Chapter 1

I remember the day I died just like it was a memory from only moments ago. I was wandering outside the garden of my family's home, the moonlight guiding my way along the cobblestone path. I was barefoot; the insufferable heels I had been forced into were left forgotten at the gate. My dress was also forgotten and I only ran around in undergarments. If only Mama could see me, traipsing around in the most unladylike fashion possible.

"Unladylike my ass." I thought as I hopped over a blotch of mud, narrowly missing is as I did.

I smiled as she finally came to my destination, a tall old oak tree. Long vines trickled from its branches, creating a light curtain of privacy around the area. Virginia fireflies illuminated the night with a light golden hue that made the garden seem like a fairytale.

I sat on the bench, gazing in the wonder at the little golden insects. Damon sent me a letter, telling me to meet him here at exactly midnight. This was the place I had met him eight years ago. I was escaping a dress fitting that my mother had been torturing me with and I ran here seeking some kind of cover. And there was Damon, hiding from both of our fathers who were forcing him on a hunt. Ever since that day we had been best friends.

I shivered slightly as a sudden chilling breeze ran over my skin. Funny, it was just the end of summer in Virginia, I shouldn't be cold.

"Hello Serenity."

I almost jumped out of my skin. I turned around to the source of the voice to see my best friend leaning against the old oak tree, staring at me with dark eyes.

I put my hand to my chest in relief. "Christ Katherine, you can't sneak up on me like that. And why are you calling me Serenity, I hate that name."

Katherine smirked at me. "You scare to easily, I couldn't resist." She traced the tree lazily.

I rolled my eyes at the woman. "Sure Kat. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Just a little midnight stroll." She told me coyly. "Late night in the boarding house."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh? You and Stefan I presume?"

Katherine smiled. It wasn't a normal smile through. I knew from the years of knowing the woman in front of me, that behind Katherine, there was always a meaning. And I wasn't sure that I liked this meaning.

"Not quite, Sarah." Katherine said in a sing song tone.

I bristled at the comment. She couldn't have. "Where's Damon, Katherine?"

"At home, sleeping soundly thinking I'm by his side." Katherine teased with no remorse in her tone.

I glared at the girl I had once called my best friend, standing with balled fist. "You didn't."

Katherine smirked and pushed off of the tree, walking around it lazily to come face to face with me. "Oh come on Sarah, you know it was always me he wanted. All these months of looks, sneaking away at parties. You're not that naive are you?"

"I can't believe you." I growled at her. "You know how I felt about him; you were supposed to be my best friend!"

"Oh grow up Serenity." Katherine taunted with a roll of her eyes. "He wanted me. Not you. I just came here as your best friend to tell you that before you get your heart broken."

"Fuck you." I growled.

"That was almost threatening." She drawled. "It's alright. You'll find some other toy to fall over. Maybe Lockwood's son?"

"You're a bitch."

"So I've been told." She said lazily.

I stared at the girl with betrayal in my heart. I wanted nothing more than to rip her hair out, punch her until she couldn't anymore. I wanted her to hurt, just as I was. Hot tears rolled down my cheek. Suddenly, Katherine's eyes widened and she gasped as she held her chest where her heart should have been. I could only watch in horror as the girl who was supposed to be my friend dropped down to her knees in anguish.

"Katherine?"

Suddenly Katherine stopped writhing, and her eyes grew black with rage. I barely comprehended what was happening before I was pinned against a tree with an enraged Katherine holding me there by my neck.

Katherine growled, a feral, non human growl. "A witch huh?" she muttered angrily. "Who would have thought?"

My heart stopped at the sight of the deadly fangs that Katherine bared at me. This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't supposed to be real. Things like her weren't supposed to exist. "You're a-" I struggled to get the words out.

Katherine let a sadistic grin spread over her lips. "Yes, go on. A Vampire." She said. "You were always so innocent Serenity. You never even realized that you were a witch. And you were foolish to think that you could ever interfere with my plans, and for that you have to be punished."

My eyes widened in shock and pain as Katherine's fangs pierced my neck. My blood rushed through my veins as Katherine drank from me greedily. Slowly my life force was being sucked from my body. I knew I was going to die tonight, it was inevitable.

Suddenly, Katherine released her bite on my neck and let me fall limply to the ground. I stared up at Katherine weakly, my vision slowly diminishing. I watched as Katherine bit into her wrist and held it to my mouth. I gagged as she forced her blood down my throat.

Katherine cocked her head at me, a smile on her face. "You know what? I think I'll let you live. Because killing you wouldn't be as fun. You're going to live a very, very long time knowing that Damon's heart belongs to me and only me." Her smile dropped. "And in the future? Remember that attacking me and interfering with my plans with grant you a slow and painful death."

She stood up, the smile coming back to her face as quickly as it had left. "Now let's pay your dear parents a visit shall we?"

I tried to cry out as Katherine walked back towards the house, but nothing but a rasp came out. I couldn't save my family, I couldn't save myself, I couldn't even move. Tonight was the night I would die. I stared at the moon, feeling my consciousness slowly slip away. I was so young, I didn't want to die. My parents, my poor parents.

September 24, 1864. That was the day I died. The day when I was reborn. The day that everything changed.