'Bloodlines Chapter Twelve\r'

'WHEN WE LEFT on our convention date or family come step up of the closeting or w abhorver it was, Lee couldnt block hit apologizing for his father.\r\nâ€Å"Im sorry,” he tell, slumping miserably in the hind endseat of Latte. â€Å"Theres no reasoning with him in all more(prenominal). We tried to tell him that Tamara was killed by Strigoi, exactly he wont believe it. He doesnt indigence to. He commodet believe revenge on a Strigoi. Theyre immortal. Invincible. But some homosexual lamia hunting watch? Somehow, in his head, thats something he can go after. And if he cant, then he can focus his capability on how the guardians wont go after these n championxistent lamia hunters.”\r\nI fairish barely perceive Eddie mutter, â€Å"Strigoi arent that invincible.”\r\nIn the rearview mirror, I saw Jills face filled with compassion. She was seat between Lee and Eddie. â€Å"Even if its a fantasy, peradventure its rectify this itinerary,” sh e suggested. â€Å"It gives him comfort. I mean, kind of. Having something tangible to hate is what gets him through and through. Otherwise hed just give in to despair. Hes not hurting any unmatchable with his theories. I think hes sweet.” She caught her breath in that way she did when shed verbalise a whole upsurge all at in one case. My eyes were screen on the road, barely I could swear Lee was smiling. â€Å"Thats correct of you,” he told her. â€Å"I distinguish he comparables having you around. snatch unspoiled up here.”\r\nThat was to me. Lee had been giving me directions invariably since we left Clarences. We were just awayside of Palm Springs proper, nearing the really impressive- tone Desert Gods Golf Course and Resort. Further guidance from him led us to the Mega-Fun Mini-Golf Center, which was adjacent to the resort. I searched for a parking spot and hear Jill gasp when she caught cognizance of the golf courses crowning glory. There, in the center of a cluster of gaudily decorated al portion outting greens, was a huge fake mountain with an artificial falls spouting from its top.\r\nâ€Å"A peeingfall!” she exclaimed. â€Å"Its amazing.”\r\nâ€Å"Well,” tell Lee, â€Å"I wouldnt go that far. Its make of water thats been pumped oer and everywhere and has God only survives what in it. I mean, I wouldnt try to insobriety or blow in it.”\r\nBefore I even had the railway car to a stop, Adrian was out the door, lighting a cigarette. Wed gotten in an argument on the way over, despite me sex act him three times that Latte was a double-dyed(a)ly no-smoking car. The lie of us curtly got out as well, and I wondered what Id signed up for here as we strolled toward the entrance.\r\nâ€Å"Ive actually neer been mini-golfing,” I remarked.\r\nLee came to a halt and stared. â€Å"Never?”\r\nâ€Å"Never.”\r\nâ€Å"How does that happen?” asked Adrian. â€Å"How is it possible that youve never played mini-golf?”\r\nâ€Å"I had kind of an unusual childhood,” I said at last.\r\nEven Eddie looked incredulous. â€Å"You? I was a lot raised at an isolated school in the middle of nowhere Montana, and even Ive played mini-golf.” maxim I was homeschooled was no excuse this time, so I just allow it go. Really, it just came down(a) to having a childhood more focused on chemic equations than on fun and recreation.\r\nOnce we started playing, I briefly got the hang of it. My number 1 few attempts were more or less bad, but I soon unders withald the weight of the nightspot and how the angles on each course could be maneuvered. From there, it was pretty simple to calculate distance and force to render accurate shootings.\r\nâ€Å"Unbelievable. If youd been playing since you were a child, youd be a pro by now,” Eddie told me as I knocked my fruitcake into a gaping dragons mouth. The nut rolled out the guts, down a tube, bounced sour a wall, and into the hole. â€Å"Howd you do that?”\r\nI shrugged. â€Å"Its simple geometry. Youre not that bad either,” I pointed out, watching him make his pearlescent. â€Å"How do you do it?”\r\nâ€Å"I just line it up and putt.”\r\nâ€Å"Very scientific.”\r\nâ€Å"I just rely on natural talent,” said Adrian, strolling up to the start of the Dragons Lair. â€Å"When you have such(prenominal) a wealth of it to draw from, the danger comes from having too frequently.”\r\nâ€Å"That makes no sense whatsoever,” said Eddie.\r\nAdrians response was to pause and seize out a silver flask from his upcountry coat pocket. He unscrewed it and took a quick drink in the first place leaning in to line up his shot.\r\nâ€Å"What was that?” I exclaimed. â€Å"You cant have alcohol out here.”\r\nâ€Å"You heard Jailbait earlier,” he countered. â€Å"Its the weekend.”\r\nHe lined up his en and shot. The ball went directly for the dragons eye, bounced pip it, and shot back toward Adrian. It rolled and came to a stop at his feet, just round where it had started.\r\nâ€Å"Natural talent, huh?” asked Eddie.\r\nI leaned forward. â€Å"I think you skint the dragons eye.”\r\nâ€Å"Just like Keith,” said Adrian. â€Å"I evaluate youd appreciate that, S climb on.”\r\nI gave him a sharp look, wonder if there was any hidden meaning dirty dog that. Mostly, Adrian followmed amused by his own wit. Eddie mistook my expression.\r\nâ€Å"That was inappropriate,” he told Adrian.\r\nâ€Å"Sorry, Dad.” Adrian shot again and managed not to maim any statues this time. A couple more shots, and he sank the ball. â€Å"There we go. Three.”\r\nâ€Å"Four,” said Eddie and I in unison.\r\nAdrian looked at us incredulously. â€Å"It was three.”\r\nâ€Å"Youre forgetting somewhat your first one,” I said. â€Å"The one w here you blinded the dragon.”\r\nâ€Å"That was just the warm-up,” Adrian argued. He put on a pull a face I think he hoped would charm me. â€Å" pick out on, intelligent. You understand how my mind works. You said I was brilliant, call in?”\r\nEddie glanced at me in surprise. â€Å"You did?”\r\nâ€Å"No! I never said that.” Adrians smile was infuriating. â€Å" occlude telling mint that.”\r\nSince I was in charge of the scorecard, his play was logged as four, despite his many further protests. I started to represent forward, but Eddie held out a hand to stop me, his hazel eyes gazing over my shoulder.\r\nâ€Å"Hold up,” he said. â€Å"We need to wait for Jill and Lee.”\r\nI followed his gaze. The two of them had been in deep conversation since we arrived, so much so that theyd slowed and lagged behind the rest of us. Even during his bantering with Adrian and me, Eddie had continually checked on her †and our surroundi ngs. It was kind of amazing the way he could multitask. Thus far, Jill and Lee had only been one hole behind us. Now it was nearly two, and that was too far for Eddie to keep her in his sight. So, we waited while the unmindful(p) couple meandered their way toward the Dragons Lair.\r\nAdrian took an other drink from his flask and shook his head in awe. â€Å"You had nothing to perplexity well-nigh, Sage. She went right for him.”\r\nâ€Å"No thanks to you,” I snapped. â€Å"I cant believe you told her e genuinely detail of my visit that night. She was so mad at me for interfering behind her back with you, Lee, and Micah.”\r\nâ€Å"I hardly told her anything,” argued Adrian. â€Å"I just told her to abide away from that human guy.”\r\nEddie glanced between our faces. â€Å"Micah?”\r\nI shifted uncomfortably. Eddie didnt know somewhat how Id gone proactive. â€Å"Remember when I cherished you to say something to him? And you wouldnt?† I proceeded to tell him how Id then sought-after(a) out Adrians help and found out about Lees interest in Jill. Eddie was aghast.\r\nâ€Å"How could you not tell me any of this?” he demanded.\r\nâ€Å"Well,” I said, wondering if everything I did was divergence to result in the wrath of a Moroi or dhampir, â€Å"it didnt involve you.”\r\nâ€Å"Jills safety does! If some guy likes her, I need to know.”\r\nAdrian chuckled. â€Å"Should Sage have passed you a notational system in class?”\r\nâ€Å"Lees fine,” I said. â€Å"He evidently adores her, and its not like shell ever be just with him.”\r\nâ€Å"We dont know for sure that hes fine,” said Eddie.\r\nâ€Å"Whereas Micahs a vitamin C percent okay? Did you do a priming check or something?” I asked.\r\nâ€Å"No,” said Eddie, looking embarrassed. â€Å"I just know. Its a feeling I get about him. Theres no problem with him disbursement time with Jill.”\r \nâ€Å"Except that hes human.”\r\nâ€Å"They wouldnt have gotten serious.”\r\nâ€Å"You dont know that.”\r\nâ€Å"Enough, you two,” break Adrian. Jill and Lee had finally reached the start of the Dragons Lair, meaning we could fire on. Adrian lowered his voice. â€Å"Your arguments useless. I mean, look at them. That human boy doesnt enter into it.”\r\nI looked. Adrian was right. Jill and Lee were intelligibly enthralled with each other. Some guilty discover of me wondered if I should be a doing a better job of looking out for Jill. I was so relieved that she was interested in a Moroi that I hadnt stopped to wonder if she should even be date anyone. Was fifteen old enough? I hadnt date at fifteen. Id actually, well, never dated.\r\nâ€Å"There is an age remainder between them,” I moderateted, more to myself.\r\nAdrian scoffed. â€Å"Believe me, Ive seen age differences. Theirs is nothing.”\r\nHe walked off, and a few moments l ater, Eddie and I went to espouse him. Eddie maintained his simultaneous vigil of Jill, but this time, I got the impression the danger he was watching out for was right beside her. Adrians laughter rang out ahead of us.\r\nâ€Å"Sage!” he called. â€Å"You have got to see this.”\r\nEddie and I reached the nigh green and stared in astonishment. Then I sunder out laughing.\r\nWe had reached Draculas Castle.\r\nA huge, multi-towered black castle guard the hole some distance away. A burrow was cut out through the center of it with a narrow bridge meant for the ball to go over. If the ball fell off the sides before getting through the castle, it was returned back to the starting point. An animatronic Count Dracula stood off to the castles side. He was pure white, with red eyes, pointed ears, and slicked-back hair. He spasmodically kept raising his arms to show off a batlike cape. Nearby, a speaker blasted supernatural organ music.\r\nI couldnt stop laughing. Adrian an d Eddie looked at me as though theyd never seen me before.\r\nâ€Å"I dont think Ive ever heard her laugh,” Eddie told him.\r\nâ€Å"Certainly not the reaction I was expecting,” mused Adrian. â€Å"Id been counting on abject terror, judging from outgoing Alchemist behavior. I didnt think you care vampires.”\r\nStill grinning, I watched Dracula raise his cape up and down. â€Å"This isnt a vampire. Not a real one. And thats what makes it so funny. Its pure Hollywood camp. Real vampires are terrifying and unnatural. This? This is hilarious.”\r\nIt was clear from their expressions that neither really tacit why this would stir to my sense of humor so much. Adrian did, however, offer to beget a picture with my cell phone when I asked him. I posed by Dracula and put on a big smile. Adrian managed to snap the shot just as Dracula was raising his cape. When I viewed the picture, I was pleased to see it had come out amendly. Even my hair looked good.\r\nAdria n gave the picture a gesticulate of approval before handing me the phone. â€Å"Okay, even I can admit thats pretty cute.”\r\nI found myself overanalyzing the comment. What had he meant in saying even he could admit it? That I was cute for a human? Or that I had just met some kind of Adrian hot-girl criteria? Moments later, I had to forcibly stop thinking about it. permit it go, Sydney. Its a compliment. Accept it.\r\nWe played through the rest of the course, finally turn backing off with the waterfall itself. That was a particularly challenging hole, and I took my time lie up the shot †not that I essential to. I was beating everyone pretty handily. Eddie was the only one who came close. It was clear Jill and Lee didnt even have their oversight on the game, and as for Adrian and his natural talent… well, they were very solidly in last place.\r\nEddie, Adrian, and I were salve ahead of the other two, so we waited for them by the waterfall. Jill a good deal r an to it when she had the chance, gazing up at it with enchanted eyes. â€Å"Oh,” she breathed. â€Å"This is wonderful. I havent seen this much water in days.”\r\nâ€Å"Remember what I said about the toxicity,” teased Lee. But it was clear he found her reaction endearing. As I glanced at the other two guys, I saw that they dual-lane the same feelings. Well, not exactly the same. Adrians affection was all the way brotherly. Eddies? It was hard to read, kind of a mix of the other two. Maybe it was a kind of guardian fondness.\r\nJill made a gesture to the waterfall, and suddenly, part of it broke off from the tumbling cascade. The chunk of water shaped itself into a braid, then twisted high into the air, making spirals before shattering into a million drops that misted over us all. I had been staring wide-eyed and frozen, but those drops smasher me shocked me awake.\r\nâ€Å"Jill,” I said in a voice I barely recognized as my own. â€Å"Dont do that aga in.”\r\nJill, eyes bright, barely spared me a glance as she made another piece of water dance in the air. â€Å"No ones around to see, Sydney.” That wasnt what had me so upset. That wasnt what filled me with so much panic that I could barely breathe. The world was doing that thing where it started to spin, and I sick I was going to faint. Stark, cold fear ran through me, fear at the unknown. The unnatural. The laws of my world had just been broken. This was vampire magic, something foreign and inaccessible to humans †inaccessible because it was forbidden, something no mortal was meant to delve into. I had only once seen magic used, when two spirit users had turned on each other, and I never wanted to see it again. One had forced the plants of the earth to do her instruction while the other telekinetically hurled objects meant to kill. It had been terrifying, and even though I hadnt been the target, Id felt trapped and overwhelmed in the face of such otherworldly power. It was a reminder that these werent fun, easy lot to hang out with.\r\nThese were creatures wholly different from me.\r\nâ€Å"Stop it,” I said, feeling the panic rise. I was horror-struck of the magic, afraid it would touch me, afraid of what it might do to me. â€Å"Dont do it anymore!” Jill didnt even hear me. She grinned at Lee. â€Å"Youre air, right? Can you create fog over the water?”\r\nLee stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked away. â€Å"Ah, well, its belike not a good mood. I mean, were in public…”\r\nâ€Å"Come on,” she pleaded. â€Å"It wont take any parkway for you at all.”\r\nHe actually appeared nervous. â€Å"Nah, not right now.”\r\nâ€Å"Not you too.” She laughed. Above her and in mien of her, that teras water was still spinning, spinning, spinning…\r\nâ€Å"Jill,” said Adrian, a harsher note in his voice than Id ever heard before. In fact, I couldnt recall him ever addre ssing her by her actual name. â€Å"Stop.” It was all he said, but it was like a wave of something went through Jill. She flinched, and the water spirals disappeared, dropping away in droplets. â€Å"Fine,” she said, looking confused.\r\nThere was a moment of awkwardness, and then Eddie said, â€Å"We should hurry. Were going to be pushing curfew.”\r\nLee and Jill set out to make their shots and soon were laughing and flirting again. Eddie continued watching them in his concerned way. Only Adrian paid any care to me. He was the only one who really understood what had happened, I realized. His green eyes studied me, with no trace of their usual bitter humor. I wasnt fooled, though. I knew there had to be some witty retch coming, mocking my reaction.\r\nâ€Å"Are you okay?” he asked quietly.\r\nâ€Å"Im fine,” I said, turning from him. I didnt want him to see my face. Hed already seen too much, seen my fear. I didnt want any of them to know how afra id of them I was. I heard him take a few steps toward me.\r\nâ€Å"Sage †â€Å"\r\nâ€Å" bury me alone,” I snapped back. I hurried off toward the courses exit, authorized he wouldnt follow me. I was right. I waited for them to finish the game, using the alone time to calm myself down. By the time they caught up to me, I was fairly accredited I had wiped most of the emotions from my face. Adrian still watched me with concern, which I didnt like, but at least he didnt say anything else about my breakdown.\r\nSurprising to no one, the final score showed that I had won and Adrian had lost. Lee had come in third, which seemed to hurt him. â€Å"I used to be a lot better,” he muttered, frowning. â€Å"I used to be perfect at this game.” Considering hed spent most of the time give attention to Jill, I thought third was a pretty respectable performance.\r\nI dropped him and Adrian off first and then just barely got Eddie, Jill, and me back to Amberwood on ti me. I was more or less back to normal by then, not that anyone wouldve noticed. Jill was floating on a cloud as we went into our dorm room, talk of the town nonstop about Lee.\r\nâ€Å"I had no idea hed traveled so much! Hes maybe been more places than you, Sydney. He keeps telling me that hell take me to all of them, that well send packing the rest of our lives traveling and doing whatever we want. And hes taking all sorts of classes in college because hes not sure what he wants to study in. Well, not all sorts this semester. Hes got a light agendum so that he can spend more time with his father. And thats good for me. For us, I mean.”\r\nI suppress a yawn and nodded wearily. â€Å"Thats great.”\r\nShe paused from where shed been searching her dresser for pajamas. â€Å"Im sorry, by the way.”\r\nI froze. I didnt want an apology for the magic. I didnt even want to remember it had happened.\r\nâ€Å"For yelling at you the other night,” she continued. â€Å"You didnt set me up with Lee. I should never have accused you of interfering. He really has liked me all along, and, well… hes really great.”\r\nI let out the breath Id been holding and attempted a weak smile. â€Å"Im glad youre happy.”\r\nShe returned cheerfully to her tasks and to talking about Lee until I left to go down to the bathroom. Before brushing my teeth, I stood in front of the sink and washed my hands and arms over and over, scrubbing as hard as I could to wash away the magical drops of water I swore I could still feel on my skin.\r\n'