Reading VA: Reading Vampire Academy (A VA fanfic)

Twenty-one

DPOV
Dinner didn't take too long. Neither did Sonya putting Nadia down for the night. Karo also made Zoya go to bed. Paul as well much to the ten year old's disappointment.

"Who's reading next?" asked Roza.
"I will," I spoke. Meanwhile, I collected the book from its spot on the heavy, oak coffee table. I had trouble keeping a straight face at the revelation contained within the first sentence.

"I'd never been completely naked around a guy before."

Astonished looks came from the St Vladimir's lot and Roza's parents. Rumours, reputations, gossips are all the ways a person can be falsely portrayed and Rose had done a good job of hiding her true nature. Clearly and evidently.

"It scared the hell out of me-even though it excited me, too. Lying on the covers, we clung to each other and kept kissing-and kissing and kissing and kissing."

Abe and Janine were trying very hard to kept control. They were struggling at hiding the disapproving glare and scowl they wanted to send my way. My sisters evidently and understandably didn't want to know about my romantic history.

"His hands and lips took possession of my body, and every touch was like fire on my skin.
"After yearning for him for so long, I could barely believe this was happening."

Neither could those listening other than Lissa and Roza. But the others didn't really like what had gone down. I didn't care what they thought as I kept reading. Covering the kills and peace conversation. The beginning of realising we'd been under a charm was also covered without interruption and me ignoring the looks I was receiving that wasn't my Roza's loving one.

"He frowned, no longer turned on."

I turned to Rose and whispered so only she'd hear. "Who says I wasn't still turned on? Believe me, I still wanted and needed you." I pecked her lips and traced the necklace before returning to reading.

Weird looks went around the group when we'd figured out it was a charm. The widest ranges of emotions showed on my parent-in-laws faces. Relief we hadn't gone all the way, but concern that the charm had the stimulus to work on. Resignation at the fact it was in the past and unchangeable. And, from everyone, recognition and confusion at the realisation Rose was wearing the same necklace that had flown out the window.

"I knew Roza adored and valued it, how expensive it was. So, I found it before our next training and hid it until I could have it repaired. It was meant to be her graduation gift when I returned it to her," I explained.

With that matter settled, intrigue took hold of the group. They now wanted to know why it had occurred as well as who'd done it and why. So, I returned to reading and let the book enlighten them. Shock showed clearly on the faces of those who didn't know what had happened.

Pain, anger, anguish and betrayal were showing plain as day on Lissa and Roza's faces. They had to be reliving it once again as I read through what had occurred, the pain and torture Lissa had been subjected to, and therefore also Rose thanks to the bond.

Gasps and conversation broke out when the culprit was revealed. Shock, disgust and disappointment were the strongest and most evident emotions. They were also the driving force of musings and discussions.

Understanding also showed and echoed clearly in voices. That was when the others connected most of the dots regarding the mutterings that had occurred earlier in this exercise. It also became a talking point. Then did the compassion.

Lissa, Christian, Roza and I didn't join in. We'd all been too affected personally by that to want to talk about it. We didn't even want to pay attention to the rest of the group. Instead, in our couples, we focused on, and on supporting, our partner. We got distracted, passing the time with a hot and heavy make-out session.

It took long enough for the others to quieten. My moment with Rose and Lissa's with Christian was ended by being pried apart. Eddie pulled me off my Roza. While Adrian pulled Christian off Lissa.
"Read, Belikov!" instructed Janine.

"We? I recalled how the stories had resurfaced this week... from Natalie."

That brought about more gasps. More gasps, shock, conversation. And pain. Lissa and Roza had to be hating this, my Roza especially because she had to feel Lissa's trauma alongside her own.

""Now?" He sighed, spreading his hands wide in a helpless gesture." I continued when I was told to by Abe. ""I don't know. I doubt anyone will connect it to us, even if they don't believe you ran away. Rose is the biggest liability. We'd intended to... dispatch her, letting others think she'd run away as well. The spectacle she created at your dance made that impossible, but I had another plan in place to make sure she stays occupied for some time... probably until tomorrow. We will have to contend with her later.""

The group was silent. Wanting to know how this ended, wanting to know the why, wanting to understand the pain Lissa and Rose were radiating.

"He hadn't counted on Dimitri figuring out the spell. He'd figured we'd be too busy getting it on all night." Snickers broke out at the use of the crude yet not, by today's standards, term and slang for sex.
""Why?" asked Lissa. "Why are you doing all this?"
"His green eyes widened, reminding her of her father's. They might be distant relatives, but that jade-green color ran in both the Dragomirs and the Dashkovs. "I'm surprised you even have to ask, my dear. I need you. I need you to heal me.""

I let my silence and shutting the book act as my note that that was the end of that chapter. Roza snuggled into my side, as Lissa did to Christian. We took our women into our arms while a sober silence engulfed the room.

"Enough. That's enough for today," Roza spoke. "Dimitri, we're for bed." My fiancé's look was final. I had no say, and right now, I didn't care that she was dictating. She'd had enough and truly wanted some real sleep in order to face the last few, most traumatic, chapters tomorrow. And she clearly wanted me sleeping right beside her in order to bring her some peace.
"Of course, my love." I stood and pulled my soulmate from the love-seat, she gathered the still-wrapped VS supposed to be for her birthday gift then snuggled into my side. Clearly seeking comfort and reassurance, safety and refuge. I couldn't fathom how I was after all I'd done to her, but I'd be whatever she wanted and needed.

We bade goodnight and exited. Soon followed by Lissa and Christian. No words were needed for us all to understand we were doing the same thing. Escaping for the night. Escaping to the supporting embrace of our other half's embrace while sleeping. In the innocent sense. Sorta. Sharing a bed and sleeping entangled in another's embrace was never going to be totally innocent. But you get the point.