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was pulled back into a ponytail, completely exposing her scars in a way I suspected was<br />
intentional. Her face was bold and defiant. Beautiful.<br />
"Those women aren't here, Monica, because they're too busy raising their children—you know,<br />
the ones you want to start sending out to the fronts as soon as they can walk. And please don't<br />
insult us all by acting like the Moroi do a huge favor to the dhampirs by helping them<br />
reproduce. Maybe it's different in your family, but for the rest of us, sex is fun. The Moroi<br />
doing it with dhampirs aren't really making that big of a sacrifice."<br />
Dimitri had straightened up now, his expression no longer angry. Probably he was excited that<br />
his new girlfriend had mentioned sex. Irritation shot through me, and I hoped that if I had a<br />
homicidal look on my face, people would assume it was for Strigoi and not the woman<br />
currently addressing us.<br />
Beyond Dimitri, I suddenly noticed Mia sitting by herself, farther down the row. I hadn't<br />
realized she was here. She was slumped in her seat. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her face paler<br />
than usual. A funny ache burned in my chest, one I'd never expected her to bring about.<br />
"And the reason we're waiting for these guardians to turn eighteen is so that we can allow them<br />
to enjoy some pretense of a life before forcing them to spend the rest of their days in constant<br />
danger. They need those extra years to develop mentally as well as physically. Pull them out<br />
before they're ready, treat them like they're parts on an assembly line—and you're just creating<br />
Strigoi fodder."<br />
A few people gasped at Tasha's callous choice of words, but she succeeded in getting<br />
everyone's attention.<br />
"You create more fodder still if you try making the other dhampir women become guardians.<br />
You can't force them into that life if they don't want it. This entire plan of yours to get more<br />
guardians relies on throwing children and the unwilling into harm's way, just so you can—<br />
barely—stay one step ahead of the enemy. I would have said it's the stupidest plan I've ever<br />
heard, if I hadn't already had to listen to his."<br />
She pointed at the first speaker, the one who had wanted Moroi compounds. Embarrassment<br />
clouded his features.
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