It was the early minutes before dawn. What was I thinking telling everyone to stay with Grandma? They would all be leaving soon to rest. We had to rest come sun up, especially if we were changed, but considering that the whole school, fledglings and adult vamps and all, were adjusted to the flipped day and nights. More than likely, everyone to be ready to go to sleep. I decided that instead of walking all over campus to get my Prefect together, I would just send them a silent message through Air.
Meet me at the infirmary at Dusk, it's an emergency
I got several responses back, Shaunee and Erin protested that Dusk was too early and they wanted to sleep in. I reminded them at classes started again at 8pm and they were still fledglings and required to attend class which means they could be up at Dusk. Was I to attend the classes too? I technically was still a third former. Granted I had fully changed AND I was initiated as High Priestess, but I didn't know all there was to know about Vampire's just yet. I just learned along the way. Then there was the Dark Daughters to think about. We hadn't had a ritual or a meeting in months, not since we went to the tunnels and Kalona was loose. I would have to appoint someone to take lead and get it up and running again. Ugh, so much to do and so little time to do it in. I had Grandma to worry about, Heath, whom I wish never stepped foot in the House of Night, was also missing, my boy issues, which I could never decide upon no matter how I tried, The Dark Daughters and Sons, moving into my new apartment and now Coraline. Life sure is busy for a High Priestess.
I took a short walk around the courtyard. I could feel the small bits of warmth from the sun's rays hitting my back. I felt myself becoming weaker as sleep wanted to take my body. I wasn't ready yet to sleep. I dragged my feet, my head hung low and lids started to drift as I continued to walk and walk.
"Zoey!" I heard a familiar voice call. "Zoey!" the voice got nearer. Warm hands touched my face and pulled it upwards. It was Aphrodite. "You need to get out of the sun" she covered me with a dark cloak and walked with me back towards the infirmary. "What in the hell are you doing outside in the sunlight anyways?!"
"Grandma…" I choked out. Not realizing what an impact the sun was having on me now, I could almost barely move.
"We're almost there" Aphrodite comforted me as she rushed me to the infirmary and in through the doors. Neferet and Erik were still in the room with Grandma and quiet shocked to see me draped in a dark cloak with Aphrodite ushering me in. Neferet ran over and removed the hood from the cloak.
"Zoeybird? What is wrong?" she asked with concern.
"She looked like she was going to fall asleep in the middle of the courtyard. I ran out to her and covered her up since her skin was starting to turn pink" Aphrodite said. "It was like I could feel the heat on my own skin…I knew something was wrong."
"You were wise to come bring her here. I will get her some blood, but I assume she will be fine after a good day's rest." Neferet said as she reached for a fresh blood bag that she stored in the infirmary for emergencies.
"Are you sure about using that?" Aphrodite questioned.
"No one could have tainted my blood supply here. It is under lock and key and only I have access to it" Neferet said as she ripped the top open with her teeth and held it to my mouth, "Drink lil bird"
I took the bag and began to drink. Neferet brushed the hair from my forehead and traced her fingers along my mark. She almost looked sad, as if she was about to start crying. I looked at her and smile, "I'm fine, and how is Grandma?"
Neferet's face went from sad to grim, "I don't know Zoey. She is no better than when you left shortly ago, but I do think that maybe she would be better off in a hospital or away from here."
I sat up, "No, she won't go anywhere, she's safer with me!"
Erik and Aphrodite grabbed my arms and pulled me back down onto the table, "Whoa Z, its ok" Erik soothed.
"I know your upset Zoey, but maybe Neferet is right" Aphrodite added. I just turned and gave her a cold look. "Hey! Don't give me that attitude miss High Priestess. I may be your consulate, but I'm not going to take you putting Grandma in even more danger"
"I didn't put her in danger in the first place!" I screamed. "Heath did when he was out with…….oh my god, Heath. Stark! Stark is out in the sun!" I turned to rush off of the table, but not before Erik grabbed the back of my shirt and pretty much threw me back onto the table.
"You're not going anywhere! James is a big boy, he can take care of himself" Erik said.
I huffed and decided to sulk on the table. Not the most High Priestess thing I could have done, but hey, I'm just seventeen, what else did they expect from me. "I would like to see my Grandma then" I said in a very gruff and aggravated voice.
Neferet nodded and took my hand, leading me through the infirmary to a small room that had a twin bed with a nightstand and a soft light. Grandma was tucked into the sheets, still asleep and no signs of movement. Neferet brought me in a chair and sat it next to Grandma's bed. "When you're ready and tired, I can show you upstairs to my apartment. I have plenty of space for you, Erik and Aphrodite to rest."
"Thank you" I mouthed to her as she walked out of the room, leaving me to be by myself in a dark and windowless room. I walked over and sat on the chair next to Grandma's bed. I took her hand and began to cry. "Gaest-ost yuh-wa du-nv-ta E-tsi" (I'm sorry Mother) the Cherokee words flowed out of my mouth as I continued to talk to my Grandma in her native tongue. She would be so pleased as to hear me talk it, as so little did anymore.
"A-ya tsi-ge-yu-i ni-hi" I heard her softly whisper.
"Grandma?" I asked earnestly waiting for her reply.
"Zoeybird? My u-we-tsi a-ge-hu-tsa?" she asked. I cried of sheer joy that she had awoken.
"Yes Grandma, it is me, your little bird." I grasped her hand tightly in mine nearly choking on my words. "Are you well?"
"I would not be here if I was sweetheart." She smiled. "It lightens my heart to hear you speak your native tongue my daughter"
"It just flows out of me Grandma. I don't even know what I'm saying when I say until I think about what I just said."
"You will soon learn that you are more ancient than your years my little bird. You not only are gifted by your Goddess Nyx, but by your people, our people, our brothers and sisters of the Cherokee flow through you." She reached up and touched my face. I couldn't help but to let a small tear leak from my eyes. I was amazed at how many times I had cried here at the House of Night. Living with my Step-Loser and my mom, I had learned not to cry, to hold it all in. I remember when I was marked how I told myself that I wouldn't cry, I wouldn't allow myself, and now here I was, High Priestess and the biggest cry baby ever.
"Grandma" I asked with a little hesitation.
"Yes Zoeybird" she coughed.
"Do you know where Heath is?" I asked her, worried about where he might be. He may not be my top priority, but I certainly would be pained if he was dead somewhere. We'd known each other since the third grade. Even though we'd had problems in the past, and he totally did not get the fact that we couldn't be together anymore, he was still close to me and my heart.
"I don't remember honey. I can't remember anything right before I was attacked" she said apologetically. "I do wish they find him unharmed, or at least to the point where they can still heal the little lad."
"What did you all talk about?"
"You mostly. He is still a fool in love with you dear. Y'all have been childhood sweethearts forever, it pains him how you are to be so separated now."
"He just doesn't get it Grandma. He think's this is all a game. That he can pop in whenever, that he can slit himself and make me feast upon him. He's always showing up at the wrong place, at the wrong time and it's always me to bail him out. I can't do it anymore!"
"People do foolish things when they are in love" Grandma reminded me. "Look at your mother, she is desperately in love with John, so much she has pushed all others to the side."
I sat there for a moment, evaluating what Grandma was telling me. She was right. Love made people do stupid things. I had done some stupid things in the short almost year I'd been here. It's amazing how much time has flown and how much I've changed while everyone has had to readjust. Heath was my almost boyfriend before I was marked and I continued to push him away though he tried desperately to get my attention. He was even willing to accept me no matter what I was. I started dating Erik before things were totally over with Heath, and then I got involved with Loren. Just thinking about him made my skin shiver. What a mess that was and I was dating Erik at that time. Then there was Stark, whom I've had a very personal and deep connection to ever since I've known him. Again, almost dating Erik when Stark and I kissed, then it was when we were in the tunnels that Erik found out about our relationship and where it left off, Stark saying he would come back for me. That's when his jealousy really blossomed. He had lost me once to Loren; he knew a part of me would always be with Heath, and now to his own brother, Stark. I could see now why Erik had become what he is. Again, love makes you do stupid things. I've been so selfish with my love life; I've never actually sat back and thought about the other person much. I chided myself for always thinking about me, me, me. That's not what a relationship is. I even dumped Stark because I still had feelings for Erik, even after the whole slightly possessed, sleeping with my best friend kind of thing happened. Everything was now a messed up blur and I wasn't sure what direction to go in. I just need to be by myself. "Your right Grandma. People do do stupid things when they are in love. I'm going to see if Stark has returned with his looking for Heath." I kissed Grandma on the cheek and walked out of the room.
I looked around the infirmary but no one was there. No noise, nothing. I checked the clock on the wall and it was now 9 a.m., which was late for me. Usually I'm in bed by 6, just as dawn approaches. I figured Neferet took Erik upstairs to lay down and rest along with Aphrodite. I took the stairs up to the right that lead to Neferet's apartment. As I was walking down the hall to her door I thought to myself what exactly I had done to these three guys. One was still, no matter what, completely obsessed with me, another was also obsessed, but not to the extreme nature of the first, he was patient, but jealous all at the same time, and the last, he was understanding, passionate and patient, all qualities that I looked for. I thought back to all the things all of them had done for me. Heath, by sticking up for me in front of his friends when I was marked, all the sweet things he'd always done for me as a child. Erik, who helped protect Heath when Aphrodite let loose all the evil spirits at our Samhain ritual, the night I was given the duty of Leader of the Dark Daughters. He helped us in the tunnels with finding our way. He helped me through the change. Then there was Stark, he was my warrior. He protected me, he would kill for me, and he has sacrificed to be with me. He made a promise and kept it.
Another thought came to mind, maybe I didn't deserve any of them. As good natured as all three were, maybe I didn't deserve someone as special as either of them. Maybe that wasn't there calling. Maybe they weren't supposed to be with me, maybe they are just to be lovers, but never mates, warriors or have some other fitful duty in my retinue. Who knew.
I got to Neferet's door, which was still slightly ajar. I opened it quietly to see Aphrodite waiting up for me at Neferet's desk looking over a massive pile of papers. "Took you long enough" she muttered.
"Well, she's doing well, thanks for asking"
"I know Grandma is fine, I could feel it through our bond. Now, it's time to work" she divided some papers up and laid them at the end of the desk. I yawned and stretched my arms out.
"Don't you mean it's time for bed"
"Not unless you want to have any chance of finding Heath, we need to get this taken care of. Here, take one of these and drink this" Aphrodite handed me a small orange and white capsule pill and a glass of what smelt deliciously of blood.
"What's this?" I asked looking at the capsule in my palm.
"Adderall. It's mixed with Ritalin to keep you awake. They give it to stupid kids who are too lazy to pay attention to their studies." She said non chalantily.
"Adderall? Isn't that a prescription drug?" I asked wearily.
"Yes and no. Yes, you need a prescription to get some, but no, you don't need one from me. Take it, it will help"
I popped the tiny pill in my mouth and chased it down with a large gulp of blood. I didn't feel any different, I thought maybe that I would perk up automatically like they always show you in commercials…but I still felt as tired as I did before. "When's it supposed to kick in?"
"Gradually…you probably won't even notice until you look at the clock and realize you've been up all day. Here, let's get busy."
Aphrodite handed me a stack of papers and we began to read through them. "What are we looking for?" I asked.
"Wendigo sightings. There are ancient texts about them, I'll search there. I need you to look in the obituaries and criminal sections of the paper to see if there have been any reports of people dying from possible animal attacks or something like that"
"Great idea!" I took the stack of papers and flipped them open. This was going to be a long…day. I could feel my eyes come into focus a bit more the more we read.
