Hidden (House of Night #10)(78)

As he moved, turning, and blocking, the creature within him quivered, trying to break free of Aurox's will. Though his skin twitched and he felt his bones begin the terrible melting change that turned boy to a horned beast, still he remained himself. Still he had control.

"You have to fight back!" Zoey called to him.

Aurox blocked another of Stark's blows. "I cannot!" he yelled. "If I fight-I change."

"Then what the hell good are you?" Aphrodite lifted her hands in frustration. "Neferet isn't going to let you walk in there, tell Darkness to get lost, and then walk out holding hands with Grandma."

"They are correct," Thanatos said. "You must fight back. And you must control the beast as you do."

Aurox nodded and, feeling a terrible dread, he ducked under Darius's knife hand and came up swinging, sending a blow under the Warrior's chin.

Aurox felt the pain and anger explode within Darius. The beast felt it, too. The emotions siphoned into his body, filling the creature within with power. Aurox tried to stop it, tried to control it. But when he whirled and kicked Stark, connecting with the Warrior's stomach and knocking the breath from him, he felt his feet begin to solidify and morph into hooves.

"Think of moonlight!" the True Sight fledgling yelled at him. "You have it inside you. Try to find it."

He thought of moonlight and lavender, of silver and turquoise and the earth around him.

Kalona struck again-another stinging backhand. This time Aurox grabbed his wrist and, using his own inhuman strength, tossed the immortal away from him.

The beast roared.

"He's losing it!" Aphrodite said.

"You guys get back down the tunnel," Stark called. "I don't know how long we're going to be able to control him."

"You better control him because we're not going anywhere! Aurox, hang on!" Zoey shouted.

"I try!" Aurox cried, backing away from the three Warriors, who were breathing hard but not attacking him again. "I control!"

"If you do not. If you harm any of them I will destroy you." Kalona's voice was calm. He did not shout. He did not posture. But Aurox felt the truth of his statement. The immortal may be able to destroy me. The thought had the beast retreating, releasing some of its anger.

Aurox stood his ground. "Control! I control."

"That's what I'm counting on," Zoey said. "Guys, stand down for a sec. I have an idea." The three Warriors nodded, but continued to watch Aurox warily. Zoey continued, "Damien, Shaunee, Stevie Rae-take your places. Form a circle around Aurox. The three of them scattered. "Aphrodite, take Erin's candle and stand in for water."

"Better idea." Aphrodite handed a blue candle to the True Sight fledgling. "Go west and think wet."

"Water? Me?" The girl took the candle, but shook her head, looking confused.

Aphrodite pulled a small, handheld silver object from her pocket and snapped it open. Aurox saw light dance across its mirrored surface. She held it up to the girl's face. "Read your own aura."

The fledgling sighed and looked into the mirror. Then her brows went up and her eyes seemed to double in size.

"Awesome! Wow! I never even thought about reading myself. I'm all different colors of blue!"

Aphrodite clicked the mirror closed and put it back in her pocket, looking smug. "Yep, just as I thought. So, head west."

Smiling, the fledgling took her place in the circle.

"That was wise, Prophetess," Thanatos said.

"I have my moments," Aphrodite said. Then she called to Zoey, who was watching, wide-eyed, along with the other fledglings, "You are welcome."

"Okay, well, let's see if I can be as wise," Zoey said.

"How may I help?" Thanatos asked.

"Cast the circle. I don't want to be anything but spirit this time," came Zoey's quick answer.

"Agreed," Thanatos said.

"Aurox, do you have a handle on yourself?" Zoey asked him.

He was still breathing hard, and the beast hovered just below the surface of his skin, but since the Warriors had stopped their attack, Aurox had gained a measure of control again. "I do. For now."

"Alright, here's what we're gonna do." As Zoey spoke, she walked toward him. "Thanatos, cast the circle. We'll manifest our elements and hold them here, ready. Warriors, once all five elements are present, attack Aurox. Aurox"-she'd stopped just a few feet from him and the three Warriors-"I want you to fight back and do your best to control the beast, but when that control starts slipping, 'cause we're all seeing that you can't stop what's happening to you, it'll be our turn to try to help you."

"How?" he asked her.

"I did it a little before. I sent spirit to strengthen you. Imagine that times five," she explained. "You say the beast feeds off of violence and anger and pain, right?"

"That is right," he said, nodding.

"Well, even though the elements aren't good or bad, how they make each of the five of us feel is definitely good. So, I figured if the five of us channel not just our elements to you, but the good way they make us feel, then maybe you can grab onto them and get enough positive power to shut down the beast."