Disclaimer: I do NOT own The House of Night Series: The actual series belongs to P.C. and Kristen Cast!

My head was thrown back and my heart was hammering. I knew how to give him exactly what we wanted. I knew how to give anyone what they wanted so long as they stayed loyal to me. I opened my mouth moaning in pleasure as Loren's hands brushed across my breasts moving down to rest upon my waist. He pulled me down so that I was straddling him and I heard his sharp intake of breath. I opened my eyes almost dreamily enjoying the sensations coursing through me when something else caught my eye. The door was only open a crack, but it was enough for me to see the long dark hair and brown eyes that were watching from the other side. She seemed to swallow noticing that I had spotted her and in a flash she was gone. I smiled wickedly looking back down at Loren who was still moving in a sensual rhythm below me.

"What is it, my love?" He asked as his hands began roaming my body again.

"We had a visitor," I said knowing my eyes were twinkling with my enthusiasm and amusement. I couldn't have planned it more perfectly myself. After tonight, Zoey's friends will have turned against her. I had already insured that she had lost Erik and broken the imprint she shared with the silly human child, and now she knew that Loren had never really been hers either. He was mine.

"Zoey?" He asked and I could tell he was feeling just a small twinge of her pain. As he had said earlier their emotional bond wasn't as strong as a true imprint would have been because Loren wasn't as extremely emotionally involved. Still…

"Does it bother you?" I asked raising an eyebrow. "If I didn't know better I would think that you actually cared for the whelp!" I practically spit.

"You know that I cannot help but to feel her some of her emotions," Loren said his face slightly troubled. I could not have that. It may only be an accidental imprint, but he must know always who he belonged to. I leaned forward rocking my hips into him as I kissed his lips hard. I bit down lightly tasting the blood that entered my mouth and feeling slightly annoyed at the new taste that greeted me. He reeked of her! Still if I had it my way the child would be dead soon and this imprint would be a thing of the past.

I smiled victoriously feeling his heart race beneath my palm as I ran my hands over his bare chest. His eyes were glazed over and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Zoey was now the last thing on his mind.

"Loren," I whispered to him raking my nails across his body as he thrust forward. His hands reached up to remove my red dress and I gave a small laugh. "Not so fast, my darling," I said satisfied that I had his full attention. I watched his face a few more moments smiling mischievously at the longing I saw there. He wanted me, no he needed me. He sat up pulling my body closer kissing my neck, shoulders and collarbone. I wrapped my fingers in his hair gasping as a little shudder moved through me.

"Let me make love to you," Loren whispered in my ear. "Let me show you that it's no one, but you," he said softly almost reverentially.

I pressed myself forward about to say yes when the familiar sensation went through me. The alarm was going off meaning one of my students was trying to leave the school. One guess who that was. Zoey's friends should have seen poor sweet Stevie Rae by now, and more than likely poor Erik had also told them that their perfect Zoey was nothing more than a tramp.

"Neferet?" Loren questioned.

I climbed off him straightening my clothing and smoothing out my hair. "The alarms gone off," I said simply. "My guess is that our Zoey has run for it," I said sliding my shoes back on and heading toward the door.

"Neferet," Loren said approaching me and I could clearly see the worry on his face; worry that should not have been there if he truly had no feelings for Zoey. "Neferet let me go after her."

"You?" I asked laughing incredulously. "You think she'll want to see you after what she just witnessed?"

"No, but neither will she respond well to seeing you," he said calmly.

"I care very little about how the brat feels for me," I said my eyes becoming cold and dangerous. I saw him take a step back in fear and I felt a jolt go through me as his fear filled me making me more powerful. "She's powerful, Loren. But she's still subject to our laws and too the rules of this school and unfortunately for her to me. She'll do as I say especially if there are others there to witness it."

"Priestess," Loren said changing tactics, "that may be true, but this school needs you and your protection. Let me go and look for her," he said.

I watched his face carefully and could clearly see that he was lying to me, but I decided not to press it. I had given him every opportunity to be loyal, to prove himself and he had failed. "Fine," I said softly, "you may go after her. The alarm was tripped near the front gate," I said telling him a little lie of my own. I would deal with Zoey myself later.

He nodded and I watched him go feeling a small twinge in my heart at his betrayal. He wouldn't be coming back.

I gave him a few seconds and then I began walking silently to the front gates myself knowing he'd be there alone. The other warriors would be searching the woods for Zoey, where the alarm had really been tripped. Loren was walking to his death. I pulled out my cell phone sending a school wide text to the rest of the warriors and professors letting them know that there would be a school wide assembly and that all were to attend. I hit send and then pushed open large oak doors of the main building.

The grounds were almost silent as I walked through the grass as if the earth was anticipating what was to come, as if they were eager to drink the blood I would soon be offering them. I held the long silver dagger tightly against my forearm. The edges were sharp and perfect for what I needed to do.

"Neferet?" Loren said turning to me as I approached the gates. He was only just arriving himself. He looked at me with a questioning gaze as I made my way towards him. I let my eyes soften as my free hand once again brushed his chest. I pressed my lips to his lightly and felt him melt under my touch. I was almost sorry that this was how it had to be. I kissed him firmly and passionately letting him get lost in the sensations. He would go quickly, of that I would be sure. Ever so slowly I shifted lifting the dagger, never taking my lips from his, and plunged it into his heart. His lips broke away from mine his breath catching in his throat. His fingers wrapped themselves in my hair as he tried to take in another staggering breath and I watched his eyes cloud over as they searched mine for answers, for the reason why.

"Because you fell for her, Loren," I said softly as his eyes rolled back and his fingers relaxed. I lowered him to the ground and set to work. Loren's life would not be a waste. Even in death he would still be helping me accomplish my plans and this would look like another murder, by the humans who wished for our destruction.

My hands worked idly, but my mind was elsewhere. I felt a single tear slide down my cheek as I looked down at Loren's body, but that was all I would shed for him. In the end none of this would really matter. My Lord and true lover would be released. He would be mine and I would be his. Still this was Zoey's fault and I would make sure that she knew it. She would feel the pain of Loren's death as I had, and she would know that she had played a part in it. More importantly she would either surrender before me or she would feel my wrath. Either way, she would probably end up dead.

I wasn't known for giving second chances and I had already given Zoey more than enough opportunities to stay loyal to me. She chose Nyx. I could almost laugh at the stupid girl.

I looked myself over making sure there were no signs of blood on my clothing and then walked back towards the auditorium where I was greeted by several of the professors all looking grave. I put on a strong face reassuring each of them that we would not be crushed or defeated easily. They nodded at me and then followed me through the auditorium and up onto the stage. Tonight I would declare war on the humans and tonight I would begin my plans to release Kalona into the world, a world we would soon rule together.