Chapter one
Erik
Why is it that the girl I love can't love me back? I know she loves me but she can't just have me. She has to have Heath and Stark! God, I hate them both! It doesn't help that Stark is Zoey's warrior! The only thing that keeps me from going red in the face about that is because it annoys Heath. It sounds mean but I don't care! Zoey was mine first! Well only if you don't count Heath but still….
This was irritating. I was sitting in the cafeteria for teachers. Eating on my own as usual but that didn't bother me. It was the fact that Zoey was in Italy and I was sitting eating lunch or maybe I should call it a midnight snack? I can't be sure and at this moment I didn't really care. All I cared about was Zoey and that son of a b****, Kalona.
"Mr. Knight!" Dragon shouted as he entered the teacher's cafeteria. "Starks on the phone and he wants to talk to you."
Dragon shouted as he stood near the cafeteria door. He was scanning the room trying to find me.
"Well I don't want to talk to him," I told Dragon as I opened another bottle of brown soda.
Why should I talk to the guy who Zoey loved more than Heath and I? If he had a problem I didn't really care. Zoey was the only thing I really cared about. If she was in danger I would do anything to help her but I would do nothing for Stark. Nothing.
"He says he need to talk to you about Zo-" I jumped out of my seat and ran towards Dragon.
"Where's the phone?!" I asked, wanting to see what was wrong with Zoey.
"In the teachers quarters," Dragon told me.
He was about to point in the direction of it but I was already gone. I had to help Zoey and I didn't care what I had to do to help her. I was running so fast that I almost tripped over plants and bushes but I managed to stay on route. I passed some fledging girls who looked at me as if I was a God. I didn't care but I did care when Venus got in my way.
"Hay baby," She said as I almost fell over her like a hurdle that was just a bit to high.
Venus started touching my chest with her hands. She then tried to kiss me but I avoided her lips with great ease. Venus looked hurt with my rejection.
"I have to go," I told her and managed to get around her.
I started to sprint since I was only a hundred yard away from the teacher's quarters.
"It's her! Isn't it! I'm better than her Erik and you know it! She'll never love you like I can! Get the message! She doesn't want you!" Venus shouted but that didn't stop me from reaching the teachers quarters.
I didn't care about what Venus said. My life without Zoey wasn't really a life. She was so fun to be around and she cared about everyone so much.
Everyone but you the voice in my head told me but this is the same voice that told me to burn down my old high school. I didn't listen then and I'm not listening now.
I burst through the front door of the teacher's quarter and headed to the office. It was up the first flight of stairs so it was only a matter of minutes before I was there. When I entered there was a blonde vampire at the desk. She had violet eyes with made her markings stand out. Her markings were in the shape of Lily's and it made her look delicate but have a little edge to her soft persona. I was going to guess that her name was either Violet or Lily so I called her Voleta. Veoleta was on the phone talking to someone like she was trying to calm him or her down.
"….I am sure Mr. Night will be right here soon but Darius you have to be patient," Violeta told him and she started to get worry lines on her face.
She then looked up and saw me standing by the door and so she said, "He's here." Violeta then motioned the phone in my direction so I walked over to her desk and took the phone from her hands.
"Hello?" I said.
"Hello Erik, it's Darius," He said but I thought I was meant to talk to Stark.
"Where's Stark?"
"He can't talk right now."
"Why?"
"He's….not able to talk."
"Did his tongue get cut out or something?"
"No he…" I then heard crying in the background and for reason I knew it was Stark crying the loudest.
"What happened to Zoey?"
"She's alive but all her marks are gone and Heath is…" I then heard the phone muffle on the other side so I thought we were losing connection.
"Hello? Darius! Are you there?" I asked.
"No you jerk. It's me, Aphrodite," She said and despair ran through me because she didn't sound like a b*tch.
She sounded like she had been crying for Zoey. Aphrodite sounded worried for Zoey and that scared me.
"Why can't I talk to Darius?" I asked.
"He's turned into Starks buddy and decided to join him in the cry fest," Aphrodite said almost like her old self.
"Well then can you tell me what happened to Zoey?"
"It just happened so fast. All we saw was a flash of light and was dead. Zoey was on the floor breathing slowly but her marks were….are….gone."
"What do you mean gone?"
"They just disappeared. Stark thinks it's his fault but it was Kalona who did this."
"That son of a b****! Look Aphrodite, I'm coming over there no matter what you say."
"I'm not objecting but when you come can you at least bring some spot cream? I forgot mine."
"Ok but don't tell anyone."
"Why?"
"Because…it will be mine," I told her and I started to blush.
"Look, I'm to worried about Zoey to make fun of you so just get your ass over here!" Aphrodite said and hung up.
Chapter Two
Aphrodite
Why did Erik have to come now? In fact why would he want to come? How was I going to tell Stark and Darius that he was coming? This was going to be bad.
"Aphrodite? Are you ok?" Damien asked me.
"I'm fine," I said but that sounded to nice so I added, "Nerd," onto it.
Damien saw that I was still upset so he put his hand on my shoulder and that made me feel better. Damien had a thing about knowing what to do to make people feel better. It must have been something to do with his gay thing. I didn't want to say 'thank you' aloud so I mouthed it and Damien gave me the nod that meant 'don't mention it'.
"Zoey, please come back," Stark begged as he held her hand.
The tears on Starks face were noticeable and if he were a girl-wearing make up it would have cause a fashion melt down. I the touched the space under my eyes and I realized my make up had run down my face.
"It looks fine," Damien told me and I felt a wave of tears creeping up on me. "Lets go see how Zoey is doing," Damien said as he tried to pull me towards Zoey but I stayed where I was. Damien looked at me in confusion.
"Ok, you can't tell anyone else but…" I started but trying to say that Erik was coming was harder than I thought.
"Aphrodite, you can tell me anything," Damien told me.
"Erik is coming," I said quickly and quietly enough so only Damien could hear.
"What?!" Damien shouted in shock.
Everyone in the infirmary stared at Damien and me. I then pulled Damien into the hallway so I could talk to him privately.
"I didn't have anything to do with this but he's coming," I said.
"His presence will make this harder for Stark! Why didn't you try and stop him?!" Damien asked.
"My best friend is lying in a hospital bead! Completely out of it and you expect me to be able to handle Erik! Damien if he wants to be here he's coming wither we like it or not!" I told him and stormed into the infirmary.
I was so angry at Erick for loving Zoey enough to come here. I was furious at Kalona for killing Heath and putting Zoey in this state. I could kill Loren because he slept with Zoey and made her life hell but unfortunately he's already dead. I hated Heath for just being born. The only guy Zoey liked that I didn't hate was Stark.
Stark was good and honest. He loved Zoey but he did what was best for her not him. I did like Stark but I never wanted to tell him that. He may be nice but he is very cocky.
I walked over to Zoey's bed and her lifeless body made me cry silently. She looked so helpless, so peaceful, so human, so….
"We should tell Stevie Rae," Stark said, breaking the silence.
"Then why did we talk to Erik?" I asked.
"It seemed sensible to talk to the professor we knew."
"Maybe he will tell Stevie Rae."
"Yeah, maybe," Stark said as he traced a pattern on Zoey's hand.
I was almost sure that he was tracing the pattern of her tattoos. It had the same movements and delicateness of it.
"Do you remember that pattern?" I asked.
Darius looked at me in confusion but Stark knew what I was talking about.
"I remember every tattoo on her body," Stark said as he stared at Zoey's face.
"It will get better Stark," Darius said and Stark sighed in reply, "I promise you. She will be back and she will still be blessed by Nyx."
"But what if she doesn't!" Stark shouted and stood up.
"Calm down Stark!"
"How can I calm down when Zoey, the only person I have ever truly loved, is lying there without her tattoos or her consciousness! What am I supposed to do? Cry in self-pity? Mourn her? What am I supposed to do?"
"Just…. wait."
"But I can't! I can feel her pain! She is suffering! Not greatly but suffering is suffering! I can't just sit here and watch her!"
"Well just deal with it!" I had never heard Darius snap like that and I was shocked.
Stark then kicked over the chair he was sitting on and walked towards the door of the infirmary. Before leaving the infirmary Stark punched a whole in the wall near the door and left. I felt sorry for Stark and I knew Darius snapping at him was wrong.
"I didn't mean to snap at him," Darius told me as he stared at the door Stark just exited out of.
"This is hard for all of us but for him it's worse. He is connected to Zoey so he will feel what she feels. I know you feel what I feel but it's different for Stark," I told him as if I actually cared about anyone but Darius and I.
"How is it different?" Darius asked.
"Zoey is a priestess and I'm a human but the thing is Stark and Zoey have a different relationship…"
"How?!"
"I-I-I-I just know it's different."
Darius looked like a brooding teenager at that moment. I was sick of the way he was acting. It was as if Zoey was necessary for Darius to function properly.
"Are you saying that our relationship isn't special like theirs is?" Darius asked.
"Of course it's special!"
"Then why haven't you come near me?"
I looked at the distance between Darius and me. I was at one side of Zoey's bed and he was at the other. I hadn't noticed it but at the back of my mind I knew I didn't do this completely by accident.
"See. You still haven't come near me. What's wrong?" Darius asked, sounding more concerned by the second.
"You can't seem to function without Zoey."
"Yes I can!"
"No you can't! You go all snappy and you get a shorter fuse! You focus all your attention on her and not me! You're my warrior not hers!"
"I know that!"
"No you don't! You look like you like her more than me!"
"Now that is just crazy!"
"Is it? Is it really?" Darius took time to consider it and that was an answer in itself. I already knew the answer but I didn't want to hear it so I left the infirmary on the verge of tears. I would have been fine if Darius had followed me but he didn't….
Chapter Three
Darius
I wanted to follow Aphrodite and tell her how much I loved her but I couldn't move. I felt like I needed to be by Zoey's side but she wasn't the one I loved so why? I wasn't her warrior so why?
Maybe Aphrodite was right. Maybe I needed Zoey to function right but why?
This is all so messed up. I love Aphrodite and I would do anything for her but why didn't I follow her, take her in my arms and declare my love for her?
"Hey Darius," Erin said as she came into the infirmary.
I waited to see if Shanuee would come through the door but she didn't. Erin noticed me looking for where her twin was and that made her blush a little. When Erin stood beside me I saw a solitary tear run down her face.
"Zoey's going to be fine," I told her, trying to reassure myself as well. She was going to come back. She'll get her tattoos again. She will be fine. She has to be fine, I told myself but the doubt at the back of my mind was slowly rising to the surface.
"Darius, how can we sure? I know Z's strong but look at her! She looks like a lifeless shell!"
"Don't you think I know that!" I then realized I snapped again but I didn't want to believe it. This wasn't me.
"Darius, I'm sorry but are you ok? You're acting a bit…on edge."
"Not you too."
"What? Is everything alright?"
"No. Nothing is right. Aphrodite thinks I can't function without Zoey but I can!"
"Look at yourself. You are snappy, upset and you haven't left her side since the.." I winced at the thought of the "incident". Erin looked like she wanted to comfort me but she couldn't quite find the way to do it. "I would try and comfort you but.."
"I understand, Erin. It's alright. I don't think I can be comforted by anyone except Aphrodite."
"I have t-," Erin said as she burst into tears and left the room. I was alone with Zoey again. Not even a vampire nurse was in the room. That was pretty poor because if Zoey woke up then I would be the only one here.
"Darius?" Damien asked as he stood by the door. He looked nervous and that made me confused. Why would he be nervous? Did he think Kalona was going to do what he did to Zoey?
"What is it, Damien?" I asked, trying to make my voice not sound exasperated. I didn't work. Damien slowly walked to Zoey's side and picked up the seat Stark kicked. He then sat on it and held Zoey's left hand in his.
"Has Aphrodite told you?" He asked. My face went red. Was it common knowledge that I clearly couldn't live without Zoey? Or had Aphrodite told everyone? This week just keeps getting worse. "You know. About Erik?"
"W-w-what?" I was shocked. What did Erik have to do with the current events? Why would Erik care? I thought he was going away and wouldn't be at the House of Night when we got back. "What is the problem with Erik now?"
"Does there have to be a problem?"
"When it comes to Erik there tends to be a problem."
"Ok…well…the thing is…."
"Spit it out!"
"Ok! Ok!" Damien shouted and held up his hands to make sure I let him speak. "The thing is that Erik is coming here."
"What! He can't come here! It's not safe! And think of what it'll do to Stark! Why didn't you stop him?!"
"Well he told Aphrodite and she couldn't stop him so we should be expecting a visit from Mr. Night soon." I forgot how much I hated his name. It wasn't his fault but he's so proud of his name and that doesn't help when he's full of himself. "Stark doesn't know and I want to know if we should tell him."
"Tell me what?" Stark asked as he creped beside Damien. Damien hadn't realized he was there so when he saw Stark he jumped like a scared chi Wawa. "Sorry, Damien. Being a full vampire makes you kind of quiet."
"Umm…we wanted to tell you that….that….Darius how about you tell him," Damien said and gave me look that meant if I didn't lie to Stark he would kill me. I think Damien could kill me. He's very smart so he wouldn't need to be strong. He could kill me in my sleep. I guess that's where the phase "sleep with one eye open" came from.
"Well we wanted to tell you that we think Aphrodite plans to try and comfort you."
"Really?! Oh My Goddess! I would pay to see that!" Stark shouted and he smiled at the thought of Aphrodite comforting him. I can lie but I don't make good lies. I learned that when I was ten and I tried to lie to my teacher. I told her that my hamster peed on my homework. She believed me but then she asked my parents and then the teacher found out that I didn't have a hamster.
"Yeah. It's going to be real interesting. Darius, I need to speak to you outside. Now," Damien said as he stood up. He walked out of the infirmary and I followed him out. The hallway was quiet so Damien turned round to look at me. I swear to Goddess, if looks could kill the look Damien gave me would have killed me. Well, that's if you don't count vampires as dead already.
"Look, I know the lie I sold Stark wasn't good but we can't tell him that the "E" word is coming!"
"The "E" word? Really? You're calling one of the hottest guys that has ever set foot in out house of night that!"
"Stark has vampire hearing so if we say the "E" words name then he will know!"
"And the "E" word is subtle?!"
"Do you have a better idea?"
"No but Stark will find out and when he does he will be p***** at us!"
"Why? We're not going to tell him!"
"So when the "E" word comes isn't he gonna' say something about how Aphrodite knew and she told me and I told you!"
"I didn't think of that but you were going to lie to him!"
"No I wasn't! I was going to tell him!"
"You guy's are really subtle you know. I mean shouting in a hallway right next to the infirmary. And the "E" word? It's not exactly FBI coded," Stark told us as he stood by the doorway.
"I told you," Damien said like a little kid trying to blame his older brother.
"Shut up," I told him. Damien and I looked like guilty little kids and Stark suddenly looked older. It was the way he stood and the way his voice was friendly yet it almost demanded to be heard.
"I don't mind that he's coming but I would rather you tell me than lie to me."
"How did you know I was lying?"
"The thought of Aphrodite being caring makes me want to laugh so I knew you were lying."
"But you looked like you believed it."
"I looked like I believed it. It doesn't mean I actually believed you." We all looked at each other and Stark seemed like the adult here even though he was upset. "Let's get back in there and make sure she's ok."
