We Are Shadows

Chapter 28

A/N:  Hi everyone, sorry I haven't written for a while but my health has not been great. Originally it was thought I had a trapped nerve, which actually turned out to be a bad case of shingles.  I recovered from that but had a relapse of my other condition, which in turn sparked off another round of shingles.  Needless to say I wasn't able to write and quite frankly my brain wasn't really engaged in writing.  However, I have managed to pen this for you a few weeks ago but have not been able to post since the server maintenance.  Wattpad have finally rebuilt my account or whatever they had to do to restore my login and here it is for you to read.  I am trying to work on the next chapter but please have patience as I am still battling with my health problems.   Take care, Sam

Chapter 28

DPOV

She doesn't understand. Rose just doesn't understand. It's not good for us to have feelings for each other, in fact, it's dangerous. We can't be any more than training partners. Even that is not without its hazards. Every day we train, we get stronger and in the eyes of the moroi, that means more strigoi-like and a risk to moroi-kind. The council are after us because of our known strength and speed that we naturally have, what would they do to us if they knew we could use magic or whatever the hell that we did to that strigoi during the fight? No, its better that we don't get too close. I am going to keep her at arm's length. We will all go back to normal, back to the way it was; heightened strength, speed and endurance but nothing else. It will be safer for both of us.

Urgh even now, when she is no longer in the room, she still has this pull on me. She is magnetic, captivating and extremely difficult to resist. My blood thumps through my veins as if she is the pump in a well drawing me towards her. She has an attraction like a planetary body and I'm caught in her gravitational pull. Rose does something to me that causes my pulse to soar, heart race and lose all sense of self-control but I fight hard to resist. I clamp down on the feeling and push against the physical pain until the sensation becomes bearable and I can get a handle on myself. It used to be so much easier but now all she has to do is look at me and I'm spiralling. How many times have I laid in bed at night fighting with my thoughts, telling myself I should just act on how I feel, but then my reasons for doing so surface and my thoughts lessen, only a little but enough for me to handle.

As I walked into the courtyard in the middle of Abe's palatial villa, my mind strayed back to when Rose lost her temper at me earlier. Her face said it all, anger, sadness and then resignation. I wanted to hold her; those emotions should never been seen on such a beautiful face. I wanted to tell her that I too wanted to know why. Why are we stronger together? Why do we have a power surge when we are close? We both know that it can't be because of what we are alone because Pavel would display the same characteristics and experience a power change while he is training with us, but he doesn't. Then there's the magic. Neither Pavel nor Abe had come across the phenomenon in any of the other cases they had found. That means there is something unique about Rose and I, and that is a further reason for staying at arm's length.

As I sat down under the linden tree, that had pride of place in the courtyard, I watched the moonbeams reflect in the ornamental pool that also graced this space. If things were different I would have loved to be sitting here with Rose enjoying the moment together. Those same moonbeams shining on her wonderful hair and the stars reflecting in her breath-taking brown eyes. In a different time, a different set of circumstances, maybe, but life and fate were cruel sometimes.

Yet another tug. She is probably in her room still angry at me. I still feel her like she is next to me. It's hard to ignore, but ignore it I must. So many times I have been close to surrendering, asking why I put myself through all this pain of denial. It's getting harder to stop myself and gets more difficult the longer we are together. I have even thought about going out on my own again and away from Rose. Away from temptation, far enough to break the pull but I've only managed to get as far as the estate gates without doubling over and having the irresistible attraction become overpowering and too strong to escape.

What is it Rose does to me? I have never had this feeling before. I'm sure not many people have felt this before and probably would give everything they own to feel this and here I am actively denying it. I've not really had that much experience with relationships due to hiding my abilities but still, girls interested in me at school and then after leaving I've seen women that have made me take a second glance but never this overwhelming feeling of not being able to breathe when that person was around. So what is it about Rose that causes this reaction? Yes she is beautiful, eyes I could lose myself in, energy that is boundless, her mischievous gaiety is infectious and her hair, oh that hair, I've had to stop myself from running my hands through it. Urgh stop it Dimitri. The more you think about her the more you torture yourself but I can't help it. She is a constant feature running in my head.

My musings were finally interrupted by a noise. I lifted my head to see Abe and Pavel enter the courtyard. I hadn't seen Pavel since the training earlier when he has said that Abe had a business meeting to attend. I wouldn't want to hazard a guess as to what his business meeting was about but from what I had heard over the years Abe's business dealings ranged wide and varied; not all of them strictly considered legal.

"Ah good evening Dimitri" Abe said in his usual booming tone. "I find you all alone. Where is Rose? You two are usually inseparable." he added with a questioning glance.

"Good evening Abe" I replied giving myself enough time to figure out what I was going to tell him. He was right we are usually around each other so her absence was highly noticeable. "I believe Rose is up in her room. She needed time alone." I said rather than tell him she was mad at me and stormed out. Abe lifted an eyebrow at that and I don't think he entirely believed what I said but he had the good grace not to question me further.

"Well then, I will give her a little more time and see you both for coffee later" he said. "I have some information I wish to share with you both and it may be better in a more comfortable setting." I was about to ask him for further information when another Guardian entered with a worried look on his face. He walked over to where Pavel was standing but before he could open his mouth an image flashed through my mind that froze me to the core. The image was of a clearing in the woods outside the villa and in it were a large group of strigoi, eyes flashing red with murder and hatred written all over their faces.

"Roza!" I shouted and got up from my seat under the Linden tree and ran for the door.