"What does it mean to be coat-tailing on someone?"

I couldn't have been more surprised if Aurox had crouched down and given birth to a litter of kittens. For a second, I couldn't even think of an answer, and then I blurted, "It means that you haven't earned what you've been given, but that someone else has, so you're riding his coattails and getting credit that way."

Aurox's face was an emotionless mask. He drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. We were all staring at him, but he didn't say a word. He just stood there, breathing and looking like an almost-statue.

"Okay, so, who are you coat-tailing?" Stark's voice cut the silence.

Aurox turned his moonstone eyes on my Warrior. "No one. No one at all, and tonight I will prove that." Then his gaze found mine again. "When I feel the presence of the elements I will go to Neferet. When Grandma is safe, do as you said. Withdraw the elements. Then flee. I will not chance harming any of you, and I cannot be certain that I can retain any control over the beast. Tell Grandma that I said her sanctuary is more important than mine." His eyes swept our group as he said, "Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again." Aurox walked away from us, jogging quickly across the street, and disappeared within the front doors of the Mayo.

"This night is gonna suck for him," Stark muttered.

"Hello, understatement," Aphrodite said. "This life is gonna suck for him."

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Neferet

"So, old woman, what do you think it is about your blood that causes it to be so rancid that my children cannot feed on it?"

Sylvia Redbird's head turned slowly. Her eyes were glimmering pools within the cage of Darkness.

"Your puppets cannot feed from me because I had time to prepare myself for you."

The old woman's voice was hoarse, but there was a strength lingering within it that surprised Neferet almost as much as it annoyed her.

"That's right. You are oh, so special and beloved by your Goddess. But wait," Neferet spoke with mock shock. "If you are really so special and beloved, why are you here, being tormented by my children? Why does your Goddess not save you?"

"You name me special. I would not call myself that, Tsi Sgili. Had you asked I would have named myself valued by the Great Earth Mother. No more. No less."

"If this is how your Great Earth Mother treats a valued child who is crying out for her help, then may I suggest you consider changing goddesses?" Neferet sipped on her blood-laced wine. She wasn't sure why she felt the need to goad the old woman. Her pain and her impending death should have been enough to satisfy the immortal, but they weren't. Neferet hated that Sylvia did not scream. She did not beg. Since Kalona had fled, Sylvia had even stopped moaning in pain. Now if she wasn't silent, the old woman was singing.

Neferet loathed her damned singing.

"I have not asked the Great Earth Mother for help. I have only asked for her blessing, and that she has gifted me with tenfold."

"Her blessing! You're inside a cage of Darkness that is killing you slowly and painfully. What are you, a Catholic saint? Shall I crucify you upside down and cut off your head?" Neferet laughed at her own joke, but even to her the sound was hollow. I need adulation and veneration! How can I reign as Goddess without worshippers!

"You killed the professors."

Sylvia hadn't asked a question, but Neferet felt the need to answer her. "Of course I did."

"Why?"

"To create chaos between humans and vampyres, of course."

"But how does that benefit you?"

"Chaos burns-people, vampyres, society. The victor who emerges from those ashes controls the world. I will be that victor." Feeling smug and empowered, Neferet smiled.

"But you already had power. You were High Priestess of the House of Night. You were beloved by your Goddess. Why cast that aside?"

Neferet narrowed her eyes at Sylvia. "Power does not equate to control. How much power does your Great Earth Goddess wield if she cannot do something as simple as control whether or not I take your life? I learned long ago that control is true power."

Sylvia shook her head, finally looking and sounding as weary as she should be. "You cannot truly control anyone except yourself, Tsi Sgili. It might appear otherwise, but we all make our own choices."

"Really? Let us test that theory. I assume you would prefer to live." Neferet paused, waiting expectantly for Sylvia's response.

"I would." Sylvia's words were a whisper.