But what are all these cats doing in here? I said quickly before the Twins started a mini human-fledgling war.
Hey there, Nefertiti! Darius called, and a sleek calico female jumped up on the bed beside him and began to wind around his body.
Theyre our cats, Damien said, still petting Cameron. Remember when we escaped from here yesterday? They were all outside the school wall waiting for us. He glanced up at me. Are we leaving again?
I hope so, I said. But wait. I was still taking stock of the cats. All of our cats are here, but what about that great big one over there, and the little cream-colored one whos sticking close to him?
That big cat is Dragon Lankfords Maine Coon, Damien said. His name is Shadowfax. Dragon Lankford, who almost everyone called Dragon, is our fencing professor and is a master with the blade. Damien was a talented fencer, so it wasnt surprising he recognized Dragons cat.
Hey, I think that little white one is Guinevere, Professor Anastasias cat, Erin said.
Youre right, Twin, Shaunee said. Shes always hanging out during Spells and Rituals class.
What about that one? I pointed to a familiar-looking Siamese whose body was the silver-white of moonlight, tipped in delicate gray ears and face. Then I realized why she looked familiar and answered my own question. Thats Professor Lenobias cat. I dont know her name, but Ive seen her following the professor around the stables.
So, let me get this straight: All of our cats, plus cats that belong to Dragon, his wife, and Professor Lenobia, are suddenly hanging out in Zoeys room, Darius said.
Why are they here? Erin asked.
I answered her question with my own. Have you guys seen any other cats today? I mean, while you were in class and at lunch, coming and going from the dorm and class to class, did you see any cats?
No, the Twins said together.
I didnt, Damien answered more slowly.
Not a one, Aphrodite said.
And you noticed earlier that we saw not one cat between the infirmary and the dormitory, Darius said.
I thought it was bad then; I still think its bad, I said.
Why would all the cats except these disappear? Damien asked.
The cats hate the birdmen, I said. Whenever Nalas been with me and ones been around, shes totally freaked.
Theres more to it than that. If it was just about hating them, then the cats would all be hiding, and not just special ones hanging out in here, Aphrodite said.
Maybe thats it, Damien said. Theres something special about these particular cats.
Okay, I hate to be a bitchor maybe I dontbut anyway, can we forget about the damn cats for a second? I want to know who the hell did this to my mans face, Aphrodite said.
Kalona, I said, when it was obvious Darius was too involved with grinning at the my man title Aphrodite had awarded him to answer.
I was afraid of that, Damien said. Howd it happen?
Darius attacked Rephaim, I explained, which pissed off Kalona. He didnt let Stark kill him, but the cut was his parting gift for Darius wounding his favorite son.
That fucking Stark! Shaunee said.
Hes really bad news. He and the nasty-assed birdmen do whatever the hell they want, Erin said.
And no one does anything about it, Shaunee finished.
Its like the thing you just witnessed with Becca, Damien said.
Speaking of, Shaunee said. What was the deal with you agreeing with that bimbo about oh, no big deal because Starks sooooo hot! Talk about annoying.
You werent going to get through to her. Beccas on their side. As far as I can tell, Stark and the birds and Kalona do anything to anyone, and there are no repercussions for their actions.
Its worse than no repercussions, Aphrodite said. Still within Dariuss arms, shed gotten herself together. Its like Kalonas cast a spell over everyone, and the spell somehow extends to Stark and the birds.
Thats why I agreed with Becca and just let her go. Its not a good idea to call attention to the fact that were the only ones not in the Kalona Fan Club, Damien said.
And Neferet, dont forget about her, Aphrodite said.
Shes with him, but I dont think shes under his spell, I said. I overheard them talking when they thought I was out, and she disagreed with him. He got big and bad and scary with her, and she seemed to back off, but what she really did was just change her tactics. Shes manipulating him, and I cant tell if he knows it or not. And shes changing, too.
Changing? What do you mean by that? Damien asked.
Her power is different than it used to be, Darius said.
I nodded. Its like a switch has been thrown inside her, and its let loose a different kind of power.
A dark power, Aphrodite said. We all looked at her. Her power isnt based on Neferet anymore. Sure, shes still using the gifts our Goddess gave her, but shes channeling energy from somewhere else, too. Couldnt you guys feel it in the hall outside the sickroom?
There was a long silence, and then Damien spoke up. I think we were too busy struggling against Kalonas attraction.
And scared shitless, Erin said.
Entirely, Shaunee agreed.
Well, so now we know. Neferet is even more of a threat than shes ever been. They talked when they thought I was passed out. Neferet and Kalona are planning a new future, and it has something to do with taking over the Council, I said, wishing I could crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head.
Oh my goddess! The High Council? Aphrodite said.
I dont know for sure, but thats what Im afraid of. Im also afraid her new power has given her special abilities. I paused. I didnt want to freak out the gang before I had my talk with Stevie Rae, but they did need to be warned, so I picked my words carefully. I think Neferet can project her influence by moving through, or maybe manipulating, shadows.
Thats bad, Damien said.
It means we have to be on guard, Erin said.
Majorly on guard, Shaunee agreed.
Darius nodded. Remember always: Neferet is our enemy, Kalona is our enemy, and most of the other fledglings are our enemies, too. His sharp gaze went from kid to kid. What about the rest of the professors? Darius asked them. All of you attended classes today, didnt you? How were they acting?
Yeah, we went to class, weird as that was, Shaunee said.
It was like attending Stepford High School, Erin said.
It seems the professors are all enthralled with Kalona, too, Damien said. Of course, I cant tell you that for sure. We werent ever alone with the professors.
Not alone? What do you mean? I said.
I mean those bird things are everywherecoming and going from class, and even in class.
Are you kidding? A shiver of revulsion quavered though my body at the thought of those terrible mutations of nature moving freely among fledglingslike they belonged here!
Hes not kidding. They are everywhere. Its like Invasion of the fucking Body Snatchers, Aphrodite said. The good guys look the same on the outside, but are screwed on the inside, and the Raven Mockers are the damn aliens.
And the Sons of Erebus? Are they supporting this? Darius asked.
I havent seen one warrior since Aristos escorted us onto campus, Damien said. How about you guys?
The Twins and Aphrodite shook their heads no.
This is so not good, I said. I rubbed my forehead as a wave of exhaustion engulfed me. What were we going to do? Who were our friends? And how the hell were we going to get out of the House of Night and to what I could only hope would be safety?
CHAPTER 22
Zoey? Are you okay?
I looked up to meet Damiens soft brown eyes. Before I could answer him, Darius spoke up.
She is not. Zoey must get sleep; she must rest to restore her strength.
Hows your nasty, ugly, gaping wound? Erin asked.
It doesnt look like youre bleeding through that charming hospital garb, so we assumed you were fixed right up, Shaunee said.
Im better, but Im having an issue with getting my strength back. Its like Im a cell phone with a messed-up charger.
You must rest, Darius repeated. Your wound was almost fatal. Recovery takes time.
We dont have time! I yelled in frustration. We need to get the hell out of here and away from Kalona until we can figure out how we can beat him.
Getting out of here isnt going to be as easy as it was last time, Damien said.
Aphrodite snorted. As if that was easy!
It will be compared to what were up against now, Damien continued. Raven Mockers are everywhere. Last night they were attacking people randomly. It was mass confusion then, and that helped us slip away. Today theyre well organized and stationed all over.
I saw them around the perimeter. Theyve more than doubled the guards we had before, Darius said.
But there arent any of them outside the dorm, like you used to be, I said to him.
Its because they dont care whether were safe. They just care that we dont leave the school, Damien said.
Why? I asked wearily, rubbing at my temple where a headache was starting to pound.
Whatever theyre planning needs isolation right now, Darius said.
Doesnt that point more to them just taking over this House of Night, versus trying anything with the High Council? Aphrodite said.
She asked me, but when I couldnt make myself give her the reassuring response she was obviously hoping for, Darius spoke up.
Perhaps, but it is too early to really know.
Well, the ice storms helping with the isolation thing. Power is down everywhere. Cell phone service is sketchy. Except for little pockets being run by generators, Tulsas blacked out, Damien said.
I wonder if Nyxs High Council even knows Shekinah is dead, Darius said.
I looked at Damien. What happens when the High Priestess of all Vampyres dies?
Damiens forehead scrunched up as he thought. Well, if I remember correctly from Vamp Soc class, Nyxs Council meets and elects a new High Priestess. That only happens about once every three to five hundred years. Once elected, a High Priestess reigns for her entire life. The election is a big deal, especially when its sudden like this one will have to be.
I perked up. Doesnt it make sense that Nyxs Council would be verrrry interested in how Shekinah suddenly dropped dead?
Damien nodded. Id definitely say so.
So that might be a major reason for Kalona wanting to keep our House of Night isolated. He doesnt want the attention of the High Council, Aphrodite said.
Or he does want their attentionas in presenting Neferet as the new vamp High Priestess, but they are gathering their power so they can be sure of the Councils vote.
There was a dead silence in the room as everyone stared in horror at me.
We cannot allow that to happen, Darius finally spoke.
We wont, I said firmly, hoping wed somehow be able to back up my statement. Hey, is Kalona still saying hes Erebus come to earth? I asked.
Yeah, Erin said.
And even though it sounds stupid, everyone believes him, Shaunee said.
Did you actually see Kalona today? I asked Shaunee. I mean, except for when we first got here?
She shook her head, Nope.
I looked from her to Erin.
Ditto. I didnt see him either, she said.
Didnt see him, Damien said.
Neither did I, and I say good riddance, Aphrodite said.
Yeah, but you might be the only one, I said slowly. I looked from the Twins to Damien. Weve already said that Kalona has some kind of mojo crap he uses on everyone. It even works on us, or at least it does unless we dont look him in the eye and fight it real hardand we were ready for him. We knew he was evil. Hell, it took me seeing him almost choke Darius to death for me to stop panting over him.
That bastard choked you? Aphrodite said. Damn, that pisses me off! Oh, and abbreviated herd of nerd, in case you didnt get it the first time, get this: Im not in the least bit affected by the mojo the winged freak lays on you. I dont like him. At all.
Thats right, I said. I noticed that earlier today. You really dont feel drawn to him at all.
Whats to be drawn to? Hes a big old bully. And hes never dressed properly. And I really dont like birds. I mean, the bird flu is supposed to be a seriously unattractive way to die. So, no. Hes got nothing for me.
I wonder why his stuff doesnt work on you? I mused aloud.
Cause shes abby-normal? Shaunee said.
A serious freak in a human skin suit? Erin added.
How about because Im exceptionally intuitive, and I see through his bullshit? Oh, that also means I see through yours, too, Aphrodite said.
She might have something there, Damien said, sounding excited. Weve all felt his draw, but we can resist him, unlike the other fledglings, right?
We nodded.
Well, were all into the elementshave been physically and intuitively touched by them, much more so than the other fledglings. Maybe our extrasensory abilities give us the power to resist Kalonas allure.
The red fledglings said they werent drawn to him at all, just like Aphrodite, I said. And they all have psychic abilities.
That sounds logical, and it works for fledglings, but what about adult vampyres? Darius said.
Dont your psychic abilities vary, just like ours do? Aphrodite said. Sure, fledglings say all vamps can do the mind thing, but its not really true, is it?
No, it isnt really true, though many of us are highly intuitive, Darius said.
Are you? I asked.
Darius smiled. Only when it comes to protecting those I have sworn to defend.
But that means there is something especially intuitive about you, Damien said, still sounding excited. Okay, so what other vamps at this House of Night are the most psychic?
Neferet, we all said together.
We already know that. Shes made her decision for Kalona, so were not going to count her right now. Who else?
Damien! I think you are on to something! I said. Everyone stared at me, but I was staring at the extra cats in the room.