Destined

I sighed and began to minesweep my side. Of course Aurox was there. The next kid in the row after Damien and Shaunee. I didn’t want to meet his eyes, so instead I looked at the paper he handed me. On it, in big block letters was the question: WHAT AM I? And he’d signed it.

Totally surprised, I met his gaze. He looked back at me steadily. Then he spoke so softly only I could hear him saying, “I would like to know.”

I couldn’t look away from his unusual, moonstone eyes. For some moronic reason, I heard my voice whispering back, “Me, too.” I snatched the paper from him and moved hastily away, trying not to think, trying just to do what I’d been told. Dallas and his group were super subdued. They barely looked at me or Stevie Rae, but I noticed they hadn’t written any words on the papers I picked up from them, which was a seriously passive-aggressive bad sign. I shoved those papers to the bottom of the pile on my way back to the front of the class. Thanatos took the papers, thanked us, and then said, “I shall study your questions tonight and begin discussions on some of them tomorrow. For the rest of the hour let us turn to a subject I believe most of you will find relevant—that of Imprinting with a mate or Consort.”

I expected Thanatos to give us the standard just-say-no speech we’d been given about the Imprinting thing from day one, but I was wrong. She talked frankly about the pleasure and beauty of the proper Imprint, as well as the tragedy of one going wrong. She was interesting and fu

I hung a little behind, waiting for Aphrodite who was still in a deep but surprisingly respectful discussion with Thanatos about Imprinting. Aphrodite’s point was that an Imprint wasn’t based on sexuality. Thanatos was insisting, much to Aphrodite’s consternation (’cause she’d Imprinted with Stevie Rae, even though it hadn’t lasted very long) that sexual attraction went hand in hand with Imprinting.

Thanatos finally ended the discussion with, “Aphrodite, whether you admit a thing or not does not make it more or less true.”

“I’m going to be sure Zoey gets to second hour,” Aphrodite said, sounding disgruntled.

“You do that, young Prophetess.” Thanatos had a smile in her voice, if not on her face. “And thank you for such a lively discussion today. I’ll look forward to another one like it tomorrow.”

Aphrodite nodded and frowned, and just out of earshot of Thanatos said, “Lively discussion my gorgeous ass. I’m not discussing shit about lesbian Imprints again. Ever.”

“I don’t think that’s what she meant, Aphrodite,” I said, careful to keep the smile from my face, too. “But she was right, it made for a good class—way more interesting than regular vamp soc with all of Neferet’s issues.”

Aphrodite opened the door. “I’m so glad I could amuse the masses and—” And we stepped into the middle of chaos.

“Bring it, birdboy!” Dallas was shouting. “You can’t hide behind Stevie Rae forever!” Muscley Joh

“I’m not hiding, you arrogant fool!” Rephaim yelled. Stevie Rae had a vise-like grip on his arm and was trying to pull him down the sidewalk away from Dallas.

“I’ll get Darius and Stark,” Aphrodite said, and sprinted away.

“Okay, look, you guys, stop it!” I stepped between the two guys and their growing groups.

“Butt the hell out, Zoey! This ain’t your fight.” Dallas turned his venom on me. “You think you’re so much better than everyone else, but you don’t mean shit to us.” He jerked his head toward the group of his red fledglings who were standing close by, just watching and smiling.

I was surprised by how much what he said hurt my feelings. “I don’t think I’m better than everyone else!”

“Don’t let him get to you, Z. He’s nothing but a mean, sad little boy all dressed up like a vampyre,” Stevie Rae said.

“And you’re nothing but a slut!” Dallas shouted at Stevie Rae.

“I told you to stop calling her that!” Rephaim tried to pull away from Stevie Rae.

“Everyone knows you’re just pissed because she’s not with you anymore,” I told Dallas, thinking what a total and complete jerk he’d turned out to be.

“No, I’m pissed because she’s with a freak of nature!” His words shot back at me. I noticed even though he was struggling and yelling, his gaze kept going back to a spot low on the wall he was inching closer and closer to. I followed his gaze and saw a single electrical outlet on the wall—one of the industrial three-pronged things.

Ah, hell!

“I’m not a freak!” Rephaim looked like he was going to explode. “I’m human!”

“Really? How ’bout we wait around until the sun comes up and let’s just see how human you are.” Dallas sneered and moved closer to the wall.

As nonchalantly as I could, I took a couple steps toward the outlet and wondered frantically which element would be the best to summon if I needed to fight electricity.

“That suits me fine,” Rephaim was saying. “Whether it’s from a human’s eye or a bird’s I’ll be glad to watch you burn up!”

“In your dreams, you asshole!” Dallas surged forward, toward the outlet, almost getting away from Joh

And then strong hands caught me and strong arms kept me from tumbling onto my butt. All in one motion Stark steadied me on my feet and moved me behind him and against the wall. Then he faced Dallas.

“Walk away.” Stark didn’t raise his voice. He sounded calm and cold and completely dangerous.

“This isn’t your fight,” Dallas said, but he’d already stopped struggling against Joh

“If Zoey’s in it, it’s my fight. And you need to understand I’ll win. Every time. So, walk away.”

“This ends now!” Sounding like a general commanding runaway troops, Dragon Lankford and several Sons of Erebus Warriors, including Darius, burst onto the scene making a big show of standing between Dallas and Rephaim. The Sword Master’s face was like a storm cloud. “Dallas, you stand there.” He pointed to a place before him, then hardly glancing at Rephaim added, “And you there.” Dragon pointed to an empty space beside Dallas. The two guys did what they were told, though Dallas still sent Rephaim a hateful look. Rephaim’s gaze was totally focused on the Sword Master who began speaking sternly to them both.

“I will not tolerate fighting at this school. This is not a human high school. I expect you to rise above such childish, base behavior.” Dragon looked from Dallas to Rephaim. “Do you understand me?”

“I do.” Rephaim spoke clearly and quickly. “I do not want to be the cause of trouble.”

“Then leave because as long as you’re here there’s go

“No!” Dragon hurled the word like a whip. “There will be no more trouble at this school or you will answer to me.”

“He doesn’t belong here,” Dallas said, but his voice was subdued and he looked more pouty than dangerous.

“I agree with you, Dallas,” Dragon said. “But Nyx does not. As long as the House of Night serves Nyx, we will abide by her choices, even if she chooses forgiveness when we ca

“Can’t or won’t?” Everyone’s attention turned to Stevie Rae. She marched up beside Rephaim, took his hand, and faced Dragon. I thought she looked totally like a powerful High Priestess who was pissed enough to spit fire, and I was glad her element was earth and not flame. “Rephaim didn’t even start this crap with Dallas. All he did was stand up for me when Dallas called me slut and whore and other stuff too awful for me to repeat. If anyone but Rephaim was standin’ here you wouldn’t be takin’ Dallas’s side.”