Marked - Chapter 24 Sporking

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

"That was truly the most prodigious circle-casting I've ever experienced!" Damien gushed after the circle had been closed and we were gathering up the candles and smudge stick.

Speshul Snowflake: 209

Look at that, Zoey casts circles better than the damn High Priestess herself. Is anyone honestly surprised? Because I’m not.

"I thought 'prodigious' meant 'big,' " Shaunee said.

"It also can show exciting wonder and can refer to something stupendous and monumental," Damien said.

"For once I'm not going to argue with you," Shaunee said, surprising everyone except Erin.

Because they share the same brain cell, you see.

 

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Marked - Chapter 25 Sporking

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The next day started with what I looked back on later as suspicious normalcy. Stevie Rae and I ate breakfast, still whispering good gossip about how hot Erik was and trying to figure out what I'd wear on our date Saturday. We didn't even see Aphrodite or the hag triplets, Warlike, Terrible, and Wasp.

You Judgemental Bastards: 189

Lay off; they haven’t done a thing to you!

Vamp Soc class was so interesting—we'd moved from the Amazons to learning about an ancient Greek vampyre festival called Correia—that I'd stopped thinking about the Dark Daughters ritual planned for that evening, and for a little while I'd actually quit worrying about what I was going to do about Aphrodite.

Priorities. Zoey has them. OH, WAIT.

 

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Marked - Chapter 26 Sporking

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

If Skylar's hissing and growling hadn't caught my attention, I would never have seen Aphrodite slumped in the little alcove down the hall from Neferet's room.

Given how unobservant you are, I’m surprised even that caught your attention.

"What is it, Skylar?" I held my hand out gingerly, remembering what Neferet had said about her cat being a known biter.

Does anyone honestly believe that’s what’s going to happen?

I was also sincerely glad that Nala wasn't tagging long after me as usual—Skylar would probably eat my poor little cat for lunch.

I wish he would.

 

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Marked - Chapter 27 Sporking

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

"Nice dress, Zoey. It looks just like mine. Oh, wait! It used to be mine." Aphrodite laughed a throaty, I'm-so-grown-up-and-you're-just-a-kid laugh. I really hate it when girls do that. I mean, yes, she's older, but I have boobs, too.

Having boobs isn’t necessarily a sign of being grown up, you know. Some girls start to develop when their age is still in single digits. Also…

You Judgemental Bastards: 204

But oh, Aphrodite, don’t stop being awesome.

I smiled, purposefully putting an extra dose of cluelessness into my voice and launched into a gihugic lie,

STOP MAKING UP RIDICULOUS FUCKING WORDS!

…wow. Two paragraphs in and I’m already using capslock. That does not bode well.

which I think I pulled off pretty well considering I'm a bad liar,

You keep saying that; doesn’t mean I’m going to believe you.

I had just been attacked by a ghost, and everybody was staring at us and listening in.

Speshul Snowflake: 221

 

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Marked - Chapter 28 Sporking

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

"Heath! What in the hell are you doing here!”

Stalking you.

"Well, you didn't call me back.” Oblivious to everyone else, he hugged me. I didn't need the bright light of the moon for me to see his bloodshot eyes. "I missed you, Zo!" he blurted, wafting beer breath all over me.

You Judgemental Bastards: 213

There’s condescension written all over that last sentence.

"Heath. You need to go—”

"No. Let him stay," Aphrodite interrupted me.

Heath's gaze swiveled up to her, and I imagined what she must look like through his eyes.

Are you sure you’re straight, Zoey? Because you admire the ladies a dozen times more often than you admire the guys.

 

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Marked - Chapter 29 Sporking

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Neferet stepped from the shadows and into the gazebo, moving quickly to Heath and Erik. First, she touched Erik's face and checked the bloody slash marks on his arms from where he'd struggled futilely to try to pull the ghosts off Heath. As she passed her hands over his wounds I could actually see the blood drying. Erik breathed a sigh of relief, like his pain had disappeared.

Gee, guys, do you think his pain might have disappeared?

"These will heal. Come to the infirmary when we get back to school and I'll give you some salve that will lessen the sting from your wounds." She patted his cheek and he blushed bright red. "You showed the bravery of a vampyre warrior when you stayed to protect the boy. I am proud of you, Erik Night, as is the Goddess.”

Speaking of Heath, don’t you think his wounds might be a little bit more serious? Praise the boytoy later, go heal him!

 

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Final Count:

Speshul Snowflake: 256
Name Drop: 71
You Judgemental Bastards: 221