30A/N: Please read&review!
"You said you are in the tunnels, right?" Heath asked sometime later. I'd be filling him in on what was happening. Being Heath all he really did was worry about me. How could that be though? I had broke his heart too.
"Yeah. The creepy tunnels. Why?" I leaned against the wall behind me with a sigh. Heath had sliced right through my moment with Erik. I might have gotten a kiss if he hadn't called when he did. Goodness he had bad timing.
"I'm coming down there."
"No!" I shouted instantly. All hell would break loose if he came. "I mean, no Heath. It's not safe for you to move anywhere else. Just stay where you are."
"But I want to make sure you're safe." He argued stubbornly.
"Heath, I'm fine. I'm freaked out but I'm okay. Please just stay where you are." I turned my head in the direction of Shaunee and Erin's voices. They were getting louder and I knew they were coming to ambush. "Look I have to go. I'll call you later. Bye."
"Please!" Erin said.
"Just please with the leaving us out!" Shaunee finished.
"Leaving you out? Since when have I left you out?" I asked.
"Uh, hello! You and Erik? Alone time?" Erin said as if it was obvious.
"Oh. That. Nothing happened."
They each gave me twin-like doubious looks.
"Really. I mean it. Nothing happened. As much as I wish otherwise." I rubbed my temples and slid to the ground. I was so majorly over-stressed. I couldn't think straight enough to even begin trying to come up with a way to get rid of what was going on above us.
"Z, what is it?" Erin asked.
I glanced up, "Um, have you forgotten what's happening?"
"No, but you shouldn't freak out about it. It's just like dealing with hot guys. You act like nothing is up and then it just comes to you." Shaunee said.
I looked at her in disbelief, "You have got to be kidding, right? Act like nothing is happening? That's insane!"
"Quite right about that. Out of morbid curiousity, Shaunee, why would you say that?"
"Morbid? What?" The Twins said at the same time.
Damian just rolled his eyes, "Zoey, Stevie Rae wants you."
My heart instantly reacted. Stark was ready for me to talk to. "Uh, okay. All right. I'm coming."
Damian reached down and helped me to my feet, "Z, don't worry. He's in good shape."
I nodded and followed him, not trusting my voice to speak. Once we reached Stevie Rae, my eyes slid to Stark who was standing beside her. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and he eyes watched me, slightly less pained than before.
"Zoey," He sighed, stepped forward slightly.
"Hi Stark. Follow me, okay?" I said in a wispy voice. My knees were wobbling and my head was spinning but I ignored it and walked down the tunnel. Finally I stopped and turned around, "How are you feeling?"
"I feel better than I did." He smiled, a hint of his cocky sarcasm showing. He stepped forward. I could see the familiar expression I had once seen Stevie Rae wear on his face and it made me shiver. "What about you?"
"I'm stressed beyond belief. What exactly happened back there with Neferet?" I asked.
Pain and anger flashed across his face, "I'd rather not talk about it."
"Stark, I need to know."
"No," He hissed.
I slid to the ground, put my face in my hands and sobbed. Ugh, all of this stress is taking its toll on me. My emotions are a total mess.
"Zoey..." Stark murmered.
I felt something touch my hair and I looked up to see Stark staring at me with a sorrowful expression.
"Zoey I'm sorry."
"You didn't do anything," I mumbled, wiping my eyes. "This is all my fault."
"What do you mean? Of course this isn't your fault."
"Yes it is. It's my effing fault all of this happened this way. If I hadn't been the way I have with Neferet, maybe this would have been different." I pressed my hands to the damp ground, getting mud all over them.
"No, Neferet has always been-"
"I hate to interrupt," Aphrodite said, walking up. She grimaced when she spotted Stark. "But we've gotta get moving. The dead kids have a place with showers and all up ahead. Your nerd herd wants to get there soon, as do I."
"Okay," I said, getting up and wiping my mudy hands on my jeans.
Aphrodite gave my clothes a look, "And we need to get you changed and cleaned up badly. You look horrible."
"Oh, thanks, that makes me feel better," I grumble sarcastically.
"Wasn't trying to." She shot back, strutting her stuff all the way back to the others.
"Ya'll ready?" Stevie Rae asked once we reached her.
"As ready as we'll ever be." I answered.
"Z, we'll rest soon if you need to stop." Damian said.
"No, no I'll be fine."
"Damian is right though, you know? We'll stop if you need us to." Jack said sweetly.
"I know Jack, honey." I sighed and looked at Stevie Rae. "Lead the way."
I trudged forward with major effort. I had been told that we would stop more than once already but each time I refused. I would not slow down the others because of my unexplainable exhaustion.
"Please!" Shaunee said.
"Just please with the walking!" Erin finished. "Are we there yet?"
"Yes, we are. Ya'll welcome to our hide out." Stevie Rae said.
I looked around and saw many tunnels and more matresses. A few pizza boxes were on the floor, but that was it.
"Shower? Please tell me you have showers here?" Shaunee asked.
"Yes they have showers. I say ugh to staying here without showers." Aphrodite said. "I used my parents money to get some."
"Uh, before we all start fighting over who gets showers first, I think it'd be best if we let Zoey take the first one." Damian said, his eyes on me.
"I agree," Erik added, walking up to me. He put a hand on my shoulder, "Zoey needs to rest."
"Okay, so she gets the first. But I get second!" Erin declared.
While everyone tried to figure out a schedule, Erik led me over to the shower and stopped outside, turning to face me. "Zoey, do you have any idea what's going on with you?"
I shook my head, "I have no friggin clue."
"Try asking Nyx. I'm sure she'll help." With that, Erik presses his lips to my forehead and walks away.
Blinking in a daze, I stumbled into the shower. I have to admit, it feels better than I can ever remember a shower feeling. As soon as I'm out, Erin rushes in with a squeal and I hear her moan when the water hits her. I smile slightly at the sound of her comfort and walk out.
"Feel better?" Erik asked when he sees me curled up on a matress.
"Yeah." I answered sleepily. Erik nods and sits beside me, then leans back so he's laying. His arm slides around my waist and I snuggle into the groove of his body. Within seconds I'm asleep.