It was a Saturday evening and I was walking through the mall with my friends when I saw him. The incredibly hot guy. Tall, dark hair, blue eyes. And then I saw his forehead. Well crap. He was a vampire. After assessing him, I noticed that he was watching me. He took a few steps forward and raised one hand, pointing a finger at me.

"Kristen Montgomery! 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." He intoned in a gorgeous voice.

My forehead exploded in pain and I crumpled to the ground. Looking up, I saw all of my friends circled around me and the Tracker crouching next to me.

"I'm sorry, you're only my second, here," he paused, standing up and extending a hand to help me up. "I'm Erik, a Tracker for the Tulsa House of Night."

"I think my sister goes there," I tell him, "her name's Zoey."

"Hmm…I don't know a Zoey Montgomery, but I know a Zoey Redbird."

I gasped. "Redbird's my mother's maiden name."

He nodded. "Ah yes, she mentioned she changed her name."

"She changed her name?"

Erik nodded. "Come, my car's this way. I'll take you home so you can collect your stuff."

An hour later, we had gotten my stuff (after an argument with my mum and stepfather, John) and were headed to the House of Night. While he drove, Erik schooled me on how to act when we arrive and meet the High Priestess.

"Now when you meet her, cast your eyes down, don't look at her," he paused and glanced at me. "It's rude," he said anticipating my question. "And when she says 'Merry Meet' you reply, 'Merry Meet, Priestess."

He stopped.

I looked up and saw large wooden doors. "We're here," Erik stated unnecessarily. He got out of the car and walked me through the doors. "Here, I'll take you to the High Priestess."

"The High Priestess is already here, Erik," a clear, feminine and somewhat familiar voice rang out.

Erik started but then clasped a hand over his heart and bowed slightly, "Merry Meet, Priestess." I heard footsteps and soon saw a pair of black boots peeking out from beneath a long dark purple dress. "Merry meet, Erik." Someone sighed. "A second one, Erik? You know you don't have to escort them here, I know you had a reason last time."

"My apologies, Priestess."

"How many times do I have to tell you? you don't have to call me priestess. You know my name, use it."

"Of course."

"Merry meet fledgling."

"Merry meet, Priestess," I replied to the voice before me.

The person sighed. "Has Erik here been teaching you false etiquette?"

When I didn't reply, someone said, "Really, Night, you had to do that. Allison doesn't even do that and she's been a Tracker for a shorter amount of time than you."

The second voice was masculine and not familiar at all. The female gasped and the feet I could see, tipped backwards. I heard someone step forward and then, "Mo Bann Ri, are you okay?"

"You can look up, Kristen," Erik told me. I looked up to see Erik begin to walk away. "Oh and the High Priestess is going to be a shock for you."

I glanced over to where I knew the High Priestess to be. I could only see her boots and the backs of two people, one a girl with curly, shoulder-length hair and the other, a man with shaggy dirty blonde hair. I looked back at Erik who was now a couple of metres away and asked, "Aren't you going to help her?"

"No, Stark and Stevie Rae have her."

From behind me I heard a female voice with a strong Oklahoma accent say, "she's fine Stark, it's just Nyx. She'll be awake soon. See look, she's already waking up."

"Thank Goddess." It was the guy behind me, I turned to see the three people in the same positions as before. "Z, you okay? Do you want anything?"

'Z'? Who was 'Z'?

"I'm fine Stark. And at the moment, all I need to do is stand up," the High Priestess said.

So the High Priestess was called 'Z'?

The two people helped the High Priestess up and when I saw her face I gasped. "Zoey?"

My sister had the Marks of a vampyre and her tattoos were a lacy pattern that went down her neck, over her shoulders, across her chest and down under her dress.

"Kristen?" Zoey looked at the guy – Stark - next to her who shrugged, as if to say he didn't know. "The new fledgling's my sister?"

Stark and Stevie Rae just stared at me.

"Man, Trackers don't tell me anything," Zoey sighed and Stark placed a hand on her shoulder. Zoey turned to Stevie Rae, "can you please get the others? They can show her around, then come see me in my office. I need to think."

"Of course," she started to walk away but Zoey stopped her.

"Wait, I'll get them." Zoey flicked her fingers and I saw the air shimmer, then her knees gave way and Stark caught her.

"Zoey, when- last week? Really?" she nodded. "Why? Really, too busy, huh?"

Stark picked Zoey up, bridal style, and said to Stevie Rae, "look after the fledgling, I need to make sure she gets some blood." Stevie Rae nodded and when Stark turned away, I saw that above the ankle boots Zoey wore, she had more tattoos that went down her calves and into her boots. I turned back to Stevie Rae, who was watching me. I opened my mouth but she bet me to it.

"Don't ask about her tattoos, that's her story to tell."

Instead of asking about Zoey's tattoos, I asked, "why does she need blood? Is she sick or something?"

"Nah, Z's not sick. She just needs blood to keep her strength and if no one intervenes and mixes is with her wine, then she forgets and gets weak."

So my sister needs to drink blood to stay strong. Gross. I looked at Stevie Rae's Marks and got curious so I asked, "why do you and Stark have red Marks?"

Stevie Rae turned away from me and just then a group of people ran up, none of them noticing me.

"Hey, Bumpkin," a blonde said

"Hello, Aphrodite."

"Where's Zoey? You know, since she called us here, I expected her to actually be here."

"Stark took her to get some blood."

"Oh Goddess, what did she do now?" a cute guy with brown hair said. Now?

"Went a week without."

"Goddess Zoey is-" the blonde – Aphrodite – started, but I interrupted her. "Hello! Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?"

A dark skinned girl declared, "gee, this fledgling is snarky, isn't she Twin?"

"Yeah, she is. She's like Aphrodite." A second blonde answered the dark skinned girl's question.

"Guys, stop it! This is Kristen, the fledgling Erik just Marked," Stevie Rae told them. "Anyway, Kristen. That's Aphrodite, she's a bitch to anyone; Damien," she pointed to the cute brown haired guy, "he uses a lot of big words and don't bother hitting on him, he's gay; Jack," she pointed to a small boy who looked about twelve, and he waved at me, "Damien's boyfriend, he's kinda our tech guy; Darius," a massive guy that was standing behind Aphrodite, he was kind of hot, "he's a Son of Erebus warrior and don't even try hitting on him, he's with Aphrodite and she will claw your eyes out."

Stevie Rae paused and the dark skinned girl spoke up. "Hey, don't forget about us! So I'm Shaunee and this is my twin,"

"Erin, and lets get this straight you were Marked by Erik?" another blonde asked.

I nodded.

"He may be gorgeous," Erin started and Shaunee continued.

"But he's an ass-"

"-hat." Erin cut Shaunee off and completed the word.

"Oi Dorkamese Twins! That's my word!" Aphrodite grumbled at them.

"Y'all be nice, now," Stevie Rae broke in and then spoke to all of them, "Zoey said to show her around, so let's take her on the tour."

"Whatever, I'm going," Aphrodite declared and Stevie Rae gave her a look. "What? You don't need everybody to help show her around. Come on, Handsome," she said grabbing Darius' hand and walked off with him.

Stevie Rae sighed and said, "Does anyone else feel they don't need to come?" she paused and seemed to consider something before continuing. "And I know something about her you don't."

The last statement seemed to concrete the fact that the twins were staying, Damien looked intrigued while Jack just looked excited, though I don't know what about, whether it was the fact that there was a secret or that he was going to help show me around.

"Come on," Stevie Rae said and started to walk off, obviously expecting us to follow.