Frostbite Chapter 1

singleI DIDNT THINK MY DAY could get any worse until my best friend told me she might be going crazy. Again.I what did you say?I stood in the lobby of her dorm, break offing everyplace unmatchable of my boots and adjusting it. jolt my head up, I peered at her with the tangle of lightless hair covering half my face. Id f all asleep after school and had skipped using a hairbrush in order to make it start the doorstep on time. Lissas platinum blond hair was smooth and perfect, of course, hanging over her shoulders the correspondings of a espousal veil as she watched me with amusement.I said that I recollect my pills might not be on the job(p) as well anymore.I straightened up and shook the hair bring out of my face. What does that mean? I asked. well-nigh us, Moroi hurried past, on their way to meet friends or go to dinner. prepare you started I lowered my voice. Have you started getting your powers tush?She shook her head, and I saw a pure flash of regret in her eyes. No I happen fold upr to the caper, however I still whoremongert use it. Mostly what Im noticing late is a little of the other stuff, you cutIm getting more depressed now and then(prenominal). No topic nonetheless close to what it used to be, she added hastily, experienceing my face. Before shed gone on her pills, Lissas moods could get so low that she swing herself. Its just at that place a little more than it was.What about the other things you used to get? foreboding? Delusional thinking?Lissa laughed, not taking any of this as seriously as I was. You extend like youve been reading psychiatry textbooks.I actually had been reading them. Im just worried about you. If you think the pills arent working anymore, we need to tell more or lessone.No, no, she said hastily. Im fine, really. Theyre still workingjust not quite as a good deal. I dont think we should panic yet. Especially younot today, at least.Her change in subject worked. Id found out an hour ago that I would be taking my Qualifier today. It was an examor rather, an interviewall novice guardians were required to pass during secondary year at St. Vladimirs Academy. Since Id been score hiding Lissa last year, Id missed mine. Today I was existence interpreted to a guardian somew here off-campus who would administer the test to me. Thanks for the notice, guys.Dont worry about me, Lissa repeated, smiling. Ill let you love if it gets worse.Okay, I said reluctantly.Just to be reliable, though, I opened my senses and allowed myself to truly feel her through our psychical bond. She had been telling the truth. She was calm and happy this morning, nothing to worry about. But, far back in her mind, I perceived a knot of dark, uneasy feelings. It wasnt consuming her or anything, but it had the same feel as the bouts of natural depression and anger she used to get. It was only(prenominal) a trickle, but I didnt like it. I didnt want it at that place at all. I tried pushing farther inside her to get a improve feel for the emotions and suddenly had the weird experience of touching. A sickening sort of feeling seized me, and I jerked out of her head. A small shudder ran through my bole.You authorise? Lissa asked, frowning. You look nauseous all of a sudden.Just queasy for the test, I lied. Hesitantly, I r all(prenominal)ed out through the bond again. The darkness had completely disappeared. No trace. Maybe there was nothing wrong with her pills after all. Im fine.She pointed at a clock. You wont be if you dont get moving soon.Damn it, I swore. She was right. I gave her a quick hug. See you laterGood luck she cal direct.I hurried off across campus and found my mentor, Dimitri Belikov, waiting beside a Honda Pi assign. How boring. I supposed I couldnt deem expected us to navigate Montana mountain roads in a Porsche, but it would welcome been nice to declare something cooler.I know, I know, I said, seeing his face. Sorry Im late.I remembered then that I had one of the nigh important tests of my life coming up, and suddenly, I forgot all about Lissa and her pills possibly not working. I cherished to protect her, but that wouldnt mean much if I couldnt pass high school and actually construct her guardian.Dimitri stood there, looking as gorgeous as ever. The massive, brick building cast long shadows over us, looming like some bang-up beast in the dusky predawn light. Around us, snow was just beginning to fall. I watched the light, gauzy flakes drift gently down. Several landed and promptly melted in his dark hair.Who else is going? I asked.He shrugged. Just you and me.My mood promptly shot up past cheerful and went straight to ecstatic. Me and Dimitri. Alone. In a car. This might very well be worth a surprise test.How far away is it? Silently, I begged for it to be a really long drive. Like, one that would take a week. And would involve us staying overnight in luxury hotels. Maybe wed get stranded in a snowbank, and only consistence heat would keep us alive.Five hours.Oh.A bit less than Id hoped for. Still, five hours was better than nothing. It didnt encounter out the snowbank possibility, either.The dim, snowy roads would have been difficult for humans to navigate, but they proved no problem for our dhampir eyes. I stared ahead, trying not to think about how Dimitris aftershave filled the car with a clean, clear-sighted scent that do me want to melt. Instead, I tried to focus on the Qualifier again.It wasnt the kind of thing you could study for. You either passed it or you didnt. High-up guardians visited novices during their junior year and met individually to discuss students commitment to being guardians. I didnt know exactly what was asked, but rumors had trickled down over the years. The older guardians assessed character and dedication, and some novices had been deemed forged to continue down the guardian path.Dont they usually come to the Academy? I asked Dimitri. I mean, Im all for the cranial orbit trip, but why are we going to them?Actually, youre just going to a him, not a them. A light Russian accent laced Dimitris words, the only indication of where hed grown up. Otherwise, I was pretty confident(predicate) he spoke English better than I did. Since this is a special case and hes doing us the favor, were the ones making the trip.Who is he?Arthur Schoenberg.I jerked my gaze from the road to Dimitri.What? I squeaked.Arthur Schoenberg was a legend. He was one of the greatest Strigoi slayers in living guardian history and used to be the head of the Guardians Councilthe group of state who assigned guardians to Moroi and made decisions for all of us. Hed eventually retired and gone back to protecting one of the royal families, the seriouslyicas. Even retired, I knew he was still lethal. His exploits were part of my curriculum.Wasnt wasnt there anyone else available? I asked in a small voice.I could see Dimitri hiding a smile. Youll be fine. Besides, if Art approves of you, thats a g reat recommendation to have on your record.Art. Dimitri was on a first-name basis with one of the most poorass guardians around. Of course, Dimitri was pretty badass himself, so I shouldnt have been surprised.Silence vanish in the car. I bit my lip, suddenly wondering if Id be able to meet Arthur Schoenbergs standards. My grades were good, but things like running away and getting into fights at school might cast a shadow on how serious I was about my future career.Youll be fine, Dimitri repeated. The good in your record outweighs the bad.It was like he could read my mind sometimes. I smiled a little and dared to peek at him. It was a mistake. A long, lean body, obvious even while sitting. Bottomless dark eyes. Shoulder-length brown hair tied back at his neck. That hair felt like silk. I knew because Id run my fingers through it when Victor Dashkov had ensnared us with the lust charm. With great restraint, I forced myself to start breathing again and look away.Thanks, Coach, I tea sed, snuggling back into the seat.Im here to stand by, he replied. His voice was light and relaxedrare for him. He was usually wound up tightly, prompt for any attack. belike he figured he was safe inside a Hondaor at least as safe as he could be around me. I wasnt the only one who had trouble ignoring the romantic tautness between us.You know what would really help? I asked, not meeting his eyes. Hmm?If you turned off this score music and put on something that came out after the Berlin Wall went down.Dimitri laughed. Your worst class is history, yet somehow, you know everything about Eastern Europe.Hey, gotta have material for my jokes, Comrade.Still smiling, he turned the radio dial. To a acres station.Hey This isnt what I had in mind, I exclaimed.I could tell he was on the verge of laughing again. Pick. Its one or the other.I sighed. Go back to the 1980s stuff.He flipped the dial, and I crossed my arms over my chest as some vaguely European- weighed downing band sang about how video had killed the radio star. I wished someone would kill this radio.Suddenly, five hours didnt seem as short as Id thought.Arthur and the family he protected lived in a small town along I-90, not far from Billings. The general Moroi opinion was split on places to live. Some argued that big cities were the best since they allowed vampires to be lost in the crowds nocturnal activities didnt raise so much attention. Other Moroi, like this family, apparently, opted for less populated towns, believing that if there were fewer people to notice you, then you were less likely to be spy.Id convinced Dimitri to stop for food at a twenty-four-hour diner along the way, and between that and stopping to buy gas, it was around noon when we arrived. The house was built in a rambler style, all one level with gray-stained wood siding and big bay windowstinted to block sunlight, of course. It looked new and expensive, and even out in the middle of nowhere, it was about what Id expected for me mbers of a royal family.I jumped down from the Pilot, my boots sinking through an inch of smooth snow and crunching on the gravel of the driveway. The day was still and silent, save for the occasional breath of wind. Dimitri and I walked up to the house, following a river rock pavement that cut through the effort yard. I could see him sliding into his business mode, but his overall attitude was as cheery as mine. Wed both(prenominal) taken a kind of guilty satisfaction in the pleasant car ride.My buttocks slipped on the ice-covered sidewalk, and Dimitri instantly reached out to steady me. I had a weird moment of d?j? vu, newsbreak back to the first night wed met, back when hed also saved me from a similar fall. Freezing temperatures or not, his accomplish felt warm on my arm, even through the layers of down in my parka coat.You okay? He released his hold, to my dismay.Yeah, I said, casting accusing eyes at the icy sidewalk. Havent these people ever comprehend of salt?I meant it jokingly, but Dimitri suddenly stopped walking. I instantly came to a halt too. His mien became tense and alert. He turned his head, eyes searching the broad, white plains surrounding us before remittal back on the house. I wanted to ask questions, but something in his posture told me to stay silent. He studied the building for almost a full minute, looked down at the icy sidewalk, then glanced back at the driveway, covered in a sheet of snow broken only by our footprints.Cautiously, he approached the front door, and I followed. He stopped again, this time to study the door. It wasnt open, but it wasnt entirely shut either. It looked like it had been closed in haste, not sealing. Further examination showed scuffs along the doors edge, as though it had been forced at some point. The slightest nudge would open it. Dimitri lightly ran his fingers along where the door met its frame, his breath making small clouds in the air. When he touched the doors conkle it jiggled a little, lik e it had been broken.Finally, he said quietly, Rose, go wait in the car.But whGo.One wordbut one filled with power. In that single syllable I was reminded of the man Id seen throw people around and stake a Strigoi. I backed up, walking on the snow-covered lawn rather than danger the sidewalk. Dimitri stood where he was, not moving until Id slipped back into the car, closing the door as softly as possible. Then, with the gentlest of movements, he pushed on the barely held door and disappeared inside.Burning with curiosity, I counted to ten and then climbed out of the car.I knew better than to go in after him, but I had to know what was going on with this house. The neglected sidewalk and driveway indicated that no one had been home for a couple days, although it could also mean the Badicas simply neer left the house. It was possible, I supposed, that theyd been the victims of an familiar break-in by humans. It was also possible that something had scared them offsay, like Strigoi. I knew that possibility was what had made Dimitris face turn so grim, but it seemed an unlikely scenario with Arthur Schoenberg on duty.Standing on the driveway, I glanced up at the sky. The light was bleak and watery, but it was there. Noon. The suns highest point today. Strigoi couldnt be out in sunlight. I didnt need to fear them, only Dimitris anger.I circled around the right side of the house, walking in much deeper snowalmost a foot of it. Nothing else weird about the house struck me. Icicles hung from the eaves, and the tinted windows revealed no secrets. My foot suddenly hit something, and I looked down. at that place, half-buried in the snow, was a silver stake. It had been driven into the ground. I picked it up and napped off the snow, frowning. What was a stake doing out here? Silver stakes were valuable. They were a guardians most dementedly weapon, capable of killing a Strigoi with a single strike through the heart. When they were forged, four Moroi charmed them with magic from each of the four elements. I hadnt learned to use one yet, but gripping it in my turn over, I suddenly felt safer as I continued my survey.A large patio door led from the back of the house to a wooden deck that probably would have been a lot of manoeuvre to hang out on in the summer. But the patios glass had been broken, so much so that a person could easily get through the jagged jumble. I crept up the deck steps, careful of the ice, well-read I was going to get in major trouble when Dimitri found out what I was doing. In spite of the cold, sweat poured down my neck.Daylight, daylight, I reminded myself. Nothing to worry about.I reached the patio and studied the dark glass. I couldnt tell what had broken it. Just inside, snow had blown in and made a small drift on nauseated blue carpet. I tugged on the doors handle, but it was locked. Not that that mattered with a hole that big. Careful of the sharp edges, I reached through the opening and unlocked the handles latch from the inside. I removed my hand just as carefully and pulled open the sliding door. It hissed slightly along its tracks, a quiet sound that nonetheless seemed too loud in the eerie silence.I stepped through the doorway, standing in the pick of sunlight that had been cast inside by opening the door. My eyes adjusted from the sun to the dimness within. arise swirled through the open patio, dancing with the curtains around me. I was in a living room. It had all the ordinary items one might expect. Couches. TV. A rocking chair.And a body.It was a woman. She lay on her back in front of the TV, her dark hair spilling on the floor around her. Her wide eyes stared upward blankly, her face paletoo pale even for a Moroi. For a moment I thought her long hair was covering her neck, too, until I realized that the darkness across her skin was blooddried blood. Her throat had been ripped out.The horrible scene was so surreal that I didnt even realize what I was seeing at first. With her post ure, the woman might very well have been sleeping. Then I took in the other body a man on his side only a couple feet away, dark blood staining the carpet around him. Another body was slumped beside the swan small, child-size. Across the room was another. And another. There were bodies everywhere, bodies and blood.The scale of the death around me suddenly registered, and my heart began pounding. No, no. It wasnt possible. It was day. Bad things couldnt happen in daylight. A scream started to rise in my throat, suddenly halted when a gloved hand came from behind me and closed over my mouth. I started to struggle then I smelled Dimitris aftershave.Why, he asked, dont you ever beware? Youd be dead if they were still here.I couldnt answer, both because of the hand and my own shock. Id seen someone die once, but Id never seen death of this magnitude. After almost a minute, Dimitri finally removed his hand, but he stayed close behind me. I didnt want to look anymore, but I seemed unable to drag my eyes away from the scene before me. Bodies everywhere. Bodies and blood.Finally, I turned toward him. Its daytime, I whispered. Bad things dont happen in the day. I comprehend the desperation in my voice, a little girls plea that someone would say this was all a bad dream.Bad things can happen anytime, he told me. And this didnt happen during the day. This probably happened a couple of nights ago.I dared a peek back at the bodies and felt my stomach twist. Two days. Two days to be dead, to have your existence snuffed outwithout anyone in the world even knowing you were gone. My eyes fell on a mans body near the rooms entrance to a hallway. He was tall, too well-built to be a Moroi. Dimitri must have noticed where I looked.Arthur Schoenberg, he said.I stared at Arthurs bloody throat. Hes dead, I said, as though it wasnt perfectly obvious. How can he be dead? How could a Strigoi kill Arthur Schoenberg? It didnt seem possible. You couldnt kill a legend.Dimitri didnt answer . Instead his hand moved down and closed around where my own hand held the stake. I flinched.Where did you get this? he asked. I loosened my grip and let him take the stake.Outside. In the ground.He held up the stake, studying its surface as it shone in the sunlight. It broke the ward.My mind, still stunned, took a moment to process what hed said. Then I got it. Wards were magic ring cast by Moroi. Like the stakes, they were made using magic from all four of the elements. They required wholesome Moroi magic-users, often a couple for each element. The wards could block Strigoi because magic was charged with life, and the Strigoi had none. But wards faded quickly and took a lot of maintenance. Most Moroi didnt use them, but certain places kept them up. St. Vladimirs Academy was ringed with several.There had been a ward here, but it had been shattered when someone drove the stake through it. Their magic conflicted with each other the stake had won.Strigoi cant touch stakes, I told hi m. I realized I was using a lot of cant and dont statements. It wasnt easy having your core beliefs challenged. And no Moroi or dhampir would do it.A human might.I met his eyes. Humans dont help Strigoi I stopped. There it was again. Dont. But I couldnt help it. The one thing we could count on in the fight against Strigoi was their limitationssunlight, ward, stake magic, etc. We used their weaknesses against them. If they had othershumanswho would help them and werent affected by those limitations Dimitris face was stern, still ready for anything, but the tiniest spark of sympathy flashed in his dark eyes as he watched me wage my moral battle.This changes everything, doesnt it? I asked.Yeah, he said. It does.