p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0d247fda97ddfeffa34d7b071e381489"Chapter 6: Lovesick Fools and Broken Bastards/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="921b6fb9f8383c2a62ecf06a66c96d00"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"I do not own Vampire Academy or the characters. I do however own this storyline and the made up characters including:/span/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="02bb91fba9c6639dd9b093985ad5681f"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Leonardo Ivashkov/span/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="db41daaaaa4356cb7a48da2a75f485fb""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Do you think I'm pretty?/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a2b573e9e6941e77c80738e4d0fe7c25"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I think you are beautiful./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ec39f93b54460850a94bf62f3d035859"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Beautiful?/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="46fee5b729617a4b0c32a4cd977a345c"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You are so beautiful, it hurts sometimes."- Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="39a876be6f1e63aac318d68a5a783ae7"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Alana POV/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5c6c0cdac11b2da7a665857bcf137368"When Sophie had mentioned taking our party to the diamond room, I wasn't quite expecting to be seated in the middle of a plush sofa with dimmed lights around us and half naked dancers hanging from fabric behind the thin drapes surrounding the room. From the fang marks on each of the dhampirs dancing, I knew we had stumbled into Sophie's extracurricular profession and I had a bitter taste in the back of my throat. I always thought the rumors about Sophie had just been rumors but she didn't seem phased that we all seemed out of place in the dimly vibrant room. The music and aroma of alcohol was still present and other the us and the dancers, the room was empty. Sophie walked over to the small bar present and poured some drinks out, humming to the sound of the music and turning to us smiling./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="575bcb4059a0d3f6e8206bb11b340565""Well, don't be shy. Sit. Get comfortable. Not many get to see this side of my club."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="41e275ff542e7b8d44eb3fa951063a86"My eyes widened, "Your club?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="838ff90e72a082fcb5cafd2f415344ef"Sophie smiled, "Yes Alana dear. I own this place. On the down low however. I don't need everyone knowing."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dd66cd08efe65c883c740742344ee6cb"She sighed and plopped herself next to me on the plush couch and motioned for Eric and Eliza to sit across from us on the love-seat. I was very aware of the fact that Eliza was practically sitting on top of Eric. But his eyes were plastered to mine with a peculiar expression./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a247cff06bb056dbcb1270e363021597""Alana what are you doing here?" Eric said, his voice almost a whisper./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3f0c09162828cd036cefab2ea289597c"Sophie sipped her drink and looked between us before chucking./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cf67828639ee5d0baf324eccd3175eba""My, my Eric. You sure do surprise me." She gave him a wink and his eyes flashed to her, not changing or showing expression./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3faa16def56b8e5694989de89ec2853f""I have no idea what you mean Soph."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d0ea7abfd0918e32887a94ce6ea99f3c"Sophie smiled, getting up and grabbing a tray of shot glasses from a passing waiter, "Whatever you say lover boy."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9ec3517a1c0108f264a69762dd0b066d"He looked back at me, his eyes darkening a bit, "You shouldn't be here Alana."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5e5f0d50224a29d5b168fea94b71403b"Eliza giggled, slinging her arm through Eric's, " Relax goof ball."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="89dd249d1319d76bf96af6f1eab55377"My eye pinpointed Eliza's arm and I felt myself gulp, a wave of jealousy rushing through me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="29e9fd1430c5c399a4ccf30594b59c47""Let's all just relax, shall we." Sophie said, laying the tray in front of us./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="836ebaaaa00c35d57610009ab68fa4fa"The air was filled with tension radiating from Eric mostly. Sophie sighed grabbing yet another drink and downing it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c6f4a14581610b7934f2447d28c6d092""What a sour crowd tonight. Let's play a game. Before you bore me."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2ae2a950870b75fa1efafd26d599edae"She waved a polished hand at the dancers, who all started to descend and make their way to the main dance floor of the club./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7943df7dfabbda3976d1b2d84b9d813a""Never have I ever. I take you guys know the rules."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9c183b15cdefa71aaec848e0dffc6aa8"Eliza perked up, leaning up off of Eric a bit, "Oh this sounds fun."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="97de9a0ee8fdf447743e9a3f536e2141"Sophie lined up the drinks on the small table, sitting one in front of each of us. I had played this game once before with Leila, Nora and Asher./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8146de665b2bb364c08801d5ca3d18cf"Sophie smiled at everyone, "Let's see just how naughty everyone here is."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ecad739cdb4e72c36c2144d4cc32aa81"Eric shifted his body away from Eliza, who I noticed pouted a bit but didn't push it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e103a1291927efc56f7a24fd776911ed""Soph, I tolerate a lot of things but you are serving alcohol to a teenager. One who I just so happen to know her parents."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e19c709fd8ec9d8204e3b04ce5de3940"Sophie rolled her eyes, "How old were you the first time you got drunk?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6c1c5af09ccb21625d613fb924c43bc2"Eric shook his head, "That's not the..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9cf71fa7eb796f7703c940038d178346"Eliza giggled again, "Relax Eric. At least she's not stealing vodka and climbing on top of rooftops."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2e5898f07a2ba07544c10ad2744c30cd"Eric and Eliza shared a look and he sighed and motioned for Sophie to continue. I was rather upset that Eric and Eliza seemed to have inside jokes and style="box-sizing: border-box;" It should have been us.../em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9e31fc4c7b51de54396483dacff18267"Sophie lifted a glass, winking at Eric, " Never have I ever been in love."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="930df341a28d8679d78c491dfcd8bdcb"Eric stared at Sophie intently. Eliza drank her shot quickly, hiccuping a bit afterwards and smiled up at Eric who was still staring at Sophie who held a firm smirk. Without hesitation, Eric through the shot back and slammed the glass on the table. Everyone turned to me. Did I want to answer this? I felt his eyes on me, before I slammed the drink back and winced. This was not the alcohol we had been drinking earlier. It was harsher and far more stronger. Sophie smirked and set her glass down, " Well no love for me kittens. Love is for the weak."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2bf9136e2c31b3809ae35b4a90674749"She motioned for me to continue the game. I was more focused on wanting to know who and when Eric had been in love. But it was a thought for another time./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f3dfa3957e7f64e1b63f20c8384b0b5f""Um..." I said not really knowing what to say. So I played it safe, "Never have I ever killed someone."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c773a9776f01a1f8e0ad7e0378f4a829"Eric and I both drank and Sophie and Eliza looked to be confused and a little uneasy at the topic./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="20154d276574e51f7ae17a31e08501ad"And so the game continued. Each time Sophie went, Eric would stare her down. It was like they were having a fist fight and neither one of them could win./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="592944e366a72a5e5b677522d9a1dde4"After about 6 times around, I was pretty sure I was more sober then everyone else at the table. They were older and more expereianced in pratically everything. And in the short time, I had learned that Eric had a sister and varies other aspects of his past life. He was young (not as young as me) but already he had experianced so much of the world./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="743a9934960c3a4342a236575453e669"Eliza and Sophie were pretty much goners, having consumed nearly all the shots themselves. The difference was Sophie seemed to be able to hod her liquor and Eliza seemed to halfway to the moon. My drunken state was fading away./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="df56253d8d385b84f8df430d3d75717d"Sophie smiled as her turn came up, "Never have I ever kissed someone in this room."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="06c6febd6939a99a2d03f77c7c597596"Eric and Sophie continued their staring game. My interests perked up, and I was hoping by everything inside of me, that he would just refuse to answer. But a small part of me wished he would answer. I wanted him to acknowledge our kiss. To acknowledge me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1cfde3a9fd8bab941adee854687e819a"And as we all brought the glass to our lips, I felt my insides squeeze and a sudden need to stand./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6a28b3b0aaf55115cbec2ab7be453790"They all looked at me, but it was Eric's eyes I was starring at and he seemed to be...guilty? No, that wasn't right. He seemed to be.../p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0d3631a2f0afc6e75ccd27ba3a57e91b"I couldn't place it and I didn't want. I quickly excused myself, covering my mouth with my hand./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d5fc62187c3f4e67294882f682f2fe86"Had Eric kissed everyone in this room? Why would Sophie and Eliza both drink and smirk./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="19c598c2291cce9d4d6001efcddc3d96""Oh poor thing. She's going to puke." I heard Eliza claim but she was far from the truth./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3e061922a98bdc06dd679d8bb8df3b7b"The club had died down a bit and I gazed around looking for Leila. She was no where in sight and I was feeling as if the club's walls were going to swallow me whole./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d1c6593ed71127ec17c7490c22c129a2"I rushed towards the heavy doors to the exit and stumbled into a hard body. I gazed up, and as if my worst nightmares hadn't already come true, they were just about to./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6a063dcc65e33978f002cc56ff8f1374"Uncle Adrian stood in front of me, shocked to me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6e6dde7fb6de795af1ca456865466448""Well Little Dhampir. You sure are just like your mother."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ab68dc815a6cf72fdd3b69d521946da9"He sighed, grabbing my wrist and escorting me from the club./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4566c09253167d06f198c5ff3b5c80b8"The scream I had building up inside of, threatened to relinquish itself but I resisted./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="08188222b7b0e5fc7252d8b71f7ceb3f"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Eric POV/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="32c3c611e413aa34be2fe35062dac155"I stared at Sophie, feeling more angry then I had ever been before. Eliza rose excusing herself to the style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5c73887e0c9ffadcf75bd3240a702f43""That wasn't cool." I said at Sophie sharply./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e87306c33a9df8acc49aa15ee38903e8"Sophie laughed, " I have no idea what you mean lover boy."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6616b9b9789fd5acff8b69864c3c9b3a"My fists clenched and I felt my usually calm demenor falter, "You know exactly what I mean. You let a sixteen year old girl come in and drink and..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0934e8027277ed81612a7881ea4d08c0"She cut me off, holding up her small hand, "And you have been stuck in the clouds over that same sixteen year old. I thought Eliza was the girl you've been pouring your heart out about at my bar these past few weeks but I was very much mistaken."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a8edcf03e59c94ba45850f0253baff70"I gulped, trying to not show any emotion. There was no way Sophie could know this. I hadn't spoken Alana's name once. But then again Sophie was good at reading people. She had a mysterious quality to her that always seemed to know things./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d74cff7fdbf11232640bc1b186eb4e3e""You are insinuating something you shouldn't Soph."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2024340c55374739af7145633ff40cfd"She sighed and sat up, "Just promise me one thing lover boy. You don't break that young girls heart. She's madly in love with you and you'd have to be an idiot not to see it."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="96980db2b50a717c00c4c98326001a22"She stood and sauntered over to me, whispering near my ear as I watched a drunk Eliza stumble back through the curtain./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="33280b9bf2ff996645d0e78033a17d67""You better figure it out before someone less...em style="box-sizing: border-box;"accepting/em...of the situation finds out."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="94300530f088e4b0d9dcb1fd32da7228"She gave me a stern and knowing look and left me in my thoughts./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="50d383ae20649cdebda9dc2b4da2487f"This night had been a mistake. Alana had rushed out and I was almost one hundred percent sure why. My past was beginning to creep up on me and Eliza's presence was not helping./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="688485050c82fb6b1f66301ee4dfee73""What was that about?" Eliza asked, coming up to me linking her arms around my waist. I turned and manuevered my way out of her arms. She noticied my movement and frowned but didn't ponder it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0092623e589c7f9dabdd7ca30ae1eaa7""Nothing." I looked at her and she seemed confused and hurt, "Let me walk you home. It's getting late and I have duty tomorrow."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="80dd51dbcff46d778fd1f42545a3d5c6"She nodded, and grabbed her handbag before linking her arm in mine and leading me away from the diamond room and out the clubs doors./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3f9069c445a67c3bd54ae1eeed314036"The air was dry for my liking but it was probably the fact I had had more of the Russian Vodka tonight then I should have. It had been so long since I had has just a tiny taste of home./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a7281fd86ed5dd59c03b77739d217146"I sighed thinking about it and Eliza stumbled, grasping my arm to help her before she fell. She laughed and stopped, using my shoulder to lean against as she bent down and removed her heels, slining them behind her shoulder as she continued to walk./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e363986bd741999feded92d8d6266251"I had no idea how she could walk on the bare ground and gravel but I wasn't inclined to ask./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2e61755ae663459f843b0d16c1732385""What's on your mind goof ball? You're being awfully quiet."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="61243d1ec72859f00d144820f2b5988f"She linked her arm through mine and this time I didn't resist. Eliza was like a moth that wouldn't go away sometimes. There was no use to try and stop her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5cb1a4dae4d11990fa2c5c60adab0467""Nothing Liz. Just thinking."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d64a1d91ba3c65b696165e7084d9a62d"He fell into another long and awkward silence before she sighed and moved in front of me, causing me to halt in my steps and my thoughts./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9b76c009fe6418ec7bca95f8562efc03""Give it up Eric. You seem so closed off. So different." She sighed, and her eyes seemed to be filling with a small amount of tears. She blinked and they were gone, " I know things changed after Nadia, Er. I know and you just left. You didn't even call. One minute you were there and the next you were gone."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d46717c9ab7c84034a69b90752b5c5c5"I flinched at the name. It had been years since I had thought about Nadia, my younger sister. Years since I had even uttered her name or pondered on that awful night so long ago./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c4eb712adafae4e53d3d2d441b354f8d""It was years ago Liz. Let it go." I said, trying to step aside of her. But she strong, even in her drunken state. The tears flowed freely now from her eyes./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b4b9605f35a6fc2ea7decf3a466d2509""It was three years ago, Er. You can't still be blaming yourself. You were eighteen. You were a kid."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6af53c584e8e80742ff9264aa99eac48"I pushed her away a bit, not realizing how mucb strength I had used until I saw the hurt in her face./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cd994366ad5352fa974697cdc4375957""Look Liz. I'm sorry. I just...I cant...You don't understand."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="05b39631e31bd4f5a7f13f38109193fe"Eliza wiped her eyes and dropped her heels. She wrapped her arms aroudn ym waist hugging me tightly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3774c3e58090439ceddfc23c3ff57c41""Er, I understand more then you think. I could..I don't know how I would act...how I would be...if had been Ally."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0a979526a4b0b3056398e1e252a773cd"I sighed, leaning my face into hr curly hair. I didn't want to think about this. I didn't want to talk about this./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cb89a998d940cacdab956209ff6dbdb8""Ally isn't Nadia. I really don't want to talk about this Elizaveta. Respect that. Please."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6bfb30020ef5a8d6abb7f7d8a3a14e26"Her tear streaked face looked up at me but she blinked and nodded./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="04eda511d695d6fa7977411debe25635"And then she leaned up and kissed me. It was familiar and save. And it felt wrong./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c96ecf16707ca85a313c5dde1a0065a4"But I kissed her back anyways./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="09b67d68b3eaec99c62d9bbdfffe4433"All the time haunted by thoughts of Nadia while my heart ached for Alana./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="39f891896f4adebc6a18ed5741b92d74"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Leila POV/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="79beed42685c5773826f1453e503ea21"I was all for a good party but I just didn't feel in the party spirit tonight./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="68be12d274f6a180cf4fb13aecb3c891"I hadn't wanted to tell Alana, but my thoughts had been in a dark place lately. Since my last episode with spirit, I just wasn't feeling myself anymore./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="80044b0fd7757d4d211d331b36ada753"I needed to talk to Adrian and Lissa about it but I just...couldn't./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="950c5f2fc9b49e0c58bf588301b981f0"The pestering thoughts of my looming wedding weren't helping. But I was somewhat...excited? Was that the feeling?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="70c6cb506a0e46498fc38530549cd792"I had no clue but I blamed it all on spirit. It was like my ticket out of trouble. Just blame it on spirit./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4ae892ff7acff856dbf833772d16ea74""Now what's a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f6e15251fbeefea9e8154d3b91299b9b"I glanced over a dashing Moroi man. He was tall, had slicked back brown hair and piercing green eyes. He almost reminded me of Adrian./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b7965b35610126678088675e88445fde""Escaping." I said, nursing the glass of gin to my chest./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8054f0a35b72934f93cb826349a06a26"He laughed and grabbed his own glass, a martini./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="75ce5d3116be74af3b9b21b91bd0a19a""Shouldn't you be at a spa or something to escape. The only people who come to bars are lovesick fools and broken bastards."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7ff3b42bc97bf0e21db8c817fb65a3ba""That's one way to put it." I said, taking a hefty drink from the sweating glass. I felt the whiskey burn my throat but I relished in the fact./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="70aed014e9ec3a846f6268b7f898c2c5"He chuckled, taking his own sip from his own glass and setting it down on the bar before giving me a sidelong glance./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="552a25493f79995d7f38d239995c01ce""Aren't you a little young to be in here." He gave me a look as he raised one of his eyebrows./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="119965b33ef801f6b62669513668b906"I shrugged, " I could say the same to you."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="81f0b5580603a2906160f6e727d25ddb"He laughed and turned in the bar stool, " Touche."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cdb82257c16e628d48cbfa2cdec52b48"He couldn't have been more the nineteen. He was young, but not high school young./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="92868259d90b7153327d0d683f50b364""So..what brings a...playboy...like you into a club like this?" I asked throwing his question back at him. He was trying to flirt and I was actually not feeling shy. It was probably the whiskey speaking. Or spirit. Always blame it on spirit./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6dd153ed437b360a0be8f67ad36dfee9""Playboy? I don't know if I should be offended or flattered."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9ff1c3cf7abe19e8c563547f463ec5da"I shrugged, finishing off the burning liquid, " Both sounds just."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="399808a43b044d920a2029003c7222d1"He laughed, " Well then." He finsihed his own drink, signeling the bartender for another, " I actually am supposed to be meeting my cousin for a drink or two."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c1bb7604efc243d2b75eecaf9f3992fe"I nodded. The bartender brought the drinks over, "Should I add it to your tab Leo?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f15b08fd043c361f500f00877677cbb2"Leo smiled, "Add it to my bastard of a cousins tab. Adrian Ivashkov. The fool stood me up."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="442d8d1645924517069a53c385d41472"My ears perked and my eyes widened, " Adrian's your cousin?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e4812414d2681b9b74ecad63d8006639"Leo turned looking at me and smriked, "Of course a beauty like you knows Adrian."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="093663474eb2b78dc386926c09b386cd""What's that supposed to mean?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b48e06e7f385d4c6f13279651fb6ccfe"Leo shurgged, swirling his drink, " Adrian likes then young and fiesty. You seem to fit the qualifications. Though last time I checked he was still love sick over that badass dhampir girl."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7eb990f44be78924ae4edb9ec64d1775""Guardian Hathaway?" I asked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dfdb22dcd9539b65fc2f07c205de96c0"He nodded, " Rings a bell. I couldn't tell you. I don't pay much attention to what my cousins over seas do. My family and I stay pretty much to ourselves in Italy."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="44ee617cb3631d3b853afccdbc12266b""Then what brings you to Court?" I asked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="088aff67a105fe660b022f3194d1a288""Why does anyone come to court?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="816124dcea80d41d11b94a11f710a8e2"I shrugged, " The only people who come to court are lovesick fools and broken bastards."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5ab48e05016db48edf2b55a55b18d919"He smiled at the comment, " Touche Mademoiselle. Touche."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="48c64b25b0914fe36894f50b0b01696b"Then the stranger and I erupted into a fit of laughter./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c29d086d7dddea05e21d329e2e33ac42"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Alana POV/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="628c2d05f77463e6304407e5149e90e1""Whatever punishment or lecture you are going to give me, could it at least wait until tomorrow."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e1231e68677b75bc8d439f341b36262f"My head was pounding and the alcohol infused coma I was in was slowly fading away. Uncle Adrian sighed and ran his fingers through his messy hair, taking a seat next to on the stone bench. We had walked halfway to the Royal quarters before Uncle Adrian had stopped and just stood pacing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5bc7e775d2eb9ee9ef36df077a580801""I'm not going to lecture you Alana. If anyone should be getting a lecture it should be me. Your mother trusted me to watch after you and I've been too busy in my own family affairs I didn't even think you could be as reckless as your mother and run off to a blood whore party like that."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1393e73460d3564fb0c7a53d9d29fce1"I gulped, " I wasn't a a blood whore party."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1b2926f64c54664d91fe2cf778a1c86f"Adrian gave me a knowing look, " Come on Alana. I'm not stupid. I know the things that go down at a club like that. I've been around a few times."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="218fdadda4d056430902cfb0f28f53a8"I sighed, feeling the pounding headache sharper, " I'm sorry. I just...I just wanted to get away for a bit."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1e55074da4010757815a70ea809ea43f"Adrian sighed and looked up at the sky, " As much as I know I should tell your mother about this, I'd really appreciate if we keep this between us. I think your coming on hangover is enough punishment."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b9ec4b7ac93c50cc199f7a317b723133"I looked at him before giving him a tight hug that seemed to surprise him, " I'm sorry Uncle Adrian. It was wrong. Ishould have known better."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3d33006885f5c1299a1f8f45649080e1"Adrian sighed, running a hand through my hair, " Now, now Little Dhampir. There's been a lot thats happened lately. I think I can excuse this once. But just don't let it happen again. Your mother would skin us both alive if she ever found out."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ff797a54208acb48a941deb2cc9d98c9"I laughed at the mental image, and soon Uncle Adrian joined in laughing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1d18f58e9527f0da9a26f81912f1a897"We laughed for a good bit until a shadow headed for us, and soon none other then Eric was in front of us, looking shaken and bit on edge./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4cbb85439fbb4b4ffe11f7a0dfc47c07""Guardian Paval. Do me a favor please and escort Alana back to the Royal Quarters. I had an appointment and I'm afraid i'm nearly an hour late now."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="039a6672bdb0829233eec483d4d39026"I gulped. I really didn't want to be around Eric or alone with him. Not after what I had learned at the club. The thought made me stomach churn./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4386e3dfdb14bd26681d5599addbed70"Uncle Adrian was off in seconds, entrusting my with Eric. We walked side by side, not saying much as we made our way to Leila's room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="68abd86153bfd5745a84cb94d850ccd8"At the door, I stopped and turned to him. He looked lost in thought and his brows slanted a bit. Maybe it was the alcohol or just plain boldness that us Hathaways were known for but I asked the burning question that was looming in the back of my head./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6ed863137542234f98a8310e3531cfd5""Did you really kiss Eliza and Sophie?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6d0c4d5a03970792aaa6d80e5774ec3b"He looked stunned I had spoken and then closed his eyes taking a deep breath, "Sophie no. Eliza...yes...she's my ex girlfriend. We were dumb kids. Nothing more."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="654478e7d0fcca452088114119d4f8d4"I bit the inside of my cheek and sighed, "I shouldn't have asked. It's none of my business."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f240f416e03374d0e6c73eaefe90538d""It should be." I heard Eric mumble and gave him a questioning look. He was always to keen on letting me know I was a child and I wasn't old enough to be with him. Why the sudden change?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5a87c0767675bbe34c3e7487ca2a45ce""I meant it when I said it wasn't our time, Alana. I don't think it will ever be our time. I may lo...care for you, but we can't be. And not just because you are my student and I'm your teacher. I'm not a good person Alana. I've done things...unthinkable things. I've hurt people close to me. I...I don't deserve to be happy. I don't deserve you. Respect that please Alana. We can't...we can't be anything more. Not ever."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="37ea0696f9f59f9c2d06716b891c35bb"Then he turned and walked away and a part of felt as if it was my sixteenth birthday all over again and I was lying on that cold hard gym floor, my heart breaking into a million pieces./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1b051175caf1d1a559829d6ce334bbfb"The truth was there in the air between us. I wanted him, he wanted me...at least I thought so.../p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="134aa529f3af96531649b8f368a45c9b"We just couldn't be.../p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3b8d4761bb434feb8a0d3f10dc0d6549" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="921b6fb9f8383c2a62ecf06a66c96d00"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"I do not own Vampire Academy or the characters. I do however own this storyline and the made up characters including:/span/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="02bb91fba9c6639dd9b093985ad5681f"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"Leonardo Ivashkov/span/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="db41daaaaa4356cb7a48da2a75f485fb""em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Do you think I'm pretty?/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a2b573e9e6941e77c80738e4d0fe7c25"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"I think you are beautiful./em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ec39f93b54460850a94bf62f3d035859"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"Beautiful?/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="46fee5b729617a4b0c32a4cd977a345c"em style="box-sizing: border-box;"You are so beautiful, it hurts sometimes."- Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy/em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="39a876be6f1e63aac318d68a5a783ae7"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Alana POV/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5c6c0cdac11b2da7a665857bcf137368"When Sophie had mentioned taking our party to the diamond room, I wasn't quite expecting to be seated in the middle of a plush sofa with dimmed lights around us and half naked dancers hanging from fabric behind the thin drapes surrounding the room. From the fang marks on each of the dhampirs dancing, I knew we had stumbled into Sophie's extracurricular profession and I had a bitter taste in the back of my throat. I always thought the rumors about Sophie had just been rumors but she didn't seem phased that we all seemed out of place in the dimly vibrant room. The music and aroma of alcohol was still present and other the us and the dancers, the room was empty. Sophie walked over to the small bar present and poured some drinks out, humming to the sound of the music and turning to us smiling./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="575bcb4059a0d3f6e8206bb11b340565""Well, don't be shy. Sit. Get comfortable. Not many get to see this side of my club."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="41e275ff542e7b8d44eb3fa951063a86"My eyes widened, "Your club?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="838ff90e72a082fcb5cafd2f415344ef"Sophie smiled, "Yes Alana dear. I own this place. On the down low however. I don't need everyone knowing."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dd66cd08efe65c883c740742344ee6cb"She sighed and plopped herself next to me on the plush couch and motioned for Eric and Eliza to sit across from us on the love-seat. I was very aware of the fact that Eliza was practically sitting on top of Eric. But his eyes were plastered to mine with a peculiar expression./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a247cff06bb056dbcb1270e363021597""Alana what are you doing here?" Eric said, his voice almost a whisper./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3f0c09162828cd036cefab2ea289597c"Sophie sipped her drink and looked between us before chucking./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cf67828639ee5d0baf324eccd3175eba""My, my Eric. You sure do surprise me." She gave him a wink and his eyes flashed to her, not changing or showing expression./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3faa16def56b8e5694989de89ec2853f""I have no idea what you mean Soph."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d0ea7abfd0918e32887a94ce6ea99f3c"Sophie smiled, getting up and grabbing a tray of shot glasses from a passing waiter, "Whatever you say lover boy."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9ec3517a1c0108f264a69762dd0b066d"He looked back at me, his eyes darkening a bit, "You shouldn't be here Alana."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5e5f0d50224a29d5b168fea94b71403b"Eliza giggled, slinging her arm through Eric's, " Relax goof ball."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="89dd249d1319d76bf96af6f1eab55377"My eye pinpointed Eliza's arm and I felt myself gulp, a wave of jealousy rushing through me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="29e9fd1430c5c399a4ccf30594b59c47""Let's all just relax, shall we." Sophie said, laying the tray in front of us./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="836ebaaaa00c35d57610009ab68fa4fa"The air was filled with tension radiating from Eric mostly. Sophie sighed grabbing yet another drink and downing it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c6f4a14581610b7934f2447d28c6d092""What a sour crowd tonight. Let's play a game. Before you bore me."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2ae2a950870b75fa1efafd26d599edae"She waved a polished hand at the dancers, who all started to descend and make their way to the main dance floor of the club./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7943df7dfabbda3976d1b2d84b9d813a""Never have I ever. I take you guys know the rules."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9c183b15cdefa71aaec848e0dffc6aa8"Eliza perked up, leaning up off of Eric a bit, "Oh this sounds fun."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="97de9a0ee8fdf447743e9a3f536e2141"Sophie lined up the drinks on the small table, sitting one in front of each of us. I had played this game once before with Leila, Nora and Asher./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8146de665b2bb364c08801d5ca3d18cf"Sophie smiled at everyone, "Let's see just how naughty everyone here is."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ecad739cdb4e72c36c2144d4cc32aa81"Eric shifted his body away from Eliza, who I noticed pouted a bit but didn't push it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e103a1291927efc56f7a24fd776911ed""Soph, I tolerate a lot of things but you are serving alcohol to a teenager. One who I just so happen to know her parents."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e19c709fd8ec9d8204e3b04ce5de3940"Sophie rolled her eyes, "How old were you the first time you got drunk?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6c1c5af09ccb21625d613fb924c43bc2"Eric shook his head, "That's not the..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9cf71fa7eb796f7703c940038d178346"Eliza giggled again, "Relax Eric. At least she's not stealing vodka and climbing on top of rooftops."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2e5898f07a2ba07544c10ad2744c30cd"Eric and Eliza shared a look and he sighed and motioned for Sophie to continue. I was rather upset that Eric and Eliza seemed to have inside jokes and style="box-sizing: border-box;" It should have been us.../em/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9e31fc4c7b51de54396483dacff18267"Sophie lifted a glass, winking at Eric, " Never have I ever been in love."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="930df341a28d8679d78c491dfcd8bdcb"Eric stared at Sophie intently. Eliza drank her shot quickly, hiccuping a bit afterwards and smiled up at Eric who was still staring at Sophie who held a firm smirk. Without hesitation, Eric through the shot back and slammed the glass on the table. Everyone turned to me. Did I want to answer this? I felt his eyes on me, before I slammed the drink back and winced. This was not the alcohol we had been drinking earlier. It was harsher and far more stronger. Sophie smirked and set her glass down, " Well no love for me kittens. Love is for the weak."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2bf9136e2c31b3809ae35b4a90674749"She motioned for me to continue the game. I was more focused on wanting to know who and when Eric had been in love. But it was a thought for another time./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f3dfa3957e7f64e1b63f20c8384b0b5f""Um..." I said not really knowing what to say. So I played it safe, "Never have I ever killed someone."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c773a9776f01a1f8e0ad7e0378f4a829"Eric and I both drank and Sophie and Eliza looked to be confused and a little uneasy at the topic./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="20154d276574e51f7ae17a31e08501ad"And so the game continued. Each time Sophie went, Eric would stare her down. It was like they were having a fist fight and neither one of them could win./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="592944e366a72a5e5b677522d9a1dde4"After about 6 times around, I was pretty sure I was more sober then everyone else at the table. They were older and more expereianced in pratically everything. And in the short time, I had learned that Eric had a sister and varies other aspects of his past life. He was young (not as young as me) but already he had experianced so much of the world./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="743a9934960c3a4342a236575453e669"Eliza and Sophie were pretty much goners, having consumed nearly all the shots themselves. The difference was Sophie seemed to be able to hod her liquor and Eliza seemed to halfway to the moon. My drunken state was fading away./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="df56253d8d385b84f8df430d3d75717d"Sophie smiled as her turn came up, "Never have I ever kissed someone in this room."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="06c6febd6939a99a2d03f77c7c597596"Eric and Sophie continued their staring game. My interests perked up, and I was hoping by everything inside of me, that he would just refuse to answer. But a small part of me wished he would answer. I wanted him to acknowledge our kiss. To acknowledge me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1cfde3a9fd8bab941adee854687e819a"And as we all brought the glass to our lips, I felt my insides squeeze and a sudden need to stand./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6a28b3b0aaf55115cbec2ab7be453790"They all looked at me, but it was Eric's eyes I was starring at and he seemed to be...guilty? No, that wasn't right. He seemed to be.../p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0d3631a2f0afc6e75ccd27ba3a57e91b"I couldn't place it and I didn't want. I quickly excused myself, covering my mouth with my hand./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d5fc62187c3f4e67294882f682f2fe86"Had Eric kissed everyone in this room? Why would Sophie and Eliza both drink and smirk./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="19c598c2291cce9d4d6001efcddc3d96""Oh poor thing. She's going to puke." I heard Eliza claim but she was far from the truth./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3e061922a98bdc06dd679d8bb8df3b7b"The club had died down a bit and I gazed around looking for Leila. She was no where in sight and I was feeling as if the club's walls were going to swallow me whole./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d1c6593ed71127ec17c7490c22c129a2"I rushed towards the heavy doors to the exit and stumbled into a hard body. I gazed up, and as if my worst nightmares hadn't already come true, they were just about to./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6a063dcc65e33978f002cc56ff8f1374"Uncle Adrian stood in front of me, shocked to me./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6e6dde7fb6de795af1ca456865466448""Well Little Dhampir. You sure are just like your mother."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ab68dc815a6cf72fdd3b69d521946da9"He sighed, grabbing my wrist and escorting me from the club./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4566c09253167d06f198c5ff3b5c80b8"The scream I had building up inside of, threatened to relinquish itself but I resisted./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="08188222b7b0e5fc7252d8b71f7ceb3f"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Eric POV/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="32c3c611e413aa34be2fe35062dac155"I stared at Sophie, feeling more angry then I had ever been before. Eliza rose excusing herself to the style="box-sizing: border-box;" /br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5c73887e0c9ffadcf75bd3240a702f43""That wasn't cool." I said at Sophie sharply./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e87306c33a9df8acc49aa15ee38903e8"Sophie laughed, " I have no idea what you mean lover boy."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6616b9b9789fd5acff8b69864c3c9b3a"My fists clenched and I felt my usually calm demenor falter, "You know exactly what I mean. You let a sixteen year old girl come in and drink and..."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0934e8027277ed81612a7881ea4d08c0"She cut me off, holding up her small hand, "And you have been stuck in the clouds over that same sixteen year old. I thought Eliza was the girl you've been pouring your heart out about at my bar these past few weeks but I was very much mistaken."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a8edcf03e59c94ba45850f0253baff70"I gulped, trying to not show any emotion. There was no way Sophie could know this. I hadn't spoken Alana's name once. But then again Sophie was good at reading people. She had a mysterious quality to her that always seemed to know things./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d74cff7fdbf11232640bc1b186eb4e3e""You are insinuating something you shouldn't Soph."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2024340c55374739af7145633ff40cfd"She sighed and sat up, "Just promise me one thing lover boy. You don't break that young girls heart. She's madly in love with you and you'd have to be an idiot not to see it."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="96980db2b50a717c00c4c98326001a22"She stood and sauntered over to me, whispering near my ear as I watched a drunk Eliza stumble back through the curtain./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="33280b9bf2ff996645d0e78033a17d67""You better figure it out before someone less...em style="box-sizing: border-box;"accepting/em...of the situation finds out."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="94300530f088e4b0d9dcb1fd32da7228"She gave me a stern and knowing look and left me in my thoughts./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="50d383ae20649cdebda9dc2b4da2487f"This night had been a mistake. Alana had rushed out and I was almost one hundred percent sure why. My past was beginning to creep up on me and Eliza's presence was not helping./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="688485050c82fb6b1f66301ee4dfee73""What was that about?" Eliza asked, coming up to me linking her arms around my waist. I turned and manuevered my way out of her arms. She noticied my movement and frowned but didn't ponder it./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0092623e589c7f9dabdd7ca30ae1eaa7""Nothing." I looked at her and she seemed confused and hurt, "Let me walk you home. It's getting late and I have duty tomorrow."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="80dd51dbcff46d778fd1f42545a3d5c6"She nodded, and grabbed her handbag before linking her arm in mine and leading me away from the diamond room and out the clubs doors./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3f9069c445a67c3bd54ae1eeed314036"The air was dry for my liking but it was probably the fact I had had more of the Russian Vodka tonight then I should have. It had been so long since I had has just a tiny taste of home./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="a7281fd86ed5dd59c03b77739d217146"I sighed thinking about it and Eliza stumbled, grasping my arm to help her before she fell. She laughed and stopped, using my shoulder to lean against as she bent down and removed her heels, slining them behind her shoulder as she continued to walk./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e363986bd741999feded92d8d6266251"I had no idea how she could walk on the bare ground and gravel but I wasn't inclined to ask./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="2e61755ae663459f843b0d16c1732385""What's on your mind goof ball? You're being awfully quiet."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="61243d1ec72859f00d144820f2b5988f"She linked her arm through mine and this time I didn't resist. Eliza was like a moth that wouldn't go away sometimes. There was no use to try and stop her./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5cb1a4dae4d11990fa2c5c60adab0467""Nothing Liz. Just thinking."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d64a1d91ba3c65b696165e7084d9a62d"He fell into another long and awkward silence before she sighed and moved in front of me, causing me to halt in my steps and my thoughts./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9b76c009fe6418ec7bca95f8562efc03""Give it up Eric. You seem so closed off. So different." She sighed, and her eyes seemed to be filling with a small amount of tears. She blinked and they were gone, " I know things changed after Nadia, Er. I know and you just left. You didn't even call. One minute you were there and the next you were gone."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="d46717c9ab7c84034a69b90752b5c5c5"I flinched at the name. It had been years since I had thought about Nadia, my younger sister. Years since I had even uttered her name or pondered on that awful night so long ago./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c4eb712adafae4e53d3d2d441b354f8d""It was years ago Liz. Let it go." I said, trying to step aside of her. But she strong, even in her drunken state. The tears flowed freely now from her eyes./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b4b9605f35a6fc2ea7decf3a466d2509""It was three years ago, Er. You can't still be blaming yourself. You were eighteen. You were a kid."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6af53c584e8e80742ff9264aa99eac48"I pushed her away a bit, not realizing how mucb strength I had used until I saw the hurt in her face./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cd994366ad5352fa974697cdc4375957""Look Liz. I'm sorry. I just...I cant...You don't understand."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="05b39631e31bd4f5a7f13f38109193fe"Eliza wiped her eyes and dropped her heels. She wrapped her arms aroudn ym waist hugging me tightly./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3774c3e58090439ceddfc23c3ff57c41""Er, I understand more then you think. I could..I don't know how I would act...how I would be...if had been Ally."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="0a979526a4b0b3056398e1e252a773cd"I sighed, leaning my face into hr curly hair. I didn't want to think about this. I didn't want to talk about this./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cb89a998d940cacdab956209ff6dbdb8""Ally isn't Nadia. I really don't want to talk about this Elizaveta. Respect that. Please."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6bfb30020ef5a8d6abb7f7d8a3a14e26"Her tear streaked face looked up at me but she blinked and nodded./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="04eda511d695d6fa7977411debe25635"And then she leaned up and kissed me. It was familiar and save. And it felt wrong./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c96ecf16707ca85a313c5dde1a0065a4"But I kissed her back anyways./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="09b67d68b3eaec99c62d9bbdfffe4433"All the time haunted by thoughts of Nadia while my heart ached for Alana./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="39f891896f4adebc6a18ed5741b92d74"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Leila POV/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="79beed42685c5773826f1453e503ea21"I was all for a good party but I just didn't feel in the party spirit tonight./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="68be12d274f6a180cf4fb13aecb3c891"I hadn't wanted to tell Alana, but my thoughts had been in a dark place lately. Since my last episode with spirit, I just wasn't feeling myself anymore./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="80044b0fd7757d4d211d331b36ada753"I needed to talk to Adrian and Lissa about it but I just...couldn't./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="950c5f2fc9b49e0c58bf588301b981f0"The pestering thoughts of my looming wedding weren't helping. But I was somewhat...excited? Was that the feeling?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="70c6cb506a0e46498fc38530549cd792"I had no clue but I blamed it all on spirit. It was like my ticket out of trouble. Just blame it on spirit./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4ae892ff7acff856dbf833772d16ea74""Now what's a pretty thing like you doing in a place like this?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f6e15251fbeefea9e8154d3b91299b9b"I glanced over a dashing Moroi man. He was tall, had slicked back brown hair and piercing green eyes. He almost reminded me of Adrian./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b7965b35610126678088675e88445fde""Escaping." I said, nursing the glass of gin to my chest./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="8054f0a35b72934f93cb826349a06a26"He laughed and grabbed his own glass, a martini./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="75ce5d3116be74af3b9b21b91bd0a19a""Shouldn't you be at a spa or something to escape. The only people who come to bars are lovesick fools and broken bastards."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7ff3b42bc97bf0e21db8c817fb65a3ba""That's one way to put it." I said, taking a hefty drink from the sweating glass. I felt the whiskey burn my throat but I relished in the fact./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="70aed014e9ec3a846f6268b7f898c2c5"He chuckled, taking his own sip from his own glass and setting it down on the bar before giving me a sidelong glance./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="552a25493f79995d7f38d239995c01ce""Aren't you a little young to be in here." He gave me a look as he raised one of his eyebrows./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="119965b33ef801f6b62669513668b906"I shrugged, " I could say the same to you."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="81f0b5580603a2906160f6e727d25ddb"He laughed and turned in the bar stool, " Touche."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="cdb82257c16e628d48cbfa2cdec52b48"He couldn't have been more the nineteen. He was young, but not high school young./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="92868259d90b7153327d0d683f50b364""So..what brings a...playboy...like you into a club like this?" I asked throwing his question back at him. He was trying to flirt and I was actually not feeling shy. It was probably the whiskey speaking. Or spirit. Always blame it on spirit./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6dd153ed437b360a0be8f67ad36dfee9""Playboy? I don't know if I should be offended or flattered."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="9ff1c3cf7abe19e8c563547f463ec5da"I shrugged, finishing off the burning liquid, " Both sounds just."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="399808a43b044d920a2029003c7222d1"He laughed, " Well then." He finsihed his own drink, signeling the bartender for another, " I actually am supposed to be meeting my cousin for a drink or two."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c1bb7604efc243d2b75eecaf9f3992fe"I nodded. The bartender brought the drinks over, "Should I add it to your tab Leo?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f15b08fd043c361f500f00877677cbb2"Leo smiled, "Add it to my bastard of a cousins tab. Adrian Ivashkov. The fool stood me up."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="442d8d1645924517069a53c385d41472"My ears perked and my eyes widened, " Adrian's your cousin?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e4812414d2681b9b74ecad63d8006639"Leo turned looking at me and smriked, "Of course a beauty like you knows Adrian."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="093663474eb2b78dc386926c09b386cd""What's that supposed to mean?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b48e06e7f385d4c6f13279651fb6ccfe"Leo shurgged, swirling his drink, " Adrian likes then young and fiesty. You seem to fit the qualifications. Though last time I checked he was still love sick over that badass dhampir girl."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="7eb990f44be78924ae4edb9ec64d1775""Guardian Hathaway?" I asked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="dfdb22dcd9539b65fc2f07c205de96c0"He nodded, " Rings a bell. I couldn't tell you. I don't pay much attention to what my cousins over seas do. My family and I stay pretty much to ourselves in Italy."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="44ee617cb3631d3b853afccdbc12266b""Then what brings you to Court?" I asked./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="088aff67a105fe660b022f3194d1a288""Why does anyone come to court?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="816124dcea80d41d11b94a11f710a8e2"I shrugged, " The only people who come to court are lovesick fools and broken bastards."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5ab48e05016db48edf2b55a55b18d919"He smiled at the comment, " Touche Mademoiselle. Touche."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="48c64b25b0914fe36894f50b0b01696b"Then the stranger and I erupted into a fit of laughter./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="c29d086d7dddea05e21d329e2e33ac42"u style="box-sizing: border-box;"Alana POV/u/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="628c2d05f77463e6304407e5149e90e1""Whatever punishment or lecture you are going to give me, could it at least wait until tomorrow."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="e1231e68677b75bc8d439f341b36262f"My head was pounding and the alcohol infused coma I was in was slowly fading away. Uncle Adrian sighed and ran his fingers through his messy hair, taking a seat next to on the stone bench. We had walked halfway to the Royal quarters before Uncle Adrian had stopped and just stood pacing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5bc7e775d2eb9ee9ef36df077a580801""I'm not going to lecture you Alana. If anyone should be getting a lecture it should be me. Your mother trusted me to watch after you and I've been too busy in my own family affairs I didn't even think you could be as reckless as your mother and run off to a blood whore party like that."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1393e73460d3564fb0c7a53d9d29fce1"I gulped, " I wasn't a a blood whore party."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1b2926f64c54664d91fe2cf778a1c86f"Adrian gave me a knowing look, " Come on Alana. I'm not stupid. I know the things that go down at a club like that. I've been around a few times."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="218fdadda4d056430902cfb0f28f53a8"I sighed, feeling the pounding headache sharper, " I'm sorry. I just...I just wanted to get away for a bit."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1e55074da4010757815a70ea809ea43f"Adrian sighed and looked up at the sky, " As much as I know I should tell your mother about this, I'd really appreciate if we keep this between us. I think your coming on hangover is enough punishment."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="b9ec4b7ac93c50cc199f7a317b723133"I looked at him before giving him a tight hug that seemed to surprise him, " I'm sorry Uncle Adrian. It was wrong. Ishould have known better."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3d33006885f5c1299a1f8f45649080e1"Adrian sighed, running a hand through my hair, " Now, now Little Dhampir. There's been a lot thats happened lately. I think I can excuse this once. But just don't let it happen again. Your mother would skin us both alive if she ever found out."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="ff797a54208acb48a941deb2cc9d98c9"I laughed at the mental image, and soon Uncle Adrian joined in laughing./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1d18f58e9527f0da9a26f81912f1a897"We laughed for a good bit until a shadow headed for us, and soon none other then Eric was in front of us, looking shaken and bit on edge./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4cbb85439fbb4b4ffe11f7a0dfc47c07""Guardian Paval. Do me a favor please and escort Alana back to the Royal Quarters. I had an appointment and I'm afraid i'm nearly an hour late now."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="039a6672bdb0829233eec483d4d39026"I gulped. I really didn't want to be around Eric or alone with him. Not after what I had learned at the club. The thought made me stomach churn./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="4386e3dfdb14bd26681d5599addbed70"Uncle Adrian was off in seconds, entrusting my with Eric. We walked side by side, not saying much as we made our way to Leila's room./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="68abd86153bfd5745a84cb94d850ccd8"At the door, I stopped and turned to him. He looked lost in thought and his brows slanted a bit. Maybe it was the alcohol or just plain boldness that us Hathaways were known for but I asked the burning question that was looming in the back of my head./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6ed863137542234f98a8310e3531cfd5""Did you really kiss Eliza and Sophie?"/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="6d0c4d5a03970792aaa6d80e5774ec3b"He looked stunned I had spoken and then closed his eyes taking a deep breath, "Sophie no. Eliza...yes...she's my ex girlfriend. We were dumb kids. Nothing more."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="654478e7d0fcca452088114119d4f8d4"I bit the inside of my cheek and sighed, "I shouldn't have asked. It's none of my business."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="f240f416e03374d0e6c73eaefe90538d""It should be." I heard Eric mumble and gave him a questioning look. He was always to keen on letting me know I was a child and I wasn't old enough to be with him. Why the sudden change?/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="5a87c0767675bbe34c3e7487ca2a45ce""I meant it when I said it wasn't our time, Alana. I don't think it will ever be our time. I may lo...care for you, but we can't be. And not just because you are my student and I'm your teacher. I'm not a good person Alana. I've done things...unthinkable things. I've hurt people close to me. I...I don't deserve to be happy. I don't deserve you. Respect that please Alana. We can't...we can't be anything more. Not ever."/p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="37ea0696f9f59f9c2d06716b891c35bb"Then he turned and walked away and a part of felt as if it was my sixteenth birthday all over again and I was lying on that cold hard gym floor, my heart breaking into a million pieces./p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="1b051175caf1d1a559829d6ce334bbfb"The truth was there in the air between us. I wanted him, he wanted me...at least I thought so.../p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="134aa529f3af96531649b8f368a45c9b"We just couldn't be.../p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" data-p-id="3b8d4761bb434feb8a0d3f10dc0d6549" /p
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px;" /p