Chapter 12
A month or so passed and nothing happened in Mystic Falls, it was creepy. Klaus was still here but he was being suspiciously quiet. We hadn't even crossed paths. It was strange how easy I was slipping into a 'normal' life. I'd got myself a nice little house a few streets away from where Bonnie and Caroline lived. When I moved in everyone helped me decorate. This was the only house I'd ever properly decorated, with colours other than cream and white. I bought furniture and put up paintings. I spent my weekdays in school and my evenings either at the boarding house or at Elena's, going over old spell books and teaching Bonnie more about witchcraft. I enjoyed my new life If I was going to die in Mystic Falls then I was going to live first.
But despite my new life, there were still worries. Like, we hadn't yet fully figured out a plan to kill Klaus. I knew that we wouldn't have much time once Klaus decided he was going to get rid of us. At the moment we were living without disturbance because Klaus wanted it that way.
Things with Alaric were fine, he was nice enough to me, we had a laugh when he was with the group. He'd helped me decorate with the others. But, well, it was still a little awkward. I still liked Ric, my feelings didn't disappear. But I refused to dwell on it that much, I had a mission to get on with.
"I don't think it's a good idea, Caroline…" I sighed, holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder as I typed up my literature essay.
"I think it's a great idea, Alex! We're in need of a party!" Caroline enthused.
"How did you even know that it's my birthday tomorrow?" I mused.
Caroline let out a peel of laughter.
"Oh, Elena told me, although how she found out I don't know, Katherine maybe…anyway, it's your three hundred and sixty ninth birthday, you need to celebrate it in style! Of course we'll have to tell people it's your eighteenth, but hey, who cares right…" Caroline babbled.
"Ok, ok, I concede, throw a party but not too many people ok?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever…anyway, be at the boarding house tomorrow by nine, ok?" Caroline ordered sternly.
"I'll be there, I promise" I groaned.
"Yay! I can't wait, oh it is going to be great! Speak tomorrow, bye, love you! Bye, bye"
I laughed and shook my head at Caroline. She'd welcomed me into the group, she'd treated me with kindness, and was always so great to me. The least I could do was attend the party, act happy and grateful and at least attempt to have a good time. After all you don't turn three hundred and sixty nine every day.
School flew by the next day, lessons were good and all my new friends wished me happy birthday, giving me hugs, congratulating me. It was a nice day. When I got home I made some food and sat and read through one of Sheila Bennetts grimoires . When it got to seven I jumped in the shower, curled my hair and stood in front of my wardrobe, trying to work out what on earth I should wear to a party full of teenagers. In the end I decided on black tights, a short red dress, black biker boots and a leather jacket.
I drove to the boarding house, singing along to seventies disco tunes which were playing on the radio. I could hear music and laughing and screeching from a mile away. When I entered the house I was overwhelmed by the sound and the scents. Bodies danced everywhere, music blared, piercing my eardrums. Caroline jumped on me, grinning from ear to ear, a bottle in her hand. Elena and Bonnie flanked her, both smiling too.
"Isn't this amazing?" Caroline shrieked, wrapping an arm round my shoulder and gesturing around the room with the hand holding the bottle.
"Oh yeah…amazing was the word I had in mind" I remarked dryly.
Caroline chuckled, grabbed my hand and dragged me further into the house. She grinned at me, whipped round, picked something up off a table and then turned back around to face me. She thrust a neatly wrapped present into my arms. Elena and Bonnie quickly followed suit.
"Guys, you shouldn't have" I chastised
"Oh, shush woman, just open the presents" Elena laughed.
I smiled and placed the presents from Elena and Bonnie down on the table for a second. I unwrapped Caroline's present and smiled. A flowery summer dress. I grinned up at her.
"Ah thank you so much, Caroline, this is lovely!" I enthused.
"Oh, you're welcome, Alex" she replied, hugging me.
I opened Elena's present next, a bottle of wine, some bath salts and a big box of chocolates. I thanked her and she grinned and hugged me too. Bonnie gave me a necklace, laced with a protection charm and a voucher for the local hair salon.
"Protection charms?" I questioned.
"Every little helps, right?" Bonnie laughed.
"I guess so…the necklace is lovely though!".
We danced for a while, partying like normal people. It was wild and fun and great. I could almost forget that my life was on the line and we had Klaus to defeat. But I pushed that awful thought to the back of my mind, it was my birthday after all. Damon gave me alcohol which I happily threw back, and the others partied with me. It was going to be a great night.
A few hours later I stumbled out into the garden, a teensy bit tipsy, full of birthday cake, and singing to myself, Mamma Mia, I don't know why I was singing ABBA, it wasn't like that was playing at the party. Oh no, Caroline wouldn't have allowed such music. I giggled to myself and took another swig of alcohol out of the bottle of wine I was carrying.
"You having fun?" a voice asked.
I spun round to see Alaric walking out of the shadows towards me. I grinned at him. Oh what a pretty man!
"Oh yes, I'm really, really glad Caroline made me do this…you know at first I couldn't think of anything worse but it's been greeeaat!" I grinned.
"Ah I'm sure the alcohol helped" Ric laughed.
"I'm not drunk" I sniggered.
"Yeah, yeah course not" he remarked sarcastically.
I tripped a few circles around him at vampire speed before giggling and falling into a tree. I chortled some more.
"It's been ages since I had this much fun!" I enthused "best birthday ever"
Ric laughed and grabbed me as I almost fell over. I squinted up at him and he looked like he wanted to say something to me. I was about to ask what when I was ripped away from him and thrown across the garden. A hand wrapped round my mouth, and a stake was pressed to my heart. I thrashed against the hand, until I broke free. Six vampires loomed over me. One I recognised.
"Klaus" I gasped.
He had a hold on Ric and bit into his neck. Alaric cried out in pain. I thrashed some more.
"Leave him alone, Klaus!" I yelled.
"Oh you don't want to do that, Alexandra, you're coming with me" Klaus grinned.
He reached down, grabbed a solid hold on my neck. The last thing I remember was a sickening crunch.
