Several weeks

have passed . . . So tell me this:

My Job is to get
you ready to defend the
princess and fight dark
creatures, right?
Yep.
You and Lissa are at
the mall and a Strigoi
comes at you. What do
you do?

Depends
what store
were in.

is
Oh? Do you
ws have a silver
stake?
Fine. ill stab him
with a silver stake. Do you even
know how to
use one?

9781595141743_VA_VampireAcademy_TX.indd 49 4/4/11 9:47 AM

 Okay.
ill cut his
head off.

ignoring the fact

that you dont have a Fine. then
weapon and that he may i set him on
be a foot taller fire.
than you. Again, with
what?

AAHHHH!

This guys a jerk. I give up.

So, Comrade,
What do i do?

You run.

9781595141743_VA_VampireAcademy_TX.indd 50 4/4/11 9:47 AM

 This is
the start,
isnt it?

Of what?

Of me becoming like
the other female guardians.
All leathery and stuff from
the fighting and training.

They arent
pretty anymore.
This life destroys
them.

It wont
happen to you.
Youre too . . .

. . . It wont
happen to
you.

9781595141743_VA_VampireAcademy_TX.indd 51 4/4/11 9:47 AM

 It happened to
my mom. She used to
be beautiful. I guess
she still is, sort of.
I havent seen her
in a while.

Does he think Im pretty?

You dont like

your mother?

She abandoned me.

She left me to be
raised by the Academy.

Then it happens.
Terror explodes
from my body
and in my head.

9781595141743_VA_VampireAcademy_TX.indd 52 4/4/11 9:47 AM

 Whats
wrong? What
happened?

9781595141743_VA_VampireAcademy_TX.indd 53 4/4/11 9:47 AM

 it . . . it
was still
alive when
i got back.

Poor thing. it
must have suffered
so much . . .

i can feel everyones eyes on us.

Dont!

9781595141743_VA_VampireAcademy_TX.indd 54 4/4/11 9:48 AM

 Get this
cleaned upand
find out if anyone
saw anything.

Rose ,
that one
time . . .
What if
someone saw?
What if they
know?
it
till So, what
when was it like?
ack.

I dont know. It
wasnt anything.

Didnt
the earth
move or
the planets
align or No. Of
something? course not.

Stop it.
This isnt
the same
thing. Do
you hear
me?

Come on, lets

head back.

9781595141743_VA_VampireAcademy_TX.indd 55 4/4/11 9:48 AM

 Ladies.

ms. karp?!

You think I
wouldnt notice
you skipping class?
Must be the nice
weather.
pac
fem

What is
it? Is it a
crow?

Too big.
Its a raven.

Is it dead?
Definitely dead.
Dont touch it.

Lissa hadnt listened

to me back then . . .

Come on, we
have to get to
class.

9781595141743_VA_VampireAcademy_TX.indd 56 4/4/11 9:48 AM

 Wolves, like many other What about
species, differentiate their foxes? Do
packs into alpha males and alpha they have
females whom others defer to . . . alphas, too?

Admit it: You killed

the fox so Kirova will
think youre crazy.

ralf sarcozy.

Screw
you.

9781595141743_VA_VampireAcademy_TX.indd 57 4/4/11 9:48 AM

 Chr
fire

9781595141743_VA_VampireAcademy_TX.indd 58 4/4/11 9:48 AM

 Christian ozera:
fire user.

he might really and

truly be a psycho.

Mr. Ozera, how Sure thing,

dare you! Do you have Ms. Meissner.
any idea? Report to
Headmistress Kirovas
office now!

9781595141743_VA_VampireAcademy_TX.indd 59 4/4/11 9:48 AM