"Company would be nice," I said lacing my fingers through his as we walked out the door. Stark looked content just to be in my presence but I could also see that he was troubled and alert after the meeting we had just finished. Those things were out there waiting for us and if my plan didn't work I didn't know what we would do about the situation. I only knew that Nyx would find a way.
"Zoey," he began and I realized that his troubled expression may not all be due to what was going on around us. "About this morning," he continued, "I didn't mean to pressure you into anything…"
I cut him off, "Stark you didn't pressure me into anything. I wanted it, all of it," I said meeting his eyes firmly. He met my gaze steadily and then moved closer kissing my lips softly. I pressed back allowing our kiss to deepen as his arms wrapped around me drawing me closer. He pulled back from the kiss, but kept me in his arms.
"Are you sure?" He asked raising an eyebrow and I knew he was confused about why I had chosen to go with Erik after the whole parent visitation mess rather than look for him.
I sighed, "I'm sure that I want you Stark, I'm also sure that you're supposed to be in my life, but Nyx has also stated that Erik is supposed to be in my life and that leaves me a little confused."
"Nyx?" he questions. His face was more curious than anything else and I could once again feel the connection between us. I knew she had chosen him too; the only problem was that once again Nyx wasn't being perfectly clear and I had a hunch that this was one of those things she was going to make me discover for myself.
"When she came to me earlier she told Erik that she had chosen Erik as one of my protectors and that basically his destiny was intertwined with mine," I said hoping he would understand.
He nodded, "I guess that makes sense," he said surprising me.
I was glad it made sense to him because I knew I was more than a little confused about the boy issues in my life.
He watched my confused face for several seconds smiling at my puzzled expression. "I don't know of one High Priestess in all of history who has only had one warrior, Zoey," he said laughing a little.
I grimaced. I already knew that, what I didn't know is what that meant for my relationships with them. I had feelings for both Erik and Stark and Nyx had commented on the love Erik had for me. I didn't know what that meant for me. Was I supposed to be with Erik? But I was definitely connected to Stark too.
My silent questions were broken as Starks lips found mine once more. He ran his tongue over my lips and I opened my mouth allowing him access. He gently explored my mouth and I allowed him to take control as his hands caressed my body. I wrapped my arms around his neck just hanging on as he moved from my mouth to my neck. He pushed me back and I felt my back rub against the rough bark of a tree. For a moment I wanted to check and make sure that the tree was not somehow possessed, but any concern I had was pushed from my mind as Stark moved lower nipping at my collarbone and the pulse points of my neck and chest.
"Zoey," he whispered looking up into my eyes and I was amazed at the looking of long and awe that filled his face. I slowly moved my hand from his hair and brought my nail up to my neck. I applied pressure gently but firmly never taking my eyes from his as I began spilling droplets of my own blood. He sniffed the air and then moaned with pleasure.
"Drink," I said simply guiding him to the spot on my neck that was now freely offering my blood. My head flew back and my back arched the moment his lips touched my body. Electricity began zooming through me and it felt as if a fire were burning within me, growing brighter ad stronger by the second. His arms took a tighter hold on me as he lifted me up so that my legs could easily wrap around his body. I moaned sensually rocking my hips against him as he continued to drink. I felt the pleasure building and once again I could see colors and shapes that should not have been there.
"Stark," I breathed heavily moaning once more. I never wanted it to end, but I knew all too soon it would. I felt him lick the cut a few more times and then to my astonishment he bit sinking his teeth into the flesh of my neck. I gave a little yelp but in seconds it turned into a blissful sigh. I continued to move against him my nails digging into his back breaking through the fabric of his shirt and into his skin. I could feel him moving against me now and knew that it was nearly over.
Ever so slowly he pulled back licking the bite marks tenderly so that the bleeding would stop and allowing me to collapse into his arms. My body was limp and exhausted, but I felt as if I were floating on a cloud surrounded by nothing but the weightlessness of the air and the wonder of the early dawn stars.
"Are you ok?" He asked concern filling his face when I didn't move but allowed him to hold me up. I wasn't sure I could move, or that I wanted to. Everything felt so good and his arms around me felt even better.
"I'm fine," I finally answered when he looked about ready to call for help. He kissed my lips and I moaned again when I tasted my blood on his lips. Blood. I really wanted blood. I sighed when he broke the kiss and realized that the sky was getting lighter by the second. "The suns almost up," I told him.
He nodded, but seemed reluctant to leave me.
"I'll be fine," I said assuringly. "I just need a minute to sit," I told him, "But you can't be caught in the sun."
"I know," he said softly as his lips found mine once more. The kiss was gentle and full of admiration as he pulled me into a tight embrace. "I'll come to you first thing in the morning," he told me cupping my cheek as he broke away from our kiss.
I nodded and in a flash he was gone. I stood there staring at the place he had been only moments before feeling more confused than I had even this morning. I knew I loved him, and I knew I cared deeply for Erik. And Heath? I growled. The damn imprint was still in place! I sighed again knowing that that was probably for the best. I didn't want to hurt Heath, but it seemed weird to me that Stark drinking my blood did nothing.
I leaned my head back against the tree closing my eyes as the sun came up over the horizon. I needed to get inside and the light and warmth were causing my skin to itch. I looked across campus towards the girl's dormitory and then back at the temple. I felt bad for what I was about to do, but I needed answers. I groaned, yawning as I pushed up from the soft grass and made my way back through the thick oak doors. I smiled shaking my head when I saw Neferet standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me. She was in an all black gown that was obviously for sleeping, but looked elegant enough to wear to dinner. She was holding a glass of blood and she raised an eyebrow as she reached out handing it to me.
"Thanks," I whispered taking the glass from her and sitting in one of the empty chairs.
She followed me sitting across from me silently stroking Skylar when he jumped into her lap purring softly.
I finished the blood feeling its power refreshing me as I did. The taste exploded through me and its warmth filled me up. It was delicious. I looked up at Neferet who was still watching me intently and sighed wondering where to begin. Luckily she saved me the trouble.
"That's twice in one day you have allowed him to drink form you," she said with an emotionless tone. I wondered whether she was upset or just trying to stay impassive. I also wondered how she had even known, especially about what had gone on with Stark this morning.
"I'm really confused Neferet," I began quietly. Her face softened a little and I felt my body relax. "I just keep going back between him and Erik. Nyx made it clear tonight that she chose Erik to be in my life and I have feelings for him, but I really have a strong connection to Stark too."
She smiled slightly while petting skylark absently. "Zoey it's perfectly natural for you to have relations with more than one warrior and I should have been explaining some of this to you long before now," she sighed and I felt like a child who was about to have the sex talk with her mother.
I felt myself blush, but pushed forward anyway. "But that's what I don't understand," I said slightly aggravated. "Erik said something about having human consorts and a vampyre mate. But more than one mate?" I asked. I looked into her eyes, "I just don't want to hurt either of them."
"You won't," she said gently. "And you won't have more than one mate. High Priestesses rarely marry or choose just one mate. Usually Nyx chooses the warriors that will be in a Priestesses life and more than likely you will have relations with each of them. There may be one you feel more of a connection to then another, but all will complete you."
I felt my eyebrows pull together. This really wasn't helping anything, because I still didn't know what to do. "Ok, how do I explain that to them?" I asked and she laughed the sound of it ringing like music through the air.
"In time they will just know that it is in their destiny," she said and I had to resist the urge to growl at her. She shook her head looking at me tenderly. "Zoey, you have to realize things are different for you than they are for others who have gone through this process. You are already a Priestess, and though you are still a fledgling you have powers and have gone through stages that are not usually seen until after a child makes it through the change. You have drawn both Erik and Stark to you and sense you are still a fledgling things are not happening in the proper order and are therefore going to be confusing."
"So you're saying that had I just been a regular priestess and training who had been Marked, that Stark and Erik wouldn't have been drawn to me until I made it through the change and it became obvious that it was their destiny?" I asked.
"Correct," she said beaming at me. "Once you make it through the change things will become much clearer."
I hoped that she was right, but I had to admit that it actually made sense.
"Zoey," Neferet said bringing my attention back to her. "I sense there is more that is troubling you. Is there something else you wanted to ask me?" She asked looking at me warmly.
I ran my fingers through my hair wondering how best to begin. "Stark has drank from me twice," I began. "He's drank from me twice and it didn't break my imprint with Heath either time," I said still trying to figure it out in my own mind. When it had been Loren the imprint had broken almost instantaneously. I felt more for Stark than I did for Loren so I couldn't figure out why it wasn't breaking.
Neferet was looking at me, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Zoey, two fledglings cannot imprint together, and neither can two vampyres."
"I know that, but I'm not…" I never finished my sentence. I tumbled to the floor doubling over in pain so intense I wanted to die. I knew I was screaming, but it was like I was hearing someone else, anyone else. I felt Neferet's arms wrap around me as she pulled me to her. I was still in the fetal position, but my head was now resting against her chest.
"Breathe, Zoey," Neferet instructed, but it felt like every breath was a struggle to get in. Was I dying? Was I rejecting the change? No that wasn't right. Nyx would not bring me through all of this just to have me reject the change. "Keep breathing," Neferet said again as I took a long painful breath in. I could feel tears streaming down my cheeks hot and wet, Neferet's hand rubbing slow circles over my back as she tried to take away some of the pain that was filling my entire body. And then slowly it subsided. I swallowed taking in slow steady breaths as Neferet lifted my chin to look at my face, "Niether can two vampyres," she said again as she met my eyes and I felt my imprint with Heath gently sever.
I stared at her in awe, "did I?" I questioned.
"You did," she said beaming at me as she wiped the tears from my face.
"What's going…" Natasha's voice sang out as she came down the stairs. She stopped looking at me and then she, too, smiled. "Congratulations, Zoey," She said brightly.
Neferet pulled me close once more hugging me. "It looks like we have a ceremony to perform. Awake the council," Neferet said to Natasha and then turned back to me allowing me to rest in her arms.
"I went through the change?" I questioned softly still stunned.
"You did," Neferet confirmed again. "I knew it was coming soon, your powers have been growing steadily along with your need for blood. It's just ironic that it happened in the middle of our conversation," She said pulling back and lifting my face. She tilted my head back and forth examining me, "amazing," she breathed.
"What is?" I asked suddenly remembering that when a fledgling went through the change that was when they gained their new Marks. My eyes widened with comprehension. My Marks were already there, which meant something had to have changed. Something was different.
Ok, so I'm not going to actually write out what the ceremony is. The next chapter will probably begin with her leaving the temple, just because I don't want to make something up for that and would rather find out what they really go through from the Cast's books. Anyway I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, let me know what you think!!! ;-)
