Chapter Three

Zoey

"A car?" I said feeling shocked that on such an ancient island as this they would need such a modern thing as cars. It looked so wrong and out of place sitting under the hanging tree that she'd remembered from the Otherworld. Stark chuckled from where he stood next to me and took hold of my hand leading me into the large black Range Rover.

"Surprised?" he asked taking the seat next to me in the back-seat.

"Very." I said leaning my head on his shoulder.

"Great, I'm stuck with the lovebirds. You know that just fucking figures." Aphrodite climbed in next taking the seat next to us. Stark groaned pulling me closer to him. Aphrodite could really irritate me sometimes with her negative attitude towards everything. This was one of those times. Darius took the seat up front next to Seora's.

"And you think we're that much happier?" he muttered almost inaudiably. Aphrodite just scoffed and buckled her seatbelt, staying as far away from us as she could.

As we were leaving I noticed something odd speared onto the stakes along the road. I felt my stomach churn sickenly when I realized what they were. "Those are heads...on stakes."

"Aye, the great taker of heads." Seoras said with a proud expression on his face.

I glanced at Stark who just grinned knowing that they'd freaked me out. I didn't want to seem disrespectful to Sgiach so I just leaned my head on my warriors strong shoulder and closed my eyes. I must've fallen asleep because after what only felt like a minute I was being awakened by Aphrdoite's irritated voice ringing in my ears.

"Zoey I swear to the Goddess herself if you don't get up-" she began from where she waited outside with Darius who rested an arm on her shoulder whispering a reminder of my latest near-death experience. She shut up instantly. Stark glared in her direction but she just huffed before stalking off with her warrior trailing close behind her.

Jeesh, somebodies on their time of month. I thought to myself.

"How-" he shook his head helping me out of the vechicle.

When he didn't continue I decided to step in and answer what I knew his question probably was. "Well he is a trained warrier after all, and as hard as it is to believe, there are worse things than Aphrodite's attitude." I grimanced remembering the scene that had gone on between Stark and Kalona back in the otherworld. When Stark had died for the 2nd time right before my eyes.

He must've tapped into his Oath or the new Imprint that had bound us even closer together, because he gave my hand a comforting squeeze. "I'm fine." he assured me as his usual cocky smile spread across his handsome face. "In both meanings."

I laughed, smacking him on the arm and following the route Aphrodite and Darius had taken. "And you call Aphrodite concieted."

Stark faked a gasp and hurried to keep up with me. Grabbing me around the waist he threw me over his shoulder. I burst out laughing hysterically and beated my small but strong fists against his back. "Put. me. down." I told him between hits. He just chuckled, continuing to walk.

"Not until you take it back, and you admit that I am the sexiest vampyre you've ever seen." I could tell he was smirking.

I laughed. "Uh, I don't think so."

"Oh?"

"Well theres Orlando Bloom, Leonardo Decaprio..."

"Your joking right?"

"Nope." I said with a smug look on my face.

He chuckled. "They've got nothing on me."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." I told him with a shrug.

"Oh, okay then I guess your not getting down." Stark said. I knew he wouldn't let it go now and I'd eventually have to give in or else my head would explode or something.

"Okay than I'm the sexiest living being on the planet." I stiffled the urge to roll my eyes. It'd be pointless seeing as he wouldn't see it anyways.

"Yeah yeah, I take it back. Your the sexiest living being on the planet." I said crossing my arms and waiting to be put down. "Are you now satisfied with your life?"

"Yep." he replied but didn't put me down.

"Hey, I thought you were putting me down?"

He smiled, I could hear it in his voice. "Nah, I don't think I want to." I groaned feeling the blood begining to rush into my head, making it hurt like hell.

"Please, I'm getting a killer headache here." I told him pressing a hand to my head in dizzyness.

Stark chuckled setting me back down on my feet which suddenly felt like they were made of jelly. I stumbled a bit but he caught me, picking me back up in his arms. "You know, I think this might be my favorite part of the job." He told me with a grin. I smacked him but his smile just grew wider.

"You know, I'd really hate to interupt your little love fest back here. But if you don't mind some of us would like to get going before the pilot gets smart and leaves this scary ass place." She was standing in the archway with a look of impatience painted on her face. Darius was watching as a helicopter landed on the other side of a long bridge.

I shuddered, thinking of how I'd have to go across it in afew moments. "Sorry."

She just scoffed and flipped her long golden hair over her shoulder moving closer to Darius who wrapped a large muscley arm around her. I just sighed leaning my aching head against Stark's toned chest. I could hear his heart beating methodically inside. Pound, pause, pound, pause. I shook off the sudden sleepy feeling that washed over me and shifted myself alittle. "Hey, I think I can walk now."

He set me down next to Aphrodite under the archway. Seoras stuck his head out of the Range Rover and smiled alittle. "You take care of yer queen now laddie, you hear me? Don't yer be needin' to come back here again."

Stark nodded and looked down at me while grinning. "Yeah, I will."

Seoras waved before pulling away and driving back in the direction of the large castle.

Darius glanced down at the seemingly expensive gold watch on his wrist. Probably a gift from Aphrodite. Damn, that girl was rich. Or atleast her parents were. "We'd better be going Priestess. The other's are going to be waiting and our flight back to Tulsa leaves before dawn. So we deffinately cannot be late."

I nodded. Stark couldn't be out in the sunlight. No red vampyre or fledgling could without bursting into flames. I shuddered at the thought of anything happening to Stark. Don't think about it. I told myself.

I sucked in a deep breath looking down over the side of the bridge. I could see the dark waves crashing violently against the stone sides of the cliff. Oh goddess, I could just see myself tripping clumzily off the side. Gripping the rope tighter in my hand which was beginning to turn a sickly white color from my tight hold.

"You'll be fine." my guardian assured me gently.

I smiled greatfully at him and continued to inch my way across the creaky structure. When we were safely on the other side I felt myself let out a deep breath that I hadn't realized I'd been holding in. The pilot opened the door of the helicopter for us to climb inside the small space.

Darius took a seat next to the pilot, once again leaving us with Aphrodite. You can just guess how happy she was about the whole arrangement.

Stark

They landed back on Saint Clement Island for the first time since Zoey's soul shattering. Stark could feel her tense up remembering that this was also the place Heath died. He gave her hand a squeeze and smiled supportively. She returned the smile but her warrior could see the sadness visable in her dark eyes.

"He'd want you to be happy." Stark said.

"I know." Zoey whispered back as she glanced out the window towards the clear blue ocean that seemed to go on forever.

"Which means you need to stop fucking moping around like it's the end of the world when it's not." Aphrodite added. "You need to be strong and kick Neferet & Kalona's crazy asses."

Zoey burst out laughing suddenly. Something he hadn't heard her do since Heath's death. She calmed down after a minute, nodded and was the first to climb out.

The sky reminded him of sherbert. Light blues, pinks, oranges & purples from sun that was now beginning to rise. He glanced over at Darius with a worried expression etched onto his face.

"Just hurry and get yourself the plane. It's supposed to have begun storming when we land back home so you need not worry." The older warrior said without hesitation.

Stark thanked him, hopping out of the plane as Zoey did moments before. He looked around in search of his queen and found her not too far from the plane with her friends who were beyond happy to see her back in her own body. He knew exactly how they felt.

"I see you've suceeded young warrior." Thanatos said from beyond making Stark jump in suprise.

When he turned he saw her smiling, something that was always a shock to him because of the affinity she held for death. How could someone so close to something so depressing bring herself to smile? She must've also been intuitive because her smile grew alittle bit after that thought but she said nothing of it.

"Guardian." he corrected her. "And yes."

"Your group is indeed as powerful as it is unique." She continued with a nod towards the small group fledglings joined by Aphrodite & Darius.

He grinned watching Zoey tell the group about her experiences in the Otherworld. Damian & Darius looked intriqued while the Twins & Jack's expressions ranged from shock to amazement. Aphrodite didn't look the slightest bit suprised by any of the story. Her newly discovered abilities must've clued her in on alot of the events already.

"They are."

Zoey caught him staring, made an excuse to her friends and started to make her way towards him with a smile shining brightly on her face.

"Hey." she said stepping into his arms and placing a chaste kiss on his lips. When she noticed Thanatos standing nearby her face took on a scarlett hue.

Thanatos waved her hand as if it was okay. "I have not been a teenager for hundreds of years but I do remember what it feels like to be young and in love."

Zoey just blushed deeper hearing her use the world 'love' to describe them, Stark just stood there smiling like an idiot. So did that mean she loved him back? What about Heath?

"Stark?" Zoey said suddenly breaking through his mind babble.

"I said, what is your group planning on doing to take down Kalona & Neferet." Thanatos told him.

"Oh, um, we don't really know." Zoey stuttered. Obviously that hadn't been as heavy on her mind as it should have been. She ran a hand through her long dark hair nervously.

"Well this little tidbit might be useful in helping you figure it out a little quicker. Kalona's back in his body." Aphrodite said suddenly and unexpectedly from behind.

Rephaim

After watching Stevie Rae walk away from him he felt like a hole had been punctured through his heart. He couldn't bring himself to leave so he went back into the mansion and climbed miserbly back into the wardrobe. His father, Stevie Rae, his father. Who was more important to him? Kalona was undoubtedly his father but Stevie Rae... she was his. Simply his.

"Father is family though." he muttered to himself.

You'd think that'd mean more to him but it really didn't. His family wasn't the loving kind of family. No, his came together for nothing but hate and destruction. He groaned leaning his head against the inside of the structure.

But Stevie Rae is the one who cares for you...for your well being. The thought ran through his mind suddenly. It was true. His father was selfish, cruel, and full of hate mixed dangerously with strong lust. Unlike Kalona Stevie Rae cared about him, about his happiness and his choices. She urged him constantly to embrace Light over the Darkness he'd been surrounded in during his whole life. He'd thought about it, really he had but it didn't seem possible. Why would such a loving and powerful goddess as Nyx accept something as deformed and wrong as Rephaim? He couldn't find a reason.

Past mistakes are not important in the choices we make in the future. A familiar yet strange voice ran through his mind but he couldn't firgure out just who it was. It couldn't be his Father. He wouldn't say something so kind and it was a woman, something his Father was clearly not. It was just then that he realized how tired he really was. Between Stevie Rae, the return of his Father, and now the unknown guiding voice in his mind. He really needed to rest.

Rephaim sighed letting his tired mind and body shut down as he began to slip into a peaceful sleep. It was like he was falling slowly into dark nothingness. Serene, quiet nothingness.

So looks like Rephaim might be chosing Light after all. Or will he? ;D We must wait and see children, we must wait and see... okay that really just sounded lame and totally creepy at the same time. Yeah so I honestly don't know what Rephaim's going to do. Hopefully he will(: Hell, even I don't know yet. But yay Stark&Zoey fluff in this Chapter, but there'll be some serious shit coming their way pretty soon so enjoy it while it lasts(: Mwuahahaha...again, lame. I know.