Page 90 of Lost

“Yes. And that’s another reason I have to go over there. Right now Neferet is just a vampyre. Who knows what’ll happen if I wait? Plus, I have a plan to turn the Blue Army against her.”

“How?” Aphrodite asked.

“Jack, correct me if I’m wrong, but from what my brother told me the Warriors believe Neferet is still in the service of Nyx, right?”

Jack sniffled and nodded vigorously. “Oh, yes. Neferet’s their only High Priestess. They count on her to know Nyx’s will.”

“And what would happen if there was absolute proof Neferet wasn’t following the will of Nyx anymore?” I asked.

“The Warriors wouldn’t follow her. Well, some might. Like, some of her lovers. And there are many of them. But the majority would stop fighting for her, and that includes a bunch of the Blue Army,” Jack said.

“That’s my plan,” I said. “I’m going to show everyone at the Other World Tulsa House of Night that Neferet is a fraud—that she’s using her powers for Darkness and isn’t following Nyx anymore.”

“Good plan, Z, but how ya gonna do that?” Stevie Rae asked.

I smiled at my bestie and at her mate. “Well, for that I am going to need the help of Rephaim.”

“Me? Of course I’ll help you.” Rephaim spoke with no hesitation. Then he blinked and I saw understanding bloom across his face. “You’re going to free my father in that world!”

“Yep, that’s part one of my plan. What better way of showing that Neferet isn’t following Nyx than having her winged Consort denounce her in front of the entire House of Night?”

“But Kalona was a real asshat when he first was freed over here. What the hell are you going to do about that?” Aphrodite asked.

“I’m going to count on his son to get through to him,” I said. “And me. Remember that I still have a piece of A-ya within my soul. Rephaim and I—together—have to be able to reach Kalona, especially since we know that deep inside he still loves Nyx and was so awful because he didn’t think the Goddess would ever forgive him.”

“And we’re going to convince Father he’s wrong about that,” Rephaim said.

“Hopefully a lot faster than he was convinced of it over here,” Aphrodite muttered.

“So, you want Rephaim to go over there with you,” Stevie Rae said.

“Yes, I do.”

“But even if that works there’s still the Red Army to deal with,” Jack said, his voice sounding shaky. “And they’re monsters. They don’t care about who Neferet follows. They don’t care about Darkness or Light. All they care about is feeding their hunger.”

“And that’s why there’s a second part to my plan. Stevie Rae, I’m sorry, but I need to ask you to please come with me too.”

Her look of relief made my heart squeeze. “Oh, Z! Of course I will!”

“If I’m getting this plan of yours, you’ll need me too,” Aphrodite said.

“Yep, but not this you. The Other Aphrodite,” I said.

“Okay, look, it’d be lots easier if I went with you,” Aphrodite said.

“You can’t. You’re already over there, and you’re a Prophetess, but you’re also a fully Changed blue vampyre. Not the first blueandred vampyre there ever has been,” I said.

“So what? Erik can give me some of that crap they use on actors to cover their Marks so that humans can forget they’re watching vamps,” Aphrodite said.

“Yeah, I can. There’s a bunch of it in the Drama room,” Erik said.

“Even though my man doesn’t use it,” Shaunee said. “Because if those asswipe human bigots can’t grow enough empathy to identify with someone who looks different, then that’s their problem and they can stop watching his movies.”

“But they all want to watch your movies,” said Jack, sounding adorably starstruck.

Erik turned his movie-star megawatt smile on Jack. “Then I guess they’ll have to accept who I really am, or they’re shit outta luck.”

Jack giggled.