~ Chapter 3 ~
This had to be one of the most depressing and rainy days during her entire stay in England. Not that she'd been here for too long. But long enough to kill her hope for some sunshine, ironically.
She sighed as the let the curtain fall back in place, and turned around to examine her new room once again. It was a very beautiful mansion overall, but it was so Elijah and Rebecca- style wise.
It shamed the Salvatore mansion with its grand terrace, lavish garden and very antique furniture.
If the sky hadn't looked so murky, Katherine might have actually enjoyed the sight of the neatly trimmed bushes, the tiny pond and the luscious red roses behind the heavy curtains.
Katherine's gloomy thoughts were disrupted by the sound of knocking. "Come in!" She called out, expecting it to be either one of the siblings.
When the door opened, she was greeted by a short, light-haired servant.
"Hello, Miss Katherine. The master requested that we bring in your belongings." The young lady curtseyed, and then stepped to the side to allow a line of servants carrying luggage and bags into Katherine's new room.
As odd as this was, Katherine attempted to be optimistic about her stay in the Mikaelson mansion. Better than being forced to face the sunlight without her ring, or having Vervain thrown into her face.
"I didn't order these," said Katherine bewildered as she glanced at the unfamiliar dresses that were being placed in her closet room.
"I did." Rebecca appeared at the door, looking as intimidating as always. "Don't put those two together. Those colors clash." She added to the dark-haired elderly lady.
As impressed as Katherine was, she didn't like the idea of being babysat by two Originals and dressed up like a Barbie. "Why are you doing this?"
"If you're going to live in my house, you're not walking around dressed like Lady Dracula."
Although Rebecca always spoke in a nonchalant and arrogant manner, Katherine suspected that she felt lonely without Klaus. And she was looking for a friend in Katherine, without making it too obvious. But unfortunately, Rebecca was as subtle as a gun.
Like human beings, Vampires searched endlessly for something. Something like companionship, or romance. Katherine wasn't sure. But something to fill the holes in their damned souls. Friendship was one thing that could fill the void a little.
"I guess you're right. It's just that I prefer to resemble my doppelganger as little as possible," she replied, careful not to show the manipulating force behind that statement. Elena, as Katherine knew, was a sensitive topic for many, especially for Rebecca as rumors revealed.
A flash of emotion, perhaps betrayal, showed on Rebecca's face and was followed with a frown and pout almost immediately. "I wouldn't either. Can't stand her. Somehow, she's got everyone wrapped around her finger." Rebecca walked towards Katherine's dressing table with a little bag and started arranging a few cosmetics on there.
Katherine decided that she might actually give Rebecca a chance. After all, having an Original as a friend could ensure her future security. She walked towards the dressing table and grabbed a few nail polish bottles to position them in order, according to color.
"Speaking of which- didn't you have the Salvatore brother's dancing to your tune once?"
Yeah, a long time ago. "Are you asking because of Stefan?" Katherine knew that Rebecca had a thing for him, since she had watched the two of them together. Perhaps she wasn't over him, which could work as future leverage for Katherine.
To her surprise, Rebecca shook her head, as she placed a handful of bracelets in a golden bowl.
"I did once. What about Damon?" Katherine recognized a hint of jealousy and insecurity in Rebecca as she had asked this, along with her usual attempt to quickly cover it up by acting as if she didn't care.
"Damon? Hmm…Damon, Damon, Damon…" Katherine didn't want to give the answer right away. It was too much fun to have Rebecca wrapped around her finger, allowing Katherine to be the one in control.
"Yes, Damon. Impossible to slip your mind," replied Rebecca irritated.
Katherine smiled mischievously before answering. "Damon and I just were never really compatible. We're too alike. Impulsive, driven by our own needs and too good-looking for our own good."
Rebecca scoffed, but the corners of her mouth were turning upwards, which meant that Katherine had a chance to bond with her.
"Your real threat would be Elena though."
"No, not anymore. After Klaus was killed, I made sure that Elena would disappear for good. She's caused enough trouble for everyone."
Katherine wasn't sure whether she found the news of Elena's death disturbing or pleasing. This would leave both Salvatore brothers sulking over her death, circling the globe for a couple more centuries until the next doppelganger showed up.
Rebecca's phone interrupted the silence between them, and she picked up instantly. "Hello?"
Katherine glanced back at the servants, who paused to watch the two bond. As soon as they noticed Katherine gazing their direction, they abruptly continued the last of their work and left the room.
"What? We'll be there."
"What happened?" Asked Katherine as soon as Rebecca hung up.
"Elijah has some news. Bad news for you, that is. Someone killed your human."
Katherine's mind instantly flashed the image of her apartment building's landlord, James. What a waste of such a handsome thing. She had planned to turn him into a human once things settled in a little. She was getting a little lonely and needed a new boy-toy.
But of course. Dariea had opted for another way to piss Katherine off, but failed as always.
"So pathetic," murmured Katherine absentmindedly.
"Excuse me?"
"She thinks that I'm gonna come after her to take revenge. What a cheap method to try to lure me out."
Katherine kept telling herself that she should be glad that Dariea kept using the most predictable and light methods to punish Katherine for not providing her with the information about which rituals would bring her younger sister back. She had lied to Dariea that with witchcraft, Vampires could be brought back to life. But that was back when Katherine had an actual witch-buddy to hide behind.
"Elijah also said to meet him in the common room."
When Rebecca and Katherine entered the common room, Elijah was sitting with a guest. Not a vampire, but Katherine suspected him to be a supernatural creature.
"Ah, Katherine. Just as beautiful as it had been rumored for centuries." A tall man with black hair and olive tanned skinned stood up to greet her, but Katherine held a hand out.
"I hope they also mentioned that I'm not stranger-friendly."
Elijah chuckled in the background. "She used to be though," he said, probably remembering the time when he had first met Katherine.
Resisting the urge to give Elijah a dirty look, Katherine crossed her arms and turned her gaze back to the stranger. "Who and what are you?"
"My name is Adriano Capello," introduced the young man himself to Katherine, while holding her gaze intently.
He certainly wasn't a Salvatore, but Katherine turned to Rebecca and said, "He's Italian." And waggled her eyebrows at her suggestively.
"I prefer them with sparkly blue eyes actually," replied Rebecca dismissively, but appeared to be fighting a smile.
Adriano flashed a flirtatious grin at Katherine, but Elijah stood up and interjected, "Adriano happens to know Dariea quite intimately. He has offered to help us out a little here as a favor."
At this moment, Katherine admired Elijah a little; he was even more focused than Katherine expected herself to be. They met eyes briefly, and Katherine tried to communicate some gratefulness to him. He returned a brief smile.
"Yes, that's right. I used to be her hunting buddy," said Adriano smoothly. "She was extremely fond of that Salvatore boy." Cocking an eyebrow, he indicated to her exactly what Katherine needed; leverage.
Please leave me some feedback (I love to read them ;)). Also, any suggestions as to what supernatural creature Adriano could be?
A.
