Hi everyone! I've always wanted to write a Vampire Academy story, but didn't have any ideas: until now. So, here's the first chapter:

Dimitri

With her lightning-sharp reflexes and years of guardian training, a Strigoi attack wasn't something that could easily surprise Rose Hathaway. A bouquet of flowers, though, was apparently enough to throw her completely off track.

She stared at me, her lips slightly parted. "I – "

I grinned. "Surprised to see me?"

She struggled to regain her voice. "Yes! You're supposed to be in Europe with Christian…"

I shrugged. I had been in Europe with Christian Ozera, the royal Moroi to whom I, as a guardian, was assigned. "We finished up our business there earlier than expected and came back. Don't tell me you're not glad to see me."

Rose grinned as she sidled up towards me, taking the bouquet from me. She'd just come from training with the other guardians, and her face glistened with sweat. Ordinarily, I hated perspiration, but on her, it smelled intoxicating. "I'm always glad to see you, Comrade. It's just – unexpected. And big shows of affection aren't really your thing, anyway."

"You have a lot to find out about what is and what isn't my thing," I told her.

We were walking now, side by side, through the arches and courtyards of the Moroi Royal Court in Pennsylvania. The air was turning chillier and crisper – a sign of the rapidly approaching winter. This was where Christian lived, now, for the large part, and therefore where I lived too. It worked great for the two of us, since our girlfriends, Rose and Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir, queen of the Moroi, or living vampires, lived here too.

"I'm going to have to find a vase to put these in," Rose remarked, looking at the flowers. "You didn't bring these from Europe, did you?"

"I bought them at a flower shop at the airport in Philadelphia. And I'm afraid you won't have time to find a vase – at least, not right this second."

"Oh?" Her dark eyes turned upwards and met mine, sparkling with humour. "And why's that?"

"Because we're going on a date."

"We are?!"

"That's right, we are." I nodded.

"What's coming over you?" she exclaimed. "Dimitri Belikov, badass dhampir god, reduced to a hopeless romantic?"

"A nice romantic dinner," I told her. "We're off duty tonight. I know, because I checked your schedule as well as mine. No arguments."

And there were none. Twenty minutes later, she had changed into fresher, more date-worthy clothes and we were sitting opposite one another at one of the Royal Court's restaurants. Around us, off-duty guardians were lounging, enjoying their free time and laughing and joking.

"So, why the sudden gesture?" Rose indicated the table at which we sat. "I mean, I don't think Lissa will mind me taking a night off, but what's with the romance?"

"Well, partly because I love you," I said, which earned me an eye roll but a loving grin in return. "And also, on the flight back to the US, Christian was telling me about the first date he took Lissa on. And I realized that I'd never properly taken you on a date."

It was true. We'd started off mentor and mentee, both preparing to be Lissa's guardians, which had already made our relationship taboo. We'd struggled with our feelings for months, and just when we'd admitted our unconditional love to each other, there had been a Strigoi attack on the academy where we'd been living and I had been turned into a Strigoi – an undead, ruthless monster of a vampire – against my will. It was the darkest period of my life, one I'd only just managed to move past and still didn't like to think about.

After Lissa had performed an amazing feat of magic and restored me to my original dhampir form, I'd begun to hate myself for what I'd been and what I'd done, pushing Rose away and leading to her dating another man. Luckily, I'd come to my senses and realized that Rose was the only woman for me, the only woman I could ever love – and here we were.

To say the story of our relationship had been rocky was probably the understatement of the century.

Rose's eyes widened and she laughed. "I didn't realize you were so sentimental, Comrade," she teased, her dark eyes twinkling. I was struck, once more, by how beautiful she was. I couldn't imagine how I'd lived my life before her.

"It's probably your bad influence softening me," I teased right back, before reaching across the table and taking one of her hands. "Here's to our first date."

Rose's teasing expression softened. "I love you, Dimitri."

"I love you, Roza."

I reached over the table and kissed her. As always, her lips set me aflame. Fire burned through my veins, and when we broke the kiss, my entire body shuddered from the loss of contact.

From the smouldering look in Rose's eyes, it was obvious she felt the same. "You're going to follow through on that after dinner, Dimka," she said in a low, throaty voice.

I could hardly wait.

~~Page Break~~

"Well!" Rose exclaimed, lying back. "I think we can safely say you followed through very nicely."

It was after dinner, and we lay on Rose's bed, in her room. Our clothes were strewn all over the room – I caught sight of my jeans hanging haphazardly off a lamp.

I stared at the ceiling, grinning, Rose cuddled up in my arm, her cheek and hand resting on my bare chest. "I told you I'd do things that'd make you lose control."

"I don't think I lost control," Rose retorted.

"Oh, no? Wait till the next round."

Rose laughed.

There was a comfortable silence. I enjoyed being with Rose, as sweaty as we were, twisted up in her sheets.

"Big day tomorrow," Rose said.

I had to agree. Tomorrow was a Council meeting, where the leaders of the Moroi nation would meet to discuss some of the hot topics that had surrounded Lissa's rule thus far. We were about three months into her reign, and already she'd earned a reputation for being one of the most dangerously liberal monarchs in Moroi history, what with her support for dhampir freedom, Moroi self-defence and pre-emptive strikes against the Strigoi.

"Let's not think about that right now," I suggested. "Let's just – be here. As corny as that sounds."

"I like corny sometimes," Rose said, as our lips met in a kiss. In that moment, I could imagine that the world was perfect. I was with the woman I loved, finally, after so many obstacles and hurdles. It seemed nothing could separate us now.

I really should've known better.

So, everything's okay for now...but it won't be for long. Reviews please!