I'm not kidding when I say I'm posting a chapter roughly once a fortnight, I'm trying to even them out and give me time to write, but I'm currently writing chapter 6 and I've edited everything so far and I just ran my eyes over this one again and I'm pretty happy and I figured meh, why not just throw it at you so that I can stop thinking about it aha!
Chapter 2Kaliope watched hubbub of police and paramedics, hiding from view further downstream. They'd already taken the girl away in the ambulance, focussing their efforts on the car they'd managed to reel to shore, along with the two bodies inside. The sheriff looked as though she would cry but kept professional as she dished out orders. The crime scene was investigated briefly but the case was rather cut and dry.
In the time it took to blink, two snow-white legs revealed themselves, her nails – both finger and toe – replicating the same glossy black of her tail. Pursing her lips in thought, she grabbed a handful of sticks and leaves and scrubbed them roughly in her hair, grabbing some mud and swiping her face, arms, stomach and all around her feet. She rolled a bit before using her nails to cut her skin, consciously stopping her healing ability as only a divine being can. Opening her mouth, she measured roughly where her incisors sat, before willing her black nails into points and stabbing deep into the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Her appearance would give off an awful assumption and she almost felt guilty but she didn't have many options, especially since she couldn't just magic up some clothes; she wasn't all-powerful. She knew it would lead to the least number of questions, would get her to the hospital, and would clear her of suspicion as soon as they touched her with vervain. Throwing a made-up vampire under the bus also had the added benefit of being her reason for not knowing where she is, where she's from, what she was doing or where her things are.
Vampires were going to be very handy.
With that done, she stumbled to her feet, pouting at how short she was. In the water, she was easily over 7 feet long, her tail a magnificent thing to behold and the envy of many others of her race. On land she didn't even reach 5 and a half feet. Pushing her self-pity away, she hunched her shoulders, willed water to trickle down her face like tears, and took her first step.
Promptly stumbling into the closest tree.
Kaliope's lack of balance helped sell her story as she crashed through the brush, clutching her 'bite mark' while covering her breasts with her other arm, panting loudly while aiming for the female sheriff who was heading to her squad car.
"Please! I-I don't," Kaliope wailed, sucking in a large breath before coughing as she choked on her tears. "I need help, but I don't – where am I?" she sobbed, trying to convey desperation with her eyes that always seemed to put mortals on edge. She reached out with her bloody hand, unveiling the two punctures to the blonde's knowing gaze if the widening of her eyes and the stiffening of her spine was any indication. She quickly reached into her belt, pulling what looked like a dart with a translucent, almost-yellow tinged liquid.
"Ma'am, I'm going to need you to stay still, please," the woman spoke with a deep voice, one hand cracking open the dart and the other holding her gun, though it was not pointed at Kaliope yet. Shrugging internally, Kaliope came to a stumbling stop, letting her eyes droop to add to the illusion of exhaustion and blood loss. It was as her eyes closed that she felt the vervain touch her. She heard the woman curse before she was calling an ambulance on her radio, reporting the situation. Kaliope took this as a good sign and also the best time for a 'nap.' She'd wake up and throw them some non-answers before leaving to go find the last thing she remembered…
Or something.
Decision made with an internal shrug, Kaliope cracked open her eyes, swaying once more as she dramatically whispered, "what happened to me?" before collapsing on the ground.
Aaaaand cut!
*TVDM*
Liz cursed again as she ran to the girl. Unfortunately, she didn't make it in time to catch her, watching the small form crumple to the earth. Liz stripped off her jacket to give the woman a small amount of cover and checked her breathing. The wound in her neck had stopped bleeding, a bite mark, and her heart beat was steady. She'd have to wait for the stranger to wake before getting any answers.
With the ambulance only a few minutes away, Liz first took the opportunity to scour the area, listening and watching for any movement, her hands firmly holding her gun that carried wooden bullets. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she turned to study the girl once more.
Thick black hair, extremely fair skin that was near pearlescent, rather average height, if not on the small side, standing at maybe 5'4", black nails, sooty lashes, wide hips and a generous chest, muscular thighs, apparently from the UK judging by her accent; polished with a slight Scottish curl. She looked like she was the origin behind Snow White. It was no wonder a vampire had wanted her. Liz grimaced at the thought, berating herself for the callous thought before her head snapped up at the flashing lights bouncing off the trees.
Liz told the paramedic everything that she could before standing back and letting them do their jobs, the weight of the night finally closing in on her. She'd lost dear friends, she'd discovered a victim of a vampire attack and now she had to inform Jenna Sommers that her sister and brother-in-law had passed. She shut her eyes tightly as she leaned heavily on her car. She just wanted to rewind time and make it all go away.
Loosing a heavy breath, she shook off her personal feelings, putting the metaphorical sheriff cap back on as she abruptly turned and opened the car, climbing in and driving toward the hospital to check on Elena.
She should call her daughter.
*TVDM*
It was all quite boring, really.
Lia was poked, prodded, tested and happily informed that she was not sexually assaulted, she was rather healthy and they told her that, unfortunately, her memories would probably never come back because of a 'concussion' and no doubt how 'traumatic' the 'animal attack' had been had affected her psyche so that she may never want to remember.
Riiiight.
The police were as frustrated as she appeared to be, though not as devastated that 'she'd never be able to point out the monster that hurt her. What if he hurt others?' She truly played up the 'justice will never be served and it's all my fault' angle, overplayed it, maybe. They all felt so bad they didn't ask many invasive questions. She couldn't tell them anything about her family, friends or home. Just that she remembered a man's voice telling her she was his now, and that she would soon have his last name so she didn't need hers. She did tell them that her name was Kaliope and that she remembers her mother was fond of Greek mythology and that her father led a choir (it was true, after all) and also what she remembered they looked like. She also slipped in that she had an older brother; Loren, she'd called him, much to his displeasure. She had now been in the hospital for 6 days and they had no leads on who she was. They believed that, because there was no report of her missing, that the vampire had killed her family, possibly closest friends too. She was too young to be in college, they said, and they couldn't find any trace of her in the school systems. They blamed the vampire and his compulsion, believing he was truly getting ready to turn her to keep her forever by erasing all evidence of her existence. She smirked secretly to herself as she listened in to their conversations. Of course, to her face they simply said they'd had no luck, that she was healing remarkably well and that she was a courageous survivor that should be proud she had faced and was still facing such a scary situation with her head held high. She showed them a brave, watery smile and they melted.
Humans were adorable.
A knock brought her out of her thoughts. She looked over to see Sheriff Forbes step through the now-open door. She offered a smile to the woman in uniform as she came closer.
"Sheriff Forbes, a pleasure to see you again."
"Good morning, Kaliope, I'm relieved to see you looking better."
A lie. The woman wasn't relieved to see Kaliope at all. As always, mortals were unsettled by Kaliope's appearance but the beauty of mortals was that they didn't understand the all-important why. Their survival instincts were trying to tell them that the being in front of them was a potential danger, was too perfect, too deadly to take lightly, but centuries of being at the top of the food chain had bred the ability to ignore the little voice in their head. It's probably why vampires had such an easy time getting close without having been outed globally. Humanity just didn't want to believe they weren't at the top.
"That's very kind of you to say. What can I do for you today?" Kaliope asked, folding her hands perfectly on her lap, the picture of femininity of old. She clicked her tongue silently, gracefully removing her hands from her lap and slouching back against the pillows. She'd have to remind herself that she was not the daughter of the choir's Conductor here, that there was need for outdated formalities constantly. Ugh.
"It's more what I can do for you. I'm sorry to say, we've been unable to find anything on record regarding you, your birth place, your parents, anything. We believe whoever took you was a proficient hacker and we've had to get a tech team involved. Due to the unusual circumstance, we've had to take some unusual measures. While we look for you, we're going to provide you with temporary identification. It will last for a year and allow you to attend school and even get a job. If you get in trouble with the authorities, it will lead them back to my department. I've spoken to Zach Salvatore and he's agreed to house you at the boarding house and has kindly offered to cover your food and living expenses until you get back on your feet. The police station will be covering the expenses for necessities as well as schooling. There's barely a week left of the term before summer break. During the holiday the school will organise a placement test so you can start your education come the new school year. I've spoken to my daughter and she's agreed to take you to get clothes and toiletries today, as long as you both return before nightfall."
Kaliope blinked. This plan… had gone better than she had ever hoped for. She now had shelter without the concern of money thanks to the neighbourhood loner who only attended super-secret council meetings from what she'd heard, and a mode of transport that doubled as an encyclopedia of the world today in the form of a teenage girl; the Sheriff's daughter. It was a satisfying feeling, knowing that things had fallen into place so easily. She hadn't even met one yet and already vampires were the best thing that had ever happened to her.
"That is more than I had ever hoped for, Sheriff Forbes. I cannot thank you or Mr. Salvatore enough for your generosity." Kaliope blinked a few times, her eyes nice and glassy as she gave a large, genuine smile that blinded Liz in its beauty.
"You're most welcome. I promise, your case has not been dropped. We just needed to come up with a solution to your situation for the now. We can't really keep you in the hospital, fitted in one of their gowns for however long this takes, can we?" Liz smiled, letting the warmth of Kaliope's appreciation settle in her chest. She placed the bag she'd been carrying on the bed before walking toward the door. "You're being released as we speak. I'll leave you to get changed. I hope the clothes fit. You're close to my daughter's size, but she's a bit taller. Caroline is here in the hall. If you're up for it, she figured you might want to get your own clothes as soon as possible. Come out when you're done and I'll introduce you." With that, the Sheriff turned and left Kaliope with a bag of clothes and a barely contained smirk.
Humans truly were adorable.
*TVDM*
Caroline would be the first to admit she had an ulterior motive to saying yes to her mother's request to take the unknown girl shopping. Kaliope; weird name, but she supposed the poor girl couldn't help that, though, if it were Caroline that had stumbled into a new town with a name like that and barely a memory to her name, she'd probably change her name...
No, the reason Caroline decided to help the girl was because her mum had said that Kaliope would be the new girl come the new year and looked to be her age. A new girl in her grade? Of course, she had to say yes. She would be in the know, check this girl out, see what her threat levels were. Of course, there was no way she would be able to compete for Miss Mystic Falls with absolutely no community contributions to her name.
Probably.
What if she hopped right into the thick of it and helped out around the town in gratitude for what they'd done and were doing for her? What if she looked the part and stole the sympathy vote from Elena…?
No, definitely better to check out the competition, even if it was just to see who was prettier.
The door opened and any kind of greeting Caroline had on the tip of her tongue died, shrivelled up and turned to dust along with the rest of the self esteem she had salvaged after watching Elena Gilbert complete puberty.
The girl in front of her was a forest fairy that didn't belong in a hospital let alone amongst the human race. Even the old clothes she'd given her to borrow – a dark blue strapless casual midi dress with a ruffled top to hide the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra that Caroline had owned since she was 14 – looked like it was tailored exclusively for her. Her silhouette was caressed by the fabric, her boobs just shy of being too big for it. It seemed lucky that she'd had a pair of Bonnie's black flats at home as well, for her feet were too small for the pair she'd packed. She looked fantastic and Caroline immediately had her hackles raised.
"Hi, you must be the girl that fell out of the forest. I'm Caroline Forbes," she flipped her gold curls over her shoulder, not that they were long enough to stay there, and held out a hand to the shorter maiden. She immediately felt like the scum of the earth and it had nothing to do with her mother's glare. Caroline was gifted with the gentlest, sweetest, prettiest smile she had ever received in her life. Her had was grabbed gently between two pillows of silk as Kaliope gratefully shook her hand, looking at Caroline as if she was some kind of saviour. This girl would need all the protection Caroline could offer come the start of term.
"It is more than wonderful to meet you, Caroline. Thank you so much for all you're doing for me. I hope one day I'll be able to repay not only your family, but also Mr. Salvatore. Even in such a terrible situation, to find such kindness in a small town that I fell into," Kaliope let loose a gentle tinkling of laughter that Caroline immediately wanted to record after she shook off the guilt that slapped her at those two words. "It's truly more than I could ask for. My name is Kaliope, though I'm sure you already knew that. Please, feel free to call me Lia."
"Call me Care. Everyone does. So, shopping, I'm good at shopping,"Caroline turned to her mum, her newfound friendliness dimming slightly in the face of her mother. "Any rules or limits I need to know?"
"Just what she needs plus a few extras. We don't know how long she will be here, so make sure there's something for every season, a phone wouldn't go astray, though, please, not the top of the line. School things and toiletries. I'm not putting a limit on it, I'm trusting you, Caroline. Just remember to get the receipts and please, be back before the sun goes down."
Mother and daughter shared a moment, the weight of that particular responsibility straightening Caroline's back slightly as she nodded, turning toward the girl who would be her friend whether she liked it or not and smiled, calculating the chances of her being flexible enough to be her new cheerleader.
"We're going to the mall over in Richmond because variety is everything when it comes to a whole new wardrobe and Mystic Falls is lacking when it comes to options." Caroline flipped her hair over her shoulder as she pivoted and started for the exit, the green-eyed nymph waving and smiling widely at her mum before following her lead. "We'll stop in at The Grill first; it's the only place to eat in town and the most popular hang out spot, when no one's organising parties at the falls, of course. I'll introduce you to anyone we run into, though my friend Elena won't be there, her parents died the same night you were found, and Bonnie will probably be with her." The pair of them were always closer than they were with Caroline. They were her friends, truly, but even she knew she was a control freak when it came to everything. They saw her as a friend, but they could only take her in doses, deeming her superficial, too shallow for the emotional stuff. She understood; she'd been this way for too long to do anything but grudgingly accept that this was her fate, but it didn't mean that the brush offs didn't hurt any less. Who was she supposed to turn to when her dad left her mum for another man? Who was she supposed to turn to when her mum was never home? It's like they sometimes forgot that she wasn't robo-barbie; that she had thoughts and feelings, too. She knew she'd become a little too good at plastering on a smile and moving on. She had to be in order to push through the loneliness that came with an absent, gay father and a workaholic mother.
A gasp startled Caroline out of her spiral. Curls bounced as she focused her attention on the new girl who was looking at her with wide viridian eyes, illuminated further by the glassiness that had Caroline panicking.
"You shouldn't have to look after me when your friend needs you! Oh, Caroline, I'm so sorry!"
"What? Oh! No! Totally OK, promise. Elena doesn't want me there. Bonnie is the emotional support in our circle, trust me. I just make things worse," Caroline forced a laugh that didn't quite hide the self-depreciation.
Caroline watched the raven-haired teen frown up at her before determination crossed her features. Lia nodded and linked her arm with Caroline's, smiling as they walked across the carpark. "In that case, I'm selfishly grateful to Bonnie for being there for Elena, because that means I get you all to myself."
Caroline melted, a whisper of weight sliding from her shoulders as a genuine laugh spilled from her lips. She felt warm as she led the way to her car, not noticing the humming or the glow that came from the hand that curled around her arm.
*TVDM*
Reclining in the passenger's seat while sipping on the thick shake – delicious vanilla with chocolate flakes, like what is this magic? – while assessing the lists Caroline had compiled of what she thought Kaliope would need to buy between now and the start of school, as well as a schedule on when to go shopping between the community service and cheerleading things that she apparently participated in and/or ran, Kaliope couldn't help but be struck at how brilliant Caroline Forbes actually was. Superficial she may appear, but the brain was there, no doubt one of the top scorers in her year, ambition, not to mention talent, to be a journalist was there, and she didn't just do things around the community because she wanted to wear a crown. She genuinely cared and, in Lia's knowledgeable opinion, would make one hell of a leader one day. Journalism was too low a goal for one such as Miss Forbes. Her thirst for gossip was on par with Lia's own.
Caroline was definitely destined for more.
They'd had such a pleasant day that Lia was almost pouting at the fact that she was currently being driven to the Salvatore Boarding House. After humming a little tune to wash away the self-pity, however temporarily, the blonde had absolutely shined. Speaking with the slightly neurotic blonde was a pleasure that she hadn't been expecting, not with a mother like Elizabeth Forbes.
Not to mention the 2700-year age gap.
She'd been introduced to a few humans when they'd stopped at the Grill for lunch. Matthew Donovan was a heart-broken teen that wanted nothing more than to return to Elena Gilbert's side but seemed nice enough. Victoria Donovan was indifferent at first, but turned downright hostile once the werewolf-to-be was introduced. Tyler Lockwood's outrageous flirting had bent Vicki in all kinds of directions and none of them good. Hopefully her explosive reaction wouldn't lead her to be on the receiving end of the not-werewolf's temper.
While there were a lot of people at the bar & grill, the mood was relatively solemn in the wake of the Gilbert's deaths. Apparently, they were one of the founding families and everyone knew them. They would be missed, especially by the town's supernatural council, according to the conversation she had overheard between Richard and Carol Lockwood, both of whom she had of course now met, courtesy of Care. Lia, of course, had to repress her smirk when her vampiric status was once again questioned because of her appearance, though not quite in those terms as it earned Mayor Lockwood a heel to the foot by his loving wife.
Shopping had, of course, gone as expected. Caroline worked wonders in the face of a new challenge and a doll to decorate. Not that Lia minded, of course. She was a siren; she adored being fawned over. She also had the time of her life doing a little soul-sipping at every store, spending most of the day humming to the little immortal balls of light nestled in their mortal vessels. Of course, it was nothing as flashy as it was with Grayson. A trick of the light or dust floating in the air, mortals explained away if they happened to catch sight of the specks of different coloured lights drifting in the air while Lia became very fond of sunglasses, the tinted lenses doing wonders while her eyes tried to out her and her supernatural activities. She'd learned quite a lot about fashion, the modern teenager, the wonder that is the internet and television and fictional novels. Of course, she left all the lilac soul stains alone; she wasn't monstrous enough to steal the soul memory of loved ones!
Well, at least, not today.
What also amused and endeared Caroline to Lia further was her protective streak. Any men that approached got a face full of fierce blonde bombshell that had Lia humming simply to share her fondness with the world. There were some very happy shoppers roaming Richmond that day.
The fond smile was still on her face as the car slowed to a stop in front of the boarding house. Climbing out of the car, Lia immediately went for the boot, only to receive a roll of eyes from Caroline as the blonde grabbed her shoulders and directed her to the front door.
"Honestly, you really want to lug all those bags in before you even know where your room is? Plus, Zach should totally help with the heavy lifting." With that, Caroline took the lead and knocked on the large door, averting her gaze from Lia's smile that only grew fonder as she looked at the blonde.
"I'm so very glad I met you, Caroline," Lia turned to politely greet the man who had just opened the door as the blushing, blue-eyed teen spluttered. "Good afternoon. You must be Mr. Salvatore. My name is Kaliope. Pleased to meet you," Kaliope held out her hand, wondering how the seemingly paranoid man would react to having to touch someone he was still suspicious of.
"Nice to meet you," he hesitated, eyes flicking to Caroline before reaching to grasp her hand, startling at the cool silken feel. Quickly stepping back into the house and to the side, he opened the door wider. "I'll show you where you'll be staying."
No verbal invite. With a grin she's sure didn't do much to hide her amusement, Kaliope thanked the man while she easily stepped over the threshold, pretending not to notice the way Zach's shoulders slumped in relief.
"This is a beautiful establishment. Do you have any other guests staying at this time?" Kaliope questioned as she followed the man through the halls, catching glimpses of parlours and a dining room and what seemed to lead to the kitchen, heading for the stairs.
"No, we-uh, don't normally receive guests, but my, uh, nephew is in town. I don't know how long he's planning on staying and I'm sure he's not going to be here every night, but he may stop by from time to time. His name is Stefan."
Kaliope hummed her acknowledgement before inhaling deeply. Books, wood, dust, blood magic, vervain and many other scents ranging from the food in the kitchen to Caroline's perfume filled her nose. A slight smile decorated her face before polite interest painted it once more, understanding more why Zach Salvatore was as paranoid as he was. He was related to a vampire; perhaps even the one she sent fleeing. She truly wasn't worried. It had nothing to do with arrogance and everything to do with her species. A vessel that can go from the pressure of the seafloor to dry land is made of sturdy stuff, regardless of her strength and speed.
"Well, this is it," Zach stated as he pushed open a door at the end of the hall. Her breath caught as she looked around. The colour palette of the room consisted of creams and autumn colours, the bed a queen made of dark red wood with a cream and gold quilt and cream pillows. A walk-in robe sat next to the bathroom which held a separate bath and shower, the colour scheme grey and white with silver accents. All perfect.
Lia turned with her gratefulness in full bloom, smiling at the man while clasping her hands under her chin.
"This is more than I could have imagined, Mr. Salvatore," Kaliope's voice wabbled as she blinked away the glassiness. "I can't thank you enough for your hospitality."
She wondered if she'd overdone it when he simply stared at her. She quickly cleared her throat and turned to Caroline, receiving a nod at the unspoken request before the two girls left the room to grab her belongings.
Just as they hit the bottom step, Zach came running after them, face flushed in embarrassment.
"I'll, uh, help bring your things in," he mumbled before overtaking the alleged teens. Caroline smirked and flipped her hair while Kaliope kept her polite smile in place, her thoughts already having moved on. She couldn't wait to collect Lorenzo St. John. She just hoped he'd want to stick around. She'd already mentioned him in passing to the Sheriff, though obviously not enough to implicate him of anything if he decided to disappear. She wanted to add him to her to-be-created family tree.
After moving her belongings to her new room, Caroline left her after reassuring the blonde she would make sure her new phone stayed charged and would contact her if anything changed between now and their next scheduled shopping trip. She smiled as she waved her friend away, closing the door behind her.
"If you don't mind, Mr. Salvatore, could I possibly get a tour of the place tomorrow? I'm quite ready for bed, I think."
Leaving the nodding man to his own devices, Lia quickly unpacked her new clothes and toiletries, placing them in drawers, closets and cabinets while running herself a bath. Grabbing her new PJs, Lia turned off the tap and sunk into the warm water, sighing in relief as she willed her legs away. The huge fin sent water flying, too long for the bath but not uncomfortable. With a flick of her hand, the water that had decorated the bathroom floor flew into the air, drifting like bubbles in the sky. Slowly she closed her eyes, the water settling back into the tub as she relaxed further into the water. Sighing, she reached for the human grooming solutions, starting with the shampoo.