Synopsis: In Vampire Academy, guardian in training Rosemarie "Rose" Hathaway and Moroi princess Vasilisa "Lissa" Dragomir are brought back to their school, St. Vladimir's Academy, after running away two years prior. Upon their return, Guardian Dimitri Belikov, who was the leader of the team of guardians sent to retrieve the two, is assigned to be Lissa's guardian and offers to mentor Rose in her guardian training. He believes Rose can be an excellent guardian to Lissa due to the presence of a rare one-sided psychic bond to Lissa, which allows her to know the latter's thoughts, emotions, and whereabouts. Rose agrees, knowing this is the only way she will be allowed to remain, and on graduation, be Lissa's guardian. It is revealed that Lissa has a miraculous ability to heal others but when she becomes depressed she engages in self-mutilation. Lissa becomes friends with an outcast Moroi classmate, Christian Ozera who Rose immediately dislikes, stating that he is a bad-influence, partly because his parents voluntarily became Strigoi. The girls are bullied frequently by a non-royal named Mia along with her royal friends, because of her grudge against Lissa's brother for using her. Rose reaches through her bond while confined to her room to find that Lissa is being kidnapped. She sneaks out of her room to tell Dimitri that Lissa has been kidnapped, but they are distracted by a lust charm planted by Victor Dashkov, close uncle-figure of Lissa and father of Natalie Dashkov. Natalie is Lissa’s roommate at the academy, as well as Lissa and Rose's friend. After Dimitri disposes of the charm, Rose directs a convoy to the kidnapper's hideout, with Christian stowing away during the ride. The school guardians are able to rescue Lissa from the moroi man she has called "Uncle" all her life, Victor, and she heals Christian when he is severely injured during the struggle. Lissa accepts him as her boyfriend after that. Dimitri reveals that he has feelings for Rose but cannot have a relationship with her because of their age difference, because he is her mentor and also because he worries that if he lets himself love her, he wouldn't throw himself in front of the princess, as is his duty, but he would be inclined to protect her. This may lead to danger to their assigned Moroi. It is revealed Natalie had been spying on the girls and reporting back to Victor about Lissa’s magical abilities and the bond between Lissa and Rose. Rose is attacked by a Strigoi when visiting Victor in his cell after he is caught, and Dimitri comes to help her.