Chapter Five

Zoey

Her sudden boldness caught me off guard. Normally one would wait until the right time in a conversation and try to work it in there but Stevie Rae had brought it up instantly, as if she had to say it before the courage evaporated away. I felt my stomach clench nervously. What if something had happened back home? What if Kalona had fled back to Tulsa and was destroying things and people were dying and... I took a deep breath. Don't think about it. But I knew I wouldn't be able to.

"Why can't you tell me now?" I asked, trying to ignore the sickness that was taking over my stomach. The same way it always did when these kinds of thoughts wormed themselves into my head. I tried to erase them from my mind, but they just kept coming back, like a really annoying mosquito.

I felt Stevie Rae hesitate before saying. "It'd be better if I told you in person."

"Is everything alright back home? Like, should I expectecting to walk right into the equivelent of hell?" I bit down on my bottom lip nervously.

My friends had already boarded onto the plane after convincing them that I needed a moment. But Stark, ofcourse wasn't buying it so he stayed. He was watching me with a look of obvious concern, most likely for my sanity given recent events. I just smiled reassuringly at him which again, he didn't buy. Ugh. This Imprint was going to be the death of me.

"Oh, no!" she said quickly, laughing nervously. "You have nothing to worry about, atleast I don't think you do."

My eyes narrow suspiciously. "Stevie Rae," I said dragging out her name like I was her Mama about to scold her for sneaking cookies before dinner. "What is going on back there?"

She let out another nervous little chuckle. "It's nothing really. We just have a new red fledgling is all."

I felt the truth in what she was telling me but my gut also said there was something else she needed to say, something much more important but I decided to let it go until we were all back home (And hopefully all safe). Stevie Rae would tell me if it was a life or death situation, wouldn't she?

"But Neferet's not there." I said.

"Maybe she can do it from a distance, like what happened with Shekinah." Stevie Rae replied.

On the night of the Purification ritual Shekinah had arranged to help soothe the school's pain over the deaths of Professer Nolan and Loren Blake [who I had slept and cheated on Erik with], we'd planned on 'outing' Stevie Rae and her red fledglings, and as expected, the school freaked. Neferet found the nanny cam we'd been using to 'babysit'' Stark's body while he'd been temporarily dead.

Anyways, Stark woke up and was ordered by Neferet to shot Stevie Rae with an arrow through her chest (missing her heart purposely) like a little country-fied shish kabob, causing Kalona to escape his inprisonment inside the earth. Shekinah tried to move against him but she was killed by our evil (& completely insane) Ex-High Priestess's new Tsi Sgili ability to kill with her mind.

Yes, it sounded totally cliche, but as much as I wished it were all just a bad dream I knew it was real.

I thought about it. I mean, it wasn't like it was impossible. Neferet was extremely powerful and wanted nothing more (well, aside from the nice little boost she'd get from seeing me dead) than an army of red fledglings to use in the war she'd been trying to start against humans. Just because I was back didn't mean she was suddenly going to drop her plans.

"Maybe." I repeated.

"Uhum." Stark cleared his throat motioning towards the waiting plane and then towards the time on his watch, 6:03 am. It was almost daylight.

"Stevie Rae I really have to go but we'll talk when I get back." I said quickly.

"Oh shit, I forgot!" Stevie Rae said. "It's almost daylight there isn't it?"

"Yeah." I said. "I'll see you soon, alright?"

"Alright, bye." Before I could say anything else I heard her click off.

I pulled the phone back and just stared at it. What the hell? "Alrighty then," I shook my head, turning to face my Warrior- er Guardian (This'll take some getting used to).

"Now are you ready?" Stark asked. He had his familar cocky grin plastered on his face.

I nodded and let him lead me up the platform and onto the school's private jet. Just as we were boarding onto the plane I took one last look at the beautiful island. The place Heath had occumpanied us to and then died on. I felt my eyes start to fill with tears as the horrible scene began to replay in my mind. Stark seemed to sense this almost instantly.

"You heard what he said. He's going to be reborn and given another chance at life. He'll be happy."

He was right. I knew deep in my soul that he was, but it didn't make the knowledge any easier to accept. Heath had been in my life for as long as I could remember. He'd been my first crush, my first kiss and my first love. We'd had a strong Imprint even though I wasn't a Changed vampyre.

He'd always been there through thick and thin and I'd always love him with everything in me. Which was why I decided then and there that when he was reborn I would let him be. He deserved to live a normal human life without the dangers being with me could put him in the middle of. My first love deserved atleast that much. "I know." My voice sounded strained. "I just want to go home."

He nodded understandingly. As soon as we boarded the small but obviously expensive plane we were met with worried looks from our friends. Even Aphrodite looked uneasy.

"Is everything alright?" Damien asked. He looked honestly bothered. My heart hurt thinking how much they were being put through because of me. How the hell did they put up with me? All I did was constantly stress them all out.

I forced a smile and gave a tight little nod. "I'm fine."

They didn't look convinced.

"You sure?" Erin said eying me carefully.

"Yeah, your looking a little pale there." Shaunee added.

With the false smile still plastered firmly on my face I tucked my hand behind my back, crossing my fingers. "Really, I'm fine." I lied.

They shared a nervous glance, nodded but didn't look even slightly convinced. Shaunee went to say something but Darius (thank the goddess) beat her to it. Good thing too, 'cause I wasn't exactly the world's best liar and Goddess knows the Twins would have drug it out of me eventually.

"The pilot says we are to be taking off in a few moments. Do whatever it is you need to do before we depart," His gaze trailed around the room to meet everyones eyes. "quickly." Shaunee nodded quickly making her thick dark hair bounce around and pulled out her phone to text her boyfriend Cole.

was suprised though to see Erin not pulling a twin moment and doing the same but remembered that her boyfriend T.J hadn't been one of the ones to move against Kalona. Infact he thought Cole was crazy for doing so. She stared out the window looking like she'd rather be going anywhere but home.

I took the seat in the way back having decided that this trip would probably be the perfect time to catch up on some much needed sleep. I suddenly felt as if my legs couldn't hold me anymore and collapsed myself onto the comfortable black leather seat.

My friends turned concerned eyes in my direction.

"I'm fine guys, don't worry I'm just tired. I'll be fine after a little," A loud yawn escaped my lips and I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, but I'll be fine after I sleep."

Stark ambled towards me, taking the seat next to me. Aphrodite took the seats across from us with Darius. This probably would've annoyed me but she wasn't paying us any attention. It was all focused on one thing, Darius. Not that it suprised me very much.

Aphrodite was quickly becoming one of my closest friends but there was no denying that she could deffinately be a ho sometimes.

My eyes started to feel heavy with sleep and rested my head against my Guardian's shoulder. I could hear rain pelting against the outside of the plane. The sound just added to my sleeply feeling and I felt myself falling. Not in a scary falling-off-a-cliff-and-dying way but in a peaceful feather-drifting-to-earth kind of way.

The first thing I remember hearing in my dream world were the unmistakable sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. Shore? Waves? I opened my eyes and found myself looking out at a seemingly endless ocean that was such a brilliant blue it almost hurt my eyes. I let them travel down my body to the white cotton sundress I was wearing that cut off mid-thigh. It was cute with thin straps and had a V-neck that cut just between my breasts. Why did all of my dream clothes have such low necklines?

My skin was still it's usual olive tone, but it looked moon-kissed in the light of the beautiful full moon above. My thick dark hair fell in heaps, cutting off halfway down my back and lifted in the caressing breeze that had just began. I imagined how I must look. Like an exotic acient High Priestess, Marked as special by her Goddess and filled with the power of the elements.

I sat for a moment, waiting. For what I wasn't quite sure of.

Then as if it was the thought itself that had caused him to appear, he strode proudly through the palm trees behind me like a king into his throne room.

He wore a pair of dark jeans and a white button up that was opened to show off his toned and tanned abs. His dark hair hung down around his shoulders and his wings, dark as the night sky itself were closed at his back.

Why did he have to be so damn gorgeous?

He smiled a breathtakingly beautiful smile, something that seemed so kind and gentle, but I knew what it held behind it. Hate and lust and destruction. He stopped just before me, staring down at me with those stunning amber eyes that seemed to trap me in his sinister allure.

"Hello my sweet A-ya." Kalona's voice was like the most captivating music in the world. I shook it off and glared, suddenly filled with nothing but anger.

"What the hell could you possibly want from me now? Are you here you take away everyone else that means anything to me?" I was suprised by how powerful my voice was. The air around us shifted and turned into a strong wind.

His dazzling eyes saddened, all humor or happiness completely gone. But I wasn't going to be fooled into thinking he might actually feel sorry. No, I'd made that mistake already and wasn't willing to relive it.

"No A-ya, I meant for this visit to be a more," He hesitated. "pleasent one."

"Pleasent?" My laughter was mocking. "You killed Heath and the last time I saw you, you almost killed Stark. Your a monster."

He nodded looking away from me and out towards the ocean, ignoring my outburst. "Nyx has banished me once again. I have failed her once again."

"Well what did you expect? A big hug and hello? No, you chose to leave. That was your choice. All of this was your choice and yours alone. You turned from her and embraced Darkness. Your screw-ups, your fault not hers or anybody elses."

My harsh words made him flinch slightly.

"Yes, they were. And they were wrong."

"And before you try to seduce me or attempt to talk me into trusting you I seriously suggest you reconsider that. I am not now, nor ever going to join you."

"I am not. Actually, I am here to warn you. Neferet, she is gaining power. More power than even I." I saw anger and jealous flash through his eyes. He turned his gaze back to me. "She is becoming immortal."

I blinked. Immortal? Neferet? Uh-oh. The wind calmed but I still felt the element waiting eagerly for me to use it again. I tried not to think of that as a sign.

"She is also planning to dispose of you."

Well hell. I didn't know whether to be shocked or scared. I stuck with a look of shock. After all, I still didn't trust him.

"Why are you telling me this? Isn't she your queen or whatever it is she considers herself to be now?" My eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Because she is no longer just embracing Darkness. She is becoming it, changing into the very essence of what is Darkness. Neferet is not just a vampyre or Queen of the Tsi Sgili. She is much worse." Kalona was quiet for a moment. "You must defeat her, Zoey."

"Isn't that what you wanted though? To bring back the ancient ways through Neferet?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I did. But Neferet- what she is becoming is nerfarious. What she is calling upon, it is pure evil. She wishes to move against Nyx."

Even in the dream I could feel my stomach churning almost painfully. I swear if it wasn't a dream I would've been sick. Moving against the Goddess? Not only was that wrong, but it was more proof of Neferet's vile intentions. She was no longer just crazy or led astray, now she was hopelessly gone. Then it dawned on me. Why would Kalona care if she moved against Nyx? She had banished him completely from her Otherworldly realm and now here he was warning me of an attack on her?

"It is because I wish to change my ways. I do not expect you to believe or trust me, but I do ask that you heed my warning. Do not underestimate her powers." His body began to shimmer and fade slightly like he was some kind of a halogram. I opened my mouth to ask what it is he supposed I was to do about it but before I could even utter a word I was back on the plane heading home.

"Ah, Priestess I was just about to ask Stark to wake you." Darius said. He smiled warmly at me from his place in the small passageway leading towards the pilot's station. "We are going to be arriving in Tulsa during the next few minutes."

I felt my eyes widen slightly. How long had I been asleep? I pulled out my cellphone glancing at the time, 6:03 am? I'd been asleep for well over 9 hours. No wonder we were almost home. Home... The thought made me smile. Then I remembered with a jolt that almost everyone probably thought I was dead, or dying at the very least.

"Um, does everyone know about, well..." I motioned towards myself hoping that he got the point. He did.

"I have no idea Priestess. I believe Aphrodite spoke to Stevie Rae but I do not know if she has spread the word throught the school."

My gaze moved to Aphrodite who was zonked out across from us, sprawled across the seat and mumbling something I couldn't understand. Her eyelids blinked open slowly and she searched around with a confused expression on her beautiful features. It must've all just come back to her. She stiffled a yawn and propted herself up on her elbow but was obviously still tired.

"Well finally! You've been sleeping freakishly like the dead since we took off. Shit, I was begining to think you were dead." Aphrodite said with an unattractive snort.

The Twins eyes narrowed and I expected them to hiss and spit at her, as per usual but they didn't say anything. Their eyes moved over to me and they filled with worry.

"I hate to admit it-" Erin said.

"But the hag- er Aphrodite is right." Shaunee added.

"Are you feeling alright?" Damien asked.

"Your not feeling sick, are you?" Jack asked. He was watching me with big eyes that were starting to fill up with tears and his voice was shakey.

I shook my head and smiled reassuringly. "I'm not dying, but being out of your body for a few days can take a lot out of you. I feel fine now." I turned my attention back to Darius who hadn't moved from the little passage. "Do you think we could make a quick stop before we head home?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "I suppose we could make a small detour. What did you have in mind?"

"The Benedictine abbey." I said returning the smile.

Yes I know this isn't my best work. Yes I also know I haven't updated in like two weeks or something but I've been busy. Between the shore for 3 days and my birthday on Sunday I haven't had a lot of time to write. I wrote some down the shore but not much. Oh, and I made banners for the story. Lame, I know but I got bored. xD You can find the link on my profile because Fanfiction decided it wasn't going to let me put it on here. I know Darius, Stark & Zoey's Mark's aren't extended like they should be but I could only find one for Stevie Rae. If anyone can find me brushes for them than I'd be happy to correct it. I'll probably make Erik, Neferet, & Kalona ones later along with maybe ones of the red fledglings, but these are the ones I've made so far, so, um enjoy?(: