Rephaim

"Why are you here?!" Rephaim shouted at the three Raven Mockers perched above him. He looked hastily around. If he'd had time he would have breathed a sigh of relief that this part of the campus remained empty; all the fledglings had found their way to second-hour classes. "You must go before anyone sees you," he said in a much quieter voice.

"Rephaim? How?"

Though there were three Raven Mockers in the tree, only one of them was actually speaking. Of course Rephaim recognized him instantly as Nisroc, one of the more human-like of his brothers.

"I chose the path of Nyx. The Goddess forgave and accepted me, and when she did she changed my form to completely human." Rephaim wasn't sure why he didn't add "at night." What he was sure of was that anything he told Nisroc would be reported directly back to his father.

"Forgivenessss? Why?"

Rephaim stared at his brother, almost overwhelmed by pity. He doesn't realize there is any other way than that which our father leads him, and he doesn't understand that what he does in Kalona's name is wrong.

"Nisroc, when we-" Rephaim paused. No, he thought, I can only speak for myself. "When I harmed others, when I killed and raped and took whatever I wished simply because I could-that was wrong."

Nisroc cocked his head back and forth. His other brothers, two of the nameless, bestial horde that did their father's bidding, hissed softly, disturbed but not high enough evolved to comprehend why.

Finally his brother said, "Father'sss command. Not wrong."

Rephaim shook his head. "Even Father can be wrong." He drew a deep breath and added, "And even you can choose a different path." The two nameless ones stopped hissing and stared at him in shock. Nisroc narrowed his scarlet colored, human eyes. "She did thisss. The female. As Father sssaid!"

"No one did anything to me. I decided for myself." Then with a start of fear, realization hit him. "Nisroc, the Red One, Stevie Rae, she didn't make me do anything. I chose her and her Goddess. You can never harm the Red One. Ever. She belongs to me. Do you understand?"

"Yours. High Priestessss to kill we cannot." Nisroc repeated as if by rote, but Rephaim saw the hard, mean glint in his glowing eyes.

"You need to leave. Now," Rephaim said. "You can't let anyone see you, and you can't return."

"First, Father's messssage." Nisroc dropped from the thick middle branches of the oak, landing in front of Rephaim, followed by the other two Raven Mockers, who flanked him. "By Father's ssside you will be. But here. Watching. Waiting. Ssspying." Rephaim shook his head again. "No. I will not spy for Father."

"Yesss! As Father will sss!" Nisroc spread his wings, an action mimicked by the other two Raven Mockers. Highly agitated, he bobbed his head and fisted his hands.

Rephaim didn't feel threatened. The physical danger he was in didn't register in his mind. He was too used to his brothers-too used to being one of them. No, it was more than that. Rephaim was too used to being their leader to fear them.

"No," he repeated. "It's not as Father wills for me anymore. I've changed. Inside and outside. Go back to him. Tell him that." Rephaim hesitated and then continued, "Tell him my choice stands."

"Hate you, he will," Nisroc said.

"I know that." Rephaim felt the hurt of it deep inside him.

"Hate you, I will," Nisroc said.

Rephaim frowned. "You don't have to."

"I mussst."

Slowly, Rephaim reached out, offering his forearm to Nisroc in the traditionally respectful greeting and parting gesture between Warriors. "You don't have to. We can part as friends, as brothers."

Nisroc paused, cocking his head side to side. His narrowed eyes relaxed. His aggressive stance shifted. He began to move, to speak, but Rephaim would never know his brother's true intent because at that moment Dragon Lankford's cry of "Sons of Erebus! To me!" shattered the night and the Sword Master descended upon them.

Rephaim experienced an instant of body-numbing panic. He stood frozen in the middle of chaos as his brothers, hissing and snarling, met Dragon's attack. He watched with the terrible, fatalistic knowledge that very soon Warriors would begin spilling from the field house, swords drawn and arrows notched. They would join Dragon and utterly overwhelm his three brothers.

"Dragon, no!" he cried. "They weren't attacking!"

From the midst of battle, Dragon Lankford's voice carried to him. "You are either for or against us! There is no middle ground."

"There is middle ground!" Rephaim yelled back, holding his arms wide as if in surrender. "It is where I stand!" He took a step toward Dragon.

"They weren't attacking!" he repeated. "Nisroc, brothers, stop fighting!"

Rephaim believed Nisroc actually hesitated. He was quite certain his brother was listening to him, understanding, wanting to retreat. Then Neferet's voice sliced through the night.

"Aurox! Protect! Destroy!"

Neferet's creature exploded into the scene.

He came from the wall side of the grounds, facing Rephaim. At first he appeared to be human. He had a human male's form, youthful and unmarked as a fledgling or a vampyre. But his movements were too fast to be human. In a blur he struck. Attacking from behind he grasped the closest Raven Mocker by his upraised wings and in a single, horrible motion ripped them from his body.

Over his centuries of existence Rephaim had seen terrible things-he'd committed vile, dark deeds. But somehow seeing from his new, human point of view made the violence he was witnessing more awful. His scream echoed his brother's as the Raven Mocker's body fell to the ground, writhing in agony and spurting blood.

It was then that Aurox began to change. Even though Rephaim watched it happening he could hardly comprehend it.

Its body became bigger, thicker.

It grew horns.

Its fists solidified.

Its skin rippled, shifted, pulsed as if something beneath was trying to come forth.

It bent and, almost gracefully, twisted off his brother's head.

Even Dragon Lankford paused in his attack to stare.

Forcing his mind to think through the shock and horror, Rephaim shouted at Nisroc. "Go! Fly away!" With a cry of despair, Nisroc, followed by one brother, lifted from the blood-soaked ground.

The transformed creature bell owed and leaped, trying, futilely, to knock them from the sky. When he crashed back to earth, his massive cloven hooves biting into the winter grass, he turned blazing moon-colored eyes on Rephaim.

Wishing he had wings or a weapon, Rephaim crouched defensively and readied himself for the creature's onslaught.

"Rephaim! Watch out!"

He heard her voice and his fear spiked hot and thick as Stevie Rae, followed closely by Zoey, ran toward him.

The creature lowered its head and charged.

Zoey

I was close behind Stevie Rae as we ran up on the fighting. Jeesh, all I can say is that it was disgusting and horrifying and totally confusing.

I could hardly tell what was happening. Two Raven Mockers were screaming and flying away overhead. I could see the headless (eesh!) body of another Raven Mocker twitching and oozing seriously odd-smelling blood at Dragon's feet. Rephaim stood a little away from them, as if he'd been watching but not involved in the fight. Somehow Neferet was there, too, looking super crazy and smiling in a very weird way.

In the middle of the whole thing was a creature that was kinda human and kinda not. The instant I saw him the middle of my chest started to feel hot. I reached up and felt the hard, hot marble circle that hung from a silver chain around my neck. "My seer tone," I muttered to myself. "Why again?

Why now?"

As if in answer, my gaze was drawn to the bizarre creature. He had horns and hoofs, but his face was guy-like. His eyes were glowing. He'd been trying to grab a Raven Mocker out of the sky, but when he failed, he turned his attention to Rephaim, lowered his head, and charged.

"Rephaim! Watch out!" Stevie Rae yelled and sprinted toward him. She flung out her arms and I could hear her asking earth to come to her.

"Spirit!" I called, trying to keep up with her. "Strengthen Stevie Rae!" I felt the element respond as it swirled past me into Stevie Rae, along with her own element, earth. Like she was throwing a big ball, she heaved, and a glowing green wall cascaded like reverse waterfal from the earth upward, blocking Rephaim from the charging creature.

The creature hit the green wall and bounced, falling onto his back. Stevie Rae, strong and straight and proud, stood next to Rephaim. She took his hand. She raised her other hand, and when the creature tried to get up she made a smacking motion and said, "No! Stay down." A wave of glowing green washed against him, pinning him to the ground.

"Enough!" Neferet said, marching over to the creature. "Aurox is not the enemy here. Free him immediately."

"Not if he's gonna charge Rephaim," Stevie Rae said. She turned to Dragon and asked, "Was Rephaim in league with the Raven Mockers?" Without even a glance at Rephaim, Dragon said, "He was talking with them, but he did not attack with them."

"They did not attack!" Rephaim said. "They were here to see me-nothing more. You attacked them!" Dragon finally looked at Rephaim. "Raven Mockers are our enemies."

"They're my brothers." Rephaim's voice sounded incredibly sad.

"You're going to have to decide whose side you're on," Dragon said solemnly.

"I have already done that."

"And that is something the Goddess seems to believe as well," Neferet said. "Aurox," she spoke to the creature who was still lying on his back, encased in the power of the earth, "the battle is over. There is no need to protect or attack." She turned her emerald gaze to Stevie Rae. "Now, release him."

"Thank you, earth," Stevie Rae said. "You can go now." With a wave of her hand the green glow evaporated allowing the creature to stand.

Except a creature wasn't what was left standing. A boy stood there-a beautiful, blond boy who had eyes like moonstones and a face like an angel.

"Who's that? And what the hell 's going on with all that blood?" Stark's voice, suddenly beside me, made me jump.

"Oh, for shit's sake. It's a dead Raven Mocker," Aphrodite said as she and Darius and what seemed like most of the school crowded around us.

"And it's a very pretty human kid," Kramisha said, giving him a look.

"He's not human," I said, holding onto my seer stone.

"What is he?" Stark asked.

"Old magick," I said as the puzzle pieces in my mind fitted together.

"This time you are correct, Zoey." Neferet stepped up beside the guy and with a flourish announced, "House of Night, this is Aurox-the gift Nyx gave me proving her forgiveness!"

Aurox stepped forward. His strange-colored eyes met mine. Facing the crowd, but looking only at me, he fisted his hand over his heart and bowed.

"No damn way is he a gift from Nyx," Stevie Rae muttered.

For once agreeing with Stevie Rae, Aphrodite snorted.

All I could do was stare. All I could feel was the heat from the seer stone.

"Zoey, what is it?" Stark said softly.

I didn't answer Stark. Instead I forced my gaze from Aurox and faced Neferet. "Where did he really come from?" My voice was hard and strong, but I felt like my stomach was trying to turn inside out.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I could hear the buzz and whispers of the kids around me, and I knew forcing a confrontation with Neferet here and now wasn't smart. But I couldn't stop myself. Neferet was lying about this Aurox thing, and for some reason that was all that mattered to me.

"I already told you where he came from. And, Zoey, I must say this is exactly why you need to be back in school, attending class and refocusing on studying. I do believe you have lost the ability to listen."

"You said he's old magick." I ignored her passive-aggressive crap. "The only old magick I know of is on the Isle of Skye." And that, I told myself, was what I'd seen the night before when I'd looked through the stone at Stark-the old magick of the Guardian Warriors that still clung to him from the Isle of Skye. Mind whirring, but still confronting Neferet I continued, "Are you telling me he came from the Isle of Skye?"

"Silly child, old magick isn't restricted to an island. You know, you might think twice about believing everything you hear, especially when it's coming from a vampyre who calls herself Queen and hasn't left an island in centuries."

"And you still haven't answered my question. Where did he come from?!"

"What magick could be older than that which comes from the Goddess herself? Aurox is my gift from Nyx!" Neferet looked knowingly at the crowd and laughed off my questioning as if I was nothing more than an irritating child and they were all in on the adult joke with her.

"What was he changing into?" I couldn't stop myself, even though I knew I was coming off as totally snotty and bitchy, like I was one of those girls who always has one more thing to say-and that one more thing was always negative.

Neferet's smile was magnanimous. "Aurox was changing into the Guardian of the House of Night. You didn't think you were the only one who was worthy of a Guardian, did you?" She spread her arms wide. "We all are! Come, greet him, and then let us get back to class and to that on which the House of Night was founded, the business of learning."

I wanted to scream that he was no Guardian! I wanted to scream that I was sick of Neferet twisting my words. I couldn't stop staring at Aurox as the fledglings (mostly girls) began approaching him, careful to step around the disgusting blood and Raven Mocker remains.

Actually, I didn't know why, but I just wanted to scream.

"You won't win this one," Aphrodite said. "She's got the crowd and the pretty boy on her side."

"That's not what he is." still clutching my burning seer stone I turned away from the ridiculous scene and started walking back to school. I could feel Stark looking at me, but I kept my eyes straight ahead.

"Z, what is your problem? So he's not just a pretty guy. That's so awful?" Aphrodite said.

I stopped and turned to face them. They were all there, trailing along after me like baby ducks: Stark, Aphrodite, Darius, the Twins, Damien, Stevie Rae, and even Rephaim. It was to Rephaim I addressed my question, "You saw it, too, didn't you?" He nodded soberly. "If you mean his change, yes."

"Saw what?" Stark asked, sounding exasperated.

"He was turning into a bull," Stevie Rae said. "I saw it, too."

"That pretty white boy was turnin' hisself into a bull? That ain't right," Kramisha said, peeking back at the crowd we'd left behind.

"White boy-white bull," Stevie Rae said. Then, sounding a lot like me she added, "Ah, hell.