Life at the House of Night: Marked

Life at the House of Night: Marked: Chapter 9

"What is the matter, Red?" Loren's arms caught me so that I wouldn't fall, causing me to look at him wearing his worried look.

Shoot, shoot, shoot! I didn't have time for him right now but I knew I kinda dissed him in Poetry so now I felt bad.

"Loren, I..." I began to say.

What should I say? That I was going to round up the others so we could follow Zoey to the Samhain ritual? A gut feeling told me that the answer wouldn't be the best answer to use and that I should lie.

"You could tell me." Loren raised one of his brows at me. "I am your mentor after all." He lowered his head to whisper in my ear, causing me to shiver ever so slightly while wrapping his arms around me, "And more."

The whisper and embrace almost made my knees to give up and fall into him. He was right. Luck (or maybe it was Nyx) was on my side though, giving me to straighten up before looking at him.

"I know." I gave him my reassuring smile. "I just had a rough day and I was just going to go see my friends, that's all. Ever since I started to hang around with them, it felt like I'm part of a family over here now."

"Alright." To my luck, Loren's worried look became warm and loving. "But do get some sleep soon, alright? A rose like you should stay blooming."

I nodded but to my surprise, he kissed me long and deep. Without me knowing completely, I placed my hands on his back while kissing him back as I closed my eyes. He tightened his hold around me, pressing my body against his. I felt as if I wanted to be lost in his arms and love forever. What was wrong with me? Was I sinking deep into having a desire for him?

I nipped at his bottom lip but I think I did it too much for when I did, I tasted something that was good as he let out a small moan. I gave the small bite a soft lick before clenching his back tightly. It was really good actually but I felt as if I was slipping once again into the state that I was in last night.

"Red..." Loren said softly. "Do you realize that you were licking my blood..?"

It dawned on me then. I was drinking blood. Not any blood but his. I stepped back from him as I clench my head with one hand, covering half of my face.

"I-I'm sorry..." I barely managed to say. "I-I should go!"

I started to run away from him but I still heard him say, "Red, wait!"

I didn't heed to him. I kept on running. I couldn't believe that I've done that. And I liked it no doubt! I was so frustrated of myself before, unfortunately, bumping into another person, causing him to go "Oops!" A pair of arms grabbed hold of me. I looked up to see Erin having her hold on me as Shaunee helped out Damien.

"Sorry, Damien!" I said, completely embarrassed. "I didn't mean to run into you."

"It's okay, Red." Damien gave me his nice smile.

"Were you looking for me?" I asked. "Why?"

"To help out Z!" Shaunee replied.

"And you were the one that suggested it?" Erin raised a brow. "Please, just please."

"Technically, Damien was the first one to suggest it." I shrugged with a sheepish smile. "It's pretty much safe to say that it's his plan."

"Thanks, Red." Damien gave his cute, shy smile. "But I do believe that we should follow you to get to Zoey though, hun. Stevie Rae is already there."

I crossed my arms as I looked away to think. Follow me? As in I was the leader for right now? I wouldn't even think that I was leader material. It was pretty much safe to say that Zoey, as much of a goof she was, was more leader material than I would ever be. Well, it couldn't be helped now that the others nodded in agreement to Damien's suggestion as soon as I looked back at them, causing me to let out a sigh.

"Alright." I said. "But only this one time, alright? I'm not too good of leadership."

"We trust you, Red!" The three said.

"Alright." I said. "I believe that I saw them using a secret passage in the rec hall so let's go. We should hurry though because I feel like as if there is no time to waste."

They nodded once more and I led them to the rec hall, relieved and a little sad that Loren was no longer where I left him. I knew that I would have to make it up to him later but now's not the time because I felt as if something dangerous was entering outside of the wall. When we arrived at the back of the hall, I noticed there was something like a loose brick so when I touched it, the wall opened up just a crack for us to squeeze through.

"Prodigious!" Damien said softly.

"Very," Shaunee began.

"Clever." Erin finished.

"Alright, guys." I said, looking over my shoulder to look at them. "We have to go as stealthily as we could to get to Zoey and Stevie Rae. I'm no good of a tracker but I'll try."

But I did have an idea how.

"Right!" The three softly said.

Once we left the school walls, the wall went back to normal. Without looking at them, I raised up a portion of my blindfold in order to see clearly to summon my darkness affinity.

Darkness, I command you to guide us to where the Samhain ritual is taking place so that we may join Zoey and Stevie Rae! I thought to myself.

To my surprise, a path of darkness was made so that it would guide us to the two. Thank you, darkness.

"Alright." I said without turning around. "Let's go."

We began to move quietly into the night. So quiet that it was as if Night was shielding us on our way to Zoey and Stevie Rae. You two, please be alright by the time we get there.