“I’m better, I told you. And as for innocent . . .” I shrugged. “No one’s really innocent. Besides, the world is made up of predators and prey. Those who are strong conquer those who are weak. It’s part of the natural order. You used to be into that, if I remember correctly.” I explained as if she was a kid of five instead of a teenager who had seen more in her life, than most teens of her age.

She looked away.
“It’s different,” she said, finally.

“But not in the way you think. Why should drinking blood be so strange to you? You’ve seen Moroi do it. You’ve let Moroi do it.” I countered. They're was almost an indignance in my voice. How quick we were to judge when we were mortals. Now that we're invincible, things seem more clear.

She flinched.

“They don’t kill.” she made a whinny attempt.

“They’re missing out. It’s incredible,” I breathed. I closed my eyes for a moment, thinking back to the high I get when I drain my pray. It's an exhilarating experience.

“To drink the blood of another . . . to watch the life fade from them and feel it pour into you . . . it’s the greatest experience in the world.” I opened my eyes, seeing my words sink in her.

“It’s sick and wrong.” she looked revulsed.

No no no! Wrong move Dimitri! She shouldn't have been revulsed. You were supposed to make her interested in this life.

I had to do something... Fast. Without giving her a chance to react, I leapt out, grabbed her, pulling her to me and gently spreading her out on the couch.

Mine! All mine!

With my arm still wrapped around her, I positioned myself so that I was half beside her and half on top. Like a deer caught in headlights, she was too stunned to move.

“No, it’s not. And that’s where you have to trust me. You’d love it. I want to be with you, Rose. Really be with you. We’re free of the rules that others put on us. We can be together now—the strongest of the strong, taking everything we want. We can eventually be as strong as Galina. We could have a place just like this, all our own.” I was almost pleading with her by this point.

he press of the rest of his body against mine was hot, burning hot on my cool skin. The fighting instinct briefly flared in her eyes but died down suddenly. It felt good to have her in control. Maybe she'd listen now.

“I don’t want any of this,” she said.

“Don’t you want me?” I asked with a wicked smile. “You wanted me once.” that's my trump card.

“No,” she said. I knew she lied on my face. I could practically see it in her eyes. She wanted me. Her body yearned for me. The spark between was was still simmering.

“What do you want then? To go back to the Academy? To serve Moroi who will throw you into danger without a second thought?"I spat. "If you wanted that kind of life, why did you come here?”

Genuine question

“I came to free you.”

“I am free,” I responded, a bit taken aback. I knew very well what she meant by 'free'. I chose to ignore that.

“And if you’d really intended to kill me, you would have.” I shifted slightly, resting my face close to her neck. Seductive and bold. That was the master move “You couldn’t.”
My voice was soft yet menacing as I whispered in her ears. She had faltered. I was positive she'd falter again. She couldn't kill me just as I couldn't kill her. It was a stalemate situation.

“I messed up. It won’t happen again.”

“Suppose that were true. Suppose you were able to kill me now. Suppose you were even able to escape. What then? Will you go back home? Will you return to Lissa and let her continue bleeding spirit’s darkness into you?” I put all my hate into my words.

“I don’t know,” she replied stiffly and it was the truth. I felt it. She had just jumped into the frag without a future planning. She was here to make good of our promise long ago... A promise to kill the other if we turned.

“It will consume you, you know. As long as she continues to use her magic, no matter how far away you go, you’ll always feel the side effects. At least as long as she’s alive.” I sighed. I didn't want that kind of a life for her — a life of insanity.

She stiffened in my arms and moved her face away. “What’s that mean? Are you going to join Nathan and hunt her down?”

“What happens to her is no concern of mine,” I said, though it seemed like a good enough plan. But attacking the Academy wasn't a feasible plan just yet.

“You are. If you were awakened, Lissa would no longer be a threat to you. You’d be free. The bond would break.” I genuinely cared. Sonya Karp turned herself to escape from the darkness of spirit. Anna, Vladimir's mate also faced a worse fate. There was no good in that 'shadow - kissed' situation

“And what would happen to her? She’d be left alone.” more questions... Here I was trying to set up a romantic mood and all her concerns were the Goddamn Princess.

“Like I said, that’s no concern of mine. Being with you is.” I cleared.

“Yeah? Well, I don’t want to be with you."