Tempted (House of Night #6)(13)

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.

Chapter Seven

Feeling like a total butthead, Stevie Rae slammed the abbey door and retreated into the icy night. She wasn't really pissed at Zoey, or at the super-nice, if slightly delusional, nun.

Actually, she wasn't pissed at anyone but herself. Dang it! I hate that I'm messin' this up! she yelled at herself. She hadn't meant to screw things up royally, but it seemed like she was diggin' through a pile of shit that just kept getting deeper and deeper no matter how fast she shoveled. Zoey wasn't a moron. She knew something was wrong. That was obvious, but how could Stevie Rae even start to tell her? There was just so much to explain. He was just so much to explain. And she'd never meant for any of it to happen. Especially not the Raven Mocker part. Dang it! Before she'd discovered him almost dead, she wouldn't have even thought it was possible.

Had someone told her about him before, she would have laughed and said, Nope, that ain't gonna happen! But it was possible because it had happened. He had happened. As Stevie Rae prowled around the silent abbey grounds looking for pain-in-the-butt Erik, who might very well discover this last, most terrible secret and really throw a wrench in the dang tractor motor, she tried to figure out just how the hell she'd gotten herself into such a gawd-awful mess. Why had she saved him? Why hadn't she just hollered for Dallas and the rest of 'em, and had them finish it? That had even been what he'd said he wanted before he passed out. But he'd spoken.

He'd sounded so human. And she hadn't been able to kill him. Erik! Where the heck was he? Erik, come here! She paused her internal battle and called into the night. Night? Stevie Rae squinted to the east and swore she could see the darkness there beginning to turn the ripe plum color of predawn. Erik! Time to report in! Stevie Rae yelled for the third time. She stopped and peered around the silent abbey grounds. Stevie Rae's gaze slid over to the green house that had been turned into a temporary stable for the horses Z and the rest of the gang had ridden in their escape from the House of Night. But it wasn't so much the green house that drew her gaze. It was the innocent-looking equipment shed next to it that she couldn't quit staring at. The shed appeared totally normal--just an add-on building with no windows. The door hadn't even been locked.