A/N: This is just the first chapter but i warn you now that it will take me a while to upload new chapters as i have a very busy life and what with me going to college at the end of summer i will have a lot more work than what you get at high school. So this summer i will be giving you a few chapters but they may not be very regular. But i can't wait to read your reviews and if you're nice i may upload slightly quicker because i love you all so much!

Love Laura xxxx

Zoey. Zoooeey? Zoey!

It took a while for the sound of my name to fracture my haze. But it didn't break it completely; just put my brain in gear. In the first few seconds I recognized it as my name that was being spoken. In the next few seconds I decided whether or not to answer. In the last few seconds I picked what reply I was going to give.

"Ugh…yeah, sure Stark. You should totally get that new game. Killing some zombies would definitely take our minds off all the Bullpoopie that's going on right now. Sounds great."

"Um, Zoey, I asked that ten minutes ago. What I said just then was that you should stop staring at that couple over there because the dude's glare is totally telling me to control my woman!" Stark's eyes flickered over to the tower of a man who sat at the table across from us with a girl around my age.

"I wasn't staring at them. I was merely looking at the shop behind them." The lamest excuse known to man? Yeah, I know.

"Oh, really? And what would a betting office have that would interest you?" Stark mocked. Damn, I was definitely busted.

"I-I-I was thinking about putting some money on the horses…" I stuttered. Great. Way to redeem yourself, Zoey.

"Sure you were. Anyway what's got you all interested in that couple? He's to beefed to be your type. And I know you like your guy to have tattoos." Stark winked at me. I giggled. Damn. He's cute and he knows it.

I lent across the table to brush my lips across his and nearly got sucked into a full on make-out session. Thankfully I pulled away just in time.

"Stark! Stop it. We're in public. And anyway, who says I don't like my man to have a bit of muscle on him?" I stroked his arm affectionately. "Thankfully you've got just enough for me! Although I have to admit his foreign good looks are a bit of a turn on…" At that Stark growled and pulled my chair closer to his. Men and their Ego's. You can't compliment another guy without your man turning all animalistic. I gently kissed Stark's cheek and melted into his embrace.

"So tell me. What were you really staring at?" Stark's soft voice blew the hair around my face in a warm breeze as I continued to survey the odd looking couple.

"Okay I admit I was looking at them. I don't know. It's just…it's just I think the girl looks a lot like me. Yeah, I know it's stupid, but it just freaked me out a little." I closed my eyes picturing a blue crescent on her forehead. It suited her. It made her look strong and I don't know why but I felt oddly attracted to her. Not in that way, just like I felt I had to talk to her.

"Zoey. You have the same dark hair. The same curves, the same eye colour, but that's about it. Although she does look like she should be a vampyre but I've never seen her around here before. We haven't been out in a while, though, so maybe they're new in town. We should go talk to them, introduce ourselves and ask if they know about the House of Night."

When Stark got a plan in mind he went out of his way to think everything through. And I had to agree, talking to her would probably break this pull she had on me. And by the way she was staring at me it seemed she felt the same way.

Slowly I pulled myself from Stark's arms and linked my hand in his. I kept my eyes on this strange girl, hoping her nature was just like her deep chocolate eyes and that she was sweet.

Stark and I made our way towards there table slowly but surely. It was kinda funny the way I kept my eyes on the girl and hers on me, while Stark had a macho staring competition with the guy. When we eventually reached their table I was overwhelmed with shyness. It made no sense, but for some reason this girl, who was about my age, seemed so much stronger than me. Not just in a physical way, but also mentally. It made me feel slightly inferior but I bucked up my courage and raised my eyes to look back at her.

"Hi. I'm sorry for staring back there. That was pretty rude of me, but I kinda feel like I know you?" It came out as a question even though I was sure the answer was no.

The brown eyed girl stared at me for a second, possibly evaluating me. That just made my suspicions that she was a tough cookie even stronger. After a second her eyes became more gentle and stared into my equally- but not as rich- brown eyes. A small smile wiped across her face and made me give a large grin back. I liked this young woman; she seemed like someone I could get along with.

"Hey. Weirdly enough, I feel exactly the same. I was just telling my partner here how much you remind me of…well, me,"she chuckled, "and I have to say that feels good. To have another tough, strong woman in the world." Her smile turned into a wide grin as she saw my face lightly blush. Why was this stranger being so nice? Yep definitely someone I could get along well with.

"Well, thanks. Ugh, I'm Zoey by the way. And this is Stark. We we're just wondering if you're new in town and if you knew about the local high school? The… erm…House of Night?" I don't know why I said it but once it had come out my mouth I knew it was the right thing to say.

"Nice to meet you, Zoey. And you, Stark. My name is Rose and this is Dimitri." She pointed at the tree of a man sat next to her and my eyes flickered to him but the look in his eyes told me I should probably look away. She continued, "Yeah we heard about the House of Night but we didn't even know it existed until we came across the walls surrounding it on our tour of the city. Can you tell us a little more about it?" For a second her gaze flickered up to my forehead and I wondered whether my make-up had come off, revealing my tattoo- or tattoo's- but her eyes didn't seem to linger.

"Well, it's a long story. You don't mind if we sit down and tell you it, do you?" I hoped my smile seemed friendly and polite because I really did want to get on with Rose. And I couldn't wait to tell her all about the House of Night. Without thinking I burst out, "Do you believe in vampyres?"

Rose slowly turned to look at Dimitri and after a second doubled over into a fit of rambunctious laughter. Dimitri's chuckle went perfectly with hers and accented her voice beautifully. I could tell they were the perfect couple. Much like me and Stark. But looking at Stark's face I saw this wasn't the reaction we should have got. I soon rememebered what it was that I had said to make her laugh and regretted my words instantly.

"Oh…Oh my. Do we believe in vampires?" After calming down Rose seemed very red in the face and had tears pouring from her eyes. But asking herself that question just seemed to make her laugh even harder. Slightly annoyed I turned to Dimitri hoping he would answer our question with a bit more civility.

With a smile that barely broke through his lips he finished what Rose was about to say, "Of course we do. Surely you have heard of us? Rose Hathaway and Dimitri Belikov? Two of the most famous Guardians in history. I hate to big ourselves up like this but surely you've heard a little about us? Mostly everyone we talk to knows our names." His accented voice broke through the air powerfully. I knew looking at his face that he wasn't someone who liked to talk highly of himself. He seemed like more of a man who would keep himself private unless he had to do otherwise.

Rose had eventually composed herself through Dimitri's speech and added to what he said with, "Yeah! C'mon, surely you've heard something about us! Everyone knows me! I was put on trial for killing the queen? Ran off and went all the way to Russia to save this lump?" she nodded her head at Dimitri with a shocked expression in her eye. Was I supposed to know what she was talking about? 'Cos I seriously had no idea. And Guardians? I thought only men could become Guardians? So why the hell was Rose one?

"So you're both Guardians? How do you guard each other? That seems pretty weird…who walks first into a fight?" I laughed but it was cut off by the glare Stark was giving me. It seemed like he thought I should shut up. That was fine with me. He took over,

"It seems we have a miss understanding. Maybe you should tell us more about yourselves and then we can continue with our story on the House of Night." His voice held the authority that I knew I should have had, but all this confusion was making me loose my cool. Stark was right, we had to know who they were before we continued onto our own story.

I only just saw Rose's eyes become slightly confused when she looked at her partner before they became solid orbs. Her expression smoothed and although I could see she had physically relaxed, I knew that her emotional walls had been slammed up. I got comfy in my chair, somehow knowing that this would be a long story,

"Okay. Here it goes…"