“Yes. Let’s change the subject. How do you feel about your brother being a rogue red vampyre?”
“I feel like my head might explode,” I said honestly.
“Makes sense,” she said. “Are you going to go out and look for him?”
“Of course,” I said.
“You could stay here,” Stark said. “And get the new red fledglings situated. I’ll go out there for you. If Darius and I can’t find him—no one can.”
“You’re not going out there. It’s way too sunny,” I said.
“You’re not going out there. It’s way too dangerous,” Stark said.
“I hate to break up this cute little prelude to an argument, but someone—someone who is a red vampyre—needs to stay here and calm those new fledglings down. They’re pretty freaked,” Aphrodite said.
“That’s no surprise,” Shaunee said. “They ate people. Literally. That can’t be good for your self-esteem.”
“Aphrodite’s right,” I said. “Those fledglings are going to have a tough time. Where’s Stevie Rae?”
“In the basement with them already. It’s too bad you missed her reaction to seeing my Mark. It was a classic bumpkin explosion of “Ohmygoodness” and a disturbing metaphor that had something to do with a speckled pup—what the hell ever that means. Anyway, she’s down there. So are Shaylin and Nicole, but the new fledglings are all guys, and I think they’d feel better with a guy to talk to. Or whatever males do when they bond.”
“I’ll go back out there with Z. The red vamps aren’t dangerous anymore, but if anything happens fire will light them up.” Shaunee made a little flourish with her hands.
“Just because they have their humanity back doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous,” Stark said. “Three of them already committed suicide by cop. We don’t know what the rest of them might do.”
“I can handle myself. And I’ll stay with Shaunee.”
“And Darius,” Aphrodite added. “Where is my man?”
Finished with his call, Marx stuck his head back in the room. “Darius is returning to the House of Night. He’s escorting the coroner’s van here with the remains from the tunnels—not that there’s much left. Should I wait for him to get here?”
“No, go ahead. He has a radio, right?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“Good. Shaunee and I will go out with him and start searching. We’ll coordinate with you through the radio.”
“We’ve already started searching a grid. Darius has been briefed. And be careful out there. The city is still under a state of emergency and I haven’t let the plows go yet.”
“We’ll take the Escalade. It has chains.”
“She’ll also fill the Escalade with Warriors.” Stark gave me a dark but resigned look.
“Okay, I’m out of here,” Marx said. “Aphrodite, want me to give you a call and update you on how your mom’s doing?”
“No thank you,” she said.
I watched Aphrodite. She was definitely not drunk or high anymore, but that wasn’t a surprise. Vampyres metabolized alcohol and drugs differently than humans, so in order for her to be drunk she’d have to drink, like, a case or so of booze—which I wouldn’t put past her, but she clearly hadn’t had the time. Yet. I had no clue if Xanax was still going to work on her at all, and I wondered how she was going to handle her new powers—and her new attitude about her mom—sober. For as long as I’d known her, Aphrodite hadn’t handled much of anything sober.
“You are staring.”
“Sorry. Your Mark is really pretty.”
“I know, right? But you weren’t staring at me with a your-Mark-is-really-pretty stare.”
“Well, it’s a lot to take in,” I equivocated.
“Guys, could we get some help downstairs?” Shaylin rushed into the conference room looking wide-eyed and wild-haired. “Those new fledglings are crying. Seriously. I mean, bawling with snot and everything. Damien and Other Jack are trying to comfort them, but they’re super freaked. And by-the-by, their auras are all over the place.”
“Someone needs to knock them out,” Aphrodite muttered.
That gave me an idea. “Hey, what if we moved them from the basement to the boy’s dorm. The windows are securely draped and they’d be safe from sunlight, but it’s harder for red fledglings to stay awake if they’re above the ground.”
“That’s a good idea,” Stark said. “And you’re right.”
Shaylin smacked herself on the forehead. “Sheesh, I used to be a red fledgling. You’d think I would’ve remembered that.”
“Okay, I’ll help move them,” Stark said.
“And be sure they’re safe,” I said. “And I mean even from themselves.”
“How about assigning one of our fledglings to each of them?” Aphrodite said.
“I like that. Where’s Lenobia?”
“In the basement, very awkwardly trying to get a bunch of boys to stop crying,” Shaylin said. “At this moment I’m pretty sure she hates her job.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re right. So, have Lenobia make a list of students she thinks would be good partners for the new fledglings. Then you guys start pairing them off to the dorm.”
“Okay, will do!” Shaylin said. Before she disappeared down the hallway, her eyes focused on Aphrodite. “Your Mark freaks me out. It’s beautiful and all, but still. Freaks. Me. Out.”
“Thank you,” Aphrodite said. Then her eyes brightened and she was on her feet. “There’s my man!” She glanced around the room and rolled her eyes. “Why do we not have a mirror in here?”
“Uh, it’s a conference room. A student conference room,” Shaunee said.
“And your point is students don’t want to look good? That’s just ridiculous.” She came to me and peered into my face like I was a mirror. “How do I look?”
“Well, your Mark is gorgeous.”
“I know.”
“And your hair is very cray.”
“If Erin were here she’d say it looks like a fart,” Shaunee said.
“No words. I have no words for you and that awful comment,” Aphrodite said to Shaunee.
While Shaunee cackled, I told Aphrodite the truth. “Hey, stop stressing. Darius is going to think you’re beautiful. Because you are beautiful and because he loves you.”
“You’re absolutely right. Thanks, Z.”
Then Darius walked into the room, with a wall of Sons of Erebus Warriors at his back.
“This is gonna be good,” Shaunee whispered.
Aphrodite turned. I saw Darius’ face go blank, as if he couldn’t process what he was seeing, and then his eyes widened and his face flushed. He went to Aphrodite and knelt on one knee and bowed his head.
“Marx said something happened. He said you are why the red fledglings woke and why the red vampyres committed suicide. My beauty, my High Priestess, my Consort, and my love—it is my lifelong honor to be your Oathbound Warrior. Do you accept my pledge?”
Aphrodite knelt in front of him. She took his face between her hands so that he looked into her eyes. “Always, Darius. Always. I haven’t deserved you. But I give you my oath in return that I’ll work harder to be worthy of you. Now, please stand up and kiss me.”
Darius did as his High Priestess commanded, and the Warriors behind him cheered.