Hi everybody! It's me again! Just letting you know that i'm going to be posting a 'my dream house of night cast' film on youtube. it's gonna be one of my first videos ever, so don't hate it too much. and if you are a huge fan like me, you've probably seen a million at this point. but anyway, who would you prefer as grandma: Meryl Streep (with hair like from Devil Wears Prada) or Hellen Mirren?

Chapter 6

Zoey

I followed the sound of arrows hitting targets. I knew it was Stark, because there was a steady rhythm to it. There he was, strong and powerful as he effortlessly shot arrow after arrow. Yet it was clear he was distracted. I stood behind him, waiting for him to turn around. It was like he didn't notice me; he was so deep in his thoughts. Then, all of a sudden, an arrow came speeding toward me. It pierced me directly below my heart. Unable to hold myself up, I fell down with a grunt. Stark turned around. When he saw me, his eyes widened with shock. He ran over to me and knelt by my side.

"Stark?" I looked up at him. My voice rose in pain, so it came out as a question.

"Oh my goddess, Zoey. I am so sorry. I shouldn't have-I mean, I didn't mean to-" He looked terrified. I knew he hadn't meant to hit me.

"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." He looked pleased at that and also a little sad. He stood up. But as he was turning, the true pain of the arrow hit me. It felt like I was on fire. As soon as he heard my gasp of pain, Stark knelt back down. "Scratch that," I said. "Ah hell, this hurts. Stark, you can't leave. I can't have you go. Air, come to me." I didn't pause because I knew it would respond. "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, I gasped again.

"Zoey! It's okay," said Stark. "Everything's going to be fine. You'll make it through this!" He caressed my cheek. "You always do." He stared into my eyes and I could see love and pain as he looked at me.

A question was nagging at my mind. "Stark?"

"I'm right here, Zoey."

"Stark, how bad is it? Be honest." My vision was getting blurry.

"Zoey. I told you. You're going to be fine."

"That's not what I want to know." I rolled my eyes. "I'd look if I could but-" I took a breath sharply "-I can't really. So I need you to tell me how bad it is."

"Okay," he said. He looked toward my chest. I could see his eyes widen, so I knew it was bad. But then I saw something I didn't expect to see. At the very centers of his eyes, I could see a slight reddish tinge.

"Ah hell!" I said aloud. I'd forgotten how he hadn't had blood for several days.

"No!" he cried and he ran several feet away from me. I hadn't realized he had that much control over himself.

"Stark, please come back. I know it hurts you to have it there but-" again my words were cut off by my pain. This one was the worst by far. It didn't make me gasp, it made me yell. Luckily for me, Darius, Damien, and Stevie Rae ran up that moment. I yelled again.

"Oh my goddess, Zoey!" said Damien.

"We need to act fast. Damien, hand me the scissors. Stevie Rae, get out the gauze," said Darius as they crowded around me. He got the scissors and started cutting off my blood-soaked shirt. I heard Damien gasp and Stevie Rae swear.

"What is it?" I asked. "What's wrong?"

"What could it mean?" said Damien.

"We can speculate later. We have to get the arrow out first," said Darius. Then he noticed Stark. "Stevie Rae!" said Darius.

"I'm on it," said Stevie Rae. "Hey, Stark, don't you wanna go back to your room? It's getting late."

"No!" he roared. "I will stay with Zoey. I'm her Warrior, her Guardian."

"Stark, it's time for you to go now," said Stevie Rae.

"NO!" he cried and he ran to my side, his eyes back to normal. He took my hand. "I'm not going anywhere," he said to me, looking in my eyes.

"If you are going to be here, let us finish up quickly. You can help. Hold her down. Tightly. Stevie Rae, Damien, take some gauze and be ready to put it over the wound," said Darius, taking some gauze in his own hands. "I'm going to pull. When I say go, cover the wound. 1…2…3!" At 3, I felt pain in my chest; it was worse than before, like someone was pulling my heart out.