Chapter 4:

Author's Note: I meant to post this chapter sooner but I was messing around with it on my computer. And so of course the whole chapter just had to get deleted. I had just finished typing it! You cannot believe how frustrated I was. Grrr...

Anyways, thanks to my loyal readers for being so awesome and supportive and reviewing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy. Just the plot and my characters.

Adrian's POV:

The concept that Strigoi are soulless, uncompassionate monsters has been firmly ingrained into our minds. It is a fact that they relished in their kills and gave no thought for the innocent. We know they give in to the darkness and let it conquer them. They are beyond cruel and sadistic. Another fact is that they have no souls.

My specialty as a spirit user is my ability to see auras. They're hazy colors that encompass a body, giving away that person's true feelings. An aura indicates life, mortality, and a soul. Alyssa is a Strigoi, unless she was somehow born with chalky white skin and red that ringed her pupils. Then why the hell did she have an aura?

Lissa gaspes quietly beside me in awe. She can see t too—the faint, barely there aura that surrounded Alyssa. A million questions swirl around my mind in a jumbled, tangled mess. Does this mean she isn't immortal? What does this mean? And the essential question: how was this possible?

The color of her aura suddenly rivetes my attention. It is white, but with a dark and muddy blue tinge. Blue, I have seen, but never white. Do all "special" Strigoi have this color? What did it stand for? There is possibly no way I would ever know. Not unless I do some research. I immediately banish the thought. Adrian Ivashkov does not do work, well, not normally, and I'm not planning on doing it again anytime soon. Blue, I know, means fear. Their incapability to experience fear is another Strigoi trait we take for granted. We are proven wrong yet again. I have a sudden urge to comfort her, erase her fear and promise to always protect her. Whoa. Where did that come from? I don't even know her. I turn towards Lissa.

I can see a thousand questions fighting to exit from her mouth first. Lissa is as astounded as I was, maybe even more. Rose worriedly questions her, but she is ignored when Lissa instead faces me. Her curiosity and hunger for answers is almost tangible.

"Hey, don't interrogate me. I'm not God," I joke. "I don't know any more about her than you do." Wow. Since when do I use such lame jokes?

Lissa rolls her eyes, wondering aloud," I know, but still. I can't believe it. How does she have an aura? Has this happened before and hasn't been documented?"

"'She' is right here. I can hear you," a clear voice rings out. I can't help my shiver. Her voice was beyond creepy; it held the typical Strigoi coldness, promising pain and cruelty, woven with unspoken threats. Talk about scary.

Guilt showers over me and Lissa looks sheepish besides me. Alyssa might be a monster, but accidentally or not, that didn't mean we can treat her snidely.

For the first time, I notice her appearance, not in the checking-her-out way, because that would be just plain wrong since she is a Strigoi for God's sake, but in the I-just-want-to-see-what-you-look-like way. Regardless of the cruel beauty in her Strigoi appearance, she is pretty with innocent looking features, resembling an angel more than a devil. Long, midnight black hair cascades down her back, like a waterfall. Her slim and lean body indicates her past life as a Moroi. As proof of her heritage, she peers at us with the same green eyes as Lissa's, only hers much lighter.

It is the haunted look in them that catches me off guard. Her eyes expresses all the pain and sadness I bet she has never truly revealed to anyone. She isn't pretending to want to change. No, this isn't a hoax. There is no actor in the world who could portray that much regret. Our eyes lock for what seemed like an eternity, but is in reality really only a couple seconds long. Something in her shifts. A guardian-worthy mask appears and obscures her expressions, but I can still see the trace of anguish. Again I feel a strange longing to run to her and hug her and erase that distressed glint in her eyes. I must be hallucinating. It's been an aberrant day for me.

"My apologies. You're Alyssa Tiffany Abigail Dragomir, right? I'm Vasilissa Dragomir, that's Rose Hathaway, and this is Adrian. Would you mind tellin—" Lissa is rudely interrupted by Rose. I almost laugh at Rose's typical behavior before reminding myself of the oath I took.

"So Alyssa. It's not everyday that we get a suicidal Strigoi popping up at Court. Why did you do what you did?" Rose questioned, no, demanded.

Alyssa winces when Lissa calls out her whole name. I swear I have heard her mutter, "Don't know what Mom was thinking…" I openly grin, earning some strange looks. The suicidal part Rose mentions didn't seem to faze her. In fact, Alyssa looks like she couldn't care less. I wish I knew what she is thinking. "Call me Aly. Please. Umm. Well I'm not like any other Strigoi," Aly begins. "I mean, in the beginning I was. I killed many innocents," she cringes, and I felt sympathy for her. "I've lived 313 years. Throughout those three centuries I changed. By now, I can see beauty. I see the amazing colors in a rainbow, the prettiness of a flower in full bloom, and even the beauty of Adrian's green eyes." My eyes widens of their own accord. Have I really made that big of an impression? Some inner part of me cheers at both how she remembers my name and her compliment. "I still have the Strigoi part of me, and it kills me every day. You don't know what it's like to be trapped in your own body with a monster and have to resist the temptation and easily succumb to evil. That's why I need your help. I can't live like this. I can't fight the monster for much longer. I don't want to be suicidal, but if you don't change me, then I'll find some other way to change."

The truthfulness in her voice affects everybody. I don't have to check her aura to know she wasn't lying. Her pain is evident not only in her aura, or her eyes, but also in her speech. I can tell the pleasure she got from seeing the everyday beauty we overlook by the way her entire face lit up while describing it.

Lissa accepts her words, considering them carefully. She motions for us to exit the jail, "Visiting hour is over. We need to discuss some things. You will be informed of our decision shortly."

Lissa leaves, trailed by her entourage of guardians. I turn to leave, but cannot resist one last glance over my shoulder, staring into green eyes that follows me long after my exit.

Once outside, the million dollar is sprung. "Who's going to change her?"

"Me," I roll my eyes, injecting a dose of duh.

Lissa opens her mouth about to set off on what I am sure is a very long lecture. I look at her with a pointed look and a raised eyebrow. "We can't have an insane queen. Now that would be very bad." Rose nods with me. I guess she wants to make up for how she mistreated me. Not a chance. I promised myself something, and I will live up to that promise.

"Fine. Get to know her a bit first. I'll help you with charming the stake."

"Fine."

We make plans to get together before Lissa is whisked off on another Council meeting I am very glad I do not have to attend. In her absence, I am left with a lot to mull over.

To murder not one, but a lot, and live with yourself. That must've been hell, part of the reason behind what I saw in her eyes. But it isn't the complete reason. She purposely left something out, and I intend to find out why and what it is. Aly intruiges me.

I would be lying if I say I didn't want to see her again.

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