"Oh, yeah, cool," was all I could make myself say.

"I shall take my place now," Shekinah said. "Blessed be."

I muttered a "Blessed be" at her back, then I turned on Jack.

"Jack," I whispered violently. "Erik playing Loren's part tonight is not what I'd call a good surprise!"

Jack frowned. "Damien and I thought it would be. It just shows that you guys can maybe try to talk to each other."

"Not in front of the whole school we're not!"

"Oh. Um. I didn't think about it like that." Jack's lip started to quiver. "Sorry. If I'd known you'd be mad, I would have told you first thing."

I wiped a hand across my forehead, brushing my hair out of my face. The last thing I needed was Jack breaking down into tears. No, the last thing I needed was having to face seriously hot Erik and his delicious blood in front of the entire school! Okay, okay, just breathe . . . you've gotten through more embarrassing situations than this.

"Zoey?" Jack sniffled.

"Jack, it's okay. Really. I was just, well, surprised. Which is what a surprise is all about. I'll be fine now."

"O-okay. Are you sure? Are you ready?"

"Yes and yes," I said before I could run screaming in the opposite direction. "Start the music for me."

"Knock 'em dead, Z!" he said, and ran back to the audio equipment, keying the beginning of the music.

I closed my eyes and began the deep breathing that would help me clear my mind and prepare myself for calling the elements and casting the circle--and because of the Erik surprise, totally forgetting to tell Jack he should check the nanny cam.

As always, I was a ball of nerves until I started toward the circle and the music filled me. Tonight the soundtrack of Memoirs of a Geisha was haunting and beautiful. I lifted my arms and let my body move gracefully to the orchestra. Then Erik's voice joined with the music and the night, creating magic.

Beneath the shining stars, Beneath the gleaming moon, When night has healed the scars Of burning noon . . . The words of the poem caught me, carrying me on a tide of Erik's voice. I flung back my head and let my hair fall around me as I moved slowly into the circle, weaving words with music and dance and magic.

. . . And so, I say to you, If hate possess your heart, When day's hot strife is through Bid hate depart . . .

I moved unerringly around the circle, loving the perfection of the poem Erik was reciting. It felt so right, and I knew that before, when Loren had called me into the circle, he'd used it as an opportunity to seduce and dazzle me. He hadn't thought about what the ritual should mean to me, or the rest of the fledglings, or even to Nyx. Loren's motives had always been self-serving. I could see that so easily now that I wondered how he could have ever fooled me so completely. Erik was as unlike him as the moon was unlike the sun. The poem he'd chosen was about forgiveness and healing, and though it would be nice to think he meant some of it for me, I knew that his first thought had been what would be best for the school and the kids who were trying to heal from the deaths of two professors.

The disappointing day, Whenever wrong, or how, Is something passed away, Is ended now. Forget, forgive, the scars, And sleep will find you soon Beneath the shining stars, The gleaming moon.

The poem ended as I joined Erik in the middle of the circle in front of Nyx's table. I looked up at him. He was tall and heart-stoppingly handsome dressed all in black, which complemented his dark hair and intensified the blue of his eyes.

"Hello, Priestess," he said softly.

"Hello, Consort," I replied.

He saluted me formally, bowing deeply with his right fist closed over his heart; then he turned to the table. When he came back to me, he was holding Nyx's ornately decorated silver goblet in one hand, and a ceremonial knife in the other. Okay, by "ceremonial" I don't mean it was for play. It was sharp, wicked sharp, but it was also beautiful and had been carved with words and symbols that were sacred to Nyx.

"You'll need this," he said, handing me the knife.

I took it, disturbed by how the moonlight glinted off the blade, not having a clue what to do next. Thankfully, the music was still playing and the watching horde of people were swaying gently to the mesmerizing Geisha melody. In other words, they were watching us, but only with easy anticipation, and as long as we kept our voices low, they couldn't hear us. I did glance at Damien, and he waggled his brows at me and winked. I looked away fast. "Zoey? You okay?" Erik whispered. "You know it's not going to hurt me much at all."