I was right, they did reek. I noticed while we were at the airport that humans and vampyres have different scents. A vampyres have more of the sharp predator scent, not surprising. Stark's species scent was a bit different than a normal vampyres and Zoey's too, and not because Zoey was dead I think it was because she was still a fledgling. It was really annoying that I could practically know everything about someone just by their scent, but then that's probably how animals identify one another is by scent rather than by a name.

I held my breath though when I passed by the heads, like I needed to sneeze and this stone go flying, but when I got back into the castle I took a big whiff.

There was Sgaich's scent everywhere and Seoras's scent accompanied hers a lot. Different vampyre scents ran every which way, but they were less common than those two very potent scents.

Now I'm surprised I didn't pass out when I first changed because these smells were certainly overwhelming and not to mention the increase in eye power. I think I'm going to be bit unhappy when I return to normal, at least for a bit because I'll lose this sight and smell.

Now that I thought about it I was really getting a kick out of the way my muscles moved fluidly under my skin. I had never noticed the way my muscles moved while I was human-ish, but know that I was a different beast I was in awe of how my body moved.

Weird, yes, but I didn't really care. No one knew, all the awe and appreciation was in my head.

I followed the scent trails into a massive throne room. Stark was standing in front of Sgaich, who was on a throne, with Darius and Aphrodite. Right in between them was a rust colored stone. I got the whiff of old blood. I sneezed.

"Speaking of virgin." Aphrodite said.

I padded beside them before dropping the stone. "What virgin?"

"You, animal girl." Aphrodite said.

"If we're doing virgin sacrifice, I'm pretty sure a virgin panther won't count." At least I hoped not. Yeah I love Zoey and all, but I'm not to be sacrificed for her when I know that it's not the only solution. Besides, virgins are an endangered species and should be protected at all costs.

Aphrodite screamed as something brown and sleek darted around her feet. It scurried up my leg and sat on top of my head.

"Raven! That's a fucking rat!" She screamed shrilly.

"It's a rat, not a fucking rat." I said sassily. "Hi." I said cheerily to him.

"Hello. You're not what I expected." He said.

"That's a first." I told him.

"You attract animals?" Sgaich asked.

"And I communicate with them." I said. I flicked my ears as the rat, I'm going to call him Reepicheep, groomed them. "The attracting is new though."

"And it's annoying." Aphrodite said.

"There's nothing you can do about it." I told her. I looked up at the rat. "Right?"

"It's your aura that attracted me."

"And I can't turn my aura off." I mumbled. Great. I hate to agree with Aphrodite, but it was kinda of getting to annoying. If I had to hide from something nasty all they would have to do is let loose and animal and then they would be attracted to my aura like I was a bug zapper, although I would be the one getting zapped.

"You're coming with Ray, right?" Stark said.

I blinked. "Yeah. Once you open the pathway to the Otherworld I should be able to follow."

Reepicheep leaned down in front of my eye. I jerked at his sudden appearance right in my eye.

"You're going to the Otherworld?"

"Yeah."

"Then you should talk to the Four Lords of the Island." Reepicheep ran down my spine, which really tickles by the way, and then tugged at my tail when he got onto the ground.

"I've already talked to them."

"Raven, you talking to animals is really annoying." Aphrodite said.

"Well evidently I live to annoy you." I said. "It's not my fault your brain is so small that you are unable to communicate with beasts."

Stark chuckled.

Reepicheep came to my front and gained my attention. "You have?"

I nodded. "They gave me this." I nudged the stone filled with moon light towards him. He picked it up in his paws and looked at it.

"What's that?" Darius asked.

"A stone filled with moon light." I said. I never realized how weird that sounded until I said it out loud.

"What?"

"Don't ask. A mythological moon/huntress goddess was involved." I said.

"Yes, I feel her presence around this stone." Reepicheep said. "You're in good hands for journey to the Otherworld."

"I hope so."

I blinked. "Wait, why do we need a virgin?"

"I need a sacrifice for the Seol ne Gigh." Stark said. He nodded at the stone.

I looked at it. I shivered.

"What?"

"There's some kind of…weird energy coming from that stone." I flattened my ears because I couldn't tell what kind of energy was coming from this stone. This half-immortal thing was becoming more and more annoying. Is there someplace I can go to tell my boss I didn't want this job anymore?

"Oh don't tell me you're scared of a stone." Aphrodite said.

"I'm not scared of it. There's just weird energy radiating off of it."

"You are quite something young Raven. I don't think I've meant anyone who can sense the power of the Seol ne Gigh." Sgiach said.

"Yeah, I know." I sighed. "I suppose that's why I'm here."

Sgiach looked at Stark. "It's you who's the sacrifice, Warrior."

Thank God it's not me.

"The blood of another will not do. This is your quest, from beginning to end. Are you still willing to begin, Stark?" The wise queen asked.

"Yes." I sensed no hesitation in his voice.

"Then lie on the Seol ne Gigh, young MacUallis Guardian. Your Chieftain will draw your blood, take you to a place between life and death. The stone will take your offering. The white bull has spoken, and you will be accepted. He will guide your spirit to the Otherworld gate. It is up to you to gain entry from there, and may the Goddess have mercy on your soul." She said.

I shivered. I was so glad I had an inherited power to go to and from the Otherworld without having to gain entry through blood.

"All right. Good. Let's get this thing done." Stark said.

I looked at Reepicheep. "Will you be able to tell if my body becomes possessed?"

"I do believe so. Your aura would change."

"If my body's is possessed, you need to let them know." I said.

"Will do." He said almost proudly.

Stark approached the stone. I picked up my moonstone and got ready to join him.

"Not yet, young Raven." Sgaich said. "Stark must first open the pathway for your spirit to follow."
I set the stone down. "Oh boy."

Seoras stood at the head of the stone and pulled out a sharp looking knife.

"Hang on, hang on!" Aphrodite suddenly said. She began rummaging through her bag.

"Aphrodite, now is not the time." Stark said in a short voice.

"Oh, for shit's sake, finally. I knew I couldn't lose anything this big and smelly." Aphrodite said pulling out a bag of a reddish-brown twigs and some brown needles. I inhaled and could smell cedar.

"Before you start what I'm sure is going to be some very unattractive blood-letting, someone needs to burn these, like incense, over here by Stark."

"What the hell?" Stark asked.

"Cedar! It's strong protective wood. It's good for protection in the spiritual realm." Reepicheep said.

"It's cedar." I said. "It's a protection for your spirit against negative influences."

Aphrodite looked at me.

"What? Reepicheep told me."

"You named the rat." She said.

"Of course. The Upwalker sense of smell is very suckish so I have to give him a name because you wouldn't recognize him any other way."

"Upwalker?" Darius asked.

"It's an animal term for humanoids." I explained. I swear I think Sgiach was smiling at us.

A Warrior put some of the foliage into a dish on a stand and lit the powerful protective herb. The particular scent of the cedar filled the air.

"Okay, now let's get this thing done." Aphrodite said.

"And you call me annoying." I mumbled at her.

"Dinnae struggle against it. Yie need tae be feelin' out of sorts tae slip from yer body. It isnae a natural thing for a Warrior to be doin'." Seoras pointed the knife at the stone. "Bare yer chest and lie here."

I folded my ears back. Um, I'm a healer and I think I'm going to have a bit of a problem with someone cutting up a friend in front of me. Stark took off his sweatshirt and shirt before laying on the stone.

"I see yie have already been marked." Seoras gestured at the burn scar on his chest. I didn't notice before, but it looked like a broken arrow.

"Yeah. For, Zoey." He said.

"Aye, well, then 'tis only right that yie are marked again for her." Seoras said.

I suddenly had a realization. How long have we known these people? Should we really trust them about this? I mean, yeah, they're good people, but they are strangers. I mean, I would love to trust every stranger I meant, but that's probably not a good idea.

"Ach, aye, yie can feel it." Seoras told Stark.

"It's hot." Stark said.

"For those of us who are Guardians, it lives. Do yie trust me, lad?"

"Yes." Stark said.

"I'll be takin' yie to the place afore death. Yie need to be trustin' in me to take yie there." Seoras said.

"I trust you." Stark said sincerely.

I took a deep breath. Here it comes. Oh boy.

"This willnae be pleasant fer either of us, but 'tis necessary. The body must release to allow the spirit the freedom to depart. Only the pain and the blood can be doin' that. Are yie ready?"

My muscle tensed. I wondered why I was so worried. Stark would be doing the hard work. I'd just hitch along for the ride.

"Wait!"

Aphrodite's voice made me jump and my fur puff out. Was the fur puffing going to become a regular thing when I get startled?

"Before you cut him, tell him something that'll help. Don't just let his soul flail about moronically in the Otherworld. You're shaman, so Shaman him." She said.

I rolled my eyes. You would think she would be a little more respectable to someone who could very possibly kill her without hardly lifting a finger.

Seoras shared a look with Sgiach before turning back to Aphrodite. I swear he was smiling a bit.

"Well, ma wee queen. I'll be telling yer friend this: when a soul wants to truly know what it is to be good, and I do mean purely good for unselfish reason, that is when the basest of our nature gives in to the desire fer love and peace and harmony. That surrender is a powerful force."

"That's too poetic for me, but Stark's a reader. Maybe he'll have a clue what you're talking about,"

"Raven?"

"What?" I asked.

"Could you sit on Aphrodite's head until she stops talking?" Stark asked.

"Sure." I said.

"Just try animal girl." Aphrodite said.

I stood up and faced her. She paled just a little bit.

"You must do this on yer own, laddie. I cannae even hold yie down. If you cannae bear it, you willnae make it through the gate anyway, and best to be puttin' this tae an end now, before yie think tae begin." Seoras said.

"I'm not going to move." Stark said.

Well, actions speak louder than words, boy.

"The heartbeat of the Seol ne Gigh will lead you to the Otherworld. Getting back, ach, well, that'll be a path yie must be fidin' fer yurself."

"Oh boy." I said.

Stark nodded and then Seoras struck Stark with the knife. I curled up, folding my front paw under my chest and watched almost patiently as Seoras craved up Stark like his body was a canvas.

I looked and saw a wispy, smokey light slowly float away from Stark's body and up towards the ceiling.

"I think he's gone." I said.

Aphrodite stalked up to Stark and waved her hand in front of his eyes.

"Yeah, light's on, but there's definitely no one home." She said. She jerked back as Seoras craved another weeping line into Stark's body. "He already looks like a hamburger. Do you have to keep doing that?"

Seoras didn't respond, but kept his focus on Stark.

"They are bonded by this quest." Sgiach said. She got up from her throne to stand beside Aphrodite.

"But your Guardian is conscious and present in his own body," Darius pointed out.

"Yes. His consciousness is here. It is also so completely attuned with the boy that he can hear his heartbeat-feel his breathing. Seoras knows exactly how close Stark is to physical death. It is on the cusp between life and death that my Guardian must keep him. Too much one way, his soul will return to his body, and he will awaken. Too much the other, his soul will never return at all."

Shit. Glad I don't have his job.

"How will he know when to end this?" Aphrodite asked.

"Stark will awaken, or he will die. Either way, it will be Stark's doing and not my Guardian's. What Seoras does now enables the boy to make his own choices. You should do the same."

I sensed the presence of felines near the door suddenly. I bit back a sigh. Yes, the animal attracting thing annoyed me too.

"Cut him?" Aphrodite asked.

"You said that you're a Prophetess of Nyx, did you not?" Sgiach asked.

"I am her Prophetess."

I tuned them out and instead focused on the kitties. They were far more interesting anyway.

"I know you're there." I thought toward them. I turned and looked the heads peering from around the corner.

A gangle of kittens came bounding over with their little tails straight up in the air. Their mother, a beautiful silvery-gray and cream cat padded delicately behind them.

"Hi!" Their happy little voices said.

I felt Reepicheep's discomfort.

"They're just babies." I told him.

"Exactly, they're more prone to play with me to death."

I chuckled.

"You're big!" A kitten with mostly white fur and dark orange tabby splotches said. Her fur reminded me of autumn leaves on snow.

"I was taller before I got stuck like this." I explained.

A light gray tabby puffed up her chest. She reminded me of a queen. "You're not that scary."

"I'm not trying to be scary." I told her.

I felt tiny paws on my back. I looked. A little kitten with tan tabby on his face and gray tabby splotches and a white chin, legs, and underside stood on my back. Cookies. He somehow reminded me of cookies.

Reepicheep squeaked in discomfort and scurried away.

"Me too!" A white kitten with gray spots all over leapt up onto my back with Cookie and she began climbing up towards my head.

"They are quite interested in you." Sgiach said.

"Yeah. I really don't know why." Lily Bean, the white and gray spotted kitten, suddenly slid off the top of my head and onto my muzzle. She dug her tiny teeny, but sharp claws into my forehead as her legs splayed off my nose. I tilted my head up and she was able to get back up onto my head. "A horse told me her heart told her that I was like her. Which is really strange to me."

"It's not so strange. You are a friend to these animals and for beasts a friend usually appears as one of their own." Sgiach said.

"Huh." I winced as Snowleaf pounced on my tail. "Never thought about it like that." Silver Queen pounced on my tail as I swept it out of Snowleaf's reach.

Sgiach gaze narrowed onto the charm dangling from my collar. "Is there a reason why you have Hecate's charm?"

"My friend gave it to me. He thought I'd like it. Is there a reason why you're interested?" I said tactfully turning the spotlight back on her.

Sgiach smiled. "I've read much about Hecate. She was a very powerful, but many humans and even vampyres question the source of her powers of darkness."

"The Lords of the Forest told me that Darkness is needed for change, and Light cannot be gained without first accepting and respecting the need for Darkness." I said.

Sgiach blinked slowly. "And what do you think that means?"

I blinked. The answer tumbled through my lips like it had been waiting patiently to be heard. "Darkness and Light are elements just like the other five, only you cannot control one without accepting the other."

"You are wise for one so young."

"Well I am a reincarnated half-breed. I've probably gained a lot of wisdom while I was chilling in the spirit realms." I said.

Sgiach looked up and I turned. Darius came in with Aphrodite leaning heavily on him. Her eyes were filled with blood.

"I have to talk to Stark. Now."

"How in the hell-oh." It suddenly clicked that Seoras would stop hacking Stark enough to allow him to come back to life.

"You've used your gift." Sgiach said.

"Yeah, and I have to tell Stark something, or it'll be bad. For everyone. Really bad."

I got a really bad chill when she said that.

"You will only have a moment. Speak quickly and clearly to Stark. If you hold him here too long, he will not be able to retrace his path to the Otherworld until he has recovered from today's journey, and you must understand that recovery could take him weeks."

By that time we were screwed.

"I get it. I have one chance at this. I'm ready." Aphrodite said.

Sgiach touched Seoras's arm.

"Mo bann ri? My queen?"

"Call him back. The Prophetess must speak to him."

"Aye, wumman…as yie wish." He placed his hand on Stark's forehead. "Hear me, boy. Yie must be returning."

Stark's eyes burst open. "No! I have to go back!"

"Nae, boy. Remember yie cannae be movin',"

Sucks to be Stark.

"Get me back. I have to get back." He said almost in a panicky voice.

"Stark listen to me." Aphrodite said. "It's Heath that's the key. You have to get to him before you see Zoey. Tell him he has to move on. He has to leave Zoey in the Otherworld, or she'll never come back here."

I started to wonder what she saw.

"What? Aphrodite?"

Aphrodite walked over to Stark.

"Trust me. Get to Heath. Make him leave. If you don't, there's no one who'll stop Neferet and Kalona, and it's all over for us."

"If he's to be returnin', he must be going' the now." Seoras said.

"Take him back." Sgiach said.

"Wait! Tell me. How-how do I fight myself?" Stark gasped.

I wondered what the hell was going on in his head, or the Otherworld.

Seoras drew his blade across Stark's eyes. Yikes!

I turned to Aphrodite. "What did you see?"

"Remember my vision about people burning?" Aphrodite said.

"Vaguely."

"Well, people will still burning. Only Neferet is such a god-damn vicious bitch that she stops the fire from burning everyone, but still makes them suffer."

I shuddered. "I always knew I didn't like her."

Aphrodite chewed her lip. "I saw you there Ray."

Uh-oh. Why did I have a bad feeling about this?

"Neferet evidently put some sort of bloody runes on you that looked like chains."

I remembered the chains around my father. Shit. I don't want that nasty blood bloated darkness all over me!

"She said they would burn out the 'Light of your pure heart.' Whatever that means."

I gave her a blank look. I didn't know what the hell that meant either, but it gave me a sick feeling.

"And then you would open a door. Not that dramatic really." She said.

"Depends on what door I'm opening." I said. I had a really, really bad feeling about whatever door she wanted me to open. I had a hunch it wasn't a physical door.

The moon stone suddenly burned hot in between my paws. The kittens stopped playing king of the panther on my back.

"What's that?" Lily Bean asked.

I didn't answer her. "I think it's time for me to go." I laid down on my stomach with my paws tucked under my chest.

Aphrodite looked at me. "Remember, you two need to get to Heath, not Zoey."

"Right,"

"And don't let Stark act like a stupid, brainless dork."

"I think that's asking for the impossible." I said. "But I'll try my best."
"And don't you dork this up either, animal girl."

"You know, we come back you're going to owe me a serious apology for doubting me." I told her. I took a deep breath.

I wasn't sure what to do so now would probably be a good time to ask for divine intervention.

"Artemis. You gave the Four Lords of the Forest this stone, so I'm going out on a limb here thinking you care about me, so do you think you could help me get into the Otherworld? This power is kinda of new to me."

"Of course young one, of course I will help you!"

The voice was amazingly gentle and I willing gave myself to the owner of the voice. I felt moonlight wrap around me and my spirit was lifted from my body and guided it into the Seol ne Gigh.

First there was all darkness, but the moonlight radiating from my skin penetrated the darkness.

Skin! I was human-ish again!

I probably jumped a million miles into the air when a pure black bull appeared out of nowhere. He nodded at me.

Pass young half-breed.

"Thank you."

I walked through the blackness and entered a little opening with rusty red dirt. Stark and…Stark? Wait, why were there two Starks?

Oh my God! One of them has a frickin' knife in their chest! What if that was the real Stark? Oh shit nuggets.

Suddenly un-shish kabobed Stark tugged out the sword out of the shish-kabobed Stark and then swung the blade in an arc shape and sliced the other Stark from the top of his head to man parts. Then that Stark disappeared into nothingness.

"Goddess! How could I do that and be honorable." He cried out.

"Well, the guys from MacBeth thought when he sliced a man from naves to chops it was pretty cool." I said.

Stark jerked and pointed the sword at me. I held up my hands in surrender and I prayed he was the Stark from the real world and not whatever the other Stark was.

His brown eyes widened like he was surprised by something. "Raven?"

"Yeah." I suddenly remember I was human-ish. "Shit! Am I naked!" I touch my stomach and I felt clothes and something else.

A shining white stone hung from a thin silver chain. I gasped. It was the moonstone. Only instead of a chunk of unrefined rock, but it was an upside down tear drop and it was smooth to the touch. There was a metal ring on the top of the moonstone and then a sharp metal point at the bottom.

"Oh wow." I said. I marveled at the bright veins in the moonstone. It kinda of reminded me of a white jelly bean after you squish it a bit and get hard white lines in the otherwise clear jelly bean.

"What's that?"

"Something Artemis gave me." I said.

"Artemis?"

"Explanation later. Let's go find Zoey and Heath." I said. I looked at him. "Do you know how to do that? You're her Warrior aren't you?"

"Not her Warrior." He said slowly. He looked at his sword. "I'm her Guardian."

"Then what do your instincts tell you, Guardian?" I asked.

Stark then bowed his head against his sword. "Zoey, my Ace, my bann ri shi', my queen-I choose to accept it all and to follow the way of honor. That's the only way I can be the Warrior you need me to be. This I swear."

I looked over and saw an archway vanished and we stood in front of a beautiful grove. Stark struggled up.

"Oh God I'm an idiot. Come here." The familiar golden flames came to my hands. The flames shot out and wrapped around his arms.

"Thanks Ray."

"No prob. Now, let's go find Z and Heath." I said.

With that said we both went and marched into the Otherworld.

XOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOX

Sorry it took so long to get this to you guys, there were certain nasty end of term things that will not be mentioned that I had to deal with before I could work on this. So, sorry for the wait, but hope you enjoyed this. I send you all my positive energy to those of you who read and give me a review!

TTFN