Blood Promise Chapter One

Chapter OneI was organism attach toed.It was physique of ironic, considering the expressive style Id been following others for the last fewer calendar weeks. At least it wasnt a Strigoi. I would substantiate already subsistn.A recent effect of my being tail end-kissed was the cogency to sense the undead-through b exposes of nausea, unfortunately. Still, I appreciated my bodys early warning governance and was relieved my stalker tonight wasnt an insanely fast, insanely vicious vampire. Id fought copious of those recently and kind of motiveed a night off.I had to system my follower was a dhampir akin me, probably one from the unite. Admittedly, this person was pathetic a little less thievingily than I would have judge of a dhampir. Footsteps were clearly audible against the pave custodyt of the dark side streets I was traveling on, and once, Id caught a brief glimpse of a shadowy figure. Still, considering my blizzard actions tonight, a dhampir was the most wantly culprit.It had solely started earlier at the Nightingale. That wasnt the clubs neat name, besides a translation. Its realistic name was aroundthing Russian that was beyond my ability to pronounce. Back in the U.S., the Nightingale was well(p) kn incur among rich Moroi who traveled abroad, and now I could under bandstand why. No matter what time of the twenty-four hours it was, masses at the Nightingale overdressed deal they were at an purple ball. And, well, the whole place in truth kind of wagered like both(prenominal)thing from the old, royal geezerhood of Russia, with ivory walls cover in gold scroll-work and molding. It reminded me a lot of the WinterPalace, a royal residence left over from when Russia had lock a manner been ruled by czars. Id toured it upon first arriving in Saint Petersburg.At the Nightingale, elaborate chandeliers filled with real candles glittered in the air, lighting up the gold decor so that tear down in dim lighting, the whole establishm ent sparkled. There was a monumental dining agency filled with velvet-draped tables and booths, as well as a lounge and bar area where people could mingle. Late in the pointing, a band would set up in there, and touchs would hit the dance floor.I hadnt bothered with the Nightingale when I arrived in the city a couple weeks ago. Id been arrogant tolerable to think I could hear Moroi right off who could direct me to Dimitris phratrytown in Siberia. With no other clues ab fall protrude where Dimitri had gone in Siberia, heading to the town hed grown up in had been my best misadventure of shortenting stuffyr to him. Only, I didnt chouse where it was, which was why I was difficult to find Moroi to help me. There were a number of dhampir towns and communes in Russia however hardly any in Siberia, which made me believe most local anaesthetic Moroi would be familiar with his birthplace. Unfortunately, it off-key out that the Moroi who lived in gay cities were rattling goo d at keeping themselves hidden. I checked what I persuasion were likely Moroi hangouts, that to conform to up empty. And without those Moroi, I had no answers.So, Id begun staking out the Nightingale, which wasnt easy. It was hard for an eighteen-year-old girl to blend into one of the citys most elite clubs. Id short institute that expensive clothes and large enough tips went a immense stylus toward helping me get by. The bearstaff had come to know me, and if they thought my front end was strange, they didnt say so and were happy to take place me the corner table I always asked for. I think they thought I was the daughter of roughly(a) tycoon or politician. Whatever my spinal columnground, I had the money to be there, which was all they cared about.Even so, my first few nights there had been discouraging. The Nightingale readiness have been an elite hangout for Moroi, besides it was in like manner frequented by military mans. And at first, it had seemed those were th e clubs only patrons. Crowds grew larger as the night progressed, and in peering through the packed tables and people lingering at the bar, Id seen no Moroi. The most notable thing Id seen was a woman with long, platinum- fairish hair walking into the lounge with a stem of friends. For a moment, my heart had stopped. The woman had her brook to me, merely she had looked so much like Lissa that Id felt certain Id been tracked down. The weird thing was, I didnt know whether to feel excited or horrified. I missed Lissa so, so much-yet at the same time, I didnt want her involved in this dangerous excite of mine. Then the woman had dour around. It wasnt Lissa. She wasnt leveling a Moroi, just a human beings. Slowly, my breathing returned to normal.Finally, a week or so ago, Id had my first sighting. A group of Moroi women had come in for a late lunch, accompanied by two shielders, one male and one female, who sat dutifully and restfully at the table as their charges gossiped and laughed over afternoon champagne. Dodging those guardians had been the trickiest part. For those who knew what to look for, Moroi were easy to write out taller than most humans, pale, and uber-slim.They also had a certain umbrageous way of smiling and holding their lips in order to hide their fangs. Dhampirs, with our human blood, appeared well, human.That was certainly how I looked to the untrained human eye. I was about quint foot seven, and whereas Moroi tended to have unreal, runway-model bodies, mine was athletically built and curvy in the chest. genetics from my unknown Turkish father and also much time in the sun had given me a light tan that paired well with long, nearly black hair and equally dark look. But those who had been raise in the Moroi world could spot me as a dhampir through close examination. Im not sure what it was-maybe nigh instinct that drew us to our own kind and acknowledge the mix of Moroi blood.Regardless, it was imperative that I appear human t o those guardians, so I didnt raise their alarms. I sat across the room in my corner, picking over caviar and pretending to read my book. For the record, I thought caviar was disgusting, but it seemed to be eachwhere in Russia, oddly in the nice places. That and borscht-a kind of beet soup. I just about neer finished my food at the Nightingale and would ravenously hit McDonalds afterward, even though the Russian McDonalds restaurants were a bit different from what Id grown up with in the U.S. Still, a girl had to eat.So it became a test of my skill, perusing the Moroi when their guardians werent watching. Admittedly, the guardians had little to fear during the day, since there would be no Strigoi out in the sun. But it was in guardian nature to watch everything, and their eyes continually swept the room.Id had the same training and knew their tricks, so I managed to spy without contracting.The women came moxie a lot, usually late in the afternoon. St. Vladimirs ran on a noctu rnal schedule, but Moroi and dhampirs living out among humans either ran on a daylight schedule or something in between. For a while, Id considered approaching them-or even their guardians.Something held me back. If anyone would know where a town of dhampirs lived, it would be male Moroi. Many of them visited dhampir towns in hopes of scoring easy dhampir girls. So I promised myself Id wait other week to see if any guys came by. If not, I would see what kind of information the women could give me.At last, a couple days ago, two Moroi guys had started showing up. They tended to come later in the evening, when the real partiers arrived. The men were about ten old age older than me and strikingly work forceome, wearing designer suits and silk ties. They carried themselves like powerful, important people, and I would have bet good money that they were royal-particularly since each one came with a guardian. The guardians were always the same, young men who wore suits to blend in but fluent carefully watched the room with that clever guardian nature.And there were women-always women. The two Moroi were ineffable flirts, continually scoping out and hitting on every woman in sight-even humans. But they never went home with any humans. That was a taboo still firmly ingrained in our world. Moroi had kept themselves separate from humans for centuries, fearing detection from a race that had grown so plentiful and powerful.Still, that didnt mean the men went home alone. At some point in the evening, dhampir women usually showed up-different ones every night.Theyd come in wearing low-cut dresses and hemorrhoid of makeup, drinking to a bang-up extent and laughing at everything the guys state-which probably wasnt even that funny. The women always wore their hair down, but every once in a while, theyd shift their heads in a way that showed their necks, which were heavily bruised. They were blood mistresss, dhampirs who let Moroi drink blood during sex. That was also a taboo-though it still happened in secret.I kept wanting to get one of the Moroi men alone, away from the watchful eyes of his guardians so that I could question him. But it was impossible.The guardians never left their Moroi unattended. I even assay to follow them, but each time the group left the club, theyd almost without delay hop into a limousine-making it impossible for me to track them on foot. It was frustrating.I finally decided tonight that Id have to approach the whole group and risk detection by the dhampirs. I didnt know if anyone from back home was actually looking for me, or if the group would even care who I was. peradventure I just had alike high an opinion of myself. It was emphatically possible that no one was actually concerned about a runaway dropout. But if anyone was looking for me, my description had un disbelieveedly been circulated amongst guardians worldwide. Even though I was now eighteen, I wouldnt have put it past some of the people I knew to haul me back to the U.S., and there was no way I could return until Id found Dimitri.Then, just as I was considering my carry on on the group of Moroi, one of the dhampir women left the table to walk up to the bar. The guardians watched her, of course, but seemed confident about her safety and were more fixated on the Moroi. tout ensemble this time, Id been cerebration Moroi men would be the best way to go to get information about a village of dhampirs and blood whores-but what better way to locate this place than by asking an actual blood whore?I strolled casually from my table and approached the bar, like I too was tone ending to get a drink. I stood by as the woman waited for the bartender and studied her in my periphery. She was blond and wore a long dress covered in silver sequins. I couldnt decide if it made my black satin pillow slip dress appear tasteful or boring. all of her movements-even the way she stood-were graceful, like a dancers. The bartender was helping others, a nd I knew it was now or never. I leaned toward her.Do you speak English?She jumped in surprise and looked over at me. She was older than Id expected, her age cleverly concealed by makeup. Her blue eyes assessed me quickly, recognizing me as a dhampir. Yes, she said warily. Even the one word carried a thick accent.Im looking for a town a town where lots of dhampirs live, out in Siberia. Do you know what Im talk of the town about? I need to find it.Again she studied me, and I couldnt read her expression. She magnate as well have been a guardian for all that her seem revealed. Maybe shed trained at one time in her life.Dont, she said bluntly. Let it go. She turned away, her gaze back on the bartender as he made mortal a blue cocktail adorned with cherries.I touched her arm. I have to find it. Theres a man I choked on the word. So much for my cool interrogation. Just thinking about Dimitri made my heart stick in my throat. How could I even explain it to this woman? That I was follow ing a long-shot clue, seeking out the man I loved most in the world-a man who had been turned into a Strigoi and who I now needed to kill? Even now, I could perfectly picture the warmth of his brown eyes and the way his hands used to touch me. How could I do what I had crossed an marine to do?Focus, Rose. Focus.The dhampir woman looked back at me. Hes not worth it, she said, misapprehension my meaning. No doubt she thought I was a lovesick girl, chasing some boyfriend-which, I supposed, I kind of was. Youre too young its not too late for you to avoid all that. Her face might have been impassive, but there was sadness in her voice. Go do something else with your life. Stay away from that place.You know where it is I exclaimed, too worked up to explain that I wasnt departure there to be a blood whore. Please-you have to tell me. I have to get thereIs there a problem? some(prenominal) she and I turned and looked into the fierce face of one of the guardians. Damn. The dhampir woman might not be their top priority, but they would have noticed someone harassing her. The guardian was only a little older than me, and I gave him a sweet smile. I might not be spilling out of my dress like this other woman, but I knew my short skirt did great things for my legs. Surely even a guardian wasnt immune to that? Well, apparently he was. His hard expression showed that my charms werent working. Still, I figured I might as well try my luck with him on acquiring intel.Im trying to find a town in Siberia, a town where dhampirs live. Do you know it?He didnt blink. No.Wonderful. Both were playing difficult. Yeah, well, maybe your boss does? I asked demurely, hoping I sounded like an aspiring blood whore. If the dhampirs wouldnt talk, maybe one of the Moroi would. Maybe he wants some company and would talk to me.He already has company, the guardian replied evenly. He doesnt need any more.I kept the smile on. ar you sure? I purred. Maybe we should ask him.No, replied the guardian . In that one word, I heard the challenge and the command. Back off. He wouldnt hesitate to take on anyone he thought was a threat to his master-even a lowly dhampir girl. I considered pushing my case further but quickly decided to follow the warning and indeed back off.I gave an unconcerned shrug. His loss.And with no other words, I walked casually back to my table, like the rejection was no big reckon. All the while I held my breath, half-expecting the guardian to drag me out of the club by my hair. It didnt happen. Yet as I gathered my rise and set some cash on the table, I saw him watching me, eyes cautious and calculating.I left the Nightingale with that same nonchalant air, heading out toward the busy street. It was a Saturday night, and there were lots of other clubs and restaurants nearby. Partygoers filled the streets, some dressed as richly as the Nightingales patrons others were my age and dressed in casual wear. Lines spilled out of the clubs, dance music loud and hea vy with bass. Glass-fronted restaurants showed refined diners and richly set tables.As I walked through the crowds, surrounded by Russian conversation, I resisted the urge to look behind me. I didnt want to raise any further suspicion if that dhampir was watching.Yet when I turned down a quiet street that was a shortcut back to my hotel, I could hear the soft sounds of footsteps. I apparently had raised enough alarm that the guardian had decided to follow me. Well, there was no way I was going to let him get the drop on me. I might have been smaller than him-and wearing a dress and heels-but I had fought plenty of men, including Strigoi. I could handle this guy, especially if I used the component of surprise. After walking this neighborhood for so long, I knew it and its twists and turns well. I picked up my pace and darted around a few corners, one of which led me into a dark, deserted alley. Scary, yeah, but it made for a good ambush spot when I ducked into a doorway. I quietly stepped out of my high-heeled shoes. They were black with passably leather straps but not ideal in a fight, unless I planned on gouging someone in the eye with a heel. Actually, not a bad idea. But I wasnt quite that desperate. Without them, the pavement was coolness beneath my bare feet since it had rained earlier in the day.I didnt have to wait long. A few moments later, I heard the footsteps and saw my pursuers long shadow appear on the ground, cast in the flickering light of a street lamp on the adjacent road. My stalker came to a stop, no doubt searching for me. Really, I thought, this guy was careless.No guardian in following would have been so obvious. He should have moved with more stealth and not revealed himself so easily. Maybe the guardian training here in Russia wasnt as good as what Id grown up with. No, that couldnt be true. non with the way Dimitri had dispatched his enemies. Theyd called him a god at the Academy.My pursuer took a few more steps, and thats when I made my move. I leapt out, fists ready. Okay, I exclaimed. I only wanted to ask a few questions, so just back off or else-I froze. The guardian from the club wasnt standing there.A human was.A girl, no older than me. She was about my height, with cropped dark blond hair and a navy blue trench coat that looked expensive. underneath it, I could see nice dress pants and leather boots that looked as pricey as the coat. More startling still was that I recognized her. Id seen her twice at the Nightingale, talking to the Moroi men. Id assumed she was just another of the women they desire to flirt with and had promptly dismissed her.After all, what use was a human to me?Her face was partly covered in shadow, but even in poor lighting, I could make out her annoyed expression. That wasnt quite what Id expected.Its you, isnt it? she asked. prompt more shock. Her English was as American as my own. Youre the one whos been difference the string of Strigoi bodies around the city. I saw you bac k in the club tonight and knew it had to be you.I No other words make on my lips. I had no idea how to respond. A human talking casually about Strigoi? It was unheard of. This was almost more astonishing than actually running into a Strigoi out here. Id never experienced anything like this in my life. She didnt seem to care about my stupefied state.Look, you cant just do that, O.K.? Do you know what a pain in the ass it is for me to deal with? This internship is bad enough without you making a mess of it. The police found the body you left in the park, you know. You cannot even imagine how many string I had to pull to cover that up.Who who are you? I asked at last. It was true. I had left a body in the park, but seriously, what was I supposed to do? Drag him back to my hotel and tell the bellhop my friend had had too much to drink? Sydney, the girl said wearily. My names Sydney. Im the Alchemist assigned here.The what?She sighed loudly, and I was fine sure she rolled her eyes. O f course. That explains everything.No, not really, I said, finally regaining my composure. In fact, I think youre the one who has a lot of explaining to do.And attitude too. are you some kind of test they sent here for me? Oh, man. Thats it.I was getting angry now. I didnt like being chastised. I certainly didnt like being chastised by a human who made it sound like me killing Strigoi was a bad thing.Look, I dont know who you are or how you know about any of this, but Im not going to stand here and-Nausea rolled over me and I tensed, my hand immediately going for the silver stake I kept in my coat pocket. Sydney still wore that annoyed expression, but it was mingled with confusion now at the scattered change in my posture. She was observant, Id give her that.Whats wrong? she asked.Youre going to have another body to deal with, I said, just as the Strigoi attacked her.