by P. C. Cast
“Exactly,” Anastasia said firmly.
“The only side Aphrodite is on is her own,” Dragon said. “We all need to remember that.”
“Not to be mean or anything, but that’s what we used to think in our world too, and we were wrong,” said Stevie Rae. “Without Aphrodite I’d be as gross as all the red vamps here in your world. Well, all the red vamps but Kev.”
“There’s a lot more to Aphrodite than what she shows the public,” Zoey said.
“If my opinion counts I’d like to say that even though she takes some getting used to, and I don’t like that she calls me Bird Boy, Aphrodite has far more Light in her than Darkness.”
Dragon stared at Rephaim for several long breaths, then said, “Your opinion counts very much, as I believe you have known Darkness intimately.”
“I have, Swordmaster.” Rephaim bowed his head slightly to Dragon. “As have you, though perhaps not in this world.”
Dragon bowed back to Rephaim. “There is much you and I could discuss.”
“I look forward to it,” said Rephaim.
“See! I knew you and Dragon would’ve been real good friends!” Stevie Rae said, resting her head on Rephaim’s shoulder and yawning loudly.
“I look forward to hearing the story of your courtship,” said Anastasia. “But I imagine Stevie Rae would like to be shown to a sleeping chamber first.”
Stevie Rae tried unsuccessfully to stifle another yawn. “That would be awesome. I can stay awake when the sun’s up, but it’s not easy.”
“Hey, go ahead and sleep. I’ll fill Dragon and Anastasia in on our plan and then grab a few hours of sleep myself,” said Zoey. “Um, can you guys tell Kevin I’m here? I don’t think it’s smart for me to just walk into the House of Night and start looking for him.”
“Tatsuwa can help you! Can’t you, handsome?” Anastasia cooed at the big bird, who actually purred back at her as he rubbed his head against her cheek. “Sweet boy!” she laughed softly.
“The bird knows Kevin?” Zoey asked.
“Oh, absolutely. And he can get your brother a note from you,” Anastasia said.
“Like a carrier pigeon?” Stevie Rae asked.
“More like a Saint Bernard,” said Dragon. “Anastasia will show you.”
“But first, are you hungry, darlings, or would you like to be shown to your rooms?” asked Anastasia.
“I’m pretty full of cookies,” said Stevie Rae, rubbing her eyes sleepily. “Rephaim, do ya need something to eat?”
“All I need is to have you sleep in my arms.” He wrapped his arm around Stevie Rae’s shoulders and held her close.
“That sounds better than a Kenny Chesney love song,” she said.
“If Zoey and Sylvia remain here with Bryan, I will show Stevie Rae and Rephaim to one of our empty bedchambers,” said Anastasia. Then she stroked the raven’s head again and told him, “I would like for you to remain here as well, my friend. Zoey will need you to get her message to Kevin.”
“Redbird Boy! ” Tatsuwa croaked.
“Wait, y’all can talk when you’re ravens?” Stevie Rae said, butting Rephaim with her shoulder.
“I had no idea,” said her shocked-looking mate.
“We’ll need to work on that,” said Stevie Rae. Then she hugged Grandma Redbird and Z. “See y’all at dusk.”
Z hugged her back before saying, “Hey, you guys wouldn’t happen to have any brown pop, would you? Anything with caffeine and sugar in it will work. I need to stay awake and focused.”
“Yes, there are several coolers in the main hall of the cave,” said Anastasia. “It’s just inside here and on the way to the sleeping chambers. I can show you, and you can return here.”
“Awesome!” said Z.
Then the four of them entered the enormous cavern that reminded Stevie Rae of the time she’d gone on her eighth-grade field trip to Missouri’s Meramec Cavern—minus the cool stalactites and stalagmites.
The main part of the sprite-made cave was a huge underground circle, and dotting the circumference of it were groups of people—mostly fledglings and blue vampyres, but Stevie Rae noticed that there were several humans among them, mostly either young or very old. Each of the groups were positioned around a hearth fire, and they were all busy. Some were cooking food, some were mending clothes, and others simply appeared to be telling stories. Cats padded around the cave as well, finding the best laps to rest in or the coziest spots close to crackling hearth fires. Stevie Rae thought the whole place was awesomesauce.
“It is bedtime,” Anastasia explained as they moved across the wide circle. “So, not as busy as usual. Typically, the Warriors will be practicing sword fighting or archery and teaching the young ones ways to protect themselves.”
And then Anastasia paused in her explanation, as one of the blue fledglings had noticed them, and was pointing at Stevie Rae with a shocked, open-mouthed expression.
“Uh, Anastasia, that girl over there looks like she just saw a boogerman, and that boogerman is me,” said Stevie Rae.
“Indeed,” said Anastasia. “I will handle this now.” The lovely priestess motioned for Stevie Rae to walk with her, and together they strode to the center of the cavern. Anastasia clapped her hands several times, focusing everyone’s attention on her. When she spoke, her words were clear and sharp and filled the cavern. “Everyone, I want you to meet our newest members of the Resistance. This is Stevie Rae. Yes, she is a red vampyre, but like Kevin, she is also our ally. Treat her as you would a friend. Her mate is Rephaim, and her other companion is Zoey Redbird, sister to our Kevin.”
Everyone stared, but there were several greetings offered, and to Stevie Rae’s surprise, people soon stopped staring and went back to whatever they had been working on—well, everyone went back to what they’d been working on except one tall, dark, and very handsome blue vampyre. He approached their little group, but he only had eyes for Zoey.
“Oh, lordy,” Stevie Rae said under her breath—then she and Z said his name together.
“Erik!”
“Hey there, beautiful. I don’t think I know you, and thought I’d introduce myself.” His grin was double-watt, movie-star brilliant. “But it seems you already know me.”
“Yepper, we sure do,” Stevie Rae said, stifling a giggle.
“At least he’s part of the Resistance,” Z said to Stevie Rae, ignoring Erik’s seductive smile.
“Well, Z, he mighta grown up,” Stevie Rae said.
“You stay positive, Stevie Rae. That’s one of the things I love about you,” Z said.
“Sorry, I’m confused,” Erik said.
“We know!” Z and Stevie Rae said together before they dissolved into girlish giggles.
Rephaim stepped up, offering his hand to Erik. “I am Rephaim. It is good to meet you. Again.”
Erik took his hand but frowned slightly. “ ‘Again’? I don’t remember meeting you.” Then his confusion cleared. “Oh, I get it. You’re a human fan.”
“Something like that,” Rephaim said.
Then Erik turned to Zoey. “You do seem familiar to me, though. Have we met?”
Z laughed softly. “Not in this world, Erik. But it is good to see you here, with the Resistance.”
“Yeah, well, this war is crappy for Hollywood. My career sucks right now, so this fighting stuff definitely needs to end.”
“What’d you say about him growing up?” Z asked Stevie Rae.
“I take it back,” Stevie Rae giggled.
Erik opened his mouth to respond, but Anastasia spoke first. “Erik, Johnny B, and Drew are bringing in new supplies from the main trail. Could you be a darling and see if they need your muscular help?”
“Anything for you, milady!” Erik bowed to Anastasia with a flourish. Then he winked at Zoey—“I’ll see you later, Miss Zoey.”—before striding away.
> “Not if she sees you first,” Stevie Rae said, sotto voce.
“I take it you know Erik in your world,” Anastasia said.
“Very well,” Z said.
“He is very, um, young,” Anastasia said carefully.
“Yep, but he gets better,” Z said.
“If he’s forced to,” added Stevie Rae. “Don’t let him get by on his looks. There’s really a lot more to him, but right now he doesn’t even know that.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” said Anastasia.
“Hey, why isn’t it smoky in here with all of those fires?” Zoey asked.
“Actually, we aren’t sure. All of this, except that small entrance up there, was created by sprites, so we’re just grateful for a safe haven, and the fact that it isn’t filled with smoke.” Anastasia headed to the left side of the big room where a stream bubbled musically from somewhere in the stone floor and ran deep and long down the side of the cavern before disappearing into the stone again. Floating in the stream were lots of cans and bottles, all held together with netting. “There you can find cold brown pop, bottled water, and even wine.”
Zoey went to the stream and fluttered her fingers in the water. “Wow! That’s really cold!”
“Yes, and it runs in and out of this whole network of tunnels and caves. There is even a branch of the stream we use as our bathrooms.”
“Good job, Kev!” Stevie Rae gushed as Rephaim fished a couple of bottles of water from the stream, and a can of brown pop, which he tossed to Z.
“Thanks! See you two at sunset.”
Stevie Rae blew Zoey a kiss, and then turned back to Anastasia. “This cave is beautiful. It’s like it’s been here for centuries.”
“I think of it the same way—as ancient as the sprites who carved it. And perhaps it is. Perhaps it was just waiting for them to reveal what time had covered.”
“That’s a nice thought,” said Rephaim, putting his arm around Stevie Rae’s shoulders and holding her close.
“Come, your room is not far from here.”
They followed Anastasia from the main cavern. There were several tunnel choices, but each was marked with different colored chalk lines that looked like arrows—some pointed toward the main cavern, and some away.
“We all have excellent night vision, but as there are humans here,” Anastasia paused and added, “and other types of beings …” Rephaim nodded in recognition that she was referring to him. “You’ll find lit lanterns hanging from the walls, as well as a lantern in your room. You only need to remember to follow the red chalk arrows to return to the main cavern. The other colors are coded as well. We’re following blue arrows. They lead to the sleeping rooms. Yellow lead to the bathroom area, where you can relieve yourself as well as freshen up, but be forewarned: the water is always cold,” Anastasia said with a shiver.
“That’s no problem. When we first moved into the tunnels under the depot they were way grosser than this,” said Stevie Rae.
“So, you use the old Tulsa tunnels in your world too?”
“Yes, but from what Kevin told us, ours are different than the tunnels the Red Army inhabits,” said Rephaim.
“I would imagine so, as the red vampyres in your world are so much different than ours.”
“Hopefully not for long,” said Stevie Rae.
“That seems an impossible dream,” responded Anastasia.
“But I’m livin’ proof it’s not impossible!”
“And that is very true. You and Kevin are hope personified for us.” They’d come to a narrow tunnel and an area that reminded Stevie Rae of Swiss cheese, with lots of little alcoves holed out of each side of the tunnel. Several were hung with blankets that were closed, blocking the view inside them. Anastasia stopped before one that had a blanket pulled back. “You should find this comfortable. And, as I said, if you need to freshen up, follow the yellow arrows, and then return by following the blue. Is there anything else you need?”
Rephaim and Stevie Rae shared a long, intimate look as she said, “No, thank you, Anastasia. We already have everything we need.”
“Then I will wish you only the pleasantest of dreams.”
Finally alone, Stevie Rae and Rephaim entered the little carved-out space, untying the blanket from the side of the entrance and letting it fall closed behind them.
The room was tidy and cozy. A lantern sat on the flat top of a chair-sized mound of Oklahoma sandstone. Its light flickered across the curved stone walls, giving the effect of a fireplace. Not far from the lantern a thick pallet had been made up with two side-by-side sleeping bags. The pillows and comforter were fluffy and clean and smelled like lavender soap.
Stevie Rae picked up a pillow and sniffed. “I’ll bet Grandma Redbird has something to do with this.”
“I have learned never to bet against you.”
“I always say you’re a quick learner,” Stevie Rae said. She put the pillow down and stood awkwardly beside the bed, suddenly and unexpectedly nervous.
“What is it? Why do you look uncomfortable?” Rephaim asked her.
“Well. Um. We’ve never slept together like this before.”
“But isn’t this a thing to celebrate—not a thing to be nervous about?”
“Yeah, but tell that to my heart. I think it might beat outta my chest.” She took his hand and placed it over her heart.
He smiled down at her and drew her into his familiar embrace. “Remember what you used to tell me when I was frightened by new things?”
She nodded, suddenly breathless. “Yes. I said just hold tight to me and it’ll all be okay.”
“Stevie Rae, my only and forever love, just hold tight to me and it will all be okay.”
He bent and kissed her, and Stevie Rae felt her bones go liquid. His kiss blotted out their surroundings, and he became her world. Carefully, Rephaim guided her to the sleeping pallet, cradling her against him so that their bodies pressed intimately together, and the kiss went from soft and sweet to hot and insistent. Time seemed to pause. Sunrise always made her languid, and Stevie Rae had often wondered what it would be like to make love with Rephaim when she was so vulnerable. She’d dreamed about it while he was soaring through the sunlit sky. She’d longed to feel his strong arms around her, and his beautiful body enter hers—joining them fully before they drifted off to sleep together.
Soon Stevie Rae realized reality was much, much better than her dreams had been.
Slowly, gently, Rephaim took off her clothes, and then, just as unhurriedly, Stevie Rae undressed him, taking her time to run her hands and her lips down his lean, muscular chest. She reveled in his beauty and the smoothness of his brown skin.
In turn, he took his time exploring her body. They had made love many times, but never during the day—and Stevie Rae felt suspended in time and pleasure. His touch was like fire. It made her smolder and glow. She loved how they were able to take their time. She gasped with the pleasure his hands and mouth brought her, and she made him tremble with desire as she touched him intimately, thoroughly. Stevie Rae covered her lover with kisses until neither of them could bear it any longer. Then their bodies joined and they moved together in a dance as ancient as love itself.
And at the moment of release, Rephaim called her name, and she his, while their lips met and their breath mingled. Then, wrapped in Rephaim’s very human embrace, Stevie Rae sent a prayer of thanks to Nyx for allowing them this magickal time together before they drifted off to sleep—finally, finally together.
26
Other Kevin
“I’m coming with you,” said Aphrodite firmly. “And stop pacing. You’re making me unattractively dizzy.”
“You couldn’t be unattractive,” Kevin said, and then added quickly. “But no, you’re not coming with me.”
“Uh, I’m way too used to compliments to be thrown off by one. And I didn’t ask to
come with you. It was a statement.”
Kevin stopped pacing and faced her. “What if Dragon doesn’t let you go?”
“Then you’ll make him.”
He ran his hand through his hair and stifled the urge to shake her. “Dragon is a Swordmaster. And an extremely experienced Warrior. I can’t take him. Not even to protect you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Kev, I didn’t mean you should fight him. I meant that you’ll help me reason with him—again. And, honestly, being ‘caught’ by the Resistance can’t be any worse than living with the stress of Neferet’s unending threats and the way she uses me.”
Kevin studied her, noticing again the dark circles under her eyes and the dull look of her skin. And she was so thin! It worried him. Did she never really eat or sleep?
“The Resistance will want to use your visions too,” he said honestly.
She shrugged. “So? At least then they’ll be used for good.” Aphrodite held up her hand to stop Kevin from replying. “Yes, I have come to the realization that Neferet is no longer following Nyx’s will. Yes, it took me too damn long to face that realization. But now I have, and I need to do something more than sit here and wait for my next vision to show what horrible thing Neferet is going to do. You’re responsible for that, so it’s only right that I go with you to the Resistance.”
“I’m responsible?”
“Of course. If a red vampyre can come back from being a monster and actually turn into a good guy, then I can stand up and do the right thing too.”
His smile was slow. “You think I’m a good guy.”
“Don’t get a big head. I didn’t say great. How long until sunset?”
“Fifteen really long minutes.”
“Okay, so, here’s what we’re going to do. As soon as the sun sets we’ll go to Neferet’s office. I’ll tell her you’re going to drive me to Dallas because I need some Nordstrom shopping therapy to replace the boot I broke out there in that damn field in Bugtussle. There’s no way we can make the trip in one day, so that’ll give us plenty of time to meet with your sister and the Resistance and get back here—if we’re getting back here.”
