So first chapter of Frostbite from Dimitri's point of view – Let me know what you think and if you guys really want me to keep writing this.

Thanks for all the support.

Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer – All characters belong to Richelle Mead and no copyright infringement is intended.

Frostbite – Dimitri's Tale – Chapter One

I stood next to the Honda pilot waiting for Rose –of course, a normal student would try to get there extra early if they were going to have a big test that could make or break their career –Rose then being the opposite of normal was already twenty minutes late. God dammit, she just couldn't break out of this habit, could she?

Finally, I saw her spring forth –her hair all messy, like she hadn't combed it at all –good maybe this would keep that creep Mason away, but probably not. She still looked like a goddess, even with her messy tangled hair; it reminded me of… sex. I mentally punched for the dirty thoughts that consumed me all of a sudden.

"I know, I know," she began expectantly, seeing the dismay in my visage, "Sorry I'm late."

Sure Rose, not like this is one of the most important tests of your lives or anything I thought sarcastically. Besides the fact that it was freezing out and bits of snow were falling, landing in my hair getting it all wet.

"Who else is going," Rose then asked curiously, looking around. Maybe her feelings had faded for me and she didn't want to be around some pedophile.

I shrugged, trying to act all casual about it, "Just you and me."

She smiled then, almost glowing, I suppressed the urge to smile back.

"How far away is it?" she asked then.

"Five hours," I answered.

"Oh," she said, sounding disappointed. She probably didn't want to be stuck with me for that long.

"Don't they usually come to the Academy?" asked Rose as I drove, "I mean, I'm all for the field trip, but why are we going to them."

Time to drop the bomb, "Actually you're just going to him, not a them," I explained. "Since this is a special case and he's doing us the favor, we're the ones making the trip." I had had to pull some serious strings to get Guardian Arthur Schoenberg to give Rose her qualifier exam, but he assured me he'd do it for me. I knew Art would if I asked.

"Who is he?" she asked.

"Arthur Schoenberg," I replied like it was nothing. Trying to act like it wasn't a big deal. Rose's reaction was expected.

"What!?" Rose squeaked, I tried not to crack up. She sounded so scared. Not that she didn't have some reasons to, Arthur Schoenberg was somewhat of a legend –he'd slain a ton of Strigoi and his exploits were actually part of the curriculum at the Academy.

"Wasn't…wasn't there anyone else available," she asked in a small voice.

I was trying to hide my smile and keep this as professional as possible, but I knew Rose would do great because she just is, "You'll be fine," I tried to comfort her, "Besides, if Art approves of you, that's a great recommendation to have on your record."

Rose sat silent then, trying to let it all sink in and I could tell she was beginning to worry as her eyebrow creased.

"You'll be fine," I assured her, I didn't want her to worry, "The good in your record outweighs the bad."

She smiled then and stared at me, "Thanks Coach," she teased and I could tell the tension was gone.

"I'm here to help," I said smiling back. It was beginning to get really difficult to ignore this romantic tension that had wound up between us.

"You know what would really help?" she asked.

"Hmm?" I asked, curious, maybe being locked away in a room with me for a little while, I thought, I know it was dirty thoughts like that that got me in trouble.

"If you turned down this crap music and put something that came out after the Berlin Wall went down," she replied deflating my ego.

I laughed at that though, "Your worst class is history, yet somehow, you know everything about Eastern Europe."

"Hey gotta have material for my jokes, Comrade," she replied cutely.

I smiled at her and switched the dial to a country station, hoping that would satisfy her.

"Hey this isn't what I had in mind," she exclaimed immediately sounding like a whiney teenager, but there was no way in hell I'd listen to some ghetto fabulous music that girls seem to dance all dirty too –pelvic thrusting and all –they look like they're having sex. I didn't want to give Rose any ideas about dancing like that.

I tried not to laugh, "Pick. It's one or the other."

She sighed, resigning, "Go back to the 1980s stuff."

I changed the dial again and Rose crossed her arms over her chest –I swear sometimes she acts like a whiney little cute girl. She is a young girl –I reminded myself, you just seem to keep forgetting that.

Arthur lived with a small Badica family–another royal family which he protected in a small town. Rose convinced me to stop for food after insisting that she didn't think passing out from starvation would allow her to pass the exam and I had caved in. We got gas and we were both sort of giddy, it was nice to get her all for myself.

I tried to tell myself that that wasn't the only reason I had chosen Art. And it really wasn't, not entirely, just maybe I should've chosen Mark in Siberia to assess her, then I'd have her for a little while longer. I doubt the Headmistress would go for that.

It was noon by the time we arrived at the Badica house, and Rose quickly jumped out of the Honda and both of our feet sunk in the snow. We both walked towards the house and I tried to get myself out of this happy guilty pleasure haze and into business Dimitri –this particular exam was pivotal for Rose.

I noticed Rose's foot slipping on the ice-covered sidewalk then and I instantly reached out to steady her before she got hurt.

"You okay?" I asked, releasing her to my dismay.

"Yeah," she looked down at the sidewalk as if blaming it for her clumsiness, "Haven't these people ever heard of salt?" she asked and something clicked.

A royal would never have left the gravel like this and I stopped walking. Rose came to a halt too and I became instantly tense and alert, searching the particular surrounding around the house. I realized that the driveway was covered in snow –as if no one had been here in a few days. I carefully approached the front door, looking back and making sure Rose was following my lead. I stopped when I noticed that the door wasn't even completely shut, like it had been closed in haste. I tried the door knob and realized that it was broken.

Adrenaline surged my body then and I turned around and said quietly, "Rose, go wait in the car."

"But wh—" she began.

"Go," I said harshly. Something clicked then luckily and she didn't put up a fight. She walked back and I waited until she got in the car and closed the door. Then I carefully opened the door and looked around the building.

There were dead Moroi and Guardians all over.

Then I saw Art… dead.

Damn, that man had been a legend; it must have been a bad, really bad attack. I surveyed the entire house, staying low so as to not be seen. I didn't think that there were any Strigoi still in here, but I wasn't going to take any chances either. Years as a Guardian had taught me to be extra cautious.

Then I heard a noise from the patio and hid. I looked to see who it was and recognized that silk black hair, staring at the dead child's body and the bloody massacre around her.

I came on silently and put my hand over her mouth so that she wouldn't alert any Strigoi if there were any still lurking around.

I was furious then, I told her to stay in the fucking car. I didn't want her to see this –much less if there were any Strigoi here.

"Why?" I asked, "Don't you ever listen? You'd be dead if they were still here," and I'd have to go on a killing rampage to avenge your death I added silently.

Rose didn't answer, partly I think because my hand was still covering her mouth. When I was sure that she wouldn't scream, I let go. She looked at me then and whispered, "It's daytime, bad things don't happen in the day."

She sounded like a little girl then –vulnerable even –like she wanted me reassure her of this, but I told her the harsh truth, "Bad things can happen anytime. And this didn't happen during the day. This probably happened a couple of nights ago."

Rose assessed the room again then and seemed to come to the same realization I had, then stopped as she gazed at Art. I answered her mental question.

"Arthur Schoenberg," I said.

"He's dead," she said like she couldn't believe it. "How can he be dead? How could a Strigoi kill Arthur Schoenberg?" Again, I felt this imprinted need to protect her –dammit why did I have to bring her here. I then noticed a stake in her hand and I moved my hand down and grabbed it, she flinched at my touch.

I ignored it and asked, "Where did you get this?" She loosened her grip and let me take it.

"Outside. In the ground," she explained.

I told her, "It broke the ward." Wards were magic rings cast by Moroi which could block Strigoi from crossing, someone, a human, must have staked it because Strigoi cannot touch them.

"Strigoi can't touch stakes," Rose said, "And no Moroi or dhampir would do it," as if processing the same thing I had been.

"A human might," I answered.

"Humans don't help Strigoi –"Rose began, and then stopped as she realized the truth. I felt bad; she looked like a little girl who had just found out Santa wasn't real.

This meant that humans were working with Strigoi.

"This changes everything, doesn't it?" Rose asked, again reading my thoughts.

"Yeah, it does," I answered her, worry filling me.