Chapter 28
We’re with Neferet now who’s telling us that the shadows are agitated. She tells the class to keep reading their textbooks as she steps out of the classroom. Wait, what? I’ve been baffled by this since the beginning, having their high priest run a class. I’m not familiar how private schools work but I’ve never seen a principal take time out of their administrative schedule to teach.
Then, to top it off, Neferet has a plan to take over the world. You’d think she’d make an assistant teacher or a substitute fill in while she tends to her domination. It’s almost like the destruction of humanity and subjugation of the remaining vampires is a secondary goal. I’m picturing here sitting there, grading papers and telling herself that she’ll get to her latest task tomorrow because she just needs to unwind tonight.
Neferet cuts her hand, which is becoming a rather boring detail we keep getting smacked with, and asks the shadows what’s going on. They tell her, in faux poetry rhyme, that Aurox is sitting around and yanking his dick but doing nothing to stop them. Neferet tells the shadows to make Aurox stop them right now and to obey her orders. They can’t, so Neferet calls up Wooly Bully for some tech support.
‘Thank you for calling White Bull Evil, LLC, my name is Wooly Bully, may I get your account number?’ ‘Yes, it’s six, six, five.’ ‘Ok, and may I get your name please?’ ‘Yes, Neferet.’ ‘Hello, Miss Neferet. I see you have are platinum support package, how may I help you today?’
‘Well, I seem to be having trouble with the vessel you provided me. It’s not following orders.’ ‘Ok. Let me just look up your make and model. Yes, it seems you purchased a refurbished model which was has a number of known issues. Unfortunately, we do not officially support that model as it is at the end of its service life.’
‘Well I need someone to help with this. I’ve got a lot of important work awaiting his actions and I need him working right now.’ ‘I’m sorry miss, the product you purchased was flawed and you signed the waiver acknowledging that it wasn’t in top form.’ ‘Is there any way you can get this running?’ ‘Well, there is one way but there is an additional cost…’
Yes, Wooly tells her that darkness needs yet another sacrifice to kick Aurox into gear. He wants her to sacrifice her cat. Neferet doesn’t want to but knows just the thing she can murder. Considering her last choice in sacrifice, I’m sure it’ll work out just as well. Also, why are you trying to keep it a surprise, PCK? We’ve seen her murder people, I highly doubt whatever she picks will be
Over to Zoey where the ritual is finally starting. Thanatos is leading it and Zoey says she could tell this is different from the others she’s been a part of. How? Well by the way Thanatos’ words seem to surround them. They get all the elements present and Thanatos tells Zoey to call spirit.
Over to Aurox again who’s impressed by the magic ritual. Its amazing and beautiful but in a way that just can’t be described beyond superlatives. He could absorb the energy and destroy Rephy but he doesn’t want to. He’s paralyzed by the desire to follow order and to listen to Heath who just wants to stand there. Then darkness appears and forces itself into him which turns him into a bull who only wants to destroy.
Zoey just begins to call spirit when Stevie yells to Rephy to look out. Dragon comes running and yells to get down. Rephy ducks, Dragon’s sword stops Aurox just before he kills Rephy. Dragon begins fighting Aurox while they finish their ritual. It takes way too long and has more magic rhyming. Once it completes they see the murder of Zoey’s mom.
Chapter 29
Now we go over to Kalona who’s hanging around. He says no one told him about Rephy switching forms back and forth. It’s almost just like that show about other flying creatures from the nineties. You know, the one where the one blue character transformed at dawn and dusk? I think it was called Rescue Rangers.
Nisroc tells Kalona “Help you, we will?” It seems they’re sticking with the Yoda talk which wasn’t interesting the first time they did it. Kalona asks why, saying he hasn’t been a good father. Nisroc says it doesn’t matter, they’d still serve him. Kalona says they can’t help him in this.
Kalona answers the phone and hears Stevie shout to help Rephy because the bull is attacking. Then the connection goes dead because cell phones only work long enough to deliver plot points. Then he takes off and calls on some magic to take him to his son.
Back over to Zoey who’s watching Aurox fight with Dragon. They can’t leave the circle because it’s a spell that began with death and only death can release it. Aurox stabs Dragon who says that his death should satisfy the spell.
Which seems like a rather big problem in hindsight. What was their plan before Dragon got gored and killed by Aurox? Were they expecting Grandma to have a heart attack and let them go? Aurox transforms back form a bull to a human form.
Zoey looks at him through the seer stone and sees Heath. She makes earth protect him from Darius and Stark who are set to attack him. Everyone begins to panic and worry about Zoey in spite of the dead guy laying in front of Aurox.
Thanatos says it was destined for Dragon to either die and redeem himself or turn evil. They all see the “hanging tree” appear in the sky and Dragon, “Bryan”, appear and meet with his dead wife. Then they go to vampire heaven. Then they decide to worry about Rephy who still got knocked around. Thanatos says that death has marked him already so they’d better say goodbye.
Kalona then appears and says no. Stevie says she called but he came too late. Kalona then begs Nyx not to let Rephy die for his mistakes, which he wasn’t but whatever. Kalona then sheds a single tear which lands on Rephy and awakens him. He’s al better now in spite of the being marked for death thing.
Kalona then tells Thanatos that Neferet is inbed with evil. She knows and says that everyone else will to soon. She says they’ll strip Neferet of her title. Kalona says they’ll need a new sword master so he offers to serve Thanatos. They all pile into the bus then and head back to the school. At least until Zoey tells Darius to stop the bus. She sees Nyx hovering above the circle they cast earlier.
Nyx tells them to hold onto the healing that happened today because they’ll need the strength for the upcoming fight. Zoey thinks “ah hell” and the book ends. Really, Zoey? Did you expect that Neferet, the villain of the series, would just give up as soon as everyone knew she was evil? ‘You mean we’ll have to fight? I bet that’ll take a really complicated spell like “earth, bury Neferet” or something.’
Vivisector's Writ 