Vampire Academy du mercredi

Euuh ... parce que Abe est rond ? xD Donc chiffre rond bien sûr !

*sors*

Jesse swallowed, eyes wide. None of the bravado he usually showed was there. I guess there was "usually" and then there was being held in the grip of a really ripped, really tall, and really pissed-off Russian guy "Yes, sir!"

"Then go." Dimitri released him, and, if possible, Jesse got out of there faster than Dimitri had burst in. My mentor then turned to me, a dangerous glint in his eyes. He didn't say anything, but the angry, disapproving message came through loud and clear.

And then it shifted.

It was almost like he'd been taken by surprise, like he'd never noticed me before. Had it been any other guy, I would have said he was checking me out. As it was, he was definitely studying me. Studying my face, my body. And I suddenly realized I was only in jeans and a bra - a black bra at that. I knew perfectly well that there weren't a lot of girls at this school who looked as good in a bra as I did. Even a guy like Dimitri, one who seemed so focused on duty and training and all of that, had to appreciate that.

And, finally, I noticed that a hot flush was spreading over me, and that the look in his eyes was doing more to me than Jesse's kisses had.

"Stop being an idiot," I snapped. "And why do you even care? Jealous I'm not doing it with you?"
His flush grew, going all the way to the roots of his red hair. "I just don't like hearing people talk shit about you, that's all. There are a lot of nasty jokes going around. They're calling you a slut."
"I don't care what they call me."
"Oh, yeah. You're really tough. You don't need anyone."
I stopped. "I don't. I'm one of the best novices in this fucking place. I don't need you acting all gallant and coming to my defense. Don't treat me like I'm some helpless girl."
I turned around and kept walking, but he caught up to me easily. The woes of being five-seven.
"Look...I didn't mean to upset you. I'm just worried about you."
I gave a harsh laugh.

-Cesse de dire n'importe quoi. Qu'est-ce que ça peut te faire ? Tu es jaloux?
Sa rougeur s'accrut considérablement.
-Je n'aime pas qu'on dise du mal de toi, c'est tout. Tu fais l'objet d'un bon nombre de plaisanteries salaces. On commence à te traiter de salope...
-Je me fous complètement de ce qu'on dit de moi.
-J'oubliais... Rose la Guerrière qui n'a besoin de personne.
Je m'arrêtai encore.
-Effectivement. Je suis l'une des meilleurs novices de cette fichue académie et je n'ai aucun besoin que tu joues les chevaliers servants. Je ne suis pas une demoiselle en détresse.
Je repartis d'un bon pas mais sa grande taille lui permit de me rattraper en quelques enjambées. Quelle plaie pour moi de ne mesurer qu'un mètre-soixante-dix!
-S'il te plaît... Je ne voulais pas te mettre en colère. C'est seulement que je m'inquiète pour toi...
Je me contentai d'éclater de rire.

-Tout ce que je sais, c'est que nous nous éloignons du sujet, répliqua-t-elle en évitant de répondre à sa question. (Alberta, qui avait une vingtaine d'années de plus que Steele, le regarda comme un enfant qui lui ferait perdre son temps). Je croyais que nous étions là pour déterminer si Mlle Hathaway avait des complices, non pour fouiller dans son passé. A ce stade de l'enquête, nous ne sommes certains que de la complicité de Belikov, qu'un affection irrationnelle a poussé à agir ainsi. Cela fait de lui un fugitif et un imbécile, mais certainement pas un Strigoï.

Je n'avais jamais considéré ma relation avec Dimitri comme "irrationnelle" mais Alberta avait atteint son but.

"All I know is that we're getting distracted from the point here,' she replied, neatly dodging the question. Alberta was about twenty years older than Steele, and the tough look she gave him said that he was a child wasting her time. "I thought we were here to figure out if Miss Hathaway had any accomplices, not dredge up the past. So far, the only person we can say for sure that helped her is Belikov, and he did it out of irrational affection. That makes him a fugitive and a fool, not a Strigoi.'

I'd never thought of my relationship with Dimitri as "irrational affection,' but Alberta's point was taken.

Il était rare que quelque chose prenne Abe de court, mais le fait de l'appeler spontanément "papa" eut cet effet sur lui. Il scruta la salle, repéra quelqu'un et fit un petit signe de tête. Quelques secondes plus tard, ma mère se faufila jusqu'à nous. Génial... Elle accourait quand il sifflait. Je les trouvais affreusement proches ces derniers temps, et me pris à espérer que Lissa reste la seule à hériter d'une petite soeur surprise.
-Qui sont ces gens ? demanda ma mère.
-Devine, lui suggéra Abe en restant impassible. Qui serait assez stupide pour entrer par effraction à la Cour après s'en être évadée?
Ma mère écarquilla les yeux.
-Comment...?
-Nous n'avons pas le temps pour ça.
Le regard qu'elle lui jeta signifiait clairement qu'elle n'aimait pas qu'on l'interrompe. J'allais peut être rester enfant unique, finalement.

Not much startled Abe, but I think my earnest use of "Dad' did. Scanning the room, his eyes landed on someone, and he gave a small jerk of his head. Several seconds later, my mother squeezed her way through to us. Great. He called; she came. They were awfully chummy lately. I hoped Lissa remained the only one with a surprise sibling.

"Who are these people?' my mother asked.
"Guess,' replied Abe flatly. "Who would be foolish enough to break into Court after escaping it?'

My mom's eyes widened. "How--'
"No time,' Abe said. The sharp look he got in return said she didn't like being interrupted. Maybe no siblings after all.

Il éclata franchement de rire et ce son m'enveloppa comme une caresse. Comme j'aimais l'entendre rire!
-Et ça, c'est de ma part.
Il me tendit un petit sac en papier. Je l'ouvris fébrilement t y découvris un bâton de rouge à lèvres, de ma couleur préférée. Je m'étais plainte d'innombrables fois devant lui d'arriver au bout de mon tube, sans avoir jamais songé qu'il pouvait m'écouter.
-Comment as-tu réussi à l'acheter ? Je ne t'ai pas quitté des yeux...
-Secret de gardien.
-Et c'est pour fêter quoi ? Mon premier jour de travail ?
-Non. J'ai seulement pensé que ça te ferait plaisir.
Je me penchais pour le serrer dans mes bras sans réfléchir à ce que je faisais.
-Merci...
A en juger par sa raideur, je l'avais pris par surprise, comme moi-même, d'ailleurs. Mais il finit par se détendre et je crus mourir en le sentant poser ses mains sur mes hanches.
-Je suis content que tu sois indemne. (Sa voix me donna l'impression que ses lèvres étaient à quelques millimètres de mon oreille.) Quand je t'ai vue tomber...
-Tu t'es dit "quelle gourde!"
-Pas exactement.

He laughed outright, and the sound wrapped around me like a caress. God, I loved the sound of his laugh. "This is from me."
He handed me a small, plain bag. Puzzled and excited, I opened it up. Lip gloss, the kind I liked. I'd complained to him a number of times how I was running out, but I'd never thought he was paying attention.
"How'd you manage to buy this? I saw you the whole time at the mall."
"Guardian secrets."
"What's this for? For my first day?"
"No," he said simply. "Because I thought it would make you happy."
Without even thinking about it, I leaned forward and hugged him. "Thank you."
Judging from his stiff posture, I'd clearly caught him by surprise. And yeah...I'd actually caught myself by surprise, too. But he relaxed a few moments later, and when he reached around and rested his hands on my lower back, I thought I was going to die.
"I'm glad you're better," he said. His mouth sounded like it was almost in my hair, just above my ear. "When I saw you fall..."
"You thought, 'Wow, she's a loser.' "
"That's not what I thought."