A/N: This is the sequel to the story The Blackest Night. I would say you have to read the original or else this won't make sense...i know know how much this sequel was anticipated so yes i am back sooner then i planned with the sequel. I just couldn't stay away. My inspiration took over and forced me to write...so here you have the first chapter to the sequel..please review
Chapter 1 It all begins again
"I still can't believe I left." I whispered to myself as I say inside my car in the parking lot of a 2 story hotel and looked up at the building I would be staying in for the night and sighed heavily. This was the one statement I made every night since I had left Bon Temps and even though I had been traveling for days, it still crept up on me that my decision to leave home was still shocking, even though I knew I had every right to get away.
"This is a beginning I am not totally sure I am ready for." I said out loud in the silent car as I sat back and unbuckled my seat belt and looked at the seat next to me where my purse was and smiled when I saw the picture of Sookie and I taped on the door handle. It had been taken weeks before I left but only days before everything came crashing down and seeing us with our arms wrapped around each other not only made me smile, but it also made me sad too. But as much as I wanted to give in to this overwhelming sadness that was starting to build, I couldn't do it in my car where anyone could walk by and see.
So I grabbed my purse and keys in one hand and took the handles of a small traveling duffel in the other and climbed out of the car and slammed the door shut behind me. I walked across the rain soaked pavement to the sliding glass doors and entered the nearly empty lobby where the only other person besides me was an older looking woman, who smiled at me kindly and beckoned me over with a wave of her hand. I forced a smile on my face and hitched the strap of my duffel up on my shoulder as I walked up to the desk. "Hi, I need to check into a room for just one night if that is possible."
"Ah, you're just passing through, I see." The woman, whose name tag read Trudy, said as she turned to the computer mounted in the desk and began typing away. "Good thing you came in when you did. It's getting really dark and there's no telling what is walking around out there. These days you will find a vamp on every corner."
"Oh I know." I replied thoughtfully, pulling my hair over my neck so the puncture scars were covered. I had forgotten to use makeup that morning to hide the old wounds and this woman who reminded me of my grandmother, clearly wasn't the most open to the vampire community. "I figured it was safer to stop now and get out rather then wait another few hours."
"You are in luck. We do have one last room available for you." Trudy said, reaching behind her to a board where she grabbed a hanging card and handed it to me. "Now how would you like to pay for that?"
"Debit." I answered back, handing her my card, grateful that I had as much money saved as I did. Those months I worked for Fangtasia had really paid off. As much of a dick Eric had turned out to be, he still was good enough to pay me really well. When she had swiped my card and I had stuffed it back in my wallet with the receipt, I took the key, seeing that my room was on the first floor and smiled. "Thank you."
"Have a good night." Trudy waved to me as I walked away towards a hallway of rooms that mine was in and began looking at the numbers until my eyes landed on the one I needed.
I slipped my card into the slot , waiting for the light to turn green and when it did I opened the door into the small darkened room and was instantly hit with that hotel room smell of clean sheets and too much air freshener. I flipped the light on and locked the door before I walked over to the little wooden table and set my bags on top of it. I looked around, taking in the bed and nightstand and the dresser with the TV on top and the door that lead to the bathroom, it was nice enough, but it was quiet. Oh so very quiet and I didn't do too well with that much silence. It made me nervous. So I picked up the remote and turned on some random news channel while I started to pull out some clothes to change into for bed. I wanted to get to sleep as soon as I could that way I could wake up at a decent time and get back on the road. I had been driving for days and I was at the end of the trip almost. I had just left North Carolina and tomorrow's all day drive would bring me right into Mystic Falls by late after noon. I was almost there and I was so glad. I was exhausted and tired and sore from being cramped inside my car for days on end. I was not cut out for life on the road and if I ever were to go on a another road trip, I would not chose a place that was so far away from Bon Temps. What was I thinking choosing Mystic Falls as the place I would run away to? It was like a million states away, I should have decided on some place closer. But I didn't. The moment the name of that town had filled my eyes, I just knew it was a place I had to go to. It was just a feeling that I had and I couldn't explain it. It was this heavy hand that had closed around my heart and was pulling me towards that destination. I never felt that before. It was telling me to follow through and go there. I couldn't just ignore it. Something was telling me to go to Mystic Falls and I was going to find out why. Because this couldn't just be coincidence. Could it?
"It's way too late to be thinking this heavy." I said to myself, throwing my traveling clothes over the back of the chair and stepping into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt before crawling into bed and focusing my eyes back on the TV. It would keep me distracted long enough for me to fall asleep and then I wouldn't have to be bothered by my thoughts. I just couldn't seem to deal with it right now. But once I was asleep, there was no telling what I would dream. Although I had an idea.
Because since I left, my dreams had been consumed with only one person. A person who was tall, blonde and a vampire. A vampire named Eric Northman.
The next morning
"Have a good trip dear, and drive safe." Trudy called out from behind her desk the next morning as I walked up and handed her my key and signed out. "Take care of yourself."
"Thank you." I couldn't help but grin as she really did remind me of Gran and it was nice to know there were still people in the world who believed in the whole concept of being nice to strangers. It gave me hope in a way and sort of relight the fire in my soul. For that I was going to be grateful for. So I lifted my hand and waved at her as I passed through the glass doors. "Goodbye."
I walked back across the parking lot to where my car was parked at the end of the row and unlocked it so I could toss my duffel in the back seat and climb in behind the wheel. The air in the car was a little warm so I turned the key in the ignition and put down the windows so the light breeze could flow through and catch my hair. It was a nice day, perfect for driving long hours until I was finally able to stop for good. But I had to get on the road in order to get to Mystic Falls before dark. And before I did I would have to give my cousin a call to let her know that I was ok. I hadn't talked to her in 2 days and I knew she would be getting worried right about now so I would briefly talk to her so she wouldn't freak out. I turned down the radio as I reached for my phone and hit the first speed dial button. I had barely put the phone up to my ear and listened to the dialing tone before I heard it pick up and I said. "Hello Sookie."
"Oh my god Allie, its so good to hear your voice. I was wondering when you would call again." She said excitedly, her tone rising up a pitch as she spoke. "How are you? Where are you? Are you still in the country?"
"Yes I'm in the country and I do not have plans to leave it." I laughed, rolling my eyes at her statement. It was so like Sookie to say something like that. For only being a few years older then me, she sometimes had the imagination of someone half her age and she came up with the wildest things. "I am actually in Virginia and I'm heading to this place I saw on a map before I left home. It will take me the rest of the day to get there but I think that's where I plan on staying for a while."
"Are you going to rent an apartment or a hotel room when you get there?"
"Well, if I can get lucky enough to find an apartment to rent for a few months then that's what I'll do." I replied, thinking of all the practical things I would do when I got there. That would be my first priority upon my arrival. "But if I can't find one, then I guess it is living out of a hotel for me."
"Or I can get Bill to wire you some money so you get someone to agree to rent you a place for what ever amount of time you want." She offered without the slightest hesitation and that touched my heart. It truly did.
"That's really generous of you but I think I will be ok. I should do this on my own. Its the whole point of leaving Bon Temps anyway. So I will be contact with my old life on my terms. " I told her, twisting my hand around the steering wheel tightly. I loved my cousin, but I couldn't accept that offer because I didn't want to bring anything from my old life into my new one. I was going to Mystic Falls to start over and it was just something I had to do on my own. "Besides, you guys should be saving every penny for that spectacular wedding of yours."
"You're more important then a wedding." Sookie insisted, using that tone of hers that said she believed what she was saying. "I just want to make sure you are living in a proper place that's safe and secure."
"I appreciate that, but I will be ok. I won't live in a place if I don't know for sure that it is safe." I assured my worried sounding cousin. "But as soon as I get there and get settled in, I will call you and tell you about it. I promise."
"Alright. Take care and make sure you watch out for yourself on the road." Sookie warned and I could picture her waving her hands in the air. "I hear those drivers in Virginia are crazy."
"I've seen crazier then that." I pointed out, hearing her laugh like a little girl. "But I will be careful and I will call when I can."
"OK, talk to you soon." Sookie said, before sighing slightly and hanging up the same time I did. I sat there for a second with my phone in my hand just looking at it and almost being over come with the desire to return home. I had left a part of me there and that was Sookie. She was my cousin, my sister and my best friend. She was like my other half and being apart for what was going to be the biggest chunk of time as going to be hard on both of us. But it had to be done. I needed to do this. And that's why I set my phone in the cup holder and turned the radio on just in time for the beginning of "I'm on my way" by The Proclaimers to come on and it couldn't have been a more perfect song to start driving to as I headed towards Mystic Falls.
I'm on my way to what I want from this world
And years from now you'll make it to the next world
And everything that you receive up yonder
Is what you gave to me the day I wandered
I'm on my way
7 hours later
"So this is Mystic Falls. It looks like something out of the seventies." I laughed as I drove past the welcome sign and finally reached the town I had been driving to for days. It was nothing like I though it would be.
The place was so much different looking then Bon Temps. There was lush green lawns with crispy golden leaves covering them and houses that seemed to be right out of a history book. It wasn't all expensive looking, but it was well kept and immaculate in a way that Bon temps could never be. I loved my hometown, but even I had to admit that it was a little bit of hicksville compared to this place. It had a lot of depth and history. I got that feeling the moment I passed from the main road and drove across the county lines into town. It was a jolt to my system in a few ways. For one thing, the weather was a shock, I actually got chilly when I had driven further north and had to roll up the windows. Bon Temps was in the south and it never got all that cold, so this made me glad I had packed heavier clothes, clothes that I never thought I would need. But the main thing that jolted me wasn't so much the way the town looked or how the weather was different, it was the atmosphere.
The atmosphere was heavy with tension, like there was a cloud hanging over it suggesting that it was just getting over something that had worn it out and it wasn't quite back to normal. There was a feeling in the air that just ripped through me the second I came into this town. It was brief and fleeting and the bulk of it was gone in a minute, but it had been there and it had been intense. It was like a hand had reached into my stomach and dropped a boulder of ice in there, freezing my insides almost instantly before a warmth started spreading out through my veins before it reached my fingertips and I was calm again. It was the strangest thing and it was over before I had driven more then a few yards down the road, but the after effects were still with me. I felt tight and tense like I was preparing myself for something and I didn't know what.
"That was very very odd." I mumbled, making a left turn and driving down a road with tall brick buildings that seemed to be leading to the main part of town. As I was driving and taking in all that was around me, my eyes caught sight of a rather large sign posted on the outside wall of one of the structures. I pulled over to the side to get a closer look and I smiled. Luck was finally on my side.
Vacant Apartment to rent
-All utilities and furniture included
-Move in ready
-parking included in back
Inquiries to be made inside.
"Hmm, is this a sign or what?" I asked, turning off my car and grabbing my purse. I had no idea if I would be able to afford a place that was including parking and furniture, but it was worth a shot. It never hurt to at least look and find out. And if I could get this place then that was good. I didn't really relish the idea of living out of a hotel room for the next few months so I was willing to look at the first place I saw. And that was what I was going to do.
Late that afternoon
"So you understand that the deposit for this place is 300 up front right? And it's 800 every month?" The owner of the building asked me as we sat at the round wooden kitchen table in the unoccupied apartment I was going to rent and I nodded. I had come in to talk to this guy about possibly taking this place and he was nice enough to take me right to the apartment and give me a tour of it. I had fallen in love with it right away. It had 2 bedrooms, two fulls baths, a kitchen/dinning room and a good sized living room. The walls were cream colored and the carpets were dark brown with matching dark furniture. It was nice and airy and it felt right. I could live here and possibly be happy. It was the exact place that I thought I would end up in to find myself again. And that made me so giddy, a feeling I had definitely not felt in the past few weeks. And that was why I turned to the guy with a smile.
"If I can move in tonight, then I will go to the bank and get the deposit for you." I told him, making a mental note to find out where the nearest bank was so that I always knew where it was.
"Well I think that can be arranged." He answered with a smile, pulling out a pen from his briefcase and pushing it over to me along with a small pile of papers. "I just need you to sign these contracts so we can make a file that you are only renting this place for a few months. And then this place is all yours."
"Thank you." I grinned back, uncapping the pen and quickly started filling out the paper work and signing on the dotted lines where it was required. When I was I done, I handed it all back to him and clasped my hands together. "So I guess that's it huh? This place is mine?"
"It sure is. As soon as you come back with the deposit, then I will hand you off the key and that will be that." The man said, holding out his hand for me to shake and I took it, excitement filling me as I listened to his thoughts and heard that he was certain I was going to be a good fit here because I didn't look like a girl that got into a whole lot of trouble. Oh he had no idea. He stuffed his paper work back in his briefcase and stood up. "I hope you are happy in your time here."
"Thank you. I think I will be."
1 hour later...
"This worked out pretty well." I said as I stood in the middle of my living room and looked around at the silent apartment that just 30 minutes had become mine. I sat down on the comfy couch and crossed my arms with a sigh. It already felt like home.
Just like I had said to the building owner, I went straight to the bank and took out the cash for the deposit along with some extra so I had cash on me should I decide to go out and explore before I went to sleep. With the money in hand I drove back to the building, stopping only to pick up a set of sheets and a comforter at a department store before meeting with my new landlord and handing him the cash and signing one last paper to show I had indeed paid the deposit, and to provide my information for when I would be paying my bills in the months after. And then once that was done, I was handed the key and allowed to start unpacking my car. It took more then just a few trips since my bags was heavy and it was only me carrying things. But I got it done just as the light in the sky disappeared completely and I looked at my clock to see that it was already half passed 6 and I hadn't eaten since that morning before I left to start the final drive here. It was hitting me now that I had neglected and ignored my growling stomach and it was finally starting to turn on me.
"Look like I have to venture out in this strange town at night and get something to eat."
30 minutes later
"Mmmmm, this is a good night for the picking off of the helpless kind." Damon Salvatore said with a twisted smirk as he stepped through the doorway onto the main floor of The Mystic Grill and was followed close behind by his brooding younger brother and his brother's disgusted looking girlfriend who had no problem making a comment on his observation of the crowd in the restaurant/bar in front of them. "What? You have something to say about my honesty?"
"Your honesty sucks. And therefore, so do you." Elena snapped, rolling her eyes as she wrapped her arm around Stefan who did the same and Damon had nothing to say except to laugh which only seemed to make Elena more disgusted then usual.
"Well I am a vampire. It is my job to do the sucking around here." He stated, shooting a grin at the brunette before focusing his attention back on the people milling about on the floor. His blue eyes scanned the humans, some of them standing out to him for looks only and others just because they looked like they would be easy to take down. He was in the mood for something different tonight though. He was craving something different. And as he turned his head, his vampire sense caught a whiff of a scent that stood out for the others boldly. He stared across the room to the back wall where there was a line of booths and his eyes were drawn to a table that was occupied by a young looking human girl with long brown hair who was sitting there eating alone and reading a book. She looked easy enough to get and he hadn't seen her around here. She must be new. And that appealed to him. He grinned and looked back at Stefan and Elena and waved. "I think I found my entertainment for the night."
"Damon will you please not draw attention to yourself for one night?" Stefan called after him as Damon slipped away between the tables and headed right for that lonely looking girl.
Damon kept his eyes on her as he moved at a human pace. She never looked up and she didn't seem to hear him coming, which made this all the more fun. He saw her set down her book and reach for her glass of water to finish it off and he took that moment to walk the last few steps with vigor before setting his hands on the table top just as her green eyes met his, "You look like you could use another drink. Allow me."
"No thank you. I was just finishing up." She replied, her voice clear as a bell but hinted with an undertone of melancholy as she looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Why did you come over here in the first place? It's obvious that you do not work here."
"I came in and saw you sitting alone and realized I had never seen you around here before." Damon stated, looking over across the room to see Elena and Stefan sitting at a table watching him and looking worried. Damon just smirked and turned back to this beautiful stranger. "What's your name?"
"Why do you want to know?" She asked, tucking her long hair behind her ears and he was once again hit with the scent of something that was unlike anything he had smelt before. It was coming from her. She didn't smell like any other human in town, but she was human. Of that he was sure. But there was something off about her that he couldn't put his finger on.
"Tell me your name." He said quietly, turning the full force of his gaze on her knowing it would soon produce the effect that he wanted. He had been polite enough, now he would just use his vampire powers to get what he wanted. So he held her focus, drawing up his power and sending it to her eyes before asking. "Why don't you try answering now?"
"Um, if you are trying to glamor me, then you will be trying for a very long time." She said, shocking him when her eyes crackled with amusement and she sat back with her arms crossed and an annoyed look on her face. "Glamor doesn't work on me. So please leave me alone."
"Why doesn't it work on you?" He demanded, frowning when he realized that this was the first time he had ever been out trumped by a human. And he did not like it. Not at all. "What are you?"
"Um, I am human, if you couldn't tell." She answered back, moving her head so her hair moved and he caught sigh of her neck along with two marks that made his head snap up.
"No, you aren't just human. I see the fang marks on your skin. You must be something special to be feed on like that." He pointed out, noting that the fang marks, although healed, were clearly wounds that had been feed from many many times. It just further made it obvious that the way her blood smelt meant she wasn't like the other people in this room. He leaned further over the table and looked at her. "Tell me what you are."
"That is none of your business." She snapped, taking her bag and her book before standing up from the table and easing around it. As she stood before him, he looked down at her and smirked. She was around Elena's height with the same long brown hair, but her green eyes were brighter then anything he had seen and the blood he could sense moving through her veins was something that was causing his fangs to almost pop out. She smelt fucking delicious! Probably had the best tasting blood of all the human he had killed or fed upon. He could smell it on her. But what was the reason for that? She shook her head at him and just walked away towards the counter to pay and he watched her go with a frown.
Damon returned to the table his brother and Elena were sitting at and sat down with a huff as the two of them looked on in amusement. "What a bitch?"
"Why is she a bitch? Because she didn't want anything to do with you and you hate getting turned down?" Elena shot back, scratching her head while shooting Stefan a look who returned it with a smirk of his own that infuriated Damon.
"Precisely." Damon answered, looking over to where the brunette was standing in line and studied her. Even from here, her blood was screaming out to him, tormenting him with its delectable scent and it took all he had not to rush over and sink his fangs into her veins. She turned her head and caught his eye, staring at him from the briefest of seconds before turning to face forward again. Damon smirked and pressed his lips together tightly. It was apparent that something supernatural had just arrived in their town in the form of this tiny brunette and he couldn't tell what she was. He looked at Stefan and Elena and nodded to the girl. "Her blood smells so differently then anyone else's She's definitely not human."
"She looks human to me." Elena stated, looking over the girl with her human eyes and shrugged. "What makes you so sure she just doesn't have delicious smelling blood?"
"Because I was unable to glamor her, it doesn't work on her and there is not other reason that can be except that she's not human." Damon sneered, turning to his brother and asking. "You smelt her too right? Do not tell me you can't smell how good that blood smells."
"I did notice it." Stefan agreed, nodding his head while Elena frowned at the two of them. "But if she is not human, then what is she?"
"I don't know. But I am curious to find out." Damon smirked as all three of them turned in their seats to look at her and wonder what it was that she was and what had in fact brought her here to Mystic Falls.