Chapter Twenty
Zoey
She certainly had changed. I could feel the difference. Neferet no longer trafficked with Darkness. She was on the side of Light.
Yet still, I was wary to approach her. It wasn't a gut feeling—it was complete revulsion.
"What... What happened?" I whispered.
"I've found Nyx and Light again." Neferet's eyes were thoughtful, almost frightened. Was she scared that I didn't believe her?
"I don't believe you, you crazy bitch," Aphrodite retorted. "You've killed too many people and done too much evil to just walk back to Nyx."
"Why couldn't I?" Neferet smiled warmly. "Nyx has accepted me into her arms again. It was her graceful returning of my past consort, Johnny, that returned the Goddess and I to each other." Neferet made goo-goo eyes to Theseus, which looked so strange on her that I felt a tingly feeling inside, like watching kittens play in the park. "He's been reincarnated as Theseus. Johnny and I were in love. It was his death that shaped what I used to be—add that to my father's abuse and you have a sick little girl." The way she said it made me want to hug her, wary of her as I was. "I hungered. I craved. I wanted men- human men in particular—to hurt for the pain they'd caused me. But after a while of being hated and feared by almost everyone, I decided I just wanted to be loved." She sighed. "And so I am." She looked lovingly at Theseus. "I just know now that this is where I belong. With him."
"I—" Aphrodite started, but I stopped her, staring into her eyes. Neferet was good. If I could feel it, I knew she could feel it too. She sighed. "Fine. You're goody two shoes again. So what's our whole purpose anymore?"
I glanced coldly at Neferet. Just because she had suddenly turned good, didn't mean I trusted her- or liked her. She had done horrible things, including killing my mom and being responsible for my boyfriend's death. "I don't trust you."
"And I don't blame you," she sighed. "I wouldn't trust me either. But Zoey, you are the very reflection of Nyx—pure, good, wonderful, powerful. So must you be so unforgiving?"
I was silent at that, because I knew she was right. Why should I be so unforgiving? Nyx had forgiven her. Why couldn't I?
"I forgive you," I said softly. "For hurting me so many times and killing so many people I cared about. Because no matter how terrible you once were, you're on the road to redemption now. Only question is: can you forgive yourself?"
Neferet looked away. Did her eyes flicker with anger? Or was that resignation I saw?
"I don't know," she said sadly after a long pause. "I've done so much wrong, acted so Darkly, that I feel grimy, dirty. I don't know what can cleanse my soul—or if it even can after the atrocities I've committed."
"Do you want to be cleansed?"
"Yes," she admitted. "I want to be reunited with the Goddess firmly, and never leave her path."
I gave Neferet something I'd withheld from her for a long time: credit. She had survived against all odds. She'd fought to get to where she wanted, after what she loved most was returned to her. And she was still fighting. And that was what broke my resolve. Honestly, when I really looked at it, Neferet and I weren't all that different. We'd both been hurt, though I hadn't responded the way she had. She was just as close to Nyx as I was— at least she had been, and she wanted to be. She was pure. In that moment, I realized. Neferet had her humanity. Hell, it hadn't gone anywhere. It had just been locked up inside her, waiting to break free.
"We have some stuff to do," I told her.
Her brows raised. Her expression warmed my heart—in it, there was both surprise and happiness. She looked like the mom she'd been when I'd met her, only this time it was real. "What?"
"We've got some humans to kill," Stark said.
"The People of Faith." Neferet said it as more of a statement than a question. "I knew it was time." She sighed. "Very well. Just hold on a second."
"For what?" Aphrodite demanded.
Neferet's jade eyes gleamed. "Just let me get my coat."
Stevie Rae
"Stand ready!"
Hell, she had to give them credit. At least they did it.
Everyone moved into the precise standing order they'd been practicing for the last thirty minutes- all the vampyres (meaning stronger people; with the exception of Rephaim) were in the front, while the fledglings with affinities were in the middle, and the normal fledglings rested in the back. Though Erebus had done the Warrior's Call a while ago, not one Warrior had shown up yet, and Stevie Rae was starting to get worried. Where were they?
Darius stood in front of them. His face was the mask of calm, and he stood with his hands at his sides. His body was devoid of tension, surprisingly calm. "They will come soon. I can feel it."
"Me too," Shaylin murmured. "It's like the Darkness is in the air... Chaos magick."
"Get ready," Stevie Rae commanded.
"Oh, I'm more than ready," Shaylin responded.
"Hey... Nisroc... If we don't live through this... I love you," Shaunee admitted.
"I love you too," Nisroc said, kissing her quickly but passionately.
Shaylin moved closer to Erik, and threaded her fingers through his. Though the two didn't kiss or anything, they shared a look that was almost just as intense as any physical contact.
Jordan and Kramisha simply smiled sadly at each other, as if they were ready to face whatever fate had in store for them.
Johnny B and Sophie were holding hands— was there some sort of romance between the two of them that Stevie Rae hadn't seen?
Thanatos and Kalona's shoulders were brushed together; Kalona stared longingly at the sky, while Thanatos looked troubled but determined as she glanced at Darius. A Warrior protecting his High Priestess without even really realizing it.
Erebus's arms were around Nicole's waist, and he looked as if he never wanted to let go. She didn't seem too adverse to the position either.
Lenobia and Travis were kissing passionately, her fingers threaded through his hair, and to Stevie Rae's shock there was an engagement ring on her finger.
Seeing all the displays of affection, Stevie Rae turned to Rephaim. "I love you," she vowed. But she didn't have the strength to say goodbye. It would be like an epilogue before the final chapter of the story.
"And I love you," he said softly, stroking her hair. "I will always love you, my Red One. Even in death."
That sent a cold chill through her. It was sweet that he would never stop loving her, but the way he'd said it suggested he would die. No. She didn't want to die, but she would if it meant saving Rephaim. She would value his life over hers any day.
Before she could respond to him, Kramisha swore. "Shit!"
"What is it?" Thanatos said.
"I forgot all about this poem! That ain't never happened before." Kramisha reached inside her pocket and pulled out a Post-It Note, purple of course. "I wrote it before I fell asleep last night."
"Read it aloud," Kalona commanded.
She cleared her throat, and something changed in her voice— there was a clarity, a power there that Stevie Rae had never before heard:
Blood shall shed
Swords shall fall
Death shall hold
But the true hero
Is Darkness
For Light cannot always win."What?" Stevie Rae gasped. "What in the Sam Hill did that mean?"
"How can Darkness be a hero?" Jordan queried. "Ain't Darkness what we finna fight?"
"Yeah, that's the part I'm confused on, too," Shaylin said.
"Prophecies always have double meanings, especially ones from Nyx," Erebus said. "The first three lines are clear. Blood will be shed, swords will fall after the battle, and death will take hold of several souls. Then... 'But the true hero is Darkness, for Light cannot always win.' Hmm..." He looked irritated. "I don't know."
"Maybe we'll figure it out after the battle," Stevie Rae said. "Don't worry about it now. Let's just focus on—"
Before she could even finish her sentence, she felt it. A cold wind blew all around her, Darkness's magick seeping the earth strength she felt right out of her. Stevie Rae was suddenly tired. She wanted to pass out right then and there, but she kept her cool. She knew what was happening.
The army was coming.
If their chaos magick was strong enough to disarm earth...
"Hold your grounds!" Shaylin yelled. "Air, come to me! Fight Darkness!" A burst of warm air emerged, making Stevie Rae's arms tingle.
"Fire, burn it away!" Shaunee shouted, and she felt her strength slowly start to seep back into her.
"Water, wash the air clean of Darkness!" Nicole wailed. It started to rain. Water coalesced down from the clouds, making a steady pattern— and stopping at the borders of the House of Night.
"Earth, strengthen us and keep us calm!" Stevie Rae shouted. The earth responded almost instantly, and a glowing green bubble surrounded them— a shield, protecting the entire group. It was tied to her life force. If Stevie Rae died, the group would not be protected from Darkness's touch.
"I have no affinity for you, but spirit, I ask that you join with death and hold the barrier!" Thanatos screamed. A pale silver circle materialized around the green—
And all went still.
The air was eerily calm. Too calm. The calm before a storm.
"They're coming!" Darius shouted.
Rephaim's arm locked around her waist, and they waited as the last seconds went by. Finally, they emerged from the alcove by the shattered tree. How they'd gotten through the borders was amazing to Stevie Rae, but she didn't care about that—they were here now, and the moment she'd been waiting for for SO LONG was finally upon them. Earth's magick propelled, keeping them protected.
The humans had massed a battalion, she realized. There were about fifty of them- they immensely outnumbered the vampyres. Fear shattered her steely exterior, and her face contorted with worry.
Just at that moment, from behind them, came the sounds of marching, all in unison. Stevie Rae turned her head to see a group of blue vampyres advancing toward them. They were all male, and Stevie Rae recognized some of them. The Warrior's Call had worked, and the Sons of Erebus were upon them. There were about thirty of them—just barely enough to outnumber the humans. And, Stevie Rae realized, they weren't all human. She saw a few red Marks among them, some filled in, some not.
The Dark red fledglings. And, to her surprise, there was a blue, unexpanded Mark. A young girl. A girl she'd known. A girl who'd been her best friend.
Erin.
Erin was standing next to Dallas, her fingers threaded through his. When she saw Stevie Rae, she grinned, showing her teeth. The grin was more evil than friendly. Anger rocked Stevie Rae, burning through her so furiously that she could barely stand. The anger served to strengthen her earth circle.
"Why is she with him?" Shaunee muttered. "What's happened to her?"
"Erin's chosen Darkness," Kalona murmured.
The crowd of humans continued to advance until they were almost upon the vampyres. The sound of their feet against the ground was rhythmic, a sonorous drum. It was almost like music to Stevie Rae's ears.
Though Stevie Rae had expected an instant attack, the crowd hesitated when they saw that they were outnumbered. One down in front, one who looked a lot like Travis, held up his hand, and all of them came to a stop.
No one moved. No one breathed. No one even blinked.
Finally, Stevie Rae stepped forward. Clearing her throat, she spoke. "Why are you here?"
"To destroy you," the Travis lookalike rasped. Was the man related to Travis in some way? He was old, but he was a dead ringer... Could Travis be his son?
Stevie Rae turned to Travis, who was approaching, his eyes livid with fury. "No, Father. You came here because you're a serious dick. All you want is power, and you're never gonna get it. I bet even without any magick you'd have come."
"I want to see the death of any creature who is not beloved of God," he snapped. "We're wasting time. I need to kill them, Travis. And you, too, if you're siding with them."
Travis looked like he'd been slapped. "You'd kill your son?"
"You're no son of mine. You've chosen your lot."
Lenobia stood protectively between Travis and his dad, her eyes so cold they could freeze him where he stood. She looked every bit like a warrior priestess, the reflection of Sgiach herself. "You will not lay a hand on him."
Travis had almost unconsciously moved so far forward that he was out of the stance and between the two companies, which scared Stevie Rae. What if someone tried to kill him?
"I'll do whatever I like, vampyre," Travis's father snapped. "And when I'm done with him, I'll come for you. I wouldn't be talking."
Fury played across Lenobia's face. "What?" she hissed.
Travis's father raised the stake he was carrying. It glinted wickedly in the light of the grey sky. Stevie Rae was glad the sun wasn't shining today. She knew it would kill her and the other reds. "I think I'll start with him. It's clear you love him, right? You'd do anything for him?"
"I won't let you take my Travis away from me again," Lenobia growled. She looked seriously scary.
"I think I will." With a speed Stevie Rae hadn't thought possible of humans, he raced forward, grinning so evilly that he looked slightly reminiscent of Neferet. It was clear what he aimed to do—kill Travis.
"No!" Lenobia shouted. She did the worst thing possible then.
She threw herself in front of Travis, blocking the blow of the stake.
However, in doing so, she left herself completely exposed—exposed enough for Travis's father to bring the stake up in a wide, deadly arc and drive it straight through her heart.
"Lenobia!" Travis screamed.
Stevie Rae's mouth fell open in shock as Lenobia fell to her knees. With amazing strength, Travis's father leaned forward. Still grinning, he twisted her neck and snapped it. She fell limp to the ground, her body drawing its last breath.
Lenobia was dead.
Surprising herself, Stevie Rae did not feel grief. The first thing she felt was a hot, burning anger. "Go!" she shouted. The need for revenge fueled her as she moved with a speed she hadn't thought possible. Everyone else was furious, too, because they moved at the same time she did.
They moved to kill.
The army of humans moved, too, bloodthirsty and ready for death.
The two armies closed in on each other, and in an air of anger and blood, the battle finally began under the midday sky.
... I know that death was horrifying. I'm so sorry to tell you there's more to come. A LOT more. See you next chapter! Sorry again... :( XOXO,
Are you guys liking the battle so far?
Casey