by P. C. Cast
“That’s my sister, Zoey,” Kevin said, grinning at me.
“Hi. I hear we’re friends in another world,” she said.
“We are. Good thing too, because I know exactly what to do to make you feel better.”
“Booze and pills?” she asked hopefully.
I easily recognized her attempt to hide the fact that she had a debilitating migraine and was probably still blind.
“She sounds like our Aphrodite, that’s for sure,” Stevie Rae said.
“I don’t know who that is but I know where she’s from,” said Aphrodite. “Nowhere, Oklahoma—right?”
“Different world—same person,” mumbled Rephaim.
“This isn’t a family reunion—it’s a Resistance,” Dragon grumped. “Kevin, you understand that as she has now been here, to our headquarters, she cannot leave.”
“I thought about that, Dragon. And you need to understand that first, this is a reunion. Being part of a Resistance doesn’t mean we also can’t be part of a family. Second, Aphrodite is blind. She hasn’t been able to see anything since we left the House of Night. There is no way she could find her way here again. Now, do I need to go down to the ranch house and have Aphrodite cared for there, or are you going to let us into the cave that was built because of my connection to Old Magick? ”
I’ll admit that I was shocked that Kevin stood up to Dragon. The Swordmaster could absolutely kick my brother’s butt, yet there he was, holding Aphrodite in his arms, going toe-to-toe with him.
“Bryan, Kevin is one of our own. And he is right—we are family.” Anastasia put her hand on her mate’s arm gently. “My love, do you not trust him?”
“Yes. Kevin has proven himself,” Dragon said reluctantly.
“Then we must trust his judgment too.”
“Bring her in,” was all Dragon said, and then he moved aside.
“Anastasia, I’ll need something cool and damp to put over her eyes, and she needs something to drink.” I remembered that in this world Aphrodite was a fully Changed blue vampyre and added, “Wine laced with blood would be perfect.”
“We have those things. I’ll be back in just a moment.” Anastasia hurried away.
Kevin went to the interior of the cave and the closest hearth fire, where he knelt and gently place her on the stone ground where she could lean against the rounded rock wall.
“Rephaim, would you run back to our room and get Aphrodite one of our sleepin’ bags? That’ll help her be more comfortable,” said Stevie Rae. He nodded and hurried away.
Aphrodite cocked her head to the side. “Am I friends with a bumpkin in that other world?”
“Yepper,” said Stevie Rae. “But don’t worry. You’re still nuttier than squirrel turds in our world too.”
“Squirrel turds? Really? I’m feeling like I need to go there and have a serious talk with myself,” Aphrodite said, pressing a shaking hand against the T-shirt that covered her eyes.
I sat beside her. “What’s it been, about forty-five minutes since your vision?”
“Yes,” said Kevin. “She had it just as we were leaving the House of Night. She was so brave. It hit her hard. Her eyes filled with blood and she went blind, but she kept walking—kept moving forward so Neferet wouldn’t know. She’s like a superhero.”
“Kev, you sound besotted. Stop it.” But Aphrodite’s soft tone took the sting out of her words.
“I’m not one hundred percent sure I know what that is, but I think I might be cool with it,” Kevin said.
“It kinda means you’d drink her bathwater, Kev,” Stevie Rae said with a big grin. “And like it.”
“Hum. Aphrodite, would you like me to like that?” he asked.
I punched his arm. “You’re gonna make her roll her eyes, and that’ll hurt.”
“Sorry.” Kevin looked chagrined.
“Aphrodite will be better soon. She just needs to rest,” I said. “Thank you, Anastasia.” I took the clean, wet strip of a linen bandage from the priestess. “Aphrodite, I’m going to take the shirt from your eyes and replace it with a damp cloth. It’ll feel good.”
“Okay,” she said, nodding shakily.
“Keep your eyes closed. Our Aphrodite says that helps,” Stevie Rae added.
“Just breathe, child,” Grandma Redbird said.
“Who’s that?” Aphrodite asked.
“Our grandma,” I said. “You’ll love her. We all do—in whatever world.”
“That’s sweet, Zoeybird. I’ll go see if I can find some nice, hearty soup. That will also help.” Grandma disappeared farther into the cave.
“Okay, here goes,” I said. Gently, I took the bloody T-shirt from Aphrodite’s face. I knew what I was going to see. I mean, I’d helped Aphrodite through the aftermath of more visions than I could count. Still, it was awful. Blood had crusted in the corners and edges of her eyes. Her eyelashes were matted with it. Blood, mascara, and eye shadow had tracked down her face, making her look like a macabre clown.
“Don’t open your eyes. I’ll clean you up a little.” I looked at Anastasia, who was staring in shock at Aphrodite’s face. “I could use another of these cloths.”
“And I could use that blood-laced wine,” Aphrodite said.
“Of course! I’ll be right back.”
“Here’s the sleeping bag,” Rephaim said.
“Aphrodite, I’m gonna lift you up again so that they can put the sleeping bag under you. Is that okay?” asked Kevin.
“Yeah, but don’t go fast. My head feels like it’s going to burst.”
Kevin couldn’t have been gentler with her had she been a newborn. He’s got it bad for her. And that thought was followed by, I wonder where Darius is in this world?
Anastasia hurried back, just in time for me to finish cleaning up Aphrodite’s face. “Okay,” I said, “press this against your eyes, and then I’ll help you drink the wine.”
Instead of doing that, she turned her head toward me—bloody eyes still closed. “We are really good friends, aren’t we?”
“Absolutely,” I said.
“You and I might fight some,” said Stevie Rae, touching Aphrodite’s shoulder gently and then sitting on the other side of her, “especially ’cause you do not like my fashion sense—but you almost died for me. We’re friends too. Real good friends.”
Aphrodite pressed the damp, cool bandage against her eyes and let me guide her hands to the mug of blood-laced wine, which she drained in just a few gulps. Then she settled back against the side of the wall and sighed.
“Better. It is getting better.” Her chin lifted and her head turned toward me again. “Wait. You’ve done this before.”
“Yeah, a lot,” I said.
She smoothed back her hair and drew a deep but shaky breath. “So, how does your Aphrodite cope with being blind?”
“She’s not blind!” Stevie Rae and Kevin said together.
“Then why the hell am I?”
“Aphrodite, is this the first time your eyes have bled during a vision?” I asked.
“Yes. I usually pass out, but not always. Nothing like this has ever happened to me. Is this what happens to your Aphrodite during all of her visions?”
“Yes. Well, all of them since she …” and my words trailed off as I realized what must be happening. “Dragon, you told me Aphrodite didn’t betray you to the Red Army last night, right?”
“That is right.” The Swordmaster came over to crouch near us.
“Of course I didn’t. I’m not a damn monster. I hate this fighting crap.”
“And she hates that Neferet uses her visions as weapons,” Kevin added.
“Kev, I can speak for myself. But, what he said.”
“How long?” I asked.
“I don’t know what you—”
“Sorry, I’m not being clear. How long have yo
u hated the way Neferet uses you?”
She shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do,” Kevin said. “Tell her. Zoey will understand.”
Her head turned in Kevin’s direction. “She might, but no one else will.”
“I did,” he replied.
“I’ll try my best to understand,” said Stevie Rae.
“As will I,” said Rephaim. “Oh, I’m Rephaim. Stevie Rae’s mate. I’m not sure if we’re actually friends in our world, but you do call me Bird Boy, which I like to think of as a nickname rather than slander.”
“No clue what you mean by that,” Aphrodite said. “But hello. You sound tall. That’s one thing in your favor.” Then she cleared her throat before she continued. “I have hated how Neferet uses me since I had the vision of Lenobia and Travis—their friends and their horses—all being murdered.”
“It was you! You are the reason they’re all dead!” Dragon glared from Aphrodite to Kevin. “And you brought her here?”
“Hey, wait. You don’t have the whole story. Aphrodite—”
“Kev! I said I can speak for myself. Dragon Lankford and anyone else listening—I had a horrible vision that showed Lenobia’s death. I was Lenobia. I felt everything she felt as she lost her lover and her friends and the horses she loved more than life. Did you know Lenobia was the last of them to die? That she watched the entire slaughter? I did not go to Neferet with the vision. I was with Neferet when it happened. She acted like she cared for me. She helped me through it. All the while she was only gathering details so that she’d know where to send her awful Red Army. And that’s when I started hating her.”
“But you didn’t leave. You didn’t join the Resistance,” Dragon said.
“No. I didn’t stand up like I should have. I was complacent. I did avoid her. I started spending a lot of time alone, just in case I had a vision. And when I couldn’t avoid her, when she knew I was having a vision, or when she bullied me into admitting I’d had one, I only gave her confusing details and convoluted truths. It’s only recently that I’ve realized that still makes me complicit. So, I decided to stand up when I saw you in the creek. And I’m going to keep standing up. I don’t want more blood on my hands.” She sighed. “Could I get another glass of wine, please? There’s champagne in my suitcase. You did bring it, didn’t you, Kev?”
“Prove it,” Dragon said.
Aphrodite’s full lips twisted into a very familiar sardonic half smile. “Well, I can’t get it myself right now, but I can prove I brought champagne if someone gets the damn suitcase for me.”
“You know that is not what I meant!” Dragon yelled. “I’m asking for proof that you’ve changed sides.”
“Bryan, let the girl rest first,” said Anastasia.
“No, my love. We are at war. There is no ‘rest first’ when you’re at war. Aphrodite, if you have turned against Neferet, prove it.”
“Uh, Dragon, I can prove it,” I said.
“This should be good,” Aphrodite said.
I bumped her leg with mine and whispered, “Not helping.” Then I faced Dragon, feeling a little like my brother. “Our world’s Aphrodite only started having bloody-eye visions after she made the decision to become a force for good—a decision Nyx approved of. I know because the Goddess has appeared several times in our world. Aphrodite has made a change. I’d bet my life on it.”
“So would I,” said Kevin.
“That happened in your world. Not ours,” said Dragon stubbornly.
“Fine. How about this—do you know that Neferet commanded the Bedlam football game to take place tomorrow night at Skelly Stadium?”
“Everyone in Oklahoma knows that,” said Dragon.
“And most of Texas too,” added Anastasia.
“Figures. Bumpkins really like their football.” Aphrodite shook her head in disgust and then grimaced at the pain the movement caused. “But what you don’t know is what I just saw in a vision. As her idea of a New Year’s Day celebration, Neferet is going to command her Red Army to slaughter the losing team. All of them. Players—cheerleaders, which I find really unacceptable—and coaches. Every single one of them. And after that no one will dare cross her.”
“That’s horrible!” Stevie Rae said.
“Oh, Goddess! That’s so bad!” said Anastasia.
“Wait, Bedlam?” My shocked gaze found my brother’s.
He nodded. “Yes. Heath will be there as starting quarterback for OU.”
28
Zoey
Aphrodite’s vision sent shock waves through the Resistance. Dragon and Anastasia instantly went into motion, herding all of us—Kevin, Anastasia, Stevie Rae, Rephaim, Grandma Redbird, and me into a place they called the briefing center—an oval-shaped room with a low ceiling and only one entrance and exit. Someone had placed flat-topped rocks, big enough to be makeshift chairs, in a rough circle. We all sat. Even Aphrodite, who was just beginning to get her vision back.
“I’m assuming you came here with a plan.” Dragon turned his attention to me as soon as we were all seated.
“I did,” I said.
“Now would be a good time for you to share that plan,” he prodded.
“Okay, but I’m going to tell you a lot of stuff about my world, and I know you’ll have questions, so please just let me get finished before you start asking them.”
“That sounds reasonable,” Dragon said as Anastasia nodded.
I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans and launched into my two-part plan, explaining as quickly and thoroughly as I could about Kalona—who he really is, what he did in our world—and I even told them about my circle and how I’d need the power of those with elemental affinities to help contain him when I free him until we can convince him to work with us to sway vampyres everywhere into believing the truth—that Neferet is not following the will of Nyx. I told them about how Aphrodite’s sacrifice in our world had allowed our red vampyres and fledglings to maintain their humanity. I also told them about our Neferet. They’d already read her journal. Kevin had brought it with him from our world, so they knew her origins, but I gave them the rest of the details—how she’d embraced Darkness and the White Bull, and become a Tsi Sgili witch, immortal and so completely in league with evil that she considered tendrils of Darkness her children.
When I finished, the room was completely silent, and into that silence Aphrodite’s words cut like a boat through placid waters.
“Good plan, but if we’re going to stop the slaughter tomorrow there’s only time for the part where I somehow give the Red Army back their humanity.”
“Yeah, I realize that,” I said miserably.
“Tendrils of Darkness?” Kevin spoke up. “What do they look like?”
Stevie Rae shivered. “They’re super disgustin’. Like giant black snakes with no eyes and big ol’ nasty teeth-filled mouths. In our world Neferet kept them hidden for a while from blue vamps, but they can’t hide from anyone who’s trafficked with Darkness.”
“What does that mean?” Dragon asked.
“It means that Neferet could hide them from me or you or Anastasia, but she couldn’t hide them from Stevie Rae or Rephaim, because Rephaim used to be a creature of Darkness and Stevie Rae was allied with Darkness before Aphrodite’s sacrifice saved her.”
“Oh,” Kevin said, looking sick. “That’s why she couldn’t hide them from me today in her office.”
“You saw something?” I asked.
He cracked his knuckles and then wiped a hand across his face. “Yeah, I did. They slithered from the shadows behind her. I didn’t know what the hell I was seeing. I actually thought I was imagining it, and then I kinda forgot about it when Aphrodite had her vision. But they were what Stevie Rae described. Horrible snake things. They didn’t look very solid, though. It was like they were still part of the shadows—as weird as that sounds.”<
br />
“Doesn’t sound weird at all, Kev,” Stevie Rae said. “Sounds like she’s just started manifesting them.”
“Wait, what?” Aphrodite took the cloth from her eyes and squinted at Kevin. “I didn’t see anything.”
“Which is further proof that our Aphrodite has been immature and selfish, but never been allied with Darkness, isn’t it, Zoeybird?” Grandma asked.
“Definitely,” I said. Aphrodite frowned and started to protest, so I hurried on. “And it’s also proof that we have run out of time.”
“You think our Neferet is becoming immortal,” Anastasia said.
“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of,” I agreed.
“Then we have to take as much power as possible away from her now, before it’s too late,” said Aphrodite. “She’s already so fucking awful. She almost took over your world, and there she didn’t even have a Red Army.”
“She’ll be unstoppable as the leader of those creatures once she fully manifests the powers of Darkness and becomes immortal,” Dragon said grimly. “We won’t stand a chance.”
“It is all quite horrible,” Grandma said, shaking her head in disgust. “Neferet has upset the balance of Light and Darkness by using those poor, tormented red vampyres. It is a true abomination of nature.”
With a jolt I sat up super straight. “Grandma! What did you just say?”
“That Neferet is an abomination of nature?”
“No! No, not Neferet!” I could barely contain my excitement. “Red vampyres! Her Red Army is an abomination of nature—a twisting of us, of blue vampyres. That’s good. That’s really, really good.”
“Your sister is making no sense,” Dragon said to Kevin.
“Yeah, she is!” Stevie Rae’s blue eyes were sparkling with excitement. “You’re thinkin’ ’bout what the sprite said about Old Magick, aren’t ya?”
“Yes!” I tried to explain. “I’m no expert in Old Magick, but I’ve wielded it successfully and I do know some truths about it. First, it’s capricious—changeable. Old Magick doesn’t take sides. It didn’t just work for me because I’m one of the good guys, same as it didn’t work for Kev because he is too. It worked because they recognized our ancient blood and because we gave them acceptable payments.”
