"I swear to god, if you don't shut up, I'm going to hit you." Lena's voice spoke from behind the bathroom door. She and her sister had been hanging out in her room for a couple hours and Lena was getting ready for bed. She grabbed the towel and patted her face dry. Another cough came from deep in her throat causing her body to ache more than it already did.

The coughing and fatigue had set in earlier the day before, catching her off guard. Flu season had already passed. It was probably nothing.

Right?

"Mom said that she left medicine on the counter in the kitchen before her and dad left for their trip!" Rose, her only sibling, called out from her spot on the bed.

"Thanks, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to head to bed early. I feel like crap." She spoke as she closed the bathroom door and turned the light off.

"Night sis."

The next morning, she felt so much worse. But still, she had to go to school. Lena couldn't miss any more days. Letting out another wet cough, she grabbed her bag and car keys and called out to her sister. After a quick stop for coffee, the siblings headed to school, unknown to Lena, that her life was about to change forever.

There had only been two people at their highschool that had been marked. Sure, Lena knew about the vampyre and their world, but she never really thought much of it. She knew that once you were marked, you had to go to the closest House of Night-theirs was the one in Tulsa- or you would die.

As she crossed campus to her fourth period, a coughing fit took over her. Leaning against the nearest tree, she rested her hands against her knees.

"Jesus I have to be dying or something." she muttered to herself, glad that the coughing fit had ended. She was surprised that no one came to help her, but she shrugged it off. The rest of her day went by as normal, and it was when she was leaving her last class that it happened. There was a guy, who she would have just overlooked if it weren't for the rather noticeable marks on his forehead. The blue filled in crescent was the first clue, and the intricate marks that spanned across his forehead was the second one.

A tracker.

A vampyre tracker.

"Oh fuck." She gasped, as the man raised his pointer finger towards her.

"Magdalena Hamilton, Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee, hearken to her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night."

Hot white pain exploded on her forehead, and she went to her knees in pain. Already she could feel the slight raised mark of the crescent on her forehead.

Well her day just got a ton better.

Ignoring everyone that just had to be staring at her, she made her way out of the main gate and to her car, thankful for once that her sister had gotten a ride from her friend. The door slammed loudly as she let her head fall back to rest against the headrest.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck!" she yelled out, her hand hitting the wheel.

Another round of coughing.

She needed to get to the House of Night. The one in Tulsa was close to a four hour drive, three if she broke a couple laws. A laugh bubbled up in her chest. She peeled out of the parking lot, making the two minute drive back home. She let the front door close with a slam as she ran up the stairs, grabbing a bag and throwing things in it at random. Most of her things were already gone? That was weird. Perhaps they were already at the House of Night? Surely they would have had to know that she was going to be marked.

She shot off two texts, one to her sister and the other to her parents, explaining what had happened and what she opened they understood. With one last look at her room, Lena swung the bag over her shoulder and headed back to the car.

Deep breaths.

You got this.


Having turned off her phone, the ride was filled with music, and less coughing. Which, she was grateful for. As she pulled into the gates, her jaw dropped. It was so amazing and beautiful. Already she felt at home. She remembered hearing about them buying it out from the city and to see what it had become, she knew she would be alright. She parked in a spot and grabbed her bag, making her way inside. She was greeted by a beautiful auburn haired woman with soft green eyes. Her own mark was gorgeous and Lia wondered what her's would look like, if she survived the change.

"Merry Meet my child, Welcome to the House of Night Magdelena." She spoke, a smile growing on her face. "Welcome to the first step of your new life. I am Neferet, the High Priestess of this House of Night." She could feel the woman's gaze look up and down her body, taking her in.

Lena couldn't help but stare at the woman for a second before snapping away from it. "It's nice to meet you." Her voice came out softly, her fingers twisting together.

"First off, it's an offer that every fledgling gets, do you wish to change your name?"

"Yes, a million times yes!" She had always hated her full name, hell bent on changing it as soon as she was of age. "I've always gone by Lena, so I'm going to choose that to be my name from now on."

"Perfect. Why don't I give you a tour of the school and then get you settled in your room. You'll be rooming by yourself for a bit until we get another fledgling."

And with that Lena took her first step forward into her new life.