Disclaimer: I do not own the House of Night; this amazing series belongs to P.C. & Kristin Cast. Though I do own the OC, Nettie. And she is me; this is my story if I was to be Marked by a Tracker. Consider this My House of Night!

CHAPTER ONE

Marked

Walking along the path I smiled at the sun attempting to spill from behind the clouds. Lifting a pale hand I tried to block out some of the dazzling rays as I cast my eyes down the cobblestone footpath. The bright light from the sun caused my eyes to water, and my skin to prickle slightly in discomfort. I attempted to act happy even as a sense of drowsiness tried to pull me under. Coughing for what felt like the millionth time that day I stifled it against my hand. Breathing was extremely difficult, my throat burned with each rasping breath. After the lecture I had been in today I didn't think my day could get any worse.

That was until I saw him. The vampyre. And what was worse I realized he was a Tracker.

Turning to smile at Cassie, she was still talking about the awesome lecture today. I tried to block out some of what she said because I could gell a headache rising, sending a prickling sensation along my brow. Even though I tried to block her out, some of what she said filtered theough my foggy mind; apparently we had been discussing femininity in the world today from a Law point of view.

I have to admit that the lecture was better than it had ever been but I was so unbelievably tired that all I could attempt was a half-smile. I think she may have noticed that I wasn't really up for talking about the class so she fell into a silent step beside me. What was even more surprising to me was that she had fallen silent, obviously realising I was in some kind of pain. Her baby blue eyes constantly turning to me in concern, as she constantly pulled on her blonde hair in agitation. I hated to see her worry for me.

"Are you okay?" she questioned after a particularly shudder inducing cough.

Nodding slightly I attempted to wipe my nose on the corner of my jumper, gagging at how gross it was, "Yeah," I said absently, as once again I coughed, " just a freak cold I guess." I said with a quick shrug of my slender shoulders.

We shared a long-suffering look, unfortunately for me when I got sick it lasted more than days, sometimes even weeks. Slowing our pace we were practically at a crawl as we stopped underneath the shade of a small tree. Pausing I tried to catch my breath as Cassie watched, her blue eyes narrowing for a moment, assessing whether or not she should leave me there. The expression was gone as soon as it had appeared on her face but I hadn't missed it.

"If your father is already here to pick you up, perhaps you should go. I don't want to get you sick." I stated with a grimace.

Her face relaxed as she quickly stepped forward and gave me a hug, but then she began to hurry off. She hadn't gotten far before I relaxed my shoulders, resting against the tree. Letting my gaze wander I stared up at the University of Deepdene*. It was only my second semester at the school but I had already began to hate the mediocre way that I got up, went to the University and then to work, not necessarily every day but it had become extremely boring. Between studying and work, I rarely ever got to see any friends, to be honest since I got out of High School I had pretty much lost any social life that I had.

But I guess you couldn't have everything. I didn't realise then that fate had a sense of humour and in less than two minutes my life would be turned around forever.

Settling down on the ground, I laid my back against the trunk of the tree. The rough bark scratched against my back through my jacket. Resting my head against the trunk I closed my eyes for a moment. The small amount of sunlight trickling through the leaves warmed my skin and shoulders. As once again a strange sensation danced along my skin, causing the fine hairs on my arms to stand on end. I had the feeling that I was being watched, from a distant almost. A soft winter breeze danced across the courtyard I was standing in, ruffling the long strands of my chocolate coloured hair, and illuminating the warm golden tones in the sunlight.

Reaching up pale slender fingers I brushed a section of my hair behind my ears, trying and failing to be able to see in front of me. Shrugging of the strange sensation that overcame me I attempted to act, somewhat normally. Placing my bag on the ground I rummaged through it, grabbing a book. Opening it up I smiled at the contents, some dark gothic romance that I had become obsessed with. One of the books from the Goddess Summoning Series by P.C. Cast, the Goddess of Spring.

Curving my pale pink lips up in a smile at the words before me; too engrossed in the weaving magic of the story to even glance up. A wracking cough shook my slender frame, my fingers curling around my throat as panic began to set in. This cold had appeared sometime before my class nearly three hours ago and yet I already felt like I was dying, to top it off I could feel a headache threatening between my eyes and along my brow line.

Coughing again I couldn't help but cringe at the phlegmy sound, my throat burning momentarily as if something was clawing its way up my oesophagus. Dizziness began to slowly trickle its way through me as I slowly made my way to my feet. Leaning down I picked up my bag, my long hair falling over my shoulder. Clutching the novel to my chest (my sadly inadequate chest, sigh), while shouldering my bag. A quick honk from a car horn caught my attention, lifting my gaze I shot a quick smile and a wave to my mother as she sat idly in the car. Her face was obscured by the window, her short black hair fluffy around her head like a halo.

Her little blue Prius sat idly by the curb, my siblings sat in the back seat, my younger sister had her ear phones shoved in her ears, oblivious to the world around her and my little brother was bouncing in his car seat. Smothering my mouth with my hand I tried to cover-up another wracking cough. Ignoring another urge to cough I lifted my head and froze in complete and utter shock.

Intense blue eyes watched my every movement; I was transfixed by his gaze. I had heard the rumours, just as every other human had about their strange markings that all adult vampires had but I had never imagined a tattoo such as this. A mask? The filigree markings, a sapphire-blue in colour framed his equally blue eyes. Just like that of an ancient mask but there was something otherworld about it, the way it was worn almost as a disguise. Power and strength rolled off of him in waves, something akin to the majesty of the night.

Watching him walk towards me I stumbled back, even as a shiver of desire that ran down my spine. The ancient power that radiated off him called to me. But I was surprised that it had taken me this long to sense him, the magic that rolled off of him was unmistakable. Heat rolled along my skin as his blue eyes pierced me, I couldn't have for the life of me turned my gaze away. The sapphire crescent on his forehead seemed to glow with the radiance of the moon.

Gathering all the courage I could I stepped from beneath the shade of the tree, my strange hazel eyes met his, and I stared at him. He was a vampyre, and more importantly he was a Tracker. And he was making his way straight towards me. His full lips parted in surprise as he finally met my gaze, I froze in shock as his gaze seemed to slip straight through my physical being to my soul.

"Who are you?" I wheezed, as a wracking cough nearly caused me to double over in pain. The sound of a car door slamming distracted me momentarily, my mother stood beside the car, a look of horror on her face and the vampyre faced me.

He watched me silently, his blue eyes surveying me steadily. Coughing embarrassedly into my hand I couldn't help my eyes darting from the handsome man before me and the look of horror on my mother's face. That single look of disgust pulled at my heart. Pressing my hand to my mouth I tried to cover up another wet, disgusting cough. Lifting my gaze I gasped slightly at how close the handsome man had become to me.

The vampyre lowered his head and whispered gently as his ceremonial words danced around me like a caressing breeze, dangerous yet seductive, like blood mixed with hot melted, delicious chocolate:

"Nettie Melrose! Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee; harken to her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night!"

Ducking forward slightly he gently pressed his lips against my forehead. His lips were surprisingly warm against my skin. Gasping at the sudden flare of pain I gripped his forearms to stop myself from falling to the ground in agony. In the back of my mind I heard my mother screaming and a shout from my sister, a warning perhaps? Dizziness spiralled in the depths of my mind as I began to fall forward, falling from the vampyre's strong, yet somewhat comforting embrace. And unceremoniously crashing to the ground, in a dead faint, my vision already blurry becoming tinged with blakness along the edges.

Was I destined to die before I even had a chance to get to the House of Night? Was the destiny the Tracker spoke of a terrible bloody death? Was I the only human to be Marked, only to die seconds after?

Closing my eyes, I prayed, for the first time to any being that may be watching over me, whether they be all knowing and benevolent, or something more sinister. The one thing I thought as the darkness began to swallow me up is that; I didn't want to die. I allowed myself to succumb to the darkness, as whispered words of comfort ran through my mind, filled with grace and, love?: "Embrace the Night and all the Magic it has to offer."

Read and Review: As you all have noticed my OC is a University Student (the Univeristy and the town she/ I live in is made-up); this is because I am using my own life as a basis for the story. Only because it is going to make it more realistic as I write it. So, this story is following the life changes I would go through if I was Marked at the age of eighteen. As you all would have also noticed, from the tattoo of the Tracker, it is Erik Night.

Note: The reason for this is I don't like how the author's portray him as the bad guy in Betrayed, when he finds Zoey and Loren. So I decided to make him move to a different House of Night, it will be explained as the story goes along but be prepared… for some crazy Fledgling life.