**AN: Disclaimer: I do not own the House of Night series, any of its books, characters, or affiliates. Only this particular plot is mine. Ok so this is just a piece I came up with while I was working on "Burned and Broken", which is my version of "Burned", so here goes. I was going to put it off until I had finished that one, but there are too many ideas bouncing around in my head. This starts at the beginning off "Betrayed" and follows through the series. It's not going to be the same plot or a Loren POV thing. I'm just starting out with the outline in the books and running with it. Happy Reading! NC**

Loren

"Students and professors, please make your way to the reception hall. It is now time for this month's parent visits," Neferet's voice echoed across the school via the intercom. I sighed. I hated parent visits. The humans looked around at us like we were going to lead them into the dining hall and start to feed on them. They wish. Though, there were a few parents that were somewhat affectionate towards their children.

Almost as if to prove a point, a blonde woman yelled into the crowd, "Stevie Rae! Stevie Rae! Ohmygosh I have missed you!"

I turned around just in time to see a miniature version of the woman go flying into her arms, "Mama!" I watched their happy conversation for a moment before the girl, Stevie Rae, suddenly smacked her forehead and grabbed her mother's hand. Dragging her over the food table she said, "Mama! You have to meet my roommate. Remember I told you about her? This is Zoey Redbird. Zoey this is my mama." Stevie Rae waved her hand like a game show hostess at each of them.

Zoey Redbird… Zoey Redbird… Why does that name sound so familiar? As the girl turned around, I realized why I should remember that name. The girl that turned around was beautiful. Intricate spiraling tattoos peppered her face, gracefully swirling into the fill in crescent moon gracing the center of her forehead. Gorgeous olive skin, heavy Cherokee features, and dazzling, striking, stubborn, hazel eyes. There was a fire in them that right now lay simmered in the back, but soon, I could feel it, soon they would be lit in a burning blaze. Something about her said she was uncomfortable. But that didn't make sense. Why would she be uncomfortable with her best friend?

I studied her frame. Not out of anything sexual, but poetically. I liked to focus on the minute details. Her back was straight; not ramrod, but enough that you could tell someone had pushed proper posture on her for most of her life. My eyes traced down the curves from her slender neck, down her shoulders, to the curve of her petite waist. Her arms hung loose at her side, with her feet spread evenly apart. She didn't have the stereotypical teenage pose. Not that she looked like a teenager. There was something wise about her eyes, yet at the same time you could see the same light in them that a small child's held when they discovered something new. An old soul trapped in a young body. She was definitely a gorgeous creature. She wasn't perfect, she had an odd habit of biting on her lower lip and her fingers unconsciously ran through her hair at odd intervals. But these were quirks, small tiny details about her that most people don't bother to find out.

I had to gulp down the sudden desire to grab her up and lock her away. I wanted to be the one to find out all those little details, all her wildest desires. No. No. Stop that thought right there, I told myself. She's off limits. You're a teacher and she is a student. It's against the rules. You could lose your job, the rational voice in my head murmured.

"I absolutely abhor these parent nights," Neferet's commanding voice shook me out of my reverie. She stood next to me with her arms across her chest and her eyes narrowed. The entire staff knew about Neferet's hatred of humans. She had one extremely bad experience with an abusive and unloving father, and now she was ready to blame the entire human race for his actions. It didn't matter to her that she had painfully and slowly extracted her revenge centuries ago. She thirsted for the blood of more innocent people. I had thought she had surpassed that stage, but recently she seemed to be consumed by it.

A sweet, melodious voice interrupted my thoughts, "Grandma!" Innocent and sweet, like a child, I Redbird flung herself into the waiting arms of an old silver haired Cherokee woman. I could tell by the way they embraced and clung to each other, this woman was Zoey's lifeline. So I was a little shocked when I saw yet another Cherokee woman standing beside them with an odd grimace on her face and next to her a tall frail-looking brown haired, murky brown eyed man. I watched out of the corner of my vision as the entire scene played out before me. At first it just seemed awkward, but sensing the distress, Neferet hurried over to save the day.

It all went downhill from there. The moment Neferet spoke a simple "Hello", John Heffer—by the way, what kind of name is that?—put his guard up higher than the walls of the school. To put it short and sweet, it didn't end too badly. I really felt bad for the crumpled Cherokee fledgling that stood before me, shoulders slumped, eyes sad, when the woman who was supposed to be her biological mother followed her strange religious zealot stepfather out the front doors, with the unspoken promise of not returning.

She seemed to radiate her sadness across the room to me. Again, I had to resist the urge to scoop up this fragile being and carry her away from everything. Tiny, little, devilish temptress.

Maybe I could introduce myself? No, why? That would look too suspicious. Not to mention, I would look like a complete fool. "Hi, I'm Loren Blake. I'm sorry; I couldn't help but notice your life falling apart just a moment ago… would you like to cry on my shoulder? Oh and by the way I'm a teacher here and I think you're gorgeous. I decided on that about five minutes ago, which is the first time I've ever actually seen you." And that was basically the equivalent to walking up to a total stranger and getting down on one knee to ask for their hand in marriage.

I looked up to resume my studying again, but she was nowhere in sight. She must have left for the dorms already. I sighed and looked around, there was nobody else to study that compared to the poetic artwork that was Zoey Redbird. I said my goodbyes and tramped off to the poet's loft. Zoey still fresh in my mind, I wanted pour out all of the creative juices her image had left brewing inside of me. Who knows? Maybe I'll run across my little piece of artwork tomorrow…

**AN: Don't forget to review! I know this chapter is really short, but it will get longer I promise. I'll update as soon as possible. I want to make sure I give equal time to both pieces and since Graduation is coming up for me it will be a little bit harder, but I promise I'll try my best! =) All comments and reviews are appreciated so please leave some. Tell me what you like or what you think will happen. I love hearing from you guys. NC**