Betrayed: Chapter 26
ZeldaQueen: The sooner we chug through this, the sooner it'll be over. Time to sally forth, ladies and gentlemen!
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
Chapter 26
ZeldaQueen: Zoey pukes upon learning that Heath has vanished, and everyone instantly rushes to her side to clean her up. I have to wonder, do many people vomit from shock like that? I know illness and the sight of blood can do it, but not in a scenario like that. Meh, whatever. We have Heath to angst about. Zoey goes into full-on resolve mode, going on about how she can't panic or lose her head because she must save Heath, dammit. I do so love how she doesn't particularly do anything when the other guys are going missing, but everything matters now that it's her boyfriend.
Anyway, Zoey says that she needs to see Neferet, but first excuses herself to clean up. Instead, she runs down to Aphrodite's room. Aphrodite answers the door right away, and says she was expecting her. Zoey asks for mouthwash because she threw up (and she wonders why Aphrodite doesn't take her seriously) and then asks how one can tell the difference between a vision and a dream. Aphrodite tells us this
"It's a feeling in your gut. Visions are never easy or comfortable or fucking flower-draped like they are in the movies. Visions suck. At least real ones do. Basically, if it makes you feel like shit, it's probably real and not just a dream"
ZeldaQueen: Am I the only one who is enjoying how blunt Aphrodite is? Maybe it's because she's the only one not making jokes about boobies and Damien being gay. Regardless, Zoey says that she thinks she had one, and Aphrodite basically says "sucks to be you" to that. I'm still trying to figure out how this vision thing is working, because I thought a vampire could only get them if they have that affinity. Apparently Zoey just gains and loses powers as the plot calls for it.
So yeah, Zoey abruptly asks what's going on with Neferet. OH MY GOD, YOU BRAINLESS DUMBASS, HAVE YOU HONESTLY NOT FIGURED IT OUT YET??? Jesus Christ, you saw her making out with Elliott, you overheard a pretty obvious conversation that she was having the ghosts eat people, you know she's lying about Aphrodite, and YOU HAD THAT FUCKING DREAM WHERE YOU OUTRIGHT SAW HER EATING THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS!!!
GOD!
Okay, okay, I'm good. *rubs temples* Aphrodite says that she isn't telling Zoey jack, because "You're her fledgling. Her favorite. Her new golden girl. Do you think I'm actually going to say shit to you? I may be blond, but I'm definitely not stupid". God damn it, I don't want to like Aphrodite because of her trying to sexually assault Erik in the last book, but what the heck is this? She's the only one who's showing any signs of intelligence! And she's also the only one who's at all sympathetic, because the next thing we get is Zoey asking why Aphrodite warned her about Neferet's drink if that's the case. Aphrodite replies that her roommate died six months after arriving and that she (Aphrodite) had taken the drink, and then elaborates on what happened
"'It made me feel funny, detached. And it stopped my visions. Not permanently, just for a couple of weeks. And then it was hard for me to even remember what she looked like.' Aphrodite paused. 'Venus. Her name was Venus Davis.' Her eyes met mine again. 'She was the reason I chose Aphrodite as my new name. We were best friends and we thought it was cool.' Her eyes were filled with sadness. 'I've made myself remember Venus, and I figured you'd want to remember Stevie Rae'"
ZeldaQueen: You know, after the idiocy and mediocrity that I've been wading through, I was started. That backstory? That single, simple paragraph? It was head and shoulders over any of Zoey's stupid "I'm so put-upon, please pity me" stories. I mean, look at that! In just that little bit, we see how she and Venus were friends who goofed around and chose matching names. We see that Aphrodite's best friend died and then, when she listened to Neferet - a woman who, by all accounts, acts as a comforting presence to the fledglings - she ends up drugging herself and nearly forgetting her friend entirely. We find out that in spite of this, Aphrodite struggles to remember her friend and actually remembers it and warns Zoey so the same thing doesn't happen to her.
And that bit about the liquid? Again, a lot of potential there! That is genuinely a chilling idea, that the head of a boarding school is willing to drug the students into forgetting their best friends in an effort to force them to get over each other's deaths. It really makes Neferet out to be a frightening person who really wants to keep control of the kids in her care. But of course it's squandered, because it's just glossed over. I'm serious, Zoey really doesn't register at all that she just learned that their headmistress is drugging the students. I'd beat my head against the wall, but I already have a headache. So instead, let's just have more puppies
ZeldaQueen: Aphrodite repeats that Zoey must be careful, seeing as Neferet is Bad News. Normally I'd be insulted that we'd need this spelled out so many times. Given the attention span that Zoey seems to have though, I'd say it's quite justified. We also get an overly symbolik repeat of that "light is not always good, dark is not always bad" bull, seeing as dark and light weren't in this conversation at all. I could understand if Aphrodite was telling Zoey "Hey, don't let Neferet fool you. Just because she looks bright and good doesn't mean she is", but then were does the darkness bit come in?
Zoey leaves shortly after and goes back to her room. There, she is met by Erik, Drew, Damien, Jack, Erin, and Shaunee, who are all going to join her to see the Wizard visit Neferet. Don't these people have homework? Or hobbies? Or lives that don't involve Zoey?
(Yes, I know the answer to all three is "No". I'm trying to ignore that)
Also, we get this from Zoey
"The truth was that I was glad they were here, glad they obviously felt the need to join forces around me and protect me. I'd worried for a really long time that my extra powers and my weird Goddess-chosen Mark would brand me such a freak that I wouldn't fit in, wouldn't have any friends. But the opposite seemed to be happening"
ZeldaQueen: *rubs face* I only shall say two things on that.
First of all, these people have done nothing but cling to Zoey's every word since the previous book. Does she still worry that poor her, she won't fit in? I think it's obvious they aren't leaving her any time soon.
Second of all, Zoey's little "pity me" rant boils down to "I'm so glad these people do nothing but form a ring around me and have no lives beyond my own! I was certain that having insanely awesome powers and a Mark from the vampire goddess herself would make me such a pariah that no one would dare reside in my presence. I'm so surprised it isn't, even though they've been this close to me since the last book!"
Zoey, just shut up. Right now.
So yeah, Zoey leads the group to Neferet. She's not sure entirely what she's going to tell her, but she's just going to start with the fact that she had a vision about Heath being kidnapped by the red-eyed ghosts and...she expects that giving this information to Neferet will somehow help the situation...because she apparently still has not processed that NEFERET IS IN LEAGUE WITH THE GHOSTS, OH MY GOD IN ALL MY TWENTY YEARS I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH IDIOCY!!! She...she doesn't get it? REALLY?!? After she saw her making out with...and Aphrodite told her...I...she...
I'm going to finish this chapter. That's what I'm going to do. I'm terribly, terribly sorry, but I honestly can't drum up a coherent rant about how mind bogglingly stupid this girl is.
Before they can leave the dorm room (and I must say, I have no clue how the architecture of this place works. I thought they were in a main building the first time I read it), Neferet comes in with Detectives Marx and Martin. You know, after those horrible cops from Hush, Hush, these guys aren't to bad. At least they don't badger Zoey on her dating life (because lord knows, the last thing we need is someone actively encouraging her to wangst about that).
Anywho, it turns out that they want to interview Zoey again, seeing as Heath has just disappeared. I have to wonder, how long has it been since he was actually kidnapped? I got the impression that Zoey woke up immediately after she had the dream, and I thought it took a bit of time for someone to be declared missing. Given that Heath is in his late teens and probably could be out for a few hours before people see cause for concern, doesn't that go double?
Ah well, Zoey agrees to interview with them again, so they go into the library. Of course Neferet sits in again, even though I'm sure any sane cop would tell her to bugger off after how she acted last time. Sure enough, as soon as they begin, Neferet does nothing but whine and pester and interfere with their questioning of Zoey.
They first ask Zoey where she was between six-thirty and eight-thirty in the morning, and she tells them how she called her grandmother and texted Heath. As proof, she hands over her cell phone so they can read the messages. Neferet tries to stop her by telling her that she doesn't have to give them her phone, and I have to say that this lady is an incredibly stupid criminal as well as an obvious one. Why would she protest Zoey doing something that would prove her innocence? I could almost see it if they were trying to force Zoey to hand the phone over, but Zoey is the one who brought the idea up! Surely making sure that Zoey has an alibi would make it easier for Neferet to keep the police off of her!
So yeah, the detectives start shifting through the messages and bring up Zoey's plan to meet Heath on Friday. Neferet goes all bitchfaced at this, because apparently it's against the rules to date humans from "your old life". You know, I have to wonder why exactly that rule came about. I could see them encouraging a fledgling to stay away from human boyfriends or girlfriends until rules about imprinting and blood drinking are laid down, but forbidding it entirely? This is honestly the first time I've seen any indication that human significant others are not allowed. What, do the vampires just hate the fledglings to have any reminders or connections to their icky human lives? Again, no wonder the humans don't like them! They are a bunch of pretentious twits who actively force the newly-chanted to abandon their human lives!
Also, we get even more idiocy from Zoey, if that's possible
"I noticed, as if for the first time, the disgust that filled her voice when she said humans"
ZeldaQueen: Really? This is honestly the first time that Zoey has noticed that Neferet is disgusted by humans? What about oh, say, HER RANT IN THE LAST BOOK ABOUT HOW HUMANS WERE INSIGNIFICANT? SHE OUTRIGHT TELLS ZOEY AT THAT POINT THAT SHE OUGHT TO CUT ALL HUMANS OUT OF HER LIFE BECAUSE WE SUCK! HOW DID THAT NOT CLUE HER OFF TO THE NOTION THAT NEFERET IS NOT. A. NICE. PERSON???
*blinks* Wow, I'm losing my temper a lot over this chapter.
So yeah, Zoey spins a tale about how she's sorry, but she and Heath just have such a past together (a past which we never see and know virtually nothing about, incidentally) and she was only going to meet him to explain how they had to break up for good. To the readers, Zoey says that this is the truth, except for the fact that she omitted a number of details. In other words, it's the truth except that she lied by omission. Because that makes total sense!
The detectives then ask if anyone can verify that Zoey went right to bed after texting Heath, and Neferet starts to rant to them about how they have no business securing the alibi of a suspect, don't they know that Zoey's friend died? And Zoey deflates her by saying that Shaunee and Erin slept with her in the room, so they can verify her whereabouts. Neferet starts going on about how sweet that was of them, and Zoey tells us how she has to actively work to not be fooled. Because it's so easy to be so sweet and charming that you make someone completely and utterly forget that you were screaming at two police officers. Of course, given that Zoey's about as aware as a lobotomized squirrel, I suppose remember anything is an accomplishment for her.
Also, I do wonder what the officers are doing. Would police officers honestly let Neferet continue to sit in the room with them, after she's screamed, interrupted them, tried to keep them from questioning Zoey, and generally been a nuisance? Why wouldn't they tell her to scram? After all, Zoey's legally emancipated and shouldn't have a guardian sit in at all.
Detective Marx, who Zoey likes the best of the two, asks if she has any idea where Heath might be. Neferet interrupts yet again, and outright tells the officers, in a casual manner, how they ought to be spending their time looking for Heath in a gutter. When they ask her to elaborate on that, she gives us this vile bit
"'It seems clear to me what happened. The boy was trying to see Zoey, again. It was only last month that he and that girlfriend of his climbed our wall saying they were going to break her out of the school.' Neferet waved her hand dismissively. 'He was drunk and high then, he was probably drunk and high this morning, too. The snow was too much for him and he's probably fallen into a gutter somewhere. Isn't that where drunks usually end up?'
'Ma'am, he's a teenager, not a drunk. And his parents and friends say he hasn't had a drink in a month.'
Neferet's soft laugh made it obvious how much she didn't believe him. Surprising me, Marx ignored her and studied me carefully"
ZeldaQueen: *grits teeth* I must ask, why has no one yet caught on that Neferet is not a nice person? She's practically waving a sign that says "I hate humans!"
Now, I can understand the officers not laying a verbal smackdown on her, as I dearly wish they would, because I'm sure that they have to remain professional while on the job. But given that this is who they see as the head of the local vampire society, is it any small wonder that people are nervous around vampires? Those two probably go back to the police station and have a well-deserved rant about what an unbelievable bitch Neferet is, and what the fuck is going on that she's the one teaching the new and highly impressionable fledglings?
Although really, I must admit that I'm at a loss as to how Neferet has been going on like this. She's obviously unhinged, drugging the students, laughing about the deaths of humans, and trying to groom Zoey as her next lapdog and demonizing Aphrodite for trying to resist her. Don't the other teachers notice anything? This lady is not being subtle at all, for Pete's sake!
*sighs* I guess we'd better move on. Detective Marx asks Zoey if there's any place she knows that Heath might go to, and Zoey makes a comment about him being at a keg party. *head desk* Yes, she says she didn't intend for it to be a joke, but bringing up him getting wasted just after what Neferet said is in VERY poor taste. Oh, and Zoey just then tosses out that she had a random dream about Heath getting nabbed by the east wall. Yes, she's spitting out that she just saw everything, while Neferet is there. While Neferet is right there and I... I...
*explosion*
Projection Room Voices: Oh dear, her brain broke. *sends for her to be carted off to the medical wing* Send in the next sporker!
Zyn: Why do I even bother with this inane chatter?
*flips through sporking notes* When our brave previous sporker left off, Zoey showed all of the signs of intelligence of my dear brother and told everything she knew while the villain was standing right next to her. Yes, it is rather inexplicable that she has yet to notice where Neferet's true loyalties lie. I will admit that it is only slightly less silly than my failing to recognize my own shadow, but I at least had the excuse of suffering from radiation poisoning.
Neferet responds in her usual unhelpful way, by belligerently pointing out that Zoey has never shown signs of prophetic vision before. Well done to the villainess for pointing out Zoey's Mary Sue tendencies. Such a shame that Ms and Ms Cast will not take heed of it. Zoey wibbles and somehow this sidesteps the accusation. In other words, business as usual.
Detective Marx, who I gather is one of the few characters determined to accomplish anything, asks for more details on this vision. Continuing in a vein of idiocy that would make my dear mother proud, Zoey tells him about the mysterious, cloaked figures. All while Neferet is right next to her, mind you. I'm sure ZeldaQueen would be ranting, however I can not care. It is more than obvious that Zoey will triumph, no matter what mindless misadventures she suffers, so what is the point?
Zoey suggests that the officers search the school grounds for whatever it was that kidnapped Heath. *raises eyebrow* I do hope that she intended to tell them of how powerful and fast the monsters are if they did follow through with this, or at least advise them to bring large guns. Neferet forces the group to disperse at this point, and Detective Marx once again asks Zoey to call him if there is any new information. Before he leaves, he tells her of his twin sister, who was Marked but remains close to him. It is implied that she is not supposed to do this in favor of severing ties with her human family, and I believe ZeldaQueen had a valid point when she wondered why it is a shock that humans do not trust or worship the vampires. My parents - biological and foster - aside, families do tend to frown on having their children forcibly taken from them, after all.
Detective Marx leaves, and Zoey shows more shock over him still loving his vampire sister than she did when Neferet decried humanity at large. Pray tell, why would it be a surprise? According to these notes, Zoey previous whined that vampires are people too, and that there is no reason for humans to not see them as such.
When the officers have left, Neferet asks Zoey if she had imprinted on Heath. There is a long song-and-dance routine which I shall skip, seeing as it is boring and idiotic. To sum it all up, Zoey convinces Neferet that she never drank from Heath since the previous book. Neferet implies that she thought there was an imprinting based on the description of the dream. Looking on ZeldaQueen's notes of the previous chapter's sporking, I see she has written in, and I quote, "Bullshit". Well said, dear lady. Well said indeed.
Neferet finally leaves, but not before hugging Zoey. This leads Zoey to inexplicably whine about how Neferet - who shows general hatred of a species and is implied to be murdering humans with undead students - is so similar to her mother. Her mother who, from what I can see in the notes, married an unfortunately-named man with a terrible personality and ignored her daughter. I do not condone either action, but I must also note that there is no mention of her mother having ever ordered the murder of anyone. I shall conclude here, partially out of weariness and partially because this girl's relentless complaining over her mother reminds me far too much of the writings of one Gethesemane Butler
Onward to: Chapter 27
Back to: Chapter 25
Back to: Table of Contents
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
Chapter 26
ZeldaQueen: Zoey pukes upon learning that Heath has vanished, and everyone instantly rushes to her side to clean her up. I have to wonder, do many people vomit from shock like that? I know illness and the sight of blood can do it, but not in a scenario like that. Meh, whatever. We have Heath to angst about. Zoey goes into full-on resolve mode, going on about how she can't panic or lose her head because she must save Heath, dammit. I do so love how she doesn't particularly do anything when the other guys are going missing, but everything matters now that it's her boyfriend.
Anyway, Zoey says that she needs to see Neferet, but first excuses herself to clean up. Instead, she runs down to Aphrodite's room. Aphrodite answers the door right away, and says she was expecting her. Zoey asks for mouthwash because she threw up (and she wonders why Aphrodite doesn't take her seriously) and then asks how one can tell the difference between a vision and a dream. Aphrodite tells us this
"It's a feeling in your gut. Visions are never easy or comfortable or fucking flower-draped like they are in the movies. Visions suck. At least real ones do. Basically, if it makes you feel like shit, it's probably real and not just a dream"
ZeldaQueen: Am I the only one who is enjoying how blunt Aphrodite is? Maybe it's because she's the only one not making jokes about boobies and Damien being gay. Regardless, Zoey says that she thinks she had one, and Aphrodite basically says "sucks to be you" to that. I'm still trying to figure out how this vision thing is working, because I thought a vampire could only get them if they have that affinity. Apparently Zoey just gains and loses powers as the plot calls for it.
So yeah, Zoey abruptly asks what's going on with Neferet. OH MY GOD, YOU BRAINLESS DUMBASS, HAVE YOU HONESTLY NOT FIGURED IT OUT YET??? Jesus Christ, you saw her making out with Elliott, you overheard a pretty obvious conversation that she was having the ghosts eat people, you know she's lying about Aphrodite, and YOU HAD THAT FUCKING DREAM WHERE YOU OUTRIGHT SAW HER EATING THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS!!!
GOD!
Okay, okay, I'm good. *rubs temples* Aphrodite says that she isn't telling Zoey jack, because "You're her fledgling. Her favorite. Her new golden girl. Do you think I'm actually going to say shit to you? I may be blond, but I'm definitely not stupid". God damn it, I don't want to like Aphrodite because of her trying to sexually assault Erik in the last book, but what the heck is this? She's the only one who's showing any signs of intelligence! And she's also the only one who's at all sympathetic, because the next thing we get is Zoey asking why Aphrodite warned her about Neferet's drink if that's the case. Aphrodite replies that her roommate died six months after arriving and that she (Aphrodite) had taken the drink, and then elaborates on what happened
"'It made me feel funny, detached. And it stopped my visions. Not permanently, just for a couple of weeks. And then it was hard for me to even remember what she looked like.' Aphrodite paused. 'Venus. Her name was Venus Davis.' Her eyes met mine again. 'She was the reason I chose Aphrodite as my new name. We were best friends and we thought it was cool.' Her eyes were filled with sadness. 'I've made myself remember Venus, and I figured you'd want to remember Stevie Rae'"
ZeldaQueen: You know, after the idiocy and mediocrity that I've been wading through, I was started. That backstory? That single, simple paragraph? It was head and shoulders over any of Zoey's stupid "I'm so put-upon, please pity me" stories. I mean, look at that! In just that little bit, we see how she and Venus were friends who goofed around and chose matching names. We see that Aphrodite's best friend died and then, when she listened to Neferet - a woman who, by all accounts, acts as a comforting presence to the fledglings - she ends up drugging herself and nearly forgetting her friend entirely. We find out that in spite of this, Aphrodite struggles to remember her friend and actually remembers it and warns Zoey so the same thing doesn't happen to her.
And that bit about the liquid? Again, a lot of potential there! That is genuinely a chilling idea, that the head of a boarding school is willing to drug the students into forgetting their best friends in an effort to force them to get over each other's deaths. It really makes Neferet out to be a frightening person who really wants to keep control of the kids in her care. But of course it's squandered, because it's just glossed over. I'm serious, Zoey really doesn't register at all that she just learned that their headmistress is drugging the students. I'd beat my head against the wall, but I already have a headache. So instead, let's just have more puppies
ZeldaQueen: Aphrodite repeats that Zoey must be careful, seeing as Neferet is Bad News. Normally I'd be insulted that we'd need this spelled out so many times. Given the attention span that Zoey seems to have though, I'd say it's quite justified. We also get an overly symbolik repeat of that "light is not always good, dark is not always bad" bull, seeing as dark and light weren't in this conversation at all. I could understand if Aphrodite was telling Zoey "Hey, don't let Neferet fool you. Just because she looks bright and good doesn't mean she is", but then were does the darkness bit come in?
Zoey leaves shortly after and goes back to her room. There, she is met by Erik, Drew, Damien, Jack, Erin, and Shaunee, who are all going to join her to see the Wizard visit Neferet. Don't these people have homework? Or hobbies? Or lives that don't involve Zoey?
(Yes, I know the answer to all three is "No". I'm trying to ignore that)
Also, we get this from Zoey
"The truth was that I was glad they were here, glad they obviously felt the need to join forces around me and protect me. I'd worried for a really long time that my extra powers and my weird Goddess-chosen Mark would brand me such a freak that I wouldn't fit in, wouldn't have any friends. But the opposite seemed to be happening"
ZeldaQueen: *rubs face* I only shall say two things on that.
First of all, these people have done nothing but cling to Zoey's every word since the previous book. Does she still worry that poor her, she won't fit in? I think it's obvious they aren't leaving her any time soon.
Second of all, Zoey's little "pity me" rant boils down to "I'm so glad these people do nothing but form a ring around me and have no lives beyond my own! I was certain that having insanely awesome powers and a Mark from the vampire goddess herself would make me such a pariah that no one would dare reside in my presence. I'm so surprised it isn't, even though they've been this close to me since the last book!"
Zoey, just shut up. Right now.
So yeah, Zoey leads the group to Neferet. She's not sure entirely what she's going to tell her, but she's just going to start with the fact that she had a vision about Heath being kidnapped by the red-eyed ghosts and...she expects that giving this information to Neferet will somehow help the situation...because she apparently still has not processed that NEFERET IS IN LEAGUE WITH THE GHOSTS, OH MY GOD IN ALL MY TWENTY YEARS I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH IDIOCY!!! She...she doesn't get it? REALLY?!? After she saw her making out with...and Aphrodite told her...I...she...
I'm going to finish this chapter. That's what I'm going to do. I'm terribly, terribly sorry, but I honestly can't drum up a coherent rant about how mind bogglingly stupid this girl is.
Before they can leave the dorm room (and I must say, I have no clue how the architecture of this place works. I thought they were in a main building the first time I read it), Neferet comes in with Detectives Marx and Martin. You know, after those horrible cops from Hush, Hush, these guys aren't to bad. At least they don't badger Zoey on her dating life (because lord knows, the last thing we need is someone actively encouraging her to wangst about that).
Anywho, it turns out that they want to interview Zoey again, seeing as Heath has just disappeared. I have to wonder, how long has it been since he was actually kidnapped? I got the impression that Zoey woke up immediately after she had the dream, and I thought it took a bit of time for someone to be declared missing. Given that Heath is in his late teens and probably could be out for a few hours before people see cause for concern, doesn't that go double?
Ah well, Zoey agrees to interview with them again, so they go into the library. Of course Neferet sits in again, even though I'm sure any sane cop would tell her to bugger off after how she acted last time. Sure enough, as soon as they begin, Neferet does nothing but whine and pester and interfere with their questioning of Zoey.
They first ask Zoey where she was between six-thirty and eight-thirty in the morning, and she tells them how she called her grandmother and texted Heath. As proof, she hands over her cell phone so they can read the messages. Neferet tries to stop her by telling her that she doesn't have to give them her phone, and I have to say that this lady is an incredibly stupid criminal as well as an obvious one. Why would she protest Zoey doing something that would prove her innocence? I could almost see it if they were trying to force Zoey to hand the phone over, but Zoey is the one who brought the idea up! Surely making sure that Zoey has an alibi would make it easier for Neferet to keep the police off of her!
So yeah, the detectives start shifting through the messages and bring up Zoey's plan to meet Heath on Friday. Neferet goes all bitchfaced at this, because apparently it's against the rules to date humans from "your old life". You know, I have to wonder why exactly that rule came about. I could see them encouraging a fledgling to stay away from human boyfriends or girlfriends until rules about imprinting and blood drinking are laid down, but forbidding it entirely? This is honestly the first time I've seen any indication that human significant others are not allowed. What, do the vampires just hate the fledglings to have any reminders or connections to their icky human lives? Again, no wonder the humans don't like them! They are a bunch of pretentious twits who actively force the newly-chanted to abandon their human lives!
Also, we get even more idiocy from Zoey, if that's possible
"I noticed, as if for the first time, the disgust that filled her voice when she said humans"
ZeldaQueen: Really? This is honestly the first time that Zoey has noticed that Neferet is disgusted by humans? What about oh, say, HER RANT IN THE LAST BOOK ABOUT HOW HUMANS WERE INSIGNIFICANT? SHE OUTRIGHT TELLS ZOEY AT THAT POINT THAT SHE OUGHT TO CUT ALL HUMANS OUT OF HER LIFE BECAUSE WE SUCK! HOW DID THAT NOT CLUE HER OFF TO THE NOTION THAT NEFERET IS NOT. A. NICE. PERSON???
*blinks* Wow, I'm losing my temper a lot over this chapter.
So yeah, Zoey spins a tale about how she's sorry, but she and Heath just have such a past together (a past which we never see and know virtually nothing about, incidentally) and she was only going to meet him to explain how they had to break up for good. To the readers, Zoey says that this is the truth, except for the fact that she omitted a number of details. In other words, it's the truth except that she lied by omission. Because that makes total sense!
The detectives then ask if anyone can verify that Zoey went right to bed after texting Heath, and Neferet starts to rant to them about how they have no business securing the alibi of a suspect, don't they know that Zoey's friend died? And Zoey deflates her by saying that Shaunee and Erin slept with her in the room, so they can verify her whereabouts. Neferet starts going on about how sweet that was of them, and Zoey tells us how she has to actively work to not be fooled. Because it's so easy to be so sweet and charming that you make someone completely and utterly forget that you were screaming at two police officers. Of course, given that Zoey's about as aware as a lobotomized squirrel, I suppose remember anything is an accomplishment for her.
Also, I do wonder what the officers are doing. Would police officers honestly let Neferet continue to sit in the room with them, after she's screamed, interrupted them, tried to keep them from questioning Zoey, and generally been a nuisance? Why wouldn't they tell her to scram? After all, Zoey's legally emancipated and shouldn't have a guardian sit in at all.
Detective Marx, who Zoey likes the best of the two, asks if she has any idea where Heath might be. Neferet interrupts yet again, and outright tells the officers, in a casual manner, how they ought to be spending their time looking for Heath in a gutter. When they ask her to elaborate on that, she gives us this vile bit
"'It seems clear to me what happened. The boy was trying to see Zoey, again. It was only last month that he and that girlfriend of his climbed our wall saying they were going to break her out of the school.' Neferet waved her hand dismissively. 'He was drunk and high then, he was probably drunk and high this morning, too. The snow was too much for him and he's probably fallen into a gutter somewhere. Isn't that where drunks usually end up?'
'Ma'am, he's a teenager, not a drunk. And his parents and friends say he hasn't had a drink in a month.'
Neferet's soft laugh made it obvious how much she didn't believe him. Surprising me, Marx ignored her and studied me carefully"
ZeldaQueen: *grits teeth* I must ask, why has no one yet caught on that Neferet is not a nice person? She's practically waving a sign that says "I hate humans!"
Now, I can understand the officers not laying a verbal smackdown on her, as I dearly wish they would, because I'm sure that they have to remain professional while on the job. But given that this is who they see as the head of the local vampire society, is it any small wonder that people are nervous around vampires? Those two probably go back to the police station and have a well-deserved rant about what an unbelievable bitch Neferet is, and what the fuck is going on that she's the one teaching the new and highly impressionable fledglings?
Although really, I must admit that I'm at a loss as to how Neferet has been going on like this. She's obviously unhinged, drugging the students, laughing about the deaths of humans, and trying to groom Zoey as her next lapdog and demonizing Aphrodite for trying to resist her. Don't the other teachers notice anything? This lady is not being subtle at all, for Pete's sake!
*sighs* I guess we'd better move on. Detective Marx asks Zoey if there's any place she knows that Heath might go to, and Zoey makes a comment about him being at a keg party. *head desk* Yes, she says she didn't intend for it to be a joke, but bringing up him getting wasted just after what Neferet said is in VERY poor taste. Oh, and Zoey just then tosses out that she had a random dream about Heath getting nabbed by the east wall. Yes, she's spitting out that she just saw everything, while Neferet is there. While Neferet is right there and I... I...
*explosion*
Projection Room Voices: Oh dear, her brain broke. *sends for her to be carted off to the medical wing* Send in the next sporker!
Zyn: Why do I even bother with this inane chatter?
*flips through sporking notes* When our brave previous sporker left off, Zoey showed all of the signs of intelligence of my dear brother and told everything she knew while the villain was standing right next to her. Yes, it is rather inexplicable that she has yet to notice where Neferet's true loyalties lie. I will admit that it is only slightly less silly than my failing to recognize my own shadow, but I at least had the excuse of suffering from radiation poisoning.
Neferet responds in her usual unhelpful way, by belligerently pointing out that Zoey has never shown signs of prophetic vision before. Well done to the villainess for pointing out Zoey's Mary Sue tendencies. Such a shame that Ms and Ms Cast will not take heed of it. Zoey wibbles and somehow this sidesteps the accusation. In other words, business as usual.
Detective Marx, who I gather is one of the few characters determined to accomplish anything, asks for more details on this vision. Continuing in a vein of idiocy that would make my dear mother proud, Zoey tells him about the mysterious, cloaked figures. All while Neferet is right next to her, mind you. I'm sure ZeldaQueen would be ranting, however I can not care. It is more than obvious that Zoey will triumph, no matter what mindless misadventures she suffers, so what is the point?
Zoey suggests that the officers search the school grounds for whatever it was that kidnapped Heath. *raises eyebrow* I do hope that she intended to tell them of how powerful and fast the monsters are if they did follow through with this, or at least advise them to bring large guns. Neferet forces the group to disperse at this point, and Detective Marx once again asks Zoey to call him if there is any new information. Before he leaves, he tells her of his twin sister, who was Marked but remains close to him. It is implied that she is not supposed to do this in favor of severing ties with her human family, and I believe ZeldaQueen had a valid point when she wondered why it is a shock that humans do not trust or worship the vampires. My parents - biological and foster - aside, families do tend to frown on having their children forcibly taken from them, after all.
Detective Marx leaves, and Zoey shows more shock over him still loving his vampire sister than she did when Neferet decried humanity at large. Pray tell, why would it be a surprise? According to these notes, Zoey previous whined that vampires are people too, and that there is no reason for humans to not see them as such.
When the officers have left, Neferet asks Zoey if she had imprinted on Heath. There is a long song-and-dance routine which I shall skip, seeing as it is boring and idiotic. To sum it all up, Zoey convinces Neferet that she never drank from Heath since the previous book. Neferet implies that she thought there was an imprinting based on the description of the dream. Looking on ZeldaQueen's notes of the previous chapter's sporking, I see she has written in, and I quote, "Bullshit". Well said, dear lady. Well said indeed.
Neferet finally leaves, but not before hugging Zoey. This leads Zoey to inexplicably whine about how Neferet - who shows general hatred of a species and is implied to be murdering humans with undead students - is so similar to her mother. Her mother who, from what I can see in the notes, married an unfortunately-named man with a terrible personality and ignored her daughter. I do not condone either action, but I must also note that there is no mention of her mother having ever ordered the murder of anyone. I shall conclude here, partially out of weariness and partially because this girl's relentless complaining over her mother reminds me far too much of the writings of one Gethesemane Butler
Onward to: Chapter 27
Back to: Chapter 25
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