"So Claire Boelyn right? I didn't know Amy had any children" Quentin said as he sat back.

"Alba. And I'm not her daughter. I'm her niece." Quentin nodded a bit, obviously not really interested in what she was saying.

"Right. So, here for a good time or a long time?" He asked.

"Both. Just trying to settle in. Small towns are a bit of a change from what I'm used to" Lucas sat up a bit.

"City girl? Wouldn't have guessed. Your family is one of the founders?" She smiled a bit at that.

"Yea my parents wanted to see more of the world than just the acres of this town. I'm grateful we had that time" Lucas frowned a bit as he recognized that far away look. The same one he woke up with in the morning.

"I'm sorry for your loss" Claire looked over at him.

"And I'm sorry for yours" there was a silent moment as they both acknowledged each other's pain. Terrance smirked a bit, Lucas could use a distraction like this. Quentin wanted to roll his eyes, the sweet boy act wasn't going to win over his.

"There's a bonfire in the woods tonight. If you're looking to settle in and... get to know the right people. That's where you'll wanna go" Quentin said leaning forward a bit.

"Really, that sounds fun. Are you going?" Claire asked making a small smile stretch on Lucas' features.

"I will if you go" Lucas said giving her a look that made Claire blush a bit.

"Guess it's settled then. Let's head out?" Terrance said grabbing Quentin and dragging him up.

"You sure you're ready for this?" Lucas asked offering her his hand.

"How crazy could it be? It's a small town party nothing too crazy right?" Lucas chuckled as he wondered how this was gonna go.

•••

They drove over to the party and as they walked through the entrance Claire was a little impressed. Not bad for a little small town fun.

"Still ready?" Clarie smiled and opened her mouth to answer as a guy came pulled Lucas off before she could get a word out. Her irritation didn't shine through completely but she wanted to talk to him. People were always around him, how could anyone get a moment with him?

"Lucas is great huh?" Claire spun around to see Quentin with two cups in hand.

"Yea. He seems really great. I never got your name" Clarie said politely.

"Quentin. You shouldn't lean too heavily on him though. He just lost his parents and broke up with his long time girlfriend Opal. I doubt he's in the market for anything serious." Clarie wanted to roll her eyes hard. Are these truly the kind of people that Lucas surrounded himself with?

"Oh. Well thanks. I guess" Quentin smiled proudly as he passed the girl the drink he brought.

"Don't worry. There's a lot here for you just gotta look for it" Quentin said as he leaned in a bit closer. Claire sighed and decided that this is where she would have to be direct.

"I'm sorry maybe I've given off the wrong signals. I'm not interested... sorry again. I just wanted to be honest" Quentin held back his initial thoughts and stepped pretty far back from her.

"No I'm sorry. That's not what I meant at all. I was just being nice is all. If it came off any other way I promise not the intention. You're not really my type either" he said with an air of fake confidence that made that much more unattractive to Clarie. Their awkward exchange ended as she nodded and walked away leaving him to curse himself silently. Claire looked around wondering how in the few moments Quentin distracted her that Lucas had gone missing.

•••

Meanwhile, Lucas was trying to find his sister. The guy who'd pulled him away from the party said Quentin told him that Nadine went this way looking drunk or stoned. So here he was on the edge of the party looking around for Nadine. Nadine was actually deeper in the woods. Paulie grabbed Elsie and the two were in the woods making out when Elsie said she wasn't in the mood and walked off leaving Paulie frustrated and annoyed.

"I keep asking you what you see in that girl. She barely gives you the time of day Paulie" Nadine said coming around the bend.

"Jeez Dina. You always hide out in the woods?" Nadine rolled her eyes pulling out her half smoked blunt.

"This is why I'm here. Don't flatter yourself" Paulie smirked and walked over to her.

"Down to share?" he whispered as Nadine ripped the blunt away.

"Only if you ask nicely" she whispered closing the space between them. Paulie pulled Nadine off her feet and pushed her up against a tree kissing her roughly. Nadine smirked into the kiss tightly wrapping her legs and arms around him. Paulie gripped her hips and pulled her closer.

"That nice enough for you. Should I be nicer?" Paulie asked kissing down her neck.

"Sex first. Blunt after" she said pulling him back into a kiss that he pulled out of.

"Ah come on Nadine. Bonfire's right there and we're outside. Now's not the time for that" Nadine scoffed as he dropped her and wiped his lips.

"Are you fucking kidding me?! You were just trying to fuck Elsie's brains out. But now all of a sudden it's not the time" Paulie shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Dina, we could be seen" Nadine nodded and bit into her cheek trying not to pretend like that didn't hurt.

"So it's not the sex, you just don't want to be seen with me" she whispered looking down.

"I have a girlfriend. If we got caught that would ruin a bunch of stuff" Nadine nodded again the hurt almost burning at this point.

"You don't even like her" Nadine said running a hand through her hair pulling a bit at the root.

"What do you know? We fucked this summer a few times. Fine. Summers over. None of that made me want to leave Elsie. And guess what if it ain't happening now it won't later. So why don't you stop pretending like this was ever something bigger than just a fling" Nadine wanted to scream about the late night talks. The phone calls. The sneaking away for other shit besides the sex. How dare he try to make her feel like she made it up?! She wanted to scream. But it was embarrassing enough just standing in front of him right now. So she walked off to smoke in peace and reached in her bag for the flask she kept under her books. This would make everything better.

•••

Lucas spotted her finally, rushing off with flask in hand. He ran up to her snatching it out of her hand so fast it should've gave her whiplash "What the hell Lucas!!?" He waved it in front of her as she jumped to grab it.

"We talked about this Nadine. This doesn't look like being on your best behavior" she shoved him hard, desperate at this point. Why couldn't he see how much she needed this??

"For fuck's sake Lucas. Just let it go for once" it was then he noticed the tears. Then he noticed how broken up she actually looked.

"Hey, what's going on. What happened? Why are you crying?" She looked away aggressively wiping her tears before snatching the flask while his guard was down.

"None of your business. Just leave me alone" he frowned about to say something else when a scream ripped through the woods. Nadine froze in place the voice so familiar it hurt.

"Paulie?" She ran off without a second thought leaving Lucas to run after her. Nadine didn't have any idea where she was going as screamed"Paulie!!! Paulie!!" as she went. Nadine knew what direction was right but she hoped that she'd be able to get to him as he screamed again. Lucas pushed himself hard and got his fingers around Nadine's hoodie just enough to pull her roughly in his arms. Just in time as the girl found Paulie laying in the grass and leaves with a large wound on his neck. Opal ran up next falling to her brother's side "What the hell?! Shit! Shit! Shit! Someone call an ambulance. Hurry up!" Elsie rushed up with her phone in hand seemingly already on the phone. Other spectators came over trying to figure out what happened to the poor boy.

•••

In the distance, by the actual bonfire Claire stood assessing the situation. Paulie had been bitten. That makes twice in the span of two days. Alba was right, something was going on. Claire would need to know what if she was gonna stay. This new intruder would expose them all if she wasn't careful. Clarie watched carefully as they loaded Paulie into the ambulance. Then looked over at Lucas carrying a distraught Nadine and Terrance talking to a dazed Opal. One last look around to see if anyone was paying attention before she rushed off leaving no trace behind.

Two days, two attacks. The same kind. Bites to the neck. The townspeople would be fooled by a couple mountain lion attacks but Clarie knew better. This was one of hers. A vampire. As Clarie burst into her room she immediately called for "Alba!!" Rummaging around for the paper from this morning to check if she'd been right.

"Not having a good day?" Claire's blood ran cold as she froze at the sound of the voice.

"No. Not really Val" Clarie said still facing the away from the voice.

"Hmm. Is that anyway to talk to your dearest sister?" Claire spun around to face Valeria who sat in the window legs crossed and blunt in hand.

"That was you?" Valeria shrugged.

"I haven't the faintest idea what you mean" Clarie rushed up and snatched the blunt from her hands.

"This... was Nadine's. You were in the woods. That means one of two things, you attacked that boy or someone else did and you watched" Valeria seemed to give what she'd said done thought before smirking and leaning on the wall.

"Accusations. Accusations. Really, I'm here all of what 3 minutes and you already accuse me of... murder. Honestly I'd be a bit hurt, but I expect no less from you. Besides, if I were to kill anyone in those woods tonight it should've been the tasty new toy you've been playing with.... what's his name... Lucas" Val said walking over to an old picture rolling it around in her hands.

"Lucas has nothing to do with this" Val gave her a look then rolled her eyes.

"I never took you to be delusional but if that's the game you want to play then fine. If it really means that much to you we'll make ceremony out of it. You know, string him up, do a couple chants. Or we could make a sex party of it. Give him one last good show before we rip him apart. That is the plan right to rip his head from his shoulders" Clarie rushed up to Val with a deadly purpose.

"You won't have a chance" Val easily dodged her and went around behind her sticking a steak in her side and breaking the piece off inside her.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Look what you made me do sissy. I get all dolled up for our reunion and this is how you treat me. Oh sigh. I'll do whatever I want here because of the diet you've chosen you're nothing against me. So if I want Lucas, I'll have Lucas. And anyone else who gets in my way. I made you a promise sissy. I intend to see it through" Val walked inside without a second thought as to how Claire was going to get up. Claire closed her eyes trying to reign in her fear. Not for herself, for the people in town. How would she ever make this go away? She couldn't. But Claire knew that there's one thing she could do. So with Alba's help, she patched up and walked over to see Lucas.

•••

Clarie knocked a couple times and waited a few minutes. Almost decided to leave before the door opened and Lucas was leaning against the doorway "Oh. Hey." Clarie smiled a bit, everything seemed fine here.

"Hey. Sorry to pop up on you. You kind of just disappeared then I heard a boy got attacked so I thought you know" Lucas thought about it and he almost punched himself. He's an idiot. Left the girl standing in the middle of everything of course she'd be worried.

"Yea I'm super sorry. I got caught up with some family things. The guy who got attacked was a close friend of my sister's. I didn't mean to leave you it just all kind of got away from me" Clarie smiled a bit more and put a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have to apologize. I was just hoping you were OK" at this Lucas couldn't help but smile as well. He didn't know much about this girl but fuck did he want to.

"How'd you find this place?" He asked already knowing the answer. Probably Terrance.

"It's a small town. Everyone kinda knows everyone" of course they do. Lucas hated this place. If a serial killer was out to get him. He'd be fucked.

"Right. How could I forget? Well thanks for checking up on me. It's... sweet. Uh... did you um you know, you can if you wanna come in for a bit. We could finish talking and get to know each other a bit more" Lucas said hopefully. He hoped he didn't sound as douchey as he thought. His offer was genuine, he just wanted to talk. Not to say that if other things happened he wouldn't be ok with it. But yea. Clarie laughed bit at how nervous he was.

"I would but it's late. Aunt Alba will want me home soon. But... if you really want to get to know me you can ask me on a real date tomorrow. See you at school, Lucas" Clarie said giving him one last smile before walking away and zipping up her hoodie. She felt leagues better now, Clarie had been invited in. If she needed to she could be there in a heartbeat for him. Val made her threats and Clarie knew if she had the chance she would make good on them. Claire had to protect him.

"See you" Lucas watched her walk away almost tempted to follow her. He could ask to walk her home. He could say anything but he wanted to wait. Tomorrow he would see her again. Tomorrow he'd make his move.