Charlotte

Chapter Fourteen

Mason broke off of our group as the Moroi began calling Tasha crazy. I was disappointed in them all, listening to them tell Tasha she was wrong. How did a race who had no will to fight for their own survival thrive as well as they did? It was disgusting, and it was written all over Dimitri's face that he felt the same way. Rose followed the two of us out, and my hand fell from Dimitri's as we went back into the very public eye. 

"Shouldn't you be in there protecting Tasha?" Rose asked with a little bit of an attitude. I raised a brow at her, even though she was very definitely talking to my partner. "Before the mob gets her? She's going to get in big trouble for using magic like that." 

Dimitri also raised a single eyebrow, and it made Rose scowl at both of us. "She can take care of herself." 

"Yeah, Yeah, because she's a badass karate magic user. I get all that. I just figured since you're going to be her guardian and all..." 

I looked down, feeling that insecurity come back to me as well. I scuffed the toe of my boot on the floor, feeling Dimitri's penetrating gaze fall on me for a long moment before he looked back at Rose. 

"Where did you hear that?" He asked. 

"I have my sources," she quipped. I knew she'd heard it from her mom, but there was no way she was going to admit that out loud to him. It wasn't cool enough. "You've decided to, right? I mean, it sounds like a good deal, seeing as she's going to give you fringe benefits..." 

I shifted uncomfortably again, wanting to run and hide. My cheeks were burning from the frustration of the situation and the way that my heart tugged and felt like it was being clawed out of my chest. It physically hurt to be standing here having this conversation with him. I realized just how scared I was for his answer. 

"What happens between her and me is none of your business," he bites. I flinch and I know he noticed. "None of this is any of your business. It's between me, and her, and Charlotte. I haven't decided anything yet." 

Rose glares at him, clearly hurt. "Well, I'm sure you'll be happy together. She's just your type, too. I know how much you like women who aren't your own age. I mean, she's what, six years older than you? Seven? And Charlie's six younger than you, not to mention me, who's seven years younger. Forget what it does to me but look at what it's doing to her!" She pointed at me, and I flinched away again. 

"Yes," he said after several moments of silence. I couldn't believe after she hadn't spoken to him since before we got here, that this was how it was going. I really wanted to beg her to shut up. "You are. Charlie can hold an adult conversation without making accusations and insults, and every second this conversation goes on, you only prove how young you really are." 

Rose looked like he'd decked her. I looked up at him, and he was looking at her with his eyes wavering with some sort of emotion. I got even more scared that she was pushing him away from not just her, but the both of us. He looked down at me, his face softening just a little, and he took my hand again and squeezed it before turning around and marching off. 

"Little dhampir, I heard from behind me, but I watched Dimitri walk away and taking my heart with him. "I don't want to interrupt or anything. I just wanted to talk to you when you have the time." 

Slowly, I turned around to see a really cute Moroi guy talking to Rose. She was still red in the face and hadn't yet picked her jaw up off the floor. I swallowed, looking the guy up and down from his messy brown hair, green eyes, and his designer clothes that smelled like cloves cigarettes and alcohol. Rose turned with a forced smile on her face. Her lips said she was happy to see him, but her eyes looked sad.