Vampire Academy: The Ultimate Guide by Richelle Mead, Michelle Rowen Page B

each other’s rooms.
    “I ’m sure you know the rules at St. Vladimir’s.”
    Adrian shrugged. “Yeah, but I don’t have to follow any school’s stupid rules.”
    “Perhaps not,” said Dimitri coldly. “But I would have thought you’d still respect those rules.”
    Adrian rolled his eyes. “I ’m kind of surprised to find you lecturing about underage girls.”
    —page 202
     
     
    However,just as soon as Adrian’s gotten a nice zinger in, he launches into a rambling and disjointed speech. Everyone is confused—he sounds crazy. And then, the next moment, he’s back to normal. They all leave his room puzzled by his strange turn. Once they reach the lobby, Lissa takes off when Dimitri asks to speak with Rose alone.
    Rose jealously assumed Dimitri was on this side of the lodge to find Tasha, but she’s wrong. He actually had been visiting Janine to go over more details about the Moroi attacks and fills Rose in on the details. While Dimitri is stiff in talking to Rose after their previous quarrel, he feels she has a right to know what he’s learned. The guardians believe the Strigoi are in Spokane, Washington. There’s a shopping plaza with underground tunnels and Strigoi sightings. However, despite having this valuable information, no offensive attack is being sent until they’re given permission from higher up.
    Dimitri admits that he’s said some insulting things to Rose lately about her age, so he’s telling her this info because he’s confident she has the maturity to handle it. It’s a sign of respect that warms her heart and brightens her mood. However, he cautions that what he’s told her needs to stay confidential.
    It feels like a special moment between them . . . until Tasha ruins it by showing up, wondering when Dimitri’s shift ends. Rose feels sick and jealous at the reminder he might be Tasha’s guardian—and more —very soon.
    Dimitri just told Rose something in confidence, but he really shouldn’t have. Rose is so angry at Dimitri that she shares this info about the Strigoi sightings with Mason almost immediately afterward. Serves Dimitri right!
    But Mason’s reaction is a bit more intense than Rose anticipated. He doesn’t understand why the guardians aren’t acting on this info right away. They should go to Spokane and take care of the threat themselves! Rose disagrees. They’d need more people, planning, and info before it would even be a possibility.
    Mason thinks she acts like Dimitri now, after being tutored by him. She’s gotten all serious and isn’t as much of a risk taker anymore—not like him.
    Talking about the man she really desires but can’t be with is the last thing Rose wants right now, and it’s totally spoiling the mood. Before it’s spoiled too much, Mason shifts from discussing battle strategy to kissing her—definitely better, in Rose’s opinion. She channels her bad mood into passion and kisses him back—hard.
    This is the distraction she needs. Attention from a guy who makes her feel amazing and desirable. Someone who isn’t wandering off to be with someone else just so he doesn’t break any stupid rules.
    But despite herself, Rose finds herself thinking longingly about the time she and Dimitri almost went all the way. Sure, it was only thanks to Victor Dashkov’s charmed necklace, but still, she knows deep down there was something more there. Mason doesn’t understand when she pulls away, but she knows she can’t go further with him while desperately wishing she was with someone else.

ROYAL BANQUET
     
    Later that day, Lissa invites Rose along to the royal banquet being held at the lodge that night. Rose doesn’t understand why she wouldn’t take Christian. You know, her boyfriend ? The truth is, Christian’s currently not speaking to Lissa. He’s jealous she hung out in the gorgeous Adrian’s room that morning, falsely believing it to be more than a “just friends” situation—so Lissa needs someone else to accompany her while he