It wasnt until she was almost at the fence line that divided the nuns property from the upscale condo beside it that Stevie Rae smelled it.
Blood.
A wrong kind of blood.
She stopped. Looking almost feral, Stevie Rae sniffed the air. It was filled with the wet, musty scent of ice as it coated earth, the crisp, cinnamon smell of the winter trees, and the man-made tang of the asphalt beneath her feet. She ignored those scents and instead focused on the blood. It wasnt human blood, or even fledgling blood, so it didnt smell like sunlight and springhoney and chocolatelove and life and everything that shed ever dreamed of. No, this blood smelled too dark. Too thick. There was too much of something in it that wasnt human. But it was still blood, and it drew her, even though she knew the wrongness of it deep in her soul.
It was the scent of something strange, something otherworldly, that led her to the first splashes of crimson. In the stormy darkness of the sunless predawn, even her enhanced vision saw it only as wet splotches against the ice that sheeted the road and covered the grass beside it. But Stevie Rae knew it was blood. A lot of blood.
But there was no animal or human lying there bleeding.
Instead there was a trail of liquid darkness thickening in the sheeting ice, moving away from the street and into the densest part of the grove behind the abbey.
Her predators instincts kicked in instantly. Stevie Rae moved stealthily, hardly breathing, hardly making a sound, as she tracked the blood path.
It was beneath one of the largest trees that she found it, hunkered down under a huge, newly broken branch as if it had dragged itself there to hide and die.
Stevie Rae felt a shudder of fear pass through her. It was a Raven Mocker.
The creature was huge. Bigger than shed thought theyd looked from a distance. It lay on its side, head tucked down against the ground, so she couldnt see its face very well. The giant wing she could see looked wrong, obviously broken, and the human arm that lay beneath it was weirdly angled and covered with blood. Its legs were human, too, and curled up like it had died in a fetal position. She remembered hearing Darius firing a gun as he and Z and the gang had ridden like bats outta hell down Twenty-first to the abbey. So, hed shot it from the sky.
Dang, she said under her breath. That mustve been one heck of a fall.
Stevie Rae cupped her hands around her mouth and was getting ready to holler for Dallas so he and the other guys could help her drag the body somewhere when the Raven Mocker twitched and opened its eyes.
She froze. The two of them stared at each other. The creatures red eyes widened, looking surprised and impossibly human in the bird face. They flicked around her and behind her, checking to see if she was alone. Automatically, Stevie Rae crouched, putting her hands up defensively and centering herself to call earth to strengthen her.
And then he spoke.
Kill me. End this, he gasped, panting in pain.
The sound of his voice was so human, so completely unexpected that Stevie Rae dropped her hands and staggered a step back. You can talk! she blurted.
Then the Raven Mocker did something that utterly shocked Stevie Rae and irrevocably changed the course of her life.
He laughed.
It was a dry, sarcastic sound, and it ended in a moan of pain. But it was laughter, and it framed his words with humanity.
Yes, he said between gasps for breath. I talk. I bleed. I die. Kill me and be done with it. He tried to sit up then, as if he were eager to meet his death, and the movement caused him to cry out in agony. His too-human eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the frozen ground, unconscious.
Stevie Rae moved before she remembered even making the decision. When she reached him, she only hesitated for a second. Hed passed out facedown, so it was a simple thing for her to move his wings aside and grab him under his arms. He was big, really biglike, as big as a real guy, and shed braced herself for him to be heavy, but he wasnt. Actually, he was so light that it was super-easy to drag him, which was what she found herself doing while her mind screamed at her: What the hell? What the hell? What the hell?
What the hell was she doing?
Stevie Rae didnt know. All she knew was what she wasnt doing. She wasnt killing the Raven Mocker.
CHAPTER 3
Zoey
Is he going to be okay? I tried to whisper so I wouldnt wake Stark and was, apparently, unsuccessful, because his closed eyelids fluttered and his lips tilted up slightly in a painful ghost of his cocky half smile.
Im not dead yet, he said.
And Im not talking to you, I said in a much more irritated voice than Id intended.
Temper, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, Grandma Redbird rebuked me gently as Sister Mary Angela, prioress of the Benedictine nuns, helped her into the little infirmary room.
Grandma! There you are! I hurried to her and helped Sister Mary Angela ease her into a chair.
Shes just worried about me. Starks eyes were closed again but his lips still hinted at a smile.
I know that, tsi-ta-ga-a-s-ha-ya. But Zoey is a High Priestess in training and she must learn to control her emotions.
Tsi-ta-ga-a-s-ha-ya! That would have made me laugh out loud if Grandma hadnt looked so pale and frail, and if I hadnt been so, well, worried in general. Sorry, Grandma. I should watch my temper, but its kinda hard when the people I love most keep almost dying! I finished in a rush and had to draw a deep breath to steady myself. And shouldnt you be in bed?
Soon, u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, soon.
What does tsi-ta-ga-a-s- whatever mean? Starks voice was thick with pain as Darius spread a thick cream over his burns, but in spite of the wound he sounded amused and curious.
Tsi-ta-ga-a-s-ha-ya, Grandma corrected his pronunciation, means rooster.
His eyes glimmered with humor. Everyone says youre a wise woman.
Which is less interesting than what everyone says about you, tsi-ta-ga-a-s-ha-ya, Grandma said.
Stark barked a quick laugh and then sucked air painfully.
Be still! Darius commanded.
Sister, I thought you said you guys had a doctor here. I tried not to sound as panicky as I felt.
A human doctor cannot help him, Darius said before Sister Mary Angela could respond. He needs rest and quiet and
Rest and quiet are fine, Stark interrupted him. Like I said before: Im not dead yet. He met Dariuss eyes and I saw the Son of Erebus shrug and nod his head briefly, as if hed conceded some point to the younger vampyre.
I should have just ignored the little interplay between them, but my patience had evaporated hours before. Okay, what arent you telling me?
The nun whod been assisting Darius shot me a long, cold look and said, Perhaps the injured boy needs to know his sacrifice was not made in vain.
The nuns harsh words gave me a jolt of guilty shock that closed my throat and didnt let me respond to the hard-eyed woman. The sacrifice Stark had been willing to make was his life for mine. I swallowed past the dryness in my throat. What was my life worth? I was just a kidbarely seventeen. Id messed up over and over again. I was the reincarnation of a girl created to trap a fallen angel, and that meant deep inside my soul I couldnt help loving him, even when I knew I shouldnt couldnt
No. I wasnt worth the sacrifice of Starks life.
I already know it. Starks voice didnt waver; suddenly he sounded strong and sure. I blinked my vision free of tears and met his eyes. What I did was just part of my job, he said. Im a Warrior. Ive sworn my life into the service of Zoey Redbird, High Priestess and Beloved of Nyx. That means Im working for our Goddess and being knocked to the ground and burned a little really doesnt mean shit if I helped Zoey beat the bad guys.
Well said, tsi-ta-ga-a-s-ha-ya, Grandma told him.
Sister Emily, I relieve you of your infirmary duties for the rest of the night. Please send Sister Bianca here in your stead. I believe you should, perhaps, spend some time in quiet contemplation of Luke 6:37, said Sister Mary Angela.
As you wish, Sister, the nun said and hurried from the room.
Luke 6:37? Whats that? I asked.
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven, my grandma said. She was sharing a smile with Sister Mary Angela when Damien knocked softly on the half-open door.
Can we come in? Theres someone who really needs to see Stark. Damien glanced over his shoulder and made a stay-there motion behind him. The soft woof! that came in response told me the someone was really a somedog.
Dont let her come in. Stark grimaced in pain as he abruptly turned his head away so that he couldnt see Damien or the doorway. Tell that Jack kid shes his now.
No. I stopped Damien as he began to back away. Have Jack bring Duchess in.
Zoey, no, I Stark began, but my raised hand stilled him.
Just bring her in, I said. Then I met Starks eyes. Do you trust me?
He looked at me for what seemed like a really long time. I saw his vulnerability and pain clearly, but finally he nodded once and said, I trust you.
Go ahead, Damien, I said.
Damien turned and murmured something over his shoulder and then he moved aside. Jack, Damiens boyfriend, came into the room first. His cheeks were pink and his eyes were suspiciously bright. He stopped after a couple of feet and turned back to the door.
Come on. Its okay. Hes in here, Jack coaxed.
The blond Lab padded into the room and I was surprised by how quietly she moved for such a big dog. She stopped briefly by Jacks side and looked up at him, wagging her tail.
Its okay, Jack repeated. He smiled at Duchess and then wiped away the tears that had escaped his eyes and were slipping down his cheeks. Hes better now. Jack made a motion to the bed. Duchesss head turned in the direction hed pointed, and she looked directly at Stark.
The injured boy and the dog just stared at each other while I swear we all held our breath.
Hi, pretty girl. Stark spoke hesitantly, his voice choked with tears.
Duchesss ears perked up and her head cocked.
Stark held a hand out and made a beckoning motion. Come here, Duch.
Like his command had broken a dam inside the dog, Duchess surged forward, whining and wriggling and woofingbasically sounding and acting way more like a puppy than her one hundred plus pounds said she could no way be.
No! Darius commanded. Not up on the bed!
Duchess obeyed the warrior and contented herself with stuffing her head against Starks side and sliding her big nose under his armpit while she wagged her entire body, and Stark, face glowing with happiness, petted her and told her over and over again how much hed missed her and what a good girl she was.
I hadnt realized Id been bawling, too, until Damien handed me a tissue.
Thanks, I muttered, and wiped my face.
He smiled briefly at me, and then he moved to Jacks side, putting his arm around his boyfriend and patting his shoulder (and handing him a tissue, too). I heard Damien tell him, Come on, lets go find the room the sisters have ready for us. You need to rest.
Jack made a sniffling, hiccupping sob sound, nodded, and let Damien begin to lead him from the room.
Wait, Jack, Stark called after them.
Jack looked at the bed where Duchess still had her head pressed against Stark, who had his arm wrapped around the Labs neck.
You did good taking care of Duch when I couldnt.
It wasnt any trouble. Ive never had a dog before, so I didnt know how really great they are. Jacks voice broke only a little. He cleared his throat and went on. ImIm glad youre not, uh, evil and awful and stuff like that anymore so she can be with you again.
Yeah, about that. Stark paused, grimacing as the pain of his movements caught up with him. Im not exactly one hundred percent yet, and even when I am, Im not sure what my schedules going to be. So Im thinking that it would be a big favor to me if you and I could maybe share Duchess.
Really? Jacks face lit up.
Stark nodded wearily. Really. Could you and Damien take Duch back to your room, and maybe bring her to see me again later?
Absolutely! Jack said, and then he cleared his throat and continued. Yeah, like I said before. She hasnt been any problem.
Good, Stark said. He lifted Duchesss muzzle in his hand and looked into the Labs eyes. Im okay now, pretty girl. You go with Jack so I can get all better.
I knew it must have caused him agony, but Stark sat up then and bent to kiss Duchess and let the dog lick his face. Good girl thats my pretty girl he whispered, and kissed her again and said, Go on with Jack now! Go on! and he motioned to Jack.
After one last lick of Starks face, and a single reluctant whimper, she turned from the bed and trotted to Jacks side, wagging her tail at him and nuzzling him in greeting while he wiped his eyes with one hand and petted her with the other.
Ill take really good care of her and bring her back to see you as soon as the sun sets today. Okay?
Stark managed a smile. Okay, thanks, Jack. Then he collapsed onto the pillows.
He needs rest and quiet, Darius told all of us, and he continued to work over Stark.
Zoey, perhaps you can help me get your grandma to her room? She, too, needs rest and quiet. It has been a long night for all of us, said Sister Mary Angela.
Shifting my worry from Stark to Grandma, I looked back and forth between the two people I cared so much about.
Stark caught my gaze. Hey, take care of your grandma. I can feel that the sun will be rising soon. Im going to go out like a light about then.
Well okay. I went over to the side of his bed and stood there awkwardly. What was I supposed to do? Kiss him? Squeeze his hand? Give him a thumbs-up and a dorky smile? I mean, he wasnt my official boyfriend, but he and I had a bond that went beyond just friends. Feeling confused and worried and basically out of my comfort zone, I put my hand on his shoulder and whispered, Thank you for saving my life.