Break.

Chapter 11: Chamber The Cartridge.

This Story is set after Hunted and before Tempted and Burned. Being trapped in a room with her two evil arch enemies isn't exactly what Zooey Redbird had in mind for the night. Captured with her boyfriend James Stark, Zooey has to find a way to escape before it's to late and their school has been diminished to a pile of ash. As always... I do not own any of the House Of Night Characters but they have currently been kidnapped to star in my story. Please review! I always appreciate and love reading your comments/reviews! If you like Break then check out some of my other fanfics, just head to my profile! Any queries, questions, comments or advice just inbox me. Cheers :)

"Miss Redbird. I'd say its nice to see you again, but then I would be lying," Neferet straightened her back then smoothed her blood red, satin blouse over her professional black business pants. Licking her lips seductively, she traced a hand down Starks face. "Such a pretty boy. I can see why you fell for him."

"Don't touch him," I hissed through my teeth.

Sneering in a way that curved her painted lips majestically, she stepped over Stark's limp form and crouched besides me.

"I see you haven't lost your domineering ways. I've always had a fondness for you Zooey, but then again, I always take interest in things with potential. I'm here to make a proposal."

Surprise caused my eyebrows to shoot through my bangs. What did Neferet want with me? Sure, I had the power to control all of the elements, buts its not like she could extract them and use them for herself. Suspicion creeping into my voice, I asked. "What could you possibly want from me? You've gotten everything you want."

"And yet, here we stand."

I pondered that. Whatever it was she wanted, I could never give it to her, knowing that whatever it was could, and most likely would, be used for her evil scheme to entice the world in her grip. But then there was Stark. She would never let him or myself live until I relinquished what she wanted from me.

"What is it then," I asked in apprehension.

She glittered a blood red smile at me and answered.

"Your soul."

"My soul?" I said, confused and more than a little nervous.

"Yes. Your soul is empowering you and is the reason you have the power of Nyx running through your veins. She divulged a part of her soul into you the day she marked you and I want the very essence of it." Neferet stood and strode arrogantly over to Kalona who stood a ways across the room, surveying the scene from a distance.

"You're going to let this happen you ignorant ass hole! I thought you loved me?" I said, mentally slapping myself with the creep of dismay I heard in my tone. I hoped Stark was too out of it to have noticed. I didn't love him. I never would, but I at least thought, or well, hoped the presence of Aya would stop him from murdering me.

"Don't be naïve Zooey." Neferet spat as Kalona averted his gaze.

"No, no I wont do it. Your going to use the power in you crazy messed up plans to overthrow the vampyre world and i'm not going to let that happen, Ok? You may have given up on Nyx, but I haven't, I still believe in her!"

"Well, you see, you really have no option. Either give up your soul, or we kill lover boy. It's your choice but I think we both know you have to kind a heart to sacrifice the one you love for the lives of millions, and that, Zooey, is your downfall."

I swallowed the dryness in my throat and fidgeted with the bindings on my wrists as my hands began to sweat. There was no way out of this. There was no right option. I would have to choose between murdering the one I love, or killing thousands of innocent lives at the hand of Neferet and Kalona. Why was the choice between right and wrong always so blurred, so very hazy?

"If I give you my soul," I began and heard a strangled groan escape Stark, "What are you going to do with it?"
"Like you said. We are going to bring internal damnation down upon this unholy earth and bring the proper leader to their rightful throne."

"What rightful leader?"I asked, as dread ran my blood cold as I guessed at the answer.

"Have you ever heard of Lucifer?"

"Lucifer... As in... The Devil?" My heart stopped and death felt like it had captured my soul already.

"Aha. The very being himself. He will bring order to this new day and age and create an era like no other. And with me by his side, we shall rule vampyre and human alike," Her beautiful features twisted into a cruel delighted smile.

"And you say i'm naïve you ding-bat," I muttered. "You're completely and utterly stupid if you think that Lucifer is ever going to let you rule along side him. The reason he was cast out of heaven in the first place was because he didn't agree with his father, God, because he was smart enough not to let a dangerous person as Lucifer rule. So what have you got to go off? His word? You truly believe something with as much hate and evil in it as that will ever let you get close to ruling anything?"

"STOP IT. Shut your tramp mouth before I cut out your tongue and burn you in the very pits of hell!" Neferet screamed wildly, throwing her hands out in front of her in a furious rage.

"Just saying," I smiled innocently.

A cold hand raked across my face with a fiery anger. Gasping at the pain of Neferet slap, I clung to my will not to cry.

"Enough. You have had enough time and if you do not make your choice now I will make it for you and you know what that will be. After I have finished slaughtering Arrow Boy before your eyes I will then drag the rest of your pathetic friends in here and make you watch as I spill their intestines on the floor!" She screamed viciously, insanity etching its way into her eyes so she looked manic.

I had pushed as far as I could and this was the end of the line. The time was now and the decision to make, lay out before me, conflicting with everything I knew to be right and to be wrong. It was impossible to choose. I couldn't watch Stark die but I also couldn't let the weight of the world rest in Neferet, Kalona and Lucifer's evil clutches.

"Too slow," Neferet hissed, taking long strides toward Starks limp form.

"What? Wait... No!" I screamed as I realized what she was about to do.

Without mercy, she ripped his head up towards her face and spat at him in deranged anger, "Take a look at her, because this will be the last time you will ever see her face again." She jerked his face towards mine and I saw his eyes shine with regret. Regret for how the night had turned out; regret for all his mistakes and regret for the future we would never get to spend together.

The tears I had kept hidden now rolled freely, shamelessly down my face as I saw Stark mouth the words 'I love you' before Neferet dragged him back towards her. To worn to fight, to helpless even to meet her eyes he sat silently, awaiting his fate.

"Please no... No... No... No please," I cried incoherently through the lump in my throat.

Paying no attention to my pleads, she pulled a sharp bowie knife from a sheath on her thigh. At the sight of the metal blade, I screamed myself hoarse.

"NO PLEASE NEFERET! I will do anything, anything! Please don't hurt him!"

It was then she dragged the blade slowly across his skin, beads of blood pooling around the cut. His blood fell to the ground as she dug deeper into his shoulder blade.

"OK STOP! I'll do it, I'LL DO IT!"
She paused and looked at me sharply.

"Oh please don't make me say it. I'll do it. I'll give my soul to you." I sobbed as the little life Stark had left in him jerked from Neferet's grip and fell to his knees moaning at me.

"How does this work?" I asked, my voice dull and monotonous. I didn't bother to hide the shame that crept into my voice as I dealt with the fact I had let down the vampyre world and myself. I had let everyone down and now people- innocent people were going to be hurt because of my choice.

Irritated and more then a little flustered, Neferet pulled the glittering egg out of her pocket. I didn't even notice her put it in there.

"All you have to do is sing." She said.

"... Sing," I asked as if she had just told me to tightrope over a lagoon of crocodiles.

"Yes Miss Redbird. Sing. The english word for vocalizing tunes from the voice box situated in your throat. Sing."

"But I can't sing."
"It doesn't matter. Just sing anything that comes to your head."
"Why though?"

"Because that is how it works. Now get on with it before I decide to change my mind about sparing lover boy."

Swallowing- probably for the last time ever, I thought of a song that had the most meaning to me, a song that would be the last thing I would liked to have heard before I died. A memory flicked to mind of Stark and I driving down the highway singing as he drove me to an ice rink. I smiled as I remembered Stark mock singing, "You Picked Me" by A Fine Frenzy to me in a fake honey voice.

I let out a breath I didn't know i'd been holding and nodded to Neferet that I was ready.

But I wasn't. I truly wasn't ready to die. I wanted to spend more years with Stark discovering things and going on all sorts of adventures- building a life with him and maybe, in the future, even getting married. If I was in this position a couple of months ago, I would have said that I was to young to die. In reality, in literal years, I probably was. But my life as a vampyre had aged me, it had matured me and now I wasn't so sure that line applied to me anymore.

"Lovely," Neferet knelt down in front of me, kicking Stark aside with the point of her stilettos. All of a sudden, a burst of energy erupted within Stark and he leapt upon Neferet with the force of a kicking bull. A screech sounded from her lips as she tried to shake him off. I sat, dumbstruck as I watched Stark cling to Neferet's flaming red locks as she tried to swipe at him with her long nails. Stepping in, Kalona pulled Stark off Neferet as if he was a pillow and tossed him at the furtherest wall. I couldn't see, but I heard his head crack against the concrete and I screamed, withering in my bindings, ignoring the blood running down my fingers.

"ENOUGH!" Neferet screamed.

Grabbing my chin in her vice grip, she twisted the gleaming egg in her free hand and it popped open. Immediately, I felt a tug deep from within me. I gagged as the feeling of vomit rose in my throat and I had to splay my fingers on the ground for support. A noise, a sharp, high pitched ring was sounding from the egg, making me wince. "Sing!" Neferet yelled over the noise.

"One, two, three..." I began. Then, a wispy silver substance started to glide slowly out of my throat and into the egg. My eyes widened as what could only be my soul, deepened in colour and changed to a glowing gold. I saw Neferet's quizzical gaze from the corner of my eye, the way her brow creased in worry.

I didn't know how long I had been singing, only minutes or seconds perhaps, but I began to feel drained. I started to feel tired, like I could sleep a thousand years and I felt cold, as if someone had left the air conditioning on on high in the middle of winter. My organs began to shut down and I was fading ever so slowly, out of this world and into the next one.

"BANG!"

The egg was jolted out of Neferet's hand in surprise as two human masses stumbled through the broken door and fell to the ground. They stood, the taller figure slicking a hand through his black hair and the smaller, brushing dust from his shirt.

"Damien?" I called weakly.

Thanks guys for putting up with my really bad submitting times. Hopefully next time, when homework lessens, I can complete the next chapter. Find out what happens to Zooey and her friends in the next installment of Break, coming to you soon. Feel free to read my other fanfics that are up on my page in the mean time. Thanks x