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"You didn't bring me out here because it's too far away for anyone to hear me scream, right?"
In the end, Shelby Shubble knew she was going to die. She knew the moment she looked into Scott's eyes and saw them glow red, of course, but she also knew before that. Because it was just her luck, wasn't it?
Of course she would be the one to invite a vampire into her home. Have him as a roommate, consider him a friend. And of course she would follow him right into the wolves' den.
She ran. The rational part of her brain recognized this as a futile effort, but instinct took over. I don't want to die. Is that what was happening to her? She could hear them call out, but she couldn't make out the words. She felt weak, her pace sluggish.
"We can be friends though!" She choked out, and goddamnit, she wanted to. Even as she was dying, even as they were killing her, it was all Shelby ever wanted. These were people she felt safe with, who had accepted her despite her quirks. "I thought you guys could be good!"
"We could've been fr-" She tripped slightly, on the lake's muddy shore, and then it was over. Shelby could feel her heart slow, then stop, which truly, finally, sent her into a panic.
Shelby Shubble blacked out for but a moment. According to some, it's like she never woke up, since she was dead now. But Shelby did wake up, gasping for air that she didn't need anymore, and surrounded by people she somehow still thought of as friends. She stood up on wobbly legs, and looked at Scott first. It's not like she was as close to the other two. She didn't want any answers from them.
"It was you?" Her voice shook, and Shelby hated it. Of course it had been. Some part of her had known all along.
Her mind was sharp (contrary to what most people would assume), and she had known, had suspected it at least, but her heart, her heart didn't want to believe that funny, friendly Scott would be the reason for her demise. Even now, looking at the blood (her blood) drip down his chin through her blurry eyes (was it the tears, or the blood loss? Does it count as 'blood loss' if you die from it?), even then, some part of her still saw him as her sweet roommate. Her friend.
"Yeah, it was me" He sounded apologetic enough, but she didn't get a chance to read his expression because of the stupid skull mask. Shelby only saw his eyes, glowing red red red, and then he was gone, after Pyro.
"I knew it." She said to the darkness anyway, because at least it was a small vindication. "I knew it."
She was still trying to process everything, but a thrill went through her mind. She had been right all along. There she was, a supernatural creature, living proof. Or, well, maybe not 'living', but still. Shelby didn't feel dead, in fact, she felt more energized than ever, worse than the times she pulled a coffee-fueled all-nighter.
"I knew it was real!" She jumped in place, and her body felt lighter than before, almost as if she was floating. "I knew it was real!"
The trio focused on her again, seemingly amused. "Well, I don't know about werewolves..."
But she wouldn't hear it. "Oh please, if vampires are real, it's all real." That made complete sense in her mind. If vampires existed, that confirmed all of her beliefs. "This is all I needed."
She skipped about some more, while Scott and Owen talked. "You know, all things considered, she seems pretty happy about this."
"Yeah...they don't feel the hunger, yet."
"The what?" Shelby quit her scampering. There was no return after tonight. Everything's changed.
"Wait, what are the rules?" Her mind was running miles an hour, the implications finally hitting her. "Because I've read the books, but they're all a little different."
They ran her through the basics. It all seemed pretty simple, really. Drinking blood to survive. Honestly, Shelby didn't truly get all the information she was given, still overwhelmed by everything that had occurred.
She was a little worried about looking like Pyro did, his ashy, corpse-like skin gleaming in the red moonlight, but the others assured her she was fine for the time being.
"That's only when you get to the second stage." Scott turned his head, very slowly, towards Pyro. "When someone maybe takes food that they're not meant to take."
"If you ever steal from me again," He seemed to glide through the air towards the younger vampire (and some part of Shelby just somehow knew that Pyro was younger than the other two.) "-it will be the last thing you take."
She didn't want to get involved in that, mostly because she didn't really understand what difference it made. She would've become a vampire either way, right?
But…did Scott just consider her a piece of meat all this time? Was that why he seemed so furious, because Shelby was just cattle to be stolen? Or did Scott truly care about her, and that's why he had wanted to do it himself? She should ask him later, if she was brave enough to.
Owen seemed to sense her discomfort, so he pulled her aside to talk about vampire rules some more. As they were talking, Shelby got extremely dizzy all of a sudden. It was like the sky cleared for a moment, like a bright light was going straight into her eyes.
She swayed in place, but before she could fall to the ground, Scott was there, holding her elbow firmly to support her.
"What's happening?" Was this part of her transformation? She didn't think so, as the other vampires seemed somewhat affected as well.
"It's the beacons. They've all been sanctified." Owen hissed. That's not good. Shelby felt weak, and she was sure they all felt the same. What did this mean for them?
With one more look to make sure she was steady on her feet, Scott let go of her arm. "I have one at my house, that I'm going to fix."
"Your house?"
"Oh you know, he lives in the castle ruins." Either Owen or Pyro piped up helpfully.
Scott said something else, but Shelby wasn't listening anymore. He was lying the whole time. Not just about being a vampire, which she knew was pretty major, but about this, too?
"So you're not even really my roommate?!" She tried to keep the hurt out of her voice, going for indignation instead. She didn't do a great job.
Scott gave some excuse about the state of the castle, but the events of the night were catching up to her fully so she just kinda tuned everything out for a bit. Shelby was tired.
"I'm gonna go home, and lay down." She interrupted whatever Owen had been explaining to her about vampires. She was sure she'd get the hang of it later, when she didn't feel like curling up in bed forever.
"For what it's worth," He called out as she leaving. "-it wasn't personal."
"It felt like it was." She answered honestly, then turned the other way with a sort of petulance she didn't usually have. "I haven't forgiven you yet."
"I don't doubt you will." Were his parting words before she left him behind in the woods.
The journey back to Oakhurst was quiet, and a little bleak. Shelby was...conflicted. She still felt like herself, mostly. Her appearance was probably the same (wasn't like she could check her reflection now. Or ever).
Her mind was still foggy, and she still felt weak and hungry and tired, but Shelby was sure she would be okay after she got some sleep, and had something to eat.
It's not like I need to drink from people. She reasoned. I can just live off of the animals. Yes, everything would turn out alright, she was sure of it.