Damn... I did not realise it's been a month since an update... I'm very sorry.
Honestly, covid took me out for half of it, and then the pregnancy took me out for the rest.
But hey, here's a longer chapter to hopefully make up for it! I apologise for any mistakes, my brain is basically mush these days.
Rose POV
"He's going to be pissed," Mason laughed, his grin splitting his face. He rubbed his hands together, glancing out the back window as if he could see Dimitri's reaction. The house's lights had disappeared from sight two turns ago, leaving Dimitri behind.
I couldn't help but look at the rearview mirror before focusing on the road again. It had been a while since I'd driven; my experience driving through the snow was even more limited, but I had to get to the lake. I never should have told Dimitri about the party, his grand plan of keeping Viktoria home included arguing with her about her choices until she stormed upstairs. I knew he feared losing her, but his reaction had the opposite effect.
Viktoria sneaked out of her bedroom window; I just happened to look at the right time to see her jump the back fence. It took a minute for me to make up my mind. Dimitri would be pissed when he realised I stole his keys and left him behind, but I had to do it.
Ivan appeared in the back seat and leaned forward between the front seats. "Dimitri figured it out," he told me in a tight tone, "He isn't happy."
Mason clapped his hands together, "Called it!"
"Why didn't you just bring him with you?" Ivan questioned.
I barely looked at them, fingers gripping the steering wheel until my knuckles were white. "Dimitri can't see the crows, there's nothing he could have done."
"Except yell at her again," Mason offered as if it was a helpful tip.
"Still," Ivan started, "I think he's upset."
I almost laughed. Of course, he would be upset—I would be. But Dimitri couldn't see ghosts, and I didn't know if he would accept what I might have to do. I promised to do whatever it took to save his sister, and I meant it. "It's better this way," I replied as I sped up the car.
The party was at the same frozen lake Dimitri had taken me to, Ivan directing me back through the snow-covered side roads until we found the line of parked cars. The gathering of people who barely looked out of high school gave me flashbacks to the parties I used to attend. I doubted most of them were of the legal age to drink, yet kegs were set up and everyone had a drink in hand. A couple of fires were lit with groups standing around them; the orange glow was the only light source other than a few headlights left on by the cars parked closest.
A deep bass played from the opened trunk of a red Honda to reveal a built-in stereo system, the vibrations caused the car to shake and the guys sitting on the hood drinking to laugh. I couldn't recognise the songs, but others did as they cheered the music choice.
I couldn't spot Viktoria in the throng of people; the limited light didn't help. "See if you can find her," I instructed Ivan and Mason from our vantage point. They could search the crowd quicker than I could, gingerly walking through the freshly fallen snow. My ankle protested each step, and my shoes slipped on the icy steps leading down to the picnic area.
If it wasn't so cold, and if I wasn't trying to prevent death, the area would have been pretty with how the snow glittered in the light made by the flames. The party would have been enticing to join as well; more than one person had offered me a drink as I passed.
"Who wants a shot?" a tall blonde called, shaking a bottle of vodka and laughing with flushed cheeks. I considered asking for one just to warm up, but kept myself focused instead, "Hey, do you know Viktoria?" I asked.
The girl didn't offer any help, but another behind her pointed closer to the lake. The more I explored, the more people I noticed. They had spread out along the lake edge and disappeared into the trees, their laughter and conversations the only indication someone was hidden among the snow-covered trunks. The closer I got to the lake, the harder it was to see faces. There was no moon that night, and unless we were near a fire, I couldn't make out the features under the beanies and coats.
"Rose!" Mason called, appearing by my side with an icy feeling, "I found her." He pointed back towards the trees as Viktoria emerged with a guy, their hands together with a beer shared between them.
It occurred to me at that moment that I still had no plan. I beelined for Viktoria, thinking of a million excuses to try to convince her to go back home, but as I got closer and noticed the glazed look in her eyes and flushed cheeks, I knew it would be an uphill battle. Viktoria was completely wasted.
It wasn't until I stood in their way that she recognised me; the half-empty bottle of beer loosely held between her fingers. "Rose?" Viktoria's voice slurred, "What are you doing here?"
I recognised the smell of weed and crinkled my nose. Dimitri would be pissed if he knew. "I'm here for you," I told her firmly, spotting the crow at her feet. It stood on the crust of the snow, leaving no sign of ever being there.
As long as there was just one there was still time.
She rolled her eyes. The guy with her pulled her closer to him, slipping his arm around her shoulder, and aimed a sneer at me. "Get lost."
I scoffed. "Is this your boyfriend?" I was glad I didn't bring Dimitri.
"Rolan," she scolded gently with a love-sick smile, "she's a family friend. Be nice."
Rolan looked at me again, and his demeanour shifted. "Family friend?" he repeated with a dazzling smile. His glassy green eyes dragged up and down my body before settling on my chest. I felt dirty. I'd admit the guy was hot, but he had a look of interest aimed at me while his arm was around Viktoria—I just wanted to punch the guy.
"Why are you here?" Viktoria asked again, and then her eyes narrowed. "Did you bring Dimitri?" Her tone became harsh, and the anger from earlier returned to her expression.
"I didn't," I assured, though now I was reconsidering my decision to leave him behind. If anyone could get her back home without much of a fight, it would have been him. "Look, he's going to be pissed when he learns you snuck out. Let's go back–"
"She's not leaving," Rolan interrupted, tugging Viktoria along with him. "Have a drink, Rose. Relax a bit."
My fists were clenched at my side. "I'm not talking to you, Rolan." His smile grew when I said his name; the smirk reminded me of Jesse and sent chills down my spine. "Viktoria–"
"I'm not going home," she cut me off; a wave of her hand as she pushed past me. The two of them staggered back towards the lake, Viktoria giggling against Rolan's side as he whispered something in her ear.
"Great job there, Hathaway."
I shot a look over my shoulder at Mason. "I'm trying," I snapped before following them towards the lake.
Viktoria had bypassed the group having shots of vodka, clinging to Rolan as he led her out onto the frozen lake. Neither one seemed concerned about walking on the ice; a group of three others stood in the middle of the lake, their faces illuminated by the brief flicker of a flame as they lit their joints.
I hesitated at the edge. Death was following Viktoria and she was practically offering herself on fucking platter by standing in the middle of a frozen lake.
Mason stood by my side, shaking his head, "I don't like this."
"I don't have much of a choice," I replied with a sigh, eyeing the iced-over water. It had looked so exquisite during the day but filled me with dread at night. The cold water below the layer of ice was pitch black and appeared bottomless.
"I get what you're trying to do, but this is death you're trying to stop, Rose. Maybe…"
"What?" I spun to face him, drawing the attention of some of the group nearby. "Maybe I should what? Just let her die!" Mason glanced behind us when the group laughed, but I wasn't backing down. "I'm not letting her die."
"I'm not saying you should," he replied gently, hands held out in front of him, "I just want you to think this through. You know, make sure it doesn't end up with something happening to you."
My teeth caught my bottom lip.
I looked out onto the lake again and took a deep breath. "I'll go out there and grab her, drag her back to the car and then take her home. Everything will be okay."
My steps were tentative, testing the grip of my shoes on the slick ice. It was safer for me to slowly slide each foot forward rather than lift my foot. I was halfway when Viktoria noticed me, frowning as she stalked closer.
"I only invited you here because I thought you wanted to have fun, but you are acting just like Dimitri," she complained. The beer had been switched for a joint, the end burning when she breathed in the only source of light between us. Even in the darkness surrounding us, I could see a second crow had joined the first. I was running out of time.
"Yeah," I scoffed while attempting to maintain my balance, "maybe he was right to say you couldn't come. You're getting high in the middle of a fucking lake. At night!"
"So?" she shrugged, "Rolan said it's safe."
I laughed. "Rolan's an idiot."
"You don't even know him!"
"I don't need to. I can tell he isn't worth your time, and you can do so much better than him. He–"
"Rose!" Mason ran onto the lake, unbothered by the slick surface. "Dimitri's here!"
I frantically searched the faces back on land and easily spotted the tall form marching through the drunk crowd. I couldn't make out his expression, but the stiffness in his broad shoulders was telling enough. "Fuck."
Viktoria hadn't seen him, turning from me with a muttered insult. I grasped her arm, almost knocking us both off balance. "God, stop trying to tell me what to do," she snapped, "You're just some crazy girl my brother brought home!"
Her words hurt, but I ignored them. She was just angry and drunk. "Viktoria, you have to go home now."
"Or what?"
My fingers dug into her arm, trying to break through to her. "Something bad will happen."
Viktoria blinked; the haze lifted for a moment.
The squawk of a crow made me jump, my feet slipped on the ice again. Viktoria's hand caught my elbow and balanced me. Her eyes were more focused, "Bad? As in your kind of bad?"
I couldn't hold her eyes for long, not when I spotted shadows flying past us—another crow.
"Go to Dimitri, now. Trust me," I urged. He would keep her safe. I just had to get her off the lake. "Go."
I could see the inner war in her eyes, wanting to ignore me. I wouldn't blame her for not believing me; she wasn't wrong when she said I was just some girl. We barely knew each other, but I was praying to anyone who listened for her to believe me. Viktoria looked towards the crowd, her expression becoming bleak when she found Dimitri. She turned back to me, "He's going to make a big deal about this."
"I know."
"I hate you right now."
"I know."
"Dammit." the joint was still between her fingers, slowly burning down; she held it to her lips and took a deep pull. "Fine. But you better tell me what's going on when we get home."
Relief crashed into me like a wave; still, I was anxious to get her off the ice. "Sure. Whatever. Just get off the lake." I urged her forward, pushing on her back so she was ahead of me. Viktoria's shoes had a better grip than mine and were easily able to make the trek back to the shore.
Dimitri had located us, stalking to the edge of the water as his sister did the same. I couldn't hear what he was saying to her, but I knew it was the beginning of another fight. Compared to the alternative, I was happy to take it.
"Rose." Mason was at my side again, a slight shake to his tone. I waited until Viktoria was off the ice before I faced him, ready to celebrate my success, but I became silent at his expression. His eyes were wide, and his skin pale. Mason looked scared.
"What?" I questioned.
His hands twitched as if he wanted to touch me. "Viktoria's off the ice."
"Yeah?"
His eyes darted around us before returning to mine. "Then why are the crows still here?"
They had blended into the darkness; I assumed they had left, but I was wrong. Four crows surrounded us, each stared at me. They were looking at me.
Everything became silent, and then it clicked.
They were always looking at me.
Mason broke the silence. "Run!"
It all happened so quickly. Mason's hands pressed to my back, going through me and chilling my spine. Usually, the feeling would make me move, but I felt pinned in place by the beady eyes watching me.
Always greet the crows when they arrive.
It was a passing comment that didn't make sense at the time, and now I felt the weight of the words. There was never a way to cheat death, even when I could see it coming.
A deep sound thundered under my feet like wire straining and snapping. The ice moaned around me, the sound followed the spider-webbed cracks until it was louder than anything else. When it became silent again, I knew it was too late. I felt the feeling of falling before I realised I was. The ice under my feet shattered, and I slipped through to the freezing water below.
My eyes never left the crows.
Just my fucking luck.
xXx
Dimitri POV
Rose was in so much trouble.
I earned more than one disgruntled response pushing through the groups of people, most looked like teenagers. I didn't know if I should be angrier that Rose left me behind or that my sister had come to a party like this. The thought of calling the police had crossed my mind, an easy way to break up the party and get Viktoria and Rose home, but I knew it would do more harm than good. If Rose got caught, the situation with her parents would worsen, and I couldn't risk her losing more freedom.
I found Viktoria first, catching sight of the orange snow coat I had gifted her the year before, like a beacon even in the dark. Anger radiated off her as she stalked towards me, walking carelessly across the ice covering the lake.
"I really hate you sometimes!" she shouted as she neared the shore. I reached out and took her arm, gripped her tightly to keep her safe and stop her from running.
"You shouldn't have even been here! Out there!" I snapped, "The lake is dangerous!"
Death was after Viktoria and she was walking on thin ice. Literally.
My heart pounded in my chest, not calming even once I had her next to me. The smell of weed clung to her hair and coat; the glazed look in her eyes told me all I needed to know. I shook my head, holding back the lecture on the tip of my tongue. "We're going home," I grounded out before turning back to the crowd. "Where's Rose?"
Viktoria tried to shake me off but relented with a sigh. "She's on the lake."
"What?"
"She told me something bad was going to happen. That's the only reason I–"
I released my sister and stepped back to the edge of the shore, straining my eyes to search the shadows covering the water. The silhouettes of three people stood further out, but they looked too tall to be Rose. I couldn't see anyone else. "Where is she?" I demanded again.
Panic gripped my heart. Something wasn't right.
"She was right there."
"Where!"
It was too dark; the light from the fires was barely enough to illuminate the area. I couldn't see her.
"Shit. Dimitri, I swear she was standing there. We—we were talking…"
My foot settled on the layer of ice, hesitating to go further. Maybe she was already on the shore and I missed her? Maybe she was avoiding me? Maybe–
I felt a push against my back, a cold sensation shot down my spine like ice had been held against the skin. I stumbled forward, both feet on the ice. Another push to my back and I was running—it wasn't Viktoria pushing me.
"Rose!" I shouted but heard no response, my footing slipped on the slick surface. I stumbled to a halt, my arms out to balance myself as I searched the shadows. Rose never answered my call, but I heard the moaning of ice under my weight—it wasn't solid.
"Dammit. Ivan," I pleaded, "Ivan, please help me. Mason."
Water splashed like someone skimmed the surface. I looked down and my stomach dropped to my feet. A few feet away was a break in the ice, just big enough for someone to fall through.
"Viktoria!" I yelled as I stripped off my coat, my eyes remained on the still water. "Call 911. Now!"
There wasn't any time to question it, not when Rose could be in there. I couldn't hesitate.
With a deep breath, I dropped into the water.
It hurt each time I took a breath above the surface, the air felt like ice, cutting when I breathed. Despite the pain, I would take another breath and then dive back under the water. It was too dark to see properly, my fingers stretched out and reached blindly in the hopes of finding her. More people had gathered the third time I resurfaced for air, but I paid them little attention. I had to find Rose.
I had to find her.
Again, I went under. My limbs protested the movement as much as my lungs protested the deep breath I took; time was running out. I swam deeper, pushing myself to the limit. I refused to resurface without her.
I wouldn't abandon her.
I wouldn't—
My fingers brushed something soft—fabric. A coat. It had to be. I reached with both hands to take a handful, dug my frigid fingers in and swam to the surface. The coat was heavy, threatening to slip from grasp and back to the bottom.
The thought of dead weight filtered through my mind, and I instantly trampled it.
She wasn't dead.
The crowd had thinned when I resurfaced, a few on the ice reached out to help me while the rest remained on the shore watching with shocked expressions. Sirens were in the distance and gave me my only sense of hope.
Hair as dark as the night laid on the ice, limp curls spread out across the ice and her pale face. Red gloves still covered her hands, and I found myself staring at her fingers, begging them to move just an inch.
I climbed out of the water, quickly at her side despite how violently my body shook. My fingers were stiff as I pulled down the zip on her coat, pushing it aside to feel her neck. The situation felt so similar to before; shaking fingers searching out a pulse—only there wasn't one.
"Dimitri?" Viktoria questioned with a shaky voice.
I placed my hands on Rose's chest and pushed. "We need to get her warm. Where is the ambulance?" I just had to get her heart beating, then everything would be okay.
"They're almost here," she answered, tears running down her face. "Rose said something bad was going to happen. Is this it? Is she dead?"
"No!"
Viktoria flinched back, fumbling on the ice.
"No," I repeated softly, counting under my breath as I continued compressions. "She isn't dead. She isn't dead."
The sirens were closer. It wouldn't be long now.
"She isn't dead."
