"You didn't believe it?" Damien said helpfully. "Yeah. Sorry," she repeated, fidgeting and picking at her finger nails. "Hey, don't worry about it." I worked up a fairly authentic smile. "It seems pretty bizarre to me sometimes, and I was there."

"And kicking butt," Stevie Rae said. I gave her my you-are-so-not-helping-me look, which she ig nored. Yes, I might someday become their High Priestess, but I'm not exactly the boss of my friends. "Anyway, this whole place can seem pretty strange at first. It gets better," I told the new kid. "Thanks," she said with genuine warmth. "Well, we better go so I can show Diana to where her fifth hour class will be," Sarah said, and then she totally embarrassed me by getting all serious and formal and saluting me with the tra ditional vampyre sign of respect, closed fist over her heart and bowed head, before she left. "I really hate it when they do that," I muttered, picking at my salad. "I think it's nice," Stevie Rae said. "You deserve to be shown respect," Damien said in his school teacher voice. "You're the only third former ever to have been made leader of the Dark Daughters and the only fledgling or vampyre in history who has shown an affinity for all five of the elements."

"Face it, Z," Shaunee said around a bite of salad while she ges tured at me with her fork. "You're special." Erin finished for her (as usual). A third former is what the House of Night called freshmen--so a fourth former is a sophomore, et cetera. And, yes, I am the only third former to be made leader of the Dark Daughters. Lucky me. "Speaking of the Dark Daughters," Shaunee said. "Have you decided what you want the new requirements for membership to be?"

I stifled the urge to shriek, Hell no, I still can't believe I'm in charge of this thing! Instead I just shook my head, and decided--with what I hoped was a stroke of brilliance--to put some of the pressure back on them. "No, I don't know what the new requirements should be. Actu ally, I was hoping you guys would help me. So, do you have any ideas?" As I suspected, all four of them got quiet. I opened my mouth to thank them very much for their muteness, but our High Priestess's commanding voice came over the school intercom. For a second I was happy about the interruption, and then I real ized what she was saying and my stomach started to clench. "Students and professors, please make your way to the recep tion hall. It is now time for this month's parent visits." Well, hell.

"Stevie Rae! Stevie Rae! Ohmygosh I have missed you!"

"Mama!" Stevie Rae cried and flew into the arms of a woman who looked just like her, only fifty pounds heavier and twenty-some years older. Damien and I stood awkwardly just inside the reception hall, which was starting to fill up with uncomfortable-looking human parents, a few human siblings, a bunch of fledgling students, and several of our vampyre professors. "Well, there're my parents," Damien said with a sigh. "Might as well get this over with. See ya."

"See ya," I mumbled and watched him join two totally ordi nary people who were carrying a wrapped present. His mom gave him a quick hug and his dad shook his hand with exuberant masculinity. Damien looked pale and stressed. I made my way over to the long, linen-draped table that ran the length of one wall. It was filled with expensive cheese and meat platters, desserts, coffee, tea, and wine. I'd been at the House of Night for a month, and it still was a little shocking to me that wine is served so readily here. Part of the reason they do is simple--the school is modeled after the European Houses of Night. Apparently, in Europe wine with meals is like tea or Coke with meals here--so no big deal. The other part is a genetic fact--vampyres don't get drunk--fledglings can barely get buzzed (at least on alcohol--blood, unfortunately, is a whole other issue). So wine literally is no big deal here, although I thought it would be interesting to check out how Oklahoma parents reacted to booze at school. "Mama! You have to meet my roommate. Remember I told you about her? This is Zoey Redbird. Zoey this is my mama."

"Hi, Mrs. Johnson. It's good to meet you," I said politely. "Oh, Zoey! It is just so nice to meet you! And, oh my! Your Mark is as pretty as Stevie Rae said it was." She surprised me with a soft mom hug and whispered, "I'm glad you're taking care of my Stevie Rae. I worry about her." I squeezed her back and whispered, "No problem, Mrs. John son. Stevie Rae's my best friend." And even though it was totally unrealistic, I suddenly wished my mom would hug me and worry about me like Mrs. Johnson worried about her daughter. "Mama, did you bring me any chocolate chip cookies?" Stevie Rae asked. "Yes, baby, I did, but I just realized that I left them in the car." Stevie Rae's mom twanged in an Okie accent that was identical to her daughter's. "Why don't you come out with me and help me carry them inside. I made a little extra for your friends this time."