Betrayed

discovered by two kayakers late Friday afternoon. The body had become snagged in the rocks and sand barges used to dam the Twenty-first Street area of the Arkansas River to create the new recreational rapids. Sources tell us that the teenager died of loss of blood associated with multiple lacer­ations, and that he might have been mauled by a large animal. We'll have more on that for you after the official medical exam­iner's report is released.'

My stomach, which had finally settled down and was acting normal, clenched. I felt my body go cold. But the bad news wasn't over. Chera's beautiful brown eyes looked earnestly into the cam­era as she continued.

'On the heels of this tragic news comes the report of another Union football player who has been listed as missing. 'The screen flashed a picture of another cute guy in Union's traditional red and white football uniform. 'Brad Higeons was last seen after school Friday at the Starbucks at Utica Square where he was post­ ing pictures of Chris. Brad was not only Chris's teammate, he was also his cousin.'

'Ohmygoodness! The Union football team is dropping like flies,' Stevie Rae said. She glanced at me and I saw her eyes widen. 'Zoey, are you okay? You don't look so good.'

'I knew him, too.'

'That's weird,' Damien said.

'The two of them were always at parties together. Everyone knew them because they're cousins, even though Chris is black and Brad is white.'

'Makes perfect sense to me,' Shaunee said.

'Ditto, Twin,' Erin said.

I could barely hear them through the buzzing in my ears. 'I ... I need to go for a walk.'

'I'll go with you,' Stevie Rae said.

'No, you stay here and watch the movie. I just—I just need to get some air.'

'Are you sure?'

'Positive. I won't be gone long. I'll be back in time to see Ewan's butt.' Even though I could almost feel the worried look Stevie Rae was giving my back (and hear the Twins arguing with Damien about whether they would actually see Ewan's butt), I rushed out of the dorm and into the cool November night.

Blindly, I turned away from the main school building, instinc­tively moving in the opposite direction from anywhere I'd run into people. I forced myself to keep moving and to breathe. What the hell was wrong with me?My chest felt tight and my stomach was so sick I had to keep swallowing hard so I wouldn't puke. The buzzing in my ears seemed to be better, but there was no relief from the anxiety that had settled over me like a shroud. Every­thing inside me was screaming, Something's not right! Some­thing's not right! Something's not right!

As I walked I gradually noticed that the night, which had been clear, with a sky full of stars helping the almost full moon to illu­minate its thick darkness, suddenly had clouded up. The soft, cool breeze had turned cold, causing dry leaves to shower down around me, mixing the smells of earth and wind with the darkness ... somehow this soothed me and the tumult of disjointed thoughts and anxiety lifted enough for me to actually think.

I headed to the stables. Lenobia had said that I could groom Persephone whenever I needed to think and be alone. I definitely needed that, and having a direction to go—an actual destination—was one small good thing in the midst of my internal chaos.

The stables were just ahead, sprawling long and low, and my breath had started to come a little easier when I heard the sound. At first I didn't know what it was. It was too muffled—too odd. Then I thought that it might be Nala. It was like her to follow me and complain at me in her weird old lady cat voice until I stopped and picked her up. I looked around and called 'Kitty-kitty' softly.

The sound got more distinct, but it wasn't a cat, I could tell that. A movement close to the barn caught my eye, and I saw that a shape was slumped on the bench near the front doors. There was only one gaslight there, and it was right beside the doors. The bench was just outside the edge of the pool of flickering yellow light.

It moved again, and I could tell that the shape must be a person ... or fledgling … or vampyre. It was sitting, but kinda hunched over, almost folded in on itself. The sound started again. This close I could hear that it was a weird wailing—like whoever was sitting there was in pain.

Naturally, I wanted to run in the opposite direction, but I couldn't. It wouldn't be right. Plus, I felt it—the knowledge within me that I could not leave. That whatever was happening on the bench was something I had to face.

I took a deep breath and approached the bench.

'Uh, are you okay?'

'No!'The word was an eerie, whispering explosion of sound.

'Can—can I help you?' I asked, trying to peer into the shad­ows and see who was sitting there. I thought I could see light-colored hair, and maybe hands covering a face ...

'The water! The water is so cold and deep. Can't get out ... can't get out.'

She took her hands from her face then and looked up at me, but I already knew who it was. I'd recognized her voice. And I also recognized what was happening to her. I forced myself to ap­proach her calmly. She stared up at me. Her face was covered with tears.

'Come on, Aphrodite. You're having a vision. I need to get you to Neferet.'

'No!' she gasped. 'No! Don't take me to her. She won't listen to me. She—she doesn't believe me anymore.'

I remembered what Neferet had said earlier about Nyx with­drawing her gifts from Aphrodite. Why should I even mess with her at all? Who knew what was going on with Aphrodite? She was probably making some pathetic play for attention, and I didn't have time for this crap.

'Fine. Let's say I don't believe you either,' I told her. 'Stay here and have your vision or whatever. I have other things to worry about.' I turned to head into the stable, and her hand snaked out, grabbing my wrist.

'You have to stay!' she said through chattering teeth. Obvi­ously, she was having difficulty talking. 'You have to hear the vi­sion!'

'No, I do not.' I pried her viselike fingers from my wrist. 'Whatever's going on, it's about you—not me. You deal with it.' This time when I turned I walked away more quickly.

But not quick enough. Her next words felt like she'd sliced them through me.

'You have to listen to me. If you don't your grandma will die.'

CHAPTER 9

'What in the hell are you talking about!' I rounded on her.

She was gasping in weird little panting breaths, and her eyes were starting to flutter. Even in the darkness I could see the whites in them beginning to show. I grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

'Tell me what you see!'

Clearly trying to control herself she nodded with a jerky little movement. 'I will,' she panted. 'Just stay with me “

I sat beside her on the bench and let her grab my hand, not caring that she was squeezing so hard it felt like she was going to break something—not caring that she was my enemy and some­one I'd never trust—not caring about anything except the fact that Grandma might be in trouble.

'I'm not going anywhere,' I said grimly. Then I remembered how Neferet had prompted her. 'Tell me what you see, Aphrodite.'

'Water! It's awful … so brown and so cold. It's all confusion ... can't—can't get the door of the Saturn open ...'

I felt a horrible jolt. Grandma has a Saturn! She bought it be­cause it was one of those ultra-safe cars that were supposed to be able to survive anything.

'But where's the car, Aphrodite? What water is it in?'

'Arkansas River,' she panted. 'The bridge—it collapsed.'

Aphrodite sobbed, sounding terrified. 'I saw the car in front of me fall and hit the barge. It's on fire! Those little boys … the ones who were trying to get truck drivers to honk as they passed ... they're in the car.'

I swallowed hard. 'Okay, what bridge? When?'