Cassie slid her sunglasses onto the top of her head; she surveyed the crowded school parking lot as she stepped away from Chris's beat up Mustang. The car looked like junk now, but Chris planned to restore it to its former nineteen sixty-four glory. Cassie had no doubt he could do it, the only thing she doubted was that he would ever have the time to devote to it. Just as he hadn't had time for his real job once school started again. Not with hunting vampires, thrown in with school work and football practice.

Melissa slid out of the car beside her; her black hair was pulled into a sleek French braid that hung almost to her waist. "Freaking death trap," she muttered.

"I heard you!" Chris shouted from inside the car as he fiddled with his updated stereo system. Disturbed blasted loudly from the large speakers stuffed in the trunk moments before Chris popped his head above the roof. "I'll have you know this car is a classic."

"More like an antique," Melissa informed him.

He dropped his hands on the roof as he leaned forward. "And one day it's going to be awesome."

"Well, until that day, it is a death trap," Melissa retorted.

Chris made a face at her before ducking back inside the car and turning the music up louder. Cassie grabbed her backpack and slung it over her shoulder. Cars were lined up and down the senior parking lot, music blaring from most of them as the students each tried to outdo the stereo of the others around them.

Students milled about everywhere, calling greetings to their friends as they moved through the cramped spaces. Some juniors had strolled over from the lot below, but most stayed by their own cars. Cassie usually enjoyed the noise and confusion of the mornings, it helped to wake her up, but today she found herself wishing everyone would keep their music at a normal level, and their voices pitched below screaming. She'd gotten little sleep, and the dull throbbing in her temples was a constant reminder.

"I'm going in," she muttered to Melissa.

Melissa frowned at her. "Are you ok?"

Cassie frowned as she nodded and pulled her glasses back over her tired, aching eyes. "I didn't sleep well, and the sun is awfully bright."

"It tends to be."

Cassie didn't have the energy to come up with a witty reply as she tightened her grip on the straps of her bag and made her way into the crowd. People called out greetings to her that she returned with a forced smile and a cheery demeanor she didn't really feel. Her skin was still oddly electrified to the point she wanted to rip it off, her mind remained focused upon one ever present thought. Him.

Swiftly climbing the steps, she was grateful when she stepped into the cool interior of the dimly lit foyer. The shade was a relief to her skin and eyes after the hot sun. On days when she was run down, the sun was oddly draining to her. It stung her eyes more, and made her skin itch. It was easier to just avoid sunlight when she was overtired.

A sophomore boy held the door open for her, and made a grand, sweeping gesture that brought the first true smile to her lips. With few students in the halls, it was far easier to move as she gathered her things from her locker and strolled to homeroom.

* * *

Devon stood within the shadows, leaning against the cool wall as he watched her move down the hall. Her head was bent forward; her golden hair cascaded in thick waves to the small of her back. Though he couldn't see her face, the utter perfection of her beautiful, delicate features had been burned into his memory last night. Cassie, he recalled the small girl from last night calling her.

He stepped away from the wall as she disappeared into one of the near empty classrooms. He didn't know what he was doing here, he had never stepped foot into a high school before, nor had he ever planned to do so, until today. For some reason though, he found himself standing amongst the stark, foreign halls.

Well, he knew the reason, and it was her.

Ever since he had first laid eyes on her, first smelled her, he had been inexplicably drawn to her. He'd just been passing through town, heading for the woods in search of food, when he'd caught her scent. The blood flowing through her veins was strong, its fragrance deliciously alluring. It had reeled him in like a fish on a hook, snagging hold of him and refusing to let go.

Though he hadn't fed off a human in over a hundred years, he'd been unable to resist her interesting appeal. He was so intrigued by her that he hadn't been able to roam far from her since he'd first seen her. Somehow, strangely, she was a shining light against the darkness residing in him, and he had to get closer to her. Though he hadn't intended to follow her to school, he had to see her again in order to try and figure out this strange hold she had over him.

There was a wealth of sadness in her, an aura of innocence and integrity that called out to him. It touched something in him, sparked to life something he'd thought cold and dead centuries ago. She touched something he hadn't known he’d possessed anymore. It had taken him awhile to name the strange emotion building inside him. It shook him when he finally recognized it as hope.

He hadn't felt like this since Annabelle. Had not felt this pull and… obsession? Yes, it was definitely obsession he felt for this girl, but it was different from what he'd felt for Annabelle. This felt good, it felt right. This girl affected him in such a different way than Annabelle had. At one time, long ago, he simply had to have Annabelle, had to possess her, had to break her, but this girl…

For reasons he couldn't explain, he felt the need to protect Cassie. Seeing her made him feel alive again, almost like a normal human being. He didn't understand her hold over him, but he couldn't fight the sensations pulling at him. No, this girl was completely different from Annabelle. With Annabelle it had been a game, one that had changed him forever.

Last night, when this girl had turned to look at him, his heart had leapt in his chest, or at least it had felt like it for a moment. He hadn't thought of his beating heart or the lack thereof in centuries. However, he swore he could hear it beating now, could almost feel it pulsing blood through his deadened veins once more.

This girl was beautiful, spectacular, perfect, but it wasn't her looks holding him captivate. It was the splendor of her wounded but still vibrant spirit. Though she radiated loss and loneliness, he also sensed a steel rod of strength and pride running through her. He knew with absolute certainty she could ease the aching loneliness that had eaten at his soul for centuries and nearly destroyed him time and time again. After all of his time on earth, he’d never expected to be shocked or thrown off balance again.

He'd been wrong.

He was completely thrown off balance now. He was unsettled and enchanted by this girl, a teenage girl no less.

He watched as the halls began to fill up, and the chatter and laughter grew louder as students milled about. Lockers opened and slammed as they prepared for the day. He found himself oddly enthralled by the simplicity of their lives, amazed by the easy flow of their days. It was something he'd never witnessed as he tended to stay away from humans, and the allure of their warm blood, and pumping hearts.

Though he had control over his baser, more murderous instincts, he felt it best to avoid temptation as much as possible. Even after all of these years, he could still clearly recall the taste of their warm blood, the thrill of the hunt, and the surge of power their deaths had brought him. However, no matter how much of a temptation their blood was, he'd been drawn here by her, and he was loath to leave her now.

Slipping from the shadows, he ignored the startled looks his sudden emergence caused the students closest to him. He sensed the surprise, curiosity, and lust following his movements. He was focused upon his goal as he made his way toward the offices he'd seen at the front of the building.

If he was going to stay close to her, and get to know her better, then there was only one thing he could do. He struggled to tune out the fluttering beat of the hearts surrounding him as he took in the people he would be spending the rest of the day with.