The first day in the Belikov household went great. Today, Dimitri wanted to take me to see the town, I was exited. As we ate breakfast the family chatted politely at the table. "So, where are you two going to today?" Asked his mother.
"Nowhere specific." Answered Dimitri. "We're just going to stroll around. Eat lunch out somewhere. We will be back before dinner."
"Oh, that reminds me. I invited some friends of mine over. They are a lovely couple. We planned it a week or so ago. You wouldn't mind, would you?"
"Of course not." Dimitri and I both answered.
"Great, I'll see you too later in the evening then. Have fun and be safe." We quickly made our way to Dimitri's room to chance. I slipped on a red sundress with some white sandals, while Dimitri worse dark blue jeans and a white T-shirt along with black sneakers. Everything was close by to the house so we decided to walk instead of drive. Walking around I could see how…free, Dimitri was. He let his guard down when we were alone, but now that he was with his family, well, it was like I was continuously pealing back layers of him. Each layer revealed a more care free version of himself. We walked along many different streets, cute and unique shops all around us. "This place is so…" I searched to find the right word but fell short. "Not what I pictured. I can see why you miss it."
"Do you see what I mean now when I kept correcting you whenever you called it an arctic waste land."
"Yeah, it's really beautiful. Not that cold either." I smirked up at him. It felt great to be able to walk around as a couple so openly. People would smile, not stare. It was a beautiful community filled with very kind people. At around lunch time we stopped by a little Russian diner. I had no idea what anything was on the menu so I told Dimitri to order for me. Our waiter was a boy around my age. He had black hair and light brown eyes. He was kind of cute, but had nothing on Dimitri. When he got to our table he winked at me and began speaking in Russian. His attention was directed at me but Dimitri answered seeing as I didn't speak a word of Russian. Although I could tell that his voice had gone slightly colder when he spoke to him. I could hear Dimitri saw the word 'English'. He was most likely telling him I only understood English. Soon after the waiter scribbled something down on his paper. He looked up and again only at me.
"I'll be right back." He said in English. I looked over at my boyfriend. I could tell that he wasn't pleased with how much attention the waiter was giving me.
"So, Comrade, what did you order me?' I asked.
"I ordered you beef stroganoff."
"No idea what that is but I hope I like it."
"It's a pasta dish. I'm sure you will."
"Any plans after lunch?"
"No, I was thinking we could head home early and spend time everyone. Does that sound good to you?"
"Yeah." The waiter soon returned with our food. Dimitri ordered some sort of fish dish and I got my beef stroganoff.
"Would the pretty lady like anything else?" He asked me smirking. I could tell this comment further annoyed Dimitri, he was glaring daggers at the guy. I decided to put a stop to it.
"Nope, but my boyfriend might." I pointed to Dimitri. The waiter seemed to be put down by my comment and slowly turned to look at Dimitri.
"All good here." The boy quickly fled our table after that. I smirked at Dimitri.
"All good now Comrade?"
"Yes, much better." I just rolled my eyes and dug into my food. My dish was very delicious, I told Dimitri just that.
"I can make it for you some time."
"I love the sound of that." After our very delicious lunch we made our way back to the house. The walk back took about a half hour, but it was peaceful.
"We're back!" Called out Dimitri when we entered inside. Paul rushed to meet us as soon as he heard our voices. "Uncle Dimitri! Aunt Roza! Can you come play with me?" Paul calling me his aunt hadn't gone unnoticed by myself or Dimitri. My boyfriend looked over at me and smiled warmly, a sparkle in his eye.
"Sure thing Paul." I slipped off my sandals and sat in the middle of the living area along with Dimitri and Paul. "What do you want to play?"
"Race cars!" He shouted with excitement. We lined up our toy cars and pushed them to see how far they could go. Obviously, Dimitri and I went easy and would let Paul win. I always ended up being last. "Aunty Roza, you suck at this game!" I mock gasped and held my hand to my heart.
"Oh, how you hurt me Paul!" He laughed. "Well guess what?" He looked up into my eyes. His curiosity written clearly on his face. "You're going to have to pay for that!" I quickly grabbed him and started tickling him. He yelped and laughed and begged me to stop.
"Aunty Roza, I'm sorry! You don't suck! I take it back!" I stopped tickling him.
"Good, now don't forget that next time you want to tell me I suck." I looked over at Dimitri to find him watching us with a smile of his face, but I could also see a sadness in his eyes. I knew I was going to have to talk to him tonight, reassure him that I didn't need to have kids with him. Hopefully we would say the same to me. "I'm going to get a drink of water. I'll be right back." I walked into the kitchen to find Olena already busy making dinner for tonight.
"Ah Rose, just who I wanted to speak to." She turned to look at me, after a few moments she stepped forward and hugged me. When she pulled back she had a warm smile on her face. "I wanted to thank you." I tilted my head in confusion.
"For what?"
"For making my boy so happy. The last time I saw his like this he was very, very young. I can see that you bring out the best in him, and you make him very happy."
"Yes well, he makes me happy too, and if I'm going to be honest, He's changed me for the better. Before I knew him, I was much more wild and reckless. I think his little Zen life lessons are rubbing off on me, although I would never tell him that!" We both laugh.
"I want you to know Roza that you can come here or call us anytime you like. We are your family." My heart swelled. I hugged her tightly and spoke my next words quietly.
"Thank you, that means more to me then you know." I quickly grabbed what I originally came into the kitchen for and walked back out into the living room. Dimitri was no longer there. "Paul, where did your uncle go?"
"We went to the backyard." I walked to the back of the house. Walking out I took a deep breath of fresh air. Dimitri was sitting on the swinging bench. I walked over and sat close by his side. I already knew what he was thinking about just by the slight frown on his face."
"I'm sorry." He looked at me in confusion.
"For what."
"For not being able to give you kids." He shook his head and pulled me closer.
"Don't, all I need is you. I was just thinking about how I can't give you kids."
"Dimitri." It was in rare, serious situations that I called him by his actual name. "I don't need kids. The only way I would have them is if I could with you. But we can't, and I'm okay with that because you're all I need." He looked at me lovingly and kissed me passionately. We broke apart after a few moments, both in need for air. We sat in a comfortable silence. I looked up at the beautiful blue sky, white fluffy clouds danced across it.
"I heard what my mother said to you in the kitchen." I looked away from the sky to Dimitri. "What she said is true. You make me feel like the happiest, most loved man in the world." I grabbed his hand and snuggled closer to his body. His warmth and the smell of his fantastic aftershave overwhelming me.
"It makes me happy to hear that I make you happy. Because so do you Comrade."
I found out later that evening that we had fallen asleep on the bench, and Vika took multiple pictures of us with my phone. When I found them I laughed, I showed them to Dimitri. We looked like a real couple. "You should print those out. We must keep them in our room or somewhere hidden, but we will still have them."
"Good idea." Soon the doorbell rang through the house to signal the arrival of Olena's friends. A young man and woman walked into the house. Most likely in their early thirty's. Olena introduced Dimitri and I to them. "Rose, Dimitri. These are some friend's Oksana and Mark. Oksana, Mark, this is my son Dimitri and his lovely lady Rose." We all shook hands. "You two are right on time, I just finished cooking dinner." We all sat down and began eating and chatting happily. Halfway through dinner though I could tell something was off about Oksana and Mark. As I watched their interactions I finally knew what it was. He would pass butter to her without her ever speaking. He could be talking to someone else when he would suddenly grab something from across the table and pass it to her. I gasped and everyone stopped and looked at me. I looked between Oksana and Mark.
"You're bonded." Their faces showed shock.
"Yes, how did you know that? Only few people know, and we've had to explain it to them." Said Oksana. Before I could answer Mark spoke up.
"You're bonded to someone too, aren't you?" I nodded my head.
"I'm bonded to my best friend. Vasalisa Dragomir."
"How long have you been shadow kissed for?"
"Just over two years." Vika spoke up then.
"Rose, doesn't that mean you've died before?" She asked.
"Yes."
"How? If you don't mind me asking." I shook my head. Dimitri's hand slid to mine and held tightly.
"I was fifteen. Vasalisa, or Lissa as I call her, and I were in a car along with the rest of her family. We were driving along when a drunk drive who was driving on the wrong side of the road drove in to us. Her family died, as did I. Though because I was next to her in the car she brought me back though spirit."
"Oh my poor child." Spoke Olena. "I'm so sorry to hear you've had to go through something like that." I shrugged my shoulders.
"What side effects have you experienced?" Asked Mark. I thought about everything that came with being shadow kissed.
"Along with slipping into Lissa's head and feeling her emotions and all I can also sense strigoi, when I do it feeling like I'm suddenly going to get sick. I also have experienced the ghosts and when darkness gets too much I tend to get…angry." Mark shook him head.
"I was hoping the ghosts wouldn't affect you. They are dangerous. So is the darkness. You need to keep your mental walls up at all times because if not the ghosts can kill you."
"They can?" I felt Dimitri's hand squeeze mine tightly.
"Yes, the terrible headache that comes with them, is them trying to take you back. You and I, we're not natural. We have faced death and had magic bring us back. Ghosts just want us to stay dead." I nodded my head. This dinner took a real turn of events. "I'll get Olena to give you our number and address. We should talk again before you leave."
"Yes, I agree." After our oddly deep dinner conversation the couple soon left. Dimitri and I retreated upstairs to his bedroom.
"I don't like that ghost thing Roza." Was the first thing out of Dimitri's mouth.
"Neither do I. But there is nothing we can do right now. I've also been fine since that episode on the plane to court. So, lets just go to bed and not focus on anything bad." He stayed silent as he crawled into bed. I got in after him, he was quick to pull my body tight against his and kiss me.
"I love you Roza. If you ever feel any symptoms of darkness or the ghosts coming, tell me. Promise me you will."
"I promise, and I love you too. Now get some sleep and stop worrying." Finally, I felt his breathing even out and I too let myself relax.
How did you like this chapter? Please review to let me know if there is anything you want to see later and your thoughts on this chapter.