Reality Bites - Wattys 2018 Shortlist

Chapter 17 - Frustrated!

Looking around at the assembled Guardians, the man took charge.

"You two. Take Makar and get him cleaned up. I want him in my office in five minutes. Guardian Belikov, you will join us then. The rest of you, stand down."

Obediently the Guardians retreated silently back down the stairs, leaving just the three of us standing in the foyer.

Turning to me, taking in my bathrobe-clad state he added, "Novice Hathaway, I'm Guardian Pavel, chief of security for your father." Around forty, Pavel was in great shape. Greying at the temples, he was about six foot two, and a very handsome man. Suzanne's a lucky lady, I thought. 

"Perhaps you could help shed some light on the situation?" he asked, not unkindly.

"Damn right I can," I started, absolutely furious.

Holding up his hand to stop me Pavel said, "Why don't you get changed into something more, er, comfortable, and you can join Makar and Belikov in my office in five minutes?"

"Certainly," I said, turning around and walking back into our suite, carefully stepping around the fresh blood on the carpet. Following me, Dimitri closed and locked our door behind him.

Too incensed to say anything, I took the bathrobe off, trying to pull the babydoll over my head.

"Can you help me with this, Comrade?" I grumbled, my ribs giving me grief.

"I'm so very sorry, Roza," Dimitri said, not meeting my eyes.

"Sorry? What do you have to be sorry for? I was having an incredible time before Nikita showed up," I told him. "Now I'm embarrassed and frustrated! Thank you for taking care of him," I added, more gently. "If I weren't injured I would have kicked his ass myself!"

"Anytime," Dimitri said lovingly, leaning down to kiss me gently as I stood naked in our closet trying to decide what to wear. Putting on more sedate undergarments, I eventually settled on a pair of tailored pants and a fine-weave knitted sweater with a pair of low heels. Feminine, but not too girly. It also made me look a little older than my seventeen years. I intentionally pinned my hair up, so my molnija were visible. Dimitri stood beside me, putting his rumpled uniform back on. Checking his watch, he said, "Come on, Roza. Let's get this over with," in a resigned tone of voice.

Taking my hand, Dimitri led me upstairs to Pavel's office. Thankfully my father was nowhere to be seen. This was going to be humiliating enough without him getting a ringside seat! Knocking and waiting at Pavel's door, we saw Nikita approaching from further down the corridor. Pointedly turning my back on him, I stepped into Pavel's office when the door opened, Dimitri right behind me. Nikita joined us a moment later. Gesturing for us all to sit, Pavel sat behind his desk, starting, "So what the hell happened?!"

Nikita and I both went to speak at the same time. Pavel immediately held his finger out to Nikita, admonishing "Ladies first, Makar! Please continue Novice Hathaway."

"Rose, and thank you, Guardian Pavel," I replied. "I was in our bedroom getting ready for tonight's staff meeting when Dimitri returned from your earlier discussion. We had an hour or so before dinner was due, so he decided to give me a massage."

"A massage?"

"Yes, a massage," I repeated, emphasizing the final word. Pavel looked confused, clearly not getting the subtext. "You know – with his tongue!"

"Oh? Ohh," he said uncomfortably, my meaning becoming clear.

"So Dimitri was, erm, massaging me when Guardian Makar entered our room without any warning. It was very embarrassing! I told him to leave immediately, but he wouldn't. Dimitri was shouting at him to get out as well, but he just wouldn't leave. He actually came closer, ogling me like some sort of letch."

"I heard noises! I thought it might be a Strigoi attack" Nikita blurted out, barely intelligible through his bruised and swollen lips.

"A Strigoi attack?!" I replied scathingly. "What the hell made you think it could be a Strigoi attack? Was it me crying out 'Dimitri, that feels incredible – don't stop?!' If you can't tell the difference between a Strigoi attack and a woman being taken care of by her lover, then you're more of a freak than I thought!"

"I thought you were being assaulted. That you might be needing help! You looked like maybe you were reaching for a stake!"

"Help?" I shouted. "Why would I need help? Dimitri had the situation very much under control. And if I was reaching for something thick, long, and hard, I can assure you it wasn't a stake!"

Turning to Guardian Pavel, I could see the corner of one lip twitching as he struggled to contain his amusement at my choice of words.

"I've never been so humiliated in my life," I continued. "No matter how much I shouted for him to go away, he just wouldn't. It was horrible. So Dimitri made him leave," I concluded.

Looking thoughtful, Pavel looked to Dimitri.

"Belikov? It looks like you've broken Makar's nose, probably a cheekbone, and put him out of action for weeks. Anything to add?"

With his blank Guardian face on, Dimitri turned to Pavel. 

"Is there a special lady in your life by any chance Guardian Pavel?" he asked.

"There is," Pavel replied tersely, his face equally blank and his voice impassive.

"What would you do if you were pleasuring her and some guy stormed unannounced into your bedroom, leering at her and refusing to leave?"

"I'd beat the living shit out of him," Pavel replied without pause.

Dimitri just looked at him and shrugged as if to say 'well there you go.'

Evidently coming to a decision, Pavel looked at the three of us.

"This incident will never be spoken about again. Makar, Belikov? You will tell everyone that this was a scheduled training exercise. I will do likewise." Looking at me Pavel continued more gently, "Rose? Is that alright with you?"

"That's fine. I don't want to hear or think about this ever again. And keep that freaky pervert away from me," I added. "I don't want him anywhere near me or our room."