I'll read," Adrian took the book from Eddie.
Ten
THE SKI TRIP COULDN'T HAVE come a moment too soon. It was impossible to get the Dimitri and Tasha thing out of my head, but at least packing and getting ready made sure I didn't devote 100 percent of my brain power to him. More like 95 percent.
The girls in the room shook their heads sadly while Ivan just glared at his best friend. Adrian hoped that he would soon be introduced because this was taking too long for him.
I had other things to distract me, too. The Academy might -rightfully-be overprotective when it came to us, but sometimes that translated into pretty cool stuff. Example: The Academy had access to a couple of private jets. This meant no Strigoi could attack us at an airport, and it also meant we got to travel in style. Each jet was smaller than a commercial plane, but the seats were cushy and had lots of leg room. They extended far enough back that you could practically lie down to sleep. On long flights, we had little consoles in the seats that gave us TV movie options. Sometimes they'd even break out fancy meals. I was betting this flight, however, would be too short for any movies or substantial food.
"Definitely," Alberta and Tatiana said at the same time.
We left late on the twenty-sixth. When I boarded the jet, I looked around for Lissa, wanting to talk to her. We hadn't really spoken after the Christmas brunch. I wasn't surprised to see her sitting with Christian, and they didn't look like they wanted to be interrupted. I couldn't hear their conversation, but he'd put his arm around her and had that relaxed, flirty expression that only she could bring out. I remained fully convinced that he could never do as good a job as me of taking care of her,
Christian glared at the book.
but he clearly made her happy.
The glare turned into a smug smile.
I put on a smile and nodded at them as I passed down the aisle toward where Mason was waving at me. As I did, I also walked by Dimitri and Tasha sitting together. I pointedly ignored them. "Hey," I said sliding into the seat beside Mason. He smiled at me. "Hey. You ready for the ski challenge?" "As ready as I'll ever be." "Don't worry," he said. "I'll go easy on you." I scoffed and leaned my head back against the seat. "You're so delusional." "Sane guys are boring." To my surprise, he slid his hand over mine.
Abe and Dimitri both glared at him.
His skin was warm, and I felt my own skin tingle where he touched me. It startled me. I'd convinced myself Dimitri was the only one I'd ever respond to again. It's time to move on, I thought. Dimitri obviously has.
Dimitri shook his head sadly as Ivan glared at him. Mason was just smiling happily that Rose was finally giving him a chance.
You should have done it a long time ago. I laced my fingers with Mason's, catching him off guard. "I do. This is going to be fun." And it was. I tried to keep reminding myself that we were here because of a tragedy, that there were Strigoi and humans out there who might strike again. No one else seemed to remember that, though, and I admit, I was having a difficult time myself.
"Well most of them are teenagers so it's natural for them to behave that way," Alberta said remembering back to when she had been their age.
"And Rose had been the only one to see the slaughter," Dimitri added.
The resort was gorgeous. It was built to sort of look like a log cabin, but no pioneer cabin could have held hundreds of people or had such luxury accommodations. Three stories of gleaming, golden-colored wood sat among lofty pine trees. The windows were tall and gracefully arched, tinted for Moroi convenience. Crystal lanterns -electric, but shaped to look like torches-hung around all the entrances, giving the entire building a glittering, almost bejeweled look. Mountains -which my enhanced eyes could just barely make out in the night-surrounded us, and I bet the view would have been breathtaking when it was light out. One side of the grounds led off to the skiing area, complete with steep hills and moguls, as well as lifts and tow ropes. Another side of the lodge had an ice rink, which delighted me since I'd missed out that one day by the cabin. Near that, smooth hills were reserved for sledding.
"That sounds so beautiful," Victoria nodded.
"It really is," Adrian smiled, his family enjoyed vacationing there so he had seen the resort many times.
And that was just the outside. Inside, all sorts of arrangements had been made to cater to Moroi needs. Feeders stayed on hand, ready to serve twenty-four hours a day. The slopes ran on a nocturnal schedule. Wards and guardians circled the entire place. Everything a living vampire could want.
Tatiana smiled proudly.
The main lobby had a cathedral ceiling and an enormous chandelier hanging over it. Its floor was intricately tiled marble, and the front desk stayed open around the clock, ready to indulge our every need. The rest of the lodge, hallways and lounges, had a red, black, and gold color scheme. The deep shade of red dominated over the other hues, and I wondered if its resemblance to blood was a coincidence.
"Probably not," Karolina Oksana shook her head.
Mirrors and art adorned the walls, and little ornamental tables had been placed here and there. They held vases of pale green, purple-spotted orchids that filled the air with a spicy scent. The room I shared with Lissa
Christian pouted at that.
"Wait did you really think your school would allow boy and girls to room together," Adrian chuckled shaking his head.
"One could hope," was all Christian said.
was bigger than our dorm rooms put together and had the same rich colors as the rest of the lodge. The carpet was so plush and deep that I immediately shed my shoes at the door and walked in barefoot, luxuriating in the way my feet sank into that softness.
"That does sound nice," Paul nodded.
We had king-size beds, covered in feather duvets and set with so many pillows that I swore a person could get lost in them all and never be seen again. French doors opened on to a spacious balcony, which, considering we were on the top floor, would have been cool if not for the fact it was freezing outside. I suspected the two-person hot tub on the far end would go a long way to make up for the cold.
Christian smiled while Tatiana just glared at him.
"Oh, one could only hope," Adrian chuckled shaking his head.
Drowning in so much luxury, I reached an overload point where the rest of the accommodations started swimming together. The jetted marble bathtub. The plasma-screen TV. The basket of chocolate and other snacks. When we finally decided to go skiing, I had to practically drag myself from the room.
"I wouldn't leave that room," Victoria shook her head.
I could probably have spent the rest of my vacation lounging in there and been perfectly content. But we finally ventured outside, and once I managed to push Dimitri and my mother out of my head, I started to enjoy myself. It helped that the lodge was so enormous; there was little chance of running into them.
"With her luck I doubt it," Mason shook his head.
For the first time in weeks, I was able to finally focus on Mason and realize just how much fun he was.
"That feels like an insult," Mason looked at the book questioningly.
I also got to hang out with Lissa more than I had in a while, which put me in an even better mood. With Lissa, Christian, Mason, and me, we were able to get kind of a double-date thing going. The four of us spent almost all of the first day skiing, though the two Moroi had a bit of trouble keeping up. Considering what Mason and I went through in our classes, he and I weren't afraid to try daring stunts.
"Please don't let her break anything," Janine and Alberta hoped at the same time, while Abe was eager to see what stunts Rose would pull.
Our competitive natures made us eager to go out of our way to outdo each other. "You guys are suicidal," remarked Christian at one point. It was dark outside, and tall light posts illuminated his bemused face. He and Lissa had been waiting at the bottom of the mogul hill, watching Mason and me come down. We'd been moving at insane speeds. The part of me that had been trying to learn control and wisdom from Dimitri knew it was dangerous, but the rest of me liked embracing that recklessness.
"This should be fun to see," Adrian smirked, while Janie and Alberta were just praying that Rose wouldn't get more hurt. Olena and her girls wondered what Rose would do.
That dark streak of rebelliousness still hadn't let me go. Mason grinned as we skidded to a halt, sending up a spray of snow. "Nah, this is just a warm-up. I mean, Rose has been able to keep up with me the whole time. Kid stuff." Lissa shook her head. "Aren't you guys taking this too far?" Mason and I looked at each other.
"Yes," Alberta and Janine said at the same time,
"No," Abe and Mason shook their heads.
"She wouldn't do anything too dangerous right?" Dimitri asked looking at Mark,
"Given from what we have seen in the last 2 chapters and from what you have told us, yes she most certainly would do something dangerous," Mark said worriedly.
"No." She shook her head. "Well, we're going inside. Try not to kill yourselves." She and Christian left, arm and arm. I watched them go, then turned back to Mason. "I'm good for a while longer. You?" "Absolutely." We took a lift back up to the top of the hill. When we were just about to head down, Mason pointed. "Okay, how about this? Hit those moguls there, then jump over that ridge, swing back with a hairpin turn, dodge those trees, and land there." I followed his finger as he pointed out a jagged path down one of the biggest slopes.
Eddie hit Mason over the head.
"You are crazy," Eddie shook his head not understanding his friend. Oksana, Janine, Alberta and Olena were shaking their heads hopping that Rose would back down. While Abe sat forward eager to see if Rose would take the bait.
I frowned. "That one really is insane, Mase." "Ah," he said triumphantly. "She finally cracks." I glowered. "She does not." After another survey of his crazy route, I conceded. "Okay. Let's do it." He gestured. "You first."
That earned Mason a glare from Janine, Alberta, Oksana and Olena. Dimitri sat frozen in fear, some part of him knew that Rose would be fine but another part of him knew that she could easily get hurt.
I took a deep breath and leapt off. My skis slid smoothly over the snow, and piercing wind blasted into my face. I made the first jump neatly and precisely, but as the next part of the course sped forward, I realized just how dangerous it really was. In that split second, I had a decision to make. If I didn't do it, I'd never hear the end of it from Mason -and I really wanted to show him up. If I did manage it, I could feel pretty secure about my awesomeness. But if I tried and messed up ... I could break my neck.
"Then don't do it, no amount of awesomeness is worth a broken neck," Abe shook his head before glaring at Mason who had gone pale.
Somewhere in my head, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Dimitri's started talking about wise choices and learning when to show restraint. I decided to ignore that voice and went for it. This course was as hard as I'd feared, but I pulled it off flawlessly, one insane move after another. Snow flew up around me as I made each sharp, dangerous turn. When I safely reached bottom, I looked up and saw Mason gesturing wildly.
Everyone relaxed into their seats, they were happy that Rose was fine. Now they just hoped that Mason wouldn't be a reckless as she was.
I couldn't make out his expression or words, but I could imagine his cheers. I waved back and waited for him to follow suit. But he didn't. Because when Mason got halfway down, he wasn't able to pull off one of the jumps.
Eddie and Mason looked at the book worriedly.
His skis caught, and his legs twisted. Down he went. I reached him at about the same time some of the resort staff did. To everyone's relief, Mason hadn't broken his neck or anything else. His ankle did appear to have a nasty sprain, however, which was probably going to limit his skiing for the rest of the trip.
Que slap. Mason rubbed his head as Eddie glared at him shaking his head.
One of the instructors monitoring the slopes ran forward, fury all over her face. "What were you kids thinking?" she exclaimed. She turned on me. "I couldn't believe it when you did those stupid stunts!" Her glare fixed on Mason next. "And then you had to go ahead and copy her!" I wanted to argue that it had all been his idea, but blame didn't matter at this point. I was just glad he was all right.
"That's what important," Mason pointed out.
"Young man, just don't" Alberta shook her head, wondering if she would have to add another class for the dhampirs: how to be responsible 101.
But as we all went inside, guilt began to gnaw at me. I had acted irresponsibly. What if he'd been seriously injured? Horrible visions danced through my mind. Mason with a broken leg ... a broken neck... What had I been thinking? No one had made me do that course. Mason had suggested it... but I hadn't fought back. Goodness knew I probably could have.
"Well she is right, not let's just hope she learned her lesson," Janine said, happy that her child was safe on the ground. Abe was smiling ear to ear, proud of what his daughter had done.
I might have had to endure some mockery, but Mason was crazy enough about me that feminine wiles probably would have stopped this madness. I'd gotten caught up in the excitement and the risk -much as I had in kissing Dimitri-not giving enough thought to the consequences because secretly, inside of me, that impulsive desire to be wild still lurked.
"That sounds more ominous than I think she really meant," Adrian rolled his eyes.
Mason had it too, and his called to me. That mental Dimitri voice chastised me once more.
"Well at least your lessons are looking out for her," Ivan said looking at Dimitri who still looked worried.
After Mason was safely returned to the lodge and had ice on his ankle, I carried our equipment back outside toward the storage buildings. When I went back inside, I went through a different doorway than I normally used. This entrance was set behind a huge, open porch with an ornate wooden railing.
Adrian smiled he knew of the place Rose was describing, he normally took a smock break there.
The porch was built into the side of the mountain and had a breathtaking view of the other peaks and valleys around us - if you felt like standing around long enough in freezing temperatures to admire it. Which most people didn't. I walked up the steps to the porch, stomping snow off my boots as I did. A thick scent, both spicy and sweet, hung in the air.
Adrian smiled oh how he is wishing that this would be his introduction into the books.
Something about it felt familiar, but before I could identify it, a voice suddenly spoke to me out of the shadows. "Hey, little dhampir." Startled, I realized someone was indeed standing on the porch. A guy -a Moroi-leaned against the wall not far from the door. He brought a cigarette up to his mouth, took a long drag, and then dropped it to the floor. He stamped the butt out and crooked me a smile.
Abe, Ivan and Dimitri glared at the book.
That was the scent, I realized. Clove cigarettes. Warily, I stopped and crossed my arms as I took him in. He was a little shorter than Dimitri but wasn't as lanky as some Moroi guys ended up looking. A long, charcoal coat -probably made out of some insanely expensive cashmere-wool blend-fit his body exceptionally well, and the leather dress shoes he wore indicated more money still. He had brown hair that looked like it had been purposely styled to appear a little unkempt, and his eyes were either blue or green-I didn't have quite enough light to know for sure. His face was cute,
Adrian smirked. Tatiana looked at the book then at her nephew, she hopes it was not him being described.
I supposed, and I pegged him to be a couple years older than me. He looked like he'd just come from a dinner party. "Yeah?" I asked. His eyes swept over my body. I was used to attention from Moroi guys. It just usually wasn't so obvious. And I usually wasn't bundled up in winter clothing and sporting a black eye. He shrugged. "Just saying hi, that's all." I waited for more, but all he did was stuff his hands into the coat's pockets.
"Oh he's a charmer," Karolina rolled her eyes.
With a shrug of my own, I took a couple steps forward. "You smell good, you know," he suddenly said.
"What the hell," Abe and Ivan asked at the same time.
"Oh Rose is gonna kick his ass," Christian shook his head.
I stopped walking again and gave him a puzzled look, which only made his sly smile grow a little bigger. "I... um, what?" "You smell good," he repeated. "Are you joking? I've been sweating all day. I'm disgusting." I wanted to walk away, but there was something eerily compelling about this guy. Like a train wreck.
"Well, that's rude," Adrian tsked.
I didn't find him attractive per se; I was just suddenly interested in talking to him.
Adrian pouted, but the book hid it from everyone else.
"Sweat isn't a bad thing," he said, leaning his head against the wall and looking upward thoughtfully. "Some of the best things in life happen while sweating.
"Well, he's not wrong," Sonja rubbed her neck nervously.
Yeah, if you get too much of it and it gets old and stale, it turns pretty gross. But on a beautiful woman? Intoxicating. If you could smell things like a vampire does, you'd know what I'm talking about. Most people mess it all up and drown themselves in perfume. Perfume can be good...especially if you get one that goes with your chemistry. But you only need a hint. Mix about 20 percent of that with 80 percent of your own perspiration...mmm."
"Hate to say it but he's right," Abe said looking at Janine, Christian nodded reluctantly.
"Right or wrong you don't tell a girl that the way he is saying it," Ivan shook his head wondering who this idiot was.
He tilted his head to the side and looked at me. "Dead sexy." I suddenly remembered Dimitri and his aftershave. Yeah. That had been dead sexy, but I certainly wasn't going to tell this guy about it.
"No, tell him that, perhaps he will back off," Abe said glaring at the book. He was not enjoying this, just when it seemed that one of Rose's suitor had gone a new one pops up and this one could get her pregnant.
"Well, thanks for the hygiene lesson," I said. "But I don't own any perfume, and I'm going to go shower all this hot sweaty action off me. Sorry." He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered it to me. He moved only a step closer, but it was enough for me to smell something else on him. Alcohol.
Tatiana glared at Adrian, she was sure that this was him. And oh boy she was not happy, she had plans for Adrian and Lissa to get together but here Adrian was wasting time with Rose Hathaway. She hoped this was just one of his quick flings because if it is not, she would not know what to do.
I shook my head at the cigarettes, and he tapped one out for himself. "Bad habit," I said, watching him light it. "One of many," he replied. He inhaled deeply. "You here with St. Vlad's?" "Yup." "So you're going to be a guardian when you grow up."
"No, she's gonna be a circus performer." Mason rolled his eyes, "Why is it so hard for people to accept it that Rose would be a guardian,"
"Obviously." He exhaled smoke, and I watched it drift away into the night. Heightened vampire senses or no, it was a wonder he could smell anything around those cloves. "How long until you grow up?" he asked. "I might need a guardian."
"Yeah that is not happening buddy," Abe and Dimitri shook their heads.
"I graduate in the spring. But I'm already spoken for. Sorry." Surprise flickered in his eyes. "Yeah? Who is he?" "She's Vasilisa Dragomir." "Ah." His face split into a huge grin. "I knew you were trouble as soon as I saw you. You're Janine Hathaway's daughter." "I'm Rose Hathaway," I corrected, not wanting to be defined by my mother.
"Well she is her own person," Janine smiled, Abe just nodded.
"Nice to meet you, Rose Hathaway." He extended a gloved hand to me that I hesitantly took. "Adrian Ivashkov."
Well let's just say Adrian got a few glares, but he wasn't worried. He was just please that he had been interestingly introduced in the books.
"And you think I'm trouble," I muttered. The Ivashkovs were a royal family, one of the wealthiest and most powerful. They were the kind of people who thought they could get anything they wanted and walked over those in their way.
"Which they do," Olena shook her head glaring at Adrian and then the queen.
No wonder he was so arrogant. He laughed. He had a nice laugh, rich and almost melodious. It made me think of warm caramel, dripping from a spoon.
Abe, Ivan and Dimitri looked at the book shocked. They didn't like this one bit.
"Handy, huh? Each of our reputations precedes us." I shook my head. "You don't know anything about me. And I only know of your family. I don't know anything about you." "Want to?" he asked tauntingly. "Sorry. I'm not into older guys."
"Well that is a lie," Eddie shook his head.
"I'm twenty-one. Not that much older." "I have a boyfriend." It was a small lie. Mason certainly wasn't my boyfriend yet, but I hoped Adrian would leave me alone if he thought I was taken.
"Not likely," Adrian smirked.
"Funny you didn't mention that right away," Adrian mused. "He didn't give you that black eye, did he?" I felt myself blushing, even in the cold. I'd been hoping he wouldn't notice the eye, which was stupid. With his vampire eyes, he'd probably noticed as soon as I stepped onto the porch. "He wouldn't be alive if he did.
"Agreed," Everyone nodded.
I got it during ... practice. I mean, I'm training to be a guardian. Our classes are always rough." "That's pretty hot," he said.
"What is wrong with you," Ivan asked looking at Adrian.
"I was not talking about the punch," Adrian rolled his eyes.
He dropped this second cigarette to the ground and put it out with his foot. "Punching me in the eye?" "Well, no. Of course not.
"See," Adrian pointed out.
I meant that the idea of getting rough with you is hot. I'm a big fan of full-contact sports."
"Oh we all know that," Alberta shook her head
"I'm sure you are," I said dryly. He was arrogant and presumptuous, yet I still couldn't quite force myself to leave.
"She likes me," Adrian smiled happily. Abe and Dimitri just glared at him, Ivan was still trying to figure out what was wrong with Adrian.
The sound of footsteps behind me made me turn. Mia came around the path and walked up the steps. When she saw us, she stopped suddenly. "Hey, Mia." She glanced between the two of us. "Another guy?" she asked. From her tone, you would have thought I had my own harem of men.
"More of the other way around," Janine shook her head, wondering when Mia was going to go away.
Adrian gave me a questioning, amused look. I gritted my teeth and decided not to dignify that with a response. I opted for uncharacteristic politeness. "Mia, this is Adrian Ivashkov." Adrian turned on the same charm he'd used on me. He shook her hand. "Always a pleasure to meet a friend of Rose's, especially a pretty one." He spoke like he and I had known each other since childhood.
"Please hit him now," Mason begged.
"We aren't friends," I said. So much for politeness. "Rose only hangs out with guys and psychopaths," said Mia. Her voice carried the usual scorn she harbored for me, but there was a look on her face that showed Adrian had clearly caught her interest. "Well," he said cheerfully, "since I'm both a psychopath and a guy, that would explain why we're such good friends."
Adrian smiled,
"You two aren't friends," Eddie shook his head.
"You and I aren't friends either," I told him. He laughed. "Always playing hard to get, huh?"
"That is not playing hard to get," Ivan said unimpressed.
"She's not that hard to get," said Mia, clearly upset that Adrian was paying more attention to me. "Just ask half the guys at our school." "Yeah," I retorted, "and you can ask the other half about Mia. If you can do a favor for her, she'll do lots of favors for you."
"Go Rose," Mason cheered.
When she'd declared war on Lissa and me, Mia had managed to get a couple of guys to tell everyone at school that I'd done some pretty awful things with them. The ironic thing was that she'd gotten them to lie for her by sleeping with them herself. A flicker of embarrassment passed over her face, but she held her ground. "Well," she said, "at least I don't do them for free." Adrian made some cat noises.
"Oh, you're so enjoying this," Sonja shook her head, wondering what guys found so entertained when two girls fought.
"Are you done?" I asked. "It's past your bedtime, and the grown-ups would like to talk now." Mia's youthful looks were a sore point with her, one I frequently enjoyed exploiting. "Sure," she said crisply. Her cheeks turned pink, intensifying her porcelain-doll appearance. "I have better things to do anyway." She turned toward the door, then paused with her hand resting on it. She glanced toward Adrian. "Her mom gave her that black eye, you know." She went inside.
"Bitch," Eddie shook his head.
The fancy glass doors swung shut behind her. Adrian and I stood there in silence. Finally, he took out the cigarettes again and lit another. "Your mom?" "Shut up." "You're one of those people who either has soul mates or mortal enemies, aren't you? No in-between. You and Vasilisa are probably like sisters, huh?"
"Right on," Yeva smiled impressed
"I guess." "How is she?"
"Why do you want to know," Christian asked looking sceptically at Adrian.
"Huh? What do you mean?" He shrugged, and if I didn't know better, I'd have said he was overdoing casualness. "I don't know. I mean, I know you guys ran away...and there was that stuff with her family and Victor Dashkov..." I stiffened at the reference to Victor. "So?" "Dunno. Just figured it might be a lot for her to, you know, handle."
Tatianna smiled, happy that Adrian was interested in Lissa's wellbeing.
I studied him carefully, wondering what he was getting at. There had been a brief leak about Lissa's fragile mental health, but it had been well-contained. Most people had forgotten about it or assumed it was a lie. "I've got to go." I decided avoidance was the best tactic just now. "Are you sure?" He sounded only mildly disappointed. Mostly he seemed as cocky and amused as before. Something about him still intrigued me, but whatever it was, it wasn't enough to combat everything else I was feeling, or to risk discussing Lissa.
"Thank you, Rose," Christian said, happy that Rose didn't discuss Lissa with Adrian.
"I thought it was time for the grown-ups to talk. Lots of grown-up things I'd like to talk about."
"You really want to die," Abe said shaking his head at Adrian who just smiled innocently.
"It's late, I'm tired, and your cigarettes are giving me a headache," I growled. "I suppose that's fair." He drew in on the cigarette and let out the smoke. "Some women think they make me look sexy." "I think you smoke them so you have something to do while thinking up your next witty line."
Everyone laughed at that.
He choked on the smoke, caught between inhaling and laughing. "Rose Hathaway, I can't wait to see you again. If you're this charming while tired and annoyed and this gorgeous while bruised and in ski clothes, you must be devastating at your peak."
"She is," Eddie and Mason nodded without thinking.
"Nope I like Dimitri more," Abe shook his head.
"If by 'devastating' you mean that you should fear for your life, then yeah. You're right." I jerked open the door. "Good night, Adrian." "I'll see you soon."
"Oh she has no idea," Adrian smiled, Oksana looked at him questioningly.
"Not likely. I told you, I'm not into older guys." I walked into the lodge. As the door closed, I just barely heard him call behind me, "Sure, you aren't."
"And done. Who's next? Adrian held up the book.
~~~~
I'll read next," Sonja said when no one said anything. Adrian passed the book over to her.
Eleven
LISSA WAS UP AND GONE before I even stirred the next morning, which meant I had the bathroom to myself while I got ready for the day. I loved that bathroom. It was enormous. My king-size bed would have fit comfortably inside it. A scalding shower with three different nozzles woke me up, though my muscles ached from yesterday. As I stood in front of the full-length mirror and combed my hair, I saw with some disappointment that the bruise was still there.
"It wasn't just going to disappear overnight," Oksana shook her head.
"But it is healing rather quickly," Alberta commented.
It was significantly lighter, however, and had turned yellowish. Some concealer and powder almost entirely covered it up. I headed downstairs in search of food. The dining room was just shutting down breakfast, but one of the waitresses gave me a couple of peach marzipan scones to go. Munching on one as I walked, I expanded my senses to get a feel for where Lissa was. After a couple of moments, I sensed her on the other side of the lodge, away from the student rooms.
"What would she be doing there?" Mason asked shaking his head.
I followed the trail until I arrived at a room on the third floor. I knocked. Christian opened the door.
"Tasha," Ivan glared at the book.
"Sleeping Beauty arrives. Welcome." He ushered me inside. Lissa sat cross-legged on the room's bed and smiled when she saw me. The room was as sumptuous as mine, but most of the furniture had been shoved aside to make space, and in that open area, Tasha stood.
"What is going on?" Tatiana asked looking at Christian who looked intrigued.
"Good morning," she said. "Hey," I said. So much for avoiding her. Lissa patted a spot beside her. "You've got to see this." "What's going on?" I sat down on the bed and finished the last of the scone. "Bad things," she said mischievously.
"Not good," Tatiana shook her head, while everyone else sat forward eager to see.
"You'll approve." Christian walked over to the empty space and faced Tasha. They regarded each other, forgetting about Lissa and me. I'd apparently interrupted something. "So why can't I just stick with the consuming spell?" asked Christian. "Because it uses a lot of energy," she told him. Even with jeans and a ponytail -and the scar-she managed to look ridiculously cute. "Plus, it'll most likely kill your opponent." He scoffed.
Tatiana glared at Christian who smiled mischievously.
"Why wouldn't I want to kill a Strigoi?" "You might not always be fighting one. Or maybe you need information from them. Regardless, you should be prepared either way."
"Why would he be doing anything other than fighting a strigoi? He shouldn't be fighting a strigoi in the first place," Tatiana glared at the book.
"With what the books are showing, he will need it," Dimitri said thinking about the attack that happened at the beginning of the book.
They were practicing offensive magic, I realized. Excitement and interest replaced the sullenness I'd acquired upon seeing Tasha. Lissa hadn't been kidding about them doing "bad things." I'd always suspected they were practicing offensive magic, but... wow. Thinking about it and actually seeing it were two very different things. Using magic as a weapon was forbidden.
Christian glared at Tatiana.
A punishable offense. A student experimenting with it might be forgiven and simply disciplined, but for an adult to actively be teaching a minor...yeah. That could get Tasha in major trouble. For half a second, I toyed with the idea of turning her in.
Ivan nodded liking that idea, while Christian and Dimitri looked betrayed at the idea.
Immediately, I dismissed the notion. I might hate her for making moves on Dimitri, but part of me sort of believed in what she and Christian were doing. Plus, it was just cool.
Tatiana shook her head while Christian looked excited at the idea of learning offensive magic.
"A distracting spell is almost as useful," she continued. Her blue eyes took on the intense focus I often saw Moroi get while using magic. Her wrist flicked forward, and a streak of fire snaked past Christian's face. It didn't touch him, but from the way he flinched, I suspected it had been close enough for him to feel the heat.
"That sounds so cool," Christian and Eddie said at the same time.
"Try it," she told him. Christian hesitated for only a moment and then made the same hand motion she had. Fire streaked out, but it had none of the finely tuned control hers had had. He also didn't have her aim. It went straight for her face, but before it could touch her, it parted and split around her, almost like it had hit an invisible shield. She'd deflected it with her own magic.
Christian winced but looked pleased that he had been able to do it.
"Not bad -aside from the fact you would have burned my face off." Even I wouldn't want her face burned off. But her hair...ah, yes.
Everyone chuckled at that.
We'd see how pretty she was without that raven-black mane. She and Christian practiced a while longer. He improved as time went by, though he clearly had a ways to go before he had Tasha's skill. My interest grew and grew as they went on, and I found myself pondering all the possibilities this kind of magic could offer.
"Not good," Alberta said looking at Christian worriedly, she didn't want to be present the day Rose and Christian became friends and teamed up.
"Well that most certainly would be an interesting team up," Janine nodded.
They wrapped up their lesson when Tasha said she had to go. Christian sighed, clearly frustrated that he hadn't been able to master the spell in an hour. His competitive nature was almost as strong as mine.
Alberta shook her head, it was rather concerning how similar Christian and Rose were.
"I still think it'd be easier to just burn them entirely," he argued. Tasha smiled as she brushed her hair into a tighter ponytail. Yeah. She could definitely do without that hair, particularly since I knew how much Dimitri liked long hair.
"Oh I love how her minds works," Ivan chuckled, Yeva smiled nodded feeling proud of Rose. Abe smiled happy that his daughter was so similar to him.
"Easier because it involves less focus. It's sloppy. Your magic will be stronger in the long run if you can learn this. And, like I said, it has its uses." I didn't want to agree with her, but I couldn't help it. "It could be really useful if you were fighting with a guardian,"
"No," Tatiana shook her head
"Yes," almost everyone else said at the same time.
I said excitedly. "Especially if completely burning a Strigoi takes so much energy. This way, you use just a quick burst of your strength to distract the Strigoi. And it will distract one since they hate fire so much. Then that's all the time a guardian would need to stake them. You could take down a whole bunch of Strigoi that way."
"Too bad Rose is going to be Lissa's guardian. The two of you would have made a dangerous combination," Alberta said looking at Christian, who just nodded. He was fond of the plan Rose had come up with in the book.
Tasha grinned at me. Some Moroi -like Lissa and Adrian- smiled without showing their teeth. Tasha always showed hers, including the fangs.
Ivan glared at the book.
"Exactly. You and I'll have to go Strigoi hunting someday," she teased.
"Hell No!" Abe and Janine said at the same time, Dimitri agreed with them.
"I don't think so," I replied. The words in and of themselves weren't that bad, but the tone I used to deliver them certainly was. Cold. Unfriendly. Tasha looked momentarily surprised at my abrupt change in attitude but shrugged it off. Shock from Lissa traveled to me through the bond.
"How long is it going to take Lissa to ask Rose what is going on?" Eddie asked
"Till Tasha is gone," Mason thought about before answering.
Tasha didn't seem bothered, however. She chatted with us a bit longer and made plans to see Christian for dinner. Lissa gave me a sharp look as she, Christian, and I walked down the elaborate spiral staircase leading back down to the lobby. "What was that about?" she asked.
"Told you," Mason smirked.
"What was what about?" I asked innocently. "Rose," she said meaningfully. It was hard to play dumb when your friend knew you could read her mind. I knew exactly what she was talking about. "You being a bitch to Tasha." "I wasn't that much of a bitch."
"Oh, she definitely was," Christian shook his head,
"You were rude," she exclaimed, stepping out of the way of a bunch of Moroi children who came tearing through the lobby. They were bundled up in parkas, and a weary-looking Moroi ski instructor followed them. I put my hands on my hips. "Look, I'm just grumpy, okay? Didn't get much sleep. Besides, I'm not like you. I don't have to be polite all the time."
"Well, that is an understatement," Eddie shook his head thinking about all the times Rose had been rude.
As happened so often lately, I couldn't believe what I'd just said. Lissa stared at me, more astonished than hurt.
"She needs to find a way to get rid of a lot of that darkness," Mark said worriedly, he didn't want to see how much damage Rose could inflict if the darkness was controlling her.
Christian glowered, on the verge of snapping back at me, when Mason mercifully approached us. He hadn't needed a cast or anything, but he had a slight limp to his walk. "Hey there, Hop-Along," I said, sliding my hand into his.
"Well, Mason just saved you," Eddie smirked at Christian who in turn just glared at him.
Christian put his anger for me on hold and turned to Mason. "Is it true your suicidal moves finally caught up with you?" Mason's eyes were on me. "Is it true you were hanging out with Adrian Ivashkov?"
"How?" Abe and Janine asked shocked, while Eddie hit Mason over the head.
"Mia," Christian answered Janine and Abe.
"I -what?" "I heard you guys got drunk last night."
"I wish," Adrian said wishfully. Abe and Dimitri glared at him, both of them wanting to hit him.
"You did?" asked Lissa, startled. I looked between both their faces. "No, of course not! I barely know him." "But you do know him," pushed Mason. "Barely." "He's got a bad reputation," warned Lissa. "Yeah," said Christian. "He goes through a lot of girls."
Everyone nodded at that while Adrian just smirked.
I couldn't believe this. "Will you guys lay off? I talked to him for, like, five minutes! And that's only because he was blocking my way inside. Where are you getting all this?" Immediately, I answered my own question. "Mia." Mason nodded and had the grace to look embarrassed.
Mason got another hit for that, Eddie couldn't believe how much trouble Mason was making for himself.
"Since when do you talk to her?" I asked. "I just ran into her, that's all," he told me. "And you believed her? You know she lies half the time." "Yeah, but there's usually some truth in the lies. And you did talk to him."
Mason ducked in time, but the second hit didn't miss.
"Yes. Talk. That's it." I really had been trying to give some serious thought about dating Mason, so I didn't appreciate him not believing me. He had actually helped me unravel Mia's lies earlier in the school year, so I was surprised he'd be so paranoid about them now. Maybe if his feelings really had grown for me, he was more susceptible to jealousy.
"Definitely," all the girls nodded.
Surprisingly, it was Christian who came to the rescue and changed the subject. "I suppose there's no skiing today, huh?" He pointed to Mason's ankle, immediately triggering an indignant response. "What, you think this is going to slow me down?" asked Mason.
"Yes, it is," Alberta and Eddie said at the same time shaking their heads.
His anger diminished, replaced by that burning need to prove himself -the need he and I both shared. Lissa and Christian looked at him like he was crazy, but I knew nothing we said would stop him. "You guys want to come with us?" I asked Lissa and Christian. Lissa shook her head. "We can't. We have to go to this luncheon being hosted by the Contas." Christian groaned. "Well, you have to go."
"And by default, you too," Adrian smirked at Christian who looked horrified.
She elbowed him. "So do you. The invitation said I get to bring a guest. Besides, this is just a warm-up for the big one." "Which one is that?" asked Mason. "Priscilla Voda's huge dinner," sighed Christian. Seeing him look so pained made me smile. "The queen's best friend. All the snobbiest royals will be there, and I'll have to wear a suit."
"You can actually hear his pain," Mason and Eddie chuckled. Everyone but Tatiana felt bad for Christian, they could imagine how he felt.
Mason flashed me a grin. His earlier antagonism was gone. "Skiing's sounding better and better, huh? Less of a dress code." We left the Moroi behind and went outside. Mason couldn't compete with me in the same way he had yesterday; his movements were slow and awkward.
Mason tried, but he failed to dodge Eddie's hits this time around.
Still, he did remarkably well when one considered everything. The injury wasn't as bad as we'd feared, but he had the prudence to stick to extremely easy runs. The full moon hung in the blankness, a glowing sphere of silvery white. The electric lights overpowered most of its illumination on the ground, but here and there, in the shadows, the moon just barely managed to cast its glow. I wished it were bright enough to reveal the surrounding mountain range, but those peaks stayed shrouded in darkness. I'd forgotten to look at them when it was light out earlier. The runs were super simple for me, but I stayed with Mason and only occasionally teased him about how his remedial skiing was putting me to sleep.
"That was nice of her," Olena smiled feeling proud of Rose. Dimitri and Ivan were feeling the same, they just wished that Rose wasn't there with Mason.
Boring runs or no, it was just nice to be outside with my friends, and the activity stirred my blood enough to warm me against the chill air. The light posts lit up the snow, turning it into a vast sea of white, the flakes' crystals sparkling faintly. And if I managed to turn away and block the lights from my field of vision, I could look up and see the stars spilling over the sky. They stood out stark and crystalline in the clear, freezing air. We stayed out for most of the day again, but this time, I called it quits early, pretending to be tired so Mason could get a break.
"All I want to know is where did she get her kindness from," Karolina said looking at Janine and Abe who both were smiling proud of their daughter.
He might manage easy skiing with his tender ankle, but I could tell it was starting to hurt him. Mason and I headed back toward the lodge walking very close to each other, laughing about something we'd seen earlier. Suddenly, I saw a streak of white in my peripheral vision, and a snowball smashed into Mason's face.
"Snow fight!" Victoria, Mason, and Eddie yelled at the same time.
I immediately went on the defensive, jerking backward and peering around. Whoops and cries sounded from an area of the resort grounds that held storage sheds and was interspersed with looming pines. "Too slow, Ashford," someone called. "Doesn't pay to be in love." More laughs. Mason's best friend, Eddie Castile, and a few other novices from school materialized from behind a cluster of trees. Beyond them, I heard more shouts. "We'll still take you in, though, if you want to be on our team," said Eddie. "Even if you do dodge like a girl."
"I don't dodge like a girl," Mason glared at Eddie who was laughing.
"Team?" I asked excitedly. Back at the Academy, throwing snowballs was strictly prohibited.
"How cruel," Victoria said looking at Alberta who smiled and shook her head.
School officials were inexplicably afraid that we'd throw snowballs packed with glass shards or razor blades, though I had no clue how they thought we'd get a hold of that kind of stuff in the first place.
"With you kids anything is possible," Alberta said looking at Eddie and Mason, who agreed with her.
Not that a snowball fight was that rebellious, but after all the stress I'd been through recently, throwing objects at other people suddenly sounded like the best idea I'd heard in a while.
Everyone was happy that Rose was getting the chance to be a normal teen.
Mason and I dashed off with the others, the prospect of forbidden fighting giving him new energy and causing him to forget the pain in his ankle. We set to the fight with a die-hard zeal. The fight soon became a matter of nailing as many people as possible while dodging attacks from others. I was exceptional at both and furthered the immaturity by catcalling and shouting silly insults at my victims.
Everyone chuckled at that.
By the time someone noticed what we were doing and yelled at us, we were all laughing and covered with snow. Mason and I once again started back for the lodge, and our mood was so high, I knew the Adrian thing was long forgotten.
Adrian pouted while Mason was pleased. Eddie just shook his head, wishing his friends were a little smarter.
Indeed, Mason looked at me just before we went inside. "Sorry I, uh, jumped all over you about Adrian earlier." I squeezed his hand. "It's okay. I know Mia can tell some pretty convincing stories." "Yeah...but even if you were with him...it's not like I have any right..." I stared at him, surprised to see his usual brash countenance turn shy. "Don't you?" I asked.
Mason smiled brightly. Abe, Adrian and Dimitri just glared at him.
A smile turned up his lips. "Do I?" Smiling back, I stepped forward and kissed him. His lips felt amazingly warm in the freezing air. It wasn't like the earth-shattering kiss I'd had with Dimitri before the trip,
Eddie patted Mason's back, while Dimitri felt pleased.
but it was sweet and nice -a friendly sort of kiss that maybe could turn into more. At least, that was how I saw it. From the look on Mason's face, it appeared his whole world had been rocked. "Wow," he said, eyes wide. The moonlight made his eyes look silvery blue. "You see?" I said. "Nothing to worry about. Not Adrian, not anybody."
"Well that is a lie," Adrian and Ivan said at the same time, Mason just glared at them.
We kissed again -a bit longer this time-before finally dragging ourselves apart. Mason was clearly in a better mood, as well as he should have been, and I dropped into bed with a smile on my face. I wasn't technically sure if Mason and I were a couple now, but we were very close to it.
Mason pouted at that.
But when I slept, I dreamed about Adrian Ivashkov.
Adrian smirked and looked excited while Abe, Dimitri, Ivan and Mason was glaring at Adrian.
I stood with him on the porch again, only it was summer. The air was balmy and warm, and the sun hung bright in the sky, coating everything in golden light. I hadn't been in this much sun since living among humans. All around, the mountains and valleys were green and alive. Birds sang everywhere.
"That sounds really beautiful," Oksana smiled.
Adrian leaned against the porch's railing, glanced over, and did a double-take when he saw me. "Oh. Didn't expect to see you here." He smiled.
"What?' Everyone asked looking at Adrian.
"The book will explain, I'm sure," Adrian said after a few moments.
"I was right. You are devastating when you're cleaned up." Instinctively, I touched the skin around my eye. "It's gone," he said. Even without being able to see it, I somehow knew he was right. "You aren't smoking."
"Bad Habit," Adrian and Tatiana said at the same time.
"Bad habit," he said. He nodded toward me. "You scared? You're wearing a lot of protection." I frowned, then looked down. I hadn't noticed my clothing. I wore a pair of embroidered jeans I'd seen once but had been unable to afford. My T-shirt was cropped, showing off my stomach, and I wore a belly-button ring. I'd always wanted to get my belly button pierced but had never been able to afford it. The charm I now wore here was a little silver dangly one, and hanging at the end of it was that weird blue eye pendant my mom had given me. Lissa's chotki was wound around my wrist.
Mason was drooling at the image he saw in his minds, while Abe was not pleased at all. Adrian had a big smirk and poor Dimitri. His mind had simply stopped working, he had always had a good imagination and now he didn't know if it was a curse or a blessing.
I looked back up at Adrian, studying the way the sun shone off his brown hair. Here, in full daylight, I could see that his eyes were indeed green -a deep emerald as opposed to Lissa's pale jade. Something startling suddenly occurred to me. "Doesn't all this sun bother you?" He gave a lazy shrug. "Nah. It's my dream." "No, it's my dream." "Are you sure?"
"You're a spirit user?" Oksana said looking at Adrian questioningly. He nodded with a smile.
"Get out of her dream," Abe and Dimitri yelled at the same time. Mason was still lost in his own head, so he was unaware of what was going on.
His smile returned. I felt confused. "I... I don't know." He chuckled, but a moment later, the laugher faded. For the first time since I'd met him, he looked serious. "Why do you have so much darkness around you?" I frowned. "What?" "You're surrounded in blackness." His eyes studied me shrewdly, but not in a checking-me-out sort of way. "I've never seen anyone like you. Shadows everywhere. I never would have guessed it. Even while you're standing here, the shadows keep growing."
"That's because she's shadow kissed," Mark explained.
I looked down at my hands but saw nothing out of the ordinary. I glanced back up. "I'm shadow kissed..." "What's that mean?" "I died once." I'd never talked to anyone other than Lissa and Victor Dashkov about that, but this was a dream. It didn't matter. "And I came back." Wonder lit his face.
"I really don't like you," Abe and Dimitri said at the same time. Adrian just smiled at the two.
"Ah, interesting..." I woke up. Someone was shaking me. It was Lissa. Her feelings hit me so hard through the bond that I briefly snapped into her mind and found myself looking at me. "Weird" didn't begin to cover it.
"Yeah that is not fun," Mark shook his head.
I pulled back into myself, trying to sift through the terror and alarm coming from her. "What's wrong?" "There's been another Strigoi attack."
"What!" Everyone said at the same time. Sonja closed the book and held it up.