The Golden Lily (Bloodlines #2)(48)

"Do you have anything to say for yourself before we notify your parents?" asked Mrs.

Welch. They looked at Angeline expectantly.

I braced myself for an irrational tirade. Instead, Angeline managed to produce some tears which, I had to admit, certainly looked contrite. "I... I panicked," she said. "I don't know what came over me. So much happened at once, and that guy was so scary, and I just freaked out.

I felt threatened. I wanted everyone to get away from me..." I was nearly convinced, probably because it was seeded with truth. Angeline had had a number of flustered moments at Amberwood, no matter her bravado. There were more people at the school than had been in her mountain community, and she'd been so overwhelmed in her first week that we'd had to take turns escorting her to class. I really should've been paying more attention to her.

Mr. Redding looked a tiny bit sympathetic - but not enough to change his mind. "I'm sure that must have been hard, but it was hardly reason for you to act in that way. Injuring three people and damaging expensive audio visual equipment were in no way appropriate responses." Understatement.

I was tired of the formalities and needed to fix things before they escalated further. I leaned forward in my chair. "You know what else isn't appropriate? A thirty-year-old guy - because that's how old he was, no matter how young and cool they were trying to be - grabbing a fifteen-year-old girl. It was bad enough that he did so when she clearly didn't want to go with him. The point is he never should have touched her in the first place. She's a minor. If a teacher did that, he'd be fired. I've read the book teachers are given from your HR

department." It had been an attempt to see if Ms. Terwilliger was abusing me. "Medical emergencies and breaking up a fight are the only times teachers can lay hands on students. Now, you might argue that that guy wasn't a teacher or employed by the school, but his group was invited here by the school - which is obligated to keep its students safe. You're a private school, but I'm certain the California Department of Education would have a few things to say about what happened here today - as will Angeline's father, who's a lawyer." He was actually the leader of a bunch of mountain vampires and had multiple wives, but that was beside the point. I looked back and forth between Mrs. Welch and Mr. Redding's faces. "Now then. Shall we renegotiate your position?"

Angeline was in awe after we left the office and went back to our dorm. "Suspension," she exclaimed, a bit too much joy in her voice for my liking. "I really just get to skip class? That sounds more like a reward."

"You still have to keep up with your homework," I warned. "And you can't leave the dorm.

Don't even think about sneaking out because that will get you expelled, and I won't be able to save you again."

"Still," she said, practically skipping, "this was all pretty easy." I came to a halt in front of her, forcing her to face me. "It was not easy. You got off on a technicality. You've continually resisted efforts to follow the rules around here, and today - well, that was off the charts. You aren't back home. The only time you should even think about fighting here is if Jill is attacked. That's why you're here. Not to do whatever you want. You said you were up to the challenge of protecting her. If you get expelled - and it's a miracle you weren't - she's at risk. So get in line or start packing for home. And for God's sake, leave Eddie alone."

Her face had been kindling with anger as I spoke, but that last bit caught her off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you constantly throwing yourself at him."

She sniffed. "That's how you show a guy you like him."

"Maybe among the uncivilized! Here you need to back off and start acting like a responsible human being - er, dhampir. Whatever. You're making him miserable! Besides, you're supposed to be cousins. You're screwing up our cover." Angeline's jaw dropped. "I... I'm making him miserable?" I almost felt bad for her. The look of shock on her face was so great that it was obvious she really hadn't known what she was doing to Eddie was wrong. I was too worked up to feel much sympathy right then, though. Jill had acted out when we'd first arrived, and that had been just as frustrating. I'd come to enjoy our peace, and now Angeline was threatening all of that. Unlike Jill, she didn't seem to realize it, and I didn't know if that made things better or worse.

I left an upset and frustrated Angeline off at her dorm room and also verified with Jill that Adrian had indeed been drinking. That and my agitation were more than enough to make me want to leave campus, if only for the escape. Brayden had asked earlier if I wanted to go out, but I wasn't up to that. I sent a quick text: Can't go out tonight. Family stuff. Then I headed off to Clarence's.

I'd called ahead to make sure Dimitri and Sonya were there since I had no interest in having a one-on-one visit with the ancient Moroi. He wasn't around when I arrived. I found Dimitri and Sonya huddled over some cards with blots of dried blood, speculating on how to proceed.

"It'd be interesting to get Strigoi blood and see if anything happened when I applied spirit," she was saying. "Do you think you could manage that?"

"Gladly," said Dimitri.

They noticed me. As soon as she looked up, Sonya asked, "What's wrong?" I didn't even bother asking how she knew. My face probably said more than my aura did.