Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. I do own the original characters made up for this storyline. Thank you.

Writer's Notes: Welcome to The Heirs of Dawn! I really hope everyone enjoys this fanfic. Please let me now how I'm doing with reviews and don't forget to follow and favorite!

Mystic Falls, Virginia. Home of the Timberwolves. Home of eight prominent families. Salvatore, Swan, Mikaelson, Cullen, Forbes, Whitlock, Lockwood, and Hale. Eight families that coexist in a tiny valley in Virginia. They call the children of these families, The Heirs of Dawn.

[…Swan Residence…October 2022]

The morning was slightly chilled as autumn rolled in, stamping out the fire that was Summer. Time for cozy sweaters, hot cocoa, and orange stuff. Bella was the first to wake in the Swan manor. She threw back the covers on her full-sized bed and went to her adjoining bathroom that she shared with her sister, Elena. She brushed her teeth, washed her face, and wandered back into her room, where she opened the door to her walk-in closet and picked out simple jeans and a long-sleeved maroon sweater shirt. She tossed her dark hair over her shoulder, combing through it again with her fingers before wandering down the dark oak stairs to the modern looking kitchen. Black stainless-steel appliances were the theme, and white marble counters popped against the dark metal of the stove and dishwasher. She grabbed bagels from the fridge and popped them in the toaster oven, before grabbing crème cheese and waited for her bagels to toast.

She heard the creak of the stairs as it sounded like someone else was up and coming down. She glanced up at her brother, Jeremy, who was all of six foot tall, and very brawny. His dark hair matched Bella's and his dark cocoa eyes were just the same. Really, they were cousins, but when Miranda and Greyson died suddenly, Charlie adopted them since he was the next immediate family. Elena was 10 and Jeremy 9 when their parents died.

"Morning," Jeremy murmured as he walked towards Bella. She pulled the bagels out of the toaster oven, slapping crème cheese on them and then handed one to Jeremy.

"Morning," Bella said before she took a bite.

Jeremy nodded, taking the bagel, and scarfing it down. He was not a morning person. "Can I ride with you to school today?"

"Elena not here?"

"Nope."

Bella sighed. "Sure. Dad will be mad if he finds out she didn't come home." She grumbled.

"Well, he's not home either. I think he's still in New York."

Bella frowned. "Wasn't his flight supposed to land last night?"

Jeremy nodded. "It was delayed. Some sort of weather thing."

She sighed, finishing her bagel. "Well alright. Get ready for school. I've got to pick up Jake on the way."

Jeremy smiled. "Jake huh?"

Bella rolled her eyes. "Jake is my best friend. That would be creepy if we dated now."

"Poor guy. Friend zoned." Jeremy said before turning and bounding up the stairs to get dressed.

Bella and Jeremy got to school early like normal. Jeremy had football practice before school, so Bella just waited around. She sat in her red Jeep wrangler, scrolling through her phone on Facebook. She sighed, setting it in the seat next to her and taking out her sketchbook and started drawing.

Ten minutes went by and then there was a knock on her window. She glanced up at her sister, Elena. Bella set her sketchbook to the side and opened her door and got out. "Hmm. Someone didn't come home last night."

"I told dad I was staying with Caroline." Elena pointed out.

"And did you actually stay at Caroline's?"

"I did actually. We have a project due Friday." Elena explained.

Bella didn't buy it, but she didn't press any more. "Jer is at practice. Next time send us a text and let us know you're alive." She said with a smile.

"I will. So dad is caught up at the airport in New York." Elena explained.

"I know, Jer told me this morning. I hope everything is okay," Bella said with a frown.

"Yo Bella!" Bella turned to the man calling her name. It was none other than Tyler Lockwood. Wide receiver, but he was hurt during the last game, so he was on crutches for the time being.

Bella turned and walked the short distance to Tyler, who had just got out of his massive truck, a steel color, and had running lights on the bottom, and then spotlights on the top. "Aren't you supposed to be at practice?" She called as she stopped right in front of him.

"Well, broken foot, so I figured I would skip today." He grinned, his teeth a perfect row of white.

"Mhm. Where's Jake?" Bella asked. Jake had texted her on the way to school and said he didn't need a ride after all.

Tyler nodded. "Practice." He said, at the mention of his brother's name. Jake was adopted. His parents brought him to the estate when he was just a boy, just shy of 5 years old. He had been an only child and was excited to have a little brother all of a sudden. They were only three years apart. He was a senior and Jake was a sophomore. For some weird reason, Jake and Bella had this unusual friendship. He never would understand.

More cars started filling the parking lot of the high school, and that was Bella's cue to grab her things and start off to her first class. History with Ric. Alaric Saltzman was dreamy. Every girl in his class had a major crush on him, and he was quite the charmer. Ric was just Ric to Bella and her siblings because he was married to their Aunt Jenna. The youngest of the Swans. Miranda had been the middle child, Charlie was the oldest, and then Jenna was the baby. Grayson Gilbert had been a wonderful man, and Bella favorited him as her uncle. When Ric came into town, he stole Jenna's heart, and they married last year in the Spring. Bella liked Ric. He was funny, helpful, and he cared a lot about children. He also was a badass mix martial artist, and Jeremy trained with him three times a week, while Bella did two times. Elena didn't like sweating, so she opted out of the lessons.

Bella was the first one in the classroom. Ric looked up at her when she came in. "Hey Uncle Ric," she said with a smile.

"Morning Bells. You're here earlier than normal."

"Yeah, I had to bring Jer to practice this morning." She explained.

Ric nodded, shuffling some papers on his desk. "Ah." He said and then watched as the other students filed into the classroom.

Everyone loved Ric regardless, and this class was the best class that she was taking this semester. History was interesting, and right now they were studying World History, one of her favorites.

"Psst." A voice called towards Bella. She turned her head to Edward Cullen. Pretty boy, the youngest of the Cullen clan, and the strangest. His green eyes were intense looking, and it reminded her of dark emeralds. He was dreamy too.

"Hmm?" Bella raised a brow.

Edward tossed her a folded note, and she took it and opened it carefully. She looked at the paper.

Homecoming?

Bella sighed and folded the paper back up and looked back at him and shook her head. She wasn't going to waste time on Homecoming. She didn't do dances and parties like her sister did. Her and Jeremy agreed on that. Homecoming, or other dances for that matter, were a complete waste of time. She also didn't dance.

Edward frowned, his brows frowning with him as he leaned back in his seat. He had known Bella since they were children, having grown up in the same town. Her family knew his family, and so on.

The bell rang, indicating the end of the first period, and then it was the hallways were filled with the mob of high schoolers, shuffling on to their next class.

By the time last period came around, Bella was just exhausted. She wasn't the best student, but she did alright. Math was her downfall, but her dad hired a tutor to help with that. Her dad. Big shot FBI. He went against his family's wishes, but he inherited it all nonetheless. He was gone a lot, but he usually made it back on time for bigger events. Like Jeremy's football games, Elena's cheering, and well Bella had some art that was going to be displayed in an art show. Her mom died when she was younger too, so it was just Charlie. He dated a couple times, but those women were just…gold diggers to say the least. So, he opted out of the dating scene, and focused more on making sure the three of them were taken care of. Something that Bella could commend him for.

She walked over to her red Jeep, and saw Stefan Salvatore standing there, leaning against it. "Hi Stefan," Bella said with a smile. "Elena has cheer practice. Or did you forget?"

"I didn't forget. I need you help with something."

"My help?" Bella said, raising a brow, while tossing her bag in the back seat of her wrangler.

"Yes. Elena won't tell me anything about her dress, and I need to know at least the color so I can match."

Bella laughed. "She hasn't bought her dress yet, but when she does, I'll tell you what the color is. Didn't she do this to you last year?"

Stefan smiled. "She did. Jeremy is terribly at recon missions so I figured I would ask you."

"I'll let you know." She said with a smile. "I'll see you later." She said with a wink and got into the driver's side. Stefan sauntered off, heading towards the football field because he was now going to be late for practice, and Coach Tanner was going to make him run laps for it.

Bella drove towards the Mystic Grille. Her favorite place to frequent after school. She pulled up outside and parked and went inside. The atmosphere was warm and friendly. People were playing pool, and the bar was full of patrons. She sat down at a table and a waitress came over. Vicki Donovan. She was a high school dropout, but Bella wouldn't judge. She smiled up at Vicki. "Hey Vicki. Can I just get a burger, fries, and a coke?"

"Sure thing." Vicki said, writing down the order and smiling.

Bella pulled her sketchbook out of her bag and started sketching while waiting on her food. Even after her food arrived, she didn't put her pencil down as she ate simultaneously. She didn't realize how long she had been focused on her work until Edward slid into the booth across from her. It broke her trance and she looked up at him. She frowned. "Football practice is over already?"

Edward raised a brow. "Yes. It's six-thirty."

Bella sighed, closing her sketchbook. "I've been here three hours."

"I can tell." He nodded towards her sketchbook. "Why won't you go to Homecoming with me?"

"Because I don't dance."

"Who said you have to dance?"

"Well that's sort of the whole deal isn't it? Homecoming Dance." She said pointedly.

He sighed. "We could just go and have fun. Nothing wrong with that."

"Edward. It's a hard no for me." She tried a smile. "Ask Jessica, or Bonnie or something."

"None of them are you," he said, his voice softening.

Bella looked at him. He was dazzling, and breathtakingly beautiful. His strong chiseled features, his perfect nose. His eyes drew her in.

They were interrupted by a familiar voice. "Isabella Swan."

Bella blinked a few times, and she turned and looked up at her dad. Charlie Swan. "Oh, hey dad."

Charlie smiled at her, the lines crinkling around his eyes. "I just got in. Elena said you weren't at home, so I figured you were here at the Grille."

Bella smiled and stood, hugging her dad. It had been a couple weeks since she saw him last. "Missed you."

Charlie hugged his daughter back and then looked at Edward. "You starting this Friday?"

Edward nodded. "Sure am sir."

Charlie chuckled. "Call me Charlie, Edward."

Bella smiled and looked back at Edward. "I'll see you at school tomorrow, and the answer is still no." She said and kissed her dad's cheek. "I'll see you at home. You might want to grab dinner." She said and hustled out of the Grille and to her Jeep. She went to open the door when a hand stopped her. She looked up into Edward's green eyes. His hand was warm against hers. His closeness to her body sent a little shiver through her. His face was close to hers.

"Please humor me." He murmured; his face dipping down closer to hers. His lips a hair away from hers.

Bella summoned the energy to take a step back, placing a hand on his chest. "Um. I can't."

Edward looked confused. "Bella…" he said and his hands went to her waist, twisting her more to face him, his hands on her waist sent more little shivers through her.

"No." She said, and tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but his hands tightened on her, his fingers a little rough, bruising her skin. Panic shot through her, and she forgot all her martial arts training in this instant.

"Dude, she said no." She heard and then Edward was being shoved roughly back.

Bella caught her breath and felt a little shaky.

Edward snarled at the newcomer. "Back off." He spat.

"She said no. No means no. Go home Edward. Agent Swan is in the Grille, I can go fetch him if you like."

Edward glared and then turned away, leaving.

Bella ran a hand through her hair and let out a shaky breath. "Um. Thanks," She said and finally looked up at her savior. The intense blue eyes belonged to Damon Salvatore. The oldest of the Salvatore family. He was wearing a dark button up shirt, and dark pants. His ring shone on his right hand, the family crest for Salvatore. He was tall, dark and handsome. His raven black hair made him look exotic somehow. He was also Stefan's older brother. Giuseppe and Lilith both died in a plane crash ten years prior when Damon was only 14 and Stefan 7. They were raised by their Uncle Zach, who took a turn for the worse last year when he was hit by a car while crossing the road, and was now paralyzed from the neck down.

Damon smiled a little. "No problem. Stay out of trouble." He said with a wink and then left her standing there by her Jeep to head inside. He had some business with Charlie to attend to. He was hopeful that Edward wouldn't come back. He would have to have a word with Carlisle about his son if he continued acting up.

Bella got into her Jeep and sat there moment. She closed her eyes. She needed to train more with Alaric. She couldn't depend on a knight in shining armor to swoop in and save her if the situation got worse. She pulled away from the Grille and headed back home.

The week seemed to fly by for Bella. It was Thursday, and her art was being shown tonight at the Mikaelson Gallery. She was thankful to Klaus Mikaelson for taking an interest in her art. He was an artist himself, but he was very, very wealthy. So he was free to do whatever his passion was. His family was one of the oldest families in Mystic Falls. There were many of them. Freya was the oldest, then Finn, Elijah, Klaus, Kol, Rebekah, and Henrich. Michael and Esther Mikaelson were brilliant people. Michael was a bit strange, but Esther was a wonderful interior designer.

She showed up at the gallery, to check on her two pieces that were being displayed. 'It's Not All Roses', a painting that she did, that displayed a darker view on the world. It included deep burgundy, violets, and then some darker blues. 'Solar Eclipse' was her painting of the Solar Eclipse that passed over not long ago, that she felt inspired for. The POV was from laying on the ground in the forest, the solar eclipse overhead, and the twisted branches of the trees in the eyeline.

"Bella," Klaus called her name, as he walked up beside her, his hand in his pocket. She was looking at her paintings. He smiled. "They really are exquisite pieces." His accented voice was like liquid velvet to Bella's ears. His dirty blonde hair held a slight curl to it, and brushed at the top of his ears, giving him a shaggier appearance. He was young still, only nineteen, but already so talented and well-known with his art.

Bella smiled at Klaus. "Thank you. It doesn't compare to your art though. You're so amazing." She was one of his biggest fans she would venture to say. She always thought of him to be kind, and his eyes were like pools of water, something that she loved about him.

Klaus chuckled. "Thank you love, but don't sell yourself short. You are just as talented." He said and then he glanced up. "The show is set for now. Go home and get ready." He said and then walked over to one of the workers of the exhibit and was examining something on a clipboard.

Bella took one last look at her art and then left, going home to change. She didn't dress up often, but this was a special occasion for her. She pulled on the glittering navy cocktail dress and slipped on the navy pumps. She fluffed her hair, the slight waves dangling down her back, stopping in the middle. She placed two dangling silver, teardrop diamond earrings in, and then wore the diamond choker her dad got her for her birthday. She did her makeup light, just mascara and a little eyeliner on the top lid. She put on the mauve lip gloss she borrowed from Elena and was ready to go.

Elena looked at Bella as she descended the stairs. "Oh my. Look at how hot my sister is." She said grinning. Elena was wearing a black dress that went down to her knees, hugging her curves, and it was strapless. She wore black pumps, and her hair was half up, and half down.

Bella smiled at her sister, hugging her. "Thank you. Is dad and Jeremy coming?"

"They already left. They said we take too long getting ready," she said with an eye roll.

"I suppose we do." She said with a slight chuckle. She looped her arm with Elena's and the stroll out the front door and got into Bella's Jeep.

The gallery was really packed. Bella hadn't anticipated this large of a turnout, but she was nervous and excited, nonetheless. Everyone was dressed nicely, as the art show began.

Bella spoke with Finn and Freya Mikaelson when they approached her. Freya was 30, but looked so young still, and Finn was 28, engaged to a woman named Sage. It always astonished her at how beautiful the entire Mikaelson family was. They chatted about the art, which ones were their favorite pieces, when Klaus interrupted.

"Bella, both of your pieces sold." He murmured in her ear, his body brushing her lightly as he leaned into whisper.

Bella's mouth dropped. "What? Really?"

Klaus smiled, nodding. He dropped a hand to the small of her back and looked at his siblings. "Excuse us please." He said and guided Bella away, to a small office off the gallery lobby.

Bella turned and looked at Klaus, a bright smile on her face. "I can't believe it."

"Believe it love. They're both really great pieces." He said and then walked around to a desk and pulled out the check that was written for both pieces and handed it to her.

Bella looked down at the check, her mouth falling open again. "Oh, this is too much." She said.

"No? That's what he offered. When I told him the artist only wanted what the buyer thought of it's worth as agreed, he wrote the check out right then and there." Klaus nodded.

"The buyer thinks they're worth $100,000?" Bella exclaimed.

Klaus nodded. "Yes. It's all yours Bella. Congratulations. You really worked hard. Here's his card. He's interested in future work." He said and picked up a business card off the desk.

Aro Voltaire

"Voltaire? That sounds Italian." She mentioned.

"He is Italian. He was traveling and stopped when he got an invite to the gallery showing. He knows Carlisle Cullen."

Bella just looked at the check, still stunned, and then tears welled up in her eyes.

Klaus frowned, walking around the desk back to her, his hands were gentle as he wiped the tears off her face. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just. Happy," she said with a laugh. "I can't believe that they actually sold."

Klaus smiled, and then pulled her into an embrace. "You worked hard little Swan." He murmured.

Bella hugged him back. It was odd for Klaus to be this close to her. She was grateful for him.

There was a knock on the office door, and Klaus released her. "Come in." He called.

Elijah Mikaelson, the more sensible Mikaelson sibling walked in. He was handsome in every sense of the word and more. His dark hair and eyes gave him this mysterious edge. At 23, he was in his prime and still youthful. He was the businessman in the family. He ran a lot of the marketing groups that were subsidiaries of the Mikaelson main name. An accomplishment to say the least. Despite Finn being the oldest brother, Elijah acted more mature. "Brother, there are some other buyers for some other pieces of art." He announced.

Klaus nodded and looked at Bella and smiled. "Congratulations." He said again and left the office.

Elijah studied Bella a moment. "You sold your art?"

"I did." She said, smiling at Elijah. He was more intimidating than Klaus. She wasn't sure how to act or what to say whenever he was present.

He nodded and then left her to herself. Walking back out into the gallery. He had admired Bella. She was a young artist like his brother. Only a year difference between the two. He saw how happy Klaus was whenever she came by the gallery. He was an inspiration for Bella, and Elijah thought that is what Klaus needed the most.

It was a few moments before Bella finally emerged. The night was winding down, and people were filtering out of the gallery. By ten, most of the viewers were gone. Charlie walked up to Bella, kissing the top of her head. "I saw your art sold."

Bella grinned and pulled the check from her small clutch and showed it to her dad.

"Holy cow Bells, that's amazing. I'm so proud of you," he said with a bright smile.

Elena and Jeremy walked over, both looking bored. "Your sister sold her art and made 100k off it."

Elena and Jeremy looked at her with bright eyes. "That's amazing!" Elena was the first to comment, throwing her arms around her sister and hugging her tight. Jeremy was next, hugging her in his strong arms.

Charlie looked at his watch. "Well, I'm headed home. I have to look over some case files and submit some reports before six in the morning. Who's riding with me?"

Elena and Jeremy both jumped at the opportunity. Bella smiled. "I'll see you guys at home. I just have a couple things I have to do before I leave." She said, kissing her dad's cheek and watching the three leave the gallery.

She stood alone now. Everyone was gone. She turned, looking at her paintings again, the sold plaque on both. She smiled, feeling accomplished. It was an amazing feeling. To be rewarded for hard work. She had a couple pieces that she was working on right now that might be of some consequence.

"Go home love. I'll finish up in here." Klaus called.

Bella turned, looking at Klaus and smiled. "Are you sure. I can help."

"You have school in the morning. It's also homecoming. Go rest. You deserve it."

Bella nodded. She also had a Calculus test tomorrow too. "Alright then. Thank you again Klaus." She said and then she left, his smiling face watching her leave. His ocean blue eyes, not leaving her until she was out of sight.