House Of Night - Untamed Part 26

"And she doesn't mean that in the gay sense," Erin input.

"So, like Stevie Rae and the red fledglings, Aphrodite is something that's never been before," Damien said thoughtfully.

"Looks like it," I said.

"Things are changing," Damien said slowly. "The world order is s.h.i.+fting into something new."

A cold s.h.i.+ver pa.s.sed through me. "Is that good or bad?"

"I don't think we can know yet," he said. "But I think we will know pretty soon."

"It's scary," Jack said.

I looked at my friends. They all seemed frightened and unsure, and I knew this would not do. We had to be strong. We had to stick together and believe in each other.

"I don't think it's scary." When I started saying it, it was a big fat lie. But the more I spoke, the more I began to believe.

"Change can be weird, or even queer." I grinned at Damien and Jack, and they smiled hesitatingly back at me. "But change has to happen for things to grow-for us to grow. Hey, if it wasn't for this change, Stevie Rae would be dead. I remember that when I start feeling overwhelmed by all of this. Plus"-I looked at each of them-"we have each other. And change isn't so bad when you're not in it alone."

Their looks of growing confidence made me think that I might, someday, become a halfway decent High Priestess.

"So what's the Plan?" Damien asked.

"Well, you and Jack have to install the nanny cam in the morgue. Think you can do that without getting caught?" I said.

"I think we might be able to create a diversion," Jack said slowly, looking from d.u.c.h.ess to Maleficent, who had spent the entire "meeting" growling ominously at the dog from the bathroom. "If we can count on Aphrodite's help."

"Fine. But if my cat eats that dog, I don't want to hear a word about it, even if S-t-a-r-k wakes up and gets testy about why his Lab's muzzle has been torn to shreds."

"Uh, try to make it just a diversion, not a bloodbath," I said.

"Deal," Damien and Jack said together.

"I'm going to go find Shekinah and tell her that my grandma is coming to visit, and that I need her to stay in a guest room," I said.

"And we're gonna stay the h.e.l.l away from Neferet," Erin said.

"Ditto," Shaunee said. "And that should be ditto for all of us except Z and Aphrodite."

I was opening my mouth to agree with her when Aphrodite's loud, "No!" shocked all of us.

"What do you mean no? We have to stay away from Neferet. If she starts listening in to our minds, she'll know we all know about Stevie Rae and the other kids. And if she's really the Queen of the Tsi Sgili, she'll be warned that we know about her, the Raven Mockers, and even Kalona," Damien said, sounding totally exasperated.

"Wait a second. Tell me why you think they shouldn't avoid Neferet," I asked Aphrodite.

"Simple. If the nerd herd avoids her, Neferet is going to for sure start listening in to their thoughts. She'll listen long and hard and deep. But what if Damien and Jack and the Dorkamese Twins act like their normal, clueless selves? What if they don't avoid her, but if they even maybe seek her out and say hi to her, ask her questions about homework, and make up complaints about the food being too healthy?"

"We really wouldn't have to make that up," Jack said.

"Exactly, and while they're around Neferet, let's say Jack is thinking about nothing but how stressful it is to try to deal with a sad dog all the time. Damien's thinking about homework and how cute Jack's eyes are. And the twins are thinking about sneaking out for the end-of-season winter shoe sale at Saks, which is next week, by the way."

"No way! It starts already!" Shaunee said.

"I knew it. I knew it was going to be early this year. What with that stupid snowstorm we had, they have to increase sales, so it's thrown off the whole traditional sale schedule," Erin said."Tragic, Twin, just tragic," Shaunee said.

"See, if the geeks and freaks act as empty-headed as Neferet really, deep down, believes they are, she won't look farther,"

Aphrodite said.

"Do you really think Neferet believes we're empty-headed?" Damien said.

"Neferet consistently underestimates me. It makes sense that she underestimates you guys, too," I said.

"If that's true, we have a huge advantage," Damien said.

"Until she realizes her mistake," Aphrodite said.

"Well, let's hope that takes a while," I said. "Okay, I'm going to go find Shekinah. From here on out, I think we should all stick together as much as we can. I know Grandma said the Raven Mockers were just spirits, but I'm almost one hundred percent sure one of them attacked me yesterday-and it hurt. Plus, I have a generally creepy feeling about them. She also said they could harm old people who are close to death. Well, what if Kalona is getting stronger, and they're getting stronger, too? What if they can harm people not so old or not so close to death?"

"You're freaking me out," Jack said.

"Good," I said. "If you're scared, you'll be more careful."

"I don't want to be scared and sneaking around a morgue," Jack said.

"Remember, he might be just sleeping," Damien said. He put his arm around Jack. "Let's take d.u.c.h.ess back to my room and figure out our whole diversionary plan." He looked at Aphrodite. "You're coming with us, aren't you?"

She sighed. "You're going to use my cat."

It wasn't a question, but the two boys nodded and grinned.

"Well, then I'm coming with you. We'll leave Maleficent here until the deed is getting ready to be done."

"Definitely," Damien said.

I looked at the Twins. "I don't need to tell you guys to stick together, do I?"

"Nope," Erin said.

"Hey, what if we gather up some more stuff for smudge sticks," Shaunee said.

"Good idea. Smudging all of our rooms couldn't hurt," I said.

"Okey," Shaunee said.

"Dokey," Erin said.

"But wait on that," Jack said. "You guys might be able to help in our diversionary action, too."

"You know Beelzebub isn't nice," Shaunee said.

Jack grinned and nodded. "Exactly why he's so perfect."

"Poor d.u.c.h.ess," Erin said.

"Hey, what are you gonna do, Z?" Jack asked.

"Go see Shekinah and ask about Grandma staying here." I glanced at my clock. "Actually, she should be here pretty soon."

"Okay, we all know what we're doing. So let's get to it," Damien said.

As we all headed out the door, Aphrodite hung back. "Hey, I'll meet you back here pretty soon. Looks like you and I will be sticking together for a while."

I smiled at her. "You got yourself into some c.r.a.p this time, didn't you?"

She rolled her eyes, pulled a mirror out of her purse, and expertly reapplied her fake tattoo, and as I followed her out the door, I walked in a trail of her muttering, "Yeah . . . yeah . . . yeah . . . stupid red-eye-causing visions, dorky friends, ancient evil . .

. I can hardly wait to see what's next . . ."

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Walking down the sidewalk that ran from the girls' dorm to the main school building, I decided that it wouldn't be smart to see Shekinah all tense and stressed out, so I took several deep cleansing breaths to calm myself, collect my thoughts, and told myself to relax and appreciate the beautiful, unseasonably warm night. Gaslights made pretty shadows against the winter trees and hedges, and there was a soft wind blowing the scent of cinnamon and earth from the fallen leaves that carpeted the grounds.

Groups of kids walked back and forth between the buildings, mostly heading to the dorms or the near end of the school that held the cafeteria. They were talking and laughing together. Several of them called h.e.l.los to me, and many of them saluted me respectfully. Despite the problems facing me, I realized I was feeling optimistic. I wasn't alone in this. My friends were with me, and for the first time in a long time, they knew everything. I wasn't lying or evading. I was telling the truth and really, really happy about it.

Nala padded out of the shadows and up to me, "mee-uf-owing" and giving me a reproachful look. With barely a pause, she hurled herself up and into my arms and I had to scramble to catch her.

"Hey! You could warn me, ya know!" I said, but ended up kissing the white spot over her nose and tickling her ears. We walked down the shadowy sidewalk, heading away from the kid-filled part of campus to the quieter section that held the library and eventually the professors' rooms. The night really was pretty, with a clear Oklahoma sky filled with glittering stars. Nala curled her head against my shoulder and was purring contentedly when I felt her entire body tense up.

"Nala? What's wrong with-?"

And I heard it. A single croaking raven that sounded like it was so close that I should be able to see it within the night- sleeping shadows of the nearest tree. His cry was taken up by first one, and then another and then another. That simple sound was indescribably terrifying. I understood why they were called mockers of ravens because, even though you could easily mistake them for regular birds, if you listened just a little more carefully, you heard in their suspiciously mundane call the echo of death and fear and madness. The breeze that had been warm and sweet-smelling was replaced by an icy nothingness, like I'd just entered a mausoleum. My blood went cold.

Nala hissed long and menacingly, staring back over my shoulder at the darkness surrounding the huge old oaks that were usually so familiar and welcoming. Not tonight. Tonight they housed monsters. I automatically started to walk faster, looking frantically around for the kids that had just moments ago seemed to be all around me. But Nala and I had turned a corner in the sidewalk, and we were totally alone with the night and all it shrouded.

The ravens cried again. The sound made the hair on my arms and the back of my neck stand up. Nala growled low in her throat and hissed again. Wings fluttered all around me, so close, I could feel the cold wind they were displacing. I smelled them then. They reeked of old meat and pus. A scent that was deadly, sickeningly sweet. I tasted the bile of fear in the back of my throat.

More croaking caws filled the night, and now I could see darkness within the darkness of stirring shadows. I caught glimpses of something flas.h.i.+ng, sharp and hooked. How could they have beaks that shone glossy in the softness of the gaslights if they were just spirit? How could spirits smell like death and decay? And if they weren't just spirits anymore, what did that mean?

I stopped, unsure of whether I should run on or go back. And while I stood there, frozen with panic and indecision, the blackness within the nearest tree quivered and launched itself at me. My heart was hammering painfully, and I was on the verge of panic that was making me dumb with numbing fear. All I could do was pant with terror as it got closer. Its horrible wings displacing freezing, putrid air, it came at me. I could see it-I could see the man's eyes within the mutated bird's face . . . and arms . . . the arms of a man with twisted, grotesque hands held up in the shape of ragged, dirty claws. The creature opened its hooked beak and shrieked at me, forked tongue extended.

"No!" I cried, scrambling back from it, keeping a tight hold on my hissing cat. "Get away!" I turned and ran.

It caught me then. I could feel its horribly cold hands hook on my shoulders. I screamed and dropped Nala, who crouched at my feet, snarling up at the creature. Its horrible wings unfurled on either side of me, holding me there. I felt it lean into my back in a mockery of an embrace. Its head craned over my shoulder so that its beak hooked around my neck, resting against the place my pulse beat frantically in my throat. It stayed there, and its beak opened just enough to let the thing's red forked tongue slide out and taste my neck, like it was savoring me before it devoured me.

I was absolutely frozen with fear. I knew it was going to slice open my throat. Aphrodite's vision was coming true, only it was a demon who was going to kill me and not Neferet! No! O G.o.ddess, no! My mind shrieked. Spirit! Find someone to help me!

"Zoey?" Damien's voice was suddenly in a questioning wind whirling around me.

"Damien, help me . . . ," I managed in a broken whisper.

"Save Zoey!" Damien shouted.

A violent blast of air knocked the creature from my back, but the thing was still able to slide its beak across my throat. As I fell to my knees, my hand went to my stinging neck, expecting to feel the wetness of my life's blood pouring hot and thick, but there was nothing there except a raised line that hurt like h.e.l.l.

The sound of flapping wings regrouping behind me had me jumping to my feet and whirling around. But this time the wind that smoothed against my skin wasn't frigid and rank with death. It was familiar and filled with the strength of Damien's friends.h.i.+p.

The knowledge that I wasn't alone-that my friends hadn't deserted me-cut through the paralyzing mist of panic that had clouded my thoughts like a G.o.ddess's avenging sword, and my frozen mind began to work again. Spirits or monstrous birds or minions of Neferet's twisted desires-it didn't really matter. I knew something that would handle all those things.

I quickly oriented myself, facing the direction I knew was east. Then I raised both my arms over my head, closed my eyes, and blocked out the evil mockery of twisted bird calls. "Wind! Blow hard-blow strong-blow true-and show these creatures what it is to attack someone who is beloved of a G.o.ddess!" I hurled my hands outward toward the creatures that had overtaken the night. I saw the one closest-the one who had tried to slit my throat, caught first in the gale. The wind lifted it up and away and threw it against the stone wall that ringed the school grounds. It crumpled and then seemed to dissolve into the ground, completely disappearing.

"All of them!" I cried, my fear lending power and urgency to my voice. "Blow them all away!" I flung my hands out again and was grimly pleased when the mocking calls of the creatures that lurked in the trees turned to shrieks of panic and then died away completely. When I knew they were gone, I let my trembling arms drift down to my sides. "In the name of my G.o.ddess, Nyx, I thank you, wind. I release you, and please tell Damien I'm fine now. I'm okay."

But before wind left me, it found my face, caressed it briefly, and then it was filled with more than Damien's presence.

Within the lingering breeze there was suddenly a distinct warmth that reminded me of Shaunee with its hint of spice and sizzle, as well as the scent of a life-affirming spring shower, which I knew had been sent by Erin. The three elements of my friends joined together, and the wind became a healing breeze that circled around my neck like a silk scarf, soothing the stinging wound left by the Raven Mocker. When the pain around my throat had faded completely, the wind gently blew itself away, taking with it the warmth of fire and the healing touch of water, leaving only the peace of the night and silence.

I lifted my hand, letting my fingers run across my throat. Nothing. There was not a scratch there. I closed my eyes and sent a silent thank you for my friends prayer to Nyx. With their help, I'd overcome one of Aphrodite's death visions for me. One down . . . one to go . . .

I picked up Nala and, holding her close to me, hurried down the sidewalk, trying to stop the trembling that was still quaking through my body.

I was feeling shaky and ultrasensitive, and when my gut told me I really shouldn't be seen right now, I called spirit to me as I entered the quieting school building, and through it covered myself in silence and shadow. So I moved through the mostly deserted halls of school undetected. It was weird of me to do this inside our school building, and it made me feel detached, like I was hiding not just my body, but my thoughts, too, and gradually as I made my way to the Council Chamber, the fear and the triumph that trembled inside me stilled and I began to breathe more easily.

Though Neferet's hand hadn't literally tried to slit my throat, I knew deep in my gut that what I'd just avoided really had been my death, or at the very least a foreshadowing of it. Had Damien still been mad at me, I don't think I could have pushed through the terror the Raven Mockers washed over me and reached out to the elements for protection. And even though Neferet hadn't been holding a blade to my neck, I couldn't help but believe that she was somehow all tied up in what was happening.

Was I still scared? h.e.l.l yes!

But I was also still breathing and more or less in one piece. (Okay, I was currently invisible, but still.) Could I beat the Raven Mockers again? In their current form where they were part spirit, part body, yes-with the help of my friends and the elements.

Could I beat them if they were fully formed and had come into all their power?

I s.h.i.+vered. Just the thought of it terrified me.

So I did what any reasonable kid would do-I decided to think about it later. A s.n.a.t.c.hed piece of a quote surfaced from my memory, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, and as I dived deeply into the lovely Land of Denial, I kept my mind busy trying to figure out where I'd read it.

Soundlessly, I floated up the stairs to the Council Chamber, across from the library, where I thought I would probably find Shekinah. It was in the hall outside the room that I heard the all-too-familiar voice, and I was very, very glad I'd followed my instinct to conceal myself.

"So you admit to feeling it, too? This sense of something being not right?"