Protection - d. belikov

Chapter 8

Kat had originally been glad when Meredith was paired up with her, but now she kind of wasn't. She had hoped that being with someone that she knew would be great, but she would have preferred to be with someone that she didn't know. She had found it very difficult to not talk to Meredith. Kat had been sitting on her bed reading a human novel, when she decided she needed to eat something sweet. Kat got up and Meredith followed her movements with her eyes.

"I'm going to get ice cream," Kat said to her protector. Katerina had learned from her parents how to make Guardians' jobs easier. They had always told their Guardians where they were going so that the Guardian could plan their route ahead, mapping out potential threats that might occur. Currently, the main threat would be the "Strigoi". They were walking towards the ice cream parlour when a Guardian jumped out at them. Meredith reacted quickly and she took down the Guardian. Meredith reacted so quickly that Kat hadn't even had time to react. The Guardian laid down on the floor for a second before he got up.

"Well done, Novice," was all he said before he walked away. He turned back and said, "Please go to the church to get your score."

"That was well done, Meredith. That deserves a celebratory ice cream cone."

"I'll never say no to free ice cream, but I'll collect on you offer after the Benchmarks are done." Kat laughed at Meredith's words and she got ice cream. The two women made their way to the church. Kat was surprised to see Eddie and Rose were standing there. Kat knew which Moroi each of them were guarding but what she didn't know is why were they there together. "What's going on?"

"Lissa has to marry someone to get her quorum back, so she's on a date with Jesse Zeklos."

"Why Jesse?"

"There are only for people with enough Dragomir blood that can take up the Dragomir mantle. Jesse is one of those people."

"I never would have thought that Lord Zeklos would give up his heir. Jesse is his only son and without him the Zeklos name dies." Rose was going to say something else, but was interrupted by people coming into the church. "What are you doing here?"

"Alberta told us to be here," Mason said as he looked at Christian.

"Dimitri told us," Herk said.

"Casey told us," Meredith added her face sinking.

"It's a trap," Rose said as she realised what was going on. Suddenly, tow figures dropped down from the top balcony in the church – Mikhail and Dimitri. Two other Guardians came out of the back pews, ready to attack.

"Strigoi!" Mason yelled. He pulled out his mock stake and charged at the Guardians, followed by his fellow novices. Dimitri caught one, and bit into the blood squib on his neck. Fake blood poured out of his mouth and Kat swooned. This wasn't supposed to be sexy, but she couldn't think of it any differently.

Rose looked towards the Moroi and yelled, "Get out of here! Eddie take far guard." The Lissa and Kat started running but Jesse strutted away, proving that he doesn't need to listen to anyone. Lissa kept on running but Kat turned around, "Jesse! We have to get out of here."

"The Guardians won't hurt me, Katerina. I'm far to important."

"Oh, fuck off Zeklos. This isn't about you. This is to test the Novices on their ability to protect us. Our job in this situation is to help them as best we can." Kat was so caught up in lecturing Jesse, that she didn't notice Dimitri creeping up behind her.

"Sorry Printsessa." Dimitri's thought warned her a second to late and she felt his lips on her neck, just above the collar. He gave her a quick kiss and went to bite into her squib. He was tackled off of her and when she turned around, she saw Meredith on top of Dimitri, pretending to drive a stake into his heart.

"Time!" Alberta yelled from the balcony. "If your blood squib is still intact, consider yourself a winner. Benchmarks are done for the night, so feel free to celebrate later. You've all earned it, congrats."

The novices let out shouts of celebration. Mason picked Rose up and he spun her around. Kat was watching them when Dimitri came to stand behind her. "So, you think I'm sexy?"

"You heard that?" Kat said, mortified as she spun to look at him. He chuckled, "I heard all of it. I agree with you, I am pretty sexy." Kat pushed his shoulder.

"Don't get too cocky now Cowboy."

"I'm only stating facts, Darling."

"Darling?"

"I figured that you have a nickname for me, so I needed one for you."

"But you already had one for me?" at Dimitri's confused look she said, "Printsessa."

"Printsessa is Russian for Princess. It's not very original, is it?"

"But neither is Darling," Kat teased. Dimitri pulled her against his chest. "Should I call you Baby instead?"

"Oh, Hell no! Anything but that." Instead of answering, he kissed her.

"Isn't this nice?" Jesse Zeklos said sarcastically. "A Moroi and a Guardian, in love."

"What do you want Jesse?" Kat asked. She didn't linger on his words, as they had made her stomach turn. Were they in love? She hadn't ever been in love, so this would be a new feeling for her, if it even led to that.

"I don't want anything. I'm just making a statement." Jesse left the church. Kat groaned, "He's going to tell everyone."

"He probably won't." Dimitri tried to encourage Kat, but even he didn't believe his statement. He knew that Kat didn't want to be the centre of rumours again. Who knows what they would say about a teacher and a student, even though he never taught her.

"I have to go. I'll see you later," Kat said as she kissed his cheek. She went to leave but he pulled her back.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm worried Cowboy. I never thought about it that way. You're a teacher at my school. You could get fired because of me." He pulled her into a hug.

"I won't get fired."

"How do you know that. I could be the reason that you won't be a Guardian anymore. This is your life."

"It was my life," Kat looked up at him, "I couldn't care less if they fired me right now, if it means that I'll still have you."

"Dimitri..."

"I became a Guardian to have a strict set of rules to follow. The Moroi that fathered me is a horrible man. He frequently visited when I was little. I heard him and my mom arguing one day and she had a blue eye the next. It continued until I was old enough to stand up for her. I lost control and for a moment I became like him. I fear the man that I was in that moment, that's why I became a Guardian. I felt that without the code, I'll become like him."

"That's bullshit. You are kind and gentle. You are nothing like him because you choose to be. And even if you didn't, you don't have a bad bone in your body. You lost control once, and never again."

"I know in some way, that I'll never resort to that. But if something were to happen to you, I don't know what I'll do."

"What do you mean?"

"You've become my world, Printsessa, my anchor. If I were to lose you, I'd lose my mind."

"You won't lose me Cowboy. I'm right here and that's were I'll stay. You are my centre and my peace."

Dimitri was wowed by the women standing in front of him. He loved her. Some part of his mind told him that it was to soon but he didn't care. "I love you," he blurted out. "I know that it's too soon but I don't care. I love you from your pink hair to the fighter spirit you have inside of you. I love you so much that it physically hurts to see you hurting. I love you now and I'll love you until my last breath."

"I love you too cowboy. I'll love you until I die. I'll help you shoulder your burdens and I'll love you so much that you'll never doubt it," she was interrupted by Dimitri smashing his lips on hers. It was a passionate kiss and she could feel all the love that he had for her.

"Forever?"

"Forever."