A/N: I don't own anything related to Daughters of the Moon, but I do own Laleyna, Megan, Shellie, and Tetra.

Chapter 1: Just a night

Vanessa stood on the beach, watching the waves and the sun set. The battle was over and the Atrox was gone. Serena had stayed in Nefandus with Stanton, Jimena was the new mentor for the daughters of the moon, Catty was gone and so was Tianna. Michael wanted nothing to do with her anymore, saying she had changed too much, and she had. She wasn't the same girl at all, she wasn't so uptight anymore, she could go with the flow. She also had no issues picking a fight if someone pissed her off. Feeling like she was being watched, she looked around and saw absolutely no one, but that didn't mean she was alone. Followers who were strong enough could turn themselves into shadows and remain unseen for days. The moon was dark, none of its light graced the skies tonight, and wouldn't for another two days, but it didn't bother her. She had survived Nefandus, helped destroy the Atrox, survived an attack from one of the inner circle, and escaped with her life and more power: the power of Pandora.

Energy flowed through her, waiting to see what was watching her. From the corner of her eye she saw someone move and she turned to see Michael. Releasing the breath she didn't know she was holding, she turned and tried to not get defensive. His dark hair had grown back out and had a curl to it again, his tan was perfect as ever and he looked like he had been working out more. But then she hadn't seen him in a few weeks so he could be the same and she wouldn't have been able to tell. "Hey, what's up?"

"Someone said that you wanted to talk to me." His rich voice sent shivers through her body, but she wasn't going to let him see that. She wasn't his anymore, and she didn't want to be anymore either. She had a new boyfriend, someone most people thought she'd never go for. She was dating a follower, Tymmie. He had once seemed repulsive and disgusting, but that was when she was uptight and a goddess, but now she wasn't uptight and somehow still a goddess even though she was seventeen. The one thing she still didn't like was that he worked for Catty's dad, but she was working on him. If anything, she'd get him back to being a normal follower.

"Nope, I'm waiting for someone else."

"Who," He was close enough to her that she could smell him, a scent that once made her weak at the knees, but now she didn't care much for it.

"And since when is that any of your business, Michael? I'm pretty sure you said you were 'done with me'." Tilting her head to the side, "but if you must know I'm waiting for my new boyfriend." The words were harsher than meant, but she actually liked the pain that registered in his eyes. "Who told you I was waiting for you here?"

"Jimena…"

"I don't even talk to her anymore, taken different roads and all that." She waved her hands in a dismissively manner. "But even if I was waiting for you here, I doubt you would have actually come." Sitting down on the sand, she took her flats off and let her perfectly manicured feet dig into the sand, enjoying the feel of the water rushing over them. Michael was still there waiting for her to say something, or wanting to say something but not sure how to say it. She'd wait to see which one it was. If he was waiting on her he was out of luck.

"Am I interrupting something?" Vanessa's head jerked behind her, and smiled. Tymmie was wearing all black, his tattoo that said Atrox on it was barely visible through his now growing back hair. He looked over at Michael who scowled, realizing who Vanessa was now dating.

"Hey baby, you're late as usual. Someone told Michael that I was waiting here for him." Tymmie laughed and looked over at Michael, malice in his eyes and smile. "I made sure to tell him that they were wrong." Tymmie walked over to Vanessa and helped her get up, admiring what she was wearing. Black skinny jeans and a black tank top, a leather jacket was on the ground next to her.

Before she knew what was happening Tymmie was holding her close and was reciting a poem that she guessed he wrote or was just making up:

Oh gorgeous goddess sitting in the setting sun, could you truly be mine?

Oh beautiful goddess of the moon, are you truly real standing before me?

Oh goddess of love, you are a masterpiece of art

Your hair so soft and golden like the sun above

Your blue eyes so clear like the open sky

Skin so soft that it puts silk to shame

Oh goddess bless me with your power, your blessings, your love

Oh beautiful goddess of the moon, please do not leave me alone

Vanessa did her best not to laugh, but Tymmie was probably just laying it on thick since Michael was here, but she had noticed his tendency to write poems about her. Michael was fuming and started to walk away. "You are so beautiful Vanessa."

"I'll take your word for it." Tymmie laughed, Michael now well gone. "So what was that poem for? I know an impromptu when I hear it."

" It was either that or I would have just given you a really long wet kiss in front of your ex." Vanessa laughed now, "I have to tell you something."

"And that would be?"

"The prince is back, but his goddess is not." Vanessa paused, Stanton was back but Serena wasn't? "They broke up apparently while they were both in Nefandus. Also…"

"What?" Vanessa asked, having a feeling she would have to get defensive and ready for a fight. She still had her energy ready if she did.

"Cassandra is back… and I'm leaving you."

"Just like that, some follower chick comes back and I'm old news? That's bullshit and you know it."

"Vanessa, now don't do this. Adamantis has been watching me and I know he wants me to bring you over. I'm doing this for your own good."

"MY OWN GOOD?! You act like I can't take care of myself! I've fought him and WON! So don't even play this, I'm tired of games Tymmie. I am willing to let you do what is necessary as a follower and change people over but you can not use Adamantis as an excuse for leaving me. Just say it you want to date a follower, and it will be all good, but DO NOT say you are leaving me for my safety!"

Tymmie just looked down at Vanessa, shocked at her anger, he had seen it directed at many, him included, but not with this much passion. It reminded him why he liked her in the first place, ever since he met her at Planet Bang when she was fifteen. Reaching out to touch her, she backed up and took a defensive stance, "touch me and you're going to go flying."

"Vanessa…"

"Goodbye Tymmie, good luck being a douche bag." Turning and grabbing her shoes she walked off and used her gift of invisibility. He actually looked sad but she didn't feel bad about it. She had gotten better at break ups. She had Michael, Toby, Hector, and now Tymmie on her exes list. Only one was a normal human, and that was Michael.

~*~

Walking down Sunset Boulevard, Vanessa thought she was being followed again, and wouldn't put it past Tymmie to try and get even. Spying the Dungeon, she thought it risky, but decided to go in anyway. She really didn't care if it was always infested with followers, she had done even more stupid things before. Walking in she came face to face with Yvonne. She had been pretty once, and she was still but in a more dangerous way.

Glaring at Vanessa she spat at her, "what are you doing here Goddess."

"Rumor has it Stanton's back, thought I'd come by and see what's up." Yvonne paused, apparently his return wasn't common knowledge or she didn't think Vanessa would have heard that he was back. "So is he here or should I come back at a later time?"

"Don't come back, and he's not here." Followers were circling around Vanessa and Yvonne, but she didn't care. Smiling at Yvonne, Vanessa gave her a kiss and left, howls and cheers from male followers and humans chorused from the bar. Yvonne's face was furious, but Vanessa was already out the door before she could react, but she heard her scream 'fucking goddess' as the door shut behind her. The old Vanessa wouldn't have ever thought of doing something like that. Looking around, Vanessa spied out Yvonne's car and shattered the window with a brick sitting next to the door to the Dungeon and walked off smiling and whistling. No one would report her around here, followers hated cops anyway, but she did expect to have someone come get even with her. She was already looking forward to it.

~*~

Walking around aimlessly for hours, Vanessa thought she was being watched again, and this time she stopped and looked around, as if she was looking for traffic or onlookers. When she turned around and saw blue eyes looking back at her she screamed and jumped backwards, energy flaring, making the person who was behind her laugh hard. Stanton was wearing all black, his blonde hair a mess from the wind, and his crisp blue eyes watching her with laughter.

"I hear you were looking for me?"

"And if I was?"

"Then I wouldn't have expected you to react like that when I popped up behind you."

"Materializing right behind someone when they're edgy will get anyone to jump and scream." Vanessa laughed, "So why are you back without Serena?"

"She went to Hecate, and after she was gone Nefandus just didn't feel right anymore, so I came back." Stanton leaned back on a dark blue 2009 Audi TT. "So why are you looking for me?"

"No reason, just bored and heard you were back. Wanted to see if it was true or not." Stanton frowned.

"That's all?"

"What were you expecting me to confess my undying love and desire for you and beg you to date me?"

"And what if I did?"

"I'd say you need to get checked in the head, because you might have got hit, hard." That got him to laugh and Vanessa joined him. "So where you heading?"

"Nowhere, just drifting around town, discovered a little bit of what you've been doing since you got back."

"What you mean my break-ups and hook-up?"

"That and some other things, such as being more, well not-very-much-like-Vanessa things you've been up to like starting fights and throwing a brick through Yvonne's windshield and giving her a kiss in front of everyone at the Dungeon."

"Those last two were just done because of how I felt at the moment."

"Well Yvonne is very… riled up."

"Good for her, I'll be on the lookout for her if she wants to pick a fight with me." Leaning on the car next to Stanton, Vanessa had the sudden urge to break in and jack it. Stanton, catching the thought laughed and shook his head.

"Have you become that much of a bad girl?"

"You like it and you know it." That made Stanton laugh harder and nearly choke. Digging through her purse, Vanessa found the tools she made to break into houses and cars and had Stanton move so she could work with the streetlight. When the lock popped and the alarm remained silent, she got in and worked on the ignition, Stanton already in the passenger seat. The car came to life and she closed the door and sped off from where it was parked. Music killed the silence, heavy metal guitar solos sent shivers down Vanessa's spine, making her drive faster and way over the speed limit.

Stanton watched her in silence, amazed by this new dangerous Vanessa. She had seriously just broke into a car, got it started, and drove off without setting an alarm or having anyone notice. "So why did you date Tymmie."

"Why not date him? It's not like we were serious, and it only lasted a few weeks." Stanton grabbed the 'oh-shit' handle as Vanessa took a hard left turn in a red light, almost causing a wreck.

"Watch where you're going!"

"Why? Not like we'll be hurt, you're Immortal and can turn into a shadow and I can turn invisible at a split second."

"Still, this isn't our car."

"Exactly," Vanessa sped up.

"What are you planning?" Stanton looked at her, her mind blocked.

"Head on collision with a wall, get out if the car two seconds before it makes impact, it's a rush I promise you." She was up to one-forty and the max speed for the car was only one-seventy, and the wall she was planning to hit was just up ahead. "Get ready." Stanton looked at the speedometer again and saw it was at one sixty-five. Before he knew it she was gone and he followed suit, watching the car speed ahead of them as they both went through open windows, the explosion gigantic.

"Guess it had NOS in it." Stanton looked over at her, "well either that or it had more gas in it than I guessed, I didn't check. But my bet is the NOS, the fire was blue for a second."

"Where did you learn so much about cars?"

"I used to hang out with Jimena didn't I?" She had a point, Jimena used to steal cars all the time when she was ganged up, before she knew she was a daughter, but now she was the new guardian mother and was really uptight about breaking any sort of rules that might get the girls into trouble. "So what do you want to do now?"

"How about we go get something to eat?"