"Breaking his shoulder wasn't enough?! Come to gloat, too, have you?!"
I should have known Elizaveta would be at Artyom's bedside, but somehow it didn't occur to me until I saw her there. She took a good look at me in my Guardian uniform, glaring at me angrily. Artyom, on the other hand, seemed to like what he saw.
Thankfully, Dimitri and Croft trailed me into the room, so Elizaveta shut it after seeing them. But the damage had been done.
"That's enough Guardian Vitsin," Croft rebuked. "Injuries happen in the elimination fights, and I'm sure you and your brother knew that when you agreed to take part."
"I did, and Rose didn't do it on purpose," Artyom agreed, frowning at his sister.
"Still, I'm so sorry about your shoulder," I apologized legitimately to the male Vitsin.
He was in a shoulder cast. Evidently, I'd not done things by half.
"Easy done in a competition environment," Artyom elegantly excused. He was being very forgiving about the injury. While I hadn't intended to break a bone, it did happen. He had a right to be pissed off, and the fact he chose to overlook it spoke volumes.
"True – but I am sorry you were seriously injured."
"We just came by to say farewell. Rose, Eddie, Meredith and myself are off to Baia in a few minutes to say goodbye to my family; then we're leaving for the States tomorrow."
"You have your allocation ceremony on Monday don't you?" Artyom asked, "same as ours?"
"Yes, that's right," I said, not giving any indication I already knew about my allocation. Croft had said we could tell close family and friends, and really the Vitsins were neither. "What are you hoping for?" I asked, thinking if he heard it, Croft might make it happen. It was the least I could do considering I'd broken the guy's shoulder and, unbeknownst to him, also stolen an amazing allocation from him so that I wouldn't be separated from my lover.
"We're hoping for an allocation together," Elizaveta quickly replied, also using Croft's presence to further her cause.
Artyom didn't comment, but from his look, I didn't get the sense he was quite so keen to be placed with his sister. I hope Croft picked up on that as well.
"Keep in touch when you know where you end up," Artyom suggested hopefully.
I smiled and promised him I would. I could feel Dimitri tense a little beside me and had to stop myself reaching out to soothe him. He should know Artyom would never be anything more than a colleague to me.
"We should probably get going," Dimitri said, offering his left hand for Artyom to shake, given it was the right shoulder I'd injured. He shook Elizaveta's hand too. I leaned over and gave Artyom a chaste kiss on the cheek – mostly to piss Elizaveta off although I knew Dimitri wouldn't particularly like it either.
"Get well soon, and stay safe," I said with a smile. I nodded to Elizaveta; Croft gave them both his best wishes, then the three of us left the infirmary.
"Safe travels back to the States," Croft said shaking our hands. "I'll see you at your allocation ceremony on Monday, Rose. If the two of you come and see me afterward, I'll have more details about your mission."
"Thank you, Guardian Croft. Until then," Dimitri said formally before the two of us walked back to our room in guest accommodations.
"I don't like you kissing Vitsin," he grumbled quietly as we walked side by side, keeping a professional distance between us.
"It was on the cheek, Comrade," I laughed. "I broke the guy's shoulder, and now he's stuck in bed with no company except his sister. Let the guy have something!"
Dimitri grunted, but there was still an unhappy set to his jaw as we walked.
I let us into our suite.
"I want all your kisses," he growled petulantly as soon as the main door was closed.
"And you've got them," I promised, liberally peppering him with the sort of kisses Artyom could only fantasize about getting from me!
"As soon as I have the dates for our visits to Court I'll make sure you have them," I promised Lissa. "And it sounds like we have weekends off. New Hampshire is not that far from Pennsylvania. We could meet in New York on weekends sometimes?"
Lissa and I were sitting together in the middle row of one of the two vans that were transporting us to Baia. From the second she knew Pavel's idea had been successful – and that I would be leaving for a posting interstate soon after we got back to America – she hadn't left my side. Christian didn't even bother trying to take the seat beside her in the van. Instead, he'd claimed shotgun beside Dimitri who was driving. Celeste was in the back row with Viktoria and Paul, the others in a second van with Abe and Pavel.
"There are likely to be some restrictions on what I can tell you about where we are, but I'll call you after we've been there a week and we can have a long chat, and I'll tell you everything I can," I promised.
"But I might not see you for months," Lissa said in a small voice.
"I know," I said, the reality of being so far from my bond mate and best friend finally sinking in. "But you can bet I'll still be checking in on you all the time – and we can schedule times to catch up on the phone or Skype."
"It won't be the same."
"No, it won't," I agreed, not wanting to bullshit her by pretending it was going to be anything like how we'd lived before. "But it's not forever, and this is a lot better than if I'd been allocated to someone else. We could maybe even holiday together? Meet up somewhere cool and hang out like normal best friends!"
That idea cheered Lissa up considerably, and she immediately started extolling the virtues of Paris in autumn instead of spring. I didn't need to be bonded to Dimitri to know he was thinking we'd be saving for a long time on Guardian wages to afford the sort of trip to Paris Lissa had in mind, but I wasn't going to ruin this for her by imposing reality checks on her fantasy!
From the front, Dimitri was pointing out places of interest and commenting on the changes since he'd last traveled this way. We'd traveled to St. Basil's by train, so were getting a different perspective going back to Baia by road. It was a two-hour drive, but the time passed quickly enough.
Lissa was mortified at the idea of visiting the Belikova's without a gift, even though Dimitri and Viktoria assured her Olena wouldn't mind. Since we'd left an hour earlier than anticipated, she convinced Dimitri to stop at a shopping center along the way, and we ducked inside to a florist. Viktoria came with us to translate, as my Russian was still limited to dirty words.
"I should get your father something, too," Lissa worried, looking around the unfamiliar shops perplexed.
"Seriously don't stress about it," I said. "The guy doesn't need anything."
"But we can't show up to stay at his house empty-handed…"
Lissa's anxiety about staying at Abe's was evident through the bond. I knew she was hoping Dimitri and I would stay there tonight, too – but I couldn't ask Dimitri to give up his last night at home with his family in God knows how long. It was only one night, and she'd have Christian, Celeste, and Emil with her.
I spotted a Russian bakery opposite, and it had some of the sweet poppyseed rolls I know Abe liked.
"Buy half a dozen of those for breakfast," I suggested, pointing at the rolls in the display window. "Abe loves them!"
The flowers and rolls purchased, we piled back into the van and set off again, the mood in the van getting progressively more festive the closer we got to Baia.
"We're on the outskirts of town now!" Vika announced as we came around a corner. A little further, and I started to see familiar buildings.
"Only a few more turns!" I excitedly told Lissa. I couldn't wait to show her Dimitri's family house. Sometime in the six weeks we'd stayed there it had become my family house, too – and the Belikova's my family. I'd never had anywhere to call 'home' before. But now I did. It was a new sensation, and I was excited to show my best friend.
"And here we are," Dimitri said with a grin, pulling up outside the house, next to 'my' car. The other van was already parked and empty, so the others must have arrived before us.
"Guess I'll get to see where you grew up, Belikov!" Celeste joked from the back.
She'd been Dimitri's guarding partner for a couple of years, and I could see she was finding this more open version of Dimitri very different to what she was used to. Dimitri had taken she and Emil aside after Tasha left to nervously let them know that he and I cared about each other, and now we were no longer mentor and student we were dating. Apparently, Emil hadn't seemed particularly surprised, but Celeste had been delighted. And if either of them had their suspicions that our romance might have started well before last Saturday's graduation ceremony, they were keeping their thoughts to themselves.
"Come on," Dimitri laughed, "before Mama comes out here and pulls us out of the van."
"Too late," Vika laughed, as the front door opened and Olena and Karolina came out.
The van's sliding door open I stepped out, helping Lissa do likewise.
"Top graduate and winner of the elimination fights?! We're so proud of you darling!" Olena declared, hugging me hard. "Abe was just telling us all about it! Two top graduates in the one family! We're all so proud. Mama has been to the shops three times this morning telling everyone she meets!"
I chuckled, imagining Dimitri's wily grandmother boasting to everyone she knew. Between Sonya's engagement, and now her granddaughter in law or whatever I was topping the year and winning the St. Basil's fights? Well – she had a lot to crow about!
"It's lovely to see you again Mrs. Belikova," Lissa said nervously once Olena had finished hugging me.
"Oh these are lovely, but you shouldn't have. And please, Princess Dragomir, call me Olena," Dimitri's mother said, taking the bunch of flowers Lissa presented her.
"Only if you'll call me Lissa," she smiled shyly. Lissa had only met Olena briefly on my graduation day, but it was impossible not to like Dimitri's mother.
Before I knew it, we were all shown inside, before being shooed out into the back garden where we discovered a scene reminiscent of Abe's birthday party. There was a table laden with every salad imaginable, and presiding over the grill, looking ridiculous in a gingham ladies apron, was Pavel.
Abe's Guardians were almost finished assembling a small open-sided tent and furnishing it with chairs and small tables for the Moroi, while my father was standing in the shade of a tree conversing with Oksana and Mark. I gave them a friendly wave before shepherding Lissa and Christian into the shade where the table with the salads was. Celeste followed dutifully in their wake, but it was impossible to be in full Guardian mode in such a relaxed setting. Lissa and Christian looked a little overwhelmed, so I thought I'd give them a moment to settle in.
"It's such a nice day; I thought we could spend the afternoon and evening out here?" Olena explained, coming toward us with another salad in her hands.
"Great idea, Mama," Dimitri said, appearing beside her and casually putting his arm around his mother's shoulders and dropping a kiss on the side of her head. "Thank you for going to so much effort."
"It's nothing. I'm so happy to have the whole family and so many friends together at once," she confessed.
A few minutes later Kirill appeared at the back door carrying bread rolls and wearing his nephew in a baby carrier. Darya and his mother were following closely behind carrying, yes, more food!
"I hope you don't mind? Kirill is visiting finishing the wedding arrangements, so I invited him and his family?" Sonya asked coming over to say hello and greet her fiancé.
"Of course not," Dimitri assured her, doing the necessary introductions. Lissa and I were both pleased when he introduced them to Kirill and his family as 'Lissa, Christian, and Celeste – friends of ours from St. Vladimir's.'
The tent now assembled, I moved Lissa and Christian into the protection of its shade. Abe, Oksana, and Mark soon followed.
"I have feeders arranged in half an hour," Abe said discreetly to Lissa and Christian, recognizing their need for blood as well as food.
"Would there be enough for Oksana, too?" Mark asked solicitously, ignoring Oksana's embarrassed motions for him to remain silent.
"Yes of course," Abe said, looking at a nearby Guardian meaningfully. He scuttled away – no doubt organizing an additional feeder for Oksana.
"Thank you," Mark replied. "Now we are expecting a child, Oksana's need for blood has increased, and I have to remind her to feed more regularly."
Oksana was blushing, but Mark seemed proud to make their very happy announcement.
"Oh what lovely news for you!" Lissa smiled, giving Oksana a glorious smile. And that's all it took – for the next half an hour the two chatted, Oksana quickly revealing herself as a fellow spirit user. Christian was similarly occupied with Mark, the older Dhampir giving Christian tips on dealing with a 'spirited' woman.
Seeing my friends suitably occupied, I used the opportunity to slip away for a moment to chat with other people. Dimitri drifted over to the grill to help Pavel, Kirill, Emil, and Eddie who were busy with the various roasts and other meats cooking, so I ventured across to where Sonya, Karolina and Meredith were deep in conversation.
"… so what's going on?" I caught Sonya asking Meredith.
"I don't know!" she wailed. "It wasn't supposed to turn into anything!"
They clammed up when I approached, but it was too late.
"Don't think I didn't know Eddie was in your room this morning," I announced with a grin before flopping onto a chair beside them. "Spill!"
Meredith groaned.
"You guys were busy planning last night, so Eddie and I went back to the suite to watch a movie. He brought a bottle of vodka with him, and one thing led to another…"
I giggled.
"Again?! I hope it was good?!"
Meredith groaned a second time.
"It was great!" she wailed.
The four of us were tittering like schoolgirls when Yeva appeared.
"So you won," she said approvingly, holding her arms open for me.
"I did, Babushka. But I'm worried… I have a different allocation to what I thought I'd be getting…"
"It is as it needs to be," she said with a knowing smile. "Five years is just long enough."
We hadn't yet told Dimitri's family about his, and my, allocation. But Yeva always did know things.
"Will it be ok?" I whispered fearfully as we embraced.
"It will be exactly as it should be," she assured me, caressing me gently. "You are the best thing that has happened to him."
"He's the best thing that's happened to me."
Yeva nodded.
"That's why you need to be together," she said sagely. "Now help an old woman find a chair," she directed, taking my arm as I led her across to the tent.
"I have a nice bottle of brandy I picked up the other day," Abe announced cunningly just as Yeva had taken a seat. "Can I interest anyone in a snifter?"
Christian and Mark both agreed to try. I could tell Yeva wanted to but didn't want to lose face. After all, she was purportedly a non-drinker.
"Babushka, you should try some brandy," I said with mock innocence. "I've heard it's good for arthritis. A glass or two can't hurt."
"Perhaps a small glass then," she graciously acquiesced. Abe turned to a nearby table with a wicked grin, producing a bottle and pouring everyone a snifter. I had to turn away myself to laugh when I noted Yeva's glass was filled almost to the rim, in sharp contrast to everyone else's, which were maybe one-third full. Abe knew Dimitri's grandmother!
After a suitably ebullient toast, Abe and the others sipped at their brandy. I was chatting with Baba and Yeva when I felt a muscled, manly pair of arms slip around my waist from behind.
"The meat for lunch is ready, Roza," Dimitri told me, rubbing the side of his face lovingly against the top of my head. "We should tell everyone and also announce our new allocation."
I spun in his arms and smiled up at my man. It was time.
We walked hand in hand across to the tree in front of the trestle table where the plates, salads, and now platters of sliced meat were resting. Kirill turned down the music playing, and Dimitri put his fingers to his lips, surprising me with a very loud whistle.
The conversation died, and everyone turned to face us.
Dimitri took the lead, doing all the expected thanks. I stood in front of him, encircled in his arms, not saying anything as he expressed our gratitude for the many kindnesses extended to us, Eddie and Meredith, during our visit.
"Now as most of you know, the beautiful young woman in front of me was the top graduate of St. Basil's this year, and she also won the elimination fights. And if that was not reason enough to celebrate, I am proud to announce that Rose, Eddie, and Meredith were all in the top four for both events! Please join me in congratulating them!"
I stood blushing as the assembled company clapped, grateful when Eddie and Meredith shyly came to stand beside Dimitri and me.
"The other thing I'd like to let you know is that Rose has received word about her first allocation. She's been selected for an exciting mission, and I have been reallocated and will be accompanying her. For the next five years, we're being sent to work with the Alchemists. We're not entirely sure what it all means, yet, but at least we'll be together."
There was clapping and cheers as Dimitri spun me in his arms, leaning down to kiss me sweetly.
"I'd like to say something," I murmured against Dimitri's lips.
He pulled back, a little surprised, but nodded.
"On behalf of Eddie, Meredith and myself, I want to thank Dimitri's family for welcoming us so willingly. As most of you know, I've never had a place to call home – but now I do. Also, I'd like to give a big thanks to my father, Abe Mazur. You've done so much for us, and in a few months, we've gone from complete strangers to father and daughter. I love you, Baba – and I am so proud to be your little girl."
I looked at my dad and was surprised to see him teary. We'd come such a long way.
"Finally thank you, Comrade," I said looking up at my man, love in my eyes. "None of this would have been possible without you."
I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him another of those kisses Artyom could only dream about.
"Sorry dude, just a handshake from me," Eddie laughed when I finally let Dimitri go. Meredith shook Dimitri's hand, too.
"Come on all – let's eat!" Dimitri said with a grin, wrapping his arm securely around my waist and guiding me over to the food.