Love Fades, Mine Has

Chapter 10

I wake to a loud banging noise. Sluggishly I sit up and scan my surroundings. The beach is gone, I'm back in my room. Two guards bust down my door, that's when I realize the banging was coming from my door. They awkwardly stare at me.

"Dimitri?" A small voice says walking through the doorway.

"Lissa, what's wrong?" I furrow my brows walking across the room to her.

"You…" Anxiously glancing around the room she continues, "You didn't answer. I've been knocking for a few minutes."

"Oh. I was sleeping, I guess I didn't hear." I sheepishly say. Everyone looks at me with puzzlement plastered on their face.

"I never pegged you as a sound sleeper." Christian says walking to stand next to Lissa.

"I was dreaming." A boyish grin crosses my face. The guardians and Lissa wearily look around the room again, finally resting their eyes on me. Christian's eyes never left mine, he smirks knowingly.

"Lissa he's here, he's okay. He hasn't done anything foolish…" Christian says. "Yet." He adds under his breath, almost inaudible but I heard. And a smirk creeps to my face.

"Okay. Well, we'll wait for you to get ready. It's almost time for the hearing." Lissa finally says satisfied that I'm okay. I nod.

Walking into the court room I see the largest crowd I've ever seen for a hearing. I follow Lissa and Christen walking to Adrian who's sitting in the third row. Our eyes meet and a smirk grazes his lips. I give my usual emotionless nod.

"Dimka, you don't look well." I hear a smooth voice to my right. "Are you okay?" Tasks asks sitting next to me.

"Fine." I give her a wry look.

"He didn't sleep well Aunt Tasha." Christian says, suppressing a grin.

"Oh. Up all night worrying?" Tasha bats her eye lashes almost as if it were her I was worrying about.

"You were sleeping like a rock. We couldn't wake you up!" Confusion playing on Lissa's face. Adrian loses his composure and lets out a laugh that catches the attention of other Moroi sitting in front and behind us. I give him my best guardian glare.

The side door opens and a hush falls on the crowd as Rose is escorted to her seat. I see her stare straight ahead not making eye contact with anyone. I need to see her, see her face. I need to look into her eyes to make sure she's okay.

We all stand as the next door opens. The judge, a Moroi woman walks in, followed by the council members.

"Please be seated." She says with an authoritative tone. As we sit I try to catch Rose's attention. She's looking anywhere but at me. I notice she doesn't have a lawyer, my chest tenses. If it were a Moroi they would have appointed her a community lawyer, but she's just a Dhampir. I clench my fists and let out a deep breath.

"It'll be over soon." Tasha says, gently rubbing the back of my hand. I ignore her comment and gesture.

"Miss Hathaway do you have a lawyer?" The judge asks.

"Umm…I…umm guess not." Rose says quickly looking around the room. In that brief moment I see nervousness cross her face. It happened so fast I'm sure no one else caught it, but I know it's there. I mentally curse myself, of course she's nervous, she's probably scarred shitless! Damn, she's getting very good at hiding her emotions.

"Well then, let's get started. Ms. Kane you're up." The judge says motioning to the prosecuting lawyer.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the council, I will be showing you some very graphic pictures. I apologize in advance, they are very disturbing and normally I wouldn't show them – but I want everyone to see the crime this young dhampir committed."