AN/ Updates are slow, I know. But I've been busy.

Thank you for your patience and continued reviews etc

MJ

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So it turns out my 'father' has known about my existence my entire life and sent my mother monthly checks to support me. Apparently he does business in his home country of Turkey and judging by the two guardian's he has and his generally rough demeanour I didn't doubt most of his 'business' was shifty at best.

And now he was here to 'protect me.'

My head was still swimming as I made my way back to my room. I thought over our conversation again and again, about how he had heard of Janine's death and my consequential move to Montana. Of course he had no immediate plans to visit me, but instead transfer a monthly sum into my account to get by. How he thought I was stupid enough not to realise my bank balance was going to steadily rise every month without me working I didn't know but I chose to ignore it and focus on the fact that he was here. For me.

And yet he was too little too late.

What did he expect? That after he destroyed my mother's reputation, turned her into a...a bloodwhore that I would run happily into his arms shouting daddy? No dice.

Our conversation had been formal and stifling. He explained that he had enough knowledge of the law to create a solid case against Jesse and that he would see to it that he was dealt with. And yet I never saw Abe – as he preferred to be called – show any real genuine emotion until I asked him, quite harshly, why he cared about what happened to his daughter when he had done the exact same thing to my mother.

I think a volcano would have had a less subtle eruption.

I half expected him to pick up the desk and hurl it across the room. And yet for all his anger and spat words he didn't say a bad word against me or my mother and I think that more than anything had me agreeing to accept his help. He nodded at me curtly and something like an apology swam behind his eyes as I left.

It was a little after three when I left the office and I felt completely drained. It had been a rough few days and I just wanted to sleep for the next week or so. I didn't bother undressing again when I made it back to my room, instead choosing to just collapse in a heap on bed. I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow.

When I awoke again it was to stiff limbs and the smell of fresh coffee. I opened my eyes to find Dimitri perched on the bed, a smile on his face.

"Do you often wander into unsuspecting girls bedrooms?" I asked teasingly as I sat up and stretched, my muscles feeling tight from the awkward position I was lying in.

"Only the pretty ones," he winked and handed me over the steaming cup in his hand. I took it gratefully, hoping the coffee would dispel any morning breath.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. Not that I minded. Dimitri could show up in my room any time it suited him. I wasn't about to complain.

"You weren't at practice," he explained as he sprawled out on the bed. My eyes were automatically drawn to the small strip of skin that was revealed between his shirt and his pants. The hard, smooth muscle taunting me as I tried to concentrate on what Dimitri was saying.

"...came to find you and I ran into Guardian Hunter who said you were called out last night to meet with Abe Mazur of all people. I thought he might have upset you as he has one hell of a reputation so I came to see if you were alright. I didn't expect to find you still asleep."

"Right," I muttered, distractedly. "What time is it anyway?"

"A little after seven," he answered. "You should have been at the gym an hour ago."

"Yeah, well, I'm tired," I yawned and curled into Dimitri's side, my eyes falling shut again.

"You can't miss practice just because you didn't get enough sleep Rose," he chided sternly although the warning lost its effect somewhat when he wrapped his arm around me. "The Strigoi aren't going to care about your sleep patterns."

I sighed wearily. I had only been at St Vladimir's coming up to two weeks and I was already beginning to grow weary of my 'duty.' When did the dhampir's ever get a break?

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm cut out to be a guardian," I mumbled into Dimitri's chest, my words quiet and resigned. Dimitri stiffened and I could feel his incredulous gaze even if I couldn't see it.

"What? You're one of the best skilled undergraduates that I've ever seen. What makes you think you're not capable?"

"I know I'm capable," I explained. "Physically anyway. But I don't know if I have the right mentality for it. I wasn't raised to be a slave like most of the novices here."

"Guardianship isn't the same as slavery, Rose. You must understand that."

"Isn't it?" I asked rhetorically. "We have no rights, no respect and are always seen as second best to the Moroi race. And yet we are expected to risk our lives, day after day for people who are cruel to us. If we're a women then we're expected to pop out a few children along the way to keep the race going but dhampir relationships are frowned upon and the people involved are often shunned for being disloyal to their duty. We have no choice in the end – it's either servitude of shunning. Now explain to me exactly how that is not slavery in its most basic form."

To that he had no answer.

We laid together in silence for a while, just relaxed and happy. I had quickly sought out the little teasing strip of skin and I was brushing my fingers over it gently, sometimes brushing my fingers lower into the deep V of his hips, causing his breath to stutter until I trailed my fingers higher again.

"I have to go," he breathed as the glowing numbers on my alarm clock changed to 8:02. I pouted and gripped his shirt, feeling annoyed at the prospect of him leaving.

"Do you have to?" I whined glancing up at him.

"My shift starts soon," he explained but his eyes were gentle as he trailed his fingers down my cheek. "I'll come and find you later, I promise."

He disentangled himself from me and slipped his feet into his shoes – he had kicked them off earlier to play footsie with me. I sat up and dragged the covers around me, my body feeling suddenly cold as a thought occurred to me.

"Dimitri, what are we going to do?" I asked.

He stopped tying his laces and gave me a questioning look.

"About us," I clarified. "I said it earlier but it didn't really register. We're both dhampirs. No one is going to accept our..." I stumbled over the word relationship, not sure if we were ready for that yet. It was a daunting word. "No one is going to accept us," I corrected. "They'll reject us, push us apart. I can't, I won't deal with that!"

"Rose, listen to me," Dimitri demanded, taking my face in his hands to dispel my rising panic. "I was raised in a dhampir commune like you, I've told you this. Dhampir relationships were accepted their just as they were where you are from. And that's not going to change. I'm not going to abandon you because of my duty, because society dictates that we shouldn't be...together."

"But your reputation..." I protested weakly.

"My reputation is based on my experience and the seven molnija marks on the back of my neck. I think in light of that they will overlook my preferences. And the same goes to you. You are an amazing fighter Rose and people will be willing to overlook any transgressions against you in place of that. You'll see."

I nodded, slightly mollified but not entirely convinced. Adrian's words echoed in my head; "I wish everyone saw the world the way you do." Somehow I didn't think Dimitri saw the reality as clearly as he thought he did.

With a sigh he bent down and brushed his lips across my forehead in a comforting gesture. I gripped his hair and moved his mouth until he was kissing me properly causing him to groan and grip my arms tightly. I smirked against his mouth and ran my tongue lightly over his lips, teasing but not entering before nipping gently with my teeth.

"You'll be the death of me, I swear," he muttered as he pulled back, his face flushed and lips slightly swollen. I smiled and wiggled my toes happily, causing him to laugh lightly.

"Now I really have to go," he said before hastily finishing his laces. "I'll see you at some point, okay?"

I nodded and wiggled back under the covers, fully intending to stay buried in the warmth for the remainder of the morning. Dimitri rolled his eyes but smiled as he headed towards the door.

"Just make sure you turn up to evening practice," he reminded me and pulled the door open only to stop short at the figure standing on the other side, hand raised to knock.

Daddy dearest had arrived.

Abe's eyes scrutinised Dimitri's appearance, taking in his slightly ruffled hair and flushed face. He rose an eyebrow scrutinising before his gaze travelled to me – still tucked up in bed, my hair mussed and sans makeup.

"Mazur," Dimitri broke the awkward silence with a curt nod and a steely gaze. "I heard you had arrived."

Abe flicked his gaze back to Dimitri and smiled. There was nothing nice about it – if anything it held a challenge.

"Belikov. I hardly expected to find you here. I would have thought you had more important things to do. You have a reputation to uphold, do you not?"

"I was just leaving for my shift," Dimitri ground out through gritted teeth. I raised my eyes disbelievingly and knew immediately that there had to be some personal history between them.

"Then get going, boy," Abe snipped, moving to one side. "I need to speak with my daughter."

Dimitri's eyes shot to mine, wide and disbelieving, something like panic on this face. His grip on the door handle tightened as he chocked out the word "daughter?"

"Is that a problem," Abe asked, his gaze predatory. Dimitri didn't answer but slipped through the door with a sharp nod and disappeared from view.

"What was that about?" I demanded, frowning at my – at Abe.

"Can I come in?" he asked ignoring my question entirely.

"No," I snapped. "I don't make a habit of inviting strange men into my bedroom."

"And yet the Belikov brat seemed quite at home here. Interesting."

"What do you want?" I bit out, drawing the covers up over me higher when he came in and shut the door.

"I need your account of what happened with Jesse Zelkos so I can begin to handle your case. I'll also need to know every incriminating thing about you that you can think of – trouble you've gotten into, boys you've slept with, sex photo's circulating the internet, everything."

I think my mouth actually fell open as I stared at him. He didn't not just say that. I mean, he was my father. Admittedly my estranged father, but still. This was just too weird.

He sighed, irritated as he sensed my shocked hesitation.

"Rosemarie, anything that can be held against you will be dragged in front of judge and jury so it would be in your best interest to confess to these things now so I can build up a reasonable defence for them."

"If you had been there for the past seventeen years you wouldn't have to ask me these things," I griped.

"Yes, but I wasn't," Abe answered smoothly, not showing anything that indicated my words had hurt him. "However I am here now and there are things I need to know. So start talking."

I sighed but complied, naming boyfriends and blushing when I admitted to not ever having sex. Seriously, not a conversation you want to have with your father. Ever. I moved onto my account of what happened with Jesse and I couldn't help tearing up when I retold the more difficult parts. Abe didn't move to comfort me and I couldn't decide if I was grateful of not. I didn't think I was quite ready for his touch yet. I finished my account and waited for him to leave but he wasn't done with his enquiries yet.

"You said you were upset when you left for the party. Why? What is it that upset you?"

I raised my eyes to his, not realising I had subconsciously edited that part out.

"I was in Kirova's office. She was telling me about...about Mom."

Abe cocked his head to the side looking confused.

"What about her? Funeral arrangements? I need to know everything Rosemarie."

I stared at him silently trying to figure out if he was goading me. But he seemed genuine and I had to come to the conclusion that he thought Mom really was dead...not just undead.

"She – she said Mom was coming back. Up to the school. Or at least her coven was moving this way. They're tightening security because of the numbers..."

Abe remained silent but his hands balled into fists in his lap. He glared down at them before abruptly throwing his fist into the wooden bed frame.

"Fuck!" he shouted. "Coven? She's a fucking Strigoi?"

I nodded warily feeling nervous in the face of his anger.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" he demanded. His harsh tone and glare caused my own temper to flare. What right did he have after seventeen years to demand acceptance into my life?

"Why would they?" I hissed. "You left her, left me. You turned her into what she was! This is all your fault in the first place!"

Abe leapt to his feet, breathing hard and glaring at me. I shrank back as fear crawled its way up my throat.

"My fault?" he repeated, his voice eerily calm and soft. "You seem to be under a misconception Rosemarie. I didn't leave your mother, she left me. I wanted her, loved her, just like I did you. But she wouldn't have it, going on about what was 'right' and 'proper.' I wanted to stay with you, with you and Janine. So this is nobody's fault but hers. And don't you ever forget it."

AN/ Umm yay?

At least I updated :)

MJ

Xxx