Chosen by Kristin Cast, P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast Page A

frown and a notebook he’s all too ready to fill out passes to hell on.
    â€œNyx, thanks for helping me tonight. I’m confused and completely weirded out by the Stevie Rae situation, but I know if you’ll help me—help us—we can get through this. Take care ofher, please, and help me to know what to do. I know you’ve Marked me and given me special powers for a reason, and I’m beginning to think that the reason might have something to do with Stevie Rae. I won’t lie to you; it scares me. But you knew what a sissy I was when you picked me,” I smiled up at the sky. During my first conversation with Nyx I had told her that I couldn’t be Marked as special by her because I couldn’t even parallel park. It hadn’t seemed to matter to her then, and I was hoping it still didn’t matter to her. “Anyway, I just wanted to light this for Stevie Rae to symbolize the fact that I won’t forget her, and I won’t walk away from what you need me to do, no matter how clueless I am about the details.”
    I planned to sit there for a while and hoped that maybe I’d get another whisper in my mind that would give me some idea about how I should handle meeting Stevie Rae tomorrow. So I was still sitting in front of Nyx’s statue and staring up at the sky when Erik’s voice scared the bejeezus right out of me.
    â€œStevie Rae’s death has really shaken you up, hasn’t it?”
    I jumped and let out an unattractive squeak. “Jeesh, Erik! You scared me so bad I almost peed myself. Do not sneak up on me like that.”
    â€œFine. Sorry. I shouldn’t have bothered you. Later.” He started to walk away.
    â€œWait, I don’t want you to go. You just surprised me. Next time rustle a leaf or cough or something. Okay?”
    He stopped walking and turned back to me. His face was guarded, but he gave me a tight nod and said, “Okay.”
    I stood up and smiled what I hoped was an encouraging smile. Undead friend and Imprinted human boyfriend aside, I reallydid like Erik and definitely didn’t want to break up with him. “Actually I’m glad you’re here. I need to apologize for what happened before.”
    Erik made a brusque gesture with his hand. “Don’t worry about it, and you don’t have to wear that snowman necklace, or you can take it back and exchange it. Or whatever. I kept the receipt.”
    My hand went up to touch the pearl snowman. Now that I could lose it (and Erik) I suddenly realized it was kinda cute. (Erik was more than kinda cute.) “No! I don’t want to take it back.” I paused and collected myself so I didn’t sound so psycho and desperate. “Okay, here’s the thing. There’s a distinct possibility that I might be a little overly sensitive about the whole birthday-Christmas issue. I really should have told you guys how I felt about it, but I’ve had sucky birthdays for so long that I guess I just didn’t even think about it. Or at least not until today. And then it really was too late. I wasn’t going to say anything and you guys wouldn’t even have known if you hadn’t seen that note from Heath.” I remembered I still had Heath’s gorgeous bracelet on my wrist so I dropped my hand down and pressed it against my side, wishing the adorably cute little hearts would stop jingling so merrily. Then I added lamely, “Plus, you’re right. Stevie Rae has really shaken me up.” Then I clamped my mouth shut because I realized I had (again) talked about the supposedly dead Stevie Rae as if she was alive, or in her case I guess I should say not dead. And, of course, I was babbling like the desperate psycho I was trying not to appear to be.
    Erik’s blue eyes seemed to look inside me. “Would things be easier for you if I just backed off and left you alone for a while?”
    â€œNo!” He was really making my stomach hurt.