Untamed Chapter 19

At what point does a book no longer qualify as a story? I’ve been asking myself that a lot lately with how badly paced this one is. It has a lot of the same elements as a real book, a protagonist and antagonist and some loose recurring elements but nothing happens. There’s so little happening that it almost qualifies as a diary or perhaps a blog, a fictional diary perhaps but a diary all the same.

We join Zoey and Aphro leaving the chicken place. I’m glad PCK is keeping the pace on par with a glacier while keeping us informed of every detail. If they didn’t tell us that Zoey and Aphro left the restaurant, we’d have no idea where they were. Why, Zoey could start the ritual with Sheky and we’d all ask why they’re doing a religious ceremony in the local chicken shack.

Darius sees their faces and jumps out of the car, demanding to know “where is the danger”. Yeah, because a couple of sad teens coming out of a chicken shack is the clearest indication that there’s danger nearby. I hear that’s how armies detect bombs is by sending students into nearby shops and seeing who comes out with anything less than a painful smile on their face.

Zoey tells her new lap dog that there’s no danger, just an ex-boyfriend. Is he really an ex if you never dated, Zoey? Yes you sucked off on him when it was convenient for you but you never did anything else aside from string him along. I’d say Heath is less of an ex-boyfriend than a freed slave.

Zoey is crying and doesn’t realize it until Aphro hands her tissue. Right, because Zoey is so strong and independent that she doesn’t feel emotions. Or, she’s a sociopath like I’ve been saying all along. Darius asks if she’ll be alright, because author forbid Zoey have to feel anything besides elation, and Aphro says she will.

“She’ll be okay. Normal ex-boyfriend crap sucks. What happened to her in there was definitely not normal and, well, that double sucks.”

Wait, how was that not normal? Zoey saw Heath, he confronted her then told her he never wants to see her again. Sounds fairly standard to me. And I love how Aphro is trying to sell us on sympathy for Zoey. The only reason Zoey is sad is because every other guy around her either died or couldn’t stand her cheating and Heath was supposed to be her backup. Zoey can be upset, maybe the whole thing really does bug her, but Heath is the one who’s suffering from depression after breaking free from her mind control.

Darius asks Zoey, again, if she’s okay. We can’t let the author’s avatar get any scratches on it, can we? Aphro asks if Darius would go back there and kill him. Zoey says she’s fine and that she doesn’t want Heath killed. Aphro says that she doesn’t care what Zoey says, she thinks Heath needs it. On one hand, Aphro may just be saying things to make Zoey feel better which is perfectly normal. But I get the impression that we’re supposed to be mad at Heath. How dare he decide that a relationship with Zoey is dangerous to his health! Doesn’t he know that it’s not up to him?

Aprho asks Darius to stop at a Radioshack because her ipod is acting up and she wants a new one. You may not have picked this up but her parents are rich and give her lots of money. And she doesn’t show any regard for the money she so callously throws around. She leaves and Darius and Zoey start talking. Darius, being a good dog, starts trying to make Zoey feel better by offering to “speak to the boy” if she wants. Zoey says that won’t be necessary because Heath has every right to be angry.

“Humans who get involved with vampyres can be overly sensitive,” Darius said, obviously choosing his words carefully. “Being the human consort of a vampyre, especially a powerful High Priestess, is a difficult path.”

I’m going to kill you, Darius. When I’m done, there won’t be a trace of a crime to investigate. Everyone will just assume I was screaming in a room while I painted it red. They might wonder what happened to that sack I dragged in behind me that was groaning when I dragged it up and down the steps thirty odd times before I got to work. But then they will realize there are plenty of rooms to paint red in this world and shut up. Zoey says she’s not a priestess or a vampire. Darius waits until Aphro comes back before he starts stroking her ego.

“Zoey, you should keep in mind that High Priestesses aren’t born overnight. They begin to come into their own even when they are fledglings. Their power builds early. Your power is building, Priestess. You are far from just a normal fledgling and you always will be. So your actions will have the ability to profoundly affect others.”

Translation, Zoey’s special and impossible to ignore. Everyone’s lives will revolve around the hub of Zoey’s and they will be forced to suffer based on her bad decisions. Zoey says she was just getting used to being different and now she’s overwhelmed. Aphro pities her and Zoey says she’s being nice. Aphro says that Zoey’s a bad influence on her then kisses Darius on the cheek.

Zoey tells herself she’s done with boyfriend drama and that even if Stark comes back to life, she’ll just help him up and out the door. Then she goes to drama class because PCK is terrible at symbolism. She shows up late and looks for Erik while standing in the doorway. Erik is facing away but knows she’s there and tells her to take a seat anywhere.

Zoey recognizes a few people, casually naming the girl who’s sitting behind like it matters. She also says that she’s blond and pretty and that there seem to be five blondes to every “normal” person at the school. That makes no sense, PCK, are you saying that blondes are abnormal? They’re not exactly a rare breed. Or maybe she’s saying a lot of blonde people just happen to be vampires.

Then Erik says that they don’t normally improvise Shakespearean plays but this will prove to be a perfect chance. Zoey is going to be doing a part from Othello with Cole. Zoey mentions that Cole is dating Shaunee and that makes him brave. I don’t dare speculate why that is. Zoey is shocked that they’re doing a part form Othello and Erik asks if that’s ok. She goes on to explain it’s the scene where Othello strangles Desdemona. Or rather, it’s not Cole doing that part, it’s going to be Erik playing Othello.

Erik starts speaking the lines and “becomes” the character. Zoey says it’s just like she’s seen so many times before. Yeah, you know, those hundreds of plays she’s seen him do in the three months she’s been going to the vampire school.

This is the part where Erik acts like a prick because PCK wants us to hate him. He’s supposed to be taking his frustration out on her through the lines of a play. He recites lines from the play angrily and kisses her. Zoey tells us that it’s wonderful and disgusting and all sorts of other emotions that she’s heard about but never felt.

They deviate from the play when Erik wants her to admit she betrayed him. Zoey says she didn’t, not in her heart, and he doesn’t believe her. Erik and her work out their problems in incredibly loose Shakespearean dialogue and Erik looks angry, sad and maybe hopeful. He gets close to her and Zoey gets horny so she pulls him close.

I kissed him with everything in me. I put all my pain and sorrow and passion and love for him into that kiss, and his mouth opened under mine, meeting me passion for passion, pain for pain, and love for love.

Wow, that must have been a bland kiss if Zoey put everything she had into it. I’m picturing a doll and an action figure being mashed together by a nine year old. Then the bell rings because, the end of a class is a good way to end a boring chapter. Great, now Erik will have a change of heart and forgive her. And, once again, Zoey suffers zero consequences for her actions.