Chapter One

"That's a nice scarf." Stefan could smell the blood lingering underneath the thin material.

"Thanks, it's new." Caroline smiled as she fidgeted nervously.

"Would you mind taking it off?"

"Oh, I can't."

"Why not? Are you ok?" He looked at the scarf and then back up into her eyes.

"Yeah. I just um. All I know is that I can't take it off."

"What are you two kids talking about?" Damon interrupted them as he came into the room with a cocky smile on his face.

"I was just commenting on her scarf." Stefan raised an eyebrow. "It's odd that she can't take it off."

"You know what, why don't you go help Elena and Bonnie in the kitchen." Damon grinned at Caroline.

"Do I look like I do dishes?" She laughed.

"I wasn't asking. Go help." His voice was stern as he stared into her eyes, and she blinked a few times.

"You know what I am going to see if Elena needs help." She smiled as she got up and walked away.

"You can't treat them like that. Like they are your plaything." Stefan huffed with frustration. "They are not here for your amusement."

"Sure, they are. They are whatever I want them to be." Damon smirked. "You know you really need to lighten up and relax."

Before he could respond, they both went on high alert. "Do you feel that?" Stefan stood and they both looked at the door.

"We're not alone." Damon walked to the door.

"Wait. His scent is familiar." Stefan got in front of his brother.

"Oh goodie. Is it a blast from the past?" Damon chuckled as a knock was heard on the door. The brothers looked at one another as the girls came from the kitchen.

"Is someone at the door?" Elena walked over.

"You know what, it's nothing. Just some kids messing around outside." Stefan said nervously but then another knock was heard.

"Ok, well I can teach them a thing or two about ring and dash." She laughed.

"Elena, wait," Stefan called out but she was already opening the door. Her eyes looked up to a very tall blonde-haired man. He was dressed completely in black, and it was a harsh contrast to his pale skin. His eyes were a piercing blue and for a moment she felt transfixed by them. He was nearly as tall as her door.

"Elena Gilbert, we finally meet." He smiled coolly but there was something dark in his voice. The hairs on her arm stood up.

She swallowed hard at the odd feeling coursing through her. "Do I know you?"

He looked past her and towards the group of five staring back at him with wide eyes. "Hello, boys and girls."

"Eric." Stefan's voice was anxious as he stared at the world's eldest vampire and current sheriff of the east coast, Eric Northman.

"It's been a while buddy." Damon cracked a smile, and it disappeared quickly when Eric shot him a cold look.

"I'm sorry, do you know him?" Elena couldn't help but ask as she stared at the guys.

"Um, Elena, who's he?" Bonnie's voice cracked with concern.

"I would much rather do my introduction inside. Would you be a dear and invite me in?" Eric smiled darkly at Elena. Before she could even think of what to say her mouth was opening in a surprising move.

"Please come in."

"Shit, this isn't good," Damon said under his breath.

"Elena, what's going on?" Caroline interjected.

Eric was in front of Caroline and Bonnie within seconds as Elena gasped in shock.

"Why don't you two go take a seat on the couch and keep as quiet as a mouse." He smirked as they both nodded their heads and then walked into the living room.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Elena snapped as fear began to race through her. Eric looked back at her.

"So, she is the cause of all this drama boys?" He looked back at Stefan and Damon.

"I'm sorry who the hell are you!" Elena yelled out now but then he was in front of her as she gasped loudly. He put his finger up to her lips and she promptly got quiet. She stared straight forward as if she was under a trance.

"Well, that's better. Seriously, boys I would have thought you learned your lesson by now." He walked past them.

"It's not what it looks like, Eric." Stefan began to say.

"You can actually call me, Sir. We're not friends." He made his way into the living room and looked at the girls sitting on the couch. "Why is it always the humans? You can't seem to find one of our own to keep you occupied." He pulled the scarf off Caroline's neck and shook his head. "That's a shoddy job, Damon. I would have expected better from you."

"I was just having some fun. No harm done." Damon smiled and then eric was in front of him and he swallowed hard.

"No harm done, huh? Then why is it that the news keeps bringing up these animal attacks that keep happening all over your quaint little town?" He smiled but there was nothing friendly behind it.

"It's just been a misunderstanding," Stefan interjected.

"Really? Last time I checked you and your brother were estranged and now here you are lying for him?" He raised a well-sculpted eyebrow.

"I fucked up," Damon spoke low as Eric looked at him. "It won't happen again."

"Do you think I believe you? You have been leaving bodies all over the United States and honestly, I didn't care until you started to fuck with my areas. The last thing I want is attention being drawn to our kind."

"No one knows. They think it was an animal. We've compelled all of those involved." Stefan spoke up.

"Compelled?" Eric laughed. "You're barely a vampire. You're more like a zombie, a very annoying barely dead thing."

"I made sure they were compelled Sir," Damon added.

Eric walked up to Elena again as she stood stoic. "She looks like Katherine." He brushed a piece of her hair back. "You boys remember how that ended?"

"She is nothing like her. She is kind and caring." Stefan interjected.

"Well of course, she is human for now. I mean how long until one of you change her or tries to kill one another because of her?"

"It won't be like that this time." Stefan walked over and Eric put his hand up.

"Don't fuck me with Stefan. I know how this game goes." He turned and looked at Damon. "You were just planning on leaving her be? Not even a tiny part of you wants to turn her?" Damon didn't answer and Eric smiled. "Exactly, neither of you can be trusted."

"Please don't hurt her. I will leave. I promise. I will go far away and never come back." Stefan began to plead with him.

"You were always the sentimental one, weren't you?" He then glanced at Damon. "You will leave too?"

"He will. I will make him." Stefan added.

Eric laughed again. "You have been munching on Bambi, you couldn't hurt a fly." He looked back at Damon. "Do you want her for your own?"

Damon looked at Stefan and then back at Eric. "Yes."

Stefan sighed heavily and shook his head.

"Well thank you for your honesty. Unlike your brother here who has kept way too much of his humanity." Eric rolled his eyes. "Don't worry boys, I am going to make this so much easier for both of you." He grabbed Elena's unmoving body and tossed her over his shoulder.

"No, wait! Don't!" Stefan yelled but then Eric was gone and so was Elena. "Look what you did!" He lunged at Damon with his fangs barred. They crashed through the coffee table as glass shattered.

The sound of Bonnie and Caroline screaming broke up the fight as they looked at the girls and then back at themselves.

"What's going on?!" Bonnie cried out.

"What happened? Where's Elena?" Caroline looked around frantically.

Damon got up and dusted himself off as Stefan did the same. He walked over to the girls. "Hey, look at me. Everything is fine. In fact, the dinner was so much fun that you both are exhausted and you're going to head home."

"I am very tired" Bonnie yawned.

"Me too." Caroline stood up as the girls walked to the door.

"You ruined everything yet again!" Stefan snapped as he pushed past his brother.

"Oh, I ruined it? You're the one who was trying to get in her pants!"

Stefan turned around and hissed loudly as his fangs descended. "You couldn't just leave well enough alone! You couldn't let me be happy for once!"

"Happy? By stealing my girl!" Damon rolled his eyes.

"Elena is not your girl!"

"She's not yours either!" Damon yelled as they got toe to toe.

"He is going to kill her, and it is all on you." Stefan stormed out of the house.

"He would have killed her already if he wanted to." Damon chased after him.

"How do you know?! He is the world's oldest vampire. He could have her in fucking Sweden for all we know!"

"You are so dramatic, Stefan. I mean my god, grow a pair will ya!"

"This isn't a game, Damon. He took her and god knows what he has planned!"

"Will you relax yourself?" Damon rolled his eyes. "We can get her back."

"We aren't doing anything! I will get her myself and you will leave once and for all!"

"I would love to see you try and stop me, brother." Damon laughed and then he was taking off.

Stefan looked back at Elena's house. He couldn't leave it that way, it would bring too much attention. He went back inside to clean up and think of a plan to get her back.

Meanwhile states away in Shreveport, Louisiana Eric was just getting back in town. He made his way to Fangtasia and his apartment above his club. He placed a passed-out Elena in his bed. He hated that once again the Salvatore brothers were causing him trouble as if he didn't have enough to worry about with the human law enforcement coming around his club. He was half tempted to go back and end the brothers once and for all.

"What is that delicious smell? Did you bring home takeout?" Pam came walking into the room. Her eyes immediately landed on the brunette in Eric's bed. "Dinner." She licked her lips, and he grabbed her shoulder hard, digging his nails into it as she winced.

"She is mine." He growled and she sighed.

"Why do you always get to have all the fun!" She huffed and he let go of her.

He walked over to the bed and leaned over and inhaled deep. His fangs descended with anticipation. He sniffed and moved his mouth just above her neck. "Leave." His voice held a warning as Pam rolled her eyes.

"Fine, whatever!" She spun on her red heels and left the room.

Elena began to stir, and he stood up. Her eyes fluttered open, and she let out a gasp as she looked into his blue eyes. A scream attempted to leave her throat.

"You are not afraid of me." He spoke calmly and she relaxed her body as she lay there. "I'm here to help you, Elena."

"Help me? How?" Her voice was above a whisper.

"You'll see." He sat down on the bed next to her and she slowly sat up as she looked around the large bedroom.

"Where am I?"

"My home. My bed." He smiled and a hint of his fangs showed as she gasped. "Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you."

"You're a…" Her words trailed as her voice shook.

"A vampire, I know but so were those Salvatore brothers." He touched her arm and ran his finger down to her wrist. He looked up at her with seductive eyes. His fingers left a tiny trail of fire behind and she felt something surprising filling her body. Lust and desire. Elena was twenty and no stranger to the feeling of desire. She had lost her virginity at sixteen to her high school sweetheart Matt, but that relationship ended shortly after her parents died. She should have been planning for her sophomore year in college instead of burying her parents.

Then she met Stefan and those feelings of lust had returned but this was different. The intensity she felt while looking at this strange, gorgeous man had her mind swirling with dirty thoughts.

"They are?" She swallowed hard.

"Yeah, they are, and they were going to fight to the death over you like they always do. It's getting pretty old if you ask me."

"I don't understand."

"Of course, you don't sweet Elena." He wrapped his fingers around her wrist and then brought it to his mouth. "There will be time for explanations later. Right now, I'm starving." She sucked in a deep breath. "This may hurt." He bit down on her wrist as she let out a scream. He let her warm blood flow through his body and then she was passing out. He placed his other hand beneath her back as he laid her down gently. He pulled his fangs from her wrist. He pricked his finger and used a drop of his blood to close the wound.

He cocked his head and watched her sleep. He would never get the fascination his kind had with humans. Sure, they were good for a meal but nothing more. His humanity had been gone for nearly a century now. He lived his life with a strict set of rules and now because of those brothers, his life was made that much more complicated.

He contemplated just ending her life now. It would solve his problems. He knew he hadn't seen the end of Stefan and Damon; they were like lovesick puppies. They would come to him and try to bargain. Hell, he thought about changing her but there was something in her bloodline that made her ancestors go crazy. He thought back to Katherine and how he had to end her life. He couldn't afford to have another blood lust vampire on his hands though the idea did bring back fond memories of when he had first turned over a thousand years ago. Times were different now. They still lived in the shadows and if they ever wanted to come out to the humans then they would have to play nice for the time being. Humans would have a hard enough time accepting vampires to live among them and it would be made worse if they had bloodthirsty monsters roaming the streets.

The vampire world was so close to coming out to its human counterparts. Times were changing and the humans were almost ready but not yet. Soon.

Authors note: I changed a bit of the Vampire Diaries History about Katherine. It will be explained in more detail in a later chapter. Also, I made Elena older and in college because I'm not fond of writing teens, especially with what I have planned for her! LOL