DIMITRI

"Is that the place?" Rose asked, pointing towards a small cluster of wood buildings off in the distance. Her skeptical look was somewhat warranted, especially since some of the buildings looked very…rustic. The Oak and Birch Banyas had been here for years. While they may not look like much from the outside, I knew that the owners, the Anotov family, treasured the traditional saunas. Their age was part of their charm, but I could see how some people might be wary at first glance. Would they ever measure up to the high-end bathhouses in Moscow or St. Petersberg? No. But I would bet they'd rival many outside of the big cities.

I nodded, pulling into the lot in front of the main building. This one had obviously had a recent renovation. The stacked log cabin was a pale amber color in contrast to the ashy brown of the older buildings behind it. All of them were blanketed with a fresh layer of snow, but even from here, I could see the dozens of tracks from patrons that had been coming and going all day. The banya ritual was a New Year's tradition, and the fact that Max had managed to reserve an hour or so in the mixed sauna was almost miraculous. Still, I wasn't going to question it. I was just looking forward to the experience since I hadn't been to a sauna since Ivan's death. He had been an ardent believer in the health properties, though that was a strong belief of many Russians.

Speaking of Max, almost as soon as I had turned off the ignition, he was bounding down the front porch stairs. Rose jumped out of the car to meet his waiting embrace.

"I've finally managed to drag you down here!" Max said with a laugh as if this was an ongoing struggle between them. Rose had mentioned that Max and her other friends had invited her to join them before, but the overly dramatic and playful tone to his words made me think that they had extended the invitation more than once. He pulled her into a tight hug that had her squealing through muffled giggles to be let go. As soon as he did, he offered her a brotherly smile. "С праздником, Rose."

"И вас также." Rose reached for my hand as I joined them, linking our fingers automatically.

I offered Max a handshake that easily slid into a quick but not-quite-as-affectionate hug. Though it had been a few months since I had seen him, I still felt a sort of kinship with Max through his friendship with Roza. It was clear that he cared about her but had no interest in pursuing her. According to Rose, he had a "talk" with a young man a couple of weeks back who had asked her out and was having a little difficulty understanding the word 'no.' If that didn't endear me to the man, I wasn't sure what could.

After we shuffled back into the main building, stomping the snow off our boots in the entry, a chorus of greetings called out to Rose. While one or two people looked vaguely familiar, I didn't know anyone outside of Rose and Max, and they kindly made introductions. We had arrived at our reservation a little early, and we enjoyed some tea while we were waiting for the previous guests to finish up. Before long, we were changing into more appropriate attire and making the short trek through the open walkway between the main building and the mixed sauna near the far side of the grounds.

Thick steam poured out of the sauna, mingling with the snow-studded outdoor air as I opened the door for our group. Wrapped in a thick robe that was probably two sizes too big, Rose practically ran into the small cabin-like building only to be met with a nearly oppressive wall of 200°F heat. It seemed to steal her breath for a moment, but the others hardly seemed fazed. They were used to it, though. This was a first for Rose.

Cedar benches lined three of the walls, with the entry door and sauna stove on the fourth. It wasn't a highly decorated space, though that was to be expected. Paintings and other art didn't last long in the hot, wet environment. Beyond the wood-burning stove that resembled an iron basket filled with smooth, dark rocks, the only other decoration was the aromatic eucalyptus branches hanging from the rafters in scattered bunches. As we all settled in, one of the guys ladled a small amount of water from a bucket over the sizzling rocks, filling the room with a fresh plume of steam.

We all spread out, the two bravest souls taking the upper benches where the heat was too extreme, even for me. I was happy to stick by Roza as she claimed the spot furthest from the stove, allowing her to lean against me as she and her friends joked about things that I felt somewhat removed from.

"Rose says you work in America?" One of the others asked me. I believe Max had introduced her as Vera, though I wasn't positive. She had an enthusiastic air about her, and it gave me the impression that she was always quick to make friends and search out fun. "Where in America? I hope it's somewhere warm, like California. Or Hawaii!"

"Not quite," I answered, barely holding back a chuckle at the idea of working anywhere that sunny. "I work out of Philidelphia. Cold, but not nearly as cold as my last post in Montana."

"Or here," Rose laughed. "I used to tease him all the time about Russia being a frozen wasteland, but now I think Montana might have been colder. It certainly felt like that some days."

"That's where you two met, right?"

Rose gave a well-practiced but highly edited version of our story, focusing on how we used to train together at St. Vladimirs, without specifically mentioning what I had been training her for. It was clearly a well-crafted story of half-truths suitable for the humans among us, and I listened carefully so I could parrot the story if I ever needed to. I'm sure she would have been more honest with Koda and Natalia (who were Moroi and dhampir, respectfully), but she couldn't exactly expose the vampiric world just so she could tell the group how we met.

It was strange to watch Rose interact with her friends for many reasons, not the least of which was the mixed company of humans, Moroi, and dhampir. The humans would never realize the 'otherness' of some of us—or if they did, they wouldn't be able to identify it—but it was curious to see the ease they all had with one another. I had grown so used to being around Moroi society that I'd nearly forgotten that I once had a human best friend as a young child.

It was more than just that, though. It didn't strike me as odd that Rose had human friends but that she had friends in the first place. Don't get me wrong; I was thrilled she had found people that she connected with. In fact, as I watched her, I began to envy that a little.

The more I thought about it, the more I was struck with the realization that I didn't have friends like the ones gathered here. Rose's friend group was made up of people like her, brought together by choice rather than proximity.

Those I was closest to were people that I either worked with or worked for.

Don't get me wrong, I knew things could be a whole lot worse. Lissa was kind and considerate. She did her best to make both the Lehigh and Court residences feel like a home, not only insisting on a more relaxed atmosphere but also ensuring that Eddie and I had separate, well-furnished rooms so that we each had a place to relax and unwind while off duty.

I knew Royal Moroi who treated their guardians more like an accessory or status symbol rather than a living being with personal needs. I'd heard horror stories: sleeping quarters that were barely habitable, ignoring the labor standards that the guardian council was supposed to regulate, and outright abuse in some cases.

So while I was essentially living with my employer, her fiance, and my coworker, I knew I was also very lucky. That didn't change the fact that I was still duty-bound to serve Lissa, though. No matter how much she tried to foster a friend- or family-like atmosphere, my guardian promise meant that I would protect the last living Dragomir, even if it killed me. That would always leave a divide between us that couldn't be ignored.

What I shared with Eddie was decidedly more friend-like. By necessity, our partnership dictated a strong trust between us. I needed to know he had my back, and he knew I had his. Beyond that, there was a certain comradery because we both understood the amount of work and dedication it took to serve as a guardian, especially for a high-ranking royal. Yes, I technically outranked him since I was the primary guard in our partnership, but we were more alike than dissimilar in personality. He was probably the one I was most open with among those in the house.

Yuri and I kept in touch, but he was still working his post at the academy, so our opportunities to get together were almost nonexistent. Tasha and I were never the same after she learned about my relationship with Rose, and her continued disapproval was made clear by the way she determinedly shut me out whenever we were forced to be in the same room.

Perhaps the most shocking realization was that besides Roza, my next closest friend might have actually been Adrian. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to do with that epiphany. Without Rose between us, I would have thought our interactions would just fade away. However, the weird thing we passed off as a "friendship" still baffled me and defied all logic or explanation. We were polar opposites, and he annoyed me more often than not, but he was also a willing ear when I occasionally needed to vent. Still, he lived at Court, so it wasn't like I could crack open a beer with him after a hard shift.

Perhaps that was part of the reason why I was looking forward to having another guardian join us in the next few weeks. I had yet to select the final candidate, but Nadia Bartos and Grant Hayashi both had impressive resumes. They were also closer to my age, with Nadia two years younger and Grant a year older. Nadia was also a graduate of St. Basil's, though I was trying not to let that color my decision. Still, my gut feeling was to go with Nadia. I had briefly met with her a couple of weeks ago, and not only did she have a spotless record, but she also had a personality that I believed would mesh well with the others. Plus, While Lissa hadn't specifically requested a female guardian, she had lamented more than once about being the only woman in a house full of men. Hopefully, Nadia would balance things out a little.

That wasn't a concern for now, however. Today, my only concern was enjoying time with Rose—the one person I could truly call my friend without hesitation or stipulation. I was lucky enough to be in love with my best friend. So yes, while watching her with the rest of the group made me a bit envious, they also seemed to make her happy, and that mattered to me more than anything else.

Rose laughed at some sort of inside joke that they all shared, quickly trying to explain to me why they all found it so funny but realizing about halfway through her explanation that it was more of a 'you had to be there' moment. The sly innuendo from Grigory that had triggered the whole thing earned him a quick smack with one of the venik. The bundle of leafy birch branches was designed to be struck across the skin to stimulate blood circulation. However, despite that being their intended use, Grigory still sprung back from their sting before retaliating a moment later.

"Is that what these are for?" Rose asked, lifting her own venik from the tub of water at our feet and letting the water drip from its branches. "Small weapons?"

"Not a weapon…" I held my hand open, letting her place it in my open palm before urging her to turn with a twirl of my finger.

She turned at my bidding. Her hair had been tied into a low ponytail, but she pulled it over one shoulder as she mumbled, "Anything's a weapon if you're smart enough."

"Not just a weapon, then." I laughed alongside the others, who were apparently well aware of Rose's ability to create an arsenal out of everyday objects. As I began to explain the rationale of the strange but therapeutic ritual, I lightly tapped the birch bundle across the expanse of her back. Some of the group were heavy with their strikes, but I started gently to let Rose get used to the biting sensation, gradually working her up towards something more invigorating. Rather than hissing or wincing from their needling pain like Grigory had earlier, Rose gave a satisfied hum.

The alluringly familiar sound made me pause momentarily, just long enough for Rose to look at me over her shoulder. I gave her a raised brow, silently questioning her surprising reaction. All she offered in reply was a quick wink.

Yeah. We were going to explore that later.

After a few more minutes, she turned back to the others. "Oh my gosh, how are you guys not dying in here?" Under her felt hat, I could see the small hairs lining her temples curl under the steam and sweat. Her cheeks were flushed pink, and I knew it wouldn't be too much longer before she'd need a break.

"Well, then it's time to cool off a little," Max replied. Almost imperceptibly, he caught my eye with a conspirital grin. It seemed that despite the group's attempts to get her to join them at the banya, they had neglected to give her all the details. As traditional as the venik was to the banya experience, there was something else that was just as traditional. Perhaps even more so.

"I think you're right, Max," I said, giving him a quick nod so he knew I understood before glancing back toward Rose with exaggerated concern. "After all, we don't want you to overheat or get sick."

It seemed that the others were starting to pick up on what was about to happen. They passed around knowing smirks while Rose furrowed her brow in confusion, completely oblivious. One of the others finally asked, "Want to show her how to cool off, Dimitri?"

Quick as a whip, I stood and grasped Rose around the waist. She didn't have time to fight back before I threw her over my shoulder and walked across the room towards the cold winter air outside. As I ducked through the doorway, I could hear the others scrambling to follow us with laughter and catcalls.

"Dimitri! Put me down!" I felt her fists beating against my back as she struggled. "What are you doing!"

"Cooling you off," I replied cryptically, though my explanation wouldn't be cryptic for long.

"What—Ahh!" Rose shrieked as I tossed her into some of the fresh, powdery snow that lined the walkway. "Oh my God! You asshole!"

Among the chorus of laughter around us, I twisted and fell back into the snow beside her. She immediately turned on me, struggling through the soft powder to climb over and pin me to the frozen ground. With an indignant glare, she grabbed a handful of snow and shoved it into my face, making me cough and sputter. Her earlier ire faded into mischievousness when she managed to turn the tables on me.

As we both wrestled to get the upper hand, I saw the others jumping into the snow as well. Rose should count herself as lucky. While people often recovered from the oppressing heat of the banya in the snow, the most traditional way was to take a quick dip in near-freezing water. I looked between the men's and women's restricted saunas, where I knew there was a dock leading to a carved hole in the iced-over lake. Even now, I could see a middle-aged man climbing out of the water while another man waited for his turn. They both watched us with amusement, perhaps remembering years past when they might have done something similar.

After a few snow angels and a short snowball fight, we all shivered and returned to the banya to warm up again. Eventually, our reservation ended, and we gathered all our belongings and returned to the main lodge to get dressed, offer our goodbyes, and return home to enjoy the rest of our holiday with family.

Frost had settled on the car's window while we had been with the others, so I turned on the car and blasted the windshield defroster as Rose pulled out her phone to check her messages.

"Oh my god," she gasped, grasping her phone so tightly that her knuckles were white. Her face betrayed nothing but shock as her eyes flitted back and forth across the screen, reading quickly and leaving me waiting on bated breath for whatever was happening. I couldn't tell if it was good news or bad news, but my mind instantly feared the worst.

Was something wrong? Did Lissa text her? My mother? I swallowed, knowing I needed to ask even if I was afraid of the answer. "What's wrong, Roza?"

"I got in," she said breathlessly, so quiet that I wasn't sure I heard her correctly. Slowly, her shock faded into disbelief and then into a bright smile. Before I could ask for more clarification, she thrusted her phone towards me. I quickly scanned the open email.

Dear Rosemarie Hathaway,

We are pleased to inform you of your acceptance to the University of…

My breath caught in my throat. Rose had applied to several online universities weeks ago but had been apprehensive since the beginning, insisting that no school in their right mind would accept her. I had tried to be supportive, but even I had become a bit jaded when she hadn't received word from any of them. Not that I would have told her that.

"Is this for real? Did I actually get in?" Her question was hesitant, almost as if she was waiting for me to confirm that this wasn't all in her imagination.

I grinned like a fool, pride and relief overflowing in equal measure. "You got in, Roza. You did it!"

"I did it!"

She raised her hands in joyous victory as I reached for her, pulling her across the car's center console and into my lap. I kissed her senselessly through our smiles and laughter. "I'm so proud of you. You brilliant, brilliant woman."

Grabbing for her phone, she read through it again. "I got into the department, too."

"Which one?" I asked. Rose had applied to two different departments, and while she insisted that she had no strong desire for one over the other, the last thing I wanted was for her to get into University only to be disappointed with what she would be learning.

"Kinesiology. Though it looks like I'm also on the waiting list for the Zoology." I listened for any sort of upset but heard none. "That's okay, though. The more I thought about it, the more Kinesiology made sense. Yeah, that one animal behavior class was fun, but I already have a strong understanding of exercise and training. I might as well put that knowledge to use."

She had a valid point, but I didn't want her to feel limited just because of her novice education. "If you don't enjoy kinesiology after a year or so, you could always switch."

"It's fine, Dimitri. I swear. Don't worry." She saw through my over-assurance, smacking me lightly on my shoulder to beat away any lingering doubts that she was anything but thrilled with her options. "I'm happy. Really, really happy."

"Me too." I caught her hand, pulling her close so I could kiss her again in apology. It quickly turned heated, and I was suddenly very grateful for the frosted windows. Between the elation of the moment, her body pressed tight as she moved against me, and the sudden rush of very dirty ideas, it was taking quite a bit of will to keep from stripping her of her clothes and giving into temptation. I let our moment linger a little longer before I pulled away.

"We should get back home," I said, words thick with regret. Rose's little pout made me chuckle, so I added. "We'll celebrate properly later. I promise."

Apparently satisfied, at least for the moment, she climbed back into her seat and went back to reading her acceptance letter. Rose shared little details with me as she came across them, such as what books she would need to buy or how she might have to go up into the city to have some of her tests proctored, but the most important detail to me was the way she smiled and the excitement on her face. She was happy. Thriving, even. Rose was truly coming into her own here in Baia, and I was so glad I had a front-row seat to watch her create the life that she deserved.

I always knew Roza was meant for great things.

Author's Note

Summer Vacation is coming to a close here, and my kids will be starting school again this week. I'm both excited to have a little more time to myself again and a little sad that another summer with them is over. As a parent, you only get so many, so each one is special. I'm just grateful that we were able to make some fun memories and enjoy ourselves.

Question of the week is: What was your greatest memory of the summer (or winter, for my southern hemisphere friends)

Translations:

С праздником, Rose - Happy Holiday, Rose

И вас также - And you too