When Dragon and James began to shout a response, Anastasia lifted her hand, silencing them. She met Neferet’s gaze steadily and asked, “And after we destroy her, then what? Do you think you will return to this House of Night as its High Priestess?”
Neferet laughed gaily. “Oh, no, no, no. I have formally renounced my title as High Priestess. My future has changed, and for the better. When the Monstress is destroyed, I will leave Oklahoma and this country. I intend to establish a place of my own where things of beauty are revered, and I am benevolent mistress of all I survey.” She sipped from her goblet. “So, shall I stay or go?”
“You will stay and fight with us to defeat the monster you loosed,” said Anastasia firmly.
Just as firmly, I added, “And then you’ll go.”
33
Zoey
“Are you ready to do this?” Damien asked me as we began to take our places around the big oak at the east wall.
I wasn’t, of course, but I definitely couldn’t say that. So, instead, I tried to sound strong and sure of myself, hoping that the real feelings would follow. “Yeah, and remember, it’s not going to be like last time. This time we’re raising a different version of Kalona and we’re doing it on purpose.”
I couldn’t help but remember last time—it seemed like ages ago but had really only been about a year and a half. Back in our world, I’d planned to introduce the House of Night to a new kind of vampyre, the red vamps, and also to hopefully prove that Neferet was an enemy. That plan had gone horribly wrong when Neferet had appeared with a newly resurrected Stark, who definitely hadn’t had a good handle on his humanity yet. She’d ordered him to shoot Stevie Rae so that her blood flowed around the tree and completed our world’s prophecy, allowing a fallen and decidedly evil Kalona and his Raven Mocker children to rise and, as Stevie Rae would say, open up a whole can of whoop-ass on Tulsa.
“Today will be different.” Stark was there beside me. He put his arm around me and murmured, “Different me—different Kalona—different Neferet. Remember that and don’t be freaked out.”
I nodded and stepped fully into his arms, just for a moment, to absorb some of his strength and confidence in me.
“Excuse me, Zoey.”
Reluctantly, I moved out of Stark’s embrace to face Anastasia. The High Priestess looked somber, but her voice was calm and confident. “I have all of the fledglings confined to their dorms, so they will be out of harm’s way. Your grandmother is with the girls in their dorm, helping to keep them calm. Dragon has ordered half of the Sons of Erebus Warriors to stand guard at the dorms, and the others will be here, outside the circle.”
I followed her gaze to a group of armed Warriors taking position around the rear grounds.
Just as I was thinking that I wished there were more of them, Dragon joined us, saying, “I still cannot reach Dallas and the soldiers you ordered to clean out the depot tunnels.”
“Dallas is alive over here?” Stark asked.
Kevin and Shaunee were walking past us, and he paused to answer Stark. “Yeah, but he’s not a very good guy.”
Stark snorted. “Same Dallas—different world. Looks like it’s a good thing he’s not here. Plus, he might distract Stevie Rae.”
“What’s up with that?” Kev asked.
“Once upon a time, before Dallas chose to be a turd, he and Stevie Rae were together,” I explained.
Stevie Rae joined us, with Rephaim beside her. “Did I hear y’all say Dallas’s name?”
“Yeah,” I said. “He’s alive in this world.”
“And a douchebag,” said Kevin.
“Same Dallas—different world,” Stevie Rae echoed Stark and me.
“Where is he?” Rephaim asked, glaring around at the Warriors.
“Not here,” Dragon said. “He and a group of soldiers Anastasia was admonishing are cleaning out the depot. They are also not answering my phone calls.”
“Hey, Shaunee said something about Erin being with Dallas, and she’s MIA too,” said Kevin.
Anastasia sighed. “I thought one of the professors told me she just saw him over by the Field House. Well, no matter. Dragon, when this is over and we’ve raised Kalona, please find Dallas and his compatriots and explain to them that if they do not want to follow my leadership then they will no longer be welcome at this House of Night—and I will inform the Vampyre High Council that they are rogue.”
The hairs on the back of my neck started to prickle. “Why are they in trouble?”
“They still support Neferet and her war,” said Dragon grimly.
I’d opened my mouth to say that my gut was telling me we needed to keep an eye on them, when Neferet breezed up with Lynette at her side.
“It seems they have excellent taste,” Neferet said. “Though I assure you, I have had no contact with them. Dallas and his ilk are even more tedious than this House of Night. They are fit for nothing except to be soldiers of war, and I have had my fill of war.”
“So, basically, you just stir the shit pot and then leave others to clean it up,” said Kevin.
“A disgusting way to put it, though not entirely inaccurate.” Neferet shrugged. “Young vampyre, before you judge me you should understand that the world I grew up in was divided into two types of people—those with power, and those who were controlled by the people with power. I decided one hundred years before you were born never to be in the latter group again. Vilify me if you must, after we defeat the true villain here.”
“Who
