AN: I'm rather proud of myself that I got this chapter done so quickly. Yeah me! Well, enjoy!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO
I blinked. I was confused for a second, why was I in a barn?
Then I remembered and so did my stomach.
"I'm not going to puke, I'm not going to puke." I thought to myself. I looked over and saw two other horses had joined Hecate and there were a few of cats sleeping by legs. I looked up and saw an owl, a falcon, and several sparrows all roosted in the rafters with some bats too.
I tried to lift my head, but realized that there were mice nestled in my hair.
Surprisingly, I wasn't worried about the germs the rodents, bats, and birds probably had. I mean, it had to be human myth that animals weren't clean or maybe humans were just too clean and anything without a zero percent germ count.
Snap lifted her head and looked at me.
"Doing all right?"
"Well, I just woke-up and I feel sorta okay." I thought. I felt really warm though because of the comfort all these animals, even the "pests" were giving me. I wish I could stay here forever and forever.
I heard footsteps and saw Lenobia standing in the doorway.
"Good morning young Raven." She said.
"Morning." I said.
A small smile light up her face. "The devotion these animals have to you is really quite remarkable."
"It surprises me how much the animals I've never met care about me and don't want me to be sad anymore." I said. I picked up one of the mice. It yawned and blinked at me with dewy black eyes. I scratched its tiny head. It arched its back and stood on its back legs so I could get its spine. It brought a smile to my face.
"Yeah! You're not sad no mores!" The mouse said.
I snort laughed at its cute little kid voice. I set it down with its friends and proceeded to get up.
An ash gray cat complained at me as I got up. His well-dressed partner in crime didn't even budge. I gave them both a good head scratch. The ashy tom had really thick and silky fur while the tuxed cat had thin fur. The last was a black cat with a messed up eye. I gave her a big kiss on the head. I had a feeling there was a sad story attached to the injury.
I stood up and stretched.
"I'm not sure if the others mentioned this, but they must go to Venice."
"Why?" I asked.
"Kalona and Neferet are there." She said.
I blinked. "Okay? And that's a concern why?"
"The Vampyre High Council is there." She said.
Fudge nuggets. Can't that dumb bitch take a hint? Good already gave her ass a good kicking, does it really have to again?
"Where are they right now?" I asked.
"The cafeteria I believe." She waved her hand for me to follow her. "My room is right above here. You can fresh up and change."
"Thanks Lenobia." I said.
She looked at me with her weird slate gray eyes. "This stable will always be open to you."
"Thank you." My heart soared. I didn't fully understand why this meant so much to me, but I was glad nonetheless.
I changed in Lenobia's small bathroom, which was a clash of rustic country and old French. I felt a little better after getting out of my stinky clothes. I still felt weirdly hollow. How many people lose their parents like this all in one instant? Was I ever going to get over it?
I wiped the tears out of my eyes. I suddenly remembered Kalona's request. I bet that my brothers haven't left Oklahoma. Maybe I could find them and give them some sisterly love. After speaking to Rephaim a bit, I had a feeling that they weren't all bad inside, maybe they just needed a chance to express their goodness.
I grabbed my bags and left Lenobia's home. I was going to have to find someplace to stay or at least keep my stuff. Snap padded along beside me as I made the journey from the stables to the main buildings. I suddenly wanted to kick myself. Which one was the dining hall?
"Dammit. Snap, can I borrow your nose?" I asked.
"I am not a blood hound." She said looking royally pissed of I ask her to sniff the way to the food.
"I'm not saying you are, I just-"
"Raven? Who are you talking to?"
I looked over and saw Brian coming toward me.
"Brian!" I said. I ran over to him and hugged him. "You're okay!"
He frowned at me. "Why wouldn't I be okay?" He studied me. "Have you been crying?"
I wiped my eyes. "My parents are dead."
"Oh."
"Oh?" I said. "What kind of answer is that? They're dead Brian!"
"They were human. They're death shouldn't be that much of a shock to you."
What.
"Are you mental?" I asked him my voice climbing pitch. "And it wasn't something natural. They were murdered."
He shrugged.
What was wrong with him?
"They were humans and you're not."
"How do you know I'm not human?" I said in a low warning tone.
"Neferet informed us that you are a daughter of a powerful Immortal and that Erebus has taken you under his wing."
"She's a fucking lying bitch!" I spat.
He frowned. "So you're not a daughter of an Immortal?"
"I am! But Kalona is not Erebus and he's my father not some mentor." I said.
Brian rolled his eyes. "Come on Raven. What's the difference?"
"Neferet lied to you. That's the difference." I said. "All she's ever done is lie."
Brian shook his head. "Why'd you take off when Erebus showed up?"
It was pissing me off that Neferet's lie was working on my friend, although right now I was questioning the whole friendship thing.
"Because he appeared in a shower of blood and Neferet is pure evil?" I said.
"I was really worried about you, so was Kalona and Neferet. I gave them your address thinking that you went home."
My head snapped up and I stared at him straight in the eye. "What?"
"I gave them your address because you took off." He said again.
What if Kalona sent the Raven Mockers to my home to retrieve me and my parents gotten woken up?
Chills shot down from my spine down my legs.
"Get away from me Brian." I said. "And don't come near me until I'm ready to forgive you."
"Forgive me? What did I do?"
I gritted my teeth. Granted it was only a theory, it was the best I had. It sounds logically possible.
"Just think about it." I said. "I'll see you later."
I brushed past him and stomped angrily down the walkway. Snap padded quickly at my side.
"You might be overreacting." Snap said.
"Do you really think that?"
She was silent.
I really wish I hadn't run into him because I felt like I might have another cryfest again. I pressed my fingers against my eyes and took deep, angry breaths.
I wandered around until I stopped a cat and asked for directions to the cafeteria.
"Just follow this walkway. The food place is that big building just down the way." The cubby brown tabby splotched with orange tabby said. She had pretty pale green eyes.
"Thank you." I scratched the little orange tabby spot on her forehead.
I fast walked down the walkway and came to the building with Dining Hall posted on the jutting brick walls.
"'Bout time." I said throwing the doors wide open.
The scent of breakfast food almost pushed me over. My mouth watered. I spotted Zoey and her group easily. I walked over quickly and dropped off my bag without a word. I ran up and filled a tray with scrambled eggs, pancakes, bacon (and I hope to God its real bacon and not soy or turkey bacon), and French Toast.
I slid down into the booth and began stuffing my face.
"Jeez, hungry much?" Aphrodite said.
"No, I just like stuffing my face." I said. I gave Snap a piece of bacon.
"You doing okay?" Damian asked.
My eating slowed, but I nodded. "Yeah. As okay as can be expected."
Stark showed up. There wasn't much room at the booth so I seriously hoped he wasn't planning on joining us.
"Hi." Zoey said to him.
"Hi." He said in a monotone voice. "Darius and Lenobia are already at the airport. I'm driving you guys in the Hummer." He glanced at me.
"I'm not going." I said.
"We could really use your help." Zoey said. "You look a lot like Kalona and I'm hoping if they get a good look at both of you that they'll believe us over Neferet."
My stomach knotted. "I'm not sure I'm ready for the whole…world to know I'm a half-immortal." What if they decide to study me like a lab rat? "I'm also afraid Neferet might twist the fact we're friends with me to her benefit. I also don't have a passport." I said.
"Understandable." Damian said. "This half-immortal thing is really new to you."
"We'll get you some souvenirs." Jack said.
"Thanks."
"I'm not going either." Stevie Rae said.
The table went silent.
"They might not be able to be saved." Damian said.
"Who?" Did Stevie Rae tell them about Rephiam?
"The rogue red fledglings." Stevie Rae said.
"Oh." I said.
"Don't go getting yourself killed, again." Aphrodite said. "I'm sure that would be annoyingly uncomfortable for me."
"I am not getting' killed." Stevie Rae said defensively.
"Promise you won't go back there alone." Jack said.
"I'll go with her." I said.
"That's not smart." Stark said.
"I'm half-immortal and I can talk to animals. They give me trouble and I call on the rats and bats in the tunnels to chew their eyes out."
Erin and Shaunee wrinkled their noses. "Ewww." They said in unison.
"Don't piss off animal girl." I told them before forking a piece of pancake in my mouth.
Suddenly the feeling of being watched by everyone in the cafeteria disappeared. I turned and saw that the red fledglings had made their appearance and everyone was whispering about them.
"Better make sure they're fine." Stevie Rae said.
She was so motherly.
"She's a good leader." Zoey said.
"She sure is." I said. I wanted her to always be on my side.
"I hope that doesn't get her into trouble." Aphrodite said. Why does she have to be such a pessimist? "Some people-especially evil, undead-dead people-can't be lead."
"She'll do the right thing." Zoey said.
"Yeah, but will they?" Aphrodite said.
"Only time will tell." I said.
"Are you guys ready?" Stark asked.
"I am." Zoey said.
"Have fun you guys! Bring me back pictures!" I said.
"Be good Raven." Shaunee said.
"Yeah, don't have rats eat people's toes while we're gone." Erin said.
"I make no promises." I said.
They departed from the building and I was left alone with Snap. But it didn't last long. The red fledglings plus Stevie Rae joined me.
"Hey Raven." Sophie said sweetly.
I waved cuz I had a mouthful of pancake and it's kinda rude to speak with your mouth full.
The red fledglings were going about how they were all excited about going back to class. I wondered if I would have to go back to normal high school anymore. I mean I don't think I really can go back to normal high school because of the animal thing. It's not like I purposefully call them forth as long as I wasn't in danger. Besides what could I possible learn at normal high school that could possible benefit me for the huge battle between good and evil that's coming forth?
"Where are you going to stay Raven?" Sophie asked.
"Dunno. I could probably set up a place in the stables." I said.
"Why don't you stay with me in Z's room at least until we can find you a permanent space? " Stevie Rae said.
"Sounds good." I said. "I wasn't looking forward to carrying this around all day." I lifted my bag.
"Well come on, I'll show you to Z's and mine's space." Stevie Rae said. I grabbed my bag and followed her out.
"You don't have to come with me you know." Stevie Rae said.
"I want to check up on Rephiam." I said. "He may need me to heal him some more." And not to mention I could ask him if Kalona ever sent a troop of Mockers to my house.
"You're not going to budge on this are you?"
"Nope." I said.
Stevie Rae stopped. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing, helping Rephaim?"
"I believe so. I mean if I'm good then there has to be good inside them too." I said. But then what if there was no good in them? Did that mean I was fooling myself thinking I was good?
We went into the room and I dropped off my bag. Stevie Rae was texting someone and was getting more and more frustrated.
"Damn Nicole." Stevie Rae muttered.
"What?" I asked.
"We're meeting at six." Stevie Rae said.
"Oh." I said. "Well if we need to. You can hide in the trunk and I can drive us home."
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Stevie Rae muttered.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
About five forty-five-ish Stevie Rae and I pulled up at the old station. My gut tightened with nerves. I haven't met the bad red fledglings yet. But I reasoned I did have something up my sleeve. No one, but my kitty and some strange woman from my dreams knew about my darkness controlling abilities. I could hang them by their ankles before they could even blink.
We got out. I regretted leaving Snap behind, but I didn't really want her to get hurt. She was just a little putty cat.
"Dammit, where are you Nicole?" Stevie Rae muttered.
We made our way down into the tunnels. My nerves thrummed. Not only was I anxious about the rouge red fledglings, but I could see the sticky threads of darkness that was not like the darkness I summon hanging around. It seemed to quiver when I walked past, but it felt like it was angry I was there.
"Hey, um, good darkness, could you get rid of that yucky darkness, please."
I don't think Stevie Rae noticed the soft feathery darkness that tickled my palms before darting out and chasing the bad darkness.
There was a lot of laughing and joking and it made my back tingle.
"Well, lookie what we got." A girl said. I really didn't like her. "A pussy vampyre and some girl."
The others milled around us. Some of them casted interested glances at me, sniffing at me like dogs.
"Not some girl, she smells like a freak." A boy said.
"And?" I asked. "I assume there's a point for you opening your fat mouth."
He growled and his eyes glowed red.
I growled back at him, but the growl rumbling through my chest sounded more beast like than human or vampyre like his.
"We're not here to fight." Stevie Rae said. "We're here to tell you that you should come back to the House of Night."
Most of them snickered. "Right."
"Why should we?" The bitch who acted like she was in charge said.
"Because you belong at the House of Night with everyone else." Stevie Rae said.
"Nah, the vamps don't let us eat junk food and we heart us some junkies!"
I curled my lip. "You guys are disgusting."
A few more of them growled.
"What I'm being honest." I said.
"Raven." Stevie Rae said.
In the leader girl's eyes I could see a green light rimmed with black. My back muscles suddenly tightened. I didn't like that weird light in her eyes.
"Raven." The girl echoed. "I've seen your eyes before."
Some big fat kid who stunk like pee and poop lumbered in like a fat drunk man.
"Yepper, I found him and bit him!" The boy said.
What a gross turd!
"That thing? You got to be kidding. He smelled nasty," Leader girl said with her eyes still trained on me.
"Yeah, and how'd you get him to hold still while you ate him?" Another girl asked.
"I knocked him out first. It wasn't hard to do, with his broken wing and all."
Broken wing…Rephaim. Anger sizzled in my veins. How they dare hurt my brother like that! I wanted to slam them against the wall.
"What are you talkin' about?" Stevie said.
"Who do you think?" I wanted to scream at her.
"I'm talking about the birdboy. What'd you call 'em, Raven Mockers? One showed up here. We been chasin' it all around the depot. Nikki and Starr got sick of messing with it and went out to chomp on some of the late night Taco Bell fourth meal feeders, but I had me a taste for chicken."
"He's not a chick you pig!" I thought angrily. "And you keep talking and I'll turn you into a chicken."
Could I turn someone into an animal? That would be really cool.
"So kept after him. Had to corner him up on the roof I none of those tower things, you know, the far one over there, away from the tree. But I got him."
I had a bad feeling. Even injured I couldn't picture Rephaim running away especially when the chasers had been narrowed down to one.
"Did he taste as bad as he smelled?" The leader girl said.
"Hey, I'll eat anything. Or anyone." He looked at me for the first time. "Whose this freak?"
I was quivering with anger and the pressure of keeping my powers suppressed. My nails bit into my palms.
"None of your business." I hissed.
"Hey easy girlie." He said.
I growled and a cat like snarl came from between my teeth.
Stevie Rae glanced at me worried.
"Let's go Stevie Rae. I'm going to die from inhaling so much parasitic stench." I hissed.
"You keep talking to us like that you little shit human-"
"Hey not only are you disgusting, but stupid too." I said. "I'm not human."
My power leaked into the air and the red fledglings backed up a bit.
"Look, we gotta go. But I'm not done talkin' about with you. And you should know that I may want to bring the other red fledglings back here to live, even though we'll officially be part of the House of Night. And if that happens y'all can either be with us and act right, or you need to leave." Stevie Rae said.
"How about this: How about you keep your pussy fledglings at school, and we'll stay here because this is where we live now." Pig boy said.
Stevie Rae's power leaked into the air. The ground began to rumble.
"I'm only gonna say this one more time. If I bring the other red fledglings back here, this will be our home. If you act right, you can stay. If you don't, you will leave." She stomped her foot and the depot shook with her anger. "So y'all decide. I'll be back tomorrow night. See ya. Come on Ray."
We both took off. My heart began pounding. I sent my thoughts out like radar. I found a couple of birds.
"Do you see a strange creature? Not beast or human?"
"Yes, he's in one of those branchless stone trees the Upwalkers made."
"Thank you."
"They were telling the truth." I told her.
She began running a little faster.
We both paused outside.
"I'm going to need to climb up the tree."
"I'm going with you." I said without hesitation.
She swung me onto her back like I was a Raven sized back pack. She scaled the tree almost like a lizard since she didn't really use her claws like a cat. She climbed to the upper most branch before she jumped down onto the roof.
I slide off her back and we jumped and skipped over the roof toward the opposite tower. We spotted him crumpled to the ground and he wasn't moving.
I jumped down with Stevie Rae. My ankles vibrated with the shock of the fall, but it was easy to ignore.
There was a cut along his arm. I was pissed that he hurt him and I wanted him to pay. I jogged over him and pressed my hand onto his shoulder with the golden healing glow already on my hands.
"Rephaim, hey, can you hear me?" Stevie Rae said clasping his other arm.
"No!" His declaration made me jerk. "Get out of here. They're going to trap you here!"
Stevie Rae cried out and I whirled around to see someone standing over her motionless form.
"Stevie Rae!" I shouted.
Someone grabbed my arm and jerked me away from Rephaim. My fist shot out and connected with a guy's face.
I turned and saw leader girl had a gun pointed at me.
"Not so tough now are you freak?" She asked.
My eyes narrowed and I pictured the gun flying out of her hands. Feathery black tendrils shot out and curled around the gun. I wish I could have gotten a picture of leader girl's face when he gun was yanked from her hands and tossed over the edge of the tower.
"Not so tough without your gun are you?" My anger built up until an aura of darkness radiated off my skin. "Leave my friend and my brother alone!"
Pain exploded from the back of my head. I had directed my full attention on bitch leader I forgot about the other person.
"I want to rip her throat out!" the girl screamed.
Rephaim screeched and stepped in between her and me.
"If you harm her you will have to deal with our father." He said in low warning.
"I knew I recognized her eyes." The boy said.
"How do I know you're telling the truth?"
"Fine, then kill her."
My blood chilled and I struggled at the thick blackness trying to drag me under.
"But know this. In her first life her grandfather killed her after realizing she wasn't human. When my father caught up to him, his son, and daughter he ripped the murderer to pieces after he slaughtered his son in front of his eyes."
My stomach clenched and I thought I was going to puke.
"I do not doubt at all that he will not hesitate to give you similar punishment if you even leave a mark on his only daughter." Rephaim said in a cold voice.
Then I couldn't help it. I blacked out.
XOXOXOXOXOXO
Teehee. I snuck my kitties into my fanfic. Teehees! Yep, I had a black kitty called Snap so this fanfic is dedicated to her, hope you love kitty heaven by the way Snappers. The ash colored cat is my snuggle bunny Ashes and his well-dressed partner in crime is his pal Tuxedo. The brown tabby with orange splotches is Candy, our grumpy old lady who actually reminds me of Nala a bit. And the black cat with injured eye is Brack, a stray who adopted us as her new family. Yep, I love my kitties and I miss them so much! Stupid dorm with its stupid rules that I'm not allowed to have kitties in my room. XP
Well anyway, enough with my cat lady ranting. Please review if you read because it's a nice thing to do. Hopefully you all will get a new chapter soon! Bye now!