Betrayed

CHAPTER 14

Thankfully, we didn't have to wait long before we heard some­thing. Stevie Rae, the Twins, and I were watching The Dr. Phil Show and at exactly 3:10 (Stevie Rae and I were on our second bowls of cereal and I was on my third brown pop) Fox News broke into the program with a Special Report.

'This is Chera Kimiko with breaking news. We have learned that shortly after two thirty this afternoon the Oklahoma branch of the FBI received a bomb threat from a terrorist group calling them­selves Nature's Jihad. Fox News has discovered that the group claimed to have planted a bomb on the I-40 Arkansas River bridge not far from Webber's Falls. Let's go live to Hannah Downs for an update.'

The four of us sat very still as we watched the camera shot take in the young reporter who was standing in front of a normal-looking highway bridge. Well, it was normal-looking except for the hordes of uniformed men who were swarming around it. I breathed a relieved sigh. The bridge was definitely closed.

'Thank you, Chera. As you can see the entire bridge has been closed by the FBI and local police, including Tulsa's ATF team. They're doing a thorough search for the alleged bomb.'

'Hannah, have they found anything yet?' Chera asked.

'It's too early to tell, Chera. They just launched the FBI boats.'

'Thank you, Hannah.' The camera went back to the newsroom. 'We'll keep you updated on this breaking story when we have more information on the alleged bomb, or on this new terrorist group. Until then, Fox returns you to …'

'A bomb threat. That was smart.'

The words were spoken so softly and I was so focused on the TV that it took a second for Aphrodite's voice to register with me. When it did I looked up quickly. She was standing to my right, just a little behind the couch Stevie Rae and I were sitting on. I expected her face to be settled in its usual haughty sneer, so I was surprised when she nodded slightly, almost respectfully, at me.

'What do you want?' Stevie Rae's voice was uncharacteristi­cally sharp, and I noticed that several girls who had been busy in their own little TV-watching groups up until then stopped what they were doing to look our way. By Aphrodite's instant change in expression, she noticed it, too.

'From an ex-refrigerator? Nothing!' she sneered.

I felt Stevie Rae stiffen beside me at the slur. I knew she hated the reminder that she had allowed Aphrodite and her inner group of Dark Daughters to use her blood in the ritual that had gone so totally wrong last month. Being used as a 'refrigerator' was not a good thing—and being called one was an insult.

'Hey, hag bitch from hell,' Shaunee said in a sweet, friendly tone. 'That reminds us, seems the new Dark Daughters inner group—

'Which would so be us and not you and your skanky friends,' Erin inserted.

'… Has an opening for a new refrigerator for the ritual to­morrow,' Shaunee continued smoothly.

'Yeah, and since you're not shit anymore, the only way you'll get into the ritual is as that night's snack,' Erin said. 'Are you here to apply for the job?'

'If you are, sorry. There's no telling where you've been and we don't like nasty,' Shaunee said.

'Bite me, bitch,' Aphrodite snapped.

'Not even if you begged,' Shaunee said.

'Ya ho,' Erin finished.

Stevie Rae just sat there, looking pale and upset. I wanted to knock all their heads together.

'Okay, stop.' They all shut up. I looked at Aphrodite. 'Don't ever call Stevie Rae a refrigerator again.' Then I turned to the Twins. 'Fledglings being used during our rituals is one of the things I'm doing away with, so we won't need a kid to act as our sacrifice. Which means no one is going to be a snack.' Okay, I hadn't actually yelled at the Twins, but they gave me identical looks of hurt and shock. I sighed. 'We're all on the same side here,' I said quietly, making sure my voice didn't carry to the ob­viously listening kids in the room. 'So it would be nice if we could lose some of the bickering.'

'Don't kid yourself. We're not on the same side—not even close.' Then, with a laugh that was more like a snarl, she stalked off.

I watched her leave and just before she went out the front door she glanced back at me, met my eyes, and winked.

What was that about? She'd looked almost playful, like we were friends and just kidding around. But that wasn't possible. Was it? 'She gives me the creeps,' Stevie Rae said.

'Aphrodite has issues,' I said, and the three of them looked at me like I'd just said Hitler really hadn't been that bad. 'You guys, I really want the new Dark Daughters to be a group that brings people together, not one that's stuck-up and so exclusive that only a few from a chosen clique can join.' They just stared at me. 'It was her warning that saved my grandma and several other people today.'

'She only told you because she wants something from you. She's hateful, Zoey. Don't ever think she's not,' Erin said.

'Please do not tell me that you're thinking of letting her back into the Dark Daughters,' Stevie Rae said.

I shook my head. 'No. And even if I wanted to, which I don't,' I added quickly, 'according to my own new rules she doesn't qualify for membership. A Dark Daughter or Son has to uphold our ideals by her or his behavior.'

Shaunee snorted. 'No damn way that hag knows how to be authentic, faithful, wise, earnest, and sincere about anything ex­cept her own hateful plans.'

'For world dominance,' Erin added.

'And don't think they're exaggerating,' Stevie Rae told me.

'Stevie Rae, she is not my friend. I just … I dunno ...' I floundered, trying to put the instinct that so often whispered to me and goaded me to do, or not to do, things into words. 'I guess I really do feel sorry for her sometimes. And I also think I under­stand her a little. Aphrodite just wants to be accepted, but she goes about it all wrong. She thinks manipulation and lies mixed with control can force people to like her. It's what she saw at home, and that's what made her like she is now.'

'Sorry, Zoey, but that's bullshit,' Shaunee said. 'She's way too old to be acting a fool because she has a screwed-up mommy.'

'Please. Just please with the blame-my-mommy-'cause-I'm-a-bitch crap,' Erin said.

'Not to be mean or anything, but you have a screwed-up mama, too, Zoey, and you didn't let her, or your step-loser of a dad, mess you up,' Stevie Rae said. 'And Damien has a mama who doesn't like him anymore because he's gay.'

'Yeah, and he didn't turn into a hateful slut hag,' Shaunee said. 'Actually, he's the opposite. He's like ... he's like ...' She paused, looking to Erin for help. 'Twin, what's the Julie Andrews charac­ter's name in The Sound of Music?'

'Maria. And you're right, Twin. Damien is like that goody-goody nun. He needs to loosen up some or he's never gonna get any.'

'I cannot believe you guys are discussing my love life,' Damien said.

We all jumped guiltily and muttered, 'Sorry.'

He shook his head while Stevie Rae and I scooted over so he could sit beside us. 'And I'll have you know I don't just want to 'get some' as you guys so nastily put it. I want a lasting relation­ship with someone I really care about, and I'm willing to wait for that.'

'Ja, fräulein,' Shaunee whispered.

'Maria,' Erin muttered.

Stevie Rae tried to hide her giggle in a cough.

Damien narrowed his eyes at the three of them. I decided that was my cue to talk.

'It worked.' I said quietly. 'They closed the bridge.' I pulled his cell phone out of my pocket and gave it back to him. He checked to make sure it was off and nodded.

'I know, I saw the news and came right over.' Damien glanced at the digital clock on the DVD player that sat