Destined

looked utterly stunned.

“Rephaim? Is it truly you, my son?”

I felt the quake that went through Rephaim’s body and I tightened my hand over his.

“Yes, Father.” His voice got stronger as he spoke. “It is me, Rephaim, your son.”

I know the immortal has faked a lot of things. I know he’s trafficked with Darkness and been a murderer, a liar, and a betrayer. But I think for my entire life I will remember the look on Kalona’s face when he saw Rephaim that day. For an instant Kalona smiled and such pure joy suffused his entire being that I lost my grip on Rephaim. I stood there, slack jawed, and gaped at the wonder of Kalona’s happiness, and realized that I saw within his expression the same love I’d seen when he’d gazed at Nyx in the Otherworld.

“Nyx forgave me,” Rephaim said.

Those three words snuffed out Kalona’s joy. “And then she gifted you with the form of a human boy?” the immoral said in an emotionless voice.

I could feel Rephaim’s hesitation, and I knew he was going to do what I did way too often—tell the whole truth when he should keep his mouth shut—so I blurted the semi-correct short version answer for him.

“Yeah, he’s a boy now and he’s with us.”

Kalona’s amber gaze shifted to me. “Zoey, you are looking well. I thought my son was the Red One’s mate. Is she sharing him with you?”

“Eew, no. It’s not that kind of school. I’m his friend, that’s all,” I said, totally shoving aside the memory of how moved Kalona had been when he’d first seen Rephaim. This is the real Kalona, I reminded myself. “And you don’t have to be such a butt. You called Rephaim, not the other way around.”

“Yes, I called my son. Not a fledgling High Priestess.”

“I asked her to come with me to speak with you,” Rephaim said.

“You asked Zoey and not the Red One. Is that because she’s tiring of you already?”

“No, and her name is Stevie Rae, not the Red One. I’m her mate, and I’m going to stay her mate.” I liked it that all the daddy-hero-worship crap had gone out of Rephaim’s voice. “That’s why I answered your call, because I needed to tell you this, just like I told Nisroc, I’m walking the path of the Goddess with Stevie Rae. It’s what I want. It’s what I’ll always want.”

“Always is a very long time,” Kalona said.

“Yes, I know. I spent a good portion of it doing your bidding.”

“You spent it being my son!”

“No, Father. Not really. I’m beginning to understand that there is only one real difference between Darkness and Light, and that is the capacity to love. When I was doing your bidding there was obligation and fear and intimidation between us, but very little love.”

I expected Kalona to blow up, but instead his shoulders slumped and he looked away as if he couldn’t continue to meet Rephaim’s steady gaze. “Perhaps circumstance made me ill equipped to be a father,” he said slowly. “You were the product of rage and despair and lust. I think I let that shape our relationship.”

I could feel the hope in Rephaim. It was like he telegraphed it through his skin and his voice. “It doesn’t have to continue to shape our relationship,” he said just as slowly. With a start of surprise, I realized that the two of them sounded incredibly similar. I snuck a peek at Rephaim and recognized the shape of his eyes, his mouth, his jaw, and after I saw the family resemblance I wondered how the heck I could have ever missed it. No wonder Rephaim was so gorgeous—he looked like his dad!

“You wish a new beginning between us, as well as with your new life,” Kalona said.

He hadn’t framed it as a question, but Rephaim answered him anyway. “Yes, Father.”

Kalona looked at me. “And what of your new friends? I do not believe they would ever accept the fact that you and I are not enemies.”

“Well, I can’t speak for all of his new friends, but personally I don’t care what kind of relationship he has with you as long as you leave the rest of us alone,” I said. “Neferet is who you need to worry about. If you’re really not still with her, then I can promise you she’s not gonna accept the fact that you and Rephaim aren’t enemies.”

“Neferet does not control me!” Kalona’s powerful voice brushed against my skin and I shivered with the familiarity of its icy touch.

“Yeah, whatever.” I spoke with forced nonchalance. “I’m not talking about control. I’m talking about the fact that you and her are on the same side, and she’s getting way into Darkness. She’s not gonna let someone with your power stand on the sidelines.”

“Neferet forfeited any possible allegiance with me when she imprisoned my body and used my spirit. You should know, Zoey Redbird, that Neferet has a new Consort.”

I rolled my eyes. “Aurox isn’t her Consort. He’s just one of her minions.”

“I wasn’t speaking of her new creature. I was speaking of the white bull.”

I stared at Kalona. “You’re being serious.”

“He is,” Rephaim said.

“And why would you tell me that? We’re not friends. We’re not allies,” I said firmly.

“We could be. We have a common enemy,” Kalona said.

“I don’t think we do. You’re pissed off at Neferet—or at least for this split second you are. I’m fighting against Darkness in general. And that’s the side you’re usually on.”

“He asked about new beginnings,” Rephaim said.

I looked up at the really cute, really hopeful, really naïve boy who stood beside me. “Rephaim, Kalona isn’t suddenly turning good.” All I could think was: Stevie Rae is gonna kill me if I bring him back to her with an “everything is wonderful and beautiful and perfect” attitude about his dad. “We can’t make other people what we want them to be just because we want it a bunch.”

“I have no intention of being good,” Kalona said. “Just as I have no express interest in being evil. I simply wish for the Tsi Sgili’s downfall. She has wounded me, and I would exact my revenge.”

“Okay, so just exactly what does that mean?” I asked.

“It means we have a common enemy. I will help you rid the House of Night of the Tsi Sgili who masquerades as Nyx’s High Priestess and her creature, the Aurox.”

“Father, will you come forward and speak to the High Council, to tell them what you know of Neferet?”

“What good would that do?” Kalona asked sharply. “I have no proof to support my words. I would accuse her of taking the white bull as Consort. She would deny it. I’m assuming she has introduced her creature as a divine gift, has she not?”

“Yeah, she has,” I said. “Aurox is supposed to be a gift from Nyx.”

“Let me guess—the Goddess has not appeared and denounced the creature or Neferet.”

“You know that hasn’t happened,” I said.

“Of course it hasn’t.” Kalona shook his head in obvious disgust. “And because your Goddess remains silent, there is no proof from Nyx. It would be my word against Neferet’s, and the Council already believes she banished me from her side. They would believe I was lying to get revenge.”

“Aren’t you?” I asked. “I mean, isn’t that what you’re saying you want, revenge?”

“I do not want her to be admonished by a ruling Council, her wrist slapped and sent to solitude in pretend service of the Goddess. I want her destroyed.”

The cold hatred in his voice had me shivering again, but I couldn’t argue with his logic. I didn’t want to kill Neferet. Hell, I didn’t want to kill anyone. But I knew in my heart of hearts that unless she was destroyed she would end up causing unimaginable pain and suffering for all of us.

“Okay, look. You need to spell it out for me. Are you talking about killing Neferet?”

“I cannot kill her, she’s become immortal.” His gaze held mine. “Only Neferet can cause her destruction.”

My brain felt like it was going to explode. “I have no clue how to get her to do that.”

“I may,” Kalona said. “She consorts with the white bull. Neferet believes she can control his power. She is very wrong.”

“He’s the key to her destruction?” said Rephaim.

“Perhaps. We should watch and wait for a time. See what she is about, what her next move will be,” Kalona