Yes, we are, Damien answered.
Heath nodded. Thats what I thought. So shouldnt those of you who have a special thing with an element go back with Zoey?
An affinity for an element, Damien explained. Thats what its called. And I agree with Heath. The circle should stay complete.
It cant, Darius said. Stevie Rae has to stay here with the red fledglings. If shes trapped on campus or, worst case scenario, killed, we have no way of knowing if Eriks presence, as a Changed vampyre, will be enough to keep them healthy and under control. In case Zoey and I were the only ones who noticed, let me tell all of you that Kramisha looked as if she was having trouble controlling herself around Heath. The ripple effect that might be caused by Stevie Raes absence could be disastrous. So the circle cannot stay complete.
Wait, maybe it can, Aphrodite said.
What do you mean? I asked her.
Well, I cant represent earth anymore. That affinity was given back to Stevie Rae when she Changed, and the one time I tried to evoke it, the element was pissed and zapped me.
I nodded, remembering how upsetting it had been for Aphrodite to believe that Nyx had abandoned her, which she really hadnt. But still, the girl was definitely unable to evoke earth anymore.
But, Aphrodite continued, Zoey can evoke earth, just like she can any of the five elements. Right?
I nodded again. Right.
And I just evoked spirit without any problem. So what if we just change positions? Zoey personifies earth and I call spirit. It worked just a little while ago. I think as long as Zoeys around to help nudge spirit toward me, theres no reason it wont work again.
She has a point, which makes the circle complete without me, Stevie Rae said. As much as I want to stay with you, Darius is right. I cant take the chance that I cant get back here to my fledglings.
You are all forgetting another reason the rest of you cant return with Zoey, Darius said. Neferet, and perhaps even Kalona, can read your minds. Which means everything you know about the red fledglings and this safe haven, they will know, too.
Uh, guys, I have an idea, Heath spoke up. Okay, I dont really know much about this stuff, so I might be totally wrong, but cant each of you get help from an element to, I dunno, set up some kind of roadblock around your minds?
I blinked in surprise at Heath and then grinned. You might be on to something. What do you think, Damien?
Damien looked excited. I think we were idiots not to have thought of it ourselves. He smiled at Heath. Well done, you!
Heath shrugged and looked adorable. No problem. Sometimes it takes someone from the outside to figure stuff out.
You really believe that could work? Darius asked.
It should, Damien said. Or at least it should for those of us who have an actual affinity for an element. The Twins and I have called our elements to protect and shield before. It shouldnt be hard to ask them to put up barriers around our minds. He hesitated and glanced at Aphrodite. But can you do it? You dont really have an affinity for spirit, do you? Im not trying to be mean, but just because you can stand in Zoeys place and evoke the element within a circle, it doesnt mean you are actually able to conjure spirit on your own.
I dont have to conjure spirit to protect my mind, Aphrodite said. Neferet hasnt been able to read my mind from the day I was Marked, just like she hasnt been able to read Zoey. And I have to tell you Im getting damn tired of you guys giving me shit because Im a human again!
Okay, youre right about the mind reading part. Sorry about that, Damien said. But I think we should know for sure if spirit will really work for Aphrodite, before we blunder back into the House of Night.
Yeah, Aphrodite, Jack said. Were not being judgmental about you being a human and all. We just need to know if your spirit mojo works.
I had a sudden thought. It doesnt really matter whether Aphrodite can conjure the element outside a circle casting, because I can. Spirit, I said softly, come to me. As easily as drawing a breath, I evoked the element and felt its wonderful presence. Now go to Aphrodite. Protect and serve her. I flicked my fingers wearily in her direction, and felt spirit rush away from me. An instant later Aphrodites big blue eyes widened and she smiled.
Hey! It works, she said.
How long can you keep that up? Erik asked me.
Annoyed at the total lack of emotion in his voice, I snapped, As long as I have to.
So the circle stays intact, Damien said.
Yeah, we all go with Z back to school, Erin said.
Together. The five of us, Shaunee said.
I feel like one of the dorky Mouseketeers, Aphrodite said, but she was smiling.
Were agreed, then, Darius said. The five of you and I will return. Stevie Rae, Erik, Jack, and Heath stay here.
Hell no, he doesnt stay here, Erik said, finally showing some emotion.
Dude, you dont have shit to say about it. Anyway, Im not staying. Im going with Zoey.
You cant, Heath. Its way too dangerous, I said.
Aphrodites human and she can go. So can I, he said stubbornly.
Moron football boy, first, I might be human, but Im also special, so I go. Second, you cant go because they can use you to get to Zoey. Youre Imprinted with her again. They hurt you; they hurt Zoey. So show some sense and take your butt back to suburbia.
Oh. I hadnt thought about it like that, Heath said.
You have to go home, Heath. Well talk later after things have settled down.
Shouldnt I stay here, where Im close to you? So if you need me you can get to me fast.
I wanted to say yes, even with Erik watching me all dead-faced and even knowing that the best thing for Heath was if I never saw him again. Our Imprint was incredibly strong, even more so than it had been the first time. I could feel him, so close and sweet and familiar, and even though I knew it was wrong and knew I shouldnt, I wanted to keep him beside me. But then I remembered how Kramisha had looked at him, like she wanted to take a chomp outta him. I knew that his blood would taste funny to any other fledgling or vampyre because wed Imprinted, but I couldnt be sure that would stop them from wanting to sample it. Just thinking about someone else drinking from Heath made me feel seriously pissed.
No, Heath, I insisted. You have to go home. Its not safe for you here.
I dont care if Im safe or not. I care about being with you, Heath said.
I know, but I care if youre safe or not. So, go home. Ill call you as soon as I can.
Okay, but Ill be back here the second you call, he said.
Want me to walk him outside? Stevie Rae asked. The tunnels can be kinda confusing if youre not familiar with them.
Plus, I can stop any red fledgling who has a mind to take a bite out of him. The thought was there, but unsaid in the air between us.
Okay, thanks, Stevie Rae, I said.
Erik, hold Zoey up. Aphrodite, finish wrapping this Ace bandage around her. I better go out there with Heath, too, Darius said.
The Raven Mocker was in the tree above his truck, kinda perched on the roof of the depot, I told Darius.
Ill be vigilant, Priestess, Darius said. Come on, boy. You need to go home.
Well be back in a sec, Z, Stevie Rae said.
Instead of following Darius and Stevie Rae from the room, Heath came to me. He cupped my cheek with his hand and smiled. Stay safe, okay, Zo?
Ill try. You, too, I said. And, Heath, thanks for saving my life.
Anytime, Zoey. And I mean that. Anytime. Then, like we were alone and not in the middle of a room with my friends (and boyfriend) gawking at us, Heath bent and kissed me. He tasted like Doritos and brown pop and Heath. Through it all I could smell him, the distinct scent of his blood that was Imprinted uniquely to me and, because of that, literally the most fascinating, delicious smell on this earth.
I love you, babe, he whispered. He kissed me one more time. As he was leaving he waved at my friends. See you guys around, he said. I was only half surprised when Jack and Damien called bye and the Twins made kissing noises at him. I mean, Heath is cute. Totally cute. Right before he ducked out the blanket door he glanced back at Erik, who was standing beside me. Hey, dude, Im holding you personally responsible if anything hurts her. Then Heath gave Erik his charming, lopsided grin. Oh, and how about you make my job totally easy and try to boss her around a bunch while Im gone? Chuckling to himself, Heath finally left the room.
Aphrodite laughed, which she tried to cover with a cough.
Ex-boyfriend does have a way about him, Shaunee said.
Yes, he does, Twin, Erin said. Not to mention a cute butt.
Uh, awkward, anyone? Jack said.
CHAPTER 15
The Twins muttered hasty apologies, shooting Erik guilty looks. Erik, looking like he was carved out of stone, told Aphrodite, Here, Ill lift her up a little and you can wrap the bandage around her.
Fine by me, Aphrodite said.
So, without meeting my eyes, Erik slid his hands under my shoulders and gently lifted my torso off the table. While I gritted my teeth against the pain and Aphrodite wrapped the Ace bandage around me, I wondered what the hell I was going to do about Erik and Heath. Erik and I were supposedly back together, but after the scene in the basement I wasnt one hundred percent sure we should be together. I mean, he said he loved me, which was all well and good, but did loving me mean hed turned all possessive and jerkish? And besides that, was what we had together strong enough to tolerate another Imprint with Heath, especially now that it wasnt just an abstract idea? Now that hed seen Heath and me together, was there any way Erik and I could be together?
I looked up at him as he held me so carefully. Feeling my gaze on him, his blue eyes shifted to me. He didnt look like a stone man anymore. He just looked sad. Really, really sad. Did I still want to be Eriks girlfriend? The longer I looked into his eyes, the more I thought that maybe I did. Then where did that leave me with Heath? Back to where I was with both of these guys before Id cheated on them and let Loren trick me into giving him my virginity.
It had been an uncomfortable boyfriend triangle then, and it was even worse now. But what the hell was I going to do? The truth was I cared about both of them.
God, its exhausting being me.
When Aphrodite was done bandaging me, Erik asked Jack to bring him a pillow from the bed, and then he put me carefully back down with my head and shoulders resting on its softness.
You guys had better get ready to leave, Erik said to the Twins, Damien, and Aphrodite. Ill bet Darius will want to get Zoey back to the House of Night right away.
That means we have to get our purses from Kramishas room, Shaunee said.
Like I would forget my new winter season Ed Hardy purse, Twin? Erin said.
Of course not, Twin. Im just sayin Their voices faded as they hurried from the room.
I want to go with you, Jack said, looking close to tears.
I want you to come, too, Darius said. But its too dangerous. You have to stay here with Erik and Stevie Rae until we know exactly what were up against.
My mind understands that, but my heart says something else, Jack said, leaning his head against Damiens shoulder. Its justjust Jack took a deep breath and finished on a sob, Its just poop that I cant go!
Were going to step down the tunnel a ways, Damien said, putting his arm around Jack. Just have Darius yell when hes ready. Then Damien led a stricken Jack out of the room, with Duchess trailing sadly along behind.
Im going to go find my cat, Aphrodite said. Ill see if I can find your little orange creature, too.
Dont you think we should leave the cats here? I asked.
Aphrodite raised a blond brow at me. Since when could cats be told what to do?
I sighed. Youre right. Theyd just follow us back and then complain at us for years about leaving them behind.
Tell Darius Ill be right back. Aphrodite ducked out through the blanket.
That left Erik and me alone.
Without looking at me he started to move toward the doorway saying, Im going to
Erik, dont go. Cant we talk for just a second?
He stopped, his back still to me. His head was bowed and his shoulders were slumped. He looked utterly defeated.
Erik, please
He spun around and I saw there were tears pooling in his eyes. Im so damn pissed I dont know what the hell to do! And whats worse is that this, he paused, gesturing to the huge Ace bandage hiding the wound that sliced across my chest, is really my fault.
Your fault?
If I hadnt been such a possessive asshole in the basement, you wouldnt have gone outside with Heath. You were sending him away, but I had to push things and piss you off, so you went out there with him. He ran his hand through his thick dark hair. Its just that Heath makes me so damn jealous! Hes known you since you two were kids. I just He hesitated and his jaw clenched and unclenched. I just didnt want to lose you again, so I acted like a jerk, and not only did you almost die, but I lost you again!
I blinked at him. So he hadnt been acting like stone man because he didnt care or because he was mad at me. Hed been hiding his emotions because he thought all of this was his fault. JeeshI hadnt had a clue.
I held out my hand to him. Erik, come here. Slowly he came over to me and took my hand.
I acted like a jerk, he said.
Yeah, you did. But I should have shown some sense and not gone outside with Heath.
Erik looked at me for a long time before he spoke. It was hard to see you with him. To see you drink from him.
I wish there could have been some other way, I said. I did wish it, and not just because it had been uncomfortable for Erik to watch. I loved Heath, but Id made the decision not to be with him again, not to ever Imprint with him again. I knew the best thing for both of us, especially for Heath, was to be out of each others lives, and thats what Id planned. Sadly, my life rarely goes according to my plans. I sighed and tried to put some of what I was feeling into words. I cant help loving Heath. Hes been part of my life for a long time, and now that were Imprinted again, he literally carries part of me with him, even though I didnt mean for it to happen.