richellemead-vampireacademy01-vampireacademy-110824015328-phpapp02

"Come on, Rose. This is the way it is; that's the way it's been for centuries. We have to live with
that." I glared. "Okay, how about this?" she continued. "You're worried about me becoming like
them—like Ms. Karp and St. Vladimir—right? Well, she said I shouldn't use the powers, that it
would make things get worse if I did. What if I just stop? Compulsion, healing, everything.”
I narrowed my eyes. "You could do that?" The convenient compulsion aside, that was what I'd
wanted her to do the whole time. Her depression had started at the same time the powers
emerged, just after the accident. I had to believe they were connected, particularly in light of the
evidence and Ms. Karp's warnings.
"Yes.”
Her face was perfectly composed, her expression serious and steady. With her pale hair woven
into a neat French braid and a suede blazer over her dress, she looked like she could have taken
her family's place on the council right now.
"You'd have to give up everything," I warned. "No healing, no matter how cute and cuddly the
animal. And no more compulsion to dazzle the royals.”
She nodded seriously. "I can do it. Will that make you feel better?”
"Yeah, but I'd feel even better if you stopped magic and went back to hanging out with
Natalie.”
"I know, I know But I can't stop, not now at least.”
I couldn't get her to budge on that—yet—but knowing that she would avoid using her powers
relieved me.
"All right," I said, picking up my backpack. I was late for practice. Again. "You can keep
playing with the brat pack, so long as you keep the 'other stuff’ in check." I hesitated. "And you
know, you really have made your point with Aaron and Mia. You don't have to keep him
around to keep hanging out with the royals.”
"Why do I keep getting the feeling you don't like him anymore?”