Note: These reviews may contain inadvertent spoilers about the book. Read at your own risk.
My pursuer took a few more steps, and that’s when I made my move. I leapt out, fists ready. “Okay,” I exclaimed. “I only wanted to ask a few questions, so just back off or else—”
I froze. The guardian from the club wasn’t standing there.
A human was.
A girl, no older than me. She was about my height, with cropped dark blond hair and a navy blue trench coat that looked expensive. Underneath it, I could see nice dress pants and leather boots that looked as pricey as the coat. More startling still was that I recognized her. I’d seen her twice at the Nightingale, talking to the Moroi men. I’d assumed she was just another of the women they liked to flirt with and had promptly dismissed her. After all, what use was a human to me?
Her face was partly covered in shadow, but even in poor lighting, I could make out her annoyed expression. That wasn’t quite what I’d expected. “It’s you, isn’t it?” she asked. Cue more shock. Her English was as American as my own. “You’re the one who’s been leaving the string of Strigoi bodies around the city. I saw you back in the club tonight and knew it had to be you.”
“I . . .” No other words formed on my lips. I had no idea how to respond. A human talking casually about Strigoi? It was unheard of. This was almost more astonishing than actually running into a Strigoi out here. I’d never experienced anything like this in my life. She didn’t seem to care about my stupefied state.
“Look, you can’t just do that, okay? Do you know what a pain in the ass it is for me to deal with? This internship is bad enough without you making a mess of it. The police found the body you left in the park, you know. You cannot even imagine how many strings I had to pull to cover that up.”
“Who . . . who are you?” I asked at last. It was true. I had left a body in the park, but seriously, what was I supposed to do? Drag him back to my hotel and tell the bellhop my friend had too much to drink?
“Sydney,” the girl said wearily. “My name’s Sydney. I’m the Alchemist assigned here.”
“The what?”
She sighed loudly, and I was pretty sure she rolled her eyes. “Of course. That explains everything.”
“No, not really,” I said, finally regaining my composure. “In fact, I think you’re the one who has a lot of explaining to do.”
“And attitude too. Are you some kind of test they sent here for me? Oh, man. That’s it.”
I was getting angry now. I didn’t like being chastised. I certainly didn’t like being chastised by a human who made it sound like me killing Strigoi was a bad thing.
“Look, I don’t know who you are or how you know about any of this, but I’m not going to stand here and—”
Nausea rolled over me and I tensed, my hand immediately going for the silver stake I kept in my coat pocket. Sydney still wore that annoyed expression, but it was mingled with confusion now at the abrupt change in my posture. She was observant, I’d give her that.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“You’re going to have another body to deal with,” I said, just as the Strigoi attacked her.
Read chapter 1 in full.
A lot of new characters are introduced in this book including another spirit user like Lissa, a shadow kissed guardian like Rose, and a handful of Dimitri’s family members.
With all of the plot twists and turns in the first three books, it’s no surprise that this book will also have it’s own twists and turns to keep you turning the pages. I found myself wanting to pick this book up and just keep reading.
If you haven’t picked up copies of the series, you’re missing out and the next big thing. I could easily see this series winning over the millions of Twilight and Harry Potter fans now that their beloved series have ended and they need a new obsession.
This is the fourth book in the Vampire Academy series which we’ll be reviewing this month. Read all of the reviews here.
Pick up your copy of Blood Promise from your local library, request it on Paperback Swap, or buy a copy on Amazon
