Page 73 of Lost

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Other Aphrodite

Aphrodite zipped up her sleek leather bombardier jacket and lifted her chin as she went out the front doors of the school and headed to the first vehicle in the army convoy. She could feel the eyes on her, but that was nothing new. Males had been watching her since before she’d grown boobs. Of course there was a difference between regular males and ravenous, stinky, eating-machine males, but as Neferet would say,Not that much difference.

She shook that thought out of her head.If I’m quoting Neferet it’s time for a serious reality check. I can do this. I can go with the army to the stupid field outside stupid Sapulpa, and then I can come home. Neferet will be pacified. I’ll be back on her good list, and everything can return to normal.The problem was that thought didn’t bring Aphrodite much comfort.Normalat the House of Night had become almost unbearable. For the zillionth time since Neferet had started her horrid war, Aphrodite wished she’d gotten out—gotten away to Italy and San Clemente Island before the damn thing had started. She was a Prophetess. Surely the High Council would’ve given her sanctuary and not put her on the next flight back to Tulsa when Neferet demanded she return.

Because Neferet would have demanded it. She only had one Prophetess. For the first time in her life, Aphrodite was sorry she had been so damn gifted by Nyx that she couldn’t pass for an average priestess.

“Who am I kidding. I could never pass for average.”

“Gotta agree with you there, gorgeous!”

Aphrodite looked to her right. There was a young blue vampyre lieutenant leaning against the lead vehicle giving her a smile that was way too much like a leer.

“What did you say?” she asked in a deceptively sweet voice.

“I agreed with you. You’re way too gorgeous to ever be average.” He winked at her.

She caught his gaze with her own. “Did I ask for your opinion?”

“Nah, but I—”

“But you what?” her voice sharp enough to skewer him. “You have no manners? You have no sense?”

“Hey, look—”

She sliced through his words again. “No,youlook. Do you want to know when you’re going to die?”

“No!”

“Do you want to knowhowyou’re going to die?”

“Hell no!”

“Then treat me with the respect a Prophetess of Nyx deserves, or I may feel the need to enlighten you. Goddess knows you could use some enlightening.”

“Uh, yeah. Okay.”

“Let me fix that for you. The correct way for you to respond is,I apologize, Prophetess. It won’t happen again, Prophetess. Let me get that door for you, Prophetess.” Aphrodite paused while the annoying little ass just stood there, his mouth opening and closing like a ferret-faced carp. She sighed and put her hands on her hips. “Is this General Stark’s truck thing?”

“Yeah, it’s his Hummer. Uh, I mean, yes, it is, Prophetess.”

“See, youarecapable of learning. Then open the damn door for me.”

“Problem, Lieutenant Dallas?” Stark came from behind her and strode to the front passenger’s side of the vehicle. He wasn’t alone, but Aphrodite didn’t need to look to see who was with him. She could smell him.

“Nope, sir!” The moronic lieutenant instantly opened the Hummer door for Stark.

“Good to hear it. Let’s get moving.” Stark glanced at Aphrodite and Kevin, who had stopped beside her. “What are you two waiting for, a written invitation? Get in the back seat.” Stark shook his head, muttered something indecipherable, and Lieutenant Dallas closed his door with a firm slam.

Kevin stepped to the backseat door on their side of the vehicle and opened it. “After you, Prophetess,” he said.

“The only one with manners stinks. Fantastic.” She moved past Kevin and got inside. Kevin jogged around to the other side of the Hummer and took the seat beside her.

“All ready back there,Prophetess?” Dallas asked with just a touch of a sneer as he grinned into the rearview mirror.

“Just drive,” Stark told him sharply. As they led the convoy out of the House of Night, Stark turned in his seat. “Now, tell me what you didn’t tell Neferet about your vision.”