Okay, so I know Rachel Caine has already released the story of how Alyssa was killed but I thought I'd rewrite it a little in my own way. It's pretty much all from Shane's POV so far (not sure if that will change or not) and I wanted to make it realistic to the story, sooooo... no Claire or anyone. If you don't like that, then don't read it. I had started this on an old account but I couldn't get back on it. Dm, please review! Otherwise, no updates!

Shane Collins stood waiting against his locker; looking suitably bored. He was the only person in the high school hallway; everyone else had abandoned it a good hour ago. Man, this was the third time in a week Michael had asked him to wait behind while he had practise. If it had been anyone but his best friend Shane would have told them where to get off. As it was, the idea of hauling Michael out of the practise rooms was becoming more tempting as the seconds ticked by.

Shane sighed and turned off his IPod. Muse stopped mid-song and he was left standing in the silence. Or he should have been. There were faint noises coming from the gym at the end of the corridor. Shane grunted as he recognized the sound. Bloody cheerleaders with their crappy pop music. He'd already been to check them out a good half an hour ago. Some of them did merit a quick stare but Monica Morrell and the Monickettes (as Shane liked to call them) were in there, showing off and he didn't want the grief. Monica acted like she ruled the world and her cronies acted like they were in the line for the crown. High school's own It Girl, and didn't Monica know it. The word friends didn't really stretch to her lackeys, in fact Shane and Michael often asked each other if any of them knew the meaning of the word. The three of them were only together for the convenience. Everyone knew that gangs of pretty girls travelled in packs, bitching about the less fortunate girls and picking on the really unlucky ones.

"Hey, thanks for waiting man."

Shane turned around to see Michael Glass striding towards him, clutching a heavy looking guitar case in one hand and two sodas in another. He paused at his locker (two down from Shane's) to stuff a few books inside and throw one of the coke cans at Shane. He caught it effortlessly, all those hours of practising for the football team last year had clearly paid off. Not that he still played. Shane now avoided all physical forms of exercise and anything else that actually required moving around. He even ditched most of the tests and pop quizzes, not wanting to waste his time when he could be doing something much more fun.

"Took your sweet time getting here," he complained.

Michael grinned and carefully balanced his own can inside his locker and pretended to throw a punch at Shane. He allowed his best friend to duck before his fist could actually strike his face. Shane laughed and took a gulp of coke. Then he stopped and the smile fell away from his face.

"Damn," he muttered.

"Monica?" Michael asked.

Shane nodded and threw the empty soda can into his own locker. He really should have cleared it out a few months ago but he had much better things to do with his time. No wonder Eve called him a slacker.

"Can we go now?" he asked Michael hopefully.

He knew the answer before Michael even shook his head.

"Waiting for Eve," he muttered.

Shane groaned, suddenly tempted to just leave Michael standing there. But Eve was his friend too. He knew Michael had something for her but they'd never really talked about it. It was one of the most important parts of the Guy Code of Honour. Never talk about feelings for girls.

Monica Morrell sashayed her way down the corridor as if she owned the place. Which probably, Shane thought to himself, wasn't far off the mark. Everyone knew her father was in charge of the town. He had to answer to the vampires, but still, prominent position and all. And Monica reminded everyone who tried to forget that with sharp words and pouts. She wouldn't hit anyone herself, but Shane was aware of that creepy, slightly manic glint in her eyes. She was a girl after his own heart, and if she didn't get what she wanted she'd get her pet vampire to remove it from his chest. Probably.

No, he thought. Likely.

Because the way she smiled at him right now was nothing short of stalker-ish. Shane groaned softly under his breath. Michael's smug grin faltered, just for a moment. Shane knew he was remembering all those times Monica had turned that smile on him. She'd been a big fan of Michael's before she'd set her sights on Shane. Shane shrugged apologetically at his friend and pointed at the end of the hallway.

Meet you outside, he mouthed.

Michael nodded, keeping his eyes on Monica.

Shane turned and quickly walked down the hallway. It was a short one, but the walk seemed to take an eternity. He could see the double doors now, the ones that led outside. He could practically taste the sunshine now, and the sweetness of safety. Maybe Monica wouldn't see him out there. It was a pretty nice day outside, at least a good few hours til dark. He wasn't sure if he'd risk going out in Morganville at night to escape Monica. Not entirely, anyways.

God, he hoped Michael at least had the sense to distract her for a moment or two. Though Shane couldn't blame him if he didn't. He'd seen some of the texts Monica had sent him and even he'd blushed. Michael had deleted them off his phone with trembling fingers, as quickly as humanly possible. Shane knew if Eve had seen them, she'd think Michael was perverted or something.

Just as he was about to push open the doors, something hit him in the back. It was so unexpected that he nearly stumbled. God, what the hell was that? He caught his balance at the last second, holding on to the door frame for support. A second later, Monica's perfume hit his nostrils.

Damn, he thought. Just my luck to have a crazy stalker who can chase me even in high heels.

Monica flashed him a smile that displayed all her even, white teeth. She closed her mouth with a snap and wound her arm through Shane's. He was too surprised to move, even as she rose up on her toes to whisper in his ear.

"Come on now, you know I love it when you play hard to get."

Shane tried to pull away, but he couldn't. Not without hurting Monica at least. She probably deserved it, but Shane wasn't that kind of guy. Didn't want to be that kind of guy. He'd seen his dad take out his alcohol-fuelled moods on his mom time and time again, and he knew that if he ever started behaving like that, he'd end up just the same. Just another Collins on a downward drunken spiral. Whatever Monica did, he couldn't become Frank.

She pushed him into a storage cupboard and shut the door behind her with a predatory smile.

Shit, Shane thought. But it was already too late.