The ownership of all characters related to and involving the novels of The Vampire Academy and Bloodlines Series remain the sole property of Richelle Mead, the Penguin Group and any affiliates.
No copyrights have been infringed on maliciously.
A/n: I understand that it's Rose and Dimitri that everyone wants to read about, and I want that too, but if I made every chapter revolve solely around them, everyone, including me, would get very bored with a story that hasn't even really begun yet. This is Dimitri's narrative, and sometimes it has to build on that with characters other than Rose.
Remember…all good things come to those who wait.
A Conflict of the Soul
Chapter Thirteen
Fiddling with the folded edge of my collar, I rolled my shoulders beneath the dark silk of the shirt; unsticking it from the light sheen of sweat forming on my skin as I waited outside of dhampir housing in the half-light of twilight.
Still and cloudless, the early evening air was warmer than normal, almost balmy. Expecting a cold front in the morning, probably the last of the winter season, the high pressure was already beginning to push over the escarpment before the cooler air followed after.
Tunnelling my fingers through damp strands of hair, I checked the time as I slide the last of the buttons at my cuffs into place. It was a little after 6:15pm, and earlier than the time I had arranged with Rose to pick her up, but I didn't trust that she wouldn't ignore my instruction and leave early just to spite me. I had found her second-story window when walking from guardian housing, but with the heavy curtains already drawn, it was hard to tell if she was there or not.
As I stood waiting, the lampposts and flood-lights began to flicker to life around the grounds but there really wasn't any need for them tonight. The full moon – just beginning to rise over the eastern mountain range – cast enough of a silvery glow to light up everything it touched.
Forcing myself to wait as patiently as I could whilst the minutes ticked slowly by, I began to wonder if I might have already missed her, but as my impatience became too difficult to contain and I started to walk towards the stairs leading to the lobby, I saw Rose through the glass panels of the double-doors.
Smiling at the monitor on her way out, her hands reached out to push open the door in the same moment she saw me waiting for her. Expression tightening as she realised that she hadn't left early enough to avoid me, Rose didn't falter as she shoved at the doors with more force than was necessary.
Glancing backwards at the clock on the lobby wall, she jolted down the stairs one by one whilst glaring. "You said 6:30pm."
"I'm not that early." I replied, hiding my grin at the tartness of her complaint.
"No?" She asked quietly…too quietly. Clearing the last of the steps, Rose crowded me against the low fence bordering the gardens. Reaching out, her fingers found and fiddled with a button on my shirt. Looking down, I saw that it wasn't buttoned. I had obviously missed it in my haste to dress and intercept her. Feeling my mouth twist at the careless tell, Rose's nimble fingers secured it before she looked up at me with a curious arch of her brows.
"Looks like you left in a rush. Why is that, comrade?"
Covering her hand, my thumb stroked along the back of it before squeezing gently and taking a step to the side and away from her. We were far too public; the approaching cover of darkness did nothing to hide us from the light of the moon, and the intimate familiarity of the way she was touching me would attract far too much attention from anyone walking past.
Giving me an arched looked at the deliberate move, Rose waited for an answer as I let my gaze wander over her. There wasn't anything special about the way she was dressed tonight but there didn't ever have to be. Her curvaceous figure flattered even the most functional of clothing, but there was something different about it tonight…something that sent my heart skittering off rhythm.
"Maybe I'm hungry?" I downplayed, trying to hide that the reason I was sweating now had nothing to do with the balminess of the night, and everything to do with skin-tight black jeans and a forest green blouse unbuttoned enough to reveal ample cleavage and golden skin.
"Mmmm…maybe you're full of it, comrade." Grumbling, Rose shoved her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and cocked out a hip before looking around. "Where's Eddie?"
"He left a few minutes before you came down," I lied smoothly, not liking that I was deceiving her, but determined to protect all the effort Lissa and Tasha had put into keeping tonight a secret. "He said he wanted to go early to see if Tasha needed any help."
"I think it has more to do with Tasha then being helpful."
Grinning, I nodded. "You noticed, too?"
"Kind of hard not to. Every time he's around her, he blushes and can't look her directly in the eye. Poor Eddie. He has no idea that Tasha's completely oblivious." Sighing, Rose looked up past me at the moon. Having risen over the mountains, the enormous silvery orb seemed to take up the entire sky without the slightest hint of cloud to mar it. "Look at how big the moon is tonight. It's beautiful."
"Yes…it is."
Glancing back at me, Rose found that I was looking at her rather than the moon. Scoffing, she arched a sardonic brow. "After acting like a jerk this morning, now you decide to compliment me?"
"Only a jerk? Last time I was a dick, so that's progress."
Scowling, Rose ground out flatly. "The night isn't over yet; I'm sure you'll end it a dick." Pivoting away on her heel, she stomped off down the pathway as I swore at myself. I didn't want to argue with her again, but it didn't seem like there was any way to avoid it, so maybe it was better to clear the air now so that she could enjoy the rest of the evening.
Following after, I deliberately stayed a pace behind her until we were on a part of the pathway heavily shrouded by trees sprouting new growth in the spring thaw. Reaching out to gently clamp a hand around her arm, Rose spun around aggressively and tugged sharply. Curling the other arm around her, I pulled her towards me and trapped hers at her side. "I don't want to fight with you, Rose. Not tonight."
"You should have thought of that before you used my love and loyalty for Lissa as a way to manipulate me." She spat, struggling in my arms; her eyes flashing fiery resentment. "You knew that what you were asking me to do for Christian wasn't something I was happy or comfortable with, but still you asked…no, not asked, basically guilted me into!"
"You're right, I did. I'm sorry that I used your weakness for Lissa against you and in doing so, forced you to help Christian, but I'm not sorry for doing it. You are very stubborn, Roza. Sometimes you have to be pushed out of your comfort zone to appreciate that for the greater good of not just yourself, but for others too. You know I'm right about this."
"Oh, bite me." Growling beneath her breath, Rose rested her cheek against my chest and glared out into the night; both of us listening to the nocturnal sounds that surrounded us. The sincerity of my apology seemed to have knocked some of the fight out of her, but this was still Rose Hathaway.
"You might be right, but that doesn't mean I like it."
"I wasn't expecting you to, but you'll do it anyway because you know that it's the right thing to do."
Leaning backwards, Rose was no longer glaring at me, but there still wasn't acceptance in her expression. "You weren't serious about him admiring me, were you?"
"Of course I was. Why do you think he was trying so hard to prove himself? And why do you find it so hard to believe that you're worth admiring? I told you before that you're formidable. You didn't think that I was the only one to have noticed that, did you?" Leaning down to nuzzle her temple, my lips coasted lightly over her skin.
"No," she murmured. "But you're kind of biased."
"I am, but that doesn't mean it's not true. So do this for Christian…do this for me."
Glaring again, I could see Rose struggling to hold onto her temper and her tongue. It was obvious that she would have loved to tell me where I could stick my opinion, but my logic was actually beginning to work on her. Finally she blew out a pent-up breath. "I hate that you can so easily manipulate me."
"It's not manipulation. It's influence…persuasion. And you have no less influence over me, Roza." Rubbing over her shoulder blades in wide, soothing circles, I felt her muscles gradually unwind as the anger drained from her, but they did not relax completely; instead, they remained tight. Not from irritation, but a new kind of tension.
A different kind of tension.
"Will you help him, even if it means losing to him every now and then?" I asked quietly, knowing that our conversation wasn't going to last much longer.
Nodding, I didn't actually know if Rose was listening to what I was asking of her. Her attention was entirely focused on me…on the ricocheting arc of sensation and tension she could feel quivering through my body and into hers. It made all verbal communication non-existent.
Hooking my arm around her waist, I anchored her against me whilst the other slide along her shoulder to the back of her neck. Thumbing the edge of the satin collar, my fingers slide beneath it to her collarbone and lower, rubbing my thumb in the hollow of her throat, and hooking it beneath the chain holding the Nazar. Shivering, Rose dropped her gaze to the hollow of my own throat and licked her lips. Turning back the edges of my shirt, her fingers played at my throat and over the heavy, silver links of my own chain.
Shuddering at the ticklish sensation burning its way through my bloodstream, I crushed her against my chest and bent over her, past caring that we were on a public walkway and could be found at any second. Kissing my way down from her forehead, along her cheek and to her chin, my lips ghosted over her own as I felt more than heard her ask.
"What are you doing?"
"What I've wanted to do all day."
Deepening the kiss, Rose whimpered against my mouth before locking her arms around my neck and clinging tightly. Lifting her off her feet, the heat of our bodies fused us together with the blistering need that made us both tremble. Suspended for long moments as the hunger feed and grew, it was only the reality of the dangers we faced that eventually forced us to reluctantly part.
Breathing in deeply, it did nothing to calm the fire pulsing heavily through my veins. Setting her back on her feet again, I rested my forehead against hers, whispering unsteadily. "Happy birthday, moye serdtse."
"You already wished me," she sighed, pecking a kiss on my bottom lip, as reluctant as I was to end our kiss.
"Not the way I wanted to. Not with so many people around."
"We're not exactly alone now, comrade. We're being very reckless. It's expected of me, but you…" Clicking her tongue, Rose shook her head in mock rebuke. "You're picking up all my bad habits."
"Not all of them are bad."
Straightening my collar, her hands smoothed out any wrinkles in the dark-plum material. "This is a nice shirt. I've never seen it before."
"It's a special occasion shirt."
Laughing, she snorted. "It's only dinner, Dimitri."
"It's your birthday, Rose," I reminded her. Clasping our fingers loosely enough so that the hold was there, but could be released in an instant if we came across anyone, we started our walk again. "So…am I forgiven?"
Silent for a long moment, Rose glanced at me from the corner of her narrowed eye, but there wasn't any resent that I could see. "Yes."
"Good. I really don't enjoy fighting with you."
"And yet you do it often enough." She pointed out sweetly.
"We both have strong opinions. It's going to happen occasionally, Roza." Tucking a curl of hair behind her ear, my fingers lingered on the curve of cartilage as I remembered there were other things I wanted to know. "What did you think about Lissa and Christian?"
"Lissa is going to take a long time to build up. That's not her fault, but it doesn't change what it is. She's fast though. Really quick. Maybe we should start working on that first, whilst also building muscle strength and stamina. Christian…Christian has some serious skill." She admitted, albeit grudgingly, before pointing a threatening finger at me. "And if you ever tell him I said that, Strigoi will be the least of your problems, Dimitri Belikov."
Kissing the tip of her finger, I grinned against it. "I agree with you on both points. All he really lacks is strength and confidence. The latter is something you're going to help him with. How did it go in the gym this morning?"
Chuckling throatily at a memory my question had roused, Rose grinned. "Lissa was fine. She started out slowly with free weights before I moved her to cardio, but her boyfriend…oh, her very special boyfriend, decided that he was going to prove to everyone, me especially, that he could dead-lift twice his body weight."
"He can't." I protested loudly.
"Yeah, comrade. He knows that now." Snorting, Rose rolled her eyes at my expression of horror. "Calm down. He's fine. He only pulled a few muscles. Serves him right for thinking he could do it in the first place." She muttered darkly.
Groaning, I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes for a second. "Rose, if he hurts himself, Alberta will put an end to this before we've accomplished anything. We need, you need, to keep him safe and unharmed for this to work. Pretend that you're still on the field experience." I added, searching for anything that would make her take this seriously.
"Field experience didn't include protecting him from his own stupidity, comrade. Only pretend Strigoi."
"Rose…"
"Fine," she grumbled. "I'll make sure he doesn't get hurt. What were you and Tasha talking about?"
Adjusting to her change of direction in conversation, I told her about the information provided by Tasha's contacts. Frowning as I told her about Victor's supposed plans to travel to Europe, she shook her head. "Lissa's here. It makes no sense that he would leave the States."
"We don't think so either. It's probably a false trail."
"So we have nothing to work on and he could be anywhere." Scowling, Rose looked out into the night. "We need to work on Christian," she murmured, still distracted by the thought of Victor lurking somewhere in the dark. "But not as much as Lissa. How long is Tasha going to be here?"
"I don't know. She can't stay much longer, I don't think. Maybe another week."
"Then we need to use that." Rose muttered, quickly becoming consumed by the plans formulating in her head, but I didn't want that for her. Not tonight. Tonight was all about her. We could worry about Victor Dashkov tomorrow.
"Rose?"
"Hmmm?"
"I know that you're concerned, and we all are, but this is your birthday. For tonight, can we please just concentrate on that?"
Blinking in surprise, as if my mentioning of her birthday had suddenly reminded her of it, it looked like she was going to say something dismissive about it, but seemed to change her mind at the last moment and instead squeezed my hand. "Sure."
"Thank you." Raising our linked hands, I kissed the back of it quickly before coming up with another question to distract her. I didn't want her spending too much time thinking about her birthday before I got her to guest housing. "What are our plans for tomorrow?"
"No idea. Hadn't given it much thought. Most of the morning will be taken up by church, and I doubt that
Christian is going to be eager to get back into the gym, so that leaves the whole day wide open. It's your one-day off…what do you want to do?"
"I'd like to spend some of it with Konrad before he flies out at midday, so that leaves the afternoon free to spend with you."
"Oh, yeah. That's right. The last of the replacement guardians will be in tomorrow morning. Are you going to miss him?"
"I am actually."
"You should have invited him to my birthday dinner."
"I did actually, he…" Stopping abruptly, I growled softly before turning to her with narrowed eyes. Watching as a wide grin stretched from one corner of her mouth to the other, Rose arched a brow. "You've known all along, haven't you?" I accused softly.
Nodding, her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Yep. Lissa slipped this morning. Telling her about Victor last night freaked her out so much that she hasn't been able to keep things from me like she would normally do. I know everything. "
"So all the nonsense about Eddie and this being just a dinner…?"
Patting my chest condescendingly, Rose winked. "It's called a hustle, comrade."
"Arghhhhh" Groaning into the quiet, night air, I raised my face skywards before closing my eyes. "You are going to act surprised, right?"
"Yes."
Sliding a glance downwards, Rose was still amused, but not mocking. It wasn't much to go on, but it was all I was going to get. "Good, because they put a lot of effort into this and will be disappointed if they found out you knew about it."
"I'll be on my best behaviour."
"Oh, God, that terrifies me."
"Hey!" Punching my arm indignantly, Rose glared as I laughed quietly and pulled her into my arms for another kiss. Feeling her fingers slip beneath the collar of my shirt again, they twisted around the silver links; reminding me of what I had yet to give her. Thinking of no better opportunity to give it to her, my fingers twisted around it, but as I began to search for the clasp, we both heard a quiet footfall crunching along the pathway.
Releasing her immediately, Rose and I both turned to look in the direction of the sound and found Konrad walking towards us, earlier than I had expected him. Silently swearing at him for ruining not only the moment, but my opportunity to give Rose her gift, he grinned broadly when he saw us before focusing on Rose. "Hey, there she is. The birthday girl."
Hugging her lightly, Rose was taken by surprise for a moment before she returned the hug with more enthusiasm that Kon deserved. "Hello, guardian Medvedev."
"Oh, hey. Call me Konrad. Happy birthday, Rose."
"Thank you."
Turning his attention to me, Konrad kept his arm around Rose in a loose embrace. Not liking it, there wasn't really much I could do about it without causing a scene. Kon would only put my behaviour down to protectiveness for so long before he figured out there was something else going on. Eyeing me mischievously, he looked me over from head to toe before licking his lips.
"You look very pretty tonight, Dimitri."
Laughing loudly, more at Konrad's expression than his compliment, Rose let her gaze wander over me with blatant interest, hidden from Kon by the height difference between them. "He does, doesn't he?"
"Hmmm."
"Are you two done? I asked dryly, fighting to keep a smile off my face at their antics. "Can we go to dinner now? I skipped lunch and I'm hungry."
Leaning down, Kon whispered into Rose's ear loudly enough for me to hear. "He's always been very bossy."
"Really?" Rose smirked. "I've never noticed."
"How can you not have noticed?" He asked incredulously, grinning widely when Rose laughed. I knew that this wasn't actual flirting; he wasn't nearly interested enough for it to be, so really, what it was, was a diversion. I had given a great deal of thought during the day as to who he might be involved with at Court, and I had my suspicions, but I wasn't going to give him a hard time about it when he was doing me a favour by being here tonight.
"Watch out, Rose." I warned lightly. "Konrad has a reputation."
"I do not." He objected, glaring at me with mock offence. "It's a lie, Rose," he reassured her gravely, glancing down at her as she shook with silent laughter. "A terrible, terrible lie! Don't listen to him."
"I don't usually, Konrad, so why start now?" Waggling her eyebrows, Rose dared me to respond. Knowing exactly how I would like to respond, but couldn't with Konrad watching us, I instead had to settle for a bland response.
"Don't think I'll forget that, Rose. Now, please…dinner!"
Laughing at my retort, Kon kept his arm around Rose as we resumed our walk, muttering to her about bossy people again. Content to stay in the background and let them talk, their conversation soon revolved around life at Court. Asking the questions she hadn't had answered when we were there two weeks ago, Kon answered them readily and spoke at length of the training he and some of the other guardians were providing to the Moroi eager to learn. This then invariably turned the conversation to Mia.
Learning that it was Kon who taught her, Rose looked towards me over her shoulder for permission to tell him about our own Moroi training. Trusting that he would keep our secret, as it was one that he himself had to protect, I nodded to her and she quickly told him about our early morning training session. Astounded at first, Kon glanced back at me with shock, but not a lack of support.
Talking about it until the lights of guest housing were visible, Rose stopped off to the side of the pathway and crouched down to find a stone wedged beneath the sole of one of her flats, waving us on as we stopped to wait for her.
Just out of earshot, Konrad kept an eye on her as she wrestled with the stubborn little pebble before whispering to me in Russian. "Tell me the truth, Dimitri. Have you never once got the hots for Hathaway? I mean…look at her. She's gorgeous." Bending as she was, the lush curves of her breasts were displayed for Konrad's hungry eyes. He might not be interested, but he was still a man.
Taking a step to the side, I blocked his view of her, barely restraining the urge to hit him. Frowning in displeasure, Kon tried to look around me. He was baiting me. I knew that; probably in retaliation for questioning him this morning, so I decided to play along to throw him. Favour and gratitude aside, I didn't need him fixating on this any more than he already was.
"She is." I agreed readily, keeping my face expressionless as Kon looked at me with speculative interest. "Why do you ask? Are you interested?" I whispered conspiratorially.
Not expecting that reply, Kon balked. "No…no…I mean. No."
"Why not?"
Looking at me strangely for a moment, Kon shrugged. "Not my type."
"Really? She's young and beautiful. That's exactly your type."
Seeming to realise that I was deliberately winding him up, Kon's green eyes glittered with the challenge. "If I was, would you be okay with that?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because she's your student. I've watched you two; you're very protective of her."
Not liking that he'd noticed, I decided on another diversionary tactic; one that would hopefully irritate him enough to drop the subject. "I wouldn't have any problem with it, unless you were using Rose to try and make someone else jealous. Someone at Court maybe? A dhampir…or is it Moroi, you prefer still?"
Narrowing his eyes at my dig, Kon growled. "You're an asshole. You know that, right?" Walking ahead of us in a huff, Rose arched a curious brow at my grin as she reached my side. Shaking my head at her silent question, I put the flat of my hand over the small of her back and pushed her gently up the stairs to guest housing, bending to whisper at her ear the reminder to act surprised.
Rolling her eyes at me as we were shown in a private dining-room by the attendant, it was far more brightly lit than normal and decorated by dozens of floating neon balloons, streamers and party apparel. Standing beneath a huge banner with Happy 18th Birthday, Rose emblazoned across it, were four grinning Moroi and one dhampir; all of whom immediately began to sing to her as she walked through the doorway.
Even though Rose had expected it, the grandiose gesture still seemed to catch her off guard. Listening good-naturedly to the others as they finished singing, to Rose's credit, she didn't let on for a moment that she had known what to expect. Approaching her first, Lissa beamed whilst holding a small box wrapped in blue paper and white ribbons.
"Were you surprised?" Lissa demanded excitedly, hugging her tightly.
"Completely." Rose replied innocently, returning the hug. Accepting the gift, she tore off the paper with agile fingers and opened a box stamped with a local Missoula jeweller's motif. Curiously, Rose looked at Lissa whilst opening it. Eyes widening, she took out a heavy silver bracelet with a filigree overlay.
"Liss…" She began but couldn't continue, lost for words for once.
"I know what you're going to say, and you can save it for someone who is going to listen. You are my best friend, and this is your eighteenth birthday. Let me spoil you. Besides, it's also from Christian, and I know you won't have any problems with him spending any of his money." Lissa teased, taking the bracelet from Rose's fingers and snapping it around her right wrist. "There. Now the Chotki won't be lonely."
Touching it almost cautiously, Rose followed the delicate pattern of silver as it wound around the band before smiling up at Lissa. "It's really beautiful, Liss. Thank you. And you're right…I don't mind Christian spending his money." Winking at him, Rose gave him an arch look.
"Lissa made me," he replied, hugging her quickly before standing back and smirking at her. "It wasn't out of the goodness of my own heart."
"Of course not," Rose responded tartly. "You'd have to have one in the first place."
"He does have one," Lissa protested, looping her arm around his waist. "It's just that sometimes it's harder to find." Laughing at his mocking look, she kissed his cheek as Eddie moved to take their place. Handing over a flat tray-like parcel covered with overlapping paper napkins, Rose took it curiously before she carefully began to uncover what it hid. Laughing loudly at the assortment of doughnuts revealed, she grinned at Eddie.
"Is this why you've been squirreling away doughnuts at lunch for the last two days?"
Nodding, Eddie grimaced. "Yeah. I had to grab them before you got to them…it's not like I would eat any of them."
"Thank you, Eddie." Balancing the plate, Rose hugged him before kissing his cheek. Flushing faintly, he cleared his throat and took the tray from her when Tasha took his place. Wishing her again, she hugged her tightly before handing over a large, square box.
Eyes widening with curiosity at the weight of it, Rose untied the ribbon and lifted back the lid. "Oh, wow." Filled with various cosmetics and toiletries, all of which were her favourite brands, Rose clutched it tightly to her chest before smiling in gratitude. "Tasha. Thank you. I was running low on all of this. How did you know what I like?"
"Lissa." Tasha said, nodding to the smiling Moroi. "She gave me a list of the brands you like this morning and I went into Missoula to get everything, as well as pick up the gifts from the jeweller. I hope I got all the right products. She said if I got you the wrong brand of lip-gloss, I would be in trouble." Winking at Lissa when she protested, Tasha peered into the box. "Did I get it right?"
Rummaging excitedly through the box, Rose immediately pounced on the flavoured balm. "You did! This is awesome. I can't thank you enough, Tasha."
"Of course, Rose. It's my pleasure." Hugging her again, Tasha kept an arm around her and bent to pick up a large brown-paper bag at her side. Seeing a logo on the side of it for an outdoors store in Missoula used by local ranchers, my brow creased when Tasha handed it to me with a broad smile. "It's not your birthday, but whilst I was shopping for Rose this morning, I saw this in a window display and had to get it for you."
"Tasha…"
"No arguments. Open it."
Almost certain I already knew what it was, I paused a second before reaching into the bag, concerned by how Rose would react, but she was just as curious as the others, who had all moved closer. Finding the folds of cool leather at the bottom of the bag, I pulled it free and shook out a long, dark-brown duster that was an identical match to the one that had been destroyed during the attack.
Having had no real time to think about anything other than Rose and the fallout that had followed the attack, I had barely given a second though to replacing the duster, but now that I held another in my hand, I realised how much I had missed it. Still, it was a gift I had reservations on accepting. Rose didn't look bothered by it, but I didn't need Tasha to read something into this that just wasn't there.
"Tasha…you shouldn't have."
"Of course I should have. I know how much you loved your duster. Now you have another one, and don't even think about asking me to return it, Dimka. I tore up the receipt." Grinning widely in victory, Tasha arched a brow.
Realising that I had been neatly cornered and that if I refused the duster without good reason, I was being ungracious, I nodded and smiled whilst folding it carefully and placing it back in the bag. "Well, it seems as though I have no other choice but to accept then. Thank you, Tasha."
"You don't need to sound so martyred about it."
"Is that what I sound like?"
"Yes!" Tasha laughed at me as the others joined in, but the light moment was interrupted by a snide voice asking sourly.
"Are we here to celebrate you, Belikov, or Rose?"
Turning to face the owner of the voice, Adrian Ivashkov watched me with open scorn. Dressed impeccably, the cut and cost of his clothing couldn't ever disguise the world-weariness that dogged his every step. It was the kind that was inflicted by a personality bent on self-destruction, made worse by the drinking. Finding the glass half –filled with amber-coloured liquid in his right hand now, his left held a present.
"Good evening, Lord Ivashkov," I greeted him politely, thankful that years of etiquette training made it almost automatic. "You're right; this is all about Rose."
The double meaning wasn't lost on him as his lips quirked contemptuously at the sides. Raising the glass in a mocking salute, he turned his attention to Rose. Placing his glass on the table, he pulled her out of Tasha's arms into his own; practically welding her to his body from hip to chest. Infuriated, there was nothing I could do as I felt my fists clench at my sides.
Konrad might be helping me with one of my problems, but he couldn't help me with the other.
"Happy birthday, little dhampir." Pressing a kiss to her hair, Adrian handed her his gift. Trying to extricate herself from his hold, Rose could only manage to pull back a little way before he tightened his grip. Frowning at him, her nose wrinkled as she smelt the liquor on his breath. Removing the wrapping from his gift with more caution, the box it revealed had the same jeweller's motif as the box Lissa had given her.
Hesitating, Rose held it like it contained something dangerous, until Adrian teased her. "Come on. Open it. You know you want to. Or are you afraid, little dhampir?" Challenge issued, Rose scowled irritably at him as she opened the lid and gasped at what lay within.
"Holy shit!"
Similar to the silver bangle given to her by Lissa and Christian, the major difference in this one was the width of it and the addition of a dozen or so tiny, glittering diamonds and rubies randomly interspersed between the filigree inlay. Staring at it for a few seconds, almost mesmerized, Rose refused to even touch it. Snapping the lid shut, she blinked and shook her head, trying to hand it back to him. "I can't accept this, Adrian."
Smiling indulgently down at her, as if he had expected her to refuse it, Adrian tucked a strand of hair behind her ear; his fingers lingering a little too long on the shell. "Why not? It's your birthday, and I wanted to buy you something special."
"Then buy me flowers or a scarf," she protested, shaking the box at him when he refused to take it back. "This is too much. It must have cost a fortune!"
"I can afford it, little dhampir. Old family money." Winking as he said this, the nonchalance of it seemed to irritate Rose more.
"It makes no difference if it's your money or your family's money, Adrian. This gift is completely inappropriate." Looking desperately around the room for support, Rose found Lissa, who just shrugged helplessly and smiled.
"It's bad manners to refuse a gift, Rose."
"You're not helping, Liss."
"Lissa's right; listen to her." Taking the box from her clenched fingers, Adrian took out the bracelet and captured her left arm, snapping it into place on her wrist. Looking at it almost helplessly, Rose shook her head, but Adrian wouldn't let her debate it anymore. "No. No more arguments. We have a party to get started." Dragging her past a small table holding a chocolate cake surrounded by candles, Adrian seated her at the only table in the room before sitting next to her whilst the others joined.
Following after at a slower pace, I needed the extra time to calm down before I was within strangling distance of Adrian again. Feeling an arm loop around mine, I looked down at Tasha at my side. Watching Rose and Adrian shrewdly, she grinned up at me and whispered. "Well, I think we all know what Adrian wants from Rose."
Scowling savagely, I didn't realise it until Tasha laughed. "Oh, Dimka. Don't frown like that. I know you're protective of her and that Adrian's reputation is a little wild, but she's eighteen now. She needs to learn to make her own decisions – good or bad – based on her own judgement calls. That's not something that you can do for her." Towing me to the table, she seated me between herself and Konrad, effectively ruining my plans for him to keep her occupied.
Taking our drink orders, the attendants bustled around us with brisk efficiency; bring out trays of hors d'oeuvres whilst we mulled over what we would choose for starters and mains. Deciding on our orders, we were left alone as the servers stealthily retreated to the walls; Tasha's organisational skills adept as always.
"Thank you, Tasha." Rose acknowledged quietly as she folded her arms over the table and rested against them. As she did, the sleeves of her satin blouse rose slightly to reveal her wrists and the jewels that sparkled over them; the sight of which grated on my nerves. "This is all so amazing. And thank you to everyone for being here and the gifts," she said gratefully, turning to smile at everyone around the table.
"Speaking of which," Adrian lazily asked once everyone had responded, and the conversation around us moved onto other topics. "What did you get Rose, Belikov?" Sitting back, he draped an arm possessively over the back of Rose's chair whilst swirling the contents of his glass.
"Rose is my student, Lord Ivashkov," I replied calmly, quietly, knowing no matter how I said it; he would pick up on the undertones of resentment. "It would be inappropriate to buy her a personal gift."
"Yeah. You wouldn't want anyone seeing something that you had brought her and asking questions about the nature of your relationship because of it, now would you?" Drinking deeply, the hand he rested on Rose's chair came up to stroke along the back of her neck, but she shrugged out from beneath it so violently, he almost fell out of his chair. Glaring blackly at him, he swallowed quickly before mumbling something to her and turning to answer Lissa's question.
Folding her arms stiffly over her chest, Rose glanced at me from across the table, looking around it to see if anyone had taken any interest in Adrian's reckless question, but none of them seemed to be aware of what had just happened. Shaking my head at her in reassurance, she relaxed marginally, but still continued to glare at Adrian when he turned back to her. He knew this was dangerous for both of us, and his cavalier attitude towards it rubbed her the wrong way.
Looking down at his gift, it was clear she very badly wanted to take it off, and I would have been in full agreement with that, but if she did, it would raise too many questions. Interrupted by the starters being served, the strain only felt by a few us around the table gradually disappeared as we ate, and by the time the plates had been cleared away and our main meals were served, Rose had remembered that the celebration was about her.
Talking about the training that morning, it was only Adrian who hadn't known, but he looked more than bored with the conversation and after Rose's refusal to talk to him, had continued to drink steadily until he was more than a little drunk. Now anything that he said was basically ignored.
"Well isn't he a typical Ivashkov?" Konrad muttered in Russian, taking a deep drink from his cider as the cake was served.
"You haven't dealt with him at court before?" I answered in Russian.
"Only on sight. I've been fortunate enough to never speak to him. Can't say I'm disappointed."
"I wish I could say the same." I said sardonically.
For the most part, the rest of the evening was enjoyable, and by the time everything had begun to wind down at just after 10pm, there was more than one tired Moroi and at least one tired dhampir ready to be taken back to housing. I say one, because the other couldn't sit still in her chair because all the sugar she had eaten.
Conveniently, it was exactly the excuse I had been looking for. It meant Rose and I could drop off Lissa and Christian first. Eddie had already volunteered to stay behind and help Tasha and the staff with cleaning up, which meant I could finally have time alone with Rose to give her the medallion. My only problem was Konrad. I had to think of a way to get rid of him.
Making a point of looking at my watch, the action wasn't lost on the others as everyone began to rise; thanking Tasha again for the evening and the food. Collecting Rose's presents, I offered the paper-bag to put everything in and carried it for her. Packing up some of the cake in a polystyrene container, Tasha gave it to me and it joined the rest whilst Adrian, still indolently seated, watched everything with baleful eyes.
Leaving quickly enough as to not give Tasha time to find an excuse for us to say, but not quickly enough to cause offence, by the time the five of us stepped out into the night air, it was much colder, but still clear. The moon had moved almost directly overhead and lit everything in silver light much brighter than before. Shivering, Lissa looked around whilst Christian wrapped an arm around her to pull her closer to his body heat. Rose, Kon and I were more impervious, but it was still cold enough for even us to feel.
Offering Lissa the use of the new duster, she shook her head whilst smiling. "It's okay, Dimitri. The dorm isn't that far and the walk will help." Looping her arm around Rose, she pulled her closer before asking quietly. "Did you have a good time?"
"Yeah, I did. Thank you for the effort, Liss. You didn't have to go to all this trouble just for a birthday, but I appreciate it."
"It was no trouble, Rose, just a little tricky keeping it out of my head so that the surprise wouldn't be ruined." Laughing softly, Lissa seemed to instantly sober; her expression pensive. "The last two weeks have been really horrible. We needed to celebrate something, even if it was for just one night." Hearing no disagreements from anyone on this, Lissa hugged Rose tightly for a second before saying, "come on. Let's get going; it's cold."
Walking back as a loose group, I saw Christian bend towards Rose as Lissa turned to answer a question from Kon and heard him ask in a hushed voiced. "You knew, didn't you?" Nodding subtly at his question, he grinned broadly. "You're a very good friend, Rose."
"For what I'm about to do, I must be."
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind," Rose said, grimacing to herself before she slung a frustrated look at me. I knew that she was thinking about what I had said earlier about training Christian…and allowing him to defeat her occasionally so that his confidence would build. "How do you feel about training again tomorrow morning?"
Yawning, Christian checked his watch. "It is almost morning, Hathaway. You slept for most of today; the rest of us didn't because we were helping with the set up for your dinner. Besides, Sunday mornings are made for sleeping in before we go spill our guts to God." Smirking, Christian glanced at her, but she didn't smirk back.
"I'm serious, Christian."
Realising that she was, Christian blinked in bemusement for a moment before he found his tongue. "Ah…rain-check for tomorrow morning, but Monday morning…Monday, yeah, definitely."
"Monday." Rose agreed easily, walking ahead of them and bouncing along the pathway on her toes, nimbly leaping a low box-hedge, whilst Lissa laughingly called after her. The sugar-rush was building. She was going to need some sort of physical outlet to purge it, or she wasn't going to be sleeping tonight.
"Rose looks like she's about to climb a tree," Kon commented quietly from beside me.
"I know. Too much sugar. I would normally suggest a run, but it's too late. Still…she has to do something to settle her system."
"She'd better, or she's going to be up all night. Why don't you take her to the gym and get her to do some cardio, or maybe run laps? That might help. I'll take the Princess and Lord Ozera back to housing for you."
Fitting in with exactly what I wanted, my gratitude was clear. "Thank you, Kon. I appreciate it."
"Yeah, yeah," he waved dismissively, not giving much thought as to why I was agreeing so easily to have Lissa out of my sight. "Just remember that the next time you're being an asshole." Catching up to Lissa and Christian, he told them that the group would be splitting up and that he would be escorting them back to housing.
Overhearing, Rose bounded over. "What's going on?"
"Konrad will take Lissa and Christian back to housing. You and I are going to the gym."
"Now?" Rose frowned, grabbing my wrist to push back the sleeve, she checked the time. "But it's after 10."
"Yes, I know what time it is, but you're hyper and need to get rid of the excess energy. We won't be there for very long." Not allowing her time to argue, or I would never be able to give her the pendant, I pulled my hand from her grasp and placed it between her shoulder blades, pushing her down the pathway leading to the gym. Nodding at Kon, he began to herd the other two down the pathway leading to housing as they called out goodnights to each other.
Keeping lightly pressure on her back, I kept Rose walking even when I could feel her reluctance. It wasn't reluctance born of not wanting to exercise, but of confusion. Allowing me to push her along only so far, we were halfway to the gym before she found her voice.
"Are we really going to the gym?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I just told you." Dropping my arm, my fingers gently grazed down her spine. Feeling the shiver that shimmied down it, I pulled my hand away before I was tempted to follow that shiver further down. Giving me a questioning look, Rose said nothing as we started up the steps to the gym.
"What happened tonight with Adrian?" I asked, pushing open the doors of the gym. Dimly lit, I left it that way so that we didn't draw any attention. "He was out of line, but that's normal for him and you don't usually let that get to you."
"Out of line is one thing, comrade, but the way he was behaving was just stupid. He knows how dangerous this is for us and that with a single word, drunken rambling or not, he could destroy our lives, and it's like he just doesn't care."
"It's jealously, Rose." I heard myself say in response to her angry rant, almost surprised by the sympathy in my voice as I opened the door to the storeroom, dropped the bag at the doorway and went to where the equipment was stacked against the back wall. We didn't have any clothing in the lockers, as they were cleaned out every Friday, but we could at least work on cardio in the clothing we were in.
"Now you're defending him?" Rose asked in disbelief.
"No, it's just that I don't know that I would act any better if I had to watch you with someone else. In fact, I know that I wouldn't. Idaho was proof of that."
Walking to me, Rose tucked a strand of hair behind my ear; her fingers lingering against my jaw. "Neither of us was at our best in Idaho, comrade, but I still knew that you would do anything to protect me, even if it meant sacrificing yourself. You are a far better man than Adrian Ivashkov."
Covering her hand, I moved it so that I could press my lips to her palm. "Thank you, Roza." Bending to kiss her as she rose to meet me, the medallion slide across my chest, reminding me of the other reason we were here. Find the catch of the chain, it slide loose as I opened it and the pendent fell into my palm. Peering at it with a stitch between her brow, Rose looked up at me.
"Why are you taking your Saint Michael's medallion off?"
"Have I ever told you the story of this?"
Shaking her head, my thumb followed the smooth edge. "This has been in my family for three generations. Before my mother was born, my grandmother had two identical medallions made from platinum mined from the Ural Mountains. She kept one for herself, and gave the other to her daughter. When I graduated from the Saint Basil's, my mother gave me hers for good luck…and now, I want to give it you."
Eyes widening, Rose shook her head. "No…no, I can't accept this, Dimitri. This is from your family. It's an heirloom. You love it; I've never seen you without it."
"You are also my family, Roza, and you already wear a Dragomir heirloom, so adding one from the Belikov's shouldn't be an issue. Also, I haven't been able to leave the grounds to buy you anything for your birthday. As soon as I'm able to, I'll…" Stopped by Rose's fingers covering my lips, she shook her head.
"You don't have to buy me anything, Dimitri."
"Then accept this, please?"
Dubiously, she picked it up from my palm and rolled it between her fingers; the abundance of moonlight streaming in from the high windows glinting off its surface. "It's risky, Dimitri. Everyone knows you wear this. If I'm seen with it, people are going to ask questions."
"I'll deal with that if it happens."
"Still…"
"I'm willing to risk it, Roza.
"But why?" She persisted. "You don't take unnecessary risks."
"For you, I will."
For a long moment, Rose did nothing but look at me, and I was half-afraid that she would refuse to accept it, but slowly her fingers curled over it and she clutched it tightly. "Are you sure, comrade?"
"Yes."
"Then…thank you. I promise that I'll look after it." Sweeping the heavy swath of her hair away from the nape of her neck, her fingers reached for the clasp of the chain that held the Nazar, but I stopped her. Turning her around, I swept the hair aside and opened the clasp myself. Sliding the pendant onto the chain, I heard it clink against the Nazar before I refastened it. Kissing her nape just above where the silver links rested, Rose turned to kiss my chin.
Touching the two pendants, she smiled. "So now I have something to ward off evil, and something to bring me luck…what more could I need?"
"A guardian angel?"
Scoffing, Rose dropped the chain between her cleavage. "None of them want the job; you were the only one brave enough to do it, and that was only because you were basically ordered to keep me in line."
"I don't complain about it often, do I?"
"Not often." She agreed. Grinning at each other, for the first time in days, it finally felt like we were in perfect synchronicity again, but it also reminded me that I had another reason to give her the pendent. I had chosen not to tell her about Yeva's premonition at the time because there was no way of convincing her to believe it, but now, with the pendent, there might be.
"The main reason for giving you the medallion is because I wanted you to have something from my family, but that isn't the only reason. I also have an ulterior motive for giving it to you."
"Which is?"
"As long as you're wearing that, Yeva can keep an eye on you…figuratively, so to speak."
Frowning, Rose looked down at where it rested. "Yeva? Your grandmother? What are you talking about, comrade? How is she going to keep an eye on me through this?"
"It's connected to her, you see. The matching medallions were made from a single piece of platinum, split into two. She always wears one pendent, and is therefore connected to whomever wears the other; family member or not. She can feel you through the link created by the metal."
"She can feel me?" Sceptical, Rose picked it up again and peered at it in the silvery light.
"I'm serious. Look, I can't explain it, but when I was a boy in the academy in Saint Petersburg, she would know when something was wrong, even if there was no communication between us for months. When I returned home during the holidays, she would be waiting for me to talk about what I had never said to another soul. That's not something you can dismiss as coincidence."
"Do you remember when I said that I received a call from my family?" At her nod, my fingers hooked into the chain. "Well, it was mainly Yeva that I spoke to and she knew that something had happened…the attack, but she didn't know any specifics."
"That's why they were looking for you?"
"Yes, but also, she wanted me to give it away freely, to the one that I value the most…that's you, Rose. I told you once before that she was like Rhonda. I think she saw something, but she wouldn't tell me what it was. It must have worried her, because that's why she told me to give this to you." Pulling up the pendent, I closed it in my fist and gently rested it against her chest.
"She thinks something is going to happen to me?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me at the time?"
"I didn't think that you would believe me."
Placing her hand over my one, she squeezed gently. "I don't…not really, but I'm the last person to question a bond that doesn't make sense, and after everything that's happened, I'm trying to keep an open mind. Also, this has clearly spooked you, so, for your peace of mind, I'll wear it."
Kissing our linked hands, I sighed in relief at how easy that had been. "Thank you."
"So I'm linked to Lissa through our bond, and now I'm linked to your grandmother by a piece of jewellery." A sly look lit her features as I raised my head. "Does this mean she'll know when we're having sex?"
Balking at the idea, for a few seconds the thought actually created physical nausea. Grimacing as Rose laughed at my expression; I shook my head and turned to walk to the equipment again. "Considering that you won't have sex with me, that's a moot point, don't you think?" Instantly regretting what I had said, I stopped and sighed, closing my eyes. I had promised myself I wouldn't push her, and that was exactly what I was doing. Trying to guilt her into something she clearly wasn't ready for yet.
About to apologize, I heard the door quietly shut behind me. Turning curiously, I found Rose leaning against it; confused not only by her actions but by her expression.
"What are you doing, Rose?"
Turning the key in the lock, Rose continued to watch me without a word as her hand slide upwards and found the buttons of her blouse. Nimbly undoing them, I tried to swallow and couldn't as her fingers moved down from one button to the next…then the next…and the next, until there were no more and the satin gaped open.
"You didn't answer my question, comrade."
"What…" Clearing my throat, I tried to calm my rioting heartbeat. "What question was that?"
"Would she know?" Parting the blouse, Rose stripped it off her shoulders and flung it carelessly onto a stack of chairs.
"Who?"
Smiling at the gruffness of my voice, Rose began to walk towards me. "Your witch grandmother. Would she know?
"Know what?" I heard myself ask hoarsely, transfixed by the sight of the voluptuous curves of her breasts.
"When we have sex."
"We're not having sex, remember?" I protested, walking backwards until I hit the table, desperate to put some distance between us. "We're here to burn off excess energy."
"Is there any better exercise than sex?"
"Roza…"
Smiling with feminine guile, Rose placed her hands on my chest. "Yes, Dimitri?" Sliding her fingers between the buttons, she had half of them undone before I knew what was happening. Catching hold of her hands, I kept them still and pressed against my heartbeat.
"I didn't mean what I said earlier and I'm sorry that I said it at all. I know you're not ready yet and that's okay. Please don't feel like I'm pressurizing you to do something that you don't want to do. I told you I would wait as long as you wanted and I meant that."
"I know." Tugging her hands loose, Rose continued with her unbuttoning. Pulling apart the open sides of my shirt, she ran the pads of her fingertips teasingly along my ribs, smiling when I shivered. Opening the cuffs, she pulled the shirt from my shoulders and flung it over my shoulder.
"Then why…?" I asked, fighting with my lungs for air. I didn't understand what had made her change her mind, and for the most part, my brain was telling me not to question it, but there was still some part of it that needed to know.
"Geez," Rose grumbled, rolling her eyes as she looped her arms loosely around my neck. "It's not usually this difficult to get you to have sex with me, comrade. Maybe I should go find Adrian. I'm sure he'd be more than willing to…"
Hauling her closer, my arms wrapped around her waist, holding her fast as my lips cut off her taunt. "You're mine. He can't have you. Not ever." I growled, kissing her greedily; shuddering when she kissed me back just as hungrily.
"Talk is cheap, comrade," She goaded, biting my lower lip gently at first before it became a harder point of pain that arrowed straight to my groin. "Prove it."
Sinking my tongue into the hot depths of her mouth, Rose whimpered at the unexpected aggression; clinging tightly to my shoulders. Cupping her buttocks, I left her off her feet, fitting her into the cradle of my hips and against my thickening cock. Digging her nails into my scalp, Rose sucked ravenously on my tongue, moaning into my mouth as I groaned into hers.
Gasping for breath minutes later, Rose tipped her head back, breathing raggedly as I dragged my lips down her throat. Sucking on the soft skin, my teeth grazed it hard enough for the sensation to quiver through her, but not enough to hurt. Kissing the hollow of her throat, my lips journeyed downwards until they found they valley between her breasts. Gnawing at the firm flesh, I nuzzled aside the cups until I found the point of a tightly beaded nipple. Licking around the nub, my lips closed quickly over it, sucking it excitedly.
Arching her back, Rose moaned and forced the nipple deeper into my mouth. Maddened, my hands cupped her buttocks, preparing to turn her lay her down on the table, but she stopped me. "No, Dimitri."
"No?" I repeated dazedly, so hard and hungry I could barely see straight.
"No." Pushing against my shoulders, I put her down, but didn't release her. Afraid she had changed her mind, I groaned at the aching erection she was still nestled against. Tipping my head back, I held her tightly as I inhaled deeply; trying to control my body as I made myself let her go, but Rose wouldn't let me. Trying to clear my foggy thoughts, I looked down at her as she shook her head. She wasn't saying no for the reason I had thought.
Taking a step back, Rose reached for the buckle of my belt, quickly pulling it loose before her fingers found the button and zipper. Sliding it down, her fingers worked into the waistband of my boxers before finding the head of my cock. Slippery already, her thumb rubbed lightly along the slit before dipping briefly into it. Grunting, my torso contorted against the pleasure of her touch; the muscles rippling tightly.
"Step out of your boots." Blinking, I obeyed without question, toeing them off with blind haste, willing to do whatever she wanted, as long as this time, we didn't stop at only foreplay. Bending to peel off my socks, I straightened up after tossing them in the direction of the boots. Watching as Rose shimmied out of her jeans and kicked off her flats, she grasped the sagging edges of my jeans, kneeling to tug them down my flanks. Stepping out of them, she flung them over her shoulder but stayed where she was.
Hooking her thumbs into the underwear's waistband, she slowly pulled them down; her fingers playing around the head of my dick as she freed it. Pumping the thick shaft lightly, she tugged off my boxers with one hand and threw them aside whilst I gritted my teeth against the sizzle of explosive pleasure. Lightly cupping my testicles, she pulled and twisted gently as I twisted above her.
Smiling in enjoyment at my torment, she nuzzled her nose against the base of my cock and slowly licked upwards until her lips closed over the swollen head. Slipping the tip of her tongue into the weeping groove, Rose lapped at the pre-cum gathered there as my hands went to her head, resting gently as my fingers tangled into her hair, but she did nothing more.
"Rose…" Grunting out a strangled sound, it almost sounded like begging. I didn't want to rush her, but her teasing had pushed me to the brink.
Lightly kissing the sensitive flare once more, Rose licked her lips as she looked up at me. Rising gracefully, she stopped me from kissing her again by placing a finger against my lips. Sucking on it, her breathing became choppy, but she leant back as I bent towards her. Shaking her head, she looked to the darkest corner of the room and my eyes followed. A heap of about five or six exercise mats had been piled there, instead of being stacked on the shelving.
"Rose? What…?"
"Lie down on the mats, comrade. On your back." Arching a brow, she waited for me to argue, but all I did was nod and do as she asked; intrigued and inflamed as to what she had in her head. Lying back against the low mound, I propped myself up on my elbow and crossed my legs at the ankle; a hand finding my rigid penis and roughly stroking along the length of it, tormenting myself as much as I was Rose, who watched me with a hunger that matched my own.
Testing that the door to the store-room was securely locked, Rose stripped her silk thong down her slender legs and stepped from it. Swallowing convulsively against the sight of the dark curls glinting with moisture, I turned fully onto my back as Rose stepped over the mats to straddle me. Reaching back to unhook her bra, she tossed it aside.
Watching as her full breasts sprang free, my cock twitched and pulsed in anticipation. Lowering herself slowly to sit in the cradle of my pelvis, I arched at the feel of her – hot and damp – as she rested against my cock and nestled it amongst the curls. Raising my legs to support her back, Rose rested against them, lightly stroking my pulsating flesh, but made no move to do anything further.
Reaching out to tug playfully at the nipple of her right breast, she began to undulate against the shaft, rubbing herself along the length; the swollen rim catching before sliding free. Arching my back and neck, I kept my hips still, determined to allow Rose time to play as sweat broke out over my skin and my teeth clenched tightly enough to grind them to dust.
Moaning now with breathy little whimpers, Rose eyes closed as her fingers curled tightly around my throbbing cock. Snapping her hip faster and faster, the head slipped deeper into the slick cleft of hot, saturated flesh, but never full penetrated the folds. Biting the inside of my cheek to keep from begging again, Rose continued to torment both of us; opening her eyes to watch me arching and twisting beneath her.
"Rose…" Voice guttural, I was on the verge of begging, despite my best efforts not to.
"Remember," she panted, her breasts joggling as her hips continued to whip back and forth. "Remember when I said that I was going to punish you this morning?"
"You forgave me, remember?" I reminded her from between gritted teeth, understanding now why she had gone to the effort of making sure I was at her mercy. When we had made love before, I had been in control, but now, she wanted the control herself.
"I did…but that didn't mean I wasn't still going to punish you." Sliding upwards in a supple movement, Rose knelt over me; poised to impale my stiff cock in a single, searing movement, but still, she wouldn't move, only continued to tease the hyper-sensitive head. Groaning, my hands tightened on her hips, but I forced them to keep still; the sweat trickling down my temples.
Lowering herself again, Rose carefully fit the swollen head into the scalding depths, inching downwards by excruciating degrees before almost lifting off me again. Tilting her head back; tendrils of hair stuck to her damp neck as she refused to give us what we both wanted.
"Who are you punishing, Roza?" I gasped out, tightening my buttocks and pushing slowly upwards as she slide down. "Me…or you?"
Sobbing at the exquisite friction of the movement, her control suddenly broke. Plunging recklessly downwards, my cock speared through the swollen folds and sensitive tissues as she took me to the hilt. Both of us groaning, my hips automatically began to snap upwards, but Rose tightened her thighs around them, refusing to let me move.
"Move…move, moye serdtse…please?" I pleaded hoarsely, driven beyond pride or sanity at the hot, tight clench of her.
"Dimitri." She cried out breathlessly, relenting finally as she sank down and I drove up to meet her. Using my feet as leverage, I changed the angle of penetration and forced Rose forward and further onto me; hammering into her mercilessly as she sobbed and clawed at my chest. Throwing her head back, Rose gasped at the painful intensity of the pleasure that bombarded us both; trying to twist away from it, but I would let her. Clutching at her buttocks, I kept her fully impaled, bouncing her roughly onto my cock until it drove her over the edge of sensation and into a shuddering orgasm.
Stiffening against me, Rose whimpered weakly as the walls of clenching muscles pulled me deeper. Arching my back and hips, I drove into her with deep lunges…two, then three, and then four, blind to anything but the lure of my own fulfilment as I came with a guttural groan.
Collapsing against my chest in a slow fall, Rose buried her face against the crook if my neck, moaning softly against the pounding pulse-point. There was too much sensation, too much feeling even as the joining of our flesh continued to pulse and soften, but it still wasn't enough. I wanted her closer.
Tangling a shaking hand in her hair, I tilted her face up, kissing her deeply, languorously; so overwhelmed by love, it felt like I couldn't breath.
"I know I said that I didn't like fighting with you," I murmured when both of us could speak again. "But if that's the way you want to punish me for it, I think I'll have to make you angry more often."
Laughing weakly, Rose bit my bottom lip gently. "Be careful, comrade. The next time you might not like the way I punish you."
"Like I said before…I'll take my chances." Kissing her gently, I asked the one question still on my mind. "What made you change your mind?"
"About sex?"
"Hmmm."
This." Tapping the pendant, Rose propped herself up on my chest with her elbows and turned it over between her fingers. "You trust me with it, even though it means the world to you, and even knowing that when I'm seen wearing it, it's going to cause problems. You're willing to take that risk for us, so I'll return the favour, and trust you with this." Holding my hand over her still rapidly beating heart, Rose skewered me with a harsh look. "But this doesn't mean that I'm not still mad as hell at you for what you did."
"I know." Curving my arms around her, I pulled her flat; resting my chin atop her head when she tucked it into the hollow of my throat. There wasn't anything more to say. She had heard my apology, accepted it, and was now ready to trust me again. Contentment slowly began to replace the endorphins in my bloodstream as I made the most of the peaceful moment.
"You never did answer my earlier question…will your grandmother know?"
Thinking about it for a moment, I could feel Rose shake against me with laughter. "No. I don't think so."
"Good, cause I'm not giving this up for her or anyone else, comrade." Rubbing her hands over my shoulders, the heavy bracelets dragged in their wake. Gently encircling the wrist that held Adrian's, I held it up so that the moonlight caught at the glittering gems.
"I didn't think you were happy with this." Rose mused, tangling our fingers together.
"But you still accepted it?"
"What was I supposed to do? Throw it back at him?"
"Yes."
Snorting out a laugh at my dry retort, Rose kissed my collarbone. "I'll take it off, if it bugs you that much, but it's not like I can wear either of them anyway. They're going to be like your special occasion shirt." Looking around for the shirt in question, she grinned when she found it hanging haphazardly on the corner of a shelf. The rest of our clothing hadn't fared much better and was all over the store-room.
"No. Leave it on. It doesn't bother me."
"Liar."
Propping herself up again, she pulled her arm free and looked at the bracelet for a moment before smiling gently down at me. "It's only jewellery, Dimitri." She reasoned drowsily, tracing her fingers along my jaw. "Nothing he can give me makes me happier than just being with you. Even if it's for no more than a few minutes every day."
Yawning hugely before I could respond and trying her best to smother it, Rose blinked sleepily at me as her sugar-high wound down. She had been right after all; sex was the best exercise. Smoothing back the damp, tangled strands of her hair, I pulled her gently down onto my chest again and whispered into her ear. "Sleep, Roza. I'll wake you in a little while."
Giving in without protest, within a minute, she was fast asleep.
Sighing in satisfaction, I was tired myself, but I knew I had to stay awake. I would let Rose sleep for as long as possible, but we couldn't stay here until morning. Tightening my arms around her, Rose mumbled in her sleep, but didn't wake; trusting me to keep her safe. There was nothing left now to keep us apart.
Remembering a decision I had made days earlier that no matter what it took, I would, as much as possible, make her as much a priority as the Moroi, I kissed her brow, murmuring against it as the moon continued its arc across the sky and darkness began to close in around us. "I think that we can do better than a few minutes every day, moye serdtse."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A/n: See? Didn't I promise you that good things would come if you waited?
To everyone asking about my safety and health, thank you for the concern and well wishes amid the Covid-19 pandemic; my family and I are all good. I hope you and your family are healthy and well.
I'm South African. On Friday, we began a 21-day national shut-down in an effort to try and curb the spread of the virus. It sucks, to say the least, but on the plus side, it means that I have more time to write. To those already in government-ordered quarantine or self-isolation, I'm only just beginning to understand how you feel. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones. Stay strong and positive. You're always in our thoughts and prayers.
On a final note, thank you as always for your continued support…and patience.
Love, Tam.
#FlatenTheCurve