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NINE<br />
I DIDN'T SEE DIMITRI FOR a while after that. He'd sent a message later that day saying that<br />
he thought we should cancel our next two sessions because of the rapidly approaching plans to<br />
leave campus. Classes were about to end anyway, he said; taking a break from practice seemed<br />
like the reasonable thing.<br />
It was a lame excuse, and I knew that wasn't the reason he was canceling. If he wanted to avoid<br />
me, I would have preferred he made up something about how he and the other guardians had to<br />
up Moroi security or practice top-secret ninja moves.<br />
Regardless of his story, I knew he was avoiding me because of the kiss. That damned kiss. I<br />
didn't regret it, not exactly. God only knew how much I'd been wanting to kiss him. But I'd<br />
done it for the wrong reasons. I'd done it because I was upset and frustrated and had simply<br />
wanted to prove that I could. I was so tired of doing the right thing, the smart thing. I was trying<br />
to be more in control lately, but I seemed to be slipping.<br />
I hadn't forgotten the warning that he'd once given me— that us being together wasn't just about<br />
age. It would interfere with our jobs. Pushing him into the kiss…well, I'd fanned the flames of a<br />
problem that could eventually hurt Lissa. I shouldn't have done it. Yesterday, I'd been unable to<br />
stop myself. Today I could see more clearly and couldn't believe what I'd done.<br />
Mason met me on Christmas morning, and we went to go hang out with the others. It provided<br />
a good opportunity to push Dimitri out of my head. I liked Mason—a lot. And it wasn't like I<br />
had to run off and marry him. Like Lissa had said, it would be healthy for me to just date<br />
someone again.<br />
Tasha was hosting our Christmas brunch in an elegant parlor in the Academy's guest quarters.<br />
Lots of group activities and parties were occurring throughout the school, but I'd quickly<br />
noticed that Tasha's presence always created a disturbance. People either secretly stared or went<br />
out of their way to avoid her. Sometimes she would challenge them. Sometimes she would just
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