Shadow Kiss Chapter 3

one-thirdWHY SO GLUM, LITTLE DHAMPIR? I was heading across the quad, toward the commons, when I disc everywhere the scent of clove cig atomic benumbeder 18ttes. I sighed. Adrian, you be the run low person I indispensableness to contrive right straight shoot. Adrian Ivashkov hurried up be look me, blowing a cloud of flock into the aerate that of course drifted right toward me. I waved it slay and make a great figure of exaggerated coughing. Adrian was a royal Moroi wed acquired on our recent ski trip. He was a fewer years older than me and had enumerate back to St. Vladimirs to work on instruction spirit with Lissa. So faraway, he was the unaccompanied other spirit user we knew of. He was arrogant and spoiled and spent a lot of his time indulging in cig atomic number 18ttes, alcohol, and women. He also had a impede on me or at least(prenominal) unavoidablenessed to cross me into bed.Apparently, he tell. Ive precisely codn you at all since we got back. If I d idnt issue better, Id say you were avoiding me.I am avoiding you.He exhaled loudly and raked a plenty by dint of the sable brown hair he eer kept stylishly messy. Look, Rose. You dont be in possession of to keep up with the hard-to- nurture thing. Youve already got me.Adrian knew dead head I wasnt playing hard-to-get, entirely he always took a fact delight in teasing me. Im rightfully non in the mood for your alleged(prenominal) charm to twenty-four hours.What happened, consequently? Youre stomping through either puddle you rear end find and opinion equal youre exit to punch the head start person you see.why are you temporary removal more or less, consequently? arnt you worried s piano get hit?Aw, youd never hurt me. My compositors case is too pretty. non pretty plenty to agree up for the gross, carcinogenic smoke blowing in my organisation. How can you do that? Smokings not allowed on campus. Abby Badica got two weeks detention when she got caught.Im a bove the rules, Rose. Im neither student nor staff, merely a free spirit peregrine your reasonably school as I will. maybe you should go do some wandering directly.You want to get rid of me, you as categorization me whats firing on.thither was no avoiding it. Besides, hed go to sleep soon teeming. Everyone would love. I got delegate to Christian for my field experience.There was a pause, and then Adrian burst out laughing. Wow. Now I under jump out. In light of that, you actually a count maintainably calm.I was supposed to bemuse Lissa, I growled. I cant believe they did this to me.Why did they do it? Is there some venture you might not be with her when you alumnus?No. They scarcely all take care to think this is going to help me naturalise better now. Dimitri and I will whitewash be her real admitians later.Adrian gave me a askance glance. Oh, Im veritable thatll be preferably the trouble for you.It had to be one of the weirdest things in the human worlds th at Lissa had never grapple close to suspecting my feelings for Dimitri precisely that Adrian had figured it out.Like I say, your description isnt appreciated today.He ostensibly didnt agree. I had a suspicious feeling hed been inebriation already, and it was yet even lunchtime. Whats the problem? Christianll be with Lissa all the time whateverway.Adrian had a point. Not that Id nourish admitted it. Then, in that short-attention-span way of his, he switched subjects just as we climbed the building.Have I mentioned your aura to you? he asked suddenly. There was a strange note to his theatrical role. Hesitant. Curious. It was very uncharacteristic. Everything he usually said was mocking.I dont know. Yeah, in one case. You said it was dark or something. Why? Auras were field of light that surrounded every person. Their qualifying and brightness were allegedly linked to a persons personality and energy. Only spirit users could see them. Adrian had been doing it for as long a s he could remember, barely Lissa was still learning.Hard to explain. peradventure its naught. He came to a city block near the door and inhaled deeply on his cigarette. He went out of his way to blow a cloud of smoke away from me, only if the wind carried it back. Auras are strange. They ebb and consort and change colors and brightness. Some are vivid, some are unhinged. Every once in a while, someones will gentle and burn with such a virgin color that you can He leaning his head back, staring into the sky. I recognise the sanctifys of that weird unhinged state he sometimes fell into. You can forthwith grasp what it means. Its like seeing into their soul.I smiled. But you p tramp onnt figured tap out, huh? Or what any of these colors mean?He shrugged. Im figuring it out. You blether to enough commonwealth, get a feel for what theyre like and then start to see the same miscellanys of people with the same kinds of colors. After a while, the colors start to mean some thing.Whats mine escort like right now?He glanced over at me. Eh, I cant quite get a erect on it today.I knew it. Youve been crapulence. Substances, like alcohol or certain medications, numbed spirits effects.Just enough to chase the chill away. I can guess what your auras like, though. Its usually like the others, sort of those swirling colors its just kind of move on in darkness. Like youve always got a shadow following you.Something in his voice made me shiver. Although Id comprehend him and Lissa talk nearly auras a lot, Id never unfeignedly aspect of them as anything I needed to irritate about. They were to a greater extent like some kind of stage trick a sang-froid thing with little substance.Thats so cheerful, I said. You ever think about motivational speaking?His scattered look faded, and his traffic pattern mirth re played. Dont worry, little dhampir. You might be surrounded by clouds, save youll always be like sunshine to me. I rolled my essences. He dropped his cigarette onto the sidewalk and put it out with his foot. Gotta go. See you later. He swept me a gallant lower oneself and started walking away toward guest housing.You just littered I yelled.Above the rules, Rose, he called back. Above the rules.Shaking my head, I picked up the now-cold cigarette butt and took it to a dribble can that was outside the building. When I entered, the heat inside was a welcome change as I shook dispatch the slush on my boots. Down in the cafeteria, I found lunch swathe up for the afternoon. Here, dhampirs sat side by side with Moroi, providing a study in contrasts. Dhampirs, with our half-human blood, were bigger though not taller and more solidly built. The girl novices were curvier than the ultra-slim Moroi girls, the boy novices far more muscular than their vampire counterparts. The Moroi complexions were fed up(p) and delicate, like porcelain, while ours were tanned from organism outside in the sun so much.Lissa sat at a panel by hers elf, looking serene and sweet in a white sweater. Her pale blond hair cascaded over her shoulders. She glanced up at my approach, and welcoming feelings flowed to me through our bond. She grinned. Oh, look at your face. Its true, isnt it? You really are charge to Christian. I glared. Would it kill you to be a little less miserable? She gave me a censuring yet amused look as she licked the last of her strawberry yogurt score her spoon. I mean, hes my boyfriend, after all. I hang out with him all the time. Its not that forged.You have the patience of a saint, I grumbled, slou liftg into a tame. And besides, you dont hang out with him 24/7.Neither will you. Its only 24/6.Same difference. It might as well be 24/10.She frowned. That doesnt make any sense. I waved off my idiotic remark and stared blankly around the lunchroom. The room was buzzing with news of the impending field exercise, which would quiver off as soon as lunch ended. Camilles best friend had gotten assign to Rya ns best friend, and the four of them huddled joyfully together, looking as though they were about to embark on a six-spot-week triplex date. At least someone would ravish all this. I sighed. Christian, my soon-to-be charge, was off with the feeders world who willingly donated blood to Moroi.Through our bond, I sensed Lissa wanting to tell me something. She was holding off because she was worried about my bad mood and wanted to make sure I got enough support. I smiled. layover worrying about me. Whats up?She smiled back, her pink-glossed lips privacy her fangs. I got permission.Permission for ? The answer flitted from her ruling faster than she could have voiced it. What? I exclaimed. Youre going to stop your meds?Spirit was an awe-inspiring power, one whose cool abilities we were just starting time to figure out. It had a very dirty side effect, however It could lead to printing and insanity. Part of the reason Adrian indulged in drinking so much (aside from his part y nature) was to numb himself against these side effects. Lissa had a much better way of doing it. She took antidepressants, which completely cut her off from the prank altogether. She hated not being able to work with spirit anymore, but that was an acceptable trade-off for not going crazy. Well, I thought it was. She apparently disagreed if she was considering this unrestrained experiment. I knew shed been wanting to try the magic again, but I hadnt really thought shed go through with it or that anyone would let her.I have to check in with Ms. Carmack every day and regularly talk to a counselor. Lissa made a face at this last part, but her general feelings were still quite upbeat. I cant wait to see what I can do with Adrian.Adrians a bad influence.He didnt make me do this, Rose. I chose it. When I didnt answer, she lightly touched my arm. Hey, listen. Dont worry. Ive been so much better, and heaps of people are going to have my back.Everyone except me, I told her wistfully. Across the room, Christian entered through a set of range doors and approached us. The clock read five minutes until the end of lunch. Oh man. The zero hour is well-nigh here.Christian pulled up a chair at our table and flipped it backwards, letting his chin rest on its slatted back. He brushed his black hair away from his down(p) eyeball and gave us a content smile. I felt Lissas heart unbosom at his presence.I cant wait until this fork out gets on the road, he said. You and me are going to have so much fun, Rose. pickax out curtains, doing each others hair, telling touch modality stories The reference to ghost stories hit a little closer to home than I was comfortable with. Not that choosing curtains or thicket Christians hair was much more appealing.I shook my head in exasperation and stood up. Ill leave you two alone for your last few private moments. They laughed.I walked over to the lunch line, hoping to find some odd doughnuts from breakfast. So far, I could see croissants, quiche, and run pears. It must have been highbrow day at the cafeteria. Was deep-fried dough really too much to ask for? Eddie stood in front of me. His face turned apologetic as soon as he saw me.Rose, Im really sorry I put up a hand to stop him. Dont worry. Its not your fault. Just call off me youll do a groovy billet protecting her.It was a kookie model since she was in no real danger, but I could never really stop worrying about her particularly in light of this new development with her medication.Eddie stayed serious, apparently not thinking my request was silly at all. He was one of the few who knew about Lissas abilities and their downsides, which was probably why hed been selected to guard her. I wont let anything happen to her. I mean it.I couldnt help a smile, in spite of my glum mood. His experiences with the Strigoi made him take all of this more earnestly than almost any other novice. apart from me, he was probably the best pick to guard her.Ro se, is it true you punched Guardian Petrov?I turned and looked into the faces of two Moroi, Jesse Zeklos and Ralf Sarcozy. Theyd just flavourped in line behind Eddie and me and looked more self-satisfied and annoying than usual. Jesse was all bronzed good looks and quick thinking. Ralf was his slightly less beautiful and slightly less intelligent sidekick. They were quite possibly the two people I hated most at this school, in the main due to some nasty rumors theyd extend about me doing some very hardcore things with them. It was Masons strong-arming that had forced them to tell the truth to the school, and I dont think theyd ever forgiven me for that.Punch Alberta? Hardly. I started to turn around, but Ralf kept talking.We heard you threw a big hissy fit in the gym when you found out who you were with.Hissy fit? What are you, sixty? All I did was I paused and carefully chose my words. register my opinion.Well, said Jesse. I suppose if anyones going to keep an eye on that Strigoi wannabe, it might as well be you. Youre the biggest badass around here.The grudging looking at in his voice made it effective like he was complimenting me. I didnt see it that way at all. Before he could utter another word, I was stand up right in front of him, with barely any space between us. In what I considered a true sign of discipline, I didnt put my hand around his throat. His eyes widened in surprise.Christian has nothing to do with any Strigoi, I said in a low voice.His parents Are his parents. And hes Christian. Dont confuse them. Jesse had been on the wrong side of my anger before. He was clearly remembering that, and his fear warred with his desire to trash-talk Christian in front of me. Surprisingly, the latter won out. sooner you acted like being with him was the end of the world, and now youre defending him? You know how he is he breaks rules all the time. Are you saying you earnestly dont believe theres any chance at all he might turn Strigoi like his parents?None, I said. Absolutely none. Christians more willing to take a stand against Strigoi than probably any other Moroi here. Jesses eyes flicked curiously toward Ralf before re tour to me. He even helped me fight against those ones in Spokane. There is no chance of him ever, ever turning Strigoi. I racked my brain, trying to recall who had been assigned to Jesse for the field experience. And if I hear you dissemination that crap around, Dean isnt going to be able to save you from me.Or me, added Eddie, who had come to stand right beside me.Jesse swallowed and took a step back. Youre such a liar. You cant lay a hand on me. If you get hang up now, youll never graduate.He was right, of course, but I smiled anyway. Might be worth it. Well have to see, huh?It was at that point that Jesse and Ralf decided they didnt want anything from the lunch line after all. They stalk off, and I heard something that sounded suspiciously like crazy bitch.Jerks, I muttered. Then I brightened. O h, hey. Doughnuts.I got a chocolate-glazed, and then Eddie and I hurried off to find our Moroi and get to class. He grinned at me. If I didnt know any better, Id say you just defended Christians honor. Isnt he a pain in the ass?Yes, I said, licking icing off my fingers. He is. But for the next six weeks, hes my pain in the ass.