Chapter 5
Stark
Thunk! Thunk! In the same way that Zoey brushed her horse when she needed to think, he shot at a target. What was he going to do? Zoey…pregnant. It didn't seem to add up.
His High Priestess didn't need any more trouble. Being the first fledgling with tattoos was bad. Being the first vampyre with extended tattoos was worse. Being the only vampyre ever to have an affinity for all five elements was just topping on that cake. But now this? Being the first biological vampyre mother. A teenage vampyre mother. Who it sounded like was going to have triplets.
And he hadn't even begun to touch on the aspect of what this would mean for himself. He was going to be a father. Unless…no, he was sure there wasn't another mate for Zoey. It was going to be him.
Behind him, a twig snapped. He froze. Who was it? Then a thump and a grunt. He whirled around. There was Zoey, lying on her back. An arrow had pierced her and she was bleeding. A lot. Shit! he thought. Where did my last arrow go? But he already knew. He had been thinking of Zoey. It was his arrow.
"Stark?" Zoey looked up at him weakly.
"Oh my goddess, Zoey. I am so sorry. I shouldn't have-I mean, I didn't mean to-"
"It's okay, Stark. I just need you to go get Darius for me. Tell him to bring a first aid kit. And then go find Stevie Rae. Then run like hell back to me. I need you. You're my warrior. I love you." Stark's heart constricted. She was so innocent. This girl who would be carrying his baby. Why did pain always come to her? As Stark stood up to go, Zoey gasped and again he was down by her side. "Scratch that," she said. "Ah hell, this hurts. Stark, you can't leave. I can't have you go. Air, come to me." The next second, he felt a slight breeze down his neck. "Get Damien. Tell him that I need him to come to me and to bring Darius, Stevie Rae, and a first aid kit." As air left, Zoey gasped again.
"Zoey! It's okay," said Stark. "Everything's going to be fine. You'll make it through this!" He touched her cheek. "You always do." He stared into her eyes, reflecting love for love, pain for pain.
"Stark?"
"I'm right here, Zoey."
"Stark, how bad is it? Be honest." Her eyes were glistening with tears.
"Zoey. I told you. You're going to be fine."
"That's not what I want to know." She rolled her eyes. "I'd look if I could but-" she took in a sharp breath "-I can't really. So I need you to tell me how bad it is."
"Okay," he said. He looked. It was similar to the time when he shot Stevie Rae, because the ground was soaked. With blood. Her blood.