Tempted (House of Night #6)(32)

No, he said firmly. You don't want to? Don't be insane! I want to, but I can't. We can't. Not right now. Look, you need my blood and my energy, or spirit, or whatever, to get better. I lifted my chin so he had a clear view of my jugular. So, go ahead. Bite me. I closed my eyes and held my breath. Stark laughed, which had my eyes popping open to see him chuckling while he clutched painfully at his chest, wheezed, and then laughed some more. I frowned at him. What is so funny? Stark managed to control himself enough to say, It's just that you look like something out of an old Dracula movie. You should be asking if I vant to suck yur blood. He made a creepy face and bared his teeth. I felt my cheeks burning and pulled away from him. Never mind. Forget I even mentioned it. Let's just go to sleep, 'kay? I started to roll over, but he caught my shoulder and turned me back to him.

Hang on, hang on--I'm messing this up. He was suddenly serious. Zoey. Stark touched my cheek. I'm not drinking from you, because I can't. Not because I don't want to. Yeah, I heard you before. I was still embarrassed and tried to turn my head, but he forced me to meet his gaze. Hey, I'm sorry. His voice had gone deep and sexy. I shouldn't have laughed at you. I should have just told you the truth, but I'm new to being a warrior. It's gonna take me a little while to get it right. His thumb caressed my cheekbone, following the line of my tattoos. I should have told you that the only thing I want more than a taste of your blood is to know that you're safe and strong. He kissed me. Plus, I don't need to drink from you, because I know that I'm going to be okay. He brushed his lips against mine. Want to know how I know that? Uh-huh, I murmured.

I know because your safety is my strength, Zoey. Go to sleep now. I'm here. He lay back, settling me against his side. Just before my eyes fluttered shut I whispered, If someone tries to wake me up, would you please kill them? Stark chuckled. Anything for you, my lady. Good. I closed my eyes and fell asleep with my Warrior holding me tightly and keeping me safe from dreams and ghosts of the past.

Chapter Fifteen

Aphrodite Seriously, g*y boys. Just go back to bed--together--eesh. I need my vamp for the rest of the night. Aphrodite was standing, arms crossed, just inside the door to the room Darius, Damien, Jack, and Duchess were sharing. She noted, with a vague sense of irritation, that Damien and Jack and Duchess were all curled up in one bed together. Sure, they reminded her of puppies, but it wasn't exactly fair that the penguins were cool with them sleeping together while at the same time they'd banished her to rooming with Zoey. Or at least they'd tried. What is it, Aphrodite? What's wrong? Darius hurried toward her, pulling a T-shirt over his completely gorgeous chest with one hand and slipping on his shoes with the other.

As usual, Darius had caught on before anyone else was fully functional--yet another reason why she'd fallen for him. Everything's fine. It's just that Zoey is sleeping with Stark. In our room. And I'm not cool with tagging along for that. So we're going to do a little roommate trading of our own. All is well with Zoey? Damien asked. My guess is that about now all is more than well with her, Aphrodite said. I didn't think Stark was up to, well, stuff, Jack said delicately. He looked sleepy, with tousled hair and puffy eyes; Aphrodite thought he was even more puppyish than usual, and really cute. Of course she'd gouge out her eyes before she admitted that out loud. He managed the steps up to our top-floor room, so I'm thinking he's on the mend. Oooh, Erik's not gonna like that, Jack said happily. There's gonna be some serious boyfriend drama tomorrow.

The drama's over in that department. Z dumped Erik earlier tonight. She did! Damien said. Yeah, and it's about time, too. His possessive crap had to go, Aphrodite said. And she's really okay? Damien asked. Aphrodite didn't like Damien's typically too-keen gaze. She absolutely was not going into the fact that Kalona had entered Zoey's dream, and that was why Stark was sleeping with her. She was also not going to talk about her vision--something she was happy to blame on Zoey, and definitely would in the future when Damien got pissed that she'd kept her mouth shut about it. So, to throw off Miss Nosy, she lifted one perfect brow and gave him her standard keep-them- guessing sneer. Who are you, her g*y mom? As Aphrodite knew it would, Damien's fur instantly ruffled. No, I'm her friend! Please. Yawn. Like we all don't know that.

Zoey. Is. Fine. Goddess, try giving her some breathing room. Damien frowned. I let her breathe. I was just worried about her, that's all. Where's Heath? Does he know about her breakup with Erik and that she's, well, sleeping with Stark? Jack finished the sentence in a stage whisper. Aphrodite rolled her eyes. I could care less where Heath is, and unless Z needs a snack I'm thinking she's probably not too interested in where he is, either. She's busy, she enunciated clearly. Aphrodite really didn't like hurting Damien and his girl/boyfriend Jack's feelings, but cutting them short was the only way to keep Damien out of her business, and that didn't even work 100 percent of the time. She turned to Darius, who was standing near her watching her closely with an expression that was a mixture of amusement and concern. Ready to go, handsome? Of course.

He looked back at Damien and Jack before he closed the door. I'll see you two at sunset. 'Kay! Jack trilled while Damien just looked long and hard at her. Out in the hall Aphrodite had only taken a couple of steps when Darius took her wrist and pulled her to a stop. Before she could say anything, he put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. You've had a vision, he said simply. Aphrodite felt her eyes fill with tears. She was totally, absolutely crazy about this big hulk of a guy who knew her so well, and who seemed to care so much about her. Yeah. Are you all right? You look pale and your eyes are still bloodshot. I'm okay, she said, although even to her own ears she didn't sound convincing. He folded her into his arms and she let him hold her, comforted beyond words by his strength. Was it as bad as last time? he asked.