "You're not getting shit from me."

Adrian turned to Dimitri with a look of shock and horror. "How do you stand her?"

"She will never need to protect me." Dimitri stated in all seriousness.

He'd never know just how wrong he was with that simple statement. I knew it and looking at Adrian screamed that he knew just how hard those words would be for me to hear.

"I'll be your warrior." Adrian smiled crookedly at me.

Dimitri placed a large hand on Adrian's shoulder. "A word please."

Adrian's eyes widened and I shrugged not knowing what was going on, but trusting that they'd work it out.

They left minutes before I did, giving me just enough time to grab my bag and make my way to the cafeteria all alone.

Lunch and dinner passed by and all through both I scanned my surroundings searching for any sign of them, but they weren't anywhere to be found. What if Dimitri asked Adrian about the dream in Russia? What if Adrian told him the truth? How pissed was Dimitri?

My worries stayed throughout the day, but answers wouldn't be found for quite some time.

End Chapter 23

Next chapter will cover the trials. Adrian is going to give Rose hell and together they will figure out what will happen in the near future.