2013AD

"Its okay, darling, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Leave me alone!" my latest prey screamed into the cold night. I had her cornered in a dark alley, yet she couldn't see me. Not yet. I took in her sweaty, heart shaped face, her plump lips, thin waist, her round, supple breasts. She was a treat and it was a shame she believed I was going to hurt her. No. I would never do that.

"Darling, its a shame you won't listen to me," I leapt from the roof of the building I had been perched on, ran at her and then slammed her hard into the fence behind her. She let out a crumpled scream. "Now you've left me no choice. I have to hurt you."

Sobs laced in with her screams. "Please, let me go! I won't tell anyone! I'll keep to myself! Just let me go!"

"Of course you won't, sweetie," I said kindly as I knelt down beside her. "Because once I'm through with you, you won't have anyone to tell. You'll be forced to stay away from your friends and family. Or else you will hurt them."

I bit into my wrist and her screams became louder. I grabbed the back of her head and forced her lips to my wrist. "Oh, darling, you are so much prettier when you just shut up. Now drink!"

The girls rigid body went limp as my blood filled her veins. It was hard for any human to resist the taste of a vampire's blood. Once I felt she had had enough I bit into her neck. She let out a soft moan, a sign of defeat as I drained her. Once I had my fill I snapped her neck.

"Rest in peace, darling," I said letting her slump to the ground. I stood up and walked away, leaving there on her own.

I hoped she could find herself a talented witch. Night Walkers were annoying.

That was how I hunted. The only way I could walk away from a kill was if I could give them life in return. It may not have been the life they dreamed of, but they now had an eternity to live whatever life they wanted. If they chose to survive. I never stayed to help them, I didn't seek my victims out, I simply forgot about them. Once I snapped their necks, they weren't my problem anymore.

It hadn't been the way I was taught. But I didn't fancy pets and having lived for a thousand years, I found it was the only way I felt comfortable taking the lives of humans. Occasionally, I would run into my victims. I never recognized them, but they always knew me. Even if the last time they saw me was when I snapped their necks two hundred years prior. I don't think you can easily forget the face of your killer.

My mood turned sour. I had let come to mind the face of my killer...My lover. I had spent the last five hundred some years in anger. We had had four hundred and eighty years of bliss. Almost every moment, we spent together. We had even broke from his family for a while, just to be on our own. And when we returned, everything changed. A Katarina Petrova had been the guest of honour at a birthday ball. She had been at the castle for a while, and I noticed more and more my love was taken with her. I hated her and I vowed to kill her. But then she had the nerve to drink the blood of a vampire and run. At first I had hoped she died, unable to feed. But then I heard rumors of her around and I fled after her. She had left my love distraught and I hated every second he mourned for her, my anger steadily turning into rage. I had spent the past five hundred hers tracking her down, raging when all signs of her were lost. But now I knew where she was. Wreaking havoc on the poor civilians of Mystic Falls.

How I desired to tear her limb from limb, to steak her in her heart, and set fire to her. Tonight it would happen. Tonight Katarina Petrova would be no more. Tonight I will be able to return to my love, his distraction no more.

I arrived at Mystic Falls at about seven that morning. It was surprisingly bustling with life despite how small of a town it seemed. I remembered hearing from another vampire associated with Katarina (Now going by Katherine) that she couldn't resist the young humans, so I decided to first scope out the school.

All of Mystic Falls high was outside, clumped in small groups waiting for the bells to ring. I reflected how my original village didn't have as many people as this high school alone seemed to have. I chuckled at this thought. Then I started scanning the crowd. There! There she is! On the arm of some poor, handsome teenage human. Rage raced through my veins and I took one step then realized I was almost a foot from her. It would be dangerous if I exposed her and myself in front of all these humans so I slowed down. I walked calmly towards her and put on my biggest, kindest smile.

"Katherine?" I said to her.

She looked at me confused. "Sorry, I'm not Katherine. I'm Elana."

Her boy toy took a defensive step in front of her, his nostrils flared. I ignored him.

"My apologies, then," I continued smiling. "You just look so much like an old friend of mine."

I made a show of nervously looking around, and then extended my hand towards her. "My name is Rose. Rosaline Moore. I'm new here!"

Elena's expression turned friendly as she shook my hand. "I'm Elana Gilbert and this is my boyfriend, Stefan Salvatore."

Stefan held out his hand, I took it. As my hand closed on his, I froze. His hand was as cold and dead as mine! Vampire! Looking into his eyes, I knew he understood what I was as well.

"Nice to meet you," I said tensely.

"Welcome to Mystic Falls," his voice was just as tense as mine.

"Thank you," i smiled at Elana.

"Elana, I think Caroline is over by the parking lot waving at you, you should go see what she wants." Stefan looked over at the parking lot towards a blond human Barbie, who, indeed, was waving frantically at Elana.

"Alright," she turned towards me. "It was nice meeting you, Rose. Stefan can show you around if you'd like." Then she sauntered off towards her friend without waiting for my goodbyes. I could tell she was going to talk about this strange, intense encounter between her boyfriend and some new girl. If I were human, I knew I'd pity her. But, then again, if I were human, I'd have been dead long ago.

I looked back at Stefan. "Well, then. Shall you show me around?" I smiled, making sure he saw my fangs.

"Certainly," he said heading towards the school, pulling out his phone. I wanted to laugh. I always thought it was strange to see a vampire using a mobile device.

I followed Stefan into the school. Then he turned on me and shoved me fiercly into the lockers. I looked at him and sighed.

"We're really going to play like that?" I dropped my purse then ran in front of him, grabbed him by his arm and flung him into the lockers opposite me. Then I took the same arm and twisted him so his body faced the lockers he crushed and I continued pulling his arm up behind his back, letting every bone crack several times.

I leaned into him and hissed in his ear. "You might want to know, I'm a thousand years old, child, and I could tear you apart faster than you can blink. So I suggest you play nice." I released him and stepped away from him.

He turned to face me.

"Now, what do you know of Katarina Petrova?" I asked. "You seemed to really tense up when I mentioned her to your little pet."

"Elana isn't my pet," Stefan's nostrils flared.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, your girlfriend. But I'm not here to talk of a human. I want to know about her twin vampire. Where is she?"

"What do you want with her?" He asked, crossing his arms and tilting his chin up. He was assessing me.

I mimicked his motions, not that there was anything to assess. "What does anyone want with Katarina?"

"What did she do?" I saw the corner of Stefan's lip twitch up as if he wanted to smile.

"Oh, the usual. Flirted with the man I love, turned into a vampire, then fled," I lifted my hand and pretended to study my nails. Then I looked Stefan in the eyes. His eyes were wide.

"You knew Katherine when she was human?" he asked in disbelief.

"Unfortunately," I dropped my hand. It seemed the scope of a thousand years was dawning on him. He must be young. "What did she do to you?"

He looked away. "Before she burned to death," he paused to see this information sink in, "She changed my brother and I."

"She's dead?!" I reached out and punched a few lockers, breaking them from their hinges. "That bitch!"

I turned back to Stefan, working hard to contain my anger. His face was sympathetic. Then something clicked. "That's why you're with Elana!"

"What?"

"Why would Katarina turn anyone she didn't love? She broke your heart, and now you're desperate for her, so you date her doppleganger!"

"No, its not like that! Katherine means nothing," the young vampire started, "Elana is not Katherine."

"But she will be, as soon as you change her," I said. "She will be Katarina."

Stefan didn't say anything, just averted his eyes. I understood.

"She doesn't know anything about you being a vampire."

"No," he said quietly.

"Well, then, I guess we should go tell her," I smiled at Stefan and turned around, only to bump into someone.

I looked up. The person I bumped into looked slightly like Stefan, but older. His black hair was longer and untidy compared to his brother's, but fell neatly over his eyebrows. He was a few inches taller than I was. This man carried himself with an arrogance, that I'm sure had no boundaries. Not that vampires aren't arrogant. But for the most part, young vampires kept their arrogance at bay around vampires much older and much stronger than them. I could sense that this man before was not most vampires.

"We're not telling Elana anything," he said, and I could hear the arrogance in his voice.

Again, I rolled my eyes. "Mr. Salvatore, please step aside, I have business to attend to." I went to move around him but he slammed me hard into the lockers. This one was stronger, but not nearly strong enough to take me. Before I could react he was pressed against me and hissing quietly in my ear.

"She's not dead. I can help you, but you must be quiet!"

"What?" I hissed, my eyes darting to Stefan who was on the defensive.

"Just throw me and go," he hissed.

So I did. I picked him up by his neck and threw him into Stefan, crashing them both down the hallway.

"Before I leave, Mr. Salvatore," I said stepping over them, "What was your name again?"

"Damon," he said, the two of the Salvatore brothers standing up.

"Nice to meet you," I smiled, flashing my teeth, then turned and ran out of the building. I felt them on my tail, but I was faster and reached Elana first.

"Elana!" I said smiling at the two, then at her.

"Hi, Rose, did Stefan show you around?" She walked up to me.

"I actually have something to confess," I said loudly. I looked at Damon and Stefan then leaned in close to Elana, making sure I had her attention. "Stefan and Damon Salvatore are vampires, Elana. From now on you will notice strange, supernatural things about them, you'll piece it together, but you will forget I told you anything. Are we clear?"

Her face was dazed. "I will find out what Damon and Stefan are."

"That's the spirit, now get investigating!" I clapped her shoulder to end the compulsion then waited for her to come out of the daze. Humans were so slow.

"So what was it that you wanted, Rose?" she asked smiling kindly up at me.

"I was wondering if you could help me find the guidance office so I could get registered," I smiled. "I know Stefan was supposed to show me, but it appears his brother has dragged him off somewhere."

"Oh, that's always happening. Ever since Damon came into town," she rolled her eyes. "Of course I will show you!"

I followed Elana into the school, who talked on and on about everything the school had to offer, all the teams, the activities, the clubs. "There's a Halloween dance in two weeks, you should go! I have a spare vampire costume you could use if you'd like."

I couldn't help but to laugh at the irony of my going to the Halloween danced dressed as a vampire.

"I'll think about it," I smiled. "I just want to see how these two weeks go. I move around a lot, but I always get anxious for each new move, so we'll see."

"Oh, what do your parents do?" she asked.

"They like to travel and kind of just drop me off in areas next to where they're staying, they don't want me missing out on public school!" I let out a fake nervous laugh. A thousand years makes it so easy to lie.

"Ah, I'm sorry," she gave me an apologetic look.

I gave a shrug and said: "Its okay, so used to it."

"Well, this is the guidance office," she said as we rounded the corner. I looked to see a small office, the door with plain black text on the window: GUIDANCE OFFICE.

"It would seem so. Thanks, Elana." I gave her a hug and darted into the office.

Once in the office I saw a desk in the middle. A young woman sat clicking away at the keys of her keyboard, her eyes glued to the monitor before her. The plaque on her desk read "MS SANDERS".

"Um, hello?" I asked quietly,

The woman looked up. "Oh, hello, dear! How can I help you?" She stopped clicking at her keys and stood up.

"My name is Rosalina Moore and I'm looking to register for my senior year," I said pretending to be shy.

"Ah, okay!" Ms. Sanders said cheerily. "My name is Ms. Sanders; I can help you with that. I will just need a copy of your transcript from your previous school, a letter of consent from your parents or guardians, and a copy of your shot records; and then I can get you registered. You'll be able to start next Monday."

Suddenly I was from the middle of the room to the front of her desk. She jumped with a start and I bent down, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt. "Okay, Ms. Sanders. My parents have been dead for over a thousand years, they died when I was still human! Ha. Let's see, there are no transcripts, you will just put that information in yourself. Write how I excel in everything, I mean, let's face it, I'm far more intelligent than your teachers. And as for my medical records? Let's just say I am far more healthier than you could ever hope to be. just copy a student's and put my information in, which I will happily oblige to you. Also, I am not waiting a whole week to start school. I have things to do, people to kill. You will also copy another student's schedule, put my name on it, and let me on my way before first bell rings. To make it easy, give me the schedule of the last transfer student. Now, you will forget I ever revealed to you what I am."

The frightened look on Ms. Sanders's face slowly disappeared and she smiled up at me. "Certainly, Ms. Moore, I hadn't realized how readily equipped you were, forgive me!" And then she stood up and disappeared behind a closed door, presumably where the printer was.

I looked around and found a chair to sit in. While I waited, my mind wandered to Damon Salvatore. What help could he possibly lend me? How did he know Katarina wasn't dead when Stefan was obviously convinced otherwise? What did he know? And why would he want to help me? There must be something he wanted in return, vampires didn't just offer help without any expectations of a returned favour. Then I thought of my love. How he only wanted everyone, vampire or human, to just keep their word. I felt a pang in my heart and immediately closed my mind to thoughts of him. It wouldn't do to think of him when I had no clue where he was.

As I waited, I pondered Damon's possible motives. I decided that he wasn't exclusively interested in older women, a vampire with his looks could get any woman; vampire or human. Then I thought of how both Salvatore brothers were vampires. I hadn't come across many vampires who had actual blood relatives still living. Katarina must be tied to both of them, she did after all change them.

Then I was thinking of how different Damon and Stefan had revealed themselves to be in those few minutes I had just met them. Stefan observed carefully, Damon had seen and heard me for probably thirty seconds before he told me I wasn't telling Elana what they were. Of course he was relying on the information Stefan obviously had given him in text message, but he didn't take me in with his own eyes. Not as Stefan did. But I knew Damon wasn't revealing himself, the only thing i gathered from him was his arrogance, and that he probably manipulated a lot of people. Stefan on the other hand, was an open book. However composed he might think he was, that careful composure gave away everything. He could be vulnerable. Damon was closed off not because of conscious effort, but because that was how he had always been as a vampire.

I wanted to break through.

Then I was reflecting on how taken with me my lover had been over a thousand years ago. I had been so flattered, a traveler who happened to spot me on my farm at the right moment. The sun was setting, and he claimed he was in need of rest. Later I would learn that he had planned on draining me of my blood.

My mind flashed one thousand years:

"But I couldn't, not when I came closer. Saw how the sun was shining in your long, red locks," he had smiled at me on one of the last evenings I'd enjoy as human. "Little did I know you'd capture my heart when you first spoke."

"And what did I say?" I asked, pretending not to remember.

He smiled again. "You said 'Sir, you look like you have just come from a battle! I will provide you with food and a place to sleep, if you tell me of your adventure!' Your face was eager, I had never seen a human so eager to know what lay beyond their own property. I knew then I needed to keep you alive. And I fed you the tales you longed for. Now here we are, many months later, you know all mine secrets, I your's and I still ponder how it is you have such a mind."

"What do you mean?" I asked, turning in his arms so I faced him. I pressed my lips to his cold ones, enjoying the sensations he gave me. His mouth parted and I felt his tongue taste my lips. I couldn't bear to part my lips, for every time I did, he would send me in a frenzy I couldn't handle... His lips left mine and our eyes met.

"I mean," he murmured softly, "that you have such an openness, such a thirst. Most people of your...class lack such a mindset." He was always careful when referring to my social rank. But it didn't bother me, I knew I was a poor farm girl and that he enjoyed a far different lifestyle than I.

"That's because when I look up at the sky, seeing it stretch for miles, I know that there is more than my little village," I playfully kissed his forehead. "And also, you tell me of your adventures. I know I want to spend my life with you, joining you on your many adventures."

His arms wrapped tight around me, his eyes were searching mine.

That was the night he asked me to be with him for the rest of his life.

"Ms Moore, your schedule is ready!" Ms. Sanders said, coming from the printer room and walking towards me and snapping me back to 2013. My eyes were wet. I wiped them as I stood up and faced her.

"Thank you, Ms. Sanders," I bit into my wrist and shoved it against her open mouth. She was resistant at first, but then caved to the desire of my blood. I tore my wrist from her mouth then twisted her head all the way around. "For ruining my memory."

I stooped down and picked up my schedule that was clutched in her dead hands, then left the office in time for the bell to ring. I looked at my schedule. First period would be in room 115 for history, which I found easily. Elana was in my class, and unsurprisingly, so was Stefan. It was that way for all of my classes.