Prologue (Part Two)
"Who's next? 100 dollars to any man who can beat me." The boxing woman beamed as she started to stare at a man across the room from Eibhlín. Eibhlín looked over to where the woman had been looking. To her surprise, she saw Stefan Salvatore. Stefan glanced at the woman before letting his eyes wander the room again. Eibhlín smiled and wiggled her fingers at him, hoping that the man would see her small movement. As Stefan's eyes scanned the room, he finally slid over Eibhlín before doubling back. His eyebrows furrowed before he cocked his head with a small smile. With a small smile, Eibhlín started making her way over to the man.
In crowds, Eibhlín was glad that she was shorter than the average woman. To her, being only 5'1" compared to the average height of 5'3" gave her an advantage when it came to crowds. She could easily slip around them in little time. Eibhlín quickly found her way through the crowd to Stefan. He smiled at her with his deep green eyes.
"Well, if it isn't Miss Eibhlín." Stefan gave a small bow. Eibhlín couldn't help but roll her eyes at the gesture and laugh at him. "I honestly thought I would never see you again." Stefan gave a genuine smile.
"Well Mr. Salvatore, I am full of surprises." Eibhlín smiled back at him. Stefan looked behind her cautiously and raised an eyebrow.
"No one is with you?" He questioned. Eibhlín shook my head, glancing behind her shoulder.
"Not dat I know of." She shrugged before she noticed a man standing closely behind Stefan. The man was as tall as Stefan and had dark curly hair, but that was all she could see with his back turned. She motioned behind him. "Ye seem ta have someone with ya dough." Eibhlín nodded behind Stefan. Stefan's shoulders tensed as he turned his shoulders slightly. Before he could even get the attention of the other man, he turned around to the two.
"Oh, yes, this is-"Stefan tried to say before the other man interrupted.
"Oh, where are my manners tonight!" The man's voice was much deeper then Eibhlín had thought it would be. "They must have been destroyed by all of the alcohol." The man gave a very sarcastic smiled. Eibhlín's eyes widened at the man's blunt comment before a small smile slipped as she stared at him curiously. The man noticed her curiosity and chuckled lowly. "Damon Salvatore." He introduced himself with a light smirk spreading across his face as he did a small bow.
"Oh! Ya two are brothers dan?" Eibhlín questioned, remembering her mother's warning about how the two were 'dangerous'. Stefan nodded, his whole body becoming stiff again. "Must be a sensitive subject ta de two…" Eibhlín thought to herself realizing she needed to get off the subject. "Eibhlín NicBranagáin." She smiled to Damon, ignoring his strange introduction and her own rude statement. Damon raised an eyebrow at her.
"That is quite a long name." Damon speech slurred slightly. "How about I shorten it for you?" Damon questioned. Eibhlín raised an eyebrow. How could her name be shortened. Eve, if anything, but no one called her that. It was always Eibhlín. "Eve is too boring..." Damon said. Eibhlín blinked at the statement. She was just thinking about Eve being a boring name. Eibhlín noticed Stefan's body tense once more. "I'm at an impasse...Evie." The name sounded like an accident but Eibhlín couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the name. "Evie it is then. Perhaps we will meet again." Damon said with a small smirk before he grabbed Eibhlín's hand and kissing it. "But, if you will excuse me, I have to go drink some more." Damon muttered flatly before turning on his heel. Eibhlín watched as he walked away, a strange feeling lingered in her chest. What an odd man. Stefan let out an audible sigh, making Eibhlín's attention return to the blond man.
"I am sorry about him, Eibhlín." Stefan blinked down sadly. "He and I are not on very solid ground right now." He muttered lowly. Eibhlín only shook her own head.
"It is not yer fault, Stefan." Eibhlín reassured the man, "I should have just assumed that ya were brothers and not asked." She shook her head again, "I should be de one dat is sorry." She said quietly back to him. Stefan shook his head back at the shorter woman.
"Do not blame yourself for being curious." Stefan stated with a small smile. "Speaking of curiosity, why are you here alone?" He questioned, changing the subject quickly. "I would not have guessed your mother, nor your father, to be the type to let their daughter go out alone in the first place."
"She wouldn', and neider would me father. Dat's why dey both do not know dat I'm even gone." Eibhlín shrugged carelessly. Stefan's eyes widened at the remark.
"You snuck out?" He questioned as his eyebrows furrowed together.
"And why not?" Eibhlín questioned back. "I could not stand de silence. It was deafening." She groaned. Stefan only gave a very sarcastic looking smile, trying to hide his underlining dreadful feeling.
"And this is not deafening?" He questioned. Eibhlín couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. Stefan simply folded his arms at her, waiting for her remark back. He had learned quickly that she was a type of person who would get the final say in any conversation…Unfortunately, so was his brother. But if he could keep the two from one another, it would all be fine.
"Dis? Ya dink dis is loud?" She questioned raising an eyebrow at him sassily, "Ya should hear de parties at de Lockwood's mansion den." She sighed almost enviously, "But dis noise is jus' dat; noise, and it is just what I needed." Eibhlín snapped back to him with an innocent smile. Stefan couldn't help but smile back at her and shake his head.
"Will your family not know that you are gone?" He asked. Eibhlín only shrug.
"Why would dey? I snuck out, Stefan." Eibhlín stuck her tongue out at him. Stefan raised an eyebrow at the comment with a small smile, but Eibhlín brushed the look off. "And, I'm not exactly deir most valuable possession." Eibhlín laughed at the harsh truth to her own words. Both her mother and father loved her brother more than they loved her. At least, that's what she came to believe in her own mind. Stefan frowned at her words. Eibhlín only smiled slightly, unaffected by her own words "It is fine, Stefan. I'm Irish; I can handle a wee bit of tough love." Eibhlín nudged Stefan's arm lightly. Stefan had this look about him when he frowned that looked like she had just kicked a puppy, and Eibhlín didn't like it.
"Being Irish does not mean you are made of steel, Ms. Eibhlín." Stefan gave a concerned half smile. Eibhlín forced herself to not roll her eyes at the sad look on his face. Why did he care? Eibhlín was used to being treated like she wasn't important her whole life. Who was he to come into her life and give her a look as if she was everything?
"Me family has survived through a lot, Mr. Salvatore, and de potato famine was one of dem." Eibhlín stuck her tongue out at him immaturely. "I believe dat I can handle not being de child of affection." Eibhlín laughed lightly. Stefan's half smile grew before he raised his hands in defense at her accusing words.
"I suppose you are right." Stefan said looking down. "I apologize. Since your great-great grandparents survived through such harsh times, you survived them as well." He hid a wry smile as he looked back up at the woman through his eyelashes and put his hands down. Eibhlín scrunched her eyes at him. Stefan only laughed which made Eibhlín smile. As much as Eibhlín liked paying her full attention to Stefan, behind him, she couldn't help but notice that Damon and the red haired boxing woman were walking towards them. The two stopped to talk abruptly, both glancing in the Eibhlín and Stefan's directions. Ignoring the two, Eibhlín snapped back to her conversation with Stefan.
"Do not apologize ta me, Stefan." Eibhlín nudged Stefan's arm. "Ya are far too nice ta me in de first place." Eibhlín stated. Stefan cocked his head slightly, reminding Eibhlín of a dog. Did she look like that when she was confused?
"And why is that? You seem like a very lovely young woman." Stefan smiled as a bit of light hit his eyes and made them shine involuntarily. Eibhlín felt her breath be taken away. In defense of the sudden lack of air to her lungs, she rolled her eyes at him as she tried to ignore the compliment and what it had done to her burning cheeks.
"I'm not exactly de most 'proper' woman." Eibhlín stated blandly, hoping that Stefan couldn't see the bright pink of her cheeks in the slight lighting of the tent. "I'm not very ladylike." Eibhlín felt her eyes shift downwards.
"Being a lady does not mean acting like a queen. It means being your true self, and if your true self is not the most 'ladylike', than that is perfectly fine." Stefan tilted his head sideways and gave Eibhlín the most innocent look.
"Cheeky bastard." Eibhlín thought to probably knew exactly what he was doing. Eibhlín's mind raced as her ears started to burn.
"And why is it dat you do not have a wife yet, Mr. Salvatore? Ya are far too charmin' for de likes of me." Eibhlín laughed off his charming words. Stefan shrugged with the same innocent look as a smile slowly slipped across his face.
"Maybe I am just waiting for the right lady." Stefan smiled mischievously. Eibhlín rolled her eyes at the comment as she felt a sudden beating in her chest. He was very good at this. Before she could even reply, her and Stefan's attention turned towards a sudden sharp laugh.
"The right lady, brother?" Eibhlín heard, looking towards the dark haired Salvatore. Stefan rolled his eyes before he turned around to look at Damon."How…romantic." Damon growled lowly, locking his blue eyes with Eibhlín's green ones. Eibhlín's heart began to race. Damon's eyes seemed to burn through her. Eibhlín's body tensed the longer Damon's eyes stayed on hers. After what felt like minutes, Damon's eyes traveled and met Stefan's narrowed green eyes. Eibhlín almost let out a sigh of relief. Looking away from the two brothers, Eibhlín found herself looking at the red head behind Damon.
"I was hoping to get past this, brother." Stefan's voice hissed out. The woman smiled at Eibhlín coyly. All Eibhlín could do was wiggle her fingers at the woman meekly.
"Hello, my red hair sister." The woman smiled, walking closer to Eibhlín, ignoring the bickering brothers.
"Hello." Eibhlín said quietly. The red haired woman was very intimidating to Eibhlín. Maybe it had been from seeing what she could do to men half her size, or maybe it was the fact that the woman had come over with Damon. The woman cocked her head, but continued to smile at Eibhlín. Eibhlín felt pressured to smile at the woman who didn't seem that threatening with the smile she showed. "Um...I-uh...liked yer fightin'." Eibhlín muttered awkwardly.
"Thank you." The woman muttered back with a smile. "Sage."
"If dat's yer name, me is Eibhlín, but if yer tellin' me what helps ya with fightin', I'll try ta remember dat." Eibhlín said. The woman let out a low laugh at the statement.
"It's my name." Sage chuckled back. Even her laughter was intimidating. Eibhlín's attention suddenly snapped towards the two brothers as Damon let out an irritated sigh. In a quick movement, Damon grabbed Eibhlín's shoulders, making her flinch instinctively. Damon glanced back at her before he lightened his grip and pulled Eibhlín in front of him.
"What did your mother say about us?" Damon questioned, looking into Eibhlín's eyes. Eibhlín noticed the man's pupils dilating. Eibhlín glanced over at Stefan, whose eyes narrowed at his brother. Stefan looked like he was about to say something before Eibhlín felt as if she had to answer Damon's question.
"What do ya mean?" Eibhlín questioned fearfully, looking back towards Stefan. Again, his mouth opened slightly before Damon grabbed Eibhlín's chin and turned her head so she looked at him directly.
"During the funeral this afternoon, what did your mother say about me and Stefan?" Damon snapped, his eyes dilating again as Eibhlín felt forced to stare at him.
"Me mother dinks yer dangerous, Mr. Salvatore." Eibhlín saw Stefan's eyes soften at Eibhlín's words from the corner of her eyes. Damon looked taken back by words Eibhlín had just said. "She never told me why dough." Eibhlín muttered out at him, keeping her green eyes locked on his blue ones. Damon's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.
"Damon that is enough." Stefan growled lowly, grabbing hold of Damon's shoulder. Damon glared at Stefan before letting Eibhlín's shoulders go. Eibhlín breathed in a breath before Damon quickly turned his head back towards her, making her jump slightly.
"What is your mother's name?" Damon questioned again, ignoring Stefan's words with a softer tone in his voice. Eibhlín blinked at him. Why did she feel obligated to tell him?
"Ailís NicBranagáin." Eibhlín said instantly before blinking at her own words.
"Damon." Stefan growled lowly, grabbing onto Damon's shoulders more forcefully.
"Well, I don't wish to get into this family problem, and I doubt Ms. NicBranagáin does either." The red haired woman stated, suddenly coming into the conversation. Eibhlín glanced back at the woman, happy to have a scapegoat. The two brothers looked at Eibhlín and the red haired woman for a few seconds before Stefan's attention went back to Damon. "Now, you're going to listen to everything I say, okay?" The woman said to Eibhlín quietly, looking at Eibhlín the same way Damon had. Eibhlín nodded, once more feeling obligated to do as she was told. "Alright Damon, I'll be back soon." The red head said looking at the black haired brother.
"What about Eibhlín." Stefan questioned, his whole body tense either from Sage's comment or from bickering with his brother.
"We'll go get a drink to get out of your hair for a little while." The red head smiled. Stefan looked at Eibhlín, concern spreading across his face.
"I do not see de issue in letting ya and yer brother have a bit of alone time." Eibhlín felt her ears begin to burn at her own blunt statement. Stefan took in a slightly breath before he nodded.
"So get a drink. We will stay here." Damon gave a smirk as he put an arm around Stefan's shoulders. Stefan scowled at the gesture. Eibhlín nodded towards Stefan as the woman began to take her away from the two.
"I'm not much of a drinker..." Eibhlín said softly, feeling intimidated by the woman again.
"Oh, you're not going to be drinking anything, dear." Sage gave a sly smile as she began to take Eibhlín outside of the tent. Eibhlín became tense at her words.
"So, if we're not gettin' drinks, den where are ya takin' me?" Eibhlín asked, becoming more and more fearful of what the answer was. Sage let out an irritated sigh before she turned and faced Eibhlín directly.
"You aren't going to scream." Eibhlín's heart sank. "You're going to smile like nothing is happening and agree with everything I say." Sage continued. Eibhlín suddenly smiled at Sage, feeling fear wash over her as the two began to walk again, towards the tree lining.
"Why would I scream?" Eibhlín questioned, keeping the smile on her face, even though her whole body told her to run.
"Because I'm going to kill you." Sage said casually. Eibhlín's heart raced. "I'm going to drink you dry, sweetheart." Sage said in a sweet voice. Eibhlín could only smile and nod. Sage smiled back as she began to take Eibhlín deeper into the trees, away from the lights of the tent and away from the drink she was promised.
"I could actually use de drink now." Eibhlín breathed out. Sage rolled her eyes at the statement before Eibhlín's curiosity got the best of her. "H-how are ya goin; ta drink'me?" Eibhlín stuttered out as the two walked behind a few trees, out of sight of people.
"Well," Sage trailed off and turned to Eibhlín. Sage's whole face changed. Her eyes turned red and her teeth were sharp fangs. Veins begin to grow down from her eye. Eibhlín felt her whole body tense up. But Eibhlín suddenly realized something. Sage never said Eibhlín couldn't run. Before she could even comprehend what she was doing, Eibhlín felt her legs start to move. She tried to run back towards the lights as quickly as her feet would take her. It didn't take long, though, before Sage caught up to Eibhlín and threw her against a tree. "You aren't going to run either!" Sage hissed before she clamped her teeth into Eibhlín's neck. All Eibhlín could do was gasp at the sharp pricks she felt. Then the burning started. Soon she began to see small dots begin to blind her vision.
"Sage, you have another challenger!" A man's voice broke through the woods. Sage ripped away from Eibhlín's neck reluctantly before Sage rolled her eyes at the man's voice.
"I can't even enjoy a quick snack." Sage hissed quietly, looking back at Eibhlín. "Stay here and don't move." Sage commanded. Eibhlín felt her whole body stagger against the tree. Sage only rolled her eyes and bit her wrist. Eibhlín didn't realize what the woman was doing. Without a warning, Sage forced her bleeding wrist up to Eibhlín's mouth. "Drink." She commanded again. Eibhlín's heart began to race to life as she followed Sage's orders. The strangely sweet taste of Sage's blood seemed to help Eibhlín's fading vision come back. "Now," Sage said, ripping her wrist away from Eibhlín's mouth, she pulled out a small handkerchief and whipped her own mouth. "Stay here. Don't move. Don't scream." Sage ordered before sauntering back towards the lights and sounds as if nothing had happened. Eibhlín felt a tear roll down her face.
Tears rapidly rushed down Eibhlín's face. Now the sounds of people cheering and the ding of a bell became more deafening than the quiet of the night. And all Eibhlín could do was smile against her will and hold her weakening body up against a tree. If she survived this, she was definitely getting a drink.
"Hello sweetheart, did you miss me?" Sage's voice broke through the night's quiet sounds. It felt as if the world stopped. It had been hours since Sage left Eibhlín…or at least that's what it felt like to Eibhlín. Maybe it had been hours. How was Eibhlín supposed to know anyhow? Eibhlín had hoped that the woman had forgotten about her. Eibhlín looked up at the woman and tried to glare, but the same stupid smile that Eibhlín had been smiling for hours was plastered on her face. Sage let out a dark laugh as she looked at Eibhlín. "My, my, you do not look happy, Miss…I seem to have forgotten your name." Sage shrugged. "But nonetheless, if you hadn't been told to smile, you would have the nastiest frown I would have ever seen." Sage chuckled. "But your eyes give it away. You're not happy at all." Sage chuckled. "No matter. You'll be dead before you even know it." She smiled innocently at Eibhlín. Eibhlín could feel her lip quiver against her numbing mouth. Maybe it was better to die than to have to stay how she was…
Without any time to think, Sage quickly latched onto Eibhlín's throat again. Eibhlín flinched at the sudden contact before she felt the burning pain again. Eibhlín closed her eyes quickly, trying to ignore the light-headedness that followed the blood loss. Rustling tore the red head away from Eibhlín's neck. With all of her strength, Eibhlín's eyes opened, only to see large black dots swirling across my vision. Eibhlín's body leaned against the tree. She hadn't even noticed that Sage had left.
"Stefan! How great to see you!" Sage's voice called with a bubbly tone. Eibhlín struggled to put her hand up to her throat. Warm liquid pulsed against her fingers as she found two puncture holes. But then there was simply nothing.
It had been a few moments before Eibhlín blinked several times. She hadn't realized that she was on the ground. The softness of the grass made Eibhlín let out a small breath. It seemed so peaceful. Maybe for a moment, Eibhlín could shut her eyes…Only a moment though before something brought Eibhlín back.
A sound began to rupture the white noise Eibhlín had been hearing. Voices…voices that were talking, or arguing…maybe they were yelling, but Eibhlín couldn't figure out whom they belonged to. All she felt was the soft grass. Her breathing began to slow as she tried to close her eyes again. A gasp forced her eyes to open once more. She looked up and strained her blackening vision to see a man shaped form.
"Eibhlín?" The form almost whispered almost franticly.
"Stefan?" Eibhlín gurgled out before coughing up blood as her vision blurred the green eyed man she only met. Stefan's whole body seemed to tense. Eibhlín's eyes closed again before she felt something against her mouth. The familiar sweet taste of blood began to seep into her throat. Eibhlín's shot open. "What are ya doin'?" Eibhlín coughed out against Stefan's warm skin. There was no answer, but the grass didn't seem as soft as Eibhlín had thought it had been when she placed her hand down onto it to level herself. Eibhlín felt as if she couldn't stop herself from keeping her mouth against Stefan's bleeding wrist. Eibhlín's eyes shut as she tried to ignore what she was really doing. The burning in her neck was fading; the light-headedness was as well. The more she took in the sweet taste the less pain she felt.
"That should be enough to heal you." His voice sounded raw against her ears. Eibhlín finally opened her eyes. The black dots that had once blocked her vision were gone. She looked up at Stefan and let out a sharp gasp. Red eyes and veins began to cover his face. Eibhlín's eyes widened before Stefan backed up quickly. He seemed to move more quickly than Eibhlín's eyes could see, or maybe she was still a little dizzy. She tried to hold herself up with her arms, but with a single wobble, Eibhlín found herself on her back. The smile on Eibhlín's was gone as her whole body seemed to be free from whatever trance it had been in.
"Stefan?" Eibhlín questioned again as pain shot up against her vocal cords. Stefan's whole body froze at her words. Eibhlín looked over at him as she lay on her back against the cool ground, unable to get enough strength to sit up. "Stefan?" Eibhlín croaked again, ignoring the agonizing pain that swept through her.
"I'm sorry." He muttered repeatedly as he began to back up farther away from her. Eibhlín only then noticed the dark red liquid around Stefan's mouth, down his chin and on the knot on his tie. The grass felt like needles now.