Zoey

I was almost paralysed with fear. Aphrodite was actually crying blood- well this had to be bad! I stood up slowly and walked over to her and with Darius' help I shifted her over so that she was sitting on the bed. Stark had a stony grimace set into his features and stood leaning against the opposite wall about as far away from us as he could get. Was he that squeamish? That's when it hit me- the smell of her blood and I realised that Stark hadn't had any in days (physically- not including the other world). I felt my stomach twist guiltily- he'd probably been too worried about me to remember. I put an arm around Aphrodite.

"Can you hear me?" I asked steadily trying to keep my voice sounding calm- I wasn't sure I could take another one of Aphrodites visions.

She nodded slowly and hiccupped as she opened her mouth to speak. I was horrified to see blood trickle out before she leaned against Darius and buried her head into his shoulder as he put his arm around her. Stark disappeared and I really thought that the smell of blood had become a bit too much for him, but he returned seconds later with a glass of water, which he gave to Aphrodite.

"What did you see?"

Aphrodite shook her head.

"Really bad stuff, Z"

I shuddered, was it possible that she'd seen something worse than Neferet and Kalona burning up everyone on Earth?

"What stuff?"

She hiccupped again.

"Neferet, in control of Kalona and everything was burning again, I was burning"

A sob shook her body and Darius' arm tightened around her. She took a shuddering, but deep breath. He rubbed her arm gently. I frowned- hadn't she already had this vision?

"You were doing it, Z. you were making everything burn and you" She paused as she gulped for air "You killed Stark and Darius and all of us"

I froze. Me killing everyone me killing Stark. Hell no, as long as I had free will I'd never, ever go that bad!

"Neferet didn't even look human anymore. She looked like a really, really bad version of Nyx"

She let out a long shuddering breath and pushed Darius' arm away gently before rubbing her eyes. I shuddered, Neferet being as powerful as Nyx was something that I didn't want to think about, it was impossible. I sighed as a knot of fear suddenly twisted my stomach- it was impossible as far as I knew. Hell I had no idea what a Tsi Sgili could do. I gripped Starks hand as he sat next to me and he squeezed mine back supportively.

"And then I saw the house of night and there were only red fledgings. But the evil creepy kind that had no humanity and they." Another sob interrupted her. "And they knocked down the temple of Nyx and built a statue of Neferet"

Hell! That was just wrong. Even the thought of the temple being destroyed by the nasty fledgings made me feel sick! It was (as Stevie Rae would say) as wrong as man boobs. I turned my attention back to Aphrodite as I waited expectantly- usually her not so nice death visions were followed with an alternative not so hellish glimpse of the future. She did nothing, but stare back.

"And that was it?" I asked sounding almost annoyed.

She shook her head.

"No. Luckily for me there was more"

I instantly felt bad- well I'd sounded like a bit of a bitch. She started talking again before I could apologise.

"There was another vision only this time no one was burning and Neferet was still in control, but you weren't making anything burn. She was sitting in the hall where you had your trial and next to Kalona, who looked seriously depressed and you were on her other side and then you whispered something in her ear and she just sort of" She paused thinking of the right word "disappeared."

I almost asked if she knew how, but I already knew the answer- No! Well these visions didn't exactly come with instructions. I smiled. Still I wasn't too surprised that Kalona looked depressed with Neferet around. Hell, she could even depress the devil.

"Oh and Stevie Rae was there and she was hugging Rephaim- again. Like they were together" Aphrodite wrinkled her nose in disgust as she said the words.

I raised my eyebrows. Well hell! That couldn't be right. I knew my best friend and going out with a creepy, evil, raven mocker sure as hell was not the sort of thing she did.

"Wait again? Did you have a vision while I was away or something"

Aphrodite nodded.

"Yeh it was all death and burning and destruction and messed up shit like that and then there was this hot Indian boy with Stevie Rae and he was fighting that big bad evil Raven mocker Rephaim, who she was with" She trailed off.

Well I'd obviously missed more than I thought.

"So then I'm just supposed to make Neferet disappear by saying something to her?"

Aphrodite shrugged.

"I guess. I'm sure we'll figure it out. If not then-"

"Then I'm going to destroy the world and everyone in it who I love and care about" I finished for her.

"The future isn't definite, it can still change." Stark added hopefully.

Aphrodite snorted and ignoring her I stood up. Sometimes being a high priestess really sucked! I mean Goddess when do we get a vacation from all this evil and death bull poopie.

"Well we need to make sure that Z is kept as far away from Neferet and Kalona as possible" Stark decided breaking the silence that had now settled on the room.

I shook my head.

"No I think that we need to go back to Italy. We have to talk to the high council and the trial's still going on"

Stark said absolutely nothing he just stared at me, it was obvious from his eyes that he wasn't happy.

"Are you sure you think that's best?"

I nodded. "Yes I am."

As soon as I made the decision I knew I was right. It was the best thing to do.

"Then I will follow you mo bann ri"

I felt relief wash over me. I got his point, I'd always want to do everything in my power to keep him safe, but I seriously did not need to have a battle with Stark, about this sort of thing.

"So we're all agreed then" I nodded- my voice sounding more high priestessy than normal. "We're going back to Italy"