House of Night 09 - Destined

yourself the middle of a Twin sandwich. Those two bitches are hot.”
    “You’re such a piece of shit. I’m not dumping Z. I love her. And it’s not the Twins who are the problem. It’s just Shaunee. Seems she has some kinda daddy complex and she’s giving Rephaim fuel for his Kalona-might-change fire.”
    “Sounds bad. You better be on guard, fucknuts, or shit’s gonna hit the fan when …
    The scene began to fade as a beautiful white feather appeared over Stark’s head.
    “It’s okay … Don’t have bad dreams.”
    In time with the whispered words the feather softly, gently, stroked over Stark’s face, soothing his furrowed brow and, like a broom with sand, sweeping away the dissipating image of The Other.
    In the darkest shadows of Stark’s mind, Kalona smiled and, for then, severed their nightly connection.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
    Shaunee
    “Really, Twin. Go with Kramisha and Aphrodikey. My stomach is still messed up from the Lunchables I had for breakfast. I need to stay here closer to the bathroom,” Shaunee said.
    “Eew, Twin, I tried to tell you Lunchables aren’t a breakfast food,” Erin said.
    “Look, are you staying here and suckling Shauneedy, or are you coming with us? The bumpkin and the bird are upstairs heating up the car and waiting on us. We have like two-point-five minutes to get to the back door of Miss Jackson’s and have Kramisha and Stevie Rae convince the security guy to let us in before he goes off shift and the damn store is locked up tight,” Aphrodite said. “I have zero patience for Twin crap. The whole trip is already a pain in my shapely ass because I know Stevie Rae is gonna make me leave my credit card number.”
    “That is the right thing to do,” Shaunee said.
    “Whatever. Let’s go, ” Aphrodite said.
    “Twin, are you—” Erin began and Kramisha cut her off. “You know I hate to agree with Hateful over there, but as my momma would say, shit or get off the pot.”
    “Gross,” Shaunee said. “Especially with the way my stomach’s feeling.”
    “Totally,” Erin agreed.
    “Are you comin’ or not?” Kramisha said.
    “Go,” Shaunee insisted. “Grab me something that has cashmere and fur. In red, ’cause I’m so hot. And make Aphrodite pay for it.”
    Erin grinned. “Done, Twin.”
    “Are you two gonna kiss good-bye now or what?” Aphrodite said.
    Erin rolled her eyes. “Come on, Hateful. Let’s shop.”
    “’Bout time…” Kramisha muttered as the three of them hurried from the kitchen.
    Shaunee felt a little guilty when Erin gave her one last worried look and waved. She was frowning and staring down at the table when Zoey came in with a super rumpled looking Stark.
    “Hey there, Shaunee,” Z said. “You feeling better?”
    “Where’s Erin?” Stark asked.
    “No, and shopping,” Shaunee said. She didn’t like the way Stark was looking at her, all disapproving and adult-like. “What’s your problem?” she asked him.
    “Nothin’.” He shrugged nonchalantly and stuck his head in one of the fridges. “Just need some caffeine to wake up.”
    But even though he sounded all whatever he still kept with the Look, and Shaunee didn’t feel like dealing. “I’m gonna go get some fresh air, then lay down. And, like Damien would say, I got homework to do.” She started walking toward the exit in the corner that led up to the abandoned depot and the quickest way out.
    “Hey, are you sure you’re okay? You’re not—”
    “No!” Shaunee said quickly, Z’s worried voice making her feel even guiltier. “I’m not coughing at all. Really. My stomach’s just messed up. It was the old Lunchables. I knew that ham was nasty, but I love me some mini-Ritz sandwiches.”
    “I’ll come to your room and check on you later,” Z said.
    “Yeah, okay, thanks,” Shaunee called and escaped up the stairs and into the old ticket booth.
    There she breathed easier. The depot was a mess, but she’d liked it from the very beginning—even though it was dingy and old and definitely needed some TLC. Still, it had a feel to it that reminded her of taking family trips, back before her parents had decided she wasn’t interesting enough, or whatever, and quit letting her come on vacation with them.
    It wasn’t like she’d had a crappy life before she’d been Marked. They’d had money. She’d gone to a cool private school back in Connecticut. She’d been popular and busy and … and …
    And lonely.
    Then she’d been Marked during a school trip