My mind whirred and some cog clicked into place. It was as if it had been in hibernation mode and someone had finally clicked the power button. My memory seemed happy to have me back and willing to allow me entrance into my own thoughts.

A warm breeze slid over me like a satin scarf. I was lying beneath a lilac bush inhaling and exhaling the perfume of the farm. My Grandmother had long sense gone to sleep but I could not draw myself away from the moon and its beams from beneath the branches of the purple buds. My floral dress danced around my thighs in the summer air and I felt more at ease than I had in months.

The House of Night had gone from my home to a place I feared and then slid slowly into a more normal entity for a boarding school student. The school was repairing nicely after the year of chaos. I was happy to see the progress but I was more than ecstatic to not be a part of the reparations and to be at rest.

I watched the hem of my dress lift and fold and swivel in the breath of the wind, laughing as if it were an old friend. I realized I was being entirely unladylike but I was alone, in my calm, sweet solace.

"I see London…" A voice broke the calm. The wind slowed.

"I see France…" I sat bolt upright, face into the branches, and they scratched my face.

"Calm down, Zo, it's just me."

"Well, if you want me to calm down you are going to have to tell me who this me is." My cheeks were spitting and swearing at me as the branches bore further into my skin. I crawled out from under the bush, steeling myself for whoever had snuck up on me.

Stark stepped into the direct beams of moonlight, smiling like he had a secret. His smile formed a crooked curve and he bit his lip to keep from laughing. "You look like a crazed poodle." He took a step forward. "I hate those dogs."

I rolled my eyes and smoothed my dress. A few buttons had come undone so I bent to button them and said in what I hoped was my most hateful voice, "I should have you flogged for scaring the crap out of me." I hoped he couldn't see the smile I was shielding with my hair.

A finger reached into my curtain of hair towards my fingers and my head shot up. "I'm sorry," he added quickly. "I thought I could help. It looks like your having a little…" He pointed at my buttons that were clearly out of line, showing my lacy undershirt. "Trouble."

That was it, it cracked my ice barrier and I laughed completely. "I can't seem to turn off my attraction for trouble."

His fingers went to my collar and worked down, unbuttoning the buttons that were askew. Right above my ribs the button that had been skipped, causing the rest to form an imperfect line. His fingers twitched as they finished unbuttoning the dress and he paused. He stole a quick glance into my face and then hastily buttoned my dress. When he finished he took a step backwards and knelt on the ground. "I am sorry I scared you. I just wanted to be sure you were not in any danger." He fisted his hand over his heart and kept his head down.

"Liar," I replied with a smile.

"Excuse me?" Stark answered looking into my face quickly.

"I said 'Liar'. I know you heard me." I paused and grabbed his elbows pulling him to his feet. "I really hate when people say, 'Excuse me?' Like they didn't just hear exactly what I said."

Stark chuckled softly and bit his lip. "I should have said, 'Why, whatever do you mean, my most high priestess?" He feigned a drawling southern accent and batted his eyes at me.

I smacked his shoulder. "Stop it. You knew I was in no danger. You can feel me."

"Feel you?" His eyes glittered.

"Yes. I know you do." I paused my hands itching to reach to him. "I can feel you, so I figure it's a two-way street. "

His eyes lingered on my fingers and then he reached his to mine and held onto my index finger gingerly. "Two-way street huh? Can you tell me what I want most in the world right now?" He held up my finger to his mouth but left a distance.

I could feel a pull but it was uncertain. "I can't read your mind, idiot. I just know if you are happy, sad, scared, and so on."

He smiled softly; softer than I had ever felt his lips could curve. He pressed my finger to his lips then slowly opened his mouth and took it within his lips. His tongue grazed it teasingly and he bit it softly. My body exploded and his eyes flew open. With the greatest fire he took me into his arms and threw my legs under his arms. Before I could blink we were beside the lilac bush. His eyes sank into mine and the world glistened and faded away, leaving only the smell of lilac.

"I hate to ruin the work you just did…" I paused and then with one quick (and can I say super-sexy) move, I ripped open my dress revealing my lacy slip underneath.

His laugh settled into a soft moan and he ran his hands from behind the nape of my neck to my collarbone and traced down the crease of my ribs to my hipbones. My body shivered and I laughed a small squeak of embarrassment. He face jumped to mine and his hands joined his gaze, resting upon my cheek. "Don't be embarrassed Zoey. I am yours, I will do quite literally anything you ask."

One of my hands cupped his hand upon my face while the other was content on continuing our conversation. It ran down his arm and up his shoulder and began working upon unbuttoning his shirt. "Buttons are becoming a little annoying…" I breathed.

Stark laughed and then quickly wrenched his shirt off over his head. "Again, I am in your service. Buttons are no longer on the list of my warrior outfits." He paused and looked down at his jeans. "Though, buttonless jeans are a little dorky."

"Please keep those on the uniform!" I laughed as I pulled his bare chest onto my own.

He kissed my shoulder gently and ran his tongue down my arm to my elbow and bit it gently. I tried to stifle the moan. He matched mine and stayed planted at the valley of my elbow crease. I grasped the ground to centre myself but instead I grabbed a thorny branch. "Ow!" I cried dropping the branch as blood arose from the wound.

Stark flew upward and stood in a defensive stance. "What! What has hurt you? It wasn't me, was it?"

"Oh no, I just grabbed a thorny branch." I sat up staring down at my scratched hand, wondering if it matched my face.

Starks eyes focused and I saw a quick flash of crimson behind them.