The web of Darkness caught it, slicing through the light with inhumane sharpness and entrapping it.
Kalona opened his mouth with a soundless scream.
What is it? I demand to know what is happening! Neferet cried.
Your Consort has returned, Tsi Sgili.
Neferet stared as the globe of imprisoned light was wrenched from the air and, with a terrible hissing, Darkness plunged Kalonas soul through the sockets of his eyes and back into his body.
The winged immortal writhed in pain. His hands lifted to cover his face, and he drew panting, ragged breaths.
Kalona! My Consort! As she would have done when she was a young healer, Neferet moved automatically. She pressed her palms over Kalonas hands, quickly and efficiently centered herself, and said, Soothe him remove his pain make his agony like the red sun setting into the horizongone after a momentary slash through the waiting night sky.
The shudders that wracked Kalonas body began to lessen almost instantly. The winged immortal drew a deep breath. Though his hands trembled, he clasped Neferets tightly, removing them from his face. Then, opened his eyes. They were the deep amber color of whisky, clear and coherent. He was completely himself again.
Youve returned to me! For a moment Neferet was so filled with relief that he was awake and aware that she almost wept. Your mission is complete. Neferet brushed away the tentacles that clung stubbornly to Kalonas body, frowning at them because they seemed so reluctant to withdraw their hold on her lover.
Take me from the earth. His voice was gravelly with disuse, but his words were lucid. To the sky. I need to see the sky.
Yes, of course, my love. Neferet waved at the door and it reopened. Warrior! My Consort awakens. Help him to the castle rooftop!
The Son of Erebus who had annoyed her so recently obeyed her command without question, though Neferet noted he looked shocked at Kalonas sudden reanimation.
Wait until you know the whole of it. Neferet speared him a superior smirk. Very soon you and the other Warriors will take orders only from meor you will perish. The thought pleased her as she followed the two men out of the bowels of the ancient fortress of Capri, up and up until finally they emerged from the long length of stone steps onto the rooftop.
It was past midnight. The moon hung toward the horizon, yellow and heavy though not yet full.
Help him to the bench and then leave us, Neferet ordered, gesturing to the ornately carved marble bench that rested near the edge of the castles rooftop, affording a truly magnificent view of the glistening Mediterranean. But Neferet had no interest in the beauty that surrounded her. She waved away the Warrior, dismissing him from her mind even though she knew he would be notifying the High Council that her Consorts soul had returned to his body.
That didnt matter now. That could be dealt with later.
Only two things mattered now: Kalona had returned to her, and Zoey Redbird was dead.
CHAPTER TWO
Neferet
Speak to me. Tell me everything slowly and clearly. I want to savor each word. Neferet went to Kalona, kneeling before him, stroking the soft, dark wings that unfurled loosely around the immortal as he sat on the bench, face raised to the night sky, bronzed body bathed in the golden glow of the moon. She tried to keep herself from trembling in anticipation of his touchof the return of his cold passion, his frozen heat.
What would you have me say? He didnt meet her eyes. Instead he opened his face to the sky, as if he could drink in the heavens above them.
His question took her aback. Her lust abated and her hand ceased stroking his wing.
I would have you give me the details of our victory so that I might savor the retelling of it with you. She spoke slowly, thinking that perhaps his brain might still be slightly addled from the recent displacement of his soul.
Our victory? he said.
Neferets green eyes narrowed. Indeed. You are my Consort. Your victory is mine, as mine is yours.
Your kindness is almost divine. Have you become a goddess during my absence?
Neferet studied him closely. He still wasnt looking at her; his voice was almost expressionless. Was he being impudent? She shrugged off his question, though she continued to watch him closely. What happened in the Otherworld? How did Zoey die?
She knew what he would say the instant his amber eyes finally found hers, though childishly she covered her ears and began to shake her head back and forth, back and forth as he spoke the words that were like a sword stroke to her soul.
Zoey Redbird is not dead.
Neferet stood and forced her hands from her ears. She stalked several paces from Kalona, staring unseeingly out at the liquid sapphire of the night sea. She breathed slowly, carefully, attempting to control her seething emotions. When finally she knew she could do so without shrieking in anger to the sky, she spoke.
Why? Why did you not complete your quest?
It was your quest, Neferet. Never mine. You forced me to return to a realm from which Id been banished. What happened was predictable: Zoeys friends rallied about her. With their aid she healed her shattered soul and found herself again.
Why did you not stop it from happening? Her voice was frigid. She didnt so much as glance at him.
Nyx.
Neferet heard the name leave his lips as if hed spoken a prayersoft, low, reverent. Jealousy speared her.
What of the goddess? She almost spat the question.
She intervened.
She did what? Neferet whirled around. Disbelief tinged with fear made her words breathless, incredulous. Do you expect me to believe that Nyx actually interfered with mortal choice?
No, Kalona said, sounding weary again. She didnt interfere; she intervened, and only after Zoey had already healed herself. Nyx blessed her for it. That blessing was part of her and her Warriors salvation.
Zoey lives. Neferets voice was flat, cold, lifeless.
She does.
Then you owe me the subservience of your immortal soul. She started to walk away from him, toward the rooftop exit.
Where are you going? What will happen next?
Disgusted by what she perceived as weakness in his voice, Neferet turned to him. She drew herself up tall and proud, and held out her arms so that the sticky threads that pulsed around her could brush her skin freely, caressingly.
What will happen next? It is quite simple. I will ensure Zoey is drawn back to Oklahoma. There, on my own terms, I will complete the task you failed.
To her retreating back the immortal asked, And what of me?
Neferet paused and glanced over her shoulder. You will return to Tulsa, too, only separately. I have need of you, but you cannot be with me publically. Do you not remember, my love, that you are a killer now? Heath Lucks death was your doing.
Our doing, he said.
She smiled silkily. Not according to the High Council. She met his eyes. This is what is going to happen. I need you to regain your strength quickly. By dusk tomorrow I will have to report to the High Council that your soul has returned to your body, and that you confessed to me you killed the human boy because you thought his hatred for me a threat. I will tell them because you believed you were protecting me, I was merciful in your punishment. I only had you flogged one hundred strokes and then banished you from my side for one century.
Kalona struggled to sit. Neferet was pleased to see anger flash in his amber eyes.
You expect to be bereft of my touch for a century?
Of course not. I will graciously allow you to return to my side after your wounds have healed. Until then I will still have your touch; it will simply be away from the prying eyes of the public.
His brow lifted. She thought how arrogant he looked, even weakened and defeated.
How long do you expect me to skulk in the shadows, pretending to heal from nonexistent wounds?
I expect you to be absent from my side until your wounds do heal. With a quick, precise movement, Neferet brought her wrist to her lips and bit deeply, instantly drawing a circle of blood. Then she began to make a swirling motion with her uplifted arm, sifting through the air while sticky threads of Darkness slithered greedily around her wrist, attaching to the blood like leeches. She ground her teeth together, forcing herself to remain unflinching, even when the sharpness of the tentacles stabbed her over and over. When they seemed bloated enough, Neferet spoke softly, lovingly to them. Youve taken your payment. Now you must do my bidding. She looked from the throbbing strands of Darkness to her immortal lover. Lash him deeply. One hundred times. Neferet hurled Darkness at Kalona.
The weakened immortal only had time to unfurl his wings and begin to vault for the edge of the castles roof. The razor threads caught him midstride. They wrapped around his wings at the sensitive base where they met his spine. Instead of leaping from the rooftop he was trapped, pinned against the ancient stone of the balustrade while Darkness began to slowly, methodically, slice furrows into his naked back.
Neferet watched only until his proud, handsome head sagged in defeat and his body jerked convulsively with every cutting stroke.
Do not mar him permanently. I plan to enjoy the beauty of his skin again, she said before turning her back on Kalona and walking purposefully from the blood-soaked rooftop.
It seems I must do everything myself, and there is so much to do so much to do, she whispered to the Darkness that flitted about her ankles.
From the shadows within shadows Neferet thought she caught the outline of a massive bull watching her with approval and pleasure.
Neferet smiled.
CHAPTER THREE
Zoey
For the zillionth time I thought about what an amazing place Sgiachs throne room was. She was an ancient vampyre queen, the Great Taker of Heads, uber-powerful and surrounded by her own personal Warriors known as Guardians. Hell, way back in the day shed even taken on the Vampyre High Council and won, but her castle wasnt a nasty-outdoor-plumbing-medieval-version-of-camping (gross). Sgiachs castle was a fortress, but it wasas they say over here in Scotlanda posh castle. I swear the view from any of the sea-facing windows, but especially her throne room, is so incredible that it looks like it should be on HD TV and not in front of me, in real life.
Its beautiful here. Okay, talking to myselfespecially so soon after being, well, kinda sorta crazy in the Otherworldmight possibly be a not-so-good idea. I sighed and shrugged. Whatever. With Nala not here, Stark mostly out of it, Aphrodite doing stuff Id rather not imagine with Darius, and Sgiach off doing something magickal or kicking ass in superhero-like training with Seoras, talking to myself seems like the only option.
I was simply checking my emailnothing magickal or ass-kicking about that.
I suppose she should have made me jump. I mean, the queen seemed to materialize from the air beside me, but I guess being all shattered and crazy in the Otherworld had given me a pretty high spookiness tolerance. Plus, I felt a weird bond with this vampyre queen. Yeah, she was awe-inspiring and had mad powers and all, but in the weeks since Stark and I had come back, she had been a fixture by my side. While Aphrodite and Darius played gross kissy-face and walked hand in hand on the beach, and while Stark slept and slept and slept, Sgiach and I had spent time together. Sometimes talkingsometimes not. She was, Id decided days ago, the coolest woman, vamp or not, Id ever met.
Youre kidding, right? Youre an ancient warrior queen who lives in a castle on an island no one can get to without you letting them, and youre checking your email? Sounds like magick to me.
Sgiach laughed. Science often feels more mysterious than magick, or at least I have always thought so. Which reminds meI have been considering how odd it is that daylight affects your Guardian with such debilitating severity.
Its not just Stark. I mean, its been worse with him recently cause, well, cause hes hurt. I paused, tripping over the words and not wanting to admit how hard it was to see my Warrior and Guardian so obviously messed up. This really isnt normal for him. He can usually stay conscious during the day, even if he cant stand direct sunlight. All the red vampyres and fledglings are the same about it. Sun does them in.
Well, young queen, it could be a distinct disadvantage that your Guardian is unable to protect you during the daylight hours.
I gave a shoulder shrug, even though her words sent a shiver of what might be premonition down my spine. Yeah, well, recently Ive learned to take care of myself. I think I can handle a few hours a day on my own, I said with a sharpness that surprised even me.
Sgiachs green-amber gaze caught me. Do not allow it to make you hard.
It?
Darkness and the struggle against it.
Dont I have to be hard to fight? I remembered skewering Kalona to the wall of an Otherworld arena with his own spear, and my stomach clenched.
She shook her head and the fading daylight caught the streak in her silver hair, making it glisten like cinnamon and gold mixed together. No, you must be strong. You must be wise. You must know yourself and trust only those who are worthy. If you allow the battle against Darkness to harden you, you will lose perspective.
I looked away, staring out at the gray-blue waters that surrounded the Isle of Skye. The sun was setting into the ocean, reflecting delicate pink and coral colors across the darkening sky. It was beautiful and peaceful and looked utterly normal. Standing here it was hard to imagine that hanging around in the world out there was evil and Darkness and death.
But Darkness was out there, probably multiplied times a gazillion. Kalona hadnt killed me, and that was really, really gonna piss off Neferet.
Just the thought of what that meant, that I was going to have to deal with her and Kalona and all the horrible bullpoopie that went along with them again made me feel incredibly tired.
I turned away from the window, squared my shoulders, and faced Sgiach. What if I dont want to fight anymore? What if I want to stay here, at least for a while? Starks not himself. He needs to rest and get better. Ive already sent that message to the High Council about Kalona. They know he murdered Heath and then came after me, and that Neferet was all involved in it and has allied herself with Darkness. The High Council can handle Neferet. Hell, adults need to handle her and the nasty evil mess she keeps trying to make out of life.