Redeemed (House of Night #12)(52)

“What kind of women do you think they’d grow up to be?” Shaunee asked.

“Selfish and irresponsible ones. If they grew up at all.”

“Exactly!” Shaunee smiled. “How would we learn and grow and evolve if Nyx rescued us from our bad decisions—or stopped allowing us to make our own decisions, good or bad?”

Kalona couldn’t keep silent another moment. “It would be easier if Nyx took over! I still know her well enough that I can promise you the Goddess would be benevolent and kind—and that’s more than any of us can promise about the general public, vampyres or humans.”

“If Nyx took over, the powers of Light and Darkness would be out of balance forever,” Shaunee said.

“Light would win! Is that not the point?” Kalona said.

“Ohmygoddess! Don’t you see what you’re asking for?”

“Yes! I’m asking for peace! An end to bloodlust and bloodshed, betrayal and destruction.”

“No!” Shaunee countered with, “You’re asking for an end to free will. We’d be like those fat, floating people on WALL•E, or worse.”

“What language are you speaking?”

“I know what she’s talking about. It’s from a Pixar movie. She means we’d turn in to lazy, unmotivated idiots.” Marx scratched his chin. “Actually, she might be right. Have you been to the state fair recently?” Then the detective chuckled at his own joke, which made no sense at all to Kalona.

Shaunee didn’t blink. She didn’t so much as smile at Marx. Soberly, she met Kalona’s gaze. “You’re not going to get close to Nyx that way. You gotta let go of your control issues and choose to really trust—really believe—really love.” Then she kissed the sleeping gray cat on top of its head. “So, does that answer your questions, Detective Marx?”

“Not all of them, but it’ll do for now,” he said.

“Awesome! I’m going to bed. See you guys at dusk.” She skipped up the rest of the stairs and disappeared inside the girls’ dorm.

“I’m hitting the hay myself. Thanatos said I could bunk in the professors’ residence. You look beat. Are you coming?”

“No. I’ll take Aurox’s shift and sweep the perimeter,” he said.

“A double shift—those are tough. You want company?”

Kalona looked at the detective. The skin under his eyes was bruised, and his steps were dragging. “Maybe next time. Thank you for the offer, though.”

“No problem. Be safe out there and, like the kid said, see you at dusk.”

Kalona nodded and began walking toward the far wall of the school trying, unsuccessfully, not to replay Shaunee’s words over and over again in his mind.

Lynette

“The costumes are lacking!” Neferet said as she shook her head and glared at the group of trembling people Lynette had chosen to wear what were supposed to be 1920s-era clothing.

Had everything, or even anything been normal, Lynette would have said her latest event was experiencing a few roadblocks. In the insanity that her world had become, Lynette had decided her latest event was a suicide bomber’s vest filled with explosives and set to detonate—and she was wearing the damn thing.

“Goddess, remember the two things I need? Time and means?”

“I remember everything.”

Lynette clasped her hands in front of her so that Neferet would not see how badly they were trembling. She cleared her mind and concentrated on what she did best—handling the client so the event was successful.

“And that is just one reason why it is so refreshing to be planning events for a Goddess and not a human or a vampyre,” Lynette said.

Neferet’s slit-eyed glare softened with the flattery. “What is it you need that I have not provided? We decided on my next worship event last night. It is almost dusk, and all I asked was that I preview the costumes of my supplicants while they practice the Charleston. I am quite sure Tulsa has costume shops aplenty, and you have an unlimited access to my means. So explain to me why not one of these costumes remotely resembles the era of the 1920s.”

“Tulsa has two decent costume shops, Ehrle’s and Top Hat,” Lynette began.

“Only two?” Neferet sighed. “I should have begun my Temple in Chicago. Chicago is filled with exquisite shops. Kylee! My goblet is empty!”

The Kybot, which is what Lynette had silently renamed the robotic receptionist, scurried up the stairs to where Neferet lounged on her throne, instantly refilling the scarlet liquid the Goddess couldn’t ever seem to get enough of.

“But I interrupted you, dear Lynette. Please, continue to explain this travesty.” She fluttered her long red-tipped fingers at the ballroom below them and the group of mismatched people waiting there.

“I contacted the owners of both shops. They refused to deliver to us.” Lynette gave Neferet the news quickly and then braced herself for insanity.

Instead of exploding, Neferet got very still. In a voice that was soft and contemplative, she asked, “And why did they refuse me?”

“They said the police have the block around the Mayo cordoned off and that they are not allowing anyone to approach us.”

Neferet tapped her goblet with the tip of one sharp fingernail. She cocked her head contemplatively. Then her expression cleared and she smiled. “The solution is simple. The police are keeping humans from entering. Their attention is turned outward. They won’t expect anyone to be sneaking out.”