Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1)(111)

"Wow. You guys move fast," I murmured.

At the words "Adrian" and "research," my mind had put together images of him in a lab, wearing a white coat, bent over test tubes and beakers. I knew that the actual research wouldn't look anything like that, but it was a hard picture to shake. It was also hard to imagine Adrian seriously focused on anything. Except, I kept having that nagging thought that Adrian would focus if he only had something worth caring about. Was this important enough? I really wasn't sure. It was too hard to guess what purpose might be noble enough to get Adrian's attention. But I was pretty sure I knew some less-thannoble perks that might get him on board.

"If you can get him his own place, I bet he'd do it," I said finally. "He wants out of Clarence Donahue's pretty badly."

Stanton's eyebrows rose. She hadn't expected this. "Well. That's not a huge request, I suppose. And actually, we're already paying the bill for Keith's old apartment since he took out a year-long lease. Mr. Ivashkov could simply move into there, except..."

"Except what?"

Stanton gave a small shrug. "I was going to offer it to you. After much discussion, we've decided to simply make you the Alchemist on point here, in light of Keith's... unfortunate departure. You could leave Amberwood, move into his apartment, and simply oversee activities from there."

I frowned. "But I thought you wanted someone with Jill all the time."

"We do. And we've actually found a better choice - no offense. The Moroi were able to locate a dhampir girl Jill's age, who could not only serve as Jill's roommate but also as a bodyguard. She'll be joining the researchers who are coming out. You don't have to pose as a student anymore."

The world reeled. Alchemist schemes and plans, always in motion. A lot had been decided in this week, it seemed. I considered what this meant. No more homework, no more high school politics. Freedom to come and go when I wanted. But it also meant removing myself from the friends I'd made - Trey, Kristin, Julia. I'd still see Eddie and Jill, but not to the same extent. And if I was on my own, would the Alchemists - or my father - help fund college classes? Unlikely.

"Do I have to leave?" I asked Stanton. "Can I give the apartment to Adrian and stay on at Amberwood for a while? At least until we figure out if we can get another place for me?"

Stanton didn't bother hiding her surprise. "I didn't expect you'd want to stay on. I figured you'd especially be happy to no longer room with a vampire."

And like that, all the fears and pressure I'd faced before coming to Palm Springs descended on me. Vamp lover. I was an idiot. I should've been jumping at the chance to get away from Jill. Any other Alchemist would. In offering to stay, I was likely putting myself under suspicion again. How could I explain that there was so much more to my choice than just a change of roommate?

"Oh," I said, keeping a neutral face. "When you said you were getting Jill a dhampir her own age, I figured she'd be the roommate and I wouldn't have to room with Jill anymore. I thought I'd have my own in the dorm."

"That can probably be arranged..."

"And honestly, after some of the things that have happened, I'd feel better still keeping an eye on Jill. It'll be easier if I'm at the school. Besides, if it takes an apartment to make Adrian happy and work on this Strigoi mystery, then that's what we need to do. I can wait."

Stanton studied me for several long seconds, breaking the silence only when the waiter dropped the bill off. "That's very professional of you. I'll look into the arrangements."

"Thank you," I said. A happy feeling welled up in me, and I almost smiled, picturing Adrian's face when he heard about his new place.

"There's just one more thing I don't understand," remarked Stanton. "When we investigated the apartment, we saw some fire damage. But none of you who were there reported any."

I put on a contrived frown. "Honestly... so much of it's a blur with the blood loss and the biting... I'm not really sure. Keith had some candles. I don't know if one got lit... or I don't know. All I keep thinking about is those teeth and how terrible it was when I was bit - "

"Yes, yes," said Stanton. My excuse was flimsy, but even she wasn't entirely impervious to the thought of being fed on by a vampire. It was pretty much an Alchemist's worse nightmare, and I was entitled to my trauma. "Well, don't worry about it. That fire is the least of our worries."

It wasn't the least of my worries. And when I got back to campus later that day, I finally dealt with it and hunted Ms. Terwilliger down where she was working in one of the library offices.

"You knew," I said, shutting the door. All thoughts of student-teacher protocol vanished from my head. I'd been sitting on my anger for a week and could now finally let it out. I'd spent my life being taught to respect sources of authority, but now one of those had just betrayed me. "Everything you made me do... copying those spell books, making that amulet 'just to see what it was like'!" I shook my head. "It was all a lie. You knew... you knew it was... real."

Ms. Terwilliger took off her glasses and peered at me carefully. "Ah, so I take it you tried it?"

"How could you do that to me?" I exclaimed. "You have no idea how I feel about magic and the supernatural!"