𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐎𝐑 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 ▸ After his restoration, the unthinkable happens - Dimitri tells Rose that loves fades and his has. To add insult to injury, Queen Tatiana ends up murdered with Rose's stake. Dimitri had asked Rose to give him tim...
Dimitri woke from possibly the best dream of his life. In his slumber Rose, his Roza, was alive – and despite everything he'd done, both as a strigoi and then after, she'd welcomed him back into her arms and into her bed. Curled in the warmth of the duvet, his eyes closed, he thought about how amazing their imagined lovemaking had been. Being one with her had felt like coming home, and it was like he'd regained the one person he could share every part of himself with. Every truth, hope, and yes, even every fear.
About to force his eyes open to face any another day of remorse, depression, and duty, the bedding beside him rustled and he realised he was not alone. He could smell Rose's body scent, and then felt an arm slip around his waist. Hoping against hope, Dimitri slowly opened his eyes to find his greatest wish had come true. Rose was alive, and right now she was sleeping beside him, dark lashes resting on her cheeks and a soft smile on her lips. Too scared to move, lest he wake her, Dimitri willed his muscles to relax – revelling in Rose's touch as he recalled the previous day's events.
While he'd spent his fair share of time in Church since his restoration, Father Grigorescu had never been able to convince him that he was deserving of forgiveness - God's or anyone else's. Yet Rose's words from last night came back to him. She'd said that he was unfairly punishing himself for things he'd had no control over. Things he didn't consciously do. She was right. There was no way he'd have done any of the things he'd done as a Strigoi had he still been in possession of his humanity. And as soon as it had been restored to him, he'd tried to atone for the horrors he'd inflicted on others by exacting pain onto himself.
But the person he'd hurt most had been Rose. She had literally done the impossible when she discovered a way to salvage his soul – and he'd repaid her with his rejection. At the time he was unable to see anything beyond his guilt and shame, and it took losing her to appreciate how much he loved Rose, and how desperately he needed her in his life. And, despite it all, it seemed Rose might still want him in her life. While he wasn't stupid enough to believe a night reconnecting between the sheets was the solution to all their issues, it was heartening that – on that level at least – Rose clearly still wanted him. And perhaps, just perhaps, they might be able to find a way to move forward to finally be together.
Rolling slightly so he could hold Rose within his embrace he closed his eyes again, keen to relish every moment with her he could. They'd have to separate soon enough, and last night may well be a farewell of sorts – a pleasure never to be repeated. In either case Dimitri was determined to be there for Rose in whatever way she wanted him, and to make every second count.
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"That didn't take you very long, cousin," Adrian muttered under his breath when Belikov came to the breakfast table the next morning. Seated to Adrian's left, Abe lifted his eyebrow inquiringly, while Adrian shrugged as if to say, 'it is what it is.'
Not hearing Adrian's words, Dimitri sat at the other end of the table with Eddie, Grigor, and Celeste. Lissa and Christian had yet to appear, and to almost everyone's relief, neither had Tasha. Rose said it would be less suspicious if they did not arrive for breakfast at the same time, so she'd sent Dimitri in first, where his aura apparently revealed he'd spent a passionate night between the sheets.
