“Let me give you that gift in return,” Lynette said as she continued to stroke her hair. “Let me relieve the loneliness I sense within you.” Lynette concentrated on sending everything she said—everything she felt—to Neferet with her blood. “As long as I live, you will always have a true and faithful friend. I will never betray you. I will never leave you. I will never, ever hurt you.”
Neferet shuddered and then stopped drinking from Lynette. With one gentle lick of her tongue, she closed the slender wound, leaving only a pink line. Then she lifted her head. Her face was awash with tears.
“We have Imprinted, dearest, and the beautiful vow you just made to me, I swear to you as well. We are sisters now, and we always shall be.”
Lynette embraced Neferet and they held one another gently as their new connection solidified and strengthened.
Lynette was the first to pull away. She wiped Neferet’s beautiful face of her tears.
“Now I feel like I can conquer anything—even the monster that is this world’s Neferet,” said Lynette.
“Oh, dearest, no! You will not go to the park with me. I would that you remain here—safe—and await my return.”
Lynette touched Neferet’s cheek. “But don’t you understand? I can’t do that now. I have to be with you.”
A staged cough came from behind them and then Vanessa’s flippant voice said, “Oh, oopsie. Don’t mean to interrupt, but at least now I understand why you two are so close. You should’ve just said you’re gay. We’re cool with that. Leaves more men for us.”
Neferet’s response was instantaneous. She stood and whirled to face the young woman. She bared her teeth fiercely and lifted her hands as if they were claws. The vampyre seemed to fill the room. When she spoke, her voice battered Vanessa so that she stumbled back and almost fell to the floor.
“Your insolence will no longer be tolerated! ”
Vanessa cringed. “Sorry! I—I didn’t mean anything.”
Lynette stood quickly and touched Neferet on the shoulder. “My lady, I think it is time for the girls to put on their Dark Sisters makeup and prepare for tonight’s ritual.”
When Neferet looked at her, Lynette watched her eyes change from feral red back to emerald. The vampyre shook herself and when she spoke her voice was normal once more.
“Ah, dearest, you are absolutely right—as always. Vanessa, child, I do apologize. You startled me. Now, it would be best if you did as Lynette instructed. It is almost time for you to greet your goddess.”
“Okay. Yeah. That sounds awesome.” Vanessa bobbed an awkward curtsy and scrambled to leave the drawing room.
“Thank you,” Lynette said.
“I should have done that the night we arrived.”
“Oh, I wasn’t thanking you for that. Vanessa is insignificant. Thank you for Imprinting with me—for keeping me safe.”
“Always,” Neferet said.
“And I will join you tonight. It would be too painful otherwise.”
Neferet sighed but nodded. “Yes, I feel that too. Help me prepare. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can return to our world.”
“Anything for you, my lady.”
“You know you don’t have to call me that,” said Neferet.
“I like calling you that—and someday soon I will like calling you my goddess.”
14
Other Neferet
With Lynette at her side, Neferet led the five vapid young women through the dark, empty streets of the opulent Midtown neighborhood that bordered Woodward Park. Her plan had been to wait until just before dawn, which would assure that the House of Night would be sleepy, and the Warriors stationed at the park would be heading back to campus, but Lynette—industrious as ever—had discovered that classes had been canceled. From her lengthy experience as High Priestess of her own House of Night, Neferet knew that meant that, like the rest of Tulsa and the surrounding area, the staff, students, and Warriors would be nestled inside enjoying the time off.
So, she’d moved up the timetable on that night’s very important events.
It was almost midnight. Ice was still falling, but lazily—just enough to keep the roads closed and the electric lines down and unreachable for repair. As their small group approached the park, Neferet was filled with a surprising sense of nostalgia. The large, well-tended homes that surrounded Woodward Park glowed from within—not with the garish light of electricity, but instead with the warmth of candles. Add gaslit streetlights and it was easy to imagine that they had been transported one hundred or more years into the past.
What would I do differently if I had it to do all over again? Neferet mused to herself.
“Is this what it looked like a century ago?” Lynette asked softly as she gazed around.
Neferet smiled. Lynette couldn’t read her mind, but their Imprint allowed them to share feelings. “Ah, you sense my nostalgia?”
“I do, my lady,” said Lynette. “I know ice storms are destructive and, quite frankly, a pain in the ass if they last very long, but I’ve always been drawn to them. There is no denying that they touch everything with beauty.”
“I agree. Perhaps when we return home, I will conjure another storm for us, and we can be stranded in Balmacara Mains with Mrs. Muir’s fresh-baked bread and an excellent selection of red wine.”
“That sounds divine.”
“It does indeed. And, yes, you were correct. I was just thinking that Midtown looks like it has been transported back a century or so.” Neferet took Lynette’s hand. “I wish you had been with me then. I believe my life would’ve taken a different path had I known your friendship when I was young.”
“Oh, my lady. You are still young.”
“Um, excuse me?” Vanessa interrupted them.
“Yes, what is it?” said Neferet as she let loose Lynette’s hand and shared a mutually annoyed look with her friend.
“We’re almost at the park and we want to be sure we know exactly what we’re supposed to do.”
“How many times did you go over this with them?” Neferet asked Lynette.
“Five. But one more makes it a
