Burned

“And the rest of my Council? Do you agree with Thanatos?” Duantia asked.

Stark held his breath while the other five High Priestesses either spoke solemn yeses or gave small nods.

“Well done, fledgling Damien,” Thanatos said.

Damien’s cheeks turned pink. “Thank you, Priestess.”

Duantia shook her head. “For my part, I am not as pleased as Thanatos at the prospect of the death of a promising young Warrior.” Then the vampyre shrugged with acquiescence. “But the Council is in agreement. Though it saddens me, I bow to the will of my Council and to our laws. Stark, where is it you would like to take your High Priestess for her last days?”

Before he could respond, Neferet’s cold voice cut in. “Am I to assume this little quorum of agreement means I am also free to leave and to take my consort with me?”

“We already decided upon that, Neferet.” Thanatos’s tone matched her chill for chill. “Under the conditions set, you may return to Capri with your consort’s body.”

“Thank you,” Neferet said shortly. She made a brusque gesture at the Sons of Erebus who had carried Kalona into the Council Chamber on the litter. “Bring Erebus. We are leaving this place.” With the barest of bows to the Council, Neferet strode imperiously from the room.

Everyone was watching her exit when Aphrodite grabbed Stark’s arm, and said urgently, “Stall. Don’t give them an answer about where you want to take Zoey.”

“Now that that interruption is gone, you are free to tell the Council where it is you’d like to take your High Priestess, Stark,” Thanatos said.

“Right now I want to take her to our room in the palace. That is, if you say it’s okay. I really need some time to think about what’s best for Zoey, and I haven’t had a chance to do that.”

“Young but wise.” Thanatos smiled in approval.

“I am pleased it seems you’ve been able to rein in your anger, Warrior,” Duantia said. “May you continue to think clearly and wisely.”

Stark clenched his teeth together and bowed his head respectfully, careful not to meet any of the Council members’ gazes, afraid that they would see the reality of his un-reined anger.

“The Council gives its permission for you to retire to the palace with your wounded High Priestess and your friends. We will ask for your decision about where you wish to take her on the morrow. Please know you may still decide to remain here. If you ask it of us, we will provide sanctuary for all of you, for as long as is necessary.”

“Thank you,” Stark said. He bowed formally to the group of powerful High Priestesses.

“Council is adjourned. We shall reconvene on the morrow. Until then, I truly wish you to blessed be.”

Before even Darius could help him, Stark went to Zoey, lifted her body in his arms, and, holding her close to him, carried her from the Council Chamber.

Stark

“Tell me everything you know.” He’d only just laid Zoey’s body on the bed in the suite assigned to them when Stark confronted Aphrodite.

“Well, it’s not much, but it’s enough to make me think the vamps are wrong,” Aphrodite said, snuggling into a big velvet chair beside Darius.

“You mean you know of a case where a Warrior actually brought back his High Priestess from the Otherworld?” Damien asked, as he and Jack pulled chairs from the suite’s living room into the bedroom.

“No. Not exactly.”

“What do you mean, Aphrodite?” Stark paced back and forth in front of Zoey’s bed.

“I mean I don’t give a shit about ancient history. Zoey isn’t some stick-up-her-ass High Priestess from back in the day.”

“People who ignore history end up repeating it,” Damien said softly.

“I didn’t say I was ignoring it, Gay Boy. I said I didn’t give a shit about it.” Aphrodite’s sharp gaze went from Damien to the Twins, who were still standing in the entryway to the bedroom. “Dorkamese Twins, why are you lurking?”

“We aren’t lurking, Hateful,” Shaunee’s voice was little more than a whisper.

“Yeah, we’re respectful-ing,” Erin added in a twin whisper.

“Oh, for shit’s sake. What are you two talking about?” Aphrodite said.

“It’s disrespecting Zoey’s, um, body to be all talking and stuff around her while she’s—” Shaunee broke off, looking at her twin for help.

Before Erin could, as usual, finish her sentence, Stark said, “No. We aren’t treating her like she’s dead. She’s just not here, that’s all.”

“So it’s more like a waiting room than a hospital room,” Jack said, reaching from his chair to touch Zoey’s hand.

“Yeah,” Stark said. “Only it’s a waiting room for something really good.”

“Like at the DMV when you’ve passed your driver’s test and had a really bad picture taken and you’re just waiting for them to bring you your license?” Jack said.

“Exactly, only without the filth and the peasants,” Aphrodite said. “So pull up some chairs, brain-sharers, and stop acting like Zoey’s a corpse.”

The Twins hesitated, shared a glance, shrugged, and then pulled chairs into the bedroom and joined the group’s little circle.

“All right, now that we’re all together on this, you need to tell us what you found out from Stevie Rae,” Darius said.

Aphrodite smiled at her Warrior. “How’d you know I got the info from Stevie Rae?”

Darius touched her face gently. “I know you.”

Stark clenched his fists and looked away from the bond that was so obvious between Aphrodite and Darius. He wanted to hit something. He needed to hit something. He was going to explode if he didn’t get rid of some of the feelings that were choking him from the inside out. Then Aphrodite’s words penetrated the mess that was his mind, and he whirled around to face her. “Say that again!”

“I said, Kalona really is in the Otherworld. Neferet’s sent him there to be sure Zoey doesn’t pull herself together and make it back here.”

“Wait, no, I remember overhearing Kalona talking to Rephaim once. He was real pissed because the Raven Mocker had said something about returning to the Otherworld. I’m sure Kalona said he couldn’t go back because Nyx kicked him out,” Stark said.

“She kicked out his body. His body isn’t there,” Aphrodite said. “It’s his soul that’s slithered its way back in.”

“OhmyGoddess!” Damien said.

“Zoey’s in bigger trouble than we thought,” Erin said sadly.

“And that was already some really big trouble,” Shaunee agreed.

“It gets worse,” Aphrodite said. “Neferet’s behind all of this.” She sighed and met Stark’s eyes. “Okay, this is gonna be not so nice for you to hear, but you need to listen up and deal with it. Kalona used to be Nyx’s Warrior.”

The color drained from Stark’s face. “That’s what Zoey told me right before . . .” He rubbed a hand through his hair. “I didn’t believe her. I got pissed and jealous and stupid. That’s why I wasn’t with her when she saw Kalona kill Heath.”

“You’re going to have to find a way to forgive yourself for that mistake,” Darius