Forgotten

by P. C. Cast; Kristin Cast

  “That’s easy because I don’t know much. The Council kept having meetings without me. They never understand how busy I am. I just can’t—”

  “Loren! Now.” He was close enough to her that she felt him tremble. Good, he’s not too self-absorbed to completely forget that I am a powerful High Priestess.

  “Well, you remember that red vampyre? The one named Kevin who Stark let into the blue section of the auditorium during your last assembly?”

  “Yes, of course I remember him. He was with Stark when he and that bitch Aphrodite betrayed me.”

  “And you remember that his squadron, led by General Dominick, all just disappeared while he was on a separate mission?”

  “Yes, vaguely. He said something about getting lost and not making his way back to them.”

  “Right. That’s not what happened. Somehow this Zoey girl from the mirror world pulled General Dominick and all the missing vampyres to another version of our world—like I said, it’s filled with people and places like us and ours, but different. Like over there some people are alive who are dead in our world, and the other way around too. Kevin got back his humanity over there because—get this craziness—Zoey Redbird is Kevin’s sister. I’m sure that has something to do with why he’s the only one who came back to our world. They probably killed Dominick and the other red vamps over there.”

  Neferet felt the pieces of the puzzle that had been plaguing her fall into place. “Zoey Redbird. I killed her in this world but couldn’t possibly know that I would need to kill her in another world as well.”

  “What? You killed her? I thought the People of Faith killed her.”

  “Loren, dear, try not to think. Just tell me what else you know about this mirror world—like, how did Kevin and his should-be-dead sister go back and forth between there and here?”

  Loren shrugged. “I have no idea. But she’s powerful. Oh, and so is Kevin. Did you know both of them have affinities for all five elements?”

  “No, but now I do. What else don’t I know?”

  “You’re going to love this—in Zoey’s world there’s another one of you!”

  Neferet felt herself go very still. “Explain that.”

  “I don’t know much. Those simpletons were always done with the bulk of Council business when I joined them. Now that I think about it, it’s almost like they somehow knew I was still loyal to you.”

  “Imagine that,” Neferet said. “Remember for me, dearest. What all did you hear about that other Neferet? How did she allow Zoey to come to our world?”

  “Zoey’s in charge in her world. Oh! I remember! The Neferet over there is walled up in some kind of immortal jail.”

  “What? Why would they do that?”

  “Apparently she became immortal. Isn’t that insane? Their Neferet named herself Goddess of Tulsa, so they got a magickal being to help them defeat her—someone with wings. I can’t remember his name. Anyway, since they couldn’t kill her, they walled her up in a tomb.” He shuddered. “It’s a good thing you don’t live in that world.”

  As Loren poured himself a second glass of champagne, Neferet kept herself under strict control, though her heart was beating so hard and fast that she felt slightly dizzy. Now the strange things Zoey said make complete sense. She was speaking of another version of me—the me she knew and defeated in her world. And in Zoey Redbird’s world I am immortal! I’m ambitious enough to have become immortal, but I only wanted to rule over Tulsa? That does not seem accurate. Loren probably got that detail incorrect. But, then again, a child defeated that other version of me, so perhaps she is an immortal-yet-weaker, flawed version, which is sad. So very sad.

  “Dearest one, you didn’t happen to overhear where they are keeping that poor, unfortunate Neferet, did you?”

  “Sure. Woodward Park. She’s walled into the grotto. Isn’t it strange that there’s another world like ours with another park called Woodward?”

  “Can you think of any other detail you know that you may have forgotten?”

  Loren sighed. “No. Forgive me, my own true love. I didn’t know I would be seeing you again so soon—or at all.”

  Neferet sat up straighter and returned her flute of champagne to the silver tray that rested on the little gilded table before them. “They do not know that I am alive?”

  “In every meeting I was in they were trying to figure out whether you are or not.”

  Neferet smiled and smoothed back her hair. “That is very, very good.”

  Loren returned her smile with his own, which was as charming as it was vapid. “Where have you been, my love? Not in Tulsa, that’s for sure.”

  Why not tell him? He’s not going to live to betray me. “Well, coincidentally, I have been wooing the sprites on the Isle of Skye so that I can use Old Magick to become immortal. Only this Neferet will never be satisfied with simply being Goddess of Tulsa.”

  “That’s brilliant! If that other Neferet figured out how to become immortal—you will too, for sure! Hey, if you could figure out how to get to that mirror world, you could just release her from her tomb and ask her yourself!”

  “Yes, Loren. I am aware of that.”

  Loren laughed. “Anastasia will never think to look for you on Skye. As far as I know they think you’re hiding somewhere in Tulsa licking your wounds.” His grin turned seductive. “Speaking of licking …”

  “You’re quite sure you can remember nothing more? Especially about the spell that was used to move Kevin and Zoey between worlds?”

  “The only thing I ever heard was that Old Magick and those tedious sprites were involved. You know, the creatures who restored the humanity to the Red Army—which was a truly stupid thing to do because now we have red vampyres hurling themselves off rooftops and walking into the sun and setting themselves ablaze.” He shuddered. “But, enough of that unpleasantness. Let us go back to the licking.”

  Neferet smiled, slid both of her hands into the pockets of her robe, and then parted it, revealing herself completely to Loren. As expected, he discarded his champagne flute and leaned forward eagerly, his eyes riveted on her bare breasts.

  Neferet pushed him back against the love seat and with a quick motion straddled him.

  “Oooh! I like this. A little rough play is fun.” Loren spread his arms wide. “I am all yours. Take me any way you desire.”

  “Oh, I shall.” Neferet bent and pressed her lips to Loren’s throat. He moaned and titled his head back, giving her better access to his neck. His hands slid inside her robe and he cupped her hips, holding her firmly against him.

  Neferet’s fingers caressed a line down the side of Loren’s neck. He moaned again. Fast as a striking viper, Neferet pressed the tip of her fingernail against the softest part of his neck—just under his chin—and she sliced, easily cutting a gash in his skin. Before he had time to respond she covered the gash with her lips and began feeding from him.

  He grunted as the pain hit his brain. “My own! I haven’t fed since I left the House of Night. A sip will be fine, but more than that will leave me too—”

  “Oh, Loren. Do shut up.” Neferet bared her teeth and bit him, tearing open the gash in his neck so that blood poured from the wound as she drank from him. Before he could struggle—before he truly realized her lethal intent, Neferet put her hand in the pocket of her robe and drove the dagger deep into his chest, sliding it between two ribs and burying it to the hilt.

  Loren’s eyes went huge and round. He made a mewing sound. Red spittle foamed his lips. “Why?” he gasped as he crumpled into her, clutching at her bathrobe.

  Neferet stood, pulling the dagger out of his chest and moving off him so that he fell onto the floor with the bathrobe still balled in his fists. She let it slide off her too, so that it went with Loren, covering him so she didn’t have to look at his dying face nor view his final convulsions. Before she answered him Neferet licked
the blade clean of his blood.

  “Why? That’s simple.” Neferet strode into the bathroom and took a hand towel from the sink, wetting it quickly before she returned to stand over Loren’s swathed, but still twitching body. As she wiped the blood from her face and chest she spoke, allowing her voice to be filled with all the disdain he deserved. “So, so many reasons—not the least of which are that you’re self-absorbed, vapid, and annoying. But mostly because you are my past—and my past must die.” She dropped the bloody towel on him and went to the armoire, dressing in the clothes Lynette had so recently hung there. Then she washed her hands and checked her reflection in the mirror. Discovering that there was still some blood on her lips, she licked it off with a contented sigh before returning to the main room of the suite and donning her hat and dark glasses.

  Lastly, she retrieved her emerald clutch from the corner of the love seat, breathing a sigh of relief that it had escaped any blood spatter. She paused before leaving. “Goodbye, Loren. I cannot imagine Nyx is going to greet someone like you happily. Isn’t it a shame you’ve been worshiping the wrong goddess? Oh, and that question was rhetorical. Don’t feel the need to answer as I know you’re busy dying.”

  With new purpose, Neferet closed the door to the suite behind her and hurried down the hallway to the elevator, and as she appreciated her reflection in the mirrored wall she realized something that was as pleasing as it was significant. She smiled as the empty elevator arrived, and she stepped in. Though her Mark was still covered by the thick, waterproof makeup, she took off the dark glasses and discarded the hat, letting it drop to the floor of the elevator. The doors closed, and she punched the bronze button to the lobby. Then she turned her gaze to the camera and said, “Do your best, simpletons. I will not be in this world to find.”

  Other Lynette

  Lynette chose a table for two in the corner of the quaint Italian restaurant and took the seat that faced the door so that she could sip her glass of the excellent house red and nibble bread and cheese while she waited for Neferet to appear. She pondered whether or not she had become morally bankrupt—especially as it didn’t bother her at all that she was waiting for her employer to murder someone.

  Somewhere between her first and second goblet of wine, Lynette decided that she was morally fine. Neferet was going to become a goddess, and goddesses made life and death decisions all the time, didn’t they?

  Lynette was toying with the thought of ordering some marinated olives to go with her bread and wine when she was shocked to see Neferet enter the restaurant. She stood, waving at Neferet, who smiled and joined her.

  Lynette picked up her purse and looked for her waitress. “I’ll get the check right away, my lady.”

  Neferet sat, sweeping her long hair back so that the auburn mass cascaded down her back. “Oh, no need to rush, my dear. Loren will not be joining us.” The server arrived, and the vampyre—Mark still discreetly covered—smiled and ordered. “Do you still carry Giuseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella? The Classico Riserva is my preference.”

  “Yes, madam! You have exquisite taste.”

  “I do. Bring us a bottle. Also, your divine antipasto plate, two insalatonas, and your incredible penne all’arrabbiata—for two.”

  “Immediately, madam!”

  Then Neferet added, “Oh, but first—we’re celebrating, so we require two glasses of your best prosecco.”

  “Very good, madam!”

  The server hurried away. Neferet sighed and smiled, putting her chin in her hand and leaning forward to chat with Lynette like a happy girl. “Oh, Lynette, so many of our obstacles have just been removed.”

  “My lady,” Lynette pitched her voice low. “Where are your glasses and your hat? You are much too beautiful to be forgettable. These people will all remember you, even though your Mark is still covered.”

  Neferet’s laughter drew appreciative glances. “I no longer need that disguise. If I hadn’t been so ravenous I would have taken the extra time to scrub this terrible concealment from my face.”

  Lynette tried not to worry, but she had to clasp her hands together under the table to keep from fidgeting with her linen napkin. “So, it went well, my lady?”

  “Better than well!” Neferet lowered her voice. “He gave me some spectacularly important information. We do not need to kill my future. I do not need to spend a tedious amount of time on Skye trying to coax Old Magick to make me immortal.”

  “That is fantastic!” Lynette felt flushed with relief.

  The server returned with their glasses of prosecco and Neferet remained silent until she was out of hearing range, then she lifted her glass.

  “To the trip we are going to take!”

  Lynette was confused, but she raised her glass as well, clinking it against Neferet’s.

  “Where are we going, my lady?”

  “Dear Lynette, I just discovered who our ghost Zoey is and why the House of Night is burying all mentions of her on the internet.”

  “I knew it was them!”

  “Yes, they should have also buried Loren Blake. Had they done that I would be heading to the desolation of Skye, where it could be months and months before I discover the power and knowledge I need.” She sipped her prosecco and then laughed softly. “It’s ironic that they will be burying Loren.”

  “You did kill him?” Lynette whispered.

  “Of course.”

  “Poison or dagger?”

  “Dagger and my teeth. He was too tiresome. I simply could not wait the thirty minutes wee Denise said it would take for the poison to work. I had to shut him up immediately. His vapidness earned him a painful, though quick, death. I am not a monster, dear Lynette. I am fairly certain he did not suffer—much—in the short time it took for him to die.”

  Lynette had to squelch the urge to reach out and touch Neferet’s hand—the hand that had just minutes before driven a dagger into a man’s body and killed him. Just the thought of it gave her a little shudder of exited pleasure, which should have worried her, but Lynette didn’t allow it to. Very soon she would be the handmaid, and the most beloved human, to a goddess. Why should the normal rules of society apply to her? They certainly didn’t apply to Neferet.

  And then she realized that something big must have just gone down. Neferet was relaxed, happy, and showing her face—though with her Mark covered, which wasn’t surprising. Vampyres kept to themselves in Europe. If any of the other patrons here, or even at the Covent Garden Hotel, were vampyres, they too had their tattoos covered, if for no other reason than to save themselves from unwanted attention.

  Still, as she’d said, Neferet was unforgettably beautiful, whether people recognized her as a vampyre or not. If Scotland Yard questioned any of the wait staff or any of the diners later, they would undoubtedly remember her.

  “My lady,” Lynette leaned forward and lowered her voice again. “But if he’s dead shouldn’t we be discreet? They will, eventually, find his body.”

  “Yes, they certainly will, but by that time we will be beyond their reach.”

  “On our trip?”

  “Oh, I haven’t told you! Yes, my dear. We are going on a trip—to the world where that ghostly Zoey Redbird came from, and in that world, there is a version of me who has been entombed by that vile child.”

  Lynette couldn’t say anything for several long breaths. She hid her shock by sipping prosecco and then had a further reprieve while the waitress brought their antipasto platter and opened the bottle of expensive red wine. By the time they were alone again, Lynette could make herself speak without sounding as breathless and panicked as she felt.

  “My lady,” she began slowly, reasonably. “Do you mean a literal other world?”

  “I do. One that is a mirror to our own.” Neferet kept her voice pitched low and for Lynette’s ears alone, but her excitement was almost tangible. “And the sprites I’ve become so familia
r with hold the key to the door between this world and that.”

  “So, we’re going to a different version of our world where you’ll somehow rule?”

  “Oh my, no! I would not usurp myself, but I understand your confusion. I have not been clear. The children who are running the Tulsa House of Night in the mirror world have entombed the other version of me because they could not kill her. Can you guess why, my dear?”

  “Because they’re afraid?”

  “That is partially very correct. They definitely fear her, but it’s the why that is so important.” Neferet leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially. “The Neferet in their world became immortal.”

  Lynette felt a sizzle of delight. “She did it!”

  “She certainly did. All I need do is to release her from what I am quite certain is an atrocious confinement. She will, of course, be happy to return the favor by sharing with me her path to immortality. I shall become a goddess and then we will return here, to our world, where I will reign in my proper position.”

  “As Goddess of the House of Night?”

  “As Goddess of Night. I will not limit myself to Tulsa. Nor will I limit myself to only reign over vampyres. You have taught me that, dear Lynette. Because of your importance to me I want you to accompany me to mirror Tulsa. I cannot possibly do without my handmaid there.”

  “Go with you to another world?” Lynette tried, and failed, to wrap her mind around something that seemed utterly mad and completely impossible.

  “Yes, yes, yes. That’s all I’ve been talking about since I arrived.”

  “It—it is a lot to take in.”

  “Well, I cannot imagine it being a difficult thing to move between worlds. Zoey is a child—barely eighteen. If she can do it, I should also be able to do it.”

  “But, what about me? I’m not a vampyre. I’m just a human.”

  “A human who is dear to me and under my protection.” Neferet shrugged. “I shall simply pay the sprites something extra. Perhaps they would like me to lure a lovely stag and then sacrifice the creature to them. I do remember that sprites are bloodthirsty.”