This HoN story is with my OC and takes place between the ending of Destined and Hidden (the next book in the series). This is in a sense my version of Hidden and stuff and my own interpretation of what would happen in Hidden but of course it's completely far off. I also have some of my own guesses of what will happen in the later books and of course some spoilers in here from Destined if you haven't read the book yet.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own House of Night at ALL!
Warning: Slight adult themes but no major things plus profanity and a tiny fraction of gore at points.
Main Pairings: Zoey/Stark/Aurox/Heath, Stevie Rae/Rephiam, Nisroc/OC.
Slight Pairings: Neferet/white bull, Erik/Shaylin/Venus, Aphrodite/Darius, and Lenobia/Travis.
Very slight pairing: Kalona/Zoey/Thanatos.
Key: "Talking" "Emphasis" thoughts setting change/POV change
Redbird Farm/ Zoey
We all stood in silence after Nyx went and left. We didn't move and didn't say a word for like the longest time! I was starting to get freaked out by the silence but couldn't find it in myself to speak. It was, of all people, Rephiam who said something first.
"So… What now?"
"It is obvious to us that since we have finished our work here we should return to the House of Night. But first, let's give Professor Lankford a proper burial." Thanatos replied as she made her way over to Dragon's maimed body. Kalona followed her out of instinct I guess and when she knelt beside Dragon he stayed standing behind her, almost protectively like the Warrior he used to be and I guess now is again.
"How does one bury a vampire?" Grandma asked as she wiped her eyes dry. That was when I realized I was starting to cry with the memories of my mom's death fresh in my mind.
"Simple Sylvia, we burn him."
"What?" Shaunee squeaked out. I guess I understand why she is shocked, I kinda was too, but fire was mainly her element and knowing Thanatos Shaunee would have to be the one to light the flame.
"Yes Shaunee, you will have to come here please. As well as everyone else. We need to pay our respects and burn him."
"Me especially." Stevie Rae said as she helped Rephiam stand and held on to his hand tightly. "He saved Rephiam." Rephiam nodded, agreeing with her.
So we all gathered around Dragon, we waiting for Grandma for a bit because she went to go get a blanket to throw on top of him. We all said a bit about him, just a bit and soon we stood back and watched Dragon's body burn. We waited until the fire had simmered and when the flames were gone not even the bones were left. It was actually kind of cool. But all throughout the burning all I could think about was my mom's murder and Aurox (Heath in my mind). Heath's in Aurox, at least his soul anyways. Suddenly everything Aurox had done had made sense, especially the Kleenex. I just couldn't believe it and it made my heart go in all sorts of different directions. I was so out of it in thought that I didn't realize that everyone had gone and went to pile into the bus leaving me and Grandma.
"Zoeybird, are you all right?" Grandma said as she put her hand on my shoulder.
"Hm? Oh yes Grandma. I'm just… Just in thought I guess."
"About Linda?"
"Not really." I confessed.
"What's on your mind Zoeybird?"
I wondered for a moment if I should really tell Grandma. I mean I tell her everything but hell; this is something even I don't know anything about. So instead I shook my head. "No, it's not much of anything Grandma. Just Dragon and Neferet and all this bull poopie that's been happening around here lately."
I don't think Grandma bought it but she simply nodded and let it slid. Thank the Goddess. "Okay baby, just know that I'll be here if you want anyone to talk to."
"Thanks Grandma." We hugged and then from the distance I heard Stark calling out to me.
"Hey Zo! We need to move! Sun's going to rise in an hour or so and we still need to stop by the House of Night!"
I laughed, feeling his impatience and slight worry. I knew at that moment we were going to have a talk because I knew he felt that something was off about me. "Bye Grandma."
"Goodbye child." We went off our separate ways and started off towards the House of Night.
Later at the House of Night/No POV
"I have a strange feeling…" Thanatos said immediately upon entering the House of Night. "Something feels off."
"I feel it too." Rephiam agreed with her.
Zoey's feelings were off as well, though she hardly thought that it was whatever Thanatos and Rephiam were feeling but for the whole mother's-death-revealed-and-Aurox-being-Heath's-soul thing instead. Whatever it was it was sorely affecting her friends around her and Thanatos as well.
"Where is Neferet?" Thanatos asked suddenly, her voice even and even a bit scary as she fell into her role of taking over the House of Night as her own.
From out of the shadows Neferet appeared as if she was there the whole time. "I'm here Thanatos." Neferet began, her eyes wondering around the gang before landing on Kalona for a minute and then refocusing her attention on Thanatos. "Was there something you needed?" She said her teeth clenched and her body stiff.
"Yes in fact." Thanatos continued on with her bravado. "I am taking over the Tulsa House of Night and you Neferet are hereby exiled from the House of Night for not only consorting with the white bull of Darkness but for also killing an innocent human."
Neferet stood still, her thoughts and mind being jumbled around in an effort to retort back to the other vampyre. Neferet soon heaved a sigh and decided not to fight against Thanatos or further convey her use of darkness any more for the time being. "As you wish High Priestess." Her leniency shocked most of Zoey and her friends, in fact all of them, even Kalona, but they knew that even though she was leaving easily did not mean that she was gone for good. Neferet would eventually come back and she'll strike harder and far more angrily the next time. "But if I could just say High Priestess…" She paused and looked back at Thanatos. "Perhaps you should check up on your cat. He was feeling quite ill just moments before." Neferet smirked at the new High Priestess and disappeared into the shadows once more.
Thanatos stiffened and looked towards the teachers' dorms. Kalona too tensed and looked in that general direction. "It couldn't be…" Thanatos said softly. "She could not have possibly…" Without warning Thanatos started to run towards the teacher's dorms Kalona following her.
The gang stayed behind, feeling a big hole of worry in their hearts. "You don't think Neferet did anything to Thanatos' cat?" Stevie Rae asked towards her friends.
"How am I supposed to know?" Aphrodite replied first. "Hell, I didn't even know Thanatos brought her cat along with her but you know what? I wouldn't doubt that Neferet would do something like that."
"But killing a cat?" Shaunee asked. "What would she gain from killing a cat?"
"Not just any cat." Damian shook his head slowly. "Thanatos' cat. The cat probably has some—"
"No!" A scream echoed from the teachers' dorms.
The gang collectively gasped. "Goddess be damned!" Aphrodite cursed. "The cat must have been killed by Neferet!"
"But what would she gain from killing a cat?" Shaunee repeated again starting to feel anxious as did the rest of the gang.
"The same reason anyone might want to kill an animal." Rephiam remarked. "A sacrifice."
Stevie Rae looked at her Consort. "What? Really? You really think it was for a sacrifice?"
"I can't think of anything else. Animals have always been used for sacrifices, wither to gain power or as tribute or whatever. The same goes for humans as well." Rephiam looked at Zoey at the end and the unique fledgling tensed.
"Goddess be damned!" Aphrodite said once more.
"Why the hell is Neferet going around sacrificing things?" Erin asked. "What could all of these sacrifices be going to?"
"We don't know the answer to that really." Darius finally inputted. "One could say that Zoey's mother's death could have been for the creation of Aurox for he is defiantly not of this earth."
"And is defiantly from the white bull." Damian agreed.
Darius nodded while Stark picked up on it. "Whatever Aurox is he's not something we want to keep alive. He's dangerous. He killed Dragon tonight." Zoey inhaled and shuddered. "See?" Stark said as he draped one arm around Zoey's shoulders and brought her close to him. "Even Z here gets the heebie jeebies from him.
"Z, are you alright girl?" Stevie Rae asked her best friend.
"Yeah I'm fine." Zoey lied effortlessly for once. "It's just… Everything that's been going on and now this? It's all too much you know?"
"Yeah well…" Erin drawled out. "What do you suppose we do now?"
"We have to get back into the tunnels." Zoey replied immediately. "The sun will rise soon and Stevie Rae needs to get underground and all."
"What about Thanatos?" Damian asked.
Zoey looked in the direction of the teachers' dorms and opened her mouth to say something when Rephiam interrupted. "I know you don't trust him that much, and you have reason to, but father will take care of Thanatos. He is required to do so now; in fact, he wants to do so now."
"I can't believe I'm saying this but I agree with Bird Boy." Aphrodite said rubbing a hand to her face. "Kalona is Thanatos' Warrior now, he'll stay with her."
"Then let's go." Darius stated as he took Aphrodite's hand in his. "We must get going if we wish to beat the sun."
"I do hope Thanatos is alright." Damian said as they gang slowly started to make their way to the bus.
Only Stark and Zoey lingered in the courtyard of the House of Night. "Zoey," Stark started out slowly, "are you sure you're alright? You're tense and you've been shivering and I mean it's kind of chilly out here but that's not what causing you to shake like this. And your emotions are all over the place and—"
"I'm fine Stark I promise." Zoey interrupted softly. "I just… I need some sleep."
Stark groaned. "Sleep? I hate to sleep."
"I know Stark." Zoey said softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a hug and he hugged her back. In her mind she knew that the hug was more for her than for Stark. "But I'll be there with you. There's no need to be afraid." Now if only I can say the same for me.
That's the introduction/trial chapter for this story. Tell me what you think and if I should continue it so pretty much… Please Review! Please! Review!
PS: It was probably Neferet's cat that she ended up sacrificing and not Thanatos' because I don't even think Thanatos has a cat but I just do not think that Neferet would have killed her own cat. That's just… I don't know. It's just not something I would see her do.