accident.
Honest! I didn’t mean for any of this to happen!” Madame Boucher went to her desk and furiously scribbled a note on a piece of parchment, handing it to the servant who had wheeled the now-demolished mirror to the front of the classroom. “Get out of my class, Monture! Gustav! Escort her upstairs and give this note to the headmistress. And send the second-floor janitor to come sweep this mess up while you’re at it.”
“As you command, Madame,” Gustav replied, taking Cally by the arm. His grip was not rough, but neither could it be easily broken. “Come, young mistress,” he said. “You must go to the office.”
As she was led out of the room, Cally glanced over her shoulder and saw Carmen, Lula, and Armida clustered about Lilith, whose glossy pink lips were twisted into a triumphant smirk.
The headmistress sat behind her desk, dressed in a neat single-breasted gray tweed skirt suit with black velvet trim. She glanced up from the note Madame Boucher had written to look at Cally, who stood before her desk, hands clasped behind her back.
“As you well know, Bathory Academy is a vendetta-free zone,” Madame Nerezza said sternly. “It is strictly forbidden for students to use their powers against one another in class.”
113
“Yes, ma’am, I know that. And I’m really sorry about what happened, Madame Nerezza,” Cally said earnestly. “I told Madame Boucher I didn’t mean to do it. It’s just that Lilith said something to me that . . .
well, it made me lose my temper, and I reacted without thinking. I managed to keep the lightning from hitting anyone. . . .”
“Be that as it may, what you did is still grounds for permanent suspension.”
“I’m being expelled?”
“No, child.” Madame Nerezza sighed, shaking her head. “It would be negligent of me to do such a thing.
You must be taught how to control the power you have.
“However, if you are to remain at Bathory Academy, you have to promise me that you won’t let others pro-voke you again. The consequences could be disastrous for everyone involved.”
“Yes, ma’am, I understand,” Cally said. “Thank you for giving me a second chance.”
“Something tells me that it would be best to give Madame Boucher time to cool down,” the headmistress said with a smile. “Here’s a pass to the scrivenery. Stay there until it’s time for your next class.”
“Thank you, Madame Nerezza.”
“Before you go, I want you to have this as well.” The headmistress handed Cally a sealed envelope.
“It’s Tanith Graves’s invitation to the Grand Ball. Or 114
it would have been had she not been killed. The presentation committee decided I should award it to the Bathory student most worthy of the honor. I was going to have it delivered to your home, but seeing that you’re here, I thought I would give it to you personally. I realize it’s on short notice. . . .”
“I’m flattered, Madame Nerezza, but you know I can’t accept this,” Cally protested. “I’m not entitled. I’m not a real Old Blood. And I’m half human.”
“All the more reason for you to go, if you ask me,” the headmistress replied. “With every decade, each techno-logical advance, the world grows smaller and smaller.
If vampires are to survive, we must come to terms with the human race. In you I see a glimmer of hope for our people’s future. Besides, where’s the harm? Go, have a good time. After all, Rauhnacht is for the young.” 115
Chapter Nine
As Lilith exited the red double doors of Bathory Academy and climbed into the back of the waiting Rolls-Royce, she pulled out her iPhone and checked her messages. There were six voice mails waiting, all from Kristof. She instantly hit callback while pushing the button that raised the privacy screen between her and the driver.
“I’ve been trying to reach you all evening! Where have you been?” the photographer asked in an exasper-ated voice, not even bothering to say hello.
“I’m, um,
Honest! I didn’t mean for any of this to happen!” Madame Boucher went to her desk and furiously scribbled a note on a piece of parchment, handing it to the servant who had wheeled the now-demolished mirror to the front of the classroom. “Get out of my class, Monture! Gustav! Escort her upstairs and give this note to the headmistress. And send the second-floor janitor to come sweep this mess up while you’re at it.”
“As you command, Madame,” Gustav replied, taking Cally by the arm. His grip was not rough, but neither could it be easily broken. “Come, young mistress,” he said. “You must go to the office.”
As she was led out of the room, Cally glanced over her shoulder and saw Carmen, Lula, and Armida clustered about Lilith, whose glossy pink lips were twisted into a triumphant smirk.
The headmistress sat behind her desk, dressed in a neat single-breasted gray tweed skirt suit with black velvet trim. She glanced up from the note Madame Boucher had written to look at Cally, who stood before her desk, hands clasped behind her back.
“As you well know, Bathory Academy is a vendetta-free zone,” Madame Nerezza said sternly. “It is strictly forbidden for students to use their powers against one another in class.”
113
“Yes, ma’am, I know that. And I’m really sorry about what happened, Madame Nerezza,” Cally said earnestly. “I told Madame Boucher I didn’t mean to do it. It’s just that Lilith said something to me that . . .
well, it made me lose my temper, and I reacted without thinking. I managed to keep the lightning from hitting anyone. . . .”
“Be that as it may, what you did is still grounds for permanent suspension.”
“I’m being expelled?”
“No, child.” Madame Nerezza sighed, shaking her head. “It would be negligent of me to do such a thing.
You must be taught how to control the power you have.
“However, if you are to remain at Bathory Academy, you have to promise me that you won’t let others pro-voke you again. The consequences could be disastrous for everyone involved.”
“Yes, ma’am, I understand,” Cally said. “Thank you for giving me a second chance.”
“Something tells me that it would be best to give Madame Boucher time to cool down,” the headmistress said with a smile. “Here’s a pass to the scrivenery. Stay there until it’s time for your next class.”
“Thank you, Madame Nerezza.”
“Before you go, I want you to have this as well.” The headmistress handed Cally a sealed envelope.
“It’s Tanith Graves’s invitation to the Grand Ball. Or 114
it would have been had she not been killed. The presentation committee decided I should award it to the Bathory student most worthy of the honor. I was going to have it delivered to your home, but seeing that you’re here, I thought I would give it to you personally. I realize it’s on short notice. . . .”
“I’m flattered, Madame Nerezza, but you know I can’t accept this,” Cally protested. “I’m not entitled. I’m not a real Old Blood. And I’m half human.”
“All the more reason for you to go, if you ask me,” the headmistress replied. “With every decade, each techno-logical advance, the world grows smaller and smaller.
If vampires are to survive, we must come to terms with the human race. In you I see a glimmer of hope for our people’s future. Besides, where’s the harm? Go, have a good time. After all, Rauhnacht is for the young.” 115
Chapter Nine
As Lilith exited the red double doors of Bathory Academy and climbed into the back of the waiting Rolls-Royce, she pulled out her iPhone and checked her messages. There were six voice mails waiting, all from Kristof. She instantly hit callback while pushing the button that raised the privacy screen between her and the driver.
“I’ve been trying to reach you all evening! Where have you been?” the photographer asked in an exasper-ated voice, not even bothering to say hello.
“I’m, um,
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