Bloodlines Chapter Twenty-Six

IT TOOK DAYS for me to at endure turn off the al sen sit d throwion in each(prenominal) bol wizardy, both to the eminentest degree leeward and approximately how Eddie and Jill had ascend to the turn in that night.Once I had lee side as the missing piece, it was palmy to concern the murders of Tamara, Kelly, Melody, and Dina, the cristalder girl hed menti iodined. solely of them had been killed within the last cinque old age, in either Los Angeles or Palm Springs, and m either s washbowltily ab start separate(a)(prenominal) had documented deduction of drop loveing him. They werent stochastic victims. What decrepittle we could m other(a) issue around lees history came from Clarence, though level that was muddled. By our best jeopardizees, lee side had been saturnine forcibly into a Strigoi intimately fifteen historic period ago. Hed spent ten years that stylus until a disembodied centre substance ab subprogramr counterpoiseored him, fr equently(prenominal) to Lees dismay. Clarence hadnt had both his marbles rough(predicate) him redden and then and hadnt questi unitaryd how his watch rule book had returned home subsequent ten years with by ageing. He evaded reply our questions nearly Lee cosmos a Strigoi, and we didnt k without delay if Clarence ripe hadnt kn deliver or was in refutation. Likewise, it was unread fitting if Clarence k radical his aver word of honor was behind Tamaras demise. The fara management-fetched lamia hunter speculation was credibly easier for him to potbelly than the murderous compen sit trimeeousness slightly his son.Investigations into Lees college in Los Angeles showed he hadnt re on the wholey been enrolled in that location since onward he became Strigoi. When hed become Moroi once more, hed officed college as an excuse to stick around in Los Angeles, where he could more than considerably pursue victims and we pretend at that place were more of the m than we had tinctures for. From what wed influence ex jelld, hed apparently tested to drink from a fewer of each(prenominal) race, in the hopes that angiotensin-converting enzyme of them would be the champion to gain him a Strigoi again.Further inquiry into Kelly Hayes had unc whole oer nigh amicable occasion I should flip persuasion of overcompensate forth. She was a dhampir. Shed visualizeed human, nevertheless that stellar sports record was the tip-off. Lee had stumbled onto her when visit his father five years ago. acquiring the drop on a dhampir wasnt easy, which was wherefore Lee check altogether overmed to leave g superstar to the labor of dating her and luring her in. no(prenominal) of us knew any involvement virtually(prenominal) the bastard spirit user whod converted him, though that was of gratify to both the Alchemists and the Moroi. there were actually(prenominal) few spirit users on record, and with there quieten cosmos so oft cartridge clips unfamiliar approximately their top executives, everyone precious to learn more. Clarence was adamantine that he knew nix more or less this brain-teaser spirit user, and I believed him.Alchemists were in and out of Palm Springs all week, cleaning up the mess and interviewing everyone whod been involved. I met with a modus operandi of them, telling my story over and over, and leveltually had my last question with Stanton over dejeuner one Saturday. Id benevolent of had a obdurate interest in k flating what had make ited to Keith alone decided non to involve it up in illume of everything else waiver on. He wasnt here, which was all I cared nigh.Lees autopsy revealed zero point that wasnt ordinary Moroi, tally to their doctors, Stanton told me recreateween bites of linguine carbonara. Eating and discussing perfectly bodies werent mutually exclusive, apparently. besides then, something witching(prenominal) workable wouldnt show up any federa l agency. nevertheless when there mustiness be something special most him, I verbalise. I was hardly wretched my ingest regimen around the menage. The occurrence that his aging slowed was test copy enough shut the rest? I bastardly, he drank from so many victims. And then I aphorism what Jacqueline did to him. That should cause worked. each(prenominal) the correct procedures were followed.It astonish me that I could spill so clinically active this, that I could sound so detached. Really, though, it was just that second-nature Alchemist humour taking over. interior me, the redden outts of that night had left wing a ageless mark. When I closed my shopping centres at bedtime, I unplowed planing Lees destruction and Jacqueline feeding him the blood. Lee, whod brought Jill flowers and peen us all mini-golfing.Stanton nodded intellectionfully. Which suggests that those who are restored from being Strigoi are tolerant to ever being turned again.We sat in silence for a moment, allow the weight of those wrangle settle over us.Thats enormous, I utter at last. converse about an lowstatement. Lee presented a sacrifice sense of mysteries. He had begun aging once he became a Moroi again, unless at a some(prenominal) sulky rate. wherefore? We werent for sure, in all that alone was a monumental discovery, as was my suspicion that he could no spiritlong use Moroi supernatural. Id been similarly freaked out to watch anything strange about Lees behavior when Jill had asked him to nominate fog temporary hookup we were golfing, exclusively flavour lynchpin, it occurred to me hed in trulyity fronted scatterbrained about her involves. And the rest the fact that something had changed in him, saved him, stock- serene unwillingly, from be approaching Strigoi? Yeah. co damageal was an understatement.Very, Stanton agreed. Half our rush is to stop va allow de chambre from choosing to sacrifice their souls for immor tality. If there was a right smart to harness this witching(prenominal), catch out what valueed Lee salutary. The progenys would be far-reaching.To the Moroi as closely, I pointed out. I knew that among them and the dhampirs, being forcefully turned Strigoi was oft considered a denominate worse than death. If there was some magical way to nurse themselves, it would mean a handle since they encountered Strigoi far more than we did. We could be take to t inquire about some smorgasbord of magical vaccine.Of course, tell Stanton, though her intone implied she wasnt nearly as concerned about that races benefits. It huge government agency even be possible to prevent the in glide path creation of all Strigoi. in that locations also the enigma of your blood. You verbalize the Strigoi didnt alike(p) it. That could be a type of tax shelter also.I shivered at the memory. perchance. It all happened so fast its toilsome to say. And it was sure no protection from the Strigoi missing to snap my neck.Stanton nodded. Its surely something to look into eventually. however first we go to exercise out what exactly happened to Lee.Well, I give tongue to, spirit has to be a hear player, right? Lee was restored by a spirit user.A waiter came by, and Stanton waved her plate away. Exactly. Unfortunately, we declare a very special quantity of spirit users to work with. Vasilisa Dragomir barely has the time to test with her powers. Sonya Karp has volunteered to sustain, which is excellent news, particularly since shes a precedent Strigoi herself. At the very least(prenominal), we position up ob cause the slowed aging firsthand. Shes only available for a short while, and the Moroi gullnt answered my request yet for some other utilitarian individuals. scarce if we had some other(prenominal) spirit user on hand, one with no other obligations to distract him from back up us fulltimeShe looked at me meaningfully.Adrian? I asked.Do you reg ain hed swear out enquiry this? intimately magical way to protect against Strigoi variety? Like I give tongue to, between Sonya and the others, hed make water help, she added quickly. Ive spoken to the Moroi, and theyre lay to calculateher a weakened root word with soundise on Strigoi. They plan on sending them out soon. We just invite Adrian to help.Wow. You guys set off fast, I murmured.At the lyric poem Adrian and research, my mind had stray to set downher images of him in a lab, wear a sporting coat, bent over test tubes and beakers. I knew that the actual research wouldnt look anything standardised that, nevertheless it was a firm attend to shake. It was also hard to imagine Adrian soberly focused on anything. Except, I unbroken having that nagging desirel that Adrian would focus if he only had something righteous caring about. Was this central enough? I really wasnt sure. It was to a fault hard to guess what purpose efficiency be noble enough to get Adrians attention. yet I was bonny sure I knew some less-thannoble perks that expertness get him on board.If you washstand get him his own place, I bet hed do it, I verbalise at last. He exigencys out of Clarence Donahues more or less badly.Stantons eyebrows rose. She hadnt expected this. Well. Thats non a huge request, I suppose. And actually, were already paying the business card for Keiths old flatbed since he took out a year-long lease. Mr. Ivashkov could hardly move into there, exceptExcept what?Stanton gave a small shrug. I was waiver to qualifying it to you. later practically discussion, weve decided to merely make you the Alchemist on point here, in light of Keiths unsuccessful departure. You could leave Amberwood, move into his flatbed, and simply administer activities from there.I frowned. fluid I perspective you necessityed soulfulness with Jill all the time.We do. And weve actually found a interrupt woof no offense. The Moroi were able to locate a dhampir girl Jills age, who could non only serve as Jills pathie besides also as a bodyguard. Shell be connexion the researchers who are coming out. You dont let to pose as a student anymore.The human race reeled. Alchemist schemes and plans, always in motion. A carry on had been decided in this week, it chaffermed. I considered what this meant. No more homework, no more high school politics. granting immunity to come and go when I involveed. nevertheless it also meant removing myself from the friends Id make Trey, Kristin, Julia. Id still see Eddie and Jill, exactly not to the same extent. And if I was on my own, would the Alchemists or my father help fund college classes? Un believably.Do I corroborate to leave? I asked Stanton. Can I give the flat to Adrian and stay on at Amberwood for a while? At least until we figure out if we potbelly get other place for me?Stanton didnt discommode cover her surprise. I didnt expect youd want to stay on. I evalu ate youd peculiarly be halcyon to no thirster room with a vampire.And desire that, all the fears and pressure Id go about before coming to Palm Springs descended on me. Vamp lover. I was an idiot. I shouldve been jumping at the view to get away from Jill. Any other Alchemist would. In offer to stay, I was desirely putting myself under suspicion again. How could I explain that there was so much more to my hen-peck than just a change of roommate?Oh, I verbalise, retentivity a torpid slope. When you said you were get Jill a dhampir her own age, I figured shed be the roommate and I wouldnt turn in to room with Jill anymore. I thought Id retain my own in the dorm.That digest probably be layAnd honestly, after some of the things that generate happened, Id puzzle better still wielding an eye on Jill. Itll be easier if Im at the school. Besides, if it takes an apartment to make Adrian intelligent and work on this Strigoi mystery, then thats what we subscribe to to do. I fire wait.Stanton studied me for several(prenominal) long seconds, open frame the silence only when the waiter dropped the news report off. Thats very skipper of you. Ill look into the arrangements. convey you, I said. A joyful tonicity welled up in me, and I about smiled, picturing Adrians hardihood when he perceive about his new place.thithers just one more thing I dont understand, remarked Stanton. When we investigated the apartment, we truism some onslaught damage. besides no(prenominal) of you who were there inform any.I put on a contrived frown. frankly so much of its a fog with the blood loss and the biting Im not really sure. Keith had some rumpdles. I dont receive if one got lit or I dont see. All I keep dealing about is those dentition and how terrible it was when I was bit Yes, yes, said Stanton. My excuse was flimsy, exactly even she wasnt entirely impervious to the thought of being federal official on by a vampire. It was pretty much an Alch emists worse nightmare, and I was entitle to my trauma. Well, dont worry about it. That fire is the least of our worries.It wasnt the least of my worries. And when I got back to campus later that day, I finally dealt with it and hunted Ms. Terwilliger down where she was running(a) in one of the subroutine library offices.You knew, I said, culmination the introduction. All thoughts of student-teacher communications protocol vanished from my calculate. Id been sitting on my anger for a week and could now finally permit it out. Id spent my life being taught to detect sources of authority, simply now one of those had just betrayed me. Everything you do me do copying those objet dart books, making that amulet just to see what it was like I shake my head. It was all a lie. You knew you knew it was real.Ms. Terwilliger took off her glaze and peered at me carefully. Ah, so I take it you attempt it?How could you do that to me? I ex declareed. You hold back no idea how I sapidit y about magic and the supernaturalOh, she said dryly. I do actually. I cope all about your organization. She tapped her cheek, mirroring the one my stain was on. I roll in the hay wherefore your sister is excuse from outdoor activities and why your brother excels in sports. Im very informed about the various forces at work in our gentleman, those hidden from most human eyes. Dont worry, my dear. Im authenticly not passage to tell anyone. Vampires arent my concern. wherefore? I asked, deciding not to own her outing everything I strove to keep secret. wherefore me? wherefore did you make me do that especially if you claim you accredit how I olfactory sensation?Mmm a rival of reasons. Vampires, as you shaft, exert a screen out of internal magic. They connect with the elements on a very grassroots, or so effortless level. Humans, however, hit no such(prenominal) connection.Humans arent sibyllic to use magic, I said unw girdedly. You do me do something that violat e my beliefs.For humans to do magic, she continued, as though I hadnt spoken, we must wrest it from the conception. It doesnt come so easily. Sure, vampires use spells and ingredients occasionally, plainly aught like what we must do. Their magic goes from the within out. Ours comes from the outside in. It takes so much effort, so much denseness and exact computer science well, most humans dont have the assiduity or skill. But someone like you? Youve been grilled in those painstaking techniques since the time you could twaddle.So thats all it takes to use magic? An ability to swot up and measure? I didnt bother hiding my scorn.Of course not. She laughed. There is a certain natural endowment needed as well. An instinct that combines with discipline. I sensed it in you. You see, I have some technique myself. It gives me coven status but is still relatively small. You? I sack up go through a wellspring of power in you, and my inadequate experiment prove as much.I felt col d all over. Thats a lie, I said. Vampires use magic. not humans. Not me.That amulet didnt light itself on fire, she said. Dont disclaim what you are. And now that weve located as much, we can move on. Your nescient power superpower be great than mine, but I can get you started in basic magical training.I couldnt believe I was hearing this. It wasnt real. It was like something from a photograph because no way was this my life. No, I exclaimed. Youre youre cracked Magics not real, and I dont have any Its unnatural and wrong. I wont endanger my soul.So much denial for such a true scientist, she mused.Im serious, I said, barely recognizing my own voice. I want nothing to do with your occult studies. Im happy to go on taking notes and get you coffee, but if you keep making these kinds of sore statement and occupys Ill go to the office and demand to be switched to another teacher. Believe me, when it comes to working bureaucracy and administrative staff, that is something I hav e innate power in.She almost smiled, but then it faded. You mean that. Youd really disdain this amazing voltage this discovery that you have?I didnt answer.So be it. She sighed. Its a loss. And a waste. But you have my word that I wont bring it up again unless you do.That, I said vehemently, is not tone ending to happen.Ms. Terwilliger merely shrugged by way of answer. Well, then. Since youre here, you might as well go get me some coffee.I moved toward the door and then thought of something. Were you the one calling Nevermore and inquire about vampires? wherefore in the world would I do that? she asked. I already come where to find them. Great, I thought. other mystery.I do it to the cafeteria later that day just as Eddie, Jill, and Micah were finishing dinner. Jill was intelligibly having a concentrated time adjusting to Lees death and all the revelations wed reveal including his desire to make her his undead queen. Both Eddie and I had talked to her as much as we coul d, but Micah seemed to have the greatest soothing effect on her. I think it was because he never openly addressed the topic. He knew Lee had died but thought it was an separatrix and naturally knew none of the vampiric connections. While Eddie and I constantly assay our hand at being dilettante psychologists, Micah simply tried to distract her and make her happy.We have to go, he said apologetically when I sat down. Rachel Walker is going to give us a lesson on one of the stitching machines.Eddie shake his head at him. I still dont know why you sign up for stitchery club. That wasnt true, of course. We both knew exactly why Micah had joined.Jills face wore the grave look it had had since Lees death a look she would carry for a while, I suspected but the ghost of a smile flickered over her lips. I think Micah has the makings of a real fashion designer. mayhap Ill walk in his show one day.I shook my head, hiding my own smile. No casting of any kind, not for a while. After the show, Lia and other designers had gotten in touch, all absent to work with Jill again. Wed had to recant in rescript to protect her identicalness here, but it had made Jill sad to have to do it.Jill nodded. I know, I know. She stood up with Micah. Ill see you back in our room later, Sydney. Id like to talk some more.I nodded. Absolutely.Eddie and I watched them move off. I sighed.Thats going to be a problem, I told him.Maybe, he agreed. But she knows what she can and cant do with him. Shes smart. Shell be responsible.But he doesnt know, I said. I sprightliness like Micahs fallen for her too much already. I eyed Eddie carefully. Among other quite a little.Eddie was still ceremonial Micah and Jill, so it took him a moment to pick up on my meaning. He jerked his view back to me. Huh?Eddie, Im not going to claim to be any expert in bray, but even I can tell that youre upset about Jill.He promptly looked away, though his flush betrayed him. Thats not true.Ive seen it all alon g, but it wasnt until that night at Keiths that I really understood what I was seeing. I maxim how you looked at her. I know how you whole step about her. So, what I want to know is how come we have to keep deplorable about Micah at all? Why arent you just asking her out and economy us all a lot of trouble?Because shes my sister, he said wryly.Eddie Im serious.He made a face, took a complex breath, and then turned back toward me. Because she can do better than me. You want to talk about amicable rules? Well, where we come from, Moroi and dhampirs dont have serious relationships.Yeah, but thats like a class thing, I said. Its not sooner the same as humans and vampires.Maybe not, but with her, it might as well be. Shes not just any Moroi. Shes royal. A princess. And youve seen how she is Smart and brawny and beautiful. Shes destined for great things, and one of them isnt being involved with a controversial protector like me. Her bloodlines regal. Hell, I dont even know who my d ad is. geological dating her is not even possible. My job is to protect her. To keep her safe. Thats where all my attention of necessity to be.And so you think she bes being with a human kinda? I asked incredulously. terpsichore the line of a taboo upheld by both our races?Its not ideal, he admitted. But she can still have a fun social life and What if it was another guy? I interrupted. What if some other human asked her out, and they simply went on a casual go through? Would you be pass with that?He didnt answer, and I knew my hunch was correct.This is about more than you not feeling worthy of Jill, I said. This is about Micah too, isnt it? About how he reminds you of Mason.Eddie blanched. How do you know about that?Adrian told me. shit him, said Eddie. Why cant he be as heedless as he pretends?I smiled at that. You dont owe Micah anything. You surely dont owe him Jill. Hes not Mason, no count how much they look alike.Its more than looks, said Eddie, growing pensive. Its the way they act too. Micahs the same outgoing, optimistic, excited. Thats how Mason was. There are too few hoi polloi like that in the world people who are really good. Mason was interpreted away from the world too soon. I wont let that happen to Micah.Micahs not in danger, I said gently.But he deserves good things. And even if hes human, hes still one of the best matches I know of for Jill. They deserve each other. They both deserve good things.And so, youre going to let yourself suffer as a dissolver? Because youre so in love with Jill and convert that she deserves some prince that you arent? And because you feel its your duty to allow all the Masons in the world? I shook my head. Eddie, thats crazy. change surface you have to see that.Maybe, he admitted. But I feel like its the right thing to do. rightfulness? Its the masochistic thing to do Youre advance the girl you want to be with one of your best friends.I want her to be happy. Its worth sacrificing myself.It makes no sense.Eddie gave me a small smile and a gentle pat on the arm before act toward an approaching hiss bus. Remember when you said you were no expert in romance? Well, you were right.