Thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing! I know I'm slow at updating, but hey I'm only human right? I feel good about this chap so read on!

Chapter 10:

Zoey

Everyone's eyes were staring at me with fear. To be honest, that same fear was shaking me from my very core. Plus Stark was in a worse state than he had been this morning. Had he noticed Aurox's darkness before I had? Or was it something else entirely?

"You mean there's something else here that's in cahoots with Darkness as well?" Damien asked, his voice shaking. That wasn't a big surprise really. The kid was shaking like a leaf as it was. He didn't need this. Ok, none of us needed a new slave of Darkness around, but Damien was still healing from Jack's death. I didn't think that the poor thing couldn't take much more.

"I'll explain once we get back to the tunnels. It's not safe to discuss this here," I said, trying to keep the terror out of my voice and pretty much failing completely. I bounced my phone in my hand waiting for Stevie Rae's text. Come on Stevie Rae. Hurry up.

I felt something grab my hand. I looked up to see Stark standing next to me. He was gripping my hand for dear life, the bones in my hand screaming from the stress. He was still fidgeting around, like he was afraid to stand still. I squeezed his hand back gently. Stark looked down at me, his eyes pleading. For what though?

My phone buzzed. I gave it a quick glance to make sure it was Stevie Rae before herding the gang towards the secret exit and out of the school grounds. I basically dragged Stark with me to my bug, which Rephaim had miraculously found and stolen back from Dallas and the evil fledglings. The twins and Damien followed us along with Duchess.

"Um, guys I don't think we'll all fit in my car…"

"Don't worry Z," Shaunee piped.

"Duchess can lay in our laps in the back," Erin finished.

"I have to say that the twins are correct. It's not that far of a ride anyways," Damien pointed out. I nodded and we all piled in. I waited until I got the thumbs up from Stevie Rae and Darius, then I pulled out of the lot.

Even though the ride was only about ten minutes, it was definitely stressful. The three teens and one dog in the back were cramped and therefore squirming around like heck. The red vampyre in the passenger seat was still squeezing my hand to death and wouldn't quit fidgeting. And my mind was whirling around making me dizzier than the time that Grandma had taken me to the fair and I rode the Tilt-A-Whirl three times in a row.

Once we reached the depot, everybody scrambled out of the vehicles and climbed down into the tunnels. Stevie Rae and I herded the red fledglings into the kitchen and told them to eat. Then we went to her and Rephaim's room along with Stark, Darius, Aphrodite, Damien, and the Twins. Oh, and the cats and Duchess.

"Zoey," Rephaim said once we were all in the room. I turned and looked at him. "How much do these guys know?"

"Squat," said Aphrodite. I shot her a look that said to shut the heck up.

"I didn't say much back at the school because I didn't think that it was wise," I told the former Raven Mocker.

He nodded. "Then I'll let you explain first."

I nodded. "Alright. Well, as you all know, we needed a new teacher for Drama since Erik is on tracker duty. The new guy started today. His name his Aurox Atlas. At first glance, he seems like a nice and intelligent, not to mention good looking-" Stark scoffed, the first normal thing he had done since he started freaking out. I shot him a glance telling him to keep his opinions to himself before continuing. "Anyway, you get my point. He seemed perfectly normal. That is until I noticed that he was completely covered in Darkness."

Everyone other than Stevie Rae and Rephaim gasped. Well, Stark didn't gasp but he looked at me with a shocked expression.

"So that witch has found herself a new play thing since Kalona left her? Figures." Aphrodite said and rolled her eyes, but beneath her tough girl act, I could see that she was afraid.

"What bothers me," I said, "Is that he came onto the scene so fast. Where'd he come from?"

"I have a theory," Rephaim spoke up. "I just hope I'm wrong." He bit his bottom lip tentatively.

"What is it?" Stevie Rae asked him, squeezing his hand gently.

"Well, Kalona had told me about a technique of creating slaves through Darkness. I think that he was afraid to try it. Apparently it's risky and can go very wrong if it isn't done exactly right."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Well what is this technique?"

He sighed. "The idea is to create a soulless being called a Vessel. The soulless part makes it easier to control. In order to create one, you have to make a payment to Darkness. Kalona never told me what kind of payment, but I'm assuming it involves blood, maybe even death, seeing as Darkness always requires a payment of blood for its services."

"So you think that Aurox is a Vessel?" I asked. Rephaim nodded.

"If Kalona wouldn't create a Vessel, then we have to assume that Neferet did," Damien said. "The question is why?"

"Well that's obvious." Erin rolled her eyes. "She wants to replace Kalona."

"And she think that this new guy can get Zoey's attention better than Kalona," Shaunee added.

"Speaking of our winged enemy, have you had any more problems with him in your head Z?" Stevie Rae asked.

I shook my head. Stark squeezed her hand tighter all of a sudden.

"Her head isn't what we need to be worrying about."

"What are you talking about Stark? Kalona has always tried-"

"Listen to me Zoey. I seriously doubt that Kalona is gonna try and get inside your head anymore."

My forehead scrunched up in confusion. What was Stark talking about? "Why would you say that?"

"Because, after Kalona blew his breath into me to keep me alive in Otherworld, he has been able to get into my mind. And he can take over my body and control it."

I felt my mouth drop open. This was bad. Very, very bad.

Crap, crap, crap, crap, CRAP!

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh I feel so evil after that. What will happen now that the Nerd Herd knows about Stark's "predicament"? Oh and there will be more of the Kramisha/dead teenager thing too. Anyways, you know the drill. Happy Easter everyone and I'll post again soon, promise!