Marked by P. C. Cast, Kristin Cast Read Free Book Online

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 SIX

    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 lately…except 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 here—at 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;