Sorry it took me this long, as you know my computer is down and I was busy this week because of Finals. So sorry for the looong wait but her is chapter 12. Being the fact i got so many reviews last chapter I'm just going to thank the ppl who reviewed (instead of responding to each review. Thank you Sophie-kills-like-Nny35, RaWrGrl12, FantsyandStevierae'sBiggestFan, KristenK, Gracious the Homicidal Maniac, VanacaRobert, RuneScapian (I told you I'd get it up soon :D), BlackRosesNeverDie666 (you reviewed chapter 7 but still), StevieRae2011, and IloveZimandNny16. I'm so glad you guys liked it and I'm happy about the positive feedback I got with Rephaim killing Nicole, I only had one complaint and that was jokingly complaining. Cough, StevieRae2011, cough. And I enjoyed your guys' mixed reaction to SR's voice being there. Especially Sophie-kills-like-Nny35 I almost died laughing. Ok I think I've kept you from this chapter enough. Read, review, enjoy Oh and PS I stupidly deleted chapter 6 (the AN I had because it was starting to get annoying. So if you already reviewed chapter 12 your going to have to log out to do it. Yeah I know I'm a pain but really didn't think about at the time. If you think this is to much of a waste of your time I understand but it would mean a lot to me if you did this. Please and thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own the House of Night series.

Chapter 12:

Rephaim's POV:

Rephaim groaned in frustration. Of course he figured this was going to happen but it still didn't make what he was about to do any less difficult. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall and listened. He waited and waited and finally he got his answer.

Neferet screamed in rage and shock and cried out. "What, what do you mean she is dead? I saw her no more than ten minutes ago!" Rephaim heard his brother, Mayon, say. "I am sorry Neferet but she is dead. Balik found her laying on the floor with her neck snapped in half and her eyes vacant. I am afraid she has been murdered."

Neferet screamed, followed by a smack, and the sound of a heavy body hitting the floor. "What are you doing? Why are you attacking one of my sons?" Kalona demanded in a voice that only let some of his anger boil over the surface. Rephaim cringed, only imagining the full weight of Father's fury. Neferet snorted and mattered bitterly, "hmm, some sons, they can't do anything right. I mean they let a simple girl get killed right under their beaks. How…disappointing, mistakes will not be tolerated." There was a short pause. "Unless…unless this was no mistake."

"What are you saying my queen" Kalona's voice was tight and controlled, he sounded like he was grating each word out through is teeth. "Surely you are not accusing one of my sons of killing this child." Neferet laughed, "well they are killers after all, it is what they do." "Yes but what do they have to gain from killing her. That would not serve my purposes and therefore a waste of time in disposing her. Plus they know that Nicole was a valuable asset they would not have killed something that could be of use to us."

"Then how do you explain her dead body? Unless you think some assassin was able to sneak into our home undetected, kill her without us noticing, and sneak back out? Come now Kalona surely you are not foolish enough to believe that." Neferet said cynically. Kalona sighed, "I did not say that, but there has to be some kind of logical explanation other than that one of my sons killed her."Now Neferet sighed, "fine if you insist on being stubborn and ignoring the obvious. We will just see who is to blame for these incidences. You, yes you get up, get up!" There was silence after that which Rephaim was sure Mayon was getting to his feet. "Who was the last person to be seen near Nicole's quarters?"

Mayon hesitated then hissed. "Rephaim," Neferet whipped around and snapped at the Raven Mockers nearest her. "Fetch him, bring Rephaim out to me! I want answers and he will give them to me!" With a quick nod from their father the two Raven Mockers went off to fetch their oldest brother. Rephaim had heard it all so he was waiting for them just inside the door to his room. Balik opened the door and said curtly, "Neferet wants a word with you, come."

Neferet was standing in the middle of the living room her arms folded tightly to her chest and tapping her foot impatiently; spearing him with a haughty glare. Father stood next to her his lips pressed in a tight line and looking visibly angry. Whither he was angry at Rephaim or Neferet's machinations Rephaim could not say. Mayon just stared at him wordlessly, waiting for whatever happened next to happen.

Rephaim stopped just in front of the two with Balik and Avinash standing next to him, like a prisoner being escorted to his trial, how humiliating! He bowed his head in respect, (to Kalona at least), and acknowledgement and waited for one of them to speak. Neferet took a few steps forward and snapped briskly. "Were you or were you not outside of Nicole's door just before she was murdered." Rephaim hesitated then spoke truthfully, figuring there was no point in lying, at least not about that anyway. "Yes, I was outside her door. I took her to her room then left, just as I was instructed."

"Did you visit Nicole after that? Did you go to her room to let's say…kill her." Rephaim didn't even blink, he didn't allow any emotion to leak out, didn't allow them to see his panic. "Why would I do that? What would I gain in having this child dead?" Kalona grinned for a second, happy to have his point proven, then his face went blank again becoming indifferent.

Neferet tapped her chin with her index finger, considering his words carefully. "Hmm, yes this is a good question. What do you have to gain from killing Nicole? She was meaningless to you; if anything she was just someone to help your father. No one you should pay attention to. And it's not like you care about Stevie Rae, or whoever this secret consort is Nicole was going to tell us about." She paused then, up until now she had been talking like Rephaim wasn't even there; sounding more like she was at him then to him . But now she paused in her little rant and looked into his eyes with an almost bored look on her face, but still searching; trying to see if her latest words caused any reaction in him. Whatever she had been looking for she didn't get. Rephaim remained perfectly expressionless, almost as bored as she looked, as if all that she was saying held no real barring on him.

"So why did you kill her" Neferet continued, completely ignoring his lack in response. "What provoked you to attack Nicole? Did she insult you? Did she mock you? Did she threaten you? Why did you kill her when you knew she was not a threat?" Rephaim hesitated, wondering if now was the time to stop playing ignorant and tell his lie.

He looked at Father and Kalona stared at him sternly making it clear he was to tell if he killed Nicole. He turned to look Neferet straight in the eye and said. "I killed Nicole yes, but it was self-defense." Well that was true at least. Neferet raised her perfectly plucked eyebrow and said skeptically. "Self-defense, and why would she try to attack you? And why didn't you admit it right away instead of pretending you didn't?"

"Because I did not want to be accused of being a traitor when I am not; I am not sure why Nicole attacked me. Perhaps she wanted to overthrow us and rule herself," he waved his hand dismissively, "the reason does not matter. I had been walking back to my room when I had heard an odd noise coming from the red fledgling's room. Naturally I went to investigate-" "didn't you think to bring any of your brothers along for back up?" Neferet interrupted, Rephaim gave her an incredulous look before continuing. "For a pesky fledgling who was far weaker than me, especially when I did not know whether it was an accidently trip or not? No of course not, that would just be foolish and a waste of time."

Neferet's eyes turned to slights and she snapped. "Are you calling me foolish?" Before Rephaim could come up with a response Kalona said. "Continue your explanation Rephaim." Rephaim dipped his head in respect then said. "Thank you Father. I opened the door and just when I had gotten well enough inside the door closed and she jumped on me." Neferet interrupted again. "And you didn't hear her or stop her from jumping on you?" Rephaim sighed in exaggeration and replied. "She was behind the door when I came in, keeping still and controlling her breathing. By the time I heard her it was too late to act. She sprang on me and pinned me to the floor, holding a knife to my throat. She said that if I screamed or called for aid she would kill me.

So I fooled her into thinking I had surrendered by going limp and letting her drag me lover to the far wall. When she was at just the right angle I knocked the knife out of her hand and pinned her to the wall, keeping one hand on her waist and the other on her throat. I demanded to know what she had been doing and why she had truly come here. She had refused to comply. She kept herself firmly silent not saying anything. So after a while of this and getting nowhere I killed her and returned to my chambers."

Kalona was the one to speak up now. "Why didn't you inform one of us what she did? You could have told us of Nicole's treachery and removed suspicion from yourself." Because I had not thought of a good enough lie immediately; Rephaim thought silently. "I had gone into my room to process all that had happened. That way I could give you as much information as possible. Then I was going to tell you all that transpired. But before I could Balik found her dead body and I had no time to come tell you the truth. So I waited until I was summoned to give my argument."

Kalona nodded as if this made perfect sense. Though Rephaim was Kalona's favorite son and as such has never given him reason to be suspicious before. Rephaim felt extremely guilty about that. But it would be worth it to keep Stevie Rae safe. No matter what happened he would always keep her safe.

Neferet on the other hand wasn't so easily convinced. She was still very suspicious and glaring at him; as if she glared long enough he would confess and divulge all his secrets. Ha, it would take a lot more than a simple glare to get him to confess. But he wasn't going to let Neferet know that, so instead he completely ignored her all together.

"This makes sense." Kalona declared. "Thank you my son for informing us of this predicament. If it weren't for you we wouldn't have known about Nicole's treachery and perhaps fallen right into her trap. You have done well, now I suggest you get some well needed rest, you deserve it." "WHAT!" Neferet and Balik cried at once. "Thank you Father I appreciate that." He turned around and walked away. As he was leaving he could hear Balik and Neferet arguing with Father.

"You do not honestly believe his nonsense story do you Kalona." Neferet demanded. "I do not believe it is a story my queen and it makes perfect sense." "But Father," Balik protested. "It does not feel right, there has been something off about Rephaim ever sense you returned from the Otherworld, surely you noticed." Kalona sighed thoughtfully and said. "He has been acting different but he has been through a life and death experience well we were away. I suppose that was a changing experience. And Rephaim has never given us reason to doubt him before has he my son?" Balik mumbled bitterly, "no he has not Father." "Exactly," Kalona said smugly.

"Well I still don't believe it." Neferet said. "It seems to perfect, plus that doesn't sound like Nicole. I know Nicole and that isn't her style. There's something suspicious about that Rephaim and I'm determined to find out what." Rephaim shuddered in foreboding and dread.

Oooo foreshadowing epicness, lol. Oh btw I want to thank StevieRae2011. She's the only one who noticed last chapter that I put Avinash in here. And for those of you who don't know who he is check out my story Forbidden Love. I mean please check it out.