Loved (House of Night Other World #1)(35)

“Do it, girl! I’ll hold on until you release fire.”

I nodded. “Shaylin, Stevie Rae, Aphrodite! They’re draining our elements. Hang on till I get to you and release them!”

Piercing screams drowned their responses, echoing from the group of humans surrounding Aphrodite’s mom, though none of them moved—none of them bolted for their cars like they should have. They all stared at the creatures pouring from the bloody fountain—and I could see the red recording light was still blazing as the Fox camera filmed everything.

Aphrodite planted her feet like she was part of the Broken Arrow Tiger’s defensive line. I saw her draw a deep breath, and with a herculean effort, she cupped her hands around her mouth to shout, “Mother! Get out of here! Now! Our circle is all that’s holding them, and we’re closing the circle!”

More screams came from the group of journalists, but Aphrodite’s mother stood firm in the middle of them, her eyes huge as she stared at the creatures.

“You summoned demons!” she shrieked at her daughter. “And now the world will see for themselves the aberrations vampyres create!”

“They’re not vampyres, Mother. They’re zombies. We didn’t summon them, but they’re going to eat your skinny ass if you don’t get out of here!”

“Go! Close the circle!” Shaunee told me. “Hurry!”

I forced my feet to move through the fear, seeming as thick and deep as quicksand, toward the center of the circle and my spirit candle. The increasing mob of creatures swiveled their heads in my direction, and I stumbled to a halt, unable to breathe as they trained their glowing eyes on me.

Some still looked muddled, shaking their heads and rubbing their heavy lids—a lot like the four members of my circle.

But others stilled—their scarlet glares piercing through heavy snow.

I was running out of time.

Frantically, my eyes scanned the blood-soaked ground, trying to find my candle. It was there—beside the twisted rowan—and it was on its side, flame already extinguished. I breathed a quick sigh of relief, saying, “Spirit! I release you from my circle!”

Staggering into an awkward sprint, I made a wide sweep, hugging the inside of the circle as I ran, counterclockwise, to get to north and earth.

“I got your back, Z. I’m not moving until you send air away.” Aphrodite called as I ran past her.

“Not moving either!” Shaylin’s shout sounded high and weak, but unwavering.

“Standing strong!” Shaunee said grimly.

I stumbled to a stop in front of Stevie Rae and paused only long enough to blow out her candle and say, “Earth! I release you from my circle!” I grabbled Stevie Rae’s arm as the element released her, and she almost fell.

“I’ve got you, Stevie Rae!” Rephaim was suddenly there, beside Stevie Rae, putting a strong arm around her waist to support her, and brandishing what looked like little more than a pocketknife in his other hand.

Great. Had no one but Stark brought real weapons? I already knew the answer to my question. No one had expected our well-intended protection spell to turn into the zombie apocalypse. We were woefully unprepared for everything that happened next.

“Follow me!” I told Rephaim.

With Stevie Rae and Rephaim, I staggered to Shaylin.

“Water! I release you from my circle! Stay with us. Hang on to Rephaim if you can’t walk. We’re getting Shaunee and Aphrodite!”

Shaylin nodded and grabbed Rephaim’s arm. We lurched to Shaunee.

“Get out of the way, boy! You’re messing up the camera’s shot.”

I glanced over my shoulder. Aphrodite’s mom was screaming at Darius, who had taken a stand between our circle and the group of journalists. He’d drawn a sword (thank Goddess for the training of the Sons of Erebus Warriors)—obviously ready to protect them if the zombie things started to attack.

“He’s all that’s standing between you and death!” Aphrodite said.

“He’s all that’s standing between me and showing the truth to the world!” Francis LaFont shouted back.

“Fire! I release you from my circle!”

But Shaunee wasn’t even looking at me. She was staring over my shoulder at the middle of the circle. She pointed a trembling finger, saying, “Fledglings! Oh, Goddess. There are fledglings puking out of that mess.”

I barely took time to look, but what I saw fueled me with enough adrenaline to push me around the circle. With Stevie Rae and Shaylin clinging to Rephaim, and Shaunee hanging on to me, I closed the last yards to Aphrodite.

“Air! I—”

“JACK!” The cry overpowered my words with the force of its agony. I looked up at the ridge. Damien was there beside Stark. Stark was holding his arm as he struggled to get free, his eyes huge with shock he stared behind me at the center of the circle.

“Don’t look. Just finish closing the fucking circle!” Aphrodite said.

“Air! I release you!” I blew out the yellow candle, and with a small sizzle, like a snuffed-out flame, the glowing thread that held our circle together extinguished. The five of us reeled as we were released from the terrible drain that had usurped the power of our circle from us.

A heartbeat after, there was another terrible sound—only this one was less a ripping than an explosion. I turned to see the twisted rowan had been sucked into the ground. Nothing remained of it or the ritual symbols I’d placed beside it. All that remained was a circle of gore filled with salivating, hissing monsters that had definitely been released from whatever confusion had contained them.