YES! I did it! :) I would have never thought to finish this chapter as I had a total black-out on what to write. But luckily I'm back on track now, so I hope to udate more regularly again. I'm really sorry for having to keep you waiting but there was not much I could have done to overcome this black-out. But I hope you will enjoy this chapter.

AU - Alternative Universe

Genre: Romance / Adventure

Rating: K for the beginning, will definitely change!

Warnings: Kissing!

Disclaimer: The wonderful characters still are not mine though I would probably have a much more balanced bank account if they would. But no, they still belong to the wonderful Michelle Read!

CHAPTER 7

"Roza, you have no other chance if you want to survive." Dimitri tried to reason with her. Again he had vanished into the almost darkness surrounding them.

He wanted to push her to her limits, Rose realized. He wanted for her to act. But she was nobody he had the right to play with. Anger rose inside of her.

"I don't want to fight. I don't want this." She shouted at him enraged.

Steps sounding at her right told her where Dimitri had just been hiding. Slowly he walked out of the dark corner, coming towards her, his right hand raised with the stake. "Rose, do you want to live?"

"Yes." She choked out. It was getting harder to keep her tears back, especially as she was fighting the anger and fear at once.

Coming to a halt few steps away, Dimitri sighed deeply. "It's easy. If you want to survive, you'll need to learn how to fight. I don't think that you're a typical woman that stands behind the oven all day and watches over the children. I've watched you for the last weeks, Rosa and all I see is a fighter inside. You can do this. I know it."

Shaking her head in disbelieve, she slowly walked towards him. "But I don't want that. Maybe I do want the life with the oven and children?"

They were now standing only few feet away from each other, looking into the other's eyes.

"No, you don't. Here, take this." He handed her the silver stake. "And now attack me." He stepped away from her again.

Looking down onto the slender stake in her hand, she remembered the dream she had had of her mother. "The Guardians need you." Could it be?

Averting her gaze from the stake in her hand, she looked up at Dimitri. He was watching her, standing glued to the spot like a statue, waiting for her next move. Slowly she stepped up to him until only the length of her arm was between them.

"You want me to attack you?" she asked, waiting for his nod. Then she quickly pushed the stake forward, towards his stomach. She had moved the stake so it wouldn't hit him with the pike. She hadn't wanted to kill him, only to get her point across. Hitting him straight into the stomach, Dimitri bent over growling under his breath.

"I don't want to fight. I don't want all your pity and kindness. I don't even need you. I just want to go home!" With her fists she started to hit him at his chest. Her tears had broken free and ran down her cheeks now. Sobs were shaking her. It felt as if a dam had broken up. Dimitri stood still, letting her hit him, looking down at her with a relieved smile. When she started to go for his face, he turned it away and grabbed hold of her punching fists.

"Finally," he whispered, wrapping her arms around her upper body. "Its okay, Roza." Slowly he laid them both down onto the floor, keeping her shaking form wrapped up in his arms all the time. He held her close to his body, giving her time to grieve for what she had lost. Honestly, it had troubled him that Rose had obviously not really been able to grieve for the loss of her family and friends since he had brought her to the castle. Now he knew that he needed to give her the time until she would be ready to face her future.

After a long time, her tears had subsided and the sobs only still erupted from time to time. Her breathing had slowed down to normal again, her hands clutched to his woolen tunic. His hands moved in soothing circles across her back.

When quietness filled the small hayloft again, Dimitri slowly unwrapped his arms from around her frame. They were both still lying on the floor, the smell of hay and wood filled the air. Few rays of sunlight came through the many holes in the roof, enlightening the room a little bit. Outside it was quiet as the fields were left for the upcoming winter.

"I'm sorry." Rose's voice crackled a little, but it was steady at least. The pain was also easing away a little bit. Tobias would be so proud of his healing abilities.

Pushing herself up slowly, Rose gazed down at Dimitri's face. He seemed to be totally at ease, never having been offended by her hitting or crying. Her mother had always told her that crying was a weakness you never give in when somebody is near. Today, Rose had cried against the advice of her mother and yet didn't feel any remorse. Quite on the contrary. It had felt good as the relief had washed through her and she had realized that she indeed had been able to grieve for the death of her mother and friends. Now she would be able to let herself heal and look into a future which still wasn't clear but definitely existing.

"I'm sorry." She said again, letting her eyes wonder over his manly cut face. He was handsome, Rose was honest to herself. It would be easy for her to fall for him and to never be able to let go of him. Because she was sure that someday she would have to let him go as they would never be able to have the life together she secretly wished for.

His hand came up to cup her face, his fingers stroking her cheeks softly. "Don't be. It's not bad to cry from time to time." A smile crossed his handsome feature. "Just be carefully that nobody is around that might understand this as a weakness."

Still caressing her cheeks softly, Dimitri locked his eyes with hers. Light brown eyes stared back at him, sparkling with newfound hope and a feeling of safety. Rose's long hair had not been in a braid as she usually wore it, but the deep brown curls were surrounding their faces like curtain now. Moving his hands to the back of her head, he slowly pulled her down towards him.

Rose's heart started to beat faster as she awaited the soft touch of his lips. She didn't feel pushed at all though this was coming quite fast. Deep in her heart, she had fallen in love with him that moment she had seen him the first time in the shadows of the woods. But being highly aware of the differences that would keep them apart forever, she hadn't dared to hope that this might be coming true some day. Yet it did.

His warm lips softly caressed hers. Enjoying the kiss, Rose had closed her eyes but she felt his dark orb roaming her face as if he wanted to read her feelings right now. Opening her eyes a little, she stared right back into his, showing him just how much she enjoyed his touch.

Soon they broke off their kiss, knowing that they were doing something that wasn't really allowed. Though both yearned for the touch of the other, yet they were aware of the severe aftermath their actions could have. Exchanging one short smile, Dimitri rose to his feet and pulled Rose with him. Before stepping away from her, Dimitri passed her a wooden practice stake.

"Usually they are being made from silver and the four elements of air, water, fire and earth are needed to give the stake its deadly aim. Every Guardian who has finished training will get one of these as it is the only weapon that can really kill a Strigoi."

Rose looked up at him questioningly "You only have to stake them with this … thing?" she asked, indicating towards the stake with her hand.

"No, there are three ways to kill a Strigoi. The first one you know already: put a stake straight through the heart. The second is decapitation and the third would be to set them on fire." He explained, mimicking the movement with his hands.

"Hm," Rose wondered, "but you don't always have benzene and fire or an axe with you, do you?"

Smiling at her, Dimitri shook his head. "No, certainly not. That's why it is most convenient to use the stake. And chopping one's head off is a bloody mess, believe me."

Being totally shocked at the revealing, Rose stared at him with feeling a little awe. "So you've killed many of them already?"

Dimitri bent his head, revealing little markings in his neck. They looked like two crossed lightning bolts. In total there were six of these markings on his neck.

"What are these?" Rose asked curiously. She had never seen anything like this. Slowly she lifted her finger to follow the thin black lines on his neck.

Looking back up at her, Dimitri answered. "They are called Molnija-marks. For each Strigoi I killed, I received one of these markings." His voice was void of any emotion.

"Wow!" Rose said, smiling at him proudly. "So you've killed six of them already!"

He kept looking at her with a blank face. His Guardian face, Rose called it as she had seen it earlier already. Dimitri would always put up that face when he had to talk about a topic which he wasn't fond of discussing. "The last kill was the Strigoi that had attacked you in the woods that night."

"But you killed that thing! That should be good for something." Rose tried to explain.

Putting his hand to her cheek, stroking it softly, Dimitri sighed. "Roza, even though it is a Strigoi, we kill a living thing. This is never to be underestimated! We kill someone, no matter how heroic it is made by the Molnija-marks. There is nothing heroic to a kill. It's just plain murder."

There was nothing for Rose to say about that. Seeing what he meant, she suddenly realized that being a Guardian wasn't all about heroism. It was about killing. The murder, the Guardians would have to follow through with, had just been legalized with establishing the Guardians.

"But…", she tried again, having lost her trail of thoughts suddenly.

Bending her head up slightly, Dimitri looked into her eyes. "There is no but, Rose. That is something we Guardians have to understand and cope with. That's just what we do."

"Where do the Strigoi come from?" Rose asked, feeling the need to change the topic.

Putting his arms around her shoulders to pull her closer to him, Dimitri started to explain. "To be honest, both Dhampir's and Moroi can turn into a Strigoi. Dhampir's can only be turned into a Strigoi, when one drinks your blood and then forces you to drink his blood in return. Then you will change and nothing can stop that. For Moroi the separation line is even thinner. They only need to kill another person while feeding. So it's a personal decision."

Rose enjoyed the closeness of his body, while thinking about what Dimitri had just told her. "So every Moroi can turn into a Strigoi?"

Dimitri nodded shortly, slowly leading her towards the wooden ladder.

"Is it possible to reverse once somebody had been changed?" Rose asked curiously.

Grabbing for the ladder, Dimitri shook his head. "No, it is not possible to do this. Once you're a Strigoi you cannot change back. You will wander the earth as a soulless creature, always thirsting for blood. That's just what they are."

When they had reached the ground floor again, Dimitri turned Rose towards him before she could reach for the door. "Don't tell anyone just what we're doing here, Rose. Lord Stan has not given me the permission to train you. Yet. So we need to keep this a secret. Tomorrow you will have to come here on your own without being seen."

"Okay."

Then he bent down an pressed a soft kiss onto her lips. "See you tomorrow, Roza." He whispered, before vanishing through the wooden door.

With her hand on her still tingling lips, Rose stood back to wait a little, a silly happy grin on her face.

Was it enough fluff for you?

Tell me!

Lilian85