"My dad was. He never talks much about it - hence the secret part - but I picked up things, and then I heard about it while I was at school."
I leaned against the wall. The clock across the hall told me classes were almost over. "Did you hear anything about them beating up people? There are at least four Moroi I know of who were attacked. And they won't talk about it."
"Who? Like non-royals?"
"No. Other royals."
"That doesn't make any sense. The whole point of it is for elite royals to band together to protect themselves from change. Unless, perhaps, they're going after royals who refuse or are supporting non-royals."
"Maybe. But one of them was Jesse's brother, and Jesse seems to be a founding member. Seems like he'd have to make the cut. And they didn't do anything when Christian refused."
Adrian spread his hands wide. "Even I don't know everything, and like I said, this one's probably got its own little agenda they're keeping hidden." I sighed in frustration, and he gave me a curious look. "Why do you care so much?"
"Because it isn't right. The people I saw were in bad shape. If some group's going around and ganging up on victims, they need to be stopped,"
Adrian laughed and played with a strand of my hair. "You can't save everyone, though God knows you try."
"I just want to do what's right." I remembered Dimitri's comments about Westerns and couldn't help a small smile. "I need to bring justice where it's needed."
"The crazy thing, little dhampir, is that you mean that. I can tell by your aura."
"What, are you saying it's not black anymore?"
"No...still dark, definitely. But it's got a little light in it, streaks of gold. Like sunlight."
"Maybe your theory about me catching it from Lissa is wrong then." I'd been trying very hard not to think about last night, when I'd learned about Anna. Mentioning it now stirred up all those fears all over again. Insanity. Suicide.
"Depends," he said. "When was the last time you saw her?"
I gave him a light punch. "You have no clue, do you? You're making this up as you go along."
He caught my wrist and pulled me closer. "Isn't that the way you normally operate?"
I grinned in spite of myself. This close to him I could appreciate just how lovely the green of his eyes was. In fact, despite continually making fun of him, I couldn't deny that the rest of him was pretty good-looking too. His fingers were warm on my wrist, and there was something kind of sexy about the way he held it. Thinking back to Deirdre's words, I tried to assess how it all made me feel. The queen's warnings aside, Adrian was a guy who was technically available. Was I attracted to him? Did I get a thrill out of this?
The answer: no. Not in the same way I did with Dimitri. Adrian was sexy in his way, but he didn't drive me wild the way Dimitri did. Was it because Adrian was so readily available? Was Deirdre right about me purposely wanting relationships that were impossible?
"You know," he said, interrupting my thoughts, "under any other circumstances, this would be hot. Instead, you're looking at me like I'm some kind of science fair project."
That was exactly how I was treating this, actually. "Why don't you ever use compulsion on me?" I asked. "And I don't mean just to stop me from getting in fights."
"Because half the fun of you is that you're so difficult."
A new idea occurred to me. "Do it."
"Do what?"
"Use compulsion on me."
"What?" It was another of those rare shocked Adrian moments.
"Use compulsion to make me want to kiss you - except you have to promise not to actually kiss me."
"That's pretty weird - and when I say something's weird, you know it's serious."
"Please."
He sighed and then focused his eyes right on me. It was like drowning, drowning in seas of green. There was nothing in the world except for those eyes.
"I want to kiss you, Rose," he said softly. "And I want you to want me too."
Every aspect of his body - his lips, his hands, his scent - suddenly overpowered me. I felt warm all over. I wanted him to kiss me with every ounce of my being. There was nothing in life I wanted more than that kiss. I tilted my face up toward his, and he leaned down. I could practically taste his lips.
"Do you want to?" he asked, voice still like velvet. "Do you want to kiss me?"
Did I ever. Everything around me had blurred. Only his lips were in focus.
"Yes," I said. His face moved closer, his mouth only a breath away from mine. We were so, so close, and then -
He stopped. "We're done," he said, stepping back.