Hello, everyone! I hope you're all doing well and are excited for yet another chapter that I hope you'll all like. I'd like to say that I am so happy with the love this story has received, so thank you all for taking the time to read, Fave and Follow and leave amazing comments.
Now, on to the response to the awesome reviews:
-xenocanaan: I love them, too! And they do care a lot about each other, which will be focused on in future chapters. I can't wait for those moments. And I thank YOU for loving it!
-ArtemisLuna85: Yes, Gwen can be quite protective of the ones she loves and cares about. And her powers will be revealed as the story progresses. They're quite difficult to write, but I will fight to make due and deliver. Thanks for the love!
-Lilomaus223: Thanks! And I am glad that you like Juniper, since she can be all over the place and voices her thoughts without problem. She's the person that always has something to say, even when it's not needed. And you shall find out more in this chapter, which I hope you'll like!
-Love . Fiction . 2020: w
-PrincessMagic: Thanks!
-Courtney-Tamara: No worries! I'm glad you love the story, but have no fear of disliking things about it. And I am honored to receive the comment, since it means that I am writing the characters with unique personalities. And like any other story or series, there are characters we like and dislike.
-GhostGypsy: Thanks! And yes, Klaus/Gwen care a lot about each other, but I will leave the extent of it for you guys to experience. Yes, I plan to build Gwen's character as the story progresses, since she has always lived a sheltered life and this is the most she's been involved in Klaus' business and such, so I want her to grow as she meets more people and experiences things outside of the bubble Klaus put her in. And I am so happy you love her and will continue to do so as she grows into her own person. And I love your feedback.
-GreenLilly: I am glad you're liking the story. The history of the girls is something that I am struggling with, since I need to pick when to give you guys tidbits about it. And I am so glad that you find Gwen and Juniper to be opposites, since I always worry about writing characters as if they were the same person with no unique personalities. And I also love the Gwen/Rebekah relationship, which I will focus on. Well, in regards to ships in my story, I am going to have to surprise you guys, don't want to spoil anything. And yes, there is a Juniper/Damon interaction in this chapter, albeit a bit short, but I hope you still enjoy.
-Guest: I am very happy that you are!
Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Vampire Diaries and claim no ownership over anything pertaining to it. I only own my characters.
hotel Salvatore
.
.
.
"You're not coming back for a while?" Gwen hissed into her phone as anger coursed through her veins, which was something that she rarely experienced. She just couldn't believe what was happening to her, a sentiment she shared with Rebekah and Juniper as the witch drove a car–a Honda Accord–that Rebekah had compelled for them. "You left us in a strange town in the middle of the night. We had nowhere to go and had to sleep in a car!" she yelled into the phone, the kinks in her back making her more irritable. "Oh," she hummed mockingly, "but thank you for leaving our bags on the street."
"I like her angry," Rebekah remarked from the passenger seat, glancing to the seat behind her to watch Gwen's forehead creased and her lips pouting.
Juniper chuckled with a nod as she drove to their destination. "She rarely gets like that, but it is entertaining to watch."
"I already told you why," Klaus said from the other end of the call.
Gwen scoffed as she watched the scenery go by, trees being what she saw the most. "Yeah, pardon me for having a hard time swallowing that pathetic excuse. You didn't have to leave us behind."
"I'm coming back, and I won't do so alone," Klaus tried to explain the best he could. "I need to gather enough hybrids to battle against Mikael. He has the means to kill me and Rebekah."
This silenced Gwen since she understood why he bolted out of town, but she was upset that he left without telling them a single thing and had not picked up their calls. It wasn't until a half-hour ago that they heard of him when they had woken up to him calling. "I get that, but you could have said something."
"Look, I am on the hunt for some werewolves to turn, which is a job done best on my own. And you'll be safer with Rebekah and the witch," Klaus told her, trying to placate her. "Once I turn a good amount, I will return for you all and deal with Mikael once and for all."
"We don't even know if they're lying, Nik. They could have been bluffing," Rebekah spoke up for her brother to hear her. The mere thought of her father's name brought unpleasant memories that she would rather just forget, and it even had her fidgeting in her seat as she hid her shaking hand from view and focused on keeping her breathing in check.
Klaus scoffed, loud enough that Rebekah heard him. "Are you willing to take that chance when it comes to that man?" Rebekah remained silent, which was answer enough for him. "I also need you, girls, to find out what's true and what's false," he added. "And just be friendly to the locals."
"We're your spies now, huh?" asked Gwen, unimpressed.
"He's lucky we're already on top of that," Juniper said as she began to pull up to a large home that was almost hidden within the surrounding forest.
"What's she talking about?" Klaus asked after hearing Juniper.
"Details are reserved for those present. You'll only get vague updates," Gwen answered, deciding that it was best not to tell him where they planned to stay. "Have fun on your trip, but don't think I'm done talking about you skipping town like that."
"Fine, but stay safe," Klaus said, thinking that it was best not to argue with how upset she was with him. "Rebekah," he called with a slight lull to his voice.
Rebekah sighed, "Yes, Nik, I'll keep the little pet out of trouble."
"Bye," Gwen exhaled before hanging up, looking up to find that Juniper had already parked beside the house's entrance. One could say that the home had a creepy feel to it, but the halfling thought otherwise as she found that it had a historic charm to it. "This is the place?"
"Yup," Juniper answered as she put the car in park, also looking up at the place through the window. She turned on her seat to look at both girls, her eyes shifting between the two. "Are we sure that this is the best plan?" She looked at Rebekah. "You're an Original vampire and very indestructible. I have my magic, but Gwen–"
"Can defend herself," Gwen interrupted her friend, her eyes narrowing. "I have my magic, too."
Juniper gave Gwen a pointed look. "I know, but you and I both know that you have problems handling your power. I just think that we can come up with a better way to spy on these people without taking risks, especially when I have to go back home to settle a few things."
Gwen looked down at her hands that were on her lap. She knew that Juniper was right, that her magic was faulty, but she could still defend herself against vampires. It wouldn't be the first time. She was nervous about this, walking into the home of people who were supposed to be their enemies and stay under the same roof. It was nerve-wracking for her, but she took a deep breath to calm herself, thinking that this was also a good opportunity to get Klaus to see that she can take care of herself and that she didn't need to be cooped up for the rest of her life.
"Oh, come now. Let's relax," Rebekah began, speaking mostly to Juniper. "I have no problem in ripping off a few heads to keep my brother's adorable pet safe."
"And when they find out that she's a half-faerie, what do we do then?" asked Juniper. "We don't know what they'll do once they figure it out."
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Faeries are a thing of decades past, and I doubt children really know what to do with one," Rebekah said with a shrug of her shoulders before she raised an eyebrow at Juniper. "You know, if you were to have a temper to match with that paranoia, you would be a bit more like Niklaus."
Juniper's face scrunched up. "Oh, god," she exhaled, giving Rebekah a halfhearted glare. "You did not just compare me to that walking paranoia. I highly doubt I'm as bad as he is." She released a deep exhale and calmed down. "I am just worried, okay?" She glanced at Rebekah. "I can be more than a little concerned when we're on enemy territory."
"We'll be fine as long as us girls sticking together, so don't worry too much," Rebekah told the witch, patting her arm before getting out of the car.
Gwen smiled at Juniper, placing her hand on the latter's shoulder. "It's going to be fine, June."
"We don't know that," Juniper sighed. "You don't have the best track record with vampires. We don't know what these are capable of, which worries me."
"What happened with…" Gwen paused and took a deep breath, determined to not let what happened before to have any control of her, "Al was a one-time thing."
Juniper turned on her seat to look at Gwen with a scowl. "But that's what almost every vampire does to a faerie, it's why faeries don't do well with vampires. Trust me when I tell you that it can be more than a 'one-time' thing."
Knowing where Juniper was coming from, Gwen couldn't fault her for being on edge and unsure of their plan, but there weren't many options. "I know that," she told her friend as she grabbed the witch's hand over the console that separated the front seats. "But I have you with me…and Rebekah; a very smart witch and an Original vampire."
The witch hummed as a smile began to work its way on her lips. "You flatter me, but that is not going to erase my concerns."
"It's still working," Gwen said with a playful grin.
Tapping on the window of the passenger seat caught the attention of both Gwen and Juniper, which had them look at an impatient Rebekah carrying her own bags that she had taken from the trunk of the car. "We can leave the sentimental talk for later," she said, her voice slightly muffled due to her being outside of the car. "Let's go. I have school to get to and I want to make a good first impression."
"I think you already made a quite memorable first impression," Gwen said as she opened her door to get out.
"Is it a good idea for you to go to school?" Juniper asked as she got out as well, heading for the back of the car where Gwen was already taking out her bags. "I mean, it's not that great. There's the constant drama, the pressure of wanting to fit in when you consciously know it's not something you need to do but still crave above all else, and then there's the looming pressure of keeping up appearances so that you're not torn apart like piranha bait."
Rebekah smiled widely at this. "Sounds very fun."
"Huh," Juniper hummed while nodding with pursed lips. "You're gonna do so much better than I did." She reached for her bag and closed the car's trunk. "Word of advice," she said as she approached Rebekah, easily matching her gaze due to being around the same height, "don't hesitate to punch or destroy anyone who messes with you. One smell of weakness and they'll eat you alive."
"I'll keep that in mind," Rebekah said as she shared a smirk with Juniper before glancing at Gwen. "You can come with me."
"I told you," Gwen reminded Rebekah with a smile. "I was homeschooled and graduated."
Rebekah huffed. "It'll be less fun without someone I know sharing in the fun with me."
"Just because I am not going to school with you doesn't mean that you can't invite friends to their parties," said Gwen.
A certain word caught the Original off guard as she stared at Gwen with an uncertain look, her mouth slightly open, since she didn't know how to respond. "'Friends'?"
"Yeah," Gwen said as she frowned at Rebekah with a smile. "Unless we're not."
"No, it's just that," Rebekah began and cleared her throat. "It's been a while since I've been able to call someone my friend."
"Well, you have two now," Juniper said as she patted Rebekah's arm. "As you said, us girls gotta stick together."
Gwen smiled at Rebekah and followed Juniper to the boarding house before the blonde vampire caught up to them with a happy smile on her lips. The three girls approached the front door of the enormous home that fascinated Juniper, given that Rebekah had seen bigger and Gwen had lived in homes just as large if not more with Klaus. Rebekah was the one who knocked on the door, hard.
The door was answered by a face that none of the women recognized, but they all could admit that he was quite handsome to themselves in their minds. He was well-built and toned with a strong bone structure. He had a light complexion that greatly contrasted with his dark hair that was almost as black as the night that matched rather well with striking, intense blue eyes that one could get lost in. His appearance was quite alluring, but it came and went as the three women walked past him to enter his home.
"Where's Stefan?" Rebekah asked just as she reached what appeared to be a living room where the vampire that she was looking for was relaxing on a sofa with three women covered in what she assumed was their own blood playing Twister on the floor in front of him.
The sight in front of them had Gwen's face scrunching up in disgust and Juniper rolling her eyes, not at all surprised by the vampire's antics. The witch didn't mind that vampires needed to feed to survive and had no problem with it, but she also thought that vampires made things much more dramatic and ridiculous when it came to their food, and a perfect example of what she meant was right in front of her. She didn't get the appeal of it all.
"Who the hell are you three?" the man named Damon asked the women who ignored him as they all stared at Stefan, closing the front door behind him.
"He left us here," Rebekah complained to Stefan, annoyed that he was not paying much attention to her. "My brother actually left us here."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Stefan mocked Rebekah with a pout. "Your tone implies that I'm supposed to care."
Damon stared at the blonde woman with curiosity. "You're Klaus' sister?"
Rebekah glanced at Damon over her shoulder with a fake smile. "Rebekah. Pleasure, I'm sure." She pointed at the brunette witch. "Juniper Blake." She then gestured to the halfling. "Gwendolyn Moone, but you can call her Gwen." She turned back to Stefan. "Now that all introductions are over. Where are our rooms?"
Stefan gave out a chuckle. "You're not staying here." He then looked at Gwen and recalled something else Klaus had charged him with. "But Gwen can stay since Klaus also tasked me to watch out for her." He glanced at Juniper. "He said you could drop dead at any moment."
"Ass," Juniper told Stefan, scowling at him with her arms folded over her chest. She then thought about it. "But Klaus is an even bigger asshole." She turned to look at Damon with a forced but polite smile decorating her face. "We will be staying here until we can find better accommodations."
"I don't think you can afford to stay here," Damon began his argument, but Juniper hushed him.
"I don't think you can afford to say otherwise," Juniper said with finality. "I can promise you to stay out of your way as long as you stay out of mine. Once we get everything sorted and I settle on how to kick Klaus' ass, we're out of your hair." She then looked at Gwen and Rebekah, jerking her head for them to follow her up the stairs to find rooms. "Let's go."
Damon looked at Stefan with a confused look, but his younger brother shrugged his shoulder in response. "So, I guess they're all staying here."
"Seems so," Stefan said offhandedly as he went back to play with his prey.
"Right," Damon sighed as he nodded before he walked away, leaving his brother to his game.
Upstairs, the three guests began to make themselves comfortable after having picked out their rooms and sleeping arrangements. While Rebekah had picked out a room for herself, Juniper opted to share one with Gwen that was across the hall from Rebekah's. Despite the Original's assurances that her enhanced senses would hear any danger that could threaten Gwen, the witch wanted to play it safe, at least until she would have to leave.
"Will you guys be fine on your own?" Rebekah asked Gwen and Juniper from where she rested on the bed in the room the witch and half-breed had claimed, watching them unpack a few of their things in the bathroom.
Gwen smiled at Rebekah from the foot of the bed where her suitcase rested on a bedroom bench. "We'll make do, so go have a happy first day of school."
"Try not to go crazy," Juniper said from the bathroom.
"All right," Rebekah breathed as she jumped off the king-sized bed before making her way out of the room. "Try not to die while I'm gone."
"Make everyone's life hell!" Juniper called, eliciting a small laugh from Gwen as she looked inside her suitcase for anything she might need to put in the bathroom since she wasn't sure she should unpack everything.
"You're mean," Gwen told Juniper as the latter exited the bathroom.
"And yet you still love me," Juniper said as she went to the doorway, looking at Gwen over her shoulder. "I'm gonna go look where the laundry room and kitchen are. Need anything?"
"Do you think vampires drink tea?" Gwen asked, knowing that the house's fridge could be bare of any food.
Juniper pursed her lips. "A grocery run would do us good," she sighed. "I'll see what I can find."
Gwen nodded and watched as Juniper left the room. The young hybrid reached for her purse to look for her phone and see if Klaus left her any messages, but she found none. Just as she was about to text him, she was startled by knocking that pulled her attention to the doorway to find who she recognized as Stefan's older brother. "Um, hello?" she greeted awkwardly, the hair on the back of her neck bristling. "You're Damon, right? Stefan's brother?"
Damon smiled as he leaned against the doorway. "Well, you know something about me, but I know nothing about you. Don't you think we should make it even?"
"I've been told not to talk to strangers," Gwen countered, now facing him with her arms at her sides, already feeling the familiar sensation of her magic coursing into her hands.
"But you do know me," Damon said as he pushed himself off the doorway to take a few steps toward her, but he stopped when he noticed her body tensed up. He couldn't help but breathe the air, slightly frowning when a unique scent reached his nostrils. "I'll reintroduce myself…Damon Salvatore," he said as he extended his hand for Gwen to shake. "Resident of the home you and your friends invaded."
"In love with your brother's girl?" Gwen added as she looked at his extended hand before her eyes returned to lock on his.
"See?" The vampire grinned as he dropped his hands when he saw that she made no move to take his. "I'm not a stranger."
"But you want Nik dead, so that's reason enough for me not to like you," Gwen argued, her eyes zeroed in on Damon's, unwavering. If it were any other circumstance, she wouldn't be looking at a vampire dead in the eyes, but he was someone who wanted Klaus dead, and that didn't sit well with her. If she had an ounce of Klaus' bloodlust, she would kill the vampire in front of her without batting an eye, but she wouldn't. She never had the strength to take someone's life, not even when her life depended on it, which was something she hated about herself.
"Well, I have more than enough reason for that, which can be explained," he told her. "Still, I am most curious about you, shorty. What's your story?"
"Go fish," said Gwen, glaring at Damon. Although she was putting up the best tough front she could muster, she knew that her fast-beating heart gave her away. She especially got even more nervous the closer Damon got to her, and it took everything in her to keep her breathing in check and not let memories of the past overwhelm her.
Damon grinned in amusement, impressed by the girl's attitude. "I like your spunk." He lifted a hand and reached for her neck while taking a step closer to her, but a voice stopped him.
"Then you're gonna love me," Juniper's voice drifted into the room, turning Gwen's and Damon's gazes to the entryway, where the witch was watching the scene before her with narrowed eyes. "I've got plenty spunk." She stepped inside the room and approached Damon. "It's what helps me turn vampires into ash in a matter of seconds." Her impassive eyes settled on Damon's. "I don't recall ordering room service."
Damon watched as Juniper's blue eyes flashed a milky white, but it was the air she carried herself with that had him backing out of the room, telling him that she wasn't someone he should be picking a fight with at the moment. "My apologies for interrupting your morning routine, ladies," he told them with his hands raised in surrender before he clasped them together in front of him as a bright smile grew on his lips. "If there is anything that I help you with, don't hesitate to call. Here at the Salvatore Brothers' bed and breakfast, we aspire to provide the best comfort for our guests." He then walked out of the room.
"Stay away from that one," Juniper told Gwen, who nodded. "He's weird."
As Damon walked down the hallway, he couldn't help but frown as he glanced back at the room he just left. When he had gotten closer to Gwen, he picked up on a peculiar scent. To him, it was a kind of sweet but spicy scent, which was appealing to him. It made him wonder what her blood would taste like, and he had been dangerously close to losing control when he had reached to touch the girl's neck. He knew that if he had touched her skin, he would have felt something, and he knew exactly what that feeling was. He hadn't encountered it for quite a long time, and he was in Mystic Falls when he last did, which left him wondering how Klaus got someone like Gwen on his side.
.
Crowds of students and people invited to the bonfire that had been planned for the first night of the school year covered the parking lot of Mystic Falls High School, but they all slowly moved to a forested area near the building where the party was being held with torches and bonfires providing warm light. Music was blaring and drinks were being passed around with kegs scattered around the forest floor. And while everyone was having a good time as they all got better acquainted and caught up, a group of people took the time to gather inside the classroom of the history teacher due to the school being empty of any eavesdroppers.
"I'll lure Stefan away from the bonfire," Elena began to discuss the plan with her friends and guardian as she stood to the desk's side. "Then when he's distracted…" she trailed off as she glanced at Alaric from where he stood behind his desk where some of his weapons against the supernatural were on display.
"I'll shoot him," Alaric finished for Elena.
Damon hummed from where he sat on top of furniture that stored and displayed books. "Can't Bonnie just ju-ju him or something?" he asked as he swung a leg back and forth.
"I'm trying to keep Bonnie out of this," Elena said, sighing. "I don't trust that Stefan won't hurt her." She looked up at Caroline, who stood in front of the desk. "Caroline, are you covered?"
"Yes!" The blonde vampire nodded. "I will make sure that the old Forbes jail cell is prepped and ready."
"We're forgetting key players here," Damon reminded the group, gaining their attention. "There's Juniper, the Wicked Witch of the East. I don't think she's someone who boasts about being strong and has nothing to show for it." This was something he took notice of when he met Juniper earlier in the day, recognizing that she was someone with power. "And she's already threatened me, but she did say that she wouldn't do anything so long as I stay out of her way."
Elena nodded at this. "Then we stay out of her way. There's no reason for us to engage her, so we steer clear of her."
"Okay." Damon nodded, finding it to be too simple but opting not to say anything. "What about Gwen, the magical faerie?"
Alaric frowned. "Faerie?"
"Yup, she's a faerie," said Damon, leaning back against the wall.
"Wait, like Tinkerbell?" asked Caroline, having never thought that she would hear anything about faeries.
"No, Cinderella." Damon rolled his eyes. "I'm talking about the real thing. Real faeries are quite a mystery, but a delicious delicacy. Their magic can trump a witch's."
"So, she's strong?" asked Elena.
Damon squinted his eyes and pursed his lips. "I don't think so. Her scent isn't that strong, which would make her a half-breed."
"How do you know so much?" asked Caroline, intrigued.
"Look, you haven't been around as long as I have, but faeries were still extremely popular a few years back before they went extinct. There was one right here in Mystic Falls in 1912," he began to explain as he recalled that time. He could still remember how the warm liquid of the faerie he drank from poured down his throat, how it made him feel more alive than when he was human. "A pure faerie has a more intoxicating scent. A vampire can't ignore it, not until we get a taste. And when a vampire gets a taste of faerie blood, it's a miracle if they stop." He could feel his mouth begin to water at the memory. "I can't even describe…the feeling of pure ecstasy." There was silence in the room, and everyone knew that he had killed the faerie.
"What was a faerie doing here in Mystic Falls in 1912?" Elena asked Damon.
"What any faerie does," said Damon, shrugging. "Hiding."
"From whom?" asked Caroline.
Damon stood up. "Everyone." His answer had everyone staring at him with confusion, so he elaborated. "Faeries have been hunted down by just about everyone for their mystical power or something, mostly by vampires and witches." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Vampires became so addicted to them that they either killed them from the first feeding or enslaved them to have them last longer."
"That's horrible," Elena said as her face frowned in disgust, much like Caroline's and Alaric's.
"Yeah, but witches were crueler," Damon said as he took a deep breath. "From what I heard…witches killed them to eat their hearts and acquire power." This only caused his companions to groan, horrified by what he was saying. "They also used them for rituals, which always ended up being fatal for the faerie." He debated on whether he should say the other thing he had heard about faeries, but he decided to do so. "Covens of witches also tried to make their lineage more powerful by," he cleared his throat as he made an odd gesture with his hand, "getting a faerie to make a baby with one of their own."
"Oh, that's just messed up!" Caroline almost yelled.
"It's why they're extinct," said Damon.
"Didn't they have magic?" Elena asked, still processing how someone could live their lives in constant fear, and with good reason.
"They did, but faeries have weaknesses like everyone else," Damon told her. "Iron is one of them, and very deadly."
Alaric asked Damon without looking at him, "Are they immortal?"
Damon hummed. "A pureblood is, but they're not indestructible. A half-breed has the lifespan of a human."
Caroline frowned when she realized something. "And you met the faerie that was here back in 1912?"
"Well, before I made her my dinner, we spent some time together and got to talking," Damon told her, preferring not to go back to what he saw as the turning point of his immortal life.
"Wait, you killed her?" Caroline asked with a frown directed at Damon.
"Like I said," Damon began with a huff. "A vampire can't stop themselves from drinking their blood and you can't stop once you start, no matter how much control you think you have," he said, a bit annoyed at how he was being stared at by Caroline and Alaric.
Elena cleared her throat to stop the tensions from rising. "Let's just focus on the here and now." She glanced at Damon. "So, do we have to worry about this faerie? Any abilities?"
Damon hummed with his lips pursed in thoughts. "Their powers are tied to the elements and such, which might be a problem." He didn't like not being sure of what they were going up against, but there wasn't much of a choice if he wanted to help his brother. "This one is only half a faerie, so she might not be as strong, but we shouldn't test the waters."
"Okay, so we steer clear of her," said Elena.
"I think that's best," said Damon, nodding. "Now, what about Rebekah? She's the real problem."
"Which is why it's your job to keep her away," Elena told Damon.
"How?!" Damon raised an eyebrow. "She's an Original and worse than the other two. And last time I checked, we're out of daggers."
Elena shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, not thinking about her next words. "So then occupy her with your charm."
Alaric snorted. "Might have better luck finding the dagger."
Damon tilted his head as he gave his former friend an unimpressed look. "Are you ever not going to be mad at me, Ric?"
"Doubtful," was Alaric's reply, causing Caroline to chuckle.
Just then, Tyler entered the classroom, catching everyone's attention. "Sorry I'm late," he said to his friends. "What's going on?"
"We need you to raid your mom's vervain supply," Elena told Tyler. "Enough to keep Stefan down for a while."
Tyler frowned, his body becoming alarmed at what was being asked of him. "You can't do that to Stefan."
Caroline stepped closer to her boyfriend, returning his frown. "Why not?"
"Trust me, Tyler," Elena began, "it's in his best interest."
"Yeah," Caroline agreed.
"It's not in Klaus'," Tyler said, believing that he shouldn't let anything interfere with his sire's plans.
"But Klaus is the bad guy, Tyler," Caroline scoffed, not noticing how Damon perked up. "You know, why are you acting like some freaky, hybrid, slave minion."
"Uh-oh," Damon spoke up as he slowly made his way toward Tyler, his eyes watching the hybrid's body language.
Alaric glanced at Damon with a bit of annoyance. "What?"
"Klaus made me who I am, Caroline," Tyler argued with his girlfriend. "I owe him everything."
"Oh, boy," Damon sighed, now realizing what was wrong with Tyler.
Caroline threw Damon a glare over her shoulder. "Okay, can we cool it on the commentary, please?"
Elena looked at Damon, her eyes narrowing when they saw Damon take a vervain dart off Alaric's desk. "What is going on?" she asked the older Salvatore.
"I'm just going to go," Tyler said before turning on his heel to leave the room, but he didn't get to take a single step forward due to Damon appearing behind his back and injecting vervain into his system, causing the hybrid to collapse on the floor unconscious and everyone to gasp in shock.
"What are you doing?!" Caroline shrieked at Damon as she went to kneel beside Tyler's prone form, checking if he was all right.
"He's been sired," Damon answered as he threw the dart on the desk.
"What?" asked Alaric.
"Sired," Damon repeated as he looked down at Tyler. "He feels loyal to Klaus because Klaus' blood created him."
"Loyal how?" asked Elena, worried for her friend.
"He'll seek acceptance from his master," Damon explained before he frowned. "It's really rare among vampires. It rarely happens." He hummed as he shrugged. "But maybe not so much in hybrids."
"So how do I fix him?" Caroline asked the older vampire as she looked up at him.
Damon gave Caroline a fake smile. "Get a new boyfriend."
Caroline sighed as her shoulders slumped in defeat, having hoped that she could have enjoyed a good bonfire party with her friends without the supernatural drama that always seems to follow in their wake.
.
"Honestly, it's the first day of school," Juniper huffed as she looked at herself in the vanity mirror of the room she was occupying with Gwen. While she applied a bit of makeup, she also looked at Rebekah's reflection as the Original sat on the edge of the bed as she checked for any imperfections through her powder's mirror. "There's school tomorrow." The witch pursed her red lips. "Although, I guess that it's okay to go out drinking on a school night nowadays."
Rebekah closed her powder and looked up at Juniper. "Why must you be such a downer? Didn't you go out to parties when you went to school?"
"Yes, but I went to college parties to piss off my foster parents during my rebellious phase," Juniper said as she turned away from the mirror after being satisfied with her work. She had styled her long, brown hair in soft curls that cascaded down her back and was parted in the middle with her long bangs framing her oval-shaped face. "I admit, I was quite a brat and quite a handful, but I always liked a good party."
"I've never gone to school before and anything related to it, so I would very much like to see what all the fuss is about," Rebekah said, remembering how the students were more excited to go to a bonfire party than learn. In the past, people fought for education, but now they fought to leave the school as soon as possible.
"You've never been a teenager is what you mean, which is a blessing in the modern age," Juniper stated as she stared at Rebekah's downcast form. "Tonight, you can expect drunk and stupid kids, but homecoming might be more your speed. There's also the many more dances and stuff they come up with during the school year." She smiled at Rebekah when the vampire looked up at her. "And let's not forget prom, which is the most important event for any high school student."
The blonde vampire smiled as she stood up with her hands on her hips, feeling more upbeat. "Then, I will have to make it a wonderful year for myself."
"You're gonna do more than wonderful," Juniper told the grinning Original before she glanced at the closed bathroom door. "Gwen, are you ready?"
"Almost," was Gwen's muffled reply from within the bathroom.
Juniper went to the bed and sat down to put on a pair of black sneakers that she matched with a black top that had cami straps, lace trim, and a relaxed fit. She decided to wear a pair of distressed denim shorts that had floral lace inserts. She stood and walked over to the closet where she had hung up a few of her clothes, picking out an olive-colored cargo jacket that she put on, rolling up its long sleeves up to her forearms. And she only added a few beaded bracelets as accessories.
Gwen stepped out of the bathroom after finishing applying some light makeup. "I'm done," she announced, having gone with a cropped tee in light peach that had a crew neck with cuffed, short dolman sleeves and displayed a boxy fit. She had paired her top with high-waisted, dark denim skinny jeans and white sneakers. The only accessories she wore were the ones always on her; her rose gold necklace with the pearl hanging from it and her bracelet with the wolf charm on it. "So, we ready to go?" she asked Rebekah with a wide smile.
"Very much," Rebekah said with a bright smile, looking just as excited as Gwen.
"Okay, before we get off track, I want you guys to remember that some people don't like us very much in this town, and most of them happen to go to this school," Juniper began to say to the two girls who were now sitting on the edge of the bed staring up at her. "We should be on alert. Keep our eyes open." She pointed a finger at Gwen. "You are not allowed to drink more than one bottle of anything that has alcohol in it," she said, receiving a mock salute from the young girl. The witch then directed her finger at Rebekah. "You can drink from anyone but try not to leave any dead bodies lying around. It's the 21st century, so murders aren't as easy to cover up." She paused. "Although, this town doesn't seem like it cares about doing a decent investigation, which means someone in an influential position covers it all up."
"Yes, mother," Gwen and Rebekah replied simultaneously before dissolving into giggles.
Juniper rolled her eyes at them as she smiled. "Mother knows best, so mind what I say." She groaned. "I also feel naked without my grimoire."
"We'll be fine, so stop stressing and start relaxing. That's the point of this night," Rebekah said as she stood up to wrap an arm around the witch. "We have you with your smarts and magic. There's me, the Original bombshell no one can hold a candle to." She looked at Gwen. "And we have faerie magic on our side, which is our trump card. Plus, she's cute and you're dazzling."
"What does that last part have to do with anything?" Juniper asked the vampire, her brows furrowed.
"It'll win points among my peers by bringing attractive friends," Rebekah answered. "I don't really get how that works, but some students were talking about it."
"People do that to make themselves look good," Juniper explained to Rebekah.
Rebekah nodded, liking the idea even more. "That's perfect."
The witch cleared her throat. "You're not understanding. This wouldn't work for a person like you."
"Why not?" asked a frowning Rebekah.
"Um," Gwen began. "She means that people who are not considered pretty by the majority do that, but you're already quite beautiful, so you'll just be getting unnecessary extra points."
Rebekah gave Gwen a soft look. "Well, aren't you sweet?" She then shrugged. "Oh, well. We'll just be a group of attractive people making ourselves look even better."
"Still, we need to be careful," Juniper reminded Rebekah as the latter took her arm from around the witch's shoulders. "Remember that there's a group of supernatural individuals who we all messed with on the first day we arrived, so we're probably on a hit list."
"I don't know what their big deal is," Rebekah scoffed, annoyed that they had to be careful of a couple of moody teenagers. "We didn't kill anyone."
"Klaus did indirectly kill two students by compelling Stefan," Juniper recalled.
"He also did kill that Tyler fellow," Gwen added.
"Well, yes, but he did the werewolf a huge favor," countered Rebekah. "Now the little pup will no longer be a slave to his curse and turn into a beast every full moon."
"I am pretty sure they won't see it that way," said Juniper, her hands on her hips. "There's also the fact that they might not like that Klaus will be using that doppelgänger's blood to create his hybrids. I honestly think it would be beneficial for them to just give him some of her blood now and then to get him out of their hair." She sighed, "You know, and avoid the unnecessary drama."
Rebekah snorted. "I doubt they will. Humans tend to retaliate against anything that threatens their lives or reality." Gwen and Juniper looked at the vampire with curious eyes. "What I mean is that they'd rather fight my brother and die than come to a compromise, be it because of pride or some misguided emotion."
"I get that this Elena might be a good friend or girlfriend and has family, but…" Juniper trailed off as she tried to look for the correct words on how to phrase her thoughts. "Why are so many people hellbent on keeping her safe from the tiniest thing?" It wasn't that she disliked the girl since Juniper didn't know her, but she failed to comprehend why she just couldn't make a deal with Klaus.
"That girl is a descendant of a line of women who capture the hearts of men to do their bidding, and it always tends to be brothers," Rebekah said with a scoff. "Everyone ends up groveling at their feet for some reason I fail to understand. It's like she draws others to her side, and people are somehow willing to drop on a sword for them."
Juniper hummed as she nodded. "You don't seem too fond of this girl or her ancestry," she stated what she knew was obvious.
"Nope," said Rebekah. "Her ancestor pitted two of my brothers against each other, and they're the spitting image of one another. The same goes for that Katerina."
Gwen raised her eyebrows. "And do they look exactly alike?"
Rebekah clicked her tongue as she looked up, appearing to be in thought. "Well, yes, but there were very small things that set them apart. They were mostly personal preferences, like how they styled their hair, maybe a beauty mark or something, but I don't remember any distinct difference."
"Whatever," Juniper said, drawing the attention of the other girls. "Let's just forget everything else for tonight and enjoy the bonfire. We have no obligations or responsibilities, so let's go and have a good night."
"Finally." Rebekah grinned at the witch. "Mother hen is finally gone."
"No, she's not," Juniper argued. "I'm just raising morale. I can tell you guys from experience that you go to parties with high spirits." She grinned. "You know, make a good first impression."
"Oh, I can already tell that this is going to be a good night," said Rebekah.
Juniper chuckled nervously. "We have yet to arrive at this party, so let's not jinx it."
"What do we do if someone does something?" Gwen asked as she stood from the bed, grabbing her denim jacket to put her arms through the gray sleeves. She took her hair from beneath the jacket and let the wavy tresses of dark brown hair lightened by blonde highlights flow down her back. She adjusted her bangs that reached her chin away from her eyes, which were slightly parted on the right and swept to the left to frame her heart-shaped face.
Juniper shared a look with Rebekah and shrugged her shoulders before she said, "We kill them."
End of the chapter!
I hope you guys loved or liked or enjoyed the chapter! Now, I am ecstatic with the amount of Faves and Follows, and I also hope you guys leave a review with any and all thoughts you guys may have, so don't hold back!
See you all in the next chapter!