"What's contrite mean?"

"Apologetic."

"Then why didn't you just say - "

"And," I continued. "If pushed for reasons, you will say you were overwhelmed and panicked.

You'll say you don't know what came over you."

"But I didn't - "

"And you will not mention how stupid they were or say anything negative whatsoever."

"But they are - "

"In fact, don't speak at all unless you're asked something directly. If you let me handle this, it'll be over fast."

Angeline apparently took that to heart because she crossed her arms and glared at me, refusing to say anything else.

When we were ushered into the office, the principal and vice principal - Mrs. Welch and Mr. Redding, respectively - were both sitting on the same side of one desk. They were side by side, presenting a united front that again made me think they feared for their lives.

"Miss McCormick," began Mrs. Welch. "I hope you know that what you did was completely out of line." McCormick was Angeline's fake last name around here.

"Violence and fighting of any kind are not tolerated at Amberwood," said Mr. Redding. "We have high standards - standards meant to ensure the safety of everyone at this school - and expect our students to adhere to them. None of your other violations of school rules come close to what you did today."

"Even if we didn't have those other transgressions on file, there can be no question here," said Mrs. Welch. "There is no place for you at Amberwood." My stomach sank. Expulsion. Although the Keepers weren't entirely uneducated, her academic background had hardly been up to that of average high school students in the modern world. She was in a lot of remedial classes, and getting her into Amberwood at all had been quite a feat. Expulsion wasn't as bad as someone investigating how a petite girl like her could do so much damage, but it still wasn't an outcome I wanted. I could already imagine one of my superiors asking, why didn't you realize how volatile the school was making her? To which I would have to respond: because I've been too busy going on dates and helping vampires who aren't my concern.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself before we notify your parents?" asked Mrs.

Welch. They looked at Angeline expectantly.

I braced myself for an irrational tirade. Instead, Angeline managed to produce some tears which, I had to admit, certainly looked contrite. "I... I panicked," she said. "I don't know what came over me. So much happened at once, and that guy was so scary, and I just freaked out.

I felt threatened. I wanted everyone to get away from me..." I was nearly convinced, probably because it was seeded with truth. Angeline had had a number of flustered moments at Amberwood, no matter her bravado. There were more people at the school than had been in her mountain community, and she'd been so overwhelmed in her first week that we'd had to take turns escorting her to class. I really should've been paying more attention to her.

Mr. Redding looked a tiny bit sympathetic - but not enough to change his mind. "I'm sure that must have been hard, but it was hardly reason for you to act in that way. Injuring three people and damaging expensive audio visual equipment were in no way appropriate responses." Understatement.

I was tired of the formalities and needed to fix things before they escalated further. I leaned forward in my chair. "You know what else isn't appropriate? A thirty-year-old guy - because that's how old he was, no matter how young and cool they were trying to be - grabbing a fifteen-year-old girl. It was bad enough that he did so when she clearly didn't want to go with him. The point is he never should have touched her in the first place. She's a minor. If a teacher did that, he'd be fired. I've read the book teachers are given from your HR

department." It had been an attempt to see if Ms. Terwilliger was abusing me. "Medical emergencies and breaking up a fight are the only times teachers can lay hands on students. Now, you might argue that that guy wasn't a teacher or employed by the school, but his group was invited here by the school - which is obligated to keep its students safe. You're a private school, but I'm certain the California Department of Education would have a few things to say about what happened here today - as will Angeline's father, who's a lawyer." He was actually the leader of a bunch of mountain vampires and had multiple wives, but that was beside the point. I looked back and forth between Mrs. Welch and Mr. Redding's faces. "Now then. Shall we renegotiate your position?"

Angeline was in awe after we left the office and went back to our dorm. "Suspension," she exclaimed, a bit too much joy in her voice for my liking. "I really just get to skip class? That sounds more like a reward."

"You still have to keep up with your homework," I warned. "And you can't leave the dorm.

Don't even think about sneaking out because that will get you expelled, and I won't be able to save you again."

"Still," she said, practically skipping, "this was all pretty easy." I came to a halt in front of her, forcing her to face me. "It was not easy. You got off on a technicality. You've continually resisted efforts to follow the rules around here, and today - well, that was off the charts. You aren't back home. The only time you should even think about fighting here is if Jill is attacked. That's why you're here. Not to do whatever you want. You said you were up to the challenge of protecting her. If you get expelled - and it's a miracle you weren't - she's at risk. So get in line or start packing for home. And for God's sake, leave Eddie alone."

Her face had been kindling with anger as I spoke, but that last bit caught her off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you constantly throwing yourself at him."

She sniffed. "That's how you show a guy you like him."

"Maybe among the uncivilized! Here you need to back off and start acting like a responsible human being - er, dhampir. Whatever. You're making him miserable! Besides, you're supposed to be cousins. You're screwing up our cover." Angeline's jaw dropped. "I... I'm making him miserable?" I almost felt bad for her. The look of shock on her face was so great that it was obvious she really hadn't known what she was doing to Eddie was wrong. I was too worked up to feel much sympathy right then, though. Jill had acted out when we'd first arrived, and that had been just as frustrating. I'd come to enjoy our peace, and now Angeline was threatening all of that. Unlike Jill, she didn't seem to realize it, and I didn't know if that made things better or worse.