Loved (House of Night Other World #1)(42)

“Noted,” he said.

“And I’m sending Sons of Erebus Warriors to the depot to help in any way they can. Darius will lead them, and they are all blue vampyres.”

“Roger that.”

“How bad is the weather?”

“Apparently we’re being slammed by a major winter snowstorm. It was just supposed to be a couple of inches, but something changed in the weather pattern an hour or so ago. It’s going to be bad. Stay safe. Touch base with me later.”

“Thank y—” He hung up before I could finish.

I wiped a shaky hand across my sweaty forehead, drew a deep breath in, let it out, and made the decision I thought would keep the most people under my protection safe. Then I pressed the intercom button and spoke with a pretense of calm.

“Students and faculty, this is your High Priestess. I’ve just spoken to the Tulsa Police Department about the weather, and they advise everyone stay off the roads. Due to the unexpected treacherous conditions, I’m calling the school day immediately. Faculty, please see that your students make their way back to the dorms as soon as possible, and please help your human students call their parents—using landlines because the cell towers are out—to let them know that the police have advised we do not run buses on these roads, so their students will be our welcome guests at the House of Night until the weather clears. Thank you, and blessed be.”

I clicked the intercom button off and picked at my fingernails. Had I made the right decision keeping human students on campus? But if I hadn’t and they’d run into those red creatures … I shuddered, not even wanting to think about it.

“Zoeybird, what has happened?”

I looked up to see Grandma standing in the doorway to the administrative offices. “Come with me, Grandma. Maybe you can help us figure it out.”



Zoey

In the basement under the Field House, the Sons of Erebus Warriors kept their massive stash of weapons. Some were simply lethal. Some were lethal and jewel-encrusted. I’d first discovered the priceless room full of swords, knives, bows, and whatnot when we were battling Neferet, and needed to keep the red fledglings safe in our basement. Over the year I’d assumed the role of Leader of the New North American High Council, I’d been sure Darius—current Swordmaster of the Sons of Erebus—had supervised the cataloging and sorting of all the stored weaponry. We’d found out that the House of Night was sitting on a fortune of weapons, and we’d begun loaning some of the more ancient ones to human museums. The Philbrook was currently displaying a gorgeous collection of samurai swords that dated back more than one thousand years.

We’d also cleaned and reorganized the basement, dividing off a section of it and building out half a dozen cozy guest rooms for any visiting red fledglings or red vampyres. Regular vamps find the sun uncomfortable, but bearable. Red fledglings and vamps find it impossible to tolerate. Exposed too long and they incinerate like one of the ever-fabulous Anne Rice’s fictional vampires. Hence the reason they rest most comfortably underground.

Grandma and I hurried down the stairs that spilled into the huge basement that stretched the length of the Field House. Right now even its vastness was crowded with very large, very well-armed Sons of Erebus Warriors.

Darius and Stark came to my side immediately. Darius raised one hand and the murmurs of the Warriors silenced.

“Get to the Depot Restaurant. It’s too late. They’ve already attacked. I can’t get anyone to answer Kramisha’s landline in the tunnels. 9-1-1 was busy, so I called Detective Marx’s desk. He’s sending TPD there right away, but from what I overheard when I called the restaurant they’re going to be walking into something as awful …” I swallowed hard before I could continue. “Something as awful as when Neferet and her tendrils slaughtered the people at the Boston Avenue Church.”

“They’re going to blame us.” Stark’s look was dark and tense.

“That’s gonna be hard to do when they find out those red zombies killed our people, too,” I said.

Aphrodite moved through the crowd to stand beside Darius. “You mean those kids who waited tables at the restaurant are …” her words trailed off.

I nodded tightly. “Sounded like it.”

“What about Kramisha and the rest of the red fledglings and vamps who live in the tunnels?” Aphrodite asked.

“I don’t know. I tried to warn them. I just don’t know.”

“Then we need to move and move fast,” Darius said. “Sons of Erebus, those of you I’ve already chosen will come with me to the depot. The rest of you remain here under Stark’s command. Protect the school. We don’t know exactly what we’re dealing with yet, but we do know they’re familiar with our city, and the only way they can be stopped is to sever their spines. Take off their heads.”

“And we will know what we’re dealing with soon. We have one of them. We’re going to get answers,” Stark said grimly.

“Which you won’t know about unless the cell service comes back on,” I added. “So, be careful.”

“This is going to sound strange, but don’t let them bite you,” Aphrodite said.

“What do you know?” I asked.

“Nothing for sure. Yet. But my gut is telling me something, and I know what I saw in my vision. A red tide covered Tulsa, and there just weren’t that many of them that came through whatever the hell that was in the park. I put two and two together. Don’t let them bite you. Period.”