AN: Tee-hee. Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

We had to pause because Zoey spotted a weeping Erik. I wasn't too sure I if I felt sorry for him or not. The last time I saw him he was being a dick.

"Honey." Zoey said to Damien. "I want you to go with Stark and everyone else to the pyre. There's something I have to do real quick. Plus, from everything I can find to read on vamp funerals and such, you-'cause Jack really was your Consort-need to spend time meditating before the pyre is lit."

Someone appeared out of nowhere. I tensed on instinct. But it was only a young looking vampyre with musical notes like shapes on her face.

"You are absolutely correct, Zoey Redbird." She said.

I blinked at her. I haven't seen her before, but then again I haven't meant all the professors.

"Oh, I should introduce myself." She said. She offered Zoey her arm. "I am Beverly-I am Professor Missal. The new Spells and Rituals instructor."

"Oh, hey." I said.

"You must be Raven." She said turning towards me.

"Is it obvious?" I asked.

She just smiled.

"Professor Missal, would you lead Damien and the rest of the kids to the pyre? There's something I need to do here." Zoey asked.

"Of course. Everything will be ready for you." She turned to Damien. "Please follow me." She asked gently.

Damien gripped my arm tightly, but he meekly followed the professor. I curled a wing around his shoulders.

We walked a few more feet and found the circle of fledglings and vampyres around a table with a purple shrouded body.

Damien uttered a soft cry and I held him tightened. I felt horrible for him, but I could feel his pain. I knew how horrible it was to find a loved one(s) dead.

I let him go so he could kneel at Jack's head. A fat yellow tabby made his way over to sit beside him. The blonde lab Duchess also made her way to stand beside Damien. The nerd herd made their way to surround Damien.

I turned to Dominic. "I'll be right back." I whispered. I slipped away and went over to one of the trees. I reached out and pressed my nature tattooed arm against the trunk. The tattoo began to glow and I watched a green glow come from the tree's center.

"I'd like you and any other tree and water spirit to come and help us honor a fallen friend." I whispered.

The branches shifted. "We will come, little mediator."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. A mediator. Come on! Do I seem like the best choice for negotiating peace? I mean I could be pretty level headed when I wanted to be, but most of the time I'm not.

"Thank you." I said. I turned away and went back to stand by Dominic. I slipped my hand into his.

"All taken care of?" He asked.

I nodded. I looked at him and seemed distant. I mean, he didn't know Jack so he probably isn't reflect on memories. So what was wrong with him?

"Are you okay?" I asked.

He kissed my head. "I'm fine." He even sounded distant. But I'll grill him later. I have funeral to participate in.

Zoey stopped by me. "Are you ready?"

I nodded. "They're coming."

She turned from me and looked sadly at Damien. She walked slowly to him.

"Merry meet, Damien." She whispered. She pulled him up and hugged him. "Merry meet, Damien." She repeated.

Damien sobbed, but it looked like he was able to hug her back. I felt a warm wind that curled around everyone, especially Damien.

My back prickled and people began whispered. I turned and saw a group of tree people and water spirits.

They all looked the same from the ones on the Isle. The tree people had dark skin, glowing green eyes, and iridescent green dragonfly wings and the water spirits were pale skinned with matching hair and glowing gray-blue-green eyes. They all wore flowing clothes that were similar to what they made for me.

A male water spirit marched up to Zoey. He pressed his hand to his fist and dipped his head to Zoey.

"Greetings young Priestess." He said in a pleasant voice.

"Hi." She said a little stunned. I think I should have warned her about them and how they radiated ancient magic.

"A friend of yours has fallen and we would like to honor him." He said. "If it is all right with you."

"Yeah." Zoey said. "I already told Ray it was okay to invite you guys."

He pressed his hand to his chest again. "When you are ready, young Priestess." He stepped back to stand back with his group.

Some of them looked at the vampyres nervously. I gestured to a little tree spirit girl and she came over to stand beside me. The others slowly gathered around me and Dominic.

Zoey stared at us. I waved at her.

"Go on." I mouthed.

She then turned to the gathered. "Jack isn't here. In our minds we all understand that. Damien just said it to me, but tonight I want you all to know it." She paused to take a deep breath. "I've been to the Otherworld and I can promise you that it is as beautiful and amazing and real as your hearts want to believe. Jack is there. He doesn't feel any pain. He's not sad or worried or scared. He's with Nyx in her meadows and groves." She suddenly smiled through her tears. "He's probably frolicking gaily in those meadows and groves."

I smiled and tears started running down my cheeks. I still really, really hate crying, even if it is for Jack.

"He's meeting familiar friends, like my Heath, and probably decorating like crazy."

I chuckled. Yeah, I could see him doing that.

"We can't be with him right now." She looked at Damien. "It's hard. I know it's hard. But we can be sure that we'll see him again-in this life or the next. And when we do, no matter who we are or where we are, I promise you that one thing about our spirit, our essence, will stay the same: love. Our love lives on and will last forever. And that's a promise that I know comes straight from the Goddess."

Stark handed her a long pole as I wiped the tears off my cheeks. She turned to Shaunee.

"Will you help me?" She asked.

"Fire! Come to me!" She shouted. Her hands began to glow and she walked up to the pyre with Zoey.

"Jack Swift, you were a sweet, special boy. I'll always love you like a brother and a friend. Until next time I see you, merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again." She touched the stick to the pyre and Shaunee flung fire onto the sticks. Immediately flames shot up.

A voice rose over the crackling flames. It was otherworldly and spoke in a language that somehow felt very familiar to me. I turned and saw the little tree spirit was singing. Her little throat and lips trembled under the weight of her song. Others joined in adding a somber beat.

But it wasn't sad. It was mournful. It sounded like they genuinely regretted the loss of such an innocent life.

Imagine my surprise when my lips began moving. My tongue twisted over the ancient language and somehow I was able to pronounce all the words and I knew the words to the song. Weird, but I didn't bother questioning it because this was really magical. I didn't sing about sadness. I sung of the hope of seeing Jack again and the love that bonded everyone to him.

A glow surrounded us. It curled in the air almost like a glowing, spectral like fog. It reached from us and curled the pyre. Dark sprouts began pushing themselves out of the ground. Again defining all science these flowers grew in the middle of a burning inferno, curling around Jack's pyre and up towards the sky.

Huge, fat purple flowers exploded from the buds and some of the petals shimmered as they curled with the smoke up into the sky. I saw an image of Jack giggling and spinning around in the petals looking just as young and vibrate as he was at my party.

Tears ran freely down my face and landed on my toes. The song faded away and I realized that the vines and flowers had created a crescent moon with swirling lines and some strange symbols spreading from it.

"It looks like a full grown vamp's tattoo." Erin whispered.

"It is." Zoey said wiping her face. "It's Jack's tattoo." She sniffled.

My throat tightened and my lips trembled while I smiled. The Fae didn't know Jack or Jack didn't know them, but here they were honoring him like any other good friend. It made my heart swell so much that I was crying a frickin' river.

Damien turned me with his own eyes shining. "Thank you Ray."

I shook my head. "It wasn't all me." I nodded to the Fae who seemed to be trying to slink off.

Damien swallowed. He didn't look too comfortable addressing them.

"They're not going to bite." I teased.

"Thank you." He said.

An older female tree spirit dipped her head. "It was our pleasure young vampyre and an honor to pay homage to such a beloved young vampyre."

She pressed her fist to her heart and bowed. She and the other Fae seemed to dissolve into dust and vanish.

I wiped my face and a handkerchief appeared out of nowhere held in hand attached to a really sexy vampyre. He gave me a sad smile as I chuckled almost uneasily and took the hankie to wipe my face.

I opened my mouth to say something when a voice cut through the magical atmosphere. My body automatically went stiff.

"Zoey Redbird! Fledgling High Priestess! I ask that you stand witness!"

No. No. No! NO! This bitch is not allowed to come and ruin Jack's funeral with her sheer awfulness. Dominic looked at me puzzled and turned in the direction my stricken expression was facing.

She was on the steps of a temple and I just wanted Nyx or any divine to strike her down. I knew something awful was going to happen just because she spoke to Zoey.

My body started trembling because I was just becoming more and more angry. Dominic put his arms around me and even he seemed stressed out. Snap stood beside me and she looked ready to pounce. I knew my uncle was nearby ready to help protect me or to attack if need be. I was already ready to call upon the forces of Light and Darkness to kick her ass, which could be part of the reason I was trembling so bad.

She began to walk towards Zoey. "Hear me, Zoey Redbird, Fledgling High Priestess."

I knew right then she was doing something manipulative. She was respecting the fact Zoey was a fledgling and a High Priestess of Nyx. No way in hell she was doing this for any other reason than to make herself look better.

"And bear witness." She continued. "I have wronged Nyx and you and this House of Night."

I bit my tongue. I wanted to shout 'No dip you bitch!' I heard Hecate snort. I knew even a 'dumb beast' was seeing through her bullshit.

"I have lied to you and to my Goddess." She took of her shirt. I'm sure my mouth dropped. What the hell? "I have deceived you and my Goddess about my intentions." She stepped out of her skirt. I covered Dominic's eyes. I think I just had to do something. This was just…just….what the hell? What is her intention with this? I'm confuzzled. Did she think bearing herself to us that we would believe her words?

Keep dreaming bitch.

She dropped down to her knees in front of Zoey. "Worse of all, I allowed a man to seduce me away from the love of Goddess and her path."

God! I'm going to kill her! I heard what she did to Kalona. She had him whipped for killing Heath. Granted he deserved it, but she's not the one who should be allowed to punish him.

And she let him! Zoey is spiritual bonded to him and she didn't let him seduce her. What's her excuse?

"Now here, bared to you, our House of Night, and to Nyx, I ask to be forgiven for my wrongdoings, for I find that cannot live this terrible lie another moment."

Liar.

Dominic took my hands from his eyes.

"I want to be able to see." He hissed. His voice was tight so I was glad he saw through her façade. Snap's ears were flattened and she growled low in her throat. Not that I blame her.

"It's that she's a liar. She's doing this to make herself seem innocent." Snap growled through my mind.

"I know." I said. It really depressed me. Zoey was going to have to forgive her otherwise she looked like a spoiled brat. I knew she was lying. I could still sense her attachment to the blood filled darkness.

"Stark, give me your shirt." Zoey whispered.

Stark shucked off his shirt and handed it to his priestess. Zoey turned to Neferet.

"Neferet, for myself I forgive you. I never wanted to be your enemy." She said.

Neferet looked up innocently at Zoey. "Zoey, I-"

Zoey cut her off. "But I can only speak for myself. You'll have to seek the Goddess for her forgiveness. Nyx knows your heart and your soul, so it's there that you'll find her answer."

"Then I already have it."

Oh. I have nothing to say 'cept Bitch.

"And it fills my heart and soul with joy. Thank you, Zoey Redbird, and thank you, House of Night."

Um, whoa. Did they say they forgive you? No. Stop assuming things!

Of course the empty headed fledglings made shouts of relief. I just grounded my teeth. I give on these kids. They are willing to believe anything.

But I guess, why wouldn't they. If they believed Neferet was being sincere then all this chaos supposedly would stop or they wouldn't need to do anything. Laziness. It's going to lead to the destruction of this world.

Zoey smiled, although it looked forced, and draped Stark's shirt around Neferet's shoulders. "Please, get up. You shouldn't be on your knees in front of me."

She stood up and buttoned the shirt. She turned to Damien. "Merry meet, Damien. May I have your permission to send my personal prayer for Jack's spirit up to the Goddess?"

My fists tightened and I knew something was going to explode or get thrown because I was really seriously pissed. She killed Jack. I know she killed Jack. This was fake. Fake fake fake fake FAKE!

Stevie Rae came up and held my hand. She didn't say anything, but I felt her warning to calm down.

Damien nodded. I couldn't believe he let her, but I knew he was in the same place Zoey was. Be the bigger person or the spoiled brat.

"Thank you." She said and she turned to Jack's pyre.

I carefully slipped away. I needed to vent. Dominic followed after me.

Once I felt a safe distance away I took a deep breath and threw my arms out. Sparks of darkness and light flew from me as I vented my anger. The sparks made small explosions, but nothing really bad happens.

Dominic put his hands on my shoulders. "You okay?"

"Yeah." I said. "I just." I took another deep breath. "She just pisses me off by breathing."

He gave me a tight smile. "I can understand why. She seems fake to me too."

I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head against his chest. "I sort of feel like a failure at this whole mediator thing when I get mad like that. She was just speaking and I…" I just exhaled again. His hands moved up my back in a soothing gesture.

"You're young." He argued. "You'll figure it out and you've got great friends to help you out."

I sighed. I would be lying if I said I didn't want this to be easy. I do. Being mediator for several races and the Champion of Nature just has such a huge weight to it. I really hope my spine was as strong as Dominic believes it.

"FALL FROM THE SKY, FOUL BEAST!"

We both jerked. Dominic grabbed my wrist like he was ready to drag me towards safety. I jerked away and ran back toward the gathering.

Kids were running around while the nerd herd and Neferet were standing still. My heart stopped when I saw a Raven Mocker on the ground. I recognized him, somehow, and realized it was Rephaim.

"Kill it!" Neferet ordered.

"No!" I shouted.

I was too far away to tackle Dragon and I was starting to summon my powers when suddenly Stevie Rae threw her powers out. A green barrier of earth energy appeared and Dragon smacked into it and bounced off of it.

Dominic grabbed me and yanked me back.

"What is that?" He asked.

"It's a Raven Mocker." I said. "It's one of Kalona's kids and one of my brothers."

Dominic gave me a sharp look. He looked stunned. I realized that I hadn't told him who my dad was and the other kids so I could understand why this was really shocking to him.

"Why are you protecting this creature, Stevie Rae?" Are you in league with it?" Neferet asked. Her eyes had a strange expression in it. She looked like a cat that caught a mouse and now was playing with it to death.

Stevie Rae looked directly at Dragon. "He's not here to hurt anyone. I promise."

"Free me, Red One." Rephaim said. He had a slice down his arm and I was pissed again.

"It's no good, Rephaim. I'm not gonna lie and pretend anymore." Stevie Rae looked around at everyone staring at her and then raised her chin. "I'm not that good of an actress. I don't ever want to be that good of an actress."

"Do not do this."

I felt a little confused. Yeah, Stevie Rae had saved him and even brought me to heal him and she had gone to save him that one time even though it almost lead to her death. But why was she defending him so much? Surely her compassion wasn't this strong that she was staying beside him against everyone else to keep him safe? What happened while I was gone?

"You've Imprinted with that creature." Neferet said.

Oh.

"Oh, Goddess, no, Stevie Rae." Zoey shouted.

"How?" Dragon asked.

I scoffed. "Like any other Imprint dumbass." I hissed. I've held my anger in long enough. If I did it anymore something was going to implode and it would probably be me.

Rephaim turned to me. "Do not get involved Raven."

I snorted. "Just cuz you're older than me doesn't mean you can boss me around. You're my brother Rephaim. And I've lost too much family already."

Rephaim looked at me with a weird look in his eyes. I couldn't quite decipher it, but if I had to guess I think it was happy surprise.

"Because of the alliance between these three, Darkness has already tainted the school." Neferet said in a solemn tone. Gag me. "This creature must be responsible for Jack's death."

"Bull!" I shouted. "I was there! I accidently astral projected and saw it happen. All I saw was that awful blood filled darkness. No Raven Mockers."

She looked at me with cold green eyes. "Then perhaps you're responsible."

"You know Neferet." Dominic said coldly. "You really should think before you go pointing your finger." He finally let go of me and stood beside me. "One, Raven doesn't have much control when she astral projects. She can't use any of her powers right now. Two, I was there. I saw how torn apart she was when she first woke-up. She's not that good of a liar."

A cold fury surrounded him. Wow. I didn't realize I meant that much to him that he's getting pissed that this bitch is blaming me for the death of a really good friend and calling me a murderer.

I looked at Neferet. "Why did you send that stuff to kill Jack anyway?"

She narrowed her eyes at me. "I did not send it. I do not use Darkness."

"Hogwash!" Stevie Rae said. "You killed Jack as a sacrifice to Darkness 'cause it gave you control of Kalona's soul. You know it. I know it. Ray knows it. And Rephaim knows it. That's why he was up there watching you from a distance. He wanted to be sure you didn't do anything too terrible tonight."

"He has utterly twisted her." Neferet said. "They should be destroyed at once."

Fury built and I felt light and darkness radiate from me like a halo. "Not going to happen."

"Okay, that's enough." Zoey said. Why isn't she mediator? She would be so much better at this than me. She walked towards Stevie Rae even though I'm sure that was killing Stark. "You gotta know how bad this looks."

"Yeah, I do."

"And you really are Imprinted with him?"

"Yeah, I am." She said in a tone that implied she really didn't care.

"Did he attack you or something?" She asked.

"No, Z, the opposite. He save my life. Twice."

"See." I said. "Told you there's some good in them." Okay, that was childish, but I really didn't care and I needed to calm down. This pressure was continuing to build and something was going to go wrong unless this gets resolved.

Zoey ignored me. I think Stark rolled his eyes.

"Raven Mockers were created in anger and violence and hatred. They live for death and destruction. This killed Anastasia Lankford. How can that be mistaken for Light the Path of the Goddess?"

"Hey." I said getting her attention. "I was created in those same conditions and I think I'm pretty good. I have a heart, I love, and I care about people. So why can't my brothers be the same? Hmm? What's the difference between us?" I asked. "I highly doubt it's just because I look more Upwalker than they do."

Neferet didn't answer me and I didn't expect one. She really acts like one of those high school girls who point out everything that looks wrong, but never has any solid proof that it really is wrong.

"He killed Anastasia for that, as well as for a multitude of other offenses, he must die." Neferet said. "Stevie Rae, if you choose to stand with the creature, then you choose to stand against the House of Night, and you will deserve to perish with him."

"Why?" I said. "Just because she's stand against this House of Night doesn't mean she deserves to die. She's just choosing a different path than the rest of the House of Night and that doesn't mean it's evil just because it's different."

Neferet looked at me coldly. "Going against the Goddess-"

"You said going against the House of Night." I said cutting her off. I was sick and tired of her word twisting. "There's a ton of House of Nights. Besides, there's more than one way up the mountain and Nyx allows you to choose whatever path you want."

"What does that mean?" Neferet almost shrieked.

I shrugged and crossed my arms. "If you need it explained to you then you will never understand."

My tattoos glowed and throbbed. Not sure why, but I probably looked like a freak with the whole aura thing and glowing tats.

"If she stands with Darkness she deserves the same fate as the creature." Neferet said.

"Oh please." Aphrodite said before I could just go ballistic and zap her with good darkness. "You just admitted that you stood with Darkness, and Zoey forgave you for it. I'm not saying that I'm cool with this whole birdboy/Stevie Rae weirdness, but how can it be okay for you to get forgiveness, but not okay for those two?"

My point exactly.

"Because I am no longer am under the influence of Darkness, which was personified by this creature's father." Neferet said in a slick venomous honey voice. "I am not allied with him anymore. Let's ask the creature if he can say the same." She turned to Rephaim. "Rephaim, will you swear that you are no longer your father's son? That you no longer are allied with him?"

Rephaim looked at her almost sadly. "Only my father can free me from his service."

Neferet smiled triumphantly. "And have you asked Kalona to free you from him?"

"I have not." Rephaim turned away from Neferet and faced Stevie Rae. "Please understand."

"I do. I promise you I do." She said. She turned to Neferet. "He hasn't asked Kalona to free him because he doesn't want to betray his daddy!" She shouted at her.

"His reasons for choosing Darkness are not important." Neferet said.

"Actually, I think they are." Zoey said. "And another thing, we're talking about Kalona like he's here. Isn't he supposed to have been banished from your side?"

Neferet looked at Zoey coldly. "The immortal is no longer at my side."
"But it's sounding like he's here in Tulsa. If he's banished, what is he doing here? Uh, Rephaim. Is your dad in Tulsa?"

"I-I cannot speak of my father." Rephaim said.

"I'm not asking you to say anything bad or even tell us where exactly he is." Zoey said gently.

"I am sorry. I cannot." He said.

"See! He will not speak against Kalona; he will not stand against Kalona." Neferet shouted. "And because the Raven Mocker is here, we know that Kalona is either in Tulsa already, or on his way. So when he attacks this school, as he surely will, you will, again, be by his side fighting against us."

Rephaim turned to Stevie Rae. Then it clicked. He loved her. Ha! Proof that there's good in them!

"I will not harm you, but he is my father and I-"

Neferet couldn't stand the love in Rephaim's words because she suddenly cut him off and turned to Dragon. "Dragon Lankford, as High Priestess of this House of Night I command you to protect it. Kill this vile Raven Mocker and anyone who would stand with him."

Neferet raised her hand and flicked her wrist towards Stevie Rae. Blood filled darkness shot from the shadows and struck the barrier. Stevie Rae groaned and the barrier shivered.

"Stevie Rae!" Zoey started towards her, but Stark yanked her back.

"Neferet's using Darkness. You can't go between her and Stevie Rae-it'll cut you down." Stark warned.

"Darkness?" Neferet said. "I'm not using Darkness. I'm using the righteous vengeance of a goddess. Only that could let me break this barrier."

"Oh yeah!" I shouted. "Then I summon the element of light!"

I felt a rush of what felt like adrenaline spread through my body and a pure aura of light surrounded me. I held out my hand and a sphere of light appeared. It shot out towards the darkness tendrils with a crackle. Tendrils shot out and consumed the darkness. It then curled into a ball again and exploded, only it didn't hurt anyone. Everyone breathed in the spectral light and looked energized and at peace. Neferet however got blasted onto her ass.

My hair shifted around my head like it was alive. I felt powerful and confident and I knew Neferet was nothing. She wasn't born with her power of darkness and had to use blood to control it. I was born with my power. I had to give it nothing to control it. When she looked at me I could see it in her eyes. She knew I was a hell lot more powerful than she was and I could kick her ass even though I was younger.

"Well, what was that about you not using Darkness?" I asked putting my hands on my hips. I started to wonder if she was using actually darkness because even my darkness can banish it.

I looked over and saw that the Darkness had been able to break down Stevie Rae's barrier and Dragon wasn't distracted by my light show and was heading towards Rephaim. Rephaim didn't even seem to care because his back was completely open while he bent over to make sure Stevie Rae was okay.

I began to move to tear the sword out of Dragon because I'm sure that would get his attention.

Then Kalona dropped from the sky.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Yep, another cliff hanger. Tee-hee.

Fun note, or sad note really, when I was writing the scene for Jack's funeral I got a lot of inspiration from Promise and Remember Me by Thomas Bergersen. It's really beautiful and more people should listen to it. So if you want to try and get into my head (wish you luck) give these songs a listen.

So if you read, review. Or I will hold the next chapter ransom. MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!