I am so so so sorry that it has taken me so long to update! Let me explain: I've been super…unlucky, I guess, lately. I used to get migraines from the time I was eight until I was fourteen. I started getting them again and when I do I can't really move without getting sick. So…that hasn't been very fun. On top of that, I got a weird infection on my eye and it swelled up like a balloon. If that isn't bad enough, I keep getting cold sores. I've always had cold sores ever since I was little, but they have never been this bad. I have one right now, actually, but it's getting better. I've got some new medicine I'm trying so hopefully they'll stay away. Now, I have one wisdom tooth that keeps getting infected, and my dentist told me that it would probably be smart to just go get them all taken out. Fun. Plus, I have been getting things ready for college and trying to find a job. So I haven't been writing very much lately. Sorry about that. I hope you like this chapter!
Thanatos
"Warrior, you cannot let him go alone. He will die trying to save her. Convince him that it is better if he waits until tomorrow." Thanatos ordered Darius.
Darius looked at her for a long moment, obviously trying to decide whether to go with what he wanted to do or what his High Priestess ordered him to. "I…" He looked down at the ground and stayed silent. Finally, he muttered, "I cannot, Priestess. I am truly sorry, but I cannot. I know how it feels to have the one you are pledged to in danger, and it is…terrifying. I would not wish that feeling on anyone. Stark must go, even if it kills him."
Thanatos opened her mouth to order him, once again, to go after Stark. She would not have any fledglings, red or blue, dying while she was in power. But, before she could speak, Darius continued, "I understand what position you might be in. Believe me, I do not want Stark to die, but if he is determined to get Zoey tonight there is nothing I can do to stop him."
"Try." Thanatos ordered. "You must try. If you do not, you will go before the Council and they will choose your fate. I will not say anything to them if you try, but you cannot let him go without trying anything at all. Go, warrior. Now."
Thanatos could tell that Darius did not like her decision, but he still saluted her and ran out the door after Stark. She stood there a few more moments, hoping that Darius wouldn't come back to convince her to let Stark go. Once she was sure that Darius wouldn't come back, she turned and went right back to the supply closet.
Quickly, she grabbed some rosemary, basil, yew tree seeds, and lavender. She also wanted to get some oakmoss, but the House of Night did not contain any. Thanatos grabbed a black velvet drawstring bag and put the herbs and seeds in it. She ran back to the room Stark had used to track Zoey down and cleaned up the candles and bowl with herbs.
Thanatos grabbed three black candles and lit them in a triangle on the floor. Using a new bowl, Thanatos put the bag in the bowl and sat in front of it.
She knew that there was only one solution to all of this. After Darius and Stark brought what had been going on to her attention, she had been thinking of ways to fix everything. Nyx gave Zoey her unnatural powers because Zoey was a part of the greater plan. If Zoey were to stay with Kalona, that plan would be messed up. Of course, it was hard to tell if Thanatos should interfere with what had happened because Nyx was also the one who had gotten Zoey in this situation in the first place. When Stark ran out after Zoey without even thinking of himself, Thanatos knew what she had to do.
Zoey had unusual powers, but so did Thanatos. There were a few things about herself that Thanatos never let anyone know. One of those things was that having an affinity for death allowed her to have temporary powers, but only when she was using her affinity. There was only one spell that came to mind, one that seemed the safest to Thanatos.
"Fire…"
As soon as the word slipped from her lips, the bag in the bowl burst into flames.
"And thunder…"
Thanatos heard and felt the deep rumble from the sky, knowing that death was listening to her.
"Rise together and become one."
Before her eyes, the fire from the bowl leapt up out of the bowl and formed what looked like a cloud of flames. It did not catch onto anything, it simply rolled around itself in the air.
"Banish this evil."
A dark fog materialized, slipping underneath the cloud of fire. It looked exactly like the sky on a rainy day. The only difference was that it looked like the sky was raining fire instead of water. Thanatos knew death when she saw it, and this fog was death's way of telling her that it would do her bidding. Sometimes death wouldn't do what she wanted when it didn't agree with her, and she let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the fog.
"For all the harm it has done."
The fire and fog now twirled around each other. Thanatos watched the two dance to the music of thunder, knowing what would happen next. If death listened to her, the fire and fog would simply disappear, going to the place that she wanted it to go in the blink of an eye, and the thunder would just stop. If death decided that this wasn't the way things were meant to be, the fire would fall back into the bowl before going out, the fog would caress her for a moment - letting her know that it wasn't turning its back on her - and the thunder would end with a single strike of lightening.
Thanatos was surprised to find that she was holding her breath. She didn't know if she should keep it held until the spell decided what it would do, or if she should just go ahead and take a breath. After all, it didn't really matter if she held her breath or not. The spell would do what it wanted to. Thanatos decided there was no use in holding her breath, so she let it out. As soon as she did, everything went silent as the room went dark.
The corners of her mouth turned up into a smile as Thanatos thanked Nyx. If everything went according to plan, things would go back to their natural order.
But - as Zoey would have said to Thanatos - things don't always go according to plan…
[BREAK; ZOEY'S POV]
I was sleeping pretty well considering everything that had happened within the past twenty-four hours. Right before dawn came around, Kalona had drawn a steel shutter for the window and the door on the bottom of the tree house. I had asked him what people who hiked would think about there being a tree house with steel shutters in the middle of a park, but he assured me that the other side of the shutters were camouflaged.
I was dreaming about everything that had happened. Sometimes that happened to me, and most of the time I didn't like it. When I usually dreamed about something that had happened in the night, it was because it was something bad. Yesterday had been pretty bad, but it wasn't one of the worst nights for me, so I wasn't too bothered by dreaming about it.
But something was interrupting my sleep. I could feel myself waking up, but I kept trying to fight it. This went on for about twenty minutes, and just when I was about to give up and wake up, I was able to drift off again. Just as I started to dream about beautiful, lush grass and a giant tree that faced the ocean, a horrible pain wrenched me awake.
I was scared. No, not just scared, terrified. A loud scream came from me without me even realizing it. Kalona automatically woke up and started asking me what was wrong.
"Zoey? Zoey, what's wrong?" he screamed, but I wasn't focusing on him.
My stomach felt like it was being ripped apart from the inside. My hands went around it, and I became even more afraid when I felt my poor, innocent little girl moving around frantically inside me. Something was happening to her.
"Hospital!" I screamed through the pain. "Take me to the hospital!"
Kalona's voice seemed so far away when he responded. "We can't! I'll…I'll…"
Tears were running down my face. I could feel my daughter's terror mixed in with my own. I felt so powerless even though I had enough power to take down a small army. "Then take me to Thanatos! Our daughter is dying, Kalona."
That seemed to get through to him. He hopped out of bed and started getting dressed. "I'll do whatever it takes to get you and our baby healthy again."
I pulled the sheet and cover off of me, finding something more horrible. I started crying and wailing hysterically. This couldn't be happening. There was a pool of blood soaked into the sheets underneath me. It was huge, almost reaching where Kalona had been just a few minutes ago. Something broke inside of me then. I reached down to clasp my belly again, this time feeling absolutely nothing from inside of it. She was no longer moving, my little girl.
My head sank back down onto the pillow I had been sleeping on. Tears were rolling down my face, but I didn't try to wipe them away. I felt as if my life was over, that I would just lay here until I died. But just as I thought that, something else popped into my mind.
My head came back up so that I could look at my stomach. Then, I called out, "Air, I call on you to help me save my child. Blow away the demons and problems that are causing her death. Fire, I call on you to help me save my child. Keep her from fading into the darkness and bring her back to the light of life. Water, I call on you to help me save my child. Nourish and cleanse her body. Earth, I call on you to help me save my child. Help her to one day feel you underneath her feet. Spirit -"
At this part, my voice gave out. I started to cry hard again, feeling as if nothing would help, not even calling on the elements. Suddenly, I felt a hand lay on my belly. I opened my eyes to see Kalona at the end of the bed with his arm reached out to touch our daughter through me. He didn't even mind that he was sitting in a pool of blood.
"Keep going." he whispered. He then turned his attention back to my stomach, singing what sounded like a Cherokee lullaby in hushed tones.
As he sang, I continued, "Spirit, I call on you to help me save my child. Please, please don't leave her. Stay with her and make her strong. Give her the strength to live. Please. I'm begging you, don't let her die."
After the words had left my lips, a sudden breeze lifted my shirt, revealing my bulging stomach. I felt a warmth on the skin of my belly, not from the outside, but from the inside. Then I felt a cooling from inside my stomach and witnessed the blood on my legs washing away. I smelled fresh-cut grass and my stomach started to tingle as if it had all the nutrients necessary to be healthy. But the best thing of all was when I felt Spirit come into me, making me lightheaded before making its way down to my tummy.
Kalona had been singing the entire time, but he stopped when this happened. He and I both saw the glow that came from inside my stomach, both saw the outline of our child inside me. I put my hand on my stomach right next to Kalona's, hoping that this would work. I didn't know what I was waiting for, I just knew that I was waiting for something.
"Do you think it worked?" I asked when nothing happened.
Kalona took his eyes off my stomach for only a moment to say, "I'm not sure. But I hope it did. Goddess, I pray it did."
It felt like every minute that went by was an eternity. Finally, Kalona looked at me and gave the slightest shake of his head.
More tears fell as I rubbed my bulging belly. "Oh, my little girl, I am so, so sorry. I… I can't believe this happened. I don't know why it happened, but I do know one thing. I love you, whether you're here or not. I love you more than anything in the world, and I want you to know that no matter where you are. I'm your mother, and one day we will be together again. I swear I'll make you happy then."
Kalona crawled into the bed next to me and wrapped one arm around me. He put the other hand on my stomach, shedding tears as he did. After a long couple of minutes, he whispered, "And I love you, too, daughter. Even though your mother and I have not officially met you yet, we will miss you. Be safe in your next life, wherever that might be."
I don't know how long I cried in Kalona's arms after that. It could've been five minutes, it could've been five hours. I really didn't care. All I knew was that I didn't want to be alive anymore. I didn't want to live if my darling little baby couldn't live. Kalona cried, too, just not as hysterically as me. I could tell that he was trying to keep it together for me. I knew that as soon as I was asleep, he would fly off to mourn by himself. That was good because I wanted to mourn by myself, too.
I looked up into Kalona's face, wondering if I would lose my love for him now that we didn't share a child together.
"What is it, Zoey? You look like you have something to tell me." Kalona whispered, holding my face in the hand that wasn't on my stomach.
I shook my head. There was no use in breaking up with him right now. Even if I did love him, I would never be able to be with him again without thinking about the baby. But I couldn't tell him that now. Not when we'd just gone through this huge loss. And - being selfish at the moment - I didn't want to be alone.
Kalona opened his mouth to say something else, but stopped before anything came out. His eyes went wide and he looked to my stomach.
"What?" I whispered frantically. "What is it?"
"Oh, Zoeybird…" Kalona whispered before grabbing my hand and putting it where his had been on my stomach a moment before.
I sat there, hoping that I would feel something, but nothing happened. "Kalona, nothing is happening. We've just gone through something huge. You were probably just imagin - " I was cut off in the middle of a word by the kick that came from inside my belly.
"You see? She's alive!" Kalona's face couldn't have been happier looking.
Tears spilled down my face as I rubbed my stomach. So many things were running through my head that I couldn't even think of what to say. I finally settled for just crying and rubbing my stomach some more.
"Zoey? What is wrong? I thought that you wanted this." Kalona looked worried.
I nodded frantically. "Yes. Yes, this is what I want. Nothing is wrong. I just… I'm just so happy. And relieved." I stopped to breath for a minute and then yelled, "She's alive! Oh, Goddess, she's alive!"
Kalona and I then kissed and kissed until we finally had to get up to change clothes and bedding. Thank Goddess, Kalona remembered to grab some of my clothes from the House of Night before coming to get me from the depot. I didn't know how he got in to get them, but I really didn't care at the moment. I called on water to wash the rest of the blood from both Kalona and me before we got redressed.
We cuddled together after that, talking to our daughter between long kisses. We then went back to sleep, agreeing that we would go back to the depot when we woke up. I would just have to tell Stark that I couldn't be with him anymore. We had to be around other people so that I could get the right nutrients and medical help for the baby. It would be hard, but it was something we had to do.
"Goodnight, daughter." Kalona whispered at my belly.
With a smile, I added, "Yes. Goodnight, sweet girl."
Right before I fell asleep, I felt her kick me again. I imagined she was trying to say, "Goodnight, mommy and daddy. Thank you for saving my life, mommy, and for the lullaby, daddy. I love you."
She probably didn't even know I saved her life or that her daddy sang her a lullaby, but I can imagine, right? Right?
[BREAK; THANATOS'S POV]
Thanatos had just gone to her office to get ready for the school day(it was really a school night), when the new assistant secretary came in. Her name was Pandora, a name she had picked for herself from The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice. Thanatos only knew this because Pandora had a habit of following Thanatos around, trying to be her best friend. Pandora had just completed the change to a vampyre a month ago. She had come from a House of Night in Europe to the Tulsa House of Night because she wanted to see the United States. The only job they had available at the Tulsa House of Night was an assistant secretary and Pandora was happy to take the job. They couldn't give her the secretary job yet because the current secretary hadn't retired yet.
Pandora gave Thanatos a salute and Thanatos told her to have a seat.
"I can't right now, Priestess, but thank you. There is a warrior here to see you and I was sent to ask you if it was okay." Pandora informed her.
Thanatos wondered if it was Darius or Stark and voiced her wonderings. "Who might that be, Pandora?"
Pandora looked a little shy as she moved from foot to foot. "Well… I'm just getting started at this and… I'm so sorry, Priestess, but I can't remember the warrior's name." Thanatos raised her eyebrows, wondering how someone could forget the name of someone so fast. Just as she was about to ask Pandora this, Pandora continued. "No, that's a lie. I'm sorry I lied, I'm just so nervous about this new job and I don't want to lose it. I forgot to get the warrior's name. Do you want me to go back to the office and ask his name, or should I just send him in?"
"You never send someone into a High Priestess's office without asking who they are and making sure they are who they say they are. Go find out who it is and then come back to me." Thanatos ordered. Pandora's cheeks were red. In fact, her entire face was red, going down her neck. "Do not be so hard on yourself, Pandora. You are still young and still learning the ways of your job. I understand that you did not know that this was how things are done, but you will get it next time."
Pandora saluted Thanatos again, something that she didn't need to do. "Yes, Priestess." Pandora said before scurrying out. Thanatos wrote a note down for herself, reminding her to talk to Pandora about her duties.
Thanatos was getting ready to talk to every warrior that had been on duty last night. There had been a breach in the protective barrier she'd put around the school, much like the one Neferet had put on the school previously. Thanatos hadn't paid much attention to it when it happened, thinking that the warriors would take care of it. But no one had come to Thanatos with the intruder this morning(evening). Of course, it might just be one of the fledglings cloaking themselves and sneaking out the trap door in the east wall, but Thanatos didn't think so. It couldn't be a coincidence that the very night Kalona kidnaps Zoey, someone breaches the barrier around the school. No, she was quite sure that it was Kalona, but she didn't know why he would want to come to the House of Night.
Pandora gave a quick rap on the door before walking in. She put her fist over her heart, but Thanatos put a hand up to stop her. "Child, you don't have to do that every time you see me. Do it when you first see me for the day and before you go to bed, if you see me before then. And, please, call me Thanatos when we're in a casual situation. Now, who is it who has come to see me?"
"A warrior named Darius. He says he has some news for you. Would you like me to bring him in?" Pandora replied.
Thanatos nodded and let Pandora go out the door. To Thanatos's surprise, Darius walked in a minute later. The main office was across campus and the only way Darius could've gotten there so fast was if he used his vampiric speed, something warriors only do in emergencies. Thanatos automatically stood up, fearing the worst.
Darius saluted her. "Oh, there's no need to stand, Priestess. Everything is fine. I apologize for not coming to you last night, but I had my hands full."
Thanatos nodded and sat back down, relieved that there was no emergency. "I take it Stark gave you a hard time?"
"Yes." Darius sat down in one of the chairs on the other side of her desk. "I managed to talk Stark into waiting until today to go find Zoey. He was still sleeping when I left the depot. I imagine he will be awake when I get back. I made him promise to wait until I could go with him."
"Stark is a very…spirited warrior. I - " Thanatos was interrupted by a knock on the door.
Pandora walked in and, without even glancing at Darius, said, "Sorry for interrupting, but there is a call for Darius in the office."
"And who is calling, Pandora?" Thanatos asked.
Pandora's cheeks burned red again. "I didn't ask. I'll be right back."
Darius turned in his seat to look at Pandora before she left the room. "Oh, please ask if it is urgent. If it isn't, there is no need to tell me. If it isn't urgent, just tell whoever it is that I will call them when I am out of my meeting with Thanatos. That is why I have my cell phone off."
Thanatos noticed that Pandora fluttered her eyelashes as Darius spoke to her. Pandora gave him a flirty smile before nodding and leaving the room. "I think she fancies you, Darius."
"Oh, I am taken, as you know." Darius replied with a smile. "There is nothing that can tear me away from my Aphrodite."
Thanatos smiled back at Darius. "I see that your relationship with Aphrodite is a very serious one. But, Darius, have you thought about where your relationship will go in the future? Aphrodite is going to grow old and die long before you will."
Darius looked to the ground, his entire face strained. "I have thought about that, yes. But…I can't see myself without her. I will still love her, even when she is old and gray. I will not love again after she is gone."
"You know, warrior, I thought that myself at one time. I, too, was in love with a human. He died a long, long time ago. I never thought I would love again, either, but sometimes love sneaks up on you. I didn't love my second consort as much as I loved my first, but it was still love the second time around." Thanatos told him, remembering the days when she was still just a girl in love.
Pandora came back in that moment. Thanatos took that as a bad sign. "Darius, it is Stark. He says it is urgent."
Darius swung around to look back at Thanatos, his mouth opening as he did so. Thanatos held up a hand and said, "Go. I'll still be here when you're done." Darius nodded and went out the door.
Thanatos went through some of her students' papers as she waited for Darius to come back. After a few minutes of this, she heard what sounded like a breeze. Thanatos looked up to the door, expecting the sound to be coming from the door opening, but there was no one there. That's when she saw something out of the corner of her eye.
The black fog that represented death in her spell the night before was back. It floated right in front of the bookcase to her right. For a moment, it just floated there, as if staring at her. Then it came toward her and wrapped itself around her arm. Thanatos felt all of her muscles relax. That was always how it went. If a spell didn't work for some reason, death would comfort her for a moment before leaving. It was strange, and Thanatos didn't quite understand it, but it happened with a failed spell.
The black fog unwrapped itself and floated up toward the ceiling, dissipating as it did.
The sound of the door opening had Thanatos looking toward the door. Darius was half-inside. "Priestess, Zoey is back at the depot. She just arrived with…Kalona."
"And how is she and the baby?"
"It seems as if everything is fine. But it won't be if we don't get there fast. We need to work out some sort of agreement between the three of them. Stark might try to hurt Kalona if we don't get there soon, and I'm afraid that he might get himself hurt in the process."
Thanatos nodded. "Pandora?" The girl automatically stepped into the door, next to Darius. It didn't seem as if she minded being so close to him. "Cancel all my appointments for today. I have an emergency that I need to take care of. If anyone needs me, tell them to call me on my mobile phone." Pandora nodded and left the room.
"There's not really good signal down in the tunnels." Darius told her.
Thanatos laughed. "That's fine. I don't own a mobile phone. Now, let's go."
So, what do you think? Let me know in a review please! I will try to update ASAP, but I don't know when that will be. I will try my best to get it up soon. Thank you for reading my story! =]