"Now remember – don't mention I'm here unless anyone brings it up. If someone does know, you can say I'm here training Eddie, Meredith, and Rose – but you can't tell anyone about Rose and me, ok? Until she graduates, no one there can know we're together. I mean it, Viktoria. I could get in real trouble."
"I get it," she said. "I won't mention you're here, but if someone brings it up, you're here training three Novices from St. Vlad's."
"The Vitsin twins, in particular, might seek you out," I warned. "They were on the mission with us, and they know Abe is my Dad…"
"I won't say anything," Viktoria promised. "You're Dimka's girl, so you're part of my family – I'm not going to put you at risk!"
I gave Viktoria a huge hug. It had only been a few days, but she was right – I already felt like part of the Belikov clan.
"Elizaveta is not going to be happy when she finds out you'll be graduating from St. Basil's," Eddie predicted, stifling a laugh.
"All the more reason not to let her know we're coming," I replied, giving him a high five.
Meredith smirked. While Elizaveta had not been anywhere near as rude to her as she had been to me, she hadn't exactly been a ray of sunshine. We were all looking forward to showing the Novices at St. Basil's what the St. Vlad's Novices were capable of!
We each hugged Vika as we heard the train approaching, ducking out of sight into the station as the train stopped and she climbed on board. Viktoria was the only Dhampir getting on at Baia, but there were already a dozen or so St. Basil's students from further out on the train returning to the Academy for the week, so it paid not to be seen.
"Did you come home every weekend?" I asked Dimitri curiously once the train had pulled out and we started to walk home.
"Most weekends," Dimitri said. "I loved coming back to Baia."
"You mean the weekends you didn't have hot dates," I teased, shaking my head at Eddie's perplexed expression.
"I told you, Roza, I was never that into dating. The dates were all about doubling with Ivan so he could convince girls their virtue would be safe if they went out with him!" my Russian God said in an exasperated tone.
"Sure they were, Comrade…"
Dimitri sighed.
"I'm going to kill Kirill," he muttered mutinously.
Somehow Abe suggesting he make board payments on Sunday after Church had turned into him being invited for lunch each week. It worked out quite well; Church ended at 11 am, Viktoria's train left at midday, and Olena timed lunch for 1 pm. Returning from the station, we were back in time to wash up, set the table, and be ready for Abe's arrival.
Olena had gone all out, again. I had mentioned to Dimitri I was worried she was spending half her time in the kitchen cooking for us. He'd loving reassured me that his mother enjoyed cooking, and was adored having a full household to cook for again.
"I don't like to see her chained to the stove because of us," I persisted.
"I'll check with her to be sure," Dimitri promised soothingly, "but she doesn't look unhappy."
He was right. Olena was grinning ear to ear.
"Rose! Make sure you try some of the caviar. It is a delicacy, and we don't have it often," she said from her spot in the kitchen.
I shot Dimitri a questioning look.
"Your father ended up being very generous with his payment to Mama. She wants to make sure he knows she is spending the money appropriately and providing us with the best," he said under his breath.
"She doesn't need to do that," I hissed.
"Roza she wants to."
I growled but went with it. For now.
Right at 1 pm, there was a knock at the door. Abe and Pavel, again laden with gifts. The latest American magazines for the girls, lego for Paul, some baby toys for Zoya, expensive perfume for Olena and a large block of smelly imported cheese for Yeva.
"Oh! He'll be popular," Dimitri commented slipping his arms around my waist from behind and speaking quietly against my ear. "Yeva hasn't been able to get that around here in ages!"
"Weren't there food sanctions or something?" I asked, remembering hearing about it in the human news a year or two back while Lissa and I were on the run.
He nodded.
"The way to Yeva's heart is definitely through her stomach," he laughed. "If Abe has a way to get her imported fruits, cheeses and salamis, he'll have a friend for life!"
I was willing to bet smuggling was amongst Abe's many nefarious activities – but I'd make a point of letting him know of the old woman's love of illegal produce and smallgoods.
Before long we were all seated, Karolina leading us in prayer before we started in on the feast Olena had provided.
"Try the caviar," the older Dhampir urged again. I looked at the almost black round globules.
"What is it exactly?" I asked suspiciously.
"Salt cured fish eggs," Eddie supplied gleefully, raising his eyebrows in silent challenge.
Asshole. He knew I was trying to make a good impression on Olena, so was obligated to eat some. She'd served it in two ways – one a small dollop on top of halved boiled eggs, the other spooned on top of thick hunks of bread with butter.
"Try the egg first if you're not sure," Dimitri murmured into my ear softly. He reached out and grabbed one, putting it into his mouth and eating it in one bite.
"What does it taste like?" I asked. My tone was at best dubious.
"Hmm," Dimitri pondered. "Fishy but it's nice. I like it," he finished encouragingly.
Not wanting to offend Olena by contemplating it any further, I reached for an egg half, following Dimitri's example and putting it in my mouth whole. I chewed it, my hand on my glass of water the whole time, ready to wash it down if necessary.
I could feel the little caviar spheres in my mouth. They tasted salty and fishy but not unpleasant. In fact, mixed with the creaminess of the boiled egg it tasted pretty good.
I turned to look at Dimitri, nodding as I chewed. And then the weirdest thing happened. As I chewed, some of the little globes broke apart in my mouth, giving a fishier taste. I swallowed, but all in all, it was ok. Kind of nice, even.
"Well?" Eddie asked with a devious grin. I knew he wanted me to hate it.
"Different," I said. "Fishy and salty, but not bad," I admitted.
Meredith looked encouraged and picked up a piece of the bread and took a nibble. Her face was comical. She quickly put the slice down, revulsion spreading across her features, grabbing her water chugging it down along with the offending bread and caviar.
"Not your thing?" I asked sympathetically.
She shook her head, eyes watering. She held the nibbled piece of bread out to me. Even without looking at him, I could see Eddie leering at me in silent challenge – daring me to taste it again.
I took the bread, taking a bite. There was a lot more caviar on the bread than on the egg, but it was offset by the creamy butter. It wasn't in my top ten food experiences, but it was ok. I could certainly eat it if Eddie was silently daring me to. I took another bite, followed by a third. It was kind of growing on me.
"I don't mind it," I said to Olena, Dimitri and the assembled company who were all watching me expectantly. "Why don't you try some?" I said to Eddie, giving him an arch look. I lifted the platter of caviar bread and butter out to him invitingly. It was his call - his palette or his pride.
"Sure!" he said, not blinking. He'd eaten slugs during our elementary years when Mason had dared him to, so I'd suspected he'd eat the caviar.
He took a slice of bread, taking a large bite. And I could immediately tell he didn't like it. While he didn't flinch, I could see his eyes widen slightly. He chewed and swallowed, taking a second bite and then a third. And while he thought he was hiding it, it was obvious he was eating it under sufferance.
"What do you think?" Sonya asked with a straight face.
"Delicious," he pronounced with a slightly queasy grin.
We all laughed, and after a moment or two Eddie joined in.
"Did you like it?" he asked me incredulously.
"Yeah. It was ok," I said honestly. "I'd eat it again," I volunteered, picking up another egg and downing it to prove my point.
Olena was pleased I'd tried and liked the delicacy, and Yeva grinned.
"She is more Russian than you two," she declared giving Eddie and Meredith a snide grin. "But she will marry a Russian and her children will be half Russian, so it is just as well," she prophesized.
My head snapped up, and I looked at Dimitri in alarm. While we'd never talked marriage, I guess it made sense on some level. We'd promised each other forever, and marriage corresponded with that, I suppose. But kids?! We were both Dhampir, and we were also both going to be Guardians. Kids had not ever been on my radar.
"Are you suggesting my Roza will be unfaithful to me? Or marry another?" Dimitri asked his grandmother in a tight voice, the mood at the table instantly plummeting.
"Neither of those will come to pass," Yeva said confidently. "Yet you and your Roza will know the love of your own children," she concluded, excusing herself from the table and waddling off toward her bedroom.
The silence at the table was long and awkward.
"You'll have to excuse my mother," Olena said with a troubled expression on her face. "Sometimes her mind wanders."
Abe laughed good-naturedly and quickly introduced a comical story about a trade misunderstanding, exacerbated by lack of a common language, during a holiday years ago. Within minutes he had the table laughing at the pathetic but highly amusing mix-up when he'd tried to buy a decorative table lamp at a market.
While I gave every impression I was following along, in truth my mind was elsewhere.
Would I marry Dimitri? I couldn't imagine being Mrs. Belikov, but then I couldn't imagine not being with him or, heavens forbid, being with someone else.
And kids?! What the fuck was that all about?! Dhampir could not reproduce with other Dhampir. It was one of the unalterable truths of our world. The cornerstone of the 'they come first' doctrine was that without Moroi to reproduce with, Dhampir as a race would die out in a single generation. While I respected Yeva had a way of knowing things others didn't, the idea of Dimitri and I becoming biological parents together seemed farcical, and if I was honest about it, I thought it was cruel for her even to suggest it.
"Are you alright?" Dimitri quizzed, noting that I wasn't really into the conversation at the table.
I shrugged, letting him know without words I was pondering his grandmother's words.
Not long after, we moved to the living room for after lunch drinks. Coffee for Abe, Pavel, and Olena, hot chocolates for the rest of us. Not wanting to make a big deal of it, Abe pulled out an envelope from his jacket and carefully placed it on a sideboard, giving Olena a small nod. She responded, and that was our board paid for another week.
"Abe," Olena said with an uncertain voice. He'd asked her to call him that, but it still didn't sit easily with her. But she was making an effort. "Next weekend we have a family event to attend at lunchtime. I was wondering whether you'd instead like to join us for dinner?"
Olena had been worded up about the birthday plans, hence the need to get Abe to attend dinner, not lunch. As it was, it had worked out perfectly; the Belikov's genuinely having another commitment at lunch time.
A look of disappointment crossed Abe's face before he replaced it with a smile and readily agreed. If I didn't know better, I would have thought he was a little disappointed not to be considered family.
"It's a Baptism," Karolina explained to Abe. "A Dhampir friend of the family has had a baby, and he's being Baptised. The mother is only fifteen, and the father is not around. We thought we'd attend the service and the luncheon afterward."
Abe gave a small gesture of understanding, appreciating why a Moroi man might not be invited to such a gathering. In truth, only Yeva, Olena, and the older Belikov girls would be attending. The baby was Kirill's nephew, and since we'd never met the mother or her child, I didn't feel I needed to be there. Dimitri had begged off, citing the need to supervise us in the preparation of the sashlyks and other party necessities. I appreciated the help – I had no idea how to make a quality sashlyk – but I knew it was also because Dimitri found being around such a young mother difficult.
Agreeing to a Sunday dinner, then securing Dimitri and me for dinner after training on Thursday, Abe and Pavel departed with their thanks and a promise to join us during our morning training session the next day. Eddie and Meredith insisted on doing the dishes, so Dimitri and I headed up to his room for a lie-down. Training would be starting in earnest tomorrow, so we both wanted to enjoy a little idleness while we could.
"You find it difficult to be around young Dhampir mothers," I stated.
Dimitri raised his shoulders in a sheepish expression.
"Because of Karolina?"
He shook his head.
"Even though she was young, Paul was actually planned. Karo had a long term Moroi guy she was seeing. Zoya is his, too, although he and Karo aren't together anymore. But he comes to see the kids from time to time, and he's good to them. He sends money too."
I looked at him quizzically.
"I just hate being part of a society where a Dhampir girl becoming a mother at fifteen is almost normal," he said bitterly. "It's different in America – but here, in towns like Baia, many of the girls never see an Academy. It is expected they will grow up and have babies young, and alone, so they attend the local school and never leave the town where they were born."
I rubbed my Russian God's arm soothingly. Now he'd explained himself I could see this probably had more to do with Sonya's situation than Karo's. Sonya still wouldn't tell anyone whose baby she was carrying, other than to say he wasn't, and would never be, in the picture. While the Belikov women seemed to accept this, it was difficult for Dimitri, and I knew he was unhappy about the situation. Add to that his grandmother predicting I was going to be a mother one day – well no wonder the guy was feeling out of sorts.
I knew he'd always hoped to have a family, but thinking it wouldn't be possible for us, we'd never discussed it. I added it to the long list of things we needed to talk about. But not tonight.
"I'm going to take a shower," he said. Usually, he'd suggest I join him, but when he didn't, I knew he needed some time to think things through.
"I'll be downstairs," I said softly, brushing my lips across his, giving him the space to come to terms with whatever he was feeling.
"Here you are," Yeva said, holding up a hot chocolate for me as I walked into the living room. It was empty other than Dimitri's ancient grandmother, and I knew she had been waiting for me.
"So I'm going to be a Mom?" I asked, blurting out the foremost thing on my mind.
Yeva shrugged, but reading between the lines she meant yes.
"And my children – they'll be Dimitri's?"
She shrugged again.
"Babushka," I said, my voice quavering, "you're frightening me. I never thought about marriage let alone children. I'm not sure I want this. Oh my God! If we can have children together, should we be being careful?!"
Now we were sharing a bed together, Dimitri and I were enjoying an active sex life, and it had always been unprotected.
"It's not going to just happen. You and Dimitri will be given the opportunity and will make a choice," she said in the first reassuring thing she'd had to say on the matter. "When the time comes, you and Dimka will decide to have a family."
"How is that even possible?" I gasped, trying to imagine a time when I'd be ready for that.
"Wonderful things are going to happen in our world, внучка. You will be part of this. Don't be frightened by my words. You will bring my grandson great happiness and together you will know true love and joy. But these are just the silly ramblings of an old lady," she said, patting my hand reassuringly. "Just know I see good things for you. All of you."
"But a mother? You're sure? I don't really have a mother myself – will I do a decent job of it?" I whispered. I still wasn't sure I believed her, but if she was right, I wanted to know I'd make a decent fist of things.
"You always doubt yourself," she replied sadly. "But you will learn your worth in time."
She stood, sitting her cup on the side table next to her chair, beside the knitting needles that I knew from Dimitri she perennially had in her hands. She'd just started a new project – something colorful in a gorgeously soft yarn.
"Silk wool," she explained, noticing the direction of my gaze. "Nothing holds color so well. I should teach you how to knit while you're here," Yeva offered suddenly. "It would be handy for you to learn."
"Why? How many babies do you see me having?" I wailed, starting to freak out now.
And she laughed. Here I was genuinely scared, and she laughed at me.
"That's between you and my grandson," she chuckled in amusement, taking her knitting and waddling off to her bedroom.
I drained my cup, taking it and Babushka's through to the kitchen, rinsing each and putting them on the drying rack, my brain miles away.
Me. Married to Dimitri. A mother to his children. I mean seriously. What the hell?!
Before I started to hyperventilate, or worse, I decided to push it from my mind. Nothing was going to happen in the short term. There were so many obstacles to overcome before I even started to think about marriage or, heavens forbid, kids! And that's assuming there was any truth to Yeva's ramblings – and the jury was still out on that one, too. For now, I had to graduate and find some way to start my career without losing the love of my life.
That reminded me… I needed to tell Dimitri about what Christian had said to me before we left. With everything else going on, I'd let it slide 'til now – but we were a partnership, so I needed to let him know. I climbed the stairs wearily. There was so much going on; I honestly wished everything would stop just for a little while so we could catch up.
Letting myself into our room, I saw my love lying on his side asleep; a book balanced precariously in his sleepy hand. I carefully took it from him, putting it on the nightstand beside him.
Stepping out of my clothes, leaving only my crop bra and panties, I climbed onto the bed next to him, covering the two of us with one of the soft, warm quilts gracing the end of his bed.
Married, not married. Kids, or none. Guardian Dimitri Randallovich Belikov was the love of my life. Nothing beyond that mattered, so I curled up against his chest, grinning as he smiled in his sleep, pulling me against him protectively. Right here, right now everything was perfect.