Lost (The House of Night Other World Series)

by P. C. Cast

  Kevin breathed a tiny sigh of relief. The field was still a couple of miles away from the ridge where the Resistance was hiding. That was one small good thing in a giant pile of bad.

  Aphrodite was looking out the window to her right. “And there’s the pecan grove. Okay, keep going just a little. There should be a … yep, there’s the gate. Turn in there.”

  Dallas guided the Hummer through an open gate and into a big, newly cut hayfield. And, sure enough, parked just inside the gate was the flatbed part of a semitruck’s trailer, filled with enormous round bales.

  “Stop!” Stark snapped. “Make sure the convoy blocks the gate so they can’t get out that way.” He started to open his door before the Hummer had come to a complete stop, commanding, “Dallas, get those soldiers off the convoy and have them circle the flatbed. Lieutenant Heffer, stay in this vehicle with Aphrodite. Your job—your only job is to make sure she’s not accidentally eaten tonight. Can you do that?”

  “Yes, sir!”

  Without another look, Stark and Dallas got out of the Hummer. Kevin could hear Dallas calling commands down the convoy. Stark had taken out his bow and kept a nocked arrow aimed at the round bales. “He can’t miss. Did you know that?” Aphrodite’s voice cut through the stillness in the half-empty vehicle.

  “General Stark?”

  “Yeah, Bow Boy.”

  “Uh-huh, I knew. The whole army knows. He’s a legend.”

  “In his own mind,” Aphrodite said. “They say he killed his mentor.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  “Yep. It’s why he’s all broody. Most women find it attractive. I find it tedious. But he’s not my type anyway.”

  Kevin couldn’t help himself. “What is your type?”

  “Someone with less broodiness and more heart. And muscles. I like muscles. Fill ’er up, Kev. I’m finally starting to catch that buzz.”

  “Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

  “Honestly?”

  “Yes. I like honesty.”

  “Okay, I’ll be honest. It doesn’t matter whether I drink or not. It won’t change what’s going to happen, and it won’t make me forget that I’m going to have to watch it happening again. And since we’re being honest—nobody gives one good shit about whether I’m wasted or not except me, and if I have to watch kids being eaten by monsters, I prefer to be wasted.”

  “That’s a good point.” Kevin refilled her glass. “But I care whether you’re wasted or not.”

  She met his gaze. “Why?”

  “Are we still being honest?”

  “How ’bout this—as long as we’re alone let’s be honest. Deal?”

  “Deal,” Kevin said, and his heart gave a weird little flutter beat when her gaze didn’t leave his, and for the first time she looked exactly like his Aphrodite. The one who had kissed him in Zo’s world and had told him to find her in his world.

  “So, why do you care whether or not I’m wasted?”

  “Because I know you’re better than this.”

  She snorted. “That was a crazy thing to say.”

  “Why?”

  She opened her mouth to answer him but was interrupted by a stream of red vampyres rushing past their vehicle to surround the flatbed.

  “Shit. It’s starting. I can’t look.” She bowed her head, staring down at her feet. “Tell me when it’s over.”

  “Okay, but I’ll also tell you what’s going on. It’s how my sister used to watch horror movies with me when we were little.”

  Her eyes cut to his. “What are you talking about?”

  “Well, I used to love horror movies. My sister hated them, but she wouldn’t let me watch them alone because then I had bad dreams and got into bed with her. So, she’d sit with me, but she’d cover her eyes with her hands. She asked me to describe what was going on because she said it was less scary when I told the story to her.”

  “Okay, I’m willing to give it a try. If you keep filling up my glass.”

  “Will do.” Kevin refilled her glass and began his commentary. “They’ve surrounded the round bales. Stark’s keeping his arrow aimed at the first one, and Dallas—” Kevin paused then and grinned at Aphrodite. “Hey, even though I couldn’t laugh when you said it in front of Stark, I want you to know your nickname for him cracks me up.”

  “Oh, you mean Lieutenant Dickless. I don’t consider it a nickname. I consider it a fact.”

  Kevin snorted a laugh, then went back to describing what was happening. “So, Lieutenant Dickless has a longsword and is approaching the first bale. Ah, shit. He’s going to stab it into—!” Kevin sucked in a breath.

  “What? What happened?”

  “He stabbed it into the bale and nothing happened. Now, he’s stabbing it over and over again. It’s just a bale of hay. No one’s inside!” He thought Aphrodite would be glad, but she kept drinking and looking down at the knee-high boots she was wearing. “Um, did you hear me?”

  “Yeah, I heard. Keep watching. Not all the bales have people in them. The Resistance wouldn’t be such a pain in Neferet’s ass if they were stupid.”

  “Oh, good point. Okay. Watching. They’re moving to the next bale.” Kevin held his breath, then let it out on a sigh. “That’s just hay too. Now they’re going to a bale on the end.”

  “That’s not good news. I know. I was hiding inside that one.”

  “You?”

  “Not literally. When I have a vision I always see it from the point of view of someone who is dying—usually horribly. That’s why it’s hard for me to give specific details, because I feel what the dying person feels.”

  Kevin’s stomach roiled. “That must be awful.”

  “It’s worse than that.”

  He looked up. “Crap. They’re at the next bale. Okay, he’s stabbing it and—shit. He hit something.”

  “Not a person, though.”

  “No. He hit something hard, and just the tip of his sword disappeared into it.”

  “It’s because it’s not a real bale. The inside is hollow and wheel-like. There’s a door on the side to get in and out. They somehow stuck the hay to the outside of the wheel. Inside can hold, oh, about four big people, or a couple of adults and three or four kids. Hey, I’m going to close my eyes and cover my ears when they start screaming.”

  “They found a latch and they’re opening it.” Kevin swallowed down the urge to puke. He wanted to cover his eyes too. And then relief flooded him. “It’s empty!”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, look!”

  “Nope. Not until they check them all. At least half of the bales on this flatbed and the other one are filled with people.”

  “The other one?”

  “Yeah, there are two of them.”

  “Not today. Today there’s only one. Aphrodite, look. They’re opening the others. They’re all empty!” Kevin made no attempt to hide the joy and relief he was feeling.

  “Why are you happy?”

  He turned his gaze from the empty bales to Aphrodite, who was staring at him, and not the scene unfolding with zero violence in front of them. He met her eyes. And he told her the truth.

  “Because I don’t want anyone else to die.”

  “But you’re a red vampyre. All you care about is eating and death.”

  “Is that really how you see me?” Kevin asked.

  “Why didn’t you stink yesterday?”

  “Because I—”

  Knock! Knock! Knock! Kevin and Aphrodite jumped when Stark banged on his window.

  “You two can come out. Looks like we’re early,” Stark shouted through the window before turning back to the group of soldiers who were trying to reassemble the hollowed-out bales.

  Aphrodite sighed. “Bring the bottle.”

  “Hey, why don’t you stay in here? I’ll go
out and say something about you not feeling great.”

  “And have Bow Boy squeal to Neferet that I hid in the Hummer even when no battle was going on? That would be the perfect excuse for her to send me out with the Red Army again. No, I’ll get out.”

  Kevin hurried out of the Hummer and jogged around to her side, opening the door for her.

  “Thanks. I appreciate the good manners. Someone raised you right.”

  “You’re welcome. Mostly my sister.”

  “There’s that sister again. Maybe I’ll meet her someday,” Aphrodite said as she held out her hand.

  Kevin took it and held it carefully in his as he helped her out of the vehicle. “I have a very good feeling you two would be friends.”

  Aphrodite snorted. “Then she must be a pain in the ass.”

  “Oh, you have no idea,” Kevin said.

  19

  Other Aphrodite

  “You’re sure that this is the right field?” Stark asked Aphrodite.

  “Positive.”

  “And this is the only flatbed you saw with hay bales?”

  “This flatbed is the one I saw during my vision. I was inside that middle bale there.” She pointed. “I don’t know what else to tell you. I don’t know why no one’s inside. We must be early.” Aphrodite chose her words carefully. Contrary to what Neferet and Stark and the rest of them might think, she despised liars. She’d been raised by one, and at an early age had sworn that, if nothing else, unlike her mother she would try to always tell the truth. And that’s what she was doing. Technically telling the truth. Sure, she was leaving out some things, but Stark would have to get a lot more specific with his questions for her to divulge everything.

  “All right then. Lieutenant Dallas, first get the vehicles and men hidden in that pecan grove across the street. Keep every damn Red Army soldier inside those vehicles. We don’t want the Resistance smelling them. And no lights—no noises. None. Remind those soldiers the only way they’re eating tonight is if the Resistance springs our trap. Then get back over here with a few of the other officers and make those bales look right again—or at least right enough that the Resistance won’t notice they’ve been disturbed until it’s too late. We’ll wait ’em out and capture them when they finally show up.” He turned his gaze to Aphrodite. “Could you tell what time the attack happened?”

  “No. Sorry. I was too busy being eaten to look at a watch.”

  Stark frowned at her and then continued to Dallas: “Okay, we’ll wait as long as we can, but the Red Army has to get back to the tunnels before dawn. And remind those soldiers that they can only eat the humans. Blue fledglings and blue vampyres are to be captured alive.”

  “Yep. I’ll tell ’em, sir. But they’re stupid, so don’t expect much.” Dallas gave him a sloppy salute and started shouting orders.

  Aphrodite found it difficult to stop staring at the soldiers of the Red Army. She’d never been around this many of them before. She pitied them almost as much as they disgusted her. They were milling around the flatbed and the empty hay bales. They looked agitated and confused. She thought several were actually drooling.

  “Aphrodite, you can get back in our lead vehicle with Lieutenant Heffer. Heffer, you can drive, right?”

  “Sure, yeah,” the kid said.

  “So, drive her across the street and wait.”

  “Actually, I need some fresh air first,” Aphrodite said. “I’m taking a walk.”

  “Not a good idea,” Stark said. “If the Resistance is around here you’re not safe.”

  She raised her brows at him. “Not safe? There’s a whole herd of ravenous red vampyres within screaming distance. Plus, you’re here. With your unmissable bow. I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine.”

  Stark’s sigh was filled with annoyance. “Heffer, follow her. Aphrodite, do not be gone long. The Resistance could show up any minute, and I promise you won’t want to be out here when the fighting starts.”

  “Oh, please. I was already out here when the fighting started. That’s why I had to join you on this shit show, remember?”

  She turned her back to Stark and Dallas and the horde of red things, and began to pick her way carefully through the field to the trees lining its far side. She didn’t need to look behind her. She was certain Kevin would be following. She didn’t care. The sense of relief that had been flooding her body since she saw only one flatbed with no Resistance members hidden inside those bales was dizzying.

  There were two trailers in my vision. I was in this one, but there was another. Filled with even more fledglings and young humans. But it’s gone! Goddess, please let them have gotten away. Please don’t let them return tonight. Please, please, please.

  She heard rushing water as she approached the tree line. The underbrush went from neatly cut hay to tall winter grasses and what looked like blackberry bushes. Aphrodite picked her way around a sticker-filled cluster of sleeping plants and a wall of evergreen juniper trees to look down on a lazy creek.

  And then her mind didn’t understand what she was seeing.

  Are there people down there?

  In the water? Just below me?

  What the hell?

  She must have made some sound. Must have gasped in shock, because the person at the rear of the line that was sloughing their way downstream in hip-deep water turned his head and looked up at her.

  The moon shined off the water, intensifying its wan light so that the ornate sapphire tattoo of dragons breathing fire at a crescent moon in the middle of the vampyre’s forehead was clearly visible.

  Ohmygoddess! It’s Dragon Lankford! Aphrodite’s gaze swept the silent line of people and she recognized several of them from her vision. It’s the Resistance! They were tipped off! They didn’t get slaughtered!

  She didn’t have time to overthink it. Aphrodite acted on instinct. She rushed down a few feet more to come close to the edge of the bank. Staring at Dragon she mouthed, Go! Get away! as she made a shooing gesture at them.

  And then everything happened really fast.

  Dragon Lankford surged out of the creek, bounding up the bank. She tried to scramble back. Tried to run away, but the heel of her Jimmy Choo boots found a hole and snapped off. Aphrodite went down hard on her butt, dropping her bottle of champagne as the air was knocked out of her.

  Dragon reached her easily. He grabbed her, lifting her to her feet and putting his hand over her mouth. He pressed a dagger against her throat as he whispered directly into her ear. “If you make one sound I will slit your throat. You’re coming with me.” He turned so that the line of retreating fledglings, vampyres, and young humans could see him. Dragon made the same kind of shooing gesture Aphrodite had just made at him as he called across the water in a low voice, “Go! Get to safety!” He began dragging her backward, toward the creek.

  And then Kevin was there. First, coming through the line of junipers and glancing around, obviously looking for her. Aphrodite’s heart slammed against her chest, filling her bloodstream with adrenaline and panic. But I tried to help them! And now they’re going to kill Kevin and probably call the attention of Stark and the wrath of the Red Army down on themselves! They’re all going to be slaughtered like they were in my vision!

  But that’s not what happened. Something much weirder happened.

  Kevin looked down. Aphrodite knew the instant he saw her and Dragon and the escaping line of fledglings, humans, and vampyres trudging through the water. Kevin didn’t draw a weapon. Kevin didn’t yell for Stark. Instead he rushed down the bank to them.

  “Dragon! No! Don’t hurt her!” Kevin whispered frantically as he got close to them.

  “I’m not hurting her. I’m kidnapping her,” Dragon said.

  “Why?” Kevin asked.

  “Come on, Kevin. You know why. If I don’t she’s going to give us away to the Red Army. And she’s a Prophetess of Nyx. She h
as visions. Even if she won’t share them with us we can use her. Neferet will do just about anything to get her pet Prophetess back.”

  Aphrodite smacked the back of the hand Dragon was holding over her mouth.

  “Um, I think she wants you to take your hand away from her mouth,” Kevin said. “And it’d be nice if you’d put the knife down too.”

  “I’m assuming the Red Army’s up there?” Dragon jerked his chin in the direction of the hayfield.

  Aphrodite nodded as vigorously as she could with a knife against her throat, then she tried to say, “I was telling you to get away from here!” but, of course, the words turned into angry mush-mumble against his hand.

  “Yeah. Stark’s up there with about fifty red soldiers and several officers—red and blue.” Kevin’s gaze went to the creek and the line of people who were continuing to retreat toward the ridge and safety. “You got my message.”

  “Yeah. And now I’ve got this Prophetess too. I’ll take her to headquarters. Join us when you can.”

  “Dragon, seriously, if you kidnap Aphrodite how are you any different than Neferet?”

  “How can you ask me that? If we were like Neferet I would have already slit her throat. And, anyway, I can’t let her go. She knows you’re working with us, which puts us all in danger.”

  Kevin met Aphrodite’s gaze. “Will you give us your word not to scream or do anything to draw Stark’s attention if Dragon takes his hand from your mouth?”

  Aphrodite nodded.

  “I trust her,” Kevin said. “If she says she won’t yell, she won’t. Aphrodite tells the truth. Right?”

  Aphrodite nodded again.

  “It’s not wise to trust her,” Dragon said.

  Kevin grinned. “That’s what you said about me at first too.”

  The Warrior sighed. “All right, look. I’ll take my hand from your mouth.” Dragon spoke into Aphrodite’s ear. “But I won’t take my knife from your throat. If you do anything to bring soldiers down on us, you’ll be the first to die. Understand?”