He was rubbing his temples, craving a drink when Natasha Ozera's ridiculously vulgar display dissolved the meeting into a free for all. Everyone was shouting, their auras flaring with disgust and anger. It was giving him a massive headache. When Belikov stood, speaking to Rose, Adrian straightened, preparing himself for action.
She followed the tall man out the door, leaving her little red haired lap dog behind. Finally, he could move. It was a relief to escape the roomful of flashing auras—he felt like he had spent the last thirty minutes trapped inside a rave. He hurried down the corridor, not wanting to lose Rose and her 'mentor' in the crowd.
He heard her before he saw her, ducking behind a conveniently large piece of sculpture. With growing fascination, he watched them. They were like water and oil, two substances completely at odds with each other. She was full of passion and fire—the Russian, by contrast, seemed almost inhumanely calm.
"Shouldn't you be in there protecting Tasha?" she asked. "Before the mob gets her? She's going to get in big trouble for using magic like that."
Ohhh. A ribbon of brilliant green, almost lime colored surrounded her. She was jealous of Natasha. He wondered why. She was a million—no, a billion times more attractive than the Ozera woman.
Belikov raised an eyebrow. "She can take care of herself."
Her aura flared with a brilliant red orange—whatever she was about to say angered her. Adrian smiled to himself, realizing that he was witnessing the beginning of what promised to be an epic fight.
"Yeah, yeah, because she's a badass karate magic user. I get all that. I just figured since you're going to be her guardian and all…"
He bit his lip as he assessed Belikov's reaction to her statement. Shock, dismay and… fear surrounded him. Was he scared of sweet little Rosemarie? Perhaps it was fear of losing her—that would be understandable.
"Where did you hear that?" Belikov asked.
"I have my sources. You've decided to, right? I mean, it sounds like a good deal, seeing as she's going to give you fringe benefits…."
Adrian chuckled softly at the sarcasm that laced her words. God, this girl was a prize above all others.
"What happens between her and me is none of your business," Belikov replied.
She was hurt by his words, it was obvious, even if he hadn't been able to see the colors of her emotions flaring, it was evident from the look on her face. How could Belikov do that to her? Didn't he realize how lucky he was? Adrian shifted, his frown replaced with a smirk as he watched her anger flash, brighter than before.
"Well, I'm sure you guys'll be happy together. She's just your type, too—I know how much you like women who aren't your own age. I mean, she's what, six years older than you? Seven? And I'm seven years younger than you."
Meow—the claws come out. He had been right. They were involved. Even fighting, their auras were still caressing each other. He didn't care—if Belikov was fool enough to treat her this way, then he didn't deserve her. She needed someone who would treat her like a princess. Who better to do that than the favored nephew of the Queen?
"Yes," Belikov said after several moments of silence. "You are. And every second this conversation goes on, you only prove how young you really are."
SHIT! Adrian's jaw dropped. That was cold. Harsh. The other man's regret was immediate, surrounding him as soon as the last word was uttered, but it was too late. The damage had been done. She was hurt again, this time much stronger than before. His decision was instantaneous. He would comfort her—get her away from the Russian before this got even uglier—Rose looked like she was about to deck the tall man. Stepping around the statue, he sauntered towards them, calling out to her as he approached.
"Little dhampir."
Slowly, she turned towards him, her face still filled with pain from her lover's words. Adrian smiled at her, then gave a brief nod to the asshole at her side. Holding up his hands, he stepped closer to her.
"I don't want to interrupt or anything. Just wanted to talk to you when you have time." Meaning, he thought to himself, come with me, before he hurts you again.
He could feel the taller man's gaze as if it had physical presence. No, Belikov didn't want Adrian Ivashkov anywhere near the lovely Rose—it was evident in his glare. The girl in question flashed a smile that rivaled the brilliance of the sun, then stepped to his side, placing a hand on his arm.
Now Belikov was surrounded by the pulsating green jealousy, tinged slightly with hints of red-orange signifying his anger.
"I've got time now." She nodded at the tall man, steering the handsome Moroi away, walking so closely beside him that their sides brushed.
"See you later, Guardian Belikov."
Adrian glanced back, almost laughing at the other man's dismay. Ha! Little Rose would be extremely pleased to know she'd just wounded her beloved mentor—the use of his title had filled his aura with pain and sorrow in addition to the jealous rage.
"Not into older guys, huh?" He asked her.
"You're imagining things," she said. "Clearly, my stunning beauty has clouded your mind."
He laughed, pleased with her witty comeback. "That's entirely possible." He wondered if she realized her cradle-robbing mentor was trailing them—at a discreet distance, of course. He could feel the other man's aura pacing them, the jealousy pressing against him like a weight.
She started to step back, but he slid an arm around her, pulling her warm, curvy body closer to his side. "No, no, you wanted to play chummy with me—now you've got to see it through."
Let's see, he thought to himself, if we can drive Belikov crazy. He contemplated whispering in her ear, but decided she might take it the wrong way. Time enough for that later, once she knew him a bit better. Slow and steady would win the race.
Rose rolled her eyes at him, relaxing underneath his arm. "What do you want?" She asked.
He studied her for a moment. "I want you to grab Vasilisa and come with me. We're going to have some fun. You'll probably want a swimsuit too." He paused for a moment, considering his words. "Unless you want to go naked."
"What? A bunch of Moroi and dhampirs just got slaughtered, and you want to go swimming and 'have fun'?"
"It's not just swimming," he said patiently. "Besides, that slaughter is exactly why you should go do this."
Her friends round the corner, deep in conversation, though they all stopped talking when they saw the two walking so closely together.
"There you are," said the blonde, a puzzled look on her face.
She stepped away, distancing herself from Adrian, almost as if they had been caught in a compromising position. He smirked at the thought, then chuckled. He wondered if she realized it made them look guilty, especially to the tall man that lingered somewhere behind them.
"Hey, guys," she said, smiling broadly. "Adrian invited us to go swimming."
The red heads face darkened a little, but he said nothing.
After giving them directions, he hurried ahead, wanting to speak to the person hosting the shindig. After calling in a favor, the host agreed to his request and went to speak with the four Guardians that were watching the door. He rejoined Adrian with a nod and a smile.
"I don't know what you're up to Ivashkov, but you owe me."
Adrian smiled. "No cousin. You owed me. Now we're even. Let's get a drink, shall we?"
He was hyper aware of Rose from the moment she entered the room, but he didn't approach her. He lingered near the closed entrance, flirting and talking, waiting for the message he knew would be coming any minute. Just as expected, it came within moments of Rose's arrival.
"Lord Ivashkov?"
He turned to face one of the Guardians, smiling at the man's deferential tone of voice. "Yes?"
"Lord Badica said we were to inform you if Guardian Belikov requested entrance. He has—he wants to monitor his charge, Princess Dragomir."
Adrian smirked. Yeah, right. He wanted to monitor someone, but it wasn't Vasilisa. "No. His request is refused. Inform him that I said there are a sufficient number of Guardians present and to return to his quarters." He turned away from the dhampire, his eyes automatically searching for Rose. He hung back for a while, circulating among the guests, always watching her from the corner of his eye. He kept his alcohol intake in check, because he would be needing his 'gift' later on.
"Tasha Ozera is not trying to kill everyone off. She's trying to get you to stop being a victim."
He heard her voice, amazed that she was taking up for the woman that he knew she considered her competition. It stunned him that she put aside her own personal feelings so easily. Suddenly, she was in the middle of a brawl, alarming him. He started towards her, determined to remove her from the fray. Thank God her little lap dog jumped in before he got there. Almost as soon as the fight broke up, she vanished from sight, sending him into a state of panic. He hurried towards the last place he had seen her, determined not to lose track of her again.
Good God—she'd wandered into the feeder room. He watched from the door way as she eyes the rooms occupants, shivering slightly. For a moment, her face was filled with an intense longing, and so was her aura.
"Want to volunteer?" He trailed his fingers across her neck, smirking when she jumped.
"Don't do that," she said, brushing his hand away.
"Then what are you doing in here?" he asked.
She waved her hand. "I'm lost."
He stared down at her, concerned. "Are you drunk?"
"No. Of course not…but …" She grimaced. "I think I should sit down."
He took her arm, gently guiding her away. "Well, don't do it in here. Someone might get the wrong idea. Let's go somewhere quiet."
He led her into the massage area, settling her down and getting her a glass of water. Hopefully she would notice how thoughtful he was, when compared to the man who had so gravely insulted her just a short while before.
"Drink this. It'll help."
"I told you, I'm not drunk," she mumbled, taking a big drink.
"Uh-huh." He smiled at her. "You did nice work with that fight. Who was the other guy that helped you?"
"My boyfriend," she said. "Sort of."
Another lie. He smirked as he glanced at her aura. The feelings she had for the boy were purely platonic.
"Mia was right. You do have a lot of guys in your life."
"It's not like that."
"Okay." He smiled at her. "Where's Vasilisa? I figured she'd be attached to you."
"She's with her boyfriend."
He could feel her eyes on him. She was watching him, almost studying him.
"What's with the tone? Jealous? You want him for yourself?" He knew that wasn't the case, but couldn't resist teasing her.
"God, no. I just don't like him."
"Does he treat her badly?" he asked.
"No," she admitted. "He adores her. He's just kind of a jerk."
He was enjoying making small talk with this girl. For once, he was actually interested enough to listen and pay attention to her responses. Usually, his female companions bored him to tears. "Ah, you are jealous. Does she spend more time with him than you?"
"Why do you keep asking about her? Are you interested in her?"
He laughed. "Rest easy, I'm not interested in her in the same way I am you."
"But you are interested."
"I just want to talk to her."
Realizing her glass was empty, he got up to get her more. "Feeling better?" he asked.
"Yeah … I didn't think those drinks were that strong."
"That's the beauty of them," he chuckled. "And speaking of beauty … that's a great color on you."
She blushed, and it made her look even more lovely. It was as if she didn't know how to receive a compliment.
"You haven't had a cigarette in, like, ten minutes," she pointed out, obviously trying to change the subject.
As soon as he heard the word cigarette, the craving for one hit him full force. He made a face. "No smoking in here."
"I'm sure you've made up for it in punch." She said, smirking at him.
He smiled. "Well, some of us can hold our liquor. You aren't going to be sick, are you?"
She paused, as if contemplating his question. "No."
"Good."
"Adrian…"
His heart started beating faster. He wanted to hear her say his name again, her voice turned it into something beautiful. He looked over at her, smiling "Yes, darling?"
She blushed again. "Never mind."
He started to retort, then tilted his head toward the door. He could sense a familiar aura approaching—it was full of tension and concern. "Ah, here she comes."
"Who—"
Lissa stepped into the room, eyes scanning around.
"There you are," she said, kneeling down. Glancing at Adrian, she gave him a nod. "Hey."
"Hey yourself, cousin," he returned, using the family terms royals sometimes used around each other.
"You okay?" Lissa asked. "When I saw how drunk you were, I thought you might have fallen in somewhere and drowned."
Rose grimaced, and he almost burst out laughing at her disgruntled expression. "I'm not—" she sighed. "I'm fine."
He studied Lissa's aura intently. Yes, she had the same… gift. He wondered if she had felt its drawbacks. "How'd you find her?"
Lissa gave him a puzzled look. "I, um, checked all the rooms."
"Oh." He looked disappointed. "I thought you might have used your bond."
Both girls stared at him, seeming stunned by his statement.
"How do you know about that?" Rose demanded.
"Hey, I can't reveal all my secrets, can I?" he asked mysteriously. "And besides, there's a certain way you two act around each other … it's hard to explain. It's pretty cool… all the old myths are true."
Lissa regarded him warily. "The bond only works one way. Rose can sense what I'm feeling and thinking, but I can't do it back to her."
"Ah." They sat in silence a few moments before Adrian spoke again. "What'd you specialize in anyway, cousin?"
The blonde looked embarrassed. "I haven't," she said.
"Do they think you're going to? Late bloomer?" That's the line of BS they had given him. Shows how much they knew—absolutely nada.
"No."
"You're probably higher in the other elements, though, right? Just not strong enough to really master any?" He reached out to pat her shoulder in an exaggerated show of comfort.
Lissa's eyes widened. "Yeah, how'd you—"
The instant his fingers touched her, she gasped. He felt it too. It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her. The strangest look crossed her face. She stared at Adrian in wonder. His eyes locked onto hers and his lips twitched up in a small smile. He knew what she was feeling. Whatever power flowed through them recognized the like element they shared and responded, making their bodies thrum with its energy.
"Hey," Rose said. "Stop that. I told you, she has a boyfriend."
"I know," he said, still watching Lissa. A small smile turned his lips. "We need to have a chat someday, cousin."
"Yes," she agreed, her voice sounding shaky.
"Hey." Rose sounded confused. "You have a boyfriend. And there he is."
She blinked back to reality. All three turned toward the doorway where Christian and the others stood, watching them.
Lissa sprang up, looking mildly guilty. Christian was regarding her curiously.
"We're getting ready to leave," he said.
"Okay," she told him. She looked down at Rose. "Ready?"
Rose nodded, slowly climbing to her feet. Determined to prove what a gentleman he was, Adrian caught her arm, helping her up as he smiled at Lissa. "Nice talking to you." Leaning towards Rose, he murmured very quietly, "Don't worry. I told you, I'm not interested in her in that way. She doesn't look as good in a bathing suit. Probably not as good out of one either."
She jerked her arm away, glaring. "Well, you'll never find out."
"It's okay," he said. "I have a good imagination."
He lost all interest in the party the minute she left. He followed them to the door, leaning against it as he watched them make their way down the hall. Once they disappeared from sight a tall figure emerged from the shadows, trailing silently behind them. He chuckled, knowing who it was. Apparently the cradle-robber was also a stalker. Nodding to the Guardians at the door, he slowly made his way outside for a much needed smoke. Seeing Belikov made him glad he had taken it easy on the alcohol. Tonight he was going to dream walk, only it wasn't the lovely Rosemarie who's dreams he would be visiting.