Title: Blood Lies
Author: Claddagh Ring

Disclaimer: While I may dye my hair red, I am not Richelle Mead. Any recognizable figure, persons, language and/or whatever else does not belong to me. I am merely playing.

AN: Where this is going, I don't know. But I had to be written upon finally completing Shadow Kiss. Stick around, and we'll all see what comes of it.

POV: Rose

Spoilers: Anything and everything.

Prologue.

"It's not like we thought Rose," he said, stepping closer to me.

"You're going to tell me it's a good thing to be Strigoi?" I scoffed. "Nice try Dimitri, but I left my ability to listen to crazy back at the academy."

"Damn it, listen to me!" Dimitri shouted, his voice demanding my attention.

Nothing about him had changed. He was still beautiful, strong, a god. His hair refused to stay in its tie and his eyes were as brown as ever. So dark and so deep, the red-tinged edges very nearly drowned in their depths. But they were still there. He was still Strigioi. He was not Dimitri, not the man I loved, who had once loved me and he was…

Standing not two inches from me.

His hand carefully, cautiously reached out to touch me. I knocked it away and took the tiniest step back. He mirrored my action exactly, only moving forward again. And again, his hand reached out. His fingers were so close, so willing. I didn't stop him this time. He cupped my cheek, as he had so many times before, when he was alive. He was colder this time, but it felt so familiar. And why wouldn't it? Because his hand, even when dead, was still Dimitri's. It was still made to fit every part of me it wanted to hold.

"The way we were, Roza," Dimitri said quietly, "we can be again. Being Strigoi, I've learned is not as cut and dry as we once believed. There is a balance. We don't need to kill. We don't need to be ruthless. It's easier that way, because of our strength and our speed, but with a little control, we can be like the Moroi. Or the Dhampir. It just takes a little control."

"You always did like being in control," I smiled wistfully.

"I still do," Dimitri chuckled, smiling back at me. "Roza. Be with me."

His other hand that had rested so patiently as his side finally rose and cradled the back of my head. His deft fingers pulled my hair out its haphazard bun and let it fall down my shoulders. He looked at me, his eyes heavy with pride and what I hoped was love. It was so very similar, so very much like the way he used to look at me when no one was watching. It was so very Dimitri.

I gave in. And he saw it. He smiled, his newly acquired fangs glistening in the dim light. He leaned down slowly, as if he were afraid of scaring me, a ridiculous notion. His lips settled gently against mine, our mouths closed at first, both unsure of how it would feel, if it would be different. It wasn't.

Electricity crackled in the air, through us, in us. He still carefully cradled my head, pulling me in closer and his lips slowly caressed mine open. His tongue guided me around his fangs and into his willing mouth. We danced with each other, pressing ourselves to each other. Our breaths quickened and it wasn't long before mine was completely exhausted. He sensed this and he pulled back, kissing just below my ear, traveling down my jaw line, under my chin, and rested on my neck. He hesitated, waiting for me to let him know if I were comfortable with him, a Strigoi, at a most sensitive spot. I nodded, causing my neck to stretch out further beneath him.

That was a mistake.

I felt the weight in his hands shift. They were no longer soft, not longer gentle. There was no love there, only death. His iron grip tightened around my throat and the hand tangled so carefully in my hair moments before now jerked my head back with such a force, it sent black stars dancing across my eyes.

"I'll miss you lover," he whispered, nose brushing against my neck.

His fangs sank into my flesh. If I screamed, I never heard it.

AN: Is it a one-shot? Probably not. Does that mean my updating skills are suddenly amazing? No. Your best bet is to add me to alerts to know if/when I update...

I write, you read, you review, I write more... hopefully.

edit (1.16.09): Thanks winterqueen... I knew something looked weird.