The day I heard that Rose had died, it was raining.

Nathan was explaining the logistics of the attack (which Galina had hurriedly told me about) in more detail – how they had managed to scramble in, the number of humans that had aided them, and the casualties. As he was recounting the many fights he'd had, he mentioned having heard something about the Dragomir princess.

"Really? How?" I prompted.

"Well, I saw the princess during her years on the run, back when I was human. She lived in the same apartment building as me, she and another little girl, one with dark hair…" Nathan paused for a moment, remembering. "Anyway, I fought against the dhampir kid."

I imagined the pitiful weakling next to me sparring against Rose and wanted to gag. "And?"

"She refused to say anything useful. It was like she was trying to be aggravating."

As far as I was concerned, he was the one who was being aggravating. "And?"

He shrugged. "I killed her."

My stomach clenched painfully. I felt hot, heavy, liquid anger flow down my spine. A growl rippled through my throat.

Mine.

Instants later, my fist had collided with my creator's ugly face. Taking advantage of his surprise, I landed a good kick on him before he could retaliate by rolling me under him and biting my chest.

Roaring my fury out to the world, I grabbed Nathan by the hair and slammed him face-first into the ground beside my shoulder. The night itself was shaken. Newborns gathered around us to watch.

I didn't know I was capable of that level of blood thirst, of unadulterated hate. I didn't even know where it came from, where I had been hiding it for so long, but there it was, out in full force, churning inside of me like volcanic lava.

Suddenly, two capable hands seized my shoulders and tossed me into a copse of trees like I was weightless, right when my teeth were about to sink into Nathan's neck and end his pathetic existence once and for all. I immediately pulled myself into a crouch, a creature possessed.

Lucia planted herself firmly between me and my bleeding opponent, red eyes blazing. "What is going on here," she asked, and it was more of a threat than a question, her voice so low and menacing a chill ran through me. I knew that, thin as she was, Galina's daughter was much stronger than I could hope to be.

"He fucking attacked me." Nathan spat, shaking dirt off of him. "I didn't do anything to him. I've never done anything to him."

Lucia's expectant gaze found mine. "Well?"

"He killed Rose Hathaway." I said, even though it killed me.

"And that is a problem because…"

I exploded. "She's mine! Mine. You had no right to touch her, you filthy son of a bitch."

"Have you lost your fucking mind?" Nathan gaped. "If I hadn't been the one to kill her, she would've been fucking dinner, you asshole. She's a dhampir. We kill those awful things, remember?"

"Not her." I insisted.

Lucia wouldn't be quiet any longer. "You listen to me, Belikov. I don't care if that girl was your girlfriend, your wife, or your fucking mother. She is dead because Nathan saw it fit to kill her, and you are going to shut the hell up and be quiet unless you want to be six feet under with her, too. Have I made myself clear?"

"Crystal." I muttered.

But that didn't stop me from sending the blonde bastard a withering look before storming up to my room.

0oO0oO

That night, I refused to hunt, even though I felt ten times stronger every time I did. My little games, I was certain, would not give me any pleasure right then. I stared out my window blankly, robotically, and I saw the moon cast her light over the world, and I felt my soul was being tinted the darkest blue imaginable.

For the briefest of moments, I wanted to die.

I looked at the swaying grass of the surrounding fields, and thought that I could no longer compare them to Rose's graceful walk. I remembered black eyes, those most haunting eyes, and the spaces between the stars suddenly seemed full of sorrow in their emptiness. I thought of Rose, and of her twinkly full laugh, and if there was a sliver of humanity still in me, I felt it shrivel up and die with her.

0oO0oO

Okay, people. I know it's short, and I know the wait was long, but, bear with me. I failed the College-Level Math section of the CPT by two damn points, and now studying is taking up every spare minute I have.

So, Nathan lied. Why? Because he's a bastard, and he's full of himself. And, yes, Dimitri IS sad. He's also extremely pissed off. He may be a Strigoi, but I think BP really showed us that the Moroi have exaggerated a lot of things. Yes, Strigoi are evil bloodsuckers. So what? They have feelings, too.