Okay so I gave a poll and 7 wanted to read this so I decided to write it! Sry if it sucks…

Stark's pov

I went into the dining area following after Duchess and watching the cat freak out like crazy. As soon as I got into the dining room Duchess finally healed.

"Got ya!" I smirked and quickly bent down and put her leash on.

" Yeah great, now you want to act right." I muttered looking up and seeing all the fledglings.

You see James this is what I was trying to explain early that animal will just not work with this House of night." That Dragon guy said and my anger flared.

"It's Stark not James. And like I was trying to tell you earlier- the dog just has to stay with me. It's just the way it is. If you want me you get her too." I could, no would not live without Duchess. She was the only thing I really had left.

"Stark," this other professor, who I took to be the horse mistress from her tattoos , started. "it's just not possible to integrate a dog into this campus. You see how much she's upsetting the cats."

Was I supposed to care? Huh guess I had to explain this one too.

"They'll get used to her. They did at the Chicago House of Night. She's usually pretty good about not chasing them around, but that big grey cat really did ask for it with all that hissing and scratching thing." I smirked as soon as I heard some commotion from the other side of the room.

"My goddess what is all this noise about!" the high priestess from here entered and wow was she pretty. She had auburn hair that sort of swayed as she walked and literally sent out vibes with power.

"Neferet I am sorry for the disruption, it's just my new fledgling he arrived only moments ago." Dragon apologized doing the normal vampyre bow thing.

"That explains the fledgling but that does not explain how that got here." her eyes looked at Duchess. Oh, no way duchess is a dog, my dog not something to be called a that! The respect I had for this lady was definitely lessening.

"She's with me." I replied coolly as I did that bow and then I continued. "she's my version of a cat." my cocky smile came out.

"Really she looks oddly like a bear." Neferet inquired and I almost laughed at the fact that I heard that one a lot.

"Well priestess she's a lab but your not the only person who's said she's bear like. Her paws are definitely big enough. Check it out." smiling for our trick I bent down away from Neferet.

" Gimme five Duch!" I said to my best friend. As she did I felt a swarm of pride quickly remembering this was the first trick I ever taught her.

I stood up and turned back toward the priestess.

"But, " I continued with my earlier words, "dog our bear her and I have been together since I was first marked 4 years ago, so that makes her cat enough for me.

"A Labrador retriever? She's awfully large." Neferet went on, again.

"Yeah well, Duch has always been a big girl priestess." I said and fought the urge to yawn.

"Duch that's her name?" the priestess asked and I grinned at hearing her name.

"Yeah its short for Duchess."

Neferet looked between Duch and I and suddenly asked, What's your name child?"

Sigh.

"Stark." I answered as polite as possible so to not tick her off.

Her jaw clenched as she asked, "James Stark?"

Again with the James! "A few months ago I dropped my first name. It's just Stark." I was completely ignored and she turned to Dragon.

"He's the transfer we've been expecting from the Chicago House of Night?" yes, duhh.

"Yes priestess," Dragon answered. Neferet turned back to me all creepy smile like.

"You and I shall have a very long chat soon." Neferet said. Uhh okay? I guess. Still looking at me and addressing Dragon she continued. "be sure that Stark has twenty four access to archery equipment he might like to use."

No. NONONONONONO!

"I told them when they transferred me here I'd stop competing. Changing schools won't change that." I almost screamed the words in her face from the pain but managed to keep myself collected on the outside.

"Competing? You mean that banal archery competition between different houses." Neferet laughed cruelly and I swear I might have pied in my pants. Okay I didn't want to admit it but maybe those vibes I got earlier weren't only from power. Possibly from something more, evil? " It matters little to me that you compete or not. Remember I am Nyx's mouth piece here, and I say what is important is that you don't waste your goddess given talent. You never know when Nyx might call on you-and it won't be for some silly contest."

I sighed ignoring her weirdoness for a moment. "I don't mind practicing." I answered.

Suddenly Dragon piped up from beside me. " Neferet what is it you wish us to do with the uh dog?" Neferet knelt near Duch.

Neferet pet her head then turned her attention to someone behind her. I turned to look and saw it was a girl who had a bunch of filled in marks. That wasn't the best part of her though it just added to her beauty. No, she had wonderful hazelish eyes, long black hair, and Cherokee features. My heart almost burst at seeing her.

The most interesting thing about her though wasn't the fact that she practically looked like she was going to start crying right after looking at Neferet. No, it was the fact that she almost radiated sadness from her spot in the room.

I knew was that this girl could possibly be my soul mate, and that whatever happened to her could possibly be worse than my own problems. Which meant that I was going to help her no matter what it cost me.