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Salvation has its price...

The words stunned Adrian for a moment, but he kept going. "You're lying. What you're describing is impossible.-There's no way to save a Strigoi. When they're gone; they're
gone. They're dead. Undead. Forever." Robert's next words weren't directed at Adrian.... read more

Summary edit see section history

The book begins with Rose taking her guardian trials, enabling her to leave St Vladimir's Academy as a qualified guardian. After passing her trials with flying colors and receiving her promise mark, Rose - along with Lissa, Christian, Adrian, Eddie and the other dhampir graduates - head to the... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

The book begins with Rose taking her guardian trials, enabling her to leave St Vladimir's Academy as a qualified guardian. After passing her trials with flying colors and receiving her promise mark, Rose - along with Lissa, Christian, Adrian, Eddie and the other dhampir graduates - head to the Royal Court to begin life outside of the academy. Rose and Adrian are currently attempting a relationship after she promised him she would give him a shot after she got back from Russia in Blood Promise. However, after learning that there is a way Dimitri can be saved from being a Strigoi, Rose sets off on a mission with Lissa to break out Victor Dashkov from prison when she learns that only he can help them to find out how to turn Dimitri back into a dhampir. After successfully freeing Victor with the help of Eddie, Lissa and Rose head to Las Vegas to find Victor's illegitimate brother, Robert Doru. As a spirit user who supossedly turned a Strigoi back into a dhampir, Robert tells them that the only way to save Dimitri is to charm a silver stake with Spirit and stab him in the heart. However, it has to be a Spirit user who does the staking. While in Las Vegas, the gang meets up with Adrian, who has tracked Rose down via credit card records. While leaving a casino, they encounter a large group of Strigoi, lead by none other than Dimitri. Rose prevents Eddie from killing Dimitri because she knows there is a chance to save him. The gang narrowly escapes into the sun, leaving Dimitri to kill a bunch of humans and losing track of Victor and Robert in the process.

Once back at the court, Rose is chastised for running off with Lissa again and her hopes of becoming Lissa's guardian diminishes further. She is punished by the guardians at court and is stopped from accompanying Lissa to her college visit to Lehigh. Instead, Lissa travels with Christian, her two appointed guardians, and Priscilla Voda, the queen's best friend. While at the visit, Christian and Lissa's assigned guardians, Serena and Grant, tries to teach Lissa how to use a stake. Lissa is determined she can bring Dimitri back, so she tries to learn as much as possible about staking a Strigoi. After dinner at the college, the whole group are attacked once more by Strigoi. Lissa and Christian are kidnapped by Dimitri to be used as bait to get Rose to come to him, knowing that Rose can use their bond to find her. Rose and an army of the court's guardians head off to save Lissa and Christian and a fight erupts with the Strigoi. In the fight, Lissa attempts to stake Dimitri, with Christian's fire distracting Dmitri long enough for Lissa to get at his heart. After a number of failed attempts, she finally nails him in the heart with a stake she had finally managed to charm with Spirit's healing powers. In a blinding light Dimitri falls to the floor weeping, now a dhampir once more. Rose is hurried away from the scene and Dimitri is taken back to court where he is kept locked up. People are unsure as to how safe he is and doubt whether he is actually a dhampir again. He refuses to let Rose in to see him because of the guilt for the way he treated her when he was Strigoi. Rose is hurt by this and persistently tries to get into to see him. Eventually she gets Mikhail's help and is given access to the holding cells. Dimitri then tells Rose that he no longer loves her and that he doesn't want to see her anymore. He brokenly explains that because of the time he spent as a Strigoi, he is no longer able to love or to be loved by anyone because he feels he doesn't deserve it for what he did. Rose leaves heartbroken, but not believing that things are over between them.

Meanwhile, the royal council and Queen Tatiana had been debating over a mysterious subject. It turns out that they had voted to change the graduation age for Dhampirs from 18 to 16, meaning they would be sent out to fight at a younger age. This motion created many controversies and arguments. Rose doesn't stop herself from speaking her mind, threatening the queen in front of everyone and then being dragged out by guardians. Later, Adrian visites Rose in her room and she decides to really give it a go between them. Rose and Adrian very nearly sleep together until they realize they have no protection (aka, a condom). Instead, Rose lets Adrian drink her blood. The next day, Rose bumps into Dimitri and started to talk with him in a cafe. Suddenly, the Royal Guards burst in to arrest Rose. Dimitri tries to defend her but Rose stops him before he is killed and leaves willingly. It turns out that Rose is being accused of murdering Queen Tatiana. She is given a hearing which will decide whether she goes to trial or not. Her father, Abe, arrives unexpectantly and declares he will be Rose's representative in court, even though he is most definitely not a lawyer. After the hearing, Rose is being escourted back to her cell, and as she does, she is handed a note from Ambrose. The note is written from Queen Tatiana herself before she died. In the note, Tatiana realizes she is in danger and gives Rose information to use in case something happens to her. She reveals that Lissa's father had an illegitimate child, meaning that Lissa might not be the last Dragomir, and with a sibling, would be able to gain a seat at the Royal Council. And ironically enough, at the trial, Adrian Ivashkov's mother, Daniella tried to get her cousin to represent Rose so she would have properly be defended. But (of course) her father Abe Mazur, bursts in , and decides that he should represent Rose. It's Rose's choice, and she picks her father of course. The last line of the book, is Abe telling her that they execute high treason prisoners.

Characters edit see section history

  • Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway: Rose, guardian extraordinaire -to be. In love with Dimitri. Fierce and loyal, often blunt/untactful, always stubborn. Will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves. Often opens her mouth before thinking. Very beautiful. Strong-willed.
  • Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir: A Moroi princess and is the last of her family's line, the closest thing to family is Rose.
  • Dimitri Belikov: A Dhamphir Guardian forcibly turned Strigoi. In love with Rose.
  • Adrian Ivashkov: Spirit user. Great Nephew of Queen Tatiana. Gets into peoples dreams. In love with Rose
  • Ibrahim "Abe" Mazur: Called 'Zmey' because he is sneaky just like the snake in the bible who told eve to eat off the tree. People listen to him.
  • Victor Dashkov: Sick. Bad guy. Tried to use Lissa's power for himself.
  • Robert Doru: Victor's half brother. Presumed dead. Spirit user whose bond-mate is dead. Bordering on insanity due to his use of the spirit.
  • Eddie Castile: Dhampir Guardian, friend of Rose. Very dedicated to the guardian cause, though not afraid to bend boundaries for Rose.
  • Tatiana Ivashkov: Elected Moroi Queen, often disagrees with Rose. Rose hates her with a burning passion.
  • Christian Ozera: Royal Moroi at St. Vladimir's, Lissa's ex-boyfriend, Fire user. Dark, cynical. People think he will turn Strigoi at any second like his parents did.
  • Mia Rinaldi: A good friend of Lissa and Rose; she learned how to fight against Strigoi from some Guardians. She believes Moroi should know how to defend themselves.
  • Tasha Ozera: Christian's aunt, she wants the Moroi to fight against Strigoi with their powers. A political activist, often speaking out against laws. Has scars across her face from a strigoi attack. Fire user.
  • Daniella Ivashkov: Adrian's mother, she likes Rose.
  • Sydney: An Alchemist Rose met in Russia. Very uptight, a car geek. But Sydney has a small spot in her heart for Rose even though Sydney hates Dhampir.
  • Mikhail: he works at the Court; he helped Rose get into the Guardians office. Sonya's (Ms. Karp's) lover.
  • Oksana: she is a Spirit user that Rose met in Russia.
  • Mark: Oksana's husband, he is a shadow kissed Dhampir like Rose.
  • Sonya Karp: she was Lissa's teacher, but also a Spirit user. She escaped madness by becoming a Strigoi.
  • Priscilla Voda: Tatiana's advisor.
  • Serena: Lissa's new guardian
  • Grant: Lissa's new guardian
  • Eric Dragomir: Lissa's father. Died in a car accident two years previous to Rose and Lissa's return to St.Vladamir's
  • Damon Tarcus: the Ivashkov family's lawyer.
Show all 23 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “You want diamonds? I’ll give you diamonds. I’ll shower you in them. Hell, I’ll get you a gown made out of them. But it’s going to be skimpy.”
    Adrian Ivashkov
  • “It figured. Undead creatures didn’t surprise me, but one flippant royal moroi could.”
    Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway
  • “He has no right to threaten my boyfriends. I'm eighteen. An adult. I don't need his help. I can threaten my boyfriends myself.”
    Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway
  • “Yup, sorry. You know - girl stuff." And my girl stuff, I mean breaking and entering.”
    Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway
  • “It's okay, I don't really need a job or extra money. After Rose and I get married, the kids and I'll just live off of her guardian paycheck" p.g 72”
    Adrian Ivashkov
  • “It's an early dinner, four-thirty. And the sun won't be down until almost eight"."Four-thirty, Good God. Are we getting the senior citizen special?”
    Victor Dashkov and Rose Hathaway
  • “What you did was so irresponsible that you might as well be back in school. Hell, elementary school, even.”
    Hans Croft
  • “And here I thought Rose was the only one who threw herself into stupid situations, regardless of whether they might kill her.”
    Christian Ozera
  • “That priest just said God would. He said God forgives everything. Are you calling the priest a liar? That's pretty sacrilegious.”
    Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway
  • “This isn't over. I won't give up on you". "I've given up on you. Love fades. Mine has.”
    Rose Hathaway & Dimitri Belikov
  • “What have you gotten me into?"."Me? what have you gotten yourself into? Couldn't I have just picked you up at the police station for underage drinking, like most fathers?”
    Rose Hathaway & Abe Mazur
  • “Oh my God. You guys are going to make me rip my hair out.""It'd be a waste of nice hair, besides, she's made her attitude perfectly clear.”
    Rose Hathaway & Christian Ozera
  • “I don't know. This college would probably have the same problem the last one did"."What's that?"."Homework.”
    Adrian Ivashkov and Rose Hathaway
  • “Oh, for the love of God. I would give them some lessons about fighting- starting with a punch to Christian's face.”
    Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway
  • “I know what you're going to do, and it is a BAD idea. I'm going to kick both your asses when i find you.”
    Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway
  • “I," I said coldly, "had an excellent instructor. One that you currently have locked up. If you want to talk about skills going to waste, then go look in your own jail.”
    Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway
  • “As he looked at me, he seemed to send a message of his own: that he would still fight for me, that he would fight until he collapsed to keep them from taking me.”
    Rose Hathaway about Dimitri Belikov
  • “Besides, Guardian Hathaway is one of our most valuable assets. I'm always interested in what she has to say."Was she really? Time to find out.”
    Tatiana & Rose
  • “Smug, I looked back at Tatiana. "Isn't eighteen the legal voting age?" Checkmate, bitch.”
    Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway
  • “Most fathers don't threaten to disembowel their daughters' boyfriends." "That's not true. And anyway,that's not what I actually said. It was much worse.”
    Rose Hathaway & Abe Mazur
  • “I'll unleash romantic surprises every week, such as: an impromptu picnic, roses, or a trip to Paris--but not actually any of those things because now they're not surprises.”
    Adrian Ivashkov
  • “You forget: I have an addictive personality. I'm addicted to you. Somehow I think you could do all sorts of bad things to me, and I'd still come back to you.”
    Adrian Ivashkov
  • “"Looks like she has enough guys to last"”
    Christrian Ozera
  • “Looks like she has enough guys to last”
    Christrian Ozera
Show all 24 quotes from this book

Setting & Locations edit see section history

  • St. Vladimir Academy: For dhampirs and moroi - in Montana.
  • Tarasov: Prison where Victor is held. Changes location; currently in Alaska
  • The Royal Court: Moroi Court (the seat of power and royalty among the Moroi) - in Pennsylvania
  • Las Vegas: The Luxor (where they got a room for the night). MGM (where they met up after the fight). New York, New York (where Rose & Eddie ran too after fight). The Witching Hour (hotel/ casino that is mainly for Moroi & Dhampirs

Organizations edit see section history

First Sentence edit see section history

There's a big difference between death threats and love letters -- even if the one sending you the death threats still claims to actually love you.

Table of Contents edit see section history

Half Title
Title Page
Copyright
Series Title Page
Dedication

Chapters 1 - 27

Acknowledgments

Glossary edit see section history

  • Moroi /more-oye/: Good, mortal Vampires who can use magic. Earth, Air, Fire, Water, or Spirit
  • Spirit Users: Special Moroi who can heal, walk through dreams, see aruas and are occasonialy bound and have other cool talents.
  • Shadow-Kissed: People who are brought back from the dead by Spirit Users. Feel their bond partners emotion. Can see ghost and normally have a dark aura.
  • Damphir /dam-peer/: Off spring of Moroi and Human or Moroi or Damphir. Can't have kids unless with Moroi. Gaurdians or blood whores.
  • Strigoi /struh-goy/: Evil Immortal Vampires. Kill Moroi, Damphirs and Humans. Can turn by force or by choice. Can't go in sun or on holy land.
  • Compulsion: Magic Moroi can do. Makes people do what you want. Supposed to be bad. Spirit users have the strongest compulssion power.
  • Molnija mark: Lightning bolt shaped tattoo that represents the kill of a strigoi.
  • Fire Users: Moroi who can use their magic element to set the storigoi on fire and kill them. Usually have red orange and yellow aura's
  • Water users: People who can use their magic to use water as a distraction to help gaurdians stake Storigi. Usually have green bile and purple aura's
  • Aura's: The Colors of the way someone is feeling:red- lovegreen- Sleep depriviedPurple- Haterid yellow- Joy and happinessBlack- A Spirit Moroi's dark magic in a damphors aura White- StressBlue- Sadness
  • Dark magic: A spirit users Bad / Dark magic Sucked into their Bond mates aura
Show all 11 glossary entries

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 5 of 7 in Vampire Academy. (standard series)

Preceded by Blood Promise, and followed by Last Sacrifice.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Richelle Mead (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Penguin Group Inc.
Country: USA
Publication Date: May 18, 2010
ISBN: 9781595142504
Page Count: 489

Awards edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PZ7.M478897 Sp 2010
  • Dewey: 813.54

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

There are mild sexual references.

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • Marked
  • Blue Bloods
  • Evermore
  • Glass Houses
  • Jacob
  • Dark Lover

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history

   
  • Vampire Academy
  • Frostbite
  • Shadow Kiss
  • Blood Promise

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