I'm such a silly nilly....this just shows that no matter how much research you can do, you can make slips....so sorry if your confused...I just changed Eros to Erebus...because for some very strange reason I thought that Eros was Nyx's lover...and his minion was the Sons of Erebus...don't ask me...my head is clearly not there when I wrote that. Ahh...now for mondays...Thanks for the clarification! Sometimes I need that :)


I think we were all in awe as Nyx's lover, pretty much the God among the men, Erebus was talking to us through my Spirit painting. It was totally surreal. Granted, we had all seen Nyx, she had appeared to us many times, but we had never seen Erebus and actually I was calmed by his presence. Everyone was still in their place, held by their elements, but still looking down upon the painting.

"What do you want?" I asked.

You asked for a warrior, I am here to aid my Priestess. Nyx has sent me to you

Erebus, my warrior! That was something unbelievable. I could hear the Twins whispering and Damien just stood there with his mouth open in utter awe, Stevie Rae didn't seem to care either way. She was just being attentive. "Erebus" I started to ask. "Where is Stark?"

He is here, with me

With Erebus? How could that be, the only way he could get there is if he was….no, I wasn't going to think that at all, that couldn't be possible. "Why is he there with you?"

He has been called for a higher purpose. Do not worry young one, he will return in due time

My soul felt torn, Stark and I, granted were no longer boyfriend and girlfriend anymore, no thanks to me, we still held a connection, ever since the first day. I was tied to him with my soul, I knew deep down, he really was my soul mate, no matter what else he was to me, he was close to me like no one was.

I feel your turmole, I assure you, my lady, that he is safe. Training to be a warrior himself through me. Erebus laughed a hearty chuckle. He was just as surprised to see me as you are. Now, I am here to aid you into your other Realm to retrieve the human boy. I believe we do not have much time. You must come quickly.

"How do I?"

Reach for me he said.

"Z?" The Twins started to say. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah Z, what if it is a trick?" Damien added.

"There is only one way to know for sure" I said as I stepped out of the center of the circle, bent down to the painting and reached towards Erebus's image. As my fingers drew closer I could feel the energy pulling me. I turned back to my friends, but looking at Aphrodite, "Please keep an eye on Grandma for me. You all be safe and I will be back as soon as I can."

"You can count on us" Aphrodite said. "But what about the circle? It is still intact."

Do not worry, once your Priestess is with me, the circle will be dissolved. Erebus added.

I turned my eyes towards Erebus and pressed my hand against the painting as if touching his face. It was a weird feeling, as if the image shimmered over my fingers as my hand was drawn into the painting itself. I eventually felt the tug and pull of the power and was thrown forward, head first into the painting.

When I emerged I could see everyone from the outside. I turned and looked at Erebus, he was huge. If I ever thought Darius reminded me of a mountain, Erebus reminded me of Mt. Everest! He bowed his head to me, "Priestess, you are much wanted" he said as he took my hand, "Come, we must visit with her grace so you will be prepared for what you seek."

I made one last turn to my friends and said "Goodbye", a slight tear ran down my face, which I noticed was no longer blood, but water. What was happening to me here? It was like I was….human again.

"We do not bleed here" Erebus commented as we were silently walking through the green meadows to which reminded me of my first encounter with Nyx. I heard the water rushing down the stream and the breeze was warm against my face. I turned to him, not expecting what he told me.

"Why? Aren't we Vampire's?" I asked him.

"In the Earthly realm you are. That is how you gain immortality, but here, in the Divine Realm of the Goddess, you do not need to be immortal, or vampire, or human, you just are. You are spirit. You don't bleed here, you don't thirst or feel hungry, you just are." His deep voice explained until we finally stopped at a small brook where I saw here.

She was naked, bathing in the stream, splashing the cool water on her face as her wet hair dangled down her back. If I ever thought she looked beautiful, she was now the picture of perfection. I am by no means attracted to women, but hey, she did have a really nice body and I am one to appreciate nice things. Just because you think someone's pretty doesn't make you gay. Well, unless your Damien.

"Zoey!" I heard a familiar small voice call. I turned to see Jack, running through the fields towards me, "You're here! I knew you would come!" he jumped up and down in excitement. "It's it wonderful here!"

"Oh Jack!" I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Yes, it's breathtakingly beautiful." I smiled down at his angelic face. He hadn't changed at all, but he still bore Nyx's mark on his forehead.

"Nyx has been waiting for you" Jack said as he took my hand, "Hi Erebus!"

"Hello young one" Erebus smiled brightly at Jack, "He is quiet a favorite of our Goddess" he said as he leaned down to whisper it into my ear.

I just chuckled and ran with Jack down to the water where Nyx stood. "Hello my u-we-tsi a-ge-hu-tsa. I'm glad you could join us" Nyx welcomed me. "Come, feel the healing waters" she took my hand and pulled me towards the brook. The water was warm and had a very slight current. I dipped my hands in and splashed the water on my face, feeling instantly refreshed. "The waters help to refresh and heal. You will need it where you will go" she handed me a vile with what looked like the healing waters inside. "Where you go is dangerous Zoeybird. I fear for you." She walked closer and touched her hand to my face, "But I believe in you Zoey. You are powerful and wise. I know you will do the right thing" she smiled.

"I'm scared too Nyx, Anastasia has warned me of the Fairies. It terrifies me that they could be doing whatever they are doing to Heath"

"I think you are mistaken my dear. Why Fairies are not of your realm, and they are not friendly creatures, they would not willingly hurt Heath unless he has charged against them. They try to remain peaceful, but they are vigilant warriors if any of their kind are hurt. I think you already know that though"

I thought deep inside and Nyx was right. I didn't think the Fairies were the ones chasing Heath in Aphrodite's vision. It was something much worse. "No, you're right. I don't think it is the Fairies. I think it's something bigger."

"You are right my child. Now, you must go. Erebus will take you to the next realm. He will protect you, but should anything happen, drink the water, but just a drop." Nyx warned. "And remember your heritage u-we-tsi a-ge-hu-tsa. Remember your Cherokee ancestors, they will be able to guide you in defeating what evil you face back at the House of Night." Nyx leaned in and kissed me on my forehead and tracing her hands around my mark on my face. "Such a beautiful woman you are. You are so dear to me. Now go"

My eyes shined and a wide smile crossed my face, "I will be safe, and thank you…for everything"

"Do not thank me, it is you that has lead the right course. I've just helped you along the way." She smiled again and ushered me off.

"Isn't she wonderful Z!" Jack exclaimed as he took my hand again to take me up to Erebus.

"Yeah, she's great." I smiled again, knowing that once more, I was in Nyx's favor. "Jack" I started to ask.

"Yeah?"

"Is Stark here?" I asked, worried about the answer I would get.

"I think you would know that already. Hadn't Erebus told you of his plan?" Jack looked at me with narrowed eyes and a confused face.

"He told me he was training to be a warrior…and he was with him." I shrugged.

"Yes, Stark is here, and he is training to be a warrior. A warrior for Nyx. Nyx has decided that his faithful heart and courage has earned him a special place in the Sons of Erebus. He's very powerful Zoey"

I blushed, knowing just how faithful and courageous that Stark was, "Yes, I know"

We met back with Erebus who was sitting at the top of a large hill just east of the brook where we saw Nyx. He was looking at the horizon beyond the mountains. "It is beautiful, is it not?" he said, I jumped because I wasn't sure he knew we were there.

"Yes, it is. I haven't seen a sunset in a long time" I admitted. Since coming to the House of Night and Changing, I could barely stand the sun, much less look at it.

"It won't affect you here, or any other realm but your Earthly one." Erebus continued. "But I must warn you. Once you leave here, your requirement for nourishment will return. You will require blood to maintain your strength, and were we are going, your going to need as much as you can get."

"I'm willing" I said very calmly.

"Good, then let's set off. We have a long journey"

With that, Erebus rose and took my hand. I turned to Jack and said Goodbye, giving his hand one last squeeze. "Damien misses you terribly" I ended.

"I know" Jack said as he head hung. "I hope one day, I'll see him again"

"I'm sure you will" I said with a smile and took off with Erebus down the hill.

"There is something I must show you first so your soul will be at ease." Erebus guided me down to what looked like a large field, beyond the edge was a dark figure that looked like he was dancing. As we got closer I recognized the figure more and more. He wasn't dancing, but throwing kicks, punches, twists and turns. It was Stark.

"Stark!" I yelled as I let go of Erebus's hand and ran towards him. I saw him stop and turn as he started to run towards me as well.

"Zoey!" He yelled running faster and faster. For Vampires, we were quick, so we didn't run for long before we threw each other into our arms and hugged tightly. Stark swung me around in a circle and nuzzled my neck breathing in my scent.

"I was so worried about you" I whispered into his ear. "I thought something horrible happened to you!" I could feel the tears starting to build up in my eyes.

"I am here and safe" he said as he took his face away from my neck and looked at me in the eyes before softly placing a kiss on my lips. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Erebus brought me. He is taking me to...save Heath"

"Ahh, the lowly human that continues to make trouble." He laughed. "You know Zoey, I know that you have a bond with the human, which out weighs any bond with anyone else, but when is enough, enough?"

I pulled away, "I know, I know. You're not the only person to tell me that" I sounded exasperated.

"No, really, Zoey, I want you to think about that really hard. Are you going to go to his rescue every time he does something stupid?"

"If that stupid thing happened because of me, then yes, I will go to his rescue, as I would expect you to come to mine if it was your fault I was in trouble. Just because I'm a Vampire and he's a Human doesn't mean that it's any different a circumstance."

"Yes, it does Zoey" he said pointedly. "I have had many discussions with Erebus since he brought me here just a day ago, to you, its not a long time, but here, it's like time stops. I feel like I've been here for years. However, that's besides the point, but Erebus has taught me that we should take care of ourselves and our kind. Though, interaction with Humans is supposed to be favorable, we don't risk our skin for their's. It's just not how it works"

"So, if that's true, if you saw someone about to jump off a bridge, you wouldn't try to stop them because they weren't family or close friends? It's the same principle, and one I plan on changing. Just because we require human blood to sustain us, doesn't mean they are nothing but cattle. They are people, and we all were once Human"

"Zoey, I'm so…" he started to say before I cut him off.

"No, I'm done listening. I don't want to talk about it anymore. I'm going to get Heath, I'm going to rescue him. But if you think that humans are no more worthy than a fly, then you might as well start shacking up with Aphrodite. Seems you both have as much hatred for humans as I have a love for them."

"That's not what I was going to say" he took his hands and placed them on my shoulders, "I did not mean to distress you. I just want you to see the light Zoey" he looked into my eyes, seeming to search for any reason, which I wasn't going to give him. "We are Vampire's, we are no longer human. If we let humans continue to endanger us, then we will all die. I have a bad feeling about Heath. I know you have a special bond with him, but I fear for the amount of trouble that he brings. He needs to stay away, or I might be forced to keep him away" he dropped his hands. My mouth was gapping open. "I'm sorry Zoey, but this is how it has to be. Those are my instructions. To protect you and my kind at all costs"

I thought about what he said. Protecting me and our kind. He was right. I wasn't human anymore, but there were so many humans that I still cared about. My Grandma for one. She was my rock, I loved her more than anything else in this world. As much as I didn't want to admit it, my Mom. Through her shell of shallowness, she was still the sweet and loving mother I've always had. Heath, who, we were childhood sweethearts, always managed to cheer me up, even in my down times and never cared that I changed, though I had a sneaky suspicion that it was from the Imprint. I decided to cave, but cave only so much.

"You're right. We should protect our kind no matter what the cost. But only harm those who seek to harm us." I added. I wasn't about to bring an outright war with the Humans like Neferet tried to do. Mine would be justified. I wanted us to be at peace with the Human populations. I looked back at Erebus who was waiting at the top of the hill that overlooked the meadow. "I need to go"

"I know, I will be back soon. Do not worry about me. But I will be worrying about you. I am never far from you Zoey, know that" he took my hand and kissed it, just like he did that first fateful night when he revealed himself to me. I knew from that moment that we were close, close even though we didn't really know each other, we were tied, soul mates.

I smiled and gave him one last hug as I flung my arms around his neck. "I'll be ok. I promise" I said as I let go and turned to walk up the hill. My heart ached to leave him, but I had a bigger mission to accomplish. I walked up the hill to meet Erebus and gave one last look down to the meadow, Stark was still standing there, looking up in my direction. I turned back to Erebus and said, "Let's get this over with"

And with a wave of his hand, a shimmer appeared out of no where and we were gone from the Divine Realm.