rituals and whatnot.
'Hi there, Zoey,' she said with a sweet smile.
'Hi, Miss Taylor. I'm supposed to tell Shekinah who's going with me to Street Cats, but I don't have a clue where she is.'
'Oh, she's made the Council Room her office when she's not teaching. And since first hour hasn't started yet, she's there right now.'
'Thanks,' I called as I hurried down the hall to the left and then up the circular staircase that led to the library and the Council Room across the hall from it. I wasn't sure if I should just go on in or not, and I was just raising my hand to knock when Shekinah's clear voice called, 'You may enter, Zoey.'
Jeesh, vamps were so scary with their weird we-know-who's-gonna-call-before-they-call thing. I straightened my shoulders and went in.
Shekinah was wearing a black dress that looked like it was made of velvet, with the silver embroidered insignia of Nyx, a woman's silhouette with her arms upraised and cupping a moon, on her breast. She smiled at me and I was struck anew at her exotic beauty and the sense of age and wisdom that surrounded her.
'Merry meet, Zoey,' she said.
'Merry meet,' I replied automatically.
'How are you today? I hear that one of our young fledglings died last night and that you were witness to his passing.'
I swallowed. 'Yes, I was with Stark when he died. And I'm as okay as I can be today.'
'Do you still feel up to visiting Street Cats? You know it could be a difficult first meeting.'
'I know, but I still want to go. It helps if I stay busy.'
'Very well. You know yourself best.'
'I'd like to take Aphrodite with me, if that's okay with you.'
'She's the fledgling with the earth affinity, isn't she?'
I gave a quick, nervous nod and said, 'Earth is the affinity Nyx gave her.' Okay, well, it wasn't technically a lie.
'Earth is a calming influence. Usually those with an affinity for it are well grounded and dependable. You made an excellent choice as to who should accompany you today, young priestess.'
I tried not to look guilty. Aphrodite grounded and dependable? As the Twins would say, please just please. 'Well, she and Darius are waiting for me, so I better go.'
'Just a moment.' Shekinah glanced down at a paper she held in her hand and then passed it to me. 'Here is your new class schedule. With my approval, Neferet has transferred you from an entry-level of Vampyre Sociology to a sixth former level of the class.' She looked pointedly at my unusual Mark, already filled in even though I am still definitely a fledgling. And of course, no vamp or fledgling has ever had the expanded tattoo Marking I have down my neck, shoulders, back, and waist. Shekinah couldn't see those, but her knowing gaze said that she was more than aware they were there. 'You're too unusually developed to stay in such a simplistic level of sociology. I have a feeling, and your High Priestess agrees, that you are going to need to know details about vampyre life a normal third former would not need to know.'
'Yes, ma'am,' was all I could think to say.
'Putting you in the advanced class has altered your schedule somewhat. I've made sure you're excused today until after lunch. Just be sure you've returned by then, and that you attend the correct classes.'
'Okay, I will. Oh, would you make sure Aphrodite is excused, too?'
'I've already done that,' she said.
I swallowed hard. 'Well, thanks. I mean, thank you.' As usual, the uber-knowledge of the vamps made me extremely nervous. 'Um, I was thinking that I would suggest to the Street Cats people that the Dark Daughters sponsor a flea market–like sale, with the money going to them. Do you think that would be okay?'
'I think it's a lovely idea. I'm sure the Dark Daughters and Sons will have some interesting items to sell.'
I thought about the Twins' designer shoe horde, Erik's collection of
'I'm giving you the autonomy to decide how you want to proceed with your charity work. I agree with you that more interaction with the local populace is a good idea. Segregation breeds ignorance, and ignorance breeds fear. I've already begun working with the local police about the murders, and I agree with them that it seems to be the work of a very small, very disturbed group of humans. I do have my doubts about allowing you to interact with humans right now, but I believe the good in your idea outweighs the risks.'
'So do I.'
'And you will be well protected in the company of Darius.'
'Yeah, he reminds me of a mountain,' I said without thinking, then blushed at my moronic description.
But Shekinah smiled. 'He does, indeed, remind one of a mountain.'
'Okay, well, I'll let you know how it goes with Street Cats.'
'Please do report back to me tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, I've decided to call a special New Year's Ritual in which we will focus on cleansing the negative energy from the school. After the deaths of the two professors and now this poor fledgling, the grounds need a powerful, thorough cleansing. I've heard that you're very familiar with cleansing rituals, as you were raised to be aware of your Native American heritage.'
'Yes!' I couldn't keep the surprise out of my voice. 'My grandma still follows the Cherokee ways.'
'Good. Then I'll count on you and your group of very gifted peers to perform the cleansing ritual. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, so let's plan the ritual to begin at midnight. We will call in the new year with a schoolwide cleansing near the east wall.'
'The east wall? But that's where . . .' I trailed off, feeling sick.
'Yes, that is where Professor Nolan's body was left. It is also a place of great power, and thus it should be the focal point of your cleansing.'
'Isn't that what Neferet did when she performed her ritual there?' Neferet had performed a kind of funeral service for Prof Nolan at the place her body had been found. That had also been when Neferet cast a strong spell around the school that would let her know whenever anyone came or went from the House of Night.
'Cleansing and protection are two very different things, Zoey. Neferet was focusing on protection at that time, which was a perfectly admirable response to such a tragedy. There has been time for our heads to clear now, and it is time to look to the future. For that, we need to cleanse the past. Do you understand?'
'I think so,' I said.
'I'll look forward to your circle,' she said.
'Me, too,' I lied.
'Be vigilant and wise today, Zoey.'
'I'll do my best,' I said. I gave her a respectful salute and a little bow as I left.
So I had to lead a cleansing ritual for the whole school tomorrow—minus my earth element—even though everyone believed Aphrodite still had her affinity for earth. Well, everyone believed Aphrodite was still a fledgling, too. Oh, jeesh. I was in serious trouble. Again.
CHAPTER 15
Trying to keep from freaking out totally about the cleansing ritual, I checked my new schedule while I hurried toward the parking lot. Well, Shekinah had been right—switching me to an upper level of Vamp Sociology had messed up my schedule, shuffling around my first four classes and totally moving drama from second hour to fifth hour, right before the only class that had stayed the same, my Equestrian Studies class.
'Great,' I mumbled to myself. 'So besides a totally messed-up ritual, I have class with Erik to look forward to.' I was trying to keep my empty stomach from turning inside out when I spotted Aphrodite and Darius standing beside a very cool black Lexus. Okay, actually I spotted Darius and his huge muscular self. Aphrodite was standing in his shadow, batting her eyes at him.
