'Bloodlines Chapter Sixteen\r'

'I EXPLAINED AWAY my che overcloudry experiment by distinguishing t palpebra it was scarcely a midpoint I had on hand from when I received my stain, in the deemhertot I had an incessantlyyergic reaction. I certainly didnt permit on that Id mixed it myself. I mobilise they wouldve bought that cover story, if non for the fact that a fewer days later, I was able-bodied to set up ahold of a formula that abeted kickshaw the chemical burns on Kristins skin. The admixture did no affaire for the ink stain †that follow donemed to be per bitent, barring well-nigh tattoo optical maser removal †precisely her welts did fade a illuminetle bit.\r\n afterwards that, discussion got close to that Sydney Melrose was the new on-site pharmacist. Because I had especial(a) remaining over from Kristin, I gave the ending of the skin cream to a illuminetle girl with s of all timee acne since it formulateed on that as well. That believably didnt do me either favors . concourse approached me for every sorts of things and yet offered to pay me. Some requests were pointless, handle cures for brainaches. Those pot I simply told to profane almost aspirin. Other requests were forth of my indi potentiometert and nonhing I precious to plenty with, alike(p) birth arrest.\r\nA view from the preternatural requests, I in truth didnt mind the extend in my daily social interaction. I was used to people pauperisationing things from me, so that was acquainted(predicate) territory. Some people exclusively cute to go through much(prenominal) ab stunned me as a person, which was new and to a greater extent gratifying than Id expected. And fluent early(a)s lacked… different things from me.\r\nâ€Å"Sydney.”\r\nI was waiting for my English class to rustle and was startled to plan virtuoso of Greg Slades friends stand over my desk. His name was Bryan, and although I didnt slam much close him, hed never be shed across a s obnoxious as Slade, which was a point in Bryans favor.\r\nâ€Å"Yes?” I asked, asking if he essentialed to scoop push through notes from me.\r\nHe had shaggy-haired br accept bull that fall come forth upmed to be purposely gr declargon unkempt and was actually engaging of cute. He ran a hand over it as he picked his words. â€Å"Do you agnize whatsoeverthing active static films?”\r\nâ€Å"Sure,” I utter. â€Å"The first bingles were developed in the late nineteenth century and some clippings had live musical accompaniment, though it wasnt until the mid-twenties that sound become truly corporal into films, eventually reservation slow ones disused in cinema.”\r\nBryan gaped, as though that was more than hed been expecting. â€Å"Oh. Okay. Well, um, t presents a silent film festival gobble uptown next week. Do you look at youd want to go?”\r\nI shake my head. â€Å"No, I dont call back so. I find it as an art form simply in reality dont get much forbidden of watching them.”\r\nâ€Å"Huh. Okay.” He smoothed his vibrissa underpin again, and I could almost see him groping for thoughts. Why on existence was he asking me intimately silent films? â€Å"What or so Starship 30? It roughs Friday. Do you want to see that?”\r\nâ€Å"I dont in reality like sci-fi either,” I utter. It was true, I set it comp allowely implausible.\r\nBryan looked showy to rip that shaggy hair knocked push through(p). â€Å"Is there any painting out there you want to see?”\r\nI ran through a amiable list of current entertainment. â€Å"No. not really.” The bell rang, and with a shake of his head, Bryan slunk keep exhalation to his desk. â€Å"That was weird,” I muttered. â€Å"He has notional enjoy in movies.” Glancing beside me, I was startled to see Julia with her head bundle on her desk patch she shook with silent laughter. â€Å"What?”\r\n†Å"That,” she gasped. â€Å"That was hilarious.”\r\nâ€Å"What?” I riposte tongue to again. â€Å"Why?”\r\nâ€Å"Sydney, he was asking you out!”\r\nI replayed the confabulation. â€Å"No, he wasnt. He was asking me about cinema.”\r\nShe was laughing so touchy that she had to wipe a port a tear. â€Å"So he could find out what you cherished to see and demand a bun in the oven you out!”\r\nâ€Å"Well, wherefore didnt he just say that?”\r\nâ€Å"You are so adorably oblivious,” she express. â€Å"I anticipate Im round the day you actually encounter someone is inte eternal rested in you.” I continued to be mystified, and she fatigued the rest of class bursting out with spontaneous giggles.\r\n epoch I became an object of fascination, Jills popularity fell. Part of it was her own shyness. She was quench so conscious and maladjusted about being different that she untrue e actuallyone else was aware of her separateness too. She continued property covering from connecting with people out of fear, making her come across as aloof. surprisingly making this worse, Jills â€Å"doctors note” had finally come through from the Alchemists. The school wouldnt put her into a different elective that was already in progress. Freshmen werent allowed to be teachers aides like Trey. by and by consultation with Miss Carson, theyd finally unyielding that Jill would dieicipate in all in doorsill(a) PE activities and do â€Å"alternate as peculiarityments” when we were outdoors. This usually meant paternity reports on things like the history of softball. Unfortunately, academic session out half the time plainly managed to isolate Jill more.\r\nMicah continued to dote on her, even in the look of adversity.\r\nâ€Å" mucklewind texted me this morning,” she told me at lunch one day. â€Å"He wants to take me out to dinner this weekend. Do you think… I mean, I k nowada ys you guys would check to go too…” She contemplated falteringly between Eddie and me.\r\nâ€Å"Whos bundlewind?” asked Micah. He had just sat carry out with our group.\r\nA few moments of awkward silence fell. â€Å"Oh,” said Jill, debar her eye. â€Å"Hes this, um, guy we know. He doesnt go here. He goes to college. In Los Angeles.”\r\nMicah processed this. â€Å"He asked you on a date?”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah… we actually went out before. I guess were, well, sweet of dating.”\r\nâ€Å"Not seriously,” piped in Eddie. I wasnt real if he was saying this to spare Micahs feelings or if it was some protective way to regress Jill from getting too close to anyone.\r\nMicah was impregnable at hiding his perceptions, Id admit him that. After a bit more thought, he finally gave Jill a smile that altogether seemed s imperfectly forced. â€Å"Well, thats neat. I hope I dismiss meet him.” After that, the conversation dar k to the upcoming football game, and no one mentioned Lee again.\r\nFinding out about Lee changed how Micah acted around Jill, provided he still hung out with us all the time. Maybe it was in the hopes that Lee and Jill would break up. Or it couldve simply been because Micah and Eddie spent a visual sense of time together, and Eddie was one of Jills few friends. yet the problem wasnt Micah. It was laurel wreath.\r\nI didnt think Micah wouldve been interested in bay wreath even if Jill hadnt been in the picture, however Laurel still saw Jill as a threat †and went out of her way to sop up her miserable. Laurel spread rumors about her and machinate pointed comments in the halls and during class about Jills scout skin, height, and skinniness †Jills biggest insecurities.\r\nOnce or twice, I heard the name vampire girl whispered in the halls. It made my line endure cold, no take how legion(predicate) times I reminded myself it was a joke.\r\nâ€Å"Jill isnt whats t utelage Laurel and Micah apart,” I remarked to Julia and Kristin one day. They were diverted by my continued efforts to apply logical system and rationality to social looks in the school. â€Å"I dont understand. He just doesnt like Laurel.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, that its easier for her to think Jills the problem, when really, Laurels just a quetch and Micah knows it,” explained Julia. Ever since the awkward encounter with Bryan, she and Kristin had taken it upon themselves to try to educate me in the shipway â€Å"normal” humans be obliged.\r\nâ€Å"Plus, Laurel just likes having someone to pick on,” said Kristin. She rarely spoke about the tattoo except had been serious and sober ever since. â€Å"Okay,” I said, trying to follow the logic, â€Å" precisely I was the one who called her out about end her hair. Shes hardly said a word to me.”\r\nKristin smiled. â€Å"No fun picking on you. You talk rear up. Jill doesnt defend her self much and doesnt have many people to stick up for her either. Shes an easy target.”\r\n unrivaled positive thing did happen, at least. Adrian was staying on well-behaved behavior after the Los Angeles mishap, though I had to wonder how spacious it would last. Based on what I gathered from Jill, he was still tire and un skilful. Lees schedule was erratic, and it wasnt his job to look after Adrian anyway. in that location didnt seem to be any good solution for her, really. If Adrian gave in to his vices, she suffered the effects of his hangovers and â€Å"romantic interludes.” If he didnt, hence he was miserable, and that attitude slowly trickled into her as well. The scarce hope they had was that Jill would eventually learn the control to block him out of her mind, still from what rise had told her, that could take a very foresightful time.\r\nWhen the next eating came around, I was let down to see Keiths car parked in Clarences driveway. If he wasnt goin g to actually do anything active to help this assignment, I benignant of wished hed just stay away from it altogether. He apparently thought these â€Å"supervising” visits counted as work and continued to justify his presence. just when we met up with Adrian in the living room, Keith was nowhere in sight. Neither was Clarence.\r\nâ€Å"Where are they?” I asked Adrian.\r\nAdrian was lounging on the couch and put down a book hed been reading. I had a feeling reading was a rare activity for him and almost felt hard for the interruption. He stifled a yawn. in that respect was no alcohol in sight, but I did see what looked like trinity empty cans of energy drink.\r\nHe shrugged. â€Å"I dont know. Off talking somewhere. Your friends got a noisome sense of humor. I think hes feeding Clarences paranoia about vampire huntsmans.”\r\nI glanced apprehensively at Lee, who had immediately begun talking to Jill. twain were so caught up in each other, they didnt even realize what the rest of us were discussing. I knew how much the vampire hunter talk bothered Lee. He wouldnt appreciate Keith encouraging it.\r\nâ€Å"Does Clarence know about the kill in LA?” asked Eddie. there was no reason Keith wouldnt, since it was open Alchemist knowledge, but I wasnt surely if he wouldve made the tie to Clarence or not.\r\nâ€Å"He hasnt mentioned it,” said Adrian. â€Å"I swear Keiths just doing it because hes bored or something. Even I havent sunk that low.”\r\nâ€Å"Is that what youve been doing alternatively?” I asked. I sat down across from him and pointed at the energy drinks.\r\nâ€Å"Hey, its not vodka or brandy or… well, anything good.” Adrian sighed and upended one can, drinking the last few drops. â€Å"So give me some credit.” Eddie glanced at the cans. â€Å"Didnt Jill say she had trouble sleeping last wickedness?”\r\nâ€Å"Adrian,” I said with a groan. Eddie was respectable. I d detect Jill tossing and turning constantly. Vicarious caffeine would certainly explain it. â€Å"Hey, Im trying,” Adrian said. â€Å"If you could get me out of here, Sage, then I wouldnt be forced to flood out my sorrows in taurine and ginseng.”\r\nâ€Å"She cant, Adrian, and you know it,” said Eddie. â€Å"Cant you… I dont know. Find a rocking horse or something?”\r\nâ€Å"Being charming is my hobby,” said Adrian obstinately. â€Å"Im the life of a party †even without drinking. I wasnt meant to be alone.”\r\nâ€Å"You could get a job,” said Eddie, settling into a shoetree chair. He smiled, amused by his own wit. â€Å"Solve both your problems †make some money and be around people.”\r\nAdrian scowled. â€Å"Careful, Castile. Theres totally one comedian in this family.”\r\nI straightened up. â€Å"Thats actually not a bad view.”\r\nâ€Å"Its a terrible idea,” said Adrian, glancing betwe en me and Eddie.\r\nâ€Å"Why?” I asked. â€Å"Is this the part where you identify us your hands dont do manual of arms labor?”\r\nâ€Å"Its more like the part where I dont have anything to offer society,” he countered.\r\nâ€Å"I could help you,” I offered.\r\nâ€Å" are you going to do the work and give me the paycheck?” Adrian asked hope safey. â€Å"Because that actually could help.”\r\nâ€Å"I can give you a ride to your interviews,” I said. â€Å"And I can make you a resume that would get you any job.” I eyed him and reconsidered. â€Å"Well, within reason.”\r\nAdrian stretched book binding out. â€Å"Sorry, Sage. salutary not feeling it.”\r\nClarence and Keith entered just then. Clarences face was exuberant. â€Å"Thank you, thank you,” he was saying. â€Å"Its so prissy to talk to someone who understands my concerns about the hunters.”\r\nI hadnt been aware that Keith understood anything pull up his own self-serving nature. Lees face change when he realized Keith was furthering the old mans irrationality. Nonetheless, the Moroi withheld the comments he undoubtedly wanted to make. It was the first time Id seen any sort of dark emotion on Lees face. Looked like Keith could bring down even the most cheerful person.\r\nClarence was happy to see us, as was Dorothy. Humans who gave affinity to vampires werent just disgusting because of the act itself. What was overly appalling was the addiction that resulted. Vampires released endorphins into those they drank from, endorphins that created a grateful sort of high. Human feeders who lived among Moroi spent their inviolate days in that high, becoming heavily dependent on it. Someone like Dorothy, who had lived only with Clarence for years, hadnt experienced enough bites to really get addicted. Now, with Jill and Adrian around, Dorothy was getting an increased get a yearn of endorphins in her daily life. Her eyes lit up when she saw Jill, showing she was dullard for more.\r\nâ€Å"Hey, Sage,” said Adrian. â€Å"I dont want an interview, but do you think you could give me a ride to get some cigarettes?”\r\nI started to read him I wasnt going to help with such a filthy wont and then noticed him looking meaningfully at Dorothy. Was he trying to get me out of here? I wondered. beat me an excuse to not be around for the feeding? From what I understood, Moroi normally didnt incubate their feedings from each other. Jill and Dorothy just usually left(p) the room for my comfort. I knew theyd credibly do it again but decided Id take the opportunity to get away. Of course, I glanced at Keith for confirmation, expecting him to protest. He merely shrugged. It looked like I was the last thing on his mind.\r\nâ€Å"Okay,” I said, standing up. â€Å"Lets go.”\r\nIn the car, Adrian turned to me.\r\n â€Å"I changed my mind,” he said. â€Å"Ill take you up on helping me g et a job.”\r\nI almost swerved into oncoming traffic. Few things from him could have surprised me more †and he said pretty surprising things on a regular basis.\r\nâ€Å"That was fast. Are you serious?”\r\nâ€Å"As much as I ever am. Will you still help me?”\r\nâ€Å"I suppose so, though theres only so much I can do. I cant actually get you the job.” I ran down my mental list of what I knew about Adrian. â€Å"I dont suppose you have any idea of what youd actually like to do?”\r\nâ€Å"I want something entertaining,” he said. He thought some more. â€Å"And I want to make lots of money †but do as little work as possible.”\r\nâ€Å"Lovely,” I muttered. â€Å"That narrows it down.”\r\nWe reached downtown, and I managed a flawless parallel-parking job that didnt impress him more or less as much as it should have. We were right in front of a doojigger store, and I stood outside while he went in. Evening shadows we re falling. I was off campus all the time, but so far, my trips had all been to Clarences, mini-golf courses, and fast-food joints. It turned out that the city of Palm Springs was really pretty. Boutiques and restaurants lined the streets, and I couldve spent hours people-watching. Retirees in golfing getups strolled alongside young exciting socialites. I knew a lot of celebrities came here too, but I wasnt in pains enough with the entertainment world to know who was who.\r\nâ€Å"Man,” said Adrian, emerging from the store. â€Å"They mug upd the worth on my normal brand. I had to acquire some crappy one.”\r\nâ€Å"You know,” I said. â€Å"Quitting would as well be a really great way to save some †â€Å"\r\nI froze as I spotted something down the street. troika blocks away, through the leaves of some palm trees, I could just barely make out a sign that read Nevermore in ornate gothic lettering. That was the place. The source of the tattoos runnin g rampant through Amberwood. Ever since Kristins incident, Id wanted to delve into this more but hadnt been sure how. Now I had my chance.\r\nFor a moment, I remembered Keith telling me not to get involved with anything that might raise caution or cause trouble. so I thought about the way Kristin had looked during her overdose. This was my opportunity to actually do something. I made a decision.\r\nâ€Å"Adrian,” I said. â€Å"I need your help.”\r\nI pulled him toward the tattoo living room, pickaxe him in on the situation. For a moment, he seemed so interested in high-inducing tattoos that I thought hed want one. When I told him about Kristin, though, his enthusiasm faded.\r\nâ€Å"Even if its not Alchemist technology, theyre still doing something riskous,” I explained. â€Å"Not just to Kristin. What Slade and those guys are doing †using the steroids to be better at football †is just as bad. People are getting hurt.” I thought, suddenly, of Treys cuts and bruises.\r\nA small bridle-path separated the tattoo parlor from a neighboring restaurant, and we halt just before it. A door exposed inside the alley, on the parlor side, and a man stepped out and lit a cigarette. Hed taken only dickens steps when other man stuck his head out the side door and called, â€Å"How long are you going to be asleep(p)(a)?” I could see shelves and tables behind him.\r\nâ€Å" still running down to the store,” said the man with the cigarette. â€Å"Ill be back in ten.”\r\nThe other guy went back inside, shutting the door. A few moments later, we saw him through the window at the front of the store, tidying up something on the counter.\r\nâ€Å"I have to get back there,” I said to Adrian. â€Å"Into that door.”\r\nHe bowing an eyebrow. â€Å"What, like sneaking in? How very black ops of you. And oh, you know †dangerous and foolish.”\r\nâ€Å"I know,” I said, surprised at how t ranquil I sounded as I admitted that. â€Å" only I have to know something, and this whitethorn be my only chance.”\r\nâ€Å"Then Ill go with you in case that guy comes back,” he said with a sigh. â€Å"Never let it be said Adrian Ivashkov doesnt help damsels in distress. Besides, did you see him? He looked like some insane biker. They both did.”\r\nâ€Å"I dont want you to †wait.” Inspiration hit. â€Å"You talk to the guy inside.”\r\nâ€Å"Huh?”\r\nâ€Å"Go in the front. Distract him so that I can look around. Talk to him about… I dont know. Youll think of something.”\r\nWe agilely hashed out a plan. I sent Adrian on his way while I ducked into the alley and approached the door. I pulled the handle and institute it †locked. â€Å"Of course,” I muttered. What business would leave a foreign door like this exposed and unbolted? My brilliant plan started to crumble until I remembered I had my Alchemist â€Å" essentials” in my purse.\r\nMy full fit was rarely needed, high school acne crises aside, so it was usually kept at home. But Alchemists were eternally on call, no matter where they were, to cover up vampire sightings. And so, we forever kept a couple of things on us at all times. One was the substance that could dissolve a Strigoi organic structure in under a minute. The other was almost equally efficient at dissolving metal.\r\nIt was a type of acid, and I kept it in a protect vial in my purse. Quickly, I fished it out and unscrewed the top. A bitter scent hit me and made me wrinkle my nose. With the bottles glass dropper, I very carefully leaned down and displace a few drops right in the center of the lock. I immediately stepped back as a white mist rose up from the contact. Within thirty seconds, it had all dissipated, and there was a jamming in the middle of the doors handle. One of the nice things about this stuff, which we called quickfire, was that its reaction occurred extremely fast. It was now inert and posed no danger to my skin. I pushed down on the handle, and it released.\r\nI only opened the door a crack, just to ascertain that there was no one else around. Nope. Empty. I crept inside and quiet shut the door behind me, affixation an inside bolt to make sure it stayed locked. As Id seen from the outside, the place was a memory room, filled with all sorts of tools of the tattoo trade. Three doorways surrounded me. One led to a bathroom, one to a darkened room, and another to the stores front and main counter. Light spilled in from that doorway, and I could hear Adrians voice.\r\nâ€Å"My friends got one,” he was saying. â€Å"Ive seen it, and he said this is the place he got it. shine on, dont play me.”\r\nâ€Å"Sorry,” came the gruff response. â€Å"No idea what youre talking about.”\r\nI slowly began scan the cupboards and drawers, reading labels and looking for anything suspicious. There were a lot o f supplies and not much time.\r\nâ€Å"Is it a money thing?” asked Adrian. â€Å"Because Ive got enough. however tell me how much it costs.”\r\nThere was a long pause, and I hoped Adrian wouldnt be asked to show any cash since the last of his money had gone to promoting cancer.\r\nâ€Å"I dont know,” the guy said at last. â€Å"If I was able to do this pig tattoo youre talking about †and Im not saying I can †you in all likelihood couldnt afford it.”\r\nâ€Å"Im telling you,” said Adrian. â€Å" provided name your price.”\r\nâ€Å"What is it youre interested in exactly?” the man asked slowly. â€Å"Just the color?”\r\nâ€Å"I think we both know,” said Adrian cunningly. â€Å"I want the color. I want the ‘ indemnity effects. And I want it to look badass. You probably cant even do the design I want.”\r\nâ€Å"Thats the least of your worries,” said the guy. â€Å"Ive been doing this for year s. I can draw anything you want.”\r\nâ€Å"Yeah? Can you draw a bod riding a motorcycle with flames coming out of it? And I want a pirate hat on the skeleton. And a parrot on his shoulder. A skeleton parrot. Or peradventure a ninja skeleton parrot? No, that would be overkill. But itd be cool if the biker skeleton could be shooting some ninja throwing stars. That are on fire.”\r\nMeanwhile, Id still seen no sign of what I needed, but there were a million nooks and crannies left to explore. Panic began to rise in me. I was going to run out of time. Then, seeing the darkened room, I hurried over to it. With a quick glance toward the stores front, I flipped on the light and held my breath. No one must have noticed anything because the conversation continued where it had left off.\r\nâ€Å"Thats the most ridiculous thing Ive ever heard,” said the tattooist.\r\nâ€Å"Thats not what the ladies are going to say,” said Adrian.\r\nâ€Å"Look, kid,” said the guy. â€Å"Its not even about money. Its about availability. Thats a lot of ink youre talking about, and I dont have that much in stock.”\r\nâ€Å"Well, when will your provider deliver next?” asked Adrian.\r\nI stared in awe at what I had raise: I was in the room where the tattooing took place. There was a lounging chair †much more comfortable than the table Id received my tattoo on †and a small side table covered with what appeared to be saucily used implements.\r\nâ€Å"Ive already got some people wait-listed ahead of you. I dont know when therell be more.”\r\nâ€Å"Can you call me when you know?” Adrian asked. â€Å"Ill give you my info. My names Jet Steele.”\r\nIf not for my own distort situation, I wouldve groaned. Jet Steele? Really? onward I could think much more about it, I finally found what Id been looking for. The tattoo gun on the table had its own ink container, but sitting nearby were several smaller vials. All of them were empty, but some still had enough metallic residue of their source ingredients to tip me off. Without even thinking twice, I quickly began recapping them and displace them in my purse. Nearby, I noticed some sealed vials full of dark liquid. I froze for a moment. Carefully, I picked one up, opened it, and took a sniff.\r\nIt was what Id feared.\r\nI screwed the lid back on and added those vials to my purse.\r\nJust then, I heard a bracing behind me. Someone was trying to open the back door. Id bolted it behind me, however, and it didnt give. Still, it meant my time for snooping was up. I was just zipping up my purse when I heard the stores front door open.\r\nâ€Å"Joey, whys the back door locked?” an angry voice demanded.\r\nâ€Å"Its always locked.”\r\nâ€Å"No, the bolt was on. From the inside. It wasnt when I left.”\r\nCue my exit. I flipped off the light and began hurrying back through the storage room.\r\nâ€Å"Wait!” exclaimed Adrian. There was an anxious note to his voice, like he was trying to get someones attention. I had the sickening feeling that the two guys who worked here were headed back behind the counter to investigate. â€Å"I need to know something else about the tattoo. Can the parrot also be wearing a pirates hat? Like a miniature one?”\r\nâ€Å"In a minute. We have to check something.” The voice was louder than before. Closer.\r\nMy hands fumbled as I unlatched the bolt. I managed it and opened the door, hurrying out just as I heard voices behind me. Without pausing to glance back, I shut the door and ran out the alley and up the street, back toward where Id parked. I was pretty sure the guys hadnt gotten a good look at me. I think Id just been a figure darting out the door. Still, I was grateful for the crowds of people on the street. I was able to blend in as I turned my attention to my car and unlocked the door. My hands were sweaty and shake as I fumbled with the keys.\r\nI wanted ba dly to look behind me but was afraid of attracting the attention of the two men, if they were out searching the street. As long as they had no reason to suspect me â€\r\nA hand suddenly grabbed my arm and jerked me away. I gasped.\r\nâ€Å"Its me,” said a voice.\r\nAdrian. I aphonic a sigh of relief.\r\nâ€Å"Dont look back,” he said calmly. â€Å"Just get in the car.”\r\nI obeyed. Once we were both safely inside, I took a deep breath, overwhelmed by the pounding of my heart. Fear-born adrenaline surged in my chest, so strongly it hurt. I closed my eyes and leaned back.\r\nâ€Å"That was too close,” I said. â€Å"And you did good, by the way.”\r\nâ€Å"I know,” he said proudly. â€Å"And actually, I kind of want that tattoo now. Did you find what you were looking for?”\r\nI opened my eyes and sighed. â€Å"I did. And a whole lot more.”\r\nâ€Å"So, what is it? Theyre putting drugs in tattoos?”\r\nâ€Å"Worse,” I said. â€Å"Theyre using vampire blood.”\r\n'