DIMITRI'S DEBT

I hope all you wonderful readers enjoyed your special Holiday treat! Warning: this story contains domestic abuse

The thick evergreens blocked out the last of the bright sunlight before the sun began to set. The air was practically silent except for the occasional bird and the quiet crunch of fallen leaves and twigs beneath our feet.

I was following behind one of the few men who have the power to make me nervous. Even though it didn't show on my face, courtesy of a long practiced skill, I was still trying to steady my racing mind.

It didn't help that he had a gun.

Granted, I had one also, and I was willing to bet that I'd be the better shot. He, however, had the motivation to actually shoot me.

After nearly an hour of walking, long past the hope of civilization, Abe Mazur finally stopped in a small yet hidden clearing. I wondered if he had found his prey, and it became clear that he had as soon as he turned around to face me.

"So tell me, Guardian Belikov, about this relationship between you and my daughter."

I had known this conversation was coming, it was the whole reason this trip was planned, but that didn't make me any more prepared for it. There was no grand speech planned, nor a list of reasons to persuade him that I was an acceptable partner for his daughter. To be perfectly frank, there were probably many more reasons why I shouldn't be allowed anywhere near her. Still, I loved my Roza, and I knew I would fight for her. Today, that meant providing her father with honest answers.

"Consider me an open book, Sir. Ask any question you'd like, and I promise to answer it to the best of my ability."

His grin looked practically sinister at the opportunity I had just given him.

"Let's start with the basics, shall we? Where did you and Rosemarie meet?"

I let out my breath in relief, not noticing that I had been holding it before. This was an easy question that didn't have a complicated answer.

"Portland," I replied. "I was leading the team to retrieve Rose and Pr– Her Majesty Queen Vasilisa after they had run away from school."

"And tell me boy, was it love at first sight?" The mocking tone was unmistakable.

"Hardly," I scoffed, "I had never met such a sarcastic and obstinate young lady. And as you may recall, I lived in a house of women. I don't think she cared for me right off the bat either. She seemed pretty determined to make my life a living hell."

Abe laughed boisterously. "Yes, she is her mother's daughter, isn't she? So if it wasn't immediate, then how did you find yourself in this mess?"

"I may not have fallen for her the moment I met her, but I already admired and respected her. She was loyal to Vasilisa in a way that most guardians could never dream of. I came to learn that her loyalty wasn't just limited to her charge, but to anyone that she cared for."

It was true. She went above and beyond for Lissa, literally offering her own blood and taking a bullet for her. But she was just as protective of anyone she cares about. From protecting Mason even after his death to encouraging Adrian to reach his full potential. Perhaps though, her biggest show of loyalty was what she was willing to sacrifice for me.

"Ah yes. She does love fiercely. Almost to the point of recklessness, wouldn't you say?" I could tell he was goading me a little, but I continued forward regardless.

"What do you mean, Sir?"

"Well, what else would you call my daughter dropping out of school and traveling on her own half way around the globe to fulfill an unspoken promise to her mentor, whom everyone else considered dead? Especially when it put her life in danger in more ways than one. Then again, you weren't just her mentor at that point...were you?"

While many people suspected that there was more than met the eye between us at St. Vladimir's, there was very few who knew the whole truth. Abe wasn't one of them, at least as far as I understood. I couldn't tell if he was asking in earnest or was just looking for conformation to what he already knew to be true.

"Did Rose tell you?" I know she had been working to build a relationship with her parents now that they were present in her life. Perhaps this had come up in one of those conversations.

"Yes and no. She didn't outright tell me, but I was at your memorial. When she spoke, she wasn't speaking about her mentor. She wasn't even speaking about a boyfriend. You were more to her. Your family and friends treated her as they would your widow..."

My memorial. Rose and I still have yet to tell my family about my restoration. I'm not ready for that. Because of the inevitable conflict between us that happens every time the subject comes up, we haven't spoken much about my family or her time there. I knew there was a memorial for me, but she hasn't had the opportunity to speak about it in depth. The fact that my family considered her as good as my wife was a surprise. I had never really told them about Rose, but their acceptance and apparent approval meant more than I could express.

"...Granted Rose had no idea that I was her father at that point and they had given her more than a few shots of vodka. She may have chosen her words a little differently otherwise. Still, it was evident to everyone there that she admired you, that she loved you even. She was just as heartbroken as your family, perhaps even more so in her own way."

I let the air sit in silence for a moment, carefully forming the next words in my mind.

"Mr. Mazur, my family's treatment of Rose isn't misplaced. I love your daughter. I know I haven't always shown it the way that I should have, the way that she deserved, but that love never faltered. I'd gladly ask your permission for her hand today if I thought she'd accept my marriage proposal. Either way, I plan to spend the rest of my life by her side, striving to be the man that she deserves."

Abe just watched me until, like the Zmey he was known as, I could see his grin starting to coil for the attack.

"That's all good and well, Dimitri, but if I remember correctly, you owe me a great deal of debt. Am I correct?"

That was not the strike I was expecting. Perhaps it should have been though. I had been waiting years for Zmey to collect on our bargain. I should have known better than to think a relationship with his daughter (no matter how unknowing I had been of her parentage when we started) would buy me a pardon. If anything, I should have been even more cautious.

"Yes sir. I remember."

The rain poured down in Baia that night, hitting the roof of our small porch and drowning out the sound around us. I sat outside, watching and waiting. He always came back. This time though, I had pushed him too far and I wasn't sure what would happen when he did.

I thought about going to the proper authorities, but what would they do? To them, my mother was nothing but a blood-whore, and I was even less until I received my promise mark.

Perhaps the human authorities would be more sympathetic, but I couldn't exactly expect them to fix a situation they didn't understand.

After my mother had cleaned some of the cuts on my face and arms, giving a few stitches to the larger wound near my eye, I had sat on the front porch and waited. I wasn't sure what I was waiting for. I was filled with too much adrenalin and worry to sleep though, so I just sat listening to my mother pacing inside. I knew she was just as scared as I was, but she was also just as clueless as how to fix the matter.

I don't know what had pushed me over the edge tonight; why I had never acted sooner. I had seen my father push my mother around for years. Typically, he hid his worst offenses from his four children. We would hear her cry out and the sharp crack of his hand against her cheek. We'd hear his yelling before and her sobbing after. We'd see her cuts and bruises the next morning and occasionally we'd see the remains of some household item that had been broken during the fight. The worst is when I started noticing my mother hiding the bite marks on her neck.

None of us children said a thing. Babushka never said anything in our presence, but I wouldn't be surprised if she had spoken to my mother about the situation in private. All of us would pretend that nothing was happening. My sisters and I were instructed to stay away when my father was in town, and we happily did so to keep from standing in the line of fire. Karo, Sonya, and I had all learned that the hard way, and we did everything we could to make sure Vika never suffered by my father's hand.

Thankfully, his trips were short and infrequent. A day or two of hiding every couple of months. For the most part, we managed. Life was good otherwise. That is, until today.

All four of us children were sitting up in Karo's room. We had started doing this when Vika became old enough to recognize what was happening downstairs and would get scared. We kept her distracted with quiet games and chatter, trying to overpower the sounds of fighting below. It was nearly impossible tonight though.

Mama had told my father about Karo's pregnancy, knowing that it would soon be difficult to hide, and he hadn't taken it well. I'm not sure why this particular piece of information set him off so badly, but the yelling was worse than I had ever heard it before. Even Karo and Sonya jumped from time to time. I paced nervously in front of the door. Finally, we heard a large crash and the sound of glass shattering. Before I could think about what I was doing, I flung open the door and ran down the steps, two at a time, until I froze at the sight of my mother.

She was laying still on the remains of our coffee table, the one with the glass top. That glass was now in shards around her body, some pieces tinted red by her blood. While the entire scene was horrifying, the fact that she wouldn't open her eyes scared me more than anything. Still, my legs were locked where I stood, hands clinging to the railing.

I couldn't move until I saw my father reemerge from the kitchen. It wasn't unusual for him to use an item to beat my mother, but most only caused pain and bruising that would eventually fade. The knife he carried this time promised something much worse.

I didn't hesitate. I charged towards him before he ever saw me, barreling into his body and knocking him to the ground. I could hear the clang of the knife as it skittered across the floor.

After exchanging a few blows, I pinned my father beneath me. It wasn't hard. Even at thirteen, I was nearly the same height as him. I was being trained to fight monsters much larger and more powerful than myself. The monster in front of me now barely put up a fight.

One, two, three punches to the face and he was already surrendering. I didn't stop though. My hands wrapped around his neck and I started to squeeze the poor excuse of a life from him. I could see his face starting to discolor. His eyes were wide, terrified like we had been every time he walked through our door. His mouth begged wordlessly for me to stop, silently screaming.

I would have gone through with it too. I was in such a rage, it didn't even occur to me what was actually happening. I was hardly aware of my actions until my mother's quiet voice broke through the pounding in my head.

"Dimitri! Dimitri, stop! You're going to kill him!"

It was enough to snap me out of my blood lust. My hands released his throat and his head fell back as he gasped for breath.

I stood quickly, shocked at what had almost happened. I knew I was being trained and given the tools to kill. My entire education, my entire life would be based on my ability to fight and destroy those that would hurt others. Still, I had nearly taken the life of my own flesh and blood. It shocked me to know that I was physically capable of doing so. Mentally though, I couldn't. No matter how much he had hurt my family, the thought of killing my own father sickened me. I wasn't sure if I could live with that.

He didn't need to know that though.

As he began to stand, rage boiling up in his eyes again, I walked back towards the discarded kitchen knife. It didn't take long for him to realize what I was reaching for and he stopped in his tracks. I turned slowly to face him head on and braced myself in an offensive fighting stance.

"We've begun our stake training at school. You may want to leave now. Leave and never come back."

It was a bold faced lie. We weren't supposed to start stake training for another year or two. But the threat worked. He left. However, the look that he gave me said that he would be back and he would be coming for revenge. I wasn't sure it would be tonight, or tomorrow, or someday when I wasn't here to defend my family, but he would be back.

As soon as he was gone, I collapsed to my knees. Mama was at my side in an instant, holding me as I shook from fear and adrenalin. I could feel some wetness on my face, and I wasn't sure if the tears were hers or my own.

A few moment later, I heard my sisters coming down the stairs, and even my grandmother Yeva. I couldn't make out their words through the clouds in my own mind, but it sounded like my mother tried to explain the situation. Sonya and Karo cleaned up the mess of the old coffee table while my mother cleaned her own wounds then stitched me up. Yeva spoke in quiet whispers to Mama.

And now, here I sat; still not quite recovered from what I had almost done a few hours ago, and still not ready to face what I knew would happen one day when my father returned. I had attacked, nearly killed, my father. My Moroi father. If nothing else, his guardians would have the obligation to defend him. I was lucky that he had sent them away tonight. They would have been able to take me out in an instant. My father wouldn't make that same mistake twice, I was sure of it. My only option was to make sure he never step foot in Baia again.

Suddenly, an idea struck me. It was reckless, but after everything else that had already happened tonight, what did I have to lose?

I stuck my head through the front door. My sisters had already gone to bed, and it looked like my mother had also retreated to her room. Only Yeva remained, sitting in her rocking chair as if she was waiting for me.

"Babushka, I need to go see someone. I'll be back soon."

She nodded in reply, perhaps already knowing who I was going to see before I did. She always had the uncanny ability of understanding things before anyone else.

I ran through town, hoping that the man I was looking for was where he usually could be found when he stayed in Baia. I didn't even know if he was in Baia. I knew he stayed here on occasion, but there was no guarantee that he would be here tonight or anytime soon. Even if he was here, I didn't know how I would convince the receptionist at the front counter to give me his hotel room number. Or if he would even agree to speak with me at all. Why in the world hadn't I thought this out better?

After 10 minutes or so of running, I was in front of the small hotel at the center of town. It was hardly glamorous, but it held its own unique charm and was the place where most royal and other high ranking Moroi stayed when they were in Baia.

As luck would have it, the moment I stepped through the doors, I saw him. He was standing by the elevator, flanked by a guardian.

"Zmey!" I called out.

Several humans, who also frequented the hotel on vacation, sneered in my direction. I couldn't blame them. Calling a man a "snake" was hardly polite. Thankfully, the man in question had taken the insult that was once whispered behind his back, and made it into a title to be feared and respected in our world.

The man, Abe Mazur, turned to face me. If being shouted at by a teenage boy phased him at all, he didn't show it. I slowed in my steps to approach him when I noticed his guardian move into a protective position. While not a royal Moroi, Mr. Mazur never traveled without two guardians minimum, and I knew that there is at least one more set of eyes on me. I nod respectfully to the near guardian before addressing his charge.

"Mr. Mazur, may we speak privately. I've come to ask for a favor."

The man considers me for a moment, his thumb tracing the line of his beard. Without thinking, my eyes flit to the gold hoop in his ear. The Zmey's reputation for flashy dress was almost as notorious as his reputation for brutality in business. Many considered him a mob boss, though nobody was entirely sure what his business entailed. All that was certain was that if Zmey said the word, it was done. Many people believed he even had the power to persuade the Moroi Queen from her throne if he chose to do so.

"Fine. You intrigue me, boy. Let's have a chat." He turned to enter the elevator without another word.

The guardian to his left nodded to someone in the distance and followed after. I entered last. We traveled up a few floors, through a hallway, and to a door. A second guardian already stood at the entrance and entered the room for a moment before giving the all clear for us come in.

I followed Zmey to the small table and chairs in the corner of the room, sitting when he instructed me to.

"You look nervous, young man. Would you like some water or something?" He seemed almost...kind. It unnerved me more than if he had been as dark and sinister as I had expected.

"No, thank you Sir."

He eyed me curiously before speaking again. "Nonsense. Sergie, would you bring us two hot chocolates?"

The younger guardian in the kitchenette started pouring way too much cocoa mix into two mugs before adding water and bringing them over. Hot chocolate was the last thing I would expect a man with the reputation of the Zmey to drink, but I couldn't exactly refuse when a cup was placed before me. He waited until I took a sip, laughing at the obvious surprise and delight on my face. It could be one of the best cups of hot chocolate that I'd ever had.

"Doubling it is the secret," Mr. Mazur confided with a grin. "Now, tell me. What's your name?"

I quickly gulped down the mouthful of the drink, trying not to burn my mouth. "Dimitri, sir. Dimitri Belikov."

"Ah, that's right. You're Olena's son, correct? Such a nice woman to heal so many injuries in town. Too bad she seems to sport more than her own fair share." He shot me a knowing look.

Automatically, I lowered my eyes towards the ground in shame. It was no secret in town that my father abused my mother on a regular basis, but nobody had so casually spoken to me about it. Dhampir women who sell their bodies to visiting Moroi men for a bite and occasionally some money weren't uncommon in our town. However, a mother of four who was bitten unwillingly and often beaten in the process was out of the ordinary.

"Young man, don't you ever be embarrassed by the way your father treats your mother. It isn't your fault, and to be honest, it isn't your mother's either. The only one who should be ashamed is that man who dares to raise his hand to a woman."

"Actually sir, that is why I needed to talk to you. Things..." I paused to find the right word, "escalated this evening. I'm fairly certain that my father would have killed my mother today if I hadn't stepped in."

Mr. Mazur's eyebrows shot up, but I wasn't sure if he was surprised that my father would have killed my mother, or that I was stupid enough to get in his way.

"When you say 'stepped in,' you mean..."

"I fought him, nearly killed him actually, and then kicked him out of the house. I doubt he'll stay gone long though."

"No, your father isn't one to give up so easily. Let me get this straight though: you attacked and threatened the life of a Moroi, and not just any Moroi, but a high ranking royal Moroi."

"Yes sir." My reply was much less confident than I had intended it to be. I knew that if he chose so, Abe Mazur or his guardians could report me for what I had just admitted. A guardian, even a guardian in training, attacking a royal Moroi wasn't something taken lightly and would come with some severe punishment.

"Protecting those who need protection is commendable, Dimitri. There's a difference between duty and honor," he proclaimed solemly.

I wouldn't understand those words until much later in my life.

"I have to wonder though," he asked, "why would you come to me? You know who I am and my reputation. I am not known for my kindness and generosity."

"I came to you, Sir, because you can make sure my father never steps into our home again. And while you may be ruthless in business, I have never seen or heard of you picking up one of the dhampir women in town for the night. It may not be much to go on, but I would like to think that means you have some respect for those like my family." I spoke boldly, but I could feel the rush of adrenalin building again in my system as I tried to keep the fear from my voice.

He smiled. It was a smile that reminded me that this man still had an ominous side to him. "You are very brave, but everything comes at a price. Are you willing to pay?"

I looked away again, uncomfortable. I should have expected something like this. Once again, I had acted without thinking this through first. Possible mobster or not, Zmey was a business man first and foremost. Nothing he had to offer would be free.

"I have no money Sir."

He didn't reply. I figured there was nothing left to say, so I stood, thanked him for his time, and walked a step towards the door.

"Dimitri."

I turned back at the sound of his voice.

"How old are you?"

"Thirteen. I'll be turning fourteen next month."

"And you're at St. Basil's?"

"Yes Sir."

"How is your training going?"

I was getting a bit nervous, unsure of where this line of questioning was going. "It's going well. I'm currently top in my class."

There was a long silence. I felt exposed as he seemed to stare through me. His eyes were cold and calculating, but you could practically see his mind turning with an idea. After what felt like an hour or more, he finally spoke again.

"I'll help you, Dimitri. I admire you and I admire your mother. I'll help you out, but I'll expect something from you in return."

I wasn't sure what I had to offer a man like Abraham Mazur, but I knew I needed to accept, no matter the cost. "What would you like."

He laughed, as if I had made some sort of joke. "Nothing for the moment, but some day I'll call to collect. I expect you to honor your debt. Can I trust you?"

Making a decision you know you'll one day regret is a less bitter pill to swallow when you have no other options.

"Yes Sir. You have my word."

Shaking his hand felt like signing a future death sentence.

"What are you going to do about my father?" I asked.

He looked at me for a moment and it chilled me to the bones, then he smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

He made good on his promise. I never saw or heard from my father again.

I did see Zmey several more times after that meeting throughout my life. The last time was at my graduation. It was only then when I realized what he may have wanted so long ago: a new guardian. I had been certain that I would follow Ivan after graduation, promising my life in the protection of his. However, if Zmey requested me, I wouldn't refuse him. I owed him my life for saving my family.

The request never came, and slowly, his shadow faded from my life. But now, over a decade later, Zmey stood before me again.

"I've come to collect on your debt, Dimitri. You know you owe me a great deal, and I expect you to make good on your word."

I straightened my back and nodded, unsure what else to say.

"I want you to stay away from my daughter."

If I had been nervous before, I was in total shock now. I knew there were many reasons for him to not approve of me, but I didn't think he would outright forbid me from seeing Roza. If anything, he had been the more accepting one out of her parents. Or at least I had thought so.

"Sir, I love her..."

He cut me off. "I'm sure you do. And I know she loves you too. However, that has no bearing on my request."

He wasn't going to give me any other reason for why he wanted me to leave her. And I had promised to fulfill his request – whatever it may be – so long ago. I was bound by honor and obligation, so I said the only thing I could.

"No."

His eyes widened at my words, more intrigued than blatantly angry. "No?"

"No, Sir. I may owe you my life, but I owe Roza my soul. I will not walk away."

The sinister smile returned, slowly creeping across his face as he studied me. Suddenly, he raised his rifle, pointing it directly at me from a point-blank distance. Instinctively, I tensed, but I didn't shrink away from the weapon.

"I don't think you understand, Dimitri. This is an order, not a suggestion. You know better than anyone that I can make someone disappear. I made sure your father never came near your family again, I can make sure that you are not in Rosemarie's life."

I had no doubt that he was right. What Zmey wanted, Zmey got, and he was more than willing to do the dirty work himself. He could kill me now in this forest, and nobody would ever ask questions. No, that's not true, I'm sure Roza would speak her mind quite clearly, but by then I would already be long gone.

I stepped forward, feeling the barrel of his rifle press against the center of my chest. The defiant action spoke more clearly of my intentions than my words could have.

The air stilled, the birds were quiet, nothing seemed to stir for the longest time. I watched as Mazur's finger shifted from its place of safety along the side of the trigger cage, to curling around the trigger itself.

He was going to kill me.

I would not back down.

I continued to watch him, unmoving. My heart rate increased, as if trying to see how many times it could beat before it stopped. My mind was surprisingly clear though. I didn't feel afraid, but confident, assured in my resolve. I would rather die than leave my Roza and break her heart.

I heard the click of his trigger. It was a quiet sound, so unlike the blast from the bullet that I was expecting. It took me a moment to realize that I was still standing. I was still alive. And Zmey was still smiling, somewhere between amused and impressed.

"Congratulations Son, your debt has been paid in full." He lowered his gun and extended his hand.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing means more to me than my family, Dimitri. I can buy their freedom and I can buy their protection. One thing I cannot buy, is someone who makes Rose as happy as you seem to. I cannot buy someone who is so fiercely loyal to her that he would rather take a bullet to the chest than walk away. I cannot buy that love for my daughter, but you willingly give it. That is worth more than anything else I could ask for."

I felt him take my hand, giving it a firm shake and closing the agreement that had started 10 years ago and thousands of miles away. I returned the gesture without thinking, still feeling a step behind in the sudden and drastic change of events.

"Furthermore," he continued, unaware of my distress, "You have my permission."

"Your permission for what?"

"To marry her, as you said you intended to. I could not imagine a better husband for my daughter. Granted, you have to get her to agree first."

He laughed at his own joke and the insanity of the situation – and this man – finally overcame me. Not two minutes before, he had been pointing a gun to me. Now he was smiling and joking as if the moment had never happened. Unsure of what else I should do, I laughed alongside him.

"Why don't we head back and see those pretty ladies of ours. I'm sure Rose thinks I've killed you by now. Janine probably hopes I did."

I faltered in my steps and Abe noticed my hesitation. Before he could ask, I spoke up.

"What are you going to say to Guardian Hathaway? I doubt she'll be quite as understanding and accepting of Rose and I."

He gave me a knowing grin and repeated the words that I had heard so long ago.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

Author's Note

I've been hoping to write this interaction for a while and when inspiration finally struck as to how the Abe & Dimitri's hunting trip played out, I couldn't stop typing. Finally getting more information about Dimitri's past is just a bonus :) I've always felt that there was something more to Abe and Dimitri's relationship.

How about you? What do you think actually happened that day? Also, should I post this in my drabble series as well?

Please let me know what you think by favoriting and reviewing. It would be an awesome Christmas gift, Thank you!

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and have fun with your family!