Seriously, Kalona, I really dont want any more drama with Neferet. I dont think I could handle it.
He threw his hands up in frustration. Why are you still speaking of the Tsi Sgili? I command you to forget her! She is nothing to us.
The instant his arms no longer imprisoned me against the stone, I scrambled sideways, determined to put some space between us. I needed to think, and I couldnt do that with his arms around me.
Kalona followed, this time backing me against one of the low parts of the rooft op walla gap in the stone teeth. There was only support as high as the back of my knees. From there up I could feel the cool wind brushing against my back and moving my hair. I didnt need to look behind me. I knew the drop-off was dizzying and that the blue of the sea waited far, far below.
You cannot escape me. Kalonas amber eyes narrowed. I saw anger beginning to simmer beneath his seductive exterior. And you must realize that I am going to rule this world very soon. I will bring the ancient ways back, and in doing so I will divide these modern people, separating the wheat from the chaff. The wheat shall stay by my side, growing and thriving as they feed me. The chaff shall be burnt into nothingness.
I felt a terrible sinking inside me. He was using old, poetic words, but I had absolutely no doubt he was describing the end of the world as I knew it, and the destruction of countless peoplevampyres, fledglings, and humans. Feeling sick, I tilted back my head and gave him a totally clueless look. Wheat? Chaff? Sorry, you lost me. Youll have to translate that into something I get.
He didnt say anything for a long moment. He only studied me silently. Then, with a slight smile curling his full lips, he reached out and caressed the side of my face with his hand. You play a dangerous game, my little lost love.
My body froze.
His hand slid slowly from my cheek down the side of my neck, searing a path of cold heat across my skin.
You toy with me. You think you can act the schoolgirl who understands nothing more than the next dress she will wear or the next boy she will kiss. You have underestimated me. I know you, A-ya. I know you too well.
Kalonas hand continued down and I sucked in a shocked gasp when he cupped my breast. He rubbed his thumb across the most sensitive spot there and a frigid stab of desire shook me. No matter how hard I tried I couldnt keep myself from trembling at his caress. There on the rooft op of my dream, with the sea behind me and Kalona before me, I was trapped by his hypnotizing touch and I knew then with a terrible certainty that it wasnt just A-yas memories that drew me to him. It was memy heartmy soulmy desires.
No, please stop. I meant for the words to come out loud and strong, a command he couldnt ignore, but instead I sounded breathy and weak.
Stop? He chuckled again. It seems you have lost your truth. You do not wish I would stop. Your body yearns for my touch. You cannot deny it. So shake off this foolish re sis tance. Accept me and your place by my side. Join me and together we will create a new world.
I swayed toward him, but managed to whisper, I cant.
If you do not join me you will be my enemy, and I will burn you with the rest of the chaff. As hed been speaking his gaze had moved from my face down to my breasts. Now he cupped both of them in his hands. His amber eyes had gone all soft and looked unfocused as he caressed me, sending icy waves of unwanted desire through my body, and sickness through my heart, my mind, and my soul.
I was trembling so hard my words sounded shaky. This is a dream only a dream. This is not real. I spoke as if to convince myself.
His lust for me made him even more seductive. He smiled intimately at me while he continued to stroke my breasts. Yes, you dream. Though there is truth and reality here, as well as your deepest, most secret desires. Zoey, in this dream you are free to do anything you wishwe can do anything you wish.
Its just a dream. I repeated the words to myself. Please, Nyx, let the power of this next truth wake me up.
I do want to be with you, I said. Kalonas smile was fierce with victory, but before he could lock me within his immortal and all-too-familiar embrace, I added, But the truth is no matter how bad I want you, Im still Zoey Redbird and not A-ya, and that means in this lifetime I have chosen to follow Nyx. Kalona, I will not betray my Goddess by giving in to you! As I shouted the last words I threw myself backward, so that I fell from the roof of the castle and plummeted toward the rocky seashore far, far below.
Through my screams I could hear Kalona crying my name.
CHAPTER 13
Zoey
I sat straight up in bed, screaming like someone had just tossed me into a pit of spiders. My ears were ringing and my body was shaking so hard that I thought I would be sick, but somewhere through my panic I realized mine wasnt the only voice screaming. I peered around in the darkness, made myself shut up, sucked air, and tried to get my bearings. Where the hell was I? At the bottom of the sea? Smashed dead on the rocks of the island?
No no I was at the Benedictine Abbey in the dorm room theyd assigned me with Aphrodite who was currently in the bed across from me screaming like a crazy woman.
Aphrodite! I yelled over her shrieks. Stop! Its me. Everythings okay.
Her scream broke off, but she was breathing in short little panicky gasps. Light! Light! she said, sounding like shed taken up residence in the Land of Panic Attacks. I need light! I need to see!
Okayokay! Hang on. Remembering the pillar candle on the end table between our beds, I fumbled awkwardly around until I felt a lighter. I had to steady my right hand by grasping my wrist with my left so that I could get the candle lit, and still it took five tries before the wick caught and the warmth of candlelight illuminated Aphrodites ghostly white face and completely blood-filled eyes.
Ohmygod! Your eyes!
I know! I know! Shit! Shit! Shit! I still cant see, she sobbed.
Dont worrydont worrythis happened last time. Ill get you a wet cloth and a drink of water, just like I did before and my words shut off as I realized the exact meaning of Aphrodites scarlet eyes, and I froze halfway between the bed and the sink. You had another vision, didnt you?
She didnt say anything. She just put her face in her hands and nodded while she sobbed.
Its okay. Its gonna be okay, I kept repeating over and over as I hurried to the sink, grabbed a hand towel, soaked it in cold water, and filled up one of two nearby glasses. Then I rushed back to Aphrodite. She was still sitting on the edge of the bed with her face in her hands. Her sobs had gone from hysterical snot-crying to pitiful little gasps. I reached around behind her and plumped her pillows. Here, drink this. Then I want you to lie back so I can put this wet towel across your eyes.
She took her hands from her face and reached blindly for the glass. I guided her to it and then watched as she guzzled down the whole thing. Ill get you more in a second. Lie back first and put this over your eyes.
Aphrodite leaned back against the propped-up pillow. She blinked blindly up at me. She looked scarily horrible. Her eyes were completely bloody and looked bizarre and ghostly framed by her too-white face.
I can see the outline of you, just a little, she said faintly. But youre all red, like youre bleeding. Aphrodite finished on a hiccupy sob.
Im not bleeding; Im fine. This happened before, remember? And you were okay after you closed your eyes and rested for a while.
I remember. I just dont remember it being this bad.
She closed her eyes. I folded the towel and placed it gently across them. Then I lied, It was this bad last time, too.
Her hands fluttered by the towel for a second before they dropped to her sides. I went back to the sink and filled up the glass again. Watching her reflection in the mirror I said, Was the vision terrible?
I saw her lips quiver. She drew a long, shaky breath. Yes.
I came back to the bed. Do you want more water?
She nodded. I feel like Ive just run a marathon through a blazing desertnot that I ever would. All that sweating is so unattractive.
Glad she was sounding more like herself, I smiled and guided her hand to the glass of water again. Then I sat on my bed facing her and waited.
I can feel you looking at me, she said.
Sorry. I thought I was being patient by not saying anything. I paused. Do you want me to go get Darius? Or maybe Damien? Or both of them?
No! Aphrodite said quickly. I saw her swallow a couple of times, and then, in a calmer voice, she continued. Dont go anywhere for a little while, okay? I dont want to be alone right nownot when I cant see.
Okay. I wont go anywhere. You want to tell me about the vision?
Not particularly, but I suppose I have to. I saw seven vampyres. They looked importantpowerful, all obviously High Priestesses. They were in a seriously gorgeous place. Definitely old money and none of that nouveau riche crap that tends to decorate with questionable taste. I rolled my eyes at her, which she, sadly, couldnt see. At first I didnt even know it was a vision. I thought it was a dream. I was watching these vamps sitting in chairs that looked like thrones and waiting for something freakily dreamish to happen, like they all turn into Justin Timberlake, jump up, and start stripping for me and singing about bringing sexy back.
Huh, I said. Interesting dream. He is totally dorkishly hot, even though hes getting old.
Oh, give it a rest. You already have way too many boys to even dream about another one. Leave Justin to me. So, anyway, they didnt turn into Justin, nor did they strip. I was just wondering what was going on when it became mega-obvious I was having a vision because Neferet walked in.
Neferet!
Yeah. Kalona was with her. She did all the talking, but the vamps werent watching her. They couldnt stop gawking at Kalona.
I didnt say so, but I knew how they felt.
Neferet was saying something about accepting the changes she and Erebus brought, moving everything, bringing old ways back blah blah
Erebus! I interrupted her blah-blahing. Shes still claiming Kalona is Erebus?
Yeah, and she was also calling herself Nyx Incarnate, which she shortened to just Nyx, but I didnt catch everything she was saying because it was about then that I started to burn up.
Burn up? Like you caught on fire?
Well, it wasnt me exactly. It was some of the vamps. It was weirdone of the weirdest visions Ive ever had, actually. One part of me was watching Neferet talking to the seven vamps, and at the same time another part of me was leaving the room, one by one, with them. I could feel that not all of them believed what Neferet was saying, and it was those vamps I stayed with. Until they burned.
Do you mean they just caught on fire?
Yeah, but it was real strange. One second I could tell that they were thinking negative things about Neferet, and the next they were on fire, but when they burned they were in the middle of a field. And it wasnt just them burning. Aphrodite paused and drained the rest of the glass of water. Lots of other people burned with themhumans, vamps, and fledglings. All of them were burning in this same field, which seemed to expand to include the whole damn world.
What?
Yeah, it was seriously bad. Ive never had a vision about vamps dying. Well, except those two I had about you, and youre just a fledgling so I dont count them.
I wasted energy frowning at her, which she couldnt see. Did you recognize anyone except the burning vamps? Were Neferet and Kalona there, too?
Aphrodite didnt say anything for a moment. Then she reached up and took the damp towel from her eyes. She blinked. I could tell the red was already starting to fade. She squinted at me. Thats better. I can mostly see you now. So, heres the end of the vision: Kalona was there. Neferet wasnt there. Instead, you were there. With him. And I do mean you were with him. He was all over you and you liked it. Uh, may I just say eew about having to watch that make-out scene, especially since I was watching it from the perspective of the people who were roasting while you did the nasty. Basically it was more than clear that you being with Kalona caused the world as we know it to end.
I rubbed a shaky hand across my face, like I could wipe away the memory of me as A-ya in Kalonas arms. Im never going to be with Kalona.
Okay, what Im getting ready to say is not because Im being a bitchat least not this time.
Go ahead, just say it.
Youre A-ya reincarnated.
Weve already established that, I said, my voice sounding sharper than I intended.
Aphrodite put up her hand. Hang on. Im not accusing you of anything. Its just that this ancient Cherokee girl whose soul youre kinda sharing was created to love Kalona. Right?
Yes, but you need to understand that I. Am. Not. Her. I enunciated each word slowly and distinctly.
Look, Zoey, I know that. But I also know youre a lot more attracted to Kalona than you want to admit to anyone, and that probably includes yourself. Youve already had one memory of being A-ya that was so strong it made you pass out. What if youre not completely able to control what you feel for him because the attractions been hardwired into your soul?
You think I havent already thought about that? Hell, Aphrodite, Ill stay away from Kalona! I yelled my frustration. Completely away from him. Then there will be no chance Ill ever be with him again, and your vision will not happen.
Its not that simple. The vision where youre with him wasnt the only one I had. Actually, now that I think about it, it was a little like those stupid visions I had of your death where first I saw you get your throat slit and your head basically cut off, then in the same damn vision I got to drown with you. Talk about stress.
Yes, I remember. It was my death you were seeing.
Yeah, but so far Im the only one whos experienced your deaths. Again, I say not pleasant.