A/N Bonjour! I'm back again, still sadly lacking in reviews. But I am extremely excited because Richelle Mead was talking about Last Sacrifice, and I cannot wait! However, if Rose and Dimitri don't end up back together, I will be in tears.
Disclaimer: Do I look like Richelle Mead? No? That's because I'm not her, therefore, I don't own VA. See?
"What?" Rose asked, sounding shocked. "Adrian, you said only shadow-kissed people have black auras. She isn't shadow-kissed. Are you?" She said to me.
I shook my head. "No, I'm not." I knew why my aura was black: it didn't mean I had to tell Adrian.
Adrian looked nonplussed. "Look, Liss, she's dangerous. How can we have her around you, if we don't know what she is?"
That pissed me off. "I know why my aura's that colour. There's probably gold and silver in there somewhere too, isn't there?" I said, my voice tight with anger. I was tired of being treated like a freak. I didn't have to be here; in fact I'd rather be back home.
Adrian looked surprised. "Well, yes. How'd you know that?"
"Other people told me. There are humans who can see auras too. The black means I pull energy into myself, and that I have long-term grudges. The gold and silver indicates psychic powers." I recited dispassionately. I'd been told this many times-New Age fanatics can be very persistent. "So, no, I'm not dangerous. My aura is just a little different." All this rubbish about auras was making my head spin. I'd heard the whole, "Your aura is strange!" thing before, and it worried me. What could it mean? What I didn't like, though, was his attitude.
"Fine, so my aura's weird. Is that any reason to be rude, and to tell the princess I'm dangerous when you know nothing about me?" Adrian started to sputter. I ignored him and carried on. "No, it does not. How would you like it?" He opened his mouth again. "That was a rhetorical question, you idiot! If you don't know what that is, look it up in a dictionary! Being rich and royal doesn't give you the right to yell at me!" My rant over, I glared at him, and pouted, my childish behaviour earning a laugh from our audience. At home they know not to cross me! These people…
Adrian gulped. Oops, maybe I went too far. I bet my eyes are flashing. They always do when I'm angry. "I'm sorry." He told me, trying to look sincere. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"Well, you failed miserably in that respect, didn't you?" I muttered.
"Look, it's not my fault. Spirit makes me go really odd sometimes. It only happens about once a month, you just kinda got in the way of it." He gave me a cheeky smile. "Sorry!"
Okay. This is going brilliantly. We have an ex-Strigoi, one of the last remaining Dragomirs, someone whose parents went Strigoi, and an insane Spirit user. Oh, this is going well. Very well. I was on the verge of throwing my hands in the hair, and telling them that I couldn't do this, when something flashed across my vision. I knew what that meant, and it never boded well for me. My head started to hurt, and I stumbled across the room, tripping and ending up on the floor. I heard the crash of my body falling down, and the murmurs of concern as everybody crowded around me. My head in my hands, I pressed my fingers to my eyes and desperately tried to think of anything else.
It didn't work. It never worked. The premonition, the knowledge would come and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
My eyes swam underneath my palms, and images started to rush through my mind. A little boy, laughing, runs across the pavement as I try to catch him. I didn't know this child; I didn't even know anyone who looked like him, especially as he didn't look Moroi, or dhampir. A hooded stranger swarmed up from the darkness as I shrunk backwards. A smile, mysterious and frightening. What did it mean? They never made sense, the visions, and I figured them out too late.
But one thing was for sure-I couldn't leave the Court until I figured out what was going on. It wouldn't do me any good, nor Lissa and Rose.
These visions weren't regular, and they weren't something I had often-usually I just "sensed" stuff, without the blinding headache and general clumsiness. I blinked, attempting to restore my sight. I sat up, and blinked even more furiously. I felt so self conscious, lying on the floor. Everyone was staring at me, looking horrified.
"Are you okay? What just happened?" Lissa questioned. I pulled my knees against my chest, and looked down at my feet.
"Could I have a drink, please?" I asked quietly, burying my head into the tops of my knees, away form the penetrating gazes. I felt, rather than saw Lissa nod and say, "Of course!" I heard rustling, and the soft click of cupboard doors opening, and a cold can of Coke was pressed into my hand. I took a long gulp, and finished it in a few minutes. I set the can down on the table to my left, one of those pointless, but decorative little things. "I'm sorry for scaring you. That doesn't happen very often, and it shouldn't happen again any time soon." I gave a shaky laugh. "I bet your all thinking, 'What the fuck just happened'. Well, that would be a premonition." Raising my head a little, I could see the expressions of astonishment spreading across their faces. Only Dimitri and Rose looked the least shocked. "Oh, did Yelena forget to mention I'm psychic?"
They all nodded, Christian's mouth slightly agape. I gave them a twisted smile. "Well congratulations, you just got your first view of how it ruins my life." I heard Adrian give a sigh of relief, and turned, in order to give him an indignant glare.
"Thank god, it wasn't my fault. I don't think I could have taken your death on my conscience." He sounded very happy about this.
"Oh, you have a conscience?" Christian quipped, and we all laughed, releasing some of the tension in the room. "Well, I think we're going to have to see the queen. Get her to explain what the hell's going on. She forces you over here, when it's clear you didn't want to go, then neglects to tell us about your…special gifts." I was very grateful to him at this moment. I wanted the chance to question the bitch, and to find out what on earth her plan was.
Adrian gave another grin as I slowly pulled myself up. "Is anyone else finding her accent really sexy? Especially when she yells." We all looked at him. "What?" He defended himself. "I'm allowed to find her accent attractive."
"Adrian, I'm right here. Don't talk about me as if I'm not here." I told him, completely baffled by the comment about my accent. It wasn't even that posh or nice sounding.
Rose snorted. "Adrian, she's got a boyfriend. Don't start moving in on her." How did she miss the pain-filled glances he always shot her way? Dimitri certainly didn't; he watched Adrian like a hawk. It didn't seem like Rose to be so unobservant; perhaps she was ignoring them subconsciously, unable, or unwilling to deal with the fact that Adrian was very much still in love with her. It was very odd-I'd been here all of three hours, and I figure it out.
I shook my head. "Do you mind if I change?" I asked. Lissa shook hers. My clothes were fine, but I needed something extra comfy-my head still hurt, and I was pretty sure I'd bruised most of my body when I'd fallen down. They were still giving me wary looks, as if I'd do it again any second now.
I moved carefully over to the door, and practically fell into my room, dragging out a pair of skinny jeans, and an extremely oversized purple jumper. Discarding my dress, I dragged them on, and shoved my feet back into my converse.
As soon as I came back in, they headed to the door. Lissa behind Eddie, and flanked by Rose and Dimitri. I took the back position, feeling naked without my stake. "Uh, guys?" I said, my voice hesitant. "Do you have my stakes?" Rose slapped her forehead.
"Yeah. Oh god, I'm so sorry, I completely forgot!" She pulled one out of her holster and handed it to me. "I always have about three. Use this one for now."
It felt strange in my hand, used as I was to mine, which were made for my smaller hands, and it also seemed to thrum with a little more energy. I looked at it curiously. Rose caught my look and smiled. "Liss charges them with Spirit." I nodded, feeling impressed, and muttered my thanks.
Feeling more confident with my weapon in hand, I followed the others out of the building, the Moroi between the Guardians, as it always was, I thought bitterly. We were headed to the queen's quarters, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation that made me shiver, pulling the overlong sleeves of my jumper around my fists. What information was I about to uncover?
A/N Thus concludes the seventh chapter! What do you think? Please review!