Zoey

"No! No, no, no, no, NO!" I repeated to myself, pacing up and down the river's edge.

This could not be happening. Heath was… was… dead?

"Zo, come on. Kalona was just too fast. He knew I'd tell you. And he was right."

"But still – wait what? Tell me what? Heath?" I demanded, stopping in front of him, hand on my hips and looking at him through narrowed eyes. What had Heath heard that was so bad it had to result in… in… death?!

"Oh! Right! Sorry, I guess I did forget to tell you. Zo, I know you think Kalona can become good and all, but…" Heath began to talk, but when I held up my hand he stopped immediately.

"Heath, you should know that I will never, ever, EVER give in to Kalona! He k-k" I couldn't say it. I couldn't face the fact that Heath was gone.

"Killed me?" Heath offered, and I nodded weakly in response. "Well, Zo, I have to say I'm glad to hear that. Anyway, on with the story, would you like me to show you?" I could feel the question mark on my face but nodded anyway. Suddenly I was back where Heath had died, but I was standing behind a hedge, and I could see Kalona and Neferet arguing.

"You call it pretense, I call it another point of view," Kalona was saying.

"Which is why you can lie to her and still seem to be telling her the truth," Neferet snapped the words at him.

Kalona shrugged. "Zoey wants the truth – so it is the truth that I give her."

"Selectively," Neferet said.

"Of course. But do all mortals, vampyre, human or fledgling, not select their own truths?"

"Mortals. You say that as if you are so far removed from us."

"I am immortal, which makes me different. Even from you, though your Tsi Sglili powers are transforming you into something that is close to immortal."

"Yes, but Zoey isn't anything close to immortal. I still believe we should kill her."

"You are a bloodthirsty creature." Kalona laughed. "What would you do, cut off her head and impale her as you did the other two who got in your way?"

These words stopped me. I froze, intent on hearing what was coming next. Neferet… Loren and Professor Nolan… killed… Neferet… Neferet killed Professor Nolan and Loren. Oh nuh uh!

"Don't be ridiculous. I wouldn't kill her the same way I did them. It would be too obvious. She could simply meet with an unfortunate accident when she visits Venice in the next day or so."

"No. We will not have to kill Zoey. Soon she will come to me willingly; I've planted all the seeds for that. All I need to do is to wait for them to bloom, and then her powers, which are vast even though she is mortal, will be at our disposal."

Just as Neferet moved in towards Kalona, the scene in front of me blurred, and soon I was standing with a grim Heath, by the river's edge. I glanced over my shoulder at the hedge I had just seen. I knew my mouth was open and I was breathing heavily, but I couldn't do anything about it. I was utterly terrified.

"Zo?" I heard Heath say my name, and I turned my head towards him. I gulped down the last of my fears and got my emotions under control.

"Heath," As I said his name he smiled and I felt my stomach lurch. "This is horrible. I know that doesn't begin to explain it, but, well, yeah." I finished lamely.

"Hey, don't worry, I had a good life. Just as long as you remember me."

"Of course!" I said without hesitation. Just then a figure appeared before us.

"Nyx! What are you doing here?" I blurted. She laughed and smiled.

"Relax, child. I am here to congratulate Heath Luck." She turned to Heath and held out her hand for Heath. He glanced at me, and I saw that he could remember there was a weird handshake – but what? I began to frantically try to demonstrate what he had to do when Nyx turned around and looked at me.

"Uh, sorry Nyx. He doesn't know how to, uh, shake your hand properly," I babbled stupidly. Nyx laughed again and faced Heath but spoke only to me.

"My dear u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, I am well aware of that. I am simply offering Heath a human handshake." I could feel my face redden. Heath grinned at her and shook her hand. Nyx stepped back so we were in a little circle. "Heath, I would like to give you my sincerest thanks. You have protected Zoey and never left her side. You were willing to die for her from day one." She held up a finger as she said "one."

It was obvious Heath didn't know what to say, so I spoke directly to Nyx.

"Uh, Nyx, if I may ask, why am I here? In the otherworld, I mean? Am I dead, too?" Nyx smiled graciously.

"Of course not, dear, but I thought it would be the least I could do to let you say goodbye to your friend properly before you return to your friends."

"Oh, thank you very much." And with that Nyx said "Blessed be," and without giving us a chance to respond, disappeared.

***

"Heath, I am so sorry! I knew I should have stopped you coming with us!" I fell to my knees in front of Heath, exactly where Nyx had appeared not more than five minutes ago.

"Don't be ridiculous, Zo. It was worth it, as long as you finally see that Kalona is evil." Heath took my elbow and pulled me up. "But now it's time for you to go back to you other friends. I'm pretty sure they'll be freaking out." He smiled at me sweetly.

"Heath, not meaning to question you, but do you actually have the power to do that?" Heath laughed at my question and I could feel I was red.

"Not exactly, but I can feel that your soul is ready to return to your body now. If I've learnt one thing from dying, it's that your soul will decide what happens. Just remember that I will always love you. If you ever want to see me again in your dreams, just say it." And with that everything began to fade to blackness.