The day passed in a blur as I went from one book to another trying to find anything that could help us with our goal. There wasn't anything on moving to different spiritual realms. I had even tried searching for a description of Marla's gift hoping I would find something useful, but it almost appeared as if Marla's gift was brand new. I found no reference to anyone else having a gift remotely close to hers which just made me wonder even more about this Vampyre and how he had obtained that kind of power. I read up on spirit affinities like mine, but my affinity was nothing like Marla's. Without her help I couldn't tap into the spiritual realm, though I could sense other people intentions through my gift. That made sense. I often received feelings in my gut about people or situations in general. I had always attributed it to good instinct, but now I knew that really it was my spirit affinity warning me. My affinity could sense the spirit of a person or situation, but I couldn't see it. There was nothing in all of history like Marla's gift.
I sighed as I pulled open the door to my suite and began moving downstairs. Everything had been moved into my new apartment this afternoon and even Nala had made herself at home finding a comfy spot on my new bed. My desk had been brought into my bedroom and a book shelf had been put up. I had managed to find time to fill the dressers with the rest of my clothing and had arranged all my bathroom stuff in a few of the many cabinet drawers. It was already beginning to feel like home, and I knew that this House of Night was still where I belonged; at least for now.
Aphrodite had come up to see me during her fifth hour study time with Natasha. Her eyes had nearly popped out of her head and I knew she was trying to determine how she could expand her own room. We had spent the remainder of that class period the same way we had spent last night, trying to come up with some way to prevent the Elder's from getting hurt. Still we had nothing. I shook my head as I walked down the stairs. Maybe fresh ears would be able to think of something.
"Hey Z!" Stevie Rae said as soon as I entered the room. She was dressed in her tight blue jeans, cowgirl boots and a loose fitting button down blouse. Her short curly blond hair was clipped half back, bobbing just above her shoulders.
"Hey," I answered joining her noting that only my main circle members or the nerd herd as Aphrodite would call us had arrived at the temple. Jack was standing with Damien and Aphrodite was preparing candles as well as the smudging stick while Erin and Shaunee discussed the latest shoe sale to take place this weekend. Even evil demons weren't enough to scare them away from name brand shoes.
"So when you gonna fill me in on what's been going on with you and Stark, not to mention you and Erik?" Stevie Rae asked me in her Okie twang. Her eyes twinkling with mischief and I realized how much I missed have quality time with my bff.
"As soon as I figure out exactly what is going on with me and both of them," I said giving her a small smile, but then I grimaced as my mind tried to fit them both back into the puzzle of my life once again. "Apparently they have both been chosen by Nyx to be in my life. I'm just not sure what that means for me personally," I said and then shivered sensing a soft aroma traveling around me. I cocked my head to the right feeling a little tickle on the back of my neck. I sniffed the air and felt slightly confused as I glanced at Aphrodite and realized that she and Stevie Rae smelt exactly the same. I leaned forward sniffing Stevie Rae and then met her eyes. "I can smell your blood," I said. I pulled my eyebrows together in confusion. Was that normal for an adult Vamp? To be able to smell someone else's blood when they weren't bleeding? I hadn't noticed that earlier and I wondered why I was noticing it now.
"That's normal," Stevie Rae smiled. "I can smell your blood too. All vamps can smell blood especially if the person has an imprint with someone else."
Ahhh, well that explained why she and Aphrodite had smelt the same to me.
"Your imprint is gone though," Stevie Rae said sniffing back at me a little. I can't smell the human boy anymore."
"You could smell him on me?" I asked sniffing the air again. To me Stevie Rae and Aphrodite smelt exactly the same. I couldn't tell where one began and the other ended and I definitely couldn't pick up on two different scents! "Aphrodite just smells like you to me," I said softly fearing the backlash I would receive if Aphrodite heard our discussion.
"Maybe it's different for red vamps," Stevie Rae said thoughtfully.
That was definitely something consider. The other possibility was that I wasn't yet experienced enough to distinguish between the two scents.
"So is your new place really better than Aphrodite's?" Stevie Rae whispered changing the subject. She glanced at Aphrodite out of the corner of my eye and suppressed a giggle.
"It's pretty up there," I said describing the room. "I'll have to show you later though, I said checking my watch. My stomach felt a little uneasy. Damein, Jack, Shaunee, Erin and Aphrodite were scattered around chatting about our options as well as our chances. Marla, grandma and Jaylynn had also made it, but we were still missing the rest of our group. I knew Darius and Stark were probably on patrol, making sure all our defenses were still in place, but I had no clue where Erik, Neferet, or Natasha had disappeared to. Neferet had said they would meet us after dinner, but dinner had now been over for at least half an hour.
I took a deep breath allowing myself to center and trying to use what I had learned today about my spirit affinity by pushing it out and trying to sense Neferet. I was surprised when I got a feel for the entire campus. Most of the campus was relatively calm, but the staff dining room held an air of fear and upset. I recognized Neferet's spirit and felt her annoyance and sadness. Something was wrong.
"What's up?" Stevie Rae asked seeing my concerned expression.
"Not sure," I said pulling my new awareness back towards me. I was proud I had tapped into that gift considering it would probably be very useful, but I didn't like what I was picking up. Erik walked in and I met his eyes sensing his stress. My new spirit trick was like a gift I couldn't turn off. Where Neferet and others could read minds I could feel their spirit and sense their emotions. I realized that my spirit was tied to Nyx and that it was through her that I was able to gain these insights. I had developed my adult Vampyre intuition.
"Hey," I said as Erik approached us. "What's going on?" I asked meeting his troubled gaze.
"Just a little more drama to add a little fun to the mix," he said trying to lighten the mood, but I could see his distress. "My new fledgling arrived a few hours ago. O'Ryan."
"I didn't think he was due for another week," I said running my hand through my hair.
"Neither did we," he said sighing. "Come to find out he disappeared about a week ago."
"Wouldn't the Chicago House of Night have informed us of that?" Stevie Rae asked.
"Actually it's you I came here for Stevie Rae," Erik said and I felt my stomach twist. This wasn't going to be good. "The school didn't report him missing because their documentation noted that he transferred last week."
"Where as we were expecting him next week," I said softly. "Someone has been messing with the schools documents."
He nodded. "Stark found him an hour ago walking through the woods," he looked at Stevie Rae. "His Marks are red," he said his eyes serious and concerned.
"What?" I asked feeling alarmed. Well that explained Neferet's annoyance and sadness, but it still didn't make any sense.
"Neferet swears that she had nothing to do with it, but you have to admit, Zoey that it doesn't look good," Erik said seeming to pick up on my concern. "She was the only one who knew how to turn the dead fledglings into the undead kids."
"Did this kid even die?" I asked feeling irritated. I could tell from Neferet's emotions that it hadn't been her, but really that was just even more alarming. That meant that someone else had learned the secret and was now taking advantage of dying students.
"You know dying is the only way that it works, Zoey," Erik said gently. "Even Neferet confirmed that," he said, but stopped talking as the rest of our group and the Council walked in all looking grim including Lenobia, Dragon and Anastasia.
I looked at Neferet and held her gaze. She was troubled, hurting, and confused and it took me a minute to realize that she was blaming herself. She walked over to us swallowing down her emotions and taking on the appearance of a High Priestess.
"Is he?"Erik started to ask.
"For now he is asleep in the infirmary," Neferet said and then turned to Stevie Rae. "I would like you to attend to him when we are done here. I would like your assessment and your input on his condition," Neferet said but her words held a different meaning. It was Stevie Rae's job to watch over the red fledglings and to decide if they had completely lost their humanity. If they were beyond help, if they could not be controlled than they would be destroyed as the red fledglings in Venice had been.
"That bad?" I questioned and felt my stomach turn once more when Neferet nodded.
"Someone has been feeding him and it hasn't been me," she said her eyes hard and cold.
"Did he say who?" Erik asked.
"No, he wouldn't," Stevie Rae said meeting Neferet's eyes and I knew she was remembering the time she had fed from Neferet. Both Stevie Rae and Stark had learned to fight the darkness within them, but it had been exceedingly hard for them, especially when Neferet was around.
"Regardless, the fact that he won't speak only means his loyalties are to someone else and not to Nyx," Neferet sighed and sadness filled her eyes. "This will be your call, Stevie Rae. If you think that you can work with him we will stand by your decision."
She nodded, but I could see that the idea that she might have to decide whether someone would live or die was troubling her.
"Zoey?" Neferet said.
I nodded. "Let's get this started."
I moved to the middle of the floor where Aphrodite had arranged the candles and the murmuring instantly died down. Damien, Stevie Rae, Shaunee and Erin took their places around me and everyone else filed into the middle. I moved around the circle calling the elements to join us and then nodded at Marla to spread her gift over us all. I felt the familiar tingle in my body telling me that I had crossed over into the spiritual realm. I could now see things I couldn't normally see and feel things I couldn't normally feel.
"Alright," I began looking around my group. "We know that the gist of our plan is to lead the demons to a different spiritual realm where they can do no harm and trap them there. Tonight we are going to build that reality and practice keeping our minds linked," I said sounding more assured than I really felt. I knew we could create out of spirit, but really I was just guessing at how we would travel between worlds as it had never been done before. I explained to all of them my plan, that we would be recreating the House of Night and leading them there. "We want them to believe that they are winning, that they have found a way into the school. Once there, we launch our attack."
"Should be easy enough," Erin said.
"Yeah, we all know the ins and outs of the school pretty well," Shaunee said.
"And they really want into the school so it shouldn't be too difficult to get them to follow us," Jack said.
I frowned. "It gets more complicated," I said firmly. "To lead them their means I'm going to have to be away from the circle and only connected to you by spirit which means you all are going to have to not only maintain our alternate reality but help Marla keep me covered and in spirit form. That also means that Aphrodite will be doing the initial casting of the circle."
"Wait, you're not coming with us?" Stark questioned and I could tell he didn't like where this was going.
"No," I said meeting his gaze firmly. "I will stay behind when you all leave for Street Cats. I have to lower the protective barriers around the school enough for the demons to break through. Once they come through the gate you all will have to pull not only them to you, but me as well."
"How are we going to do that exactly?" Aphrodite asked.
"If everything goes as planned we will make the school gates a portal, but you guys control it and you will all have to keep your mind focused on the task. I'll wait till all the demons have crossed over before I step through." I looked around my circle again noticing that almost everyone seemed as unsure as I felt. Only Natasha and Neferet seemed to be wearing a confident expression and I was sure part of that was just the mask of the High Priestess. "We're going to practice tonight," I said giving everyone a firm look, "but I need you all to believe that we can do this." They all nodded, but I could still sense their unease. "Marla," I said looking at her, "we need you to lead us."
She nodded. "We have to first create an opening to cross from this realm to the next," she explained. "If you want to use the school gates tomorrow night, than we should probably use them tonight as well."
"Alright, everyone envision the front gates of the school," I said softly looking at Marla who nodded.
"See the front gates but also see a field surrounded by thick forest behind it," Marla said sounding more confident than the rest of us. "That's where we're going," she said closing her eyes.
I closed my eyes and began to picture the scene before me. I could see the front gates, smell the night air, and see the moon and the stars in the sky. Behind the gates was a field covered completely in soft green grass. There were no flowers or any other type of plants unless you counted that the field was completely surrounded by a forest of thick oak trees.
"Now step through the gates," Marla said and I found myself literally taking a step forward. When I opened my eyes we were no longer in Nyx's temple but were in the field we had just imagined. I smiled and my spirit leapt. We had done it and I silently thanked Nyx for our success.
"Whoa," Damien whispered as he looked around.
"I'd say that is an understatement," Erik said his mouth hanging open slightly as he turned around slowly.
"Nobody break the circle," Aphrodite said when the twins went to move.
"She's right," I said. "We still have a lot of work to do." I glanced around finding the position of moon once more. "The moon is to our left which means that the main building of the school is to our right," I said pointing in the general direction. "I want everyone to picture that building clearly and when doing so we all need to be concentrating on Nyx's goodness and love as we redesign the school she has for children. Remember it is out of our emotions that we create through spirit."
I watched as Marla began to concentrate and followed her lead. Soon the silver wisps that surrounded us began to spread covering the fields. I watched in amazement as first the main building appeared before my eyes slowly followed by the rest of the campus. The buildings looked identical to the original House of Night and even the sidewalks had been put in their proper locations.
"Now that's what I call sweEeet!" Shaunee said doing a little dance.
"Ditto twin!" Erin said joining her.
"We're not done yet," I said smiling.
"We're not?" They both said together.
"Of course not, Dorkamese Twins," Aphrodite said rolling her eyes. "Do you really think that just leading the demons here will keep them trapped and from reentering our world?" Aphrodite sneered.
"She's got a point," Damien said.
"I always have good points," Aphrodite said in an oh-so-superior voice.
"Look, if we can create worlds out of spirit than we can create weapons too. Use your imagination and those with affinities, use them!" I said making eye contact with each person. Both Natasha and Neferet smiled and I watched as they both began creating with hardly any effort at all. Natasha walked to the gardens and flower beds that surrounded the walk ways touching her finger to the plants for several seconds. Night flower began appearing, glittering and sparkling with a silver outline.
"Flowers?" Jaylynn asked.
"Remember that it was the use flowers that poisoned all of our students yesterday," Natasha said gently. "Sniff one," she said giving Jaylynn a little smile.
Jaylynn gave Natasha a curious look, but it was also one of trust. I could see the overall belief in her mentor as she leaned towards the plant and feel her loyalty towards Natasha through my spirit. My new intuition still completely amazed me. Jaylynn was still a foot from the flower when she began to yawn and slowly began to sink towards the ground. Natasha reached out grabbing her shoulder steadying her as she pulled Jaylynn back towards our circle and I remembered Natasha's affinity to help sleep and alter dreamscapes.
"They put people to sleep," Jaylynn said still seeming slightly drowsy. Natasha smiled and then continued to create her night flowers.
I looked for Neferet and saw that cats had begun to appear within the grounds of our House of Night. I gave her a questioning gaze but she merely smiled and continued walking, her long auburn hair flowing behind her. I wasn't sure, but if those cats were anything like Skylar, those demons were in for a rough time.
I watched as Shaunee used fire to create stars and Erin created water that flowed through Nyx's fountain. Stevie Rae was creating trees on the grounds that would act as prison bars and keep the demons from escaping.
"They used a tree on me, using trees on them only seems fair," Stevie Shrugged, but she was smiling wickedly. I shook my head but smiled as well.
Stark, Darius and Dragon were creating weapons including swords, bow and arrows and a few fighting staffs. I noticed that each weapon held a faint gold glow and knew that the weapons were not exactly what they appeared. The campus was becoming a deadly place and hopefully a place where the demons would stay trapped forever.
I sighed and then began creating as well. I let Nyx touch my spirit and fill me with her love as I concentrated on the gates and the walls of the school. I threw my spirit out and watched as the walls became covered by a silver mist. I let love travel through me filling the mist and soaking into the ground around the school. The demons were repulsed by love and fed off of hate. Love would weaken them and they would not be able to pass through the mist.
"We need to go back," Marla said and I nodded. I was becoming drained and I was sure everyone else was too. Not mention I was thirsty again and knew I needed blood. I told everyone to concentrate on reentering the actual school grounds as we walked our circle towards the school gates. We passed through and found ourselves once again in Nyx's temple.
