The place where they were meeting Miranda's grandmother was located at the back of a small bookstore. The front of the store was a typical book shop, but once you went into the back room, it was something else. Old worn leather books lined the shelves, small tables with all sorts of witches' ingredients for spells. Herbs hung from the ceiling, jars filled with all kinds of things. Bonnie looked like a kid in a candy shop, and Caroline had to pull her friend away, stating, "If you ask nicely, maybe you can play with the big kid toys." she teased her friend, which earned her a sharp look for Bonnie. Her mother, on the other hand, had her sheriff's face on.

Something was off. And her mother knew it.

They were shown another room with two pale green couches that had seen better days and an old dark brown coffee table between the furniture, with off-white walls that had never been cleaned. It all gave Caroline the creeps.

"Please have some tea, won't you?" Miranda said while pouring three cups.

"Thank you." The tea had an earthy, sweet smell. And had a taste of honey and a hint of something else Caroline couldn't tell. Looking at both Bonnie and Liz, they didn't seem to have an issue with the tea. 'Must be your enhanced senses.' she thought.

There was something off about the whole thing. Caroline tried to use her advanced hearing but couldn't hear anything from the room. But before she could even voice her thoughts, the door opened.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting." came a heavily accented voice, "I am matron Doroteya, and my granddaughter Miranda has told me some of your stories." Doroteya looked to be in her mid 60's but witches, and they could use some magic to extend their life a little longer. She had long grey hair pulled into a low braid and dark grey eyes that held strength and wisdom. This Doroteya was a powerful witch and not one to be messed with.

Bonnie spoke first, "Yes, I'm Bonnie Bennett, and this is Caroline Forbes and her mother Liz; it's a pleasure to meet you, and thank you for meeting us so soon." Bonnie usually started the introductions; it was more comfortable that way.

"Ah, a Bennett witch. We have heard much of your line in the states." Doroteya seemed to be studying them for a long time before she spoke again. "Before we start, I'll need to see proof of this Hybrid. If you will, child." She motioned for one of the witches to come forth with a small bundle. Setting them both on the table, Caroline knew what they were. She was made aware of Wolfsbane and Vervain thanks to her mother and Shela. She knew the drill; most of the covens they saw had her test touching both and showing her monstrous side before even talking with them. And even then, some would refuse.

Liz held her hand and squeezed her tight, reassuring her that it would be okay. Slowly Caroline picked up each plant in one hand, making a hissing noise of pain. Caroline tried to ignore the burning pain for a few moments before dropping both, showing the witch her red, bloody burnt palms and proof. Caroline knew that her hybrid features were showing. The dark black veins under her golden-black eyes bared two sets of fangs. Doroteyas looked at her palms and face, not speaking until they had healed completely. It took a few calming breaths before Caroline's features returned to normal. Before anyone could say a word, the old witch grabbed Caroline's hands tightly.

With as much force as she held her hands, Caroline would have thought she was a vampire. Soon Doroteya began speaking in Russian; none of it Caroline could understand. Her words became louder, and soon the other witches started to chant. 'This is bad,' Caroline thought. The sound of a cup breaking drew Caroline's attention; looking over, she saw Bonnie slumped against the couch, and the teacup lay broken on the floor. 'The tea, they drugged it.' Turning to find her mother had tried to stand but fell to the ground. Trying to pull her hands out of the old witches was impossible. "What have you done to them?" She shouted but got no response. Soon a searing pain shot through her head. She knew what this was; a witch's spell to burst the brain cells. She screamed for them to stop, but they ignored her words. Caroline thought she would pass out from the pain but felt strong hands on either side of her head, and the quick snap and darkness consumed her.

—

Slowly coming to, Caroline felt nothing but pain in her neck. 'What is it with people snapping my neck?' she thought. Letting out a groan, she tried to move her head. A movement to her right made her fall still.

"Caroline?" It was Bonnie. Thank goodness she's alright.

"Oh, sweety, thank goodness your awake." Her mother's voice was full of worry.

"Mom? Bonnie? Are you alright? What happened?" she asked. Slowly opening her eyes, Caroline found them leaning over her with a worried expressions on their faces.

"A little foggy, but otherwise, we are alright. They drugged the tea. What happened to you after that?" Her mother said. Moving, Bonnie helped her into a sitting position. She could finally see the room, dark mahogany walls, a large marble fireplace, and plush antic furniture.

"We've been out for hours; they took our phones and bags," Liz stated. "Just what we needed was to be kidnapped with no backup."

"They have also spelled the door shut; I've tried to open it but haven't had any luck," Bonnie replied.

"Wonderful." she groaned. She would never get used to the feeling of her neck getting snapped. After a few moments of stretching, she turned to look over Bonnie, who had concern in her eyes.

"What?" she asked

"I think I know why they took us." looking at Bonnie, she pointed to a painting over the fireplace. "Or better yet, why they took you." Looking where she pointed, sitting on the wall hung an old picture of a family of five: a father and his children, three girls and a boy.

"Bonnie, I don't understand why this would." Bonnie cut her off.

"Look at the girls' Caroline." Once again, turning towards the painting, she took a closer look. All the girls had blonde hair and seemed to be of similar age, but one stood out. She was perhaps looking a little older version of herself, but it was still her. It couldn't be. She had dreamt of this family since she was little. She made up a fairy tale family when her parents started fighting so she could escape all the drama with a father who was a prince and where she and her sisters were princesses. Looking at each person in the painting, she could recall the names she had made up for them. She remembered every detail of each one of them. But how could this be? How could a family she made up when she was a little girl be real? Caroline was confused and didn't know what to think.

Sighing heavily, Caroline turned to look at Bonnie, who was still sitting on the couch. Her mother was pacing around the room. "How can it be?"

"I have no idea, but Caroline, there are other paintings, and your look-a-like is in them." She points around the room. This time Caroline took the time to look around the room properly. It was a small sitting room with a few bookshelves near the fireplace. A total of five paintings hung around the room. One of the whole family above the fire, to the right, was just the girls, and next to that was one of the boy. On the other side were the father and little boy, and next to that were him and the girls. Each painting seemed to be done around the same time. Caroline wasn't sure how she knew that. But each one was beautifully done.

"I wonder if reincarnation is a thing?" Bonnie spoke. Her mother then sat down on her left.

"Whatever it is, we will get through it." Hugging Caroline, "Us Forbes girls are tough."

It was hard to wrap her mind around. 'Reincarnation?' wasn't it enough that she was also a hybrid; you have to add on more supernatural drama?' Her thoughts were all over the place with this little piece of information. Even though she was turned a few months back, Caroline had expected it, and she was excelling at it. Her hunger was doubled that of an average vampire. Being a baby vampire didn't help, but she had control over her hunger. An impressive amount of control. After she had turned, she almost attacked her mother. She vowed that it wouldn't control her. She wouldn't hurt anyone if she could help it. It was one of the main reasons why she drank from blood bags. Even though drinking from the vein was so much better, she wouldn't be tempted to hurt or kill someone. Once she had gotten used to her new life, Caroline loved being a hybrid. Turning had felt like something was missing from her had finally been put back, like finding a missing piece of a puzzle. But that feeling soon faded. The feeling of emptiness, not genuinely being whole, Caroline had felt all her life, which could be why she made up a new family, to feel complete.

Turning to her friend and her mom. "Are you sure you guys are alright?" She asked. Bonnie sat down on the couch that Caroline had been lying on. "Not really; whatever they put in the tea knocked us out. I only remember you taking the plants and then the witch taking your hands, next thing I know, I'm waking up in this room, and you have your neck snapped."

"Same, though I can't believe I didn't catch on that something was in the tea." Her mother was frustrated. She was always protective, and Caroline knew this was eating her up.

Sitting next to her, "You didn't miss much. She started saying things in Russian, and the others started chanting and bam, neck snap." she said, "Typical witchy backstabbing thing."

"Hey now, not all witches do that," Bonnie replied with a huff. Smiling at her friend, she lightly shoulder-bumped her.

"I know, I'm teasing you." Sighing once again. Caroline leaned back against the couch. "How come we tend to attract trouble? Hmm? Do we have a sign above that says, 'Hey supernaturals, here we are, come and get us!'" Caroline huffed in frustration.

"You, Caroline, didn't need to be supernatural to get yourself into trouble." Liz joked.

"Hey, now!"

"You know it's true, being a sheriff's daughter, you tend to rebel." That got a smile out of them.

"I don't know. I thought that this would be different. Ya know? Like maybe this coven would be helpful." Bonnie continued slumping back into the couch. "I should have seen the signs."

"Hey, now." Caroline interrupted her friend's rant. "We both got caught up in the excitement, alright? It wasn't just you. Now the important thing is that we are all alright. And no matter what happens next. Whoever or whatever walks through that door, we will stick together and find a way out of here. Okay?" taking hold of Bonnies' hand, "We are a team."

They sat in silence for what felt like forever when Caroline spoke.

"Can I tell you something? I know you're gonna think I'm crazy because I think it's crazy" She knew she was starting to ramble, which was her nervous habit. At some point, she had gotten up and started to pace.

"Caroline." Bonnie said, "What could be crazier than this?"

Giving a small smile, she took a deep breath. "Well, it's gonna sound crazy because I've dreamt of this family before." Seeing the confused look on both their faces, she continued. "Remember when we were little, and I made you and Elena play dress-up with me?"

"Which time? The one where we played Vikings or the one we were all princesses?" Bonnie asked. She remembered making Bonnie, Elena, Matt, and Tyler play pretend Vikings. Using trash can lids as shields and sticks for swords, fighting around in her backyard. It was one of the few times Caroline wanted something that wasn't pink and girly.

Shining blue eyes and dimples came to her mind. Making her blush. Coughing to cover it up, now was not the time to have 'those' thoughts.

"The princesses." Looking over at her mother. "Well, it was around the time that you and dad started fighting that I started dreaming about a new family. One was my parents didn't fight but loved each other. I kept building on the make-believe story the more and more you two fought. It became my escape."

"Sweety." her mother was cut off suddenly by the double doors being pushed open, and four people walked in. Four vampires, to be precise. Three men and a woman; had long wavy blonde hair cascaded over a Carmel brown fur coat that covered a deep red blouse and black dress pants. The men looked similarly dressed in heavy black jackets, black pants, and shoes. It was the same girl in the painting, and Caroline knew her name before the women spoke.

"Please relax," she spoke with a heavy Russian accent. "We mean you no harm."

"Well, you could have fooled us with how we were drugged and brought here against our will." Liz snapped, Moving to stand a little in front of Caroline. As much as her mother had grown up knowing about vampires and was a cop, and she could take care of herself, Caroline couldn't help but feel scared for her mother.

Liz was confused and angry, so her mood was shot to hell. Caroline understands her mother's feelings because she feels the same. She couldn't help it.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Katerina Matvyve, and the witches you met with are a coven loyal to my family." 'Did we piss them off by seeing their witches? Or was this all a trap?' Looking over at Bonnie, she must have been thinking along the same lines. But there had to be more to it than that.

"You look just like her, my sister Aleksandra." Katerina was staring at Caroline with great interest and what seemed like sadness in her blue eyes. Looking at the painting again, Caroline turns back to Katerina, shaking her head, "My name is Caroline Forbes."

"Is that why Doroteya drugged and kidnapped us? Because Caroline looks like your sister?" Bonnie asked. The thought had crossed her mind as well.

Going over to the decanter Katerina poured a glass of a strong golden liquid. Offering one to her, Caroline declined. Not trusting anything they give them after they were drugged, "Please forgive Doroteya's actions. And allow me to explain." Katerina said, moving to one of the plush chairs across from them, motioning for them to all sit. They did so with caution. Caroline sat between her mother and Bonnie.

"My younger sister Aleksandra died in 1366 when our home was under attack from foreign invaders. My father was lord then, and his two brothers and sister ruled over many provinces now known as Northwestern Russia during the mid-14th century. And they have been watching over the lands ever since." Katerina spoke, letting them process the information. 'Over 600 years, wow." Caroline thought. She really couldn't imagine being alive that long. 'Time is different for a vampire.'

"You must have been turned soon after the attack, then?" Bonnie asked.

Katerina didn't speak right away; it was like she was trying to find the right words before merely saying, "Yes."

Caroline didn't have a chance to ask her next question before the two double doors opened again, and the same man from the portrait stood. He just stood there, staring at Caroline with a hard stare. His brown eyes gave nothing away. His dark brown hair was almost black in the room's dim lighting. He had a strong jawline hidden under a small, well-kept beard, dressed in a grey suit with matching dressing slacks. He spoke something in Russian, and Katerina returned the same. A small smile slowly spread on his face. Once again speaking in Russian, the men with Katerina left and closed the door."Hello, my name is Nikolai Matvyve."

Before she could introduce herself, her mother did it for her. "Im, Elizbeth Forbes and this is my daughter Caroline, and that is Bonnie."

He sat across from them, with Katerina moving to pour another drink for him. Nikolai cleared his throat, "Please forgive me for staring."

"I can only imagine how you must feel," Caroline started. "Seeing someone who looks like your daughter." sadness crept over her as she turned to face the painting again.

"Yes, it is. Knowing that you look like my daughter sounds like her, but you are not." He looked at Caroline with such love, and that broke her heart.

"The question is, how?" Caroline asked.

Nikolai and Katerina spoke in Russian again. Seeming to disagree on something. Shaking her head, Katerina spoke, "That's impossible."

"What is?"

They shared a look before Nikolai spoke. "Have you heard of the word Doppelganger?"

A dopple what?

"Oh, I've read that in grams grimoire. Which ill be wanting back." Giving them a pointed look, "it said that a doppelganger is known by being a shadow self or a mortal shadow. I can't remember all of it be it has something to do with nature."

"Nature's way of finding a balance," Katerina said.

"Balance for what?"

"There are many myths and legends about immortality. And many more about the creation of vampirism itself." Nikolai started, "They say that thousands of years ago, there was a witch who loved someone so much that they wanted to spend all of eternity with them. So the witch made the first immortality elixir with the intent of giving it to them. But it's said that the man that witch loved was in love with another and stole the elixir. The stories change on what really happened, but nature's balance was violated, so it found a way by creating a mortal shadow self that could die. A doppelganger. A descendant of that bloodline."

They all sat in silence, digesting the information.

"So, if what your saying is true, then I'm a doppelganger and a descendant of Alexsandra." Why couldn't her life be simple? Caroline thought.

"It's impossible," Katerina said angrily.

"Why is it impossible? If she had a child, then.." But Caroline knew before Bonnie even finished. The look in their eyes told it all. It didn't matter that it was over 600 years ago; the pain of losing a child and a sister would still be a painful memory. She knew that her being here didn't help.

"She died before giving birth, didn't she?" Liz spoke. She had only ever heard her mother speak with such sadness when her dad left. The ache in Caroline's heart grew.

Nikolai spoke, his voice cracking for a brief moment of anger. "Yes. Aleksandra was eight months pregnant when she died. We lost both her and the child that day."

"I'm so sorry," Bonnie spoke in a hushed voice.

The weight of his words hung in the air like a thick fog. None spoke for a long time, for it was a lot of information to process. Nikolai cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "It is getting late. I would like to apologize for today's transgression again. You came to Russia looking for answers only to have more questions arise. That being so. I offer my service and that of our coven to you." he spoke some words in Russian, and the doors opened, and Miranda and Doroteya walked in. They both bowed to Nikolai and then again to the three of them. The girls shared a confused looked with each other before Doroteya spoke.

"Please forgive me and that of mine; our actions were uncalled for this morning. It was only a partial lie, but a lie nonetheless. Our covens knowledge and grimoires are at your disposal." They were not excepting that, and Caroline could tell that Bonnie was excited by how she shifted next to her.

"It is up to you, Caroline," Bonnie spoke, looking at her. And Caroline knew it. Her mother squeezed her hand, showing her support. This was a massive opportunity that, if passed up, they wouldn't get another chance like it.

"Please, I know you, Miss Bennett. Your itching to get your hands on those grimoires." Caroline lightly joked but soon became serious." We accept your offer but on a few conditions." Nikolai nodded, and the next hour was spent going over everything.

Caroline knew deep down; that this was something that would bug her if they didn't at least try to look for answers. It wasn't just about her being a hybrid anymore. They had more questions than answers, like why did she dream of this family? Why did she look like Aleksandra if she died before having a child? And if dreaming of a family was real, then why did she dream of them? Then if Nikolai and Katerina had turned, then what of the others? Did that mean that all the family had turned into vampires? If so, then could he still be alive? The prince charming she thought a young girl made up. A prince that she so long wished could be real. Was it possible? And what about the other dreams she had? Man with blue eyes and dimples that made her blush.

The only way Caroline was gonna get any answers was to stay and find out.