Stevie Rae's POV

I woke up the next morning to Zoey crying. I walked over to her bed to comfort her, but she was buried under blankets and wouldn't come out. I sat with her until her cries turned into sobs, and the sobs dissolved until they were gone. We sat in uncomfortable silence for a while. That is why it shocked me when Z piped up.

"It's going to be to late, you know." Her voice was flat and emotionless.

"Huh?" I asked stupidly, drawn from my thoughts.

"To late. It will be to late. For Stark. He won't wake up. Not in time," Zoey stated.

"Don't be like that, please, don't," I pleaded

"Be like what?" Zoey asked, perking her head up like she finally cared.

"So . . .so . . .hopeless. You never used to be like this," I explained.

"Honey, I gave up hope a long time ago," Zoey said. Wow. Harsh.

As if to prove her point, Stark coughed, an aching sound that hurt my heart more than my ears, which is saying something. As if to prove her point, again, Rephaim was still. Zoey must have noticed me looking at him.

"You love him, don't you?" she asked.

"Yes," I agreed without hesitation.

"But how? After everything he did to you, why don't you hate him?" Zoey questioned, puzzled.

"I can't explain it, but I think he kinda proved himself to be good." Why can't she just understand that I love him and drop it?

"Or maybe your the one that changed, not him," she challenged.

"You don't mean -" I started.

"-that you are bad." Zoey interrupted.

"How can you -" I tried again.

"- evil, insane, or Hag-from-Hell-like." she went on.

"Don't compare me to Neferet and Aphrodite! I'm nothing like them! I'm good! I'm your friend! I'm the same old Stevie Rae!" I pleaded with her.

"Then prove it. Leave Rephaim and never talk to him again."

"Zoey, I can't do that."

"Then leave," she said.

"But I need to help them," I tried.

"Like you said," Zoey reasoned out. "Rephraim will eventually wake up, and what can we do to help Stark?"

I mumbled an answer to Zoey.

"What?" she asked.

"I said that Stark needs blood."

"Fine. You helped. Now go," she commanded.

"How do I know you won't hurt Rephaim?" I asked.

"You don't."

"Fine," I said.

"Fine," she said. "Go."

"But Zoey -" I said.

"GO!" she screamed. I could hear the power behind her voice and did as she said.

I left.

Zoey's POV

The second Stevie Rae left I felt bad. I glanced at Stark and was surprised that he was awake. I remembered what Stevie Rae said and that he needed blood.

"Zoey?" Stark mumbled. I wouldn't have heard him if I hadn't been looking at him.

I knealed down next to him, and whispered, "It's going to be okay. I won't let you die. Not again."

He nodded, and said, "Don't worry about me."

"But I can't help it!" I cried. "I love you! I can't lose you! Not again!"

"Hey, don't cry," Stark said, his face portraying more emotion than it had in days.

"This time, I will save you. I promise." Or at least, I hoped. No, I told myself. Don't think like that. Stark will be okay, Stark will be okay, Stark will be okay. I wished that thinking it would make it true.

No more feeling bad for myself. No more being helpless.

Just as I thought that, Aphrodite, of all people, walked into my room.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. Aphrodite was a fledging, was, and then was turned human when we (my group, referred to by Aphrodite as the Nerd Herd.) saved Stevie Rae from herself, or Neferet, or whatever. And yes, it is as confusing as it sounds.

"I had a vision. We need to talk." Aphrodite definatly didn't beat around the bush. And, again, yes. Although Aphrodite was turned human, she is a "special" human, as Nyx likes to say. Nyx still looks over Aphrodite, and has continued to let her keep her gift of Visions.

"I can't leave Stark alone, he might get worse."

"Ya," Aphrodite said. "Well, if you don't come with me for ten minutes, he will die, for sure, and so will you."