Grandma and I hurried down the stairs that spilled into the huge basement that stretched the length of the Field House. Right now even its vastness was crowded with very large, very well-armed Sons of Erebus Warriors.
Darius and Stark came to my side immediately. Darius raised one hand and the murmurs of the Warriors silenced.
“Get to the Depot Restaurant. It’s too late. They’ve already attacked. I can’t get anyone to answer Kramisha’s landline in the tunnels. 9-1-1 was busy, so I called Detective Marx’s desk. He’s sending TPD there right away, but from what I overheard when I called the restaurant they’re going to be walking into something as awful …” I swallowed hard before I could continue. “Something as awful as when Neferet and her tendrils slaughtered the people at the Boston Avenue Church.”
“They’re going to blame us.” Stark’s look was dark and tense.
“That’s gonna be hard to do when they find out those red zombies killed our people, too,” I said.
Aphrodite moved through the crowd to stand beside Darius. “You mean those kids who waited tables at the restaurant are …” her words trailed off.
I nodded tightly. “Sounded like it.”
“What about Kramisha and the rest of the red fledglings and vamps who live in the tunnels?” Aphrodite asked.
“I don’t know. I tried to warn them. I just don’t know.”
“Then we need to move and move fast,” Darius said. “Sons of Erebus, those of you I’ve already chosen will come with me to the depot. The rest of you remain here under Stark’s command. Protect the school. We don’t know exactly what we’re dealing with yet, but we do know they’re familiar with our city, and the only way they can be stopped is to sever their spines. Take off their heads.”
“And we will know what we’re dealing with soon. We have one of them. We’re going to get answers,” Stark said grimly.
“Which you won’t know about unless the cell service comes back on,” I added. “So, be careful.”
“This is going to sound strange, but don’t let them bite you,” Aphrodite said.
“What do you know?” I asked.
“Nothing for sure. Yet. But my gut is telling me something, and I know what I saw in my vision. A red tide covered Tulsa, and there just weren’t that many of them that came through whatever the hell that was in the park. I put two and two together. Don’t let them bite you. Period.”
“Better to be safe.” I lifted my hands and the Sons of Erebus bowed their heads. “May Nyx’s blessing fill you with strength and courage and wisdom—and may you return here safely to give your thanks to our goddess. Blessed be.”
“Blessed be,” the Warriors replied.
I grabbed Darius before he could follow his Warriors from the room and hugged him. “Stay safe. No one could stand Aphrodite if you weren’t here.”
“I will, High Priestess,” he said.
Then Aphrodite was in his arms. She kissed him thoroughly and pulled the gorgeous blue, black, and white Burberry scarf from where she’d draped it around her neck, wrapping it high up on his bicep and tying it there securely.
“My beauty? Do you think my arm will be cold?”
Her smile was trembly. “No, and it’s silk anyway so it’s not exactly warm. You’re my Warrior. My knight. Swordmaster of the Sons of Erebus. It’s right that you should carry your prophetess’ favor into battle.”
“I suppose you expect me to bring it back to you unharmed and unstained?”
“You suppose correctly. And the only stains I’ll tolerate are other people’s blood. Not yours. I’ll know the difference.” She kissed him again, and he followed his Warriors up the stairs.
“I think we should post lookouts all along the wall,” Stark said.
“I agree,” I said.
“U-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, did you not tell me you had the city designate the House of Night as a storm shelter?” Grandma said.
“I did. Crap!” I just realized the implications of what Grandma had said. “If the snow’s bad enough to knock out cell service it’s just a matter of time before the electricity is out. Our gaslights and our gas heat won’t be affected, so the humans in the neighborhood might start straggling here. Don’t mistake them for the red zombie vampyre things.”
“Good point,” Stark said. “Thanks for reminding us, Grandma Redbird.”
“And I need someone to stay at the phone in the admin office,” I said. “Keep calling Kramisha’s landline. We need to know what’s going on down there.”
“Nicole and I can do that,” Shaylin said. I smiled my thanks to her as she hurried from the basement.
“Warriors, divide yourself into shifts according to squads,” Stark was telling the Sons of Erebus. “First Squad, begin patrol immediately. Second Squad, relieve them at dawn. I’ll brief you on what we learn about these creatures ASAP.” The Warriors saluted him, bowed to me, and filed up the stairway.
We were facing a scary, dangerous unknown, but I felt safe knowing that our Warriors were standing guard—and I knew, no matter how awful it was out there—Darius would bring his Warriors back.
Was I being naïve? I hoped not. I hoped I was being a High Priestess who had faith in her Warriors.
“Tell me what has happened, Zoeybird,” Grandma said.
“It’s easier to show you. Where is he?” I asked Stark.
“We put him in the last bedroom. It was the smallest, and has a steel door with a lock.” He jerked his chin in the direction of the far corner of the basement. Now that the group of Warriors was gone, I could see Damien was sitting on a chair just outside the closed door to the little guest room. Rephaim and Shaunee stood on either side of him.
“Okay, time for answers,” I said. “How are you holding up?” I asked Damien as I approached him.
He looked up at me with haunted eyes framed with dark, puffy circles. His face was too thin. His skin was too white. He looked awful.
“He’s alive. That’s all I’ve been able to really take in.”
I nodded. “I can’t say I understand how you feel, but I can imagine how it would be if Heath or even Aurox suddenly showed up here—alive, but not really themselves. It’d be hard. Really hard. What can I do to help you through this?”
“All of us,” Aphrodite spoke up from beside me. “What can all of us do to help you?”
Damien wiped his eyes and attempted a smile. “Just be here with me. I—I don’t think I should be alone right now. So, even if I tell you to go away, please don’t.”