Something I could handle. Don't get me wrong, it still felt good. Really, really, seriously good. But good was tempered with what I can only describe as normal, and normal made it manageable. So when I felt strong and rejuvenated I was actually able to pull back. Close now, I thought, and licked the bleeding line on Heath's neck, automatically changing the endorphins in my saliva from coagulants to anticoagulants. I watched the bleeding stop and the small wound begin to knit together, leaving only a slim, pink line to betray to the world what had happened between us. My eyes lifted to meet Heath's gaze. Thank you, I said. Anytime, he said. I'll always be here for you, Zo. Good, because I'll always need you to remind me of who I really am. Heath kissed me. It was a gentle kiss, but it was deep and intimate and filled with a desire I knew he was holding back, waiting for me to be ready to finally say yes to him. Instead, I broke the kiss and snuggled into his arms. I felt him sigh, but his embrace didn't falter and he held me tightly. The sound of the door to the cafeteria swinging open made us both jump. Zoey, you really should get to the dorm. They're waiting for you, Stark said. Okay, yeah, I'm coming, I said, pulling out of Heath's arms and helping him put on his coat. I'd better find Darius and those guys and give them some awesome human help with stuff, Heath said. Like guilty kids, we walked together over to where Stark stood, expressionlessly holding the door open.

Stark. Heath nodded at him. Thanks for getting me to her. It's part of my job, Stark said sharply. Well, I think you deserve a raise, Heath told him with a grin, then he bent and gave me a quick kiss before telling me bye and hurrying toward the door that led to the central school grounds. It's not a part of my job I like, I heard Stark mutter as both of us watched Heath disappear outside. Like you said, guess we better get to the dorms, I said, starting to walk briskly down the hall that led to the exit nearest the dorms. Stark followed me--along with a very uncomfortable silence. So, he finally said, his voice sounding strained. That sucked. I spoke before thinking, and the ridiculous words seemed to babble out of my mouth of their own accord. Yep. Yep it did. Literally. Then, unbelievably, I giggled. Okay, in my defense, I was feeling amazingly good.

Heath's blood had made me feel better than I had since Kalona burst through the ground and messed up my life. It's not funny, Stark said. Sorry. It was a bad pun, I said, giggled again, and then clamped my lips shut. I'm going to pretend really hard that you're not all giggly and I didn't just feel everything you felt in there, Stark said in a strained voice. Even through my blood rush I understood that it must have been really hard on Stark to experience the intense pleasure another guy had just brought me, and to realize how close Heath and I actually are. I slid my arm through Stark's. At first he was cold and stiff, and barely responded, like I was trying to hold on to a statue, but as we continued walking he thawed and I felt him relax.

Just before he opened the door to the girls' dorm for me, I looked up at him and said, Thank you for being my Warrior. Thank you for making sure I'm strong, even though it hurt you. You're welcome, my lady. He smiled at me, but he looked old and really, really sad.

Chapter Twenty-seven

Do you want a brown pop, too? I called over my shoulder to Stark, who was waiting impatiently for me out in the very silent, very weird main room of the dorm. I say weird because it was silent, even though there were a bunch of fledglings, girls and guys, sitting in the clusters of chairs staring at the flat-screen TVs. Seriously. They just sat and stared. No talking. No laughing. Nothing. They did look up when Stark and I walked into the room.

Actually, I was semi-sure some of the kids sent us hateful glares, but they still didn't say anything. No, I'm fine. Just grab your pop and let's get upstairs, he said, already walking toward the stairway. Okay, okay. I'm coming. I just-- And I ran smack into a kid named Becca. Jeesh, sorry! I said, stepping back. I didn't see you 'cause I was-- Yeah, I know what you were doing. What you're always doing. You were checking out a guy. I frowned. I didn't know Becca very well. Except that she'd had a big crush on Erik. Oh, and I'd caught Stark biting and practically raping her--before he'd chosen good and sworn himself as my Warrior. Of course, Becca hadn't remembered the raping part. She'd only remembered the biting pleasure part, again thanks to the jerk Stark used to be. Still, that didn't give her permission to pop this ridiculous attitude on me.

But I didn't have time to get things right with her and, honestly, I didn't really care that she was a big, festering pile of I'm-jealous-of-Zoey. So I just made one of Aphrodite's unattractive snorting noises and walked around her and over to a fridge, opened it, and started my quest for brown pop. You did this, didn't you? You messed up everything. I sighed. I found my can of brown pop and turned around. If you mean, did I get rid of Kalona, who is not Erebus come to earth but really an evil fallen immortal, and chase away Neferet, who is not Nyx's High Priestess anymore but really an evil Tsi Sgili who wants to take over the world, then yes. Yes, with the help of some friends I did that. Why do you think you know everything? I definitely don't know everything. If I did, I'd know why you still can't see that Kalona and Neferet and the Raven Mockers are evil, even after they killed Professor Anastasia.