Zoey Redbirdcome to me
"Grandma!" I yelled into the slash in the rock. My words were bright purple and they filled the air around me. "Is that you, Grandma?"
Come to me
The silver mixed with the purple of my visible voice, turning the words the glistening color of lavender blossoms. It was an omen! A sign! Somehow, like the spirit guides the Cherokee people have believed in for centuries, Grandma Redbird was telling me I had to go down into the rock.
Without any more hesitation, I flung my spirit forward and down into the crevasse, following the trail of my blood and the silver memory of my grandma's whisper until I came to the smooth floor of a cave-like room. In the middle of the room a small stream of water bubbled, giving off tinkling shards of visible sound, bright and glass-colored. Mixed with the scarlet drops of my blood it lit up the cave with a flickering light that was the color of dried leaves. I wanted to sit next to the bubbling water and let my fingers touch the air around it and play in the texture of its music, but the voice called to me again.
Zoey Redbirdfollow me to your destiny
So I followed the stream and the woman's call. The cave narrowed until it was a rounded tunnel. It curved and curled around and around, in a gentle spiral, ending abruptly at a wall that was covered with carved symbols that looked familiar and alien at the same time. Confused, I watched the stream pour down into a crack in the wall and disappear. What now? Was I supposed to follow it?
I looked back down the tunnel. Nothing there except dancing light. I turned to the wall and felt a jolt of electric shock. Whoa! There was a woman sitting cross-legged in front of the wall! She was wearing a white fringed dress that was beaded with the same symbols that were on the wall behind her. She was fantastically beautiful, with long straight hair so black it looked as if it had blue and purple highlights, like a raven's wing. Her full lips curved up as she spoke, filling the air between us with the silver power of her voice.
Tsi-lu-gi U-we-tsi a-ge-hu-tsa. Welcome, Daughter. You have done well.
She spoke in Cherokee, but even though I hadn't practiced the language much in the last couple years I understood the words.
"You're not my grandma!" I blurted, feeling awkward and out of place as my purple words joined with hers, making incredible patterns of sparkling lavender in the air around us.
Her smile was like the rising sun.
No, Daughter, I am not, but I know Sylvia Redbird very well. I took a deep breath. "Am I dead?"
I was afraid she would laugh at me, but she didn't. Instead her dark eyes were soft and concerned.
No, U-we-tsi a-ge-hu-tsa. You are far from dead, though your spirit has been temporarily freed to wander the realm of the Nunne 'hi.
"The spirit people!" I glanced around the tunnel, trying to see faces and forms within the shadows.
Your grandmother has taught you well, u-s-ti Do-tsu-walittle Redbird. You are a unique mixture of the Old Ways and the New Worldof ancient tribal blood and the heartbeat of outsiders.
Her words made me feel hot and cold at the same time. "Who are you?" I asked.
I am known by many namesChanging Woman, Gaea, A'akuluujjusi, Kuan Yin, Grandmother Spider, and even Dawn
As she spoke each name her face was transformed so that I was dizzied by her power. She must have understood, because she paused and flashed her beautiful smile at me again, and her face settled back into the woman I had first seen.
But you, Zoeybird, my Daughter, may call me by the name by which your world knows me today, Nyx.
"Nyx," my voice was barely above a whisper. "The vampyre Goddess?"
In truth, it was the ancient Greeks touched by the Change who first worshiped me as the mother they searched for within their endless Night. I have been pleased to call their descendents my children for many ages. And, yes, in your world those children are called vampyre. Accept the name, U-we-tsi a-ge-hu-tsa; in it you will find your destiny.
I could feel my Mark burning on my forehead, and all of a sudden I wanted to cry. "II don't understand. Find my destiny? I just want to find a way to deal with my new lifeto make this all okay. Goddess, I just want to fit in someplace. I don't think I'm up to finding my destiny."
The Goddess's face softened again, and when she spoke her voice was like my mother's, only moreas though she had somehow sprinkled the love of every mother in the world into her words.
Believe in yourself Zoey Redbird. I have Marked you as my own. You will be my first true U-we-tsi a-ge-hu-tsa v-hna-i Sv-no-yiDaughter of Nightin this age. You are special. Accept that about yourself and you will begin to understand there is true power in your uniqueness. Within you is combined the magic blood of ancient Wise Women and Elders, as well as insight into and understanding of the modern world.
The Goddess stood up and walked gracefully toward me, her voice painting silver symbols of power in the air around us. When she reached me she wiped the tears from my cheeks before taking my face in her hands.
Zoey Redbird, Daughter of Night, I name you my eyes and ears in the world today, a world where good and evil are struggling to find balance.
"But I'm sixteen! I can't even parallel-park! How am I supposed to know how to be your eyes and ears?"
She just smiled serenely. You are old beyond your years, Zoeybird. Believe in yourself and you will find a way. But remember, darkness does not always equate to evil, just as light does not always bring good.
Then the Goddess Nyx, the ancient personification of Night, leaned forward and kissed me on my forehead. And for the third time that day I passed out.
CHAPTER 6
Beautiful, see the cloud, the cloud appear. Beautiful, see the rain, the rain draw near
The words of the ancient song floated through my mind. I must be dreaming about Grandma Redbird again. It made me feel warm and safe and happy, which was especially nice, since I'd felt so crappy latelyexcept I couldn't remember exactly why. Huh. Odd.
Who spoke?
The little corn ear,
High on top of the stalk
My grandma's song continued and I curled up on my side, sighing as I rubbed my cheek against the soft pillow. Unfortunately, moving my head caused an ugly pain to shoot through my temples, and like a bullet through a pane of glass, it shattered my happy feeling as the memory of the last day overwhelmed me.
I was turning into a vampyre.
I had run away from home.
I'd had an accident and then some kind of weird near-death experience.
I was turning into a vampyre. Oh my God.
Man, my head hurt.
"Zoeybird! Are you awake, baby?"
I blinked my blurry eyes clear to see Grandma Redbird sitting on a little chair close beside my bed.
"Grandma!" I croaked and reached for her hand. My voice sounded as terrible as my head felt. "What happened? Where am I?"
"You're safe, Little Bird. You're safe."
"My head hurts." I reached up and felt the place on my head that was tight and sore, and my fingers found the prick of stitches.
"It should. You scared ten years of my life from me." Grandma rubbed the back of my hand gently. "All that blood" She shuddered, and then shook her head and smiled at me. "How about you promise not to do that again?"
"Promise," I said. "So, you found me."
"Bloody and unconscious, Little Bird." Grandma brushed the hair back from my forehead, her fingers lingering lightly on my Mark. "And so pale that your dark crescent seemed to glow against your skin. I knew you needed to be taken back to the House of Night, which is exactly what I did." She chuckled and the mischievous sparkle in her eyes made her look like a little girl. "I called your mother to tell her that I was returning you to the House of Night, and I had to pretend that my cell phone cut out so I could hang up on her. I'm afraid she's not happy with either of us."
I grinned back at Grandma Redbird. Hee hee, Mom was mad at her, too.
"But, Zoey, whatever were you doing out during the daylight? And why didn't you tell me earlier that you had been Marked?"
I struggled to sit up, grunting at the pain in my head. But, thankfully, it seemed I'd stopped coughing. Must be because I'm finally really hereat the House of Night But the thought disappeared as my mind processed all of what Grandma had said.
"Wait, I couldn't have told you any earlier. The Tracker came to school today and Marked me. I went home first. I really hoped Mom would understand and take my side." I paused, remembering again the awful scene with my parents. In total understanding, Grandma squeezed my hand. "She and John basically locked me in my room while they called our shrink and started the prayer tree."
Grandma grimaced.
"So I crawled out my window and came straight to you," I concluded.
"I'm glad you did, Zoeybird, but it just doesn't make any sense."
"I know," I sighed. "I can't believe I got Marked, either. Why me?"
"That's not what I mean, baby. I'm not surprised you were Tracked and Marked. The Redbird blood has always held strong magic; it was only a matter of time before one of us was Chosen. What I mean is that it makes no sense that you were just Marked. The crescent isn't an outline. It's completely filled in."
"That's impossible!"
"Look for yourself, U-we-tsi a-ge-hu-tsa." She used the Cherokee word for daughter, suddenly reminding me very much of a mysterious, ancient goddess.
Grandma searched through her purse for the antique silver compact she always carried. Without saying anything else, she handed it to me. I pushed the little clasp. It popped open to show me my reflectionthe familiar strangerthe me who wasn't quite me. Her eyes were huge and her skin was too white, but I barely noticed that. It was the Mark that I couldn't quit staring at, the Mark that was now a completed crescent moon, filled in perfectly with the distinctive sapphire blue of the vampyre tattoo. Feeling like I was still moving through a dream, I reached up and let my fingers trace the exotic-looking Mark and I seemed to feel the Goddess's lips against my skin again.
"What does it mean?" I said, unable to look away from the Mark.
"We were hoping you would have an answer to that question, Zoey Redbird."
Her voice was amazing. Even before I looked up from my reflection I knew she would be unique and incredible. I was right. She was movie-star beautiful, Barbie beautiful. I'd never seen anyone up close who was so perfect. She had huge, almond-shaped eyes that were a deep, mossy green. Her face was an almost perfect heart and her skin was that kind of flawless creaminess that you see on TV. Her hair was deep rednot that horrid carrot-top orange-red or the washed-out blond-red, but a dark, glossy auburn that fell in heavy waves well past her shoulders. Her body was, well, perfect. She wasn't thin like the freak girls who puked and starved themselves into what they thought was Paris Hilton chic. ("That's Hott." Yeah, okay, whatever, Paris.) This woman's body was perfect because she was strong, but curvy. And she had great boobs. (I wish I had great boobs.)
"Huh?" I said. Speaking of boobsI was totally sounding like one. (Boobhee hee).
The woman smiled at me and showed amazingly straight, white teethwithout fangs. Oh, I guess I forgot to mention that in addition to her perfection she had a sapphire crescent moon neatly tattooed in the middle of her forehead, and from it, swirls of lines that reminded me of ocean, waves framed her brows, extending down around her high cheekbones.
She was a vampyre.
"I said, we were hoping you would have some explanation about why a fledgling vampyre that hasn't Changed has the Mark of a mature being on her forehead."
Without her smile and the gentle concern in her voice her words would have seemed harsh. Instead, what she said came off as worried and a little confused.
"So I'm not a vampyre?" I blurted.
Her laughter was like music. "Not yet, Zoey, but I would say that already having your Mark complete is an excellent omen."
"OhI I.well, good. That's good," I babbled.
Thankfully, Grandma saved me from total humiliation.
"Zoey, this is the High Priestess of the House of Night, Neferet. She's been taking good care of you while you've been"Grandma paused, obviously not wanting to say the word unconscious"while you've been asleep."
"Welcome to the House of Night, Zoey Redbird," Neferet said warmly.
I glanced at Grandma and then back at Neferet. Feeling more than a little lost I stuttered, "That'sthat's not really my name. My last name is Montgomery."
"Is it?" Neferet said, raising her amber-tinted brows. "One benefit of beginning a new life is that you have the opportunity to start overto make choices you weren't given before. If you could choose, what would your true name be?"
I didn't hesitate. "Zoey Redbird."
"Then from this moment on, you shall be Zoey Redbird. Welcome to your new life." She reached out like she wanted to shake my hand, and I automatically offered mine. But instead of taking my hand, she grasped my forearm, which was weird but somehow felt right.
Her touch was warm and firm. Her smile blazed with welcome. She was amazing and awe-inspiring. Actually, she was what all vampyres are, more than human-stronger, smarter, more talented. She looked like someone had turned on a blazing inner light within her, which I realize is definitely an ironic description considering the vampyre stereotypes (some of which I already knew were totally true): They avoid sunlight, they're most powerful at night, they need to drink blood to survive (eesh!), and they worship a goddess who is known as Night personified.
"Ththank you. It's nice to meet you," I said, trying really hard to sound at least semi-intelligent and normal.
"As I was telling your grandmother earlier, we have never had a fledgling come to us in such an unusual manner beforeunconscious and with a completed Mark. Can you remember what happened to you, Zoey?"
I opened my mouth to tell her that I totally remembered itfalling and hitting my headseeing myself like I was a floating spiritfollowing the weirdly visible words into the caveand finally meeting the Goddess Nyx. But right before I said the words I got a weird feeling, like someone had just hit me in my stomach. It was clear and it was specific, and it was telling me to shut up.
"II really don't remember much" I broke off and my hand found the sore spot where my stitches poked out. "At least not after I hit my head. I mean, up until then I remember everything. The Tracker Marked me; I told my parents and got into a ginormic fight with them; then I ran away to my grandma's place. I was feeling really sick, so when I climbed the path up to the bluffs" I remembered the rest of itall of the rest of itthe spirits of the Cherokee people, the dancing and the campfire. Shut up! the feeling screamed at me. "II guess I slipped because I was coughing so much, and hit my head. The next thing I remember is Grandma Redbird singing and then I woke up here." I finished in a rush. I wanted to look away from the sharpness of her green-eyed gaze, but the same feeling that was ordering me to be quiet was also clearly telling me that I had to keep eye contact with her, that I had to try really hard to look like I wasn't hiding anything, even though I didn't really have a clue why I was hiding anything.
"It's normal to experience memory loss with a head wound." Grandma said matter-of-factly, breaking the silence.
I could have kissed her.
"Yes, of course it is," Neferet said quickly, her face losing its sharpness. "Do not fear for your granddaughter's health, Sylvia Redbird. All will be well with her."
She spoke to Grandma respectfully, and some of the tension that had been building inside me loosened. If she liked Grandma Redbird, she had to be an okay person, or vampyre or whatever. Right?
"As I'm sure you already know, vampyres"Neferet paused and smiled at me"even fledgling vampyres, have unusual powers of recovery. Her healing is proceeding so well that it is perfectly safe for her to leave the infirmary." She looked from Grandma to me. "Zoey, would you like to meet your new roommate?"
No. I swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes."
"Excellent!" Neferet said. Thankfully she ignored the fact that I was standing there like a smiling stupid garden gnome.
"Are you sure you shouldn't keep her here another day for observation?" Grandma asked.
"I understand your concern, but I assure you Zoey's physical wounds are already healing at a pace you would find extraordinary."
She smiled at me again and even though I was scared and nervous and just plain freaked out I smiled back at her. It seemed like she was genuinely happy that I was there. And, truthfully, she made me think turning into a vampyre might not be such a bad thing.
"Grandma, I'm fine. Really. My head just hurts a little, and the rest of me feels way better." I realized as I said it that it was true. I'd completely stopped coughing. My muscles didn't ache anymore. I felt perfectly normal except for a little headache.
Then Neferet did something that not only surprised me, but made me instantly like herand begin to trust her. She walked over to Grandma and spoke slowly and carefully.
"Sylvia Redbird, I give you my solemn oath that your grand-daughter is safe here. Each fledgling is paired with an adult mentor.
To ensure my oath to you I will be Zoey's mentor. And now you must entrust her to my care."
Neferet placed her fist over her heart and bowed formally to Grandma. My grandma hesitated for only a moment before answering her.
"I will hold you to your oath, Neferet, High Priestess of Nyx." Then she mimicked Neferet's actions by putting her own fist over her heart and bowing to her before turning to me and hugging me hard. "Call me if you need me, Zoeybird. I love you."
"I will, Grandma. I love you, too. And thank you for bringing me here," I whispered, breathing in her familiar lavender scent and trying not to cry.
She kissed me gently on my cheek and then with her quick, confident steps she walked out of the room, leaving me alone for the first time in my life with a vampyre.
"Well, Zoey, are you ready to begin your new life?"
I looked up at her and thought again how amazing she was. If I actually Changed into a vampyre, would I have her confidence and power, or was that something only a High Priestess got? For an instant it flashed though my mind how awesome it would be to be a High Priestessand then my sanity returned. I was just a kid. A confused kid at that, and definitely not High Priestess material. I just want to figure out how to fit in here, but Neferet had certainly made what was happening to me seem easier to bear.
"Yes, I am." I was glad I sounded more confident than I felt.
CHAPTER 7
"What time is it?"
We were walking down a narrow hall that curved gently. The walls were made of an odd mixture of dark stone and jutting brick. Every so often flickering gaslights that hung from old-fashioned-looking black iron sconces stuck out of the wall, giving off a soft yellow glow that was, thankfully, really easy on my eyes. There were no windows in the hall, and we didn't meet anyone else (even though I kept peeking nervously around, imagining my first glimpse of vampyre kids).
"It is nearly four A.M., which means classes have been out for almost an hour," Neferet said, and then she smiled slightly at what I'm sure was my totally shocked expression.
"Classes begin at eight P.M., and end at three A.M.," she explained. "Teachers are available until three thirty A.M. to give students extra help. The gym is open until dawn, the exact time of which you will always know as soon as you have completed the Change. Until then dawn time is clearly posted in all the classrooms, common rooms, and gathering areas, including the dining hall, library, and gym. Nyx's Temple is, of course, open at all hours, but formal rituals are held twice a week right after school. The next ritual will be tomorrow." Neferet glanced at me and her slight smile warmed. "It seems overwhelming now, but you'll catch on quickly. And your roommate will help you, as will I."
I was just getting ready to open my mouth to ask her another question when an orange ball of fur ran into the hall and without a sound, hurled itself into Neferet's arms. I jumped and made a stupid little squee soundthen I felt like a total retard when I saw that the orange ball of fur was not a flying boogieman or whatever, but a massively big cat.
Neferet laughed and scratched the fur ball's ears. "Zoey, meet Skylar. He's usually prowling around here waiting to launch himself at me."
"That's the biggest cat I've ever seen," I said, reaching my hand out to let him sniff me.
"Careful, he's a known biter."
Before I could jerk my hand out of the way, Skylar started rubbing his face on my fingers. I held my breath.
Neferet tilted her head to the side, as if she was listening to words in the wind. "He likes you, which is definitely unusual. He doesn't like anyone except me. He even keeps the other cats away from this end of campus. He's really a terrible bully," she said fondly.
I carefully scratched Skylar's ears like Neferet had been doing. "I like cats," I said softly. "I used to have one, but when my mom got remarried I had to give it to Street Cats to be adopted. John, her new husband, doesn't like cats."
"I've found that the way a person feels about catsand the way they feel about him or her in returnis usually an excellent gauge by which to measure a person's character."
I looked up from the cat to meet her green eyes and saw that she understood a lot more about freaky family issues than she was saying. It made me feel connected to her, and automatically my stress level relaxed a little. "Are there a lot of cats here?"
"Yes, there are. Cats have always been closely allied with vampyres."
Okay, actually I already knew that. In World History with Mr. Shaddox (better known as Puff Shaddy, but don't tell him) we learned that in the past cats had been slaughtered because it was thought that they somehow turned people into vampyres. Yeah, okay, talk about ridiculous. More evidence of the stupidity of humans the thought popped into my mind, shocking me by how easily I'd already started thinking of "normal" people as "humans," and therefore something different than me.
"Do you think I could have a cat?" I asked.
"If one chooses you, you will belong to him or her."
"Chooses me?"
Neferet smiled and stroked Skylar, who closed his eyes and purred loudly. "Cats choose us; we don't own them." As if to demonstrate what she said was true, Skylar jumped out of her arms and, with a stuck-up flick of his tail, disappeared down the hall.
Neferet laughed. "He's really awful, but I do adore him. I think I would, even were it not part of my gift from Nyx."
"Gift? Skylar is a gift from the Goddess?"
"Yes, in a way. Every High Priestess is given an affinitywhat you would probably think of as special powersby the Goddess. It's part of the way we identify our High Priestesses. The affinities can be unusual cognitive skills, like reading minds or having visions and being able to predict the future. Or the affinity can be for something in the physical realm, like a special connection to one of the four elements, or to animals. I have two Goddess gifts. My main affinity is for cats; I have a connection with them that is unusual, even for a vampyre. Nyx has also given me unusual powers of healing." She smiled. "Which is why I know you're healing wellmy gift told me."
"Wow, that's amazing," was all I could think to say. My head was already reeling from the events of the past day.
"Come on. Let's get you to your room. I'm sure you're hungry and tired. Dinner will start in"Neferet cocked her head to the side as if someone was weirdly whispering the time to her"an hour." She gave me a knowing smile. "Vampyres always know what time it is."
"That's cool, too."
"That, my dear fledgling, is just the tip of the 'cool' iceberg."
I hoped her analogy didn't have anything to do with Titanic-sized disasters. As we continued walking down the hall I thought about time and stuff, and remembered the question I had started to ask when Skylar had interrupted my easily derailed train of thought.
"So, wait. You said that classes start at eight? At night?" Okay, I'm usually not this slow, but some of this was like she was speaking a foreign language to me. I was having a hard time getting it.
"Once you take a moment to think about it you'll understand that having classes at night is only logical. Of course you must know that vampyres, adult or fledgling, don't explode, or any other such fictional nonsense, if subjected to direct sunlight, but it is uncomfortable for us. Wasn't the sunlight already difficult for you to bear today?"
I nodded. "My Maui Jims didn't even help much." Then I added quickly, feeling moronic again, "Uh, Maui Jims are sunglasses."
"Yes, Zoey," Neferet said patiently. "I know sunglasses. Very well, actually."
"Oh, God, I'm sorry I" I broke off, wondering whether it was okay for me to say "God." Would it offend Neferet, a High Priestess who wore her Goddess Mark so proudly? Hell, would it offend Nyx? Oh, God. What about saying "hell"? It was my favorite cuss word ever. (Okay, it was really the only cuss word I used regularly.) Could I still say it? The People of Faith preached that vampyres worshiped a false goddess and that they were mostly selfish, dark creatures who cared about nothing except money and luxury and drinking blood and they were all certainly going straight to hell, so wouldn't that mean that I should watch how and where I used
"Zoey."
I looked up to find Neferet studying me with a concerned expression and realized that she had probably been trying to get my attention while I had been babbling inside my head.
"I'm sorry," I repeated.
Neferet stopped. She put her hands on my shoulders and turned me so that I had to face her.
"Zoey, quit apologizing. And remember, everyone here has been where you are. This was new to all of us once. We know what it feels likethe fear of the Changethe shock at your life being turned into something foreign."
"And not being able to control any of it," I added quietly.
"That, too. It won't always be this bad. When you're a mature vampyre your life will seem your own again. You'll make your own choices; go your own way; follow the path down which your heart and soul and talents lead you."
"If I become a mature vampyre."
"You will, Zoey."
"How can you be so sure?"
Neferet's eyes found the darkened Mark on my forehead. "Nyx has chosen you. For what, we do not know. But her Mark has been clearly placed upon you. She would not have touched you only to see you fail."
I remembered the Goddess's words, Zoey Redbird, Daughter of Night, I name you my eyes and ears in the world today, a world where good and evil are struggling to find balance, and looked quickly away from Neferet's sharp gaze, wishing desperately that I knew why my gut was still telling me to keep my mouth shut about my meeting with the Goddess.
"It'sit's just a lot to happen all in one day."
"It certainly is, especially on an empty stomach."
We had started walking again when the sound of a ringing cell phone made me jump. Neferet sighed and smiled apologetically at me, then she fished a small phone out of her pocket.
"Neferet," she said. She listened for a little while and I saw her forehead wrinkle, and her eyes narrow. "No, you were right to call me. I'll come back and check on her." And she flipped the phone shut. "I'm sorry, Zoey. One of the fledglings broke her leg earlier today. It seems she's having trouble resting, and I should go back and be sure all is well with her. Why don't you follow this hallway around to the left until you come to the main door? You can't miss itit's large and made of very old wood. Right outside is a stone bench. You can wait there for me. I won't be long."
"Okay, no problem." But before I'd finished speaking Neferet had already disappeared back down the winding hallway. I sighed. I didn't like the idea of being by myself in a place that was full of vampyres and vampyre kids. And now that Neferet was gone the little flickering lights didn't seem so welcoming. They seemed weird, throwing ghostly shadows against the old stone hall.
Determined not to freak myself out, I started slowly down the hall in the direction we had been heading. Pretty soon I almost wished I'd run into some other people (even if they were vampyres). It was too quiet. And creepy. A couple of times the hall branched off to the right, but like Neferet had told me, I kept to the left. Actually, I also kept my eyes to the left because those other halls had hardly any lights in them.