A Vampire Named Rose

Chapter Twenty Three

The two vampires without souls looked a little terrified. Peter started to explain.

"Rose, I am sorry. I should think things through before I spoke. I would have never intentionally hurt Svetlana if I knew. Pavel told us how they had to flee Russia and they did not even know the language."

Peter, you suffer from word vomit.

"Peter, have you ever heard the term word vomit? It means to know when to shut up. You need to think before you speak. Peter, you know the two of them have very heavy Russian accents. You know they have not been speaking English long enough to master it. You also know that they are very young in vampire years as well.

You need to let things settle down before you even make your first attempt at groveling to Svetlana. The story that Svetlana and Pavel share is horrifying. It is not my story to tell. I will leave you with this warning. Pavel and Svetlana are twins. He is very protective of her. If you do one thing that upsets her, Pavel will kill you with his bare hands."

Gabriel looked at me with a little worry. "Peter, Rose is right. You do suffer from word vomit and I do know what it means. Even without a soul, something like that would cause nightmares.

Rose, you know I will wear you down about giving up your soul. I know whatever happened to Pavel and Svetlana will scar them forever and taking away their souls will not help..."

I interrupted him. "You do not want your soul back because most likely you will have nightmares along with everything else. Let Pavel, Svetlana, and I keep ours."

Gabriel came up to me and tried to kiss me and failed.

"Rose, you know I could do it by force since I turned you. I will not do it because that would be signing my death warrant. After I claimed you, you were out for four days. In those four days, I have heard your nightmares. I know they are about the war and it is guilt over the patients you could not save.

Then there is Pearl Harbor. I know if I was stuck in the middle of that as a human, that would haunt me in my dreams as well. Rose, the worst of it is hearing you cry when you were a hostage by the Japanese.

I know what I saw in the Revolution makes what you saw in the war a small rumble of thunder, but it is still the same. How long do you want the curse to stay because this is a curse, Rose? Rose, you could never be evil. You are too sweet for it. You care too much for those vermin you take care of day in and day out.

I will call the humans vermin and it is not because they are beneath us. They do more damage than what we could have ever done over millions of years. Let's start with biological warfare. The Black Death, yes that was one of the shittiest things that the humans have done. Let's look at some of the biggest atrocities of mankind, the humans do far more damage to each other than what we do to the humans.

Let's go on to round two. The crap that humans pull on their spouses and loved ones. I believe adultery is a favored practice still among the humans. It is forbidden within the Codes and nor do I want to look at another female. We never abandon our mates. Can you say that about humans who love to divorce?

My personal favorite. Humans love to hurt their mates physically and mentally. Alcohol can be to blame for some of it, but it is still considered acceptable to keep a woman in line. That is also forbidden within the Codes."

I want to hurt him. I want to wipe that smug looking grin off of his face. This Rose has thorns that need some sharpening.

"What the hell do you call those mental attacks in my sleep? How about you forcing yourself on me when you claimed me. I would have ridden out the pain again and I would do it again too."

I wanted to walk away when Gabriel gave me a steamy kiss. He held onto my arms gently enough not to hurt me, yet firm enough so that I could not run away.

"Rose, it was never my intention to hurt you like that. Do you have any idea how terrified I was when I found your grave empty? You woke up three days earlier than you should have. The plan was for your friends and family be able to say goodbye to you and for to avoid you being labeled as a deserter. I was going to get to you before you woke up in your casket.

Then it has taken seven years for me to track you down. Rose, you could have gone insane without being claimed. You may have your soul, but look at what happened."

"A soulless monster afraid of something? That is a first."

I wanted to be away from Gabriel. Getting rid of him will not be something that will not happen anytime soon.

"Your monster"

I heard a scream from Svetlana. I ran into her room to check on her. I saw an arrow in her shoulder.

"What happened?"

Pavel looked visibly shaken.

"Svetlana and I were talking on the balcony when Svetlana was hit with an arrow."

The nurse in me began examining Svetlana. She looked like she was on the verge of tears from the pain.

Peter, Gabriel, and Pavel were talking quietly in the living room.

"Svetlana, I am going to get the arrow out."

"Just get the damn thing out."

I went to get the supplies needed. I would use an old shirt of mine to make a bandage and a sling because I do not want her to move it.

The arrow did not get too far in. The tissue damage is minor.

"Good news, the injury is superficial. How is the pain?"

"Better"

Peter came into the room with Gabriel and Pavel trailing him.

"Svetlana, we need to get the hell out of here. We have a huntress on our hands. Fortunately, she did not get you in the throat."

I could see the look of fear on my friend's face. I did not think she wanted Pavel snooping around in her drawers.

"Svetlana, I will pack up your room. Just relax and stay calm. The bitch will lose."

I went to work and I got all of her lingerie out when Peter stopped me.

"I will finish packing her up. Go pack up your room. We are all in danger equally. A huntress wants all vampires dead. She does not care if you have a soul. The three of you are going to have to trust Gabriel and me."

"We have no choice. Thank you and I still need to pack up."

Despite over packing, my belongings were packed up in five minutes. Milan offered so much promise and now this.

Gabriel must have seen the tear in my eye. He pulled me into him and he kissed me on top of my head.

"Rose, I will make sure you are safe. You damn well know Pavel will make sure Svetlana is safe and you know Peter will keep Svetlana safe."

Having to put my well being in someone else's hands is not something I like nor do I want to do.