"So do I."

"And you will be well protected in the company of Darius."

"Yeah, he reminds me of a mountain," I said without thinking, then blushed at my moronic description.

But Shekinah smiled. "He does, indeed, remind one of a mountain."

"Okay, well, I'll let you know how it goes with Street Cats."

"Please do report back to me tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow, I've decided to call a special New Year's Ritual in which we will focus on cleansing the negative energy from the school. After the deaths of the two professors and now this poor fledgling, the grounds need a powerful, thorough cleansing. I've heard that you're very familiar with cleansing rituals, as you were raised to be aware of your Native American heritage."

"Yes!" I couldn't keep the surprise out of my voice. "My grandma still follows the Cherokee ways."

"Good. Then I'll count on you and your group of very gifted peers to perform the cleansing ritual. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, so let's plan the ritual to begin at midnight. We will call in the new year with a schoolwide cleansing near the east wall."

"The east wall? But that's where . . ." I trailed off, feeling sick.

"Yes, that is where Professor Nolan's body was left. It is also a place of great power, and thus it should be the focal point of your cleansing."

"Isn't that what Neferet did when she performed her ritual there?" Neferet had performed a kind of funeral service for Prof Nolan at the place her body had been found. That had also been when Neferet cast a strong spell around the school that would let her know whenever anyone came or went from the House of Night.

"Cleansing and protection are two very different things, Zoey. Neferet was focusing on protection at that time, which was a perfectly admirable response to such a tragedy. There has been time for our heads to clear now, and it is time to look to the future. For that, we need to cleanse the past. Do you understand?"

"I think so," I said.

"I'll look forward to your circle," she said.

"Me, too," I lied.

"Be vigilant and wise today, Zoey."

"I'll do my best," I said. I gave her a respectful salute and a little bow as I left.

So I had to lead a cleansing ritual for the whole school tomorrow--minus my earth element--even though everyone believed Aphrodite still had her affinity for earth. Well, everyone believed Aphrodite was still a fledgling, too. Oh, jeesh. I was in serious trouble. Again.

Chapter Fifteen

Trying to keep from freaking out totally about the cleansing ritual, I checked my new schedule while I hurried toward the parking lot. Well, Shekinah had been right-- switching me to an upper level of Vamp Sociology had messed up my schedule, shuffling around my first four classes and totally moving drama from second hour to fifth hour, right before the only class that had stayed the same, my Equestrian Studies class.

"Great," I mumbled to myself. "So besides a totally messed-up ritual, I have class with Erik to look forward to." I was trying to keep my empty stomach from turning inside out when I spotted Aphrodite and Darius standing beside a very cool black Lexus. Okay, actually I spotted Darius and his huge muscular self. Aphrodite was standing in his shadow, batting her eyes at him.

"Sorry I took so long," I said as I got into the backseat of the car. Aphrodite, who slid gracefully into the passenger's side, said, "Hey, no problem. Don't stress about it."

I rolled my eyes. Now it was okay for me to be late? Jeesh, she was so transparent.

"Uh, Aphrodite," I said sweetly as Darius pulled smoothly off school grounds. "Be sure to mark your calendar for midnight tomorrow."

"What?" She shot me a look over her shoulder that clearly said she wished I'd disappear into the leather upholstery so she could be alone with Darius.

"Tomorrow--midnight--you--me--Damien--the Twins--big circle casting and cleansing ritual in front of the entire school."

Her blue eyes got all round and startled looking. "That's going to be--," she began, sounding breathless and semi-hysterical.

"Fun!" I inserted the word before she could say something like a total disaster.

"I'm looking forward to it," Darius said, smiling warmly at Aphrodite. "The power of your circle is unique."

I could see Aphrodite pulling herself together so that when she returned Darius's smile, she sounded like her normal flirty (and slightly bitchy) self when she said, "Well, unique is definitely one way to describe it."