richellemead-vampireacademy01-vampireacademy-110824015328-phpapp02

"No one can use that kind of compulsion," exclaimed Kirova. "No one's done that in ages.”
"Well, someone did. By the time I'd restrained her and taken the necklace, a lot of time had
passed," Dimitri continued, face perfectly controlled. No one questioned the story.
Finally, finally, the group moved into action. No one wanted to bring me, but Dimitri insisted
when he realized I could lead them to her. Three details of guardians set out in sinister black
SUVs. I rode in the first one, sitting in the passenger seat while Dimitri drove. Minutes passed.
The only times we spoke was when I gave a report.
"They're still on Eighty-three…but their turn is coming. They aren't speeding. They don't want
to get pulled over.”
He nodded, not looking at me. He most definitely was speeding.
Giving him a sidelong glance, I replayed tonight's earlier events. In my mind's eye, I could see
it all again, the way he'd looked at me and kissed me.
But what had it been? An illusion? A trick? On the way to the car, he'd told me there really had
been a compulsion spell in the necklace, a lust one. I had never heard of such a thing, but when
I'd asked for more information, he just said it was a type of magic earth users once practiced but
never did anymore.
"They're turning," I said suddenly. "I can't see the road name, but I'll know when we're close.”
Dimitri grunted in acknowledgment, and I sank further into my seat.
What had it all meant? Had it meant anything to him? It had definitely meant a lot to me.
"There," I said about twenty minutes later, indicating the rough road Victor's car had turned off
on. It was unpaved gravel, and the SUV gave us an edge over his luxury car.
We drove on in silence, the only sound coming from the crunching of the gravel under the tires.
Dust kicked up outside the windows, swirling around us.
"They're turning again.”