Bloodlines Chapter Two

A COUPLE OF PEOPLE GASPED, no doubt over Keiths use of the term vamp lover. incomp barelyowe word was that terrible in and of itself, tho to ragher well, they represented an idea that was pretty much anathema to all that the Alchemists stood for. We fought to protect manhood from vampires. Being in league with those creatures was almost the vilest thing e genuinely of us could be accused of. change surface while questioning me earlier, the other Alchemists had been very c arful with their extract of language.Keiths recitation was almost obscene. Horowitz guessed angry on my behalf and opened his m bulgeh as though he might rile an equally biting retort. After a immediate glance at Zoe and me, he seemed to reconsider, and stayed silent. Michaelson, however, couldnt help himself from muttering, Protect us all. He made the sign against evil.Yet it wasnt Keiths name-calling that materially set me off (though that did certainly enthrall a chill through me). It was Stantons ea rlier offhand comment. We hunch forward you requested Zoe.Keith had requested Zoe for this assignment? My resolve to keep her out of it grew by leaps and bounds. The theme of her leaving off with him made me clench my fists. Every mavin here might think Keith Darnell was some kind of poster child, but I knew better. No girl let merely my sister should be left al 1 and moreover(a) with him.Keith, said Stanton, a gentle warning in her division. I can respect your feelings, but you arent in a position to shoot that call.He flushed. treat Springs is my post I establish every right to dictate what goes on in my territory.I can figure why youd feel that carriage, said my have. Unbelievable. If Zoe or I had questioned authority like Keith had, our father wouldnt have hesitated to tell us our rights or rather, hed tell us that we had none. Keith had stayed with my family one summer young Alchemists sometimes did that while training and my father had grown to regard him lik e the son hed never had. Even then, on that pointd been a double regular between Keith and us. Time and distance apparently hadnt diminished that.Palm Springs may be your post, said Stanton, but this assignment is coming from places in the organization that are far above your reach. Youre essential for coordination, yes, but you are by no means the ultimate authority here. Unlike me, I suspected Stanton had smacked a fewer people in her day, and I think she wanted to do that to Keith this instant. It was funny that she would become my defender, since Id been pretty sure she didnt buy my story to the highest degree using bloom to advance my career.Keith visibly calmed himself, wisely realizing a childish outburst wasnt passage to get him anywhere. I understand. except Im precisely worried about the success of this mission. I endure both of the Sage girls. Even before Sydneys incident, I had serious concerns about her. I figured shed grow out of them, though, so I didnt ta ntalize saying anything at the time. I see now I was wrong. Back then, I actually thought Zoe would have been a far better choice for the family position. No offense, Jared. He gave my father what was plausibly supposed to be a charming smile.Meanwhile, it was getting harder and harder to hide my incredulity. Zoe was eleven when you stayed with us, I said. How in the world could you have drawn those conclusions? I didnt buy for an instant that hed had concerns about me back then. No scratch that. Hed probably had concerns the last day he stayed with us, when I confronted him about a dirty secret hed been hiding. That, I was almost certain, was what all of this was about. He wanted me silenced. My adventures with Rose were simply an excuse to get me out of the way.Zoe was always advanced for her age, Keith said. sometimes you can merely tell.Zoes never seen a Strigoi, let alone a Moroi Shed probably freeze up if she did. Thats true of most Alchemists, I pointed out. Whoever you se nd is leaving to have to be able to stand organism around them, and no matter what you think of my reasons, Im used to them. I dont like them, but I know how to tolerate them. Zoe hasnt had anything but the most basic of instruction and thats all been in our home. Everyone keeps saying this is a serious assignment. Do you really want to risk its give inoff be accept of inexperience and unsubstantiated fears? I finished, proud of myself for staying calm and making such a reasoned argument.Barnes shifted uneasily. But if Keith had doubts years agoZoes training is still probably enough to get by, said my father.Five proceeding ago, my father had endorsed me going instead of her Was anyone here even listening to me? It was like I was invisible now that Keith was here. Horowitz had been busily cleaning and place away his tattooing tools but looked up to scoff at Barness remark.You said the magic words years ago. Keith couldnt have been much one-time(a) than these girls are now. Hor owitz closed(a) his tool case and leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed. I dont doubt you, Keith. Not exactly. But Im not really sure you can origination your opinion of her off memories from when you were all children.By Horowitzs logic, he was saying I was still a child, but I didnt care. Hed delivered his comments in an effortless, easy way that heretofore left Keith face like an idiot. Keith knew it, too, and turned bright red.I concur, said Stanton, who was clearly getting impatient. Sydney wants this badly, and few would, considering it means shell actually have to live with a vampire.Want it badly? Not exactly. But I did want to protect Zoe at all costs and restore my credibility. If it meant thwarting Keith Darnell along the way, then so much the Wait, I said, replaying Stantons words. Did you say live with a vampire?Yes, said Stanton. Even if shes in hiding, the Moroi girl still has to have some semblance of a normal life. We figured wed kill two birds with on e stone and enroll her in a private boarding school. Take care of her education and lodging. We would make arrangements for you to be her roommate.Wouldnt that mean wouldnt that mean Id have to go to school? I asked, feeling a little puzz conduct now. I already graduated. High school, at least. Id made it clear a number of times to my father that Id love to go to college. Hed made it equally clear that he didnt feel there was a need.You see? said Keith, jumping on the opportunity. Shes too elderly. Zoes a better age match.Sydney can pass for a senior. Shes the right age. Stanton gave me a once-over. Besides, you were homeschooled, right? Thisll be a new experience for you. You can see what you were missing.It would probably be easy for you, said my father grudgingly. Your education was superior to anything they can offer. Nice hit compliment, pop music.I was afraid to show how uneasy this deal was making me. My resolve to look out for Zoe and myself hadnt changed, but the complic ations in force(p) kept growing. Repeat high school. choke with a vampire. Keep her in witness protection. And even though Id talked up how comfortable I was around vampires, the thought of sharing a room with one even a seemingly benign one like Jill was unnerving. Another woe occurred to me.Would you be an undercover student too? I asked Keith. The idea of lending him class notes made me nauseous again.Of course not, he said, sounding insulted. Im too old. Ill be the Local Area Mission Liaison. I was willing to bet hed just made that title up on the spot. My job is to help coordinate the assignment and report back to our superiors. And Im not going to do it if shes the one there. He looked from face to face as he spoke that last line, but there was no question who she was. Me.Then dont, said Stanton bluntly. Sydney is going. Thats my decision, and Ill argue it to any high authority you want to take it to. If you are so against her placement, Mr. Darnell, I will personally se e that you are transferred out of Palm Springs and dont have to deal with her at all.All eyes swiveled to Keith, and he hesitated. Shed caught him in a trap, I realized. I had to imagine that with its climate, Palm Springs didnt see a lot of vampire action. Keiths job there was probably pretty easy, whereas when Id worked in St. Petersburg, Id been constantly having to do damage control.That place was a vampire haven, as were some of the other places in Europe and Asia my father had taken me to visit. Dont even get me started about Prague. If Keith were transferred, he took the risk of not only getting a bigger workload but also of being in a much worse location. Because although Palm Springs wasnt desirable for vampires, it sounded kind of awesome for humans.Keiths face confirmed as much. He didnt want to leave Palm Springs. What if she goes there, and I have reason to suspect her of treason again?Then report her, said Horowitz, shifting restlessly. He obviously wasnt impressed wit h Keith. The same as you would anyone.I can increase some of Zoes training in the meantime, said my father, almost as an apology to Keith. It was clear whose side my father was on. It wasnt mine. It wasnt even Zoes, really. Then, if you hold fault with Sydney, we can replace her.I bristled at the thought of Keith being the one to decide if I had faults, but that didnt bother me nearly as much as the thought of Zoe still being tied to this. If my father was keeping her on standby, then she wasnt out of danger yet. The Alchemists could still have their meat hooks in her as could Keith. I vowed then that no matter what it took, even if I had to handfeed him grapes, I would make sure Keith had no reason to doubt my loyalties.Fine, he said, the word seeming to cause him a lot of pain. Sydney can go for now. But Ill be watching you. He fixed his gaze on me. And Im not going to cover for you. Youll be creditworthy for keeping that vampire girl in line and getting her to her feedings.Fe edings? I asked blankly. Of course. Jill would need blood. For a moment, all my authorisation wavered. It was easy to talk about hanging out with vampires when none were around. Easier still when you didnt think about what it was that made vampires who they were. Blood. That terrible, unnatural need that fueled their existence. An awful thought sprang into my mind, vanishing as quickly as it came. Am I supposed to give her my blood? No. That was ridiculous. That was a line the Alchemists would never cross. Swallowing, I tried to hold back my brief moment of panic. How do you plan on feeding her?Stanton nodded to Keith. Would you explain? I think she was giving him a chance to feel important, as a way of making up for his earlier defeat. He ran with it. on that points only one Moroi we know of living in Palm Springs, said Keith. As he spoke, I noticed that his tousled blond hair was practically coated in gel. It gave his hair a slimy shine that I didnt think was attractive in the l east. Also, I didnt trust any guy who used more styling products than I did. And if you ask me, hes crazy. But hes harmless crazy inasmuch as any of them are harmless. Hes this old recluse who lives outside the city. Hes got this hang-up about the Moroi government and doesnt associate with any of them, so he isnt going to tell anyone you guys are there. Most importantly, hes got a tributary hes willing to share.I frowned. Do we really want Jill hanging out with some anti-government Moroi? The whole purpose is to keep them stable. If we introduce her to some rebel, how do we know he wont try to use her?Thats an excellent point, said Michaelson, seeming surprised to admit as much.I hadnt meant to undermine Keith. My mind had just jumped ahead in this way it had, spotting a potential enigma and pointing it out. From the look he gave me, though, it was like I was purposely trying to discredit his statement and make him look bad.We wont tell him who she is, obviously, he said, a glint of anger in his good eye. That would be stupid. And hes not part of any faction. Hes not part of anything. Hes convinced the Moroi and their guardians let him atomic pile, so he wants nix to do with any of them. Ive passed a story to him about how Jills family has the same antisocial feelings, so hes sympathetic.Youre right to be wary, Sydney, said Stanton. There was a look of approval in her eyes, like she was pleased at having defended me. That approval meant a lot to me, considering how fierce she often seemed. We cant assume anything about any of them. Although we also checked out this Moroi with Abe Mazur, who concurs hes harmless enough.Abe Mazur? scoffed Michaelson. He scratched at his graying beard. Yes. Im sure hed be an expert on whos harmless or not.My heart lurched at the name, but I tried not to show it. Do not react, do not react, I ordered my face. After a deep breath, I asked very, very carefully, Is Abe Mazur the Moroi whos going with Jill? Ive met him before but I thought you said it was an Ivashkov who was going. If Abe Mazur was in residence in Palm Springs, that would alter things significantly.Michaelson scoffed. No, wed never send you off with Abe Mazur. Hes simply been helping with the organization of this plan.Whats so bad about Abe Mazur? asked Keith. I dont know who he is.I studied Keith very closely as he spoke, looking for some trace of deception. But, no. His face was all innocence, openly curious. His blue eyes or eye, rather held a rare look of confusion, contrasting with the rough-cut know-it-all arrogance. Abes name meant cryptograph to him. I exhaled a breath I hadnt realized Id been holding.A scoundrel, said Stanton flatly. He knows far too much about things he shouldnt. Hes useful, but I dont trust him.A scoundrel? That was an understatement. Abe Mazur was a Moroi whose nickname in Russia zmey, the serpent said it all. Abe had done a number of favors for me, ones Id had to pay back at considerable risk to myself. P art of that payback had been helping Rose escape. Well, hed called it payback I called it blackmail. I had no desire to cross paths with him again, largely because I was afraid of what hed ask for next. The frustrating part was that there was no one I could go to for help. My superiors wouldnt react well to learning that, in step-up to all my other solo activities with vampires, I was making side deals with them.None of them are to be trusted, my father pointed out. He made the Alchemist sign against evil, drawing a cross on his left shoulder with his right hand.Yes, well, Mazurs worse than most, said Michaelson. He stifled a yawn, reminding all of us that it was the middle of the night. Are we all set, then?There were murmurs of assent. Keiths stormy expression displayed how unhappy he was at not getting his way, but he made no more attempts to conceal me from going. I guess we can leave anytime now, he said.It took me a second to realize that the we meant him and me. Right now? I asked in disbelief.He shrugged. The vampires are going to be on their way soon. We need to make sure everythings set up for them. If we switch off driving, we can be there by tomorrow afternoon.Great, I said stiffly. A road trip with Keith. Ugh. But what else could I say? I had no choice in this, and even if I did, I was in no position to turn down anything the Alchemists asked of me now. Id played every card I had tonight, and I had to believe being with Keith was better than a re-education center.Besides, Id just fought a hard battle to prove myself and spare Zoe. I had to continue showing I was up for anything.My father sent me off to pack with the same briskness hed ordered me to make myself presentable earlier. I left the others public lecture and scurried quietly up to my room, still conscious of my sleeping mother. I was an expert in packing quickly and efficiently, thanks to surprise trips my father had sprung on me throughout my childhood. In fact, I always had a bag of toiletries packed and ready to go. The problem wasnt so much in speed as it was in wondering how much to pack. The length of time for this assignment hadnt been specified, and I had the uneasy feeling that no one actually knew. Were we talking about a few weeks? An entire school year? Id heard soulfulness mention the Moroi wanting to repeal the legality that endangered Jill, but that seemed like the kind of legal process that could take a while. To make things worse, I didnt even know what to wear to high school. The only thing I was certain of was that the weather would be hot. I ended up packing ten of my lightest outfits and hoped Id be able to do laundry.Sydney?I was putting my laptop in a messenger bag when Zoe appeared in my doorway. Shed redone her braids so that they were neater, and I wondered if it had been an attempt to impress our father. Hey, I said, smiling at her. She slipped into the room and shut the door behind her. I was glad shed come to say goodbye. I would m iss her and wanted her to know that Why did you do that to me? she demanded before I could get a word out. Do you know how humiliated I am?I was taken aback, speechless for a few moments. I what are you talking about? I was trying to You made me sound incompetent she said. I was astonished to see the glint of tears in her eyes. You went on and on about how I didnt have any experience and couldnt handle doing what you and Dad do I looked like an idiot in front of all those Alchemists. And Keith.Keith Darnell is no one you need to worry about impressing, I said quickly, trying to control my temper. Seeing her stormy face, I sighed and replayed the conversation in the study. I hadnt been trying to make Zoe look bad so much as do whatever I could to make sure I was the one sent away. Id had no pool stick she would take it like this. Look, I wasnt trying to embarrass you. I was trying to protect you.She gave a harsh laugh, and the anger sounded weird coming from someone as gentle as Zo e. Is that what you call it? You even said yourself that you were trying to get a promotionI grimaced. Yes, I had said that. But I could hardly tell her the truth. No human knew the truth about why Id helped Rose. Lying to my own kind especially my sister pained me, but there was nothing I could do. As usual, I felt trapped in the middle. So, I dodged the comment.You were never intended to be an Alchemist, I said. There are better things for you out there.Because Im not as smart as you? she asked. Because I dont speak five languages?That has nothing to do with it, I snapped. Zoe, youre wonderful, and youd probably make a great Alchemist But believe me, the Alchemist lifeyou dont want any part of it. I wanted to tell her that shed hate it. I wanted to tell her that shed never be responsible for her own future or get to make her own decisions again. But my sense of duty prevented me, and I stayed silent.Id do it, she said. Id help protect us from vampires if Dad wanted me to. Her vo ice wavered a little, and I suddenly wondered what was really fueling her desire to be an Alchemist.If you want to get close to Dad, find another way. The Alchemist cause might be a good one, but once youre in it, they own you. I wished I could explain to her how it felt. You dont want this life.Because you want it all for yourself? she demanded. She was a few inches shorter than me but filled with so much fury and fierceness right now that she seemed to take up the room.No I dont you dont understand, I finally said. I wanted to throw my hands up in exasperation but held back, as always.The look she gave me nearly turned me to ice. Oh, I think I understand perfectly. She turned around abruptly and hurried out the door, still managing to move quietly. Her fear of our father overpowered her anger at me.I stared at where shed been rest and felt terrible. How could she have thought I was really trying to steal all the glory and make her look bad? Because thats exactly what you said, a voice inside me pointed out. I supposed it was true, but Id never expected her to be offended. Id never known she had any interest in being one of the Alchemists. Even now, I wondered if her desire was more about being a part of something and proving herself to our father than it was about really wishing shed been chosen for this task.Whatever her reasons, there was nothing to be done for it now. I might not like the heavy-handed way the Alchemists had dealt with me, but I still fiercely believed in what they were doing to protect humans from vampires. And I definitely believed in keeping Jill safe from her own people if it meant avoiding a massive civil war. I could do this job and do it well. And Zoe she would be free to pursue whatever she wanted in life.What took you so long? my father asked when I returned to the study. My conversation with Zoe had delayed me a couple minutes, which was two minutes too long for him. I didnt attempt to answer.Im ready to go whenever you are, Keith told me. His mood had shifted while I was upstairs. Friendliness oozed from him now, so strongly that it was a wonder everyone didnt cognise it as fake. Hed apparently decided to try a more pleasant attitude around me, either in the hopes of impressing the others or sucking up to me so that I wouldnt reveal what I knew about him. Yet even as he wore that plastic smile, there was a stiffness in his posture and the way he crossed his arms that told me if no else that he was no happier about being thrown together than I was. I can even do most of the driving.I dont mind doing my share, I said, trying to avoid glancing at his glass eye. I also wasnt comfortable being driven by someone with faulty depth perception.Id like to speak to Sydney in private before she goes, if thats all right, my father said.No one had a problem with that, and he led me into the kitchen, shutting the door behind us. We stood quietly for a few moments, simply facing each other with arms crossed. I sudd enly dared to hope that by chance hed come to tell me he was sorry for how things had been between us this last month, that he forgave me and loved me. Honestly, I wouldve been happy if hed simply wanted a private, fatherly goodbye.He peered down at me intently, his brown eyes so identical to mine. I hoped mine never had such a cold look in them. I dont have to tell you how important this is for you, for all of us.So much for fatherly affection.No, sir, I said. You dont.I dont know if you can undo the disgrace you brought down on us by running off with them, but this is a step in the right direction. Do not mess this up. Youre being tested. hook up with your orders. Keep the Moroi girl out of trouble. He sighed and ran a hand through his dark blond hair, which Id also inherited. Strange, I thought, that we had so many things in roughhewn yet were so completely different. Thank God Keith is with you. Follow his lead. He knows what hes doing.I stiffened. There was that note of prid e in his voice again, like Keith was the great thing walking the earth. My father had seen to it that my training was thorough, but when Keith had stayed with us, my father had taken him on trips and lessons Id never been part of. My sisters and I had been furious.Wed always suspected that our father regretted having only daughters, and that had been proof. But it wasnt jealousy that made my blood boil and teeth clench now.For a moment, I thought, What if I tell him what I know? What will he think of his golden boy then? But staring into my fathers hard eyes, I answered my own question No one would believe me. That was immediately followed by the memory of another voice and a girls frightened, pleading face staring at me with big brown eyes. Dont tell, Sydney. Whatever you do, dont tell what Keith did. Dont tell anyone. I couldnt hook her like that.My father was still waiting for an answer. I swallowed and nodded. Yes, sir.He raised his eyebrows, clearly pleased, and gave me a rou gh pat on the shoulder. It was the closest hed come to real affection in a while. I flinched, both from surprise and because of how rigid I was with frustration. Good. He moved toward the kitchen door and then paused to glance back at me.Maybe theres hope for you yet.