"Come in!"
I opened the door and walked towards her desk, the cat following my trail.
"Take a seat. How was the rest of your day?"
I gave her one of those looks that said it all. I did not want to talk about my day. I just wanted the day to end and forget it ever happened. She switched tactics.
"Well I am sure tomorrow will go more smoothly. After all this will take some getting used to. I am glad you have joined us Faith, even if you have hesitations."
Hesitation wouldn't be the exact word I would use. In fact, it probably wouldn't even be one word. More like many words with a string of profanities attaching them together.
"I am new here too Faith. We can grow together. This is an opportunity for you to become something you never dreamed of. I'll be with you every step of the way."
Half of me wanted to throw this humungous fit. Yell at her and tell her exactly what I think of this opportunity. But the other half was really touched by the fact she was being so nice and open to me. Kind of like a mom even. Which just made me miss my mom even more.
"Thank you." I say, choosing to keep my temper under control. "I appreciate your support. I can't promise I can look on this whole thing positively quite just yet, but I will try."
She smiled at me. I some how knew she was honestly concerned about me. I just didn't know how much I could tell her without her freaking out to the extreme. For instance the fact I might be able to read and control the red vampyre's minds. And by might I mean can, because there was no way Stark coincidentally was doing everything I wanted him to do. Which brings to light Erik's whole dream thing because he was the one that said I would be able to do those things in the first place. Why has my life turned into something you'd see on the sci-fi channel?? How do I even bring something like this up?
"Do you have any questions or anything?"
Well if that's not an opening I don't know what is. I wasn't going to get specific, but I had to get some answers.
"Well, I do have one or two," I begin hesitantly. I didn't feel any subconscious hesitation telling me to shut up so I continued, "I was wondering about affinities, and how you know if you have one or not."
"Well not every fledgling and vampyre receives an affinity from Nyx. However, some do and the manifestation process is unique to every fledgling." Topaz smiled gently at me.
Wow, that was so unhelpful. Here goes question number two. "Okay, and what about the affinities Nyx gives? Are there stipulations? Is there any gift she wouldn't give? Such as mind control perhaps?" Hopefully I sounded more ignorant than actually curious. I didn't want to get her suspicious.
"When Nyx gives an affinity she never takes it back no matter if the said vampyre uses their gifts wisely or foolishly. As to what kind of affinities… well I know of elemental affinities, prophesying affinities, healing affinities, but not full on mind control no. There is a wide range of gifts that Nyx bestows upon her children. We are each unique, and if you're worried you won't get one, don't be. You are special with or without an affinity."
She looked so proud. What was I supposed to say after that? Why actually I think I do have an affinity, and it's something that you've never come up against. Luckily I didn't have to say anything because Cat chimed up with a rather loud meow.
"I see you have found your cat?"
"It found me actually. Scared me have to death. Sweet Cat." I say giving it a slight nudge with my foot.
"And her name? I haven't seen her around here before."
"Cat." I say, smirking down at her. It looked up at me with those big yellow eyes and I swear she growled.
"I don't think she likes that name." Topaz chuckles.
"I thought it was witty. Well fine. What about Nichole? Named after my best friend? You going to growl at that?" Amazingly enough she did. Louder too. Seriously? "Well aren't we temperamental." I looked back up at Topaz unaware of what I should do next. I felt like this cat was going to attack me if I said another name it disliked.
"Maybe it's a boy cat? And doesn't appreciate girls names?" I suggest.
"That would make sense."
"Okay, what about Thor? Norse God of lightning and all that jazz." This time it growled only a little. So I was getting closer. Stark had been wrong, cats do name themselves, and we just have a hell of a time trying to figure it out.
"Hades?" I ask. I expected it to growl again, but instead the cat lovingly purred. Disney's Hercules was one of my favorite movies. And Hades was one of my favorite bad guys. Funny that I would name a cat after him, or find a cat named after him. Whatever, at least I knew his name now.
"You are quite the intriguing fledgling Faith. My door is always open to you remember that."
"Thanks Topaz. I will see you tomorrow in sociology. Come on Hades, let's show you off to my peers." And with that I left, knowing full well I should have stayed in her office as long as possible, because now I was going to have to face the wrath of Zoey.
"You'll protect me? Won't you Hades?" I ask him. I swear he nodded. Well at least I got a brave cat.
I was almost to my room. I could even see the door handle when I heard my name.
"Faith!"
Here it comes. Will she hit me? Maybe choke the life out of me?
"Yes?" I turn around hesitantly. Zoey was approaching quickly. She didn't look angry. It was probably just the lighting.
"I know I said we would hang out tonight but I might have forgotten that I promised Topaz I would head up the Equinoxal ceremony. Which is definitely tonight."
"Equinoxal ceremony?" I stutter, not really understanding how she wasn't yelling at me or cursing me into oblivion.
"It's a ceremony for Nyx, celebrating when the days and nights are equally long."
"No, I mean I know what equinox means, I just…" I was about to ask about Stark when a joyful thought hit me… maybe he hadn't told her yet. Maybe he wouldn't tell her ever!!!
"You're mad. I'm really sorry Faith, I totally meant to show you around tonight and help you get acquainted with the grounds and now…"
"No, I'm not mad at all," I interrupted her, I was the opposite of mad, "I am sure that this ceremony will be interesting and I can't wait."
She looked at me obviously surprised. Hell, I was surprised because I wasn't even lying. Anything that could get me doing normal things like all the other fledglings was a fantastic idea.
"Well it starts after dinner, which is over in about forty-five minutes, so I guess I will see you then?"
"Yeah you will! See you then!" I picked up Hades, grabbed his paw, waved it at Zoey and went to my room. I shut the door behind me and let out a huge sigh of relief. Hades started struggling in my arms.
"Sorry, I was just really happy." I tell him placing him down on my bed. He gave me this exasperated look before curling up on my pillow. I roll my eyes and sit down. I still didn't have any of my stuff; I figure my mom would drop it off while I was sleeping. It would be daylight after all and that's when humans are out and about. It was weird thinking about my mom as a human, when I'm not one anymore.
I saw a pile of books that caught my eye over on Aphrodite's side of the room. She didn't seem like the kind of girl to read books much less own them. I stood up and went to take a look. They were nothing that I had ever heard of. With titles like Understanding Your Imprint and Accepting Your Vampyre I felt like Aphrodite would need a little more then a couple of books to help her with whatever she was dealing with.
"What are you doing?"
I straightened up and turned to face Aphrodite. "I was bored, and wanted to see if you had any good books to pass the time." Wow, that was a pretty impressive lie. Go me.
"I should have figured you were a nerd. Why would Nyx send someone remotely normal into my life? I get stuck with freakazoid after fucking freakazoid."
"Sucks for you." I mutter collapsing on my bed.
"Damn right it sucks."
"You don't seem like the kind of girl to make a punny." I sit up smirking.
"A what?" she asks, looking annoyed.
"You know, a pun? Vampyres suck blood… hence it sucks. Ha ha?"
"A nerd that thinks she's funny. Just my luck." Aphrodite says to herself turning her back to me.
"A meh meh meh meh meheh. Meh meh meh." I mimic her in a high pitch whiny voice.
She turned around to glare at me. So shoot me, I wasn't in the mood for being mature. In fact it was probably the first time today I wasn't angrily stomping around condemning this place to hell.