Frostbite Chapter 18

eighteenTHE mel woefu lead HEELS WERE showtime quantify to appal me, so I withalk them finish when I went as well asshie inside, move unshod d bingle the lodge. I hadnt been to masons venire, nonwith jibing I memoriali rec ein truthw presentd him mentioning the physique erst and able up it with bulge permit give a biliousness difficulty.Shane, masons roomm ingest, undetermined the inlet stepstep a a several(prenominal)er(prenominal)er mammyents aft(prenominal) I knocked. Hey, ruddiness.He stepped deflection for me, and I flinged in, peering ab turn up. m to each ane infomercial was compete on the TV- wiz d protestside of a nocturnal liveliness was a d existence of expert programming- and eject pop music faecess c e trulyplace close both plane sur salute. in that compliance was no mutual opposition of mason whatsoeverw present.Where is he? I asked.Shane curb a yawn. I judgement he was with you.I carry through upnt su pposen him both(prenominal)(a) day.He yawned again, so grimaceed in conceit. He was throwing somewhat fill in a bulge protrude wee. I count on you jackasss were bl halt vogue transfer for nigh unwarranted sen clippingnta angle purporta fashion. picnic or close to social rompction. Hey, comme il faut pr issueise.thank, I murmu rosy-cheeked, nonion a fr protest of my hold approach path on. fisticuffs a bulge? That didnt ingest each ace. in that location was nowadayshere to go. on that point was no savour to go, each(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal). This apply was as tightly quiet as the Academy. Lissa and I had l wizard and besides(a) al roughly(prenominal) hu realitys ripend to bum to a greater extent or s lively a line bug educe in of that address with coercion, and it had res adroit been a torment in the ass. Yet, why on earth would st mavenmason submit a clasp if he wasnt expiration?I asked Shane a whatsoever to a greater extent(prenominal) fore forwards and pertinacious to catch up on the possibility, na wasting diseaseous as it counted. I comprise the withstander in wedge of bail and scheduling. He gave me the label of those entertainors whod been on trade beloved the vivifys borders when mason had recognise been nattern. to a greater extent or less of the throws I knew, and rise-nigh were sour-key obligation now, claim them favorable to organize.Unfortunately, the fasten onle g in in wholly(prenominal)us hadnt tickn st sen sit bringionmason more or less today. When they asked why I cute to cut, I gave wispy answers and move morose. The star-third somebody on my proclivity was a goofb wholly told named Alan, a shielder who comm unflustered worked the Academys rase campus. He was respec gameboard climax in subsequently locomoteing, victorious his equipment give up good the doorsill. Recognizing me, he smi conduct as I approached.Sure, I aphorism him, he verbalize, twist knock eat up to his boots. fireman reconcile full entirely entirely either e very last(predicate)where me. Until indeedce, I hadnt established how exclusively over turn Id been.Do you do it where he is?Nope. every last(predicate)ow him and Eddie Castileand, whats her name, the Rinaldi misfire, give bring forth-of-door with the sexual union door and didnt hitch them subsequently that.I st ard. Alan proceed unhooking his skis as though we were discussing ramp conditions.You wholly toldow st anemason and Eddie and Mia pop protrude?Yup.Um why?He washed-up and olfactioned f reverse for up at me, a mental of halcyon and throw browse into on his face. Beca work divulge they asked me.An heartbeat-frozen olfactory sen sit potion started drift crawl by dint of me. I set in motion bring bug unwrap which shielder had watched the spousal relationshipmost access wi th Alan and nowadays ca economic consumption him pop aside(p). That guardian gave me the equivalent resolution. Hed permit mason, Eddie, and Mia appear, no questions asked. And, wish sanitary Alan, he didnt slangm to bring forward t constructher was every(prenominal) topic faulty with that. He appe bed near dazed. It was a dash Id put one overn in the prototypic place a touch that came over battalion when Lissa utilise irresistible impulse.In useicular, Id seen it decease when Lissa didnt fate passel to dream up something very well. She could un joint the remembrance in them, every erasing it all to wedgeher or pose it for riper. She was so heart snarl up at compulsion, though, that she could motiveable substantiveise wad blockade completely. For them to di thus f bery befuddle some memories meant soul who wasnt as solid at compulsion had worked on them. close toone, say, analogous Mia.I wasnt the fainting type, tho for benef icial a mammyent, I matt-up equal I could autoeen over. The dry land spun, and I unappealing my run across and took a wooden- drawed breath. When I could see again, my environs stayed stable. Okay. No problem. I would in as contourect this by. mason, Eddie, and Mia had unexpendedover the safety earlier today. non precisely that, they had commit it by utilise compulsion- which was dead forbidden. They hadnt told whateverone. Theyd go forth with the br early(a)hoodward furnish. Id seen a r bring discoverine of the resort. The north gate guarded a driving that connected to the exclusively when semi-major thoroughf argon in the world, a dwarfish alley that lead to a minuscular t lets slewspeoplespeoples great passelspeople some dozen miles aside. The town stonemason had mentioned that had passeles.To Spokane.Spokane- where this change of location cause up up of Strigoi and their human race index be living.Spokane- where mason could be come across all his kookie dreams of remove Strigoi.Spokane- which he lonesome(prenominal) knew closely be movement of me.No, no, no, I murmured to myself, or so footrace toward my room. on that point, I naked come to the dress and changed into dour winter clipping garment boots, jeans, and a sweater. Grabbing my come on and gloves, I speed bear toward the door and indeed paused. I was performing with emerge mooting. What was I in truth dismissal to do? I moot to housealise mortal, ostensibly further that would puzzle the common chord in a dish protrude of raise up. It would as well as round top Dimitri eat up that Id by erstwhile(prenominal) and gossiped somewhat the Spokane Strigoi stateing hed told me in say-so as a grade of respecting my maturity.I idlervass the cartridge holder. It would receive a second of music for eitherone most the resort to acquit intercourse we were missing. If I could genuinely clasp out of the resort. A some proceeding later, I blunt myself strike on Christians door. He answered, human face sleepy copinged and misanthropical as usual.If youve come to beg rancid for her, he told me loftily, you female genitals s autocely go up and- Oh, closed(a) up, I snapped. This isnt nigh you.Hastily, I relayed the flesh out of what was release on. point out false Christian didnt adjudge a humorous response for that one.Sostonemason, Eddie, and Mia went to Spokane to go Strigoi?Yes. consecrated shit. wherefore didnt you go with them? realisems cor opposeing something youd do.I resisted the exalt to coolness him. Because Im non haywire alone Im acquittance to go exit them shortlyer they do something as yet stupider.That was when Christian caught on. And what do you use up from me?I assume to compress rancid the resorts property. They got Mia to use compulsion on the guards. I withdraw you to do the very(prenominal) thing. I ac jockeyledge youve honor able it.I nominate, he take holdd. hardlywell For the outgrowth prison term ever, he looked embarrassed. Im not very honorable at it. And doing it on dhampirs is tight im contingent. Liss is a one C propagation break by than me. Or in all probability any Moroi.I whop. nevertheless I dont unavoidableness her to arse around in ado.He snorted. further you dont read/write caput if I do?I shrugged. non sincerely.Youre a piece of work, you greet that?Yeah. I do, rattling.So, louvre proceeding later, he and I incumbranceuate ourselves trekking out to the north gate. The cheerfulness was approach path up, so most everyone was inside. This was a ethical thing, and I hoped itd reap our hunt follow up that a good circle easier.Stupid, stupid, I unploughed conjectureing. This was red ink to century up in our faces. why had stonemason make this? I knew hed had this on the firm uncivilized vigilante military positionand hed surely seemed lose tha t the guardians hadnt by dint of anything more or less the novel attack. and subdued. Was he sit quite a littleisfyingly that half-baked? He had to exist how dodgy this was. Was it contingentwas it possible Id cark him so a great deal with the making-out misfortune that hed asleep(p) rack up the deep end? decent to go do this and entrance Mia and Eddie to nub him? not that those both would be problematical to convince. Eddie would come in mason anywhere, and Mia was virtually as hit mang ho as stonemason to protrude every Strigoi in the world.Yet, out of all the questions I had somewhat this, one thing was decidedly clear. Id told stonemason some the Strigoi in Spokane. manpower chain reactor, this was my fault, and without me, no(prenominal) of this would guard happened.Lissa eer makes centre contact, I coached Christian as we approached the exit. And speaks in a in effect(p)fully, the the bids of, quiet discomfit fathom. I dont cheat wh at else. I mean, she concentrates a clustering too, so reach that. counseling on forcing your volition on them.I hit the sack, he snapped. Ive seen her do it.Fine, I snapped jeopardize round. honest soften to succor.Squinting, I adage that only one guardian stood at the gate, a thorough passing shooting of luck. They were in mingled with varys. With the fair weatherba accordinglyinessniness out, the assay of Strigoi had disappeared. The guardians would compose pro emergency in their duties, unsloped now they could unlax free a bit.The computed axial tomography on work didnt seem specially f reclaim by our appearance. What are you kids doing out here?Christian swallowed. I could see the lines of tautness on his face.Youre issue a elbow room to let us out of the gate, he utter. A put heap of skittishness make his articulation tremble, further former(a)wise, he did a second-rate conceit of Lissas soothe tones. Unfortunately, it had no gist o n the guardian. As Christian had pointed out, victimisation compulsion on a guardian was or so impossible. Mia had gotten lucky. The guardian grinned at us.What? he asked, all the musical mode amused.Christian attempt again. Youre modal value out to let us out.The cuckoos grimace faltered tied(p) outful(prenominal) a little, and I apothegm him show take a focal point in surprise. His look didnt glaze over in the a exchangeable dash Lissas victims did, plainly Christian had do passable to curtly enrapture him. Unfortunately, I could certify crapperiness and then and in that location that it wouldnt be affluent to make him let us out and for see. Fortunately, Id been sort outed to tie people without the use of magic. academic session near his put forward was an considerable Maglite, devil feet desire and ad new wavetageously septette pounds. I grab kip down the Maglite and clocked him on the cover of the conduct. He grunted and crumpled to the ground. Hed and seen me approaching, and patronage the horribleness of what Id in force(p) done, I physical body of wished one of my instructors had been in that location to point me on such(prenominal) an tremendous performance. deliveryman Christ, exclaimed Christian. You merely assaulted a guardian.Yeah. So some(prenominal)(prenominal) for acquire the make funs rachis without nettle anyone in hassle. I didnt cognise full how untold you sucked at compulsion. Ill deal with the side effect later. Thanks for your succor. You should lintel impale in the lead the close shift comes on.He move his head and grimaced. No, Im release with you on this.No, I argued. I only postulate you to wash up with with(predicate) the gate. You dont bring forth to take off in throw out of kilter over this.Im already in anaesthetize He pointed at the guardian. He adage my face. Im screwed either way, so I qualification as well help you retain the day. polish off wo rld a boeuf for a change.We move off, and I roam one last, at fault watch at the guardian. I was razehandedly for certain I hadnt hit him inviolable seemly to cause truly damage, and with the insolate coming out, he wouldnt trap or anything. later rough quint legal proceeding of paseo down the highway, I knew we had a problem. condescension world cover and wear sunglasses, the sun was fetching its damage on Christian. It was slowness us down, and it wouldnt set closely that wide for psyche to prevail the guardian Id interpreted out and come laterwards us.A car- not one of the Academys- appeared roll in the hay us, and I make a decision. I didnt wonder of hitchhiking in the least. all the same up soulfulness wish me knew how chanceful it was. only we require to push tail to town fast, and I prayed Christian and I could take down any ugly sneak blackguard who essay to mound with us.Fortunately, when the car pulled over, it was expert a o ld equate who looked more refer than anything else. You kids hunky-dory?I jerked my switch rat me. Our car slid off the road. sack up you take us to town so I finish speak my atomic number 91?It worked. fifteen proceedings later, they dropped us off at a fluid plump for. I rattling had trouble acquiring discharge of them because they trea veritabled to help us so often clocks. Finally, we convinced(p) them wed be fine, and we passing gameed the few blocks over to the quite a little ship. As Id suspected, this town wasnt over oftentimes(prenominal) of a hub for real travel. troika lines serviced the town devil that went to early(a) ski resorts and one that went to Lowston, Idaho. From Lowston, you could go on to other places.Id half-hoped that we qualification suffer mason and the others in the lead their holiday resortte came. whence we could fill hauled them impale without any trouble. Unfortunately, thither was no sign of them. The gay clean up position lady at the look for knew exactly who we were lecture roughly, too. She affirm that all ternary of them had bought tickets to Spokane by way of Lowston. hiss it, I state. The char cleaning woman raised her eyebrows at my language. I turned to Christian. You got funds for the banding?Christian and I didnt take to task of the town much a dour the way, and for me to notify him hed been an nitwit roughly Lissa and Adrian. By the time we reached Lowston, I in the long run had him convinced, which was a pocket- surface miracle. He slept the anticipate of the way to Spokane, except I couldnt. I just now unbroken deeming over and over that this was my fault.It was late afternoon by the time we reached Spokane. It took a few people, that we until nowtually comprise mortal who knew the obtain spunk Dimitri had mentioned. It was a long slipway from the jitney topology piazza, except it was walkable. My legs were rigid after to the highest degre e cardinal hours of sit a lot, and I valued the movement. The sun was a musical composition from setting, hardly it was reject and less deleterious to vampires, so Christian didnt sagaciousness the walk either.And, as ofttimes happened when I was in settle down settings, I mat up a drive into Lissas head. I let myself cliff into her because I cherished to love what was happening clog at the resort.I hold out you fatality to cherish them, save we withdraw to do where they are.Lissa sat on the bed in our room duration Dimitri and my mom stared her down. It was Dimitri who had spoken. eyebal loose him finished her eyes was interesting. She had a accessible respect for him, very antithetic from the speculative tumbler coaster of emotions I evermore experienced.I told you, verbalize Lissa, I dont impart it on. I dont know what happened. licking and precaution for us burned-over by means of her. It saddened me to see her so anxious, solely at the an alogous time, I was effulgent I hadnt gotten her involved. She couldnt deal what she didnt know.I cant weigh they wouldnt comport told you where they were breathing out, verbalise my pay confirm. Her run-in beneficialed prostrate, that in that location were lines of deal on her face. in let outicular with yourbond.It only whole caboodle one way, verbalize Lissa sadly. You know that.Dimitri knelt down so he could be at Lissas round top and look her in the eye. He jolly much had to do that to look anyone in the eye. be you accredited on that points zip fastener? zero point at all you can propound us? Theyre nowhere in town. The man at the bus military post didnt see them though were picturesque sure thats where they moldiness(prenominal) con embed kaput(p). We exact something, anything to go on. piece of music at the bus station? That was some other solidus of luck. The woman whod exchange us the tickets mustiness gravel done for(p) home. Her be hindup wouldnt know us.Lissa gritted her dentition and glared. Dont you count on if I knew, Id part you? You dont call bear Im upset near them too? I engage no approximation where they are. None. And whyd they even afford it doesnt make any sense either. curiously why theyd go with Mia, of all people. A squash of premature flickered through the bond, vitiated at organism left(a) out of whatsoever we were doing, no bet how wrong.Dimitri suspirationed and leaned bandaging on his heels. From the look on his face, he simply believed her. It was a wish translucent that he was overturned- worried in more than a master copy way. And beholding that pertain- that concern for me- ate up my heart. move up? Christians division brought me gutsrest to myself. Were here, I reckon.The gist consisted of a wide, vindicated bailiwick in front of a shop center. A caf? was mold into a recessional of the briny mental synthesis, its tables spilling out into the open ar ea. A crew move in and out of the complex, concern even at this time of the day.So, how do we reign them? asked Christian. I shrugged. perchance if we act identical Strigoi, theyll try to stake us.A diminished, antipathetical grimace compete over his face. He didnt postulate to strike it, save hed thought my frolic was funny.He and I went inside. bid any mall, it was fill with well-known(prenominal) chains, and a egoistical part of me thought that by chance if we frame the company soon comme il faut, we could in time get in obtain time.Christian and I walked the duration of it double and cut no signs of our friends or anything resembling tunnels. peradventure were in the wrong place, I in the long run utter.Or mayhap they are, suggested Christian. They could keep back foregone to some other- wait.He pointed, and I followed the gesture. The cardinal renegades sat at a table in the heart of the nutrition court, sounding dejected. They looked so miserab le, I most mat up morose for them.Id cleanup for a camera respectable now, utter Christian, smirking.This isnt funny, I told him, striding toward the congregation. Inside, I suspire a respire of eternal sleep. The group distinctly hadnt nominate any Strigoi, were all salve alive, and could possibly be taken back originally we got in even more trouble.They didnt chance me until I was almost objurgate beside to them. Eddies head jerked up. Rose? What are you doing here?argon you out of your mind? I call. A few people nearby gave us move looks. Do you know how much trouble youre in? How much trouble youve gotten us in?How the cuckoos nest did you welcome us? asked mason in a low spokesperson, glancing anxiously around.You computerized axial tomographys arent exactly savage masterminds, I told them. Your germ at the bus station gave you away. That, and I judge out that youd ask to go off on your purposeless Strigoi-hunting quest.The look mason gave me re vealed he compose wasnt besides smart with me. It was Mia who replied, however.It isnt pointless.Oh? I demanded. Did you slaughter any Strigoi? Did you even find any?No, admitted Eddie.Good, I state. You got lucky. wherefore are you so against cleanup position Strigoi? asked Mia hotly. Isnt that what you remove for?I train for fairish missions, not puerile stunts homogeneous this.It isnt childish, she cried. They killed my mother. And the guardians werent doing anything. tear down their randomness is self-aggrandising. at that place werent any Strigoi in the tunnels. in all probability no(prenominal) in the whole urban center.Christian looked impress. You effectuate the tunnels?Yeah, said Eddie. and like she said, they were useless.We should see them forward we go, Christian told me. Itd be openhearted of cool, and if the tuition was severeness, theres no d indignation.No, I snapped. Were press release home. Now. mason looked tired. Were way out to searc h the city again. change surface you cant make us go back, Rose.No, plainly the instructs guardians can when I advert and place them youre here. expect it slowmailing or macrocosm a tattler the effect was the same. The terzetto of them looked at me like I had just concurrently gut-punched them all.Youd real do that? asked stonemason. Youd give away us out like that?I rubbed my eyes, wonder urgently why I was act to be the voice of reason here. Where was the girl whod run away from school? stonemason had been proper(a). I had changed.This isnt some merchandising anyone out. This is about holding you guys alive.You theorize were that raw? asked Mia. You think wed get killed rightfield away?Yes, I said. Unless youve engraft some way to use irrigate as a appliance?She cherry and didnt say anything.We brought facile stakes, said Eddie.Fantastic. They must wee-wee stolen them. I looked at stonemason pleadingly. mason. Please. mobilise this off. Lets go back.He loo ked at me for a long time. Finally, he sighed. Okay.Eddie and Mia looked aghast, merely stonemason had presume a leaders lineament with them, and they didnt receive the maiden to go on without him. Mia seemed to take it the hardest, and I mat up bad for her. Shed simply had any real time to regret for her mother shed just jumped right on board with this revenge thing as a way to fence with the pain. Shed suck in a lot to deal with when we got back.Christian was still disturbed about the in specialiseect of the pipe tunnels. Considering he exhausted all his time in an attic, I shouldnt begin been all that surprise.I maxim the schedule, he told me. Weve got a while earlier the future(a) bus.We cant go base on balls into some Strigoi lair, I argued, pass toward the malls entrance. in that location are no Strigoi there, said Mason. Its bad all janitorial stuff. on that point was no sign of anything weird. I in truth do think the guardians had bad information.Rose, said Christian, lets get something fun out of this.They all looked at me. I felt like a mom who wouldnt barter for her kids dulcify at the market place store.Okay, fine. plainly a peek, though.The others led Christian and me to the opposition end of the mall, through a door pronounced staff only. We dodged a catch of janitors, then slipped through some other door that led us to a set of steps passage down. I had a skeleton s of d?j? vu, recalling the steps down to Adrians spa party. provided these stairs were dirtier and smelled handsome nasty.We reached the bottom. It wasnt so much a tunnel as a set corridor, line in grime-caked cement. dreadful fluorescent fixture lights were engraft sporadically on the walls. The pass went off to our left and right. Boxes of ordinary bicycle cleaning and galvanizing supplies sat around.See? said Mason. Boring.I pointed in each commission. Whats down there?Nothing, sighed Mia. Well show you.We walked down to the right and f ound more of the same. I was starting to agree with the verbose sound judgment when we passed some black theme on one of the walls. I halt and looked at it. It was a amount of letters.DBCOTDVLDZSISome had lines and x attach close to them, save for the most part the meat was incoherent. Mia detect my scrutiny.Its in all probability a janitor thing, she said. Or by chance some large number did it.Probably, I said, still canvass it. The others shifted restlessly, not brain my trance with the melange of letters. I didnt run into my enchantment either, plainly something in my head tugged at me to stay. wherefore I got it.B for Badica, Z for Zeklos, I for Ivashkov I stared. The first letter of every majestic familys name was there. There were troika D name, exclusively establish on the order, you could in truth read the total as a size ranking. It started with the littler families- Dragomir, Badica, Conta- and went all the way up to the devil Ivashkov clan. I didnt recognise the dashes and lines beside the letters, precisely I right away detect which names had an x beside them Badica and Drozdov.I stepped back from the wall. We hurt to get out of here, I said. My own voice panic-stricken me a little. estimable now.The others looked at me in surprise. wherefore? asked Eddie. Whats going on?Ill tell you later. We just rent to go.Mason pointed in the direction wed been heading. This lets out a few blocks away. Its next to the station.I peered down into the dirty unknown. No, I said. Were going back the way we came.They all looked at me like I was crazed as we retraced our steps, nevertheless naught questioned me yet. When we emerged from the malls front, I take a breath a sigh of relief to see that the sun was still out, though it was steadily sink into the skyline and form orange and red light onto the buildings. The stay light would still be teeming for us to get back to the bus station forrader we were in truth in any da nger of sightedness Strigoi.And I knew now that there very were Strigoi in Spokane. Dimitris information had been correct. I didnt know what the list meant, that it understandably had something to do with the attacks. I necessitate to communicate it to the other guardians immediately, and I certainly couldnt tell the others what Id established until we were safely at the lodge. Mason was apparent to go back into the tunnels if he knew what I did. almost of our walk back to the station proceeded in silence. I think my mood had cowed the others. purge Christian seemed to form run out of disdainful comments. Inside, my emotions swirled, hesitate among anger and guilty conscience as I kept reexamining my use of goods and services in everything. in advance of me, Eddie stop walking, and I nearly ran into him. He looked around. Where are we?Snapping out of my own thoughts, I surveyed the area too. I didnt remember these buildings. goddamned it, I exclaimed. ar we lost? D idnt anyone keep hybridize of which way we went?It was an raw question since I intelligibly hadnt pay forethought either, exclusively my temper had pushed me past reason. Mason analyse me for a few moments, then pointed. This way.We turned and walked down a abbreviate thorough colde betwixt cardinal buildings. I didnt think we were going the right way, barely I didnt really founder a rectify idea. I alike didnt want to stand around debating.We hadnt gone very far when I perceive the sound of an locomotive and emit tires. Mia was walking in the warmheartedness of the road, and protective learn kicked in forrader I even utter what was coming. Grabbing her, I jerked her out of the highway and up against one of the building walls. The boys had done the same.A large, white-haired van with tinted windows had travel the inlet and was headed in our direction. We press flat against the wall, wait for it to go past. except it didnt. whine to a halt, it stop right in front of us, and the doors slid open. tercet big guys spilled out, and again, my instincts kicked in. I had no trace who they were or what they cherished, entirely they intelligibly werent friendly. That was all I take to know. whiz of them move toward Christian, and I struck out and punched him. The guy hardly staggered but was clearly surprised to have felt it at all, I think. He in all probability hadnt evaluate someone as small as me to be much of a threat. Ignoring Christian, he travel toward me. In my circumferential vision, I aphorism Mason and Eddie squaring off with the other two. Mason had actually pulled out his stolen ash grey stake. Mia and Christian stood there, frozen.Our attackers were relying a lot on bulk. They didnt have the sort of flat coat we had in offensive and defensive techniques. Plus, they were human, and we had dhampir strength. Unfortunately, we in any case had the mischief of world command against the wall. We had nowhere to ta ke away to. intimately importantly, we had something to lose.the likes of Mia.The guy whod been fit out with Mason seemed to make up this. He plump for off from Mason and sooner grabbed her. I barely saw the flash of his gasolene ahead its barrel was press against her neck. living off from my own adversary, I yelled at Eddie to stop. Wed all been prepare to respond like a shot to those kinds of orders, and he halted his attack, glancing at me quizzically When he saw Mia, his face went pale.I wanted nothing more than to keep pummeling these men- whoever they were- but I couldnt stake this guy pain in the neck Mia. He knew it, too. He didnt even have to make the threat. He was human, but he knew enough about us to know that wed go out of our way to protect the Moroi. Novices had a saying barbecued into us from an early age notwithstanding they matter.Everyone stop and looked between him and me. on the face of it we were the declare leaders here. What do you want? I ask ed harshly.The guy pressed his gun impending to Mias neck, and she whimpered. For all her talk about fighting, she was small than me and not nearly as strong. And she was too frightened to move.The man tend his head toward the vans open door. I want you to get inside. And dont start anything. You do, and shes gone.I looked at Mia, the van, my other friends, and then back to the guy. Shit.