Angelic Sovereign: I myself love new interpretations of old subjects, so anything that finds an original way to do vampires is a great story in my book (hehe, pun). The House of Night series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast is an excellent example of such a story. So, without further ado, here is my HoN Fanfic, set just after the events of the fourth book, Hunted. (WARNING!!! Slight spoilers!!)

Several years prior...

I lounged against the pew, seeing as I was sitting as far away from the altar as possible up in the balcony, and I had the whole thing to myself. I caught a lot of people looking back, sneaking glances at me before whispering to their spouses or friends. I could only imagine what they were saying. Probably wondering what the bastard Cherokee son of their pastor was doing back in town. I'd bet anything he didn't tell them the truth...about why I had really left.

I couldn't take the looks, the glares, so I got up and walked out quietly, barely making a noise as I trotted back down the stairs from the balcony. I made my way through the church, heading towards the back classrooms, where they had kiddie church. I sat down at a bench near the door to one such room, and waited. I was seriously antsy, I knew I needed to do what I had came here for, but I hated the place. Seriously hated it. All it could ever remind me of was...well, I tried not think about it too much.

Sure enough, someone peeked around the corner of the hall to see what I was up to. I sighed heavily, but as luck would have it, they didn't have time to do their best rendition of the Spanish Inquisition, because the door to kid's church flew open, and a torrent of overly-hyped 7 year olds poured out. The one I was looking for, a little blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl, spied me, and immediately started shrieking.

"Izzy!" She ran headlong and jumped right into my waiting arms, and I picked her up and whirled her around. I chuckled at her use of my long-time nickname.

My baby half-sister smiled up at me, and I grinned, the first smile I'd had in months. "Hey kiddo...miss me?"

"Only all the time!" Her little arms hugged my neck tightly, and I carried her out the door of the hallway and into the parking lot of the church. I dropped her, and she grasped my hand and walked with me, chattering the whole way. I listened to every word. I had missed my baby sister so much...she was one of the few good things in my life...I scowled. The only good thing now.

"That's great sweetie, but listen, I don't have much time..."

For a 7 year-old, she caught on quick. Her eyes narrowed comically. "Daddy doesn't want me to see you?"

I shook my head. "No..." I grasped her hands and got on my knees, trying to impart to her everything she needed to know. "Sara, I left because...because I'm not like you and Daddy."

Her blue eyes grew wide. "How come?"

I figured the simplest way was to show her, and so I slowly and smoothly licked my fingers and rubbed around my forehead and cheeks. The concealer came off quickly, and revealed the midnight blue outline of a crescent moon, my Mark, that proclaimed me a fledgling vampyre. Sara gasped, and gently touched my Mark as I held my hair away from my forehead.

"Your like those bad people Daddy says to stay away from!" Her face creased, confused. She whispered, "But your not bad, are you Izzy?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm not...Daddy doesn't get it...but you need to Sara...do you get it, do you understand?"

Her little blue eyes grew troubled. "I think so..."

I grasped her shoulders and smiled at her. "I'm not the bad guy Sara...I'm not a monster...you know that! And you know what, even if Daddy says it will never happen..." She looked up at me. "You could be like me someday."

She smiled widely and giggled, throwing her arms around my neck again. I gave her a huge hug...but she was quickly ripped from my arms. A snarl escaped my throat, and I pulled myself up to my full height. I had grown a lot during my brief time with the Sons of Erebus, the most elite of all vampyre warriors, and towered over the man who had taken my sister from me. My father.

My father's expression shifted between fear and anger, but finally settled into anger. "What are you doing her Isaiah?"

I scowled at him. "It's Degotoga now Robert. When I went to the House of Night, I became an emancipated minor. Name change and everything."

My father's face turned an ugly shade of puce. "Damn you, Isaiah!" Obviously ignoring me already, "Not only were you sent to that accursed place, but you bear symbols of your disgrace upon you proudly! And then you have the nerve to come back and here and taint my only remaining child!"

I snarled down at him, and he cringed. Sara stared at me from his arms, her eyes wide and fearful. "Disgrace!? I bear marks of Nyx's favor! I bear them proudly, because they show just how much of her grace I have! And as for tainting Sara, I could do no such thing! Your bigotry has already begun to poison her."

My father set Sara down, so he could get in my face. Or at least try to, anyway. It was like my sister trying to stare me down. "The People of Faith are the only way to salvation. Your soul will rot for what you have become...and you will not do the same to my daughter!"

I roared at him, furious beyond all reason. A red mist settled over my vision. "I am your son! You cast me aside at the first sign of independence, of difference! Just like you did to Mom! You would do the same to Sara, if it happened, and yet you claim to love her?" My hand came up and grasped him by the throat, and I hauled him into the air without any effort. He hung there, gasping and choking for breath, as I slowly tightened my hold. "You preach tolerance and understanding, and yet you would cast your own flesh and blood as a heretic! Hypocrite! I should slay you where you stand!"

"Izzy don't! Please!"

The mist pulled back, and I blinked, dropping my father like a sack of stones. Sara ran to his side, trying to pull him up. I made to help, and she cringed away from me, staring up at me...like I was a monster. I pulled back sharply, tears beginning to stream down my cheeks. People had started to come into the lot, and some were pulling out phones, calling 911. I turned and ran towards the motorcycle at the end of the lot and jumped on. Within seconds I was speeding away, back to the House of Night...the only home I'd ever have, from now on...

Present day...

There was knocking at the door to my room. "Dego?"

I sighed heavily. "Not now Marcus, I'm busy." I closed my eyes once again and lounged back on my couch.

"That's bullshit, we both know your just sleeping. Open the damned door," he snarled.

I got up, and opened the door slightly. "What do you want Marcus?"

His brown eyes were filled with solemnity. "Zoey's affirmation as High Priestess is today...and she's requested the presence of all the warrior's who stood against Kalona during his rule."

I immediately shut the door in his face. He could take that however he wished. I sat back down on the couch, my head in my hands. Zoey Redbird. There wasn't a vampyre around who hadn't heard of her. Only a fledgling, and yet one of the most gifted individuals ever to be graced by Nyx. Rumour had it, her Mark extended all over her body, from her face down her neck and back, curling around her waist and up her arms and onto the palms over her hands, even tracing the scar that now cut across her chest from shoulder to shoulder. Something that had never been seen before, to the best of most vampyre's knowledge...

I sat up and glanced down at my hands, which were covered in bold patterns, tatoos...my Mark.

I sighed again. Zoey Redbird and I would have to meet someday...for she was not as unique as she believed...

Angelic Sovereign: Welp, just hit that review button, and tell me what you think!