Lyssa sat in the now empty bedroom of her house. She had lots of paint around her. The room was bare and plastic was laid over the floor. She focused on painting the wall, delicately placing all the shades of orange and brown in the correct places.

Only hours earlier she had suggested the idea of changing Rebecca into a vampire. Now that she was alone and had thought a little longer about it she felt stupid. Of course Rebecca would have reacted like that. Of course the idea was insane, she of all people knew the risk of changing someone.

She let out a loud sigh and slouched in her chair, letting her paintbrush fall slack with her arm. Paint dripped on the floor.

“Foolish.” Lyssa chastised herself.

She stood up and stretched and began to put the paints away as the moon was rising in the sky. She opened the balcony doors to let the cold night air dry the paint. She then wiped her hand on her apron and took it off and let it fall to the floor.

Her steps echoed throughout the big empty house as she walked towards the bathroom to take a shower. She passed her reflection and stopped to examine it.

“Nothing to say?” Lyssa asked the mirror.

“Nope, I think you’ve dug your own hole on this one. Changing her, ha, good one. The human doesn’t even want to be changed. She would never want to spend eternity with you.” her reflection mocked.

“I truly do hate you; you know that?”

“The feeling is mutual.” The reflection sneered.

“Don’t be pissy, this could be you, but well you dug your own hole way back when. Now deal with it.”

“One day I will get out of here, and I will kill you!” her reflection slammed its fist on the other side of the mirror.

Lyssa rolled her eyes. She had heard that one over a hundred times.

With that, she walked to the tub and turned it on. She filled it with boiling hot water and stripped naked before lowering herself into it. She sighed in pleasure as the hot water warmed her body.

After relaxing in the bath for half an hour Lyssa got dressed and headed downstairs to the basement. She yawned and pulled on the book/lever which opened open the bookcase. She eyed her casket for a moment.

No matter how many times she slept in it she would always hesitate in fear for just a moment. She took a deep calming breath and walked in. The case closed behind her and she flinched. She walked over to the casket and opened it up.

The old wood creaked and crackled. Lyssa stepped in and laid down. She once again took a calming breath.

“Just one night, not forever.” She said to herself.

She always said that to herself to reassure her nerves that she wouldn’t wake up in a nightmare forever trapped in a grave of her making.

She moved the lid back in place and crossed her arms over her chest.

‘Goodnight Rebecca.’ Lyssa sent a mental message before closing her eyes.

Bex didn’t respond and in seconds Lyssa drifted into unconsciousness.

Bex laid curled up in bed. Staring out her window. Her face was scrunched up in a scowl. She let her thoughts run free knowing Lyssa was now asleep. She did her best to keep thoughts about death far from her mind but missing person flyers filled her head. Monroe’s death, a clear warning to her. Lyssa’s desperation. She whimpered and closed her eyes tight.

She felt like the world was closing in, her life tittering on the edge. All these what if’s now floating around in her head. What if she did get killed? What if Lyssa had a point? What if she never got to graduate high school, never got accepted into college, never got her first job. What if…

What if she did let Lyssa change her?

What would she say to her family when they noticed she didn’t age like them? What would she say when they asked how she got that way? How would she survive if she had to eat blood every day? Human blood. What if she accidentally killed someone? What if she accidentally hurt her family?

Would she have to go away somewhere with Lyssa? What if she and Lyssa broke up after she was changed and she found herself all on her own?

Another whimper broke past her lips as she tossed and turned in bed. Despite her unrest and troubled thoughts, she found herself drifting off to sleep as well.

Outside Lyssa’s house, a single van idled by, the headlights off and hidden by trees. The van shut off and the side door slid open. Ryland, his father Norman, and the three newest slayers jumped out of the van.

“Okay boys, it's important that you be quiet. Make no sound and do as we say.” Norman warned.

They nodded, their eyes big and their hearts racing. This was their first time out on a real hunt.

Ryland grabbed the harpoon gun and the slayer kit. They trekked over to the house and inspected the front door.

“Maybe we can get in through the back, try a surprise attack,” Ryland said.

Norman nodded.

The walked around the house and paused as they noticed the open balcony doors. They all froze in their steps and waiting for any sign of Lyssa. Ryland grabbed a rock and tossed it into the room. They all ducked and hid.

After waiting about a minute they all slowly stood up again.

“All clear,” Ryland whispered.

Norman nodded.

Ryland shot the harpoon gun at the balcony the hooks caught on the other side of the railing perfectly. Ryland tugged the rope, testing it before he began to climb up, curling his legs into the rope. With a grunt he pulled himself over the edge.

Next Dean climbed up, followed by Tyler, then Will. Lastly Norman. He struggled to get up and ultimately the others had to pull him over the edge.

Ryland was about to grab the harpoon when Norman caught his arm.

“Leave it, in case we need another route of escape.”

Ryland nodded and dropped the harpoon gun on the floor of the balcony.

Quietly they tiptoed through the house. Their breaths as quiet as possible. Ryland was sweating despite how cold it was. Dean, Will, and Tyler all had stakes drawn at the ready. Tyler’s hands trembled. Will gulped.

Norman led the way and they made their way room to room in search of Lyssa. Finally, the made their way to the ground floor and repeated the process of clearing all the rooms.

“Maybe she’s with Rebecca.”; Ryland seemed to sigh in relief.

The young slayers also relaxed a bit.

Norman sighed in disappointment until his eyes found the basement stairway. He held out his hand to silence everyone, they all went stiff again. Once again he led the way, a stake in one hand as he headed down the stairs he pulled his silver knife out of its holster.

The steps creak under their weight and for a moment they paused with bated breath. When they hear no movement below, they continue on. The light was on and they all glanced around the room. Once again sighing in relief.

“She’s not home,” Ryland concluded.

“Damn.” Norman cursed.

Dean went to investigate the vampire’s lair with glee as Will and Tyler followed him.

“Look at all these books,” Dean said.

“Ew, I bet they are as old as she is.” Will made a face.

Tyler snickered.

“This one is huge.” Dean pulled on it.

They all jumped back with a yelp as the bookcase slid open.

Norman turned to look and Ryland quickly went to protect the boys just in case. Norman grabbed a flashlight out of his bag and shinned it into the dark room. The light illuminated the old casket surrounded by dirt.

He once again held out his hand to silence everyone and stepped forward. With caution, he pushed the lid to the side and jumped back in fright as he discovered Lyssa’s sleeping form.

He and Ryland shared a look.

Then Norman glanced at the boys before he set the flashlight down and raised the stake high in the air.

Bex found herself in the same nightmare as always. Except this one was different. The threat felt more real, the fear seeped into every pore of her body. Even scarier she was watching the dream from Lyssa’s point of view. She knew Lyssa always died in her dream.

She saw herself calling for help and as always Lyssa ran in to save her. And again like always McKinley caught Lyssa and tackled her to the ground.

“Say goodnight,” Lacy taunted.

As she looked at herself helpless to run to the rescue she watched as Lacy snapped her neck. The shock of watching herself die in her dream made her jolt awake with a sharp gasp. She sat up in a cold sweat. If there was one thing scarier than watching the one you love die, it was watching yourself die.

She took several shaky breaths to calm herself, wiping the sweat with her hands. She felt awful. She whimpered out loud and got up to go and sneak into her parent's bed, something she hadn’t done since she was 8.

As she grabbed the handle to her bedroom door a sharp pain shot right through her heart.

She gasped and let out a gurgled cry of shock before falling to her knees, clutching her chest.

“Lyssa!” she forced herself to stand up.

She got the door open and ran downstairs and out the front door into the cold night.

Lyssa’s eyes shot open in shock, the first thing she saw was the face of Norman Miller. The next thing she registered was that a stake was plunged into her chest. She looked down at it just as blood spewed past her lips.

“Time to die, vampire.” He said.

Lyssa let out a pain-filled whimper as he sank the stake in even deeper.

“Gah…” Lyssa coughed out blood.

Bex who was running to her rescue doubled over and cried out in pain, as she struggled to breathe. She felt like the stake was in her own chest, that her lungs were filling with blood. She tried to run on, but only stumbled forward a few steps before falling to her knees in the fresh snow that had started to fall.

Lyssa grabbed the stake and her arms shook as she used all her strength to pull it out.

“Now!” Norman shouted to Ryland.

Before Lyssa could react a silver knife stabbed into her throat. Her skin hissed and burned against the metal.

The three younger boys grew silent and stood off to the side, watching in gory horror. No longer did they think it was cool or funny. Suddenly they realized just what vampire-slaying was all about.

Ryland yanked the knife sharply to his right, cutting a large gash into Lyssa’s neck. More rotten blood spewed out.

Lyssa let out a sort of growl before pushing Norman back so hard he fell to his butt. Then she grabbed Ryland’s hand and squeezed hard, breaking his fingers. He cried out in pain and dropped the knife into the dirt.

Lyssa pulled herself out of her coffin and fell to the ground. Norman was fast-acting, grabbing her by the hair from behind and once again using a silver knife to jab into her neck.

“You’ll kill her!” Lyssa cried out.

“That’s a price we must pay.” He yanked the knife to the remaining half of Lyssa’s neck and cut it open. Blood splattered onto the floor and Lyssa fell limp. He dropped her on the floor and looked to the boys.

“Hold her down, I need to cut off her head!” he barked.

They flinched and scrambled to hold Lyssa down.

Then he took off his backpack and pulled out an axe.

“You can rest now, just rest. May the Lord have mercy on your soul.” He said.

Lyssa let soft sobs shake her body softly, completely defenseless. This was it she realized; this was how she died. Betrayed by Joan, not leaving Rebecca on good terms. Never being able to see those hazel eyes one last time. That sweet warm smile. She closed her eyes and accepted what was about to happen.

“Do it!” Ryland called.

He raised the Axe high above his head.

Bex laid in the snow, the pain too much for her to go on. She gasped for air, her body feeling like she was drowning. Her neck on fire, her chest like a boulder was laying on it. Tears streamed down her face as she crawled towards Lyssa’s house.

“No.” she let out a hoarse whimper.

Her fingers dug into the mud and she pulled herself along.

“Lyssa No! You have to fight!” Bex cried out into the night.

Lyssa heard Bex’s cries inside her head. Lyssa opened her eyes which were now red. Just as Norman brought the axe down she jerked away, causing Tyler to fall forward. The axe sank into his arm.

“Ahh!” the boy cried out as blood gushed everywhere.

Lyssa grabbed him and brought him down to the floor sinking her teeth into his neck and draining him. The warm blood filled her and healed her. Norman pulled the axe from Tyler’s arm and went in for another swing.

Lyssa caught the axe in her hand and once again pushed him away.

Tyler fell to the floor limp, blood slowly dripping out of his arm.

Ryland moved to help him, using his good hand to try and stop the bleeding.

“Dean, belt now!” he shouted.

Dean was frozen in fear as Lyssa struggled to her feet.

“Dean!”

Lyssa looked at him with those red eyes and he swore his life flashed before his eyes. In a second Lyssa had him pinned to the wall and her fangs in his neck.

Will let out a sob and fell to his butt as he backed away from Lyssa.

“Will wake up, give me your belt,” Ryland instructed.

He turned to him and pulled his belt through his belt loops and then tied it around Tyler’s arm. Ryland tightened it as much as possible and looked to his dad for direction.

Lyssa dropped Dean and let his body fall limp to the ground then she turned to the room full of slayers. Eyes red, fresh blood dripping from her lips. Just then the flashlight went out and the room went black, only the red eyes lighting up the darkness.