Loved (House of Night Other World #1)(70)

“Before?”

“Before you were Marked at all. When your tattoo is gone, so too will your term as my prophetess be gone, and you may live out the rest of your life as a human mortal, revered and loved by every House of Night in this world and any other you choose to touch until you die peacefully, surrounded by your children and loved ones, and you return to me.”

Aphrodite felt hot and cold at once. “Children?”

“Many—and grandchildren as well as great grandchildren. You will be beloved by generations of your blood. Your life will be so filled with love and Light and laughter that it will drown out the sorrow of your past. So I have spoken—so shall it be.”

Aphrodite brushed the fresh tears from her cheeks. “I can save Other Jack.”

“You can. You also can save every red fledgling and vampyre who crossed into this world. But, will you, Prophetess? Are they worthy of a second chance?”

She stared at the goddess, her mind whirring. “I—I don’t know. How do I know if they’re worthy? The only one of them I know is Other Jack, and I don’t really know him well. Holy shit, I have no idea what to do!” Then she shook herself and amended, “Sorry about that. I don’t sound very prophetess-ey.”

“Think with your mind and feel with your heart.”

“Well, I know Other Jack and the rest of them are from a crappy world where Neferet’s managed to start a war. A world with no Stevie Rae or Zoey, so there was no one to basically manipulate me into giving my humanity up so that the red fledglings and vamps could choose for themselves whether they followed Light or …” her words faded as her heart agreed with her mind. “I know what to do.”

“What is your decision, Daughter?”

“They never had a choice, so they all deserve a second chance.”

“Does it matter to you how much of your gift you will lose by saving all of them?”

Aphrodite drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “No. I don’t think I can let it matter. It’s not about me. It’s about them.” She hesitated, and then added, “How much of it will I lose?”

The Goddess answered her question with a question. “And what of your mother? Will you gift her with a second chance?”

Aphrodite jerked back in shock. “My mother? What does this have to do with her? She’s not a red or blue vampyre.”

“Your gift isn’t limited to fledglings and vampyres—your gift is for humanity, and you are all humans, though some of you would like to debate that.”

Aphrodite stood and began to pace back and forth, back and forth in front of the Goddess. She wrapped her arms around herself, as if to keep herself from breaking. Finally, she stopped and faced Nyx. Fresh tears flowed down her face and her voice was filled with despair. “My heart and mind say the same thing. My mother doesn’t deserve a second chance.”

Nyx stepped from the dais and went to Aphrodite. Gently, the Goddess took the young prophetess into her arms and held her close while she sobbed. Nyx stroked her hair and murmured wordless comfort until Aphrodite’s tears dried.

“Thank you,” Aphrodite said, stepping from Nyx’s embrace. “I’m better now. And my answer is still the same. My mother does not deserve another chance. My heart and mind told me that. They also told me that I can’t fix her, and that I have to let her go. So, that’s what I’m doing.”

“You are wise. Frances LaFont has been given many chances for redemption during her life. Selfishness and self-loathing prevented her from taking them. But no child should be made to choose whether their parent deserves redemption. My final gift to you, Prophetess, is twofold. The humanity will be restored to the red fledglings and vampyres from the other world. That gift comes from me. You will not pay a price for it. I also gift your mother with a second chance. So mote it be!”

The Goddess waved her hand, causing a ripple in the air around them that reminded Aphrodite of a stone being thrown into a still pool of clear water. Reality pressed against her, shifting, changing … making it difficult for her to breathe.

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the strange shift in reality lifted. Aphrodite gasped and was able to draw breath again.

“Is that it? Is it done?”

“It is, Daughter. I am proud of you, and my pride is truly of a mother for a favorite child. And now I wish you merry meet, merry part, and that we merry meet again.” Nyx’s form faded until only her headdress of stars was all that remained, and then it, too, faded in a glittering rain of diamond sparks.

“I am worth a mother’s love,” Aphrodite whispered.

From the air around her rang the Goddess’ loving words. “Of course you are, my sweet, wise daughter. And may you always blessed be.”





22


Heff


Heff forced down the panic that kept bubbling up and threatening to drown him. He had no idea how this thing had happened, but he was definitely not in a Tulsa he recognized.

His Tulsa had no restaurant in the depot above the tunnels that served as the main encampment of Neferet’s Red Army.

His Tulsa certainly had no humans dining in a restaurant run by red fledglings.

There were no trapdoors that opened at a touch from above so that they could drop into the safety of the depot tunnels from several places along the deserted railroad line and between the depot building and the heart of downtown. Heff knew. He and General Dominick had split up and tried every trick entrance to what should have been their army’s stronghold.