Chapter 3:

It was so hard for Aphrodite to accept the fact that Zoey wanted her and Erik. Would she ever be able to have her Priestess to herself again? It hadn't seemed so since that night. Zoey's always too busy or with Erik. Had she done something wrong? She didn't know, but she was going to find out. Lunch was probably the wrong time but she knew she probably would not catch her for the rest of the day. "Z, can we talk for a sec?"

"Sure, Aphrodite. I was going to come see you tonight, but I guess we can talk now. What's up, babe?" Zoey said as she finished chewing on her last few pieces of food.

"Am I still even your babe, Z? You've been awol or with Erik. It's like you don't have any time for me. Let me know how you really feel Zoey. Would you rather be Erik than with me?"

"Of you're still my girlfriend, Aphrodite but like you said, I have been busy. And I'm not always with Erik… most of the time I'm by myself. And no. I don't play favorites…why?"
"I really don't like the fact that I have to be connected to him."

Suddenly, Zoey realized why Aphrodite had not sought her out before now. Aphrodite would have hated to seem jealous of anyone because she wanted to be the one people were jealous of. She had always been, but now she had a reason to be jealous of Erik… because he got more quality time with Zoey. Aphrodite didn't like that. He knew that Erik was only with her for the physicality. "Aphrodite," Zoey said. "If it bothers you that much… I can get rid of him."

"But I don't want you to feel incomplete on my part. It wouldn't be right." Aphrodite said, for once with a sunken conscience.

"Trust me, baby. You are more than anything that I can handle." Zoey said with a small laugh.

"Are you sure you are willing to do this for me?"

"I'll do anything for you. Don't you know that?"

"I know it now."

"Don't forget it babe. By the way, I'll be stopping by your room later. Leave the door unlocked."

"You got it, Z."

Zoey left Aphrodite smiling and went to go find Erik and tell him that they were over…again and that she really was choosing Aphrodite over him. In retrospect, having both of them wasn't really a good choice to begin with. Why did Zoey think that she could handle both of them anyway? They were so different. Besides, she liked the way that Aphrodite liked to take control then give it back. Erik only ever took her self-control. Zoey found Erik in his bedroom talking to Damien about his extensive vocabulary and when to use certain words. Which was strange for him… Erik wasn't really good with words or at least, expressing them. Now, she had to express a few herself. "Erik, we need to talk." Zoey said in her most serious voice.

"What is it, Z?" Erik asked almost bouncing off the floor to greet her.

"It's about us…and Aphrodite." Zoey said, realizing now that it would be harder than she expected it to be when she first offered the proposition of breaking up with him to Aphrodite.

"What about it? Are you not cool with the arrangement?" Erik was getting nervous.

"It's not that I'm not cool with it. Aphrodite is beginning to get jealous because I am spending more time with you and not her."

"So, she'll get over it. She always does."

"See, Erik, the thing is. She shouldn't have to get over it. As she was my primary mate."

"A human wouldn't be a mate, she would be a consort." Damien inserted.

"Thanks, Damien, but nows not the time honey."

Damien turned away from the conversation still feeling the burn of Zoey's words. She hadn't meant them to be harsh but she just wasn't in the mood for everyone else adding their opinions into her situation. She had enough to deal without everyone juxtaposing their judgments.

"So, what are you saying, Z? Are you breaking up with me because of a seniority rule?" Erik asked, beginning to become infuriated at the way the conversation was turning.

"It's not just because of that. I love Aphrodite, Erik. If she can put up with having you around, respect her enough to dismiss yourself gracefully." Zoey told him. Aphrodite's attitude was beginning to rub off on her.

"Okay, Z. Seeing as you don't want me. I'll go." With that, Erik walked out of the room.

"Well, that was easy enough." Zoey thought.

Since what she needed to do was done, Zoey headed towards her own bedroom before she went to Aphrodite's. She knew she would be spending the night(morning) in there so she would need her overnight bag. On her way to her bedroom Zoey ran into the twins. On the other hand, I guess you could say that they ran into her.

"Z, it's Erik! He's going above ground! He kept saying something about not being needed!" Shaunee told her, practically in tears.

"What?! Why would he do that?!" "God, I hope this has nothing to do with me. I will never be whole again if it's my fault!"

Zoey changed her mind about the bag. Erik was more important at the moment. Zoey spent twenty looking for the sewer Erik used before she found it. When Zoey lifted it, the sun had almost risen. She had to find Erik quickly. She looked all over the roof of the tunnels. She went into the Depot, still no sign of him… until she went in and looked on the top of the Depot. Zoey didn't like what she found. Erik had killed himself. He slit his own throat and placed his body where he knew the sun would burn him.

Zoey dropped to his side… but could not stay long. When Zoey entered the tunnels again, everyone was waiting to see if she found Erik.

"He killed himself. He's dead."Zoey said completely in tears.

"What?! Why?!" everyone stammered their questions.

"It's because I broke up with him. He couldn't bear to lose me." At her sentence Zoey dropped to the floor, only to be hoisted up by Aphrodite. "Not here you don't, baby. Come with me." Aphrodite took Zoey back to her bedroom to console her. "Z, don't blame yourself. Erik's suicide was selfish on his part. He couldn't be happy for you without having you as his."

All Zoey could do was cry on Aphrodite's chest. She tried her best not to snot cry but she just couldn't help it. Erik wasn't just an ex-boyfriend, he was a really good friend. What would she do without him?