I apologize if this seems like it's going too fast. I'm the kind of person that, once I get an idea in my head, I have to get it out quickly or I lose it….

This one's for you Zazu…. Thanks for being there 3

Stevie Rae's POV

The phone connection was crappy, but I could make out Neferet's staticky voice well enough. "If Zoey Redbird won't die, cut off her connections. Make her more alone than she's ever been," she commanded.

"Yeah," I said, sarcasm dripping in my tone, "because that plan worked so well the first time you tried it."

The impatience in her voice was tangible, and it made me smile. "Use darkness to do it. Go for the obvious kill, the easiest one. Jack Twist. Kill him, and the rest of her group will want nothing to do with Zoey. Kill Jack and watch Zoey suffer."

"Are you sure?" I asked. I didn't want to draw attention to myself with so many murders, but I couldn't resist. My brain was already formulating a plan, and a violent one at that.

"Absolutely," she said and hung up.

Zoey's POV

Damien and I were almost back to the dorm when I smelled it. Sultry and warm…blood. And it smelled delicious, making my mouth and eyes water. I looked up at him, wondering if he smelled it, but he looked on as if it were nothing.

"Damien," I whispered sheepishly, "do you smell that?"

"What?" he asked, his nostrils dilating.

"Blood….a lot of it too."

"No, I don't, I can never smell blood though. I think it's because I haven't got my blood lust yet…. Do you think it's bad?" I nodded grimly. "Lead the way."

I followed my nose, heading off the sidewalk and towards the huge oak tree near the outside wall. A feeling of dread built up in the pit of my stomach, making me want to cry.

I saw the blood before the body. It was pooling on the ground, warm patches on the frozen Earth. Then I noticed the beautiful dog lying at his feet, her golden hair streaked crimson.

"Dutch?" I whispered, making her raise her head. Her big brown eyes were full of anguish and she let out the most pain-filled, heartbreaking howl I ever heard.

I realized who was lying on the ground and sprinted over to him, collapsing on the ground. "Jack? Jack!? Jack, answer me, c'mon!" I cried. He was sliced to ribbons; it looked like he'd been tortured. His lips were blue and bruised looking, and, for once, his face held no hint of a smile.

Damien was frozen in the same place I'd left him, but Stark was sprinting towards me at full speed, the rest of the group, minus Stevie Rae, on his tail.

"Z what happened? I felt you were in trouble and-"he broke off, seeing Jack's body in front of me. "Oh Goddess."

Silently, I thought to myself Spirit, please help Damien and make this blow a little easier for him. Air, he needs you, but he can't ask for himself. Please, comfort him like a nice fall breeze.

"Get Lenobia," Aphrodite said from behind me, her voice flat and devoid of emotion. Shaunee was clinging to Damien and they were both crying all over each other.

Nyx, I thought, please help Jack find his place in your world. Don't let him get trapped like I was; he deserves to be happy.

As do you Zoeybird, her familiar voice answered. It was so real, it seemed as if Nyx had appeared in front of me, but I knew her voice was purely mental. Jack has already joined me, do not fret.

I sighed with relief, knowing that, where Jack was, he was happy. He wasn't stuck, shambling around like a corpse.

"What's going on?" Lenobia yelled, running up to us. She took one look at us, taking everything in, and whispered "Oh Goddess…. Zoey, take your friends back to the dorms… no one needs to see this."

I nodded numbly, shuffling back towards my friends, and the dorms that would now feel way too empty.

So, this chapter took quite a while, cause I didn't really like it. I debated scraping it and starting over, but my beta said no :P Hope you like it!