House Of Night Chosen | Page 6

Moody's Fine
Jewelry Store ripped off my boyfriend? And then I realized what I
was seeing.

The pearls were shaped into a snowman.

"Do you like it?" Erik asked. "When I saw it, it just
screamed Zoey's birthday at me, and I had to get it for you."

"Yeah. I like it. It's, uh, unique." I managed.

"It's Erik who came up with the snowman theme!" Jack
cried happily.

"Well, it wasn't really a theme," Erik said, his cheeks getting
a little pink. "I just thought it was different, not like those typical
hearts and such that everyone gets."

"Yep, hearts and such would be so ordinarily birthday-fied.
Who would want that?" I said.

"Let me put it on you," Erik said.

There was nothing else to do but pull my hair out of the way
and let Erik step back to clasp the delicate chain around my throat. I Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

could feel the snowman hanging heavy and disgustingly festive just
above my cleavage.

"It's cute," Shaunee said.

"And very expensive," Erin said. Both Twins gave mirrored
nods of approval.

"It matches my scarf perfectly," Damien said.

"And my snow globe!" Jack added.

"It's definitely a Christmas birthday theme," Erik said,
giving the Twins a sheepish look, which they responded to with
forgiving grins.

"Yes, yes, it certainly is a Christmas birthday theme," I said,
fingering the pearl snowman. Then I beamed to everyone a very
bright, very painted-on smile. "Thanks, you guys. I really appreciate
all the time and effort it took y'all to find such special gifts. I mean
it." And I did mean it. I may loathe the gifts, but the thoughts behind
them were a totally different thing.

My absolutely clueless friends came together and we all did
a kinda awkward group hug that left us laughing. Just then the door
swung open and the light from the hall glistened on very blond,
very big hair.

"Here."

Thankfully, my turning-into-vampyre reflexes were pretty
good, and I caught the box she tossed at me.

"Mail call came for you while you were back here with your

nerd herd," she sneered.

"Go away, Aphrodite, ya hag," Shaunee said.

"Before we throw some water on you and you melt," Erin
added.

"Whatever," Aphrodite said. She started to turn away, but
paused and gave me a wide, innocent smile before saying, "Nice
snowman necklace." Our eyes met and I swear she winked at me
before tossing her hair and flitting away, her laughter floating in the
air after her like mist.

"She's such a total bitch," Damien said.

"You'd think she would have learned her lesson when you
took the Dark Daughters from her, and Neferet proclaimed that the
Goddess has withdrawn her gifts from Aphrodite," Erik said. "But
that girl will never change." Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

I looked sharply at him. So says Erik Night, her ex-
boyfriend. I didn't need to say the words aloud. I knew by the way
Erik looked hastily away from me that they were easy enough to
read in my eyes.

"Don't let her mess up your birthday, Z," Shaunee said.

"Ignore the hateful hag. Everyone else does," Erin said.

Erin was right. Since Aphrodite's selfishness had caused her
to be publicly kicked out of leadership of the Dark Daughters, the
school's most prestigious student group, and the position of Lead
Dark Daughter as well as priestess in training had been given to me,
she had lost her standing as most popular and powerful fledgling.
Our High Priestess, Neferet, who was also my mentor, had made it
clear that our goddess, Nyx, has withdrawn her favor from
Aphrodite. Basically, Aphrodite was shunned where she was once
put on a big ol' popularity pedestal and worshipped.

Unfortunately, I knew there was more to the story than what
everyone else believed. Aphrodite had used her visions, which had
clearly not been taken away from her, to save my grandma as well
as Heath, my human boyfriend. Sure, she'd been bitchy and selfish
during the saving, but still. Heath and Grandma were alive, and a
good part of