Chapter 1

Man, I bet there's absolutely nobody in the world that feels as sick as I do. My name is Chris Jacobs. I'm sixteen and I'm 5' 7" and I have sandy blond hair. I'm basically your average kid, but for some reason I feel really sick today. I don't mean sick as in a small cough every now and then. No, I mean gut wrenching coughs making me feel really weak. Of course, I thought of it as maybe a bad cold or something.

I just wished I didn't have to be at school, I would rather be at my Grandma Whitewolf's cabin in the woods. She understands me and accepts me, unlike my parents. A couple of years ago my mom died from a bear attack. The reason why is because my family is all of Cherokee decent. So of course I took on some obvious physical traits of that. But we were camping in celebration of me telling my family that I'm gay. See my family is cool and all but when mom was killed, we just went downhill. My dad got remarried to a homophobic wife that doesn't except Cherokee beliefs. So obviously, she hates my guts. Then naturally, Dad wants to make her happy so he tried to change me, but I just fight back. The only one who gets me is Grandma Whitewolf.

Grandma is absolutely great, she accepts and supports me for being gay and she owns a cabin in the middle of a forest where she and her beautiful pet wolf live. But to call Swiftpaw a pet seems kind of demeaning, so I think of him as Grandma's roommate. Plus, with how bad I'm feeling I'm sure she would have some herbs to help me.

Then, pulling me out of my memories of my beloved grandma, the bell rang, dismissing 5th Hour. As I headed to my locker I remembered that I had a test in my 6th Hour Geometry class and that I forgot to study. I reached in my locker to get my book then the worst coughing fit yet hit me. I bent, coughing loudly into my hand, I felt like I was dying. My knees gave way and I ended up on the floor, panting, trying to catch my breath again. When I looked up I saw him, the Tracker. A Tracker is an adult vampyre (everybody knows that vampyres exist but you don't usually see them) his filled in sapphire crescent moon proved that fact along with the intricate added tattoos. I would have been scared beyond belief had it not been for his captivating gaze.

It was like he was looking deep into my very soul, searching, for what, I don't know. But it seems that he found it because he looked at me and gave me a sly grin. Before I could scream and run away to die somewhere else the Tracker spoke with a voice filled with power, "Night has Chosen thee! Be proud, for Nyx has blessed you with her Mark!" As he spoke I could feel a warm burning sensation in the middle of my forehead. I tried to speak only to find that my voice wouldn't work. "Your new life awaits you at the House of Night!" With those last, powerful words I passed out.