Chapter Two
Stevie Rae
The night was unseasonly warm and there was a breeze blowing, but the nice night wasn't enough to break through the ache in her heart. This Imprint with Rephaim would be the death of her. He was probably already on his way over to Venice right now to await his father's return from the Otherworld.
Her thoughts soon drifted to Zoey wondering when she, Stark, Aphrodite, Darius and the others would return home from Italy. Stevie Rae knew that when Zoey returned she'd have to come clean about Rephaim. The thought of her reaction made her sick.
"Why do you always have to screw everything up?" She asked herself under her breath as she made her way down the road towards the House of Night. The image of Dallas full of darkness and anger ran through her mind sending a wave of guilt over her. Dallas had been sweet as can be to her the entire time they'd be unoffically been together and that was how she repaid him? By cheating on him with Rephaim? Ugh she probably as Zoey would put it had a load of bullpoopie to clean up when she got back.
As she made her way down the street to the school which looked like a castle straight out of a fairytale. Though the Raven Mockers, Kalona, and Neferet had fled to Venice their spell was still effecting the rest of the students and professers so it was more like a haunted castle. Stevie Rae shivered at the thought that of the zombie-like people they had now become.
Stevie Rae ignored the gate to the school and went right to the East wall. The place were Stark had shot his bow through her at a simple command of Neferet, causing Kalona to burst out of the earth like a big nasty bird. Sure he was hot but he was also evil which is nasty in Stevie Rae's eyes.
The memory of how bad Stark used to be made her frown. Even though he was surrounded by darkness Zoey hadn't turned her back on him, like she had done for her while she was fighting for her slipping humanity. No, Stark was different now. He was Z's warrior and protecter chosing light and good over darkness and evil. Stevie Rae shook off the memory and began to climb her way up the side of the wall thanking the Goddess for giving her the ability to 'become the stone'.
From the top of the east wall she couldn't see any fledglings making there way through the cambus back and forth from the different buildings. She shook her head and reminded herself that she shouldn't have expected to see any. The red fledglings were probably in their dorms or something. Stevie Rae hopped down from the wall and started in the direction of Lenobia's stables. Her pace quickened when she remembered that Dallas was probably back after his meltdown, probably having old everyone that she was dating a Raven Mocker.
She and Rephiam weren't dating though. They were just Imprinted through the immortal blood Stevie Rae drank after almost dying on the roof of the debot tunnels. But they did share feelings for eachother, but that could just be the Imprint making them feel that way. She decided to leave that little detail out when she confessed to both Lenobia and Zoey.
Stevie Rae came to the door of the stables only having it to be opened before she could turn the nob herself. Lenobia must've knew she was coming. Most of the vamps were very intuative so that shouldn't have suprised her. Lenobia sat on a stool with a peice of golden straw in her mouth she nodded at Stevie Rae and motioned her toward the bale of hay sitting against the wall. She sat down across from the Horse Mistress who was looking her over curiously making Stevie Rae squirm uncomfortably.
"Is what Dallas told me true?" Lenobia asked in a calm voice. Her face was calm but serious, something totally unexpected when talking about a Imprint with one of the sons of an evil ancient immortal who almost caused the death of her bestfriend. He had also himself caused the death of Dragon Lankford's wife Anastasia before following his father to the Benectine abbey to facedown her, Zoey, and the rest of the gang.
I looked away toward Persephone, Zoey's horse who had been one of the horses to transport them to the Benectine abbey where she, Erik, Heath and the red fledglings waited along with Sister Mary Angela and Grandma Redbird for Kalona to arrive so they could defeat them. Together. "That would depend on what he told you exactly." She mumbled almost inaudiably.
Lenobia let out a sigh, taking a moment or two so Stevie Rae guessed she could collect her thoughts and chose her words carefully. She ignored the direct question replacing it with one of her own. "Have you and the Raven Mocker Imprinted?"
Stevie Rae was silent a moment trying to decide what she should and shouldn't tell the Horse Mistress. After a moment of hesitation she decided to stick as close to the truth as possible without telling her of their new formed feelings for eachother. "Yes." She answered quietly but older vampyre heard her. She was silent for a moment before speaking.
"How did this..." She began but was suddenly hesitant and unsure of what to say. Lenobia always said the right thing leaving Stevie Rae confused as to why she seemed so at lose for words. "... inccident happen?"
"The red fledglings, the other ones who are still down in the tunnels, they tried to trap me on the roof of the tunnels so when dawn came I would burn up. Rephiam saved me." She said honestly.
The other vampyre nodded understandingly as she tried to comprehend what she had been told. She seemed unusually calm for this kind of confession. "He gave you his blood?" She pressed on trying to hide the disturbance on her face. Yes, their blood smelled wrong but it tasted absolutely nothing like would be expected.
"Yes." Stevie Rae answered. "It was my only option."
"How injured were you?" Lenobia questioned.
"Very. I was so burnt that I bled. I called the earth to open below us so I could hide there until you's showed up. Remphiam was hiding in a cubby hole inside the ditch." She confessed not able to meet the professers slate grey orbs.
It felt like centuries had passed before Lenobia spoke again. Stevie Rae's heart was beating through her chest at the thought of how disapointed she would be with her. How angry Zoey would be with her. That thought made Stevie Rae want to curl up and cry her eyes out with guilt. "You lied to us."
"I did." Stevie Rae admitted.
"I-I don't know what to say." Lenobia told her seeming as suprised as Stevie Rae about how speechless she was. "I suppose I cannot blame you for your reasons of Imprinting him. But why would he save you?"
"It was repaying a life debt." she mumbled guiltly under her breath. "I cared for his broken wing, fed him, and allowed him to go to the tunnels to recover. The others persuaded him into trying to kill me and he ended up saving me to return the favor. The Imprint was only part of saving my life.."
Stevie Rae heard the Horse Mistress take in a deep breath before replying in what she expected to be an angry voice but was suprised to realize it was gentle. "But he is still on the side of Darkness, is he not?"
She took a moment to think. Was he? Well he saved her from Darkness, but also embraced it to heal his wing. Earth had healed him and he seemed to be content with it soothing the wound Darkness had left in him. She realized then that she wasn't really sure what side he was on. Sometimes he seemed so full of Light and willing to change but in a flash he could turn back to his father and the Darkness he surrounded himself in.
"I'm not really sure." Stevie Rae replied causing Lenobia to eye her with a confused expression on her face.
"How could you not know?" she asked.
Stevie Rae shook my head making her short curls bounce around and bit down on her bottom lip while trying to figure out how to explain his ever-changing choices. "He just...I don't think he even knows. He gets so close to chosing Light over Darkness but it just always comes back to Kalona."
She nodded understandingly. "And you are sure it is possible for him to pick Light?" Lenobia asked me sounding slightly doubtful.
"I do." she said looking up to meet her unsure gaze. "I understand that he's done terrible things in the past. Things that should be unforgivable but he's a different person now."
She seemed hesitant but replied quickly. "Then I shall allow you to decide what it is you wish to do about this...situation."
Stevie Rae stood up pressing her fist over her heart and bowing in the vampyre sign of respect. "Thank you." she said simply before reaching for the knob but was frozen by Lenobia's next words.
"But please do know that if he does not chose Light soon we will have no choice but to destroy him." And Stevie Rae knew she was right. They couldn't allow an enemy as powerful as Rephiam to live.
"I understand." she replied stepping out into the now cold night. The wind whipped around me and whistled through the trees. She soon felt the pocket of her jeans vibrate. She sighed and pulled out her iPhone prepared to ignore any call right now but when her eyes caught Aphrodite's name flashing on the screen she decided she had no choice. "Hello?"
"So I assume you already know Z's back?" she questioned and Stevie Rae could hear her trying to shush Darius in the background.
"Yeah I could feel it." Stevie replied with a smile on herface. She couldn't even begin to explain how relieved she was that Z was back in her own body and out of immedate danger.
"Well could you also feel the Imprint between her and Stark?" she asked and Stevie Rae froze.
"He drank from her?" she asked while all she could think was what the heck? It had only been afew days since Heath's death and she was Imprinted with Stark?
"Sgiach who is basically the queen of all Warriors said he had to. Z's fine though. She's sleeping but she's supposed to be fine. Same for Stark now that he got a little suck." Aphrodite told her and she could just imagine the bitchy smirk that was planted on her flawless face.
"Your sick." Stevie Rae told her trying to resist the urge to laugh. She failed. "So when are you's guys coming home?"
"We're flying back to San Clement to meet up with the rest of the nerd herd in a little while and we're flying back to Tulsa from there." The blonde explained pushing back a lock of her long golden hair. "How are the rest of the freaks?"
"Aphrodite I already told you their not freaks, their just a little different than the rest of you." Stevie Rae told her friend trying to hold off on telling her about the hell that just might break loose when she returned. She just hoped Zoey would understand her choice.
"Okay whatever Bumpkin, how are they? The last thing Zoey needs right now is a bunch of crazed fledglings to put up with." She could tell something was wrong by the awkward silence that formed. "Is everything okay back there?"
"Oh yeah. Everythings fine, just peachy." She said with a nervous laugh. Aphrodite waited and Stevie Rae realized she was busted.
Stevie Rae sighed smoothing back her short curls with her fingers while biting down on her bottom lip, racking her brain for the words to say. "Things are just alittle hectic here, that's all."
"Uh huh." Aphrodite said in a knowing tone. "Your hiding something."
"I-um, I have to go. Kramisha needs my help with something. I'll see you when you get back, bye." She said quickly and hung up the phone before Aphrodite could interrogate her any more. "That was a close call."
Aphrodite
"Damn bumpkin." The beautiful blonde muttered as she settled herself back down on the bed next to Darius. She massaged her temples letting out a deep sigh. "All this stress is going to start making me ugly."
Darius chuckled pulling her closer to him and pecking her softly on the lips. "I don't think that's possible."
Aphrodite smiled laying herself down next to her Warrier. He was perfect. Sexy, dangerous, strong, smart, sweet, everything a girl could ever wish for in a guy. Then she decided to ask the question that had been running through her mind for a long time. "Darius?"
"Hmm?" he asked wrapping an arm around her small frame.
"Would you still be with me if I weren't as- you know, hot?"
He chuckled taking her chin in his hand and making her look at him. "I love you. Not for your body or looks but for who you are. I love how you protect your friends, your sense of humor, your brains. Everything about you."
She grinned leaning up, pressing her lips onto his. When she pulled away she just whispered. "I love you too."
They heard a cough coming from the doorway and blushed at the sight of Zoey & Stark standing awkwardly in the doorway.
"Um we just wanted to let you know to pack up 'cause we leave in an hour." Zoey said looking everywhere but at them. Stark just stood there in the doorway looking unsure of what to do.
"We'll be ready." Aphrodite said and they left.
Darius stood up from the bed making his way over to the open carry-on belonging to him.
"What are you doing?" Aphridite asked from where she still lay on the bed.
"Packing."
She let out a groan. "I only said that to make them leave us alone. Can't we just lie here for a little longer?"
Darius chuckled returning to her side and placing a kiss on her forehead. "We'll have plenty of time for that later love. But now we must pack."
Aphridite recluctantly removed herself from the comfortable bed and began placing her clothes into her large bag. She couldn't believe it but she was actually going to be happy to see the nerd herd again.