Reality Bites - Wattys 2018 Shortlist

Chapter 34 - Bite Me!

"Bite me, Ivashkov," I said, flipping him the bird.

"With pleasure Little Dhampir," Adrian replied, brandishing his fangs and waggling his eyebrows at me suggestively. I could feel Dimitri tensing beside me.

"Don't give him what he wants," I whispered. "You know he only does it to get under your skin."

With a little growl, Dimitri pulled me to him and kissed me deeply, running his hands down over my backside, pulling me against his hips possessively. It was a pretty full on kiss, particularly given Alberta, Mom, Abe, and Lissa, along with two-dozen Guardians, were standing there watching the exchange.

"Aww – nasty! Feeling the burn cuz! I had a good idea after last night, but I take this to mean that you two are together then?" Adrian laughed, although I could see a wistful glimmer in his eyes.

"Yes, we are," I snapped in his direction, too cross with him just now to be feeling guilty I hadn't warned him about Dimitri and I. "Cuz?" I said, turning back to look into Dimitri's eyes with curiosity.

"Didn't lover-boy tell you? His father is my Dad's older brother. In fact, had his Mom been Moroi he would also have been Lord Ivashkov."

Dimitri looked like he was about to explode. He didn't like Adrian as it was, and all I'd ever managed to get out of Dimitri about his father is that he'd sent him on his way when he was thirteen. Dimitri certainly didn't look as though he was appreciating his parentage being discussed in a crowded Guardian meals area.

"Hmm, a sober Lord Ivashkov with a work ethic? Wouldn't that be a novelty," I said sarcastically, shooting Adrian a 'back off or else' look before indiscriminately dumping some slices onto our plates and leading Dimitri over a table occupied exclusively by Guardians.

With a shrug, Adrian grabbed some pizza and joined Lissa, Alberta, my mother, and Abe at another table. Looking across the room, I could see my mother raise her eyebrows at me. Sitting beside me, Dimitri was eating his pizza silently, clearly very pissed off.

Launching straight into distraction mode, I asked "So what do you think of my hair, Comrade? I had it trimmed today."

Dimitri looked at it.

"It looks beautiful, Roza. You look beautiful." Fingering the newly trimmed ends he added, "It feels so soft. I'm glad you didn't have it cut off. So what else did you get done?" he asked, playing along with my attempt to take his mind off Adrian.

"Well... I had my fingernails and toenails done," I said, holding out my shaped and buffed fingernails for his inspection. "And I had a steam bath and then a hot stone massage..."

"Hmm, that sounds nice?" he commented, his voice low and sexy.

"Yes, it was. I saw on the brochure they do couples massages. Maybe we could go together sometime? The steam room was so relaxing," I said suggestively.

Smiling at me, my Russian God was back.

"I'd like that, Roza," he said, leaning forward and kissing me tenderly. Hugging him, I looked over his shoulder to catch Adrian watching us, disappointment on his face. I felt bad for him, I really did. But he had to get used to the idea that I was with Dimitri. That I was always going to be. Still, I should have told him about it before he had to see us together.

Finishing our pizza Dimitri was talking training timetables with the Guardians at our table when Abe approached us.

"Rose? Dimitri? Are you free to come to the fourth floor? Adrian has some information that he needs to share with you."