Chapter 7

Zoey

It hurt. Everything hurt. My screams and Aphrodite's echoed through the jet. I couldn't hear anything anyone was saying to us. Then a blinding white light filled the back of my eyelids. All of a sudden I was standing in a field and I noticed that Aphrodite was standing a few feet away from me.

"Zoey?" Aphrodite's voice wavered.

"W-what am I doing here?" I asked.

"I don't know," Aphrodite cried.

Out of nowhere, I, well vision Zoey, walked towards one of the trees that outlined the field. There was a deep hole in one of the trees. Vision Zoey reached in and pulled out a dark pink bundle. "Hello, my baby," she cooed.

Aphrodite and I gasped and looked at each other. A vision Stark came up behind them and wrapped his arms around vision Zoey. "How's our little girl doing? Is she being good for mommy?"

Vision Zoey looked over her shoulder and smiled at vision Stark. Suddenly, Nyx appeared in front of us. "Hello, my daughters," Nyx said, smiling. "Zoey, my dear, you are not the one having these visions. She is." Nyx placed her hands on my stomach. "It is a miracle that I could actually allow this... That is why the demigods are here. They must protect you while you do what you have to about Neferet." Nyx's expression was sad, but then it changed to pure joy. "This little one that you are carrying, holds the key to the future. She is special just like her parents."

"Why me? I'm only seventeen. I can't have a baby now." I was freaking out on the inside.

"Yes, you can. With my guidance and the help of your friends, you can accomplish anything. Believe in yourself. Your daughter has extraordinary gifts. Cleo Dakota Redbird." Nyx smiled.

I could feel the tears streaming down my face as I nodded. "That's a beautiful name." My voice was barely audible.

Aphrodite wrapped her arms around me and I could feel her vibration from the silent sobs that wracked her body.

"Now, you will see some of what cannot be prevented," she said before kissing both of us on the forehead and disappearing.

The whole scene around us morphed into the Tulsa House of Night and it was on fire. My eyes widened in shock an alarm. There was a line up of horses down the street with Travis and Lenobia. My circle and I stood in front of the school. My heart thudded painfully in my chest. Stark and Darius were nowhere to be found and me and my circle were facing off against Neferet. A sphere of elemental energy/power grew from my hands and I thrusted it outwards, towards Neferet. Neferet threw a sphere of darkness towards me at the same instant. The two spheres collided and everything seemed to explode. Aphrodite and I were thrown backwards, back into our bodies and out of the vision.

I looked up and saw everyone around us. Stark looked relieved yet scared. I looked at Aphrodite who was staring at me. I shakily pushed myself to my feet and ran to the bathroom. When I got there, I was about to lock the door when Aphrodite slipped in and locked it for me. I shrugged and turned to the mirror. I didn't look any different.

"Do I look different to you?" I asked, pulled my shirt up to examine my stomach more closely.

"No, not yet. It's not quite visible unless you look closely, but I can see a tiny, extremely tiny, little bump," Aphrodite said, pointing it out.

I put my hands to where she pointed. It was hard. Not squishy like it should be. "What am I going to do? Do you think that Stark will leave me because he doesn't want to help?"

Aphrodite put a hand on my shoulder. "Look inside yourself. Is he going to leave you?"

I took a deep breath. "No," I said, completely believing myself.

"Now, come on, Zoey. Your boyfriend is freaking out."

"I'm going to be a mother," I whispered.

Aphrodite grinned. "And I'm going to be an aunt... Are you going to tell everyone now?"

I thought about this. Would they care? I mean, Nyx said that the demigods were here to protect me. "Yeah. You heard Nyx."

Aphrodite nodded before turning to open the door. She grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the bathroom. As soon as I stepped into the area where everyone else was, Stark enveloped me in a hug. I hugged him back tightly. Then I pulled back and placed his hands on my stomach. I willed for him to read my eyes and realize what was going on. Fortunately, luck was on my side because he sucked in a sharp breath and staggered backwards.

"S-Stark?" I stepped forward tentatively.

Stark flinched back. A sob escaped my lips and Aphrodite and Darius caught me before I could crumple. They sat me on a seat and sat down next to me. Aphrodite leaned over to Darius and whispered something in his ear. His eyes widened in shock, but he nodded and picked me up bridal style. "High Priestess Thanatos and Kalona, if you would please follow me."

Darius carried me to the back of the plane with Thanatos and Kalona in tow. He sat me down on one of the seats and sat next to me. I cleared my throat and began to speak. "N-Nyx came to me. In that vision I shared with Aphrodite. Well, it wasn't my vision. It was hers." I placed my hands on my stomach causing the two in front of me to gasp. "Yeah. I know. I'm having a baby and I don't know what to do. Stark probably hates me.. and... and-" I was cut off by my own sobs.

Darius draped a comforting arm around me. "It will be okay, Priestess. Nyx always has a reason."

"The Warrior is right, Zoey. Nyx has a good reason for doing this. Just pay attention to your intuition," Thanatos said.

"Nyx said that the demigods were here to protect her."

"She said the both of you, Zoey. Not just Cleo," Aphrodite said as she walked through the curtain that separated the two halves of the plane.

"Cleo?" Kalona wondered.

"Zoey's baby's name," Aphrodite answered with a smile.

"That's beautiful," Thanatos said.

I smiled. "Nyx picked it. Cleo Dakota Redbird."

"Zoey, I think it's time to tell the others," Aphrodite explained.

I took a deep breath before nodding. This should go well. I hope it goes better then I'm expecting it to.

A/N: Shocking news ain't it? Wow. What is Nyx up to? What is going on with Stark? Will he stay or will he go?