Loved (House of Night Other World #1)(97)

“Kev, do you know Heath Luck?”

He tipped his head to the side and actually grinned at me. “You mean your grade school and high school sweetheart, quarterback, and all-around studly guy, Heath Luck?”

“Yes. You know that’s who I mean,” I said, trying to pretend my hot face was beet red from embarrassment and not from the racing of my heart and the fluttering of my stomach.

“Of course I know him.” Then Kevin looked closer at me. “Wait, is he dead in this world?”

I nodded, not trusting my voice.

“Oh, Zo. I’m so sorry. He’s totally fine in my world. Completely alive. In college playing OU football.”

“Even with a war going on?”

“Vamps love them some sports—especially football. It’s become like a weird hobby of theirs. So as long as you’re a jock or a cheerleader, or majoring in something else vamps in general—or Neferet in particular—think is important, or at least amusing, they leave you alone. Well, pretty much. Heath’s doing great.”

“That’s good. I’m glad. I’m really glad.”

“He was at your funeral. He was real broken up.”

I met Kevin’s eyes. “Don’t tell me anymore, ’kay?”

“’Kay. Anything for the birthmas girl.” He put me in a pretend headlock and started giving me noogies. “And I have your birthmas noogies right here.”

“OHMYGOD stop messing up my hair!” I was smacking him when Stark came into the room.

“Uh, we’re waiting for you two.”

“Good thing,” I said, trying to fix my totally screwed up hair. “I was just getting ready to go all Ninja Turtle on him.”

“Scared. I’m super scared.”

“Yep, she’s frightening when you mess with her hair,” Stark said.

The two of them giggled like little boys and I looped my arm through Other Kevin’s on my right, and Stark’s on my left. Then, off to see the wizard–like, the three of us headed for the SUV.



Zoey

Woodward Park was like the rest of midtown we’d driven through—completely deserted. It was still snowing. The flakes had gone from small and sparkly to heavy and lazy.

Just like the night before.

I stared out at the winter wonderland as we trudged through the park. It was like nothing bad had happened—like the snow had covered all of our mistakes and made things new again.

The thought held as we looked down on the spot that had caused so much to go wrong—and right—the night before.

Oh, my Goddess! How could it have all happened in only twenty-four hours?

In the distance I could see snowy mounds and the reflection of streetlights off of yellow crime-scene tape, and understood that the storm had made it impossible for the wreckage that the vampyres had caused to be cleared. From this far away it looked so benign—almost like toys children had abandoned because they’d been called from their play to get ready for bedtime.

Get your head in the game, Zoey! Tonight a mistake could hurt Kevin. I shook myself mentally and checked with Stark.

“Is it time?”

“Yep.” Stark went to Kevin and held out his hand. “It was really good to know you. I wish you could stay. Hey, when you see Other Stark and you want to get through to him, tell him William Chidsey would be ashamed that he’s working with Neferet. He won’t like it, but it will get through to him.”

“Who’s that?” Kev asked.

“He was my mentor, and a big part of my life. More importantly, he was a good man. A very good man. And no matter what world—I can’t believe he’d be for Neferet.”

“Thanks. I’ll remember. It was good to know you, too. Take care of our Zo, will ya?”

“Absolutely.”

Then Kevin pulled Stark in for a manly, back-slapping hug.

“I have to stay up here, like I did last night. I’m glad we met, too. Stay safe, okay?” Damien didn’t hold out his hand. He went straight for the hug, which Kevin returned.

“I’m glad Jack is with you. Don’t let him come back to our world. It’s not good for him there,” Kevin said.

“I won’t. He’ll stay here with me. Always,” Damien assured him.

Kevin turned to me. “I’m ready.”

“That wall is surrounding Neferet’s grotto,” I explained to Kevin as we made our way carefully down the snow-covered stairs.

He studied it curiously. “The grotto’s inside there?”

“Yep.”

“It’s smaller than I pictured it.”

“The Woodward Park Association told me it was a fox’s den.”

“Weird. It’d simplify things if I could just stuff her in there and seal her up.”

“Yeah, it sure would,” I said.

“Good luck with that,” Shaunee told him. “She’s a lot harder to stuff than you’d think.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Kevin muttered.

“Hey, you’re a resourceful guy. You’ll figure it out.” Aphrodite sent him a flirty grin.

Kevin lit up like a Christmas tree. “Well, Goddess of Love—if you say it, then I believe it is so.”