A Vampire Named Rose

Chapter Twenty Nine

The next time I woke up, it was Svetlana who was waking me up.

"Svetlana, go away!"

"No; Pavel, you, and I have nearly been sleeping for a week. Pavel has been up for a while. I do not know what it was about the ritual but I still have my reflection and can go out into the sun. Pavel can too."

"Where is Gabriel and Peter?"

"Peter went into town a little while ago for who knows what. Gabriel went with him."

I got out of bed and jumped in the shower real quick and was dressed. Then I looked into the mirror on the dressing table where I had put my makeup box on. My reflection was gone briefly, that I do remember. The only difference is my brown eyes changed to blue just like Svetlana's had. I know Peter and Gabriel have those eye colors as well."

I decided to do my makeup just to annoy Gabriel. This included the eyeliner and my beloved blood red lipstick. It is rather ironic that out of all the lipstick shades out there that I pick blood red.

When I was finished putting on my makeup, Svetlana looked like she has something to say and I imagine it is something she does not want Pavel knowing about.

"Rose after Pavel did ritual and saved me from that pain, Peter claimed me when I woke up for the first time. Does Gabriel get how do you say frisky with you? I know what Peter wants next and I do not know how much longer that I can hold out for. I have not felt that way since...I feel like I am being unfaithful to him."

I know some wounds will never close over for Svetlana. It also has to do with baby that she lost too.

"Gabriel has been getting like that too and it has only intensified since I woke up. Just tell Peter that you are not ready Svetlana. You will need to tell him about some of your past. All of us have carried baggage over into our new "lives". My baggage is the nightmares I have from the war."

"Rose, do not get upset with me for asking this. I know of many who returned home during the first world War with I think you call it shell shock? My uncle Boris had it. Rose, you jump high in the air if you hear a loud bang. You look like you are going to die of fright or have a panic attack. Then there is the nightmares. I know you sleep with a pillow over your face to muffle out the sounds of your cries and this is before Gabriel started harassing you in your dreams."

Damn her, damn Svetlana. The woman knows me the best even better than my friends when I was human and even my own family.

"You do have a point Svetlana. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done. Most of the nightmares is of the wounded I could not save, Pearl Harbor, and...

I felt like I was ready to cry. This is a secret that I have been keeping a secret for so long.

"And what Rose? I promise I will not say anything to the boys."

Tears began falling like the Niagara Falls.

"When the ship I was one captured by the Japanese warship, I was...

Svetlana pulled me into a hug. If my parents and Nick heard what just came out of my mouth, the Japanese sailor who sexually assaulted me would be living on borrowed time.

"Rose, I know you blame yourself but do not. Men who do that to women only have one thing in mind. It is about power. It is not about how you dress. The damn Bolsheviks did it to so many women including my little sister Tatiana. She was thirteen.

I know part of you wants to give into Gabriel's charms completely but do not until you are absolutely ready. Do not push yourself either. I know it has nearly been a decade but wounds to the heart will never fully heal. If Gabriel does pull anything, I know you will kick his ass and you damn well know Pavel will."

Now it is time for some lighter conversation. I need something better to think about.

"Svetlana, do you want to see if we can make an escape to explore the shops of Paris? We will leave a note. I know if we have a problem being near humans we will turn back. I am on the verge of having cabin fever."

"What is cabin fever?"

"Cabin fever is when you are stuck inside and can not go anywhere."

Svetlana and I grabbed our things to head out the door when Gabriel stopped us.

"Pavel has told me the two of you are master shoppers. I have a feeling where the two of you are going but not yet. Rose, I do not feel comfortable with you being near humans without supervision yet. I know you are a master of your so called control, but now you are drinking blood. This is the first time you will be near humans who have pulses. I do not want to see either of you losing control in public. You could draw huntress attention.

Svetlana, you know Peter will agree with me just because of that alone. You two will not be pent up here forever, consider this quarantine."

"You mean the brig?"

"Hardy har har Rose. However, I could punish you by making you wear your nursing uniform. Perhaps a schoolgirl uniform since you did go to a Catholic school."

The man could infuriate me like you can not believe. He had the nerve to even look smug at me. I know he said without the soul I will have the utmost desire for him and that is true. I do have some boundaries and he is crossing them. I can not stand perverts. Right now is a good time to get under his skin.

"Gabriel, you know the whole thing about not having a reflection? You are wrong. I applied makeup all by myself. See, I have lipstick on so you can not kiss me. It is a good way to repel you."

I could hear the soft chuckles from Pavel, Peter and Svetlana. Gabriel pulled me back upstairs to our room where he had me on the bed and took a cloth on my side table and removed the lipstick.

"You were saying Rose."

Gabriel bent down and kissed me. This time I pulled him off and bolted to the other side of the bed. Gabriel looked instantly worried yet he seemed to have read my mind.

"There is more to that story than you being a prisoner for a brief time. Did one of the sailors...

The man could not finished and nodded yes with a single tear falling down my face.

Gabriel pulled me into his arms and tucked my head under his chin.

"Rose, you have nothing to fear with me. I will never do that to you. Harming your mate is forbidden in our world. I imagine your family was not told."

"No but I think my father might have suspected something. I think my brother did too when I froze when he gave me a hug."

The man gave me a kiss on the temple of my head. He had something else to say.

"The war affected you more than you try to let on to others. Rose, you look like you are ready to die of fright when there is a very loud bang. It took me years to move past that point. I would probably hit the roof if I heard cannon fire again. The Revolution still affects me to this day. I know it is still so new to you but it will get better.

Tomorrow I need you to test your antibody theory on all of us. If this is true then it will be a good chance to start testing control since more humans are out in the day. Think about it is being thrown into the deep end of a pool."

This has appeal and I will do it. I have one more thing to say to him. I think I am ready now. While humans do annoy me, researching disease alone does not.

"I think medical school after we destroy the huntress sounds great."