Hunted Read Free Page B

the warmth of his smile.
    â€œI felt it happening before, when we first got down here. I—I guess I just forgot,” I said.
    â€œThat’s our Z,” Jack said. “Only she could forget something that’s practically a miracle.”
    â€œMore than practically,” Shaunee said.
    â€œBut it’s a Zoey miracle. They happen pretty much all the time,” Erin said matter-of-factly.
    â€œI can’t keep a tattoo and she’s covered in them,” Aphrodite said. “Figures.” But her smile took the bite from her words.
    â€œThey are the Mark of our Goddess’s favor, showing that you are, indeed, traveling the path she would choose for you. You are our High Priestess,” Darius spoke solemnly. “The one Nyx has Chosen. And, Priestess, I need your aid with Stevie Rae.”
    â€œAh, hell,” I muttered, chewing my lip nervously and balling my hands into fists, hiding my exotic new tattoos.
    â€œOh, for crap’s sake! I’ll stay and help,” Aphrodite marched over to where Stevie Rae was sitting on the edge of her bed. “Blood and pain don’t bother me at all as long as they’re not mine.”
    â€œI should take this closer to the entrance to the tunnels. I’d probably have more luck getting reception there,” Erik said, and withoutso much as a glance at me, or a word about my new tattoos, he disappeared through the blanket door.
    â€œYou know, I think food really was a good idea,” Damien said, taking Jack’s hand and starting to follow Erik out of the room.
    â€œYeah, Damien and I are gay. That means that we are guaranteed to be good cooks,” Jack said.
    â€œWe’re with them,” Shaunee said.
    â€œYeah, we’re not as convinced about the genetics of gay good cooking. We’d better supervise,” Erin said.
    â€œThe blood. Don’t forget the blood. Laced with wine, if you have it. She’ll need it to recover,” Darius said.
    â€œOne of the refrigerators is full of blood. Then find Venus,” Steve Rae said, grimacing again as Darius took an alcohol wipe and began to clean the dried blood on her back from the skin around the protruding arrow. “She likes wine. Tell her what you need and she’ll get it for you.”
    The Twins hesitated, passing a look between each other. Erin spoke for both of them. “Stevie Rae, are the red kids really okay? I mean, these
are
the kids who killed the Union football players and grabbed Z’s human boyfriend, aren’t they?”
    â€œEx-boyfriend,” I said, but they ignored me.
    â€œVenus just helped Erik,” Stevie Rae said. “And Aphrodite stayed here for two days. She’s still in one piece,” Stevie Rae said.
    â€œYeah, but Erik is a big, healthy male vamp. He’d be hard to bite,” Shaunee said.
    â€œEven though he is definitely yummy,” Erin said.
    â€œTrue, Twin.” Both of them had given me apologetic shrugs before Shaunee continued. “And Aphrodite is so damn nasty that no one would want to bite her.”
    â€œBut we’re little bits of vanilla and chocolate. We’d tempt even the nicest bloodsucking monster,” Erin said.
    â€œYour mom’s a bloodsucking monster,” Aphrodite said, smiling sweetly.
    â€œIf y’all don’t stop bickering, I’m gonna bite you!” Stevie Raeyelled, then winced again and made little panting sounds as she tried to breathe through the pain.
    â€œGuys, you’re making her hurt herself, and you’re giving me a headache.” I said it quickly, getting more and more worried about how bad Stevie Rae looked by the second. “Stevie Rae says the red fledglings are okay. We just escaped from all hell breaking loose at the House of Night with them and they didn’t try to eat any of us on the way here. So make nice, and go find Venus, like Stevie Rae said.”
    â€œZ, that’s not a big mark in their