Disclaimer: Richelle Mead and Razor Bill own The Vampire Academy series.

Spoilers: There are spoilers for Vampire Academy and Frostbite.

Practice Session

The body fell onto the cold stone floor with astounding force. I stepped back to view my handiwork and appreciate the silver stake that was pierced deep within the chest. Had this been a real attack and I would not have had the time to review my conquest. But this wasn't the body of a real Strigoi that I was gazing down on. This was just a practice dummy, designed to test my reflexes and performance skills. If this were the real thing, I would have been fighting for my life.

Proud of my latest defeat and buzzing with energy I looked toward my mentor for approval.

"You were slower than last time," he commented. "Your time is down by sixty seconds."

I frowned, my happy mood instantly evaporating and went on the defensive.

"Sixty seconds! Big deal," I complained.

"It is a big deal when you realize that it only takes sixty seconds for a Strigoi to get past you and take Lissa. Or sixty seconds to come up behind you and rip your throat out."

Well wasn't that reassuring.

"But you have to admit that I totally kicked this guy's butt," I said, gesturing over to the dummy lying on the floor.

Dimitri smirked and my heart skipped a beat.

"You did do a good job of incapacitating him," he agreed, eyes twinkling.

"Darn right I did. That'll teach him to mess with Rose Hathaway, superior guardian in training and downright gorgeous female."

Dimitri laughed fully and I smiled at the sound. I had been hearing that sound more and more lately and it was like music to my ears.

Guess Tasha isn't the only one that can make him laugh after all.

"Well I'd have to agree on both counts," he said. "You are a superior guardian in training and you are absolutely gorgeous."

We stared at each other and I felt electricity crackle all around us. Since the events that had taken place last winter, we had come to an understanding. We both knew that we would soon become Lissa's guardians and we had to make her our top priority. But in the meantime we were seeing just where our feelings would take us. We weren't a traditional couple by any means. For one thing, we could never tell anybody about our feelings. Dimitri was my mentor and older than I was, a fact that he used to bring up repeatedly. Things were different now though. The events of last winter made Dimitri see that I might be younger than he was, but I was an old soul in many ways. I had not only killed two Strigoi but I saved the lives of my friends too.

Well not all of my friends.

Mason.

Thinking about him was like a knife through my chest. I still got nightmares about that day, seeing the light leave his eyes as his neck was snapped so carelessly. He should still be here with us, flashing his trademark grin and cracking his stupid jokes. It wasn't fair; nothing about Mason's death was fair.

Coming back to reality, I smiled at Dimitri hoping my smile looked extra flirty. "You're not to hideous yourself there Comrade."

"Not hideous at all," I thought as I saw his smile deepen and his eyes twinkle in amusement.

In fact Dimitri was a god if there ever was one. Tall and strong with dark brown eyes that could look right through your very soul. But it was more than just his looks that attracted me to him. We understood each other perfectly, a fact that scared both of us at first. Dimitri especially was surprised that someone as young as me could understand him better than anyone else ever had. That kinship between us was one of the reasons that he had been so inclined to give our mutual attraction a chance to go somewhere.

Mostly we had been sticking to secret kisses and hasty touches that left my body boiling. Dimitri would always stop us before things got extra heated, much to my dismay. But those kisses were the highlight of my days now; I craved every minute that we could be alone.

I sighed in utter contentment as I felt Dimitri's hand brush my long hair away from my face. I leaned into his hand, yearning for his touch. His finger brushed my lips and I shivered in anticipation. Cupping my chin, he leaned in and brushed my lips against his in a soft yet sensual kiss. I moaned impatiently and pulled his head towards mine so that I could deepen the kiss. Our mouths met hungrily and I raked my fingers through his brown hair in pleasure. I deserved this happiness, Dimitri deserved this happiness and I wasn't ready to let anyone take it away.