It had been nearly four years since Fyre had been marked and she still hadn't gotten accustomed to sleeping during the day and being awake at night, but she had learned to function on very little sleep. She just felt fortunate that she didn't yet have a room-mate. Fyre's inconsistent sleep schedule and her insomnia fueled activities would probably drive even the most patient of people up the wall. Of course a room-mate would be expected sooner or later, but for now she would enjoy her solitude. Solitude minus one very dictator-like cat. Fyre thought, sliding her turquoise blue eyes over to the sleek black cat lounging on Fyre's bed. The cat was looking back with the most vibrant green eyes Fyre had ever seen. The cat was swishing her tail back and forth while the two just stared at each other. Before coming to the House of Night Fyre hadn't been too fond of cats or any animal, but that changed. It was kind of had not to like them now seeing as they were all over the place. This particular cat had hissed at Fyre every time she saw her for six months straight, then one day the cat just started following her everywhere she went.

Over time Fyre got used to the cat's presence and even talked to her. Sure the cat was rather demanding and wanted things done her way, but Fyre didn't mind. The cat had other personality traits, and that's why Fyre put up with her. That, and it was an honor to have been chosen by a cat in Fyre's opinion. Fyre always referred to the cat as "Teva", the name seemed fitting since the cat bonded with Fyre when Fyre had first discovered her affinity with earth her second year at the House of Night. Fyre had done research into the different affinities and had always thought she'd get something like an air or water affinity were she to have one, but she was happy and honored to have her affinity with earth. Lots of vampyres didn't even have affinities so Fyre considered herself rather special. Not too many people knew, but Fyre often used her ability of terrakinesis to sense vibrations from various musical instruments. She liked learning the different types of vibrations in nature. Certainly her experimenting would be better suited for one with an air affinity since that's how the sound traveled, but the earth actually held the vibration for much longer.

The cat meowed from the bed causing Fyre to pull away from her thoughts while she sketched. "Yes, Teva?" Fyre asked in her soft, sultry voice. Teva leaped from the bed up onto the desk and nosed Fyre's cheek. A contented giggle escaped from Fyre's throat as she gently stroked the cat's fur. "I know, Teva. I know. I just can't sleep." Fyre said, sensing what the cat was inferring. "You worry too much, Teva. Why don't you go back to sleep, hm? Surely you've got better things to do than watch me all day." She added, seeing the look Teva was giving her. The cat stretched before settling herself down on Fyre's sketch book. Fyre crossed her arms and looked at Teva with a stubborn glare. "Fine. I'll try to get some more sleep. But you're coming with me!" Fyre said, scooping Teva up before the cat could run. Teva made protesting hisses up until the two were snuggled together underneath the covers. Teva stayed awake, but still as Fyre slept. She owned Fyre, and sometimes Fyre forgot that, but Teva still had a fondness for Fyre. Teva even liked Fyre's sense of humor.

After a few hours of sleep, Fyre could feel Teva stirring before the cat placed a paw on the tip of Fyre's nose. Fyre's eyes shot open and she was immediately staring straight into Teva's eyes. "Okay, MOM, I'm up." Fyre said with a heavy coat of sarcasm. Teva swatted at Fyre's face with an un-clawed paw before leaping off the bed to the floor so Fyre could sit up. Fyre's long, pale fingers ran through her baby pink hair that was currently sticking up at all sorts of odd angles as she yawned, putting her petite bare feet touch the floor. The stone was slightly cold against the soles of her feet, causing her to shiver a little bit before she stood completely. Groggily, Fyre made her way into the private bathroom of the dorm room with Teva on her heels. For just a moment Fyre examined herself in the mirror with slight disgust at the sight of her unruly hair. Her eyes settled on her mark. The mark itself had begun to spread to look more like that of the adult vampyres, but it still had a little ways to go. In color the mark was nearly the same color as Fyre's eyes, if maybe only a shade or so darker but still just as vibrant. Fyre had grown to like the mark, noticing how it made her eyes appear even brighter.

Being marked had been rough to begin with, but Fyre had accepted it. There wasn't a way to change it, and she wanted to live more than she didn't want to be a vampyre, so she found everything positive there was and focused on those aspects rather than soaking her mind in negatives. Besides, she had met some pretty neat people in her time at the House of Night. Granted that most of her friends hadn't survived the change. As the thought of her fallen friends crossed her mind, Fyre tore herself away from the mirror to shower hastily. It does no good to dwell on the past, Fyre. You can't change anything, only move on. She thought to herself with a sad look in her eye as she let the icy water run over her. She used cold water because it helped her pink last longer so she didn't have to go on as many of those trips to the city. After a few minutes, Fyre pulled herself from the shower and rapidly dressed in the school uniform that had the insignia for sixth formers, the equivalent of a high school senior. Fyre wasn't particularly fond of the uniform, but it wasn't as bad as some other school uniforms she had worn in the past. She'd still prefer her other clothes, but she could accept the uniform.

After she was dressed, Fyre went to examine her hair situation. She decided she could get away with just a blow-dry and a brushing today. The end result was a nice layered appearance that feathered around towards her face. Since the change Fyre's hair grew faster, longer, and thicker so she spent a bit of time making sure it was all pink and styled all the same. No one at the school knew what her actual hair color was, besides the vampyres. The fledglings didn't know and that was all Fyre really cared about. But I don't really care, do I? I don't need to. Fyre thought, remembering how much she used to care what others thought of her. How that was expected when you practically ruled the social scene of a school. That stress didn't apply to her here. She didn't want it to. Vampyres lived longer than humans, she didn't want someone to hold a petty grudge against her. Plus the pressures of living in the spotlight were dreadful. Shaking all thoughts away, Fyre began to apply her make up. A bit of mascara and eyeliner done in a cat-eye style, a little blush, and a light frosting-pink lip gloss was all she used before she deemed herself presentable.

Teva was sitting by Fyre's bag when Fyre came out of the bathroom. Fyre smiled at Teva as she carefully picked up her bag. "So, Teva, what's on your agenda today? You gonna follow me around or hang out with your cat buddies?" Fyre asked, to which Teva just meowed and licked her front left paw. "So... I don't get to know your plans? Alright, have it your way. But if you swat at one of my professor's legs again I'm gonna be in trouble, so can you at least promise me that if you follow me to classes you won't do that?" Teva looked at Fyre with a steely gaze before meowing with a nod, that Fyre took to be an agreement. Fyre rolled her eyes before heading out with her earbuds in her ears and her music turned all the way up. She still had a little bit of time before her first scheduled activity so she'd take her time getting there. As Fyre walked, she remembered when she had gotten marked.

Fyre had been at the prestigious Anderson Academy for the Musically Gifted, waiting in line for her scheduling auditions. They held an audition for the opportunity to be considered, one for acceptance, then another to determine your classes. Fyre had been the next in line to play her original piano composition. She was excited, her palms sweating just ever so slightly as she spoke in quick tones with the person standing next to her. As soon as the stage manager told Fyre it was her turn next and left, the cloaked figure showed up and pointed to her. She'd blacked out and when she woke up, she had been dumped off at the front gates of the school with a credit card and a note. The credit card hadn't come from either of her parents and had instead come from an uncle who had acquired a rather vast amount of wealth and had two children who had been marked. Fyre's parents had turned her over to him since one of his children hadn't survived the change and he had regretted doing to both of his children what her family was doing to her. Fyre kept in contact with him and the cousin that had survived the change, but she missed her family. Even to this day she continuously tried to contact them.

Tears prickled at the corners of Fyre's eyes as she entered the building she needed to be in, but she quickly wiped them away. STOP! Don't think about it. If they wanted to contact you they could. You can only try. At least value what you have, Fyre. She thought sternly to herself as she continued her nightly routine.

__________________