Chosen

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 naïve as it was impossible.

CHAPTER 7

Saturday evening (which is really our Saturday morning) is usually a lazy time. Girls hang around the dorm in pj's and nappy, uncombed hair, sleepily eating bowls of cereal or cold popcorn and staring at reruns on the different wide-screen TVs in the dorm's main room. So it's not surprising that Shaunee and Erin gave me confused, groggy frowns when I grabbed a granola bar and a can of brown pop (not diet, eesh) and appeared between their glazed stares and the TV.

'What?' Erin said.

'Z, why are you so awake?' Shaunee said.

'Yeah, it's not healthy to be perky so early,' Erin said.

'Exactly, Twin. Each person has only so much perkiness. If they use it up early in the day, then it's gone and you're left with grumpiness,' Shaunee said.

'I'm not perky. I'm busy.' Thankfully, that stopped their lecture. 'I'm going to go to the library to research some ritual stuff.' That wasn't a lie. They just assumed I was talking about the coming Full Moon Ritual when I was actually talking about a ritual to make poor undead-dead Stevie Rae un-undead. 'While I'm doing that, I want you guys to find Damien and Erik and tell them that we're going to meet under the tree by the wall at—' I glanced at my watch. 'It's five thirty right now. I should be done with my research by seven-ish. So how about we meet at seven fifteen?'

' 'Kay,' the Twins said.

'But how come we're meeting?' Erin said.

'Oh, sorry. Erik is going to be representing earth tomorrow.' I swallowed around the sudden clog in my throat. The Twins looked equally sad. Clearly, none of us had really gotten over Stevie Rae, even those of us who believed she was dead. 'Erik thought that it might be a good idea to practice casting a circle before the actual ritual. You know, what with all the rest of us having elemental affinities and him not. I thought it was a good idea, too.'

'Yeah … sounds good …,' the Twins mumbled.

'Stevie Rae wouldn't want us to mess up a ritual because we're missing her,' I said. 'She'd be all Y'all better act right and not make big ol' butts outta yourselves.' My twang made the Twins smile.

'We'll be there, Z,' Shaunee said.

'Good, then we'll go watch 300 after that,' I said.

That really made them grin.

'Oh, and would you two be sure that all the elemental candles are there?'

'Will do, Z,' Erin said.

'Thanks, guys.'

'Hey, Z,' Shaunee called across the room when I was almost out the door.