The blood of a Dhampir: Vampire Acdamey

The cabin. Chapter 33

Rose's POV

"Are the rest of the rescue group all right?"  I asked Christan as he reappeared before me.

"Rose, they’re fine. The same as when you sent me to check 10 minutes ago." He replied rolling his eyes with Eddie nodding behind him.

"Sorry." I sighed. "I just hate all this unknown."

"Christian?" Keir asked, which I nooded to. He took my hand and rubbed the back of it. "It’s okay. Some people take longer to change than other. He will be fine." He said, slipping his free arm across my shoulders.

After Dimitri had died I broke down into a blubbering mess. Eddie and Christian tried to calm me but none of their words manage to reach through my pain. Hell, even a confused Adrian tried to get me to communicate after he had regained consciousness. When I didn't answer him, he collected the stake from my waist band and sat quietly next to me. If I wasn't so worried, I would of found it highly amusing that Lord Adrian Ivashkov was attempting to guard me. But I was worried and I couldn't shake the feeling that Dimitri had died for real. So, I sat by his side, focused on his body waiting for any sign he was about to awake as a strigoi.

I sat for so long, Keir had became concerned that I hadn't returned and came looking for me with Brycen, one of the Changed. Somehow, between the two of them they managed to get me, Adrian and Dimitri's body back to the camp site.

Keir guided us into to private cabin and laid Dimitri out on one of the beds. Turning to Brycen, he ordered him to return to the others and to come up with a plan to obtain blood for a very weak Adrian, who had slumped on a chair.

I had perched myself on the end of the bed Dimitri was occupying, ready to spring into action. It was funny, I have always seen Dimitri was this undefeatable fighting Russian God but looking at him now, cold and still in a bed far to small for him, he look oddly vulnerable.

"I'm waiting for him to awaken." I had told Keir, knowing he would understand that I was waiting for Dimitri to wake as a strigoi so I could change him.

Sensing I wasn't in the mood to talk or even able to talk further at that point, Keir started to quiz Adrian about the nights events. Realising pretty early that Adrian had little idea what was happening, Keir filled Adrian in on everything that has happened since I had awoken as a Strigoi.

"I hate that it's taking so long. He’s been like this for hours." I addressed the room.

"That could be a good sign." Keir continued to stroke my shoulders soothingly.

I wanted to believe it, but Keir was as good as a professional counselor when he wanted to be. He was managing to live day to day from knowing what good things to think in bad situations. But even if they were platitudes, I was glad he was here beside me, saying the things I wanted and needed to hear. Even if I couldn't stop the fear overwhelming me.

I covered my face with my hands. "He’s dead dead. I know it. It didn't work."

"You don't know that. Give it more time, Rose. He’s as strong as an ox, if anyone could survive its him." Adrian said from his chair. "He will wake up."

"If he doesn't-" I started.

"Rose, stop it!" Adrian almost snapped. "Don’t do this to yourself. You can’t take the blame for this."

"I am to blame. If it weren’t for me, Dimitri would still be in the Academy. Safe. Not dying on that fucking cave floor." My voice cracked with emotion. "I planned the idea of a rescue mission."

"That saved me and many innocent lives." Adrian said in a funny tone, clearly offended but I didn't give a shit right now. "Dimitri knew the risks of his profession."

"The risks." I huffed.

"Dimitri is not dead." Christian huffed too.

"How do you know?"

"Your kidding right?" He snorted and pointed at himself. "Being a ghost kinda makes me a death expert."

"He's not dead dead Rose. Christian and I would know if he was. He's going to awaken so be ready for that." Eddie told me sternly, clearly fed up of my crying.

Weirdly enough, they made me feel better. It was another twelve minutes before anyone decided to speak again.

"I still can't believe that you feed off Strigoi and have the ability to change them back into Dhampirs again. It's just amazing." Adrian

"Not quite Dhampir." Keir corrected.

"Changed, half and half whatever you wanna call yourselves, its still cool." He continued. "Can't see the Moroi Royals being to thrilled about it though."

I couldn't disagree with him. Over the last few weeks I have imagined many scenarios on how the Royal Moroi would react to our existence, they all end the same. Not good.

A low noise, like a growl, echoed through the cabin. I froze, my mind now suddenly still, and stared down at the bed before me.

"Rose!" Eddie warned before disappearing.

The sound came again, louder this time, Keir and I rose together in one movement. We all realised what that sound meant, I'm not sure if I feel scared, relieved or excited.

Keir and I got into our positions, poised to attack. As preagreed, we are going to wait until he is fully awake and then attack. Keir thought we should be sure he was fully strigoi before I changed him. Dimitri’s head was rolling from side to side. As I drew closer, he moaned again making me winced as it echoed loudly through me. It sounded so cold and... evil.

"Dimitri" I whispered hoarsely. He stilled but then he tensed all over.

"Mmm." Alarmed, I drew closer. His eyes roved under his eyelids. His face contorted.

I reached toward him, not sure what I was intending to do. The sting of dead cold skin met my fingers. I saw his eyes fly open, then felt a fist slam into my chest, throwing me up into the air. Something hard slammed into my back, then I dropped to the ground. Pain lanced down my arms and legs.

"Mother fucker!" I groaned

"Rose!" I felt hands push me over onto my back. Adrian stared at me.

Just past Adrian I could see Keir and Dimitri in a struggle. Fortunately, Dimitri seemed to be little discombobulated after just awaking as a strigoi, which gave Keir an upper hand.

But it was Dimitri who I couldnt take my eyes off. After watching his still body for so long, I felt deprived of seeing him move, so I drank in every feature. The dark, chin-length hair, worn loose tonight and curling slightly around his face. The familiar set of lips, quirked now in a chilling snarl. He even wore the duster he always wore, the long leather coat that could have come straight out of a cowboy movie.

And then... there were the Strigoi features. His dark eyes-the eyes I loved-ringed in red. The pale, pale, death-white skin. In life, his complexion had been as tanned as mine, thanks to so much time outdoors.

My whole assessment took place in the blink of an eye. A flash of silver showed in Keir's hands, and he managed to partially swipe the Dimitri cheek. When the pain stunned Dimitri, Keir reached his fingers on his other hand through Dimitri ’s hair, then yanked his head backward, exposing his neck to me. I were on him by that point, fangs deep into his neck.

"Roza." He choked out. His voice had that same wonderful lowness, the same accent... it was all just colder.

I wanted to desperately tell him it was going to be OK.  But I kept drinking, trying to ignore the little voice in the back of my head telling me Dimitri tasted better than any other Strigoi I have fed from. Somehow he tasted smooth and rich. I will never admit to anyone how much the dark part of me enjoyed draining him or how a very very small part of me felt a little disappointed when the flow stopped.

Rising from Dimitri neck, I led him back down on the bed and for the second time I found myself staring at Dimitri's lifeless body.