Chapter 10
Mystic Falls was a small town, a very freakishly small southern town. They had enough of a population for only elementary and high school. Elena's so-called middle school years were spent going to the same school as six-year-olds. It was a tiny town. The worst thing that happened to this town in years was the accident that had taken her parents last year.
Before that, the Forbes divorce had been the town gossip for over a year. Until Caroline's father came out, the sole source of entertainment had been the gossip about Mason Lockwood and just how bad the feud with the Mayor went. Then out of nowhere, Salvatore's show up, Niklaus Mikaelson decides to move his family into town, and suddenly the streets of Mystic Falls are under animal attack watches.
This was supposed to be a great year. The year she didn't have to worry about leading Matt on, she started living her life again. Instead, Elena was dealing with a boyfriend who was not….normal, and her little brother was off with a girl who was on her way to becoming the newest Mrs. Donovan.
The music was blasting so high that Elena was sure she would be regretting all these parties when she grew old if she grew old at this rate, her mind racing towards the fact a woman was walking around looking exactly like her. Before she could even attempt to get answers, everything was swept away to get ready for this Halloween party.
"Where is he?" Elena murmured, her brown eyes glancing around in a vain attempt to look for her brother. Worry was building up the longer she could not find him, knowing there was a newborn vampire out there.
A newly turned vampire whom her brother had a thing with.
"Looking for anyone, in particular?" Came the comforting voice of one of her oldest friends alongside a very familiar British accent that Elena had come to recognize from overhearing Caroline's conversations on the phone.
"Care! There you are! Niklaus, right? I don't think Caroline's introduced us yet. I'm Elena" The brunette gave him a bright smile, attempting to hide her nerves. The hairs on her arm stood up as if her entire body was telling her to be careful. The blonde was smiling with the taller man at her side, the two of them looking like they had stepped out of a painting.
Perhaps it was the fact that Caroline had been so secretive about him for so long. Or maybe it was the fact he hadn't been around, which made Bonnie and Elena joke that Caroline had indeed made him up. If Elena was honest, it might even be how Caroline seemed different with all the Mikaelson's'.
Damn, even the man's smile was predatory, Elena thought as Niklaus Mikaelson brought her hand to his lips. "Pleasure." Elena's gaze went from the sculpture's perfect man to her bubbly friend with a knowing look.
Caroline's smile never left her face as the blonde grabbed Elena's arm before the brunette could say anything more. The cheerleader glanced over at Niklaus, who nodded before slipping away quickly within the crowd. Caroline could vaguely see his siblings slowly following his way away from the group.
"What's going on?" Caroline asked her friend. "Don't tell me you are still fighting with Stefan."
"Sort of. I've found out what he has been keeping from me. It's Jeremy that's got me concerned I'm afraid Vicky is going to drag him into whatever trouble she has gotten herself into" Elena lied so smoothly; Caroline was almost impressed.
Then again, it wasn't as if she was free to be completely honest herself. Caroline was honestly glad that Elena now knew about vampires; from the concerned look on her face, it appeared the brunette knew the dangers. Sort of.
According to Niklaus, Stefan, at one point, was the danger, yet Kol rolled his eyes whenever the vampire was brought up. Saying that whatever he used to be, the vampire was washed up on whatever diet he kept.
"You think Vicky, of all people, can drag Jeremy into something that he doesn't want?" Caroline said, deciding to be the voice of reason. Jeremy had been making plenty of dipshit decisions on his own.
Vicky is one of them.
"He's my little brother Caroline" Elena hissed. "You wouldn't understand. I have to look out for him."
"Yes, acting like a nagging sister is going to keep him safe from the boogeyman" Caroline rolled her eyes. "Have you ever thought that maybe by being on his case, you are only pushing him away? He's grieving."
"Didn't you say we need to stop grieving?"
"I said it was time to allow yourself to be a little happy. Jeremy allows himself to feel his emotions. You turned into a zombie," Caroline defended herself. "Do you want my help looking for him or not?"
"Yes, of course," Elena let out a sigh. "Care. I'm apprehensive people are going to stop giving him chances. Vicky isn't good for him."
"Let's try upstairs? I think I see Bonnie" The girl in the Aphrodite costume pointed towards the dark-skinned witch. Elena cracked a smile. "She is going all out with the psychic stuff, isn't she?"
"Let's see if she can use her psychic powers to find your wayward brother," Caroline joked, as out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted the Mikaelsons leaving the room. Internally she hopped that whatever the fuck was going on with Vicky, the Salvatores, and all that Niklaus could handle it.
It was her junior year, and the last thing she needed was vampire issues ruining her grade point average. She was Caroline Fucking Forbes, and she had plans damn it. The trio of childhood friends again devastated as Bonnie quickly agreed to join in their little search party. Not that Caroline had any doubt. They would have done anything for Elena.
Would they do the same for her, however? As Caroline's grip slipped from Elena and Bonnie quickly took her place on Elena's other side, the blonde fell behind. Looking at their backs, her mind drifted to how Rebekah had stopped Damon in his tracks from trying anything with her.
What would have happened to her if she hadn't met the Mikaelsons?
XXX
If there was one thing that Vicky Donovan had always hated, it was the looks of pity of those godforsaken hypocrites that she had to call neighbors. Hated every so-called whisper, the glances, the way mothers would smack their teenage sons for glancing at her ass. Ever since she could remember, the people of this town would look at her and think one thing.
Poor Child, when she was in elementary school.
Looks just like her mother. Once she hit middle school and the boys started being just a bit nicer to her.
Boy, don't you dare touch her. Don't you know where she's been? As soon as Jimmy Mason opened his mouth about her losing her virginity to him her freshman year. He had been sweet, kind, much kinder than last year, and he offered her a good time. Let her forget for a little while.
Forget that her mother was the town whore, a drunken floozy who couldn't even be sure that the father of her children was the man whose last name they shared. He showed her what a good time truly was.
She never stopped looking for a good time after that.
Well, that was true until she decided to party with Damon Salvatore. Vicky groaned softly, her eyes barely able to stay open. God, everything hurt. It was nighttime; God damn it! Why did the lights hurt her eyes? What the fuck happened tonight?
Vicky vaguely recalled seeing Tyler Lockwood earlier that night. Her memory was fuzzy; the last thing she clearly remembered was the older Salvatore. He had promised her a fun time, and he delivered. Vicky moaned softly as she walked along the familiar streets; that was when she could hear the noises of a party. Despite her head pounding and the itchy throat Vicky assumed had more to do with the bite on her neck than actual hunger, the Donovan walked towards the noise.
That's right; it was October. Halloween.
Tyler was a dick, not wishing to ruin his precious family name by being linked with her as more than a casual fling. Well, screw him. A flash of dark hair caused her mind to switch.
Jeremy.
She had to find Jeremy. He was a sweet boy, a bit needy perhaps. Jeremy would be happy to see her. Suddenly a glorious idea came to her, Tyler would be seething if she was seen with the younger Gilbert.
That would show him Vicky Donovan was nothing like her mother. Vicky was better, hotter, and would not be tied down by getting knocked up and marrying the first one willing to marry her. That was when Vicky saw Jeremy.
"Jere!" She called, smiling at the wide-eyed look on Jeremy's face.
"Vicky! Where the hell have you been? Everyone's been looking for you," Jeremy fired at her holding her at arm's length. Vicky laughed, gently pulling his hands away, curious at how much easier it was than before.
Oh, that's right. Vampire.
The dipshit Damon Salvatore bit her. Vicky rubbed her neck, suddenly thankful for the covering of the scarf around her neck. "Where's Matty? I didn't mean to worry him" Vicky sidestepped Jeremy's questions.
Jeremy didn't look convinced but shrugged it off. After all, this was Vicky Donovan; nothing could keep her down. "I assume he's at the party the Mikaelson's are throwing. Elena went with Bonnie to see Caroline."
That's right, Matty's little blonde friend, the hyper one. "Not Tyler's?" She questioned, accepting his arm allowing him to lead the way. She felt her throat clench as the smell of something sweet hit her nose.
Blood. Vicky shook her head, barely catching the last end of Jeremy's answer.
"Tyler must be pissed" Vicky laughed in delight.
Jeremy sighed, "Why don't you go find him? It's Tyler that you want anyway." He started to pull away when Vicky gaped at him.
"Jeremy, don't go!" She pleaded, grabbing him, only to get go when he cried out in pain.
"What the hell Vicky? Did you take steroids or something?" He touched his arm, looking over at her cautiously.
"Don't know my strength, I guess" Vicky laughed. "I'm sorry, Jere. I didn't mean anything by it. It's you I was looking for anyway."
"Not Tyler?" Jeremy asked skeptically.
"Not Tyler. Now, don't you want to dance with me?" She teased, holding out her hand despite the pain she was feeling in her throat. Damon's earlier warning echoed in her head. Vicky remembered now that she would need to feed soon.
"Okay," Jeremy answered. "But if we see my sister, we have to hide. I don't want another lecture about it being a school night."
"Deal."
Vicky lasted a total of five dances, successfully dodging the greyhound that was Elena Gilbert before she felt herself sniffing Jeremy's neck. Only when Jeremy jerked away from her did Vicky realize that her teeth had sharpened into fangs.
"I…I gotta go," She quickly said before running in the opposite direction of Jeremy Gilbert. She couldn't hurt Jeremy. It didn't matter that he smelled delicious or that she knew he would forgive her.
She didn't know if she would be able to stop. Vicky didn't care about Mystic Falls or the people in it, but she did care about a handful of people. Her brother, Tyler, and Jeremy fall into that small category. Ignoring Jeremy calling her name, she would make it up to him later.
When she wasn't so goddamn hungry.
That was when she caught the eye of a teenage boy; he grinned at her raising his red plastic cup to her. Vicky found herself smiling. He would do. The brunette sauntered up to him, taking the cup from him and taking a sip.
It tasted off on her tongue. She recalled Damon saying their senses were heightened. Her eyes narrowed, was this boy trying to drug her? Oh well, if he wanted to play, she would show him just whom he was messing with. It didn't take very long for Vicky to get an invitation to go somewhere private.
She is busy sucking her victim dry when an amused chuckle brings Vicky out of her blood high. She glanced up to see the tall form of a dirty-blonde man with a smirk on his face, alongside an equally beautiful blonde.
Mikaelson's.
"With my little eye, I spy a baby vampire drinking a man dry," The blonde female sang softly as more footsteps could be heard.
"Bloody hell, Donovan," Came the newly familiar voice of the man who had introduced her to this existence. Soon she was standing before the two Mikaelson's and two Salvatore's. The two Salvatore's glanced over at the Mikaelson's.
"I knew there was something off about you," Damon muttered, glancing over at the siblings.
"And you are a horrible Sire," Rebekah sniffed. "Darling, you are getting blood on the rug. You do realize that came from Paris, don't you?"
"You can afford a new one," Damon snorted, glancing over at this still silent brother. "Stefan?"
"I remember."
XXX
What do you get when you add together missing Mikaelson's, a-wall friends who quickly lost her in a crowd and a raging Halloween party? A blonde dressed as Aphrodite narrowed her eyes when she finally spotted Elena's younger brother.
"Jeremy," Caroline called out with a smile as she reached out her arm to touch his shoulder with her hand. As much as she wanted to rip the younger teen a new one, the cheerleader reframed. Barely, to be honest. She felt him turn towards her with a questioning brow. The blonde continued to smile at him, waiting for him to speak first.
"Uh. Did you need something, Care?"
"Have you seen your sister? Bonnie? Or perhaps a single Mikaelson that is supposed to be the hosts of this shindig."
Jeremy rolled his eyes, making Caroline twist around a little "Okay, so maybe I enjoy being the boss a little bit."
"A little? Care you took over Elena's tea parties. I distinctly remember somehow becoming a butler when I was supposed to be going out to play ball with Dad."
"I was magnificent, wasn't I? Now, where is Elena?" Caroline turned the conversation back around, more than a little proud of how she had managed to drag little Jeremy into the girl's tea parties growing up.
"I haven't seen her" Jeremy shrugged. "Anything going on?"
Aside from the fact that Matt's sister was missing, she and Elena were dating vampire's and Caroline was certain Vicky had fallen victim to a vampire? Considering the "animal attacks" only started after the Salvatore's officially arrived was suspicious.
"No. She was just worried about you… you know with Vicky."
"Vicky's here. She walked off; I've been trying to find her to make sure she is okay. She was acting weirder than usual," Jeremy confided with concern.
"You didn't call the cops? She's been missing for hours," Caroline replied, wincing at how it sounded even to her.
Jeremy narrowed his eyes, "She was fine. She just wanted a few more hours until she got another lecture."
"Okay. I get it. Mom is the sheriff, after all. If I see her, I will tell her you are looking for her, okay? If you see her, tell her to at least contact the Sherriff's office so they can stop looking for her. I think my mom would enjoy some sleep," Caroline internally winced, knowing how hard her mother had been working to find the missing teen.
Vicky did have a history of going off on her own; Liz Forbes hadn't been too worried but was still concerned. The Donovan girl hadn't been missing when animal attacks were going on before. Caroline made a quick note to alert her mother about Vicky's status as soon as this all played out.
She had a terrible feeling Matt was the one who was going to suffer the most.
XXX
Rebekah felt rather than heard the contraption that Caroline had introduced to her as a cell. Letting out an annoyed sigh, she clicked the answer button without even glancing at the screen.
"Hello?"
"Come join the party, sister. We found something absolutely delightful," Came Kol's cheerful voice. From the lack of music in the background, they were not in the barrier of the Halloween party that Elijah had laid bare.
Rebekah snorted; that was probably the most brilliant move her brother made outside of prohibiting the party, to begin with. Not that anyone could genuinely prohibit Kol from doing anything. "And why would I leave the party you decided to host then ditch?"
"We caught the Salvatores red-handed with a newly turned Vicky Donovan. Isn't that the sweet sister of that blonde quarterback you are so fond of?"
Rebekah bit back a groan as she pinched her nose, quickly moving her way away from the crowd. She could see Caroline talking with the younger Gilbert. At least neither of them could get into trouble that way. "What happened?"
"Ground floor, Elijah's office."
Deciding that she couldn't let her brothers have all the fun, Rebekah walked towards her brother's office. Rebekah didn't bother to knock, letting some cheesy teen ballad play into the room. The groan she let out the minute she saw Vicky Donovan on the floor with her neck snapped, blood all over her mouth dulled out by the heavy music. She looked up at Stefan, who was looking at her and Nik warily.
"Someone tell me what the bloody hell is going on?"
Elijah turned towards his sister, barely glancing at the unconscious teen on his floor. "Damon Salvatore has appeared to create a new vampire." Stefan winced at the truth of the words while Rebekah kneeled beside the young girl.
"Has she been given human blood?"
"This is our problem. How the hell do you know about vampires?" Damon questioned, not bothering to deny that he was Vicky's sire. Which was the sole reason Damon's head was not on a spike about now.
Niklaus raised a brow, "Not going to deny it?"
Damon shrugged, "You are not part of the council, and Sage is with you. Your twitchy siblings have not allowed my brother or me to be alone with your blonde girlfriend. I can only assume you are one of us. Why you settled here of all places now, that is what I am curious to know."
Niklaus chuckled darkly, "You have no idea who we are, but your brother does."
Damon glanced over at his brother, who nodded, "Damon. What did Sage tell you about being a vampire? Who turned her?"
"Her lover," Damon shrugged. "Left her because his family didn't approve."
"Damon, I'd like you to meet the disapproving family members," Came Sage's voice from the doorway. "A teenager? Damon, I thought I taught you better than that."
"This is the bloody family that judged you?" Came Damon's incredulous voice. "They judged you but accepted Miss. Cheerleader?"
"I'd be careful what you say about my girlfriend," Niklaus warned. "You have just laid a bomb on our feet in a town full of vampire hunters. Hunters that while my family can survive, you and yours, I'm afraid, are a lot more vulnerable."
Damon raised his hands, "She is all yours, but this town has zero chance of knowing what to do if they met a real vampire."
"Yet you turned a teenager into one. One with a history of bad decisions," Rebekah snorted. "Not even Kol is that moronic."
That was when Vicky moaned.
XXX
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for all your fantastic reviews. I had a much more prolonged absence than I originally planned…. That is Teacher life for you! I can say that I finished with my Master's exam and only need to wait for the results, so that will give me some extra free time to write. Stay tuned for the next installment!