Loved (House of Night Other World #1)(66)

“It’s not funny.” I let her go so abruptly that she almost fell. “And I’m serious. What if I needed you right now? What if we all needed you right now? You’re a Prophetess of Nyx. We’re in a time of crisis. And what did you choose to do? Get so messed up that you can hardly walk. That’s total bullpoopie, Aphrodite, and as your High Priestess I’m telling you—no, I’m commanding you—to sober up.”

“Hey, my monster of a mom is dying. Then I’ll be an orphan. I have the right to get messed up.”

“No, you don’t. What you have is an obligation to yourself and to the people who care about you to deal with the issues in your life! You’re acting like you’re the only one of us who ever lost a parent. Or who ever had a crappy parent. Bingo and bingo for me and for a bunch of us. Grow the hell up, Aphrodite, and realize you have a problem.”

Aphrodite narrowed her eyes at me, switching from giggly drunk to mean drunk in an instant. “What problem are you talking about?”

“Get real, Aphrodite.” Stark spoke without taking his eyes from the street around us. “Everyone knows you have a major alcohol and prescription drug problem.”

Aphrodite stopped swaying. Her face flushed bright red. “Fuck you, James Stark! And fuck you, too, Zoey Redbird! Fuck all of you. You peasants don’t know who the hell you’re dealing with. Command me? Command me? I didn’t ask for any of this, and you, High Priestess,” she sneered, “don’t have the brains or experience to command the correct spell to enter a circle, let alone command me. I quit!” She shoved past me, bumping me so hard she almost knocked me on my butt and repeating, “I fucking quit!” Over her shoulder she continued to spew anger. “Tell Darius we’re out of here as soon as the airport opens. Queen Damien hates New York? Well, I love it, so mark him off and pencil me in. I’ll do a better job than he’s been doing anyway—all he’s been doing is boohooing. Yeah, New York City. That’s where I’m going. As soon as possible.”

I started to follow her, but Stark caught my wrist.

“Let her go.”

“But she’s—”

“She’s drunk, full of pills, and mean. And she’s currently walking onto campus. She’ll be fine.”

“Walking? Don’t you mean stumbling?”

“No.” He pointed at her. “Look. She’s not stumbling at all now. And she’s already through the gate. Let’s get back in the car.”

We fought against the wind to the car.

“Let me guess—she was majorly fucked up,” Shaunee said as she climbed into the back seat and Stark took her place.

“Totally,” I said.

“You know, the amount of drugs and alcohol she ingests on a regular basis would kill a normal person,” said Shaunee. “And I don’t think she ever eats anymore. I mean, I haven’t been around for a while, but I’ve only seen her drink her meals since I’ve been back.”

“I’m aware of that.” I watched as Stark pulled the SUV onto Utica and Aphrodite disappeared into the snow. “She’s getting worse and worse. We’re going to have to tell Darius something.”

“But not what she really said. Not right now,” Stark said. “He doesn’t need to worry about that while he’s battling soldiers from a different world.”

“Just tell him she got drunk after she saw her mom,” Shaunee said. “Z, Darius lives with her. He’s her Oathbound Warrior. He has to know she has a serious problem.”

“It’s going to tear them apart if she doesn’t get a handle on it.” I spoke the words aloud I’d been thinking for some time now.

“We’ve all known that, Z,” Stark said. “But get your head back into the game. You can figure out what to do about Aphrodite after we solve the zombie apocalypse problem.”

“You’re right. I’m in the game. Promise.”

“Where are we going?” Shaunee asked.

“I’m going to park down the street from the Philtower. No one got past any of the Warriors at the entrances to the other tunnels, so it’s looking good for the bad guys to be either there or the Atlas Building. Marx radioed that his men found tracks outside both buildings. They made sure all the street level doors were unlocked, but locked up everything on the first floors except the entrances to the tunnels. They should be trapped.”

“With flamethrowers!” Shaunee practically squealed from the back seat.

“Don’t be so gleeful. That’s gross,” I said.

“Oh, yeah. Sorry. I wasn’t actually being gleeful about burning people up—just about burning in general.”

“Okay, so we’re going to the Philtower while Darius is taking the Atlas Building?” I asked.

“Yeah. TPD has officers in the upper floors of both buildings waiting until the sun rises. Then they’re going to join our Warriors, and we’ll open the doors to the two tunnels at the same time. Z, I want you to wait in the Philcade Building.”

“Huh? I’m not staying there. I’m going with you to the Philtower.”

“No, you’re not. And Shaunee is going with you.”

“Double huh?” Shaunee said.

“Look, Darius described to me what those creatures did at the depot. They ripped people apart. They ate hunks of flesh from their bodies. I won’t take any chance that you’re going to get hurt. So, Fire can wait with the Leader of the North American High Council, my Queen and my Consort, in the adjoining building where it’s safer.”