So what could she do about it?
She didnt have a clue. She didnt know anything about immortals or shattered souls or the spirit world. Sure, shed died, but shed also un-died. And she didnt remember her soul going anywhere. Trapped . . . Itd been black and cold and soundless, and Id wanted to scream and scream and . . . Stevie Rae shuddered, clamping down on her thoughts. She didnt remember much of that terrible, dead timeshe didnt want to. But she did know someone who understood a lot about immortals, especially Kalona, and the spirit world. According to Zs grandma, Rephaim hadnt been anything but a spirit until Neferet had set loose his gross daddy.
Rephaim will know somethin. And what he knows, Im gonna know, she said resolutely, her fingers tightening on the steering wheel.
If she had to, Stevie Rae would use the power of their Imprint, the power of her element, and every bit of power inside her body to get information from him. Ignoring the sick, terrible, guilty way it made her feel to think of fighting Rephaim, she gave the Bug more gas and turned down Gilcrease Road.
Stevie Rae
She didnt have to wonder where shed find him. Stevie Rae just knew. The front door to the old mansion had already been forced open, and she slipped inside the dark, cold house, following his invisible trail up and up. She didnt need to see the balcony door ajar to know he was outside. She knew he was there. Ill always know where he is, she thought gloomily.
He didnt turn to face her right away, and she was glad. Stevie Rae needed the time to try to get used to the sight of him again.
So, you came, he said, still without facing her.
That voicethat human voice. It struck her again, as it had the first night shed heard it.
You called me, she said, trying to keep her voice cooltrying to hold on to the anger she felt at what his horrible daddy had caused.
He turned to face her, and their eyes met.
He looks exhausted, was her first thought. His arms bleeding again.
She is still in pain, was his first thought. And she is filled with anger. They stared at each other silently, neither willing to speak their thoughts aloud.
What has happened? he finally asked.
How do you know somethings happened? she snapped back at him.
He hesitated before speaking, obviously choosing his words carefully. I know from you.
Youre not makin any sense, Rephaim. The sound of her voice speaking his name seemed to echo in the air around them, and the night was suddenly tinted with the memory of the glistening red mist that had been sent by the son of an immortal to caress Stevie Raes skin and call her to him.
That is because it does not make sense to me, he said, his voice deep and soft and hesitant. I know nothing about how an Imprint works; you will have to teach me.
Stevie Rae felt her cheeks get warm. Hes telling the truth, she realized. Our Imprint lets him know things about me! And how could he understand it? I barely do.
She cleared her throat. So, are you sayin you know somethings happened because you can sense it from me?
Feel, not sense, he corrected her. I felt your pain. Not like before, right after you drank from me. Then your body was in pain. Your pain tonight was emotional, not physical.
She couldnt stop staring at him, her shock clear on her face. Yes, it was. It still is.
Tell me what has happened.
Instead of answering him, she asked, Why did you call me here?
You were feeling pain. I could feel it, too. He paused, obviously disconcerted by what he was saying, and then continued, I wanted to stop feeling it. So I sent you strength and called you to me.
How did you do it? What was that red misty stuff?
Answer my question, and I will answer yours.
Fine. What has happened is your daddy killed Heath, the human guy who was Zoeys consort. Zoey saw him do it and couldnt stop him, and that shattered her soul.
Rephaim continued to stare at her until it felt to Stevie Rae as if he was looking through her body and directly into her soul. She couldnt look away, though, and the longer their gazes met, the harder it was for her to hold on to her anger. His eyes were just so human. Only their color was off, and to Stevie Rae, the scarlet within them wasnt as alien as it should be. Truthfully, it was frighteningly familiar; it had once tinted her own eyes.
Dont you have anything to say about that? she blurted, pulling her gaze from his so that she was staring out at the empty night.
There is more. What is it you arent telling me?
Gathering her anger back to her, Stevie Rae met his gaze again. Word has it your daddys soul is shattered, too.
Rephaim blinked, shock clear in his blood-colored eyes. I dont believe that, he said.
Neither do I, but Neferets dumped his spiritless body on the High Council, and apparently theyre buying the story. You know what I think? She didnt wait for him to respond, but went on, her voice rising with her frustration and anger and fear. I think Kalonas followed Zoey into the Otherworld because hes totally obsessed with her. Stevie Rae wiped at her cheeks, brushing off the tears she thought shed finished shedding.
That is impossible. Rephaim sounded almost as upset as she felt. My father cannot return to the Otherworld. The realm has been eternally forbidden to him.
Well, obviously he figured out a way to get around being forbidden.
A way to get around having been eternally banished by the Goddess of Night herself? How could that be accomplished?
Nyx kicked him out of the Otherworld? Stevie Rae said.
It was my fathers choice. He was once Nyxs Warrior. Their Oath Bond was broken when he fell.
Ohmygoodness, Kalona used to be on Nyxs side? Without consciously knowing she was doing so, Stevie Rae moved closer to Rephaim.
Yes. He guarded her against Darkness. Rephaim stared out at the night.
What happened? Why did he fall?
Father never speaks of it. I know whatever it was filled him with an anger that burned for centuries.
And thats how you were created. From that anger.
His gaze found her again. Yes.
Does it fill you, too? That anger and darkness? she couldnt stop herself from asking.
Wouldnt you know if it did? Just as I know your pain? Is that not how this Imprint between us works?
Well, its complicated. See, youve been kinda forced into the role of my consort since Im the vampyre here and all. And its easier for a consort to sense things about their vampyre than the other way around. What I get from you is
My power, he broke in. She didnt think he sounded mad, just tired and almost hopeless. You get my immortal strength.
Holy crap! Thats why I healed so dang fast.
Yes, and why I dont.
Stevie Rae blinked in surprise. Well, shoot. You must feel awfulyou look pretty bad.
He made a noise that was somewhere between a laugh and a snort. And you look healthy and whole again.
I am healthy, but I wont be really whole until I figure out how to help Zoey. Shes my best friend, Rephaim. She cant die.
He is my father. He cant die, either.
They stared at one another, both struggling to make sense of this thing between them that drew them together even as hurt and pain and anger swirled around them, defining and separating their worlds.
How about this: we get you something to eat. I fix that wing again, which wont be fun for either of us, and then we try to figure out whats going on with Zoey and your daddy. You should know some-thin, though. I cant feel your emotions like you can feel mine, but I can tell if youre lyin to me. I am also pretty sure I could find you, no matter where you are. So if you lie to me and set up Zoey, I give you my word that I will come against you with all the power of my element and your blood.
I will not lie to you, he said.
Good. Lets go inside the museum and find the kitchen.
Stevie Rae left the rooftop balcony, and the Raven Mocker followed her as if tethered to the High Priestess by an invisible but unbreakable chain.
Stevie Rae
You could have anything in this world you desired with that power, Rephaim said between bites of the huge sandwich shed fixed him from the stuff that hadnt already gone bad in the industrial refrigerators of the museums restaurant.
Nah, not really. I mean, sure, I can make one tired, overworked, and kinda dorky night security guard let us into the museum and then forget we ever existed; but I cant, like, rule the world or anything crazy like that.
It is an excellent power to wield.
No, its a responsibility I didnt ask for and really dont want. See, I dont want to be able to make humans do whatever the heck I want them to do. Its just not rightnot if Im on Nyxs side.
Because your Goddess does not believe in giving her subjects the objects of their desire?
Stevie Rae stared at him for a while, twirling a curl around and around her finger before answering, thinking that he might be messin with her, but the red gaze that met hers was completely serious. So she took a deep breath, and explained, Not because of that, but because Nyx believes in giving everyone free choice, and when I mess with a humans mind and implant stuff that he has no control over, Im takin away his free choice. Thats just not right.
Do you really believe everyone in the world should have free choice?
I do. Thats why Im here today, talkin to you. Zoey gave that back to me. Then in a kinda pay-it-forward thing, I gave that same gift to you.
You let me live hoping that I would choose my own path and not that of my father.
Stevie Rae was surprised that he had said it so freely; but she didnt question what had prompted his honesty, she just went with it. Yeah. I told you that when I closed the tunnel behind you and let you go instead of turning you in to my friends. Youre in charge of your life now. Youre not beholden to your daddy or anyone else. She paused for a second and then said the rest in a big rush. And youve already started down a different path by saving me on that rooftop.
An unpaid life debt is a dangerous thing to carry. It was only logical that I repaid the debt that was between us.
Yeah, I get that, but what about tonight?
Tonight?
You sent me your strength and called me to you. If you have that kind of power, why didnt you just break our Imprint instead? That would have ended your pain, too.
He stopped eating, and his scarlet gaze locked with hers. Dont make me into something Im not. I have spent centuries in darkness. I lived with evil as my bedfellow. I am tied to my father. He is filled with an anger that might very well burn up this world, and if he returns, I am destined to be at his side. See me as I am, Stevie Rae. I am a nightmare creature given life through anger and rape. I walk among the living, but Im ever separate, ever different. Not immortal, not man, and not beast.
Stevie Rae let his words sink into her veins. She knew he was being completely, nakedly honest with her. But there was more to him than this machine of anger and evil hed been created to be. She knew it because shed been witness to it.
Well, Rephaim, how bout you just consider that you might be right.
She saw the understanding register in his blood-colored eyes. Which means I might also be wrong?
She shrugged. Im just sayin.
Without speaking, he shook his head and went back to eating. She smiled and continued to make herself a turkey sandwich. So, she said, slapping mustard on white bread. Whats your theory about why your daddys souls turned up missing?
His gaze locked with hers, and the one word he uttered made her blood run cold.
Neferet.
Chapter 7
Stevie Rae
Dallas told me Neferet dumped Kalonas spiritless body on the High Council.
Who is Dallas? Rephaim asked.
Just a guy I know. So it looks like Neferet turned in Kalona even though theyre supposed to be together and all.
Neferet seduces my father and pretends to be his mate, but the only thing she really cares for is herself. Where he is filled with anger, she is filled with hatred. Hatred is a more dangerous ally.
So youre sure Neferet would betray Kalona to save herself? Stevie Rae asked.
I am certain Neferet would betray anyone to save herself.
What does she gain by turning in Kalona, especially if hes all soulless and stuff?
By giving him over to the High Council, she takes suspicion from herself, he said.
Yeah, that makes sense. I know she wants Zoey dead. And she doesnt care about Heath at all. Actually, Neferet would be cool with the fact that seeing Kalona about to kill Heath made Zoey throw the power of spirit at him and that not being able to stop Kalona caused her soul to shatter. Apparently, thats just a half step away from death.
Rephaims eyes were suddenly sharp on hers. Zoey attacked my father with the element spirit?
Yeah, thats what Lenobia and Dragon told me.
Then he has been gravely wounded. Rephaim looked away and didnt say anything else.
Hey, you need to tell me what you know, Stevie Rae said earnestly. When he didnt speak, she sighed, and continued, Okay, heres my truth. I came here tonight ready to force you to talk to me about your daddy and the Otherworld and all that; but now that Im here and actually talkin to you, I dont want to force you. Hesitantly, she touched his arm. His body jerked when her fingers met his skin, but he didnt pull away. Cant we work together on this? Do you really want Zoey dead?
His eyes found hers again. I have no reason to wish your friends death, but you do wish my father harm.
Stevie Rae blew out a breath of frustration. How about thishow about I compromise in what I want. What if I told you I just want Kalona to leave all of us alone?
I dont know if that could ever be possible, Rephaim said.
But it is possible for me to wish it. Right now, Zoey and Kalona are soulless. Now, I know your daddys an immortal, but it cant be a good thing that his bodys just a shell.
No, it is not a good thing.
So lets work together to see if we can get both of them back, and deal with what happens next when next actually happens.
I can agree to that, he said.
Good! She squeezed his arm before taking her hand from him. You said Kalonas wounded. What did you mean?
His body cant be killed, but if his spirit is damaged, he is physically weakened. That is how A-ya was used to entrap him. His spirit was clouded with emotions for her. It confused and weakened him, and his body became vulnerable.
And thats how Neferet was able to dump him in front of the High Council, Stevie Rae said. Zoey hurt his spirit, so his body is vulnerable.
There has to be more to it than that. Unless hes held captive, as A-ya had him within the earth, Father would begin to recover almost instantly. As long as hes free, he can heal his spirit.
Well, obviously Neferet grabbed him before he was healed. Shes so dang evil, she probably zapped the crap outta him with that scary darkness she carries around with her and then
Thats it! He stood in excitement, then grimaced from the pain in his wing. Rubbing his wounded arm, he sat back down, holding it close to him. She continued the attack on his spirit. Neferet is Tsi Sgili. It is through using the dark forces in the spirit realm that she gains power.
She killed Shekinah without even touching her, Stevie Rae remembered.
Neferet touched the High Priestess but not with her hands. She manipulated the threads from deaths she is responsible for, sacrifices shes made, and dark promises she means to keep. That power is what killed Shekinah, and that is the power she wielded against my fathers already weakened spirit.
But whats she doing with him?
Holding his body captive and using his spirit for her own means.
Which makes her look like one of the good guys to the High Council. Ill just bet shes bein all Oh, poor Zoey and I dont know what Kalona was thinking to their faces.
The Tsi Sgili is very powerful. Why would she put on that pretense to your Council?
Neferet doesnt want to let them know how evil she is cause she wants to rule the dang world. She might not be ready to take on the Vampyre High Council and the human world. Yet. So she cant let the Council know shes cool with Zoey being almost dead, even though shes glad.
Father doesnt want Zoey dead. He simply wants to possess her.
Stevie Rae gave him a hard look. Some of us think being possessed against our will is worse than death.
He snorted. You mean like being Imprinted by accident?
Stevie Rae frowned at him. No, thats not what I mean at all.
He snorted again and kept rubbing his arm.
Still frowning, she continued, But what youre sayin is that Kalona didnt mean for what he did to Heath to cause Zoeys soul to shatter?
No, because that would most likely lead to her death.
Most likely? Stevie Rae pounced on the words. Does that mean its not one hundred percent certain Zs gonna die. Cause thats what the vamps are sayin.
Vampyres arent thinking with the mind of an immortal. No death is ever as certain as mortals believe. Zoey will die if her spirit doesnt return to her body, but it is not impossible for her spirit to become whole again. It would be difficult, yes, and she would need a guide and a protector in the Otherworld, but His words broke off, and Stevie Rae saw shock in his eyes.
What?
Neferet is using my father to ensure Zoeys spirit doesnt return. She trapped his body while he was wounded and commanded his soul to do her bidding in the Otherworld.
But you said Kalona was kicked out of there by Nyx. How could he go back?
Rephaims eyes widened. His body was banished.
And his bodys still in this realm! Its his spirit thats returned, Stevie Rae finished for him.
Yes! Neferet has forced him to return. I know my father well. He would never skulk back to Nyxs Otherworld. He has too much pride. He would only return if the Goddess herself asked it of him.
How do you know that for sure? Maybe hes going after Zoey because he finally gets it that shell never be with him, and, like a scary, psycho stalker, hed rather see her dead than with someone else. That couldve pissed him off bad enough that his pride could handle a little skulkin.
Rephaim shook his head. Father will never believe Zoey wont eventually choose him. A-ya did, and part of the maiden still lives within Zoeys soul. He paused, and before Stevie Rae could ask her next question, added, But I know how you can be certain. If Neferet is using him, she will have Fathers body bound by Darkness.
Darkness? You mean like the opposite of light?
In a way that is what it is. Its hard to define because that type of pure evil is ever-changing, ever-evolving. The Darkness of which I speak is sentient. Find someone who can perceive beings from the spirit realm, and that person should be able to see the chains the Tsi Sgili formed to bind Father, if they are there at all.
Can you sense the spirit world?
I can, he said, meeting her gaze without faltering. Would you have me give myself up to your Vampyre High Council?
Stevie Rae chewed her bottom lip. Would she? It would be giving Rephaims life for Zoeys, and maybe even her own because shed have to go with him, and there was no way the mega-powerful vamps on the High Council wouldnt be able to tell they were Imprinted. She would die for Zoeyof course she would. But itd be nice if she didnt have to. Plus, its not like Zoey would want her to die. Well, it also wasnt like Zoey would want her to have saved and then Imprinted with a Raven Mocker. Heck, no one would want that. Goddess knows she didnt even want it. Well, not most of the time anyway.
Stevie Rae?
She jolted out of her inner argument to see Rephaim studying her. Would you have me give myself to your Vampyre High Council? he repeated solemnly.
Only as our last option, and if you go, that means I go, too. And, heck, the High Council probably wouldnt even believe anything you tell them. But you said all we need is someone who is good with the spirit realm, like good enough that they can sense the Darkness and spirit stuff, right?
Yes.
Well, theres a whole gaggle of powerful vamps on the High Council. One of them has to be able to do that.
He cocked his head to the side. It would be unusual for a vampyre to have the ability to sense the dark forces the Tsi Sgili is wielding. That is one reason Neferet has been able to keep up her charade for so long. Truly being able to identify hidden Darkness is a singular skill. Sensing such evil is difficult unless you are familiar with it.
Yeah, well, the High Council vamps are supposed to be all that. One of them has to be able to do it. She spoke with much more confidence than she felt. Everyone knew the High Council vamps were chosen because of their honor and integrity and basically their all-around goodness, which didnt so much go with being familiar with Darkness. She cleared her throat. Okay, well, I gotta go back to the House of Night and make a call to Venice, she said firmly. Then her gaze went to his arm and the wing held limp in stained bandages behind it. Youre hurting pretty bad, huh?
He gave a short nod.
Okay, well, are ya done eatin?
He nodded again.
She swallowed hard, remembering the shared pain of bandaging that broken wing before. I need to go find the medical supplies. Sadly, theyll probably be in that security office I sent the dorky guard to, which means Im gonna have to zap his little pea brain again.
You could sense his brain was small?
Did ya see how high-waisted his pants were? No one under the age of eighty with a big brain wears grandpa pants pulled all the way to their underarms. Pea brain, Im just sayin.
Then, surprising both of them, Rephaim laughed.
I like the sound of his laughter. And before her own brain could clue her mouth in to being quiet, she smiled, and said, You should laugh more. Its nice.
Rephaim didnt say anything, but Stevie Rae couldnt decipher the odd look he gave her. Feeling kinda uncomfortable, she hopped down from her kitchen stool, and said, Well, Im gonna go get the first-aid stuff, fix up your wing as best I can, get food and things together for you, and then go back and start making some super long-distance calls. Hang here. Ill be right back.
Id prefer to come with you, he said, standing carefully while he held his arm against his side.
Itd probably be easier on you if you just stayed here, she said.
Yes, but Id prefer to be with you, he said quietly.
Stevie Rae felt a weird little jolt deep inside her at his words, but she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, and said,Kay, suit yourself. But dont whine if it hurts you to walk around.
I do not whine! The look he gave her was so filled with guy pride that it was her turn to laugh as they left the kitchen, side by side.
Stevie Rae
Driving home, Stevie Rae should have been thinking about Zoey and devising her next plan of attack. But that was easy. Shed call Aphrodite. No matter what tragedies were going on in the world, Aphrodite would have her pointy little nose in the middle of everything, especially since it had to do with Zoey.
So Stevie Raes next step in her Save Z Plan was already figured out, leaving her mind wide open to think about Rephaim.
Resetting that dang wing had been awful. She still felt the phantom ache of it all through her right shoulder and her back. Even after shed found the jar of numbing lidocaine and spread that all down his wing and his messed-up arm, she could still feel the deep, sick pain of its brokenness. Rephaim hadnt said one word during the entire ordeal. Hed turned his head away from her, and right before she touched his wing, hed said, Would you do that talking thing you do while you bandage it?
Just exactly what talkin thing do you mean? shed asked.
Hed glanced over his shoulder, and she could have sworn there was a smile in his eyes. You talk. A lot. So go ahead and do it. Itll give me something more annoying to think about than the pain.
Shed harrumphed at him, but hed made her smile. And she did talk to him the entire time shed cleaned, bandaged, and reset his badly broken wing. Actually, shed babbled in big bursts of verbal diarrhea, saying nothing and everything as she rode the tide of pain with him. When she was finally done, hed followed her, slowly, silently, back to the abandoned mansion, and shed tried to make the closet more comfortable by stuffing in blankets shed grabbed from the museums staff lounge.
You need to go. Dont worry about this. Hed taken the last blanket from her and then practically collapsed into the closet.
Look, I put the sack of food right here. Its stuff that wont go bad. And remember to drink lots of the water and juice. Hydratings good, shed said, feeling suddenly worried about leaving him looking so weak and tired.
I will. Go.
Fine. Yeah. Im going. Ill try to get back here tomorrow, though.
Hed nodded wearily.
All right. Kay. Im outta here.
Shed turned to go when he said, You should talk to your mother.
Shed stopped like shed run into a John Deere. Why in the world would you say somethin bout my mama?
Hed blinked at her a couple times like shed confused him, paused, and finally answered with: You talked about her while you bandaged my wing. You dont remember?
No. Yes. I guess I wasnt really paying attention to the stuff I was sayin. Shed automatically rubbed her own right arm. I mostly just moved my mouth while I hurried to get the job done.
I listened to you instead of the pain.
Oh. Stevie Rae hadnt known what to say.
You said she believes you are dead. I just . . . He trailed off, seeming as confused as if he were trying to decipher an unfamiliar language. I just thought you should tell her you live. She would want to know, wouldnt she?
Yes.
Theyd stared at each other until shed finally made her mouth say, Bye, and dont forget to eat.
Then shed practically run out of the museum.
Why in the heck did it freak me out so bad that he mentioned my mama? Stevie Rae asked herself aloud.
She knew the answer, andnoshe didnt want to say it aloud. He cared about what shed said to him; he cared that she missed her mama. As she parked at the House of Night and got out of Zoeys car, she admitted to herself that it wasnt really his caring that had freaked her out. It was how his concern made her feel. Shed been glad he cared, and Stevie Rae knew it was dangerous to be glad that a monster cared about her.
There you are! Its about time you got back. Dallas practically popped out of the bushes at her.
Dallas! I swear to the Goddess herself that Im gonna knock the living crap right outta you if you dont stop scaring me.
Hit me later. Right now you need to get up to the Council Chamber cause Lenobia is not happy that you took off.
Stevie Rae sighed and followed Dallas upstairs to the room across from the library that the school used as their Council Chamber. She hurried in, and then hesitated at the doorway. The tension in the air was so thick it was almost visible. The table was big and round, so it should have brought people together. Not that day. That day the table seemed more like a middle-school cafeteria with its separate and very hateful cliques.
On one curved side sat Lenobia, Dragon, Erik, and Kramisha. On the other side were Professors Penthasilea, Garmy, and Vento. They were in the middle of what looked like a serious glare war when Dallas cleared his throat, and Lenobia looked up at them.
Stevie Rae! Finally. I realize these are unusual times, and that we are all under incredible stress, but I would appreciate it if you would restrain your next urge to take off to a park or wherever you went if a school Council meeting has been called. You are acting in the position of a High Priestess; you should remember to behave as such.
Lenobias voice was so harsh that Stevie Rae automatically bristled. She opened her mouth to snap back at her and tell the Horse Mistress that she wasnt the boss of her, and then leave the dang room and make her call to Venice. But she wasnt just some fledgling kid anymore, and stomping away from a group of vamps who cared about Zoeywell, at least a few of them didwasnt going to help their situation.