CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Times up
The weekend turned into the weekday and Dame couldn't help but admit it had been the best weekend ever. She'd spent the entire time hanging with Embry and shopping and eating all kinds of unworldly treats. So far she'd tried Snickle-Frits, Double-Dublins and Armor-gotten soldier candies for the first time and fallen in love with them. Danielle told her to take a few bags with her and enjoy them at school. They were gone before they got to the main entrance door.
"you're going to get a cavity!" Embry snorted after watching Dame nearly choke on a soldier. "Trying to eat the Nazi before he can get to Adolf never stopped World War II, but it certainly is an interesting war strategy." She laughed, "funny how it'll kill you before you can get it all down." Dame hacked up the little Nazi's arm and choked on laughter instead.
"you're- not-fun-ny!" she spit.
"yes-I-am!" Embry mimicked. They both got out of the car and met Zoey at the door.
"have fun?" Zoey asked dame.
"As a matter of fact yes."
"Good, because you start class in a few minutes."
"school doesn't start till 8, it's only 6?"
"I know. But you asked for help and you're going to get it, nice and early." Dame glowered at the woman as she said her goodbyes to Embry and followed Zoey into the recently fixed meeting hall. The furniture was move out of the center of the room and against the wall. Zoey handed dame a set of workout clothing and led her to a changing room. Dame returned in a pair of gray sweats and a tank.
"what do I do first?"
"Run I figured this room would be good enough."
"you want me to run?"
"I want to see how good you are at using your power without anger to back it." Dame huffed and began a steady jog that broke out into a run. It felt good to use her legs for a while until she realized Zoey wasn't telling her to stop.
An hour later, dame crawled up to her room where Embry waited patient with her things.
"I convinced some third formers to bring your bags up. How was it?"
"water" she begged. Embry laughed.
"I guess she found some way to punish you."
"shut" she took a breath, "up."
"but if I do that you'll never know what we need to do to repay your precious mentor."
Dame brightened up. "what?"
"first we need to get that Amulet she always wears. Thanks to you getting it taken she's watching it more closely now."
"I forgot you gave that to me."
"Yea, and once again you got it taken."
"What's so important about a pendant?"
"well for one, it's Kalona's prison."
"really? What a cramped spot" she joked.
"it's not funny Dame. We Need it!"
"Ok, Ok. Why'd you give it to me in the first place when I didn't know what it was?"
"it strengthen the connection between you in Kalona. I was hoping we could avoid this whole thing and just leave it to Kalona to handle the rest. But thanks to you, I have to get it back."
"sorry." She said sincerely.
"we need to figure out a time when Zoey isn't watching the Amulet." Embry remained silent for a while and it gave dame time to think. She thought of all the times she'd been with Zoey. She picture every time she didn't get drawn to the pendant first. One moment recently popped into her mind.
"she didn't wear it on our way to the prison." Dame said finally.
"she didn't?"
"No, I guess she was afraid someone would get a hold of it. We were going to a high security prison with many very dangerous criminals not to mention Neferet." She said sardonically.
"Don't insult my intelligence. You never told me what it was like." She tried.
"all the prisoners had affinities and were all in like these drug induced comas. It was sick and twisted. Some of them probably didn't do anything that wrong."
"they put Neferet in a coma?"
"couldn't use the drug on her, she's too strong."
"cool. So if she left it here the first time she might leave it here again."
"I think so. Only problem is how I'm going to get Zoey to go back and see Neferet."
"he'll handle it."
"how?"
It's already done. Kalona said. It was the first time he'd spoken to her since Embry had lied to her.
"why'd you lie to Zoey?"
"What?" she looked worried.
"why'd you lie about the east wall?"
"Oh, that? you mean you haven't figured it out by now? Well, my mother was part of the original Dark daughter's right? Before the war I mean."
"yes."
"Well, the Dark daughters were the only ones who knew about the portal. Zoey's suppose to be the last of them."
"She is?"
"No not really. My mom, my aunt Deino, and Enyo are the others." Dame stopped in her tracks as she remembered the picture on the mantle of the four girls.
"Danielle Ivoire, Pemphredo-"
"Pemphredo Annette, Deino Elizabeth and Enyo Emily. You saw the picture on the mantle next to the statue of Kalona. They were all in the Dark daughters. After Aphrodite betrayed us for the Circle My mother became their leader of sorts. My mother's the only one who has her old initials on there. The others used their chosen names and then their given names. You know my mother, she always has to be different. They took that picture a few weeks before the war, when Aphrodite's grip on the school was already slipping, if not gone."
"why'd she trade up on the dark daughters anyway?"
"She was sort of kicked out. Part of Neferet's plan I think. She put Zoey in her place. Somehow the two became friends at some point. My mother and the others were going to welcome her back until they found out she was supporting Zoey. What I load of bullshit she was. How are you going to trade on your friends for the one who took you're place."
"She was favored by Nyx."
"So were we all. If none of us was recognized by Nyx don't you think we'd all be humans?"
"good point. So she traded. What was the big deal?"
"she had visions, visions that could have helped us win the war. No doubt that was the reason they'd won." So he doesn't tell them everything. Dame thought. She knew they'd won because Kalona believed Zoey/Ay'a would be with him; that she was his soul mate and she'd never betray him… Wrong! "Well I guess it doesn't matter now, she's dead."
"I read somewhere she'd died human."
"Strangest thing right? I think it had something to do with her betrayal."
"Embry, do you still worship Nyx?" Dame finally asked.
"Why would I? What has she done for me? I have shitty parents and a shitty back stabbing High Priestess. Kalona's done more for us than she has."
"What do you mean?"
"It doesn't matter. The point is that the Vamps today worship her and they're all in hiding. If they stay in power the next generation and so on will never truly know what it means to be a Vampyre. I mean let's be honest, our ancestors surely didn't drink O negative from a plastic bag. It's in our nature to desire blood why not have it fresh?"
"like Danielle?"
"so you notice that huh?" Dame nodded.
"I don't understand it though, if she's trying to blend in why would she-"
"because unlike most, our family does not shun who they are. Beside how do you think my mother got a prominent very religious lawyer to marry her. She imprinted with him when he thought she was human. She bit him when he least expected it and made him her slave. I mean why have a husband when you can have a devoted servant? It was the quickest way my mother could think to beat him into submission. Not that it isn't an enjoyable process either."
"You make your mother sound so controlling."
"You'll learn to do the same." She said in a low growl. With that she left the room and dame took the time to get dress for school. It was early morning for them and she had less than 45 minutes to get ready for school. She threw on her uniform with a few touches of her own. Students were no longer forced to wear their uniforms but many did anyway. It was a sign of pride for going to their school and dame had to seem as enthusiastic as possible if she was going to keep Zoey's trust.
That thursday Dame was called to Zoey's office. She walked in ignoring the secretary. She'd been here too many times to be treated like a regular student.
"You called?" She asked trying to sound pleasant.
"Yes. We have a meeting to attend tomorrow."
"We? With whom?" she asked excitedly.
"Neferet." She tried to appear shocked and partially annoyed by the prospect, though she was reeling inside for another venture to the prison. "I know you don't want to see and and know that this is your decision."
"What does she want?: she asked with false irritability.
"She says she has more information on your parents."
"Which means she's willing to tell me more about my powers?" she put more pep into this response, then stopped abruptly. "What's in it for her?"
"I don't know. But we can't avoid an opportunity like this. She's not getting out of that prison anytime soon." Zoey said a matter of factly. If only you knew. Dame thought.
The meeting went as it had before. She entered the same way, Zoey was not allowed to attend and Dame went on about her parents on the outside while they talked on the in. they mostly spoke of dame's schooling up until the meeting was through. Neferet was furious that uniforms and rituals were no longer mandatory. She thought that Zoey's way of handling the school was reckless and irresponsible. It was nice to know that someone still cared about the well being of the future generation. They spoke shortly of the plans for the school after dame completed her destiny. When Dame was returned to Zoey she told her a few more powers she already knew she had. It was so easy to fool her that Dame often got bored with the whole charade. They returned to the school later on in the day and dame went happily to bed.
Her courses were becoming easier now that she was paying attention again. She fell back into her role as the acceptable student every teacher fought over at the end of the year for attendance in her next course. Once when she was eight her teacher offered to adopt her after finding out she was leaving her foster home. She suddenly changed her mind a week later when dame told her yes, and now dame knew it was Danielle's doing. She was still a little angry over that part but she always drew back to the conclusion that if Danielle hadn't done what she did Dame would have never had Isiria. She was never truly happy in her foster homes anyway.
Her drama class was possibly her favorite. She liked acting and was complimented on it often. It was nice to be recognized for doing something she'd been doing her entire life. She even made friends with Isis and Mira. LaLa was more than welcoming. They planned a trip to the Vamp Mall on the coming Saturday. It was late December and the snow was spiraling out of control but that never stopped Embry from shopping. They talked about up and coming ski trips over winter break and how their parents had invited Vamps along so they could go. It felt good to be included in these plans. Dame's brand new black card was the invitation every girl dreamed of. Embry had to remind her that there were no limits and that her mother could care less especially since it was her father who was flipping the bill. She also had to remind dame that her father was a chicken shit.
"you were all daddy daddy when we were in jail."
"yea I know, but that was just a front, I like for him to think he has an option. Notice I said 'think'" Embry joked as they curled up on the rec room furniture watching old movies from their parent's time on disk-chips. They'd already seen Selena, Tristan and Isolde, He's just not that into you, and Baby Geniuses.
"alright what we have left." Isis mentioned.
"I want to watch Selena again!" LaLa said excitedly. "she was so pretty!"
"you do realize the real Selena was dead by the time this movie came out right?" Embry said sarcastically.
"As you say all the time, 'Hun, don't insult my intelligence!'" she mimicked Embry almost perfectly. "I was talking about Jennifer Lopez." Embry stuck her tongue out in a 'I'm Five' way.
"Oh please! That woman has the biggest ass I have ever seen, she could use that boulder to knock down a city. Not cute might I add!" Mira snorted.
"No one was talking about her ass weirdo. She has a really pretty face." LaLa retorted.
"'Had' had a really pretty face. She's like 50 now." Mira Mentioned
"is not!" Lala snapped back in a playful manner.
"IS so!" Mira yelled back.
"no, LaLa's right." LaLa huffed a thank you, "she's more like 60!" Dame shouted as Embry burst into laughter.
"trader!" LaLa said as she threw one of the brand new pillows at Dames face. They erupted into a pillow fight.
"could you all settle down I'm trying to study!" a girl sitting at one of the tables said.
"Oh, Anny, how about you cut it out like a coupon, put it away, save it and use it on someone who cares!" the girl opened her mouth as if to say something back to Mira.
"You have something to say Annabelle?" Isis sneered. Annabelle shook her head, grabbed her book and went up the steps to the dorms. "thought so."
"Don't you love having friends with power?" Mira sighed leaning back. Dame nodded with a smile. It was nice to have friends period. Just a month ago she was an outcast, hated by these people, now she was accepted. She felt more at home with these girls than she ever had with freesia and the clones.
"Speaking of power, lil miss, you have quite a lot of it." Isis said looking at Dame. "you should join the dark daughters." Before dame could refuse Embry jumped in.
"Dame has far too much to deal with to join. You know Zoey has her up two hours early for training?"
"she training you to follow in her cheap shoes?" Isis asked.
"No, she trying to show me how to use my powers the right way."
"You haven't been?"
"I don't know if you don't remember the whole Parent Night Fiasco."
"He deserved it didn't he?" Isis asked. Dame stopped.
"what do you mean?" she probed.
"I kinda told them Dame." Embry admitted.
"YOU DID WHAT?" she shouted.
"Chill Damey girl, it's safe with us. We're your friends. You can trust us. She told us because we were asking. She was defending you. I'm sorry we ever doubted you." Dame took a long breath and tried to see the rational side of this. She was accepted; people understood. She felt uneasy about having so many people know a secret she'd done her best to keep forever.
"I wish I could rip his throat out." Lala jeered.
"No harm in trying right?" Isis smiled.
"I'd rather he lived his entire life in tourture. I'm sure the guys in prison don't like guys who rape their little sisters. Especially the guys in Vamp prisons." Embry hissed looking off into the distance.
"He would just be in a coma." Dame murmured.
"Hun, that was the high security prison. The one I'm talking about is for average Vamps. Petty crime Vamps who like to fight." Embry explained.
"how would we even get him there?" Lala asked.
"Simple, we'll knock him out and tattoo a blue crescent on his forehead. Dress him up with some swirls around his face and shoulders, he'll look just like us; just let dame turn him ghost white with another one of her threats!" Embry conspired.
"Why do I think you've had this planned for a while now?" Dame asked jokingly.
"I've known for a whole week, don't you think I would have come up with something?" Embry laughed.
"it would be fun." Mira mentioned.
"yea." Dame said, then shook her head, anything done right now could jeopardize Zoey's trust in her. "No. My sister just died. I think it's best I don't cause my father anymore pain."
"Why should you care? He didn't spare you any pain when he ignored the law and sent his precious little rapist to boarding school instead of the jail he deserved." Embry blurted out angrily. The other girls looked shocked which made Dame realize that Embry hadn't told them everything. "You need to learn how to stop worrying about everyone else's feelings and look out for number one first." She said pointing to Dame. She was right. He didn't spare her that. If he'd sent Miah to prison like he should have he would have never come to the family night and dame wouldn't have attacked him. She wouldn't have lost precious time with Isiria because of him.
"when are you going to get your crescent?" Isis asked out of nowhere.
"What?"
"you don't have a crescent, not even the outlines of one." Mira chimed in. that was true. Dame didn't have a crescent on her head. In fact she hadn't gotten any new marks since she was with Zoey and the circle after the incident with Nehemiah. Her marks traced down her face and around her back in a swirl of cloud and stars, moons and ribbons of wind, but they seemed to surround nothing. There was still a gaping hole where her filled in crescent should have been. She remembered seeing it in the image of her as an infant but she had yet to receive that part of her marks.
"I don't know when I'll get it." Embry mouthed "or if" behind the other girls. The night ended and the girls sadly retreated to their dorms, tired from the evening events. They each promised one another they would be up at 9pm tomorrow but everyone knew it would be more like twelve before anyone truly got up. The Vamp mall was opened 24 hours a day as to accommodate night Vamps and Day Vamps, so what time they left wouldn't be a problem. It was winter so it would be getting darker soon which meant school schedules would be changing after break. It would go back to normal after spring break. As soon as they got back they would start going to school at 6pm and getting out and 1am. Their curfew would be 5am and they would be expected to follow it. Zoey had explained to her that she would still be getting up two hours prior for her sessions so she'd still have to endure the sun while her classmate were sleeping. She hated the idea of getting up at four while everyone else got up at five.
The weekend rolled around and before dame could get ready to go meet up with her friends, she got an urgent message from Zoey. Dame wondered if Zoey was going to make her train on the weekends now to. When she entered the office, Erik was standing there talking to Zoey.
"Dame." He said. She gave him a wicked grin and he swooned just a little.
"you wanted something Zoey?" Dame asked innocently.
"Yes," she began, eyeing Erik as he left. "Dame, I'm sorry to have to ask you this but have you seen my pendant?"
"Your Pendant?" she asked innocently. She made a note to thank Embry sarcastically for not telling her she'd retrieved it.
"Yes Dame. I can't find it anywhere and I'm beginning to get worried." Dame nodded with a sympathetic smile.
"I wouldn't take it Zoey." She said quietly. She feigned a hurt expression and zoey came over to hug her. She smelled of Lavender and Sage. "I hope you don't think I took it. I've been trying so hard to prove to you that I'm a good person." she murmured into zoey's robes. It wasn't her best performance but she was pulling these line out of thin air.
"You're going to the Vampyre Mall today with your friends correct." She probed. She was changing the subject. Dame hoped that meant she'd gotten away with it all.
"Yes." She said with a little enthusiasm. It was funny how this woman's husband was teaching Dame how to deceive her right under her own nose. He didn't even realize how much he had taught her how to balance two emotions at a time to appear more convincing was helping destroy his wife.
"I'm happy you've found your place here Dame. You are a very special girl and you deserve a little joy and good loyal friends." She said happily, still holding dame close to her.
"Like yours?" Dame asked suddenly. She released her and looked dame in the eyes. She appeared to be searching for something. Maybe she was trying to see if dame meant that to hurt her. Whatever she might have been looking for she never found it.
"Yes. We are very close."
"Do you miss them?"
"Miss who honey?"
"Aphrodite and the blond. I didn't see them when… well you know."
"The blonds name was Stevie Rae. She was my best friend. Yes I miss them both very much."
"How'd she die?" Dame asked rudely. She couldn't care less she just wanted to hurt Zoey.
"She was a different kind of fledging; a red fledgling to be exact. They were brought back from the dead by Neferet using very evil magic. When she was captured she reversed her magic just to spite me. Stevie Rae was dead long before the war. Still she was my best friend." For the first time, dame saw sadness in Zoey's eyes. She turned and swept away a tear. She hadn't lied once in that entire statement and Dame knew it. She felt the smallest amounts of guilt for letting this woman trust her that much. "Yes, well, have fun on your break; I will see you back at school in a week." She said straightening.
"I will."
"Oh and Dame?"
"Yes?"
"Know that I'll miss you." She said. Dame nodded stiffly and left the room.
Her day at the Mall was different this time. They shopped of course but without the need for professionalism, the girls had senseless immature fun. The raced around the mall and let security guards chase them this way and that. The threw water at each other from the fountains and convinced a vamp at the bar to give them bloody maries which dame soon figured out weren't the same alcoholic beverages the humans drank.
"they got bloody Mary from us you know?" LaLa said limply. She was drunk, something usually impossible for Fledglings and Vampyres.
"really?"
"Yup. This is how it goes. There was this deranged girl Named Mary who had like a billion sisters and brothers but always wanted to be an only child. When she was tracked and went to the house of night. She became a priestess in training like Isis and performed ceremonies. Everyone flocked to her ceremonies and even though it was only for the dark daughters she allowed them. Her ceremonies were so powerful grown Vamps began to attend. No one could figure out what her secret recipe was for the cocktails she served was. So one day Mary is called in for questioning. All her siblings had disappeared and they wanted to know if she had any hints as to where they'd gone. Years later when Mary was a high priestess at a House of Night in Italy, the humans came for her. They'd found the remains of eight of her twelve sibling rotting away in a massive unmarked grave. Their throats had been slit and they had been drained of blood. Turns out she'd been killing them off one by one and using their blood for the rituals in the cocktails. When they found her she was in her bathroom drowned in a tub of blood!" LaLa slurred.
"What a way to go." Embry said licking her lips. "I mean it's horrible what she did, but I mean, a whole tub of blood, How'd she manage that?"
"I'm still trying to figure out how she got twelve humans to disappear."
"IDK? But the idea still stands. The ripped off version the humans gave is even more ridiculous." Isis stated. "who comes back just because you stood in a mirror and said their name, that's retarded"
"How does our Mary come back?" Dame asked curiously. She was more sober then her friends being as though she'd only had one Bloody Mary and resorted to a virgin one instead… literally, virgin.
"you have to perform the ritual as she did. Using FRESH human blood. Not this mess. Did you know they take this stuff from chronic alcoholics? They drink so much it's like in their blood or something. Don't get me wrong, it's good, but let's be serious, if the human society doesn't want them, why should we? Makes us sound like bottom feeders!" Isis slurred.
"we should do it!" Embry said raising her glass.
"Raise Mary?" LaLa asked.
"Yea, there have got to be at least twenty sad little humans who would die for a fix… literally. It wouldn't be hard! Hehe." She burped and laughed a little more.
"I think you girls have had enough." The bar tender said, " you feel up to getting these girls home?" she said to Dame. Dame nodded and helped Mira, LaLa, Embry and Isis, out of the building one by one. She called Embry's car service and told them to pick her and the girls up and take them to Embry's home. She didn't know where any of the girls lived and returning to human parents wasted didn't seem like the best idea. Embry had extra rooms and if they needed, they could all crash in the family room. The car pulled into the drive way just as Dames phone went off. It was nearly 5:30 pm so she knew it wasn't a Vampyre calling. Her phone lit up, "father". She ignored the call and it went straight to voice mail. A few moments later the voicemail alert popped up and she hesitated before opening it and punching in her new password. She'd put it on there so Embry couldn't listen to any more of her voicemails.
"Damey girl, I was really hoping you would come home for the break. I was going to send Nehemiah to his aunt's house… listen I know we haven't spent much time together since you've been marked but I want you to know I still love you. Isiria wouldn't want you to shut out everyone just because she's… I know Isiria meant a lot to you, she meant a lot to all of us, but that's no excuse to forward my calls. I-"
The thirty second message came to a halt and she noticed he was trying to call beck. Just for the sake of spite she forwarded his call again. Nothing was going to ruin her night. He left another message and she quickly pressed the delete button. She didn't want to talk to him, now or ever again. She wasn't shutting everyone out, just getting rid of the people who had betrayed her.
She called for the maid and butler to help her bring in the intoxicated girls. "I see they've had quite a night." Danielle said from the door.
"I know."
"Bloody Marys?"
"Bloody Marys." The butler made soft pallets on the family room floor for the girls to sleep on. It wasn't long before they all past out and on into slumber. Dame sat up and stared off at the room. She decided to get a snack and one led to another. In moments dame was hyped up on the tons of sugar she'd consumed. Then she had an idea. She typed in Blood on the search engine and four types came into focus. She chose O negative since that seemed to be the favorite. A shelf all the way in the back lit up and dame followed the light to a discreet door hidden by another shelf of chips. It was a fridge just behind the chip shelf. She pulled out four bags and began to drink. It was natural for third formers to be curious about the taste of blood but Dame had the appetite of a full grown Vamp. She consumed the blood in moments after nuking it in the microwave beside the front fridge. The girls were fast asleep and dame had to wonder if Danielle would mind if she took a few more bags home. She decided on No. she stuck some bags in her purse and went to lay beside the other pallets. With a full stomach she slipped into her dreams quite comfortably.
The morning came all too quickly as Danielle came gliding down the steps to wake them. It was around 10 when she softly woke them up.
"Morning" she said. They girls rustled and eventually help finished the job for their boss. The smells of a home cooked meal played below their noses. The girls walk up the steps to the kitchen and sit down in front of a feast. All but dame dive into their plates after filling them with pile upon pile of delectable treats.
"Not hungry Damey dear?"
"No." she said plainly. "I think I need a shower." Danielle nodded and Dame went up the stairs to the private bathroom in her old room. Her mother's room didn't have one. She stripped after turning on the hot water. As she stepped in she took one look in the mirror and yelped. Her tattoos had stretch passed her lower back; they wrapped around her legs in the most seductive manner. She touched them and they tingled. After the immediate shock wore off she noticed how the stars formed a pattern. She traced the big dipper on her upper right thigh and Scorpio on her left. The blueprint of the sky danced on her body in complete repetition. She doted on her marks for a moment and then happily retreated to the shower. The steam relaxed her tight muscles, and her busy mind. She stepped out and toweled off then strolled back to her room. The new furniture had been put in over the weekend and she relished in the soft fabric of her comforter. Sooner or later she drifted back to sleep.
The ails of fire burned in the background as dame watched the young child cry. She was three but she'd already experienced what most children only have Nightmares about. She had lost her parents. Dame went forward to this child feeling the need to comfort her. The girl pulled her face up from her hands and dame realized this little girl was not her. Those piercing midnight sky eyes stared back at her in disappointment.
"Nyx" she breathed. This would have been a dream come true for any fledgling to be in the presence of Nyx herself, but to Dame it set her on edge.
"I have come to you before with a choice."
"I have chosen." She said wryly.
"Do not think you have fooled me like you fooled Zoey Redbird. You have chosen darkness."
"I never said I chose Zoey… or you. I chose what is best for the creatures you created. Under my rule-"
"UNDER YOUR RULE!" she yelled, "My children are not to be conquered Dame."
"They aren't? they aren't controlled by their constant fear of inferior beings?"
"Do not forget you were one of those beings at one point! I gave you the choice dame and you have chosen. I will not stand in your way. But know that you will pay for your decision."
"Kalona…"
"Kalona is not of your kind Dame. There's a reason he was locked away to begin with, a reason he was exiled from his own kind. You will see." She said and drifted away. She didn't care what Nyx said she would move forth with their plan.
She sat up and rubbed her head making sure she was still in her bed and not another morgue. She put on some clothes and went down stairs leaving Nyxs words with her towel.
"Hey Damey." Isis said as she opened the front door.
"Where are you guys going?"
"Ski trip is in a few days we have to shop. I need to change as well, so I'll see you at the airport in Tuesday?" Isis asked. Dame wanted to ask if she could come shopping with them but instead just nodded.
"See you guys later!" Mira, and LaLa said separately following after Isis.
Dame went into the kitchen to find Embry arguing with Danielle.
"Close your mouth you insolent cow! You smack like dairy products!"
"and you slurp like a girl with braces!" she mimicked a girl with horribly large braces sucking up spit from the sides of her mouth.
"Why you little-"
"Hey" dame said from the door. Danielle brightened up and walked over to her.
"don't you look stunning?" she said marveling at the pleated olive tunic over the dark denim skinny jeans. She had on a pair of heels that went with the Ivory buttons on the top.
"Yes, I'm glad she has long legs or that outfit just wouldn't have looked right." Embry said proudly, once again triumphing over the fashion world.
"Exactly why we couldn't get it for you." Danielle sniped. Embry shrank back into her pancakes. "So how was your tipsy Adventure last night?"
"No one says tipsy any more Danielle. Catch up with the times old woman." She said taking her plate and Dame upstairs to her room. Dame could hear Danielle screaming about Embry using her first name. She knew Danielle was hurt by the comment about being old. Embry laughed the whole way up the steps.
"She might come up here." Dame said.
"Ha! In those five inch Manolos she's got on. She's too afraid she might shatter a hip." Embry said loud enough for Danielle to hear down the steps.
"We should pack for the trip on Tuesday. I know it's going to take you at least three days to get your bags together"
"We're not going on the ski trip." Dames heart shattered all over the floor. She was looking forward to the Ski trip even if she wasn't fond of the cold she'd never been skiing before.
"What? Why?" she whimpered
"Because we've got things to do this week. I'll cancel with them tomorrow. I'll tell them my lame ass mother is not letting us go." Embry said irritably. Dame realized why she'd waited until the girls left to talk about this.
"I thought we could-"
"My mother is holding a meeting here with the surviving followers of Kalona. You need to be here for it as representation of him. During the meeting you will give power over to Kalona so he may speak to his people, like you did at the open house."
"Embry what am I suppose to do?"
"I just told you-"
"No, not that, what am I suppose to do with the pendant? Am I suppose to wear it and become him forever?" she said fearfully. She didn't want to be just a body. She wanted to rule of her own will.
"No! do you think Kalona would want to be trapped in the body of a teenage girl forever?! Ha!" she snorted. "You don't know why he chose you for all this do you?"
Dame slowly shook her head. Neferet had told her she was prophesized to be powerful, she also told her she would resurrect Kalona, but not how she would do so.
"Dame you know his blood runs through you right?" Dame nodded. "Do you know what that blood does?"
"it makes me powerful."
"More powerful dame, MORE powerful. You were meant to be a high priestess for Nyx. That's what you were born to be. That's why you possess many of the gifts Zoey does. She was supposed to teach you how to use your powers. You were meant to follow in Zoey's footsteps." Embry Began to explain. "When Neferet saw you in your mother's womb she saw your future. She saw your power and what you were to become. She felt that that was not a good enough destiny for you." Dame nodded. She didn't want to follow in Zoey's footstep. She wanted to create her own path. "Kalona struck a deal with your mother."
"I know about the deal." Dame said. And she also knew the reason behind it.
"Yes, well by doing that Phoebe mixed his blood with yours. It made you more powerful than any other Vampyre on this earth. You are the closes thing to an angel we can get beyond Kalona."
"I'm an angel?" she said.
"Something like that. Kalona is a dark angel as far as we know. He might be a god but you're basically his daughter. Not like Raven Mockers because you aren't the product of a Dark angel and a human being, but his none the less. If you weren't powerful before he mixed his blood, you would have died from the overload."
"How do you know that?"
"don't you think he's tried before? It's part of the reason my mother was so unnerved when she lost you for a while. You could at anytime break down and die."
"Why does he need me so much?"
"Not only are you his heir Dame but you're the only one that can free him."
"But Neferet…"
"With a lot of help. She needed many components to bring him back and even then he was vulnerable. Zoey's used more power than Ay'a did. These aren't some old Native American human bindings dame. Neferet won't suffice. Zoey used the power of the Circle, the evoking of Nyx's name, and the power of her roots as a Cherokee woman to imprison Kalona. His prison is protected by several different beings. Cherokee binding can be broken, but Nyx's protection has to be broken by someone with a birthright connection to her, and the circles protection must be broken by someone more powerful than them."
"Me." Embry nodded. "I was born to become a priestess, therefore I was endowed with very unique powers; powers that are the mirror image of Zoey's. I was given an immediate connection to Nyx at conception. It was my destiny to provide that connection the rest of my kind, therefore I can use that connection to block off things from her protection."
"Go on." Embry said.
"By giving me his blood my powers were magnified. Therefore I can break the bonds the circle has placed on him."
"Freeing him completely. Once a bond is broken it can't be replaced the same way. Zoey had to imprison him differently this time than before. She won't be able to evoke Nyx's name or the circles power to trap him again." Embry said with a sickly sweet grin.
"Kalona will be freed forever." Dame whispered. She should have been happy to say those words. So why didn't she feel happy?