Chapter 2
Dawn
"Dawn! Wake up!" Drew said, shaking me so hard, and waking me up. I was on the ground outside in my front yard; I didn't remember how on earth I'd gotten here.
"What's going on?" I asked, and then realized that my voice had barely come out as slightly more than a whisper.
"Can't be true. Impossible. Not you." I heard Drew mumble to himself.
"What happened?" I asked louder this time.
"There has to be a way to fix this" he said.
"Drew, you need to tell me what the hell is going on." I said which made him look at me surprised.
"Drew, you're givin' me a funny look." I said with a forced chuckle. Then I remembered. I hands immediately flew to my forehead. It didn't feel any different.
"I got up and ran into my house, covering my forehead with my hand, and ignoring the fact that I still utterly felt like crap. I didn't stop until I had gotten up to my private bathroom that was attached to my bedroom.
The girl who stared back at the mirror looked exactly like me, but I couldn't recognise her at all. Sort of like a familiar stranger. I kept staring at this person, well not so much the person, but the outline of a half crescent moon that framed her face. It made her eyes look pretty, like they worked perfectly with the mark since they were almost the same shade of blue.
Her hair looked wilder, as if the color had intensified. She looked beautiful and strong, except for her looking sick and tired. She was short and had almost no boobs. Great. I traced my mark with my finger still trying to believe that this person was actually me. Dawn Golding.
Drew was standing beside me, staring at my mark. I was suddenly scared. I had no freaking idea what I was supposed to do. I knew that kids who got marked went to these schools called House of Night, but I didn't want to give up my life, my dream, everything that I had worked my entire life on.
Out of nowhere, I burst into tears, with giant broken sobs. Drew took me into his arms and told me that everything was going to be alright, even though we both knew that I wouldn't be, no matter what happened.
I looked up from Drew's shoulder and saw the tracker standing in the doorway.
"What the hell do you want!" I screamed at him.
"We must be heading to the House of Night you would like to attend, for you to be able to truly start healing and begin your new life in pursuit of the goddess."
"Where am I going." I asked.
"We are going to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Not so far from here, but it will still be a long trip. We must hurry to gather your things and get a move on" he urged.
"Don't I need permission or something, and what about my life, you can't expect me to just pack up and leave." I said stubbornly.
"As a fledgling, you become emancipated, and you become your own legal person, with no one telling you what to do." He said calmly. I noticed he hadn't reacted in the slightest way to my temper.
"Can I have a few hours to pack up my stuff, say goodbye to the people I care about at least?" I asked him, not very loudly.
"I'll be back in 3 hours. Be ready. You will have a lot to think about if you're not." He said then walked away.
I went into my closet and grabbed my big suitcase. I opened it and started throwing some of my stuff into it. I hadn't even noticed Drew until he almost screamed my name.
"Dawn! You're just going to trust this creep vampyre and go with him?" he said. He looked hurt, and sad.
"I don't really have much choice. It's that or I stay here and keep getting sicker, up to the point where I die. We learnt about this in class last year." I told him.
"What about your gymnastics." He said almost a whisper "We were both supposed to get Olympics Gold next year." He said.
"I don't know." I said.
"This can't be the end." He said.
"I don't want to leave anymore then you don't want me to leave." I told him. The thought of leaving Drew killed me. We grew up together; we were the best of friends. Sure he could be annoying at times, but he was also very sweet and caring. He looked into my eyes and I realized something that made me hurt even more. I loved him. I could see hurt in his eyes as well.
"I don't want you to leave." He said.
"I don't want to leave either, but I have to, or I will die." I told him. I finished throwing my favourite things into my suitcase, and moved on to my duffle bag. I packed all my life essentials. I was about to get my laptop, when Drew stepped right in front of me, blocking my way anywhere.
"I've been wanting to tell you something for a while, but I didn't know how to say it, and I thought I would have more time." He started. "I can't stop thinking about you when you aren't with me. I think about being with you, and it makes me feel so happy, but now I won't ever get the chance to be with you. I know we aren't allowed to see each other with the gym rules, but those don't matter anymore. I think I love you." I hadn't realized that I was crying until he whipped a tear from my cheek.
"I love you too." I said then kissed him, hard on the lips. We kissed until we were both breathless. I tangled my finger in his hair, as he held me tight around my waist. We kissed for what seemed like an endless time, I never wanted this moment to end, but as they say, all good things must come to an end.
I pulled away from his embrace and said "I've got to go." But I really didn't want to have to say these words.
"I know. Will you keep in touch? I can't lose you forever."
"Yes." I said at the same time as the tracker appeared back in my doorframe and said
"No. fledglings are prohibited to have infatuations with humans."
"Why not?" I said, suddenly very angry.
"You'll learn later on." He said which made me really want to hit him. He started taking my things outside, into a sleek black porche that had suddenly appeared in my yard. I walked over to my kitchen, took the phone, and dialled my mother's cell phone number.
"Martha Golding, yours truly, what can I do for you?" she asked sounding a little irritated.
"Hi mom, it's me." I said quietly.
"Honey, I'm in the middle of shouting a scene, can you call later?" she asked.
"Mom, it's important."
"Well, spit it out, everyone is waiting for me to get back on set." She said using her 'I'm Martha Golding' voice.
"It's bad mom…" I said, unsure how I was going to tell her, when I suddenly coughed.
"Are you sick?" she asked with a tone of disgust.
"Kinda mom. Um, I've been marked" I blurted out.
"That's not funny hon, now can you please tell me why you called." She said, really not believing what I just told her.
"I'm serious mom. A tracker came by when I ordered pizza for supper. He marked me, and I have to go to the House of Night of Tulsa, or I'll keep getting sicker up to the point where I will die." As if to prove I was sick, I started a violent coughing fit, that had Drew supporting me so that I wouldn't fall over.
"It's impossible, you're my daughter, why would they mark you?" she asked, caring more that it would affect her reputation then the fact that I was freaking marked.
"I don't know mom." I said.
"Don't call me that! You're not my daughter if you're one of them!" she said with such discuss that it made my stomach feel uneasy.
"Mom!" I said pleadingly.
"I don't ever want to hear from you, do you have any idea what this would do to me if anyone found out what you've become?" she said.
"Mom." I said in a broken whisper.
"Goodbye, don't ever contact me again." She said then hung up.
I didn't feel right, I felt like a part of me had just been ripped out. It was too much, too much at one time. I passed out, too quickly for Drew to catch me, so I hit my head very hard.
I woke up in a marvellous world. Something I had never seen before. There was a woman standing not far from me, looking out into the world. She was beautiful, so beautiful that there were no words that could be used to describe this magnificent woman. She suddenly turned to looked at me.
"I see you're awake, daughter." She said with a wonderful musical chiming voice that sounded like heaven.
"Who are you, and where am I?" I asked sounding a lot less graceful. I blushed deeply.
"You are in the Otherworld for now, your spirit has left your body to come to me. I am known as plenty of different woman such as Changing Woman, Gaea, Grandmother Spider, and even Dawn." She started then gave me a stunning wink. "But the world you are now entering, knows me as Nyx." She finished.
"You're the Vampyre Goddess." I said, sounding intimidated.
"Do not fear me, my daughter; I am here to help you find your future destiny.
"Find my destiny? I just want to find a place where I can fit in. I just want to find a way to cope with my new life, how am I supposed to find my destiny?" I asked her.
"Believe in yourself, Dawn Golding, you will become the twin, equally, if not more powerful than my first Daughter of Night, which will make you my second true Daughter of Night… in this age. The first being Zoey Redbird, whom you will soon meet. You are special. Accept that about yourself, and you will begin you understand the true power in your uniqueness. Within you is combined the magic blood of ancient Wise Woman and Elders, as well as insight into and understanding of the modern world." She walked up to me and continued "Danishia Golding, Daughter of Night, I name you my eyes and ears in the world today, a world where good and evil are truly struggling for find balance." She finished gracefully.
"But I'm sixteen; I just found out that my life is now completely turned upside down. How and I supposed to become your eyes and ears?" I asked her.
She laughed musically. "My dear Dawn, you are wise beyond your years, believe in yourself and you will find a way. But remember, darkness does not always equate to evil, just as light does not always bring good.
Then the almighty powerful goddess Nyx, leaned down and kissed my forehead, and for the third time today, I passed out.
"Dawn! Wake up!" I felt Drew shaking me hard again.
"Do not move her! She could be gravely injured!" I heard the tracker yell at Drew.
I started to open my eyes, and I made out the blurry figures of the tracker, and Drew leaning over me. I started to sit up, but immediately fell backward because of a big pain in the back of my head, but this time the trackers hand where there to cushion my fall.
"Thanks" I mumbled. "Help me sit up please." But instead of doing that, he picked me up and brought me over to the couch, where me lay me down. My sight was back to normal. Drew sat down on the floor next to me while the tracker checked her head. Drew took my hand and lanced his finger through mine.
"Out of curiosity, what's your name?" I asked the tracker.
"Erik." He said.
"How long have you been a tracker?" I asked him.
"A few days. You're the first person I found." He said. "Wow, your wound is already healed, which is odd." Then he looked at my face and gasped.
"What?" I asked. Drew looked and said.
"Your mark is filled in Dawn."
"Impossible." I got up and walked to my bathroom, completely ignoring my dizziness.
I looked into the mirror, and what they told me was completely true. My outline, was now completely filled in.
"What's wrong with me?" I asked Erik.
"I've only seen this happen to one other fledgling, and she is the most powerful person I know. Her name is Zoey Redbird. I think that I'm going to take you to her, instead of to the House of Night." He said.
"Won't I die if I'm not around Vampyres?" I asked him.
"There are Vampyres there, don't worry." He said. "We have to go now, before anyone finds out about you." He said then grasped my forearm and started leading me towards his car.
"Wait!" I heard Drew call out. I'd completely forgotten about Drew. Erik let go of my arm and said.
"Say goodbye, and make it quick."
I walked up to Drew. He took me into his arms and gave me a hug.
"I'm sorry" I whispered into his ear.
"Why are you sorry?" he asked me.
"For leaving you alone." I explained to him.
"This isn't the end, I'm not going to let it end like this." He said then gave me a big kiss. I kissed him back with everything I had, then pulled away and whispered into his ear.
"I'll text or call you later okay." Then gave him one more quick kiss and turned towards Erik's car.
Once again, I didn't realize that I was crying, until Erik handed me a big box of Kleenex. To start a conversation I asked
"So. Who's this Zoey you were talking about?"
"She's special, like you. Nyx gifted for with an affinity for all of the Elements. I dated her for a little bit, but let's not get into that. She arrived at the House of Night, and her mark was filled in, like yours." He looked at my mark, then back on the road.
"That's also when things started going bad. Red fledgling and vampyre's where created. Neferet started acting differently. I'm not supposed to tell you any of this, but I think it' s better so that you don't fall into Neferet's plot. She' s pure evil. Don't ever trust or believe her."
Great, I'm playing right into hell on earth.
"Anyways, I'll let Zoey tell you the rest later."
"Okay" I said trying to sound cool with it.
"I know it's a lot to take in, it'll get easier eventually." He said sympathetically.
"I think I'm going to take a nap. I'm actually really tired."
"Go ahead. We have at least another three hours." He said.
"Okay." And it didn't take very long for me to fall asleep.
"Wake up Danishia, we're here." I felt someone shaking my shoulders. I was immediately wide awake.
"Please do not call me Danishia. Call me Dawn."
"Will do, Dawn" he said with a smile. I smiled in return and got out of the car and stretched. I looked around, and we were at some kind of depot.
"Would it kill them to make it look nicer?" I asked sarcastically.
"They're kind of buzzy." He explained.
"Do you have an answer to everything?" I asked Erik.
"Maybe." He said with a big smile.
I laughed and walked towards the doors.
"Erik! What in the hell are you doing here!" a girl coming outside asked.
"Bringing someone to see Zoey." He told her. "Dawn, this is Aphrodite. She's not very nice" he explained. Aphrodite looked like Barbie, only not as fake. She had long blond hair, blue eyes, a very short skirt, black stiletto boots, and a designer jacket.
"Oh Goddess, your mark is filled." Aphrodite said. "I'll bring her with me." She said then gestured me to come. "You can leave now Erik. Go do whatever the hell you dumb Trackers do." She said then turned her back and started to walk away.
I waved Erik goodbye and followed Aphrodite. Once we passed through the door, we were greeted by some vampyre guy who laced his fingers through Aphrodite's, which made her smile at him.
"This is my warrior, Darius." Aphrodite told me.
"Merry meet." He said, then offered his hand. I gave him mine, but to my surprise, he grasped my forearm and shook it.
"Hello." I said.
"Have you seen Zoey?" Aphrodite asked Darius.
"I think she was in her room with Stark." Darius said.
"Ew. I need to show her Dawn." She gestured towards my mark. Darius looked at it and smile.
"It seems the Goddess has some great things in mind for you." He said.
"Thanks, I think." I said to him and plastered a small smile on my face.
"I suggest you cover your eyes while we go find Zoey and Stark. They could be doing the Nasty's." she said then mocked gagging.
I suddenly realized that I didn't feel sick anymore. I guess that there were enough vampyres around here for me not to get sick. We went down a set for stairs, and followed a long Hallway up to the end.
Aphrodite know on the door three time then waited for someone to open the door. No one came.
"Damn it Stark! Open the fucking door!" she yelled at the door.
"We're busy Aphrodite" someone said from the other side of the door.
"Zoey, believe me when I say that I wouldn't interrupt if it wasn't important. Hurry your ass up and open the damn door!"
It took a little while, but finally a girl came and opened the door. This girl must have been a vampyre, because her mark was filled in, and she had more tattoo then I'd ever seen on anyone, but they were so beautiful and intricate. I'd never seen anything like this in my life.
"What do you wa-" she started to say, until she noticed me and my mark.
"Sweet Nyx." She said breathlessly.
"And I leave her with you." Aphrodite said then walked away. When I turned back around to face Zoey, there was a guy standing behind her. He was so hot! I blushed deeply as I realized they were waiting for me to say something.
"Um, I just got marked around 6 o'clock, then a little bit later, I felt and hit my head, then passed out, and I woke up and my mark was filled." I didn't mention the vision I had with Nyx.
"Did you see Nyx when you were passed out?" Zoey asked me as if she read my mind.
"Um yeah." I said then I gasped, as I realized that this was the Zoey that she was talking about.
"Oh goddess, she told me I was to become the twin of the first Daughter of Night, Zoey Redbird" I saw the guys I figured was Stark tense when I said Zoey's name.
"Oh goodness, you must come in and tell me everything that has happened since you have been marked, as I will inform you on what's going on." She said then walked over to her bed, where Stark followed, and made sure she had everything she needed.
I followed them in, sat in the chair at the desk, and told them everything I knew.
