Alright my dear readers, some of you may know I have school and not enough time to necessarily write, but during school this was a project for one of my classes. Based off the book House of Night you'll enter the mind of Loren Blake and his reactions and thoughts towards specific situations. I tried my best to match his personality so bare with me! I do hope you enjoy!
House of Night belongs to P.C and Kristen Cast
Some dialogue from the book series is used, but for p.o.v purposes only.
-:-
My mind became a slight fog when Neferet came to me with her request. I hadn't seen the auburn haired beauty in what seemed like centuries, yet her icy words gave me no surprise. After having my way with the High Priestess, I had no doubt her intentions were purely venomous and demonic.
"Zoey Redbird," she spat, as if the innocent name was poison in her mouth. "She needs to be disposed of quickly, and I require your assistance." Neferet closed the space between her and I before I stepped back to look at the soft curves of her body fully.
"What would you have of me then?" I asked slowly, choosing my tone carefully.
A wicked smile crept along her ruby lips. "I would have many things of you, but for now I have a thorn in my side that needs to be dealt with," she groaned, her smile fading and slender fingers reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose. With a deep breath, her hand dropped from her perfectly structured nose and her back straightened in a High Priestess' posture. "I want you to seduce her, get her any way you can and break her," she hissed, her mossy green glare seeping into the pores of my skin.
I gave her a short nod, turning to make my way to the door before her melody voice halted me.
"And Loren...do be private would you?"
A small smirk was upon my face when I turned a full 360 degrees to look at her, quickly closing the space between us to snake my arms around her. The vixen could have easily evaded my descent, but remained still as I spoke softly. "You have nothing to fear, love."
-:-
Once Neferet had left me to reside in my Poet's Loft, I quickly went in search of Zoey Redbird. My legs were forced to take long strides down the dark House of Night hallways when two girls, a mere few feet's distance away came to pass me. The girl closest to me was a bright pale blonde, her skin pale like a porcelain doll. Her thin lips were in a crooked smile that caused her blue eyes to squint and glitter with mirth. Beside her was a seemingly submissive girl, her complete opposite, being taller in height and darker in skin tone; a deep, sensual mocha. Her dark fuller lips curled into a seemingly similar crooked grin her friend had plastered on her face. The duo gave small giggles when I gave them a short nod in greeting, continuing my way as their eyes burned into my skin. When each were out of my peripheral vision, I could feel them pause briefly in step, the slight flapping sound of their hands frantically fanning away. Perhaps it was hot?
"Well twin," the mocha began.
"Would you look at that," the porcelain purred, finishing the mocha's sentence. "Finest I've seen."
Their sugared words had little effect on me...and yet I found my feet moving just a little quicker as I sped down the hallway with increasing speed.
-:-
If I hadn't heard the small scratchy mee-uf-ow of a feline, I may have passed what I thought was a deserted Media Center, only one student sitting quietly as she worked. With skilled stealth, I leaned against to examine her. Her arm twitched as she scribbled a pen carelessly on the parchment held down by her opposite elbow, the paper being slightly away from her so her body was turned to show her profile. Ebony locks of hair slung over her shoulder, brushing against her pale cheek, slightly flushed. My voice fell mute as I watched her fixed movements. Zoey Redbird. Just as I began my descent to lessen the space between us, when an old feline hiss caused my steps to pause, but I spoke nonetheless.
"You look completely engrossed in that."
She turned her head quickly, her soft lavender dotted eyes wide and body stiff as if she were paralyzed with shock. I casually strode over to her to glance at what she was scribbling when her shoulder twitched slightly. Had I not been watching her so closely, I would've missed it.
A smirk tugged at my lip. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. It was just unusual to see a student writing feverishly in longhand, rather than pecking away at computer keys, that I thought you might be writing poetry. You see, I prefer longhand, the computer is just too impersonal."
Zoey blinked. "I-uh-I'm not writing poetry."
I raised my brow so slightly, that even she couldn't catch it. "Oh, well. Doesn't hurt to check. Nice talking to you." I gave her a small smile and turned, making my way to the door and a heard her take a deep breath, my strides pausing. How predictable.
"Uh, I think computer's are impersonal, too. I've never really written poetry, but when I write something that's important to me I like to do it like this," she said, holding up her pen for me too see as I turned my head just enough to see the pen that hung lazily in her clumsy fingers.
"Well, maybe you should try writing poetry. Sounds like you might have the soul of a poet." With a inward smirk I faced her, holding out my hand out. "Usually about this time of day I come by and give our librarian, Sappho, a break. I'm not a full-time professor because I'm only here for one school year. I just teach two classes, so I have extra time. I'm Loren Blake, Vampyre Poet Laureate."
Without a word she grasped my forearm in a traditional greeting, her small fingers cold as ice against my heated arm. Her gaze caught mine and she visibly gulped.
"I know," she said softly, her eyes fluttering about until she looked to me again. In my own opinion, Neferet's task seemed easier than I thought. It hadn't been nearly a few moments and the small girl before me was already nervous. My brow raised and I watched as she stumbled over her words.
"What I mean is I know who you are. You're the first male Poet Laureate they've named in two hundred years," she said in slight awe. When I said nothing her lavender dotted eyes went to our laced arms and she released me, her hands pinned to her sides. "I'm Zoey Redbird."
Her nervousness allowed a playful smile to toy with my lips. "I know who you are, too." I continued to stare at her with a small glint in my eyes. Seducing this young female would be quite simple, she already seemed enthralled by my practiced charms. "You're the first fledgling to have a colored-in, expanded Mark, as well as the only vamp, fledgling or adult, to have an affinity for all five elements. It's nice to finally meet you face-to-face. Neferet's told me a lot about you." And did she ever. The woman despised the girl with a passion, finding any chance she could to spout filth about the 16 year old, newly marked fledgling. After hearing her drawl and hiss her obvious lies, it was clear that most of what she said was to keep me at a safe distance from the thorn she now ordered me to "distract".
"She has?" Zoey questioned, her voice high as she squeaked in slight shock.
"Of course she has," I said, only a bit sarcastic. "She's incredibly proud of you." My head nodded to to the seat beside her. "I don't want to interrupt you, but do you mind if I sit with you a little while?" Of course I already knew the answer, it was obvious in her nervous gaze and flushed cheeks, her hand petting at her feline quickly.
"Uh...yeah sure. I need a break. I think my butt's asleep," she said quickly, her words coming out jumbled. By the end of her sentence her eyes were wide and her cheeks as red as tomatoes.
I offered a sincere laugh to ease her nerves. "Well then, would you like to stand while I sit?" I asked, a small smile gracing my features.
"No, I'll-uh-just shift my weight."
I nodded shortly and peaked over her shoulder to the parchment with messy scribbles and inky doodles seeping into the paper. "So, if it's not too personal, may I ask what you're working so diligently on?"
Instead of answering my simple question, she stared off, seemingly arguing with herself as her brows furrowed and her body shifted uncomfortably. It was clear what was on her mind by the way she glanced over to me then shook her head. I knew she was dating that boy, Erik Night. She shook her head furiously and raised her delicate hand to cover her tomato cheeks, she was deciding whether or not to take the bait I hung loosely in front of her or simply walk away to find her young Vampyre.
Finally, the silence had come to agitate me. "Zoey? If you don't wish to tell me what you're working on, that's fine. I really didn't mean to bother you." I could barely contain the growl as she promptly ignored my advances.
She blinked and stared up at me. "No! It's okay." Her hand fell into her lap as she took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, it's just that I have my research on my mind is all."
She's lying.
"I want to change the Dark Daughter's. I think it needs some foundation, like clear rules and guidelines. Not to just join, but once you're in there should be standards. You shouldn't be given a free pass to be as big a jerk you want to be, and still have the privilege of being a Dark Daughter or Son," she continued, her cheeks returning to their once nude color.
"So what have you come up with?" I was intrigued to say the least, considering the possession incident that had rumored around. Aphrodite, the previous leader of the Dark Daughter's was said to have summoned demons to her circle. It was also then that Zoey had received her intricate marks, a supposed gift from Nyx, the goddess of night herself. Perhaps these changes would do some good to the group. Zoey's voice cut through my thoughts as she was mid sentence.
"...yearly Council by votes of the students and the faculty, but the final choice is made by the Headmaster-which would be Neferet- and the Senior Prefect."
My mind drew a blank, but I had caught on to the end of her statement. Senior Prefect. "Which would be you."
She smiled, speaking more to herself than I. "I think Nyx would approve of the new ritual."
"I think it's a good idea," I stated honestly.
"Really? You're not just saying that?"
My face grew into a stoneless expression, as though I were a frozen gargoyle."There's something about me you should know. I don't lie."
"Well, thanks then," she said softly, before looking up at me with a sudden passion. "I want the Dark Daughter to stand for more than just a social group. I want them to set examples-do the right thing. So I thought that each of us would have to swear to uphold five ideals representing the five elements." She spoke clearly and stared down to her orange ball of fur with a smile, the feline sneezing and stretching out with fluffy paws making dough in the air.
"What did you have in mind?"
"The Dark Daughter's and Son's should swear to be authentic for air, faithful for fire, wise for water, and empathetic for earth," she stated proudly, looking into my stare with lavender dotted iris'. Even I had to admit she held a passion for her newfound position as leader of the Dark Daughter's. It's a shame her good warmheartedness didn't smear off onto Aphrodite, who abused her position. Maybe there's more to Zoey Redbird than meets the eye.
Without her immediate notice, I drew my hand up to her face, just tracing the exotic blue markings running over her eyebrow with my finger. She stiffened under my simple gesture. How amusing. "Beautiful and intelligent and innocent," I said barely above a whisper, causing her cheeks to fade back to a deep scarlet as I began to recite: "The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express."
"Sorry to interrupt, but I really do need to check out the next three books in the series for Anastasia."
Aphrodite's words sliced through our conversation with an obvious cocky attitude and spiteful glare burning through my shoulder and at Zoey's face. To say the bleach blonde girl didn't like the fully marked fledgling below me would be an understatement. My face was of little shock and Zoey's body a cracking statue. Without so much a word I dropped my hand from her smooth markings, walking diligently to the counter to check out Aphrodite's books all the while she gave me a wicked glare and small smirk. I could feel Zoey's eyes on me, but I paid her no mind, instead evading the Media Center without so much a look in her direction. If not for Aphrodite's appearance my job just might have been easier, or maybe she was saving me from having to sugar my words any further. Then again I've come not to trust teenagers with sun-kissed skin and an evil spark in their eye…
-:-
I spotted Neferet seemingly floating about the halls with a generous amount of grace, her auburn locks following behind her. She knew I was trailing behind her and yet she gave no hint to acknowledge my presence so I simply strode beside her.
"Have you returned with any news?" she asked, facing forward with ruby lips in a straight line, clearly not impressed with my sudden appearance.
I frowned. "My role of seduction was interrupted by Aphrodite, she needed books for Anastasia, but more importantly, why did you not tell me Zoey was such an attractive young fledgling?"
Neferet suppressed a small huff. "She is not attractive at all! She is a pest that needs to be removed quickly and efficiently."
"My darling Neferet," I cooed softly, lacing my fingers in hers. "In no way shall I ever choose Zoey Redbird over you, my prize."
"Are you assuming that I, Neferet, are jealous of a simple minded fledgling child? How absurd!" she hissed, venom coating her words.
My jaw dropped in slight awe. "No! That statement is absurd! How could a mere fledgling compare to you? A High Priestess?"
Neferet ceased her soft steps to let her mossy, emerald eyes linger on our entwined fingers. It almost felt as though she squeezed my hand, but then her gaze was elsewhere and she was already sneaking into the darkness. All my body allowed me to do watch after her silhouette as it faded around a corner. My gaze wandered to the House of Night grounds, glittering dew sprinkled amongst fresh green blades of grass. The sun is going to be rising soon and being a Vampyre, well, not one that bursts into flames like those foolish folk tales, but I should probably get some sleep. With a blink of an eye, I walked toward my Poet's Loft with heightened senses, hoping not to run into any other students on my travels...