Hey guys, welcome to the fic. As a PSA: Tyler and I have hit a bit of a brick wall with LUIS (our other LIS vamp story), so we're postponing it, maybe indefinitely. In the meantime, we'll be working on this one.

So, basics: Once Max moved to Seattle, she and Chloe kept in touch. Both girls are going to Blackwell. There are a few ships included - the main two being Chloe/Max and Rachel/Max with the way it's planned now. Victoria/Max is a minor one, for certain reasons that will become clear later. More could be added later down the line. Not sure how all these ships will end up, but it'll be fun finding out.

This first chapter is being released as a taster. We will be releasing regular updates once we've got more chapters written up.

Chapter One: Another One Bites the Dust

Max's POV - Early September - Blackwell - Max's Room – Evening

It had been a few days since I started at Blackwell Academy, returning to my hometown – Arcadia Bay – on a permanent basis. Five long years had passed since I lived there; during that time, I had been holed up in Seattle. This wasn't the first time I had visited between then and now, dropping in on my childhood friend, Chloe Price, every few months for days at a time - mostly in the holidays. Sometimes, Chloe made the long trek to Seattle to see me, too. We wouldn't have distance to worry about now, just like old times.

Right now, Chloe was chilling out in my room, treating it like her own as usual. The concept of privacy and personal space was totally lost on her. I think she just didn't want me mysteriously disappearing tonight to avoid her plans. It would be the first Vortex Club party of the academic year - a chance to make my first foray into Blackwell's social scene, aka my worst nightmare. I did not do well at parties; I couldn't handle crowds or tight spaces or too many drunk people… the list went on. Still, somehow – through gradual wearing down and blackmail – Chloe had convinced me to accompany her.

Honestly, I was still trying to find a way to get out of it, even now. "Chloe, I'm not so sure about this…"

Chloe sighed deeply, clearly having expected more resistance to her little plan. "For fuck's sake, Max, live a little. Going to one party isn't going to kill you, okay. We're not little kids anymore, so we can stay up after nine."

I rolled my eyes at her playful mockery, typical Chloe. "I'm just not used to these kinds of parties."

"I still can't believe you were in Seattle all that time and didn't go to some wild ragers. Wasted opportunity to get wasted." She sounded very disappointed in me.

"Not all of us are party animals like you, Chloe," I pointed out. She did seem to forget that a lot.

"And not all of us can be nerdy loners, like you," she countered with a smirk. "Come on, it'll be an adventure for you. You don't have to do it every week or anything, unless you suddenly catch the party fever. Besides, I'll be there, which automatically means it's going to be awesome. Don't make me use the puppy dog eyes because I so will."

"Ugh, you know I can't say no when you do that…" I groaned, hating that such a simple underhanded trick always made me cave in.

"It's my secret weapon." She got up from my bed, coming to stand in front of me, a charming grin and coaxing tone. "So… what do you say?"

I knew it was pointless resisting further. One way or another, she would get me to tag along… even if she had to drag me kicking and screaming. "Fine, if it'll shut you up…"

"Hella yes!" she exclaimed victoriously, giving me a quick hug as a reward for compliance. "See, I knew you'd come around. Can't wait to see you bust a move on the dance floor, aka flailing your arms around awkwardly."

Pouting, I gently pushed her shoulder. "You suck! ...and you might also be right."

She returned my nudge, playful. "I just tell it like it is. Don't worry, I'll help coach you when we get there."

"Like you'll be much better," I scoffed challengingly.

Her blue eyes narrowed as she stared at me. "Hey, that's just plain rude. I'll have you know I'm pretty good at this, especially when fueled by alcohol and weed - of which I'm sure there will be plenty." A plotting grin tugged at her lips, one I knew all too well. "The Vortex Club are always high, well Hayden is. Nathan too, and you know a rich kid like him is gonna have the good stuff."

I crossed my arms, interested to hear how she would get him on board with that scheme. "Oh, and how do you plan on smooth talking Nathan into handing over his weed stash exactly?"

"Use my charms…" she added with a wink, "or just wait until he's too high to notice and 'borrow' some."

"I figured as much…" I shook my head at the predictable answer.

Chloe titled her head to the side, really staring at me as she tapped her chin, deep in thought. "Now, we have to do something about your outfit."

I looked down at my worn gray hoodie, pink Jane Doe shirt, battered sneakers and blue jeans ensemble. "What's wrong with it?"

Giving me a disbelieving look, Chloe began her fashion criticism. "Max, if you turn up like that they'll hand you over to the fashion police. At least look like you're making an effort. Show off some skin or whatever."

"Oh, because that's a good idea around a bunch of drunk and high jocks," I replied sarcastically. I doubted I would ever catch their attention, but I didn't want to risk it.

"They'll be too busy kissing Victoria's ass, so don't worry about it," Chloe reassured, waving away her concern before smiling again. "Besides, I'll protect you if the need arises."

"If you're not flat on your face, high as a kite," I corrected smugly.

Chloe shook her head. "Dude, I'm not going to get that high. I don't trust any of those assholes enough."

"So, in summary: we're going to a party where you don't trust anyone…" I concluded, pointing out the glaring flaw in that plan, "sound logic as always."

"Not all of them are bad, enough to make me cautious but that's half the fun." She moved over to my wardrobe, not even asking before she riffled through my clothes. "Oh wow… have you actually upgraded from early teens Max?"

I shrugged, watching her work. "You did all the upgrading for both of us."

Chloe sure had done a lot of changing, diving head first into the punk rocker style: blue hair, skull shirts, piercings, tats and tude.

"Hey, here's something… oh shit, didn't think there'd actually be a dress in here." Chloe pulled out a dark blue and black, short sleeved Jersey skater dress with a rounded neckline.

I frowned, wishing now that I had hidden it better. "Ugh, my mom made me bring it along… she wouldn't take no for an answer."

Holding it up, Chloe considered the option. "Hmm… it's a little basic but… could work."

"Are you being serious right now?" I asked, incredulous.

"When am I not?" the bluenette replied, managing to dig out some pump shoes a similar shade of blue from the bottom of the wardrobe. "Look, if you're only gonna go to one party the whole time you're here, at least make it so people will remember how drop dead gorgeous you looked on that one night." She approached me, putting the dress closer to get an idea of what it might look like. "Give Victoria Chase and the other basic bitches around here a run for their money."

"That might be a stretch, Chloe," I muttered in response, not overly confident on my ability to appear 'drop dead gorgeous'.

Chloe caught my eye, a subtle smile on her lips. "I think you'll scrub up nicely. We sure as hell won't know until we try. Come on, give it a try. Promise I won't look until you're ready." She handed me the dress and shoes, turning around.

Realizing that I wasn't going to get out of this, I sighed and shrugged my hoodie off. Next, I kicked my shoes off, then unzipped my jeans and stepped out of them. I pulled my top over my head, swearing that I saw Chloe's head turn back as I resurfaced. Did she just…? Nah, what was I thinking? Pushing it aside as me seeing things, I got the dress on and stepped into the shoes.

I cleared my throat to get her attention. "Okay, you can look now."

Eagerly, Chloe swiveled around and grinned the second she saw me. "I was totally right. You look hot."

"Uh, thanks?" I really wasn't sure how to take that. Chloe often made passing flirtatious comments, it was just her nature. She actually seemed genuine, which stumped me. I was used to teasing, not this.

"Are you always this good at taking compliments?" She took me by the wrist, placing me in front of the mirror in my room so I could get a better look. "See?"

Not used to this whole process, I turned slightly to each side to get a better look, pleasantly surprised with the result. "Okay, I guess it looks better than I was expecting."

"Give yourself some credit, Max. If you put on a little makeup -not too much you don't want the drunks to think you're a hooker-" I rolled my eyes at her in the mirror, making her grin, "and some jewelry or something, you'll be perfect. More than enough competition for someone like Bitchtoria. Oh, and this..." Chloe took one of the bands off her wrist, sliding it onto mine, "gotta add a little punk class to it. Now it's perfect."

"Oh yes, because the black spiked bracelet really pulls it together," I added sarcastically. "I'm sure I'll set off a new fashion trend."

"Don't want you looking too much like a Vortex Club clone," Chloe retaliated, sticking her tongue out. "And you're welcome, by the way."

Genuinely grateful for this, I smiled at her. "Seriously, Chloe, thanks. At least I won't look totally tragic tonight. I didn't think you'd have an eye for girlie fashion."

"Don't know if I'd go that far, but it's better than yours," she replied with a teasing grin.

I inhaled sharply. "Ouch, low blow."

She chuckled, giving me a once over. "Well, the model does at least fifty percent of the work, so I guess you can take some credit."

"Thanks, girlfriend."

Smiling again when her eyes fell on the bracelet now attached to my wrist, she nodded approvingly. "I'm not just gonna go with anyone to a shindig like this."

"So, am I an acceptable date?" I asked, giving her a twirl, almost falling over in the process. I literally had no coordination.

She caught me before I fell flat on my ass and pretended to give it some thought, shrugging. "Eh, I could do worse."

"You are such a bitch sometimes…"

"You know it." Chloe grinned cheekily. "Now, let's get finished up and we'll head over. Sound good?"

"Yes, it sounds great," I admitted, actually feeling a little pumped for this now, all thanks to Chloe.

Blackwell Pool - Late Evening

The time to leave came around surprisingly quickly. Chloe got dressed up a little, her style still distinctly punk but cleaner. At least she was trying, and seeing her in something that didn't have a ton of weird stains on was… nice. To top it off, she had actually run a brush through her hair. A rare sight, for sure.

Chloe insisted on linking arms on the way there - something about making my one night out special, pulling out all the stops - and I wasn't totally against it… or at all. "So, looking forward to your first major party?"

"Yeah, actually I am." The answer surprised me in all honesty.

My blue-haired punk friend grinned. "Glad to hear it."

Eventually, we made it to the main entrance and headed on inside. The first thing that hit me was the smell; a weird mixture of booze, weed, and sweat. Admittedly, not the most appealing. Bright lights flashed, briefly illuminating faces in the crowd dancing - some were really going for it. The music pulsated through me, rocking me to my very core.

"Hella yes! It's party time!" Chloe shouted over the music so I could just about hear her. "Come on hippie, shake that boney white ass of yours." She dragged me over to a clear spot, ready to rock out.

At first it was a little awkward, me being naturally self-conscious, but after a while I kinda forgot other people were there, aside from Chloe. She sure as hell didn't restrain herself, jumping around and waving her head wildly. Her energetic and… interesting style soon rubbed off on me.

"Yeah, rawk out, girl!" she exclaimed, grabbing hold of my arms and shaking me around.

After some time amongst the mass of bodies, we slowed it down and moved to the outer edges to escape maybe being stepped on or crushed.

Chloe leaned in closer, breath warm. "See, you're learning from a pro. Way to let go. I'm gonna go grab us some drinks. Stay put, alright?"

I nodded, watching her weave her way through the crowd, almost getting into a fight when someone bumped into her. Waiting around, I leaned against the wall, trying to catch my breath. Something like this might be nice once in a while. So long as Chloe was with me. She made everything fun, always had.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed someone I didn't recognize. A girl with long blonde hair, dancing in the crowd. Must be one of the Vortex Club members I had yet to meet – which was most of them. Getting a closer look, I could see some sort of dangly earring in her left ear, a feather perhaps? It was hard to tell from where I was stood. She had a sort of similar style to Chloe, although she was showing off much more skin.

I found myself staring, unable to look away as she danced, making it look so natural. If only I looked that smooth… Then she caught me staring, making me look down at my shoes. Shit, way to be a creeper. After a few seconds had passed, I glanced up to see that she had moved a little closer, the faintest smirk visible. She definitely noticed me being a weirdo.

To my surprise, she moved even closer, working her dance moves effortlessly into her shuffling across. Oh god, was she going to come over and punch me or something… Before I had the chance to figure out a good hiding spot, she had made it over to me. Now I got a better look at her, she was prettier than I had first realized. Her mischievous hazel eyes caught the light, almost seeming to shimmer.

Just like Chloe, she didn't seem to have much respect for the whole personal bubble thing, resting her arm against the wall I was now backed up against, face close to mine. I swallowed, frozen to the spot. My legs refused to move, mouth and brain not functioning. I must look so pathetic right now…

"So, got a name, beautiful?" she asked, voice as smooth as silk.

Thankfully, my brain kicked in just in time to answer without looking like I had serious problems. "M-Max."

"Well Max, I find it criminal that you aren't on the dance floor right now. Such a waste. Care to join me?" she asked, smiling with enough charm to make even the toughest cookie crack.

"Uh, actually I'm…" I glanced behind me, wondering where Chloe had got to, "waiting around for a friend. She just went to get drinks. Should be back real soon. I… don't want to miss her."

"So, a quick dance then." Her eyes met mine, something indecipherable flickering in those hazel irises.

Before I knew it, I found myself saying yes, compelled to accept the offer for some reason. I could keep an eye out for Chloe, so long as we didn't move away too far. She pulled me into an empty spot, not too far away from where I had been standing, getting back into the swing of the music.

"I don't think I caught your name," I pointed out as we danced.

"Rachel," she replied simply.

It wasn't so strange that I didn't know who she was – my social life had been lacking – but… she seemed like the type of person I should know about, just as much as Victoria Chase. "So, you come to school here?"

She seemed to be considering something for just a second before answering. "I guess you could say that."

Before I could ask her what she meant by that, she moved in closer to me, dancing so close we were almost touching. Normally, I had an issue with people getting up in my space, Chloe excluded, but I didn't feel uncomfortable with Rachel doing it too. Weird. I didn't pay it too much mind, wondering if now that I was in the party mood that it just came more naturally. That must be it.

I ignored the nagging doubt, deciding to just enjoy myself for the time being. When the song we were dancing to came to an end, I suddenly realized we had migrated away from my initial location. Shit, Chloe was probably back now and would be pissed.

I went to turn back, getting blocked by Rachel. "Leaving so soon? We were having so much fun, too."

"I…" The words got caught in my throat, refusing to voice my desire to get back to Chloe.

Leaning in closer, she tucked some hair behind my ear, fingers lingering on my cheek as her eyes bored into me. "Come on, let's go somewhere a little more… private, shall we? I'd love to get to know you a little better. How does that sound, hmm?"

I once again agreed. What was going on? This was so… weird. Maybe a contact high from all the fumes in the room. Whatever the reason, I let her lead me away to the bathroom, guiding me into an unused stall - one that had an out of order sign on it. There was still a faint bass line coming from the main part of the swimming pool, a reminder of the party I had just left.

"Not the best place for this, I know, but my options are limited," she whispered now that she could be heard. She backed me up against one of the stall's walls, face inches from mine. "Now, this is a little more intimate, much better, right?"

On instinct, I nodded my head. Was this how Chloe felt when she had smoked weed? If so, I could kinda see the appeal. I felt so relaxed now, the world around me quieter and softer than normal. Everything was dulled, only Rachel's voice clear for me. It was almost like an out of body experience, not quite but as close as I'd probably ever get.

Her hazel eyes almost seemed to pierce my soul. "Oh, you are such a good girl, so compliant. For that… you should be rewarded."

Before I could do, say or even think anything else, I felt her lips on mine. A spike of surprise and confusion, soon giving way to something much more relaxing and… a slight pang of longing. My lips moved of their own accord, kissing her back. Right now, my mind was a haze - probably from inhaling so many weed fumes in the other room. There had been a lot of people smoking, a good twenty percent that I had been able to make out from my corner of the room.

I felt her tongue slid into my mouth, deepening the kiss as she pressed into me. My body felt all tingly and weird, not in a bad way. After some time she pulled back, eyes shimmering again. "Let's step it up a notch, shall we?"

Without waiting for a reply, she pressed her lips to my neck, kissing where my pulse was. My head moved back on instinct, giving her more access. When I decided to come here tonight, this was the last thing I had been expecting. I felt teeth graze my skin as she kissed and sucked, teasing. There was a very slight pricking sensation, something that vanished almost as soon as I felt it.

I inhaled sharply, feeling her press her knee into me as she continued to work on my neck. I had no idea what was happening right now but I knew I wanted more. A surge of ecstasy passed through my body, eyes closing.

After some time, Rachel pulled back, running her tongue along the spot she had tended to for the past… however long. It was too dark to really tell, but I could swear I saw her lick her lips. Her face returned close to mine, her hazel eyes now having a strange glow to them… maybe a trick of the light, or lack of.

She gave me another brief kiss, smiling. "As much as I'd like to play with you more, I have important things to attend to tonight. Shame… maybe some other time if I'm in the area. You'd be worth the trip."

Letting me off the wall, she opened the stall door and I wandered back into the main area. I felt a little lightheaded as I stumbled back over to my spot. Chloe was there, looking very puzzled. When she saw me, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"There you are… shit, I was starting to get worried. Sorry I took so long, the line was ridiculous and then some asshole knocked into me, spilling everything so I had to queue again…" Chloe frowned at me, looking worried. "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, fine."

She gave me a strange look. "Where'd you go? I was seriously just about to send a search party."

"Oh, just to the bathroom," I stated offhandedly, not really remembering why I went. Well, I guess that was obvious. What else do you go to the bathroom for? I took one of the drinks in Chloe's hand, taking a sip. "Anyway, shall we get back to it?"

So, there's the setup. This might not be the last time we see Rachel… Hope you enjoyed the first chapter and we will get more out to you once we've sorted a few more things out. Obviously, feel free to drop a review telling us what you make of it so far, what you think might happen etc.