Chapter 8: A Long Day Part Two
"Your father is Abe Mazur! Zmey!" Adrian asked "Well, I guess that explains a few things".
Even Dimitri chuckled at that. "Hey" I said in response to Dimitri's laugh.
"You've heard of him?" I asked Adrian.
"Yes, most people in Europe and Russia have. He's got his hands in a lot of deals, both legal and illegal. And he deals with everyone, human, Moroi and Dhampir. Wow, Jesse and Tasha won't know what hit them. So he is coming in tomorrow?"
"Yep, with my mom too, so that will be interesting, but she has been making an effort since Spokane".
"Adrian and I were talking while you two were in Dimitri's room and we thought it would be a good idea if Adrian did the anti-compulsion on Dimitri and I" Celeste said.
"That's probably a good idea" Dimitri stated.
After Adrian had compelled Dimitri and Celeste to not be able to be compelled, he stood up and got ready to leave. I stood up and gave Adrian a hug and said "Thanks for everything Adrian".
"You're welcome Little Dhampir and don't worry, I won't say anything to anyone especially Lissa and Christian".
"Thanks"
"Are you still planning on going shopping on Sunday?" Adrian asked.
"I don't know, Alberta says with my father's guardians there will be enough protection, but we will see how I feel after tomorrow" I replied.
Adrian gave me another hug and said "I'll talk to you later".
After Adrian left Dimitri sat down on the couch and padded the spot beside him. I sat down and he put his arm around me and pulled me into his side. I was in heaven. Since Celeste knew what was going on between Dimitri and I, I could see him opening up more and more. Plus it was all I had ever dreamed of, was to be able to sit and cuddle with Dimitri and hang out with friends. It was just Celeste, but it was a huge step in our relationship.
The last thing that I remember was Dimitri running his hand through my hair and he was talking with Celeste. His baritone voice lulled me to sleep. I woke up on the couch with my head on a pillow and a blanket on top of me. Celeste was on the other couch reading a book and when I sat up and looked around, I couldn't see Dimitri, but his door was slightly closed. I got up off the couch and stretched and Celeste asked "Good nap?".
"Yes" I replied.
I knocked on Dimitri's door and said "Hey Comrade, what are you doing?".
"Hi Roza, come on in" Dimitri stated. He was sitting on his bed with his back against the headboard writing in a notebook. I walked in and closed the door behind me as I lay down on the other side of the bed on my stomach next to him.
"Whatcha doing?" I asked Dimitri.
"I am just jotting down notes about your training and some ideas that I have about advancing your training."
"Like what?" I asked.
"Well, I was thinking about adding in training that we would have normally worked on after you graduated such as multiple opponents and more stake training. Plus, we are going to start increasing your endurance as well. I think that when we meet with your father's security, we should also discuss other forms of weapon's training. They may have some other ideas since they protect your father from humans, morois and strigois" Dimitri stated.
"Do you think I'll even get to graduate with everything that is going on?" I asked.
Dimitri closed and put his notebook on the bedside table and he moved down the bed, lying on his side so that his head was even with mine. "Of course you will graduate, between your parents, Alberta and me, we will find a way" Dimitri said as he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.
I was looking into his eyes and he was staring back at me. He kept looking from my eyes to my lips and back. I had never had someone stare at me with such intensity. I bit my lower lip and I heard a small growl from Dimitri as his hand left my waist and cupped my face and slowly brought my face to his. As his lips met mine, I felt that familiar jolt of electricity and I let out a moan against his lips. Dimitri used that to slip his tongue into my mouth and my hands went to his chest as I grabbed his shirt trying to bring him closer to me. I finally had to break the kiss to breathe and Dimitri started kissing me up my jaw to my ear where he lightly bit my ear lobe and then sucked the area behind my ear.
"Dimitri" I whined.
He rolled me onto my back and he went back to kissing me passionately. Dimitri put his leg in between both of mine and his hand went back down to my waist and started to creep up under my shirt. My heart was beating so fast, I thought it was going to beat out of my chest. My hands went from grabbing his shirt on his chest to reaching behind him to his back trying to pull him as close as possible to me.
"Roza" Dimitri growled as he placed his forehead against mine. "We should stop. I don't want you to ever regret being with me and you're not in the best head space right now."
"Dimitri, I want you." I cried back.
"I know Roza and I want you too. And we will be together, but let's get you through the next few days first. Okay"
"Okay" I responded. But neither of us pulled apart from each other.
Dimitri finally spoke "I think we should go back out in to the living area. I am barely holding on to my self-control."
I giggled as he seemed to have a pained look on his face while he was adjusting himself. "Is there a problem Comrade?" I said as I continued to giggle.
"Yeah, a not so little problem" Dimitri huffed out.
I couldn't control myself anymore and was out right laughing. Dimitri started ticking me as he said "You think this is funny."
"Stop, Comrade, stop….I'm sorry" I said as I was laughing so hard I had tears running down my face and I was gasping for air.
Dimitri said "Come on Roza" as he helped me off the bed and directed me out of his bedroom into the living area. Once we sat down on the couch opposite Celeste, Dimitri asked "So Roza, what do you want for dinner. We can have the kitchen bring us whatever they are making or if there is something you want we can make dinner here".
"Can we get pizza and brownies?" I batted my eyelashes at Dimitri.
Both Dimitri and Celeste started laughing and Dimitri asked "Celeste, do you think Yuri could do a run for us and get some pizza and brownies."
"Sure, let me call him. What kind of pizza would you like Rose? We usually get a Pepperoni Pizza, a Veggie Pizza, Hawaiian Pizza and a Special Pizza, which basically has everything on it. Plus we get a large salad for each person" Celeste explained.
"That sounds really good." I responded.
Celeste went into our room to call Yuri and I gave Dimitri a questioning look and as soon as Celeste closed the door Dimitri said "Yuri and Celeste are in a relationship but they are pretty quiet about it. So since we will be in for the night, I thought this way he can hang out with her".
"Comrade! Breaking the rules of guarding" I jokingly chided him.
Dimitri responded "Oh Roza, there are a lot of rules I break, but I need to teach you the rules before I can teach you to break them." He smirked at me and then gave me a scorching kiss that left me feeling dizzy. If I hadn't already been sitting down I think I would have fallen down.
Once Dimitri pulled back he asked "Do you want to watch a movie?"
"Sure, what do you want to watch?" I asked Dimitri.
"Let's see what's on demand, maybe a comedy that way we can just relax for the evening."
Dimitri and I found a romantic comedy that was a few years old but neither of us had seen. Dimitri turned around slightly towards the tv and then pulled my back to his chest and then covered both of us with the blanket from the back of the couch. Celeste joined us about half an hour later and she looked giddy after talking with Yuri. She laid down on the couch opposite of us facing the tv.
Once the movie was over, we found an old tv show called "I love the 80s" and binged watched a few episodes. Celeste joined me in teasing Dimitri on the 1980s especially the fashion. Dimitri was a good sport about it as his biggest defense was that he was only into the music from that era. After a while, Dimitri started tickling me again and in my desperation to get away from him, I ended up on the floor with Dimitri on top of me and I was begging Celeste for help.
"No can do Rose, it's a guardian thing versus a novice thing." Celeste laughed at me from her spot on the couch. Next we heard a knock on the door as Dimitri pulled me up off the floor. I gave Dimitri a look worried that my squealing may have alerted someone to our location, not that many people came up here.
"Who is it?" Celeste asked as Dimitri stood protectively in front of me.
"It's Yuri"
Celeste opened the door and Yuri walked in with a mountain of pizza boxes and a few bags. Yuri set the food down and turned to me and said "Hey Rose, you finally got in so much trouble that they put you under house arrest?".
"Yes and it's a terrible punishment, no classes, watching tv and eating pizza" I laughed at Yuri. I am sure Celeste probably told him why I was really here.
Since the kitchen table was small, we grabbed plates and loaded them with food and sat on the floor eating off the coffee table. Dimitri and I sat on one side of the table and Celeste and Yuri sat on the other side of the table. I had known Yuri since the 8th grade when he was first assigned to the academy, so he was well versed with my antics from when I was younger. However, Yuri being on duty as a guardian and Yuri being off duty was like night and day. He was always funny but was still reserved as most guardians were when they were on duty. And as novices we didn't often get to see their other side. Yuri was hilarious as he did impressions of other guardians as well as his renditions of Alto and my interactions in the past. Celeste and I had tears streaming down our faces and Dimitri laughed more times than I had heard him combined since I had known him. I had appreciated that Yuri, while this was a side of him that I did not know, was doing this for my benefit.
Dimitri got up and took his and my plate to fill it up with more food. Yuri said "Rose, I don't know how you were able to thaw out that ogre over there but thank you, he's almost bearable. I am not sure how Celeste here puts up with him all the time".
"I heard that." Dimitri said.
"You were meant to" Yuri sang back.
I laughed at their interaction but blushed a little because I wasn't used to Dimitri being this open plus anyone else knowing about us. "Well it wasn't easy" I replied as Dimitri sat back down next to me handing me my plate and kissing the side of my head.
"That's a lot of vegetables there Comrade" I smirked at Dimitri.
He smirked right back at me "Humor me".
"So, how come you guys are able to be" I paused as I thought how to put this "casual, I guess is the word I am thinking of, in this assignment".
Dimitri responded "It depends on the assignment and your relationship to the charge. With the Princess being the last of her line and here at the academy as guardians we guard her from the side and limit our interactions. But if you were Lissa's guardian, you would guard her inside and hang out with her. It's similar to when I was with Ivan, it was a very casual situation. The only time I appeared as a "guardian" to him was at court or any official functions. But someone like your mother who has an older charge and that she was hired based on her skills would be the type of guardian standing to attention while on duty. I would guess that your father has a similar arrangement with his guardians."
"Gotcha, well at least I'll get Lissa and we will be at Leigh next year. It would be hard for me to be that guardian who was always against a wall watching over my charge" I said.
Yuri said "Rose, I hope you don't mind, but Celeste shared a little bit about what is going on with you. Plus Alberta has let a few of us guardians who are with you during classes or training that we need to watch out for Tasha, Jesse and Ralf and to carefully monitor their activities around campus as well as watch them, if they start to interact with you. I know Dimitri and Celeste are assigned to guard you, but please feel free to come to me or any other guardian if you need help. With the exception of Stan, most of the guardians like you and want you to succeed. Plus we all enjoy your antics with Stan, most of us watch each other to see who will crack through their guardian mask while watching you and Stan go at it. And don't tell Alberta but some of us do bet as to how long it will take you to get thrown out of Stan's class".
Celeste and Yuri were laughing and Dimitri gave a dramatic sigh as he shook his head and exclaimed "Yuri".
"What" Yuri feigned shock.
"Rose, do you want anything more to eat" Dimitri asked me.
"Just brownies" I said with a big smile.
Dimitri laughed "Okay, let's clean up first".
We all stood up and brought our plates into the kitchen area. Dimitri said to Celeste and Yuri "Why don't you two relax and Rose and I will clean up".
"Thanks Dimitri" Celeste responded as Yuri and her went back and sat on one of the couches. Dimitri started washing the dishes as I consolidated the leftovers and put them in the refrigerator. Once Dimitri was done with the dishes, he got two plates and split the brownies between them and he grabbed two glasses and filled with milk. He gave me the two glasses of milk and told me to go into his room as he grabbed the two plates and put one of them down on the table in front of Celeste and Yuri and then he followed me into his bedroom and closed the door. Dimitri sat on one side of the bed with his back against the headboard and patted the spot beside him. He put the brownies on the bed between us and I handed him his glass of milk and put mine down on the bedside table closet to me. Dimitri put his milk on the table closest to him and said "I just wanted to give them some time alone, since it is really hard to find time to spend with someone with our schedules".
"Awe, that's so sweet of you" I replied.
"That's why I love our time training together so much" Dimitri said.
I blushed a little when he said that, then he said "I love it when you blush, it's a rare occurrence" which caused me to blush even more.
Dimitri picked up the plate of brownies and offered it to me, I took a brownie as he took one as well. "How do you think tomorrow is going to go?" I asked.
"I think it will be fine. Everyone is there to help you and it might get overwhelming at times but that is why I wanted a separate room nearby. So just let me know when you need breaks, okay" Dimitri responded.
"Okay" I answered.
"Plus once we know the scope of the threat towards you it will be easier to plan your security" Dimitri stated.
"I just feel weird having security seeing how I am supposed to graduate and guard Lissa at college."
"I understand, but these are not normal circumstances. Your father is pretty much an enigma in our world, so it's not like there is precedence for this scenario. But we will get through it together".
"What if they won't let you guard me or what if they take me away and then you are stuck here at the academy?" I asked.
"We will face that if it comes up, but I don't think we will have to worry about it. Not to toot my own horn but I am a blood master seven. So if your father is serious about your security, I should be at the top of a short list of potential guardians" Dimitri stated.
"You would give up the academy and guarding Lissa for me? Guarding Lissa could potential make you a Queen's Guardian if she becomes Queen and it would be great for your career." I stated.
"Rose the only person I care about other than my family is you and we will find a way to be together".
I started blushing again. I noticed that while talking, Dimitri and I had finished off the brownies. Dimitri must have noticed as well as he took the plate and placed it on the bedside table. He then pointed "you have chocolate on your lip".
I licked my lips trying to get it, but Dimitri said "Here let me help you" as he leaned over and licked the part of my lip that had the chocolate on it. I gasped as I had not expected it and he then kissed me hard slipping his tongue into my mouth. Dimitri then pulled me onto his lap so that I was straddling him. Not that I had a lot of experience with men, but with the way he was kissing me, I don't think I have ever been this turned on. I finally had to break this kiss so I could breathe, but Dimitri kept kissing me down my neck as he had one hand in my hair and the other on my lower back. As he was kissing my neck, he started to nip at me and it was like my body knew what to do even if I didn't as my hips bucked into him. Dimitri growled at me when I did that and the hand in my hair went down to my hip. Dimitri went back to kissing me passionately and my hands went from the front of his chest to the back of his neck where I reached his hair tie and pulled it out. The next time my hips bucked, Dimitri already had both his hands on my hips and pushed me down onto him. This action caused my core to pulsate and I could feel myself getting wetter and I could also feel Dimitri getting hard beneath me.
I had to break the kiss to breathe again and I moaned "Dimitri".
He responded "I know Roza, I know".
My hands went back down his chest and I grabbed the bottom portion of his shirt and pulled it off of him and threw it across the room. And before Dimitri could go back to kissing me I took of my shirt and threw it in the same direction that I had thrown his shirt in. I was full on grinding on Dimitri at this point, as his hands were on my hips guiding me and he moaned as he got a look at me in my black bra.
"Oh god Roza" he said as he started kissing my neck and was working his way down to my chest as a started arching back to give him better access.
All of a sudden we heard Celeste knock on the door and tell Dimitri to come out. I got off Dimitri and he got off the bed and grabbed my shirt and gave it back to me as he put his own shirt back on.
"Stay here" Dimitri said as he grabbed his stakes and put them in his holders as he walked out the door. I followed him to the door and stayed in the doorway of his room.
"It sounds like Tasha is outside Rose's old dorm room banging on the door" Celeste said.
Dimitri turned back to me and said "Rose get into your room".
I crossed through the apartment to Celeste and my room as Celeste followed me and stood protectively in the doorway of our room.
"Yuri, go out, Tasha won't be able to see you leave here from Rose's door. Act like you are doing rounds and tell her Rose has been taken off campus for an evaluation of her survival skills. I'll call Alberta and have her send back up just in case" Dimitri stated.
Yuri walked out the door and Dimitri closed and locked the door behind him and stood at the door. Dimitri mouthed to Celeste to call Alberta while he appeared to be listening through the door.
"Alberta, its Celeste, Tasha is outside Rose's door yelling, we don't know if anyone else is with her. We sent Yuri to engage her, can you send backup". Celeste listened and then said "okay" and hung up the phone. The yelling and banging stopped and a few minutes later we could hear boots coming up the stairs. I started pacing in my room because I couldn't hear anything and it was making me antsy. I peered around Celeste to look at Dimitri to see if I could tell what was happening but as usual he had his guardian mask on. I finally gave up and plopped down on my bed with my back up against the wall. About ten minutes later, there was a knock at the door and I heard "Alberta and Yuri" followed by the door opening and closing. I got off the bed and followed Celeste out the door to the living area.
"Hey everyone, are you okay Rose?" Alberta asked.
"I'm fine, what happened?"
Yuri explained "I approached Tasha and she told me that Rose had requested Tasha to stop by her room at 11 am. She said when she got to Rose's room that Jesse and Ralf were already outside her door."
Dimitri shot me a concerned look as Yuri continued "I explained to her that the female novice dorms are off limits to anyone other than female students and the guardians patrolling and that is when four other guardians appeared with Alberta."
Alberta began "I asked both Jesse and Ralf what they were doing in the female novice dorms after curfew. Unfortunately, they had a dazed look on their faces and they both stated that they didn't know what they were doing there. I sent them back to their dorms each with a guardian to watch them till tomorrow when Headmistress Kirova can discipline them."
Right then Dimitri's phone rang, he took it out of his pocket and looked at the caller id and said "It's Tasha".
Alberta said "Take it, see if you can get any information out of her."
Dimitri answered the phone and put it on speaker "Belikov".
"Dimka" Tasha said in a sickly sweet voice.
"Hi, Tasha, what's up?"
"I was calling to see if you finished working for the night. I still have that bottle of wine and I bet you could use some relaxation after your day. You work too hard, I worry about you."
"I'm fine Tasha, but thank you for your concern. I am still guarding a charge so I am not available to see you right now" Dimitri stated.
"Well, I have an idea, Guardian Petrov gave me two guardians for protection, why don't you swap out with one of the guardians and then you and I can sit down and have that glass of wine" Tasha proposed.
"Why do you have two guardians with you? Did something happen?" Dimitri inquired.
"I'm not sure, maybe because I'm royal and staying out at that cabin near the ward line. But I would feel much safer if you were here with me. Can't you come switch with one of the guardians here?"
"Sorry Tasha but Guardian Petrov usually doesn't let us swap guarding positions" Dimitri replied.
"Can't you ask her for me Dimka, please?" Tasha begged.
"I will call her, but I doubt she will change her mind."
"Okay Dimka, I know you can do it, I will see you soon" Tasha then hung up the phone.
Alberta started "After I sent Jesse and Ralf off, I asked Tasha what she was doing at Rose's door. She said that Rose had asked her to stop by, that Rose had said she wanted to get Tasha's opinion on something. So I explained that Rose was off campus being evaluated and I told her that Court had sent me more guardians, so she would be assigned two guardians since she was close to the ward line".
I flopped down on the couch and let out an angry growl. Dimitri sat beside me and rubbed my knee giving me support.
Alberta spoke again "I am going to have Yuri stay here tonight and guard so that way the three of you can get some sleep. I have a feeling it's going to be a long couple of days. I will see you all tomorrow."
"Night Alberta" I said to her as she closed the door. I let out this big yawn as the events of the last few days were caughting up to me.
"I think I am going to go to bed" I said as I was looking at Dimitri trying to figure out whether he wanted me to sleep in my own room or if he wanted me to stay in his room. I got up and walked to my room to at least get my pajamas and Dimitri followed me. Once in the room, Dimitri closed the door slightly and circled his arms around my waist and said "Milaya, as much as I would love to have you sleep in my bed tonight, I think it would be best to sleep in your bed tonight, just in case someone comes and relieves Yuri of his position in the middle of the night. But if you need me, I am right across the hall and you can come in whenever".
"Okay" I agreed. Dimitri gave me a tender kiss and left my room and went to his room. I got ready for bed and I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
DPOV
I woke up to hearing soft crying in the living area. I got out of bed and opened the door to see Rose crying on Yuri's shoulder. Yuri waved me over to them and when I was next to them Yuri turned Rose into my arms. I bent down, picked her up bridal style back to my room. I closed the door with my foot and placed Rose in the middle of my bed and climbed in with her. My heart hurt for her, she had been through so much in her life like the car accident, running away with the Princess, Spokane and now this. I just hugged her to my chest and rubbed her back and kissed her on the top of her hair.
"Another nightmare?" I asked Rose.
"Yeah"
"Do you want to talk about it, it might make you feel better?"
Rose blew out a big sigh "God, I am sick of crying, I feel like I am a wimp or something".
"Roza, no one thinks you're a wimp, you have just been through a lot in a few years and recent events are not helping. You are one of the strongest people I know".
"I was dreaming that Tasha was throwing fire balls and she killed you and then I was trapped in a room that was on fire and I couldn't get out".
"I'm sorry Roza, once we meet with your father, we can figure out what to do with Tasha, but for now she is being guarded" I tried to reassure her.
"But what if she tries to compel the guards like she compelled me?" Rose asked.
"I am sure Alberta informed them that we suspect Tasha of using compulsion, so they will be vigilant about not making direct eye contact. And Yuri is out in the living area, so we are safe for tonight. Close your eyes and try to get some sleep, I am right here and it's going to be a big day for you tomorrow".
Roza fell asleep in my arms for the second night and I felt like I was in heaven. I was just about to drift off when my phone rang. I reached over and grabbed it off the night stand and looked at the caller id, it was Tasha again. Rose stirred in my arms and I told her "It's Tasha".
"Belikov" I answered the phone.
"Dimka, where are you? I snuck out I need to see you" Tasha said.
"Tasha, I am working I can't just leave and meet up with you" I stated.
"Dimka, you are working too hard."
"Tasha, it's my job, I like being a guardian but the hours are long and it doesn't give me a lot of free time".
"Dimka, that's why you should quit the academy and be my guardian".
"You know it doesn't work that way Tasha, the guardian council assigns me and they currently have me assigned to the Princess".
"Well then I'll have Vasilisa release you and then you and I can put in for a joint request."
"Tasha, can I talk to you tomorrow about this?"
"Sure Dimka, night".
"Bye Tasha"
I let out a groan.
"What did she want now?" Rose asked.
"Hold on" I dialed Alberta.
"Petrov"
"Alberta, it's Dimitri, Tasha just called me. She said she snuck away from her guardians".
"Alright, I will go to the cabin to check on the guardians and I'll let the on duty guards know to keep an eye out for her" Alberta replied.
"You might want someone to check on the Princess and her guardians as well as Tasha said she was going to talk to her about releasing me as her guardian. She sounds like she is starting to become unhinged" I informed Alberta.
"Copy" Alberta replied.
Tomorrow can't come soon enough I thought as I was rubbing Roza's back trying to lull her back to sleep.
Sorry it took so long to post, hopefully this chapter will make up for that.
Thank you to everyone who took their time to give me feedback, you are all so kind and I appreciate it. Next chapter Rose will finally meet Abe and I wonder how Abe is going to respond to Tasha's antics.