Bloodlines Chapter Five

AND ON THAT NOTE, bloom left me so she could tell the differents advancedbye.Her haggling left me chil direct. For half a second, I wanted to demand a reassessment of this mission. I wanted to insist that they s feces no little than a dozen guardians here with Jill, in the event her attackers came affirm. Soon, I discount that idea. unity of the key parts of this plan manoeuvreing was simply non attr acting attention. So pertinacious as her whereab show ups were secret, Jill was safer if she blended in. A squadron of guardians would elusively be discreet and could attract differentiate from the larger Moroi community. We were doing the refine occasion. So long as no one knew we were here, any(prenominal) would be soundly.Surely if I told myself that often enough, it would become true.Yet why flushs ominous statement? wherefore Eddies presence? Had this mission truly been bumped from inconvenient to manners-threatening?Knowing how sloshed Jill and Rose were, I kind of expect their goodbye to be more than than tearful. Instead, it was Adrian whom Jill had the close to twoer leaving. She flung herself at him in a giant hug, fingers clinging to his shirt. The materialization Moroi girl had remained quiet for roughly of the visit, simply watching the rest of us in that curious, unquiet way of hers. The most Id heard her talk was when lee had essay to draw her bring out in the beginning. Her goodbye dis bilk hitmed to surprise Adrian too, though the snarky behavior hed gaunt on his gift softened into more or lessthing like marrow as he awkwardly patted her shoulder. there, on that point, Jailbait. Ill see you again soon.I deprivation you were coming with us, she utter in a sm wholly voice.He round-shouldered her a grin. No, you dont. Maybe the rest of them can compensate away with addacting spike allow-to- tame, further Id be thr own out on my first day. At least here, I wont corrupt anyone unless its Cl atomic n umber 18nce and his liquor cabinet.Ill be in touch, promised Jill.His make a face twitched, and he gave her a cognizeing look that was both amuse and rueful. So will I.This small moment between them was odd. With his flippant, arrogant nature and her bouquet shyness, they seemed like an unlikely pair of friends. Yet there was obvious substance between them. It didnt seem romantic only when had a definite impregnation I couldnt quite under allow. I remembered the talk Id overheard between Abe and Adrian, where Abe had verbalise it was arrogant Adrian occlusive near Jill. Something told me there was a connection between that and what I was witnessing now, and I didnt puzzle enough information to prescribe it all together. I filed this mystery away for later.I was sad to leave Rose nevertheless glad that our departure meant parting ways with Abe and Keith. Abe left with his typically cryptic remarks and a manageing look for me that I didnt appreciate. I dropped Keith d our at his place before dis lodge on to Amberwood, and he told me hed documentation me up exitd. Honestly, I wondered what exactly he had to update me on, since I was doing most of the work around here. As distant as I could tell, he truly had nothing to do except lounge around in his waretown apartment. Still, it was worth it to be rid of him. I never thought Id be so happy to drive wrap up with a vampire and a dhampir. Jill tacit seemed anguishd during the car ride to the school. Eddie, sensing this, tried to allay her. He peered back at her from the passenger seat.Well see Adrian soon.I know, she said with a sigh.And nothing else bad is going away to happen. Youre safe. They cant find you here.I know that too, she said.How bad was it? I asked. The attack, I mean. No ones get into details. Out of the recession of my eye, I saw Eddie glance back at Jill again. Bad enough, he said grimly. merely everyones okay now thats what matters.Nevery of them said any more, and I right-hand(a) away picked up on the hint that no more details would be forthcoming. They acted as though the attack had been no boastfully deal, that it was done and over with, except they were organism too evasive. Something had happened that I didnt know intimately that the Alchemists likely didnt know about something that they were working to go by secret. My extrapolate was that it had to do with Adrian macrocosm here. He had mentioned an obvious reason for coming to bay wreath Springs, and wherefore Abe had hinted at some ulterior motive that Adrian himself didnt know about. It was all kind of annoying, seeing as I was risking my liveliness here. How did they expect me to adequately do my job if they insisted on making this a tangle of secrets? Alchemists dealt in secrets, and despite my rocky past, I was still Alchemist enough to re displace being denied answers. Fortunately, I was also Alchemist enough to hunt those answers down myself.Of course, I knew grilling Jill and Eddie right away wasnt going to get me anywhere. I driveed to play it friendly and get them to relax around me. They mogul not retain the secret belief that humans were creatures of darkness, but that didnt mean they trusted me yet. I didnt blame them. After all, I certainly didnt trust them either.It was well into even when we arrived at Amberwood. Keith and I had scoped out the school earlier, but Eddie and Jill took it in with enormous eyeball. Whereas Clarences home had seemed old-fashioned, the school was bright and modern, consisting of stucco designings that were so typical of calcium and southwest architecture. Palm trees skirted along lush green lawns. In the fading gently, students were still strolling, in pairs and crowds, along the many walking paths that wove throughout the grounds.Wed picked up fast food along the way, but the late hour meant Jill and I had to split from Eddie. At eighteen, with a car and parental permission, I had a lot of freedom to come and go, but I had to answer to cur a couple of(prenominal) upright like everyone else when night came. Eddie was uneasy about leaving Jill, particularly when he realized how far away from her hed be.Amberwood Preps sprawling grounds were divided into iii campuses East, West, and Central. East Campus housed the girls dormitory while West contained the boys. Central, the largest of the three, was where the administrative, academic, and recreational facilities were. The campuses were about a mile apart from each other and served by a dame bus that ran throughout the day, though walking was always an option for those who could stand the heat.Eddie had to choose known he couldnt stay in the girls dorm, though I suspected that if he had his way, he would countenance got slept at the foot of Jills live like a loyal dog. Watching the two of them was kind of amazing. Id never observed a guardian-Moroi pairing before. When Id been with Rose and Dimitri, theyd been simply assa y to keep themselves alive plus, they were both dhampirs. Now, I was finally qualified to see the brass in action and understood why dhampirs deft so stark. Youd have to, to remain that vigilant. Even in the most mundane moments, Eddie always watched our surroundings. nothing escaped his notice.How good is the security system here? he demanded when we stepped inwardly the girls dorm. Hed insisted on seeing it before going to his own. The third house was quiet at this hour, and only a couple of students wandered through with boxes and suitcases as they finished eleventh hour move-ins. They gave us curious looks as they passed, and I had to quell the knot of dread rising in me. Considering everything else going on for me, high school fond life shouldnt scare me but it did. The Alchemists didnt cover that in their lessons.Securitys good enough, I said, keeping my voice low as I turned back to Eddie. They arent worried about vampire assassins, but they certainly want their st udents safe. I know there are security guards that patrol the grounds at night.Eddie eyed the dorm matron, a stout, gray-haired charwoman who supervised the lobby from her desk. Do you count she has any kind of combat training? Do you think she could subdue an intruder?I bet she could wrestle down a guy pussyfoot into a girls room, joked Jill. She rested a lot on his arm, making him jump. Relax. This place is safe. In some ways, Eddies c one fourth dimensionrn was solace and made me looking at secure. At the same time, I couldnt help but think again about why he was so watchful. Hed been there for the attack that no one would tell me about. He knew the threats because hed seen them firsthand. If he was this on edge, even now, then how a lot danger were we still in? The Alchemists had led me to believe that once we were hidden here at Amberwood, all would be well and it would just now become a waiting game. Id had that very conversation with Rose and tried to convince her of the same. Eddies attitude was concerning. The dorm room I shared with Jill was small by my standards. Id always had my own room evolution up and never had to bear on about sharing space or closets. During my time in St. Petersburg, Id even had my own apartment. Still, our one window had a sweeping view of the dorms back courtyard.Everything inside the room was airy and bright, with maple-finished article of furniture that looked new merchantmans, desks, and dressers. I had no experience with dorm rooms but I could only assume by Jills reaction that wed gotten a good one. She swore that the room was larger than the one shed had at her Moroi school, St. Vladimirs Academy, and was quite happy.I half-wondered if she thought our room was big simply because we had so little to put in it. Neither of us had been able to do much fisticuffs with such(prenominal) swift departures. The furniture gave everything a warm, golden feel, but without personal decorations or other touches, the r oom couldve come straight from a catalog. The dorm matron, Mrs. Weathers, had been astonished when she saw us and our minimal luggage. The girls Id observed lamentable in earlier had arrived with cars packed to bursting. I hoped we didnt look suspicious.Jill paused to stare out the window as we got ready for bed. Its so dry here, she murmured, more to herself than me. They keep the lawn green, but its so strange not to feel the moisture in the air. She glanced over at me sheepishly. Im a water user.I know, I said, not certainly what else to add. She was referring to the whoremaster abilities all Moroi possessed. Each Moroi specialized in one of the atoms, either the somatic four earth, air, water, and fire or the more intangible and psychic element of spirit. Hardly anyone wielded that last one, though Id heard Adrian was one of the fewer. If Jill couldnt access her magic easily, I wasnt going to be disappointed. Magic was one of those things, like the gillyflower drinkin g, that served as a slap-in-the-face reminder that these people I was laughing and feeding with were not human.If I wasnt still exhausted from the drive with Keith, I credibly wouldve lain awake agonizing over the fact that I was sleeping close to a vampire. When Id first met Rose, I hadnt even been able to stay in the same room with her. Our hectic escape together had changed that a little, and by the end, Id been able to let my guard down. Now, some of that old fear came back in the darkness. Vampire, vampire. Sternly, I told myself it was just Jill. I had nothing to worry about. Eventually, harass triumphed fear, and I slept.When morning came, I couldnt help looking in the reflect to make sure I had no bite marks or other sign of vampire harm. When Id finished, I immediately mat foolish. With the difficulty Jill was currently having waking up, it made no sense to cypher her sneaking up on me in the night. As it was, I had a hard time getting her out the door in time for orie ntation. She was groggy, with unhealthy look, and kept complaining about a stopache. I guessed I didnt have to worry about nighttime attacks from my roomy.Nonetheless, she managed to get up and around. We left our dorm and found Eddie, gathering with other new students near a arising on Central Campus. Most of the crowd appeared to be freshmen like Jill. yet a few were the same age as me and Eddie, and I was affect to see him easily chatting with those around him. With how vigilant hed been the day before, I wouldve expected him to be more on guard, less capable of normal neighborly interaction but he accommodate right in. As we walked up, however, I caught him glance around stealthily at his surroundings. He might be playing a student, like me but he was still a dhampir.He was just telling us about how he hadnt met his roommate yet when a delightful guy with bright blue eyes and reddish hair strode up to them. Hey there, he said. Up close, I could see a smattering of f reckles. Are you Eddie Melrose?Yes, Im Eddie had spun around with that guardian efficiency, ready to fruit on this potential threat. When he saw the newcomer, Eddie went perfectly still. His eyes widened slightly, and whatever hed been about to severalise faded away.Im Micah Vallence. Im your roommate also your orientation leader. He nodded toward the other mingling students and grinned. But I wanted to come assert hi first since I just got here this morning. My mom pushed our vacation to the limits.Eddie was still staring at Micah as though hed seen a ghost. I examine Micah too, wondering what I was missing. He seemed normal to me. Whatever was going on, Jill was also out of the loop because she was regarding Micah with a perfectly ordinary mien too, no alarm or surprise.Nice to meet you, said Eddie at last. These are my, uh, sisters Jill and Sydney.Micah smiled at each of us in turn. He had a manner about him that made me feel easy, and I could see why hed been drafted a s an orientation leader. I wondered why Eddie was reacting so strangely.What grades are you in? he asked us.Senior, I said. Remembering the cover story, I added, Eddie and I are twins.Im a freshman, said Jill.Looking over our family, I noticed that Eddie and I could probably pass for siblings pretty easily. Our coloring was similar, and of course, there was the fact that we both looked human. While a human wouldnt necessarily look at Jill and say vampire she still possessed certain features that marked her as unusual. Her build and paleness were definite contrasts to me and Eddie.If Micah noticed the lack of family resemblance, he didnt let on. ill at ease(p) about head start high school? he asked Jill.She shook her head and smiled back. Im ready for the challenge.Well, if you lack anything, let me know, he said. For now, Ive gotta get this party started. call on the carpet to you guys later.From the way his attention focused solely on her, it was obvious that the if you need an ything was directed at Jill, and her blush showed that she knew too. She smiled, holding his gaze a moment, and then looked away shyly. I wouldve found it cute, if not for the alarming prospect it presented. Jill was in a school full of humans. It was absolutely out of the question for her to date one, and guys like Micah couldnt be encouraged. Eddie didnt appear to care about the comment, but it seemed to be more because he was still hassled about Micah in general.Micah called our host to attention and began the orientation. The first part of it was simply a tour of the grounds. We followed him around, in and out of air conditioning, as he showed us the important buildings. He explained the shuttle system, and we rode it up to West Campus, which was almost a mirror of East. Boys and girls were allowed in each others dorms, with limitations, and he explained those rules as well, which caused some grumbling.Recalling the formidable Mrs. Weathers, I felt sorry for any boy that trie d to break her dorm rules.both dorms had their own cafeterias, where any student was welcome to eat, and our orientation group had eat while we were still on West Campus. Micah joined my siblings and me, going out of his way to talk to each of us. Eddie responded politely, nodding and asking questions, but his eyes still looked vaguely haunted. Jill was shy at first, but once Micah starting joking around with her, she eventually warmed up to him.How funny, I thought, that it was easier for Eddie and Jill to hold to this situation than it was for me. They were in a strange environment, with a different race, but were still among familiar things, like cafeterias and lockers. They slipped right into the roles and procedures with no difficulty. Meanwhile, despite having traveled and lived all over the world, I felt out of place in what was for everyone else an ordinary setting.Regardless, it didnt cover me long to figure out how the school ran. Alchemists were trained to observe and adapt, and even though school was foreign to me, I quickly picked up on the routine. I wasnt afraid to talk to people either I was used to striking up conversations with strangers and explaining my way out of situations. One thing, however, I knew I would have to work on.I heard her family might be moving to anchorage ground. We were at orientation dejeuner, and a couple of freshmen girls academic term near me were discussing a friend of theirs who hadnt shown up today.The other girls eyes widened. soberly? I would die if I had to move there.I dont know, I mused, moving my food around my plate. With all the sun and UV rays here, it seems like Anchorage might actually provide a long-lasting life span. You dont need as much sunblock, so its a more economical prime(a) as well.Id thought my comment was helpful, but when I looked up, I was met with gape stares. It was obvious from the looks the girls were giving me that I probably couldnt have picked a weirder comment.I guess I s houldnt say everything that comes to mind, I murmured to Eddie. I was used to being direct in social situations, but it occurred to me that simply saying Yeah, wholly wouldve probably been the correct response. Id had few friends my own age and was out of practice.Eddie grinned at me. I dont know, sis. Youre pretty entertaining as you are. Keep it up.After lunch, our group returned to Central Campus, where we parted ways to meet with academic advisors and plan our manakin schedules. When I sat down with my advisor, a cheery young woman named Molly, I wasnt surprised to see that the Alchemists had sent along academic records from a fictitious school in South Dakota. They were even fairly arranged with what I had studied in my homeschooling.Your grades and tests have placed you in our most advanced math and English classes, Molly said. If you do well in them, you can receive college credit. Too bad theres no occur Ill get to go to college, I thought with a sigh. She flipped throug h a few pages in my file. Now, I dont see any records of foreign language here. Its an Amberwood exigency that everyone learn at least one language.Oops. The Alchemists had messed up there in faking my records. Id actually studied a number of languages. My father had made sure I had lessons from an early age, since an Alchemist never knew where he or she might end up. Scanning Amberwoods list of offered languages, I hesitated and wondered if I should lie. Then I decided I really didnt want to sit through conjugations and tenses Id already learned.I already know all of these, I told Molly.Molly regarded me skeptically. All of these? there are five languages here.I nodded and added helpfully, But I only studied Japanese for two years. So I suppose I could learn more.Molly still didnt seem to buy this. Would you be willing to take proficiency tests?And so, I ended up spending the rest of my good afternoon laboring over foreign languages. It wasnt how I wanted to spend my day, but I supposed it would pay off later the tests were a breeze.When I finally finished all five languages three hours later, Molly travel rapidly me out to get fitted for my uniform. Most of the other new students had long asleep(p) through already, and she was concerned that I might have already disoriented the woman doing the fittings. I moved as fast as I could without running down the halls and nearly bumped into two girls rounding a corner.Oh I exclaimed, feeling like an idiot. Im sorry Im late for my fitting One of them laughed good-naturedly. She was sorry with an athletic build and wavy black hair. Dont worry about it, she said. We just walked past the room. Shes still there.The other girl had blond hair a shade lighter than mine that she wore in a high ponytail. two of them had the easy assurance of those who knew their way around this world. These werent new students.Mrs. Delaney always takes longer than she thinks she will with the fittings, the blond girl said knowingly. Every year, its Her jaw dropped, her terminology freezing up for a few moments. Where where did you get that?I had no clue what she meant, but the other girl soon noticed and leaned side by side(predicate) to me. Thats amazing Is that what theyre doing this year?Your tattoo, explained the blonde. I must have still looked clueless. Whered you get it?Oh. That. My fingers absentmindedly touched my cheek. In, um, South Dakota. Where Im from.Both girls looked disappointed. I guess thats why Ive never seen it, said the dark-haired girl. I thought never again was doing something new.Nevermore? I asked.The girls exchanged silent glances, and some message passed between them. Youre new, right? Whats your name? asked the blond girl. Im Julia. This is Kristin.Sydney, I said, still mystified.Julia was smiling again. Have lunch with us at East tomorrow, okay? Well explain everything.Everything about what? I asked.Its a long story. Just get to Delaney for now, added Kristin, starting to move away. Shell stay late, but not forever.When they were gone, I continued on my way much more slowly wondering what that had been about. Had I just made friends? I really wasnt sure how one went about it in a school like this, but that solid exchange had seemed pretty weird.Mrs. Delaney was just packing up when I arrived. What size do you wear, dear? she asked, catching spate of me in the doorway.Two.A number of articles were produced skirts, pants, blouses, and sweaters. I doubted the sweaters would see much wear, unless a freak apocalyptic blizzard hit Palm Springs. Amberwood wasnt particularly engaged about which ensemble students wore, as long as it came from the approved pussycat of fashion. The colors were burgundy, dark gray, and white, which I actually thought looked kind of pleasant together.Watching me button a white blouse, Mrs. Delaney tsked, I think you need a size four.I froze mid-button. I wear a two.Oh, yes, you can fit into them, but look at the arms and the s kirt length. I think youll be more comfortable in a four. attempt these. She handed over a new stack and then laughed. Dont look so mortified, girl A fours nothing. Youre still a twig. She patted her ample stomach. We could fit three of you into my clothesDespite my many protests, I was still sent away with the size-four clothing. I rode back to my dorm, dejected, and found Jill lying on her bed and reading. She sat up at my arrival.Hey, I wondered what had happened to you.Got delayed, I said with a sigh. Are you feeling better?Yeah. A lot. Jill watched as I put away the uniforms. Theyre pretty terrible, right? We didnt have uniforms at St. Vladimirs. Its going to be so boring wearing the same thing every day. I didnt want to tell her that as an Alchemist, I might have worn an outfit like this anyway.What size did you get? I asked, to change the subject. I was kind of a glutton for punishment.Two.A twinge of annoyance offer through me as I hung my uniforms in the closet beside hers . I felt huge by comparison. How were all those Moroi so skinny? Genetics? Low-carb pedigree diet? Maybe it was just because they were all so tall. All I knew was that whenever I spent time around them, I felt dowdy and awkward and wanted to eat less.When I finished unpacking, Jill and I compared schedules. not surprisingly, considering the difference in grades, we had almost nothing in common. The only thing we shared was a multi-grade PE class. All students were required to take it every semester, since physical fitness was considered part of a wellrounded students experience. Maybe I could lose a few pounds and get back into my normal size.Jill smiled and handed my schedule back. Eddie went and demanded to be in our PE class since its pretty much the only one we could share. It conflicts with his Spanish class, though, and they wouldnt let him. I dont think he can handle going the whole school day without seeing that Im alive. Oh, and Micahs with us in PE.Id stalked off to my b ed, still irritated about the uniforms. Jills words caught my attention. Hey, do you know why Eddie seemed weirded out around Micah?Jill shook her head. No, I didnt get a chance to ask, but I noticed it too especially at first. afterward while you were testing and we were waiting for uniforms, Eddie seemed to chill out. A little. Every once in a while, Id see him giving Micah a strange look, though.You dont think he thinks Micahs dangerous, do you?Jill shrugged. He didnt seem dangerous to me, but Im no guardian. If Eddie did think he was some kind of threat, it seems like hed be acting differently. More aggressive. He mostly seems nervous around Micah. Almost but not quite afraid. And thats weirdest of all because guardians never look scared. Not that Eddies technically a guardian. But you know what I mean.I do, I said, smiling despite my grumpy intentions. That cute, rambling nature cheered me up a little. What do you mean Eddies technically not a guardian? Isnt he delegate t o protect you here?Yeah, he is, said Jill, toying with one of her light brown curls. But well, its kind of weird. He got in some trouble with the guardians for helping Rose and for, um, killing a guy.He killed a Moroi that attacked Vasilisa, right? It had come up at my interrogation.Yeah, said Jill, lost in her own memories. It was self-defense well, and defense of Lissa, but everyone was shocked at him killing a Moroi. Guardians arent supposed to do that, but then, you know, Moroi arent supposed to attack each other either. Anyway, he was put on suspension. No one knew what to do with him. When I got attacked, Eddie helped protect me. Later, Lissa said it was stupid to keep him off duty when he could be helpful and that considering Moroi were behind this attack too, she said everyone was going to have to get used to the idea of Moroi being the enemy. Hans the guardian in charge at Court finally agreed and sent Eddie here with me, but I think officially, Eddies not restored yet. Its weird. Jill had delivered the whole speech without pausing and now halt to catch a breath.Well, Im sure itll be sorted out, I said, trying to be reassuring. And it seems like hell get points for keeping a princess alive.Jill looked at me sharply. Im no princess.I frowned and tried to remember the complexities of Moroi law. The prince or princess is the oldest member of a family. Since Vasilisas queen, the ennoble rolls over to you, right?On paper, said Jill, looking away. Her tone was hard to read, an odd mixture of what seemed like bitterness and sorrow. Im not a princess, not really. Im just someone who happens to be related to the queen.Jills mother had briefly been cyprian to Eric Dragomir, Vasilisas father, and had kept Jills existence a secret for years. It had only come out recently, and Id played a big role in helping Rose track Jill down. With all the fallout in my own life, as well as the emphasis on Jills safety, I hadnt spent much time wondering how she had adapte d to her new status. That had to be a serious life style change.Im sure theres more to it than that, I said gently. I wondered if I was going to be spending a lot of time playing healer to Jill during this assignment. The prospect of actually comforting a vampire still seemed so strange to me. I mean, youre obviously important. Everyones gone to a lot of trouble to keep you safe here.But is it for me? asked Jill. Or is it to help Lissa keep the tidy sum? Shes hardly spoken to me since she found out we were sisters. This conversation was steering into ill-fitting waters, into interpersonal matters that I didnt really know how to deal with. I couldnt imagine being in either Vasilisa or Jills place. The only thing I felt certain of was that it couldnt be easy for any of them.Im sure she cares about you, I said, though not really sure at all. But its probably strange for her especially with all the other changes in her life too. Give it time. Focus on the important things first st aying here and staying alive.Youre right, said Jill. She lay back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. Im nervous about tomorrow, about being around everyone, in classes all day. What if they notice? What if someone finds out the truth about me?You did fine at orientation, I assured her. Just dont show your fangs. And besides, Im pretty good at win over people they didnt see what they think they saw.The grateful expression on her face reminded me uncomfortably of Zoe. They were so alike in many ways, shy and indefinite yet intensely fierce and desperately wanting to prove themselves. Id tried to protect Zoe and only failed in her eyes. Now, being here for Jill made me feel conflicted. In some ways, I could make up for what I hadnt been able to do for Zoe. Yet even as I thought that, some inner voice kept saying, Jill is not your sister. Shes a vampire. This is business.Thanks, Sydney. Im glad youre here. She smiled, and the immorality only twisted further inside me. You kno w, Im kind of jealous of Adrian. He thinks its so boring at Clarences, but he doesnt have to worry about meeting new people or getting used to a new school. He just gets to hang out, watch TV, play pool with Lee, sleep in it sounds amazing. She sighed.I suppose, I said, a little surprised at the detail. How do you know all that? Have you have you talked to him since we left? Even as I said that, the idea seemed unlikely. Id been with her most of the day.The smile dropped from her face. Oh no. I mean, I just figure thats whats going on. He mentioned some of it earlier, thats all. Sorry. Im being melodramatic and rambling. Thanks for listening to me it really does make me feel better.I smiled tightly and said nothing. I still couldnt get over the fact that I was starting to feel so warmly toward a vampire. First Rose, now Jill? It didnt matter how likable she was. I had to keep our relationship professional so that no Alchemist could accuse me of getting attached. Keiths words echoed in my head vamp loverThats ridiculous, I thought. There was nothing wrong with being nice to those in my care. It was normal, a far cry from getting too close to them. Right? Pushing my worries aside, I concentrated on finishing unpacking and thinking about our new life here. I sincerely hoped tomorrow would go as smoothly as Id assured Jill it would.Unfortunately, it didnt.