Chapter Five

The Plan

She walked into school more confident than ever. She didn't smile but kept to herself. She was careful not to think about what Stanton had told her last night. This morning he called her and told her each of the abilities of each of the Daughters. Vanessa could turn invisible, Serena could read minds, Jimena could have premonitions, Catty could travel in time, and Tianna could move objects with her mind. She had to watch out for Vanessa, Serena, and Jimena. If Serena knew she would stop her from seeing Stanton. If Jimena had a premonition she'd be watched by Vanessa.

All day she avoided them. When the lunch bell rang she grabbed her pass and waited for Stanton outside. She saw them walking towards her when Stanton pulled up. She hopped in and he took her to Pizza Hut. She had a slice of cheese pizza and he nibbled off some of it. He kissed her outside the school and she returned to class.

After school was another close call. She could feel the fuzzy feeling of Serena trying to enter her mind. She was carefully hiding her knowledge of Stanton and forced herself to remember facts about history. It worked and when she felt Stanton's presence she hurried into the car. After a few seconds the fuzzy feeling left.

"Did they get any information," he asked immediately.

"I don't think so, but they're definitely getting suspicious."

"I can't see you later but I will come by at night. If you're asleep I'll wake you up."

"Stanton, I want to join the Atrox." Gabby had to say it before Stanton read her mind. She wanted to be with him. If he couldn't leave the Atrox, then she had to join. She wanted to join, if it meant that she'd have Stanton forever.

"Are you sure," he asked. "If you do join, then the Daughters will sense it. If they find out, they will try to stop you and turn you back."

"I'm sure. I want to do it as soon as I can. I want to be with you. I want to stand by your side."

"Alright. Tonight we can begin the process. You know that once I turn you, you still have to do something to please the Atrox or else you won't be immortal with eternal youth. You'll have to find a way to please it."

"I think I have an idea that will greatly please the Atrox." "What?"

"Well, you are Prince of the Night, right?

"Yes, go on."

"Well, the Atrox would want someone as strong as you if you should ever be destroyed. You know, a kind of back up Prince. An heir if you will. I will willingly produce that heir. Then, they have a child born into the Atrox from their strongest supporter. I will only do this, if I am given immortality with eternal youth."

"Wow. That's actually the best plan I've heard of to please the Atrox. It could work. After you're an initiate, I will have you apprenticed to me. Then after a little while, I will bring you before the Atrox and the inner circle to have you state your desire. I'm almost sure they will accept it.

"Listen, Gabby. We have to talk more about this later. I will see you tonight. Love you."

"Love you too." Gabby got out of the car and entered her home. She heard Stanton pull away. She went up into her room to think about what she'd take with her, when she was a member of the Atrox. Her phone rang.

"Hello? Gabrielle Mitchell speaking."

"Hi, Gabby. It's Vanessa. We're all very sorry about how we acted. Can we come over and try to make things up to you?"

Instead of answering she hung up the phone and returned to

her homework. It was five when she was done so she went for a walk outside. She took a tour of her neighborhood. It reminded her of her last neighborhood only with less trees and more houses. She wanted so badly to be with Stanton right now, and share with him how much she liked L.A. and how she missed her home at the same time. She heard a giggle in the wind, it sounded like Serena. She hurried inside and glanced at her caller I.D. It said K Moore Tianna. Vanessa had called using Tianna's personal line. They'd probably been spying on her and Serena read her thoughts about what she wanted to share with Stanton. How dare they!

They didn't even know him like she did. She didn't care anymore if they knew, but she would make them pay. She ate a hurried dinner and waited on her bed for Stanton. Her eyelids grew heavy and sleep over came her.

Her dream was similar to her last. She was with Stanton and in a black sparkle dress. Stanton put a ring on her finger and they kissed. This was their wedding! Her heart was racing. Stanton led her to a hotel. They got a honeymoon suite and kissed as if it were their last. They began to do what all couples do on their honeymoon. She was awakened by a breeze.

Stanton was above her with a very sly smile on his lips. "What," she asked.

"I entered your mind just now and saw your dream. I liked it." He grinned.

Gabby's face was burning. "I liked it too."

"Maybe one day we can make it a reality. Now about the whole, you joining the Atrox idea. We need to initiate you two weeks before the next dark moon which is in two weeks. If we do this now, then until the dark moon, you can't see anyone, especially the Daughters. They will know the change instantly and try to stop it. Are you ready?"

"Right now? Well okay. What am I to expect?"

"First I will trap your mind in a memory of the Atrox. It will

make an offer to you. You'll accept it and be an initiate."

"Is it scary?"

"Somewhat. I promise if things get out of hand I will stop it. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Here goes nothing." Stanton entered her mind and led it back to his. She could tell that what she was seeing wasn't real. She could feel the power of evil near her. Darkness swirled around her. This was her first dream. Something was coming towards her. It stopped and she still couldn't quite see what it was.

A deep penetrating voice spoke. It sent a shiver up her spine. "I am Atrox. I promise solitude in evil. I will give you family. You will have everything, and everyone. All I ask in return is you bring more to me. Bring them to be initiated. I am nothing more and nothing less than what can ease your pain. You will be one with me and one with evil. Do you bind yourself to me? Do you join my family?"

It took Gabby a while to find her voice. "Yes. I join you. I bind myself to you."

"Do you come willingly?"

"I come willingly."

"Then repeat what I say. Father of night and evil I call you. Allow me to cross over and become your servant. I come freely. Take me into the night!"

Gabby paused but only briefly. It sunk in what she was about to do. She was ready. "Father of night and evil I call you. Allow me to cross over and become your servant. I come freely. Take me into the night!"

A flash of darkness came and went. Her eyes became focused and she had no hopeful thought. She was bound to the Atrox. She smiled at Stanton and kissed him. "I am yours forever," she whispered. He sighed.

"I have to leave you now and have you apprenticed to me. I

will mark you before I go. It will be a small tattoo. It's only to let other Followers and initiates know you're mine." He took out an ink pen and a needle. He held her arm and cut it in the shape of a circle with a jagged S in the middle. He took the ink pen and filled the cut with black ink. She barely felt a thing. "There," he said when he finished. "Now everyone who sees it will know you're mine." He leaned in and kissed her gently. His tongue ran over hers and he turned into dark mist. He was gone. Gabby went back to sleep, thinking of the performance that lay ahead. She had to convince her parents that she was sick until the weekend. After the weekend it was all skipping school.