Once we're out in the hallway Zoey slows down.
"Do you really believe what you said in there?" I ask breaking the awkward silence that descended the moment we were alone walking in the hallway.
"I guess," she says leading me outside. "I do not know if you're to be trusted though. Just throwing that out there."
I stop following her. We were standing outside in a courtyard. It was night time and beautiful. I didn't even know what time it was. But her admitting to not trusting me suddenly upset me. Nyx did not mention anything about having to prove my trustworthiness to anyone. It wasn't like I had signed up for this gig. She noticed I stopped, and turned around.
"I just want you to know Zoey, that I did not ask to be whatever I am. Nyx told me you'd be the one closest to me. The one I could relate to the most. I do not know what you have been through, and why Nyx needed me here anyways, but I do hope that you are not letting it cloud your judgment." I say calmly, and hopefully.
She looks at me blankly, like I had somehow surprised her. And in all of a sudden her demeanor changed.
"Nyx really did bring you here then? Are you supposed to help me somehow? Are you a high priestess in training too? Do you know what your purple mark means? Do you have any idea what has been happening here? Do you know how you're going to help us? Is there another threat besides Kalona and Neferet?"
"Who girl, slow down." I interrupt her, taking a step closer to her. She looked close to a hysterical breakdown. My god what has she been through?
"First of all, I know is what Nyx told me, and that is that I am supposed to help with some problems that have been growing stronger lately. She obviously didn't specify; that would have been way too easy. Secondly I have no idea who Kalona and Neferet are, and would like to add that I am very glad you chose a normal name and not something like Aphrodite or Neferet. Those are just weird. Thirdly, I am clueless to this whole vampire thing. I didn't even know a purple mark was not normal in the first place. I don't know what we eat, and if it is blood I might puke, and above all I never ever ever wanted to be a vampire." I finish taking a seat at the stone table near by. Zoey followed me, and sits down next to me.
"We don't drink blood for food Faith, don't worry," she says chuckling lightly, "In fact most fledglings do not even like the taste of blood until their third or fourth year here. Of course I say most because I am the exception, and you probably will be too, if we are as alike as you think we are."
My grossed out expression just made her laugh all the more. She then segued into a story about how Aphrodite, back before she was nice (which of course I interrupted and double checked we were talking about the same Aphrodite, causing her to laugh and nod), had made her drink some wine mixed with blood in hopes of embarrassing her but it in fact just made her want more. That is karma for you, I thought once she finished.
"I promise it isn't as bad as you think. In fact it is the very opposite of bad." Zoey says smiling warmly. I try to keep the shudder that crept through my body to a minimum.
"And as for Neferet and Kalona, well that's a whole long story, and actually explains why Stevie Ray and Stark are Red vampires." She adds. My eyes widen. I remembered the pain in all of their faces back when it had been brought up before. I was about to ask why I felt those weird feelings around them when a sudden warning went off in my head. I looked into Zoey's pretty eyes, knowing that my blue ones were so much different then her own, not understanding why I shouldn't tell her what I had felt. But again the warning went off, and I knew I couldn't tell her, not yet at least.
"So do you trust me enough to tell me the story?" I ask curiously.
"Well, maybe. But how about before I dive into that whole thing we just get to know each other a little bit?" she asks still smiling. I agree, but before either of us could say anything Zoey's name is called.
"Zoey, I need to talk to you." A rather deep voice came out of the shadows. Without thinking I jump up in front of Zoey, as if to protect her from the unseen voice. "Faith are you okay?" she asks slowly standing up and putting a hand on my shoulder. As if coming out of a trance I step back slightly. What the hell had just happened? The sound of his voice again caused me to be an alert, but I didn't jump in front of her again. Out of the shadows came a tall handsome Vampire. His tattoos sounded his eyes like a mask.
"Erik, class is going to start soon, what is going on?" Zoey asks, obviously not threatened by him. In fact she sounded extremely happy to see him.
"I had heard a new fledgling had a filled in mark, and that it was purple. I knew you attract trouble so I had to find you, and check to see if you're okay." He says stepping close, hugging her tightly. Completely ignoring me.
"She is just fine, thank you very much." I say giving him a slight glare.
He steps back from her and realizes I am the "trouble" he was referring to. He looked utterly surprised. And then his face darkened slightly, as if an understanding washed over him.
"This is Faith Lauren. And she seems just fine, in fact she's probably more freaked out by us then we are of her at this moment." Zoey say's kind of embarrassed.
"It is nice to meet you Faith Lauren, I am Erik Night." He says holding out his hand. His voice may have been pleasant but he was acting. He didn't trust me any more then I wanted to be here. I rolled my eyes. I had no intentions of being fake. I could have easily, being raised in a theater my whole life, but he was doing enough acting for the both of us.
"It's so great to meet you too." I say in probably the most bored tone I could muster up. I took his hand, gave it one shake and let it go.
"I will see you in class Erik, I am going to show Faith around some more." Zoey interjects trying to ease up some of the tension.
"Okay Z." he relents, leaning down and giving her a quick kiss. He gives me a nod and then turns and walks away.
"He was nice." I say, hoping she'd pick up on the sarcasm. She did.
"I am sorry. Lately he has been acting a little odd. He probably thought you were going to be a boy. And then when he found out you were a girl, well I am sorry." Zoey says starting to lead me back into the building.
"So when he said trouble he really meant boy trouble? I am guessing he is the jealous type?" I ask keeping in step with her.
"He kind of has reason for it. I just don't know why he didn't relax once he realized you were a girl. Anyway, let's go to Topaz and get your schedule."
I stare at the manila parchment in my hand. I was enrolled in vampire sociology, fencing, drama, literature, and equestrian studies. Apparently everything Zoey was enrolled in. I really hope we don't end up getting on each other's ever lasting nerve, because we were going to be spending a lot of time together.
"Well drama is first. Do you know anything about acting?" she asks, but before I could reply she opens the classroom door and we are suddenly barked at.
"Zoey, Faith, you are late, take your seats."
There at the front of the classroom was Erik. Or I guess Professor Night. What the hell?? Zoey was dating a professor? Was she out of her effing mind?
"You're dating professor?" I whisper, astounded, sitting down.
"He wasn't a professor when I first started dating him, he wasn't even a full vampire until recently." She whispers back, defending herself. I just find myself looking back and forth between the two of them. Holy shit. And there he was, glaring at me again. This was going to be just great. Maybe he thought I was a lesbian and wanted his girlfriend. Because beyond that I had no idea what I did to piss this guy off so much.
"Shakespeare. I know you have all heard of him. But what do you really know?" he begins.
I sit there for the next hour listening him to talk about Shakespeare. My hero. I was about to nod off, when he began a monologue from the Twelfth Night. One of my favorite comedies. The moment he began acting I was captivated. He became a different person, and my mom would have been so proud. I mean I was proud. Too bad the moment he was finished he was back to glaring at me. I applauded with the rest of the class, pretending he didn't bother me. Zoey just sat there, like a proud parent. I wanted to smack her over the head. This guy had some issues.
"Now next class we will have six people act out three different scenes. Any volunteers?" he asks. No one raises their hands, and I would have but I felt entirely fearful of a snide remark or too.
"Come on guys, this is just for practice." He says, trying to encourage us.
Zoey raises her hand, which then causes three guys to raise their own. It made you laugh. Okay so maybe Erik/ Professor Night did have a reasonable reason for being jealous.
"So we need two more people." He says.
Another guy raises his hand, but just looks bored, as if he could careless about doing anything. He was cute and had spiky blonde hair. His eyes suddenly find mine, and he gives me a smirk before turning back to the front, looking bored.
"Thanks Taylor, one more person?" Erik asks hopeful.
I raise my hand. Slowly, and deliberately. He pretends not to see it.
"Anyone?" he asks.
Zoey glares at him while I keep my hand raised.
"Professor, that new girl is raising her hand." That Taylor guy says. I could tell Erik was fighting the grimace that was trying to cover his face.
"Ahh, I didn't see you. Faith, good. We have our six volunteers. If you would all stay after class so I can give you your scenes that would be great." He says, even though he had looked directly at my raised hand and me three times "searching" for his final volunteer.
Zoey gives me an apologetic look, while I just roll my eyes. Taylor turned and winked at me. I wink right back. Maybe this wouldn't suck as much as I thought, well okay so maybe I have a professor who is dating my potentially new best friend that I am pretty sure completely hates me, and I still have no idea what my purpose is here and I am on a completely different page, maybe even a different book then most of these other fledglings, all the while I miss my Mom and Nichole. But I can be optimistic, and the fact a cute boy totally just flirted with me in the middle of class warrants optimism.