Chapter 1
"Hey Grams," Bonnie answered her phone as she considered her closet and realized that she would have to scrounge something together because she didn't want to deal with marathon shopping with Caroline if she could avoid it.
"What are you up to Bonnie? I thought you were supposed to come by me today and practice?"
"I'm sorry Grams. I got caught up with-"
"I don't wanna hear that 'I got caught up' mess Bonnie. Need I remind you that you'll be turning 18 soon? And you have a responsibility to-"
Bonnie mouthed, "Practice my craft so the burden of witchood is easier to bear." along with her grandmother.
"Yes, Grams. I'm sorry. I'll practice with you tomorrow."
"Mmmhmm. Make sure you've memorized those runes I showed you before you do. And bring me some of your father's good liquor too."
Bonnie laughed. "Grams, he's eventually gonna notice that the liquor is going down and what if he thinks it's me?"
Sheila Bennett scoffed. "You're a good girl & I know you don't drink. Besides, he's never here anyway so how would he know?" Bonnie laughed.
"Of course, Grams. I'll make sure to study the runes and to bring your liquor. The scotch, right?"
"Now don't act brand new, Bonnie. You know I like my liquor like I like my men-brown." Bonnie laughed at her grandmother's cheek.
"Well, I've got to get ready for the bonfire tonight Grams. I'll see you tomorrow."
Before she could hang up, her grandmother blurted, "And be careful tonight Bonnie. I've got one of my bad feelings."
"I'll be careful Grams. But it's Mystic Falls-nothing crazy ever happens here."
"Mmmhmm. Just watch yourself tonight."
Later that evening
The night air was crisp like it is in the fall. Bonnie sipped her lukewarm beer slowly. If Tyler Lockwood smirked at her one more time, she was going to hurt his feelings. She shifted her body away from him with a small eye roll. The wind whipped her hair around her head and Bonnie pushed some strands behind her ears. She was a little bored but wanted to make sure that she enjoyed the bonfire her friends Caroline and Elena expected her to come to.
"How ya doin' Bon?" Matt Donovan slightly nudged her shoulder and gave her a soft smile. She returned it.
"Hi Matt. I'm fine. Just glad this high school thing will be the last high school thing we do for a while." He laughed.
"Yeah, right. Did you forget Caroline and the long list of senior activities she's no doubt expecting us to participate in?" Bonnie threw her head back with a groan.
"Ugh. I totally forgot that. I thought it was just prom." Matt kept laughing at her and she gently pushed his shoulder. When she pouted a little, he reached out for a hug and reassured her. "Come on Bon. You know I wouldn't leave you in Caroline's clutches all by your lonesome." Bonnie's face was one of surprise.
"You're joining the party planning committee this year?" He screwed up his face. "Of course not. I won't have the energy to deal with Caroline on top of football practice and applying to colleges and Elena."
"Oh please. It's not like Elena is a high-maintenance girlfriend."
"That's true. But I was kind of hoping to spend a little more time with her." He leaned back and looked at Bonnie for a few moments, who returned his gaze with raised brows. "Can I show you something?" Bonnie nodded. They walked a few paces away from the party. He stopped and leaned against a tree.
"I'm going to ask Elena to marry me." Bonnie yelped. "What?!" Matt sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "I've been carrying around this promise ring for a few months and I've been so-" He stuttered but Bonnie's wide smile put his nervousness at ease a little.
"Can I see it?" He nodded and they made their way out of the woods towards the parking lot.
"It's in my car. It's more a promise than an actual engagement ring. I can't afford a real one yet but I want her to know that I'm serious." Bonnie was so touched by Matt's words.
"I'm sure Elena is gonna love it." She reached over and hugged him.
"You really think so?" She nodded. When she stepped back from the hug she saw a luscious head of blonde hair walking swiftly away.
"So can I see it?"
"Let me grab it from the car real quick." He jogged off before she could respond and now she had to wait there instead of chasing down Caroline to do damage control. She turned and stared in the direction she'd seen Caroline walk off in & exhaled with a huff. She took another sip of beer grimacing at the taste. When she heard Matt's jogging footsteps behind her, she turned toward him expectantly. When she looked at the simple silver ring nestled in a small white box, she smiled.
"It's beautiful. Elena's gonna love it." He smiled bashfully and thanked her. When she hugged him again, he rocked her side to side. "Alright, let's head back."
"Hey, Bon. You okay?" Elena asked as she walked up to her best friend, upon watching her stare into space for a while.
"Yeah Elena, I'm fine. Where's Matt?" Bonnie inquired.
"He went to get me a drink. Have you seen Caroline? She's been acting weird lately."
Bonnie quirked her eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Elena pushed some hair behind her ears. "I mean, sometimes I'll be hanging out with Matt and I look up and see her giving us this weird look. Like she's mad at us or something." Elena looked at Bonnie for any signs that she had noticed anything similar.
Bonnie gave no such indication. "I'm sure that Caroline is just feeling a little left out because she wants a guy who loves her as much as Matt loves you," Bonnie said, trying to reassure her friend.
"Yeah, you're probably right. Hey Bon, is there any guy-" Elena was interrupted by her boyfriend sneaking up and kissing near her ear.
"Hey, babe. Got you some coke. Sorry it took so long, I caught Tyler making eyes at my sister and had to set him straight. Hey Bonnie." Matt looked at Bonnie with a smile.
"Hey, Matt. I was actually gonna call it a night. I'm not really feeling the bonfire right now. Just wanna curl up and go to sleep…"
Matt raised his eyebrows in that endearing way of his. "Oh are you alright?" he said with his arms wrapped around Elena.
Bonnie gave him a smile and said "Yeah, of course. I'm just a little worn out. But I'll see you guys tomorrow at school."
Elena and Matt said goodbye and waved their friend off. Then they went back to being wrapped up in each other.
As Bonnie trekked all the way back to her car, she cursed the distance between where she parked her car and where the bonfire was. Preoccupied with her inner musings, she dropped her keys. Grumbling, she bent to pick them up. Upon standing, she felt a gust of wind. She shrieked and jumped back when she realized she was facing a guy who hadn't been there before. His shirt was covered in blood and he had blood around his mouth, almost as if he were a wild animal feeding on something…
He quickly went to cover her mouth. "Ssh. Ssh. You don't have a reason to be afraid. I'm not gonna hurt you. I just wanna talk."
But Bonnie would not stop freaking out. She thought this guy was going to rape her or kidnap her or do something equally terrible like eating her like a cannibal. So she fought with all of her might.
The guy holding her got really impatient, so he looked deep into her eyes and said "You are not going to be afraid. You are going to be quiet and listen to me talk. For the rest of the night, you will be my friend and you won't run away or be afraid of me after the things I'm going to tell you."
Bonnie stopped struggling and looked into this guy's eyes. In her mind, she rationalized that this man was out of his mind and if she just sat and listened to him, he would let his guard down and she would be able to get away without him hurting her. She figured that if she could convince him that whatever Jedi mind trick he was trying to pull was actually working, she could get out of this situation alive.
She just nodded and waited for him to start talking. And when he did, she was more than convinced that he was out of his mind.
"I'm a vampire and I like to eat pretty little humans like yourself."
"Why?"
"Because I'm a monster because I enjoy it. I love feeling the blood run down my throat, feeling the terror run through their bodies as I crush them. It feels GOOD."
Bonnie fought to hide the disgust from her face and voice as she responded to this crazy man who thought he was actually a VAMPIRE.
"Don't you ever feel bad about taking someone's life?"
"Why would I? Human life means nothing to me. When you've lived as long as I have, it becomes pretty pointless to feel bad about doing something that's your nature. And my nature is to feed on humans and then kill them."
Bonnie couldn't stop her heartbeat from escalating at hearing that. He sounded serious. Which meant he was seriously crazy and she SERIOUSLY needed to get away from him.
Bonnie tried to ease her way slowly to her car. "Well, I feel sorry for you but I really should be getting home-"
Damon reached out and grabbed her hand. "Why are you in such a hurry? I thought we were getting really close, becoming friends even. Come on, don't go. We're just getting started." His smirk was less than reassuring.
Bonnie tried to talk her way out of what was becoming a very hairy situation. "I'm just tired and wanna get home-" Damon grabbed her shoulders and simply said "No."
He looked deep into her eyes and said "Don't scream." Then his eyes went black, veins spread across his face and his fangs extended.
Bonnie's eyes widened in fear as her body went into shock at what she was seeing. Her body jumped out of shock as his fangs sank into her neck. She couldn't hold in her screams of pain.
A couple is laughing together as they exit their apartment building. Neither notice the dapper gentleman waiting for them until they hear a calm voice call, "Good evening Bree. And who is this?"
The woman stopped in her tracks and automatically placed her hand on her partner's forearm.
"Elijah." She whispered, frightened. She quickly started muttering but got cut off when the vampire whooshed in front of her.
"Ah, ah, ah. Your protection can't help you now."
"Alright, my man. You're gonna have to back up." The well-built man next to Bree places his hand on the vampire's chest. Elijah turned his head to the man and regards him with a small smile.
"Good to see that chivalry isn't dead." He swiftly placed his hands on the sides of Bree's boyfriend's smooth head.
"Ben-"
"Ssh, ssh, ssh," Elijah says to Bree but continues to hold eye contact with Ben.
"Now Ben. I have to do something to show Bree here that I mean business. No hard feelings?" He patronizingly rubbed his fingers along the side of Ben's temples. Ben was frozen in fear and was quickly panicking since he was in the vampire's thrall and couldn't move or speak. Elijah leaned in & whispered, "Don't scream." Then he sank his fangs into Ben's neck and started sucking.
Bree wailed and stepped forward but Elijah whipped Ben around like a shield and maintained eye contact with her as he continued to drink. When he felt Ben's heartbeat slow to a crawl, he withdrew his fangs and threw his head back, blood all over his mouth and dripping off his teeth. Neither Bree nor Elijah said anything when Elijah bit into his wrist and placed it into Ben's mouth.
"Drink."
Ben tries to move his head away but his strength is no match for Elijah and he ended up swallowing several mouthfuls of blood. He was barely done swallowing when Elijah snapped his neck.
Bree screamed and tried to give Elijah an aneurysm. Elijah winced but seemed otherwise unaffected.
"Was that wise?" He pulled out a handkerchief from his inner pocket and dabbed at his mouth. He slowly made his way over to her.
"Now he's going to turn within the hour. I say we take him upstairs. Unless you want your neighbors privy to your personal business...?" She made to lift Ben from the ground, where his body had crumpled when Elijah carelessly dropped him. Bree wanted to mention that she wouldn't have a need to worry about her neighbors being privy to her business if he hadn't just attacked her boyfriend in the front of her apartment building but knew better than to say so.
Elijah grabbed Ben's body from the ground and draped him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. He turned toward the building without breaking a sweat and gestured with his hand.
"Ladies first."
Bree bit her tongue and marched toward the door. When they get into the elevator, Elijah pressed the button to her floor. When she turned to look at him with a question in her eyes, he returned the gaze with a smile but didn't say anything. The elevator doors opened and he led her to her apartment. Bree's stomach tightened as she thought about how she was going to avoid the babysitter she'd hired for the evening from dying from a violent power play made by the vampire in front of her.
She sped up her walk to get to the door before him.
"Let me just go inside and-" She noticed that the door was already ajar. She rushed inside and the apartment was quiet. Elijah pushed past her and dropped Ben's body unceremoniously on the couch.
"She isn't here." Bree whipped her head toward Elijah.
"Where is she? And where's Andrea?"
"Andrea was a little...feisty. Very defensive of your daughter. Not that it did her any good." He rubbed his chin. "I gave her to Klaus."
Bree closed her eyes and sighs. "Where is my daughter?"
"Do we have a deal?"
"I already told you that I don't train anymore. It took too much out of me and-"
"Do we? Have a deal?"
"Elijah. Please."
Elijah nodded but didn't say anything. Ben jerked awake, gasping.
"Ah, earlier than expected." Bree stepped back and Ben's eyes snapped over to her. He rushed over to her but was blocked by an invisible barrier that Bree erected in a flash. Ben savagely pounded at the barrier, making angry noises at the air between them. Elijah reached into his pocket for a vial and whistled. Ben turned around and was able to catch the poorly thrown vial of blood that Elijah had tossed his way with ease. When the last of the blood was down Ben's throat, he stretched his mouth around his fangs. Elijah stood up from the couch and called Ben to him.
"Stand here and say nothing."
When Elijah turned his gaze toward Bree, he tilted his head as if studying a particularly interesting prey animal. "I could do one of two things: you either agree to enter my employ or I compel him to tear his heart out. And I'll do the same to that sweet little girl."
"Fine-I'll do it."
"Good girl." He then quickly ripped Ben's heart out and watched the body drop to the floor. Bree gasped in shock.
"You're welcome. I know you don't date vampires." He went over to her kitchenette and washed his hands. Bree watched Ben's body on the floor with tears streaming silently down her face.
"Klaus & I are at this cute bed & breakfast just on the outside of Mystic Falls. Shouldn't be too hard to find." He makes his way to the door.
"Don't make us wait too long. Time is of the essence."
In the middle of the next afternoon
Bree found the bed & breakfast and rang the doorbell.
"Enter." She did and stood a reasonable distance away from Elijah as he sat calmly on the couch.
"Where is my daughter?" She heard the thud of footsteps behind her and turned to see Klaus Michaelson grinning down at her.
"She's safe love. Why don't you join us?" He gestured to the worn, brown couch. She interjected. "I want to see her."
Elijah pursed his lips at the interruption and told her to sit. A middle-aged woman wearing an apron over sensible capris and a paisley blouse came into the living room, holding a tray of scones with butter and jam.
"Hello boys, I've got some scones-oh! Didn't realize you had company. Hello!"
Klaus got up to grab a scone and looked into her eyes. "Mrs. Dupree, go upstairs and lie down." The woman happily turned to leave the room when Klaus grabbed the tray from her. He offered the scone to Bree wrapped in a napkin. When she just stared at him, his smile widened and she gingerly took the scone from him and held it in her lap.
Elijah was dressed in a crisply tailored suit and placed his fingertips together in the form of a steeple as he considered the woman in front of him.
"I take it you have reconsidered our offer, Miss Newsome?" He said smugly.
Bree's breath stuttered as she forced herself to maintain eye contact with the vampire. She knew she couldn't be compelled to agree but she didn't want to take any chances. She nodded.
"It's a shame your...lover...had to die for you to see sense." He ran his tongue over his fangs, which had elongated at the prospect of sinking them into the luscious witch's carotid artery. It had been quite a while since he'd indulged in the blood of a witch.
"He didn't die-you compelled him to tear his heart out. Now where is my daughter?" Her impotent anger made her bold enough to step forward slightly as she corrected the vampire.
A whoosh of air as he crossed the room to stand right in front of her, chest to chest.
"Tread carefully dear. You and I are not equals, and you will mind your tone when you speak to me. And you will only speak when I ask you a question." He waited for her trembling nod before leaning in and pressing the tip of his nose to the very edge of her ear.
"My brother is fond of you, so I won't hurt you. Now, your daughter on the other hand has no magical ability, and therefore is of very little use to me."
"Elijah, please." She crushed the scone in her hand in her desperation. He raised his hand for silence. He reached into his pocket and grabbed his cellphone, swiped on it until he reached the photos.
"See, she's safe and sound." Bree peered at the phone and her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at her daughter sleeping soundly in a strange bed.
"Please. Let me see her."
"No need to worry-Klaus has always been very fond of children. He's always had a bit of a..young spirit." Elijah waved his hand to illustrate his point and laughs. Bree stared at him silently.
"She's just a little incentive to make quick work of the Bennett witch."
"That's what you need me for? You want me to..kill a Bennett witch?"
"Of course, not-I need you to train her."
"Train her for what?"
"That's not your concern. She should be on the cusp of awakening. All we need is for you to tap into her essence with that famous Newsome magic."
"Bennetts are exactly friendly with the other witches. They pretty much keep to themselves."
Elijah stared at her. Bree exhaled heavily.
"How am I supposed to train her if the Bennetts won't let me get near her?"
"Don't you witches have a magical way to keep track of each other? Scrying or something?" Bree grit her teeth at his dismissive tone but kept her thoughts to herself.
"Unless you have a personal item of hers, I can't find her."
"We'll get the Bennett witch. You just make sure you're ready to do intensive training with her."
They're interrupted by Klaus coughing strongly, chunks of blood pooling in his cupped hand. Elijah and Bree wore matching expressions of disgust, though Elijah's had an undercurrent of sadness.
"Time is of the essence."