Tempted (House of Night #6)(5)

Stark nodded wearily. Really. Could you and Damien take Duch back to your room, and maybe bring her to see me again later? Absolutely! Jack said, and then he cleared his throat and continued. Yeah, like I said before. She hasn't been any problem. Good, Stark said. He lifted Duchess's muzzle in his hand and looked into the Lab's eyes. I'm okay now, pretty girl. You go with Jack so I can get all better. I knew it must have caused him agony, but Stark sat up then and bent to kiss Duchess and let the dog lick his face.

Good girl . . . that's my pretty girl . . . he whispered, and kissed her again and said, Go on with Jack now! Go on! and he motioned to Jack. After one last lick of Stark's face, and a single reluctant whimper, she turned from the bed and trotted to Jack's side, wagging her tail at him and nuzzling him in greeting while he wiped his eyes with one hand and petted her with the other. I'll take really good care of her and bring her back to see you as soon as the sun sets today. Okay? Stark managed a smile. Okay, thanks, Jack. Then he collapsed onto the pillows. He needs rest and quiet, Darius told all of us, and he continued to work over Stark. Zoey, perhaps you can help me get your grandma to her room? She, too, needs rest and quiet. It has been a long night for all of us, said Sister Mary Angela. Shifting my worry from Stark to Grandma, I looked back and forth between the two people I cared so much about. Stark caught my gaze. Hey, take care of your grandma. I can feel that the sun will be rising soon. I'm going to go out like a light about then. Well . . . okay.

I went over to the side of his bed and stood there awkwardly. What was I supposed to do? Kiss him? Squeeze his hand? Give him a thumbs-up and a dorky smile? I mean, he wasn't my official boyfriend, but he and I had a bond that went beyond just friends. Feeling confused and worried and basically out of my comfort zone, I put my hand on his shoulder and whispered, Thank you for saving my life. His eyes met mine and the rest of the room faded away. I'm always going to keep your heart safe, even if mine has to stop beating for that to happen, he told me softly. I bent and kissed his forehead, murmuring, Let's try not to let that happen, 'kay? Okay, he whispered.

I'll see you when the sun sets again, I told Stark before finally hurrying over to Grandma. Sister Mary Angela and I eased her to her feet, almost carrying her out of Stark's room and down a short hall to another hospital-like room. Grandma felt tiny and fragile under my supporting arm and my stomach twisted anew with worry for her. Stop fretting, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, she said as Sister Mary Angela propped pillows around her and helped make her comfortable. I'm going to get your pain medication, Sister Mary Angela told Grandma. I'm also going to be sure the blinds in Stark's room are closed and the drapes drawn tight, so you have a few minutes to chat, but when I come back I'll insist you take your pain pill and sleep.

You're a hard taskmistress, Mary Angela, Grandma said. It takes one to know one, Sylvia, said the nun. And she hurried from the room. Grandma smiled at me and patted the bed next to her. Come sit close to me, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya. I sat beside Grandma, tucking my legs up under me, trying to be careful not to jostle the bed too much. Her face was bruised and burned from the airbag that had saved her life. Part of her lip and her cheek had stitches darkening them.

She had a bandage on her head and her right arm was swathed in a scary-looking cast. Ironic, isn't it, that my wounds look so terrible, but they are far less painful and far-reaching than the invisible wounds inside of you, she said. I started to tell Grandma I was really okay, but her next words sliced through what was left of my denial. How long have you known you were the reincarnation of the maiden A-ya?

Chapter Four

I felt drawn to Kalona from the first second I saw him, I said slowly. I wouldn't lie to Grandma, but that didn't mean telling her the truth would be easy. But almost all the fledglings and even the vampyres were drawn to him--actually, it was like they were under some kind of spell he was able to cast. Grandma nodded. So I already heard from Stevie Rae. But it was different with you? More than just this magical allure he has? Yeah.

With me it wasn't so much that I was under his spell. I swallowed past the dryness in my throat. I wasn't tricked into thinking he was Erebus come to earth, and I knew he planned evil with Neferet. I saw his darkness. But I also wanted to be with him--not just because I believed he might still be able to choose to be good, but because I wanted him, even though I knew it was wrong. But you fought against that desire, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya.

You chose your own path, that of love and goodness and your Goddess, and thus the creature was banished. You chose love, she repeated slowly. Let that be balm to the wound he has rent in your soul. The tight, panicky feeling in my chest began to loosen. I can follow my own path, I said with more conviction than I'd felt since first realizing I was A-ya reincarnated. Then I frowned. There was no denying that she and I were connected. Call it essence or soul or spirit or whatever--it tied me to an immortal being as surely as the earth had imprisoned him for centuries. I'm not A- ya, I repeated more slowly, but I'm not through with Kalona.

What do I do, Grandma? Grandma took my hand in hers and squeezed. As you said, you follow your path. And right now that path is leading you to a soft, warm bed and a full day's sleep. One crisis at a time? One thing at a time, she said. And it's time you followed your own advice, Sylvia, Sister Mary Angela said as she bustled into the room with a Dixie cup of water in one hand and pills in another. Grandma smiled wearily up at the nun and took the medicine from her. I noticed that her hands were shaking as she placed the pills on her tongue and drank the water. Grandma, I'm going to let you rest now. I love you, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya. You did well today. I couldn't have done it without you.