More apologies for the long wait! I'm sorry!

Max's POV

We pulled up to the Street Cats building and the male vampyre and Aphrodite got out of the car. I was close behind before Zoey caught my arm.

"Stevie Rae's coming. I've asked her to meet me here so I could talk to her about some things. That okay?"

"Yeah, sure. Why the heck are you asking me though?" I asked, slightly confused.

Zoey shrugged her eyebrows furrowed. "So you're on the same page as everyone else. I don't know."

I smiled slightly and rolled my eyes jokingly. With that we got out of the car.

As soon as we stepped through those doors I had one of the shocks of my life. We were greeted by a nun.

Hmm, unpredictable.

She greeted us with a smile. "My name is Sister Mary Angela, how may the Street Cats be of assistance to you?"

Zoey smiled pleasantly back, and replied, "Hi, My name is Zoey Redbird, leader of the Dark Daughters at Tulsa House of Night. We're here to offer our services, and to help with donations. We love cats back at the House of Night."

Mary Sister Angela's smile grew wider, "Wonderful, we'd love all the help we can get. We need help sorting a new shipment of toys we just received and some interaction with the cats would be much appreciated."

Aphrodite and the male warrior, headed off to the cat area, which left me with Zoey to go through the stock. We followed Sister Mary Angela down the halls, and each and every cat we passed along the way hissed and growled at me with their big tails. Zoey was giggling quietly behind me.

"It's not funny," I muttered to her.

Zoey only laughed harder. "Actually, it kinda is, 'cause you know…"

I rolled my eyes and playfully pushed her shoulder. "Shut up."

We got straight to work as soon as we got to the storage room, sorting the hundreds of kitty toys. We were only half an hour in and I was sick of looking at the things.

"Ohmygoodness, Z! I've missed you so much!" I winced at the high pitched squealing.

"Stevie Rae! It's so good to see you again!" Zoey exclaimed. So that's her famous roommate.

"That's a nun!" Stevie Rae exclaimed pointing to Sister Mary Angela.

"No, duh." I muttered picking up another wind up mouse.

I noticed that the conversation had stopped at my comment so I turned around to face the two. My eyes locked on Stevie Rae and immediately she reminded me of Angel. Well, an older version of Angel, in cowboy boots. I also noticed the red Marks decorating her forehead.

"Oh, yes, Stevie Rae, this is Max, a new fledgling and my new roommate." Zoey winced as she admitted that. Though Stevie Rae didn't get angry, only sad. Ugh, I'd be so much more comfortable if she got angry. I do so much better with angry.

Noticing Zoey's discomfort, Stevie Rae was quick to reply. "It's okay. I get it. I'm dead in the eyes of the school; they have to move on anyway. I'm glad to meet you Max."

"Oh, and I know all about the red fledgling what not, so no need to go all secretive on me. I'll probably be leaving to see if Aphrodite needs any help any way. So I won't be invading any secret talk."

"Oh, you don't have to do that!" Stevie Rae said. "Aphrodite's on full flirt mode any way. You don't need to see that. Discussing. I'd love to get to know better as well." She sent me a friendly smile.

No one said anything for about a couple minutes, until Stevie Rae spoke up again. "So, how do you know about the red fledglings Max, since it appears you're a new fledgling."

"Max and I had a switch off of secrets per say." I sent Zoey a warning glare. She better not go there. I would beat her to a pulp if she told Stevie Rae. Even if she could go all elemental on my butt. "I told Max about my old roommate for the reason she seemed close to a new transfer Stark. Whose also dead and we think might become a red fledgling."

"So what was with you and this Stark?" Stevie Rae asked.

"He turned out to be my long lost twin brother." I muttered. Why was it that all of my brothers are cursed? They all end up dead. Wait, did Zoey say he might come back as a red fledgling? Great, all my brothers seem to die and come back to life. For all I know Stark'll die and stay dead. I wouldn't be able to handle that.

"That's sad. You just meet your twin and he dies." Stevie Rae sympathized. It's not like she could relate. But I speak without really knowing a thing about her.

"Stark coming back isn't our only problem, we're having a cleansing ritual and Aphrodite can no longer invoke the element Earth." Zoey announced.

"Could she fake it?" Stevie Rae suggested.

Zoey shook her head. "Last time she tried the candle zapped out of her hand."

Stevie Rae's face fell. "I'll really wish I could do something to help. Like hide behind Aphrodite and we focus on each other when you call the element."

Zoey looked like she was thinking about it. "What if you were the one to take Aphrodite's place, and we used the opportunity to out you to the school and out Neferet for what she's doing."

"Do you really think that'll work?" Stevie Rae looked nervous. I didn't even know what they were talking about and I was skeptical about it too.

"Totally."

Stevie Rae thought about it, but nodded. "What's the plan?"

"I think you and a few of the fledglings can hide in the tree by the north gate, where we'll be holding the ceremony and when it comes to invoke your element you can jump down and we can complete the circle and explain what happened to you."

We all counted the cat toys as Zoey and Stevie Rae continued to talk here and there about this and that, while I continued to be lost up in my thoughts and the constant calm thoughts that Artemis sent me.

I hope you guys like it even if it is a bit of a filler, the next chapter will be more interesting I promise with fur and feathers flying around and Heath comes in too for a bit. :) Hope you guys like it!