Ch.17 There's a New Kind of Beast Getting Up

(CLARE)

"Home," I command Damon after greeting him with a deep, sensuous kiss Tuesday afternoon.

"Are you just as hot for me as you were yesterday? So much more so than usual, yesterday afternoon was deliciously steamy. When we find out who cast the spell I'll have to thank them," Damon smiles as he begins driving home fast.

"Let's see if you still think that after I lose my will power and start kissing all the guys at school," I remark and Damon growls. "Jeremy saw something at school today. You know the new art sub Miss Scarlett?"

"You mentioned her yesterday, I believe Stefan called her beautiful and captivating."

"Jeremy said he saw her this morning but she wasn't human. Said she had brightly colored shimmering scales, and small fins at her neck."

"Are you sure little Gilbert wasn't just tripping?"

"Why is it so hard for everyone to believe he saw that? We're vampires that walk in the sun for goodness sakes."

"Did you see her like that?" Damon asks parking at the house, I grab my backpack and follow him inside.

"No, we watched her all day, and of course in class she was perfectly human. She didn't know Jeremy was there this morning, he snuck in, and none of us could find her at break or lunch to sneak up on her. You know something weird is going on, I believe Jeremy saw what he says he did."

"I believe he saw something, but a fish lady? I don't think a witch could make herself appear that way, and I don't know why she'd want to at a high school. If he saw it by a river or lake or something I could maybe believe it."

"Damon…" I begin but he cuts me off by crushing his lips to mine.

His tongue slides into my mouth, wrapping around my tongue, exploring my mouth. I grip his shirt and pull it over his head breaking our lips apart. I slip off my shoes and within a few seconds neither of us has a stitch of clothing left on. Damon picks me up and I wrap my legs around his waist, he sits in the armchair and his fingers open my labial folds. Positioning me into the right place he guides me down his length. I moan and my head cranes back. It's not slow, I'm riding him and I want relief fast, in this position he goes deep. While I ride him at a nearly frenetic pace he massages my breasts, his fingers tweaking my nipples. I moan his name as I release and lie my head in the crook of his neck.

Damon hasn't climaxed yet, so I know we aren't finished. Damon picks us up and moves us so that my knees are on the chair and I'm gripping the back of the chair. Damon enters me again, slowly, inch by inch, and my hips buck trying to move him in faster. When he's in as far as he can get in this position he leans down and kisses the back of my neck. At the same time his hands slide up along my sides and around to my breasts. He squeezes my breasts, his fingers finding my nipples as he begins kissing his way down my spine.

Damon's lips and hands are the only things moving, he doesn't move inside of me at all. I try to buck my hips but he holds me in place. I'm a vampire now, and strong, but he's an older vampire and much stronger. He kisses down to the small of my back and then begins working his way back up.

"Damon," I moan when he hasn't moved for several minutes, "move."

He doesn't say anything but does pull out and kiss my ass cheek before he starts thrusting. We climax together this time, and he turns me around to kiss him as he pulls out. Then he kisses his way down my body but I push him away before he gets to my clit. I've had enough for now, and I'm sure we'll end up in my bed or his as soon as I've finished my homework. I get a blood bag and stay naked as I drink it down, but do get dressed before answering the phone when Adam calls. It's not as though he can see me, but I feel better being dressed.

"Hi Adam."

"Was school weird again?" Adam questions. When I called him yesterday I told him about how people's hormones seemed to be amped up at school. How fights broke out easily over jealousy, people were kissing or touching whoever they could.

"Yeah, it was pretty much the same. People were horny again, teachers seemed distracted. If it's a spell it's not a love spell, this isn't love it's just lust. It does seem to be a spell, but it seems to be centered at the school. We do have a new substitute for art, but I doubt she's a witch."

"Maybe, a student is dabbling in magic. I can't believe I'm saying those words in a sentence. A few weeks ago I would only have put those words together in a story," Adam comments.

"I know," I sigh. This is exactly why I'm not telling him about what Jeremy saw. Adam is the only one in Toronto that knows everything, but I know it's hard for him to grapple with it all still, and new information just means more for him to grapple with. "I still don't know everything that's out there. Try not to think about it too much, you won't sleep very well."

"Yeah, I try not too. Still nothing from Eli?"

"Not a word."

"Still don't want to celebrate your birthday?"

"Don't see the point."

"How about talking on the phone with other people here?"

"I'll try, this weekend maybe, if Klaus let's me out of the bed."

"Okay, that was more information than I needed. I'll talk to you tomorrow Clare."

"Bye Adam," I giggle and hang up my phone.

Damon is dressed and has a drink in his hand. I grab my backpack, Damon's drink from his hand, he slaps my ass for doing so but pours himself another drink. I go up to my room and get my homework done. All the while in the back of my mind is Jeremy's description of Miss Scarlett, I still think there's something familiar about it. After finishing my homework I get online and try to find anything close to Jeremy's description.

"You must be hungry again," Damon says, giving me a blood bag. "What are you looking for?" Damon asks, moving my hair and kissing my neck.

"What Jeremy described earlier, it sounded familiar, but I can't find anything online that even remotely resembles it. Not even a fish," I remark before I start drinking the blood bag.

"I'm telling you he was hallucinating, maybe what he saw wasn't the art teacher but a student practicing magic in the art supply room," Damon says kissing the shell of my ear.

"Yeah, maybe," I reply, closing my laptop. "I'm going to shower, are you going to join me?"

He doesn't reply, just picks me up and takes me into my washroom. He turns on the water while I get undressed and as he's wearing only jeans those come off quickly. We stay in the shower for over an hour as we make love again and again. We eat again after getting out and by this time Stefan is home. Stefan tells us that Bonnie tried a magic locator spell to find the witch, but it didn't work. Stefan takes a drink and goes to his room, Damon and I do the same and go to his room, where our clothes quickly come off. After making love again, and tasting each other we start to fall asleep. As I'm starting to fall asleep something occurs to me. Jeremy talked about hearing her singing, sirens sing, is it possible that she's a siren?

I get out of Damon's bed and go to my room turning on my laptop again. I look up sirens but what descriptions there are vary wildly and most are pretty vague. I still see nothing like what Jeremy described, but it still seems to fit the best if she was singing. After several hours of research I close the laptop and get in my bed, but I don't fall asleep, so I get up and eat again instead, and I'm ready for school before Stefan is up. I wake him up myself and tell him we need to get to school.

"Why are we here so early?" Stefan asks when we park at the school.

"Because I didn't think you'd like it if I left the house and ran here by myself this morning."

"Probably not," Stefan replies.

"I have something to work on for multimedia," I lie. Actually, I couldn't sleep and just wanted to get to the school. I was determined to find Miss Scarlett and confront her, but now that I'm here I'm not so sure about that. What would I say? I could be wrong maybe she's not a siren, maybe it wasn't even her that Jeremy saw. I still go to the art room, but Miss Scarlett isn't here, I look around but there's nothing suspicious. I check the supply room, but it's all just art supplies. I wait around for a while half hoping she shows up and hoping she doesn't at the same time.

In fact things at the school are pretty normal this morning, it isn't until lunch that people start acting odd, and it's also the first time I see Miss Scarlett. We see her getting out of her car when Damon, Stefan, Caroline, Elena and I return to the building. Most of us had blood, Elena had lunch but still stayed with Stefan. People that were eating lunch when we left are now making out. I'm now convinced that she has something to do with this behavior. I need to speak with Klaus, but I don't usually see him until the weekend.

I turn to Damon and crush my lips to his kissing him deeply and passionately. "I'll see you later," I whisper against his lips.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours to pick you up and take you home, and rip those clothes off of you," Damon whispers back.

I go inside with the others and walk with Caroline to art class. I watch Miss Scarlett all through art class, other than the fact that her eyes are a color I've never seen before, and she does seem to touch her students a lot, she seems like a normal teacher. About halfway through class I ask to use the washroom, which I don't need to do. Caroline and Jeremy give me a look as I leave class. I go to my locker, retrieve my phone from my purse and call Klaus.

"Hello Lover," his voice purrs into the phone.

"Can you pick me up after school?"

"Miss me already?"

"Will you pick me up or not?"

"I'll be there," he says and hangs up. Klaus never really was one for conversation or questions. I call Damon next, I know he's not going to like this, but I plan for Klaus and I to stay out in public.

"Something happen?" Damon asks when he answers his phone.

"Klaus is picking me up, I can come home with Stefan."

"Why is he picking you up?"

"I need to talk to him, I'll sleep at home tonight. I'll be okay Damon, I am a vampire now too."

"Being a vampire doesn't mean Klaus can't hurt you. Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure that I want to talk to him, and I'll be okay, we won't even go to his house."

"Fine," Damon gives in but he's not happy. I'll make it up to him tonight.

"What were you doing?" Caroline whispers when I get back to class. It's only loud enough for me to hear, or someone else with supernatural hearing. Jeremy looks at me with a cocked eyebrow, his way of asking what's up.

"Making arrangements for after school," I reply loud enough for Jeremy to hear but don't elaborate.

"So, what are we doing after school?" Jeremy questions when we leave class.

"Well, I assume you're going home with Bonnie and Caroline will go off with Tyler. As for me Klaus will be picking me up," I tell them as they follow me to my locker.

"Does Damon know?" Jeremy asks.

"I called him, he's not happy, but I'm just going to talk to Klaus. Somewhere public, we won't even go to his house. I'll go home with Stefan when he's done with Elena. You all act like Klaus is some serial killer," I comment opening my locker and Jeremy closes it and looks at me. "You know what I mean, I spent all weekend with him and made it home in one piece. I think I'll be okay in public for the afternoon."

Jeremy shakes his head but walks off to class, Caroline and I go to English. I whisper to Stefan that Klaus will pick me up and Damon knows. He gives me a look but doesn't say anything in class.

"You want me to come with you?" Stefan asks as we leave class.

"No, go home with Elena, when you're done with her you can pick me up from The Grill and I'll go home with you."

"Call me if you need me," Stefan says.

"I will," I reply. Klaus is here in his car. I go over and get in, he greets me with a kiss, an especially hard one because Stefan, Elena, Jeremy and Bonnie are watching us. "We're not going to your house, we need to talk. Go to The Grill," I instruct.

"Well that's no fun," Klaus complains but he does drive The Grill. We get in and order coffee which the waiter brings over to us right away. "Well, what is it?" Klaus asks, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Have you ever seen a real siren?" I question.

Klaus' eyes narrow onto me and he stops drinking his coffee, "Why?"

(TYLER)

I park at home and we jump out of the car leaving our backpacks in the car. Caroline came home with me, yesterday we went to her house after school. Sheriff Forbes was on duty at the station. Today my mom had a meeting at city hall, she said she probably wouldn't be home for dinner, so we came to my house. It's hard enough to get through school and not jump Caroline between every class as it is, werewolf hormones and all. The last couple of days though, with whatever is going on, it's been even harder. I'm kinda surprised we made it all the way to my house, especially because she was caressing my leg all the way home.

"You sure your mom is gone?" Caroline asks as I unlock the door. I lock the door behind us and push her against it, capturing her lips with mine. I kiss her hard and deep, but pull my lips away to talk.

"Those meetings take forever, she said she probably wouldn't be home for dinner," I assure her and then take her lips again. I want her so badly I'm tempted to take down my jeans and take her right here at the front door. I start to open her jeans when a sound in the house breaks us apart. I stop kissing her, but keep my arm around her and turn around just in time to see mom come out of Dad's office.

"Tyler, you're home," Mom says. She's smiling and looking at us, but something seems off. It's almost like she's compelled, but she takes vervaine every day so she can't be compelled. "I wasn't expecting you home so soon," she says and a man follows her out of Dad's office. He's stout and square with graying hair, a short beard, and a very expensive suit. "Tyler, Caroline, this is Nathan Nietzsche, a business associate of your father's."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Tyler," Nathan says coming over and shaking my hand. "You as well Caroline," Nathan says, kissing her hand and then he leans down and whispers something to her. Whatever he says it's so low that I can't hear it.

"Are you alright Mom?" I question. She hasn't moved from her spot and she's just sort of staring at us, but seems to be looking through us. It's very unnerving.

"I'm fine Tyler," Mom smiles brightly, "we have some more business to discuss. You'll be on your own for dinner."

"That's okay, we're meeting friends for a study group. I just need to grab something from my room," I reply, taking Caroline's hand and pulling her upstairs with me. "What did he say to you?" I ask Caroline when we're alone in my room.

"He said a vampire and a werewolf were an odd pair. How did he know?"

"I don't know," I shake my head.

"You don't think your mom told him?"

"No, I highly doubt it, that would put both of us in danger. I don't know who he is but I have a bad feeling. As much as I don't want to leave my mom we need to talk to Stefan and Damon, maybe Klaus. Let's go, I just hope whatever he wants from my mom he won't hurt her to get it."

Caroline squeezes my hand and we go downstairs. I don't see my mom or Nathan, as we leave the house. Caroline calls Stefan as I begin driving to the Salvatore's house.

"I told Stefan it was an emergency and he'll meet us there. I'm going to call Clare," Caroline says. "Clare when you're done with Klaus have him bring you home, you should both meet us at your house," Caroline tells Clare. "She says she and Klaus will be there when they're done."

"Good," I comment, driving a little faster and we arrive just after Stefan.

"What's going on?" Damon asks, opening the door. Stefan may have called him on his way, but it's also likely that he heard our cars approaching.

"We went to my house after school, my mom was supposed to be at a meeting all afternoon but she was home. She was acting off, almost like she was compelled but she takes vervaine every day," I tell them once we're in the house.

"Yeah, we supply it to her and Liz," Damon says.

"She wasn't alone, there was a man with her, someone I've never seen before but she said he was a business associate of my father's."

"He was creepy, he whispered in my ear that a werewolf and a vampire were an odd pair. We didn't tell him what we were and I don't think Mrs. Lockwood did either," Caroline tells them.

"Describe him," Damon says.

"He was stout and square, a good three inches shorter than my mom. He had on a very expensive suit, it was dark like his eyes. He had graying hair and a short beard. Mom said his name was Nathan Nietzsche, it's not a name I remember Dad or Mom ever bringing up."

"I don't recognize the name either," Damon says and Stefan shakes his head.

"Another new stranger in town and the mayor is acting odd, that can't be good," Stefan comments.

"I'll talk to Liz tomorrow, we can pay Carol a visit," Damon tells us and there's another car in the driveway. "Clare's home, that's Klaus' car."

"What?" Clare asks when she comes in the door.

"There's someone else new in town," Damon enlightens her.

"I need blood," she says and runs into the kitchen. Caroline follows her and they both return with blood bags.

"He was with my mom, she said his name was Nathan Nietzsche. My mom was acting compelled, but she takes vervaine so she couldn't have been compelled. It was weird, the guy was creepy," I tell her.

"Could he be a witch?" She asks.

"I don't know, maybe, something was weird about him," I shrug.

"Miss Scarlett is a siren," Clare tells us.

"What?" Just about everyone in the room asks.

"A siren, Klaus has seen one before, that's why I wanted to talk to him. It was Jeremy's description that first sounded familiar and when I remembered he talked about her singing it clicked. Much like vampires and werewolves the myths vary wildly and descriptions of them are vague and vastly different."

"A siren? A mermaid-like creature that lures sailors to their deaths?" Damon questions in a disbelieving tone.

"That's part of their myth, yes. Klaus has only seen one, she was a strikingly beautiful woman and everyone in her vicinity was especially amorous. Sound familiar?"

"So, the siren is the cause of all the odd behavior at school?" I question.

"More than likely. Klaus said he only saw the siren in her true form for a moment but she was exactly as Jeremy described. He never talked to her and couldn't prove she was the cause of the behavior, but it sounds an awful lot like what's happening now."

"Great so there's a siren in town revving up everyone's hormones, like we didn't have enough of a problem with that. There's also some creepy mystery man at Tyler's who seems to have Mrs. Lockwood under a spell. What do we do?" Caroline asks.

"I'll confront Miss Scarlett tomorrow at lunch. She can't do much at the school and everyone will be close," Clare speaks up.

"You mean we'll all be with you," Damon says.

"You can be close, but somehow I don't think cornering her and confronting her as a group is going to be good. We don't want to scare her, we just want to know what she's doing there. You can all be close, but let me talk to her alone," Clare insists. Damon clenches his fist but finally nods.

"Fine, we'll be within earshot so if you yell we come. I'll go speak to Liz tomorrow and find this Nathan Nietzsche, we'll start with your place and make sure your mom is okay," Damon tells us.

"Thanks, actually I should probably get back. I didn't want to leave her, but I wanted to come tell you guys about Nathan. I'll take you home Caroline," I say taking her hand.

"We'll see you guys tomorrow," Caroline waves.

"Tyler," Stefan calls as we approach the front door and I turn back to him, "I know it's close to the full moon but be careful. If something happens tonight call us."

"I will," I nod and we leave the Salvatore house. We're silent all the way to Caroline's, but she holds my hand interlacing our fingers. "I'm sorry the afternoon didn't turn out as planned," I apologize when I pull up in front of her house.

"It's okay, go check on your mom, I'll see you tomorrow," she says giving me a soft kiss before she gets out of the car.

I drive home fast, wondering what I might find, if Nathan is still there, if my mom is still a zombie. I park in the driveway and grab my backpack going inside, it's very quiet. I go upstairs and start for my room when Mom comes out of hers.

"You're home Tyler, have you eaten?" She asks. She seems fine now, she's not zoned like she was before.

"No, not yet," I shake my head.

"I'll have something made and brought to your room," she says.

"Where's Nathan?"

"Nathan? Oh, we're done for the night. You go start on your homework and I'll bring up some food."

Mom goes downstairs and I look around the house. Nathan is gone, no sign of what they were doing, and my mom seems fine now.

(CLARE)

"You sure about doing this alone?" Damon asks. It's lunchtime and we've already eaten, everyone ate pretty fast, and now Damon, Stefan, Caroline and Tyler are outside the art room.

"You'll all be right outside, if I need you I'll yell and I know you'll be in there in a split second. Maybe though you shouldn't all hover around the doorway," I comment.

"Caroline and Tyler stay here, just talk about art or something. Damon and I will go around to the window," Stefan says. I kiss Damon before going into the art room. I hear singing and I don't see Miss Scarlett, she must be in the supply room.

"Miss Scarlett," I call and the singing stops.

"Hello Clare, what can I do for you?" Miss Scarlett asks coming out of the supply room.

"I know you're a siren, what do you want? What are you doing in Mystic Falls?" I question and see Damon and Stefan near the window, guess they ran out.

"Relax child, I'm not here to harm anyone, this town is rife with energy. I'm simply here to feed, it's a wonderful buffet of energies to satiate me. In fact, I do believe you are one of the ones that called me here," she smiles at me and strokes my jawline.

"I did no such thing," I object.

"Just over a week ago, a marathon of raw, pure sexual energy, jealousy," Miss Scarlett smiles, still caressing my jaw. I think back, a week and half ago Eli came to the school and that afternoon Klaus, Damon and I had our threesome. An afternoon none of us have talked about since.

"You mean when Klaus, Damon and I…that afternoon, that called you here?"

"I felt it all that pure sexual energy, need and jealousy. It called me right to this place, I saw the last couple of hours from outside your window. It was wonderful, such a filling meal, I decided to stick around and feast some more."

"The fighting in the halls, the jealousy and anger, that's you?"

"You never know how people will react to my siren song, I sing and they react, fall under my thrall. I can't force them to do things, it's more of a suggestion. I feed from the raw and pure emotions, sex is my favorite, the lust and prurient feelings in humans, and other creatures in the throes of passion and sex are divinely delicious. Anger, and jealousy are the other pure raw emotions, not clouded by thought, just pure instinct. Ones that humans, vampires, werewolves, witches and all others tend to act upon without thinking."

"So, you're just here to feed and you'll go? No one gets hurt?" I question.

"Just a few bruises from fights, I'm not going to kill anyone or seriously harm them. It doesn't serve me in any way to such a thing. Pain is not something I like to feed off of."

"Do you know a man named Nathan Nietzsche? He showed up in town yesterday and I find that an unlikely coincidence, that you both show up days apart," I comment.

"It is a coincidence, I came last week, I just had to find a way to get closer to everyone. Who you speak of is no man. I'm sure like me he was drawn by the amount of supernatural here. This town is rife with it, a crux of so many energies."

"What is he then? Vampire?" I inquire just as the door opens and Ric comes in. He's surprised to see me here, his eyes widen a little and then he looks fondly at Miss Scarlett.

"Oh, I just wanted to see if we're still on for tonight?" Ric asks her.

"We'll talk later Clare," she says and I nod leaving the room.

"Damon says to meet at his car," Tyler tells me as soon as I leave the room. The three of us walk out to Damon's car where the others are waiting.

"So, she is a siren," Damon states when we get there.

"How much did you hear?" I query.

"Pretty much everything," Damon says.

"Did you two know Ric was going to see her tonight?" Stefan asks Jeremy and Elena.

"No, but he's an adult he doesn't need our permission to date anyone." Elena says.

"Is he in danger?" Jeremy asks.

"I don't think so, she doesn't want to hurt anyone. People are reacting to her siren song, which for the most part sparks lust, but can also spawn anger and jealousy. She feeds off the energy and emotions, but she said she didn't want to cause anyone pain," I reply.

"What was she saying about Nathan?" Tyler asks.

"That he's not a man, but didn't say what he was. She did say he was probably drawn to this place by the energies like she was," I tell them and the bell rings.

"Everyone to our place after school," Damon says.

"Does everyone include Klaus?" I ask.

"Yes, I'll call him, and Ric too, before his date," Damon says.

He takes me by the waist, puts me on the hood of his car, gives me a deep, salacious kiss, and then takes me off the car. We go inside and I can still taste Damon on my lips, knowing that we're all meeting after school it's going to be a long afternoon. I really want to just go home with Damon.