Free Vampire Academy: The Ultimate Guide by Richelle Mead, Michelle Rowen Page A

kicking butt. One guard has a gun, but Christian uses his magic to heat it up, so it’s too hot to hold. Then he snips Mason’s bindings so he can join the fight. After an intense battle, the three of them defeat the guards and release Eddie and Mia. Then they formulate their plan of escape. If they can get out of the house, the Strigoi won’t be able to follow them—they burn up when they come into direct contact with the sunlight. The five friends head up the stairs into the main living area of the house, which has an aquarium in it, and Rose instructs Mason to get the others out of there if something bad happens to her.
    Just as Rose feels they’re going to make it out okay, Isaiah and Elena appear. Rose holds off the Strigoi while the others get to safety.
    “Are you thinking you can take us both on by yourself?” He chuckled. Elena chuckled. I gritted my teeth.
    No, I didn’t think I could take them both on. In fact, I was pretty sure I was going to die. But I was also pretty sure I could provide one hell of a distraction first.
    —pages 297-298
     
     
    The Strigoi drag Rose back into the shadows of the room as Mason gets the others outside just in time.
    Isaiah is furious that his game has been ruined. To punish Rose, he plans to make her a real blood whore, since he’s aware she’s given blood before and enjoyed it. However, this time it won’t be pleasant for her. He’ll make it hurt every time she’s bitten . . . until she finally dies.
    It feels as if all is lost—Rose is going to die slowly and horribly at the hands—and fangs—of Strigoi.
    But Rose isn’t alone. She has friends who care about her fate, just as she cared about theirs.
    “Let her go, or I’ll kill you.”
    We all turned at the new voice, a voice dark and angry. Mason stood in the doorway, framed in light, holding my dropped gun. Isaiah studied him for a few moments.
    “Sure,” Isaiah finally said. He sounded bored. “Try it.”
    —page 300
     
     
    Mason raises the gun and fires it into Isaiah’s chest over and over . . . It doesn’t do anything.
    Isaiah releases Rose and grabs hold of Mason’s head. Without warning, he twists sharply . . . and Rose hears a sickening crack.
    Mason’s eyes go wide . . . and then blank . . . as he collapses to the ground.
    He’s dead. The Strigoi killed him. Mason came back to save Rose’s life and now he’s gone forever.
    Horror and shock crash over Rose. When Elena makes a move to feed on Mason’s dead body, Rose stops feeling—she just acts. She couldn’t stop this from happening, but she can protect Mason now. She screams for the Strigoi to stay away from Mason.
    The chotki Lissa gave Rose for Christmas falls from her pocket and Isaiah picks it up, intrigued by the Dragomir symbol on it. He’d really love to kill a Dragomir—
    The aquarium suddenly bursts apart. The water magically coalesces in the air and moves forward to wrap around Isaiah’s face, giving Rose a chance to grab a piece of the broken aquarium glass. She plunges it into the vampire’s chest—aiming for the heart. He’s still alive, but he blacks out from the pain. Rose then grabs a sword that’s mounted on the wall and, taking everything she’s learned from both Dimitri and her mother, attacks Elena. It isn’t easy with a dull blade, but her rage gives her the strength to decapitate the Strigoi.
    Mia’s at the doorway, looking ill at the violent scene before her. It was her water magic that broke the aquarium and suffocated Isaiah. The girl Rose previously considered her nemesis had come through for her when it counted the most—tough times forge strong bonds and can turn enemies into allies . . . and friends.
    When Isaiah tries to rise to his feet, Rose is on him. Hacking and hacking, she finally manages to detach his head from his body, eliminating the immediate Strigoi threat.
    She’s killed her first two Strigoi today—a huge accomplishment for a novice guardian. She should feel proud. This is