Dallas, now would be a lovely time to orchestrate another altercation.

No sooner had the thought formed in her mind then the young red vampyre himself moved into her view. He wasn't posturing or provoking.

Neferet frowned. He and his ragged group of compatriots were slinking from Thanatos's first hour as if they were dogs with their tails tucked between their legs.

Then Zoey's group, minus Zoey, she noted, hurried from class all moving in the same direction. The same direction? Most of them had different second-hour classes. No matter how sheep-like they were, they should not all be traveling together.

Aurox emerged and Neferet smiled.

As if he could feel her gaze the vessel looked her way.

"Come to me," she mouthed the words and gestured to her office. Neferet didn't wait to see if the vessel complied. She knew he would do as commanded.

"Yes, Priestess," he said, standing before her desk. "You called?"

"Did anything unusual happen first hour?"

"Unusual, Priestess?"

Neferet barely contained her irritation. Must he be so stupid? "Yes, unusual! I noticed Dall as and his group seemed unusually reserved, and many of the other students, those closest to Zoey Redbird, left together as if they had somewhere to go that was not their second-hour class."

"Your observation is correct, Priestess. Thanatos intends to oversee Zoey and her circle performing a ritual so that she may then cast a spell invoking death. Her intent is for Zoey to witness the truth of her mother's death and thereby to attain closure."

"What?" Neferet felt as if her mind was going to explode.

"Yes, Priestess. Thanatos is using Zoey as an example of how all fledglings and vampyres can overcome the loss of a parent." Neferet lifted her hand, palm out, and the threads of Darkness swarmed to her. Aurox took a step back, obviously uncomfortable with her tumultuous emotions. She made a conscious effort to control herself and the sticky tendrils quieted.

"Where is this spell casting taking place?"

"At the site of Zoey's mother's murder."

Through clenched teeth Neferet managed to say, "When? When is this happening?"

"They are gathering to leave now, Priestess."

"And you are quite certain Thanatos is accompanying them?"

"Yes, Priestess."

"May all the immortals be damned!" Neferet almost spat the curse. "A reveal ritual. It must be accompanied by the casting of a very specific spell ..." She drummed her pointed fingernails on her desk, thinking. "It would have to be earth-based, as it is within that specific plot of earth that the death would have been Imprinted. It is Stevie Rae then, and not Zoey who must be impeded." She turned her attention back to Aurox. "This is my command: you will thwart this ritual and the casting of the death spell. Do whatever you must to stop it, even if you must kill, although I do not want the death to be one of the Priestesses." She grimaced in annoyance. "Unfortunately, the price of a Priestess's death is too costly, especially as I don't have an equitable sacrifice to offer," she muttered, almost to herself. Then she caught the vessel's moonstone gaze with her own. "Do not kill a Priestess. I'd prefer no one realize you were there, but if you cannot stop the spell without giving yourself away, then do what you must. Your command is that the ritual and its spell work go awry, so that Thanatos cannot reveal the manner of Zoey's mother's death. Do you understand me?"

"I do, Priestess."

"Then get out of here and do as I command. If you are discovered do not expect me to rescue you. Expect me to forget we ever had this conversation."

When he simply stood there staring at her, she said, "What is it? Why are you not already obeying my orders?"

"I do not know where to go, Priestess. How do I reach the location of the ritual?" Neferet squelched the urge to smite him to his knees with Darkness. Instead she scribbled an address on a notepad, tore it off, and handed it to him. "Use the GPS as I've showed you before. This is the address. It couldn't be easier if I conjured you there." He bowed, clutching the paper. "As you command, Priestess," he said, leaving the room.

"And be careful they do not see you arriving!"

"Yes, Priestess," he said before closing the door behind him.

Neferet watched him go. "I wish he was smarter," she whispered to the dark tendrils that crawled up her arms and caressed her wrists. "Oh, but you are, aren't you? Go with him. Strengthen him. Watch him. Be quite sure he does not falter in obeying my simple commands. Then return and tell me everything." The tendrils hesitated. Neferet sighed and, with a quick flick of her forefinger, she sliced the inside of her bicep and ground her teeth as Darkness fed from her. Shortly, she waved them away and licked the shallow wound closed. "Go now. You've taken your payment. Do my bidding,"