Love, Demons and Afterlife
This is my second chapter to my House of Night story. I just loved the series so much I had to do a story about them. This chapter is dedicated to MrsAmberCullenxxx, who didn't even hesitate and was the first to review. Thanks so much for your support! This chapter's to you! :-D
Zoey's Point of View
Previously
The ritual had begun and I was about to start calling the elements to me when the doors of the temple burst open and my equestrian studies teacher rushed in.
"Zoey", she spoke directly to me. "It's Aphrodite."
I froze for a second, my mind going into sudden panic. What had happened? Was she alright? I shook my head from side to side, trying to dislodge the panic that had suddenly overwhelmed me.
"What about the ritual?" I asked, trying to keep my voice level.
"Don't worry; I'm sure I can perform the ritual just this once", Leonbia [sorry, I know I spelt it wrong] said,waving her hands to dismiss me.
I rushed out of the temple/rec hall and walked away from many curious whispers behind me.
I found Aphrodite in the stables, shaking. She had a destressed mare next to her who kept nudging her, trying to make her respond. But Aphrodite was looking straight ahead. The whites of her eyes had turned red and she was even paler than she had been this morning. She'd had a vision.
"Aphrodite!" I rushed over to her and held her still so she would stop shaking. I made her look at me. "Now listen. You have to get a grip and tell me what you saw."
I know it didn't exactly sound nice, but that was the only way to get through to Aphrodite. She managed to nod and exhaled slowly.
"It's Neferet", she said. "She's going down to the tunnels to see the red fledglings. She's going to select some and kill the others."
"What?" My head seemed to have exploded. "Why?"
"I don't know", she tried to snap back, but she didn't sound so fierce when she was in a state. "I only have visions so you can prevent them."
"So we can prevent them", I corrected her. "I need to phone Stevie Rae."
I flipped open my cell phone and dialed Stevie Rae's number. There was no answer. Damn, it! I forgot the reception in the tunnels was bad.
"I've got to go warn her." I got up and began to stride out of the stables.
"Wait!" Aphrodite suddenly found her legs again and stood up, but almost wobbled back onto the floor. She steadied herself and then turned to face me. "No way are you going to get there before Neferet."
I shook my head, even though she was probably right.
"Not unless we have transportation", I said. "Did she go on foot?"
Aphrodite went still for a minute, trying to remember. Then, slowly, she nodded.
"Then we just need to get someone to drive us there." I would've taken the horses, but it was be a bit obvious if Neferet came back early and found that a horse or two were missing. And she would automatically think that Aphrodite and me were behind it. She had a major grudge against us.
I turned to face Aphodite and asked her something I never would have thought to ask anyone, even Aphrodite, the ho.
"Do you think you can flirt?"
"Hell, yes!" She grinned at me. "But in this state - I'm not so sure. But I can give it a try."
"It's dark outside. No one will notice", I tried to reassure her. She took it the wrong way.
"Are you saying that I'm not drop-dead gorgeous?!"
I hated it when she talked with this attitude, so I couldn't stop myself from replying:
"Well, in case you haven't realised; your eyes are red, you're as pale as a sheet, and you're shaking like a flipping mental patient!"
With that she blinked and stopped shaking.
"Zoey Redbird, you nearly cussed. I'm proud of you."
I ignored her comment and watched as she went outside. I followed her, but not too closely. I didn't want to actually hear her flirting if I could help it.
********************************************************
She came back in two minutes flat with a huge Sons of Erebus warrior following her. He seemed completely dazed, but something about his face made me feel that he had common sense. What was even more surprising was that Aphrodite looked a bit dazed herself. The Sons of Erebus warrior took his eyes off Aphrodite when they approached me.
"My name is Darius, Preistess", he said, bowing with his fist over his heart. I bowed back.
He led us to a black convertable in the parking lot with it's roof pulled up. He opened our doors for us to let us in, and I thought I actually saw Aphrodite blush.
She was quiet for the whole car journey, but she couldn't take her eyes off Darius. I was tempted to make gagging noises, but for once I didn't know if she would react. She seemed hypnotised.
*********************************************************
When we got to the depot, I asked Darius to stay above ground and keep hidden. He started to refuse, but after Aphrodite asked him the same thinghe obeyed. Jeesh. She really had put a spell on him.
We wandered around in circles for ages trying to find Stevie Rae or a sign of any unusual fledglings. There was none until I literally ran into Stevie Rae.
"Zoey! What y'all doing here?" she asked in her sweet Okie slang.
"Listen, Stevie Rae", I told her. "You have to trust me. Neferet is coming down here."
"Why? Why would she wanna do that?"
"I don't have time to explain. But you need to get yourself and the others hidden now."
"Zoey-", Stevie Rae started. She didn't have a chance to finish, because standing in the archway of one of the tunnels was Neferet.
"Zoey Redbird." The way she said it sent shivers down my spine. It was a voice of someone who was going to do something terrible.
Do you like it? It might not be as good as the last chapter, but please read and review! I will update again a.s.a.p. :-) :-) :-)
