Marked (House of Night, #1)

by P.C. Cast

Just when I thought my day couldn’t get any worse I saw the dead guy standing next to my locker.

“Zoey Montgomery! Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee; hearken to Her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night!”

The problem, of course, was that turning into a monster was the brighter of my two choices. Choice Number 1: I turn into a vampyre, which equals a monster in just about any human’s mind. Choice Number 2: My body rejects the Change and I die. Forever.

From this day on my life would never be the same. And for a moment—just an instant—I forgot about the horror of not belonging and felt a shocking burst of pleasure, while deep inside of me the blood of my grandmother’s people rejoiced.

“But you can’t be Marked. We’re going out.”

want you, for once, to put what I need before what he wants. I want you to be my mama. To help me pack and to drive with me to this new school because I’m scared and sick and I don’t know if I can do it all by myself!”

“I wasn’t aware that I had stopped being your mom,” she said coldly. She made me feel even more tired than Kayla had. I sighed. “I think that’s the problem, Mom. You don’t care enough to be aware of it. You haven’t cared about anything but John since you married him.”

I suddenly understood that it wasn’t just about this Mark and the fact that my life had been totally changed. It was about control. If they let me go, somehow they lose.

Believe in yourself, Zoey Redbird. I have Marked you as my own. You will be my first true U-we-tsi-a-ge-ya v-hna-i Sv-no-yi … Daughter of Night … in 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.

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,

“They were thinking exactly what that entire group of hers thinks—that they are better than everyone else and untouchable because Aphrodite is going to be the next High Priestess.” I spoke the next words as they whispered through my mind. “I don’t think Nyx will allow that.”

Our family has a rich history of Tribal Elders, Medicine Men, and Wise Women. Have a care, Little Bird, to think before you act. The Goddess would not have granted you special powers on a whim. Use them carefully, and make Nyx, as well as your ancestors, look down and smile on you.”

darkness does not always equate to evil, just as light does not always bring good.

“I don’t think it matters that much what we are on the outside,” I said, instantly feeling the rightness of what I was saying. “I think what matters is our intent.

It’s true that we don’t like Aphrodite, but I think it’s important not to focus on negatives like kicking her ass or pushing her out of the Dark Daughters. That’s what she would do in our place. What we want is what’s right. More like justice than revenge. We’re different than her, and if we somehow manage to take her place in the Dark Daughters, that group will be different, too.”

Great Goddess of Night, whose voice I hear in the wind, who breathes the breath of life to Her children. Hear me; I need your strength and wisdom.

Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset that comes before the beauty of your night. Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught your people.

Help me to remain calm and strong in the face of all that comes toward me. Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock. Help me seek pure thoughts and act with the intention of helping others. Help me find compassion without empathy overwhelming me.

I seek strength, not to be greater than others, but to fight my greatest enemy, the doubts within myself.

Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes. So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.

“And Nyx, I don’t understand why you Marked me and why you have given me the gift of an affinity for the elements. I don’t even have to know. What I want to ask is that you help me know the right thing to do, and then give me the courage to do it.”

I want you to live as you would be remembered if you would die tomorrow,

“We’ll all eventually crave blood,” I said simply. “Or we’ll die. But that doesn’t make us monsters, and it’s time the Dark Daughters stopped acting the part. You’re finished, Aphrodite. You’re no longer leader of the Dark Daughters.”

“You don’t really know what happened here tonight. You were just being used—we were all just being used. We’re puppets, that’s all we are.”

“Aphrodite, it doesn’t have to be like this between us,” I said softly. “Yes it does!” she snapped. “It’s the parts we’re supposed to play. You’ll see … you’ll see.…” Aphrodite started to walk away.