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Damien’s hand went up.
“Yes, Damien. What is your question?” Thanatos asked.
“It’s not so much a question. I was just going to volunteer to help in any way I can.”
Thanatos smiled. “I am most appreciative.”
“So, are you talking field trip?” Erin’s voice sounded so weird coming from the back of the room.
“I suppose some of what I need can be considered a field trip, as it will require you to leave campus. Erin, are you volunteering to help?”
“If it means gettin’ out of class, then you have more volunteers than Erin,” Dallas said.
I couldn’t even shoot Stevie Rae or Aphrodite a sideways look, but from the edge of my vision I was sure I saw Stevie Rae crossing her fingers.
“Dallas, I can use your assistance. I spent many of the sunlight hours today googling charity events in Tulsa. It seems one of the most successful fund-raisers is called An Evening of Wine and Roses. It benefits the Tulsa Garden Center. It seems the Center strings myriads of lights around the Rose Gardens and then has an after-dusk wine tasting and di
“Perfect? I don’t like wine much,” he said.
I heard Aphrodite snort, but I kept my eyes straight ahead and tried not to even breathe. I knew what Thanatos was setting up, and I hoped like hell it would work.
“No, you mistake me,” Thanatos said. “I simply wish to use their lighting template as one for our open house. Dallas, think of how lovely our campus would be if ropes of electric bulbs were wrapped around our ancient oak trees.”
“Lots of electricity would be good. I’ve been sayin’ for a while now that this school needs an update on its electricity. It’s not, like, 1960. We need real lights here. Our eyes can handle it.” Dallas sounded cocky, as per usual.
“Well, I am agreeing with you, if only temporarily,” Thanatos said, smiling at him. Again, I marveled at her massive acting skills. Then she turned her attention to Erin. “Erin, as it seems you would work well partnered with Dallas, may I count on you to help guide the decorations for the open house? We do, of course, need exquisite lighting, but we also need tables, covered with fine linens, scattered throughout the central grounds. Can you handle the responsibility of coordinating with local humans, as well as Dallas’s electrical expertise, to get this done?”
“I was born to decorate and shop. Give me the school’s gold card and I’m on it,” Erin said.
“You will have a generous budget,” Thanatos assured her. “Especially as the open house is only a few days away. Time is of the essence.”
“If I have money I’m good at deadlines,” Erin said, sounding totally up Thanatos’s butt.
Right on cue Aphrodite waved her hand. “Uh, hello.” She sounded bored and bitchy. Even more than usual.
“You have a question, Aphrodite?” Thanatos called on her.
“More like an intelligent statement. If you’re going to put someone in charge of getting the accouterments together for a charity event, you should go to the expert: moi. I was teethed on what the middle class so barbarically calls party pla
Thanatos’s smile and tone were patronizing. “I am quite certain you were, but Erin and Dallas have already volunteered. I do have a job for you, though. I would like you to take a quick trip off campus and speak with your parents about attending the open house. From your comments to the press yesterday, I assume I can count on their support.”
“Yeah, whatever. I’ll talk to them.” Aphrodite was doing an awesome job playing her part. She sounded pissed and absolutely a
Damien’s hand went up, straight and strong. When Thanatos called on him he practically gushed, “Could I please go with Aphrodite? I’ve always wanted to see the inside workings of city politics.”
“Barf,” Aphrodite said.
“Yes, you may,” Thanatos said.
It was my hand’s turn to go up. I’d prepared for this, but still it was hard to keep my voice steady. “Um, I’ve called Grandma about the open house and selling her lavender stuff, but she hasn’t answered her phone yet.”
“Did you leave your grandmother a message?” Thanatos asked.
“Yeah, I did.” I let out a long breath. “And I guess it’s not really a surprise that she has her phone off, seeing as we just did the reveal ritual about my mom and all.” It was okay for my voice to be shaky then, and I was seriously glad because I was having a hard time keeping it together. “So, do you want me to drive out to her farm and talk to her?”
“Well, perhaps, in the next day or so,” Thanatos said, waving her hand dismissively. “But I don’t think that’s necessary right now. Where I need you today is with me at Street Cats. I would very much like an introduction to the head of the organization, Sister Mary Angela. We are already confident of your grandmother’s support, so coordinating with Street Cats is a better use of your time, Zoey.”
“Okay, yeah, I can do that,” I said.
“Can I go with you guys to Street Cats?” Shaylin spoke up without lifting her hand. “I’d really like a cat to choose me.”
Thanatos smiled. “Of course, young fledgling.” She turned her sharp gaze to Stevie Rae. “High Priestess, I need you to coordinate with your biological mother. You mentioned her baked goods during our television interview. Well, I believe we will need more than one mother’s cookie baking skills to sate Tulsa’s appetite come Saturday.”
“I could ask my momma to get the PTA moms involved. They bake like crazy for the Henrietta Hens booster club.”
“Then I will count on you to coordinate our refreshments,” Thanatos said. “So, to recap—those of you I have named leaders: Dallas, Erin, Aphrodite, Zoey, and Stevie Rae—divide up the fledglings most close to you and delegate tasks. Dallas, you strike me as a Warrior in your own right, so you may stand guard over your group. Zoey, Aphrodite, and Stevie Rae, you may include your Warriors when you travel off campus as you see fit. I will trust in your judgment. Be safe and inconspicuous, which means cover your Marks and do not wear any part of our school uniform. We do not need additional human/vampyre tension or attention from the public.
“In addition, do not feel you must meet here for class between now and Monday. Those I’ve named leaders should come by this room to give me updates and, of course, ask for assistance should you need it. Today I will go with Aphrodite to meet the mayor, then be assured I will return to the House of Night and remain on campus, available to you as always.
“Let us not wait until the bell has released you. You, my special students, do not need to follow the rules so closely. I know you have the good of the school in your hearts. So, go forth with your tasks. I bid you merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.”
Just like that, Thanatos got rid of Dallas and Erin and their group of gawkers and spies. They believed nothing more than that Thanatos was a gullible High Priestess they could manipulate, and they were being given a bunch of responsibility for the school’s open house, which, I was sure, they were going to put their heads together with Neferet to totally mess up.
We, on the other hand, were going to save Grandma and kick Neferet’s unsuspecting ass. Then we’d have time to fix whatever mess Dallas and Erin and their gang had made of open house. Or at least that was our Plan.