After waiting for what felt like hours, he reached his breaking point. He could not go one more minute without a cigarette. He made his way through the empty building, promising himself he'd be quick. Just a few puffs to hold him over. Surely Alberta would retire to her room soon, the woman had to sleep sometime, didn't she? Hell, maybe he should have staked out her office instead.
Stepping around to the side of the building—away from the large no smoking side beside the entrance—he was just about to light up when something caught his attention. Familiar voices were speaking softly nearby. All thoughts about his nicotine craving evaporated as he pulled on spirit, sending into his aura, then gathered it around him, muting his presence. He crept through the trees that lined the pathway, ignoring the half melted puddles of ice and snow. They were walking slowly in the middle of the path, Rose's voice pulled him forward, almost against his will.
"Thanks for thinking of the half-time thing," she said.
Belikov came to an abrupt stop, pivoting his body so he blocked the path. Rose stopped abruptly, nearly running into him, struggling to maintain her balance. His hand shot out, clutching her arm and jerking her against his chest. Adrian stared at them wide eyed. What the fuck was that crazy Russian doing? Someone could walk by at any moment!
"Rose," he said, his voice sounding tortured, "this shouldn't have been the first time I heard about this! Why didn't you tell me? Do you know what it was like? Do you know what it was like for me to see you like that and not know what was happening? Do you know how scared I was?"
In the shadows, Adrian rolled his eyes. Everyone was scared. Everyone was worried. Belikov just didn't give anyone else a chance to be near her. Asshole.
Rose's mouth dropped open as she stared at him in shock. "You're not scared of anything."
"I'm scared of lots of things. I was scared for you." He let go of her arm and she immediately took a step back. "I'm not perfect. I'm not invulnerable."
"I know, it's just…" She trailed off, looking… confused.
"And this has been going on for a long time too," Dimitri added. "It was going on with Stan, when you were talking to Father Andrew about ghosts—you were dealing with it this whole time! Why didn't you tell anyone? Why didn't you tell Lissa … or … me?"
She stared at him, a worried expression on her face. "Would you have believed me?"
He frowned. "Believed what?"
"That I'm seeing ghosts."
"Well… they aren't ghosts, Rose. You only think they are because—"
"That's why!" She cut him off mid-sentence. "That's why I couldn't tell you or anybody. Nobody would believe me, not without thinking I'm crazy."
She wasn't crazy—he could attest to that. He knew crazy up close and personal. She was as sane as they come, despite all the shit she'd dealt with lately. Maybe he should tell her that. Later.
"I don't think you're crazy," Belikov said. "But I think you've been through a lot."
"It's more than that." She started walking again, appearing almost anxious to get away from her beloved mentor.
Without even taking a step, he reached out and grabbed her again, pulling her back towards him, almost embracing her. "Tell me then," he said. "Tell me how it's more than that."
"You won't believe me. Don't you get it? No one will. Even you … of all people." She sounded as if she were about to cry.
Adrian shifted, leaning against a tree, something ticking his brain. Something he'd heard recently, that this conversation reminded him of. But what was it? He rubbed the filter of a cigarette against his lips, not lighting it, merely enjoying the sweet tingle of the cloves against his skin. Who had said it? It was about death… dead things…
"Well, at first I thought I was imagining it all. But now… I don't know. There's something about it that feels real… even though I know that isn't actually evidence. But you heard what Father Andrew said—about ghosts sticking around after they die young or violently."
Dimitri bit his lip. "So you think Mason's back for revenge?"
"I thought that at first, but now I'm not so sure. He's never tried to hurt me. He just seems like he wants something. And then … all those other ghosts seemed to want something too—even the ones I didn't know. Why?"
Victor fucking Dashkov. What was it he'd said? 'Those who visit the world of the dead can probably never fully shake their connection to it—I'm sure the more you deal death out, the closer you'll become to it.' Again the words echoed, sounding almost like the tolling of a bell in his head. The more you deal death… The more you deal death. Shit. It was because of Spokane. He stared at Rose, wanting to step forward and shout out that he knew—he understood—but he couldn't. She'd never forgive him for eavesdropping.
Dimitri was watching her. "You have a theory."
"I do. I was thinking about what Victor said. He mentioned that because I'm shadow-kissed—because I died— I have a connection to the world of the dead. That I'll never entirely leave it behind me."
Good girl, Rosebud. Great minds think alike, and all that rot. Now how do we stop it? An exorcism?
Belikov's expression hardened. "I wouldn't put a lot of stock in what Victor Dashkov tells you."
"But he knows things! You know he does, no matter how big an asshole he is."
"Okay, supposing that's true, that being shadow-kissed lets you see ghosts, why is it happening now? Why didn't it happen right after the car accident?"
"I thought of that," she offered, sounding excited. "It was something else Victor said—that now that I was dealing in death, I was that much closer to the other side. What if causing someone else's death strengthened my connection and now makes this possible? I just had my first real kill. Kills, even."
"Why is it so haphazard?" asked Dimitri. "Why does it occur when it does? Why the airplane? Why not at Court?"
Her excitement faltered. "What are you, a lawyer? You question everything I'm saying. I thought you were going to have an open mind."
"I am. But you need to too. Think about it. Why this pattern of sightings?"
"I don't know," she sighed slumping her shoulders and staring at the ground. "You still think I'm crazy."
He reached out, cupping her chin, tipping her face up to look at his. "No. Never. Not one of these theories makes me think you're crazy. But I've always believed the simplest explanation makes sense. Dr. Olendzki's does. The ghost one has holes. But, if you can find out more…then we may have something to work with."
Adrian bit his tongue in frustration. Did the man always have to insert himself into every nuance or Rose's life? Jesus—would he ever catch a break? He believed every word she said, damn it!
"We?" Rose asked.
"Of course. I'm not leaving you alone on this, no matter what. You know I'd never abandon you."
"And I won't ever abandon you, you know. I mean it… not that this stuff ever happens to you, of course, but if you start seeing ghosts or anything, I'll help you through it."
He gave a small, soft laugh. "Thanks."
Their hands met, fingers lacing together, right there out in the open. They stood staring into each others eyes, the world around them forgotten the instant they toughed. What the hell? Adrian turned around, storming back towards the Guardians dorms. They acted as if someone had cast a damn love spell on them or something—this was more than just residual effects from one passionate night and a lust charm. There had to be some way to make her realize—to make her see that Belikov wasn't the guy for her. He was so lost in his black thoughts that he plowed into Alberta as she made her way to her room.
"Lord Ivashkov? Are you lost?"
"No, I was… Originally I was planning on asking how Rose was doing…"
Alberta looked amused. "Do I hear a 'but' coming?"
"She's telling the truth you know—about the ghosts."
"I'm sure she thinks she is, but—"
"Petrov, I see auras, remember? It's the truth. Why is that so hard to buy?"
She raised a pale eyebrow. "Because ghosts don't exist."
He laughed. "You've got someone on campus that can heal—not to mention she can raise the dead. I myself can enter peoples dream and see auras. And you have trouble believing in ghosts?"
He turned to leave, then thought better of it, looking over his shoulder with a smirk. "Do you know where Rose is right now?"
"Guardian Belikov was escorting her to her dorm."
Adrian leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "And you thought that was a good decision, after their display up at the airstrip earlier? Not to mention his rather... possessive behavior on the plane?"
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Guardian Belikov is trustworthy, Ivashkov. He won't slip up. I know him. He'll wait until—"
He cut her off. "You're right, of course. Embracing her, then holding hands with her in the middle of the walkway right outside the dorms where anyone could glance out the window and see isn't a slip up. It's a complete and utter fuck up."
"That could simply be a mentor comforting a student who's had a trying experience. Everyone saw what Rose went though today." She argued.
"Ahhh, but you forget, I can see what he dreams about. It's not all hearts, flowers and sweet, young 'G" rated romance, no matter what you might think. When Belikov dreams about Rose, it's definitely for mature audiences only."
Alberta's mouth dropped open. "You've been spying on his dreams? You have no right to invade his privacy like that!"
He winked at her, trying not to laugh at her indignant expression. Smiling suggestively, he ran his tongue across his full bottom lip before speaking. "Night, Guardian Alberta. Sweet dreams."
He was almost out the door when her voice floated down the hallway after him. "If you set one foot in my dreams Adrian Ivashkov, you won't make it out alive!"
He laughed to himself as he walked out into the night.