Chosen (House of Night #3)(17)

Erik grunted.

My mind felt like a bunch of gerbils were zooming around in big wheels inside it, but I made my voice sound light and kidding. "Erik, are you jealous of Loren?"

"No." Erik looked at me, looked away, and then met my eyes again. "Yes. Okay, maybe."

"Don't be. There's no reason for you to be jealous. There's nothing going on between me and him. Promise." I bumped my shoulder into his. And at that moment I meant it. It was stressful enough trying to figure out what I was going to do with Imprinted Heath. The last thing I needed was a secret affair with someone who was even more off limits than a human ex-boyfriend. (Sadly, it seemed like the last thing I need is usually the first thing I get.)

"He just doesn't feel right to me," Erik said.

We'd stopped in front of the girls' dorm and, still holding his hand, I turned to him and fluttered my lashes innocently. "So you felt up Loren, too?"

He scowled. "Not even vaguely a possibility." He pulled me to him and put his arm around me. "Sorry about getting all nuts about Blake. I know there's nothing going on with you two. I guess I was being jealous and stupid."

"You're not stupid, and I don't mind you being jealous. Or at least a little bit."

"You know I'm crazy about you, Z," he said as he bent and nuzzled my ear. "I wish it wasn't so late." I shivered. "Me, too." But I could see the sky starting to get light over his shoulder. Plus, I was exhausted. Between my birthday, my mom and step-loser, and my undead best friend, I really needed some alone time to think and a good solid night's (or in our case, day's) sleep. But that didn't stop me from snuggling into Erik. He kissed me on the top of my head and held me close. "Hey, have you figured out who's going to represent earth during the Full Moon Ritual?"

"No, not yet," I said. Crap. The Full Moon Ritual was in two nights and I'd been avoiding thinking about it. Replacing Stevie Rae would be gruesome enough if she was dead dead. Knowing that she's undead dead and hanging around the stinky alleys and nasty tunnels downtown made replacing her just plain depressing. Not to mention wrong.

"You know I'll do it. All you have to do is ask."

I tilted my head up to look at him. He was on the Prefect Council, along with the Twins, Damien, and, of course, me. I was Senior Prefect even though I'm technically a freshman and not a senior. Stevie Rae had been part of the council, too. And, no, I hadn't decided who should replace her. Actually, I had to Tap or choose two students for the council and I hadn't thought about that, either. God, I was stressed out. I drew a deep breath.

"Would you please represent earth in the circle for our Full Moon Ritual?"

"No problem, Z. But don't you think it might be a good idea if we had a practice circle casting before then?

With all the rest of you having an affinity for an element, or in your case all five elements, we better make sure everything goes smoothly when a non-gifted guy stands in."

"You're not exactly non-gifted."

"Well, I wasn't talking about my vast make-out skills."

I rolled my eyes. "Neither was I."

He pulled me closer so that my body was molded against him. "Guess I need to show you more of my talent." I giggled and he kissed me. I could still taste a hint of blood on his lip, which made the kiss even sweeter.

"Guess you two made up," Erin said.

"Looks more like a make-out than a makeup, Twin," Shaunee said. This time Erik and I didn't spring apart. We just sighed.

"There's no such thing as privacy at this school," Erik muttered.

"Hello! You're sucking face out here in plain sight," Erin said.

"I think it's kinda sweet," Jack said.

"That's because you're kinda sweet," Damien said, twining his arm through Jack's as they walked down the wide front stairs of the dorm.

"Twin, I may vomit. How about you?" Shaunee said.

"Definitely. As in projectile," Erin said.

"So this lovey-dovey stuff makes you two sick, huh?" Erik asked with an evil gleam in his eyes. I wondered what he was up to.

"Utterly nauseous," Erin said.

"Ditto," Shaunee agreed."

"Then you wouldn't be interested in what Cole and T. J. wanted me to pass along to you?"

"Cole Clifton?" Shaunee said.

"T. J. Hawkins?" Erin said.

"Yep and yep," Erik said.

I watched the twinly cynical Shaunee and Erin instantly change their negative attitudes.

"Cole is so fiiiine," Shaunee practically purred. "That blond hair of his and those naughty blue eyes make me want to spank him."

"T. J."-Erin fanned herself dramatically-"that boy can sing. And he's tall...Ooh, he's 50 damn fine."

"Does all this drama mean you two are actually interested in some lovey-dovey stuff?" Damien asked with a smug raise of his eyebrows.

"Yes, Queen Damien," Shaunee said, while Erin narrowed her eyes at him and nodded.

"So did you have something you wanted to pass along to the Twins from Cole and T. J.?" I prompted Erik before Damien could fire back at the Twins, which made me for the zillionth time miss Stevie Rae. She was a better peacekeeper than me.