was more hurt or pissed. "Just stuff." He still wouldn't look at me. I narrowed my eyes with realization. "She thinks I had some thing to do with Chris." He moved his shoulders restlessly. "Not you, or at least she doesn't say you. She thinks it's vampyres, though, but so do a lot of people."
"Do you?" I asked softly. His eyes shot back to mine. "No way! But something bad's happening. Someone's kidnapping football players. That's why I was here today. I'm taping up flyers with Brad's picture on them. Maybe someone will remember him being dragged away or something."
"I'm sorry about Chris." I laced my fingers through his. "I know you guys were friends."
"It sucks. I can't believe he's dead." He swallowed hard, and I knew he was trying not to cry. "I think Brad's dead, too." I thought he was, too, but I couldn't say it out loud. "Maybe not. Maybe they'll find him."
"Yeah, maybe. Hey, Chris's funeral is Monday. Would you go with me?" . "I can't, Heath. Do you know what would happen if a fledgling showed up at the funeral of a kid people think was killed by a vampyre?"
"I guess it would be bad."
"Yes, it would be. And that's what I've been trying to make you see. You and me together--we'd have to deal with issues like that all the time."
"Not when we're out of school, Zo. Then you could wear that cover-up stuff you have on your face now, and no one would even know."
What he was saying probably should have pissed me off, but he was so serious, so sure that if I slapped a little concealer on my tattoos everything could go back to the way it was. And I couldn't be mad because I understood his wanting it. Wasn't that what I was doing there? Hadn't I been trying to relive part of my old life? But this wasn't me anymore, and deep within me I didn't really want it to be. I liked the new Zoey, even if saying good-bye to the old Zoey wasn't only hard, it was a little sad, too. "Heath, I don't want to cover my Mark. That wouldn't be who I am." I drew a deep breath and continued. "I've been Marked specially by our Goddess, and Nyx has given me some unusual powers. It would be impossible for me to pretend to be the hu man Zoey again, even if I wanted to. And, Heath, I don't want to." His eyes searched my face. "Okay. We'll do it your way and say to hell with people who don't like it."
"That's not my way, Heath. I don't--"
"Wait, you don't have to say anything right now. Just think about it. We can meet here again in a few days." He grinned. "I'll even come at night." It was a lot harder than I'd imagined to tell Heath that I'd never see him again. Actually, I hadn't imagined that I would have to have this talk with him. I'd thought we were over. Sitting here with him now felt weird--part normal, part impossible. Which actu ally described our relationship pretty well. I sighed and glanced down at our joined hands, and caught a look at my watch. "Oh, shit!" I pulled my hand from his and grabbed my purse and my American Eagle bag. It was 2:15.I had to make that damn call to the FBI in fifteen minutes. "I gotta go, Heath. I'm really late for something at school. I'll--I'll call you later." I started to hurry away and wasn't really surprised that he came with me. "No," he interrupted when I started to tell him to go away. "I'm walking you to your car." I didn't argue with him. I knew that tone. As goofy and exas perating as Heath could be, his daddy had raised him right. Since third grade he'd been a gentleman, opening doors for me and carrying my schoolbooks, even when his friends called him a pussy-whipped dork. Walking me to my car was just part of what Heath did. Period. My VW was sitting all alone under a big tree, just like when I'd parked it. As usual, he reached past me and opened my door. I couldn't help smiling at him. I mean, there was a reason I'd liked the kid for all these years--he really was sweet. "Thanks, Heath," I said, and slid into the driver's seat. I was go ing to roll down the window and