Hidden (House of Night #10)(92)

Aurox took her hand and bowed his head over it. "Thank you, Priestess."

The tendril that had been feeding from his neck detached its dark maw, dropped onto Neferet's hand, and slithered up her arm to curl next to her bosom.

"Actually, your return has given me a thought. Dragon Lankford was almost completely broken by his mate's death. Pathetic, really, and weak, to allow someone to have that much control over your emotions. But, no matter. Dragon was mature and wise, yet still Anastasia's death nearly destroyed him. Zoey Redbird is neither mature nor wise. When Kalona so stupidly killed her human, she shattered and I was almost rid of her." Neferet tapped her blood-besmeared finger against her red lips. Her gaze went from him to the corner of the room where Sylvia Redbird hung in an ever-tightening cage of Darkness. "Sylvia, can you imagine how devastated your poor, sweet u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya will be when you die?"

Grandma Redbird's voice was weak and laced with pain, but she spoke with no hesitation. "Zoey is stronger than you know. You underestimate love. I believe that is because you have never allowed yourself to know it."

"I have never allowed it to control me as if I were a fool!" Neferet's eyes flashed with anger.

Aurox wanted to beg Grandma, don't antagonize her-be silent until I can free you!

Grandma did not stay silent. "Accepting love does not make you a fool. It makes you human, and that is exactly what you are not, Tsi Sgili. You only glory in your victory over humanity because what you have become is a thing tainted, and absolutely unlovable."

Aurox could see that the old woman's words profoundly affected Neferet. The Tsi Sgili stood and, with a smile that made her look reptilian, she commanded him, "Vessel, call the beast and kill Sylvia Redbird!"

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Aurox

Though Aurox needed the command to get close enough to Grandma Redbird to save her, the words made his stomach tense and his heartbeat speed. He stood and began moving toward the cage made of tendrils of Darkness.

"Just break her neck. Don't damage her body any more than my children already have. I want to be quite sure Zoey can identify her."

"Yes, Priestess," Aurox said woodenly.

He did not look at the terrible pool of congealing blood and broken turquoise that had gathered, staining the carpet beneath the cage. His gaze met Grandma Redbird's. Aurox tried to tell her with that one look that she needn't be afraid-that he would never hurt her. He mouthed two words to her, Run-Balcony.

Grandma's eyes never left his. She nodded and then said, "I will miss sunrise, lavender, and my u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, but death holds no terrors for me."

Aurox was almost within reaching distance of the cage. He knew what he needed to do. The tendrils would open to him. Grandma would run. He would give chase, keeping his body between hers and Neferet's slithering children, and catching her outside-on the balcony-where he would hold her, until Kalona lifted her to safety.

Then the elements would abandon him and the beast would have to fight for his own freedom. Aurox had little hope he would win, but he clung to the thought that freeing Grandma Redbird was a victory in itself. Aurox raised his hands to part the threads.

"Why have you not called the beast?" Neferet's voice was inches from him.

Grandma Redbird cringed back, staring over his shoulder.

Aurox turned. Neferet was there, floating on a nest of slithering tendrils. He could not see her feet. From her knees down she appeared to have become a part of the Dark children she had so long fed.

He felt fear then. It shivered through him like winter wind. Within him fire sent a surge of warmth and Aurox found his voice. "Priestess, the beast does not listen to my commands as it did before the reveal ritual. But I do not need it to break one old woman's neck."

"But I do so enjoy beasts. I will help you call it forth." Quick as a striking snake, Neferet slapped Aurox.

The beast quivered and earth soothed the stinging pain, granting Aurox control of the creature once more.

Neferet's brow lifted. "Isn't that interesting? I don't sense so much as the slightest bit of the creature's presence." Her nest of Darkness carried her even closer to Aurox. He could smell her breath. It was rancid as if she had been eating rotted meat. He forced himself not to move as she leaned into him, putting her arms around him as if he were her lover. "But you know what I do sense?"

Aurox couldn't speak. He could only shake his head.

"I shall tell you." She ran her sharp-tipped fingernail down his cheek. Blood welled and the tendrils around them quivered in response. "I sense betrayal." She slapped him again, this time using her hand like a claw and drawing more blood from his face. "You are a Vessel, created as a gift for me. You are mine to command. The beast is mine to call." Neferet struck him again, drawing more blood. The beast stirred, but spirit strengthened Aurox, allowing him to keep control.

"Spirit? How can spirit be present within you?" Neferet towered over him, fury causing her children to multiply and expand. "Strike him!" The Tsi Sgili hurled a thread of Darkness at him. This time Aurox lifted his arm to block the blow. The tendril cut deeply the length of his forearm. The beast quivered, feeding on Aurox's pain.

Instantly, the other four elements joined calming spirit and water soothed, air cooled, earth grounded, and fire strengthened him.