Chapter 14:

Dmitry stood up with me in his arms and carried me away from the little crowd that has started to form around us. He placed me on a brown wooded bench and kneeled in front of me. He slowly lifted my face up from its downwards position and cupped my cheek.

"Thank you..." I breathed out, "Thank you for saving me, I don't know what happened. I just got... distracted." I told him truthfully, remembering the pictures.

"What got your little brain all burned out?" he softly spoke and slowly stroke my tears away with his thumb. I did not know how to explain to him that. How can I just say pictures of you from a century ago, I would sound crazy. I didn't want him to think that I was crazy. I really liked him, in all of his brooding and mysterious ways.

I couldn't get a word out, my mouth just opening and closing. Dmitry, on the other hand, stared straight into my eyes. Patiently waiting for my answer that I did not know how to give.

"You should be more careful. Eбать немного, you really gave me a fright." (little one)

As he spoke those words I could only hear the sincere behind it and it made me feel even worse. He let his head fall to my lap as he took deep breaths in and out.

"I am so sorry..." I softly spoke and placed my hand on his cheek, softly rubbing my thumb in the soft skin. He lifted his head from my lap and leaned into my palm with his eyes closed. It all felt so familiar, so right yet wrong like this was where I belonged, but something was keeping me back. He suddenly opened his eyes and I felt lost in them. They fitted him well, both of them different and mysterious yet sinfully beautiful. One eye a cold icy blue that held a vicious and scary look in it, as if it saw right through me. Then the other a warm brown that was just as cold, but held a bit of warmth. Both utterly breathtaking.

He stroked his hand over mine, which was probably twice my size, and took it off his cheek and to his lips where he brushed his warm lips against them. His breath fanned over them, heating them up to a few temperatures higher. Suddenly he crushed my small hand in his as he hissed out something in his mother tongue in pain. He closed his eyes and started to breathe quickly.

"Tri, Tri!" I shouted when he let go of my hand and held his hand as he rocked on his toes, but just as those words left my mouth he stilled.

"What did you call me?" he asked and looked me straight in the eyes. At first, I was scared, but when I saw his shocked and memorised look confidence flooded my vines and I repeated it.

"Tri..." maybe it was the adrenaline rush that gave me such a confidence boost, but it scared me how I just blurted it out again. It was like I was more confident around him, yet shyer.

"I like it." He stated which shocked me; he gently placed his hands on my neck and cheekbone and rubbed circles with his thumb, "But only you may call me that." As he said those words I could not stop myself from smiling. He took my hands in his and lifted me up, leading me into the park.

"So you ready to tell me what is wrong?" he asked after a few moments of silence between us.

"I know your part of some community thing, that it is different and that it is kept a secret and you're some kind of leader or something like that, I don't know. It all seems so crazy to me, why the secrecy? I know it is not my place, but I have so many questions..." I rumbled out so quickly that I could hardly hear myself.

"Who told you all of this." He asked in a dark voice, stopping us from moving.

"Olive and Gina... and Lily." I softly spoke, not wanting to get them in trouble, "Olive did not really want to talk about it, it accidentally just slipped out and being nosy me I wanted more." I tried to reason; Dmitry just took one deep breath in and rubbed his eyes with his thumb in irritation.

"Look yes I won't lie; I and Olive are a part of a secret community. I am a leader of this community, but there is a reason it is kept secret, malen'kiy." I frowned in confusion. Where they bad or doing something illegal, I really don't hope so. "Look it is nothing bad." He explained when he saw the semi scared look on my face. "What the hell it won't hurt tell a few things and fuck it, I am the leader." I wanted to ask him more about him being 'the leader' but was too scared to push. He was going to give me some answers and I did not want to jeopardise that. "I'll try to tell as much as I possibly can, well so far as the rules go. Do you have any questions?"

"Yes, everything you possibly can. How does your community work? Your beliefs? How are you leader, what do you do?"

Dmitry hooked my arm around his and led me to a grassy patch under an oak tree. "We live in small groups around the world, just like Olive. You see the estate she lives in is the small group that is a part of the community and all around the world it is the same. Of course, you get your... lone wolves, but that is their choice."

"Olive mentioned that and rules that can get you kicked out."

"Yes. Everything has rules like you cannot commit murder, steal or betray the community. We take those things seriously; we don't want any criminals in our community."

"I understand. It is to keep the people safe, that no harm would be bestowed on them. Olive mentioned that you'd get changes?" Dmitry looked away into the distance to some people laughing.

"Three, we give them a choice and warnings. Except for murder, some things just can't be forgiven." As he said that darkness went over his face, his jaw twitched and his eyes turned to stone.

"And believes, Olive mentioned that you have different believes and holidays?" I tried to change the topic; it seemed that Dmitry hated that subject.

"Yes, we have the same as you and then a few others. You see we believe that there is a god," he pauses and looked at me intensely, "and a goddess. She is our mother figure who bestows love and protection to us." I listened carefully with amazement and nodded my head in absorption. "There is Goddess Day, where we all wear white and celebrate our goddess for her love and devotion. We to celebrate Easter and Christmas and all the other normal holidays, just like you."

"And the Red Night?" I asked remembering Olive talking about it.

Dmitry's body went still, "Yes... it is to celebrate our mate." He went quiet, "Um, you know loved one." He rushed out.

"Like soul mate." I clarified and he nodded his head up and down. "Would you also make a crib?" I asked excitedly, "Like Michael." I clapped and moved in front of him, sitting on my heels.

"Yes. It is a tradition that the male makes a crib for his children." he laughed out loud, making the down mood from before more lighter. "I knew you would love that one, should have mentioned him sooner."

"That is so sweet. I would love for my one-day-husband to do that too." I smiled up at him. He was so tall, although he was sitting on the ground and I on my hind legs, was he still a head taller than me. "Are you going to do it?" I blushed.

"Yes," he lifted my chin up, "If the goddess blesses it." He said sadly.

"I believe you will. I believe that one day you will have a little one running around your feet, mimicking everything you do." I laughed as he smiled down to me. We sat in sweet silence, not one of us wanting to talk and spoil the moment. Still, deep down inside of me, I wanted to know. I still wanted to know who that man was in the picture. There was no way someone could be so old and look like that, he had to be a vampire and vamps don't exist or so I think. Anyway, I trusted him.

"We should probably go." I softly spoke, but Dmitry didn't seem to hear. His eyes bore into mine while they flickered to my lips for a few seconds. I licked my lips and Dmitry started to lean in. My breath hitched and I too started to lean, but just as our lips brushed against one another someone called out.

"It seems the world is against us, Dmitry Volcov." I laughed as I leaned away from him, sad that we were so rudely interrupted. Looking over to the voice I see the same man that was always next to Dmitry side.

"Then we should do something about that." He replied back, making me frown playfully at him.

"Yeah? And what do you propose we do about that?" I stood up and brushed off the dirt on my pants.

"We conquer the world, you and me." I gave him one last big smile before I walked off to Frigg's car.

"See you soon," I whispered over my shoulder, knowing that in a way he would hear. I truly felt like I could conquer the world with him by my side. I knew right then and there that I was screwed; I was majorly crushing on Dmitry Volcov.

Words: 1674

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