I wasn't sure how long I had been out, only that I had fallen asleep as soon as my head had hit the pillow. I had been exhausted, though how tired I felt had been delayed by Nyx's spirit and the joy that had filled the campus after Rafe's defeat. As Stark had guessed the celebration had lasted the whole rest of the day and right through dinner. I smiled sleepily as I thought about the huge pile of spaghetti I had consumed and my friend's reaction to it.

"How can you eat the much food?" Aphrodite had asked looking mortified and yet slightly amused. She had watched as I devoured another bite and then shook her head returning to her salad. Truth be told I didn't normally eat like that. Some junk food sure, but never overly huge portions. It was just another sign of the amount of energy I had lost though it was nothing in comparison to how I felt after trapping Kalona.

I wondered briefly how Marla was feeling as I rolled over to pet Nala who was purring softly. We had been using her gift endlessly the last few days and I knew that had to be taking its toll on her. Using my gifts never tired me out until I used large quantities of it and that was exactly what Marla had been doing.

My phone buzzed again reminding me that this was why I had been jolted awake in the first place. I had left it in the living room and knew that to answer it I would have to actually get out of bed and walk across my apartment.

"So much for going back to sleep," I murmured when my phone started ringing for the third times. I gave Nala one last scratch behind the ears and then pulled back the covers, smiling when Nala started her familiar complaints. "Hey, "I'm not the one who made the phone ring," I said finally looking at the clock.

It was 8:30 pm which meant the school day would have started if we hadn't once again canceled classes in another form of celebration. I laughed softly. It was actually more because my group of friends needed a break after the last week or so, but saying we needed to celebrate worked just as well. After all there would be no more fledgling deaths and the danger of the demons stalking our school was over. Both Kalona and Rafe were gone and I seriously hoped that that was then end of using blood and spirit combined to gain power. Kalona had told Neferet and Neferet had told or shown Rafe. Either way, I hoped Neferet was the only one left who knew and I frowned knowing that, that was something I would have to ask her.

I stumbled my way to the living room while trying to rub the sleep from my eyes. I really had gotten a decent night's sleep but my body still thought I oculd use a little more. I knew most of my exhaustion had come from the stress and not the actual physical exertion (hehe Damien word of the week) but it was apparently still enough for to feel like I was dragging.

"Hello," I said picking up my phone as it started ringing again for the fourth time.

"About time you picked up," Erik said sounding somewhat anxious.

"What's up?" I asked moving to the kitchen to find some blood as well as something to eat. I had missed breakfast and my stomach was growling furiously at me.

"The Council just arrived, that's what's up," Erik said causing my to drop the glass I had pulled from the cupboard.

"What?" I asked momentarily forgetting my stomachs protests about not being fed.

"I guess Natasha finally got through to them last night and let them know what's been happening and how we handled the situation. They knew some of it already obviously, but there are also some new developments that they wanted to address. Plus the Elders still have to be dealt with and that once again brings us back to what we were dealing with before about our justice verses theirs," Erik said quickly.

"The elders are still hanging on to the kidnapping of my mother," I said softly.

"Not to mention the red fledglings that she created killing those football players," Erik said and I grimaced. "It doesn't matter to them that she was basically under Kalona's influence. She may have not been a pod like the others but he manipulated her hatred and filled her heart with evil. That's was all it took."

"But they just did the same thing basically to get revenge," I said feeling frustrated. "They released evil demons like she released Kalona and the Raven Mockers. They killed seven of our students!" I said angrily.

"But it all basically leads back to me," Neferet's voice cut across the room casing me to turn so fast that I once again dropped the cup I had been holding. She was standing in the doorway dressed in one of her classic black dresses that showed gripped her body tightly showing off all of her features. Her auburn hair was clipped back and little ringlets framed her face. She smiling but I realized that it was a sad smile and that dark circled framed her eyes. She obviously hadn't slept though there was no doubt in my mind that she was in just as much need of it as I had been. She had been in a sword fight for goddess sake.

"Erik, I gotta go," I said into my phone not taking my eyes off of Neferet as she walked into my kitchen.

"Z?" He questioned.

"Don't worry I'll be there in a little bit. Natasha can handle things," I said shutting my phone.

"Rafe and the Elders may have released the demons, but it was me who basically gave him that knowledge." She paced around the tile floor and I knew her guilt plagued her. I also knew this was not the Neferet I knew. She was strong and though she accepted her mistakes she did not let them defeat her. I could see that she was clearly troubled and I knew that the High Council being here probably wasn't making it any easier. Still she had to be the one to work through this. "Zoey, I'm at a loss here," she said watching me carefully. "The Council wanted me to continue in my role as High Priestess after Kalona, but my evil has spread so much further than I anticipated," she said softly.

"Neferet," I began but she held up her hand silencing me.

"Zoey, Kalona may have led me to the power I found through blood, pain and fear, but I used it and I passed that knowledge on."

"To Rafe," I said firmly.

"Yes to Rafe, but others knew what I was doing too," she said looking me right in the eyes. "Loren," I said seriously and I took a deep breath in. "Granted he didn't know the details of what I was doing, but…"

"If he didn't know the details then it doesn't matter," I said fiercely surprising both her and myself. "The Elders are just as responsible as you are. They chose to follow Rafe," I said still wondering how he had reached out to them or tricked them to begin with. I was still fairly certain they had no idea he was a vampyre. In order for them to accept him or his powers he would have had to convince them that he was…….a saint. Realization struck me and I had to fight down the sick in my stomach. He had pretended to be someone holy to gain their trust and had used that to manipulate their hatred of vampyres and in particular Neferet.

"Yes they chose to, but would they have if I hadn't committed so many crimes against them?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"It really doesn't matter," I said letting my eyes harden. "you have made some mistakes Neferet, but they are mistakes that you can't take back and that can't be erased no matter how much you wish that you could. What you can do is learn from them and work to make your future better. That's one lesson I had to learn from you the hard way," I said harshly and watched the surprise flash across her face. "I made a ton of mistakes with Loren, with my friends and I could justify them all. It didn't matter in the end and I had to learn that my mistakes didn't define who I was. Your mistakes don't define you, Neferet, Nyx does!" I said firmly. "She destined you to be her light just as she destined me to be her daughter of the night. We both have a destiny to fulfill and its time that we filled it. You are a High Priestess because you were meant to spread that light and I know you well enough to know that you won't let Kalona or the darkness of your mistakes dim that light," I said folding my arms across my chest.

Neferet stared at me shocked for a moment, and then ever so slowly the corners of her mouth turned up into an amused smile. She nodded and then pulled me to her in a motherly embrace, "I think Nyx made the right decision in choosing you," Neferet whispered softly and I could hear the tears in her voice.

"If you don't question her judgment over me than you shouldn't question it about yourself either," I said softly and then gasped when Nyx's for appeared several feet away watching us. I pulled out of the hug motioning for Neferet to turn around. I watched as Neferet slowly turned, her eyes widening in surprise as she came face to face with her goddess.

"Nyx," she breathed and I could clearly see the tears spilling from her eyes and running down her cheeks.

Nyx's smile was kind and full of understanding as she approached Neferet. Her hair flew around her and I marveled once more at her other worldly look. She was beautiful and powerful, yet full of kindness and love. She didn't say anything but reached out wiping the tears from Neferet's face. She then leaned forward and kissed Neferet's forehead as she had me the day I was Marked. Finally she whispered, "I am always with you my children." She took a step back and in one shimmering light she disappeared from the kitchen leaving Neferet stunned to silence and me grinning widely.

"You are her light," I said once more as Neferet turned back to look at me. "Light has a power all its own, Neferet."

She nodded and I could see the transformation taking place right before my eyes. She was once again the person Nyx had chosen; the one who had given her life to the goddess completely and the one who loved her wholly. Nyx had used me to erase the evil in her heart and Nyx herself had guided Neferet home.

"The Council is waiting," Neferet said her voice resolved and determined. "We are to all meet with them over a special lunch that I believe is appropriately in your honor," Neferet said giving me a small smile out of the corner of her eye.

Great, just great I thought smiling at the twins reply. Lunch would be in my honor but still address the business we needed to attend to. A meeting with the Tulsa law enforcement would probably be necessary as well. I gave Neferet another hug as she left my apartment and then went to my own room to change into something more appropriate then my pajamas. Lunch was only an hour away and I still needed to check on Marla as well as the rest of my friends.

Sorry it's taken so long to get a chapter up. I've been really busy. Hope you all enjoyed it!