Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1)(101)

"Oh, I've aged," he said bitterly. "Not a lot. Not enough that you can really spot it, but believe me, I can. It's not like how it used to be."

I was still clueless, still not sure of how we had reached a point where Lee - starry-eyed and lovesick for Jill - was suddenly threatening me with a knife. Nor did I understand how he looked exactly the same as he did in a five-year-old picture. There was only one terrible thing I was beginning to be certain of. "You... killed Kelly Hayes." The fear in my chest intensified. I lifted my gaze from the blade to look into his eyes. "But surely... surely not Melody... or Tamara..."

He nodded. "And Dina. But you wouldn't know her, would you? She was only human, and you don't keep track of human deaths. Only vampires."

It was hard not to look at the knife again. All I kept thinking about was how sharp it was and how close it was to me. One swipe, and I'd end up just like those other girls, my life bleeding away before me. I groped desperately for something to say, wishing again I'd learned the social skills that came so easily to others.

"Tamara was your cousin," I managed. "Why would you kill your own cousin?"

A moment of regret flashed across his features. "I didn't want to - I mean, I did... but, well, I wasn't myself when I came back. I just knew I had to be awakened again. Tamara was there at the wrong place and the wrong time. I went for the first Moroi I could get... but it didn't work. That's when I tried the others. I thought for sure one of them would do it. Human, dhampir, Moroi... none of them worked."

There was a terrible desperation in his voice, and despite my fear, some part of me wanted to help him... but I was hopelessly lost. "Lee, I'm sorry. I don't understand, why you'd need to 'try others.' Please put the knife down, and let's talk. Maybe I can help you."

He gave me a sad smile. "You can. I didn't want it to be you, though. I wanted it to be Keith. He certainly deserves to die more than you do. And Jill... well, Jill likes you. I wanted to respect that and spare you."

"You still can," I said. "She - she wouldn't want you to do this. She'd be upset if she knew - "

Suddenly, Lee was on me, pinning me to the chair with the knife at my throat. "You don't know!" he cried. "She doesn't know. But she will, and she'll be glad. She'll thank me, and we'll be young and together forever. You're my chance. The others didn't work, but you..." He trailed the knife's blade near my tattoo. "You're special. Your blood is magic. I need an Alchemist, and you're my only chance now."

"What... chance... are you talking about?" I gasped out.

"My chance for immortality!" he cried. "God, Sydney. You can't even imagine it. What it's like to have that and then lose it. To have infinite strength and power... to not age, to know you'll live forever. And then, gone! Taken away from me. If I ever find that bastard spirit user who did this to me, I'll kill him. I'll kill him and I'll drink from him since after tonight, I'll be whole once more. I'll be reawakened."

A chill ran down my spine. In light of everything, you would have thought I'd already be at maximum terror level. Nope. Turns out there was still more to come. Because with those words, I began to put together a fragile theory of what he might be talking about. "Awakened" was a term used in the vampire world, under very special circumstances.

"You used to be Strigoi," I whispered, not even sure if I believed it myself.

He pulled back slightly, gray eyes wide and glittering feverishly. "I used to be a god! And I will be again. I swear it. I'm sorry, I really am. I'm sorry it's you and not Keith. I'm sorry you found out about Kelly. If you hadn't, I could have found another Alchemist in LA. But don't you see? I have no other options now..." The knife was still at my throat. "I need your blood. I can't go on like this... not as a mortal Moroi. I have to be changed back."

A knock sounded at the door.

"Not a word," Lee hissed. "They'll go away."

Seconds later, the knock repeated, followed by: "Sage, I know you're in there. I saw your car. I know you're pissed off, but just listen to me."

Dingdong, distraction calling.

"Adrian!" I screamed, jumping up from the chair. I made no attempt to disarm Lee. My only goal was safety. I pushed past him before he could react, heading for the door, but he was more prepared than I'd expected. He leapt toward me and tackled me to the ground, the knife catching me in the arm as I fell. I yelped in pain as I felt the tip of the blade dig into my skin. I struggled against him, only succeeding in making the knife tear into me more. The door suddenly opened, and I was grateful that I'd left it unlocked after letting Lee in. Adrian entered, coming to a standstill as he took in the scene.

"Don't come closer," warned Lee, pushing the knife against my throat again. I could feel warm blood oozing from my arm. "Shut the door. Then... sit down and put your hands behind your head. I'll kill her if you don't."

"He's going to do it anyway - ahh!" My words were cut off as the knife pierced my skin, not enough to kill me yet but enough to cause pain.

"Okay, okay," said Adrian, holding up his hands. He looked more sober and serious than I'd ever seen. When he was settled on the floor, hands behind his head as directed, he said gently, "Lee, I don't know what you're doing, but you need to stop it now before it goes any further. You don't have a gun. You can't really hold us both here under the threat of a knife."