sillylittlefishey
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Heidi
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« on: July 02, 2011, 10:41:07 AM » |
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Brought to you by OBS Staff member Heidi
Chapters 23-29
Chapter 23
Stevie Rae and Zoey waited by the big Oak Tree for the rest of their friends to arrive to begin the purification ritual. Zoey’s mind wonders to Erik and what his greeting at dinner that night had meant. Without Zoey even telling Stevie Rae what she was thinking about Stevie Rae pointed out that Zoey had hurt Erik’s ego and as long as she’s nice to him he will ask her out again. Zoey asks how she knew what she was thinking about and she responded that Erik is what she would be thinking about. Damien shows up overhearing Stevie Rae mentioning some fiiine boy and deduced that the girls were talking about Erik and he also assures Zoey that based on the way he was looking at her at lunch he will ask her out again.
The twins arrived and Zoey got her mind back on the business at hand. They all produced the supplies they brought and Zoey found the perfect spot to perform the ritual. She gave each of her friends one of the candles so that each one could represent one of the elements. Damien was air, Shaunee was fire, Stevie Ray was earth, Erin was water, and Zoey kept spirit for herself.
Zoey explained how to use the smudge stick and explained what the smudging does. Then, one by one Zoey used the smudge stick to purify all her friends. Then, she had Stevie Rae smudge her.
Then, Zoey went and lit all the candles her friends held and called the elements to her circle. All her friends were amazed and being able to feel and smell the elements as they were called. Once Zoey returned to the center of the circle and called spirit to the circle a glowing light appeared around the circumference of her circle, strengthening it.
Then, Zoey recited the purification prayer and they asked Nyx to help her figure out the right thing to do and to give her courage to do it.
Chapter 24
All Zoey’s friends were excitedly chatting after the circle was closed and the ritual was over while they gathered up their supplies. They decided it was getting late and they should head back. But, Zoey needed some time to think and sent them all ahead of her. Stevie Rae promised to gather a snack for Zoey for when she gets back to the dorm.
Zoey sat under a tree petting Nala while trying to gather her thoughts.
Then, Erik appeared out of nowhere. He said he couldn’t concentrate on his homework so he went for a walk and his feet took him there; to Zoey.
Zoey asked him to walk her to the dorm again which he agreed to. Erik thought she was worried about Heath so they touched on her break-up for a moment. And then shifted to Erik and Aphrodite’s break-up. Zoey told Erik what Aphrodite said about him always being hers, which appeared to really piss Erik off. Zoey assured Erik that she wasn’t avoiding him, but that everything with her change was just happening so fast. He told her that it gets better.
They arrived at Zoey’s dorm and Erik told her not to believe the things that Aphrodite says and not to let her come between them. He goes on to tell her that he’d like to see her again, but not by accident. They agree to meet up to watch movies on Saturday.
Erik bent down and kissed Zoey. He then kissed her again more passionately and they were basically making out. Zoey pulled away to let him know that she isn’t like Aphrodite. Erik assures her that she makes him feel different than anybody else ever has. He gave her one last kiss and left.
Chapter 25
The next day seemed pretty normal…almost too normal until Elliott started having a huge coughing fit in class. The next thing Zoey knew she was smelling blood. Elliott was coughing up blood. Penthesilea called for someone to get Neferet. One of the kids near the door went immediately.
Neferet and Elliot’s mentor, Dragon Lankford, came into the room along with two other men carrying a stretcher and a blanket. Neferet gave Elliot a vial of something to drink and they laid him on the stretcher and the men carried him away.
Neferet addressed the class letting them know that she won’t lie to them. Elliot’s body is rejecting the change and that it could happen to any one of them at any time.
Zoey thought maybe Aphrodite might cancel the ritual tonight especially since Elliott was the refrigerator, but Stevie Rae assured Zoey that the Dark Daughter rituals are never canceled. Stevie Rae tried to convince Zoey not to go to the ritual or to take her along. Zoey refused both suggestions. She didn’t want Aphrodite to think she was intimidated by her and she didn’t want Zoey to see how much she enjoyed drinking blood. Zoey points out that she won’t be alone because Erik will be there.
Then Zoey’s cell phone started vibrating. She had 15 missed text messages and 5 missed calls and they were all from Heath. Zoey decided it was time she talked to Neferet about it and headed toward her room.
Chapter 26
When Zoey arrived at the alcove by Neferet’s room she found Skylar growling and hissing. After he left, she saw why; Aphrodite was sitting on the floor with her head leaned back with her eyes rolled back in her head. Zoey pulled her up and half dragged her to Neferet’s office not wanting her to keep her vision to herself.
Neferet tried to get the vision out of her, but was having trouble. She sent Zoey away while she tried to clear Aphrodite’s vision and to make sure she was back to herself again.
Later, all her friends converged on Zoey to try to convince her to take them to the ritual with her. She pulled out some of her bitchiness from her past life with her mom and step-loser and told them she didn’t want them there and she had to deal with this alone. Then, Zoey stomped off.
Zoey was outside petting Nala when the cat started growling. She looked up to see Elliott’s ghost. Nala continued to growl and the ghost dropped into a crouch baring his teeth and fangs like he was going to fight Nala. Zoey intervened and yelled at Elliott to leave Nala alone and to leave. Elliott told her that he will have her and started coming after Zoey. Nala attacked him. Eventually, Elliott got a hold of the cat and threw her away from him. Then, he hopped the school wall.
Zoey called for Nala, who came to her on command. Zoey was horrified to see the cat had blood on her paws.
None of Zoey’s friends were at the dorm as she started getting ready for the ritual.
Chapter 27
Aphrodite greeted Zoey at the rec hall with her usual meanness. She then started her meeting mentioning the two fledglings that died and commenting on how they were both weak and how weakness is not needed in their coven. She then went on to talk about tonight’s ritual where they will summon the spirits. She told them all to be quiet as they left so any humans that were still awake wouldn’t hear them as they will have no mercy for anyone who would cause them to be revealed.
Zoey thought about not going with them, until Erik came and prodded her to come along. They all snuck through a trap door in the school’s wall. Erik informed her the school knows about them sneaking out for some rituals and assures her they don’t care as long as they don’t do anything stupid.
They ended up at the Philbrook Museum, where Aphrodite had drugged the guards. The ceremony was to be performed in the gazebo on the property. Aphrodite cast her circle and then started burning sweet grass to call the spirits. Then, it struck Zoey that Aphrodite never used the sage you’re supposed to use before sweet grass to ward off any evil. But it was too late to do anything as the spirits started coming to the circle.
Then Heath called out that he finally found Zoey.
Chapter 28
Zoey tried to get Heath to leave, but he caught sight of Erik and got struck with jealousy. Aphrodite said to let him stay, which worried Zoey and Erik. Zoey and Heath started arguing again about whether they were a couple or not as Aphrodite called for Heath to come to her to let her taste him. In a trance, Heath started heading to her. Zoey and Erik grabbed him as Heath started yelling that Zoey is cheating on him. Aphrodite broke in saying if Heath refused the summons they would come to him. Her body started convulsing as gray whisps started seeping out.
Damien stepped out from behind a hedge and shouted at Aphrodite to make them stop or the spirits would kill Heath. He told her she must contain them in the circle.
Aphrodite refused to stop them saying it was better for them to take Heath then any of them. Her friends that were representing the elements left the circle dropping their candles as they went. Zoey watched as one of the spirits seeped out of the circle and started heading their way.
Her other friends appeared telling her that it was up to her.
Zoey headed to the circle with her friends behind her. Aphrodite tried to stop her saying she had no right in her circle. Zoey told her that it was (as in it’s not anymore) her circle and to shut-up and move. Zoey’s friends backed her up. They took their places and Zoey quickly called all the elements to the circle. She raised the goblet of wine and blood and told the spirits it was their sacrifice and told them that they weren’t called here to kill. They told her that they preferred this warm young blood instead. She told them those lives weren’t theirs to take. They responded that they choose death as it is dearest to them. Zoey threw down the goblet and said she wasn’t asking anymore. She commanded all the elements to close the circle pulling back all the dead who have been allowed to escape; which sucked all the spirits back inside the circle. Zoey looked down at the splattered blood from the goblet and told the spirits to take their sacrifice and go as that is all that’s owed to them this night. They reluctantly left taking the blood with them.
Zoey dismissed the elements one by one. As she was doing so the others noticed that her mark had changed again. This time a delicate swirl of lace-like sapphire tattooing framed her eyes. Her neck shoulder and back were also tattooed.
Erik told Zoey that Heath needs help. Aphrodite said to leave him until morning that someone would find him and that they all need to get out of there before the guards started waking up.
Zoey spun on Aphrodite calling her selfish, spoiled and indulged. She went on to say the change is hard enough without someone like her making it harder. She told her what she did tonight was wrong and it’s over. Aphrodite told her that only a high priestess can change leadership. Then, Neferet joined in saying it was convenient that she is there.
Chapter 29
Neferet treated Erik’s wounds and told him to come to the infirmary for some salve to lessen the stinging. She told him that he showed bravery of a vampyre warrior when he stayed to protect Heath and said she was proud of him and so is the Goddess.
She then took Heath’s pain as well. She said he will heal and won’t remember anything except getting drunk and trying to find Zoey.
Neferet told Aphrodite that she is as responsible for what happened here tonight as she is. That she’s known of her selfishness, but overlooked it hoping she would mature. She released Aphrodite as leader and told her she was no longer in training to be a high priestess. She then took her necklace of rank off of Aphrodite.
Neferet then turned to Zoey and told her she knew she was special from the day Nyx let her foresee she would be marked. She was amazed at Zoey’s new tattooing. She told her she has earned the position of leader of the Dark Daughters and high priestess in training. She handed the necklace to Zoey and told her to use it more wisely than her predecessor had. She then saluted Zoey and everyone else except Aphrodite did as well. Neferet then told them to go back to school and she would take care of everything else. She hugged Zoey and told her she was proud. Then, Zoey was rushed out of the gazebo by her friends.
Zoey reminded everybody that they had to be quiet on the way back to school. She sent the others ahead of her except Stevie Rae, Damien and the twins. She told them to walk with her. She thanked them all for being there. They all gave her a big group hug.
Then Erik came up and asked if he could get in on it. Damien said he could and Shaunee and Erin were quick to remind him he plays on the other team.
Erik hugged and kissed Zoey.
Stevie Rae was hungry so they all started heading towards the school to get something to eat. Erik asked if she minded if he walked with her and she said no she was getting used to it.
Then Zoey heard Nala and she told Erik to go ahead and she’d catch up. She called Nala and picked her up when she came out of the bushes.
Then Aphrodite came up and told her she may have won tonight, but it’s not over. Zoey told her she was just trying to make things right. Aphrodite told her she had no idea what happened tonight and she was just being used and that they are all puppets. And they are just playing the parts they are supposed to and things are going to get much worse.
Stevie Rae comes up and tells Zoey that no matter what they’re in it together. And she headed home surrounded by her friends.
Questions:
1. Why do you think Erik is drawn to Zoey? Just typical teenage lust or something more?
2. Do you think Aphrodite would have canceled the Dark Daughter’s ritual had it been someone more important to her like Erik or one of the triplets?
3. Why do you think Aphrodite keeps her visions to herself?
4. Do you think Aphrodite had a vision of the change of leadership in the Dark Daughters?
5. What did you think of the book?
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