Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy or anything surrounding it (but I do own this plot :D)
DPOV
My grandmother once took me to the woods during a snowy winter in Siberia. The sun was still in the sky, but it was clouded over by a pure white sheet; hidden away by innocence. For the time being, it was not snowing so heavily. Small flakes would gently descend, but for the most part it was clear and calm and cold. I never knew why I always remembered this particular memory out of all the ones of my childhood, yet strangely I did. And with such immense clarity. Babushka had taken me out for hike; my mama and sisters were out shopping and my eight-year-old self would have rather stuck his head in a boiling bath than go with them. I remember being so cold as we ploughed through the white countryside, almost as if I had a small ice-age growing inside as if me. Noticing this, she looked down through her dishevel strands of white hair and smiled; the wrinkles lined her narrow lips and framed her with a perfect picture of maturity over age. She bent down, brushing aside some of the snow, she placed a small piece of paper down and dug two stones out her pocket. I watched quizzically as she brought them to the ground, rubbing them together.
"If you bring together two things that are truly made for each other, they will break through all limitations and shine like the stars in the night." She told me as the two small stones sparked and ignited the small scrap of paper. "Look: they will melt the ice."
I always thought my grandmother was crazy, but that was before I jumped head first into a burning building.
I crashed in a heap on the floor and immediately started coughing at the lack of oxygen, which was somewhat ironic as the hole I had made in jumping through the window had allowed for fresh air to flood through but this favoured fuelling the fire rather than supplying my lungs. I wiped the thin layer of smoke that had gathered on my eyelids and waited for my vision to adjust to the new conditions. Realising that it was not going to happen, I grunted and pressed on, heaving my body to a shaky stand.
"Rose!" I called out before finding myself choking on the thick smoke. Instinctively, I clamped my hands over my mouth and began surveying my surroundings: everything was on fire. I shouldn't have been so surprised given the amount of smoke that I had seen upon coming here, but nothing could have prepared me for this. The neat array of tables had been turned to individual bonfires, slowly burning away in defined circles; however the flames had grown and formed walls of blistering heat, blocking every available exit. The entrance appeared to be the at the worst – the epicentre where the rest of the all-consuming blaze appear to expand from; like a star in supernova, losing its outer shell that went on pulsing through all of creation. Never stopping. Never ceasing.
The only things that weren't on fire were the items that had already been turned into ash. I continued to cough into my hand, but my eye remained restless in the search. Where was she!? The panic ran deep within my soul. The old Dimitri that stood bold, proud and calculated every more with only regard to his own self-preservation was long gone – burnt down to nothing like the bar of the Shadow Kiss Inn. Clearly, the fire had taken a special interest in the flammable beverages as there remained a gaping hole that had granted the flames permission to enter Stan's deserted office, and then the kitchen.
Bile rose in my body as desperation and despair settled. What if she was dead? Given the circumstances, it was highly probable, but I refused to accept even the thought of it. She had to be alive. She was not dead.
I pushed the singed wooden tables out of the way and began lumbering through the Inn. As I approached I could see that one side, where the bar was, was completely destroyed all the clearer as the smoke's impediment was lessened.
Yet, I remained adamant in my refusal – my Roza was not among that ash. I turned to the kitchen but as I walked through the doorframe, an even hotter inferno roared before me. I backed away and darted my head around to see where she would have gone. Backing back into the burning restaurant, I tossed and flipped so many objects and tables around in desperate search for her. My hands were burnt to the point of numbness but I did not care. Where are you!?
The piano.
I snapped my head around to the storage room, my hand resuming its covering of my lips. There was an ample hole where the door used to be, blasted into splintered shards of wood most likely from the initial reaction of the fire and the bar. I forced my under-oxygenated limbs towards the place where the door had been. A cordon of fire lay in my way, but I was not about to give up. Removing my duster, which had been protecting most of my body from the blaze, I used it as a fire shield, pushing my way through the body of gas and smoke.
I stumbled through the other side and into the room, coughing and wheezing. Unsurprisingly, I had not escaped injury and I winced and grimaced at the new wounds. The smoke was thicker in here due to the room's smaller size and lack of ventilation, making the ability to see all the more challenging.
But I could see enough.
"Rose!" I tried to shout but it came out as a squeak as I saw the object of my desire lying limp in the back corner. All of a sudden, my pain didn't seem so bad as I ran through that smog, stumbling over broken pieces of table, a chair and the piano. Her small frame lay limp before me, her hand extended out and her phone centimetres away from her fingertips. I wasted not a moment, scooping her into my arms and wrapping my duster around her protectively. I held her close to my chest, never wanting to let go, as I turned and made my exit. I sprinted through that room, dodging out of the way of a falling beam. Instinctively, I curled myself around her in a defensive ball to shield her from the impact before pushing us to my feet and running out the doorframe. Having negotiated the storage room, I had to regain my bearings for the main sector of the bar. I could hear the dim wail of sirens and the concerned screams of passing citizens. I tried to call out but my voice was horse and dry. Swallowing hard, I pushed forward. Darting through the broken tables and putting my body between the flames and my precious flower.
Moonlight.
I suddenly caught its dim glow draping through the burning blaze and felt my heart-rate quicken. We were going to make it. Seizing this newfound motivation, I wasted no time in running towards it. The blockades of fire had me retreating back in circles like a wolf locked in a cage. I jolted in every direction, trying to break through, but the flames had encircled me – caged me like that poor wolf. I desperately looked for an opening but could not see one. Please, please, please! I begged as a wave of unconsciousness hit me. I swayed uncontrollably, but managed to remain upright. The effects of the carbon dioxide could no longer be ignored. I had to get out. I could feel the fatigue building behind my eyes and I struggled to keep them open. My body flayed again and I staggered, clutching Rose tighter, never letting go. The feeling of unconsciousness returned, stronger now, but I forced my eyes to remain open and pushed myself towards the blaze only to be pulled back by my internal inhibitor and sense of reason.
I collapsed, falling down onto one knee, as my upper torso folded over Rose as weakly as a rag doll. The smoke had reduced me to nothing more than a stupid rag doll! I groaned and grunted, mentally cursing at myself whilst forcing my head up to look beyond the wall stopping my advancement and towards the outside world. The fire-brigade were battling with hoses but to little effect – the blaze burnt too fiercely for even them. For that reason, they could not enter; not even with their suits. I gasped for air only to find none. So close, I thought pitifully, please, forgive me, Roza. I rasped again and looked down at her. She was still so beautiful to me; even scorched and covered in soot, she was the most beautiful creature that I ever had the privilege of knowing. I brushed back her long, tangled hair from her forehead and bent down, allowing my dry lips to brush against her skin one last time. Another wave hit me, bringing my trembling limbs closer to the ground. I looked up towards the sounds of the wailing sirens through tired, weak eyes when I saw it:
An opening.
The wall of fire had parted ever so slightly, allowing a small gap and a small gap was all I needed. I widened my eyes, forcefully pushed my body up, grunting and rasping as I did. As soon as I felt that I had both feet firmly stable, I made my escape; putting every last ounce of energy into running through that gap and out. With Rose latched firmly to my chest, I sprinted. Clumsy as it was, I pushed through the flames and did not stop when I saw the glass, smashing through the window and out of the building. The torrent of new air exploded within the building, pushing me further forward while the shards sprinkled shattered glass around me, scraping my skin as they did. I landed on the hard tarmac on my back with Rose on top of me. I felt people surround me and I heard the cries of familiar voices, but everything became a blur. The fresh, clean air was a welcomed relief but did nothing to alleviate the fatigue and pain caused by the smothering smoke. The final wave of unconsciousness hit me, sending my eyes rolling to the back of my skull and turning the whole world black.
RPOV
Beep.
...
Beep.
...
Beep.
I could feel my body slowly waking up, but my eyes refused to acknowledge this new development. I was uncomfortable and aching all over, with the stench of sterile disinfectants and crap air fresheners filling my nose.
If this was heaven, I wanted to issue a complaint.
I groaned and forced my eyes open to a blinding whiteness and blurred, muffled figures of people I seemed to know.
"Am I dead?" I asked them.
One in particular scoffed their response. "If only."
"Christian!" The blonde-haired beauty whom I knew as my best friend reprimanded her husband-to-be.
Decidedly, I was still alive.
"Nice to see you, Sparky." I muttered, my voice a little croaky but not too strenuous. With the amount of times I had been rendered unconscious, I wouldn't have been surprised if I had managed to develop immunity to the 'out of action' throat effect; a few more sarcastic remarks and I would be fine. I began pushing myself to a sitting position with the immediate help of Lissa whilst the 'Sparky' in question grinned. Once I was suitably seated, I made a quick sweep of the room. Along with Lissa and Christian, the small hospital ward was made more cramped by the presence of Adrian, Sydney who stood at the foot of my bed, Mia, Eddie, Mason who had managed to squeeze all onto a complementary plastic chair and finally, Abe who stood behind my mom beside Lissa and Christian. Clearly they had managed to bypass the 'family only' regulation and all wore looks that ranged from concerned amusement. I gave them all a small smile before fully registering exactly what I was wearing. "Seriously?" I said, glowering and holding up the tatty hospital gown.
They all laughed. "Glad to see you're as good as new." Adrian commented among the laughter.
"Ah, you know me: nothing can bring me down." I winked which was rewarded with more laughter. I shifted again but ended up wincing as I accidentally brushed one of the many bandaged burns on my arm. Looking back at the crowd, I asked: "What happened? Did the fire brigade get me out?"
"Not quite." Adrian replied with his usual devil-may-care smile, but there was a certain deviousness glinting in the depths of his emerald irises.
As whenever Adrian opened his mouth, I scowled. "Care to elaborate?" I asked, attempting (unsuccessfully) to raise an eyebrow.
"Well, we did call the fire department, but they didn't get you out." He said, shrugging nonchalantly as if to say that that was a full and decent enough explanation.
Realising I wasn't going to achieve anything useful by engaging in conversation with Adrian, I resorted to sarcasm. "So they just left me there?"
This had the desired effect and caused Adrian to scowl at my antics. "No." He stated flatly and I smirked. "What I am saying, Little D, is that someone else got you out." He said with great emphasises, heavily hinting something.
My curiosity peaked, but having just awoken from a near-suffocation, I merely stared quizzically at the small gathering in front of me. "Who?" I asked and the look they all shared made me really feel like the oblivious friend who didn't get the sex joke. I did another quick sweep of the room to see if any of the people I called my friends and family showed any sign of jumping into a burning building, but I found none. When I caught my father's gaze I suddenly had visions of hired ninjas or the entire US military department swooping in to save me from a burning pub. A small panic began to build in my stomach and I assumed it showed on my face as there were sniggers from the group.
"Well, let's see..." Christian pondered, tapping his chin. "After your mother had screamed her way into a police car..." said mother blushed and I made a mental note to give her a hug as soon as I was physically able, "… this person dove into the burning Inn without a moment's thought."
"Completely ignoring the professional's commands and calls," Abe interjected and Christian nodded in agreement.
"He then was not seen for the best part of twenty minutes and we all thought that he had been cremated too," Adrian added.
"Which left his best friend trying to limp towards the Inn, but Adrian here had to restrain and remind him that he was still suffering from a gun-shot." Lissa said looking me in the eye.
"Not a moment later…" Eddie began dramatically.
"…did he come flying out the window and crashing onto the pavement…"Mason continued in the same way.
"...with you wrapped in his coat for protection." My mother finished with a soft smile.
There could be no other...
"Dimitri..." I whispered, completely awe-stricken.
"Ding, ding: you win the big money prize!" Mason cheered but I was still too astounded to articulate a response. Dimitri had saved me, from a burning building no less. My heart ached more than everywhere else in my body as it longed for him, reaching out but being pulled back in a brutal battle of morality. But in that moment I didn't care; I'd be angry with him later, for now I just wanted to see him, hold him close and never let go.
"Where is he?" I asked, still a little dopey.
"Well, after he was out the building, he passed out and the doctors took him in to the other ward. I am not sure how he is." Adrian said timidly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Oh," was all I managed. I didn't give myself the opportunity to think the worst before I decided a distraction was in order. "How bad is the Inn?" I asked to a group of pitying looks.
"Not good, Little D." Adrian answered and everyone laughed.
"They said that the damage was so extreme that nothing was salvageable." Eddie informed proudly, "but the government will pay for everything apparently."
"Mr. Castile, if I may," Abe interrupted and proceeded to correct, "the State will grant financial aid of up to 75% in repairs. But since the Inn is in so much debt, I made a little...agreement with Tatiana." He winked and I rolled my eyes.
"Of course you did." I remarked and he grinned as my mom shot a disapproving look his way. I smirked at their antics before a darker thought dawned on me. "What about Tasha?" That certainly dampened the mood. Everyone's face dropped as Christian's grip on Lissa's hand tightened.
My mom composed herself enough to provide a response to my question. "After I was escorted into the police car," she said, clearing her throat, "I told the officers everything you told me. They found Tasha a couple of blocks away reeking of alcohol and smoke and shouting that she had set the Inn on fire. They've taken her in and an investigation is underway."
I nodded, not really knowing what to say after that. Christian's head dipped slightly and I turned to him. "Hey, Chris, I am really sorry-"
"Don't be." He cut me off. "It wasn't your fault. I just can't believe she would do this…" he trailed off as the doctor came into the ward. She looked a bit surprised at the tightly packed room and I just shrugged. She smiled, but asked all non family members to leave. Eddie, Mason and Mia left with Adrian and Sydney in tow. Christian was halfway out the door before he realised Lissa hadn't moved. The doctor tried again but Lissa still refused and Christian admitted defeat, sinking down into the plastic chair that had once occupied three people.
"So, what's the verdict, doc?" I asked as casually as I could, but even I could hear the nervousness in my voice.
Doctor Olendzki smiled a little, "You are remarkably well for someone who was just in a burning building. You have some impressive burns which we want to keep a close eye on, but other than a few bruised ribs and a broken ankle, you are doing very well." She said checking my vitals against the monitor.
I felt a wave of relief before remembering. "Didn't I go through a glass window? Surely I should be a little more injured." I said sceptically glancing at the young doctor.
"Ah, yes, well, your friend," she began nervously,"he, um...he took most of the impact." She finished with a sorrowful glance.
I swallowed back whatever involuntary noise was about to escape through my lips and nodded stiffly. "Thanks, Dr. O." I said and she smiled again, leaving the room.
I remained still. Sitting up, propped against the mountain of pillows to ensure my comfort, I sat in silence. So much for not thinking the worst. Literally, every possible scenario was running through my head. I didn't know what I would do if I discovered Dimitri had died getting me out of that Inn. There is no question, I would go insane; never being able to forgive myself and never getting over the fact the last thing I would have said to him was essentially: 'fuck off; I never want to see you again.'
I could feel myself losing the battle against the tears when Christian piped up with a comment. "You know, to think that you were so adamant on hating him…" I snorted very unattractively which increased his grin and thus my glare. He then decided, poorly, to continue. "What was it? 'I can't work out who is worse: you or the cocky bastard that I am now condemned to serve for the next three months where his mood will not improve and he will probably be making cheap shots at me all the time while he tries to sort out his unbelievably fortunate life' perhaps?" He grinned very self-satisfied.
"It concerns me that you remember that…" I grumbled, but I was glad of the distraction.
He shrugged. "Gotta have evidence to use against you." He stated and I rolled my eyes, smiling a little.
"Well," I sighed, looking around the room at the remaining faces, "Looks like I am going to be locked in here for a while, but I would like some fresh air and maybe a particular hot beverage..." I said, wriggling my eyebrows towards Lissa who laughed heartily.
"Of course," she said through her giggles, "and exactly how long are you going to be milking this?" she asked and I grinned deviously. And so we left. I had to suffer the humiliation of a wheelchair as I was 'not fit to be walking around'. Bullshit if you ask me, but Lissa wasn't having any of it. They had insisted that I be transported in a wheelchair until my arms could take the pressure of crutches. I had insisted that I be removed from the hideous hospital gown which only amused them more. Abe said he had some final details to straighten out with Tatiana and mom had to get back to her office so I bid them adieu. After saying farewell to Christian, Lissa elected to push me around the hospital, vaguely drifting towards the cafe. We talked in as light a tone as we could manage, mainly about her pregnancy. With everything going on, she hadn't had time to show me the scans, but that was quickly rectified with some serious gushing. We did very well to avoid some of the big topics (*cough* Dimitri *cough*). Eventually, though, our conversation turned to talk of the Inn. I'd always thought I'd be relieved to hear the day when the Shadow Kiss Inn was burnt to a crisp; however, now that it had actually happened, I was in an odd state of mourning. It had been the place where I got my first job, met some of my best friends, met my father and fallen madly in love. As far as places go, it was pretty significant to me. To all of us really, which is why we were so desperate to save it.
Which reminded me.
"So, is the concert still happening?" I asked over my shoulder, as seriously as I could.
Lissa burst out laughing, so much that she had to stop pushing me and take a breather. "Well, given that we don't have a location or a pianist, I think not." She mused, not realising what she had said. When she did, her face turned apologetic, but I merely smiled.
"It's fine," I assured, "I do feel bad though – all that practice."
She shrugged. "It wasn't that much practice and who knows, maybe we can save our songs for the next time we find ourselves in a financial pickle." She said.
"I'm not sure about you, but I don't intend on being in another 'financial pickle' for a very long time." I remarked flatly to her further amusement.
She laughed lightly as the hospital cafe came into sight. It was literally a coffee shop engraved into the wall with a roped barrier surrounding metallic furniture, but I was excited to see it nonetheless. Lissa parked me next to an empty metal table near the edge of the marked seating. "Hot chocolate?" she asked and I beamed.
"With whipped cream and marshmallows." I said pointedly and she laughed.
"We are in a hospital, not a five star hotel." She said before joining the queue. I smirked and watched her for a moment before my eyes swept the room around me. A moment later, I felt myself moving. Stupid wheelchair, I thought begrudgingly. Looking down towards the wheels, I checked the breaks to see if they were off. When I caught sight of a pair of legs my head shot up to see who was pushing me. It was certainly not Lissa.
I was being kidnapped...