Aphrodite gasped and took her hand quickly from his skin, rubbing it against her thigh as if the black web had tainted her, too. She fell against Darius as her knees gave way.
Its just like the inside of Zoey, she said, as her Warrior lifted her in his arms, purposefully not disclosing that Kalonas body was basically being held hostage. Hes not here anymore, either.
Chapter 5
Zoey
Zo, you have to wake up. Please! Wake up and talk to me.
The guys voice was nice. I knew he was cute before I opened my eyes. Then I did open my eyes and smiled up at him cause I had definitely been right. He was, as my BFF Kayla would say, a hottie covered with awesome sauce. Okay, yum! Even though my head was kinda fuzzy, I felt warm and happy. My smile turned into a grin. Im awake. Who are you?
Zoey, stop playing around. Its not funny.
The kid frowned down at me, and I realized all of a sudden that I was lying across his lap in his arms. I sat up fast and scooted a little away from him. I mean, yeah, he was super cute and all, but being in some strangers lap was pretty much outside my comfort zone.
Uh, Im not trying to be funny.
His cute face went all still and shocked. Zo, are you telling me you really dont know who I am?
Okay, look. You know I dont know who you are. Even though I know it sounds like you know me. I paused, confused by all the knows.
Zoey, do you know who you are?
I blinked. Thats a silly question. Of course I know who I am. Im Zoey. Its a good thing the kid was cute because obviously he wasnt the brightest Crayola in the pack.
Do you know where you are? His voice was gentle, almost hesitant.
I looked around. We were sitting on some really nice soft grass beside a dock that led out to a lake that looked like glass in the gorgeous morning sunlight.
Sunlight?
That was wrong.
Something was wrong.
I swallowed hard and met the guys gentle brown eyes. Tell me your name.
Heath. Im Heath. You know me, Zo. Youll always know me.
I did know him.
Flashes of him blinked through my memory like fast-forwarded DVDs: Heath telling me my hacked-off hair looked cute in third gradeHeath saving me from that giant spider that fell on me in front of the entire sixth gradeHeath kissing me for the first time after the football game in eighth gradeHeath drinking too much and pissing me offme Imprinting with Heath . . . and then Imprinting again, and finally me watching as Heath
Oh, Goddess! My memories coalesced and I remembered. I remembered.
Zohe pulled me back into his armsits okay. Its going to be okay.
How is it going to be okay? I sobbed. Youre dead!
Zo, babe, its just what happens. I wasnt really scared, and it didnt even hurt too much. He rocked me slowly and patted my back as he spoke to me in his calm, familiar voice.
But I remember! I remember! I couldnt stop myself from unattractively snot crying. Kalona killed you. I saw it. Oh, Heath, I tried to stop him. I really, really did.
Shhh, babe, shhh. I know you did. There was nothing you could have done. I called you to me, and you came. You did good, Zo. You did good. Now you have to go back and stand up to him and Neferet. Neferet killed those two vamps from your school, that drama teacher you had and that other guy.
Loren Blake? Shock was drying my tears, and I wiped my face. Heath, as usual, pulled a wad of Kleenex out of his jeans pocket. I stared at them for a second and then surprised both of us by cracking up. You brought nasty used Kleenex to heaven? Seriously? I giggled.
He looked offended. Zo. They so arent used. Well, at least not much.
I shook my head at him and gingerly took the wad, wiping my face.
Blow your nose, too. You have snot. You always have snot when you cry. Thats why I always have Kleenex.
Oh, be quiet! I dont cry that much, I said, momentarily forgetting he was dead and all.
Yeah, but when you do, you snot a lot, so I need to be prepared.
I stared at him as reality smacked me again. Then what happens when youre not there to give me snot rags? A sob escaped from my throat. Andand not there to remind me what home is like, what love is like? What being human is like? I was bawling again, big-time.
Oh, Zo. Youll figure that all out on your own. You have lots of time. Youre a big-deal vamp High Priestess. Remember?
I dont want to be, I told him with complete honesty. I want to be Zoey and be here with you.
Thats just part of you. Hey, maybe its part of you that needs to grow up. He spoke gently in a voice that sounded suddenly too old and wise for my Heath.
No. As I said the word, I saw a skittering, inky darkness slide past the edge of my vision. My stomach tightened, and I thought I caught the sharp shape of horns.
Zo, you cant change the past.
No, I repeated, and looked away from Heath, peering into what had just moments before been a beautiful, bright meadow framing a perfect lake. This time I definitely saw shadows and figures where there had been nothing but sunlight and butterflies before.
The darkness within the shadows scared me, but the figures that were also within them drew me like bright things draw babies. Eyes flashed within the intensifying gloom, and I caught a good look at one pair of them. I felt a jolt of recognition. They reminded me of someone . . .
I know someone out there.
Heath took my chin in his hand and forced me to look from the shadows to him. Zo, I dont think its a good idea for you to gawk around here. You just need to make up your mind to go home and then click your heels together, or do some kind of High Priestess extra-special-zapping-magick-stuff and get back to the real world where you belong.
Without you?
Without me. Im dead, he said softly, stroking the side of my cheek with fingers that felt all too alive. Im supposed to be here; actually, I kinda think this is just the first step of where Im supposed to be. But youre still alive, Zo. You dont belong here.
I pulled my face from his hand and lurched away from him, standing up and shaking my head, making my hair fly around me like a crazy woman. No! I wont go back without you!
Another shadow caught my eye from what was now a dark, writhing mist that surrounded us, and I was sure I saw the sharp glint of pointed horns. Then the mist boiled again, and a shadow took on a more human form, peering at me from out of the darkness. I know you, I whispered to the eyes that were so much like mine, only they looked older and saddera lot sadder.
Then another shape took her place. These eyes met mine, too, only they werent sad. They were taunting and blue, but that didnt erase their familiarity.
You . . . I whispered, trying to pull myself from Heaths arms, which were holding me tightly against his body.
Dont look. Just pull yourself together and go home, Zo.
But I couldnt stop looking. Something inside compelled me. I saw another face framed by eyes I knewand this time I knew them well enough that the knowledge lent me strength, and I pulled away from Heath, turning him so he could see where I pointed into the gloom. Holy crap, Heath! Look at that. Its me!
And it was. The me froze as we stared at each other. She was probably about nine years old, and she blinked up at me in terrified silence.
Zoey Look at me. Heath wrenched me around, holding my shoulders in a grip that I knew would cause bruises later. You have to get out of here.
But thats me as a kid.
I think all of them are youpieces of you. Somethings happened to your soul, Zoey, and you gotta get out of here so that it can get fixed.
Suddenly I felt dizzy and sagged in his arms. I dont know how I knew, but I did. The words I spoke were as true and as final as his death. I cant leave, Heath. Not unless all those pieces of me are me again. And I dont know how to make that happenI just dont know!
Heath pressed his forehead against mine. Well, Zo, maybe you should try using that annoying mom voice you used on me when I drank too much and tell them to, I dunno, to stop all this bullpoopie and get back inside you where they belong.
He sounded so much like me that he almost made me smile. Almost.
But if Im back together, Ill have to leave here. I can feel it, Heath, I whispered to him.
If you dont put yourself back together, you wont ever leave here because youre gonna die, Zo. I can feel that.
I looked into his warm, familiar eyes. Would that be so bad? I mean, this place seems a lot better than the mess thats waiting for me back in the real world.
No, Zoey. Heath sounded pissed. Its not okay here. Not for you.
Well, maybe thats cause Im not dead. Yet. I swallowed and admitted, only to myself, that saying it out loud did sound kinda scary.
I think theres more to it than that.
Heath wasnt looking at me anymore. He was staring over my shoulder, and his eyes had gone all big and round. I turned around. The writhing figures that looked uncomfortably like bizarre, unfinished versions of me were hovering in and out of the black mist, milling and chattering and basically acting weirdly super nervous. Then there was a flash of light that turned into a huge set of dangerous, pointed horns, and with a terrible flapping noise, something descended on that end of the meadow, causing those spirits, those ghosts, those incomplete pieces of me to begin to scream and scream and scream while they scattered and disappeared before it.
What happens now? I asked Heath, tryingunsuccessfullyto keep the terror from my voice as we started backing across the meadow.
Heath took my hand and squeezed. I dont know, but Ill be here with you through all of it. And right now, he whispered in a voice filled with tension, dont look behind you, just come with me and run!
For one of the few times in my life, I didnt argue with him. I didnt question him. I did exactly what he said. I held on to Heath and ran.
Chapter 6
Stevie Rae
Stevie Rae, this isnt a good idea, Dallas said as he hurried to keep up with her.
Im not gonna be gone long, promise, she said, stopping as she got to the parking lot and looked around for Zoeys little blue car. Ha! There it is, and she always leaves the keys in it, cause the doors dont lock anyway. Stevie Rae jogged up to the Bug, opened the creaky door, and gave a victory shout when she saw the keys dangling from the ignition.
Seriously, I wish youd come to the Council Chamber with me and tell the vamps what youre up to, even if you wont tell me. Get their opinion about whats goin on inside that head of yours, girl.
Stevie Rae turned to Dallas. Well, thats the problem. Im not sure what Im doin. And, Dallas, I wouldnt tell a bunch of vamps stuff I wouldnt tell you first, you gotta know that.
Dallas rubbed a hand down his face. I used to know that, but a lots happened fast, and youre actin weird.
She put her hand on his shoulder. I just have a feelin that there might be somethin I can do to help Zoey, but Im not gonna figure that out sittin up there in that room with a bunch of uptight vamps. I need to be out here. Stevie Rae spread her arms, taking in the earth around them. I need to use my element to think. It seems theres somethin that Im missing, but the understanding of it is just outside my reach. Im gonna use earth to help me make that reach.
Cant you do that from here? Theres lots of nice earth all over the school.
Stevie Rae made herself smile at him. She hated lying to Dallas, but then again, she wasnt really lying. She was really going to see if she could figure out a way to help Z, and she couldnt do that at the House of Night. Therere too many distractions here.
Okay, look, I know I cant stop you from going, but I need you to promise me something, or Im gonna make an ass outta myself by actually tryin to stop you.
Stevie Raes eyes widened, and this time she didnt have to force her smile. Youre gonna try to kick my butt, Dallas?
Well, you and I both know itd just be me tryin, but not succeeding, which is where the make an ass outta myself part comes in.
Still grinning at him, she said, What do you want me to promise?
That you wont go back to the depot right now. They almost killed you, and you look all recovered and stuff, but they almost killed you. Yesterday. So I need you to promise youre not going back down there to face them tonight.
I promise, she said earnestly. Im not goin down there. I told youI want to try to figure out how to help Z, and fightin with those kids definitely wont help her.
Swear?
Swear.
He let loose a relieved sigh. Good. Now what am I supposed to tell those vamps about where youve gone?
Just what I told youthat I gotta get surrounded by the earth and left alone. That Im tryin to figure out something, and I cant do it here.
All right. Ill tell em. Theyre gonna be pissed.
Yeah, well, Ill be back soon, she said, getting in Zoeys car. And dont worry. Ill be careful. The engine had just turned over when Dallas rapped on the window. Suppressing an annoyed sigh, she cracked it.
Almost forgot to tell yaI overheard some of the kids talking while I was waitin for you. Its all over the Internet that Z isnt the only shattered soul in Venice.
What the heck does that mean, Dallas?
Word is that Neferet dumped Kalona on the High Councilliterally. His body is there, but his soul is gone.
Thanks, Dallas. I gotta go! Without waiting for him to reply, Stevie Rae shoved the Bug into gear and drove out of the parking lot and off the school grounds. Taking a quick right on Utica Street, she headed downtown and to the northeast, toward the rolling land on the outskirts of Tulsa that held the Gilcrease Museum.
Kalonas soul was missing, too.
Stevie Rae didnt for an instant believe that hed been so wracked with grief that the immortals soul had ripped apart.
Not likely, she muttered to herself as she navigated the dark, silent streets of Tulsa. Hes after her. As soon as Stevie Rae said the words aloud, she knew she was right.