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I also noticed that the adults and the kids had one other thing in coered with obvious curiosity onured about as ht
The part of the House of Night that held the dor walk, and Neferet see awk Not that Icastle-like cluster of buildings, with Neferet pointing out little details about hat, gave ood way Plus, walking felt norain I wasn’t coughing My body didn’t ache My head even had stopped hurting I was absolutely, totally not thinking about the disturbing scene I’d accidentally witnessed I was forgetting it--on purpose The last thing I needed was to have more to deal with than a new life and a weird Mark So, blw jb--forgotten
Deeply in denial I told h a school caht beside a vampyre I almost could pretend that I was the same today as I had been yesterday Almost
Well, okay Maybe not even almost, but my head did feel better, and I was just about ready to face irl’s dorm
Inside was a surprise I’ to be all black and creepy But it was nice, decorated in soft blue and antique yelloith coh to sit on dotting the roo from several antique crystal chandeliers made the place look like a princess’s castle On the creas, all of them of ancient women who looked exotic and powerful Fresh-cut flowers, mostly roses, sat in crystal vases on end tables that were cluttered with books and purses and fairly norirl stuff I saw several flat screen TVs, and recognized the sounds of MTV’s Real World co from one of them I took in all of this fast, while I tried to sirls who had shut up the instant I walked in the roo atatat the Mark on my forehead
"Ladies, this is Zoey Redbird Greet her and welcoht"
For a second I didn’t think anyone was going to say anything, and I wanted to die of new-kidthe roup that was clustered around one of the TVs She was a tiny blonde and darn near perfect Actually, she re version of Sarah Jessica Parker (who I don’t like, by the by--she’s just sosoannoying and unnaturally perky)
"Hi Zoey Welcome to your new hoenuine, and she was clearly awk at ative comparison about her "I’m Aphrodite," she said
Aphrodite? Okay, maybe I hadn’t been too hasty in my comparison How could anyone normal choose Aphrodite as her narandeur I plastered a sht, "Hi Aphrodite!"
"Neferet, would you like me to show Zoey to her room?"
Neferet hesitated, which felt really odd Instead of answering right away she just stood there and locked eyes with Aphrodite Then, just as quickly as the silent stare-down had started, Neferet’s face broke into a wide smile
"Thank you, Aphrodite, that would be lovely I am Zoey’s mentor, but I’e showed her the way to her rooh Aphrodite’s eyes? No, I ined it--or at least I would have believed I’d i of mine hadn’t told me otherwise And I didn’t need , because Aphrodite laughed--and I recognized the sound of it
Feeling like soirl-- Aphrodite--had been the one I’d just watched with the guy in the hall!
Aphrodite’s laugh, followed by her perky, "Of course I’d be happy to show her around! You know I’lad to help you, Neferet," was as fake and cold as Pae boobs, but Neferet just nodded in response and then turned to facemy shoulder "Aphrodite will take you to your rooet ready for dinner I’ll see you in the dining room" She smiled her ware to hug her and beg her not to leave me alone with Aphrodite "You’ll be fine," she said, as if she could read my mind "You’ll see, Zoeybird All will be well," she whispered, sounding so randma that I had to blink hard not to cry Then she nodded a quick good-bye to Aphrodite and the other girls, and left the dorm
The door closed with a o home!
"Come on, Zoey The rooms are this way," Aphrodite said She motioned for ht As alked upstairs I tried to ignore the buzz of voices that instantly erupted behind us
Neither of us spoke, and I felt so uncomfortable that I wanted to scream Had she seen oing to mention it Ever As far as I was concerned it never happened
I cleared my throat and said, "The dorm seems nice I mean, it’s really pretty"
She cut her eyes sideways at me "It’s better than nice or really pretty here; it’s ahed The sound was totally unpleasant--almost a sneer--and it crawled up the back of my neck like it had when I’d first heard it
"It’s alanced at her, thinking that she , and ht This place is cool because I’ for her to say I didn’t have a clue how to respond to that very stuck-up piece of info I ht with slutty Ms Thinking-She’s-All-That added on top of a life/species/school change? And I still couldn’t tell whether she knew it had beenher in the hall
Okay I just wanted to find a way to fit in I wanted to be able to call this new school home So I decided to take the safest road and keepe hallway lined with doors I held my breath when Aphrodite stopped before one that was painted a pretty light purple, but instead of knocking, she turned to face me Her perfect face suddenly looked hateful and cold and definitely not so pretty
"Okay, here’s the deal, Zoey You have this weird Mark, so everyone’s talking about you and wondering what the fk is up with you" She rolled her eyes and clutched her pearls dra her voice so that she sounded really silly and gushing "Oooh! The new girl has a colored-in Mark! Whatever could that mean? Is she special? Does she have fabulous powers? Oh my--oh my!" She dropped her hand from her throat and narrowed her eyes at aze "Here’s what’s what I’ here, then you’d best remember that If you don’t, you’ll be in for a world of shit"
Okay, she was starting to pissfor trouble, and I have no control over what people are saying aboutto have to actually fight this girl? I’d never been in a fight in ot ready to duck or run or whatever would not get one all scary and hateful, her face relaxed into a sain (Not that I was fooled)
"Good Just so we understand each other"