Tempted (House of Night #6)(62)

Actually, we were on this bench, right there. I pointed to the picture. Aphrodite suddenly detached herself from Darius and came to peer over my shoulder. Damn it! I should have recognized this place. I swear making me human has moroned me. Aphrodite, what is it? Stark asked, stepping close to me. It's the palace she saw in the second vision she had of my death, I answered for her. I sighed. I know this is going to sound stupid, but until now I forgot. I mean, I remember realizing in my dream that it could be the place you'd described where I'd drowned, but when I woke up . . . well . . . I paused and met Stark's eyes. I woke up and I got distracted. I saw the realization pass through his eyes as he understood he'd been the one to wake me up from the dream--the first time he'd slept with me--when he was just beginning to choose good over evil. Plus, I added hastily, you saw me drowning because I was all alone. That was when everyone was mad at me. I'm not alone anymore, so that vision won't come true. I looked from Stark to Aphrodite when she didn't say anything, and saw that she was staring at Stark. You weren't completely alone in the second death vision I had of you, Aphrodite said slowly. I got a glimpse of Stark's face right before you were killed.

He was there. What! That's bullshit! I'd never let her get hurt, Stark practically exploded. I didn't say you were responsible. I just said you were there, Aphrodite said coldly. What else did you see? Heath asked, sitting straight up and looking as warriorlike as Stark ever had. Aphrodite had two visions of Zoey being killed, Damien spoke up. In one she was decapitated by a Raven Mocker. That almost happened! Heath blurted. I was there. She still has the scar. The point is my head wasn't cut off. And now that my brain is working, we'll be sure I don't drown. And Aphrodite didn't see much in either vision. But you're sure the second death vision happened on San Clemente Island at the site of the High Council? Lenobia asked. Aphrodite pointed at the book that was still open on my lap. There. That's the palace I saw when she was dying. Okay, so, I'll just be extra careful, I said. We'll all have to make sure you are, Lenobia said. I sat there trying not to show how claustrophobic I was already feeling. Did that mean no one was ever going to leave me alone? Stark didn't say anything. He didn't have to. His body language telegraphed frustration. Hang on. I just realized something. Damien took the Fledgling Handbook from me and flipped the page. When he looked at me, his smile was victorious. I know where Kalona's island is, and you're right. It's not Venice. He turned the book to face me and said, Is this where you were in your dream? Damien had opened the book to a page that had a bunch of text (that I clearly hadn't read), and an illustration of part of a pretty island, all hilly and blue-tinged by the color of the sea surrounding it.

On the drawing I could see the outline of a castle that was all too familiar. That's it, I said solemnly. That's where I was in my last dream. Where the hell is it? Italy, the island of Capri, Lenobia answered for him. It's the ancient site of the first Vampyre High Council. It only moved to Venice after 79 A.D. I was glad to see several faces with question marks on them. Damien obviously didn't have one of them. In his schoolteacher's voice he said, Vampyres were the patrons of Pompeii. Vesuvius erupted in August of 79 A.D. Everyone was still blinking like big, dumb gold-fish at him, so he sighed and continued. Capri is an island not far from Pompeii. Oh, yeah, I remember reading somethin' 'bout that in the history chapter, Stevie Rae said. I didn't remember because I hadn't ever read the chapter, and by the way Shaunee and Erin were fidgeting, they hadn't either.

Big surprise. Okay, that's interesting, and, yeah, that's the island. But why would he go there if the High Council hasn't been there for a bazillion years? I asked. He wants to bring back the ancient ways, Stark said. He's said it over and over. So is he at the palace in San Clemente or Capri? I said, still confused. Twitter says he went in front of the High Council with Neferet just a couple of hours ago. So he's there now, Jack said. But I'll bet his base is on Capri, Stark said. So it looks like we'll be making a trip to Italy, Damien said. I hope you peasants have your passports in order, Aphrodite said.

Chapter Twenty-nine

Oh, don't be so hateful, Aphrodite, Stevie Rae said. You know all fledglings get passports as soon as they're Marked. It's part of the whole I'm an emancipated teen' thing. Good thing I have a passport, Heath said. Even though I'm not Marked. To stop myself from yelling "You're not going--you'll get killed for sure" at Heath and embarrassing the bejesus outta him, I made myself focus on logistics. Anyone know how we're getting to Italy? First class, I hope, Aphrodite muttered. That will be the easy part. We'll simply take the House of Night's jet, Lenobia said. Or rather, you and your group will. I'll authorize it, but I won't be going. You won't go with us? My stomach dropped. Lenobia was wise and so well thought of in the vamp community that even Shekinah had respected her. We needed her to go with us. I needed her to go with us! She can't, Jack said. We looked at him in surprise. She has to stay here with Dragon and be sure the school doesn't go completely over to the Dark Side, 'cause whatever it is Kalona can do, he's still doing it even though he's not here.

Lenobia smiled at Jack. You're absolutely right. I can't leave the House of Night right now. Her gaze went around the room, touching on each of us and finally coming to rest on me. You can lead them. You've been leading them. Just keep doing what you've been doing. But I've messed up! More than once! And I don't even know if I can trust myself around Kalona! I wanted to shriek. Instead, I tried to speak in my grown-up voice.