richellemead-vampireacademy01-vampireacademy-110824015328-phpapp02

Lissa pushed herself into Christian's face. "You didn't even know Andre! He would never have
done that.”
"You didn't know him. I'm sure he was nice to his baby sister; I'm sure he loved you. But in
school, with his friends, he was just as much of a jerk as the rest of the royals. I saw him
because I see everything. Easy when no one notices you.”
She held back a sob, unsure whether to believe him or not. "So this is why Mia hates me?”
"Yup. She hates you because of him. That, and because you're royal and she's insecure around
all royals, which is why she worked so hard to claw up the ranks and be their friend. I think it's
a coincidence that she ended up with your ex-boyfriend, but now that you're back, that probably
made it worse. Between stealing him and spreading those stories about her parents, you guys
really picked the best ways to make her suffer. Nice work.”
The smallest pang of guilt lurched inside of her. "I still think you're lying.”
"I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a liar. That's your department. And Rose's.”
"We don't—”
"Exaggerate stories about people's families? Say that you hate me? Pretend to be friends with
people you think are stupid? Date a guy you don't like?”
"I like him.”
"Like or like?”
"Oh, there's a difference?”
"Yes. Like is when you date a big, blond moron and laugh at his stupid jokes.”
Then, out of nowhere, he leaned forward and kissed her. It was hot and fast and furious, an
outpouring of the rage and passion and longing that Christian always kept locked inside of him.
Lissa had never been kissed like that, and I felt her respond to it, respond to him—how he made
her feel so much more alive than Aaron or anyone else could.
Christian pulled back from the kiss but still kept his face next to hers.