A.N.- Hi! Alright, this is a bit of a time jump from the last chapter, which takes place at about the same time Season 3 of the Vampire Diaries starts. This chapter takes place a few hours before the events of The Reckoning. Please review! Thx for reading!
The soft electric light mixed with the glow of the candlelit chandeliers' glinted lowly off the diamond-studded feathers worn in Darla's hair as she spun in a quick circle, flashing Drusilla a wide grin, her teeth glittering as the thin fabric of her skirts whirled around her pale legs. Dancing forward, Darla laughed in delight as she pulled against Drusilla's arm, whisking her towards the dance floor.
Drusilla giggled as Darla spun her around in a tight circle. "You're pretty tonight, grandmummy," she smiled.
A quick frown flitted across Darla's face, briefly marring her otherwise pleased expression. She rolled her eyes. "And you look radiant my dear," she returned indifferently, her mellifluous voice wrapping around the dancers like an invisible fog, and Drusilla could feel it as they suddenly sensed its phantom presence, and perked up at its sensual melody, smiles becoming genuine, laughter buoyant and reserve vanishing, as they pulled themselves more tightly against their partners.
Darla's lips quirked into a smile as she stopped moving, and caught Drusilla's chin in her gloved hand. She turned Drusilla's face towards a couple slowly rocking on the floor, her grin expanding as Drusilla tilted her head to stare at them, her eyes narrowing. There was a haunting familiarity about the girl's features, a strange resemblance to the face of another… or perhaps the same. Drusilla couldn't tell at the moment, and she scowled.
Darla released the other woman, and her silky voice, full with thrilled satisfaction, flowed gently into Drusilla's ear. "Tell me what you see, darling."
Drusilla's lips parted, and her lips curved into a cruel smile. "I see a pretty blonde. She's flushed with pleasure- see how red her cheeks are, and how tightly she embraces her lover? And," her voice sank into a whisper-quiet murmur, "I see him. He's lovely. And his smile is so… cold." She turned abruptly to Darla, an eager hunger glowing in her gaze, "Are they going to be snacks, grandmummy?" she asked breathlessly, "Or supper? They look very tasty." She giggled madly. "Good enough to eat," she said, turning her face towards Darla's. With a start, Drusilla felt her grandsire's irritation before it materialized on her features. She flinched back, a low whimper creeping from her throat.
"Darling," Darla said slowly, false patience battling with suppressed amusement, "They aren't food. If you're hungry, go kill someone, but there is a reason I wanted you here. Now," she continued lowly, "Keep your tone soft, dear, but the blonde is someone very powerful." The smile that played over her pink lips was one of sincere affection, and Drusilla's confusion amplified. Her voice dropped another octave as she went on in a secretive tone, "She's one of the Originals I told you about. Her name is Rebekah."
Drusilla's eyes widened. "I know her. That's from where. She's in my dreams, grandmummy. But she's human, there. She cries and bleeds. She's burying someone."
"Really?" Darla asked disbelievingly, a note of weary doubt saturating the word.
"They're in my dreams," Drusilla affirmed sleepily.
"Of course they are, dear. Now, Rebekah is very important and strong, so you mustn't let her know you're here. But tell me more about the man. Close your eyes and tell me what you see." She emphasized the last word, and Drusilla understood.
She closed her eyes and relaxed, leaning back against Darla's cool frame, the smooth cloth of the woman's dress brushing against her skin as the other vampire supported her. "He's dead, grandmummy. His heart is beating, but he is dead. He kills, and keeps the memory fresh, writing the names onto his wall so he can savor the taste of them as the die... over and over and over again. He's all in red. Like a fancy suit, he dresses himself in blood. I want clothing made from blood- I want a bed with sheets like liquid life."
"Concentrate, Drusilla," Darla chided, "Don't get distracted."
Drusilla's breath escaped her in a soft, aroused moan. "He sings with the blood of innocents. He savors their screams, replaying their last minutes like a song and a movie."
"Yes, Drusilla. Isn't he wonderful?" Drusilla opened her eyes as Darla went on, a delightful purr in her voice. "I've seen what he does to his victims, the way he tears them apart. He reminds me of Angelus-"
"Daddy," Drusilla broke in hopefully, and Darla's jaw twitched as she clenched it.
"Yes, daddy," Darla said tightly, "He reminds me so much of him. I'm getting lonely, and maybe someday I'll have to accept the fact that Angelus is gone."
"You want him as your playmate?" Drusilla surmised. Darla said nothing, merely nodded and waved a waiter over. He offered her a platter covered in champagne glasses, and Darla took one with a cool smile, her gloved fingers wrapped lightly around the slender glass.
"Don't pout, Drusilla," Darla said sternly, "Angelus is gone, and I want someone that reminds me of how he was in his prime. Someone… like this Stefan Salvatore. He's so vicious and sadistic… it seems a shame to simply leave without him."
Drusilla's frown deepened, as she glared at the couple on the floor, wrapping in each other's arms. Then, something caught her gaze and she looked up quickly, catching sight of the one with yellow-for-eyes, and he was smiling- a rather fond expression, but one that chilled her to her core- as he watched the lovers dance together. Her eyes flashed to the pair on the floor, and she breathed in rapidly, inhaling as she locked her gaze on the man. She froze, and began to tremble, pushing past Darla to exit the bar. With an exasperated groan, Darla followed, and when they were out in the alleyway, the blonde grabbed the younger vampire's arms. "What are you doing?" she demanded.
Drusilla shivered violently, her eyes squeezed shut. "Don't, please, don't. He's here."
"Who?" Darla snapped, "Who, Drusilla?"
"Klaus," Drusilla said, her voice a fragile gasp against the air. "Klaus is here."
"So?"
"And they know him! Stefan is tainted with him. Klaus will hunt us down if we take him. We have to leave!" her voice turned shrill, and her eyes bore frantically into Darla's.
"Fine," Darla sighed, "I don't even care. I'll see if I can find someone else equally brutal. I've heard he has a brother…."
"So you're a teacher?" Cordelia asked the man sitting beside her. She was in the 'famous' Mystic Fall's restaurant, or rather, in one of the tables directly outside of it, and was nursing a half-empty cup of coffee in her hands. The sun had risen about an hour ago, and the air hung heavy with the humid residue of a rainy night. Still, the day was pleasantly warm, and the fall colors of the trees surrounding the sidewalk were glorious, the autumn leaves vibrant and colorful.
"Yes," the man said with a smile. He was clutching a cup of coffee in his hands, though she suspected that was not entirely by choice, considering the way he had hastily backed down after the woman behind the bar had glared at him as he had initially tried to order a beer. "High school, actually. History."
"Ah," Cordelia said absently, remembering her own history classes. "Eager students, right?"
"Kind of," he laughed, "Actually, I think they're planning on senior prank night tonight. I hope nobody glues my desk shut or anything silly like that."
Cordelia gave a quick burst of laughter. "I wouldn't bet on it," she smirked. "Alaric, right?"
"Glad to see you remembered," Alaric smiled. "Cordelia?"
"That's what my parents have been calling me," she joked.
"Are you new to town?" he asked her, and she nodded.
"I'm staying with some friends."
"Friends? Do you mind me asking who? I've seen a few new people in town, and I'm just wondering if they're with you."
"Sure," Cordelia said, and then held up a hand and began listing them, ticking their names off on her fingers as she did so. "Drusilla, Gunn, Wesley, Angel…."
"Unusual names," he commented, and she smiled again.
"I know, right? But you probably haven't seen Drusilla and Angel around here. They're kind of… nocturnal, and don't tend to wander out during the daytime."
Was it her imagination, or did his eyes sudden spark with renewed intensity? "Really?" he asked, and she thought his gaze flickered briefly to her hands, and then the hollow of her throat before returning almost instantaneously to her face. "I wonder why that is."
"Oh, it's nothing you need to worry about. They aren't serial killers. Or," she continued under her breath, "Angel isn't- anymore."
"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Alaric asked, and she shook her head.
"Not a word!" she replied cheerfully, than slurped away the rest of the coffee. Compared to the office variety she was usually forced to drink, this was bliss. As she swallowed the rest of the invigorating beverage, she wondered if this was what paradise was.
"Well," she said, standing, "It's been really nice talking with you- and thanks for telling me about the Illumination Night, by the way, but I honestly don't think I'll show."
"I can't blame you," Alaric said drily, standing as well. "Maybe we could get together… another time?"
"That'd be great!" Cordelia enthused, and pulled a pen and crumpled sheet of paper out of her purse. She scribbled her cell phone number on it, and handed it to him. "That's actually Angel's phone, but mine kind of broke. Still, just tell him to put me on the line!"
Looking slightly bemused, he pocketed the number, and took her empty Styrofoam coffee cup off the table before she retrieved it. "I can throw that away," he volunteered, and then said, almost with something resembling embarrassment in his voice, "Is Angel your boyfriend?" he asked, and then flinched slightly. "If that isn't to personal."
"Not at all," Cordelia replied, "No. He is not. At all. My boyfriend. None of them are. We're definitely just friends."
"Maybe I can meet them," Alaric suggested, a slightly forced note of innocent interest in his tone.
"Sure," Cordelia shrugged, and then turned to leave. "See you soon!"
He smiled. "You too."
Back in the boarding house where the member's of Angel Investigation (along with one seductive mad vampire) were currently staying at, Cordelia threw herself onto her bed.
"Did you have fun at the coffeehouse?" a dark voice came from the shadows behind her, and she yelped, pulling herself backwards.
"Angel! Don't do that!"
"What am I supposed to do?" he returned, "And the cable went out. It's getting pretty boring. At least the rest of you have the option of leaving. Talking about leaving," a teasing smile suddenly transformed his face, "You were gone for an awfully long time."
"Was not. It was only," Cordelia looked at her watch, "Two hours? Okay, maybe I stayed out a little longer than was necessary for a caffeine break, but I met a guy, and is that really any of your business, because I think not." Out of breath now, she stared accusingly at the bewildered vampire.
"Well, I didn't-"
Cordelia plopped back onto the bed. "And, head's up, you may get a call on your phone from said guy (his name is Alaric, by the way) please answer, or I will drive a stake through your heart myself. Don't be all broody vamp on him, just put me through, got it?"
"Uh…"
"Terrific!" She lay back against the pillows and closed her eyes.
"Actually Cordelia…."
"Hm?"
"Cordelia, this is important. I've already told Gunn and Wesley, and you should probably pay attention now."
"I'm listening. Hurry up."
"Fine," Angel grunted, annoyance practically radiating from his undead body. "Drusilla saw something… I'm not going to pretend to understand half of what she said- lot of talk about yellow-eyed beasts and glowing blood- but the gist of it, underneath the nonsense, was that Klaus is coming, Stefan in tow. She doesn't know when, exactly, but she says something is wrong. He's figured out part the hybrid spell, or at least something to do with the doppelganger, and apparently he wasn't supposed to. She's worried, and so is… Esther. Either way, she wants us to be ready."
"How ready?"
"I'm not sure. She doesn't want us to do battle tonight- if that's what you're wondering- but she's worried. Anxious. I want us to wait until Klaus makes a move, shows his hand."
"Fine," Cordelia said, opening her eyes and pushing herself up towards him. She gazed into his eyes. "And then what?"
"Then we kill them."
