Threatened (A House of Night story)

Chapter 1

"Hey. You're...Frost right?" The sound of my name stopped me before I turned the corner to another empty hallway. My body whirled around to face the girl who called me, an awkward smile on my face even though I felt like shit on the inside. Since classes have ended for the day, most of the halls were empty save for a few students who had extracurricular activities.

"Um, yeah?" I responded to the girl in front of me. She wore square rimmed glasses and brown hair up in a wavy ponytail. I thought back to where I could have seen her and deducted that she was probably in one of my classes.

Abruptly, she stuck out her hand carrying a flyer and practically shoved it into my own hands. It wasn't in a rude manner, more out of nervousness.

She stuttered,"We were wondering i-if you would like to join our Book Club? It started earlier this year and we're trying to get new members t-to keep it going."

Poor girl. I admit, I pitied her shyness,"Sure, I'll uh give it a shot." She sent me a grateful smile and scampered down the hall with flyers in hand. Slowly, I turned back around to my original path and headed down another blue poster-filled hallway, reading over the lavender flyer with books and faeries printed onto it. Well, at least it was a decent attention grabber. Before another thought crossed my mind, the familiar sickness I felt all day came back creeping its way up my throat. My hand slapped itself onto my mouth and ran outside which was closer than any bathroom where I was located. My sneakers thudded against the dark gum splotched cement until they became softer steps once I reached the grass.

Making sure no one was around, I heaved but nothing came out. Even so, the feeling was awful. God, I felt like shit. With a groan, my body collapsed onto the soft green grass and curled up. I stayed that way for a good ten minutes before deciding it was safe to move. No one else had come out the same way I had and for that I was thankful.

"Okay Frost, you got this."

With a push, I was up again and on my way home. Granted, it was a slow process since I had to use things often for support like trees or walls and fences when the dizziness took over my brain. People would probably think I was drunk. How pathetic.

Soon, my little house that I've lived in for a month now came into view with its soft colored shutters and cream painted walls. I let out a sigh of relief and thanked the heavens as my feet struggled to get up the few steps to the porch. My relief turned into annoyance,"Oh damn it all." On the last step, I plopped my butt down on the wooden porch and laid back, pale arms spread out on either side.

A shitty Monday indeed.

My Heterochromia eyes closed to block out the sun so I didn't see the man until the feeling of a shadow loomed over me. My blue and black eyes snapped open to find him looking curiously down on me. I wasn't paying attention to him though; it was more the Marked tattoos that framed his eyes that held my attention. I shuffled back a few feet but he didn't attempt to follow. Strangely, I knew he wasn't here to hurt me so the feeling of danger was nowhere to be found.

My attention went back to him and that's when I noticed that he seemed...out of it. Hesitantly, I asked,"Um...can I help you?"

That seemed to snap him back to attention but his rough voice said otherwise," Frost Venezuela! Night has chosen thee; thy death with be thy birth. Night calls to thee; hearken to Her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night!"

This was all a little too dramatic for me. I opened my mouth to make a snappy remark, after all I wasn't feeling it today, but a searing hot pain on my forehead forced me to hiss in pain instead.

"Ow! What the...?" Maybe I was wrong and he did want to cause me harm. I rubbed the spot vigorously in an effort to make it better and when I looked up, he was gone. Mental note: Trackers were asses.