Stan'sPOV
I was no stranger to Dimitri's looks of disapproval regarding anything Rose Hathaway related, but this was extreme. So yes, I was just a little scared of what he would do and say to me. He was only a tiny handful of years younger than me, but he had seven kills where I had three. Even Rose had nearly as many kills as me, and she was still a novice.
If possible, Dimitri's look hardened as we walked back towards the office... or maybe not, he dragged me into the gym and I knew he was going to make me hurt. This was the most out of control I'd seen him. He was shaking with fury and ready to attack. I made the mistake of speaking.
"I was giving her constructive criticism, Belikov. She was otherwise textbook perfect."
He snapped, but instead of hitting me he turned and lunged at what was essentially my dummy replica. "She was perfect," he barked at me, "she..."
I'd never seen him nearly visibly bite off his words before and it scared me all the more. I could handle Strigoi, but the currently out of control Strigoi slayer in front of me scared me. He'd protect Rose at all cost, I knew that now, and it put me in a more vulnerable position because I knew he was emotionally closer to her than he should be.
Still, I spoke again when I shouldn't have. "She what, Belikov?"
He turned to face me again and I knew I'd overstepped a line. "She's pregnant, you blind idiot!"
I had only ever heard him swear once, and it was a constant string of Russian after learning Rose had escaped the lodge. I hadn't heard him call anyone names or tossed insults around, ever. But I'd just seen him reach his breaking point.
"Do Petrov and Kirova know?" I asked reflexively, not wanting to process what I'd heard. This world didn't need to deal with an extra dangerous Hathaway... just yet, if ever.
"Petrov knows, I know, Christian Ozera's figured it out, but she's refusing to tell Kirova until after field experience at the very earliest."
"She should be turne-"
"She's been more of a guardian than a novice since she was 15," he growled, "there's no way she's not graduating, pregnant or otherwise."
Man, I'd never realised how difficult he could be. In a way, he was acting just like Rose, and it was a confronting revelation. I suddenly understood why the students referred to him as a god, a god of death and danger if ever there was one. So I put my hands up in a sign of truce. "Okay, okay. Next time I test her I'll watch my feedback."
"Good. Now get out of here before I hurt you. But be warned, next time you hurt her, intentionally or not, I will punch you, and it will hurt. A lot."
I nodded and left to find Petrov.
"Yes Alto? I'm assuming this is about Miss Hathaway?"
I shook my head. "Well, sorta. But it's Belikov I'm worried about. He's possessive of her, I swear. Rose didn't... respond well to my feedback from her first test, and he came out of nowhere, threatening me about not wording things carefully enough. It's Hathaway, for crying out loud! She doesn't normally give a shit what anyone says. I only pointed out the obvious."
Petrov sighed. "Anything else? About either?"
"He threatened to punch me if she gets offended again. I swear he was two seconds away from doing it just then."
"He's not being possessive, Alto. He's following my orders to protect her interests... though I did say not to hurt anyone in the process."
I was aghast. "She shouldn't even be here given she's pregnant! No one wants a guardian- let alone a graduate- with a baby! The councils won't assign her."
"There's always the Princess, possibly Christian Ozera, maybe even Tasha Ozera, and Court. If they won't assign her personally, then they can assign her to Court or an Academy. The numbers are dwindling too fast to let a determined young female go to waste, especially when she's carrying one of the next generation."
"I still say Belikov's possessive of his student."
Just before I shut the door I swear I heard her utter, "Not surprised- it's his child after all." Now that was an outrageous idea; Belikov fathering his dhampir student's child? That idea was outrageous, impossible, and just plain wrong.
DPOV
This threat was the last I'd expected. Not even the a**hole and know-it-all Dashkov knew about this, but somehow the Queen did, and she'd given my Roza an unacceptable ultimatum. Not even the Queen should be allowed to get away with this outrageous demand.
"I won't let her," I growled as I tugged the blankets over our stealing-snuggles bodies. "No one gets to threaten you, threaten and demand you to kill our baby. No one."
"Dimitri, watch it," Roza warned before crashing her lips to mine. Okay, Maybe it was going to be stealing time to make-out. That changed the second my shirt came off and she pulled her rare pleading face on me. Normally I would have the control and the will power to deny myself the pleasure of us being together...
But right now I wanted her to understand the power of my love for her, the depth of my love for our baby. Right now I didn't want to follow the rules; I wanted to break them and I wanted to enjoy breaking them completely and perfectly. I was going to hell for taking pleasure in heaven before my angel was 18 anyway. Roza was already pregnant with my baby, so what did it matter if we repeated that magic night right now?
Alberta'sPOV
I approached Belikov's guest room... and immediately regretted it. I so did not need to hear that. Just because she was already pregnant, and they were actually cute together, didn't mean I wanted to know in any way, shape, or form that they were indeed together... and sexually active. I get one night, away from the Academy, but not this. How did they expect to get away with this in the middle of the Moroi world's powerhouse? Looks like I'm stuck texting Belikov the plane's three hours delayed. And I don't want to think about how they'll use that time.
RPOV
"Daddy," I murmured, completely unwilling to break this heavenly moment for anything. But alas, they come first, and Lissa was frantically trying to find me. "Aunty Lissa wants us... well, me, she doesn't know about baby Belikov yet."
Dimitri chuckled. "Baby Belikov? Just Belikov?"
I grimaced before literally flipping him off the bed. "This world needs an extra Belikov, not an extra Hathaway." His naked form was too much for me, and if I didn't get out... oh, screw it. For once, Lissa's surprise for me can wait.
I slid off the bed. Then kissed down his chest and stomach to his manhood. Oh this was fun. Dimitri shivered in anticipation. "Roza," he groaned, "you're a tease."
"I didn't say I wasn't going to." I was completely in control. Or so I thought until he sat up and tugged on my hair. As he massaged my head he altered the rhythm we'd just gotten into. Deeper and deeper into my mouth he went. There was so much of him; I never ceased to be amazed he could fit in me. A couple of tears escaped- unnoticed thank god- just before he came. He moaned my Russian name in bliss as I swallowed his release. Glad I could have such an effect on him.
"You are... there's no words to describe you. Beautiful, amazing, and loving doesn't even begin to describe you anymore, woman," said Dimitri. "But a tease certainly does," he gestured to me dressing in front of him.
"I know," I boasted. "But seriously, Lissa's on the verge of threatening me right now and seconds away from deciding to come knocking on your door and I'm not in the mood to deal with that right now. I love you and all, but we're telling her after we tell Kirova... or, well, I tell Kirova."
DPOV
I watched as Rose rushed out my guest room door, frantic to intercept her friend, my charge. And she was only my charge since Rose had told me she still wanted me and Eddie or Mason guarding her, while she guarded Court or even Christian after grad.
Apparently after dealing with Rose's morning sickness this past fortnight and a bit, he was seriously considering making a fuss to have her assigned to him. Yes, he'd figured out baby Belikov was just that, he or she was also mine, and was keeping it to himself. Rose had actually informed me that he and Lissa weren't fooling around in the attic at the moment- Christian being put off sex because of Roza's pregnancy symptoms.
'For now,' Rose had said with a disgusted look in her eyes that I'd laughed at. I could sympathise with him in a way, but I also agreed that Lissa's body would soon enough prove too desirable to him and his self-control would crumble as quickly as mine just had with Rose. When he finally did get Lissa pregnant, he'd understand how her extra hormones would send his sex drive and emotions haywire. Rose had been doing it to me since the second I'd found out.
Kirova'sPOV
Rose walked into my office the day after her birthday, the first Monday I had the Academy up and running after the attack. She never came willingly, so what was this visit about?
"Yes, Miss Hathaway?" I was ready for anything and everything... except what she ended up actually revealing.
"I'm pregnant," she blurted, as if ripping a band aid off.
This had clearly been hanging over her head for some time. I knew the rumours of her sleeping around, but had never once believed, knowing her true and complete, heartfelt loyalty was to the Princess. They'd been inseparable from the moment they'd met. And honestly, the rumours had come from the royal Moroi who I knew were most likely to lie just to degrade her further. She truly was a promising and talented novice, rough around the edges, but Belikov had done a great job of smoothing her down. Not that I'd tell them that. Speaking of Belikov, he's usually as glued to her hip and ready to defend her as the Princess.
"You're what?" I asked in a show of shock and stupidity.
Rose sighed and repeated the two words I never thought I'd hear. "I'm pregnant."
It was real. The school's Senior smart-ass and prankster novice was really pregnant. "I suppose you don't want to tell me since when?" Since when was I gentle with Rose Hathaway? Since she's pregnant and likely wouldn't think twice about ripping my head off, that's since when.
"Christmas," she confessed.
"You've known since Christmas? Or it happened over Christmas?"
Rose Hathaway blushed furiously before my eyes as if reliving the moment before answering. She cleared her throat. "It happened over Christmas."
I didn't strictly speaking need to know who the father was, but I wanted to know who was so close to her the mere half thought of him made her blush. She may be her grade's dhampir A-grade flirt, but that blush screamed a deeper emotion, a love that had made her somewhat private. "Who's the father, Rose?"
Most of her blush was replaced with a stoniness, a defensive guard. "No. You're not knowing that. No one's knowing that. If you value your sanity you'll let me keep that locked away."
A single brow rose of its own accord.
"No," Rose repeated and stood to leave. "I've told you what I must, recall me if you decide to change my classes or expel me."
"I won't expel you, Rose. But humour me and tell me my suspect is right? I swear not to punish either of you if you truthfully tell me it's a certain Guardian's love child. Tell me honestly you consented, you love him, and you've not had sex anywhere on Academy grounds and I'll leave you in peace," I bargained.
Her blush and love-sick eyes told me my answer. She hesitated before answering. "If you keep to your end of the deal, I promise to try and better my grades, and I'll tell no one other than Lissa who the father is. Since I can't promise to stay out of your office."
I nearly laughed. "Okay. Now, tell me."
She let her guard down and I saw a softness in her that not even the Princess could bring out. I saw her pure, raw, unadulterated love, passion and honesty. "Yes, Guardian Dimitri Belikov has captured my heart and I did consent to the act of love that created our baby Belikov. No, we have not had sex on Academy owned land."
I knew it! I knew they were too joined at the hip, too altered by each other for there not to be any genuine feelings, genuine attraction. They were too sickeningly cute simply standing side by side and looking as though they fit together like two jigsaw puzzle pieces for there not to be a reason. And she must truly love him to confess that to me. There was not one sign of lying or deceit in her words, face or posture.
"Thank you, Rose. Now go and take care of that miracle you're carrying."
Looking beaten and exhausted, she left my office. I knew I should expel her and fire him, but those two were the ones who saved the school, so I kind of felt as though I owed them a break, since the world wouldn't give them one. Even years in the future they'd still be being talked about and stared at as an oddity. It was my thank you to them to give them the privacy and shelter of sneaking around.
DPOV
"She knew?" I asked, shell-shocked.
Rose nodded just as Alberta walked in. Alberta tended to allow enough time for Rose to be ten minutes late, then give us ten minutes to stretch before walking in and killing any conversation about the baby or linked conversations so she could take over training for an hour.
Apparently Kirova wasn't the only one who knew, we discovered a fortnight later.
"The two of you so need to be that much more obvious," Alberta said with such heavy sarcasm it was honestly terrifying. Rose groaned and pulled her shirt down. I righted myself then stepped away from my family. "Honestly Belikov? Singing to her stomach in Russian is the new way of staying completely and utterly undetectable now, is it?"
"I'm right here," Rose sang. "And so is Bubby."
"Bubby, Roza?" We'd been caught anyway.
She shrugged. "Lissa's nickname is Bubby and Christian's is still baby Belikov when no one else is around."
"They're both cute," I admitted, "it'll be better once we know the gender and pick a name."
Rose smiled and blushed furiously while nodding in agreement.
"Have you stretched at all yet today, Rose?"
I swear Rose was about to reply with a snarky, 'I never have.' But instead she nodded like she always did.
I'll say this, karma is a bitch, just as the saying goes. A month later, Rose had just worked up the courage to ring her mother and tell her about Bubby Belikov- as Rose and I had decided to blend together the nicknames from her friends- without telling Janine it was our baby. When Janine decides to instead visit campus, for reasons unknown and likely unknowable.
"Guys, Janine is going to be here in five, so either escape now or be ready to fight." Alberta's rushed warning was aimed at me mainly.
I would not run. I would stay and fight for my family, to protect and support my beautiful Roza.
Sure enough, four minutes later, Janine Hathaway stormed in the gym. Instinct kicked in and I gladly gave into it as I pushed Rose behind me, taking up a defensive and protective position in front of her. A split second later Alberta copied, also shielding a bumping Roza from Janine's view.
"I know Rose is here, Belikov, Petrov, and I know she's pregnant."
"You're not going to touch them," I growled.
"It's a problem, not a baby."
Rose snapped before I could and tried to pop out under my other arm. Not going to work, honey. You're just putting our baby in harms way. "It is a baby, and it's too late to abort," Rose defensively corrected.
"Rose, please," I warned in her ear as I grabbed her wrist to guide her behind me again. Her breath quickened and she moved my hand to her bump while stepping behind me. Our baby's kick both calmed me and put me more on edge. I would fight to the death if I had to, because you can't tell me that's not a child, not a life worth protecting and loving.
"If I was willing to let you near me," Rose began, "you may just have had the chance to feel your grandchild kick. But since you clearly don't believe there's a way to be a good mother and a good guardian, I'm going to stay right here and continue on training and avoiding you. I had just been about to call you to tell you myself."
Janine'sPOV
Ouch! She'd snubbed me yet again. I couldn't understand how she had hidden being pregnant for close to four months. I still say she's too young for a child. And why the hell did Belikov get to touch her like he was... oh hell no! He was not the one responsible for this! I got she was in over her head with a crush on him- his looks made many of her female classmates swoon. But he didn't return the feelings. Did he? I got they were friendly enough, but not like this. There wasn't a reason I felt like I should walk in the other direction every time I saw them... Was there? There wasn't a reason he was so protective and she was so defensive. They had high regards for each other, sure, but that didn't mean they liked each other. Did it?
I watched their training and I saw all the signs that that baby was somehow a Belikov. He lightly supported her waist as she worked through Petrov-directed pregnancy yoga. He steadied her every time she was about to fall. And every time the baby handed out a kick, both of their eyes lit up, and Petrov smiled at them when they weren't paying attention.
When guardian practice came in, Petrov left and the two moved to the dummies. Belikov let her free for five minutes before stepping in front of her, mid-blow, right to his torso. "Enough. Roza. Enough exertion for half a day." And there it was. The tone, look, and nickname that said it all. I expected her to growl and hit him, but instead, she held his gaze, shrugged, and stole his stake from his in-built sheath. He smiled. "Are you so sure that's a practice stake?" Belikov laughed.
Rose glared... painfully I admit it was a playful one. "Comrade, what's the point of sheathing a practice stake? Besides, you've only trained me using your real one."
"Double check, Rose, never assume anything."
"Zen life lesson crap," she waved off. "I checked it while you were trying to get it back off me."
"Will you stop saying that as if I never teach you anything?"
She looked him dead in the eye and he gulped. Suddenly I wasn't so sure I wanted to be near them any longer. "You've taught me everything," she retorted seriously.
"I haven't taught you that much."
"Are you so sure? Because you made me lethal." She gracefully twirled around and made the impromptu staking seem easy and choreographed. My teen daughter with a stake, an attitude, and a baby bump made for a very worrisome combination.
"Are you hinting at something?" he asked.
"Of course not."
I silently bolted from the gym, wondering how frequently their conversations somehow had an element of innuendo and hidden meanings? They were skilled at making it sound training related, that was for sure.
I returned to Petrov's office. "Quick question before I leave, how often do you hear innuendo in Rose and Belikov's exchanges?"
"Now? Nearly always. Why?"
I sighed. "They are far too... mature for their ages." And I couldn't stop them being together now she's 18.
Petrov laughed. "They don't get what they do to each other, how deep their connection is. They don't see the way they communicate without words is a part of who they are as a pair."