This is a new story that I kind of got super obsessed with and wrote in two-ish weeks. It's 15 chapters long and was inspired by the prompt of the hero falls for the villain.

There will be smut, Rose does have a relationship with Strigoi Dimitri. If you don't like that, then please don't read :)

I haven't had so much fun writing a story in a while, and I loved every second of this one. All of the scenes are focused on Rose and Dimitri, and I've basically skipped all of the filler.

I hope you enjoy it!

My back collided with the wall, and I grunted, desperately trying to twist my wrist. Just a little more, and I could almost hit the mark; it wouldn't hit the heart, but it would stun him. Then I could try again and finally kill the bastard.

It was like he could read my mind, smirking and pressing his body closer so it would be harder to get a clean stab. Brown eyes ringed with red glinted at me, his fangs peaking. "You're getting sloppy," he murmured, his accent laced his words in a way that was almost attractive, "They send you to defend the Princess, and you can't even kill me."

I gritted my teeth, wiggling in his grip to find a weak spot. "You talk big for a guy that hasn't killed me either." Because he moved, I couldn't reach his chest, but I could get his neck; I twisted my arm until it hurt, but it worked.

He growled, backing up a few steps to avoid the stake to his neck. I hated that he looked proud that I figured out a way to break his grip. "I don't want to kill you." His grin grew. "Not yet."

Footsteps grew closer, and I knew my window was closing. "I want to kill you now!" I shouted and pounced forward. He was ready for me, avoiding my stake and gripping my waist. For a moment, I was weightless, and then my back landed on the hard ground, forcing the air from my lungs.

Those cold eyes met mine again. "Until next time, Roza."

In a blink of an eye, he was gone. The footsteps stopped beside me, Eddie grumbling under his breath as he searched the rooftops he had disappeared to. "Dammit! Every time!"

"I know," I complained, accepting Eddie's hand up. I could feel bruises forming, maybe a cracked rib. "He's just toying with us now."

"He's toying with you."

I shot Eddie a look, clenching my fists. "I swear, next time, I will kill Dimitri." That damn Strigoi bastard; I wouldn't let him get away again.

The teacher dragged out the class, throwing out more terms I didn't understand about a subject I didn't care about. It was all for Lissa, my charge and best friend. I was her close guard; it made sense because we were the same age and were close friends. We blended in well with the humans at the university.

I wasn't her only guardian; Lissa was the last Princess of the Dragomir line—she had three guardians assigned. The lead guardian sat at the back of the class—the far guard, blending in with the crowds and an extra set of eyes to warn of any possible threat. Chelsey was a couple of years older than us but didn't treat us like dumb kids. It was a change compared to the academy.

It didn't matter to them that I had helped lead the group that stormed the caves and saved students and teachers, or that I had killed multiple Strigoi that night. They all saw me as a troublemaker.

Lissa liked Chelsey. She liked the night guardian, Andrews, as well. We all got along well; even Christian and Eddie sharing the house with us didn't throw off the dynamic we had guarding Lissa.

The only thing that threw everything off was one Strigoi that continued to show his face and always escaped before I could kill him.

Dimitri Belikov.

Andrews had seen him during one of our run-ins and recognised the previously renowned guardian. It was almost ironic that the man that was in line for guarding Lissa became the monster threatening her life. It was all a game to him; he treated our fights like a dance and kept returning for more.

I hated him. He was evil and a bloodthirsty monster, but it was the fact he continued to best me that made me really hate him. That stupid look of pleasure each time he escaped tormented me even in my dreams.

"You're going to break your pencil," Lissa whispered, amusement filtering through the bond. She could guess what I was thinking about, and it annoyed me more that she thought it was funny. Lissa saw the best in people, and it was to a fault.

The fact that she tried to reason that a Strigoi might not be as bad as the others just because he hadn't ripped her throat out yet. I knew without a doubt that if Dimitri had the opening on Lissa, he would kill her. He would enjoy it.

Killing the last Dragomir would give him bragging rights with all of his Strigoi buddies. I knew Strigoi planned to kill off the Royal families, and Lissa was just a name to cross off.

I glanced out the high windows of the auditorium, the light fading outside. I hated this class and dreaded it the closer we came to winter. The sun set earlier every night, and the risk of Lissa being attacked increased.

The weight of the stake in my jacket reminded me that it was another night I would see Dimitri. I swore to myself that I would kill him that night.

He was playing with me like a kid would play with his food.

Dimitri was laying in wait somewhere just far enough that I couldn't sense him. We were in the car park and Lissa opened the back door when my stomach churned. I pushed Lissa in just as a hand caught the hood of my jacket and yanked me back.

I rolled across the asphalt, landing a few metres away from the car. Dimitri stared at the closed car door, Lissa's terrified face safely behind the tinted glass.

With my stake grasped in my hand, I yelled out, "Get her out of here!"

Dimitri glanced at me with a raised eyebrow, only mildly disappointed when the engine started and Chelsey drove away. I could feel Lissa's panic, sucked into her mind as she ordered Chelsey not to abandon me. I forced myself out of her head and closed the bond.

They come first.

What happened to me didn't matter as long as Lissa was okay.

"Sacrificing yourself for a Moroi that wouldn't do the same for you," Dimitri chided, "You still don't know better."

"Lissa is worth it."

I surged forward, determined to end this dance once and for all. If anything, being left behind worked in my favour. Dimitri had a habit of retreating as soon as another guardian joined the fight. I doubted it was because he couldn't take two of us; I had been on the receiving end of his hits more than once; he didn't lack strength.

It was a game for him, and he wasn't ready to end it.

Dimitri met me hit for hit. At times I wondered if he was testing me; talking to me like we were sparring rather than fighting to the death.

"You always manage to get to the Princess to safety before I can get close. How is that, Roza?"

I dodged, jerking back as he went on the offensive. His hand clawed at me, barely missing—I felt the breeze off his fingers. My foot slipped, overcorrecting, and I tumbled back. I would have landed painfully on my side if Dimitri hadn't caught my arm and yanked me close.

His eyes glowed in the night, searching my face. "What are you?"

"I'm the one that will kill you," I retorted, driving my stake into his bicep, burning his skin with the charmed metal.

Dimitri growled deep in his chest and threw me back. I tried to withdraw my stake, but I was thrown off so quickly, I didn't have a chance. Again, I landed on my back—weaponless. My stake protruded from Dimitri's arm, though he appeared more irritated than pained by it.

I watched with horror as he wrapped his fingers around the stake, the grip that of a seasoned guardian. He barely gave it a second thought ans clasped the handle despite how it would have burned. Dimitri ripped it out of his arm and then threw it to the side.

The metal clattered to the ground far from me.

Fuck.

"Nice try, but not good enough."

He moved towards me, and panic burst in my chest. I was so determined to kill him; I didn't even consider him killing me instead. Fear clawed at my heart, and I did the one thing I could think of to stop him.

I ripped the silver ring off my finger and lowered the walls I always kept up.

It wasn't often I used the gifts granted by the Shadow Kissed bond—I saw them as curses, but others refused to accept that. I hated calling the ghosts; eventually, they always came for me. While I got a splitting headache, the Strigoi received a visit from the dead that envied their immortality.

Dimitri didn't notice at first, but when the ghosts swarmed, he was quick to back away. Awful sounds came from them and I almost felt sorry for the guy; that feeling didn't last long. I took the chance and hurried to my feet, and ran.

Andrews was the one to gather me from the building I hid in; a dorm that I slipped into with another student before I called to let them know I wasn't dead. I had a large bruise forming on my face and I felt the stiffness in my body as I eased into the passenger seat.

"You have a damn guardian angel, Hathaway," Andrews breathed, shaking his head at me. "I don't know how you keep surviving Belikov."

I stared out the window with a scowl. I was barely surviving my encounters with him, and it pissed me off. Next time, I would kill him.

My muscles were tense, still feeling the strain from my new workout regimen. I pushed myself harder than I ever did at the academy, and I needed to. The next time I ran into Dimitri, I wasn't going to let him escape.

It was my night off, the first in two weeks, and I was happy to spend it actually having fun. Lissa's idea of fun these days was curled up on the couch with Christian watching foreign movies. Mine was at a frat house with the bass so loud I felt the vibrations move through my body.

Some of the girls from our class invited me out, and I eagerly took them up on the offer. While I hated college classes, I enjoyed the parties. I didn't go to them often; a house party was too difficult to secure for Lissa to attend, so most we skipped. But it was my night off and I wanted to let loose.

I spun in the middle of the crowded room, a cup of some mixed alcohol in hand as I danced. The upside of my intense training was how fit I looked, and my tight dress showed it. Eddie had his jaw on the floor when I emerged from my room in it, and even went as far as to offer to come with me just in case.

I had just laughed and told him I wanted to have some fun, a wink before I left.

Dating was never on my mind, hadn't been since Mason died. I hooked up with a couple of guys since the ski trip, but it was never more than one night of fun. The only one I ever considered something more with was Adrian, but it wasn't meant to be.

I wouldn't mind if I went home with someone at the party, but I was also happy just to dance the night away.

"Rose!" Lacy caught my hand, pulling me out of the crowd and closer to the girls I had arrived with. "Have you seen the guy Kara is talking to?"

I eyed Lacy, drinking from my cup so she wouldn't see my irritation at being interrupted. She pointed across the room, and I glanced, only to freeze. Alcohol numbed the bond and also my Strigoi senses, something I cursed.

That bastard.

Dimitri stood across the room clearly not interested in anything Kara was saying to him, but he stared down at her with hunger that she must have mistaken for interest. I had my stake in the small clutch I carried, but despite how hard I trained, I wasn't in the best condition to fight him. Not to mention, we were in a crowded house.

I grabbed Lacy's hand and pulled her across the room. "Let's go say hi."

Dimitri's eyes snapped to mine when we were halfway to them, lips curling up. He turned to face us, slipping an arm around Kara and pulling her closer. I glared daggers at him.

"What a pleasant surprise, Roza," he greeted, rolling his 'r's with more enthusiasm than usual, and I saw both Kara and Lacy melt.

"You weren't invited," I warned, attempting to appear sober and able to take him down.

"I don't need an invitation to come in," he replied just low enough that the others wouldn't hear him over the music, but I could.

Kara glanced between us with curiosity. "You know each other?"

"We're old friends," Dimitri lied between his fangs he managed to conceal with half smiles that would make any girl's knees weak. I rolled my eyes. "Actually, Rose owes me a dance." He looked at Kara with an intensity that I recognised instantly. "You don't mind, do you?"

The words must have sounded like they were dipped in honey to Kara's ears; her eyes glazed over, and a blissed smile on her lips. "Of course not."

I shook my head and reached for Kara, only to be stopped by Dimitri. Again, he spoke low, so only I heard, "I'll kill them."

Ice ran down my spine. I didn't know if it was a bluff or not and couldn't take the risk. With stiff movements, I followed as Dimitri led me to the middle of the dance floor again.

His form was so imposing, parting the crowd easily and standing almost a head above everyone else. I had no idea what to do. How the fuck did I end up the dance partner of a Strigoi? Every cell in my body told me to punch him in the face when his hands settled on my waist, tugging me closer until our bodies touched.

The music was loud, drowning out the conversation of everyone around us, but when he spoke, I heard every word. "You look beautiful. Good enough to eat."

"What the fuck are you planning?" I snarled.

Dimitri chuckled, guiding my hands to his neck before returning to my waist. While everyone else was jumping around, we looked like we were slow dancing. Because of his height, I had to tilt my head to meet his eyes, feeling like prey pinned in place by the piercing gleam in them.

"You left so suddenly last time. I never had a chance to ask how you did your little trick." Dimitri rocked us side to side, easing me closer to his chilled body each time. "I wasn't expecting that, and it has me even more intrigued by you."

My cheeks flushed under his gaze; I quickly shook it off and wondered why the fuck I felt it in the first place. I was slow dancing with a Strigoi—it was not the time to get flustered.

"I won't let you hurt anyone here," I promised.

His hands dropped lower. "I'm not focused on anyone else here except you." Dimitri dropped his head down to mine, breath fanning my cheek and then my neck. "Of all these people, you smell the most tantalising."

I shoved him away, but Dimitri maintained his hold; he was an unmoving wall.

"I won't hurt anyone if you answer my questions."

Anger rose in me, taking control before I could push it down. "I'm not telling you anything." I moved for my clutch, the consequences of starting a fight be damned. Dimitri guessed my plan instantly, and caught my wrist; his fingers dug in deep.

"Don't think for one second that I would hesitate to kill them all. I can smell the alcohol on you; there isn't a thing you can do to stop me." The grip on my wrist tightened, compressing the bones enough that I worried he would break them. "Be smart, Roza. Do you really want all their blood on your hands?"

I winced, attempting to hide it, but he noticed. "Fine," I hissed. "What do you want to know?"

He was pleased that I crumbled, easing his grip but not releasing me. "Follow me," Dimitri ordered; a nod of his head to the back door. I didn't want to comply, knowing the chance of me surviving out there was limited, but I had no choice.

As I followed Dimitri outside of the house and down the back stairs to the poorly lit backyard, I knew I would never hear the end of it from Eddie and Lissa if I lived to tell the tale. I was sure even Mason's ghost was shaking his head at me.

The air was chilled, my breaths were puffs of smoke; the dress did little to provide warmth, and I felt that the alcohol had lost any effect on me. I could feel the tendrils of fear creep through my body as a sense of dread filled my stomach.

My night of fun would be anything but.

Dimitri chose to stand on the side of the house, watching the few humans milling about, some locking lips and others just conversing. His eyes glowed in the shadows, and only added to my unease. The distance was still non-existent, my back against the side of the house and his body only a few inches away.

To anyone that glanced our way, we looked like another couple using the darkness as privacy.

"What do you want?" I asked again, managing to keep my voice even. It was a waste of false bravo, considering Dimitri could hear my heartbeat.

"I've never met another dhampir like you," he mused, a hand lifted to catch a curl with his finger, loosely wrapping it around. "How can you do it?"

"I'm bonded," I admitted with a shaky breath.

"How so?"

His stare was too intense, so I dropped mine. "I… I died when I was fifteen and I was brought back. Because of that, I'm Shadow Kissed and have a connection with the world of the dead. That's why I can sense you, and why I can summon ghosts."

"Bonded," he repeated as if he was testing the word. "You share this bond with the Princess, don't you? I had heard tales of it before I was awakened, but I never heard of it granting powers to a dhampir."

I jumped in surprise when he cupped my cheek, stunned more by how gentle his touch was rather than the fact he was holding my cheek.

Dimitri made me lift my chin, our eyes meeting. "You have been on my mind. Constantly surprising me." His eyes shimmered; words becoming sweeter to my ears. "Have I been on your mind, Roza?"

My lips parted. I shouldn't reply… but I wanted to. "Yes."

He didn't hide his fangs when he smiled, and I didn't recoil. "You are truly remarkable."

Of all things I imagined Dimitri doing, not once did I ever consider that he would dip his head and press his lips to mine.

Dimitri kissed me.

And I kissed back.