The Golden Lily — Richelle Mead

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets -- and human lives.

Sydney has been sent into hiding at a posh boarding school in Palm Springs, California, and tasked with protecting Moroi princess Jill Dragomir from assassins who want to throw the Moroi court into civil war. Formerly in disgrace, Sydney is now held up as the model of an exemplary Alchemist. But the closer she grows to Jill, Eddie, and especially Adrian the more she finds herself questioning her age-old Alchemist beliefs.

Her world becomes even more complicated when magical experiments show Sydney may hold the key to prevent becoming Strigoi. But it's her fear of being just that -- special, magical, powerful -- that scares her more than anything. Equally daunting is her new romance with Brayden, a cute, brain guy who seems to be her match in every way. Yet, as perfect as he seems, Sydney finds herself being drawn to someone else -- someone forbidden to her.

When a shocking secret threatens to tear the vampire world apart, Sydney's loyalties are suddenly tested more than ever before. Should she trust the Alchemists -- or her heart?