Disclaimer: I dont own HON or Max Ride. I wish I did but I dont...

"Welcome to Tulsa's House of Night." Zoey said. "This is Neferet, the high priestess."

Somehow, Zoey convinced me to cover up the wing parts of my tattoo with concealer. She said people would stare at me, and that's the last thing I need with my paranoia.

Neferet was stunning. She had auburn hair the fell in delicate waves around her. Delicate waves, wow, let's just forget I said that. Her eyes were luminous and wise. The very air around her radiated power. She was perfect.

I didn't like her one bit.

For some reason she reminded me of the male model looking erasers. They looked perfect, until they turned into wolf men that is. She can read minds. The Voice said.

Can you set up some kind of mind block or something? I thought.

Already did. The Voice added. Pretend to like Neferet. Well I'm not that great at pretending to like someone, but okay. Only because the Voice managed to set up mind block.

"Hi, I'm Max." I smiled at her and tried to make warmth come out of my eyes.

"Welcome to House of Night. Here if you'd like, you can change your name into something you like better." Neferet said sounding friendly and motherly. One word, fake. She's almost as bad as Anne Walker.

"Nah," I grinned. "I like my name." After all, I did name myself.

"What's your name? We need to get you schedules and a dorm." She sounded so freakin' fake!

"My name's Maximum Ride, but just call me Max." I grinned as Zoey and Neferet's eyes bugged. Is my name really that strange? I guess it is. But it'd be even funnier if Fang was here. Get it? Vampryes have fangs? Little bit of bird kid humor for ya there.

"Max, you'll be roommates with Zoey. Zoey, I expect you to take care of Max until she gets used to things here." I grit my teeth to cage the sarcasm that rose in my throat. I just hate it when grownups try to rule your life. "Show Max the room you'll be sharing." And Neferet walked away. Total trotted up to me and wagged his tail like a normal dog.

"Why are they so many cats here?" I asked.

"Cats are just here." Zoey shrugged. "My cat Nala doesn't really like dogs. But the cats are getting used to dogs."

"Why?" I asked to keep a conversation going.

"Stark got transferred here and his dog is a lot bigger than yours." She shrugged again. "Do you mind if I introduce you to my friends before I show you my-our room?"

Now it's my turn to shrug. "Sure." She leads me through winding hallways and multiple buildings into a large cafeteria. I inhale the wonderful smells of food. "Can I grab some food first? I haven't eaten all day."

She nods, "I'll get something too."

I get one of everything to the shock of the servers and Zoey. Zoey gets a small salad. We pay and sit down at a table of her friends. I started attacking my food like, well like an eraser.

"Hey Z!" A brown haired boy said. "Who's this?" I hate when people talk about me like I'm not there. The white coats always did that. We were only experiments, unworthy of names and being spoken to. I grit my teeth in frustration.

"I'm Max." I said icily. "Not this. I'm Max, the person who will kick your butt into next week if you talk about me like I'm not there."

"Queen Damien," A pale girl with blond hair and blue eyes said. "New girl just dissed you."

"Or threatened, twin." Said I girl who looked like an older version of Nudge. My throat closed up and I almost choked on what I was eating. My flock wasn't here and I was. What am I going to do without them?

"How do you eat that much?" A blond girl sneered.

"Aphrodite, that was rude." Zoey said. I shrugged and kept shoveling food into my mouth. What kind of a name is Aphrodite? I guess I have no right to ask because my name's Maximum.

"Look at what she's wearing, though." The blond, Aphrodite said.

"Hate to say it but we agree with the hag." The older Nudge said.

"Shut up!" I snarled. "Don't talk about me while I can hear you like I'm not here!"

"Major attitude problem." The pale blond said.

"Yup." Said the older Nudge.

Zoey sighed. "This is my group. The pale blond one is Erin and that's her twin Shaunee." She pointed to the African American one. "That's Damien." She gestured to the brown haired one. "And that's his boyfriend Jack." Okay, so he's gay. "This is Erik." She points to a black haired guy who I suspect's her boyfriend. "That's Aphrodite." She said and pointed to the Barbie look alike.

"You'll get fat if you eat that much." Jack said innocently. I snort in response. I'm skinny and tall, that's never going to change. It's a bird kid thing.

"Jack's right." Damien said. "It's unhealthy to eat that much."

"I'm surprised you haven't said anything about my table manners." I say shove another sandwich into my mouth. They seem surprised, like a rock just talked. "Close your mouths before I break your jaws." I hiss.

"Hi Maxie." A familiar voice says from behind. Adrenaline pumps into my veins and I jump around into a fighting stance. Ari.

Wadda ya think? R&R and I mean it!!!!