But we cant all fit in Heaths truck, I said, forcing my heavy eyelids to open.
You wont have to. We found something thatll work better, Stevie Rae said. Before I could ask any questions she hurried on. And Darius also said Z should bite Heath again for one fast suck before you head out. He said she ought to be gettin real weak about now.
Thats okay. Im fine. Lets just go, I said quickly. Yes, I felt like utter poop. No, I didnt want to bite Heath again. Well, I didnt mean I really didnt want to. I meant I really didnt think I should, especially with him being pissed at me just then.
Just do it, Heath said. Suddenly he was there beside me, still holding the bottle of wine in one hand. He didnt even look at me. Instead he focused his attention on Erik. So cut me. He held out his arm to Erik.
My pleasure, Erik said.
No. Im not okay with this, I continued to protest.
In one blindingly quick movement Erik slashed Heaths forearm, and the scent of his blood hit me. I closed my eyes against the spike of desire and need that was driving into me with every breath I inhaled. I was gently jostled and then Heaths strong, warm thigh was again my pillow. He wrapped his arm around me so that his cut arm was just under my nose. I opened my eyes then and, ignoring the need that was screaming through my body, I looked up at Heath. He was staring across the room at nothing.
Heath, I said. I cant take anything from you youre not willing to give me.
He looked down at me and I saw several emotions cross his expressive face, the foremost of which was a terrible sadness. In a voice that sounded almost as weary as I felt, he said, Theres nothing Im not willing to give you, Zo. When are you going to understand that? Im just wishing you would leave me with a little pride.
His words broke my heart. I love you, Heath. You know that.
His expression softened into a slight smile. Its good to hear you say it. Then he looked from me to Erik. Did you hear that, vamp? She loves me. And remember that no matter how big and bad you think you are, youll never be able to do this for her. Heath lifted his arm so that the bloody slash Erik had made in it was pressed against my lips.
Yeah, I see what you can do for her. I might have to put up with it, but I dont have to have it shoved in my face. Angrily knocking the blanket aside, Erik left the room.
Dont think about him, Heath told me softly, stroking my hair. Just drink from me and think about getting well.
I looked from the doorway to Heaths sweet gaze, and with a small moan I gave in to the need that raged within me. I drank from him, sucking in energy and life, passion and desire, along with his blood. I closed my eyes again, this time because of the intensity of the pleasure drinking from Heath gave me. I heard Heaths moan echo mine and felt him curl around me, pressing his arm more firmly against my lips and whispering sweet things to me that werent entirely understandable.
My head was spinning by the time someone pulled Heaths arm from my grip. I felt stronger, even though my wound was burning like there was a fire camped out on my chest. But I was also feeling dizzy and weirdly giggly.
Hey, she dont look right, Kramisha said.
But I feel more right. Or is that righter? Which is it, Damien-Shamien? I paused and giggled, which hurt my chest so I clamped my lips tight together to make myself stop.
Whats wrong with her? Jack asked.
Theres definitely something abnormal going on, Damien said.
I know whats wrong with her, Stevie Rae said. Shes drunk.
Nuhuh! I dont even like to drink, I said, and then burped softly. Oh, oopsie.
Boyfriend is drunk. She just drank from boyfriend, Shaunee said.
So that means Zs trashed, too, Erin said. She and Shaunee had a wobbly Heath between them and they were guiding him back to the bed.
Hey, Im not drunk. Yet, Heath said. Then he collapsed onto the bed.
I didnt know vamps could get drunk off a humans blood, Aphrodite said. Thats really interesting. She handed me my purse while she studied me like I was a specimen under a microscope.
Youd think it was less interesting if youd eaten a wino and had a hangover headache and then burped cheap wine for days, Stevie Rae said. All I can say about that is nasty.
Aphrodite, the Twins, Damien, Jack, and I all stared at her. Finally I was able to say, Stevie Rae. Please dont eat any more people. Its really dis-dis-disturbing, I slurred.
She sure wont eat another wino. That last one tasted bad for real,&rdqu s a specimuo; So; Kramisha said.
Kramisha! Dont freak Zoey out. No one is eating anyone anymore. I was just usin that one time a long time ago as an example of why I know Heaths being trashed made her trashed. Stevie Rae patted my arm. So dont worry, kay? Well be fine here, and so will the street people. Dont stress about us. You just get well.
Oh, yeah. I rolled my eyes at Stevie Rae. Im not going to worry bout a thing.
Hey, you have my promise. No eating people while youre gone. Stevie Rae looked solemn and pretended to draw an X over her heart. Cross my heart and hope to die.
Hope to die! Jeesh, I really hoped that none of us would have to die. Again. And just like that I was able to think through the wine fog that had woozied my brain, and I knew what I had to do. On purpose I gave Aphrodite a tipsy smile. Hey there, Afro! Why dont you guys go on out to Darius? I gotta give Stevie Rae a phone number, then Ill be right there.
Fine. Well meet you out there. And do not ever call me Afro again. In a huff, Aphrodite led the Twins, Damien, Jack, and a whole passel of annoyed cats out of the room.
As they left the room, Erik came back in. Crossing his arms, he leaned silently against the wall and watched me. I used my drunkenness as an excuse to ignore him.
Hey, could you manage to focus? Do you want me to add a number to my phone? Stevie Rae said.
No, I said stubbornly. I gotta write it down.
Okay, okay, she said quickly, obviously humoring the drunk.
She was looking around for something to write on when Kramisha marched over to her and handed her a piece of paper and a pen. Heres something to write on.
Looking utterly confused, Stevie Rae shook her head at me. Z, are you sure you cant just tell me the
No! I snapped.
Okay, here, dont have a big ol cow. Stevie Rae slipped the paper and pen into my hands. I could feel Erik, who had come over to stand closer to my table, watching me. I gave him a boozy frown. Dont peek at what I write!
All right, all right! He held his hands up in surrender and walked over to Kramisha. I could hear both of them talking about how goofy I acted when I was trashed.
It was hard as hell to concentrate through the ridiculous buzz Heath had passed on to me, but the pain the movement of my hands caused helped to sober me up. I scrawled down Sister Mary Angelas cell phone number and then quickly wrote Plan B: be ready to move everyone to the abbey but dont tell. No one knowing = Neferet not knowing where you are.
Okay, here. Stevie Rae tried to take the paper from my hand, but I held it tight, which made her look up at me in exasperation. I met her eyes, trying to look and sound as sober as possible as I whispered, If I tell you to move, you move!
Her gaze went down to the note Id just written, and I saw her eyes widen. She looked quickly up at me and then nodded almost imperceptibly. Awash in relief, I closed my eyes and gave in to the dizziness.
All done with her secret phone number note? Erik said.
Yep, Stevie Rae teased back. As soon as I put this in my phone, Im gonna destroy the evidence.
Or it might self-destruct, Heath slurred from over on the bed.
I opened my eyes and looked at him. Hey!
What? he said.
Thanks again, I said.
Heath shrugged. No big deal.
Yeah, it is, I said. Stay safe, okay?
Does it matter? he asked.
Yeah, it does. But next time I really wish you wouldnt drink. I burped again and then grimaced when the movement hurt my chest.
Ill try to remember that, he said, tipping the wine bottle back to his lips.
I sighed, told Stevie Rae, Get me out of here, and closed my eyes, clutching my purse and the two indecipherable poems to me.
Thats your cue, Erik, Stevie Rae said.
Erik was suddenly at my side. This is going to hurt, and Im sorry, but you really need to get back to the House of Night.
I know. Im just gonna close my eyes and try to pretend Im someplace else, okay?
Sounds like a good idea, Erik said.
Ill be right here with you, too, Z, Stevie Rae said.
No. Stay with Heath, I said quickly. If you let anyone eat him, Im gonna be majorly pissed. And I mean it.
Im right here, Kramisha said, and I heard that. I aint eatin your boyfriend. He dont taste good no more.
Thats not what Zo says! Heath slurred and lifted his almost empty bottle like he was going to toast to us.
I ignored both of them and kept my eyes on Stevie Rae.
Dont worry. Heathll be fine. Ill take care of him. Stevie Rae hugged me and kissed my cheek. Stay safe, she said.
Remember what I wrote, I whispered. She nodded.
Okay, lets go, I told Erik, and squidged my eyes shut tight.
Erik lifted me as gently as he could, but the pain that sheared through my body was so awful that I couldnt even scream. I kept my eyes closed and tried to breathe in shallow little pants while Erik hurried down the tunnel with me in his arms, murmuring that everything would be finewed be there soon
When we got to the iron ladder that led up to the basement, Erik said, Im sorry, but this is going to hurt like hell. Just hang on, though, Z. Its almost over. Then he shifted his grip on me and lifted me to Darius, who was reaching down for me.
That was when I fainted.
Sadly, I came to when the freezing rain and an icy wind slapped against my face.
Ssh, dont struggle. Youll only make it worse, Darius said. He was holding me in his arms. Erik was walking at his side, watching me with worried eyes as we made our way toward a huge black Hummer that was idling in the parking lot. Jack was standing beside the open door to the wide backseat. I could see Aphrodite in the passengers seat and the Twins together with a whole buttload of cats in the far back area. Damien was sitting by the open door.
Slide over and help me lay her down here, Darius said.
They somehow transferred me to the backseat of the Hummer, pillowing my head on Damiens lap. Unfortunately I didnt pass out again. Before Darius closed the door, Erik squeezed my ankle.
You have to get well, okay? Erik said.
I barely managed a weak Okay.
When Darius closed the door and jumped into the drivers seat and we took off, I made a conscious decision to avoid the whole Erik-Heath issue until my life was calmer and I could deal with the two of them. I admit that at that moment I left the two of them behind with a guilty sense of relief.
Most of the ride back was as dark and silent as ice-swept Tulsa had become. Darius had to battle the Hummer to keep it on the sheets of ice that masqueraded as streets, and Aphrodite only commented once in a while on a fallen limb in their way or a turn they should take. Damien, tense and speechless, held me securely on his lap, and the Twins were, for a change, not chattering with each other. I closed my eyes, trying to control the dizziness and the pain. A disturbingly familiar sense of numbness had started to creep slowly over my body again. This time I recognized it, though, and knew how dangerous it would be to give in to the numbness, no matter how restful and compelling it seemed. This time I knew the numbness was a disguise for death. I forced myself to take deeper breaths, even though each one made pain radiate throughout my body.
Pain was good. If I hurt, it meant I wasnt dead.
I opened my eyes and cleared my throat, making myself speak. My blood-wine buzz was gone and all I felt was exhausted and consumed by pain. We have to remember what were walking into. Its not the old House of Night. Its not our home, I said. My voice carried, but I sounded like a hoarse stranger. Besides keeping our elements close to us, I think the smartest thing we can do is to try to stick as close to the truth as possible whenever were questioned about anything.
Thats logical, Damien said. If they sense were telling the truth, theyll be less likely to feel the need to probe farther into our minds.
Especially if those minds are protected by the elements, Erin said.
We might very well baffle them with our supposed ignorance, and Neferet will underestimate us again, Shaunee said.
So were coming back because of that text message sent from the school calling all of us back, Damien said. And because Zoeys been hurt.
Aphrodite nodded. Yeah, and the only reason we left was because we were scared.
And thats the damn truth, Erin said.
Totally, Shaunee added.
Just remember: Tell the truth when possible and keep your guard up, I said.
Our High Priestess is correct. We are entering the enemys camp, and we cant afford to be lulled into forgetting that by the familiarity of our surroundings, Darius said.
I have a feeling we wont be tempted to forget it, Aphrodite said slowly.
What kind of feeling do you mean? I asked.
I think our entire world has changed, Aphrodite said. No, I know it has. The closer we get to the school, the more wrong it feels. She swiveled and looked over the seat at me. Can you feel it?
I shook my head slightly. I cant feel anything except the cut in my chest.
I can feel it, Damien said. Its like all the hair on the back of my neck is standing up.
Ditto, Shaunee said.
My stomach feels awful, Erin said.
I took another deep breath and blinked hard, concentrating on staying conscious. Its Nyx. Shes warning you with those feelings. Remember the effect Kalonas appearance had on the other fledglings?
Aphrodite nodded. Zoeys right. Nyx is making us feel like crap so we dont give in to this guy. We have to fight against whatever it is about him that sucks the rest of the fledglings in.