Chapter 8
We now go to Stevie for the weather. Zoey will be back, after this. This is the chapter where Stevie will decide to help the nameless raven, who I shall hereafter dub the Crow for the sake of mine amusement.
Instead of just helping him, Stevie has to have a conversation about it. It’s like PCK can’t further a story without pointless dialogue. Characters have to sit around talking about what they’re going to do. Stevie says the Crow isn’t thinking straight because he’s wounded while he keeps begging for death. He asks why she won’t kill him. It’s because the author above has a heavy handed message to get across.
Stevie says that she does things her own way. Two things, PCK. Number one, fuck you for having dialogue here when it should be focused on the scene. Two, double fuck you for having Stevie motivated for no real reason.
The Crow tells her she should kill him. Stevie says he’s in no position to argue. No, but he is in a position to bleed out and die. So if you’d like to help him you might want to get to work and start bandaging wounds, nurse nutbar. Stevie is about to but makes him promise that he won’t try to bite or claw at her.
The Crow asks for some water and Stevie administers it. Then she sets him back and lets him relax on a towel. This is all very important detail which will play into the final act. Knowing that Stevie gave water to the Crow will make it all the much more delicious when a tidal wave kills Kalona.
“Okay, I don’t have anything to clean you up with except water, but I’ll do my best. Oh, and I brought some strips of moss. If I pack your wounds with them, they’ll help.” She didn’t bother to explain that she really didn’t know how she knew the moss was good for his wounds—it was just one of the snatches of information she’d get from time to time—out of nowhere. One second she wouldn’t have a clue about something. The next she’d be sure of how to, well, plug up a wound, for instance. She wanted to believe it was Nyx whispering to her, like the Goddess whispered to Zoey, but the truth was, Stevie Rae didn’t know for sure. “Just keep choosing good over evil . . .” she muttered to herself as she started to tear one of the towels into strips.
Again, why does Stevie get the interesting story? She thinks but doesn’t know where the inspiration is coming from. Which is generally stupid but could be developed into interesting conflict about the source of her powers. Unlike Zoey who gets to sit down and have tea with god once every few days.
Blah blah blah, hippy first aid, blah blah. She tells him this is going to hurt before packing some moss into his wounds and he grunts. Stevie thinks this is very “guy like” and we’re assured the grunt is a very guy way of communicating. Because guys are all a walking Tim Allen joke and can’t communicate. Har har, guys like power tools, fire and eating meat off of sticks while scratching their unwiped asses.
After an incredibly lengthy scene of bandaging up the Crow. She’s got him settled and tells him to rest. He asks if she’s the “red one” and, when she says yes, that Kalona said the red one was powerful. She says she doesn’t care much for his father, doesn’t know what she’s going to do with him but that he should be safe for now. They introduce themselves and we learn that the Crow is Rephaim from the last book.
Page break to Rephy after Stevie leaves and he takes an assessment of his injuries. He’s hurt pretty bad but thinks he’ll eventually recover. Though he figures he won’t ever fly again which makes him incredibly depressed. Which makes no sense as there’s no way these guys should really be able to fly via science. So why not just have them fly via magic?
Anywho, Rephy begins to panic as he’s certain Stevie has plans to imprison and torture him. This is PCK’s subtly setting up his conversion to the good guys when he realizes Stevie is genuinely nice. He wonders why Kalona abandoned him and finally falls asleep.
Chapter 9
Heath is whining that Zoey is going to see Stark. Zoey is taken aback that her blood slave would speak up to her like that. He says that he agreed to share her with the vampires but doesn’t have to like it. She sends him away with assurances that she’s just visiting and she’ll go to bed alone.
Zoey wonders if Heath can have the future he’s got planned and still be involved with her. We learn that Heath has a full ride scholarship and plans on being a fire fighter or a police officer after graduating. Zoey says she’ll make certain he gets what he deserves even if she cares too much about him to let him go. Which is saying that she’s too selfish to let Heath go free.
Aphro shows up with Darius and tells Zoey to hurry up and say goodnight to boytoy three. She reminds Zoey about the no fucking rules the nuns enforce. Aphro says she’s planning on obeying it as the abbey isn’t exactly getting her hot and bothered.
Aphro trots off and Darius begins to fill in some exposition for PCK. Apparently, Stark is healing but he needs more blood. He starts explaining how the warder’s bond, I mean warrior’s oath, is like an imprint. Blah blah blah, Zoey is shocked that she’s tied to two guys, blah blah. Though PCK can’t be bothered to tell us much about how this bond between them works. That way that can make shit up as they go along.
“As your Warrior serves you longer, you will understand more of your bond with him. Your link with your Warrior means he could develop the ability to sense many of your emotions. For instance, if a High Priestess is suddenly threatened, the Warrior pledged to her may feel her fear, and follow that emotional trail to his Priestess so that he may protect her from whatever is threatening.”
Wow, that’s completely new and different. Nope, never seen anything like that before. Darius says she should really read her Handbook for the Recently Deceased. Also, he can gain strength from her blood. Which means Zoey will lose her neck virginity to Stark. Which brings out more senseless panic from Zoey.
Darius then asks Zoey permission to bond with Aprho. Screw you with an auger, PCK. Why the hell does he need to ask permission to do that? Does Zoey have to approve over every romantic gesture all the other characters make? Will she have to allow Damien permission to marry Jack?
Zoey asks if he loves her and he does. She reminds him that Aphro isn’t as wonderful a person as she is. Darius doesn’t care and is unfazed by her being human. Zoey grants permission and sends him on his way.
Vivisector's Writ 