wolfgoddess77

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.

"Yeah, the circle was prodigious," Erin said.

"Do you know I actually could feel earth when Zoey called it?" Stevie Rae said. "It was like I was suddenly surrounded by a growing wheat field. No, it was more than being surrounded by it. It was like I was suddenly a part of it.”

I’m sorry, but that just sounds ridiculous.

"I know exactly what you mean. When she called flame it was like the fire exploded through me," Shaunee said.

Okay, so I want an explanation for this. I was joking before when I asked if an affinity for the elements was contagious, but now I’m really starting to wonder whether it actually is. First of all, could they feel the element that was given to them because they have an affinity for it themselves? Or would they have felt whatever element they were assigned? I’m tempted to think it’s the latter, if only because I absolutely despise the idea of Zoey somehow assigning them the correct element. I don’t feel like exploding halfway through the first page of the chapter.

I suppose one could also argue that it was Nyx playing puppet master again and making Zoey give them the right one. That’s also a strong possibility, given how much she’s already meddled.

I also want to know how the hell they felt these things, when none of them ever mentioned experiencing anything when they were doing Neferet’s ritual. Do they actually have to actively participate to be able to feel something, or did PCK pull this out of their asses? The world may never know.

I tried to understand what I was feeling while the four of them talked happily together. I was definitely happy, but overwhelmed and more than a little confused. So it was true, I did have some kind of affinity with all five of the elements.

Speshul Snowflake: 210

I told you so. All of your wangsting and chest-beating about how surely you were mistaken and surely everyone was going to mock you was nothing more than you being a drama llama. Again.

Why?

Because PCK weren’t satisfied with you being just a run-of-the-mill Mary Sue. No, they had to make you the worst Mary Sue in existence.

Just to bring down Aphrodite? (Which, by the by, I still didn't have a clue how to do.)

Maybe that should be a clue that you should leave her alone, and this idea to overthrow her is just you being a bitch.

No, I didn't think so. Why would Nyx touch me with such unusual power just so that I could kick a spoiled bully out of the leadership of a club?

Speshul Snowflake: 211

You Judgemental Bastards: 183

Okay, the Dark Daughters were more than a student council or whatever, but still.

…what? Where did that come from?

"Zoey, are you all right?”

The concern in Damien's voice made me look up from Nala, and I realized that I was sitting in the middle of what used to be the circle, with my cat on my lap, completely engrossed in my own thoughts as I scratched her head.

Were you drooling, too? Because I just have this image of you sitting there, staring off blankly into space and drooling on yourself.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I'm fine, just a little distracted.”

"We should get back. It's getting late," Stevie Rae said.

"Okay. You're right," I said, and got up, still holding Nala. But I couldn't make my feet follow them as they started to head back to the dorms.

Zoey has run out of coins. Please insert more to initiate movement.

"Zoey?”

Damien, the first to notice my hesitation, stopped and called back to me, and then my other friends stopped, looking at me with expressions that ranged from worried to confused.

"Uh, why don't you guys go ahead? I'm going to stay out here for just a little while longer.”

"We could stay with you and—" Damien began, but Stevie Rae (bless her little bumpkin heart) interrupted him.

FUCK YOU. You could have just said ‘bless her heart’, but nooooo. You had to add the ‘bumpkin’ part, didn’t you? I guess it’s been too long since Zoey looked down on someone, and she was going into withdrawal.

You Judgemental Bastards: 184

"Zoey needs to do some thinkin' on her own. Wouldn't you if you just found out you were the only fledgling in known history to have an affinity for all five elements?”

Thanks for reminding us of how unique and awesome and special Zoey is. We really needed that.

Speshul Snowflake: 212

"I suppose," Damien said reluctantly.

"But don't forget that it'll be getting light soon," Erin said.

What does that matter? I don’t think this school has a curfew, and she won’t turn into a pile of ash if the sun touches her. (More’s the pity.)

I smiled reassuringly at them. "I won't. I'll be back at the dorm soon.”

"I'll make a sandwich for you and try to scare up some chips to go with your brown non-diet pop. It's important that a High Priestess eats after she performs a ritual," Stevie Rae said with a smile and a wave as she pulled the rest of the four along with her.

STOP WITH THE GODDAMN HIGH PRIESTESS BULLSHIT! I’m sincerely starting to get upset every time it’s mentioned.

Also, very good, Stevie Rae, go make your mistress some food like the good little slave you are.

I called thanks to Stevie Rae as they disappeared into the darkness. Then I walked over to the tree and sat down, resting my back against its thick trunk. I closed my eyes and petted Nala. Her purr was normal and familiar and incredibly soothing, and it seemed to help ground me.

"I'm still me," I whispered to my cat. "Just like Grandma said. All the other stuff can change, but what's really Zoey—what's been Zoey for sixteen years—is still Zoey.”

What the hell does that even mean? That is an incredibly convoluted sentence, although it does get across the essence of who Zoey is quite well. Look at that paragraph. If that’s not the epitome of “me, me, me,” I don’t know what is.

Maybe if I repeated it over and over enough to myself, I'd actually believe it. I rested my face in one hand and scratched my cat with the other, and told myself that I was still me…still me…still me…

"See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O, that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek!”

I’d like to touch that cheek. Hard. With a baseball bat.

Nala "me-eeh-uf-owed" in complaint as I jumped in surprise.

I FUCKING HATE THAT CAT.

"Seems like I keep finding you by this tree," Erik said, smiling down at me and looking like a god.

He made me feel all fluttery in my stomach, but tonight he also made me feel something else.

It’s called ‘being creeped out.’

Just exactly why did he keep "finding" me? And just exactly how long had he been watching this time?

Zoey, are you aware that you just acknowledged that he’s a stalker? Because he’s a damn stalker, and you need to run.

"What are you doing out here, Erik?”

"Hi, it's nice to see you, too. And, yes, I would like to have a seat, thank you," he said and started to sit beside me.

EXCUSE YOU. WHO SAID YOU COULD SIT DOWN?!

I stood up, making Nala mutter at me again.

"Actually, I was just going to go back to the dorm.”

"Hey, I didn't mean to intrude or whatever. I just couldn't concentrate on my homework so I went for a walk. I guess my feet carried me this way without me telling them to, 'cause next thing I knew here I was and here you are. I'm really not stalking you. Promise.”

You’re a liar. I don’t know how big this campus is, but I know you shouldn’t have immediately run into her like you did. So you’re a stalker and a liar, and I hate you.

He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked totally embarrassed. Well, totally cute and embarrassed, and I remembered how much I had wanted to say yes to him earlier when he asked me to watch dorky movies with him.

Fuck you. We sci-fi fans still want nothing to do with you.

And now here I was, rejecting him and making him uncomfortable again.

He’s making me uncomfortable!

It's a wonder the kid ever talked to me. Clearly, I was taking this High Priestess thing way too seriously.

What does that even mean?! And very polite, talking about a guy you apparently have the hots for ‘the kid’.

"So how about walking me back to my dorm? Again," I asked.

How about walking into a raging wildfire? There’s room for both of you.

"Sounds good.”

This time Nala complained when I tried to carry her.

I hate that fucking cat.

Instead she trotted along after us while Erik and I fell into step together as easily as we had before. We didn't say anything for a while. I wanted to ask him about Aphrodite, or at the very least tell him what she'd said to me about him, but I couldn't come up with a good way of saying something that I probably didn't have any business questioning him about.

You don’t have any business questioning him, and you need to make up your mind whether you believe him or not!

"So what were you doing out here this time?" he asked.

"Thinking," I said, which technically wasn't a lie. I had been thinking. A lot.

Okay, Bella, this lying thing is starting to get out of hand.

Before, during, and after the circle-casting I was conveniently not going to mention.

"Oh. Are you worried about that Heath kid?”

Heath? Who’s this Heath person?

Actually, I hadn't thought about Heath or Kayla since I'd talked to Neferet, but I shrugged, not wanting to get specific about what I'd been thinking.

See? What did I tell you? They’ve walked off campus and right out of Zoey’s mind.

"I mean, I guess it's probably hard to break up with someone just because you got Marked," he said.

"I didn't break up with him because I got Marked. He and I were pretty much finished before that. The Mark just made it more final."

So why did you get all possessive and pissed off when you found out Kayla liked him? You have no claim on him!

I looked at Erik and took a deep breath. "What about you and Aphrodite?”

He blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?”

"I mean today she told me that you'll never be her ex because you'll always be hers.”

And you just believed her, despite how nasty you claim she is? I know sometimes it’s easy for people you don’t like to plant seeds of doubt in your mind, but given how distrustful Zoey is of everyone, this just annoys me.

His eyes narrowed and he looked truly pissed. "Aphrodite has a serious problem with telling the truth.”

"Well, not that it's any of my business, but—”

IT’S NOT.

"It is your business," he said quickly. And then, totally and utterly shocking me, he took my hand. "At least I'd like it to be your business.”

"Oh," I said. "Okay, well, okay." Once again, I was sure I was astounding him with my witty conversation skills.

Wait to show off that single brain cell of yours.

"So you weren't just avoiding me tonight; you really had some thinking to do?" he asked slowly.

I love how he clearly doesn’t believe her. Who needs trust in a relationship when you can constantly question each other’s behavior? It’s so much more fun that way.

"I wasn't avoiding you. There's just …," I hesitated, not sure how the hell to explain something I was pretty sure I shouldn't explain to him. "There's a lot of stuff going on with me right now. This whole Change thing is pretty confusing sometimes.”

"It gets better," he said, squeezing my hand.

"Somehow, for me, I doubt it," I muttered.

Woe is Zoey! Her life is so hard, feel pity for her in her suffering!

He laughed and tapped my Mark with his finger. "You're just ahead of some of the rest of us.

Speshul Snowflake: 213

That's hard at first, but, believe me, it'll get easier—even for you.”

I sighed. "I hope so." But I doubted it.

We stopped in front of the dorm, and he turned to me, his voice suddenly low and serious. "Z, don't believe the crap Aphrodite says. She and I haven't been together in months.”

"But you used to be," I said.

So? You first laid eyes on him three days ago. Who cares who he used to be with? What, was he not supposed to be interested in anyone before you?

He nodded and his face looked strained.

"She's not a very nice person, Erik.”

Neither are you.

"I know that.”

And then I realized what had really been bothering me and decided, oh, well, what the hell, I'd just say it.

"I don't like it that you'd be with someone who's so mean.

You Judgemental Bastards: 185

It makes me feel funny about wanting to be with you." He opened up his mouth to say something and I kept talking, not wanting to hear excuses I wasn't sure that I should or could believe.

He’s not with her anymore! People make mistakes with who they date! It’s none of your business who he used to date, and it’s not your right to judge him for it!

"Thanks for walking me home. I am glad you found me again.”

I’m not, and I feel like you’re lying.

"I'm glad I found you, too," he said. "I'd like to see you again, Z, and not just by accident.”

And by ‘accident’, he means ‘stalking’.

I hesitated. And wondered why I was hesitating. I did want to see him again. I needed to forget Aphrodite. Seriously, she is really pretty and he is a guy. He probably fell into her haggish (and hot) clutches before he knew what was happening.

You Judgemental Bastards: 186

I think Zoey just insulted the male population at large, insinuating that they’re too stupid to know that they’re entering into a bad relationship until it’s too late.

I mean, she did kinda remind me of a spider. I should be glad that she hadn't bitten his head off, and give the guy a chance.

Okay, yes, female spiders do have a very high chance of eating the male after they mate, but do you know what would have been the better analogy? A praying mantis. If you ever think of something that literally bites a male’s head off, that’s what comes to mind!

"Okay, how about I watch those dorky DVDs with you Saturday?" I said before I could freakishly talk myself out of going out with the most gorgeous guy at this school.

"It's a date," he said.

Obviously giving me time to pull away if I wanted to, Erik slowly bent down and kissed me. His lips were warm and he smelled really good. The kiss was soft and nice. Honestly, it made me want him to kiss me more.

The way that’s phrased makes me think that he’s doing all the work, and she’s just sitting there like a dead fish, not moving at all.

Too soon it was over, but he didn't move away from me. We were standing close, and I realized that I had my hands on his chest. His were resting lightly on my shoulders.

That probably looks really weird.

I smiled up at him.

"I'm glad you asked me out again,” I said.

I’m not. Any why couldn’t you ask him? It’s the twenty-first century. Women ask out men all the time!

"I'm glad you finally said yes," he said.

Then he kissed me again, only this time he wasn't hesitant. The kiss deepened, and my arms went up around his shoulders. I felt, more than heard, him moan and as he kissed me long and hard it was like he flipped a switch somewhere deep inside me, and hot, sweet, electric desire flashed through me. It was crazy and amazing, and more than anyone else's kisses had ever made me feel.

Of course, because it’s Twu Wuv. Or indigestion. I know which one I’m feeling. And that paragraph is so goddamn harlequin romance bodice-ripper that I’m expecting some heaving bosoms to be thrown in there somewhere.

I loved the way my body fitted his, hard against soft,

The way that’s written makes it sound like your body is hard, and his is soft. Typically it’s the other way around.

and I pressed myself against him, forgetting about Aphrodite and the circle I'd just cast and the entire rest of the world.

You have known him for three days. Slow your roll.

This time when we broke off the kiss we were both breathing hard, and we stared at each other. As my sense started to return to me I realized that I was totally smushed against him and that I'd been standing there in front of the dorm making out like a slut.

You Judgemental Bastards: 187

Not because Zoey just called herself a slut, which would honestly be refreshing, but because it’s implied that anyone else who does that is a slut, too.

I started to pull out of his arms.

"What's wrong? Why do you suddenly look different?" he said, tightening his arms around me.

"Erik, I'm not like Aphrodite." I pulled harder and he let me go.

You Judgemental Bastards: 188

Because she just insinuated that Aphrodite would have loved to dry hump a guy in the open like this, but Zoey clearly has more class than that. ~~Except how she doesn’t.~~

"I know you're not. I wouldn't like you if you were like her.”

"I don't just mean my personality. I mean standing out here making out with you isn't normal behavior for me.”

Oh, but it will be! You’ll be doing much worse soon enough. And I smell slut-shaming in that sentence. Not enough to give it a point, I don’t think, but I am not happy.

"Okay." He reached one hand toward me as though he wanted to pull me back into his arms, but then he seemed to change his mind and his hand fell to his side.

Good. Keep your hands to yourself.

"Zoey, you make me feel different than anyone has ever made me feel before.”

YOU HAVE HAD TWO AND A HALF CONVERSATIONS WITH HER. YOU ARE STRANGERS.

I felt my face getting hot and I couldn't tell if it was from anger or embarrassment. "Don't patronize me, Erik. I saw you in the hall with Aphrodite. You've clearly felt this kind of stuff before, and more.”

Wow, Zoey, jealous much? You really are one of those girls who think all guys should be celibate before meeting you and after they break up with you. Get over yourself.

He shook his head and I saw hurt in his eyes. "What Aphrodite made me feel was all physical. What you make me feel is about touching my heart. I know the difference, Zoey, and I thought you did, too.”

I would take this as proof that Zoey is not mature enough for a serious relationship.

I stared at him—at those gorgeous blue eyes that had seemed to touch me the first time he looked at me.