Okay, cool. Im too tired to do any impressive proving anyway.
Stark, why dont you drink from me? Just a little, I hurried on when he started to protest. Look, Kalona isnt here. Actually, from my dream its pretty clear that hes far away, since there arent any islands anywhere close to Oklahoma.
You dont know where he is. He could have been making you see him as being anywhere in your dream.
No, hes on an island. As I spoke I felt the truth of my guess. He needed to go to an island to recharge. Do you have a clue where that might be? Did you ever hear him talking about an island with Neferet?
Stark shook his head. Nope. He never said anything about it around me, but the fact that its an island tells us you hurt him. Bad.
Which means Im safe right now, which also means its okay for you to drink from me.
No, he said firmly.
You dont want to?
Dont be insane! I want to, but I cant. We cant. Not right now.
Look, you need my blood and my energy, or spirit, or whatever, to get better. I lifted my chin so he had a clear view of my jugular. So, go ahead. Bite me. I closed my eyes and held my breath.
Stark laughed, which had my eyes popping open to see him chuckling while he clutched painfully at his chest, wheezed, and then laughed some more.
I frowned at him. What is so funny?
Stark managed to control himself enough to say, Its just that you look like something out of an old Dracula movie. You should be asking if I vant to suck yur blood. He made a creepy face and bared his teeth.
I felt my cheeks burning and pulled away from him. Never mind. Forget I even mentioned it. Lets just go to sleep, kay? I started to roll over, but he caught my shoulder and turned me back to him.
Hang on, hang onIm messing this up. He was suddenly serious. Zoey. Stark touched my cheek. Im not drinking from you, because I cant. Not because I dont want to.
Yeah, I heard you before. I was still embarrassed and tried to turn my head, but he forced me to meet his gaze.
Hey, Im sorry. His voice had gone deep and sexy. I shouldnt have laughed at you. I should have just told you the truth, but Im new to being a warrior. Its gonna take me a little while to get it right. His thumb caressed my cheekbone, following the line of my tattoos. I should have told you that the only thing I want more than a taste of your blood is to know that youre safe and strong. He kissed me. Plus, I dont need to drink from you, because I know that Im going to be okay. He brushed his lips against mine. Want to know how I know that?
Uh-huh, I murmured.
I know because your safety is my strength, Zoey. Go to sleep now. Im here. He lay back, settling me against his side.
Just before my eyes fluttered shut I whispered, If someone tries to wake me up, would you please kill them?
Stark chuckled. Anything for you, my lady.
Good. I closed my eyes and fell asleep with my Warrior holding me tightly and keeping me safe from dreams and ghosts of the past.
CHAPTER 15
Aphrodite
Seriously, gay boys. Just go back to bedtogethereesh. I need my vamp for the rest of the night. Aphrodite was standing, arms crossed, just inside the door to the room Darius, Damien, Jack, and Duchess were sharing. She noted, with a vague sense of irritation, that Damien and Jack and Duchess were all curled up in one bed together. Sure, they reminded her of puppies, but it wasnt exactly fair that the penguins were cool with them sleeping together while at the same time theyd banished her to rooming with Zoey. Or at least theyd tried.
What is it, Aphrodite? Whats wrong? Darius hurried toward her, pulling a T-shirt over his completely gorgeous chest with one hand and slipping on his shoes with the other.
As usual, Darius had caught on before anyone else was fully functionalyet another reason why shed fallen for him.
Everythings fine. Its just that Zoey is sleeping with Stark. In our room. And Im not cool with tagging along for that. So were going to do a little roommate trading of our own.
All is well with Zoey? Damien asked.
My guess is that about now all is more than well with her, Aphrodite said.
I didnt think Stark was up to, well, stuff, Jack said delicately. He looked sleepy, with tousled hair and puffy eyes; Aphrodite thought he was even more puppyish than usual, and really cute. Of course shed gouge out her eyes before she admitted that out loud.
He managed the steps up to our top-floor room, so Im thinking hes on the mend.
Oooh, Eriks not gonna like that, Jack said happily. Theres gonna be some serious boyfriend drama tomorrow.
The dramas over in that department. Z dumped Erik earlier tonight.
She did! Damien said.
Yeah, and its about time, too. His possessive crap had to go, Aphrodite said.
And shes really okay? Damien asked.
Aphrodite didnt like Damiens typically too-keen gaze. She absolutely was not going into the fact that Kalona had entered Zoeys dream, and that was why Stark was sleeping with her. She was also not going to talk about her visionsomething she was happy to blame on Zoey, and definitely would in the future when Damien got pissed that shed kept her mouth shut about it. So, to throw off Miss Nosy, she lifted one perfect brow and gave him her standard keep-them-guessing sneer. Who are you, her gay mom?
As Aphrodite knew it would, Damiens fur instantly ruffled. No, Im her friend!
Please. Yawn. Like we all dont know that. Zoey. Is. Fine. Goddess, try giving her some breathing room.
Damien frowned. I let her breathe. I was just worried about her, thats all.
Wheres Heath? Does he know about her breakup with Erik and that shes, well, sleeping with Stark? Jack finished the sentence in a stage whisper.
Aphrodite rolled her eyes. I could care less where Heath is, and unless Z needs a snack Im thinking shes probably not too interested in where he is, either. Shes busy, she enunciated clearly. Aphrodite really didnt like hurting Damien and his girl/boyfriend Jacks feelings, but cutting them short was the only way to keep Damien out of her business, and that didnt even work 100 percent of the time. She turned to Darius, who was standing near her watching her closely with an expression that was a mixture of amusement and concern. Ready to go, handsome?
Of course. He looked back at Damien and Jack before he closed the door. Ill see you two at sunset.
Kay! Jack trilled while Damien just looked long and hard at her.
Out in the hall Aphrodite had only taken a couple of steps when Darius took her wrist and pulled her to a stop. Before she could say anything, he put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes.
Youve had a vision, he said simply.
Aphrodite felt her eyes fill with tears. She was totally, absolutely crazy about this big hulk of a guy who knew her so well, and who seemed to care so much about her.
Yeah.
Are you all right? You look pale and your eyes are still bloodshot.
Im okay, she said, although even to her own ears she didnt sound convincing.
He folded her into his arms and she let him hold her, comforted beyond words by his strength. Was it as bad as last time? he asked.
It was worse. Face tucked down against his chest she spoke in a voice so soft and sweet that it would have shocked almost everyone who knew her.
Another death vision of Zoey?
No. This time it was an end-of-the-world thing, but Zoey did figure in it.
Are we going back to her?
No, she really is sleeping with Stark. Seems Kalonas been getting in her dreams and sleeping with a guy keeps him out.
Good, Darius said. There was a sound at the end of the hall, and Darius pulled her around the corner and deeper into the shadows while a nun passed by, oblivious to their presence.
Hey, speaking of sleepI know Zs the big High Priestess, but shes not the only one who needs her beauty rest, Aphrodite whispered when they were alone in the hallway again.
Darius gave her a considering look. You are right. You must be exhausted, especially after having a vision.
I wasnt just talking about me, Mr. Macho. I was thinking about where we could go on the way down here and I came up with an ideaa brilliant idea, if I do say so myself.
Darius smiled. And Im sure you do.
Of course. Anyway, I remembered you telling the penguin nurses that Stark shouldnt be interrupted for at least a solid eight hours. So, hes not in his very private, very dark, very cozy room. Instead it is tragically empty. Aphrodite nuzzled the side of his neck, lifted herself on her tiptoes and nipped at his earlobe.
He laughed and tucked his arm around her. You are brilliant.
On the walk to Starks vacated room, Aphrodite filled him in on her vision, and on Zoeys dream. He listened to her with the quiet attentiveness that had been the second thing about him that had drawn her to him.
The first being his utter hotness, of course.
Starks room was cozy and dark, lit only by a single candle. Darius pulled a chair over to the door and propped it against the handle, effectively barring anyone from busting in on them. Then he rummaged through the dresser in the corner of the room and pulled out fresh sheets and blankets, which he remade the bed with, saying something about not wanting her to sleep on a wounded vampyres sheets.
Aphrodite watched him as she pulled off her boots and jeans, and then slid her bra off under her shirt. She thought about what a weird feeling it was to have someone take care of hersomeone who actually seemed to like her for herself, which was a total surprise. Guys liked her because she was hot, or because she was rich, popular, and a challenge, or, more often than not, simply because she was a bitch. It always amazed her how many guys just flat-out liked bitches. Guys didnt like her because she was Aphrodite. Actually, guys usually didnt take time to find out who she was underneath all the good hair, long legs, and attitude.
But the biggest shock of all about her relationship with Darius, and it was definitely becoming a relationship, was the fact that they hadnt had sex. Yet. Sure, everyone believed they were doing it like bunnies, and shed let them believe they wereshed even encouraged them to believe it. They werent, though. And somehow, that didnt feel weird. They slept together, and had even had some seriously hot make-out sessions, but thats as far as theyd gone.
With a jolt of shocked realization, Aphrodite understood what it was that was happening between her and Dariusthey were going slow and getting to know each other. Really, truly getting to know each other, and she was discovering that she liked going slow almost as much as she liked getting to know Darius.
They were falling in love!
That terrifying thought had Aphrodites knees going weak so suddenly that she backed up to the chair that was in the corner of the room and, feeling light-headed, sat down.
Darius finished making the bed and looked bemusedly across the room at her. What are you doing all the way over there?
Just sitting, she said quickly.
He cocked his head to the side. Are you really okay? You did say you burned along with the vampyres in your vision. Are you still feeling the effects of that? You look pale.
Im a little thirsty, and my eyes still sting, but Im fine.
When she continued to sit across the room without making any move to come to bed, he gave her a confused smile and said, Arent you tired?
Yeah, yeah, I am.
Shall I get you some water?
Oh, no! Ill get it myself. No problem. Aphrodite boinged up like one of those freaky puppets with strings and walked over to the sink in the opposite corner of the room. She was filling up a paper cone with water when Darius was suddenly behind her. His strong hands were on her shoulders again. This time his thumbs gently began to knead the ultratight muscles in her neck.
You carry all your tension here, he said, working from her neck to her shoulders.
Aphrodite downed the cup of water and then couldnt make herself move. Darius massaged her shoulders silently, letting his touch tell her how much he cared for her. Finally, she allowed the cup to slide from her fingers. Her head lolled forward and Aphrodite breathed a deep, contented sigh. Your hands are totally magic.
Anything for you, my lady.
Aphrodite smiled and leaned into his hands, allowing herself to relax more and more. She loved it that Darius treated her like she was his High Priestess, even though she had no Mark and would never be a vampyre. She loved that he had no doubt that she was special to Nyxthat she was Chosen by the Goddess. He so obviously didnt care whether a Mark went along with that or not. She loved that he
Ohmygoddess! She actually loved him! Holy shit!
Aphrodites head snapped up and she turned around so quickly that Darius took a short, startled step back, automatically giving her room.
What is it? he asked.
I love you! she blurted, and then pressed her hand against her mouth like she was trying, too late, to keep the words from exploding from it.
The warriors smile was long and slow. I am glad to hear you say it. Im in love with you, too.
Aphrodites eyes began to fill with tears and she blinked hard to stop them as she shoved past him. Goddess! This sucks!
Instead of responding to her outburst, Darius simply watched her stalk over to the bed. Aphrodite could feel his steady gaze on her as she considered whether she should sit on the bed, or get in it. Finally, she did neither, deciding she didnt like the picture shed be creating in bed. She already felt vulnerable and exposed enough standing there in her T-shirt, panties, and nothing else. She turned to face Darius.
What? she snapped.
He tilted his head. A sad smile lifted just the corners of his lips. She thought his eyes looked decades older than the rest of his face. Your parents are not in love, Aphrodite. From what youve shared with me about them, they may not be capable of feeling that emotion for anyone, and that includes you.