Tempted

I heard the smile in his voice.

I couldn’t look at him.

Another Council member spoke up. Her dark eyes flashed and her voice was sharp, almost sarcastic. I thought she must be Thanatos, the vampyre who’d taken on the Greek name for death. “Interesting you speak in support of her, Erebus, as Lenobia says Zoey believes another version of who it is you are.”

“I said she was unusual, not infallible,” Kalona said. Several of the other Council members chuckled, as did many vampyres in the audience, though Thanatos appeared unamused. I could feel Stark stiffen where he sat beside me.

“So tell us, unusual and very young Zoey Redbird, who do you believe our winged immortal to be?”

My mouth was so dry I had to swallow twice before I could speak. And then when the words finally came, what I said took me by surprise, as if my heart said them without asking my mind’s permission.

“I believe he’s been lots of different things. I think he used to be close to Nyx, though he isn’t Erebus.”

“And if he isn’t Erebus, who is he?”

I focused on the wisdom in Duantia’s eyes and tried to block out everything else as I spoke only the truth. “My grandmother’s people are Cherokee, and they have an old legend about him. They called him Kalona. He lived with the Cherokee after he fell from Nyx’s Realm. I don’t think he was himself then. He did terrible things to the women of the tribe. He fathered monsters. My grandmother told me how he was trapped. There was even a song the people used to sing that told how he could be freed from his imprisonment—directions Neferet followed, which is why he’s here now. I think he’s with Neferet because he wanted to be the consort of a goddess, and I think he messed up in his choice. Neferet isn’t a goddess. She isn’t even a goddess’s High Priestess anymore.”

My proclamation was met with exclamations of outrage and disbelief, the loudest coming from Neferet herself.

“How dare you! As if you—a fledgling child—can know who I am to Nyx?”

“No, Neferet,” I faced her across the Council Chamber. “I don’t have any idea who you are to Nyx anymore. I don’t begin to understand what you’ve become. But I do know who you aren’t. You aren’t Nyx’s High Priestess.”

“Because you think you’ve supplanted me!”

“No, because you turned from the Goddess. It doesn’t have anything to do with me,” I said.

Neferet ignored me and appealed to the Council. “She’s infatuated with Erebus. Why must I be subjected to this jealous child’s slander?”

“Neferet, you have made it clear that it is your intention to be the next Vampyre High Priestess. Should you hold that title, you must be wise enough to deal with all types of controversy, even those involving yourself.” Duantia looked from Neferet to Kalona. “What say you about Zoey’s speech?”

I could feel him looking at me, but I kept my eyes steadily on Duantia.

“I say that she believes she is speaking the truth. And I do admit that my past has been violent. I have never claimed infallibility, either. I have recently found my path, though, and within that path there is Nyx.”

There was no way I couldn’t hear the truth that rang in his words. Unable to stop myself, my eyes were drawn to him.

“My experiences are why I feel so strongly about bringing back the old ways, where once vampyres and their Warriors strode the earth, proud and strong, instead of hiding in clusters of schools and only letting our young outside our gates if they have their Marks covered, as if the Goddess’s crescent is something of which they should be ashamed. Vampyres are Nyx’s children, and the Goddess never meant for you to cower in darkness. Let us all step into the light!”

He was magnificent. As he spoke, his wings had begun to unfurl. His voice was filled with passion. Everyone stared at him. Mesmerized by his beauty and passion, we all wanted to believe in his world.

“And when you’re ready to be led by Nyx Incarnate and her consort Erebus, then we will bring the ancient ways to life again, so that we may all stand proud and strong—and not bow to human bondage and prejudice,” Neferet said, looking glorious beside him as she wrapped her arm possessively through his. “Until then, listen to the whining of children as Erebus and I reclaim Capri from those who have inter-loped on our ancient home too long.”

“Neferet, the Council will not sanction war against humans. You cannot force them from their homes on the island,” Duantia said.

“War?” Neferet laughed, sounding shocked and amused. “Duantia, I purchased Nyx’s Castle from the elderly human who had allowed it to fall into disrepair. Had any one of you on the Council checked, we could have regained our ancient home at any time during the past two decades.” Neferet’s green eyes swept around the chamber. Intense and appealing in her passion, she captivated the audience as she spoke. “It was there that vampyres founded the beauty of Pompeii. It was there that vampyres ruled the Amalfi Coast, ushering in centuries of prosperity with their wisdom and benevolence. It is there that you will find the heart and soul of Nyx and the richness of the life she wishes for her people. And it is there that you will find Erebus and me. Join us if you dare to live again!”

She turned and, in a swirl of silk, swept out of the chamber. Before following her, Kalona bowed respectfully to the Council, his fist over his heart. Then he looked at me and said, “Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.”

When they left the chamber utter pandemonium was loosed. Everyone spoke at once, some clearly wanting to call Neferet and Kalona back—some indignant that they’d left. No one—not one vampyre—spoke against them. And whenever his name was spoken, they called him Erebus.

“They believe him,” Stark said.

I nodded.

He gave me a sharp look. “Do you believe him?”

I opened my mouth, not sure how I was going to explain to my Warrior it wasn’t so much that I believed in Kalona, but that I was beginning to believe in what he once had been and might become again.

Duantia’s voice echoed through the chamber, silencing everyone. “Enough! This chamber will be cleared immediately. We will not disintegrate into chaotic rabble.” Warriors seemed to materialize from the crowd, and the still animated vampyres began leaving.

“Zoey Redbird, we would speak with you tomorrow. Bring your circle here at dusk. We understand the fledgling-turned-human prophetess has experienced the trauma of a broken Imprint today. If she has recovered enough, we would have her join your group tomorrow.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said.

Stark and I made a hasty exit. Damien motioned us over to a little side garden that was tucked just off the main path where the rest of the kids were waiting for us.

“What happened in there?” Damien didn’t pause before getting right to it. “It sounded like you believed the stuff about Kalona falling from Nyx’s side.”

“I had to tell them the truth.” I drew a deep breath and told my friends the rest of it. “Kalona showed me a vision of the past, and in it I saw that he was Nyx’s Warrior.”

“What!” Stark exploded. “The Goddess’s Warrior? That’s insane! I spent time with him. Time where he acted real around me. I saw who he is—and he isn’t our Goddess’s Warrior.”

“Not anymore he isn’t.” I tried to keep my voice calm, but I wanted to yell back at Stark. He hadn’t seen the vision. How could he judge whether it was true or not? “He chose to leave Nyx. And, yeah, it was a mistake. And, yeah, he did terrible things. I said all of that.”

“But you believe him,” Stark said, tight-lipped.

“No! I don’t believe he’s Erebus. I never said that.”

“No, Zo, but what you did say made it sound like you might be on his side—if he dumped Neferet,” Heath said.

I had had about enough. As usual, these guys were making my head hurt. “Do you think you two could quit looking at it like you’re my boyfriends? Could you cut out the jealous, possessive stuff and try to be objective about him?”

“I’m not jealous or possessive of you, and I think you’re mistaken if you’re starting to believe Kalona is good,” Damien said.

“He got to you, Z,” Shaunee said.