Loved (House of Night Other World #1)(86)

Kevin was different. He seemed less in shock and more in control. Grandma, Stark, and I waited outside the basement room we’d assigned to him. When he finally emerged, hair wet and sticking up crazily, face freshly scrubbed, wearing a pair of Stark’s old jeans and a T-shirt that said oklahoma is ok in bold letters across it, I could hardly breathe. I could still see the cute, kinda annoying little brother I used to torment, but he was so grown up.

“You look better,” Grandma said, reaching up to pat his cheek.

He grinned at her. “You didn’t bring any of your lavender and chocolate chip cookies, did you?”

I spoke without thinking, my big-sister-ness taking over automatically. “Jeesh, you’re such a garbage can.”

“So you’ve always said, Zo.”

My heart hurt when he called me that. In my world, Heath Luck, my grade school and high school sweetheart, had been the only person to ever call me Zo. Heath was dead and no one had called me that for almost a year.

“Of course I brought cookies. There might even be some left. I’ll get them.”

“We’ll be in the dining hall. I imagine you’d like to eat more than just cookies, right?” said Stark.

“Right you are,” Other Kevin said.

“I shall meet you there. With my cookies.” And like he did it every day, Other Kevin bent down so Grandma could kiss his cheek before she hurried away, humming happily to herself.

“You got really tall,” I managed to say with a smile.

“Thanks. Our tattoos look a lot alike.”

“Right? It’s weird,” I said.

“And you have a bunch more of them than I do. Did an artist do that, or did Nyx?”

“Nyx did it,” I said as Stark and I led Other Kevin from the basement up through our House of Night. “There was a time when a new tattoo from Nyx was the only way I knew I wasn’t totally messing everything up.”

“I can understand that. Wish she’d give me some tattoos when I did something right.”

“Dude, be careful what you wish for,” Stark said.

It was Saturday, so I didn’t have to call classes, and fledglings swarmed the corridors, nodding respectfully at Stark and me and sending Other Kevin curious looks. They were also outside in the courtyard. A big group of the art students, humans and fledglings, were in the process of building an elaborate snow castle. I saw the shock pass over Other Kevin’s face when he realized that, yes, there really were human kids out there playing with fledglings.

“Things are very different here,” he said.

“So we’ve heard,” I said.

“You’re a priestess.”

“Kev, she’s our High Priestess, and the Leader of the North American Vampyre High Council,” Stark corrected him. “And she has affinities for all five elements.”

“Jeesh, Zo, that’s freaking cool.” He grinned cheekily at me. “Good thing there’s no math test to qualify for that job, huh?”

Stark frowned like he’d insulted me, but I laughed. “Right? Or a parallel-parking test.”

“That would’ve been a major fail,” he said.

“The dining hall’s through here,” I pointed to the stairway that led up.

“Yeah, I know. Some things are the same in both worlds. Uh, are you sure it’s okay for me to go up there? It’s mostly off-limits to everyone but Neferet’s elite.” Other Kevin paused when we reached the polished wooden door.

“Stark’s telling you the truth. I really am the High Priestess here. If I say it’s okay—it’s okay.”

“Oh, I didn’t think he was lying. I just thought, you know, that I might be completely insane and my break with reality transported me into a video game and if I open that door there will be a Balrog behind it who will eat me.”

“So, there’s Lord of the Rings in your world?” I asked.

Other Kevin looked at me like I was the crazy person. “Of course.”

“Oh, yeah, of course.” Stark muttered.

When Kev still hesitated I gave him a question-mark look.

“Marc and Dave—are they getting something to eat, too?” he asked.

“Absolutely,” I said. “You don’t need to worry about them. They’re totally being taken care of. So are the red fledglings that came from your world.”

“Pinky swear?” he looked at me with ten-year-old Kevin’s eyes.

I held up my pinky for him to hook with his own. “Pinky swear.”

“Okay, then. I am starving.” We headed up the stairs and to our booth while Other Kevin’s gaze never stayed still. “This place is cool. Is there a menu? Or a buffet or something?” he asked.

“Not tonight. But just tell them what you want and they’ll make it,” I said.

“Anything?”

“Well, yeah, within reason,” I said.

The priestess appeared at our table and Other Kevin said, “I’d like macaroni, cheese, and sleaze, please.”

I burst out laughing at the waitress’ expression.

Between rolls of giggles I managed, “Tell the chef to do the special mac and cheese he does for me. The one with cream of mushroom soup, peas, and tuna added to it. And he’ll also take a brown pop. Not diet.”