A/N: Hey, this is another story that follows Shattered Mirror. In this one, I follow the end of the story exactly. Sarah is off finding her own way to live as a vampire. I think it's different from a lot of the stories here. Don't worry, Kristopher, Nikolas and Nissa aren't gone. They'll show up soon. You'll see. Okay, here it is. Please, please, please read and review!

Also, I am incredibly sorry for anybody waiting to read more of Alive But Different, but I'm going to put it on hold for now. I just don't know where to go. And to anyone reading this story, be forewarned, I am not very quick on the updates. I have the first few chapters done, but after that it will take a while. If you would lke me to just pull this story until it's finished, than tell me in your review. If you're okay with waiting, tell me that. Sorry! I hope it's worth it.

Disclaimer: I own none of the following storylines, characters, or plots. They belong to Amelia Atewater Rhodes. And can I just say, isn't she amazing?

A New Life

Midnight. A time reserved only for the creatures of the night. And those who hunted them. But Sarah didn't have to worry about hunters. They feared her, for anyone who approached her ended up severely injured, their knife arms broken or their ribs bent in. She never killed them, but they still avoided her. She new exactly what points could hinder a hunter useless. She had been one herself.

In the 30 years she had been a vampire, Sarah had made a name for herself. Several, actually. Sarah had made sure to develop several personas; each one helped her in certain cases. Nicola, a young fledging who was helpless and a pushover. Selene, a vixen that had the power to enthrall ever male she encountered. Then get them to do her bidding. Anya, the dangerous edgy vampire that runs with the ancient and powerful ones, like Jeshikah, Jager, and Ather. Only a limited few close friends new her as Sarah, the Vida turned vampire who fights both kinds.

Well, and Kristopher and Nikolas. The twins that changed her life. She thought about them every day. Where they were, what they were doing. Kristopher. The man she loved. The man that changed her. She hadn't seen either one of them since the night she left town. Now, set up in New York, New York, Sarah didn't have to worry about them finding her. She wanted to see Kristopher, but not soon. She wasn't ready to confront him again. Not yet.

So she continued to live the way she had been living since then. Making room for herself with important vampires, while secretly taking out the ones that threatened her old family. She had made friends with a few vamps that were powerful, but laid back. Some were members of SingleEarth, an organization she had come to respect. She herself chose to feed there, or in dark alleys, leaving her victims alive. She never killed anything that didn't threaten her life. Or that of someone she loved. She had already taken out four vampires conspiring against Adianna, and two that were planning on killing Caryn Smoke. She hadn't let anyone know it was her that killed them, for that would have ruined all the work she had made with the higher vampires.

She had gotten herself invited to three of Jager's bashes; the ones that were only open to those of incredible importance. There was another one this weekend, Saturday night. She had gotten herself, or, Selene, invited by Nathaniel, an older vampire with connections. It was two days away, and she was training hard. She had replaced the knife if her back with one at her side, built so it's concealed under the thinnest clothing. The sheath wrapped around her thigh and with one quick had motion the blade could be in her had. More than where it was situated, the knife itself was important. It was bewitched by a clan she had found when she made a trip to South Africa tracking a vampire. She stopped him before he killed one of the leaders elder daughters. As a form of thanks, the hand crafted her knife so that it had the power of a hunter's blade, without showing any harm to her. It would sting the skin of vampires and humans alike, but leave hers untouched. It was one of her greatest treasures.

As she walked through the empty alleys of New York City, Sarah saw a lone human, standing just outside the backdoor of a restaurant that had been closed for hours. He dropped his cigarette on the ground and stamped it out when he saw her.

"It's late for a little girl like you to be walkin' around alone. Where's ur daddy?" He said, obviously drunk, his heavy southern accent filled her senses with loathing.

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." She said, putting on a mock helpless face. He smiled at that.

"Well, then I won't talk." With that he advanced on her, but before he could take another step, she grabbed his outstretched hand and twisted it behind his back. He cried out in pain. She smiled.

"You're lucky," she said, yanking harder on his arm. He cried out again. "I really don't like to feed on men with alcohol in there system, it's not good for my skin. Makes me break out. So you'll just have to settle for a sound beating." She kicked his knees in and he dropped to the ground, another yelp escaping him. She laughed wickedly, enjoying the sound. He deserved it.

"I wasn't gonna do nothin'! I swear! I didn't mean no harm! I'se just lookin' for some fun!" He was cut off by another yelp of pain as she dug her knee into his spine.

"Maybe if you said you were sorry really nice."

"I'se sorry!" He whispered it, so she could hardly hear. She leaned forward so she was an inch away from his cheek. He was breathing heavily, and the right side of his face was being pressed into the concrete ally floor.

"What was that?" She put a little more wait into her knee.

"I'se sorry!" He yelled. It was music to her ears.

"Let's consider this a lesson, shall we? Leave little girls alone." She got off of him and brushed herself off. He didn't answer, but scrambled up and ran as fast as he could to the end of the ally and turned the corner.

"All right, you have a good night too." Sarah turned and shook her head, then closed her eyes and thought of New Mayhem, right outside of Los Noches. When she opened her eyes she was there. A couple of human teenagers all dressed in black jumped, startled out of what looked like a make out session. They ran off together, looking back at her as if worried she would follow. She smiled and walked into the now almost deserted bar. Once inside, she made her way over to the bar and sat on a stool.

"Shot of tequila." She said to the bartender. One good thing about being a vampire, you get the buzz of alcohol, with none of the side effects like hangovers or clouded vision. A major plus. He slid a shot down the bar at her, and the tequila sloshed out over the rim, spilling all over the wood before it reached her. He smirked, and then noticed her giving him a quizzical look.

"I'm practicing. Helena told me that I should know some cool bar tricks." Sarah laughed at that, for she could practically hear the short brunette advising her boyfriend.

"Hey, don't laugh! It's your fault I have this job. Making me get a job. Helena has enough money for both of us. I don't understand this whole responsibility trip you're on." He shook his head, pouring her another drink.

"You'll thank me later." Sarah took her shot and downed it. "Besides, isn't nice not to have to live here in New Mayhem? I swear this place is just going to cave in someday." She took the second shot he poured.

"Yeah, I know. I'm off to clean the bathroom. Did you even know this place had a bathroom?" He walked off, shaking his head. Sarah looked down at her drink. How many times had Less cleaned the bathroom then poured drinks? She abandoned her shot and looked around. The place really was empty. There was a human passed out in the corner, and two weak vampires playing a drinking game at a table near the door. She was the only person at the bar, and she didn't mind. She hated it when guys tried to pick her up. Like she couldn't order drinks for herself or something.

"Can I buy you a drink?" A voice said from behind her. She scowled and turned around. There was a human in his twenties sitting two stools over from her. He was wearing a tee shirt and jeans, and looked like he had stumbled into Los Noches and assumed it was a regular bar. He had a friendly warmth emanating from him, so drastic to her cold demeanor. She hated to freeze it.

"No thanks." She turned back to staring ahead of her, hoping he would get the clue. He didn't.

"I'm Henry." He said, scooting over two stools until he was sitting next to her. He stuck out his hand.

"I'm leaving." She put money on the table to pay for her shots the got up and walked towards the door, her leather coat billowing behind her in her hurry. Once outside, she stopped and sniffed the air, still hungry and needing to feed. The human from behind the bar came out behind her, shivering in the cold night air.

"Hey! I didn't get your name!" He walked up to stand beside her, only to have her start to walk down the dirt road to the trees that lined the town. He followed.

"Hey, I'm really a good guy. You shouldn't be walking around by yourself! It's not safe!" If only you new, Sarah thought. She continued to ignore him, making her way to the first line of trees, and then sniffing the air. She was sure she had seen those humans run into the woods. If not, she could always feed on the annoying thing that would not stop following her, even though they it was now almost pitch black in the cover of the trees. Her night vision made it possible for her to see as if in broad daylight, but she found it curious that the human hadn't even stumbled.

"Really, come on. Look, I'm risking my life to save yours and you won't even tell me your name. Are you going to make me guess? I'll say every name that comes into my head until you admit which one it is. Samantha, Kelsey, Jamie…." He tramped on after her, listing names until her head pounded with hunger and frustration. Her patience snapped and she whipped her body around to face him, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"My name is Sarah," she said, not bothering to use an alias, "and you are really annoying me." She leaned in to bite him, but was surprised when she felt the tip of a hunter's blade on her chest, stopping her from moving closer. She looked down at the knife, and then up at his face, that had changed from warm curiosity to cold hatred.

"Sarah Vida? The vampire that slaughtered the whole Tenae line, save for me? Is that you? I have been looking forward to this moment for eight years. I congratulate you; you were the most difficult vampire I have ever tracked. But I've found you. And now you'll pay for murdering my family." He stepped back and readied himself to make the fatal blow.

"I've killed many, but none of the Tenae line. I hardly kill any humans. If you have come to avenge the death of one of your good vamp friends, then I understand. But I will not stand by and defend myself for something I didn't do. I suggest you go home and get your facts straight." She backed away, so that the tip of his knife was no longer resting on her chest. She took one last look at the angry and slightly confused human before she used her vampire ability to appear back at her apartment, slightly shaken up.

The Tenae line. Sarah had met one of their leaders when they had come to consult Dominique once, but she was too young to be allowed in on the discussion. Strange, she didn't know of too many male vampire hunters. They existed, but were seldom. He was powerful. Enough to mask his strength from her in the bar. It was that that had made her stumble back in the woods, not the dagger. His fully-fledged power was immensely strong for someone so young. She felt her head continue to pound, she still hadn't fed. Deciding to think about it after feeding, she went to SingleEarth.