A/N – This is set after Stark died. The imprint with Heath is broken. Everything that happens in the books had happened except none of them know about the red fledglings and Aphrodite hasn't had a vision of Zoey's death and Aphrodite is still marked and still had the Earth affinity. They don't know they exist and therefore Zoey thinks Stark and Stevie Rae simply died. But do not worry, I would never leave Stark out of a story and believe me he will be in it. Also, I plan to throw in a lot of romance (Zoey & Stark) but other pairing as well. But mainly Zoey and Stark. Aphrodite and Zoey are friends and they think something is wrong with Neferet (no Kalona). Some swearing and sexual scenes implied (just kisses and minor stuff but it won't go into lemony stuff)!! If you have any questions feel free to ask.

R&R

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the house of night series.

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Stark!

They stood there. Looking worse than death itself. Their skin so white it was almost transparent. Their smell was musty and dead. Their eyes were the colour of fresh blood. Then they smiled and their fangs gleamed in the moonlight. The one at the front leaned forward to the poor defenceless boy at their feet. The boy looked drained and dead, with cuts and bruises all over him. I recoiled in horror as they drank from him. Then I noticed their foreheads. They had been marked just like me, but they weren't like me. They were no where near like me. They were monsters.

~ End of dream ~

I was woken up by Nala crawling on the top of my chest. I went to sit up and Nala "me-uf-owed" in complaint. I looked over at my alarm clock to see it was six pm and way to early. It was the weekend and I was hoping to have a proper nights (days) sleep. No such luck.

"Looks like I won't be getting back to sleep," I told Nala getting up from my bed. "Though, after that dream I'm not sure I want too." I sighed.

The warm water coming from the shower head soothed me. That had been one heck of a dream and not one I wanted to have again. I reached over for my towel and reluctantly turned the warm water off. Then I pulled my hair back into a pony tail and got changed. After putting my stuff in the laundry basket, I made my way downstairs to the common room to find everyone was there. I had spent one hour in the shower so it was no wonder they were all up.

"Hey, Zoey." Jack smiled up to me petting Duchess.

Duchess is a dog (who looks a lot like a bear). She used to be owned by Stark but then he died in my arms and Jack looks after her. Which is a good thing too because I didn't want to break my promise to Stark and let Duchess go to strangers. Not like I would ever do that. And Stark was a sixth former who died in my arms after confiding a lot in me. It still hurt me just thinking about him and people tended to refrain from mentioning him around me. I don't know why but I had felt a connection with him. And it felt like he had taken a part of my heart with him when he died (even though I had only known him for a couple of hours). I am being pathetic, I know.

"Duchess," I beamed. I walked up to her and started stroking her. Everyone else just exchanged looks. "Sorry, I had a very long shower." I laughed at them.

"Well, because you had a very long shower," Shaunee started.

"You missed you're ever so hot BF!" Erin finished smiling.

"Great," I said with fake enthusiasm. Again they all exchanged a look. "Erik is my ex-boyfriend." I told them matter-of-factly.

Erik is my fledgling-turned-vampire super hot ex-boyfriend. He had dumped me after I lost my virginity to oh-so-hot Loren Blake (who was murdered). But it turned out Loren was just using me because Neferet told him too. My friends had also turned their back on me and Aphrodite was the only one who was there for me. But when I explained everything to them they understood that I had to Aphrodite because like me Neferet can't read her mind. And something was wrong with Neferet, no doubt about it.

"Still think that he shouldn't have acted like such a jerk." Jack shook his head.

"Well, what did he want?" I asked the twins trying to move the subject off Erik as fast as possible.

"You," Shaunee sighed.

"I think he isn't over you," Erin said matter-of-factly.

"I agree twin." Shaunee said looking at me.

"Well, to be honest he is the last thing on my mind. He was a jerk." I stated.

"Of course," Erin sighed looking down into her cereal.

"Still hot." Shaunee laughed.

"Totally." Damien agreed.

"Wrong team." The twins said at the same time.

"A guy can wish." Damien said defensively, But looking lovingly at Jack.

"Speaking of which, don't you have drama with him?" Erin asked. When Professor Nolan had been killed Erik had been called in for her replacement. Hence, him having me for drama. Great!

"I wish I did." Shaunee said looking at me.

"Yes, unluckily." I said looking down.

"Unluckily? How can you say unluckily?" Erin asked.

"He is nothing but lucky." Shaunee told me.

"Stop it! She's still trying to get over Stark." Damien complained. When he said Stark, I felt like he had stabbed me in the heart with a knife. It felt hollow and everyone was silent as I felt a tear roll down my cheek. Great, again with me being pathetic.

"Wait a go nerd herd! If I had my opinion, I would have kicked all you're asses by now. But Zoey likes to be nice and says that you just say these things without thinking. Well, maybe you should start thinking and stop talking about the kid." I heard Aphrodite tell my friends. I turned around to see her standing there, beautiful as ever. And currently snarling at my friends. Well, at least she was standing up for me. I wonder why she was in a good mood.

"It's fine, Aphrodite. I'm just thinking of Duchess." I faked a smile to her but she saw right through it.

"Yeah, and I wear knock offs. Zoey, just admit it. When someone even mentions his name you get upset. You had it bad for him." Aphrodite smirked getting a bottle of Fiji water from the fridge.

"Well," I looked around and saw no-one was offering anything to say, but I wasn't exactly warming to the current topic. "We should get going; we have a ritual to do today." I said trying to change the subject.

"We should get going," Shaunee pointed out.

"But, what about the hag?" Erin asked looking at Aphrodite. After Stevie Rae died, Aphrodite got the affinity for Earth. So, despite everyone's protests, Aphrodite is now a member of the dark daughters.

"Gee, thanks for the compliment." Aphrodite smiled at the twins taking a graceful sip from her Fiji water.

"Stop it! Aphrodite is in the group. Nyx chose her, that's just the way it is," I told them all. "Now, Aphrodite, the twins and I will go to the library and Jack and Damien will get all of the stuff read. Okay?" I asked brightly.

"No way are we going to spend the day with the hag from hell." The twins said together pointing at Aphrodite.

"No way am I spending the whole day with partial nerd herd." Aphrodite sighed.

"I think it will be good. Zoey needs her friends around her." Jack pointed out. Oh my Goddess I could kiss him except for the whole wrong team thing. Wait a go for the guilt trip. I looked and saw that the twins and Aphrodite just bowed their heads.

"So, come on people. Lets get those butts moving." I said getting up.

"Mmmhmm." I heard them all mumble.

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Bubbles x