"I think you should start by paying special attention to Stark," Damien said.

"Or at least she should be on her guard around him," Erik said. "The poem does mention being cut, and right now that's way more than a poetic metaphor."

I listened while Damien semi-agreed with him and I looked away from Erik's penetrating gaze and right into Heath's sad brown eyes.

"Let me guess. Stark's another guy, isn't he?" Heath said.

When I didn't answer, he took a long drink from the bottle of wine.

"Well, uh, yeah, Heath," Jack said, sitting next to Heath on the bed and looking concerned. "Stark is a fledgling who, I guess, was kinda a friend of Zoey's before he died and then un- died. He was a new kid, so none of us had gotten to know him very well."

"But you knew things about him no one else did. Like that his gift from Nyx was that he never missed any mark he aimed at, right?" Damien said.

"Yeah. I knew stuff about him no one else knew, except Neferet and the professors," I said, trying not to watch Heath guzzle down the bottle of wine and avoiding Erik's sharp gaze.

"I didn't know that about his gift, and I'm a professor," Erik said.

I closed my eyes and leaned heavily back on the pillow. "Then maybe that was more info Neferet kept to herself," I said wearily.

"So why would he tell you about something that was top secret?" Erik said.

Annoyed that he sounded like he was interrogating me, I didn't say anything, and against my closed eyes I easily recalled the image of Stark's cute, cocky half smile and how I'd felt a sudden connection with him and even kissed him as he died in my arms.

"Well, let's s:

As my friends--well, all of them except for my "consort" and my possible "mate"--mumbled apologies, I kept my eyes closed and wondered just how badly I wanted to get all healed up, because it seemed, once again, I found myself in a "situation" that involved three guys. And that wasn't even counting Kalona.

Well, hell...

Chapter Sixteen

Thankfully, Stevie Rae's return stopped all of the Stark speculation.

"'Kay. I'm supposed to tell Erik to carry Zoey. The rest of you stay close. Darius is right outside in the parking lot," Stevie Rae said.

"But we can't all fit in Heath's truck," I said, forcing my heavy eyelids to open.

"You won't have to. We found something that'll work better," Stevie Rae said. Before I could ask any questions she hurried on. "And Darius also said Z should bite Heath again for one fast suck before you head out. He said she ought to be gettin' real weak about now."

"That's okay. I'm fine. Let's just go," I said quickly. Yes, I felt like utter poop. No, I didn't want to bite Heath again. Well, I didn't mean I really didn't want to. I meant I really didn't think I should, especially with him being pissed at me just then.

"Just do it," Heath said. Suddenly he was there beside me, still holding the bottle of wine in one hand. He didn't even look at me. Instead he focused his attention on Erik. "So cut me." He held out his arm to Erik.

"My plea sure," Erik said.

"No. I'm not okay with this," I continued to protest.

In one blindingly quick movement Erik slashed Heath's forearm, and the scent of his blood hit me. I closed my eyes against the spike of desire and need that was driving into me with every breath I inhaled. I was gently jostled and then Heath's strong, warm thigh was again my pillow. He wrapped his arm around me so that his cut arm was just under my nose. I opened my eyes then and, ignoring the need that was screaming through my body, I looked up at Heath. He was staring across the room at nothing.

"Heath," I said. "I can't take anything from you you're not willing to give me."

He looked down at me and I saw several emotions cross his expressive face, the foremost of which was a terrible sadness. In a voice that sounded almost as weary as I felt, he said, "There's nothing I'm not willing to give you, Zo. When are you going to understand that? I'm just wishing you would leave me with a little pride."

His words broke my heart. "I love you, Heath. You know that."

His expression softened into a slight smile. "It's good to hear you say it." Then he looked from me to Erik. "Did you hear that, vamp? She loves me. And remember that no matter how big and bad you think you are, you'll never be able to do this for her." Heath lifted his arm so that the bloody slash Erik had made in it was pressed against my lips.