Highly Homogeneous Copper Ferrite Nanoparticles Production

Highly Homogeneous Copper Ferrite Nanoparticles Production SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION A simple and economical route has been prepared for producing three series of highly homogeneous copper ferrite nanoparticles. The ferrite sample was prepared by conventional oxide ceramic method.The ferrite system formed isCuFe2-2yAl2yO4(where y=0.0, 0.05, 0.15 0.25). The effect of aluminum content on structural, electrical and magnetic properties was studied. The microstructural properties of the prepared samples are investigated using X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscope, and Infra red absorption spectroscopy.The X-ray diffraction patterns reveal inverse spinel tetragonal structure for all the synthesized samples. The average crystal sizes were calculated using Scheerer formula. The crystal size calculated in the present study is found in the nano range 50nm to 100 nm. For all the synthesized samples, the X- ray density and physical density is found to decrease with increase in Al concentration. The Curie temperature was determined from the susceptibility measurements. It show the phase transition of ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic to paramagnetic substance. The changing Curie temperature values give us the information about the strength of the A-B exchange interactions and the thermal stability of the ferromagnetic characteristics. Below the Curie temperature; the magnetic material shows continuous magnetization. Above the Curie temperature; the magnetic material does not show any magnetization. The Curie temperature is affected by the A-B distance. The Curie temperature decreases with increase in the distance A-B. In the ferromagnetic class Fe3+ ion is having the highest magnetic moment and thus it plays an important role in deciding properties. Therefore Curie temperature is directly linked with Fe3+ ion participating in A-B interaction. The value of Curie temperature is found to be decrease with decrease in Fe3+ ion concenteration.The magnetic susceptibility of the ferrim agnetic materials increase with increase in temperature. At a certain temperature; called Curie temperature (Tc) the material lose its ferrimagnetic nature and become paramagnetic. Sudden drop in magnetic susceptibility is observed at Tc. The electrical properties of ferrites are usually based on the band structure and carrier hoping model. Ferrites have higher resistance than metals by several times. They are also regarded as very structure sensitive material. This created considerable interest in many research workers for the development and potential application of ferrites in the electronic industry. The conductivity of ferrite is greatly influenced by porosity, grain size and microstructure of the sample. It is observed that DC electrical resistivity increases with increasing concentration of Al3+ ions. The activation energies in both ferrimagnetic and paramagnetic region of the composition are determined from the slope of respective lines. Activation energies in ferromagnetic region are found very less than that of a paramagnetic region. These investigated results are in good agreement with reported in literature.For ferromagnetic material ,the activation energy lies in between 0.1 eV to 0.3 eV and for ferromagn etic it is in between 0.3 eV to 0.5 eV. In ionic crystal the dielectric constant decreases rapidly with increasing frequency and then reaches a constant value. It is seen that the value of the dielectric constant is very high at low frequencies and decreases with increasing frequency, then at higher frequency they become almost constant. The electron exchange between Fe+2 and Fe+3 ions cannot follow the change of the external field beyond certain frequency. Due to this fact the dielectric constant dectreases with increase in frequency.The dielectric constant ÃŽ µÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ and dielectric loss tangent tanÃŽ ´ decreases with increasing frequency for all CuFe2-2yAl2yO4 compositions. It is seen that the value of dielectric constant ÃŽ µÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ and dielectric loss tangent tanÃŽ ´ increases with addition of Al3+ ions. The decrease in the electrical resistivity at low temperature is attributed to the impurities, which reside at the grain boundaries. The decrease in resistivity with increasing temperature could be attributed to neg ative temperature coefficient of resistance of CuFe2-2yAl2yO4. Therefore it is concluded that aluminum content influences electrical conductivity and microstructure of copper ferrite. The variation of AC resistivity is nearly frequency independent at low frequencies. It is also seen that, the resistivity varies with aluminum content. As the aluminum content increases, the ac resistivity decreases. The behaviour of data indicates that, hoping of charge carrier among localized is more predominant. It is also found that small polarons play a role in the conduction process.The conduction mechanism and dielectric behaviour are found to be strongly colrelated for all the prepared samples. Conclusions: An attempt is made to meet the challenges for the advancements in the new ferrite technology. The variation in the structural, electrical and magneticproperties of spinel copper ferrites introduced by the substitution of aluminum. The obtained results are summarized with following important concluding remarks: †¢ XRD analysis revealed that all the samples have single phase cubic spinel structure. †¢ Crystallite size lied within 50 nm to 100 nm. †¢ All the samples are slightly porous evident from SEM analysis †¢ X-Ray density decreases with increase in Al+3 content. †¢ Physical density decreases with increase in Al+3 content. †¢ Porosity increases with increase in Al+3 content. †¢ Particle size increases with increase in Al+3 content. †¢ Ionic radii RA( Tetrahedral side) increases with increase in Al+3 content. †¢ Ionic radii RB( Octahedral side) increases with increase in Al+3 content. †¢ Ionic bond length A-O decreases with increase in Al+3 content. †¢ Ionic bond length B-O increases with increase in Al+3 content. †¢ Ionic bond length A-O decreases with increase in Al+3 content. †¢ Lattice constant ‘a’ increases with increase in Al+3 content. †¢ Lattice constant ‘c’ decreases with increase in Al+3 content. †¢ Dielectric constant ÃŽ µÃ¢â‚¬â„¢decreases with increase in frequency. †¢ Dielectric loss factor ÃŽ µÃ¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ decreases with increase in frequency. †¢ Loss tangent also decreases with increase in frequency. †¢ A.C. resistivity remains approximately uniform over a wide range of frequency. †¢ D.C. resistivity increases with increase in temperature. †¢ Curie temperature decreases with Al+3 content. †¢ Saturation magnetisation decreases with Al+3 content. †¢ Magnetic moment decreases with Al+3 content. †¢ Retentivity decreases with Al+3 content. †¢ Coercivity decreases with Al+3 content. †¢ The dielectric constant and dielectric loss decreases with the increase in frequencyin all the samples of the four series investigated. †¢ The synthesized nanomaterials possess high saturation magnetization, lowcoercivity and improved room temperature resistivity together with low dielectricloss. †¢ Data obtained demonstrate the ability to tune properties of doped copper-ferrite tomatch intended applications.

Searching for a Home :: Personal Narrative Essays

Searching for a Home I arrived "home" on Sunday night, from a two week vacation, which was nice in that we went to very nice places, and in that I had, for the first time in a while, the sort of vacation which did not involve a lot of driving around and which really succeeded in making me feel that I was gone, out of my real life, away, for a while. However, I did not succeed in accomplishing the mental task I had set out for myself for these two weeks. This task was I suppose a variant of the usual mental task I set for myself while traveling, anywhere, even for a short distance or a short time: to look at my life from as much distance as I can, to get a sense of the shape of the forest, removed from the detail/muddle of tree after tree, and to see what, if anything, needs to be changed, and maybe even how to change it. For me, actually, there always seems to be something that needs to be changed. This time in my travels, the questions I was trying to resolve, the new perspective I was trying to arrive at--not, by a long shot, for the first time--had something to do with the quotation marks I've put around the word home. To put it very simply, I don't feel at home here. I'd like to go home, but I'm not sure where that is. To make matters worse, I've been wondering about this for several years, like maybe fifteen or twenty years, trying one place after another. Nothing seems to fit. The fact that I know that this is at least 50% an internal problem (i.e., at least as much a matter of where I am psychologically as physically) does not, alas, help me to answer the question. It's clear to me I've come to focus on the question of place (the central question here being, where would I like to live for the rest of my life? where could I see myself living?) in the way that some people focus on Who Is the Right Person? or When/How/Why Must I Grow Up? Not that I don't obsess over these little matters, too, just that they don't take the central place in my reflections, most of the time.

The Impact of Technology on Education Essay -- Education Learning Essa

The Impact of Technology on Education Technology has greatly affected and impacted the way things are presented and taught in the classroom. Technology has had a large impact on the materials that are used and the way we use these materials to teach in the schools. Most everything that is used in today’s classroom has been a result of technology. All materials, including textbooks and the Internet, have been invented and have had some connection to the growth of technology in the school setting. There are many advances in technology that are now used in the classroom and have been very beneficial to the teaching process. For example, the invention of the printing press allowed textbooks to be mass-produced, which made them more readily available to all (Anderson 46). Schools could now have multiple copies of the text and would not have to go through the trouble of teaching the material without the children seeing it for themselves. The printing press made reading books and novels a way for everyone to become educated, not just children. Over time, other inventions of technology have grown rapidly and have become very useful in the educational classroom (Fisher 13). Technologies, such as typewriters and eventually computers and copy machines, have helped further advance the speed and sometimes quality of the teaching materials. The typewriter was the start of a personal printing device that allowed both teachers and students to present their work in neat, le gible form. Recently, the computer has allowed for even better printing quality and more educational programs. Now, especially with the Internet, there is increased communication and new methods of research being conducted. The Effec... ...r research. While sometimes these sources are not reliable, computers crash and there is junk on the Internet, overall, these technologies contribute a positive glow in the realm of education. As a Christian, I believe that the technologies in the education system have been a tremendous success and are very effective in their purposes. They help save time and also expand the learning environment to communicate to more people more effectively. Works Cited and Consulted Education and Technology : reflections on computing in classrooms. San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1996. Special education technology : classroom applications. Pacific Grove, California: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company, 1993. Technology in American education 1650-1900. Washington: U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare Office of Education, 1963.

Title Acceptation to the Crucible :: Essay on The Crucible

Title Acceptation of The Crucible "A vessel of a very refractory material used for melting and calcining a substance that requires a high degree of heat." "A severe test." "A place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development." All of these definitions lead up to one word. Crucible. Author Miller incorporates this word in his play, The Crucible. The aforementioned definitions play a large part in The Crucible's symbolism, characters, and plot. "A place or situation . . . " is the definition mostly used in the play's plot. The change of the village is shown when Danforth states that ". . . a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between. This is a sharp time, now, a precise time--we live no longer in the dusky afternoon when evil mixed itself with good and befuddled the world."(94). This comment shows that the village has indeed gone through a change and that good and evil are, from this point forward, seen as black and white. There is a distinct separation Bremmerman 2 between the two that has not been there before. The concentrated forces at the center of this change are the young girls led by Abigail Williams. The closeness of the girls is played out at the end of Act One. Abigail onsets the anarchy when she cries "I want to open myself! . . . I want the light of God . . . I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osbourne with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil!"(48) The other girls then mimic her cries of accusation by screaming out the names of those they had seen with the devil. With all of these accusations the chaos begins and Salem Village will never be the same. Among the characters in the play the most prominent meaning for crucible is "A vessel of a very refractory material . . ." After the questioning of the Proctors Reverend Hale points out to John that "no crack in a fortress may be accounted small."(67) This observation may also be made in reference to John Proctor's crucible. The crack in his crucible is Abigail Williams and she will, in the end, be the reason that Proctor can no longer take the heat. Just as a crack in a fortress will lead to the tumbling of the building a crack in a crucible will lead to an inability to contain heat.

Bullying And Teen Suicide

Bullying is done purposefully to hurt, threaten or scare someone. It can be done orally with words or physically with actions. One or more persons can involve in bullying and degree of cruelty also varies. Bullying can include name calling, teasing, stopping the person from going where he/she want to go or from doing what he/she want to do, or injuring someone physically.Bullies usually have average or above-average self-confidence, look for recognition or attention from peers, find pleasure from causing injury to others, make themselves look strong, look to control other people or conditions, and are expressed as hot-tempered and rash (Zirpoli, 2008). Bullies are common among students that come from families having little tenderness or affection. Parents of bullies monitor their children very little and use discipline inconsistently. Parents of bullies also employ inflexible discipline styles, where physical punishment is very common (DeHann, 1997).Students often present the same be havior observed within their home atmosphere including rude behavior displayed by parents toward each other or toward others. Bullies are not generally model students. Very frequently, they are not successful in school and have poor relations with their teachers. Bullies have trouble with social skills, not capable of making friends easily, and do not even know healthier ways to connect to others. Bullying effects Being a victim of bullying is very traumatic for children. Short term effects of bullying include developing hatredness to go to school.Many victims start to disbelieve all their classmates at school and face problems in making friends. Some victims can develop physical illness or depression. The long term effects of bullying include damage of child’s health that continues into adult life. It increases anxiety, damages self-esteem and can cause severe depression. Some children even get suicidal thoughts and commit suicide. The Phoebe Prince, 15, a freshman at South Hadley High School in Western Massachusetts, is an example of teen suicide for bullying.Prince hanged herself at her home on January 14th, 2010 as she was subjected to physical mistreatment and verbal harassment on that day (CNN, 2010). Earlier that day, she had been harassed at South Hadley High School library when she was studying. The harassment took place in front of a staff member and a lot of students, but nobody of whom informed it until after the death of the girl. Phoebe was also even harassed when she was walking through the school hall on that day and was walking on the street towards her house.The bullies also threw a canned drink at her while she was walking home. One male and two female students were involved in the harassment on January 14th. The harassment has been provoked by the group’s disapproval with short dating connection of Phoebe with a male student. But, that day’s events were not the only reason for the death of Phoebe; she has been harassed verbally and threatened to harm physically since three months until the death of hers. The group, who bullied Phoebe, crossed their normal limits and exceeded the normal teenage related quarrels.The bullying group was also decided to disgrace her and to make it impracticable for Phoebe to continue at school. She has also been harassed on the internet using social networking sites. But, the bullying was mainly conducted on school premises during school hours (Eckholm & Zezima, 2010). Therefore, bullying can have serious negative consequences, even death, which happened in Phoebe Prince case. Phoebe took her own life to escape from bullying in school, on Face Book, and through text messages. Therefore, anti-bullying laws need to be implemented and bullies should be punished severely.References CNN (2010). More students disciplined following girl’s suicide. Retrieved March 31, 2010 from http://www. cnn. com/2010/CRIME/03/30/massachusetts. bullying. suicide/index. html DeHann, L. (1997). Bullies. Retrieved February 1997 from http://www. ag. ndsu. edu/pubs/yf/famsci/fs570w. htm Eckholm, E. & Zezima, K. (2010). 6 teenagers are charged after classmate’s suicide. Retrieved March 29, 2010 from http://www. nytimes. com/2010/03/30/us/30bully. html Zirpoli, T. J. (2008). Bullying behavior. Retrieved from http://www. education. com/reference/article/bullying-behavior/

Disease Trends and the Delivery of Health Care Servies Essay

INTRODUCTION Americans use health care services every day, and they use them for a number of different reasons. Whether it is for preventing or curing illness, mending broken bones, delivering infants, or perhaps long term care in a nursing home there has been and will always continue to be a consistent need for the health care industry. According to an article published by the National Center for Health Care Statistics, there are a number of different factors that determine how much health care people use, the various types of care that they use, and the timing of care that they seek (Bernstein, Hing, Moss, Allen, Siller and Tiggle, 2003). These factors could include many different variables; however, for the purpose of this paper we will discuss how trends such as the aging population, and the growing rate of obesity in America are likely to influence the delivery of health care services in the future. THE AGINING POPULATION The population of the United States on April 1, 2010 was 308.7 million people. This is according to an article regarding the 2010 Census report (Howden & Meyer, 2011). In the same article the age composition of the population is broken down. It shows that those aged infant to 18 accounted for 24.0 percent of the country’s population. In addition citizens between the ages of 18 and 44 represented 36.5 percent, and those 45 to 64 made up 26.4 percent of the population. Finally, individuals aged 65 or older accounted for 13.0 percent of the United States population (Howden & Meyer, 2011). These numbers are expected to change significantly over the next few decades. More specifically, the older population which consists of  individuals 65 or older is expected to grow rapidly. This expected growth is largely in part due to the generation known as the baby boomers. This concept is supported in another article published by the U.S. Census Bureau. It states, Between 2010 and 2050, the United States is projected to experience rapid growth in its older population. In 2050, the number of Americans aged 65 and older is projected to be 88.5 million, more than double its projected population of 40.2 million in 2010. The baby boomers are largely responsible for this increase in the older population, as they will begin crossing into this category in 2011. (Vincent & Velkoff, 2010, para 2). In addition, there are other factors that support the population growing older. These factors include a decline in fertility rates, and an increase in the age of average life expectancy. It goes without saying that older generations have different medical needs then do younger generation. Furthermore, as the populations grows older there will be a greater demand for health care services. According to a summary report published by the University of Albany it is estimated that 84 percent of people 65 or older are likely to suffer from at least one chronic medical condition. Such conditions include cancer, heart disease and diabetes to name a few (2006). Along with rising health care needs there will be a greater demand for prescription medications as well. In conjunction with these factors the need for long term care facilities will grow also. As we know already when there is a demand for something there must also be an adequate supply. There is great concern that as the population ages it is probable that the supply of health care services may not be enough. In the same summary published by the University of Albany it states, The expected growth of the older adult pop ulation in the U.S. over the next 50 years will have an unprecedented impact on the U.S. health care system, especially in terms of supply and demand for health care workers. The supply of health care workers may decrease as they age and large numbers retire and/or reduce their working hours. At the same time, older adults consume a disproportionately large share of American health care services, so the demand for health services will grow. The aging population will also affect the nature of the skills and services the health care workforce must be equipped to provide, and the settings in which this care is provided.  (2006, page 2) In addition, there will not just be a greater need for health care professionals such as psycians, nurses, lab technicians and more. There will also be a large necessity for advancements in health care technologies and facilities. We know that there is nothing that can be done to stop the process of aging itself; however, there are measures that can be taken to reduce the health complications that are related to aging. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a few opportunities to improve health and quality of life in older generations include promoting healthy lifestyle choices such as quitting smoking, and increasing the use of preventative services (2011). THE GROWING RATE OF OBESITY Obesity is a disease that is associated with having an excess amount of body fat. It is condition that has been linked to a number of different medical issues including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and stroke to name a few. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over one-third of the population is considered obese costing the United States an estimated $147 billion in 2008 (2013). Although the numbers are already astonishing they are only expected to grow in the future. An article featured in the American Medical News predicts that if the obesity trends continue to rise by 2030 an estimated 50 percent of America’s men and 45 to 52 percent of its women will be obese (Henry, 2011). There are many factors that contribute to the growing trend of obesity. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the environment around us does not support healthy lifestyle habits (2012). This is because we live in a world with advance d technologies and conveniences. With busy schedules it is often easy for people to give in to fast food or microwave dinners because they are quick and easy. It can also be difficult for people to get physical exercise because many neighborhoods around the country lack safe places for recreation, or affordable gyms (The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). A few different demographic factors linked to the obesity trend include age, sex, and race. As mentioned previously, Americans spent as estimated $147 billion for health care services in 2008. This number is expected to grow substantially  over time. One author wrote that the cost of obesity is expected to reach $344 billion by the year 2018 (Thorpe, n.d.). These numbers are outrages. In addition to the rising health care cost that stems from obesity we have to be concerned about the health complications that can come with the disease. Obesity has been linked to an insane number of health conditions including type II diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, some forms of cancer, sleep apnea and many more. There are steps that can be taken to prevent obesity, and the health issues that are associated with it. Eating healthy is vital, and not always as easy as it sounds. It can be so very easy to fall into food traps but we should focus our time and energ y towards foods that are rich in nutrients and low in calories. These foods include lean meats and proteins, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. It is also important to exercise on a regular basis. Exercises such as walking, swimming, or running are excellent. In addition, reversing the obesity epidemic in America is going to require a community effort. Schools, places of business, and government agencies should all be involved in this mission. CONCLUSION As our population ages, and obesity rates rise in America there is no doubt that the health care industry will need to adapt. These issues will require many advancements is medical technology, as well as a larger supplies of health care professionals including doctors, nurses, mental health providers, lab technicians, long term care providers, and administrators. The list could go on and on. Therefore, in the next few decades it will be important for the industry to recruit, and adequately train new health care professionals as the baby boomer population nears retirement. Moving forward, it will also be important for the community, and not just the health care world, to implement new ways to encourage preventative care. This will require many different organizations to become involved, most especially schools because the key to prevention is education. If the younger generations are taught the healthy way to live, and if more parents lead by example the future of this country would i n turn be much more healthy. The world of health care is ever changing, and there are many different  trends that affect it. As the future rolls forward it will be most interesting to see how health care professionals adapt to each trend. REFERNCES Bernstein, A. B., Hing, E., Moss, A. J., Allen K. F., Siller A.B. & Tiggle R. B. (2003). Health Care in America: Trends in Utilization. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/misc/healthcare.pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/aag/aging.htm Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Obesity and Overweight. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html Henry, T. A. (2011). U.S. Obesity Rate Expected to Reach 50% by 2030. Retrieved from http://www.amednews.com/article/20110912/health/309129951/4/ Howden, L. M., & Meyer, J. M. (2011). Age and Sex Composition: 2010. 2010 Census Briefs. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-03.pdf Thorpe, K. (n.d.). New Data Shows Obesity Costs Will Grow to $344 Billion by 2018. Retrieved from http://www.fightchronicdisease.org/media-center/releases/new-data-shows-obesity-costs-will-grow-344-billion-2018 University of Albany. (2006). The Impact of the Aging Population on the Health Workforce in the United States: Summary of Key Findings. Retrieved from http://www.albany.edu/news/pdf_files/impact_of_aging_excerpt.pdf U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2012). What Causes Overweight and Obesity?. Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/causes.html Vincet, G. K., & Velkoff, Victoria A. (2010). The Next Four Day Decades the Older Population in the United States: 2010 to 2050: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/p25-1138.pdf

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 25

When I got back to the vampire house, the moon was hanging high in the sky. Lexi was sprawled on the sofa, her eyes closed as she listened to Hugo play the piano. The piano was so out of tune that the music he pounded out, which was supposed to be a rousing revolutionary march, sounded more like a funeral dirge. Still, I couldnt help but pull Lexi up, whirling her around in an impromptu dance. â€Å"Youre late,† Lexi said, ducking out of the twirl. â€Å"Or were you on anotherdate?† â€Å"Or killing more humans?† Buxton asked, entering the room. â€Å"Are you in love?† Percy asked, leaning his elbows on his knees and glancing up at me jealously from the corner table, where he was playing a game of solitaire. Percy clearly loved women, but his childlike face made him look like a boy of fifteen, and often the women he was most attracted to assumed Lexi was his mother. I was thankful Id been turned into a vampire at the age I had been. I shook my head. â€Å"Imnotin love,† I said, wondering if I was saying it to convince myself. â€Å"But Im settling into the routine at the freak show. I think Im learning to like New Orleans.† â€Å"Thats great news,† Buxton breathed sarcastically. â€Å"Buxton.† Lexi glanced at him reproachfully before turning her attention back to me. â€Å"Did you forget our plans?† I racked my brain, but finally shook my head. â€Å"Im sorry.† Lexi sighed. â€Å"Remember–Im taking you shopping. I may be a vampire, but I still have a womans vanity, and it simply doesnt suit me to be surrounded by men in ill-fitting clothing. What would the neighbors think?† She laughed, amused by her own joke. â€Å"Oh, right.† I inched toward the stairway. â€Å"Maybe we could go tomorrow? Im exhausted.† â€Å"Im serious, Stefan,† Lexi said, taking my arm. â€Å"You need clothes, and its a tradition of sorts. I took those two gentlemen in for fittings, and look at them now,† she said, nodding toward Buxton and Hugo as if exceptionally pleased with her work. It was true. From Buxtons high-collared blue coat to Hugos well-tailored britches, theydidlook handsome. â€Å"Besides, you dont have a choice,† she said mischievously. â€Å"I dont?† â€Å"No.† Lexi opened the door with a flourish. â€Å"Boys, were off. When we come back, you wont even recognize Stefan, hell look so handsome!† â€Å"Bye,handsome!† Buxton yelled sarcastically as the door clicked closed. Lexi shook her head, but I didnt mind. In an odd way, Id gotten used to Buxton. He was like a brother of sorts. A brother with a potentially fatal short temper, but one Id gotten used to managing. Together, Lexi and I walked companionably into the cool night air. I saw Lexi looking at me out of the corner of her eye, and I wondered what she saw. I felt I was living three distinct lives: In one, I was a loyal brother, in another I was a new member of a club I didnt quite understand, and in the third I was a young man placing my trust in a human woman–a woman whom I had staked my own flesh and blood to save. The trouble was, I wasnt sure how to seamlessly live all three lives. â€Å"Youre quiet,† Lexi said in midstep. â€Å"And†Ã¢â‚¬â€œshe sniffed the air–â€Å"you havent been drinking human blood. Im proud of you, Stefan.† â€Å"Thanks,† I murmured. I knew she wouldnt be proud of me if I told her about the conversation Callie and I had shared. Shed say that I was too impulsive, too naï ¿ ½ve, that Id made a huge mistake telling Callie my secret. Although I hadnttoldas much asconfirmedher remarkably accurate suspicions. â€Å"Here we are,† Lexi said, stopping at a nondescript wooden door on Dauphine Street. She took a slim metal hook from her pocket and jiggled it in the lock of the front door. After a moment, it clicked open. â€Å"And now, the shop is open for business.† Lexi spread her hands wide, perching on a stiff leather ottoman. â€Å"Take your pick.† A dozen mannequins with puffed-out chests held court in the store. One in a tweed jacket lifted its arm in a wave, while another in a sailors cap had a hand above its eyes, as though staring straight out to sea. Bolts of fine fabrics were propped up against the back wall, and a row of cuff-links glistened under glass. Stacks of ready-made shirts kept silent watch over the darkened shop, and a few cravats spilled out of a drawer. Lexi crossed her ankles beneath her skirts and gazed at me, a look of pride on her face as I pulled a camel-hair coat off a mannequin and draped it around my shoulders. I stood stiffly, waiting for approval, as I had done when my mother had taken me shopping. â€Å"Well, I cant tell when you stand there as wooden as a mannequin. Walk around a bit. See what you think,† Lexi said with an impatient wave of her hand. I rolled my eyes but took a turn around the room, acting like the rich men Callie and Id seen at the burlesque show. I held out my hand to Lexi with a flourish. â€Å"Care to dance?† I said in an exaggerated British accent. Lexi shook her head, amusement evident in her eyes. â€Å"Okay, I get it. Its a little too dandy. How about that one?† She angled her chin at a mannequin in black trousers and a gray coat with red piping. I removed my jacket and pulled the coat around my shoulders. Lexi nodded, her eyes taking on a faraway look. â€Å"What are you thinking about?† I asked. â€Å"My brother,† she said. I thought of the boy in the portrait, his eyes so much like Lexis. â€Å"What about him?† Lexi picked up a silk cravat and laced it between her fingers. She didnt look at me as she spoke. â€Å"After our parents died, I started taking walks with a boy who was a vampire. He asked if I wanted to live forever. And of course I did, because I was young, and whowouldn'twant to always be young and beautiful? Also, if I turned, it meant Id never have to leave Colin. Hed already lost so much, and I thought, well, at least he could know that hed never lose me.† â€Å"Was Colin a vampire?† Lexi pulled the cravat through her fingers and cracked it like a whip. â€Å"Id never do that to someone I loved.† The image of me forcing Damon to drink from Alice, the barmaid in the tavern back home, flashed through my mind. I looked down, not wanting Lexi to sense what Id done to someone I loved. â€Å"So what happened?† â€Å"People got suspicious. I didnt know then how careful we needed to be. My brother was growing up, and I was staying the same. People wondered. And there was a siege, and our house was torched. And the irony is, I escaped and Colin didnt. And he was the innocent one. He was only sixteen.† â€Å"Im sorry,† I said finally. I tried to imagine Lexi as a human, leaning on the arm of the man who had promised the world to her, just as Katherine had promised the world to me. I pictured him spiriting her away to a dark alley, taking just a little blood at first, asking her to drink his, then stabbing her through the heart to complete the transformation. Lexi waved her hand, wiping away the image of herself as a young girl. â€Å"Dont be sorry. It was more than a century ago. Hed be dead anyway by now.† She appraised me. â€Å"That jacket looks good on you.† â€Å"Thank you,† I said. Suddenly the weight of my discussion with Callie felt heavy in my stomach. â€Å"I have a plan to save Damon,† I blurted out. Lexis head jerked up, her eyes flashing. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Tomorrow night. Callies helping me.† I allowed my eyes to meet Lexis. â€Å"Damons back at Laurel Street. Her father will be out of the house at a card game, so well free Damon then.† â€Å"Did you tell Callie what you are?† she asked, her voice low and hard. I chewed on my thumb. â€Å"No.† â€Å"Stefan!† â€Å"She guessed,† I said defensively. â€Å"And I trust her.† â€Å"Trust!† Lexi spat. She stood up so abruptly the ottoman toppled over. â€Å"You dont know the meaning of the word. Callie is the daughter of Patrick Gallagher, who just forced your brother to fight a mountain lion to the death. How do you know this isnt some elaborate plan to imprison you, too?† â€Å"How stupid do you think I am?† I challenged, stepping closer to Lexi. â€Å"I may be young, but I have good instincts.† Lexi gave a derisive snort. â€Å"You mean the same instincts that landed you backed up in a butcher shop with three vampires surrounding you? The same instincts that led you to murder that woman on the train?† â€Å"Im still here, arent I?† â€Å"Because of me! And the boys back at the house. But I will not allow you to drag us into confronting Patrick Gallagher, of all people.† â€Å"No ones dragging you into anything!† I yelled in frustration. â€Å"Just because you let your brother die doesnt mean Im going to let mine! I owe him that much.† â€Å"You ungrateful child!† she spat, pushing me with all her force against a gold-framed mirror. I fell as the mirror shattered around me. One large shard cut a large gash across my arm, but it barely hurt. Instead, I was shocked by Lexis strength. Id seen it before, but Id never been on the receiving end. Lexi towered above me, her eyes glittering. â€Å"You need to learn your place, and you need to learn it fast. Youre a vampire. And vampires donotconsort with humans.† I leaped to my feet and pushed her away from me. She flew across the store and landed against the bolts of fabric. â€Å"This one does, if it means saving Damon,† I growled. Then I stalked out of the shop and into the blackness of the night.