I guess it leaves us Imprinted and annoyed. Heath didn't say anything. He just watched me with that sweet, sad, familiar look that said more about how badly I was hurting him than a dozen screaming matches between us would have. He was breaking my heart. Heath, I'm so sorry. I just . . . I just . . . My voice broke and I tried again. I just don't know what to do about a lot of things right now. I do. Heath sat down on the bench and held out his arms to me. Zo, come here. I shook my head. Heath, I can't-- I'm not asking anything from you, he interrupted firmly. I'm giving you something. Come here. When I just looked at him in confusion he sighed, reached up, took my hands, and gently drew my stiff but unresisting body to his lap and into his arms. He held me, resting his cheek on top of my head, like he'd been doing since he'd gotten bigger than me somewhere around the eighth grade.

My face was pressed against the crook of his neck and I inhaled his scent. It was the fragrance of my childhood--of long summer nights sitting in the backyard by the mosquito zapper while we listened to music and talked--of after-game parties where I stayed snug within his arm as lots of girls (and guys for that matter) gushed about the great passes he'd thrown--of long good-night kisses and the passion that came with discovering love. And I realized suddenly that while I'd been breathing in familiarity and security, I'd also been relaxing. With a sigh, I curled into him. Better? Heath murmured. Better, I said. Heath, I really don't know-- Don't! His arms tightened around me and then gentled again.

Right now don't worry about me or Erik or that new guy. Right now just remember us. Remember what it's been like between us for years. I'm here for you, Zo. Through all the crap that I can't really understand, I'm here. And we belong to each other. My blood says so. Why? I asked, still cradled in his arms. Why are you still here, still willing to be with me even when you know about Erik and Stark? Because I love you, he said simply. I've loved you for as long as I can remember, and I'm going to love you for the rest of my life. Tears stung my eyes and I blinked hard, trying not to cry. But Heath, Stark's not going to go away. And I don't really know what I'm going to do about Erik. I know. I drew a deep breath and on the exhale said, And inside of me there's a connection with Kalona that I can't help. But you said no to him and chased him away. I did, but I--I have memories that are stuck in my soul, and they have to do with who I was in a different lifetime, and during that lifetime I was with Kalona. Instead of asking me a zillion questions, or pulling away from me, his arms tightened around me.

It's going to be okay, he said, sounding like he really meant it. You're going to figure all of this out. I don't see how. I don't even know what to do about you. There isn't anything to do about me. I'm with you. That's it. He paused and then added quickly, like he wanted to get the words out of his mouth, If I have to share you with the vampyres, I will. Still in his arms, I leaned back so I could meet his gaze. Heath, you are entirely too jealous for me to believe it's okay with you if I'm with another guy. I didn't say it's okay with me. I definitely won't like it, but I don't want to be without you, Zoey. That's just too weird, I said.

He took my chin in his hand when I tried to look away from him. Yeah, it's weird. But the truth is, as long as we're Imprinted I know I have something with you no one else has. I can give you something none of those big, bad Dracula-wannabes can ever touch. I can give you something that even an immortal can't touch. I stared at him. Heath's eyes were bright with tears. He looked so much older than eighteen that it almost scared me. I don't want to make you sad, I said. I don't want to mess up your life. Then stop trying to send me away from you. We belong together. Okay, I realize it was wrong of me, but instead of answering him and arguing that us being together just couldn't work, I curled up in his arms and let him hold me.

Yeah, it was selfish of me, but I lost myself in Heath and the touch of my past. The way he held me was perfect. He didn't try to make out with me. He didn't grope me, or grind against me. He didn't try to feel me up. He didn't even offer to cut himself and let me drink his blood, which would have automatically let loose a passion between us that would burn both of us out of control. Heath held me gently and murmured how much he loved me. He told me everything really would be okay. I could feel his heartbeat against me. I could sense the rich, enticing blood that was there, so warm and so close, but just then what I needed even more than his Imprinted blood was familiarity, our joined past, and the strength of his understanding.

And that's the moment Heath Luck, my high school sweetheart, truly became my consort.