Summary: One of Katherine's old 'friends' drops by, tasked with keeping an eye on the doppelganger by Elijah. She promises Katherine that freeing the vampire is on the to-do list. First things first though, this 'friend' has to gain the respect of the local vampire population. To do this she must make a bold statement. She can think of only one thing that would set the right tone: bringing the most powerful of the remaining vampires under her control. Luckily its something she can do without breaking a sweat. Unfortunately the only plausible option is one of the damaged leftover pawns from one of good ol' Katie's games.
A/N: Pairings will be Stefan/Elena/Damon, Caroline/Matt/Tyler and Bonnie/Luka/Jeremy but I'm going to have an actual plot tacked in (full of scary vampire mayham), so don't expect Damon to throw Elena against the kitchen wall and take her...unless of course it fits with the story.
Also since this is fanfiction dot net, I will be taking characters I do not own and telling them what they should do, without gaining anything but satisfaction in the process.
Prologue:
~*~| Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies - Aristotle |~*~
Katherine
Mystic Falls - 1864
She wore black with white lace, a fan of black feathers in her hand. Its not like she actually needed it, she was never hot. She was practically cold to the touch. She only used it to play coy with the dashing young gentlemen readily at her disposal. Her white blond hair was twisted up elegantly, elaborately decorated with silver baubles; all of which would be marinated with vervain. She lived in constant readiness against vampires. She'd once said she wasn't even sure if vampire tricks would work against her, but there was no sense taking foolish risks. Trust was not something Hakuma did lightly, it was one of the things we had in common. Our delight in watching men squirm another. She claimed it was in the name of retribution, I just saw it as entertainment. I hadn't seen her in a century or better, but she looked the same. She wasn't as dazzling as I was that night, but I'm a hard act to follow. She'd always been as subtle as I was brazen.
She wasn't a vampire, I knew that for certain. Yet whatever she was, she was close enough in my book. We'd traveled the world once she and I. We found pleasure in each others' company even. Neither of us had much sympathy for the opposite sex, and we both longed to see the head of Klaus on a pike. It was a match made in heaven. She'd promised that she could set the proper things in motion if I was patient; the Petrovas were known for their fire not their patience. Instead I fled with a magical trinket she'd had in her possession. It had ultimately proved useless to me, but the damage had been done. I'd burned the bridge to cinders. I was sure if we ever met again she would take her revenge. But I was older and stronger now, I wouldn't go without a fight.
However I was concerned this situation could upset my schemes, and I gazed across the dance floor. He stood there, glaring at me petulantly. I smiled, a radiant expression I'd perfected after many lifetimes of practice. It occurred to me that I might have a solution on my hands. We'd always played these games together before, she and I. Maybe I could patch things up with her. Or at least appear to until I set my own plan for freedom in motion. I moved towards her, asking Stefan to grant me a moment to greet a friend, I was going to make the peace offering I decided, even if it would ruin the game I was occupying myself with.
When I had glided out of the ballroom, she appeared so suddenly behind me I would have been surprised had I not been expecting it. She always seemed to melt out of the environment, going unnoticed until she desired otherwise. It was a trademark really.
"It is so good to see you again Katie, its been too long," she said, a wry grin forming on her pink lips, her piercing blue eyes looked through me, scrutinizing me. She was enjoying this far too much. I contemplated places to stash her body as she continued, "I am not here for you, you can retract your claws."
"Good, I was afraid I was going to have to snap your neck, and I must confess I enjoy your company at times," I smiled sweetly as I said it.
"I would like to see you attempt it," She laughed at that, "Just because I am dressed as one of these powder puffs think not for a moment I am one. At any rate I see you have found something to keep you busy. Two somethings unless I am misreading it." she jerked her head towards the ballroom.
"We could make it like old times…" I offered.
"Ahhhh France," she got that far away look she usually did when remembering something pleasurable. I felt the first tingle of regret and pushed it down. Leaving her had been the right choice, but I shouldn't have worried about retribution. If anyone understood the wicked things one had to do in the name of survival it was the woman beside me. Her hands were covered with more blood then mine ever would be. "That was a good time, no?"
"You know, I have this pet that is JUST your type."
"The one that was glaring daggers into your dance partner's back I assume?"
"Yes that one, a shade on the boring side but he has some endearing traits. You can't get a good look at any of them with his clothing on sadly." I winked.
"Brothers then?" She smiled knowingly, she appreciated the allure of it as much as I did. "You are playing a dangerous game here, but of course you know that. It is why you're doing it in the first place."
"I could give him to you if you want. Think of the poetry of it. A little compulsion and he'd be as obsessed with you as he is me." she shifted her eyes, looking him over for a moment as she considered. I could hear her heart speed up, the excitement of it enticing her. She had a yes on her lips, I could tell. Finally she sighed and shook her head.
"I don't want you to 'give' him to me, but I thank-you for the offer. Very generous of you. Which means you are more invested in the other." She stated smartly, tone dripping with disapproval.
"Don't look at me like that. I could hear your own heart nearly skip a beat at the thought of his brother, most likely underneath you. Don't deny that the thought pleases you,"
"I'm not. I just find myself feeling pity for any innocent creature that gets caught in your games, and pity is the first step towards giving a care. Caring gets you killed Katherine. Its something you should keep in mind." She only used my full name when she was doling out what she thought was sagely wisdom I should take heed of. "Now if you don't mind there is something that needs my attention." she curtsied slightly and moved away.
It was only later that I learned she'd talked to George that night as well. Had she mentioned being connected to the Lockwood family before? I couldn't recall, I didn't dwell on it too long. I had more pressing matters to attend to.
Hakuma
Mystic Falls - Present Day
I walked loudly down the stairs to the tomb. I'd been here once before, sent to investigate the rumors that supported its existence. Those that had sent me had had no inclination to free those trapped inside. So much for vampire solidarity. But it was undeniable, something about the place kept drawing me back. This time the large rock that physically sealed the tomb was shifted to the left, the portal in contained only darkness. I could walk right in, if I was stupid of course.
I wasn't a vampire, but I was undead certainly. I recalled last time I was here the tomb had been sealed with magic to keep the vampires inside. I wasn't certain if it was only compulsion that was still keeping the prisoner inside. My employer claimed as much, he was a man of honor even among his kind. But he was still a man, and every instinct urged me not to trust him. If the barrier spell was back in place I had no idea if it was specific to vampires or would trap any undead in general. It was best to use caution.
"OH Katie," I called as I approached the door. "Come out, come out etcetera, etcetera." I waited several moments before I heard the sound of a half starved vampire shambling toward the entrance. It was music to my ears considering she'd used me and threw me away like a candy wrapper. Just because I understood didn't mean I condoned the behavior. But she was young yet, with many lessons to learn if she stopped getting herself thrown into tombs and avoided being staked by scorned lovers she haphazardly changed and left to the four winds. And then there was the little obstacle of avoiding Klaus until he could finally be killed.
Her face appeared out of the shadows, she was a mere slip of herself. I smirked, I never thought I'd get to see her like this. On the end of a stake sure, but rotting in a stone prison. She was defeated, and I will not lie; I found great satisfaction in the predicament. But deeper down there was a twinge of sadness. A mighty predator left to starve. She wouldn't even get the finality of death, just oblivion after decades of agony.
"Why are you here?" she asked, voice like sandpaper.
"To gloat and say I told you so of course," I responded. " Caught in your own trap - didn't you always appreciate the poetry in situations similar to this one." I reached into the messenger bag slung over my shoulder and pulled out a small water bottle of blood. I held it up and shook it side to side vigorously. She eyed it hungrily. "Is it true only Elijah's compulsion keeps you in here now?" I asked, curious. "Left the door wide open to rub it in too. He can be such a bastard really. This could have gone down very differently you know Katie." I tossed the bottle into the opening. She scrambled across the floor to snatch it up, her fingers fumbled with the cap. She almost drank it without thinking but at the last moment she restrained herself, carefully sniffing the substance.
"Its yours."
"Who's would it be?" She glared daggers as she replaced the cap and slung the bottle back at me. Had she been at full strength she might have been able to peg me with it. As it was it exploded against the opposite wall nanoseconds after I sidestepped the unlikely projectile. "So be it, I tried to be civil. Since I was in town I figured I'd bring you a snack."
"Why are you in town?"
"Elijah wanted me to keep an eye on the precious Elena Gilbert, his words not mine. I'm suppose to keep the doppelganger from getting herself killed before everything is in place. But I just had to take this little side trip to witness the end result of you screwing me over, and yourself in the process. I was sure you'd end up a corpse, but this is much better. You could be on the other side of that barrier helping me plan Klaus' impending doom." I sighed then relented "Try not to fret too much Katie, I'll get you out of there. Eventually. First I have to go ingratiate myself with the local vampires. Elijah wants me to earn their respect. Fun fun fun."
"Hmmmmmm...what's your brilliant plan for that, only so many left in Mystic Falls. And they are all on Team Elena."
"Of that, I am well aware. I've always found that vampires respect strength above all else. At the slightest show of weakness they will try to rip my throat out. None have ever succeeded. obviously, but I end up with one less vampire, and in this situation the doppelganger seems very attached to hers. So I've decided to nip attempted throat ripping in the bud. I simply assert my dominance over the most powerful of them,"
"A sanguine bond?"
I nodded.
"And you felt sorry for the creatures caught in my games," she said in her best imitation of me. I smiled despite myself, it was one of the reasons we'd become friends so long ago in the first place.
I turned and made my way up the stairs, leaving Katherine to her prison. "Only the innocent ones." I said softly knowing even in her weakened state the vampire would hear me.
Up Next: What does this mysterious new player have in store for Mystic Falls? Will she actually get around to freeing Katherine? Not if the Salvatore brothers have anything to say about it!