richellemead-vampireacademy01-vampireacademy-110824015328-phpapp02
Ms. Meissner changed from red to deep purple. "Mr. Ozera!" she screamed. "How dare you— do you have any idea—report to Headmistress Kirova's office now!” Christian, completely unfazed, stood up and slung his backpack over one shoulder. That smirk stayed on his face. "Sure thing, Ms. Meissner.” He went out of his way to walk past Ralf, who quickly backed away as he passed. The rest of the class stared, open-mouthed. After that, Ms. Meissner attempted to return the class to normal, but it was a lost cause. No one could stop talking about what had happened. It was shocking on a few different levels. First, no one had ever seen that kind of spell: a massive fire that didn't actually burn anything. Second, Christian had used it offensively. He had attacked another person. Moroi never did that. They believed magic was meant to take care of the earth, to help people live better lives. It was never, ever used as a weapon. Magic instructors never taught those kinds of spells; I don't think they even knew any. Finally, craziest of all, Christian had done it. Christian, whom no one ever noticed or gave a damn about. Well, they'd noticed him now. It appeared someone still knew offensive spells after all, and as much as I had enjoyed the look of terror on Ralf's face, it suddenly occurred to me that Christian might really and truly be a psycho. "Liss," I said as we walked out of class, "please tell me you haven't hung out with him again.” The guilt that flickered through the bond told me more than any explanation could. "Liss!" I grabbed her arm. "Not that much," she said uneasily. "He's really okay—” "Okay? Okay?" People in the hall stared at us. I realized I was practically shouting. "He's out of his mind. He set Ralf on fire. I thought we decided you weren't going to see him anymore.” "You decided, Rose. Not me." There was an edge in her voice I hadn't heard in a while. "What's going on here? Are you guys…you know?…”
"No!" she insisted. "I told you that already. God." She shot me a look of disgust. "Not everyone thinks—and acts—like you.” I flinched at the words. Then we noticed that Mia was passing by. She hadn't heard the conversation but had caught the tone. A snide smile spread over her face. "Trouble in paradise?” "Go find your pacifier, and shut the hell up," I told her, not waiting to hear her response. Her mouth dropped open, then tightened into a scowl. Lissa and I walked on in silence, and then Lissa burst out laughing. Like that, our fight diffused. "Rose…" Her tone was softer now. "Lissa, he's dangerous. I don't like him. Please be careful.” She touched my arm. "I am. I'm the cautious one, remember? You're the reckless one.” I hoped that was still true. But later, after school, I had my doubts. I was in my room doing homework when I felt a trickle of what could only be called sneakiness coming from Lissa. Losing track of my work, I stared off into space, trying to get a more detailed understanding of what was happening to her. If ever there was a time for me to slip into her mind, it was now, but I didn't know how to control that. Frowning, I tried to think what normally made that connection occur. Usually she was experiencing some strong emotion, an emotion so powerful it tried to blast into my mind. I had to work hard to fight against that; I always sort of kept a mental wall up. Focusing on her now, I tried to remove the wall. I steadied my breathing and cleared my mind. My thoughts didn't matter, only hers did. I needed to open myself to her and let us connect. I'd never done anything like this before; I didn't have the patience for meditation. My need was so strong, however, that I forced myself into an intense, focused relaxation. I needed to know what was going on with her, and after a few more moments, my effort paid off. I was in.
- Page 34 and 35: "Hey, Aaron," I said cheerfully, re
- Page 36 and 37: "No—it's fine." The emotions comi
- Page 38 and 39: Natalie's friends eyed us with a qu
- Page 40 and 41: "Yes," I said, smiling. "It certain
- Page 42 and 43: "Huh? Nothing. Just thinking." I si
- Page 44 and 45: She nodded. "Rose?” We both looke
- Page 46 and 47: Five OR RATHER, THEY HAD BEEN Strig
- Page 48 and 49: "Sure," he said. "Why else go? For
- Page 50 and 51: dark side. But the feelings humming
- Page 52 and 53: "Hey," I said, suddenly wanting to
- Page 54 and 55: She laughed. "Mia would claw my eye
- Page 56 and 57: I'd been climbing out of my dorm wi
- Page 58 and 59: Six AS MUCH AS LISSA AND Christian'
- Page 60 and 61: "Yeah…you too," I said. "I heard
- Page 62 and 63: although those guys usually went on
- Page 64 and 65: "Nothing to me. But Ms. Kirova will
- Page 66 and 67: "I'm sick of it too. We missed you
- Page 68 and 69: She wandered off, still eyeing us.
- Page 70 and 71: Mason had noticed my startled react
- Page 72 and 73: Three weeks after my return to the
- Page 74 and 75: Something about that bothered me; I
- Page 76 and 77: stared upward, glazed, over with a
- Page 78 and 79: I spun around, taking my anger over
- Page 80 and 81: "And it was just there," she explai
- Page 82 and 83: "Wolves, like many other species, d
- Page 86 and 87: Nine I SNAPPED INTO HER MIND, once
- Page 88 and 89: "You're right," she admitted softly
- Page 90 and 91: space between them. "And I sure as
- Page 92 and 93: Sitting up, I moved closer to him a
- Page 94 and 95: "No, sir.” "Do you know the rules
- Page 96 and 97: "Is that your subtle way of calling
- Page 98 and 99: He studied me hard, like he was sti
- Page 100 and 101: More snickers ensued. Straightening
- Page 102 and 103: We had been out in the woods near c
- Page 104 and 105: "Is it dead?" asked Lissa. I peered
- Page 106 and 107: He looked away angrily. "You made i
- Page 108 and 109: Eleven "YOU NEED SOMETHING TO WEAR?
- Page 110 and 111: "Go ahead," he said. "Try to hit me
- Page 112 and 113: His lips twitched, and for a moment
- Page 114 and 115: and dedicated our lives to serving
- Page 116 and 117: "Kind of late for that." Lissa's ey
- Page 118 and 119: She glanced back up at me. "It's go
- Page 120 and 121: Dimitri stood beside me and crossed
- Page 122 and 123: Twelve SLEEP CAME RELUCTANTLY THAT
- Page 124 and 125: I heard a sniffle, and a few moment
- Page 126 and 127: "Tell her we'll be at the clinic,"
- Page 128 and 129: "We should go," I said abruptly. "W
- Page 130 and 131: "I know. Ignore them.” "I hate it
- Page 132 and 133: Lissa stared at him, her eyes wide
"No!" she insisted. "I told you that already. God." She shot me a look of disgust. "Not everyone<br />
thinks—and acts—like you.”<br />
I flinched at the words. Then we noticed that Mia was passing by. She hadn't heard the<br />
conversation but had caught the tone. A snide smile spread over her face. "Trouble in<br />
paradise?”<br />
"Go find your pacifier, and shut the hell up," I told her, not waiting to hear her response. Her<br />
mouth dropped open, then tightened into a scowl.<br />
Lissa and I walked on in silence, and then Lissa burst out laughing. Like that, our fight diffused.<br />
"Rose…" Her tone was softer now.<br />
"Lissa, he's dangerous. I don't like him. Please be careful.”<br />
She touched my arm. "I am. I'm the cautious one, remember? You're the reckless one.”<br />
I hoped that was still true.<br />
But later, after school, I had my doubts. I was in my room doing homework when I felt a trickle<br />
of what could only be called sneakiness coming from Lissa. Losing track of my work, I stared<br />
off into space, trying to get a more detailed understanding of what was happening to her. If ever<br />
there was a time for me to slip into her mind, it was now, but I didn't know how to control that.<br />
Frowning, I tried to think what normally made that connection occur. Usually she was<br />
experiencing some strong emotion, an emotion so powerful it tried to blast into my mind. I had<br />
to work hard to fight against that; I always sort of kept a mental wall up.<br />
Focusing on her now, I tried to remove the wall. I steadied my breathing and cleared my mind.<br />
My thoughts didn't matter, only hers did. I needed to open myself to her and let us connect.<br />
I'd never done anything like this before; I didn't have the patience for meditation. My need was<br />
so strong, however, that I forced myself into an intense, focused relaxation. I needed to know<br />
what was going on with her, and after a few more moments, my effort paid off.<br />
I was in.
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