Ch. 16 In The Fever Of A World In Flames

(CLARE)

"Hey," Adam answers, "I tried calling earlier, but you didn't pick up."

"Yeah, sorry, we were a little busy after school," I reply biting my lip. A licentious shiver runs through me thinking about what the three of us were doing a short time ago. From my side Damon smirks and begins kissing my neck. I elbow him to get him to stop.

"Yeah, I figured you were...satisfying your hungers."

"Yeah, Eli came to the school today," I tell Adam and hear him sigh heavily.

"I was really hoping he wouldn't go that far. For the record I didn't tell him anything," Adam says.

"I didn't think you had."

"I tried to tell him you were happy, and that's all he needed to know, of course he didn't listen. I would have told you he called, but I didn't want to worry you."

"It's okay Adam, I know why you didn't tell me."

"So, what happened when he came to the school?" Adam questions.

"I caught his scent first, it brought back a lot of memories. I was very tempted to take him off and do many things to him. Stefan and the others stopped me, and Stefan compelled him into leaving. I just hope he stays away," I sigh.

"Everyone misses you here, Alli brought up that we won't see you for your eighteenth birthday," Adam tells me and I laugh. "What's so funny?"

"I'm eternally seventeen now, what's the point in having an eighteenth birthday?"

"You'll still be eighteen chronologically, you should celebrate," Adam comments.

"Yeah, I guess. I've got homework Adam, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Say hi to everyone for me, tell them I miss them."

"I will, bye Clare."

"You don't think we'll celebrate your birthday?" Damon questions as I set down my phone.

"Do you celebrate your chronological birthday every year even though you don't age?"

"Absolutely, it's a chance to celebrate me, I have a huge bash every year," Damon grins, kissing my shoulder.

"Of course you do, I'm sure Klaus does too," I comment and Damon moves my robe more and kisses my shoulder blade.

"You know I actually do have homework to get to. Also, I think I need some coffee," I tell him standing up.

"Fine, you get dressed and I'll start the coffee. Stefan will be home soon, you can do your homework downstairs and I'll do my very best to keep my hands off you. I'm sure Stefan will help," Damon grins. He pulls on jeans and runs downstairs.

I get new clothes on, the ones I was wearing are mostly ripped through. I take my backpack and go downstairs sitting on the sofa and getting out my books. I begin on my homework and Damon brings me some coffee when it's done. Damon has a cup of coffee too and he sits in the arm chair, but he's on his phone.

"Why does the house smell so strongly of sex?" Stefan asks when he comes in the door.

"Doesn't it always when you come home?" Damon shoots back sardonically.

"This is different, the two of you and…" Stefan pauses a moment sniffing the air, "Klaus. Did you make love to Klaus in our house? I can't believe you let her do that."

"The alpha male vampires were feeling a bit territorial I suppose, after the visit from Eli. They wanted to erase his scent and they did it together," I enlighten Stefan without looking up from my book.

"Oh," Stefan replies.

"We w…" Damon begins and Stefan cuts him off.

"No, that's all the details I needed," Stefan says going into the kitchen and getting some coffee. He sits with me and finishes his homework.

After finishing my homework and having some more blood I take a shower, Damon joins me and sleeps in my bed that night. The rest of the week is normal, or at least what has become my new normal. I go to school with Stefan, have to practice restraint, Damon generally meets us at lunch and he's always waiting for me after school. He brings me home, we make love, I eat, call Adam and do my homework. Most nights Damon and I also share the same bed. Kluas hasn't come back to the house since Monday night, but he does text a lot telling me he's looking forward to keeping me all weekend. It worries me a little that he says "keep" especially knowing that he compelled me to stay last weekend.

(KLAUS)

"Mmm, I've missed this body all week," I grin, licking Clare's neck when she meets me at my car Friday afternoon.

"Down boy, wait until we get home," she says pushing me away.

"I did always enjoy that fight in you," I grin, opening the car door for her. "How was school?" I ask her as I begin driving.

"You don't actually care how my day at school was do you?"

"Not really, did you bite anyone?"

"Tempted as always, but no. The art teacher was out, we watched a video instead, it was kind of boring. I wanted to bite the football player that keeps checking me out, it would have been so easy in the dark," she says. I smile and brush some hair from her neck, my finger trailing down her collarbone. "I'm going to call Adam as soon as we get to your house, behave until I'm off the phone with Adam," she tells me.

"You're asking a lot," I respond but with the speed I was driving we've already reached my house.

She says nothing, simply grabs her backpack ang gets out of the car going into my house. I follow her in and she's already got her phone out calling Adam. I can hear it ringing and he picks up on the third ring. I can of course hear the entire conversation.

"Hey Clare, still easier there?"

"I wouldn't say easier, but more people around to help me maintain control. That's the hardest part, that's why I'm here."

"I know. You seen or heard from Eli again?"

"Nothing," she shakes her head and I unclench my jaw. I didn't realize it had clenched but it seems to be a reaction to Eli's name. Caroline was the one to tell me on Monday that Eli had come to the school, and everything Jeremy had said about him. I didn't like him and I didn't want him around Clare, especially knowing she shared a past with Eli. I know what that can do to you so soon after the transition.

"I texted him yesterday, he said he saw you and you were happy, but he sounded weird."

"It's probably because he was compelled, part of him knows something else is going on."

"Yeah," Adam says on a heavy breath. "Everyone else misses you, they ask me for news every day, and Drew is still whining every day."

"Tell Drew to knock it off. I'll email or text everyone else," Clare replies and then bites her lip.

"Or you could call them, video chat?" Adam suggests.

"I can't, you know everything I don't have to lie or hide emotions. I can't do that if I'm on the phone or video chatting with people. Not yet anyway, maybe in a few weeks."

"You realize eventually Alli, or possibly my brother with some student council crisis, is just going to call you."

"I know, I'll work on it, maybe we can do a video chat in a couple of weeks."

"Okay, I miss you," Adam says.

"I miss you too, bye Adam."

As soon as Clare has hung up I take her phone and set it on the table. Then I pick her up and run her up to my bedroom and take her shoes off, before I tear off all the rest of her clothing.

"You know you owe me a new wardrobe," she remarks and then rips my shirt open.

"We'll go shopping this weekend," I grin before stealing her lips.

I lie her back on the bed and open her legs, softly stroking her inner thigh before gliding my finger into her. She moans and grips onto me getting her hand under my pants. I get the rest of my clothing off in a blink of a human eye, lick my finger of her juices and slide into her. She lifts her legs, wrapping them around my waist, her arms encircling my neck and her lips attach to mine. Her tongue slides over my bottom lip seeking access and I grant it. Her tongue glides in as I begin pulling out, when only the tumescent head is still being squeezed by her core I thrust back in.

Clare moans into the kiss, she bucks her hips, she wants me to go faster, but I want to make love to her slowly first. I keep my rocking movements at a slow, steady pace, my lips stay attached to hers, her tongue tasting the depths of my mouth. After much thrusting at this pace I bring Clare to her first screaming orgasm. Then I turn her over without pulling out, getting her on her knees but with her chest down. This time it's hard and fast, and we both climax. I thrust a few more times, kiss her breasts and suck on her nipples as we ride out our orgasms.

"I need blood now," Clare says and gets out of bed going to the kitchen. "You didn't stock up on blood, we'll have to go to a blood bank," she comments returning upstairs.

"I think we'll go out of town and find some fresh blood to drink," I reply and she narrows her eyes at me.

"I told you I wouldn't stay here anymore if you tried to get to me to drink from people again."

I take her chin and lock onto her eyes, "You will stay with me all weekend, you will always feed from humans when with me and you will never tell either of the Salvatore brothers."

"I will stay with you all weekend, feed from humans and I won't tell Damon or Stefan," she repeats under the influence of the compelling.

I don't like to compel her and force her to do these things, but I don't want her to leave, or fight with her either. After she eats we get dressed and get in my car, I drive us to Charlotte, North Carolina. It's far enough away that it won't arouse the suspicions of the Sheriff or any other Sheriff near Mystic Falls. Charlotte is a large city with everything we need for the rest of the weekend.

"Are we here for shopping or dining?" Clare asks looking around when I park.

"We're here for the weekend," I tell her getting out of the car.

"The entire weekend?" She inquires getting out of the car as well.

"Don't worry I'll get you to school on time on Monday. Should we eat first or procure a hotel room first?"

"Room first," she says, delaying our hunt even though I know her young vampire appetite must be famished.

I grin and put my arm around her, walking into the hotel. It's one of the nicest in Charlotte, I called earlier to see if the best room in the hotel would be available tonight. I was assured that it was and then they asked if I wanted to make a reservation, I hung up. I compel the desk clerk and the hotel manager into giving us the suite for free. We didn't bring anything with us, I didn't tell her where we were going.

"Let's eat and then we'll go shopping for a whole new wardrobe," I tell her. She gives me a look but doesn't say anything, I take her hand and we leave the hotel room. We run at vampiric speed several miles from the hotel, to a street filled with bars and clubs and other late night establishments. It's early evening still, but there's already a delectable buffet for us here. It's busy and bustling and we're just another couple in the crowd. "Find someone, who do you want to eat?"

She sniffs the air, I watch as she tracks certain scents before she finds the one that appeals to her the most. She follows it to the source, the guy has his arm around an attractive brunette. She wouldn't be my first choice but she does smell good, good enough to drink from.

"We'll take them together, follow my lead," I tell her.

We easily get ahead of the couple and easily compel them to come with us. I pull Clare away before she drinks too much, we clean them up and compel a story into their memories. Then I take her to an upper class shopping center and tell her to get anything she needs.

"Why are you buying me expensive clothes when you or Damon is likely just going to rip all my clothes off anyway?" She asks.

"Because I want you to have the best," I reply.

She shakes her head but does pick out new clothes including jeans, skirts, dresses, tops, panties and several new bras. It would be several hundred dollars, if I was going to pay, I send Clare to get coffee and compel the store clerk into taking off the tags and canceling the ring up. I tell her the inventory was wrong and then take our bags to the car where Clare meets me with the coffee.

"Now let's return to the hotel where I plan to enjoy every inch of that body," I comment as she gets in the car. "I rather enjoyed having you tied to the bedpost Monday," I tell her and her cheeks turn red at the mention of our menage a trois on Monday.

"Why do I think we won't be leaving the bed this weekend?" Clare asks, avoiding my comment.

"Of course we will, we'll have to feed again."

(JEREMY)

"Why is Klaus dropping Clare off?" I question Elena when we get to school Monday morning.

"Stefan said she's been with Klaus all weekend, he took her out of town."

"I'm sure Damon loved that, is that why Ric went over there yesterday?"

"Yeah, probably," Elena nods, "come on let's go see her."

Elena and I walk over to where Clare is getting out of Klaus' car. She grabs her backpack from the back and smiles at us.

"I'll take all of your new clothes to the Salvatore's," Klaus tells her through the open window.

"Don't start anything with Damon," Clare tells him.

"Of course not," Klaus says with an innocent grin. Clare shakes her head and sends a text to Damon that Klaus is on his way over and that they should both be good.

"Where did Klaus take you this weekend?" Elena asks her.

"Charlotte," Clare says quietly.

"North Carolina?" I question.

"Yeah," she nods.

"What were you doing all weekend?" I inquire.

"Do you really want me to answer that?" She asks.

"Never mind," I shake my head.

"Does something seem off to you?" Clare asks looking around the school yard before we go inside.

"What do you mean?" Elena asks.

"Everyone seems…aroused," she comments.

"Aroused?" I query.

"Look, there's 27 students outside and 22 of them are paired off and making out," she says.

Elena and I look around, it's true most everyone out here is making out. Furiously making out, and several of the couples are not even dating, they just seemed to have paired off randomly.

"That is odd," I remark, opening the door for the girls.

"There must be an amateur witch, cast a love spell or something," Elena says when we go inside. The scene inside is very much like the scene outside, couples making out against the lockers, people that aren't dating are kissing or holding hands, being very flirtatious.

"This doesn't look like a love spell, more like a lust spell," Clare comments.

"Let's go find Bonnie," I say, putting my arms around their shoulders and walking toward Bonnie's locker. I think they're right about the spell because I've got this urge to kiss Clare and I'm fighting it. If I wasn't related to Elena I might have the urge to kiss her too. As soon as I see my girlfriend I have this need to kiss her. I rush over and spin her around crushing my lips to hers. I didn't even think about doing it, it was more like instinct.

"I've been thinking about kissing you since I got here," Bonnie says when I pull my lips away.

"Seems like most of the school feels the same way. I think an amateur witch cast a love spell and it went haywire," Elena comments.

"I don't think there's any new witches," Bonnie replies, slipping her arm around my waist. I keep my arm around her, holding her close, my fingers idly caressing her arm.

"Hey guys," Stefan greets us, putting his arms around Elena and pulling her to him. "Are you okay Clare? How was your weekend with Klaus?" Stefan asks her.

"Fine," she answers quickly, "about as amorous as everyone seems to be at school today. If it's not a spell then what is going on?"

"HEY," someone yells before anyone can answer, "stop making out with my girlfriend."

We all turn to the source just in time to see one of the soccer players shove one of the baseball players into the lockers. The baseball player shoves back and a fight breaks out, it's quickly stopped by teachers but it's not the last fight to happen that day.

"There's a full moon coming up, it's affecting everyone's behavior," Bonnie says.

"People act odd around a full moon, but this odd?" Clare questions skeptically.

"I still think it's a new witch, a spell gone bad," Elena says.

"That seems more likely, I'll have Damon check with Sheriff Forbes, see if there's anyone new in town," Stefan comments, getting out his phone just as the bell rings.

I kiss Bonnie again before running to my locker and then biology. Even in class things are odd, Mr. Compton seems to be having trouble concentrating and many of the students are holding hands under the tables or more.

"You guys notice anything odd today?" I ask Matt and Tyler in health class.

"You mean besides the fact the whole school seems to be high on ecstasy?" Matt questions.

"Yeah, it's gotta be something in the air. As soon as I got to school I pulled Caroline into an empty classroom," Tyler agrees.

I open my mouth to tell them about kissing Bonnie this morning and thinking about kissing Clare, but the bell rings. The teacher tells everyone to sit down and get out their book, and when Samantha and Kevin kiss instead of sit down the teacher gives them detention.

"Elena thinks there's a new witch and a love spell went wrong," I tell Tyler when we leave class for morning break. Matt walked out of class as soon as the bell rang, but I wouldn't have said it in front of him anyway.

"That would make sense," Tyler nods.

We find Caroline and Bonnie in the hall and it's like this magnetic drawing need pulls us to our girlfriends. I don't think we even move from where we are, just make out in the hall for all of morning break. My next two classes are pretty much the same, the teachers seem to have trouble concentrating and the students are having trouble keeping their hands to themselves. I'm even tempted to touch the girls next to me and have thoughts of kissing them. I just try to think about Bonnie and count down the minutes until I'll see her at lunch.

"I'm gonna have Damon take me somewhere off campus and totally private for lunch," Clare says, grabbing her lunchbox from her locker.

"Private sounds good, let's go somewhere private," Bonnie says grabbing my hand.

We don't even eat, we just make out in the backseat of the car until the bell rings. We run into the building and I nearly bump into Clare as she runs down the hall toward the art room.

"Have a nice lunch with Damon?" I ask.

"Umm, yeah, almost didn't eat, he made me drink a blood bag when the bell rang. It's a good thing I run fast or I'd still be in the car with Damon. How was lunch with Bonnie?"

"Uh, we forgot to eat," I tell her, scratching the back of my neck.

"Seems like most of the school did. Something is definitely going on, I'm not even sure a spell gone awry could do all this," Clare says waving her arm around at all the couples still touching and kissing. "I know I'm kinda always ready because the whole vampire," she whispers the word vampire, "thing has my emotions and all heightened. But, this is different. I've had thoughts of kissing or more nearly every guy in this school, even some teachers, and including you."

"Yeah, I know the feeling, I've been having similar thoughts. I had thoughts of kissing you earlier. If I wasn't related to Elena I probably would have thought of kissing her too."

"This can't be a love spell, more like a lechery spell. I thought about calling Klaus, but I was afraid if I did that I wouldn't make it to the rest of my classes."

"Yeah, let's not call Klaus," I comment as we enter the art room. Caroline isn't here yet, she runs in just as the late bell rings wiping her lips. "Forget to eat?" I inquire and Caroline nods.

"Hello class," a melodic voice calls our attention. The voice is coming from the supply room in the back. Everyone turns to look at her, when I see her my heart speeds up, my breath catches in my throat, she's a vision. Tall, curvy, long black hair and pale skin, perfectly pink lips and violet eyes. I'm not the only one that's struck by this vision too perfect to be a teacher, all male eyes in class are looking at her. "I'll be your substitute while Mrs. Henner is out. My name is Miss Varen Scarlett, and yes that is Miss Scarlett like the board game. No I don't murder people or find murderers I'm just a simple art teacher, so no jokes about Clue, I've heard them all. Now for today's assignment, art is about expression and I want you all to express what you're feeling at this very moment. You can use any medium you wish."

I look at my canvas and pick up some pastels and just start moving them over the canvas. I'm not even really thinking about what I'm doing, I'm just moving my hands.

"That's very good," this melodic voice says in my ear and I look over to be met by violet eyes belonging to our substitute. "What's your name?"

"Uh, J…Jeremy, Jeremy Gilbert."

"You're a wonderful artist Jeremy, I can feel what's inside of you, why I can almost see what's in your head," she says, touching her finger to my temple. When she touches me I feel this electricity go through me, and I get all kinds of thoughts of what to do with Bonnie later suddenly filling my mind.

Miss Scarlett moves away from me and is looking at Clare's painting now. All I can think about now is wanting to be with Bonnie, and having fantasies about Miss Scarlett. She tells us when we have five minutes before the bell so we can clean up. I walk out of class with Clare and Caroline, waving to them before I go to my last class, which I pay no attention to at all.

"Hey Beautiful, I was thinking we'd do homework together," I tell Bonnie when I find her after school.

"Great idea, come to my house," she says hooking her finger through my belt loop and pulling me away.

We make it to Bonnie's house and barely make it through her bedroom door. It's hot, and passionate and very energetic, it's almost like letting off steam with a fight. We don't even realize it's been two hours until we're sweating, panting and lying next to each other in her bed.

"I'm starving now," I comment after several minutes.

"Yeah, me too," Bonnie says, "we didn't eat lunch. We didn't do our homework either."

"Maybe we should go to The Grill," I suggest.

"The Grill is a good idea," Bonnie agrees.

We get dressed and go to The Grill, we're not the only ones to have this idea. Looks like half the school is here, including Caroline and Tyler, though I don't see Elena and Stefan or Clare and Damon. Bonnie and I sit down and order, and we actually manage to get homework done. When I get home Elena is still doing her homework, which means she wasn't doing it right after school. Ric doesn't get home until late and Elena has cereal for dinner, she says she forgot to eat after school. I shower and sleep really well, better than I have in a very long time.

The next morning when I get to school I want to see Miss Scarlett, we came early so Elena could see Stefan. Actually, he called and asked her to come early. I head straight for the art room, I think I hear Miss Scarlett singing, but it's an odd song. I go to the art class room but the door is closed, I open it slowly. I still hear singing but I don't see Miss Scarlett. I think she's in the supply room, so I close the door behind me and walk quietly to the supply room. The door is open a little, and I peek in, only I can't believe what I'm seeing.

Instead of skin she seems to have violet and teal scales, her hair is more of a shimmering teal. I'm pretty sure I see gills on her neck, and fins, like the top fin on some fish only they're small and on each side of her neck. Seeing something I wasn't expecting fear overtakes anything else I was feeling and I turn and run, bolting from the room. I find Clare at her locker and take her hand pulling her with me on a search for Elena.

"Find Elena and Stefan, use your super abilities," I command.

"Oookay," she says and looks away from me, "this way." I follow her to a classroom and she knocks on the door. "It's me and Jeremy, I think he needs to tell us something," Clare calls through the door. A moment later the door opens, Elena wipes her lips when she sees me, trying to hide what they were doing as if I didn't know.

"What is it Jeremy?" Elena asks. I pull Clare into the room and close the door behind us.

"Miss Scarlett isn't human," I tell them.

"The new art teacher? What do you mean she's not human? I met her yesterday, she seemed normal to me, very enthralling," Stefan says and Elena elbows him, "but human."

"I mean she's not human," I repeat and then tell them exactly what I saw.

"Jeremy, are you doing drugs again?" Elena asks.

"No, I'm telling you that's what I saw."

"Jeremy I've seen a lot, but what you're describing is just…I mean you have to be mistaken," Stefan says. I scowl at both of them, neither of them believe me.

"I'm sorry, we're vampires, Elena is a doppelganger, Bonnie's a witch, Tyler a werewolf, and you don't think the new teacher could be a creature with gills and fins?" Clare questions. I smile at her for taking my side, I knew I liked her from the very beginning.

"She sounds like a fish, and if she is, how could she be on land? And, why was Jeremy the only one to see her looking that way?" Stefan asks.

"Oooohhh, or a mermaid, what if she's a mermaid?" Elena chimes in. "Maybe she's a very ugly mermaid."

"She wasn't ugly though, she was stunning, and if she was a mermaid it's not at all how they're described. You look deep in thought Clare," I comment seeing how she seems to be concentrating.

"Your description sounds familiar, like something I've read of before but I can't recall," Clare replies and my text sound goes off.

"That's Bonnie asking where I am."

"Have her meet us in here, I'll tell Caroline to get Tyler and meet us in here," Elena says.

A few minutes later the three of them meet us in the room and I recount it all to them.

"Sounds like a fish," Tyler says when I'm done.

"That's what I said, but she can't be a fish, how could she be on land?" Stefan asks.

"We're vampires and we walk in the sun," Clare shoots back and twists the ring on her finger.

"Clare has a point, it could be a spell to make her look human," Bonnie says.

"Okay, if Jeremy is right then we need to find out what Miss Scarlett is, and what she's doing here," Stefan says and we all nod.