I hadn't had a headache this bad in a long time.
And it wasn't just my head that hurt—I also felt an overwhelming urge to throw up. The nausea was unbearable, bile burned in my throat, but I knew I wasn't in a position to actually vomit unless I wanted to choke.
I opened my eyes and had to blink several times before my vision sharpened. Everything seemed blurred and unfocused. I couldn't tell where I was—just that I was half-lying down, my back and head resting against a cold, hard surface.
Where the fuck was I?
My memories were useless. I couldn't hold onto a single coherent thought, so I tried looking around instead.
The only things in my line of sight were my own legs, sprawled lifelessly on a dirty floor. Why the hell was I sleeping like this?
In front of me, Eddie was sitting with his hands behind his back, staring grimly at the ground. I frowned, trying to figure out what the hell he and I were doing here. I glanced to the side and saw more people, also sitting on the floor with their hands behind their backs.
Adrian, Jill, Sydney…
And Dimitri.
If Dimitri had any choice, he would have been by my side—that much I knew for certain, given how awful I felt. I tried to move my hands forward, only to feel the cold resistance of handcuffs.
And then it all came rushing back—the mess we were in before I blacked out.
A deep, gnawing fear cut through the haze in my mind, made even worse by the Strigoi venom coursing through my veins. I looked toward where our guard had last been standing, but now there were two of them. New ones, maybe. I wasn't sure. Everything was still flickering and swaying, and I was struggling to piece together the details of our capture.
I also remembered that, just before losing consciousness, I had managed to slip Dimitri the keys.
I turned my gaze toward him, and at that moment, he looked at me too. The relief on his face was so clear that he didn't even need to say a word. His eyes scanned me carefully, assessing how bad off I was.
I, on the other hand, immediately noticed the ugly bruise covering half his face. My eyes flicked to his cuffs, hidden behind his back. Watching the guards closely, Dimitri shifted his hands slightly—just enough to let me know he was free.
I shot him a look, a silent but urgent question: Then why the hell are we still sitting here?
Dimitri, as patient as ever, turned his gaze back to the guards. I stared at them too, and then—finally—I understood.
If there had been only one, Dimitri could have taken him out quietly, without raising any alarms. But with two, there was a problem. He could handle one, but the other would have time to call for help… or worse, shoot him.
I knew Dimitri wasn't afraid of getting hurt. But he also knew that the only way to get us out of here was to stay alive. Without him, we'd lose our only chance at escaping, and he couldn't afford that risk. Especially not when we were this close. He needed a distraction—something to split the guards' attention long enough to take them both down at the same time.
I nodded to show I understood, then flicked my eyes toward my own body, signaling that I'd be the distraction. Dimitri's eyes widened, and pure panic in them pierced my heart. After how well I played the distraction last time, he didn't want to take that risk again. But I rolled my eyes and blinked three times.
Three seconds later, I let out a sharp, high-pitched whimper and started writhing in fake agony.
"Help!" I groaned, my voice hoarse from disuse.
Every pair of eyes snapped toward me. I struggled to hold back the wave of nausea that hit me the moment I moved my head. I tried to curl up to sell the act even more, but I had so little strength that it wasn't my best performance.
"Rose," Dimitri rasped, his voice thick with desperation. "It's her gunshot wound. Please, just sit her up, and she'll be fine."
Playing along with his words, I curled up even tighter, letting out increasingly pained whimpers. Just a little longer, and I might have actually thrown up with my head bent down like that. Maybe that would have made my performance even more convincing.
The guards hesitated but finally approached, exchanging uncertain glances. One of them reached out, wrapped his arms around my waist, and started lifting me.
And then I collapsed forward as his arms let go, just as two dull thuds sounded—two heads being struck. I heard our friends gasp in shock. The guards' bodies hit the floor. I stopped whimpering.
Without missing a beat, Dimitri's familiar hands caught my limp body, pulling me up. One of his arms held me steady, while the other cradled my face, turning it toward him.
"Rose," he whispered, his voice like honey in my ears—sweet, but full of tension, fear, and a thousand other emotions. Just like his eyes, which screamed how sorry he was, how much he wanted to protect me, and how much he regretted not being able to do so before.
That moment only lasted a few seconds, but for us, it felt like an eternity. I wanted to drown in his gaze, in his touch, after everything we'd just been through… but we didn't have time for that.
"I'm fine, comrade. Still in one piece," I murmured, bringing my hands forward and leaning into him. "But get these cuffs off me. Please."
Dimitri ran his thumb quickly over my cheek, pressed a firm kiss to my forehead, and got to work on unlocking my handcuffs.
Once I was free, I tried to push myself up—but my legs immediately gave out, and I toppled sideways. Dimitri caught me before I hit the ground, but as soon as I steadied myself, I waved him off.
"Get the others," I ordered, then turned my focus back to the floor, determined to stand on my own. As he should, Dimitri went to free the others, starting with Eddie. Meanwhile, I focused on getting myself upright.
First, I forced my stomach and hips upward, shifting my weight onto my hands and knees. I had to stay like that for a few seconds, letting my head stop spinning and resisting the overwhelming urge to vomit. Once the worst passed, I planted my right foot next to my left knee, shifting my weight onto it. But then… I froze. I couldn't remember what to do next. How the hell was I supposed to get my left foot up? Instead, I was just kneeling there, stuck, trying to lift my hands for balance but failing.
And then, strong hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me effortlessly to my feet. Dimitri's arms held me steady, but I still didn't trust my legs. So I grabbed onto his shirt, pressing my face against his chest.
He was saying something, but I was too busy focusing on staying upright to pay attention. It wasn't until he gently shook me and cupped my face in his hands that I finally locked onto his words.
"Rose, are there any Strigoi upstairs?"
I frowned in confusion. "How should I know? I've been down here the whole time," I muttered.
Dimitri's jaw tightened with concern. He didn't seem impatient—just worried.
"I know," he said gently. "But can you sense any? As someone Shadow kissed?"
That made sense. I tried to focus, but I couldn't tell if the nausea I felt was from the presence of Strigoi nearby… or just my own messed-up state. I shook my head.
"I don't know. I feel sick, but I don't know if it's because of them. Maybe Jill knows something more?"
Dimitri ran a soothing hand over my cheek, his eyes frozen with concern. He looked past me—at Jill, I assumed.
"I…I also feel sick," she said hesitantly. "If that helps. But I'm also nervous."
Dimitri nodded, exhaling slowly.
"We have to assume they're upstairs," he said firmly. Then, turning to the others, he laid out the plan. "Eddie and I will go first. We'll take on the Strigoi while the rest of you escape. Sydney, take Jill and get out right behind us. Adrian, you take Rose—you have to get her outside. Angeline, you're last. If someone gets in their way, you fight them off. But if no one does, I want you to run with the others—"
"—but—"
"No arguments," he cut in. "I need someone out there to protect the others if something happens to Eddie and me. Sydney, take the first car you find, start it, and get out of here. If Eddie and I don't make it out, call the guardians in court. I know it's risky, but it's our best option right now. Is everything clear?"
"Dimitri, of course, I'll fight no matter what, but… they took our stakes."
"You don't have a spare?" Dimitri sounded both surprised and concerned. Eddie looked embarrassed as he shook his head. Luckily, Dimitri's paranoia had already rubbed off on me, so I clenched his shirt tightly in my fist.
"I do," I said. I tried to let go of Dimitri and reach under my shirt for the stake hidden beneath my bra, but my arm wouldn't bend properly—it felt unusually stiff—and I lost my balance in the process, nearly toppling over.
"Damn it. It's under my bra," I directed the last part at Dimitri, who closed his eyes flustered.
He hesitated for only a second before slipping his hand under my shirt and skillfully retrieving my stake from the sheath while I clung to his other arm to keep myself upright. He tossed the weapon to Eddie, who caught it effortlessly, then pulled out his own spare from the depths of his duster.
"Is everyone ready?"
"Dimitri," this time, I was the one who spoke, grabbing his face to make him look at me. I didn't have the strength to stand on my own, but I had to say this, even if I had to cling desperately to his arms to keep from falling. "I don't care if those Strigoi survive or not, but I care if you do. If you get the chance to run, run. Don't go looking for revenge, okay?"
Our eyes met, sending a thousand messages between us. We had always understood each other perfectly, and this was no exception. I knew how much Dimitri wanted to kill the vampires he had once worked with, especially after what they had done to me. And he knew that, to me, what mattered far more was that he came back alive—especially when I wouldn't be able to protect him myself.
I knew how much this cost him, but he nodded.
The others were getting into position, and as they turned away, he pulled me close and kissed my forehead, as if he could somehow keep me with him forever that way.
"I love you," he whispered breathlessly.
"And I love you," I clung to his shirt desperately, pressing my face into the familiar warmth of his neck. "Be careful."
"You too. Get out of here."
With those words, he stepped away, passing me into Adrian's arms. How ironic.
The two men exchanged a wordless nod before Dimitri took the lead, guiding our small group. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him, even as Adrian lifted me up, realizing I wouldn't be able to make it upstairs on my own.
"It's going to be fine, Little Dhampir. Have a little faith."
Everyone fell into formation as Dimitri had instructed. Sydney and Jill clung tightly to each other. Adrian tightened his grip on me. Angeline pulled her hair back, her entire body coiled for a fight.
Dimitri and Eddie reached the top of the stairs, exchanged a look, and then Dimitri barreled through the door, storming inside. I didn't register much else as Adrian sprinted up the last few steps behind Jill and Sydney. Dimitri and Eddie veered right, meeting the enemy, but I couldn't even assess their chances—Adrian sharply turned left, carrying us toward the front door and out into the open. I had to use every ounce of willpower I had not to throw up on Adrian. The world spun violently around me, and sweat beaded on my forehead from the effort.
Sunlight blinded us for a moment, but Adrian didn't stop, nor did Sydney. Behind us, the sounds of battle made my heart seize, and closer, the sound of Angeline's footsteps. I heard her battle cry, and when I twisted to look, I saw her take down human henchmen, knocking him unconscious. That's our girl.
We reached Sydney at the car as she fumbled with the driver's door. Adrian set me down, unable to carry me any further but still keeping his arms around me to support my weight. I clung to his shoulder, struggling to stay upright as the world twisted and blurred like a carousel that refused to stop. Angeline was already running toward us, unharmed. I tried to find the front door with my eyes, but I couldn't distinguish it from the swirling mess of images in front of me.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea crashed over me with renewed force, but it had nothing to do with Strigoi. I collapsed to my knees and started throwing up. Adrian, behind me, held my hair back and steadied my body, keeping me from falling into my own mess.
"Charming, I must say," Adrian quipped, but I could only roll my eyes.
"Shut up and find me a tissue."
One appeared, and I cleaned myself up just as Sydney finally got the car door open. She climbed into the driver's seat and started working on the wires.
I prayed Dimitri and Eddie would get out before she started the engine because, even though I knew we should run, everything inside me rebelled at the thought of leaving them behind. Adrian, still holding onto me, pulled me closer as I began trembling uncontrollably.
The car growled to life, ready to go. Sydney stepped out and looked at us, then back toward the house. Her gaze landed on me again, silently asking if this was the moment we drove off—without Dimitri and Eddie.
Orders or not, I was the last person who would agree to that. I shook my head desperately.
So she turned to Adrian for confirmation. He didn't look convinced either. Dimitri had said to leave if something happened to them. We didn't know if something had happened to them.
Dread washed over me as worst-case scenarios played in my mind, and I loathed myself for not being able to fight alongside them. In my head, I saw Eddie being thrown against a wall, his neck snapping at an unnatural angle, his eyes freezing forever. I saw Dimitri pinned to the wall by Nikolai and Boris, their fangs sinking into his throat, this time draining the life out of him for good. The nausea surged again, and I focused on taking deep, slow breaths, trying to push it—and those relentless images—out of my mind.
"I think we should at least prepare to run," Sydney said. I shot her a hostile look, but she was watching me with concern. Although her complexion was naturally pale, now her ashen skin betrayed her exhaustion. The dark circles under her eyes and the tense expression on her face showed the stress she had been dealing with over the past… days? Hours? I had no idea how much time had passed.
"Let's wait just one more minute," Adrian suggested, feeling my body tense as I dug my feet into the ground.
"There's nothing wrong with—" Sydney started, but was cut off by an excited cry.
"There they are!" Jill shouted, pointing at two figures emerging from the house. If Adrian hadn't been holding me steady, I was sure my knees would have given out from relief. Dimitri and Eddie were walking quickly but calmly, showing no signs of injury.
I started breathing more freely as I saw that they were safe and sound—no blood on their clothes, no hesitation in their confident, swift steps. The only injury I noticed was the bruises on Dimitri's face from his struggle with Nikolai in the basement.
Dimitri reached me first, taking me from Adrian's arms and allowing me to bury myself in his arms. I let myself sink into his strong, safe embrace, feeling close to fainting—from relief, from exhaustion, from the lingering effects of the strigoi bite.
"Thanks, Adrian," Dimitri sighed, pulling me even closer, and stabilizing me.
"A little longer and she would have started crawling toward you," Adrian quipped.
Dimitri let out a short huff. Sydney and Jill were checking Eddie for injuries, while Dimitri held me tighter and pressed a quick kiss to the top of my head. He tossed an object in Sydney's direction, and she looked at him with mock reproach. But she couldn't hide the joy and relief over our victory.
"Now that I've already hotwired this beauty?"
"Better late than never," Dimitri responded with a small smirk. Then his expression turned serious. "Come on, we're getting out of here. Sydney, you drive. Adrian, you sit up front too. Angeline, Jill, and Eddie—you take the back seat in that order. I'll put Rose in the middle row."
No one argued. They started getting into the car without hesitation. Dimitri lifted me into his arms, and I instinctively curled into him, unable to think about anything other than sinking into his warmth.
With extreme care and patience, Dimitri placed me in the middle row and buckled me in while I tried to keep myself upright and avoid throwing up. When he closed the door, we started moving, and I let my head fall limply onto his lap. He pulled off his duster and draped it over me, providing a warmth I hadn't even realized I was missing. I closed my eyes, already drifting toward sleep. Dimitri gently ran his fingers through my hair and over my arm, and I gripped the fabric of his jeans tightly.
"Nikolai and Boris are dead, aren't they?" I asked in a monotone voice. I had already guessed what had kept them so long after we had escaped. Dimitri's fingers froze for a moment, but then he let out a deep sigh and resumed stroking my arm.
"I warned them that if they touched you, I would kill them."
I sighed too and shook my head slightly.
"Unnecessary dramatics." I felt Dimitri huff a quiet laugh, but a moment later, he leaned down to press a kiss against my temple and whispered into my ear:
"Go to sleep, Roza. You're safe now. I won't let anyone hurt you."
I wanted to mumble something similar in return, but exhaustion and the drug-induced haze pulled me under before I could tell him that I loved him too.
"Rose, we have to get up." A gentle shake of my shoulders tried to pull me from the realm of sleep—very unsuccessfully, I might add. I squeezed my eyes shut tighter and pressed my face into the surface where I had been resting my head.
"We need to get into the hotel, and you need to pretend you're not high out of your mind."
I slowly opened my eyes, which Dimitri took as permission to lift my torso into a sitting position.
A pneumatic drill was pounding inside my skull, and I could barely see straight. But through the blurred shapes, I managed to make out Dimitri's warm brown eyes and looked into them with mockery.
"Comrade, I am as high as a kite. I don't think I can fool anyone."
Someone from the front snorted with laughter, but Dimitri didn't seem amused—just deeply, terribly worried.
"Come on, I'll help you," he said gently. He helped me climb out of the car and steadied me when I couldn't find my balance. My eyelids were so impossibly heavy that I felt myself dozing off against Dimitri's solid frame. He didn't allow it, though, giving me another light shake.
I let out an impatient whine, but it went completely ignored. As we walked toward the hotel, he absorbed most of my unsteady movements—without him, I wouldn't have been able to stand, let alone walk. I had never been in such a prolonged daze before. It felt like I was even more out of it than the last time I had been semi-conscious.
In the lobby, Dimitri guided me into a chair and held me in a way that made it look like he was simply embracing me, rather than keeping me from shamelessly passing out in the middle of the hotel. Sydney, Adrian, and Angeline went to get our rooms sorted, while Eddie and Dimitri stayed with Jill.
They woke me when it was time to stand up and head to the elevator.
"What kind of rooms do we have?" I asked, staring at my feet and struggling to coordinate my movements (under Dimitri's watchful eye, as he supported at least half my weight with his arm wrapped around my waist).
"We got an entire suite—four double rooms," Sydney said, gripping the key card tightly. For her, closing the hotel room door would finally mean finding a safe place.
"How cute. Our big, dysfunctional family all together," I muttered. I heard Dimitri sigh as Adrian and Jill chuckled.
In the elevator, it was just our squad, so I leaned into Dimitri and, taking advantage of the fact that he was holding me firmly, attempted to go back to sleep. When I dangerously tipped to the right, Dimitri steadied me and pleaded:
"Just one more minute, Rose."
I wanted to say something sharp in response, but in the end, I relented. He dragged me to the door, which Sydney opened. Stepping inside, the only thing my brain registered was a large couch, and my uncoordinated, chaotic steps carried me straight toward it, my purpose clear.
Only to be stopped by familiar, strong arms wrapping around me, halting my movement.
"Dimitri!" My frustrated whine carried all the suffering I felt at that moment. I was mere seconds away from passing out, and he wouldn't let me collapse onto the soft couch. For a split second, I was so annoyed that I considered actually doing something about it.
In the next instant, he lifted me up completely, and as soon as I no longer had to exert the effort to stay on my feet, my consciousness slipped away, allowing him to do whatever he saw fit with me.