Disclaimer: I do not own the House of Night; this amazing series belongs to P.C. & Kristin Cast. Though I do own the OC, Nettie. And she is me; this is my story if I was to be Marked by a Tracker. Consider this My House of Night!

I know I haven't updated in quite a while, when I usually update at least twice a week. But, I hope you like the newest Chapter and I am still currently working on Chapter 9. Enjoy!

CHAPTER EIGHT

Dreamer

The Goddess smiled for a moment, but I noticed it wasn't solemn, it was filled with light and laughter and instantly I felt some of my fear slide from my body even before she spoke. No Daughter. You my child are far from dead, though your spirit has been temporarily been freed from your body to wander the realm of the Spirit people.

Glancing around me I tired, even though I had been so afraid before, to see the figures that had appeared to me in the shadowed smoke, but there was no one else here but me and the Goddess, turning back to her I asked the one thing I wanted to know but was terrified of finding out. "Why now? Why have you Marked me now? I… I don't understand?"

Her smile was both warm and solemn as she regarded me with a gaze that was both calculating and curious. Her face and eyes warmed as she watched me and simply said to me, It was your time to embrace your true potential… and the darkness inside your heart, was begging to taint your spirit, your heart. It is mirrored inside another's, this same terrible darkness. You both need to find your way back to the light, and no longer be shrouded in darkness.

Tears filled my eyes, as I reached up a trembling hand to press against my breasts. To feel the thudding of my heart: was I truly filled with darkness? I thought about what I had been thinking before all of this began, before the Tracker found me. But who was the other one, why did she tell me someone else was straying to the path of darkness? Was I to pull them out? Tears slid down my cheeks as I thought about all the pain, the hatred. The need to escape. How I had pushed my fears to the back of my mind, pretending that everything was okay.

And I allowed myself to cry, in front of the Goddess.

Tears streamed down my face and the Goddess watched me solemnly as I continued to cry. My shoulders trembling as I shook, letting out all the pain I had accumulated from being Marked, and everything that had been brought into the light since then. Everything whirled around inside my heart, my mother's blatant disregard; my fear of feeling something for the Tracker; and my fear of moving to the House of Night. And the knowledge that my destiny would await me there at the House of Night, shrouded in mystery and shadows; unless I died in the process of going through the Change.

The Goddess's face softened again, and when she spoke her voice was like what I had wanted my mother's to sound like from the very beginning, warm, comforting, only her voice was, well more. Believe in yourself Nettie Kuran. Always remember that I have Marked you as my own. You are my true Daughter of Night, my first and only Daughter of Magic. You are special, accept that about yourself, and you will begin to understand that there is true power in your uniqueness. Within you lies the knowledge of Wise Woman and Elders of Magic, as well as the insight and knowledge of the Modern world.

The Goddess stood gracefully, her dress falling to the ground and moving around her like a cloud as she stepped forward slowly making her way towards me. Daughter of Magic, echoed inside my head as she moved. Her words painting strange silver symbols of power in the air, they danced in the magical wind. When she stood before me, my tears seemed to ebb; gently she reached out a hand and brushed the tears from my eyes, her touch gentle before taking my face into her hands.

I whispered my voice filled with self-doubt and I knew she could hear it in my voice, "I can't. Magic, I don't even know what that is. Power- I hardly speak up even when I'm drowning. I'm eighteen, considered an adult in society but I feel like a terrified child, and I fear that I can't live up to your expectations." I watched her face, but she smiled serenely at me. Her eyes so dark seemed to reflect light back at me, warming me.

You are old beyond you years, Daughter. Believe in yourself and you will find a way to understand, and remember magic comes in many forms. All you have to do is find the right form for you, be it light or even love. Always remember, my Daughter of Night and Magic, darkness does not always equate to evil, just as light does not always bring good. Then Nyx, the Goddess, the ancient personifications of Night, leant forward and gently pressed her lips to my forehead. And for the third time that day (or now Night) I fainted, remembering her lingering words to me and somehow through all I had been through and all I had feared, I was no longer afraid.

…

Oh beautiful one, adorned with spell
To ravage my world as might a sweet angel.
Oh beautiful thing, so much at ease:
Allure of caressing breeze in touch gentle.

The beautiful words of the alluring poem floated through my waking mind, caressing me softly with the intimate words. The voice was familiar, gentle and masculine, weaving a spell around me with the intimacy in which the words were whispered into my ear. The words though pleasing still filled me with a sense of warm security that trickled through my body like a small flowing river, warming my cold skin. Air stirred along the skin below my ear, sending the small wisps of hair dancing against my cheek, tickling my nose. Though I didn't feel the need to sneeze or cough, which was odd, I had felt so sick this afternoon but now I felt good. Amazing almost and I didn't know why?

Oh beautiful creature…

The words ceased as I stirred restlessly, my cheek brushing against soft sheets as I shifted my weight. Blue eyes swam in my vision, warm lips upon my forehead, a blinding pain. I had been Marked. I had been Marked by the Tracker and I was going to become a vampyre. My eyes flew open and I gasped in surprise as the knowledge of what had happened spiralled through my mind, my memories overlapping and becoming a whirl wind of colour and noise. The sound of water running along rocks and the sound of chanting mixed with seeing the handsome vampyre Tracker for the first time and the rush of water and the crackle of fire with walking down a darkened hallway only to find a blank wall and the need to keep moving forward, to run.

Terror over stepped all the other as the fear came rushing back… so did the need to run. Clutching the stark feeling pristine white sheets I tossed them away and swung my legs over the side of the bed (wait, bare legs?). Panic settled in as I felt the cold rush of air along my legs, arms and torso. I was only scantily clad in my bra and panties, and the insane part of my mind was glad that the panties were not lace. The sound of a shutting door reverberated through the empty room, glancing around me I noticed the simple beds spread out in a row, and the shelving on the far side of the room filled with towels and other medical supplies.

Apparently I was now in the House of Night Infirmary. But my memories were disjointed, I remembered being Marked, being abandoned by my Mother and then… My eyes widened in surprise as everything came rushing back, the Goddess, her fated words. I had been in the Spirit World, a place between the living and the dead. But how had I gotten to the Infirmary and half naked? The vampyre Tracker, hadn't he carried me here? His strong arms wrapped protectively around my unconscious body as he carried me through the shadowed corridors. Of course I would have to remember that particular embarrassing moment in perfect clarity.

"Nettie, you're awake. Thank the Goddess." Her voice was filled with relief and I turned to see Astra walking towards me a bundle of dark silk held in her arms as she strode towards me purposely. She was strikingly beautiful and I felt my fear melt away like ice in the sun as my mind and body both began to calm down and clarity of thought once again returned to me. Her dark eyes roamed over my face, resting on my forehead for a moment her eyebrows pulling down in the centre with concern. She was still clad in the same flowing black dress, her hair was still loose around her shoulders so maybe I hadn't been unconscious for too long.

Embarrassment registered in my mind when I remembered I was barely clothed, my cheek becoming hot as the blood heated my cheeks a bright red, the flush spread along my neck and shoulders as I tried somewhat to turn my body away. Her smile was filled with warmth as she carefully placed the bundle of clothing at the end of the bed where I still stood. "Your new Uniform, for the House of Night." She said, indicating for me to get dressed. So I took the soft silky feeling royal purple blouse between my fingers and started when the flickering light from the candelabra caught on a streak of silver embroidery that was on the breat of the shirt.

Lifting the blouse to eyelevel my strange hazel eyes stared in awe at the silver embroidery in the shape of a spiral that glittered in an almost unending delicate circle that would rest over my heart. I whispered slightly, "Nyx's Labyrinth. Our new beginning as we start walking on the Path of Night and learn the ways of the Goddess and the new possibilities this life has to offer." My voice was somewhat melodic as if the knowledge came from somewhere else and not my own mind, but somehow I knew all of this almost like a part of me had already studied or lived this.

There was a smile in Astra's voice as she spoke, "Very good Nettie, the Goddess has gifted you wisely." A shiver passed down as I continued to dress, pulling on a cute black skirt that ended halfway at my thighs and swirled around as I moved. Astra continued to speak as I dress, her words sliding along my shoulders with the authority in her voice, "Classes have been in session for four hours, so you have been…" she paused here as I turned to face her, but then she continued on slowly, assessing my reaction, "unconscious for nigh on six hours."

I felt my lips open in surprise and knew I looked like a gaping fish, but six hours!? It's like I had been asleep but I hadn't been. The memory of falling into unconsciousness in the Tracker's arms and then following the sound of chanting voice and words magically painted in the air filled my mind. But I couldn't exactly blurt that out in front of a High Priestess, no matter how kind and understanding she had been, she would just think I was crazy. And a sense of, perhaps warning rolled through me to shut my mouth, not in a bad sense but maybe I should keep quiet about it all until at least I knew what was going on.

"The Tracker…" I mumbled slightly, "he was there." I murmured turning my head to see if the handsome vampyre with the ancient looking knot work mask was going to walk from the shadows and greet me. But I knew I was daydreaming. He had probably left me here just as quickly as he had when he had initially Marked me. My hair slid along my shoulders and brushed against my arms and I remembered in stark quality the way it had fallen like a river as he held me in his arms, and then I wondered while blushing if he had been the one to undress me. How completely and utterly embarrassing.

Astra caught my attention as she began to speak, her words slow and carefully chosen as she tried not to offend me, "In regards to that child, I was hoping you would be able to tell me what happened to you and why you have a filled in and…" she paused her and I stood slowly after sliding on ballet flats, my hair falling over my shoulders like a wavy river, "decorated Mark?"

Read and Review: And I guess you all know who the other person is, the one with darkness in their heart? Anyway, I have the books beside me when I write this so the Goddess, still speaks like she did to Zoey, but I will try to keep everything different, except Erik and the Goddess, I want them to be as true to the books as possible.

Sorry if it seems a little disorganized, I was trying to make it different from the book, and I know my OC's thoughts are quite random. Please let me know if you think anything doesn't match up to the House of Night, like classes or day to day stuff when I begin writing about her 'normal days'.

Poem: Beautiful One by Mark R Slaughter.