Disclaimer: All original characters from the House of Night books belong to P.C and Kristin Cast but the storyline and new characters belong to myself.
My Version of Burned
Chapter 16
Stark's POV
"Zoey Redbird?" I whispered, getting down in the proposal position and staring into her watering eyes, "Will you marry me?"
The reaction I got to my question was nowhere near the reaction I was actually expecting.
I was expecting her to say yes, obviously, and maybe smile a little then ask me if I thought we were moving too fast, if it was the right time and if I was sure that this was what I wanted. I got much better than that.
At first, she was speechless. She just kept staring at me until her eyes eventually dried up and she collapsed into my arms.
"Zoey?" I asked her worriedly, "What's the matter?" She didn't answer my question though, she just started crying all over again.
"Are you upset because you don't think of me that way or you don't like my past or you think I'll boss you around or...or..." She cut me off by putting her delicate finger to my lips and speaking through her over-flowing tears.
"I don't care what you've been through or where you've come from, I love you more than anything and I'm yours forever."
When she said that, my own eyes filled with tears and I went back to staring at her beautiful face.
She loved me.
"I'm assuming that's a yes?" I asked her, slightly unsure but still smiling her favourite cocky smile through my tears. She nodded and wrapped her arms around my neck, smiling the most adorable smile which lit up her whole face.
Cupping her tear-stained cheek gently, I brought her lips to mine, softly kissing her. In the usual circumstances, she would react by kissing me more eagerly than I was, but this time she kissed me more gently than I had to her, more sensuously. I stood and picked her up, making a move to walk inside the house, as she wrapped her legs around my waist and leant her head on my shoulder.
"Wait..." She whispered, confusion showing up on her face, "Whose house is this?"
"Ours." I confessed, melting as a perfect little joyous and surprised expression appeared in her features.
"I love you!" She squealed loudly and then before placing her head back on my shoulder, she kissed me enthusiastically for a few seconds.
I couldn't believe how cute she was; it was only a house, bless her.
When we reached the master bedroom, I heard Zoey's intake of breath. I could tell that she loved it, just as I suspected she would.
Carefully, I laid her on the bed and held my weight over her as I watched her assess the room.
The walls were a creamy-white, sea-foam colour and there were planks of polished, light-coloured wood as the floor. There was barely any furniture cluttering up the beautiful room, just a king-size canopy bed in the middle of it with a cream-silk sheets and duvet.
On either sides of the bed were white bedside tables with vases of white roses on top of them and then the only other furniture was the wooden wardrobe and chest of drawers on either side of the archway door.
I hadn't noticed until I carried Zoey into that room that when Aphrodite had had the furniture delivered, she had thrown a load of white rose petals on the bed. They made Zoey look all the more stunning when they mixed with her hair. When the petals mixed with her hair that is, not the furniture.
We didn't do what you would think couples did on their engagement night.
Zoey and I just lay in between the comfortable sheets and cover, hands entwined. Zoey was just in her bra and panties but I was still in my jeans (no shirt) in case I had to get out of the bed in the night suddenly. Like if my Zoey, my fiancée, was in danger and we needed to leave quickly.
I don't think I slept at all that night.
All I did was lay there and once in a while I would turn my head and smile gently at Zoey's sweet face.
Because I had proposed to her in the very early morning, about 3am – don't even ask how a clinic would be open at that time for Zoey's ultrasound – (so that the candles would show up more than if it was daytime and so that we didn't burn up either), we had the whole day (day for humans, night for vampyres) to just lay together and talk.
If Zoey wanted to talk that was.
When she finally drifted off, I got up off the bed, careful not to pull the duvet off her, and went to close the big drapes covering the massive window.
I didn't mention it before but our bedroom had the most beautiful view of the countryside. Right behind our bed, covering the whole wall was a huge window with easy to shut drapes so neither of us would burn up and Zoey wouldn't hurt her eyes either.
As I climbed back into bed, I started paying more attention to Zoey's delicate features. Her perfect hazel eyes; her Cherokee nose; her soft lips, so gentle to touch. Without realising it, I lifted my finger to her sleeping face and gently caressed her lips, causing her to stir.
I froze as she lifted her arms up above her head and sighed. I couldn't believe how lucky I was. Most people in the position which Zoey was in would look completely stupid but I couldn't image her looking more beautiful.
After focusing so hard on her face, my gaze travelled up to her clenched hand. Carefully, I removed her fingers from the tight hold they were in and took the white velvet box from the beside table where I left it. Careful not to disturb her, I slid the simple Cherokee gold ring onto her long finger. Surprisingly, she woke up from that one small touch, blinking her unusually big eyes.
Unusually big, scared looking eyes.
A/N: IMPORTANT A/N- I know that I said at the beginning I would be updating everyday but I'm getting towards the part where I actually have to start writing and not just re-editing so the rest of the chapters in this story probably won't be updated the day after but they might be if you're lucky;) hope you like it so far and I'm sorry I won't be updating everyday anymore! - old A/N once again, so just saying, from here onwards, my writing may get better, or more likely worse, because I haven't written in so long and this chapter was pre-written, so I hope you still love me :'(
Favourite line? /lydia xox
