Play With Fire

Note: From now on, all chapters will be reposted exactly as they were. Don't mind the outdated notes. :)

Summary: AU during "Leave It to Beaver" and slight crossover. Even Veronica Mars doesn't know that things really do go bump in the night. But she's about to find out...

It is a slight crossover with the LJ Smith "Nightworld" Universe and BtVS. I don't own Veronica Mars.

AN: The rules of the universe that I am using and modifying are included in the first chapter. I'd like to thank my very first reviewer: this one's for you. Review and make my day.

Chapter Two:

Veronica was in big trouble. She had finally found Lilly's killer and now she would be killed for it. To make things worse, she had accused Logan of the very same crime. How could she have been so stupid? Logan was messed up already and she had betrayed him. Now she had no chance of a relationship with him in the future. That was if she had a future.

She knew she wasn't a fighter. She used her wits and her tongue to get her out of, and into, trouble. She usually had a taser, her cell and Backup, when she didn't have her dad, Leo, Weevil, Duncan, Logan or Wallace to help her out. She had nothing now.

She really hated being the helpless damsel in distress, but even if she could fight, Mr. Echolls could easily overpower her. It didn't help that she was locked in a refrigerator.

Mr. Echolls was yelling for the tapes but she wasn't going to give up that easily. She wondered if dying for Lilly would be worth it. Suddenly the top opened and she could breathe the fresh air. A rush of relief swept through her.

It didn't last. Mr. Echolls was peering down and smiling in a rather sinister way. She shivered as he hauled her up to a sitting position.

"Ah Veronica. You know, I actually liked you, for a human anyway. Logan actually seemed happy around you. But you had to go and find out about Lilly. You just had to find my little skeleton in the closet. You are a lot stupider than I thought you were. You don't know how dangerous some secrets are. You should have been content to live in the light. The night is our territory and you are out of luck, little girl."

"I don't know what you're talking about Mr. Echolls. And why are you calling me 'human' like that?" Veronica couldn't help her curiosity. Besides, talking was distraction and distraction was self-preservation. Veronica didn't want to die.

"I'm surprised. You've surrounded yourself with not only our kind but also hunters, and yet you never noticed anything amiss. You see, Ronnie, you humans are not anywhere near the top of the foodchain." Veronica had no idea what he was talking about. He sighed, exasperated. "I'm not human. Most of us here aren't."

"If you're not human then what are you?" He must be even crazier than I thought.

"Since you're about to die, it won't matter if I tell you about us. I'm a vampire and so are my children. There is another type but we are the superior race. Your biker gang hunts the made vampires because they are less noticeable as they cannot stand the sun like we do, or breed, and therefore it is less suspicious when they go 'missing.' There are shapeshifters in this town, too. The Kanes are one family. Lilly was a half-breed. There are also witches but they are just glorified humans. Humans are our prey. How do you feel about that Veronica?"

"You're serious?" Veronica could not believe that she was hearing this from Aaron Echolls of all people. Great, now he can plead insanity and get off. She glanced up and screamed. For Aaron's face was distorted. His teeth were longer and his eyes were dark.

"Tell me where the tapes are."

"Never." Veronica knew now that she could never let this monster walk free. He threw her against the fridge and her head connected with a crack.

She started to slip into unconsciousness. I never got to say goodbye.

TBC