“If I propose, you'll know it. For one thing, I'll be hyperventilating.”

“This is a, uh, friendship ring right?”“Yeah, don’t worry. If I propose, you’ll know it. For one thing, I’ll be hyperventilating.” A sly smile—surprisingly sexy—turned up his lips. “And it’ll be a ruby.”“Rubies? No diamonds? Too expensive for the old writer’s salary, huh?”He made a disparaging grunt at that. “No, I just think diamonds are common, that’s all. If I get married, it’ll be because something uncommon is occurring. Besides, you wear a lot of red, right? I know how important it is for your accessories to match.”

“He'd written me up a proposal of why dating him was a sound decision. It had included things like "I'll give up cigarettes unless I really, really need one" and "I'll unleash romantic surprises every week, such as: an impromptu picnic, roses, or a trip to Paris—but not actually any of those things because now they're not surprises.”

“But once in a while . . . I don't know. I feel so close, Rose. So close to the edge. Like if I allow myself one small misstep, I'll plunge away and never come back. It's like I'll lose myself.”

“What's going on?" I sat down on the bed and finished the last of the scone."Bad things," she said mischievously. "You'll approve.”

“I know," she said, guessing my thoughts. "I know exactly how you feel.""Does it get easier?" I asked. Unlike Sydney, Olena had an answer."Yes. But you'll never be the same.”

“My dearest Rose,One of the few downsides to being awakened is that we no longer require sleep; therefore we also no longer dream. It's a shame, because if I could dream, I know I'd dream about you. I'd dream about the way you smell and how your dark hair feels like silk between my fingers.I'd dream about the smoothness of your skin and the fierceness of your lips when we kiss.Without dreams, I have to be content with my own imagination - which is almost as good. I can picture all of those things perfectly, as well as how it'll be when I take your life from this world.It's something I regret having to do, but you've made my choice inevitable. Your refusal to join me in eternal life and love leaves no other course of action, and I can't allow someone as dangerous as you to live. Besides, even if I forced your awakening, you now have so many enemies among the Strigoi that one of them would kill you. If you must die, it'll be by my hand. No one else's.Nonetheless, I wish you well today as you take your trails - not that you need any luck. If they actually making you take them, it's a waste of everyone's time. You're the best in that group, and by this evening you'll wear your promise mark. Of course, that means you'll be all that much more of a challenge when we meet again - which I'll definitely enjoy.And we will be meeting again. With graduation, you'll be turned out of the Academy, and once you're outside the wards, I'll find you.There is no place in this world you can hide from me. I'm watching.Love,Dimitri”