It was a completely normal day, until I saw the vamp. I was totally flirting with Michael de Lewis, as he walked me to my last class of the day, band. Now, it's not like you think. This isn't some plain, boring, school orchestra type thing. I go to one of those 'bad kid' schools in Arizona. My parents shipped me off after I stole my step-mother's car and tried to run away. So the police caught me, and my dad agreed with her to send me here. But classes are cool, so I'm alright.
My last hour is like a garage band or a rock band. Each kid here gets to select their final hour. So me, and my friends Brady, Tori, and Keishira started our band, Vampyre Voice, because my friends are always telling me that I have a voice and play guitar as well as any vamp could. So what happened next is kind of ironic.
Michael and I stopped outside the door to the practice room, which had soundproof walls and a not-so-secret door in the back that we use to sneak out for concerts. None of the faculty care. We're rock stars.
"So, wanna go get a bite with me after school?"
"Can't. Not directly after, anyways. I have a concert tonight."
"Oh, right. Want me to come?"
"Totally. And maybe after we can go get something?"
"Yeah, I can't wait," he said with a lopsided smile. I grinned back as he walked off.
I turned to go into the practice room, and that was when I saw the vamp. He was frowning after Michael. He was a big guy, with red tattoos, meaning he was one of those new kinds of vamps.
"What do you want?"
The vamp's attention focused on me. He frowned again, before his face turned into a calm mask. He raised a hand, straightening his posture as he pointed at me.
"Lindsey Hopper, Night had chosen thee. Follow the call to Nyx, and I wish thee a blessed be."
A burning sensation blazed across my forehead, and I collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
When I came to, I had the guys surrounding me, anxious looks on their faces, their eyes meeting mine and flicking to my forehead before coming back.
"What are you all staring at?"
"Honey, I think you better take a look at your face," Tori said in a soft voice, holding a compact out to me.
"What the bloody hell are you all talking about?"
I snitched the compact from Tori's hand, opened it, and stared at my reflection. The person I saw reflected back wasn't me. She looked like me, with my high cheekbones, soft black hair with brown streaks in a boy cut style, soft, light brown lips, skin like the silvery white moon, and my favorite concert clothes. My ski boots, black jeans adorned with skull patterns, spikes, chains, and squares of metal, my black lasagna strap tank top with a sweet racecar on the front and Eat My Dust on the back, and my chic leather jacket with nice inside pockets. She had my eyes, too, almond shaped and deep violet, but on her forehead was a crescent moon outline, the color of sapphires. I stared at her.
"I can't...can't be...I can't be a vampyre!"
I heard smooth footsteps, and the vamp was there again. He pointed his finger from Brady, to Tori, to Keishira as he spoke.
"Brady Lock, Tori Santia, Keishira Madel, Night has chosen ye. Follow the call to Nyx, and I wish ye a blessed be."
My three friends fell to their hands and knees, and when the first looked up, Tori, she also had a sapphire Mark on her head. It stood out against her sunkissed skin, fire red hair, and piercing green eyes.
When Keishira looked up, her Mark was blood red. Her caramel skin, curly brown hair, and earth brown eyes really made her Mark stand out.
Brady was the last to look back at me. His Mark was also red, and as much as it stood out on Keishira, it really stood out on him. His skin was pale, but you could tell he wasn't one of those kids that never let the sun touch them, and his hair was sandy blonde, while his eyes made me think of a cloudy day, deep blue with silvery white wisps and flecks inside.
"Is it me, or does this seem really weird?" Tori asked.
"Duh, it's weird. Have you guys ever heard of even two kids getting marked from the same school in one day? There's four of us!"
"Five," Keishira said under her breath.
"Here comes boyfriend," Brady muttered.
I sat up and looked to my right, towards hurried footsteps. Michael was walking very quickly towards us, but when he saw my Mark, he froze. A slow grin spread across his face, and he pulled his bangs out of his face so I could see the blue Mark. It seemed to shine against his pale, and what some would call emo, skin, with his black hair like a raven's feathers and cat shaped eyes as silver as aluminum foil.
"Lindsey, you're one, too?"
My friends looked at him, and he nearly stumbled in shock. He kneeled down beside me, his expression a mask of nothingness, even though I could see confusion in his eyes.
"Be still, my children," a powerful voice said as the room began to shine brighter with a silvery light.
We all looked up at a beautiful woman. We couldn't make out details past the silvery light, but she seemed kind, and she had a brilliant, warm smile.
"Goddess?" Brady asked kind of dumbly.
"Yes, child. I am the goddess Nyx. I have appeared before you with a message. Go to Zoey's House of Night, not the regular Tulsa House of Night. You need to be with Zoey and her group. New evil is stirring, and you are to be my champions. It is a new age, and Zoey's time is done. It is your turn now, children. Especially you, Lindsey. You are their leader. You must guide them through."
I could only stare at her. Then I blurted out, "I don't know how to be a leader! And who's going to follow a few troublemakers?"
"You are more than that, daughter. Make me proud with the abilities I have given you. I will speak again with you soon. Know that I am always with you, my children."
The room shone extra bright, and then the Goddess was gone, and us five were alone, looking at each other in disbelief.
"Zoey's House of Night? Where is that?" Keishira asked.
"Tulsa. She said she didn't want us to go to the regular House of Night, especially Tulsa's. She wanted us to go to Zoey's."
"How are we going to get to Tulsa Oklahoma, then?" Brady asked. "That's a long way from here, and all of our parents hate us."
"Well, for one, we have a personal limo and driver. And second, if need be, I could steal a car. And considering that I don't want to arrive in a limo like a freak, I'm going to steal a car. I need to know who's coming with me, because I need to know how big of a car I need."
"I'm with you," Michael said.
"I'll ride with you, too," Keishira said.
"We'll take the limo," Brady and Tori said in unison.
I nodded. "Make sure you don't take any detours. None of us can, or we'll start getting sick. We have to keep moving. We'll see you guys in Tulsa."
"See you, Lindsey."
They went back into the practice room to go through the door in there. I ran towards the door that led to the parking lots, and Michael and Keishira followed me.
As soon as we went out the door to the lots, the alarms started going off and we had about three minutes to find a decent car and go. It needed to be something fast.
"Come on!" I yelled at them,, and we ran down the hill and started ducking behind cars. I glanced at one next to us. It happened to be a Dodge Challenger, twenty-twelve version.
"This one," I whispered to them.
They glanced at it, and Keishira grinned at me. Michael went around to the other side while I took a couple bobby pins out of my hair and started working at the lock on the door. When I finished with the door's lock, I crawled in, staying low, and got to work hotwiring the car. When I got it, I unlocked the other door, letting Keishira and Michael in. I pulled out quietly, and when I came to the stop sign at the end of the lot, I made the tires squeal as I took off. We were on the road before the first adult got outside, and they were small figures of shadow when we did finally see them.
I didn't know who's car this was, but it was really awesome. The car had big back wheels, the spokes coming out of a skull. The front wheels had green half circle designs on the spinning rims. The body of the car was blue, with a giant skull on the roof, a crescent moon with a trail of stars on the hood, a ridiculously cool silver wing, a butterfly detailed above the plate, and the best part -the racecar seats and belts for the driver and shotgun. The back seats didn't have their own doors, but they were like the rear seat you would find in a coupe. A sweet ride, and I thanked whoever had tricked it out. I was never getting rid of it, and it's top speed was a hundred and fifteen.
I didn't get off the highway until Keishira started coimplaining about being hungry. I hadn't said a word, but Michael and Keishira had argued back and forth, and I had had enough.
"Enough! I'll take you to get something to eat. Bloody hell," I muttered when I saw them staring at me after my outburst.
We stopped at Burger King, got our various meals, which Michael paid for with the platinum card his parents had given him before sending him here, and we headed off again. I was bone tired, but I wasn't going to tell them that as Michael fed me fries while I drove.
"Why don't you let me drive for a while, Lindsey? You look exhausted, and you need to eat, too."
"Okay, I said, barely managing to pull into the next parking lot I saw and stop before I passed out right there where I sat.
When I woke up, my eyes hurt like hell. It was daylight, and there weren't any clouds in sight. Michael was in the driver's seat next to me. I looked back, and Keishira was sleeping in back.
"Glad to see you're awake," Michael said next to me, startling me from my thoughts about the missed concert last night.
"What happened about the-"
"Keishira called and said you all couldn't make it. It's rescheduled for a month from now, so you have a chance to settle into your life. Actually, she scheduled all you concerts this month for next month instead."
"She did all of that for me?"
"Yeah. She knew you'd be worried when you woke up. She was right."
"When she wakes up, I'll thank her."
I was silent, and I noticed Michael kept glancing at me from the corner of my eye. But even though I'd been flirting with him like crazy yesterday, I didn't feel quite the same today. I still liked him, but I also had feelings somewhere else. Somewhere I didn't know. But there were definitely feelings there. For who, I think I was going to find out.
"So, um, do you still wanna go do something?"
I could feel the tips of my ears turn pink. "What do you mean?"
He chuckled softly and cleared his throat. "I guess what I'm asking, is will you go on a date with me, even if we're vampyres now?"
"We're fledglings, not vampyres."
"Still. Will you?"
I looked at this guy I had had a crush on for months now. Ever since I'd first seen him pass by in the hall, I couldn't stop staring. I couldn't not give him a chance just because I thought I'd end up having feelings for a guy when I got to the House of Night.
"Lindsey?"
I looked back at him. He had a nervous, but easy smile. I smiled back.
"Yeah. Sure, I'll go out with you. But you know how fledglings get to change their names, right?"
"No, I didn't know that, but sure."
"Call me Andy Nightlock."
"Andy?"
"I hate the name Lindsey. It's one of the names you give your kid when you don't know what else to call them. Andy is way more original."
"Alright, Andy it is. I like it."
"Are you going to change your name?"
"Well, I'm definitely not going to keep my 'rents last name."
"So what are you going to change it to?"
There was a moment of silence while he thought. "I guess I'll change it to Christopher Michaelson. That way I still keep my first name. It's okay if you still call me Michael by accident."
"You don't think you'll call me Lindsey by accident?"
"Nah. Andy seems more natural for you. You're right, Lindsey is too common for someone as amazing as you."
I blushed and glanced at him from the corner of my eye. "Why did you say that?"
"Because you are amazing," he said simply.
He smiled and took his hand from the stick for just a second, taking my hand instead. He squeezed, then let go, shifting up. He was speeding, but I didn't mind. It was kinda fun, like I was in a race car.
"We're in Oklahoma, so we're not far. Are you excited?"
"Nervous, actually. I mean, Zoey Redbird is a really famous vamp, right? And she's really powerful. And Nyx asked us to go to her. But I just feel like she's gonna be really stuck up and stuff. And...I'm scared. What if one of us rejects the Change?"
"We'll be alright. Nyx appeared to us. I'd take that as a good sign."
"I don't know… It just worries me, you know? I mean, I love all my bandmates, and you're pretty cool, too."
"Thanks. That means a lot, coming from you."
I shrugged, and the car was quiet again. I heard the soft cords of Party in the USA. I turned and up, and started singing along. I was totally off key, and Christopher joined in. We woke up Keishira, and she started jamming in back.
So, that was how we arrived in Tulsa, jamming, singing off key, and in general just having fun. It was weird, how we were acting like nothing had changed.
A limo was stopped in front of us, Tori and Brady climbing out. I parked the car, and Christopher, Keishira and I climbed out. Keishira and I ran to greet our other band mates.
"You guys okay? You don't look so good, Tor," I said, worry clear in my voice.
"I'm alright," she said, even though she didn't look too sure.
"Welcome, fledglings. I am Zoey Redbird. It is strange for so many to join our school at once. Where did each of you come from?"
The woman who had spoken was indescribably beautiful. She had long, dark hair, dark eyes, and had a Native American look about her. The crescent on her forehead was a series of lacework spirals, and didn't end on her face, like all other vampires. They trailed down her shoulders. There were also tattoos on her open palms. She was wearing a long, neck tie dress, and she looked very powerful, very familiar, and very, very, very dangerous. I didn't like it here. I felt exposed.
"We all came from the same place, ma'am. We're from Arizona. Nyx asked us to come here," Brady said, his southern gentleman accent and attitude showing heavily.
Zoey Redbird's eyes were very wide when I looked at her. She glanced to each of our foreheads, some of us bearing blue Marks, some red.
"Well. What are each of your names? Remember, now is your chance to change who you are, as you've each become something new."
"I'm Brady Lock," Brady announced proudly. He was such a guy. His parents hadn't sent him to the school for the same reasons the rest of us ended up there. His parents just didn't know how to take care of him.
Zoey Redbird nodded.
"I'm Tori Sun du Pria," Tori said timidly, squeezing Brady's hand for courage. Brady was like the band's big brother.
"I'm Keishira Metal," she said boldly. She was a lot braver than I was, looking at this woman.
"I'm Christopher Michaelson," Christopher said quietly, then turned his gaze away from Zoey Redbird to me. He nudged me forward some.
I held my head up and glared defiantly at her. I wouldn't be a small, weak, child. And I wasn't going to be bullied into anything. She should know that now. "I'm Andy Nightlock. And I don't know why I'm here."
"You followed Nyx's request. That is reason enough. Come, fledglings. Follow me to your new home."
The others moved around me, following her. I looked back at the parking lot, and the now closed gate. Locked in.
"Andy, I can assure you, if you want to leave, you may."
I looked ahead at Zoey Redbird. She'd stopped at the door to what looked like a bank. She faced me, while the others trailed inside. Her eyes twinkled at me, and a small smile was on her lips.
I looked between her and the gate. I didn't know which way to go.
Light shone in the clearing between us, and my Goddess appeared again.
"Andy," she said fondly.
I looked at her, and I couldn't help smiling.
"You can trust Zoey with your entire being. You will never come to harm in her care. And Zoey, give her the affinity tests, please."
Zoey's eyes got big and round, and her smile grew. "Of course, Nyx."
"Nyx?"
Her attention returned to me. I was frightened, but I felt better hearing her speak.
"Why did you pick me? I was almost through my Freshman year. I was almost passed choosing age. Why now?"
"I wished to leave you safe and away from the troubles if I could, but Darkness has deemed it not to be. Zoey, she is to be your little sister."
Zoey Redbird looked at me again, this time almost resentfully.
"What gifts have you given her, Nyx?"
"You will see in time. Cast a circle this time, not the standard test."
"As you wish, my Goddess."
The light faded, and the Goddess was gone.