Okay everyone there is only one more chapter left... I am almost sad to see this story end. But, please to be starting on Book 3 very soon. :D

I have to give thanks to my talented beta Kristine for making this entire story so much better. Thank you honey for everything.

"Zoey!" The Twins yelled in unison as they ran over to Zoey sandwiching her between them. They were talking non-stop about how she shouldn't have taken off in the storm and how they could feel her tapping into their affinities. Damien wrapped his arms around her and proceeded to tell her how worried he was and that he hoped Heath was okay.

My heart pounded harder in my chest. I wanted to just hold her in my arms. Even for a little moment, I wanted to know she was safe. As I grew impatient, I noticed the tall detective from earlier walking through the door. He had a weary look on his face as he watched everyone huddle around Zoey as if she was the latest attraction at the county fair.

With a gentle tap on Damien's shoulder, I silently asked him to release her. I pulled Zoey into my arms and nestled my head into her hair, trying to stay as calm as possible. I didn't want to show her what this was doing to me and how I was coming unglued by her mere presence. After realizing my true feelings for her, I knew everything was going to change for me, for us.

"I was so worried about you Z. Why didn't you come get me? I would have come with you, to help you. You shouldn't have had to do that alone. I was so scared that something happened to you. I was ready to steal the school's SUV to come find you. Please don't scare me like that again. Please promise me," I whispered in her ear. She was silent but nodded her head. I took a deep breath allowing her scent to fully engulf me as I gave her a tight squeeze hugging her closer to my body. She pulled at my shoulders before wrapping her arms around my neck. I could feel her body start to relax as I held her in a warm embrace. I kissed her lightly on the top of her head, silently telling her I loved her.

"Zoey, you gave us quite a scare," Neferet's voice was warm and loving as she came through the front door.

Zoey's body tensed up in my arms. I secretly wondered why she would be apprehensive towards Neferet. I could feel her take a deep breath against my chest and pull away from me. My initial reaction was to pull her back to me but something told me to let her go. So I did. I let her walk out of my arms as she slowly turned to face Neferet.

"I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to upset everyone," she said flashing an apologetic smile to everyone in the room.

"Well, I suppose there's no harm done, darling. We're all just so glad you're safely home," Neferet said softly. You could really tell she cared for her. It reminded me of how Zoey always told me about her mother before she remarried; about how kind and loving she was to her and her sister. In some ways, Neferet was her mother now, at least here at the House of Night.

"Well, Zoey is definitely our hero." The detective stepped forward to stand next to Neferet. "If she hadn't been tuned into that boy, she could have never called us to that depot in time to save him."

Neferet flashed Zoey an interesting expression and said that they would have to discuss that little problem later. I knew all too well what problem she was referring to, her imprint with Heath. I wonder if she never told her about their last encounter. Judging from the look she just gave her I would say no.

Neferet asked the detective if he found the person behind the kidnapping. He told her no but there was evidence of someone living down in the depot and that there would be plenty of evidence that the boys were killed down there.

The detective mentioned that Heath didn't even recall what had happened and blamed it on the trauma. He also said that Zoey gave a detailed description of a man living down in the depot and that they would catch him in no time.

"That's wonderful," Neferet said with a smile.

"Yeah, I've told Detective Marx a lot. My memory's really good," Zoey said, with an odd expression in her eyes.

"I'm proud of you, Zoeybird!" Neferet stepped closer to Zoey and put both her arms around her and pulled her into a warm, motherly embrace.

After a minute, Neferet stepped away with a smile on her face as she gazed down at Zoey.

"Neferet, would you please look at my back?" Zoey asked and I had a ping of fear that something actually happened to her. "It's important." Her eyes bore into Neferet's as she spoke.

"Zoey, I'm not sure what -" Neferet seemed worried about something.

Zoey let out a loud sigh. "Jeesh, just look," she huffed. She turned to the side with her back to Neferet and lifted the bottom of her sweatshirt.

I gasped at the newly formed tattoos that now graced her entire back. It was truly beautiful, with intricate designs that trailed the length of her spine. I could hear the 'oh's' and 'ah's' around me as we all gazed at her new markings.

"Z! Your Mark has spread," I said, laughing at the obvious statement. I lifted my hand and gently touched the new mark. As I grazed her skin, my eyes traced the elaborate patterns on her back.

"Wow, it's awesome," Shaunee said, breathless, behind me.

"Totally cool," Erin boasted.

"Spectacular," Damien said, as I continued to outline her back. "It's the same labyrinth pattern as your other Marks."

"Yeah, with the rune symbols spaced between the spirals," I said as my finger grazed the symbols. Zoey looked up at me with a smile on her face and pulled her sweatshirt down.

I made a mental note to try and see her tattoos again, soon.

"Congratulations, Zoey. I imagine this means that you continue to be special to your Goddess," the detective stated.

"Thanks. Thanks for everything tonight," she said softly.

He smiled and winked at Zoey before turning to Neferet and said his goodbyes before heading out the door.

"I am really tired. If it's okay, I'd like to go to bed," Zoey asked timidly.

"Yes, darling that would be just fine."

"And also I'd like to stop by Nyx's Temple on the way to the dorm, if that's okay with you," she asked and I wondered why she was deliberately asking these things. It was understandable that she just went through a great ordeal tonight and wanted to go to bed, but to ask to stop by the Temple knowing that we are allowed to go at any time day or night was odd.

Neferet agreed to her request. We all agreed as well knowing, that at one point or another, for all of us Nyx was present.

"I will thank Nyx, but there's really another reason I'm going to her temple," she paused for a moment and then continued. "I'm going to light an earth candle for Stevie Rae. I promised her I wouldn't forget her."

I shook my head knowing that, tragically, she did just die a little over twenty four hours ago. It seemed fitting because we weren't able to do anything last night. So lighting a candle for our dear Stevie Rae was perfect.

She walked towards Neferet. "Good night, Neferet," she said softly and went to give her a hug. Zoey stepped back from her and turned and walked toward us. Without stopping and in one step we were all walking out the door. I scooped up her hand in mine as we exited the building. I was shocked to see that the snow had finally stopped allowing the moonlight to peak out through the clouds illuminating our path.

As we walked the short distance to the temple, I felt a pull on my hand as Zoey stopped in front of the Goddess's statue.

"Here," she said firmly.

"Z?" I questioned. I was under the impression that she wanted to go inside.

"I want to put Stevie Rae's candle out here, at Nyx's feet."

"I'll get it for you," I said as I squeezed her hand and ran into the temple. I grabbed the green votive candle and lighter and ran out.

Zoey lit the candle and nestled it between Nyx's feet.

"I'm remembering you, Stevie Rae. Just like I promised," she said softly as a tear ran down her face.

"So am I," said Damien.

"Me, too," said Shaunee.

"Ditto," added Erin.

"I'm remembering, too," I said softly.

We were suddenly enveloped in with the scent of grassy meadows. I had only smelled that when I was around Stevie Rae when she was conjuring her element. It was as if she were here manifesting it for us now as we remember her. Tears ran down my face as I witnessed how one person could be so loved and touch so many lives. She will be missed.

I saw Zoey's eyes close as the wind whipped around us. I wrapped my arms around her pulling her next to my body as we walked away, still smelling the sweet scent.

She crumpled in my arms as we walked back to the girl's dorm room. Not wanting to let her go, I insisted on walking her up to her room. Just like yesterday, we each did our part in taking care of Zoey. I led her up to her room to change and possibly take a shower, while Erin and Shaunee got her something to eat and drink. Damien went with the twins, sensing that I wanted to be alone with her.

As we entered her room, it took me by surprise that Stevie Rae's stuff was still gone. I made a promise that tomorrow we would go down to storage and see what Zoey was allowed to keep.

I walked her over to her bed and pulled us both up against the headboard. She rested her head on my chest. I felt her shudder before taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh. I wrapped my other arm around her pulling her closer to me, she didn't resist as she wrapped her arm around my torso pulling her body closer. I didn't ask her what was wrong; I just held her because that was all I could do for her. It was what she needed. We sat together in a comfortable silence as I ran my hand through her hair.

I felt her relax as she continued to lay against me.

I said softly as I massaged her scalp, "I am so happy to have you in my arms right now…to know that you are safe. God Zoey, I don't know what I would done if something happened to you today."

I raked my fingers through her hair content to stay like this all night. The rules be damned.

"I'm so sorry, Erik"

"Please don't be sorry, not tonight. I know you have imprinted with Heath and I want to talk about that soon, but not tonight. I just want you in my arms, just like this," I said tenderly. I didn't want to have this difficult discussion about Heath and what we needed to do about the current situation. I wanted it to be just Zoey and me for tonight.

Thirty minutes later Damien and the Twins came in with food and brown pop to drink. We convinced her to take a shower and get out of the grimy sweatshirt.

After a hot shower and a half eaten sandwich she was yawning with every other word as she described what happened down in the depot. I thought she was a little too vague with the details, but I wasn't going to question what did or didn't happen. I was just happy she was telling me (us) anything.

"Well, it's time for us to go," Damien said, as he stood from Zoey's bed.

"I'm not leaving," I stated, holding her a little tighter in my arms. She nestled deeper into my chest and let out a soft sigh.

"But, won't you get in trouble?" he asked. I gave him a knowing look. The same look I gave him this morning when he was sneaking back in from the girl's dorm. He just nodded his head and said his goodnights. Erin and Shaunee did the same, leaving us to alone in her room.

It wasn't what I had pictured our first night together would be like. No, I wasn't thinking of sex. Okay, maybe I thought about it, but right now? Definitely not.

"You don't have to stay, Erik. I am capable of staying by myself," she mumbled against my chest.

"Zoey, I wasn't able to be here for you this past week, I wasn't able to be with you last night when you clearly needed me, and I wasn't able to help you today with Heath. So please, just let me help you this one time. Just let me be here for you." I let all the frustrations I have been dealing with flow freely. It felt good to let her know that I felt helpless, in so many words.

"I didn't know, I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be sorry, Zoey. I want to be here for you." She didn't say anything else that night. I toed off my shoes not wanting to get up from where I was. I scrunched down so that my head was now resting on her pillow as she mimicked my lateral move with her head still on my chest. I reached for the blanket at the foot of the bed and wrapped it around both our bodies. It was comforting to know that she was in my arms, safe and warm. Once we were both settled for the night, I turned off the lamp letting the room envelope us in darkness.

My hand ran up and down her back. I could feel her breath deepen as she slowly fell asleep.

We had so much to discuss but it would wait for another day.

I closed my eyes and allow my mind to drift off into a deep, dreamless sleep.