Redeemed (House of Night #12)(42)

“It’s Kalona’s own fault,” I said. “It wouldn’t kill him to wear a shirt.”

“Right? What’s with his constantly na**d chest?” Aphrodite agreed.

“Hey, guys, check it out.” Stevie Rae pointed. “I think Nicole and Shaylin are gettin’ to be real good friends. I’m glad. Nicole’s done a lot of changin’, and, well, Shaylin needs a BFF, especially after you went all psycho on her, Z,” Stevie Rae said, then quickly added, “Sorry, Z. Not to be mean or anything.”

I sighed. “No problem. I did go psycho on her, and I’m glad she has a nice BFF, too.”

Aphrodite and I swiveled our gazes to watch the two dark-haired girls. They were making up sleeping bags together. They did look super buddy-buddy. Actually, as I kept watching them, I saw their shoulders touch and their heads tilt toward each other. My brows went up. Nicole reached out and brushed Shaylin’s hair back from her face, caressing her cheek as she did so, weirdly reminding me of something Stark would do to flirt with me. I cleared my throat. “Hmm, they do seem close.”

“Everybody should have a BFF!” Stevie Rae beamed at me.

“Uh, Stevie Rae,” I began, still watching the touches and looks that Nicole and Shaylin passed back and forth. “I think they might—”

“Oh, for shit’s sake, Z. You scared Shaylin g*y!” Aphrodite said.

I frowned at Aphrodite. “Be nice.”

“Ohmygoodness!” Stevie Rae’s eyes looked twice their size as we saw Nicole sneak a quick kiss on Shaylin’s neck. “I didn’t know you could scare somebody g*y.”

“Seriously, bumpkin, I ask again—are you retarded?”

“You know how I feel ’bout the r-word,” Stevie Rae said.

“And you know how little I care.”

“And you both know how bad you make my head hurt when you bicker. Aphrodite, don’t be mean about Shaylin and Nicole. They can love whoever they want to love. Stevie Rae—no, you can’t scare someone g*y. Jeesh.”

“Hey, I don’t care who she loves or who she sleeps with, but I am going to enjoy watching the shit storm that’s brewing.” Aphrodite pointed a little way from the bed Shaylin and Nicole were making. “Here comes Clark Kent, right on cue. And I think he just saw the kiss.”

“Yepper,” Stevie Rae said. “He musta. Look at him.”

“Befuddled. That’s what Grandma would say about how he looks. Totally befuddled,” I said. “I know I shouldn’t, but I’m going to enjoy watching this.”

“Are you kidding? I want to record it and watch over and over,” Aphrodite said.

Erik had already started talking to Shaylin. Even from how far away we were, I could see he was using his hundred-watt movie star smile on her.

“I know he can be a douche sometimes, but you have to admit he is a cutie patootie,” Stevie Rae said. “Not like Rephaim, but still.”

Aphrodite made a gagging sound.

Nicole didn’t hesitate, and she didn’t back off. She stuck to Shaylin’s side, reached out, and wrapped her arm intimately around the girl’s slender waist, staring straight at Erik with obvious possessiveness.

“I knew Nicole would be the guy,” Aphrodite said.

“Erik looks like his head is gonna explode through that cleft in his chin,” I said.

“Zoey, Thanatos has summoned you, Stevie Rae, and Aphrodite. She asks that the three of you join her in the Council Chamber. That is, if you are finished watching the humans,” Kalona said sarcastically, jerking his head toward the non-humans we had actually been watching.

The three of us jumped guiltily at the sound of his voice. As usual, Aphrodite recovered first.

“Well, thank Nyx and the little baby Jesus for getting us out of here before sunrise,” Aphrodite said. “It’ll take me days to get the sand out of my sparkly Jimmy Choo flats. I’m way better at Prophetess-ing than I am at schlepping.” She flipped her hair and twitched toward the door. I could hear her sucking up the last of the champagne through her straw.

“Okay, uh, thanks,” I said lamely. “Should we get Stark and Darius and Rephaim, too?”

“The males are busy.” Kalona cut his eyes to where our three males were struggling with the end of a ginormous tarp.

“Well, okie dokie, then. We’re outta here,” Stevie Rae said, waving at Rephaim. I blew Stark a quick kiss before following her out.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Zoey

We passed Sister Mary Angela, the girl Rabbi Bernstein, and the All Souls minister as we entered the hallway to the Council Chamber.

“Zoey, Aphrodite, Stevie Rae,” the nun greeted us, gesturing to the women standing beside her. “Let me introduce the three of you to Rabbi Margaret Bernstein and Suzanne Grimms.”

“Merry meet,” we chimed, semi-together.

The women looked tired, but they smiled. “We’re happy to meet you and to be welcome here,” said Rabbi Bernstein.

“Yes, and thank you for all the hard work you must have done helping everyone get settled in,” said Suzanne.

We nodded our you’re welcomes, and as the women moved away, Sister Mary Angela caught my eye. “Good luck, Zoey.”

“She knows something we don’t,” Aphrodite whispered.