"Daughter?" There was no way. Absolutely no way.

I turned towards Dimitri, hoping that it was some sort of twisted joke that he was in on, but he looked just as surprised as I was. His eyes flickered between us and with each passing moment, I could see some sort of realization flow over him. Realization and something that looked a whole lot like distress. He seemed rattled, and that worried me more than anything else.

However, Abe looked entirely too pleased with how the conversation was playing out. "Perhaps it's time that I introduce myself properly, Kizim."

"Kizim? What the hell does that mean?" I was very tempted to wipe that smug grin off his face, but not until I got some answers. "And what the fuck do you mean that you're my father?"

"Certainly St. Vladimirs went over basic genetics." He gave a boisterous laugh that caught the attention and disapproval of a few other people on the street. As annoyed as they were, it was nothing compared to the rage burning inside of me. He was acting as if this was all fun and games and not some life-changing revelation.

"Yeah. I know about the birds and the bees, asshole." It took every last ounce of my fading self-control not to scream at him. "What I mean is how are you, a wannabe mobster cosplaying as Johnny Depp, my father? Janine wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot poll."

Rather than answering me, he chuckled and looked at Dimitri before spouting something in rapid Russian. It was much too fast for me to catch all of what he was saying, but I was able to pick up, 'is she always…'

I glanced at Dimitri for a translation, but he seemed busy reevaluating all of his life choices at the moment. His hair was disheveled from the way he continually ran his fingers through it as he mumbled under his breath, and it seemed like he was unable to even look at me, much less say anything.

Turning his attention back toward me and noticing my confusion, Abe filled in the blanks. "I asked if you were always so feisty. I like that. Your mother has the same fiery personality."

"I am nothing like my mother." The very thought was infuriating. I had been compared to her and judged against her so many times in my life, and I was tired of it. If there was anything positive to come out of my banishment from the guardian life, it was that I could finally distance myself from her.

Mazur seemed less than pleased at my insistence. In fact, he almost seemed disappointed. Perhaps even heartbroken to an extent. Why? I wasn't sure. It didn't matter, though, because a moment later, whatever he had been feeling was replaced with the same good-natured facade he had been wearing earlier. "I could go for a cup of tea. Would you two care to join me? I believe it's time for me to introduce myself properly, and I'd love to get to know you a little more, Rosemarie."

"Rose," I corrected as he started walking towards a small bakery and cafe the next block over. Part of me wanted to tell him off. Maybe that was the smart choice; tell him no, walk away, and hope he didn't bother me again. He was probably lying anyway. This was probably just another ruse to trick me into working for him. Still, I was curious.

I trailed after him a couple of steps before I realized that someone was missing.

"Dimitri? Are you okay?" I knew he had been stunned initially, but the fact that he still hadn't come back to his senses made me nervous. He even looked a bit sick. Perhaps he really was reevaluating everything. Hopefully, this news—which I still wasn't sure I actually believed—wasn't enough for him to walk away.

Dimitri had made it clear from the very beginning that he didn't like Mazur. Just his name seemed to inspire dread in a man that was usually confident, calm, and collected. Even though Dimitri had gone to Abe for help years ago, it seemed like a last resort sort of thing. And while he probably didn't regret it since it had gotten his family out from under his father's thumb, it was clear that the arrangement had caused him anxiety ever since. Learning that I was related to one of the few people who could truly rattle him? Well…maybe it was too much.

Dimitri shook his head, not in answer to my question but to snap himself out of his daze. Still, he didn't move until I took his hand in mine and literally pulled him along behind me.

I nodded to Pavel as I passed him to meet up with Abe, and the man almost smiled back at me. Did he know? Probably. I mean, he had to, right? The fact that he most likely knew yet didn't tell me felt like somewhat of a betrayal. Obviously, his loyalty was to the man signing his paychecks, but surely he could have given me a small heads-up.

Even though I had turned Abe down, I had still talked to Pavel about his experience working as a bodyguard rather than a sanctioned guardian. He was a man of few words, but he was adamant that while private contracts were a lot less restrictive and more lucrative than traditional options for typical guardians, it was who you were working for that really mattered. He tried to assure me that Abe would be a good employer, but when he realized that I honestly had no interest in working for him, he gave me his personal phone number and suggested to call him if I ever changed my mind.

By the time we arrived at the cafe, Abe was already sitting at a table with three other chairs. Pavel pulled out a chair for me before taking the seat on my left while Dimitri bracketed me on the right. I reached for his hand as he settled in, giving it a reassuring squeeze. If Abe really was my father, then I doubted he would hurt me. Plus, despite Dimitri's hesitance about the guy, Mazur did seem to have some respect for Dimitri. That had to count for something, right?

An older grey-haired woman, who I only recognized by appearance, set a tray of four tea glasses, a small to-go cup filled with the familiar scent of coffee, and a plate of treats in the middle of the table. She also strung a small loop of сушки, which resembled small crispy bagels, over the urn-like tea contraption standing proudly off to one side between Abe and Pavel.

"Спасибо тебе, Лада. Как ваши внуки?"

The woman beamed as Abe asked after her grandchildren, and as we listened about how her granddaughter had started swimming classes not too long ago, I had to admit I was surprised. Not about the granddaughter's swimming, of course. I really couldn't care less about that. What impressed me was that Abe had asked in the first place and was genuinely listening, even though I'm sure he didn't care much either. It was…considerate. Much more considerate than I would assume a pseudo-mobster would be.

I was also surprised when Pavel took the to-go cup outside to a man just outside the front door. I had also met him the last time I spoke to Abe. I believe his name was Henry, and unlike Pavel, he was a sanctioned guardian. Dimitri also caught the small act of kindness, which seemed to soften his opinion towards our host.

Once the four of us were alone again, Abe grabbed one of the elaborately decorated подстака́нник glasses and filled it just under a quarter of the way with strong заварка tea concentrate. He passed the glass to me to dilute with the heated water of the самовар to my liking as he poured three more identical glasses and offered them to the men to do the same.

The first time I had tried Russian tea, I had made the mistake of not diluting it, much to Sonya's amusement. She watched the whole thing and never said a word until I was left sputtering the extremely bitter liquid while she laughed like a banshee. Now I knew better, adding a spoonful of strawberry jam to sweeten it a little before drinking.

Once the elaborately painted teapot was placed back on top of the matching самовар, Mazur turned to me. "What would you like to know?"

What did I want to know? The better question was where I should start with this interrogation. So many questions circled through my mind, and I knew that whatever answers he offered me would likely just create even more questions. First things first, though.

"You called me something earlier." Kismet? Something starting with 'kiz.' "What was it, and what does it mean?"

"Kizim." His eyes softened as if the mere thought of whatever that strange word meant was pleasant and important to him. "It means 'daughter.' I've been waiting a long time to call you that. I've been waiting a long time just to meet you, actually."

"Yeah, about that. Where were you? I mean, I know lots of Moroi don't bother with their dhampir kids, but if you were so eager to meet me, then why didn't you? Why didn't you call or write or visit? You obviously knew where I was." I wasn't one of those kids who had been eager to learn anything about my father. I knew some novices were somewhat obsessed with figuring out that mystery, especially if they thought it was some royal or whatever, but the fact was that most Moroi men didn't care and wouldn't acknowledge their dhampir offspring if they even knew they existed. I was fine not having a dad, especially after learning about Dimitri's experience with paternal sperm donors.

"As I'm sure Dimitri has already mentioned," Dimitri stiffened momentarily as Abe gestured towards him, "I deal in favors of the less than legitimate nature. I also have some financial investments here and there, but for the most part, I'm the one that people go to for help when they've either exhausted every other option or had nowhere else to go in the first place."

"So you extort desperate people?"

He gave a good-natured laugh as he sipped his tea. "Everyone who comes to me comes of their own free will and with a full understanding of what they're getting themselves into. I rarely have to resort to threats or get my hands dirty. Plus, I am somewhat selective with what deals I make. Some might even call me altruistic."

"Altruistic people don't have enemies, and they certainly don't have the reputation you apparently have." Nothing I've heard about him makes him seem like a good guy. He was literally nicknamed Zemy. He was a snake.

Leaning a little closer to me, his voice took on a low, menacing tone that made me shiver. "I think you'll find that everyone has enemies. Mine just happen to be more dangerous than most."

I looked towards Pavel in hopes that he'd say anything to refute Abe's claim, but he just gave me a quick shrug as if none of this was news to him. In fact, he looked totally cool with whatever his charge was up to. Dimitri wasn't any help, either. He may not have known what Abe actually did for a living, but it was clear that he knew enough. I was starting to feel the same.

By the time I turned my attention back to my so-called father, he had flipped back to his devil-may-care attitude. "Unfortunately, and as you can imagine, my career isn't the most conducive to raising children. Your mother and I didn't want to put you at risk, so we decided that it was better that I keep my distance until you were an adult."

"I have to know; How in the world did you even get together with Janine?" I couldn't understand why my mother would ever come within half a mile of someone like Abe, much less get naked with the guy. "You aren't exactly her type. No offense."

"None taken," he threw back with a grin. "And it was a classic tale of opposites attract, even if was just for a weekend in Istanbul. Neither of us were expecting a souvenir nine months later."

Awesome. I was an accident. I always wondered, but I guess this was confirmation. I reached for one of the gingerbread пряники cookies, pulling back quickly when Abe tried to place his hand on top of mine.

As if he could read my thoughts, he said, "Just because you weren't expected doesn't mean you weren't wanted. Here…"

He reached into his jacket and pulled out his wallet. Inside was a picture of him and my mother, and in his arms was a baby. He looked…soft as he gazed at the little thing wrapped up in a blanket. It was similar to the way Dimitri looked while holding Katya but ramped up to a level that I couldn't begin to understand. As if everything he could ever want was in that baby.

Removing the photo from its protected pocket, he passed it over to me to examine it closer. There was no way for me to know for sure if that baby was me, but I was starting to believe that it was. I traced the worn edges of the photograph before looking closer at the pair. I'd never seen my mother with long hair, but it was almost as long as mine back then. And, somehow, Abe was even more elaborately dressed than he was now. After a moment, I passed it to Dimitri. I doubted he could tell if the baby was me any more than I could, but he examed it carefully as if he could.

"I have a few others from over the years," he said with what I could only identify as affection. Maybe even love, which was strange from a man who hardly knew me. "Most are school photos your mother sent me, but I have one or two others. And while I tried to honor your mother's request to step back until you were older, I did check in on you a few times. I don't think I'd ever been so terrified as the day she called to tell me about the car accident. It's the only time I totally disregarded her wishes and visited you. You had been asleep at the hospital, but I had to know for myself that you were okay."

I tried to remember back to that time after the accident. It had all been a blur. Someone could have easily slipped in and out during those first few days and I wouldn't have noticed. I didn't remember anyone, but perhaps I wasn't supposed to.

"What about her disappearance with Princess Vasilisa?" Dimitri asked, finally speaking up for the first time since all this had started. "With your resources, I'm sure you could have found her without issue. Why didn't you?"

"Who said I didn't?" Abe gave Dimitri a knowing look, both brows raised. "Tell me, Dimitri. How did you find Rose and Vasilisa?"

I watched as Dimitri's brow furrowed a moment while he searched through his memories, only for his expression to flip into one of utter shock. "The anonymous tip. That was you?"

Abe nodded. "It took a while. I'm honestly impressed and a little proud of how well you managed to hide, Kizim. It wasn't easy to track you down."

"Chicago, right? That's where you found us first. Right around Christmas?" While I had shared some stories with Dimitri about those years on the run, I hadn't shared them all. I had told him that we spent time in Chicago, but I never told him why we had moved. "I thought someone was following us. Did you send the psi-hounds?"

For the first time ever, it was Abe who looked surprised. "Psi-hounds? There are a few things even I won't dabble in, and those creatures are near the top of the list. If there were psi-hounds in the area, they didn't come from me. I did send someone to Chicago, and my man did get eyes on you once during your classes at Northwestern, but you were gone by the time I could confirm and send someone to retrieve you. We caught up with you again in Portland a few months later. By then, Belikov was leading the task force, so I sent in the tip and let him do the honors."

Hmm, so it turns out this man…my father…knocked down the first domino that led to mine and Dimitri's relationship. I'm sure Abe figured that out too, but he probably wasn't quite so eager to accept that fact. Maybe I should be grateful, though. While returning to St Vlad's had led to quite a few problems, including my eventual exile, it led to some pretty good things too. Dimitri must have come to a similar realization because I felt him grasp my hand under the table.

"So," I started, "say I believe you, and you are actually my father; what does that mean? Are you just going to be hanging around? I still have no interest in working for you—which, as a side note, would probably be weird now—and it's not like you can ground me or send me to my room for turning you down. Where does that leave us?"

"I guess that depends on you, Little Girl." He smirked as I narrowed my eyes at him. I much preferred 'Kizim' to 'Little Girl.' "I know you were initially left with very few options after you were expelled. And I don't mean this as any disrespect to either Dimitri or his family. Truthfully, I will be eternally grateful for their kindness. However, if you would prefer something other than what this small town has to offer, then I can make it happen. I can set you up with an apartment anywhere in the world. An allowance, too. If you want to attend university, then all you have to do is choose one and I'll arrange it. If you want to stay with me, you're welcome to. Also, if you don't want to serve as my bodyguard—which, as you noted, might be odd considering the circumstances—there are other positions in my organization that you might enjoy. Basically, whatever you want, whatever you need, all you have to do is ask."

What could I even say to that? There was no doubt in my mind that he meant every word of what he said…including that he was my father. And maybe some would jump at the chance to take him up on such generous offers, but something held me back. Perhaps it was because while I believed him, I wasn't quite sure if I trusted him yet. Whatever the reason, all I could manage was, "Can I think about it?"

For one brief moment, Abe looked disappointed. I couldn't tell if it was my answer or just me in general. It wouldn't be the first time I let down a parent. At least I barely knew this one and could brush it off for the most part. But then, why did I feel bad for upsetting him? And why the hell did I want to make it right somehow? Was I really so desperate for parental acceptance that I'd agree to run off with someone who admitted that his world was too dangerous for me to be a part of for most of my life?

I looked to Dimitri for some guidance but found nothing except a vague look of concern that I couldn't quite interpret. I was usually good at reading him, but it looked like he was purposefully holding his own opinions back.

Before I could press Dimitri for help, Abe spoke up again. "Of course, Kizim. Take all the time you need. You still have my phone number?"

I shook my head. I knew it was somewhere in my call log, but that was weeks ago and I didn't want to go digging for it. I'd also thrown away his card after I met with him last time in some vain hope that it would get rid of the man himself. Now…well now it may not be the worst thing to keep him in my life. Perhaps he deserved a permanent place on my contact list.

He rattled off the numbers, and rather than waiting for him to ask for mine in return, I sent him a text with my name so he could add it to his contacts if he wanted to. "I look forward to hearing from you again soon, Rose. And please remember, if you need anything—anything at all—call me. I know you may not trust me yet, and may not even trust that I am who I say I am, but trust me when I say that I'd do anything for you."

Tossing some money on the table, he stood, quickly followed by both Pavel and Dimitri. It took me a moment longer, though, as I tried to process everything that had been said and done. It all still seemed surreal.

As quickly as he had arrived, Abe Mazur was gone. I stared down the street where he had disappeared but jumped with I felt a hand wrap around mine.

"Are you okay, Roza?"

"Mmhmm." I quickly snatched up one of the last пряники cookies, stuffing half of it into my mouth in a single bite. My tongue felt dry and heavy when I finally answered. "I'm good, Comrade. Can we go home now?"

"Of course, Roza." Seeing through my lie, Dimitri gave me a quick hug and held my hand for the rest of the long, silent walk home.

Author's Note

You'd think after writing fics for nearly ten years, I'd know everything there is to know about . Apparently not, though, because I just learned that those of you using the mobile app aren't able to copy the Cyrillic text for translation. This is an option on the mobile website (or AO3!) if you ever want to take a look, but I'll try to remember to put translations in the notes in the future.

Also, I got really into the Russian tea ceremony while writing this chapter. The samovars used for making tea are both beautiful and fascinating to me, and I'd really recommend that you do a little internet sleuthing to learn more. I won't go into much more here but having traditional Russian tea is now on my bucket list. And yes, it is common to add a spoonful of jam or marmalade to sweeten it. That wasn't one of Rose's ketchup taco situations.

Question of the week: What is your favorite book genre? I'll read almost anything romance-related, including paranormal romance, sci-fi romance, dark romance, and everything in between.

"Спасибо тебе, Лада. Как ваши внуки?" - "Thank you, Lada. How are your grandchildren?"