I followed Dimitri down a stairwell and through a maze of hallways until he stopped and turned to me. He looked me over for the first time since leaving my room and his eyes widened ever so slightly. As they trailed up and down my body. At first I was shocked but then I felt myself flush at the hunger I then saw there. He suddenly shook his head, grabbed my arm and escorted me into the dining room where I got quite the shock.

"Adrian?"

"Little Damphire?"

"What are you doing here?!" we both exclaimed at the same time.

I grinned and took the seat across from him, indicating for him to go first. But before he could speak Dimitri interrupted.

"You know one another?"

"Yep, we went to high school together, well sort of. Adrian came to study spirit with my best friend, sister, bond mate Lissa. We became friends and of course Adrian is head over heels in love with me but were just friends because I would kill him in his sleep otherwise." Adrian was grinning like a fool at me and I was shocked at how much I just told Dimitri.

"I see, so your shadow-kissed, interesting." I decided to ignore that comment and looked expectantly at Adrian.

"Well Little Damphir, I'm here on business for my father. Remember when I used to disappear for a few days or weeks?" I nodded. "Well since with spirit I'm so good at compulsion, my father has me deal with some of his more shady business partners. That's why I'm here now, ironing out a few details to a new deal we have with Mr. Belikov here and another Russian associate Abe Mazur." at this I blanched and choked on my drink.

"Did you just say Mazur?!" I asked.

Adrian nodded and was looking at me funny as was Dimitri.

"You can't let him know I'm here! Please Adrian promise me!" I almost shouted.

DPOV

After a little while one of the guards that I put on Rose's door came to tell me that she wanted me to know that she would not be coming to dinner. Well to hell with that! She would come, and I didn't care whether she was hungry or not. I would be obeyed and respected in my own home! So I stormed up to her room and slammed the door open only to be met by a shriek. She was completely naked! I was a bit taken aback and amazed at the beauty in front of me, though I would never have shown it. I didn't have time for women or my "needs", it just got in the way. Plus it wasn't fair to anyone if I let myself indulge seeing as I could not feel anything that would be even a little bit like like or appreciation towards the woman I was with. I had learned the hard way that "no strings attached" did not work. Why did I have to look like I did?

After telling Rose to be ready in five minutes it took less than three for her to knock on the door. I opened it and assumed she would follow. This was going to be a long evening, I already had to put up with Ivashakov who was a pain in the ass but now this girl is driving me insane. It's like she knows my buttons and purposefully presses every single one just for her own amusement. Not only that, she has a mouth that would make a sailor blush. I was thinking back over what happened when she had woken up when we reached the door to the dining room. I turned and for the first time looked at her. I was stunned speechless. She was beautiful, I trailed my eyes up and down her body admiring her when I saw her blush. Shit Dimitri what are you doing? I shook my head to clear it and put any thoughts of her beauty out of my mind. Beauty is only skin deep, I should know. Plus if I had my way she will be out of my life within hours. So I grabbed her arm and took her into the dining room. Needless to say I was surprised when it seemed that they knew each other. He even had a ridiculous nickname for her.

"You know one another?" I asked surprised.

"Yep, we went to high school together, well sort of. Adrian came to study spirit with my best friend, sister, bond mate Lissa. We became friends and of course Adrian is head over heels in love with me but were just friends because I would kill him in his sleep otherwise." Rose replied.

I was surprised by how much she said and that it was pleasant towards me. And that she was shadow-kissed! Now that was something I hadn't seen in a long time. I wondered if she knew all that that meant and all she could do.

"I see, so your shadow-kissed, interesting." I said trying to get more out of her, but she just ignored me and look expectantly at Adrian.

"Well Little Damphir, I'm here on business for my father. Remember when I used to disappear for a few days or weeks?" she nodded. "Well since with spirit I'm so good at compulsion, my father has me deal with some of his more shady business partners. That's why I'm here now, ironing out a few details to a new deal we have with Mr. Belikov here and another Russian associate Abe Mazur." he said.

However when I looked at her after he had finished she had gone deathly pale and choked slightly on her drink, I was surprised to say the least what could he have said?

"Did you just say Mazur?!" she asked, looking quite scared.

Adrian nodded and we both were looking at her trying to figure out what on earth could be wrong.

"You can't let him know I'm here! Please Adrian promise me!" she shouted at him then.

I was so confused, this young girl was making me feel worry, a feeling I haven't felt for someone else since before I was changed the first time. I decided to get to the bottom of this now just in case she was wanted by Mazur. Because if she was I was going to have to do something about it. What I would do I wasn't sure yet.