Hunted hon-5 Page 16

  “They’re people who represent each of those things. Or at least that would be my first guess. See how they’re capitalized? That usually means they are proper nouns, or names,” Damien said.

  “They’re names,” Kramisha said.

  “Do you know anything else about it? Can you tell who they are?” Damien asked.

  Kramisha shook her head, looking frustrated. “No. It’s just when you said that they be people, I knew you was right.”

  “How about the next one?” Damien said. “Maybe it’ll help us make sense of this one.”

  I turned my attention to the other sheet of paper. The new poem wasn’t long, but it made my skin crawl.

  She comes back

  Through blood by blood

  She returns

  Cut deep now

  Like me

  Humanity saves her

  Will she save me?

  “What were you thinking when you wrote this?” I asked Kramisha.

  “Nothin’. I was barely awake. I just wrote the words that come to me with both of ’em.”

  “I don’t like it,” Erik said.

  “Well, it doesn’t help us with the other poem, that’s for sure. Actually, I think it&rsq1awl.

  “But who’s speaking? Who is this ‘me’ that’s asking if I’ll save him or her?” I was feeling weaker and weaker by the moment, and the long strip of my wound was throbbing in time with the beat of my heart.

  “It could be Kalona,” Aphrodite said. “That’s who the first poem’s about.”

  “Yes, but we’re not so sure Kalona ever had any humanity in him to lose,” Damien said.

  I carefully kept my mouth shut, even though my first impulse was to say that I did think Kalona had not always been like he was now.

  “On the other hand,” Damien continued, “we know that Neferet has turned from Nyx, which could also mean that she’s lost herself, or her humanity. It could be referring to Neferet.”

  “Ugh,” Erin said.

  “She has definitely lost her damn mind,” Shaunee said.

  “Actually, doesn’t it make the most sense that it’s that new undead kid talking?” Erik said slowly.

  “You may be on to something,” Damien said. I could practically see the wheels in his mind turning. “The ‘Cut deep now / Like me’ part could be metaphorical for his death. Zoey’s wound is definitely life threatening, and they’ve certainly both been drawn to the House of Night because of blood.”

  “And his humanity is missing. Like the rest of the red fledglings,” Aphrodite said.

  “Hey, I don’t know what you talkin’ ’bout. I got me plenty of humanity,” Kramisha said, clearly offended.

  “But you didn’t have your humanity when you first rose, did you?” Damien said.

  His voice was so clinical that Kramisha’s feathers instantly unruffled. “No. You right about that. I had no damn sense about me at first. None of us did.”

  “Sounds like a good guess about the meaning of the second one,” Damien said. “And because we have Kramisha on our side, her gift with words gives us a glimpse into the possible future. The first poem…I don’t know. I’ll think about it. What we need is to spend some time brainstorming possible meanings—time we don’t have right now. But that’s really inconsequential. We should still appreciate Kramisha.”

  “Hey, not a problem,” Kramisha said. “It’s all part a bein’ the Poet Laureate.”

  “The who?” Aphrodite said.

  Kramisha fixed a sharp look on Aphrodite. “Zoey made me the new Vamp Poet Laureate.”

  Aphrodite opened her mouth, but I beat her to speaking. “Actually, let’s have a quick vote of my Prefect Council on whether Kramisha should be our new Poet Laureate.” I looked at Damien. “What’s your vote?”

  “Yes, definitely,” Damien said.

  “I say 6 V O Dt tyes, too,” Shaunee said,

  “Ditto. We’re due for a female Poet Laureate,” Erin said.

  “I already gave my yes vote,” Erik said.

  We all looked at Aphrodite.

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever,” she said.

  “And I can promise Stevie Rae will vote yes, too,” I said. “So it’s official.”

  Everyone smiled at Kramisha who looked totally pleased with herself.

  “Okay, so, to summarize,” Damien said, “we’ve pretty much decided that Kramisha’s first poem is outlining a way Kalona can be forced to run away, even though we don’t really have a good understanding of the details provided in the poem. The second is saying that Zoey’s return to the House of Night might somehow save Stark.” Erik said.

  “Yeah, that’s what it sounds like.” I handed the pieces of paper on which the poems were written to Aphrodite. “Would you put those in my purse, please?” She nodded and folded them neatly, tucking them into my cute little bag. “I wish both poems had come with more instructions,” I said.

  “I think you should start by paying special attention to Stark,” Damien said.

  “Or at least she should be on her guard around him,” Erik said. “The poem does mention being cut, and right now that’s way more than a poetic metaphor.”

  I listened while Damien semi-agreed with him and I looked away from Erik’s penetrating gaze and right into Heath’s sad brown eyes.

  “Let me guess. Stark’s another guy, isn’t he?” Heath said.

  When I didn’t answer, he took a long drink from the bottle of wine.

  “Well, uh, yeah, Heath,” Jack said, sitting next to Heath on the bed and looking concerned. “Stark is a fledgling who, I guess, was kinda a friend of Zoey’s before he died and then un-died. He was a new kid, so none of us had gotten to know him very well.”

  “But you knew things about him no one else did. Like that his gift from Nyx was that he never missed any mark he aimed at, right?” Damien said.

  “Yeah. I knew stuff about him no one else knew, except Neferet and the professors,” I said, trying not to watch Heath guzzle down the bottle of wine and avoiding Erik’s sharp gaze.

  “I didn’t know that about his gift, and I’m a professor,” Erik said.

  I closed my eyes and leaned heavily back on the pillow. “Then maybe that was more info Neferet kept to herself,” I said wearily.

  “So why would he tell you about something that was top secret?” Erik said.

  Annoyed that he sounded like he was interrogating me, I didn’t say anything, and against my closed eyes I easily recalled the image of Stark’s cute, cocky half smile and how I’d felt a sudden connection with him and even kissed him as he died in my arms.

  “Well, let’s s:

  As my friends—well, all of them except for my “consort” and my possible “mate”—mumbled apologies, I kept my eyes closed and wondered just how badly I wanted to get all healed up, because it seemed, once again, I found myself in a “situation” that involved three guys. And that wasn’t even counting Kalona.

  Well, hell…

  CHAPTER 16

  Thankfully, Stevie Rae’s return stopped all of the Stark speculation.

  “’Kay. I’m supposed to tell Erik to carry Zoey. The rest of you stay close. Darius is right outside in the parking lot,” Stevie Rae said.

  “But we can’t all fit in Heath’s truck,” I said, forcing my heavy eyelids to open.

  “You won’t have to. We found something that’ll work better,” Stevie Rae said. Before I could ask any questions she hurried on. “And Darius also said Z should bite Heath again for one fast suck before you head out. He said she ought to be gettin’ real weak about now.”

  “That’s okay. I’m fine. Let’s just go,” I said quickly. Yes, I felt like utter poop. No, I didn’t want to bite Heath again. Well, I didn’t mean I really didn’t want to. I meant I really didn’t think I should, especially with him being pissed at me just then.

  “Just do it,” Heath said. Suddenly he was there beside me, still holding the bottle of wine in one hand. He didn’t even look at me. Instead he focused his attention
on Erik. “So cut me.” He held out his arm to Erik.

  “My pleasure,” Erik said.

  “No. I’m not okay with this,” I continued to protest.

  In one blindingly quick movement Erik slashed Heath’s forearm, and the scent of his blood hit me. I closed my eyes against the spike of desire and need that was driving into me with every breath I inhaled. I was gently jostled and then Heath’s strong, warm thigh was again my pillow. He wrapped his arm around me so that his cut arm was just under my nose. I opened my eyes then and, ignoring the need that was screaming through my body, I looked up at Heath. He was staring across the room at nothing.

  “Heath,” I said. “I can’t take anything from you you’re not willing to give me.”

  He looked down at me and I saw several emotions cross his expressive face, the foremost of which was a terrible sadness. In a voice that sounded almost as weary as I felt, he said, “There’s nothing I’m not willing to give you, Zo. When are you going to understand that? I’m just wishing you would leave me with a little pride.”

  His words broke my heart. “I love you, Heath. You know that.”

  His expression softened into a slight smile. “It’s good to hear you say it.” Then he looked from me to Erik. “Did you hear that, vamp? She loves me. And remember that no matter how big and bad you think you are, you’ll never be able to do this for her.” Heath lifted his arm so that the bloody slash Erik had made in it was pressed against my lips.

  “Yeah, I see what you can do for her. I might have to put up with it, but I don’t have to have it shoved in my face.” Angrily knocking the blanket aside, Erik left the room.

  “Don’t think about him,” Heath told me softly, stroking my hair. “Just drink from me and think about getting well.”

  I looked from the doorway to Heath’s sweet gaze, and with a small moan I gave in to the need that raged within me. I drank from him, sucking in energy and life, passion and desire, along with his blood. I closed my eyes again, this time because of the intensity of the pleasure drinking from Heath gave me. I heard Heath’s moan echo mine and felt him curl around me, pressing his arm more firmly against my lips and whispering sweet things to me that weren’t entirely understandable.

  My head was spinning by the time someone pulled Heath’s arm from my grip. I felt stronger, even though my wound was burning like there was a fire camped out on my chest. But I was also feeling dizzy and weirdly giggly.

  “Hey, she don’t look right,” Kramisha said.

  “But I feel more right. Or is that righter? Which is it, Damien-Shamien?” I paused and giggled, which hurt my chest so I clamped my lips tight together to make myself stop.

  “What’s wrong with her?” Jack asked.

  “There’s definitely something abnormal going on,” Damien said.

  “I know what’s wrong with her,” Stevie Rae said. “She’s drunk.”

  “Nuhuh! I don’t even like to drink,” I said, and then burped softly. “Oh, oopsie.”

  “Boyfriend is drunk. She just drank from boyfriend,” Shaunee said.

  “So that means Z’s trashed, too,” Erin said. She and Shaunee had a wobbly Heath between them and they were guiding him back to the bed.

  “Hey, I’m not drunk. Yet,” Heath said. Then he collapsed onto the bed.

  “I didn’t know vamps could get drunk off a human’s blood,” Aphrodite said. “That’s really interesting.” She handed me my purse while she studied me like I was a specimen under a microscope.

  “You’d think it was less interesting if you’d eaten a wino and had a hangover headache and then burped cheap wine for days,” Stevie Rae said. “All I can say about that is nasty.”

  Aphrodite, the Twins, Damien, Jack, and I all stared at her. Finally I was able to say, “Stevie Rae. Please don’t eat any more people. It’s really dis-dis-disturbing,” I slurred.

  “She sure won’t eat another wino. That last one tasted bad for real,&rdqu s a specimuo; So; Kramisha said.

  “Kramisha! Don’t freak Zoey out. No one is eating anyone anymore. I was just usin’ that one time a long time ago as an example of why I know Heath’s being trashed made her trashed.” Stevie Rae patted my arm. “So don’t worry, ’kay? We’ll be fine here, and so will the street people. Don’t stress about us. You just get well.”

  “Oh, yeah.” I rolled my eyes at Stevie Rae. “I’m not going to worry ’bout a thing.”

  “Hey, you have my promise. No eating people while you’re gone.” Stevie Rae looked solemn and pretended to draw an X over her heart. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

  Hope to die! Jeesh, I really hoped that none of us would have to die. Again. And just like that I was able to think through the wine fog that had woozied my brain, and I knew what I had to do. On purpose I gave Aphrodite a tipsy smile. “Hey there, Afro! Why don’t you guys go on out to Darius? I gotta give Stevie Rae a phone number, then I’ll be right there.”

  “Fine. We’ll meet you out there. And do not ever call me Afro again.” In a huff, Aphrodite led the Twins, Damien, Jack, and a whole passel of annoyed cats out of the room.

  As they left the room, Erik came back in. Crossing his arms, he leaned silently against the wall and watched me. I used my drunkenness as an excuse to ignore him.

  “Hey, could you manage to focus? Do you want me to add a number to my phone?” Stevie Rae said.

  “No,” I said stubbornly. “I gotta write it down.”

  “Okay, okay,” she said quickly, obviously humoring the drunk.

  She was looking around for something to write on when Kramisha marched over to her and handed her a piece of paper and a pen. “Here’s something to write on.”

  Looking utterly confused, Stevie Rae shook her head at me. “Z, are you sure you can’t just tell me the—”

  “No!” I snapped.

  “Okay, here, don’t have a big ol’ cow.” Stevie Rae slipped the paper and pen into my hands. I could feel Erik, who had come over to stand closer to my table, watching me. I gave him a boozy frown. “Don’t peek at what I write!”

  “All right, all right!” He held his hands up in surrender and walked over to Kramisha. I could hear both of them talking about how goofy I acted when I was trashed.

  It was hard as hell to concentrate through the ridiculous buzz Heath had passed on to me, but the pain the movement of my hands caused helped to sober me up. I scrawled down Sister Mary Angela’s cell phone number and then quickly wrote Plan B: be ready to move everyone to the abbey but don’t tell. No one knowing = Neferet not knowing where you are.

  “Okay, here.” Stevie Rae tried to take the paper from my hand, but I held it tight, which made her look up at me in exasperation. I met her eyes, trying to look and sound as sober as possible as I whispered, “If I tell you to move, you move!”

  Her gaze went down to the note I’d just written, and I saw her eyes widen. She looked quickly up at me and then nodded almost imperceptibly. Awash in relief, I closed my eyes and gave in to the dizziness.

  “All done with her secret phone number note?” Erik said.

  “Yep,” Stevie Rae teased back. “As soon as I put this in my phone, I’m gonna destroy the evidence.”

  “Or it might self-destruct,” Heath slurred from over on the bed.

  I opened my eyes and looked at him. “Hey!”

  “What?” he said.

  “Thanks again,” I said.

  Heath shrugged. “No big deal.”

  “Yeah, it is,” I said. “Stay safe, okay?”

  “Does it matter?” he asked.

  “Yeah, it does. But next time I really wish you wouldn’t drink.” I burped again and then grimaced when the movement hurt my chest.

  “I’ll try to remember that,” he said, tipping the wine bottle back to his lips.

  I sighed, told Stevie Rae, “Get me out of here,” and closed my eyes, clutching my purse and the two indecipherable poems to me.

  “That’s your cue, Erik,” Stevie Rae said.

  Erik wa
s suddenly at my side. “This is going to hurt, and I’m sorry, but you really need to get back to the House of Night.”

  “I know. I’m just gonna close my eyes and try to pretend I’m someplace else, okay?”

  “Sounds like a good idea,” Erik said.

  “I’ll be right here with you, too, Z,” Stevie Rae said.

  “No. Stay with Heath,” I said quickly. “If you let anyone eat him, I’m gonna be majorly pissed. And I mean it.”

  “I’m right here,” Kramisha said, “and I heard that. I ain’t eatin’ your boyfriend. He don’t taste good no more.”

  “That’s not what Zo says!” Heath slurred and lifted his almost empty bottle like he was going to toast to us.

  I ignored both of them and kept my eyes on Stevie Rae.

  “Don’t worry. Heath’ll be fine. I’ll take care of him.” Stevie Rae hugged me and kissed my cheek. “Stay safe,” she said.

  “Remember what I wrote,” I whispered. She nodded.

  “Okay, let’s go,” I told Erik, and squidged my eyes shut tight.

  Erik lifted me as gently as he could, but the pain that sheared through my body was so awful that I couldn’t even scream. I kept my eyes closed and tried to breathe in shallow little pants while Erik hurried down the tunnel with me in his arms, murmuring that everything would be fine…we’d be there soon…

  When we got to the iron ladder that led up to the basement, Erik said, “I’m sorry, but this is going to hurt like hell. Just hang on, though, Z. It’s almost over.” Then he shifted his grip on me and lifted me to Darius, who was reaching down for me.

  That was when I fainted.

  Sadly, I came to when the freezing rain and an icy wind slapped against my face.

  “Ssh, don’t struggle. You’ll only make it worse,” Darius said. He was holding me in his arms. Erik was walking at his side, watching me with worried eyes as we made our way toward a huge black Hummer that was idling in the parking lot. Jack was standing beside the open door to the wide backseat. I could see Aphrodite in the passenger’s seat and the Twins together with a whole buttload of cats in the far back area. Damien was sitting by the open door.

  “Slide over and help me lay her down here,” Darius said.