Soul Bound

Chapter 29

DPOV

"You need help with that?"

It was testimony to how long we had been going at it for an Alchemist to ask if she could help treat my wounds.

Sydney was a young Alchemist and she had been working with us for four months. I had kept my promise and I had tortured every Strigoi on the west coast. The trail seemed to be heading down towards the south, but the pattern was erratic. The trail of bodies I left behind meant I had to call Alchemists regularly. After a few weeks, they had put Sydney on our case permanently and we had direct communications with her to make the process more efficient.

At first she had been terrified. All Alchemists were. They do their jobs, but they stay as far away from us as possible. I don't remember any of them coming within six feet of me, and it had nothing to do with me being a giant. Well maybe it did have a little bit to do with that.

Sydney had been the same. She was professional but weary at first. She was hesitant with me, but she was downright terrified of Adrian. After all he was a real vampire. Most Alchemists never see a Moroi. But it had taken Adrian only opening his mouth for all that fear to dissipate. When she realized Adrian was an absolute idiot, she started to relax. Over time she had come to talk to us like we were actual human beings. Case in point being her offer to help stitch me up.

"No I got it."

She rolled her eyes as I struggled to stitch the deep cup on my shoulder. Adrian had healed me on more than one occasion, but for small wounds I preferred the normal healing process. I told myself it was to preserve Adrian's spirit. I didn't want to exhaust him, but I knew I liked the pain, because for a few moments I felt something else than the ever present feeling of her absence.

"Don't you ever learn Sage, he doesn't want your help. I, on the other hand, can find some good uses for your hands." He said and wiggled his eyebrows for good measure.

She rolled her eyes again. As she was used to my stoic refusal for help, she was used to Adrians innuendo's. But I could see the small pull on her lips. She didn't mind. She found him amusing.

"All done. The wind will take care of the rest. If you keep this up Guardian Belikov, I am going to run out of chemicals."

I had indeed killed a few tonight, and the night before and the night before that. But still no Rose. The best we got was a few Strigoi who had been in the raid, or who had heard from someone who had been in the raid. But nobody seemed to know Rose.

"Thanks Sydney." it was as much a dismallal as it was a thank you. I started to slowly walk back to my car. The amount of bruising on my body was starting to slow me down.

Adrian said a quick goodbye to Sydney before following me to the car.

"Why don't you let me drive tonight." honestly I was too tired to argue. Adrian looked at me funny, but he got into the car and drove to the hotel.

I was able to keep it together long enough to make it into our suite, but when I sat down in the chair my exhaustion started to catch up with me.

Adrian grabbed a couple of shot glasses and started to pour himself one. He offered me the other, I always decline, but I was staring at it now.

"Come on Dimitri, I know you want to. Why don't you let loose a little. You don't have to pretend with me."

And I didn't have to pretend with him. Over the past few months, Adrian and I had become something else than what we were. 'Friends' wasn't quite the word, more confidants. He was there for all my breakdowns and I was there for his. He meant what he said. He loved her too. I had thought she was just an infatuation for him. Like all other girls were. But I should have known. Rose was special. Not just to me. And he had proved it.