Zoey

I didn't open my eyes immediately. I was fully awake, but I didn't want to completely open my eyes just yet. As I stared into the blackness, I started to absorb the elements around me; I wanted to take in the smells and sounds that were surrounding me. I could here the crickets chirping outside, I could feel the coolness of the night, the Earth cooling down from the hot Tulsa sun. I could hear the wind blow through the leaves in the large tree next to my window.

Suddenly, I smelled toothpaste and heard the faucet running. I felt my lips instantly start to form a small smile as I listened to my Warrior brush his teeth. It hasn't mattered the amount of time that has passed, I still feel the same amount of young love when I first met him. He has remained so faithful to me.

Although you weren't with him… Fluttered through my mind, and I felt a twinge of regret and the memories flooded back to me. Heath. The heartache was still there, I know our souls will find each other again, but I still missed him. I missed his familiar feeling of home and history. Then the confusion with Aurox/Heath, followed by the constant jealousy between him and Stark. And when I lost Aurox, and Heath again, I didn't know if I could handle another loss. Sometimes it was unbearable to think of.

I was happy now, and all of that has left me. I defeated Darkness and Neferet. I walked the path of the Goddess, of Light, and we won. I thought back to those memories of my circle, my friends, going through pain and suffering to put balance into the world. I felt the guilt fill me, and the panic of the idea that Darkness will come again. But just as that panic took over, I felt a warm, familiar body next to me. I instantly gravitated towards it and welcomed the comfort.

"Hey now. Don't start with this again. Darkness will not, ever, be that powerful again. Especially not with you around, Z. They're too scared of you." Stark whispered to me, but I could hear the smile grow in his voice when he said the last part. Sometimes I think he forgets that I can blast him in a second with Spirit or any of the elements at my will.

"I'm a bad ass and you know it." I said into his neck. I felt a shiver go through his body and I smiled. I rolled over and laid my head on a pillow, Stark followed me in one movement. He draped his hands over my waist and rested his lips on my neck. I let the shiver pass through me and I felt his cocky smile again.

I stopped myself before we got too comfortable and too carried away."C'mon, we need to get moving. We have lots of classes today, and I don't want to be late." I got up and walked into the bathroom, ignoring the grumbling coming from the bed. I examined my face in the mirror. I have aged, but I still had my youth in me. I still could see the young girl that was inside me, the one who defeated Darkness.

Over the years I had received more tattoos to show I was on the path of the Goddess, and I gained quite a few from the final battle with Neferet. I traced the outline of my lace tattoos across my chest and ignored the scar that interrupted them. I moved all the way down to my arm and onto my palm. I loved the purple design on my body, it was a constant reminder of who I am, and what I have become. I let down my hair and hopped in the shower, scrubbing as fast as I could so I wouldn't be late for the first day of classes.

After changing into multiple outfits, I finally decided on an emerald green shirt, a black pencil skirt and heels. It wasn't much, but it was professional-ish looking. I wanted to make an impression to my students, but I didn't want to look like an actual teacher. "Well, what do you think?" I asked Stark.

He walked around me in a circle, scanning me from up and down. I rolled my eyes but stood still, humoring him. "Hmmm… I have to say, you are one sexy High-Priestess." He finally said laughingly, as he did he came from behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "That's not what I was aiming for!" I replied exasperatedly. I broke free from his grasp and started towards the door, in an instant Stark was there and held open the door for me. We started walking down the corridor and made our way through the school.

"Well then you're a professional, beautiful High-Priestess who will blow them away. Why are you so worried? You're the greatest High- Priestess of the vampyre community, you have nothing to worry about."

"I am certainly not the greatest, and I don't know, I'm just worried I will not get across my message of how I want to run this school and to make sure every child walks in the path of Light, of Nyx." I said, heading towards the field house, I knew that Stark had an archery class in ten minutes, and I was not going to allow him to be late on the first day.

Stark took my hand and I instantly stopped and turned towards him. He looked at me with such sincerity, love, warmth, and protectiveness and simply stated, "You can show them. You can do this." Then he kissed me softly, but passionately on the forehead and walked towards the field house. But just before he walked into the door, he turned and winked at me,

I turned away smiling, thinking of what he said the me. I can show them, I can do this….