CHAPTER 1

There he was, across the mall hallway, leaning against a Bras'n'Things display window. He was looking around and smoking a clove cigarette. I crossed the mall towards him; he didn't see me. When I got there, I stood next to him, and he still didn't see me.

"Adrian Ivashkov." He turned. Ah, now he saw me. As he ran his eyes up and down my body his expression turned from startled to sly.

"And how can I help you?" he asked seductively.

"I wanted to talk to you. It was a long trip from England, but I knew where you were, so that made it easier."

"You-wait. From England?"

"I'm a spirit user, too." At this, he looked even more startled.

"But-but you're human!" Considering that Adrian Ivashkov was never ever caught off guard, I thought I'd done pretty well.

"I'm shadowkissed." He could see auras; no doubt mine was very dark and sinister.

"I knew that," he said impatiently.

"I know you knew. My family was in a plane crash. My parents and my brother and I died. My godfather was dying, but he took my place and in doing so transferred his powers to me."

"Okay," he said cautiously, "but that still doesn't explain how you knew all that stuff about me." I shrugged.

"You dreamwalk, Lissa heals… I know shit."

"Wow. Impressive, Little Human."

"Don't call me that." I was smiling up at him sweetly but there was danger in my voice. He noticed this.

"Why not?" he taunted.

"Aren't moroi a bit, em…" I looked up, as if contemplating something, then returned my gaze to him. "…fragile?"

That shut him up. His expression changed again: it was like a deck of emotional flashcards hiding behind the façade of his face.

"You do know your shit, Lit-"

My warning glare cut him off, and he abruptly changed the subject.

"Do you want to… go somewhere and… do something?" He asked coyly. I was still smiling at him sweetly.

"I don't appreciate your use of double meanings," he chuckled at this. "But sure. Let's teach each other some spirit."

When we got to his hotel, he ushered me into the door and promptly offered me a cocktail from the minibar fridge. I refused. "Suit yourself," he shrugged. I sat down on the bed and we stared at each other for a minute.

"So… spiritiness," I said, which made us both laugh despite the awkward moment before. Even though I could tell he was drunk, it was kind of normal for him, so we both ignored it.

"I still don't know your name."

"Yes you do," I told him, which made him laugh. "Think." He contemplated my words for a second and then turned back to me and smirked. "Amelia River." I wasn't fooled; I'd felt him probe my mind.

"Well done, sweetie. A plus for cheating!" I flashed him a grin and he grinned back.

"Wait. Can I try something?" I asked. Without waiting for an answer, I slipped some sleeping pills into his cocktail as he brought it up to his lips. His eyes went wide as he realized what I had done, but I'd made the dose so big that he was unconscious before he could protest. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the sleeping figure in front of me. I found myself in a kitchen, surrounded by spatulas and bread knives. Adrian was eating something. Then the image sort of went blurry and I was back in reality, apparently a few hours later. "Dammit!" I growled. I shook Adrian.

"Wake up. Adrian, wake up." He sleepily opened his eyes and muttered something at me. Then he noticed that I was there and yelped, apparently not remembering the events that had happened before he fell asleep. He trembled a bit, then calmed down and laughed at himself.

"Did you dream about a kitchen?" I asked anxiously.

"I saw you in my yoghurt," he said weakly. "It was unsettling." At this I giggled, slightly satisfied that I had made some progress.

"I was trying to dreamwalk."

"I realize," he replied dryly. I just laughed at him.

"You try now ," I told him. "I've never actually had someone else dreamwalk in my dreams." Quickly, I took the sleeping pills out of my pocket. Before I swallowed them, I turned to Adrian. "I trust you, though barely." We both smiled at this. And then I slipped into a dream.