Previously in Chapter 7…

"Come with me, Belikov."

I stood still, assessing him. I wasn't interested in a drunken fight with Adrian, much less a shouting match. There was a certain sense of resignation in his voice, sober and troubling. Nodding once, I turned walking to the patio doors. The sudden silence of the room seemed to echo behind me as Adrian stepped around me to grab his coat before leading me out into the breezy night.

Looking back to shut the doors behind me I was met with Rose. My heart seemed to sink deeper, she stepped forward as if to join. Sighing, I only shook my head unable to meet her eyes. Adrian obviously had something to say to me and, though I loathed to admit it, I owed it to him to hear him out.

I was sure I'd regret it, but I slid the shade closed blocking Rose from sight before closing the sliding doors with a soft click. One step forward, four back indeed. I was apparently to be paraded around Rose's friends until they all got their say in. Might as well as get it over with then. I deserved no less.

Adrian's back was turned to me by the time I finally turned. A thick smoke cloud drifted lazily around him.

"I'm listening, Ivashkov."

"You've got some fucking nerve, you know that?" Adrian said flicking his ashes into the night. Stone cold sober, his eyes haunted as he looked back to me. It was a look I was well familiar with.

Chapter 8

Dimitri

I sagged slightly, shaking my head. There was nothing he could possibly say to me that I didn't already think about myself.

"Yeah," I agreed, deflated, leaning so my shoulder rested on the brick wall. "I know." I felt the urge to throw the ashtray that rested on the lounger just to feel the satisfaction of it smashing against the fence. I crossed my arms over my chest instead, looking steadily into the night and avoiding Adrian's piercing gaze. "I fucking know."

I had to wonder what it was that Adrian saw when he looked at me. The vampire's gaze sought to burn straight through me, that much was clear, but there was something so much more than hatred when he looked at me. The strange intensity that always accompanied the Ivashkov heir was present, but I could sense there was more. That he was seeing so much more than just me. Whatever it was that he saw, it had him fuming.

In sparring, intentionally letting yourself take calculated hits would allow you to better learn your opponent. I considered this as he continued to glare, and settled myself more firmly against the wall, knowing better than most when it was time to settle in for a beating, and waited.

"Why is it you? Why does it have to be fucking you?" Adrian spat abruptly, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe what he saw. I didn't bother responding, recognizing his questions for the accusations that they were. "I am not, not, going to waste a damned second explaining what this past year has been like for her. You don't deserve to know," He hissed manically, not really speaking to me, before finally looking away to drag on his cigarette. I looked on calmly, trying to measure his current level of sanity. Sober though he may be, he was clearly fraying at the edges. I was reminded sharply of what I had tried and failed to explain to Rose the one time we had gone to court before Spokane had happened when she had first met the Ivashkov heir. I could sense it around him, but it was difficult to put into words. Adrian had a lot more going on for him than his playboy ways, and perhaps it was simply from having experience with my Vrăjitoare grandmother, but Adrian was somehow more. And I wasn't altogether sure if it was good. He wasn't necessarily dangerous, this I knew, but destructive was not too far off either.

But he had something he needed to say and I would let him. It would better if he got it out here, while we were in relative privacy.

"I'm not here to…" I trailed off unsure of how to finish, but still wanting to offer him something. Knowing that he was waiting for me to fill the silence. There wasn't much that I could claim that would make sense to him, much less anything that I would want to share with him.

"Not here to, what?" He taunted, still looking out towards the pool.

"Not here to hurt her," I warned, in a low voice. Beyond exasperated with the entire situation.

I decided firmly to shut up, clenching my jaw. He wasn't out here to talk to me. He wanted someone to be angry at, someone to blame.

"Not hurt her?" He mocked, laughing without humor, "A little late for that."

I didn't react, focusing on the skyline above the fence as if he hadn't spoken. Waiting for him to get on with it and say his piece.

"She barely sleeps." He said after several moments, taking me off guard by the causal admission, his tone belying his intensity. "Hasn't since graduation, I don't think. So remember that as you try to trap her into another moment for yourself." He turned to face away from me, so I couldn't adequately read his tone but I recognized the edge in his words. I waited, listening. "Remember that you walking away is her gentlest nightmare. Those aren't the ones that keep her up. That when she crawls into my bed, it's not you that she's looking for." All hostility was gone from his voice as he spoke into the yard. He paused, allowing me the time to digest his words and the implications they carried.

He flicked the dying ember of his cigarette butt into the dark yard, before glancing over his shoulder to where I stood. He didn't smirk. He just stared with cold, unreadable, certainty, which made me, for the first time since my arrival, recognize that I had truly stumbled into a place I didn't belong. That Rose may and well have moved on. Whether or not if it was with Adrian. My stomach plummeted and a furious heat crawled up my neck. Only then did he smirk as he turned to go back inside, pleased by whatever reaction he had gotten from me, and shut me out in the darkness of the backyard without glancing backward.

He had done what he had intended. Thrown me off balance. Hitting me where it would hurt most. Making me second guess every one of my intentions in being here. Leaving me with the image of Rose in his bed. I felt sick. I felt enraged. I felt helpless.

I breathed in deeply. Giving myself a moment to feel hurt before rejecting the unjustifiable fury I felt at the idea of Rose with Adrian... I needed to decide now what I was here for and if it was for anything less than being what Rose needed me to be, I was better off leaving. Regardless if Adrian was telling the truth or not, there was nothing here for me if I was only interested in picking up where I left of with Rose. Neither Rose nor myself were the same people were once were.

I promised to be her friend. I could do that. I would be the best-damned friend that she had ever known. Despite his bluster, whatever claim Adrian believed he had on Rose was not what he was making it out to be. That much I knew to be true, though the idea still gutted me. I wouldn't know the extent of their connection until she decided to tell me. Until then, I would work on being her friend.

Adrian's one-sided conversation with me tonight served two purposes, a warning, which was clear enough- Rose was not okay, and to "try" anything would be to take advantage of her, and to stake his own claim. He had a relationship with her now, whatever that may be, and he wanted me to know it. To know that he would be watching me and, unlike everyone else in the house, he was not rooting for me. I smiled grimly to myself. Well played, Ivashkov.

Gritting my teeth in resolve, I moved away from the cool brick wall. I would shower and go change for my shift. I had work to do.

Adrian

I let the smirk continue to play out over my face, steadily ignoring my pounding head and the nausea of my churning stomach. She wanted to know, the second I walked back through the patio doors she was there at the kitchen table, but it wasn't me that she was whwaiting for, her neck already craned around me to see if the doors would slide open again. I scoffed, earning a glare. Her dark chocolate eyes settled on me, finally. My smirk transformed into a smile automatically.

"What did you tell him?" Rose demanded, standing to meet me, hands on her hips. She was pissed. Her aurora radiated anger and defiance. All signs of the spiked blacks and swirling greys were muted and now outlined with a simmering gold. Hatred rolled through me taking my smile with it. Months. Months had passed with the barest flickers of blues and greens, always swallowed by the rolling pitches of black, and now she was swathed in a damned near rainbow.

"Nothing that he didn't deserve to know." I ground out, clenching my fists at my side.

"And just what the fuck is that supposed to mean, Adrian?" Rose moved closer, invading my space. I could never manage to bring myself to admit to her that this one intimidation tactic of hers was entirely wasted on me. I loved when she was close, and the closer the better as far as I was concerned. So I smiled again, only infuriating her further. My heartbeat sped up for all of the wrong reasons.

"There is nothing to worry over, Little Dhampir." I attempted to soothe, "The Russian is none the more privy to information than he was before. He needed to remember his place is all." My causal tone disguising the annoyance I felt. She was worried, about him.

She didn't like that. Not at all, but she made a visible effort to swallow her anger. "Adrian," she stated with a phony smile, "Butt out. Thank you, but please don't make this more complicated than it already is." Her calm façade was surface-level work at best, she would have liked nothing more than to yell. Or hit me.

I forced myself to smirk again, "I'll be wherever your butt is, Little Dhampir." I was hurt and confused, but I didn't want her to feel worse for that. I couldn't risk the darkness surging around her when it only just seemed to be receding in the smallest of degrees. For the better part of a year, I had been Rose's confidante. I couldn't let her know how much it hurt to see her be won over so easily by his bravado.

So instead, I grabbed the whiskey from the shelf in the pantry, turning my back to her as I walked from the room. I didn't stop as I heard the patio doors reopen. I got the sense that she had been about to stop me before those doors had reopened.

I didn't want to think anymore tonight. Rose could come by if later if she wanted to, but a part of me that I tried desperately to numb with booze told me that she probably wouldn't be in my bed tonight. Two days ago I would have thought that was a good thing. It would have meant that she had fallen asleep without nightmares. I only just managed to stop myself from slamming my bedroom door. There was no sense in creating further tension in the home for the night.

Cornering Belikov had two benefits, I considered as I threw myself onto my bed, whiskey and tumbler in clutch. The first being the opportunity to see his aurora secluded. Gold. Just like Rose's. Which infuriated me like nothing else, but was not altogether unexpected. The Russian had a much brighter aurora in comparison to Rose's, but with plenty of greys of his own. He was clearly suffering to some degree as well, but that was something I could take pleasure in. But nothing was quite like the dancing black spikes of Rose's. It was fascinating to see, Rose's colors would absorb the surrounding colors in her aurora. The faints blues and greens would never last, but this gold was different. It was a barrier of sorts. It stood between her and the darkness. I swigged from the bottle before pouring myself a dram. I had never seen gold in an aurora before. To have gotten the privilege twice in a single day… I swigged from the botted again.

The second being tormenting him just a little. I couldn't just let him believe that he had an open pass back into her life. That it would be easy for him. That I would make it easy for him. I rolled my eyes, downing the contents of my glass and pouring another. He didn't get to know that Rose only ever sought out my bed on the nights when she could no longer elude sleep. When she needed someone to make sure that the nightmares wouldn't consume her. The only thing that Dimitri fucking Belikov deserved to know was that when she called out for him it was me who came to her.

Rose

Dimitri didn't seem any worse for wear when he came back into the house after his "chat" with Adrian, not that that meant much when it came to Dimitri. He never seemed truly bothered by anything, but he did seem a little more distant than he had before and I got the impression that he wouldn't be up for discussing whatever he and Adrian had talked about, so I let it go for the time being. He wanted to shower and Liss jumped at the opportunity to play hostess. Which left me to entertain our other guest.

My feelings for Tasha were truly neither here nor there. It was a mixed bag of remorse and jealously. If I were being honest, I could admit to feeling a little embarrassed for my hot and cold treatment towards her throughout the day, but I didn't particularly feel up to any more honesty for the evening. So, I suggested putting on a movie instead. I let Tasha and Christian bicker it out over the choice of movie and lowered the lights, choosing the corner of the sectional to seclude myself in until Lissa returned.

I watched Lissa through the bond for a moment as she showed Dimitri where the towels were in my room before firmly deciding to block her out when I noticed their bags together on my bed in that comfortable way that couples seemed to lump their things together. I blinked, closing my eyes for a long moment.

It had been a long fucking day. It was only 10 p.m. which meant there were two hours before Darren's shift ended. On a normal night, it would be me who would relieve him, but we expanded the night shift with the addition of a fourth Guardian. Most of my shifts would follow Darren's. As to ensure that Lissa would never have to go without a Guardian or a Guardian that was too tired. Dimitri would take midnight to four and I would relieve him for the rest of the night shift. All this to mean that I would be expected to sleep more than I usually would on a normal night. We would typically alternate who would get the middle shift between midnight and dawn, so that, in theory, we, Eddie, Darren, and myself could get a couple of nights of unbroken sleep. I was more than happy to take the middle of the night shift, but the others had insisted that it should be shared. Eddie was getting the golden shift tonight, he would make his way to bed as soon as Christian called it a night and I envied his ability to sleep so easily. I missed looking forward to sleep.

Six hours to sleep. Or pretend to. On a good night, I could manage roughly four hours of intermitted sleep. That didn't seem like it would be a problem tonight. Having guests over had its perks. I could stay up under the premise of entertaining them and watching movies with Liss. My odd sleeping habits had blessedly never occurred to Lissa, she just assumed that if I wasn't following her schedule I was following my shifts. It would be difficult for her to know the difference. It had been Adrian who had found me out, his dream walking gave him an unfair advantage.

I withheld a sigh as the opening credits began to play, Adrian was an entirely different matter altogether. It did not strike me as fair that a person so good-looking and compassionate could contain some of the most infuriating personality traits. I wanted to strangle him as often as he made me laugh. Aggravating tendencies aside, he had been the only person who hadn't treated me differently over the last year. Throughout the move from court to PSU, Adrian had never once acted as if I were different than I had been before. He took it all in stride. Nothing I did seemed to surprise him, he had just accepted me. Adrian loved me. In a different way from how I loved him. I knew this with sounding clarity. It would be hard not to. It was difficult for me to put words to my affection for Adrian. It was not quite brotherly like it was with Eddie, I suppose under different circumstances, given time maybe, it could potentially be romantic, but that wasn't something I felt towards Adrian. He was my friend, my safe harbor. My best friend even, with the exception of Lissa of course. Even if I could, I am not sure that I would love Adrian the way he loved me.

My range of emotions felt vastly limited ever since the battle. It was as if I were frozen in time, if someone were in my life before the battle my feelings for them were retained but never changed. My feelings didn't seem to grow or change but had instead become muted. Like someone turning the volume down on a TV, I knew people were speaking but I couldn't hear them or know what they were saying. Today being the striking exception. Something had broken open within me today, and I was surprised to find that I was no worse for it. I was confused certainly and would be waiting for the hammer to drop, but for the moment I still felt that sense of freedom that occurred to me while I sat with Dimitri on the park bench.

But that didn't mean that I was so damaged that I didn't feel guilt for needing Adrian the way I have, knowing that I could not and did not return his feelings. I tried explaining that to him once, but he wouldn't let me. I had tried to stop seeking him out, but he would find me instead. Adrian blamed my inability to feel on my lack of sleep, but I didn't think it was that simple. I could feel. Just not deeply. It was mostly surface-level emotions that would pass quickly regardless. With the exception of the battle, something that I could only think about abstractly, there was nothing for me to feel strongly about. Until today apparently.

I shouldn't be so surprised that it would be Dimitri, knowing all the while that it had always been Dimitri for me. As foolish as I was for that. He hadn't even been here all of 24 hours, and yet, there I was feeling things. Thinking clearly. Hurting but thriving. Trying like hell to keep my head above the water. That's how it had been after the battle, I had managed the darkness then too I realized. My stomach clenched with fear with a sudden memory and I stood quickly in reaction to the need to distract myself.

"Popcorn!" I announced a little too abruptly to be considered casual. Both Christian and Tasha jerked slightly in surprise. Eddie's eyes just followed me, watching me knowingly. I gritted my teeth hating that. "You guys want popcorn?"

"None for me, thanks. I am still full from dinner." Tasha smiled to me, tentative but kind.

"Sure, you know Lissa will want some too. Thanks, Rose." Christian said absently, his eyes never leaving the screen.

"Just a soda for me," Eddie consented. He didn't follow me and I was grateful.

Gathering the snacks from the kitchen offered me the distraction that I had needed, but my nerves were still high keyed. I listened as the shower continued to run, and I transferred my thoughts to things that I knew with certainty. I knew where everyone was. I could ground myself with that knowledge.

I was glad to see Lissa on the couch when I returned. She had left my spot in the corner open for me and put herself between Christian and myself, the perfect diplomat. I smiled and she returned it as I distributed the snacks.

"What did I miss?" I asked, knowing that it wouldn't matter because I hadn't paid attention to the first 10 minutes either.

Lissa shrugged, digging her hand into the popcorn bowl she now shared with Christian. "Doesn't really matter. All action movies are the same. Two people have died and now they are in fast cars." She looked to me, sharing a conspiratorial smile with me.

Christian sniffed in disgust at our lack of appreciation as expected, sending Lissa into giggles. I joined out solidarity.

Dimitri joined us then, his eyes scanned the room. Assessing where he should go. Tasha had taken the only solitary chair. Eddie had made himself comfortable on the opposite end of the sectional, and Christian and Lissa occupied the lounge end. Leaving the only available space between my corner and Eddie's end. It was a wide berth of couch, but he didn't seem to hesitate as he chose the spot closest to me. I was relieved to find that, whatever his conversation with Adrain had been, it didn't seem to affect our new budding friendship.

I glanced over to him, and he caught my eye offering me a slight smile. He seemed more relaxed than he had all day. I breathed in slowly as he sat, his hair was slightly damp from his shower and hung loosely around his face. His shorts were gone, and replaced by his familiar dark jeans and work boots. I doubted that I'd be seeing those shorts again, I smiled at the thought.

"What are we watching?" He questioned quietly, leaning in slightly as not to disturb the other moviegoers.

Even still, Lissa shushed us over her shoulder, smiling wickedly at me before turning back to the film. I rolled my eyes, but none the less scooted slightly closer to answer his question. "I'm not entirely sure," I admitted, "Something with a lot of guns and fast cars."

"Well, that certainly narrows the selection." He teased.

"Oh, you'll enjoy it," I assured. "It's basically a western sans the horses and chaps."

His laugh rumbled through his chest, and I was surprised to find our shoulders were touching. I thought to lean away but decided against it as he dipped his head closer to speak more quietly so that only I would hear. "I want to apologize for earlier if I was too forward. I am just as surprised as you are to find myself here."

I sighed, shaking my head, "No," I uttered, "I don't want you to be sorry." I considered saying more but decided against it.

Dimitri looked at me for a moment, seeming to be contemplating something before nodding. "Alright then. Do you mind if I sit with you until my shift starts?" He glanced around, before meeting my eyes.

He didn't want me to feel pressured, and I smiled again in an effort to reassure him. I wouldn't admit it aloud, but I was felt very pleased to find myself here with him. My anxiety from earlier had ebbed away, and I found that my smile was not forced in any way when I answered him, "I'd like that."

He smiled softly in return, "Thank you."

A friendship with Dimitri would be very nice indeed.

*** Dimitri***

My breath caught in my chest as her smiled widened in response, I needed to look away so I did, but I didn't want her to move away. I considered my options as the car on the screen flipped over on the freeway. She seemed relaxed enough, but I needed a reason to stay close without pushing her.

I lifted my arm to rest over the back of the couch, remembering the park bench, wincing slightly as the bruise on my ribs pulled with the movement. Darren had really done a number on me earlier. Rose had left a matching bruise on my thigh. She frowned slightly as she noticed me rubbing lightly at the spot on my upper thigh.

"Is it bad?" She wondered, not seeming to be bothered by my arm behind her head. I relaxed slightly into the couch, enjoying the feel of her shoulder so close to my chest. I had to marvel at the balance of tension and closeness we had managed. We had always thrived when we were one on one. That, at the very least, seemed to not have changed.

"Not terrible," I admitted, "Darren is something else." I mused. Both of our walls came down when there was nothing to separate us. There was no show to put on.

"You have no idea, I've only beat him twice and we've been sparring for months."

I glanced to her surprised, catching her in time to see her smirk even in the dark. I scoffed playfully, "A little warning would have been nice, Hathaway." I nudged her gently with my shoulder.

She laughed, forgetting to be quiet. Only Lissa and Eddie looked to us before quickly casting their eyes away. A light blush darkened Rose's cheeks, but I was glad when she didn't move away. Tasha, I noticed, was staring resolutely at the screen.

"You handled it better than I did the first time." She appeased.

"I think I owe you a rematch as well." I offered, holding my breath and waiting to see if that was the completely wrong thing to have said.

She studied me for a moment from beneath her lashes, her expression too difficult to read before answering. "I think a rematch on the beach would be fitting." She agreed and looked away then smirking slightly, seemingly oblivious to the effect her words had on me. I exhaled sharply, praying to the higher power that a spar with a bikini-clad Rose would be imminent. I shifted in my seat.

We settled into the quiet atmosphere of the room then, turning our attention to the movie. If asked, I would not be able to relay a single detail about the film. My attention was focused entirely on the dark-haired beauty next to me. Slowly, Rose had relaxed closer into me and I wasn't quite sure when it had happened but she had fallen asleep and was curled into my side by the time the film had ended. I didn't dare move, but I knew that something would have to happen as the credits began to roll. We had forgone notice until that point, but with the end of the movie and my shift change rapidly approaching I knew that we would not be able to stay. Slowly I began to shift away as Lissa rose to raise the lights only to be stopped by Eddie's hand on my shoulder. Rose stirred then fitted herself more comfortably back into my side.

Eddie motioned for me to stay seated and took the earpiece from my ear without comment. "She's asleep," Eddie said into the ear radio, waiting and listening for Darren's response. "Belikov is the pillow." He answered, eyeing me from the corner of his eye and motioning for me to stay put.

The room around me stayed silent reacting to the partial conversation. Lissa quickly re-lowed the lights before leaving the room and coming back with the comforter and a pillow from Rose's bed. Silently she padded herself over to where we sat and gently situated the blanket over Rose's prone form and placed the pillow beside me before backing away quietly as not to disturb the sleeping figure further. Tasha took her cues from Christian and rose to leave then, waving goodnight without comment. Tasha didn't delay, only mouthing "sleep well" before padding off into the dark hall.

Eddie exchanged a few more quiet responses with Darren through the earpiece before returning his attention to me. "You two should sleep here tonight." He murmured, not seeming to be interested in what I might think about the matter. I didn't object regardless, but I was amazed how at quickly the room had reacted to the realization that Rose was asleep. This was apparently no small matter, which made me put further stock into the 'conversation' I had had with Adrian earlier. I withheld a grimace at the thought. But I would have to think more on that later, there were more pressing matters to attend to at the moment. The gorgeous woman asleep on my arm being priority

"Darren is expanding his shift and I will relieve him in a couple of hours," Eddie explained for my benefit. "You need to stay put until she wakes up. Guardian Lee and I will take care of the night shift. Sleep." He ordered.

I glanced at Lissa before nodding my understanding. Eddie left the room then, presumably to sleep before his shift. Lissa lingered, clearly waiting for me to express some sort of confusion or dissent with the situation.

"Lord Ivashkov mentioned that she did not sleep well." I offered as an explanation.

Lissa nodded solemnly, "She thinks no one knows." She answered equally softly, hesitating before speaking again, "You don't mind, do you?"

I could read the worry she felt clearly, she didn't want me to move in fear of waking Rose but she also equally didn't want me to feel uncomfortable.

I chuckled softly at the irony, "Far from it." I answered honestly. Rose stirred, and I shifted her more firmly against my side until her head rested fully on my chest. We quieted down until her breathing evened out again.

"I can stay if you'd like?" Lissa offered quietly, moving to turn the lights completely off.

"Only if you think she would want you to," I murmured. My first instinct was to refuse her offer, but I wanted to consider what Rose needed. I was no longer so sure of myself and my judgment when it came to Rose. Her waking up on my chest would be a surprise enough and I didn't want to upset her more than the situation called for.

Lissa smiled and snorted, "No, I don't think that she would appreciate me being here at all." She laughed dryly, no doubt imagining Rose's response. "If you don't need anything, I'll head to bed. We're at the end of the hall, send me a text if you need me."

I smiled, knowing that she would see it even in the dark, "Thank you, Princess Vasilisa." I said genuinely.

She returned my smile with a warm one of her own, "Goodnight, Guardian Belikov." She whispered before leaving us alone in the dark.

I sighed and brought my arm from behind to the couch to wrap around Rose more comfortably. Deciding to just go with it and get comfortable, I toed off my boots leaving my feet sock-clad and did my best to unclasp and take off my belt one-handed without jostling Rose too much. The fear was unfounded because she was clearly deeply asleep if the soft snore she let out was anything to judge by. I smiled to myself and placed my discarded belt over my boots. Knowing that was the best I would be able to do in terms of getting comfortable, I shifted myself back so that I was lying down on the couch bringing Rose with me. I tucked her between my side and the back of the couch, stretching out alongside her. She naturally adjusted herself around me, automatically moving so that her leg was cradled between mine, kicking the cover away. I shifted once more to accommodate and moved so that I was on my side facing her and brought her closer once more to cradle her head against my chest. This was so very natural to us, we molded together naturally.

We both sighed contentedly. "Dimitri?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Shhh." I whispered, smoothing her hair back, "I'm here."

She buried her face into my chest and mumbled, "Smell good."

I stifled my laughter, "You do too," I said, returning the compliment and indulging myself in a sniff of her tea tree-scented shampooed hair. Sleepy Rose was always a personal favorite of mine.

"Missed you." She slurred in her sleep.

My heart thudded in my ears and my throat felt thick. I looked to make sure she hadn't woken up her, but her eyes were closed and her breathing was deep and even. "I missed you more than you could imagine, Roza." I uttered, kissing the top of her head. Knowing she wouldn't remember any of this in the morning.

We relaxed once more into each other and I had the clarity of mind to bring the comforter back over us before following Rose to sleep. I thought to remember the last time we had been in each other's arms like this but decided to push the memory away. My ritual of torturing myself with memories would have to wait. Tonight was enough. I was so damned tired and she was so damn soft. I let sleep pull me under, damning what the morning would bring.

Ten months was far too long.

Author's note: I've had the hardest time trying to get out this "night". Y'all do realize that the first eight chapters of this story have all taken place in a single day, right? (wowowow). But Rose falling asleep on Dimitri's chest was one of the first pieces of inspiration that came to me when I started writing this story way before I even had a plot in mind. I've made quite the mess of my original timeline for this story, which is understandable considering that I began this story in 2011 when I was a junior in high school. (Insert uncomfortable laugh here, I'm old). Nonetheless, this is a fanfic that has always lived in my heart. I have never outgrown my love of the Vampire Academy. I'm back at it and writing chapters as slowly as ever. I had actually forgotten about the half chapter I had written until a PM and review I received recently (Thanks JuiceWillis and Irina C- this one is dedicated to you cool cats, thank you for caring). I am so incredibly surprised to see how well this story had been received. I cannot express enough gratitude over that. Writing is very therapeutic for me, hence the hail storm of emotions that the characters experience.

You'll notice that there are revision dates on my previous chapters. I went back and filled in some plot gaps and updated for basic grammar (not that they are perfect or error-free by any stretch of the imagination, but I did my best). The first chapter in particular is worth a glance back.

I will continue to write and produce chapters for Always. The timeline for this story will officially begin progressing from here, I'm hoping to cover a day or two per chapter moving forward. Not for the sake of rushing the plot, but to finally start delivering the story. It's a good one, in my humble opinion ;)

Who should be the first one to "walk-in" on Dimitri and Rose? What do y'all think? I have the shell of the next chapter outlined, but I wouldn't mind opinions on filling in a few delicious details. Can you tell that I enjoy a slow build? Ha, thank you, and, as always, all forms of feedback, criticism, and conversation are welcomed.

-Blue