Revealed Chapter 3

We start off with Aphro bitching about not being able to go home to the tunnels and for thinking of the tunnels as home. She begins fumbling in her purse looking for her Xanax. Darius grabs for her purse and says either the wine or the pills but not both. She begins to pout and Zoey says Darius just wants her alive and not dead.

Nothing quite like the series turning into a public service anouncement when PCK feels like doling out advice. Next we’ll get a chapter with a molester who offers the girls some wine and to take pictures of them. Remeber kids, if a stranger ever asks or touches you in a way that makes you uncomfortable, tell an adult you trust or find a police officer.

I’m also wondering exactly how in the world Zoey knows anything about mixing tranquilizers and alcohol. PCK has spent a lot of the series showing us that Zoey’s pretty ignorant. That wasn’t PCK’s intent by any means but that’s what comes across when she has to search the internet for ideas on how to improve the “dark daughters”. She’s always consulting other people for help in dealing with Neferet. PCK may assert that Zoey is many things but she is neither smart nor learned.

Aphro says she wants to feel numb and pops her pill. Butthead wanders in saying she doesn’t want to feel numb. She doesn’t want to because that will mean she might forget Beavis’ last night and Beavis deserves to be remembered. You’re certainly right, Butthead, what with the way she existed and took up space. And the way she would always rush to stroke Zoey’s ego along with the other slaves.

Other than the fact she would occasionally finish a sentence started by Butthead, or agree with her, I don’t know if she had any individual personality traits. Aphro whines that her dad was a weak man who allowed her mom to bully and cajole him. Which should make him a tragic figure, rather than an asshole. He wasn’t a vampire though so no one is too concerned. Aphro then mentions that she’s sure he didn’t go to vampire heaven.

Aphro says that she deals with death in her own way as everyone does. Which is the closest thing to a salient thought any of the characters has expressed. She asks Butthead how she’s going to remember Beavis. As an incredibly contrived charater who died unceremoniously for the sake of drama? Oh, as the “twin” she was.

PCK had someone express an opinion that they would disagree with. They always do this so they can have the purportedly wise character wander in and counter is. As such, Thanatos comes in and tells them that they would be surprised. She didn’t personally witness his spirit taking off into the great beyond, mind you. She does say that the site was full of peace which normally only accompanies the death of someone who was suffering a lot.

That raises a lot of questions PCK won’t answer. I already asked a few of them when Heath ended up in vampire heaven. I could give it a pass if PCK had explained it away due to his bond with Zoey. But that’s far more thought they ever gave these books. It still wouldn’t explain how the hell Aphro’s dad would get to vampire heaven. It also begs the question if everyone goes there and if not, why? What about the other gods that Nyx admits exist?

Aphro is glad to hear her dad is now at peace. Then they begin making plans to sit with Beavis’ body and say prayers. Zoey, having finally learned from the rest of the books, says that probably won’t be necessary. Everyone seems to want to argue that there’s no way Beavis could come back. Never mind they’re in a room with another character who did just that. People coming back from the dead is a ridiculous notion and you should get it out of your head right now. PCK totally killed off Beaivs for now and all time.

Then we see why they were protesting so much. So Zoey could point out exactly what I did. Thanatos chimes in saying that Beavis won’t be coming back. She saw Nyx welcome Beavis’ spirit. Stevie says that her and the rest of the undeadlings weren’t welcomed by Nyx when they died and were reborn. That feels like the kind of detail someone should have mentioned before. Like maybe Stevie would have talked about her experience dying and resurrecting with Zoey and friends at some point.

While this seems to satisfy Zoey that Beavis is truly dead, I’m not convinced and won’t be until the series is ended and she remains buried. Heath was sent to vampire heaven and stil came back. I’m more willing to believe that a comic book character is dead than one of PCKs characters.

Having definitvely closed the story on the life state of Beavis, they move on to the other subject at hand. Did they see the outline of Neferet for a moment before it was banished? This is one of the worst elements PCK does. They have something happen, and then the characters have to discuss it for a chapter or two. They all have to establish if they, in fact, saw the thing the narration said they did. Then they’ll have to ask what it means to anyone within earshot, hoping for inspiration from a helpful passerby. If that fails, they’ll sit around and wait for god to send them a sign or prophecy to guide them. It’s all very tiresome and repetetive.

Thanatos asks if anyone noticed signs of sickness in Beavis before tonight. Speaking of random passerby, Dallas shows up and says that she should ask someone who knew her. He says she was doing fine before the magic circle. A fair point as I’m never unwilling to lay blame at Zoey’s feet. He complains that he didn’t even know she died up until a few minutes ago when he was let out of confinement. He says he’ll be sure to tell everyone that it’s Zoey’s fault she died. This leads to Stark and Darius both threatening him.

Thanatos also yells at him, saying his anger and negative energy has no place near someone who’s recently went off to heaven. Why not, PCK? People are often angry at the sudden death of a loved one and having “negative” feelings is natural. Or is it only a bad thing because Dallas is the top henchman? Becuase it wouldn’t be far fetched for PCK to have a morality divided along those lines.

Dallas says he’ll say farewell in his own way and it won’t be with Zoey and slaves. Stark says he’ll be a serious problem. Stevie says he’s been a serious problem since he found out about her and Rephy. Yes, what with all the plans of Zoey’s he has foiled and people he’s killed. Wait, I’m thinking of a more effective villain; Gargamel.

They now discuss what Neferet’s plans will be and what she’ll do. They decide that Neferet will probably try to get the death of Aphro’s mom blamed on a vampire at the school. So they have to prevent her from slipping into the school and planting evidence. Evidence like what, exactly and who for? Are the vampires actually going to let the local police be involved in a murder? If so, shouldn’t they already be collecting evidence? It’d be a little late for Neferet to plant evidence after the local cops have taken what they need. Zoey also mentions Dallas and his “disgusting” crew.

Thanatos says she’ll have the grounds patroled and is sure that Aurox and Kalona will keep it clear. Then she turns into the den mother and says it’s getting late and they need their rest. Aphro says she’s going to take bunk with Darius tonight in spite of the rules against it. She says that the bad guys keep breaking the rules, then they can break the small one like cohabitating sleeping quarters. She’s pretty sure Zoey and Stevie are both down for doing the same.

Which is weird that she’d mention the rules now. I seem to recall Zoey and Stark sleeping together a lot over the past couple of books. If it was against the rules, Zoey sure didn’t give a fuck. I know they had the dorms separated by sex but it seemed to be more of a nod to the human world than anything else. Maybe PCK expects her audience to shell out for the handbook if they expect to learn about these rules before encountering them in the wild of the story.

As Rephy will be taking off as soon as it’s dawn, Butthead asks Stevie if she’ll stay with her. Stevie says of course and Zoey reminds Butthead to keep the drapes closed. In case Butthead forgot that the undeadlings burst into flame the moment a stray beam hits them. With the sleeping arrangements figured out, Aphro then tells Stark to get her a sandwich as she’s clearly tired and hungry. This causes about two seonds worth of pointless tension which the den mother diffuses again.

They go their separate ways and Aphro suddenly gets hit with some bullshit poetry. She realizes a vision is coming and says she’s ready for it. She has some disjointed visions of Zoey, starting with being in Zoey’s place and being horny for Aurox. Then a scene having Stark fight with Zoey because he’s being possesive. Another one follows where Zoey’s carrying some sort of darkness fleas or something somewhere but it turns beautiful. The last being a church with all the members have ripped out throats saying they deserved this.

Aphro comes out of her vision and Darius says he’ll send for Zoey. Aphro tells him no, let no one know about her visions. Darius, being below the slave that Aphro is, says sure thing and tells Aphro to get her rest. Aphro then passes out, gracelessly ending the chapter.