Dimitri POV

I was too stunned to react and froze on spot. No way could Lissa be awakened. I couldn't even imagine what it would meant to me and Rose, let alone Christian. I saw the fear in her beautiful eyes. Rose Hathaway was at the mercy of a strigoi. Her eyes had gone blank for a moment and I was afraid that she might have fainted. 

But then as I stared I could see them saying something to each other. It was like a wisp of cloud, a whisper, soft like the chat of friends. But this was not at all a friendly chat as I realised from the nervousness in her eyes. She licked her lips and stared wide eyed at Lissa.

Lissa on the other hand had not moved an inch from her place, but surprisingly her hold on Rose had loosened. Maybe she didn't consider her as too big a threat.

My blood began to boil. If I had to choose between Rose and Lissa, this time it will definitely be Rose. There was no dilemma, no confusion. She being betrothed to me changed everything. All my duties were negligible now when it came to Rose in danger. But in spite of all this, could I lift my stake to kill Lissa?

All the moments spent with her, from the day I brought them back from Portland, came rushing back to me.

The weird happenings...Lissa's abduction...Discovery of spirit...Her relationship with Christian...Exploring of her powers...The battle...The storm...Her bringing me back...My promise to her...Finding Jill...Rose jumping in front of her...Her crying for her...Her coronation. All the sad and happy moments, the smile of my second charge, the Dragomir princess, kept coming back to haunt me.

It was as if I was unable to believe that Lissa was no more the same. I travelled down memory lane and recounted her struggling through fire to bring me back, the spark of her magic flooding me, granting me life. The feelings, the dedication and our bond for life.

My heart felt empty in a way I had never imagined. Could it be possible that I had been bonded to her too? Only I had never realised the connection.

What could I do? What was more important?

It was then my eyes caught Rose's. She seemed to convey a million things through those deep doe-eyes. The only thing I could realise was that, for some reason she wanted me not to destroy Liss. I knew she was selfless. She would die rather than see any harm come to Lissa. 

I tried to guess what was going on there but had just no clue. I steeled my resolve. if I had to kill Lissa, then I would do it.

My reverie was broken by a whisper, "Dimitri,"

I tried to look back.

"Shh, don't look back, I am Mikhail," the voice whispered.

"Tell," I replied, keeping my eyes on Lissa and Rose.

"Sonya is charming a silver stake."

That was enough for me to realise what their plan was.

"Protect her and I will lead you all. We have to make her get as closer to them as we can..."

I stopped short on seeing Lissa lean forward towards Rose. A chill ran down my spine. Oh God! Don't let her bite Rose or to turn her. One Strigoi is enough to deal rather than her being awakened again.

I heart stopped as Lissa's teeth neared her neck. But to my astonishment it seemed that, that was not her plan. She was whispering something as Rose gave a stunned look. Was she threatening her?

 "I am ready, " Sonya whispered.

I cast a quick look behind to see the guardians make a diamond formation with Sonya as the centre. We tried to advance without Lissa getting a hint.

Rose gave half a smile. Lissa abruptly turned around leaving Rose, and faced us.

"Split and get Sonya through," I screamed. The guardians fanned out.

 Rose grab Lissa's throat from behind. I was surprised to see Lissa standing still. She was not trying to fight Rose in anyway.

"Advance cautiously, She has some plan it seems,"I commanded. 

I could see Rose muttering something and I tried to read her lips, cautiously advancing, my stake grasped firmly in my hand.

She...knows...with us...help...kill...no...change...Tasha

I stopped short hearing her name as Roses's lips moved to form the words again.

And then in a fraction of a second Sonya was in front of Lissa. She was struggling now. But I saw her wink.

It was then I realised that Lissa was cooperating with us. There was someone who had forced her to be awakened. But who?

"Strike," Mikhail exclaimed.

But in the flash of an eye, Sonya was on the floor and so was I and Mikhail. I saw the horrified look on the face of Rose and Lissa as the stake hit the floor with a clank. There was a heavy weight pinning me down. 

I looked up to see a pair of blood-red eyes staring at me from a beautiful face. The face was marred by a scar across her cheek.

"Missing me Dimka? What's the hurry to turn her back? You think I am a fool?"

I very well knew the owner of the cold, creepy voice, which had once held the command of a large group of moroi. Which had once swayed my heart and broken it too. It was the woman of my nightmares.

Tasha Ozera was back and the deadly fire user was now awakened. She bared her fangs and gave me a chilling smile.

A/N Thanks for reading When Love Beckons. Hope you all like it. But I do really need more votes. I am really frustrated at the response of my readers.

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