Chapter 1: The return of the living dead
Stefan sat in a chair which trembled with every move he made. He sighed heavily and approached the glass he was holding to his lips. The taste of whiskey put fire to his mouth but Stefan grinned with pleasure. He closed his eyes and imagined Mystic Falls before the arrival of Klaus. He imagined that he was in Elena's house, lying on her bed and waiting for her to come out of the bathroom. The door opened and Elena came out with a towel covering her body. Stefan tried to restrain his lust. Don't forget that she is still human.
Elena approached him and slowly started unrolling the towel. Stefan sat up. "Is everything alright, Mr Salvatore?", she asked and with a move she let the towel fall to the floor.
Stefan opened his eyes and saw the emerald irises of Klaus staring at him from the bar. Stefan looked back, feeling his hatred overwhelming him. He had lost Damon. He had lost Elena. He had lost everything he had ever loved and it was all due to Klaus.
The door of the bar opened and a breeze caressed Stefan's hair. A man entered who wore black sunglasses and a hat with a "I love blood" stamp written on it with red letters. His grey V t-shirt had red spots and his pockets were full of blood bags. Stefan hid his face between his hands trying to control the urge to attack the stranger and steal the bags. After he had learned that Elena had slept with his brother, it had become more difficult to control the ripper inside him.
"Do you mind if I sit with you?", the man asked and Stefan snarled without raising his eyes. The vampire had a strange accent that he could not understand where it came from, although he was sure that he knew it. "Honey, can you bring me a glass of wine?", the vampire asked a waitress who had approached him. "Make sure you empty it and fill it with them," he continued and Stefan felt the smell of blood going away along with the waitress.
The vampire sat across him and Stefan reluctantly lifted his head and looked at him. He had Mohican- styled tawny-colored hair and intense cheekbones. Stefan's gaze fell on Klaus who had stood up and was holding his glass so hard that his veins were visible. Stefan refocused on the vampire and noticed his gray eyes.
«Constantine?», Stefan asked as memories began to overwhelm him. Constantine was one of the vampires that Lexi had tried to fix. Stefan remembered her complaining that Constantine was the only one with whom he had failed.
«Stefan», he replied and smiled, revealing a white denture. "I didn't expect that you would remember me". Stefan had only met him twice, but it was enough to like him. He reminded him of his brother.
"Let's just say that you are not easy to forget," Stefan said making Constantine laugh.
The blonde waitress came back holding a tray over her head and carefully touched one wine glass filled with red blood on the table."The wine you requested".
"Thank you, my dear. Could you bring one more glass for my friend?" The waitress nodded obediently and headed for the bar.
The smell of blood made Stefan sit up from his position but he managed to maintain control. "Well, where have you been all this time?", he asked to distract himself from the blood. "The last time we met, you had just returned from Greece".
Constantine raised his glass and sniffed it like a sommelier. "Those Greeks", he exclaimed, "they may not have money but they certainly know how to party. As for where I have been, I was in Greece, in a video club and I was looking for a black and white film, until my eyes fell on a comedy called Royal Blood. So I thought, why not? Surely there would be something special in the blood of kings. I gathered all of my stuff and boarded on the first plane to..."
"England?" Stefan interrupted him.
"No, they are too cold-blooded for my taste," he said smiling. "I went to Spain to meet the royal family."
"And?", Stefan asked. "Is there anything special in their blood?".
Constantine opened his mouth to speak but he closed it when the waitress left a glass of blood in front of Stefan."It was pretty good," said when the waitress left them. "Too bad I had to leave. Well", he said and raised his glass, "cheers to the royal family."
Stefan raised his glass and emptied it with a sip. He felt the blood running down his esophagus and he closed his eyes to enjoy the taste.
"So why are you here, Constantine?", Stefan asked.
"Mmm because of reasons mainly", he replied. "The real question is why you are in Danville, Stefan".
Stefan smiled. "It is a long story".
"Then I'm glad that I have a lot of time on my hands", Constantine said and swallowed the last sip of blood.
"I am here to find vampires", Stefan said and Constantine raised his eyebrows.
"And what did it make you think that you would find them here?", he asked.
"I have read that Danville had an increase of animal attacks the last weeks".
"And why do you need to find them? Damon had abandoned you again and you are looking for company?". Constantine winked when he said company.
Stefan laughed. "No, I'm not looking for company. I want them to…"
"Stefan", Klaus interrupted him and put his hand on Stefan's shoulder. "I think it is about time we leave".
"Oh my God", Constantine exclaimed, "I finally get the chance to meet the first hybrid. Stefan, you hadn't warned me that you have already found company".
Stefan sighed. "Constantine, let me introduce to Klaus Mikaelson. He is … helping me track vampires".
Klaus grinned but his smile faded when Constantine burst out into laughter. "I'm sorry but I", he tried to say but he couldn't stop laughing. "I'm sorry for my rudeness but I just realized that your father was named Mikael Mikaelson and I", he said and started laughing again.
"You knew Mikael?", Klaus asked and he approached him menacingly.
"Easy, tough boy", Constantine said. "I have been around a long time, of course I have heard about the Originals. How's your mother, anyway?".
Klaus grabbed Constantine by the throat and raised him from his chair. "If you wanted to touch me, all you had to do was ask", Constantine said and Klaus threw him away. Klaus broke a wooden chair and walked towards him.
Stefan stood up and approached Constantine who was lying on a table. "Klaus, leave him alone", he said and helped Constantine stand to his feet. Klaus glared at him but he finally threw the stake away. "Let's get out of here. It seems that that animal attacks were real this time", he said and exited the bar.
"Constantine, I have to go", Stefan said after he had made sure that Constantine wasn't hurt. "I hope we will meet again". Stefan followed Klaus leaving Constantine alone in the bar, with the blonde waitress staring at him blankly.
'Be sure about it", Constantine whispered.
Caroline sighed heavily. "Tyler, open the door, I know you are in here. I can hear you breathing", she screamed. She had lost count of how many times she had said the exact same words. She had been trying to get Tyler to open the door of his mansion for one and a half hour. "For God's sake, open the damned door!".
She turned to leave but the door opened and Tyler appeared. "What do you want, Care?".
Caroline ignored him and walked into the mansion before Tyler could close the door. Tyler appeared in front of her, blocking her way. "What do you want, Caroline?".
She put her hands in his chest. "I wanted to see you, Tyler. Are you okay?", she asked.
Tyler glared at her and walked in the living room. "If you wanted to get into the house so badly, you could break in", he said and sat in an armchair.
"I would have, if you hadn't put vervain in every door and window. Why did you put it there? You know it can't prevent Klaus from entering".
Tyler clenched his fists. "It wasn't Klaus the one I wanted to keep out of here".
"Tyler…", Caroline started saying but Tyler interrupted her. "I don't want to hear anything, Caroline. I want to stay alone".
"But Tyler…"
"What, Caroline?", Tyler shouted and stood up. "Everyone is dead and it's all my fault. Klaus slaughtered all the hybrids and killed my mother and you were flirting with him. You were flirting with the man that killed twelve of my friends, who I had promised to help them escape".
Caroline looked down with tears running down her face. "But you really tried to help them".
"And what is the result? Klaus killed them all and then my mother. He took everything from me. Even you".
"I will always love you, Tyler. Not him. I will always choose you", Caroline said and approached him.
"Even if the other option is Stefan?", he said and Caroline stopped walking.
"What do you mean?".
"Why did you reveal him the plan, Care? Why did you trust him? And don't tell me that you wanted to protect me because you know it wasn't just that".
"I…". Caroline sighed with relief when the phone rang. Tyler glanced her one last time and went to pick it up. "Hello?", he said.
"Hello, Tyler", Caroline heard a woman say.
"Rebekah?", he asked and Caroline got alarmed.
"Is Caroline there? I would like to talk to her".
Tyler looked at her curiously and Caroline stretched her hand. "Rebekah?", she said as soon as Tyler gave her the phone.
"Meet me at the Grill in an hour".
"What? No, I…"
"If you don't come, I will hunt your little bitch friend and I will rip her hear out", she said and hanged up.
"And who did you say it was your friend?", Klaus asked. His one hand was on the steering wheel and the other was behind Stefan's seat.
"He was one of Lexi's friends. Lexi was..."
"Your best friend", he interrupted him. "You may not remember all of our conversations in Chicago, Stefan, but I do. Where is she now?".
Stefan coughed. "She is… Damon killed her on my birthday".
Klaus glanced at him with concern but didn't make any comment. "Next time, you should be more careful when it comes to revealing our plans. You have already told everyone in Mystic Falls about the cure. There is no need for strangers to learn about it too".
"You are right", Stefan admitted. 'I just felt… It was nice to see a friend from the past".
Klaus glared at him, tightening his jaw, and hit the accelerator. Stefan closed his eyes and put his head near the glass. "Wake me up if you need to rest".
"Don't worry", Klaus said. "In two hours we will back at Mystic Falls".
Caroline entered the Grill and spotted Rebekah talking with April. She headed for her, trying to calm down.
"Hello, April", she greeted and sat in a chair.
"Hello, Caroline", April responded and Caroline saw that she had a bandage on her neck.
"You can go now", Rebekah said and April stood up with a smile and started walking towards the exit.
"You compelled her?", Caroline asked frustrated.
Rebekah smiled. "You can thank me later". Her smile faded. "Do you know where is my beloved brother or Stefan?".
"They have gone to Danville. They are looking for vampires".
"So I suppose they have found the sword. Have they made the black hunter agree to kill the vampires?".
"Connor is dead", Caroline told her. "Elena killed him. Now, her brother is the new hunter".
"And that bitch is still alive? My faith on the Five is fading. At least, she finally got out of her "I am flawless" bubble. How did Stefan react?".
Caroline coughed. "She and Stefan broke up".
"Oh my!", she exclaimed. "The epic couple finally broke up? So Stefan Hottie Salvatore is finally single? That is an interesting turn out of events".
Caroline felt a pinch of jealousy. "They didn't break up because Stefan stopped loving her", she said and regretted it immediately.
Rebekah raised her eyebrows. "Then what is the reason?", she asked but Caroline didn't answer. "Don't make me compel you, Caroline".
Caroline glared at her. "Elena is sired to Damon".
Rebekah burst out into laughter. "I guess that the Petrova doppelgangers are meant to be torn between the Salvatore brothers. I wonder what would have happen if they had met Tatia. Anyway, do you know when are they going to come back?"
"I have no idea", Caroline said and Rebekah stood up. "Where are you going?", she asked.
"I want to get ready for Stefan. First revenge and then, hopefully, vamp sex", Rebekah said and exited from the Grill.
Constantine got into a black limo and served himself a glass of blood.
"Where are we going, boss?, the driver asked.
"To Mystic Falls".