Chapter 7
Aphrodite's POV
We have an hour until we have to meet up with Zoey. She better have an idea about how to handle with the Bird Boy. My mind trailed off to Rephraim. I wonder how he felt when he was torturing Stevie Rae. Did he enjoy it? Did he look forward to it? Did he have any emotion at all? I chose C. He disgusts me. The more I think about what he did the more I see myself being capable of slitting his throat!
I looked at Stevie Rae. Her little curls were over her face. I don't want this moment to end. Just seeing her sleep so peaceful makes me smile. I never thought in a million years that I would be in love with Oklahoma herself but here I am next to her in the same bed. I pushed back the stubborn curl. She opened her eyes and smiled.
"Morning…" she whispered. "It's goodnight actually "I said laughing while she smiled. She turned and stretched under the covers. "Hmmm…Last night was amazing…" she said. I blushed as I remember the amazing feeling she was making me feel. Oh great I'm horny again…
"Amazing? It was incredible…" I said "I had no idea you…I mean…I didn't know you knew how to do that…" I said leaving her gaze. She laughed. "I was serious when I said you don't know a lot of things about me "she said sitting up. She brought the covers to her chest.
"Is it about time we go to Zoey's?" she asked. "Yeah we have less than an hour. We should start getting ready" I told her getting off the bed and heading for my drawer. I took some clothes out and closed it. Before I could turn Stevie Rae's arms were around me.
"I never really thanked you for saving my life yesterday…if you weren't there-""Bumpkin…please… don't…I don't want to know what could've happen…" I said opening her hand to intertwine with mine. Even with me not wanting to know my mind of course thought it. I know exactly what would've happened. I wouldn't be with her now. I wouldn't be able to stroke her hand like this. I wouldn't have told her I loved her.
A tear streamed down my face. She felt my pain. She turned me around to face her but I didn't meet her eyes. I couldn't. I didn't want her to see me cry. Even though the horror is over I'm always thinking that she had a choice that night to not tell me about her nightmares. How she could've just decided not to show up in my room and she would've gone to the surface without me knowing and she wouldn't be here today. More tears were coming out. I felt her hand go on my cheeks and she wiped them away. She brought my face to hers and kissed me. The tears stopped. There was no more pain, only love after that kiss. "I love you Aphrodite…thank you…" she said. I smiled. "I love you to." I said.
Zoey's POV
One by one everyone entered my room. Once I realize how many people we had here I was starting to get nervous on what to say. But once I thought about Rephraim doing that to my best friend anger took its place. "I'm sure you all heard what happened to Stevie Rae last night. And know that it was Rephraim who did the attack. Neferet has found a new way to get to us and Stevie Rae was the 1st victim, she could strike at any moment. Rephraim was once a Raven Mocker and at one point was consumed with Darkness. With Neferet seeking him I am fairly certain she used Darkness to take Rephraim from us. And if that's the case no one is safe. Red fledglings… one of you is going to be her next targets. You were once consumed with Darkness and she may us it to get to you too. With that said Rephraim is not the same person we once thought he was" I said. I looked at each of their eyes and saw anger. What happened to Stevie Rae has hit all of them. Stevie Rae has a major role in everyone's lives and those knowing what happened, they are probably feeling what I'm feeling.
Everyone says that revenge is bad but at some point enough is enough. But as much as I want to think with all my might that I'm doing this for revenge I know I can't use that word with this group. For no reason do I want them to think that taking revenge is always the right path because I know it's giving in to evil.
Right now they don't know the details of Stevie Rae's attack. They need to have a little more drive like I have to get them ready for what I'm about to lay on the table. "Aphrodite…Stevie Rae…let them know what happened" I said. I sat down to listen also.
Stevie Rae's POV
I took Zoey's place of center of attention with Aphrodite next to me. We looked at each other and she gestured for me to go first. "I will go first. That late afternoon I had a very bad dream. The thing with this dream yal is that it was very vivid. I was walking through a tunnel that led outside and wishing so badly I could reach out and touch the sunlight…and I could. Yeah… I went into the sunlight and it didn't hurt me at all." I saw some of the red fledglings' eyes wide and heard some of them awed.
"I was enjoying it and then I saw Rephraim further out. I went up to him and right off the bat I knew there was something off about him. Like when he opened his eyes…they were tinged in red. After that he brought his hand up and out of nowhere a knife appeared and he stabbed me. I then saw his wings appear and then flew off. His wings were back but he had no beak" I said frowning.
I could feel the pain that the knife gave me but I didn't let it bother me. I looked at Aphrodite signaling her to go ahead and tell the rest of the story.
Aphrodite's POV
Stevie Rae looked at me telling me it was my turn. "After she had the nightmare she came to my room and explained what happened. At first I was confused because how could Rephraim do that? He told us so many times before that he loved her and he turns around and does this. So after she explained what she dreamt about I told her there was no way he do something like that but I was wrong" I said.
I kind of lied to everyone about this next part because I didn't want them knowing about us sleeping in the same bed and me kissing her so I switched it up a bit. "She then left to the surface and after a while I heard her scream and followed the screams to the ladder that led to surface" my eyes were traveling around meeting everyone gazes until I locked eyes with Darius. Guilt entered me. Ugh so not the time for this. I continued on. "Darius was there and explained the screams were Stevie Rae's. With her telling me before that her dream happened outside I had a bad feeling something was happening-""And she was right" Stevie Rae said. "Right before she heard my screams I had pain shooting through my body coming from Rephraim because of our imprint. Like stabbing pain coming from my back and like someone having a knife and dragging it down my arm. That's why she heard me scream." She said. "Yeah exactly what Darius said to me before I ran up to the surface. When I got there it was nothing but a pool of blood surrounding Stevie Rae…her wound was a knife still embedded in her stomach…" I said. Everyone's eyes were wide. Mouths open. Shock on their faces. Stevie Rae stood and lifted her shirt above her belly button and exposed the wound. A straight almost healed cut was shown. Everyone gasped.
"Oh Stevie Rae…" Damian said. The knife had to be a good 3 inches in width to leave something like that. She then turned around and lifted the back of her shirt and exposing another cut. Showing that it went straight through her. "Damn…" Karmisha said.
"After pulling the knife out of her I could tell that Stevie Rae had no more blood in her. Her wound wasn't bleeding anymore. She needed blood so…I gave her mine." Of course everyone here is not stupid like I hope they be. "Well…I suppose there is something else that goes with that?" Venus asked. "Shut it bitch…you will know when you are told!" I yelled at Venus. She gave me an evil glare. I knew she could sense that Stevie Rae and I were imprinted because she practically declared it the night Stevie Rae had an arrow in her chest but it was not the time for me to explain the details that came with that yet.
"As I was saying I gave her blood and brought her down from the surface. I met up with Zoey and explained everything that happened." I said. People were still focused on Venus after I shut her up. The Twins were laughing at her and she flipped them off. Shaunee had to keep Erin under control. surprising me that they both didn't lash out at her. Some were having anger still flash in their eyes. I know exactly how they felt. So the question is are they ready for what's next?
Zoey's POV
"After hearing what happened to Stevie Rae does everyone understand what we are going up against? Neferet is drawing power from Darkness. The white bull is by her side. We need to take matters in our own hands or each one of us is going to die one by one until she wins. I know that inside everyone there is Darkness. If there was no Darkness there could be no Light. But at any moment you give into Darkness it will engulf you…and you will be no more. That's exactly what happened to Rephraim and what drove him to do this to Stevie Rae. It is important we take action now before she strikes. We think she planned to kill Stevie Rae to get to you guys" I said pointing to the red fledglings.
"Stevie Rae is your high priestess. Without her you don't have your humanity which will bring our numbers down if she were to get to you. Making us easy targets with our low number to defend ourselves." I said. I looked at all of them. They had the drive now. I'm hoping that Stevie Rae understands that Rephraim is not the same guy anymore. Stark came up beside and placed a hand on my shoulder. I looked at him and he nod in agreement knowing what I was thinking. Everyone looked at me. "We attack tomorrow night" I said. They all had grins on their faces. Telling me they were ready. The two that weren't showing any smiles were Stevie Rae and Aphrodite. Just as I thought…Stevie Rae can't let go…
Stevie Rae POV:
I don't know if I can do this. They didn't know him like I did. Is what Zoey said true about him? Is he really gone? "Yes he is…" I looked at Aphrodite, surprised that she heard my thoughts. "He isn't the same anymore Stevie Rae…please understand that. He gave in to Darkness. You have the option to not give in. He let it take over Stevie Rae…he wanted this…" she said. I looked away from her. I felt like crying. I didn't want to believe her. But it's true. I was just hoping it…wasn't.
I have no choice now. I'm not saying that I forgive him for what he did to me. I must be a fool to Nyx! After everything I said to her about him and he goes and does this. "You're not a fool to me…Nyx understands why you said those things. At that time you weren't lying about him. That's what he truly was at heart. Don't beat yourself up because of your gift of seeing past the bad in people ok? "Aphrodite said through our imprint with a smile. Those made me feel a little better. But I wouldn't say it was a gift considering the outcome of things. But I guess she is right. I smiled back at Aphrodite. She and Zoey are right. This is all Neferet's fault. The bitch needs to go down!
"Uhhh…Stevie Rae…Why are smiling at Aphrodite like that?" Shaunee said. We both looked at her instantly dropping our smiles. "Ummmm…." I looked back at Aphrodite. "Because she said something that made me feel better…" I said. My heart was racing. Oh bull poopie! "I didn't see her say anything though…" Shaunee said. "Well it's because-""it's because you didn't hear me say it…" Aphrodite said. "What?" Shaunee said. At this point everyone was looking at us. Damn…we are going to have to spill the beans now. "Are you sure?" Aphrodite asked through our imprint. "Yeah…I know the Twins they know something is up and they are not going to stop until they know what." I said back.
"Alright yal…the truth is…when Aphrodite found me bleeding…she fed me here blood and we imprinted…again…" I said. Everyone's mouths dropped. "Ha I knew it" Venus said. "Oh shut up tramp!" Aphrodite shouted. Venus just shrugged and kept smiling." That's why you didn't see here say anything because she said all up here" I said to Shaunee pointing to my head. "Yeah…yal also need to know that I…I love her" I said reaching over and intertwining my fingers with Aphrodite's. "And I love her" Aphrodite said.
So what you guys think? After I uploaded the last chapter I still felt bad for not updating on time so after I uploaded the last one I went straight into the next chapter :D lol. I hope you guys liked it. And keep the reviews coming! Also what do you guys think is going to happen in the next chapter? Hmmmm…? ;)
