Blood Promise Page 0,74

love? Was she crazy? If she only knew what I'd sacrificed for Dimitri, what I'd done to be where I was now... all for love. She was the one who couldn't understand. Love wasn't a fling in a back room at a party. It was something you lived and died for. My emotions surged, that darkness welling up within me that made me want to lash out in return for her horrible accusation. It was only through the strongest of efforts that I remembered she was already hurting, that she only said the things she did because she was confused and upset.

"Viktoria, I do understand, and I'm sorry. I'm only doing this because you're my friend. I care about you."

"You aren't my friend," she hissed. "You aren't part of this family. You don't understand anything about us or how we live! I wish you'd never come here." She turned and stormed away, pushing back inside through the long line of partygoers. My heart ached as I watched her.

I turned to Abe. "She's going to go try to find him."

He still wore that damnably knowing expression. "It won't matter. He'll have nothing to do with her anymore. Not if he values that pretty face of his." I was worried for Viktoria but kind of had a feeling Abe was right about Rolan. Rolan would no longer be an issue. As for Viktoria's next guy... well, that was a worry for another day.

"Fine. Then we're done here. Do not follow me anymore," I growled.

"Keep your promise to leave Baia, and I won't have to."

I narrowed my eyes. "I told you: I always keep my promises."

And as I hurried back to the Belikov house, I suddenly wondered if that was true. The blowout with Abe and Viktoria was like cold water on my face. What was I doing here? To a certain extent, Abe had been right... I had been deluding myself, pretending Dimitri's family was my own in order to soothe my grief over him. But they weren't. This wasn't home. The Academy wasn't my home either, not anymore. The only thing I had left was my promise-my promise to Dimitri. The promise I'd somehow lost sight of since coming here.

Some of the Belikov family was in bed when I got home, but others were still in the living room. I slipped upstairs to my room, waiting anxiously for Viktoria to get home. A half hour later, I heard footsteps on the stairs and the sound of her door closing. I knocked gently on it.

"Viktoria," I said in a loud whisper. "It's me. Please talk to me."

"No!" came the response. "I don't ever want to talk to you again."

"Viktoria-"

"Go away!"

"I'm just worried about you."

"You aren't my brother! You aren't even my sister. You have no place here!"

Ouch. Her voice was muffled by the door, but I didn't want to risk a fight in the hall and let the others hear. Going to my room, my heart breaking, I stopped and stood in front of the mirror. It was then that I knew she was right. Even Abe was right. Baia wasn't my place.

In a flash, my meager belongings were packed, but I hesitated before going downstairs. Viktoria's closed door stared at me, and I had to fight the urge to knock again. If I did, it would only trigger another fight. Or, maybe even worse, she would forgive me-and then I would want to stay forever, lost in the comfort of Dimitri's family and their simple life.

Taking a deep breath, I headed downstairs and walked out the front door. I wanted to tell the others goodbye but worried the same thing would happen, that I'd look at their faces and change my mind. I needed to go, I realized. I was angry at both Viktoria and Abe. Their words had hurt me, but there'd been truth in them. This wasn't my world. I had other things to do with my life. And I had a lot of promises to keep.

When I was about eight blocks away, I slowed down, not because I was tired but because I wasn't sure where I was going. Leaving that house had been the biggest step. I sank down on the curb in front of a neighbor's silent, dark yard. I wanted to cry without knowing why. I wanted my old life back. I wanted Dimitri and Lissa. Oh, God, I wanted them.

But Dimitri was gone, and the only way I'd see him was if I truly