Oh. My. God. I wanted to die. I wanted to die and turn to dust and have the breeze blow me anywhere just as long as it was away. Instead I turned around. Sure enough, Loren Blake, Vampyre Poet Laureate and the Best-Looking Male in the Known Universe, was standing there with a smile on his classically handsome face.

"Oh, uh, hi," I stuttered, and because that didn't sound stupid enough I blurted, "You're in Europe."

"I was. Just got back this evening."

"So how was Europe?" Calm and collected, Erik draped an arm nonchalantly around my shoulders. Loren's smile got wider and he looked from Erik to me. "Not as friendly as it is here." Erik, who seemed to be having fun, laughed softly. "Well, it's not where you go, it's who you know." Loren lifted one perfect brow. "Obviously."

"It's Zoey's birthday. We were just doing the birthday kiss thing," Erik said. "You know Z and I are going out."

I looked from Erik to Loren. Testosterone was practically visible in the air between them. Jeesh, they were acting totally guy-like. Especially Erik. I swear I wouldn't have been surprised if he knocked me over the head and started dragging me around by my hair. Which was not an attractive mental image.

"Yes, I heard that you two were dating," Loren said. His smile looked weird-kinda sarcastic so that it was almost a sneer. Then he pointed at my lip. "You have a little blood there, Zoey. Might want to clean that up." My face flamed. "Oh, and happy birthday." He turned down the sidewalk and headed to the section of the school that housed the professors' private rooms.

"I don't know how that could have been more embarrassing," I said after licking the blood from my lip and straightening my sweater.

Erik shrugged and grinned.

I smacked him across the chest before reaching down for my plant and my book. "I don't know why you think this is funny," I said as I started to march away toward the dorm. Naturally, he followed me.

"We were just kissing, Z."

"You were kissing. I was sucking your blood." I looked sideways at him. "Oh, and there's that little your-hand-up-my-shirt detail. Better not forget that."

He took the lavender plant from me and grabbed my hand. "I won't forget that, Z." I didn't have a hand free to smack him again with, so I settled for a glare. "It's embarrassing. I can not believe Loren saw us."

"It was just Blake, and he's not even a full professor."

"It's embarrassing," I repeated, wishing my face would cool off. I also wished I could suck some more of Erik's blood, but I was not going to mention that.

"I'm not embarrassed. I'm glad he saw us," Erik said smugly.

"You're glad? Since when has public making-out become a turn-on for you?" Great. Erik was a kinky freak boy and I was just now finding out.

"Public making-out isn't a turn-on, but I'm still glad Blake saw us." All the fun had gone out of Erik's voice, and his smile had turned grim. "I don't like the way he looks at you." My stomach lurched. "What do you mean? How does he look at me?"

"Like you're not a student and he's not a teacher." He paused. "So you haven't noticed?"

"Erik, I think you're crazy." I carefully didn't answer the question. "Loren doesn't look at me like anything." My heart was thumping like it would beat its way out of my chest. Hell yes, I'd noticed how Loren looked at me! Way noticed it. I'd even talked to Stevie Rae about it. But with all that had happened lately, plus Loren being gone for almost a month, I'd just about convinced myself that I'd imagined most of what happened between us.

"You call him Loren," Erik said.

"Yeah, like you said, he's not a real professor."

"I don't call him Loren."

"Erik, he helped me do research for the new rules for the Dark Daughters." That was more of an exaggeration than an outright lie. I'd been researching. Loren had been there. We'd talked about it. Then he touched my face. Definitely not thinking about that, I hurried on, "Plus, he's asked me about my tattoos." And he had. Under the full moon I'd bared most of my back so that he could see them ... and touch them ... and let them inspire his poetry. I jerked my mind away from that line of thinking, too, and finished with, "So I kinda know him."

Erik grunted.

My mind felt like a bunch of gerbils were zooming around in big wheels inside it, but I made my voice sound light and kidding. "Erik, are you jealous of Loren?"

"No." Erik looked at me, looked away, and then met my eyes again. "Yes. Okay, maybe."

"Don't be. There's no reason for you to be jealous. There's nothing going on between me and him. Promise." I bumped my shoulder into his. And at that moment I meant it. It was stressful enough trying to figure out what I was going to do with Imprinted Heath. The last thing I needed was a secret affair with someone who was even more off limits than a human ex-boyfriend. (Sadly, it seemed like the last thing I need is usually the first thing I get.)

"He just doesn't feel right to me," Erik said.

We'd stopped in front of the girls' dorm and, still holding his hand, I turned to him and fluttered my lashes innocently. "So you felt up Loren, too?"

He scowled. "Not even vaguely a possibility." He pulled me to him and put his arm around me. "Sorry about getting all nuts about Blake. I know there's nothing going on with you two. I guess I was being jealous and stupid."

"You're not stupid, and I don't mind you being jealous. Or at least a little bit."

"You know I'm crazy about you, Z," he said as he bent and nuzzled my ear. "I wish it wasn't so late." I shivered. "Me, too." But I could see the sky starting to get light over his shoulder. Plus, I was exhausted. Between my birthday, my mom and step-loser, and my undead best friend, I really needed some alone time to think and a good solid night's (or in our case, day's) sleep. But that didn't stop me from snuggling into Erik. He kissed me on the top of my head and held me close. "Hey, have you figured out who's going to represent earth during the Full Moon Ritual?"

"No, not yet," I said. Crap. The Full Moon Ritual was in two nights and I'd been avoiding thinking about it. Replacing Stevie Rae would be gruesome enough if she was dead dead. Knowing that she's undead dead and hanging around the stinky alleys and nasty tunnels downtown made replacing her just plain depressing. Not to mention wrong.

"You know I'll do it. All you have to do is ask."

I tilted my head up to look at him. He was on the Prefect Council, along with the Twins, Damien, and, of course, me. I was Senior Prefect even though I'm technically a freshman and not a senior. Stevie Rae had been part of the council, too. And, no, I hadn't decided who should replace her. Actually, I had to Tap or choose two students for the council and I hadn't thought about that, either. God, I was stressed out. I drew a deep breath.

"Would you please represent earth in the circle for our Full Moon Ritual?"

"No problem, Z. But don't you think it might be a good idea if we had a practice circle casting before then?

With all the rest of you having an affinity for an element, or in your case all five elements, we better make sure everything goes smoothly when a non-gifted guy stands in."

"You're not exactly non-gifted."

"Well, I wasn't talking about my vast make-out skills."

I rolled my eyes. "Neither was I."

He pulled me closer so that my body was molded against him. "Guess I need to show you more of my talent." I giggled and he kissed me. I could still taste a hint of blood on his lip, which made the kiss even sweeter.

"Guess you two made up," Erin said.

"Looks more like a make-out than a makeup, Twin," Shaunee said. This time Erik and I didn't spring apart. We just sighed.

"There's no such thing as privacy at this school," Erik muttered.

"Hello! You're sucking face out here in plain sight," Erin said.

"I think it's kinda sweet," Jack said.

"That's because you're kinda sweet," Damien said, twining his arm through Jack's as they walked down the wide front stairs of the dorm.

"Twin, I may vomit. How about you?" Shaunee said.

"Definitely. As in projectile," Erin said.

"So this lovey-dovey stuff makes you two sick, huh?" Erik asked with an evil gleam in his eyes. I wondered what he was up to.

"Utterly nauseous," Erin said.

"Ditto," Shaunee agreed."

"Then you wouldn't be interested in what Cole and T. J. wanted me to pass along to you?"

"Cole Clifton?" Shaunee said.

"T. J. Hawkins?" Erin said.

"Yep and yep," Erik said.

I watched the twinly cynical Shaunee and Erin instantly change their negative attitudes.

"Cole is so fiiiine," Shaunee practically purred. "That blond hair of his and those naughty blue eyes make me want to spank him."

"T. J."-Erin fanned herself dramatically-"that boy can sing. And he's tall...Ooh, he's 50 damn fine."

"Does all this drama mean you two are actually interested in some lovey-dovey stuff?" Damien asked with a smug raise of his eyebrows.

"Yes, Queen Damien," Shaunee said, while Erin narrowed her eyes at him and nodded.

"So did you have something you wanted to pass along to the Twins from Cole and T. J.?" I prompted Erik before Damien could fire back at the Twins, which made me for the zillionth time miss Stevie Rae. She was a better peacekeeper than me.

"Just that we all thought it would be cool if Shaunee and Erin and you"-he squeezed my shoulders-"went to the IMAX tomorrow night with us."

"Us as in you, Cole, and T. J.?" Shaunee asked.

"Yep. Oh, and Damien and Jack are invited, too."

"What are we gonna see?" Jack asked.

Erik paused for dramatic effect, then said, "300 is rerunning as a special holiday IMAX event." It was Jack's turn to fan himself.

Damien grinned. "We're in."

"Us, too," Shaunee said, while Erin nodded so vigorously in agreement that her long blond hair bounced around, making her look like a crazed cheerleader.

"You know, 300 may be the perfect movie. It has something in it for everyone," I said. "Man titties for those of us who like that. And girl boobies for those of us who like that. Plus a very large dose of heroic guy action, and who doesn't like that?"

"And a midnight IMAX show for those of us who don't like the daylight," Erik said.

"Sheer perfection," Damien said.

"Ditto," said the Twins together.

I just stood there and grinned. I was crazy about them. Each and every one of the five of them. I still missed Stevie Rae constantly, but for the first time in a month I was feeling like myself-content, happy even.

"So it's a date?" Erik said.

Everyone chimed in with their yeses.

"Better get back to our dorm. Wouldn't want to be caught on sacred girl ground after dorm curfew," he teased.

"Yeah, we better go," Damien said.

"Hey Zoey, happy birthday," Jack said.

Jeesh, he's a sweet kid. I grinned at him, "Thanks, honey." Then I looked at the rest of my friends. "I'm sorry I was such a butt earlier. I really do like my presents."

"Which means you'll be wearing your presents?" Shaunee said with her sharp chocolate-colored eyes narrowed at me.

"Yeah, you'll be wearing those totally hot boots we spent $295.52 on?" Erin added. I gulped. Shaunee and Erin's families had money. I, on the other hand, was definitely not used to owning $300

boots. Actually, now that I realized how expensive they were, I was liking them more and more. "Yep. I will be wearing those fiiiine boots." I mimicked Shaunee.

"The cashmere scarf wasn't exactly cheap, either," Damien said haughtily. "Did I mention it's cashmere? One hundred percent."

"More times than we can count," Erin mumbled.

"I love me some cashmere," I assured him.

Jack was frowning and looking at his feet. "My snow globe wasn't that expensive."

"But it's cute, and it follows the snowman theme, perfectly matching my gorgeous snowman necklace, which I'm never going to take off." I smiled up at Erik.

"Even in the summer?" He asked.

"Even in the summer," I said.

Erik whispered, "Thanks, Z." And kissed me softly.

"Feeling my gorge rise again," Shaunee said.

"Puking a little bit in my mouth," Erin said.

Erik hugged me one more time before jogging after the already-retreating Jack and Damien. Over his shoulder he called, "So do I tell Cole and T. J. that you two aren't really into the whole kissing thing."

"Do and we'll kill you," Shaunee said sweetly.

"You'll be dead like a rock," Erin said, just as sweetly.

I echoed Erik's fading laughter as I grabbed my lavender pot, hugged Dracula to my bosom, and went into the dorm with my friends. And I began to actually think that maybe I could figure out a solution to the Stevie Rae issue and we could all be together again.

Sadly, that thought proved to be as na?��ve as it was impossible.