The girl turned over on her bed, with sleep releasing its dark hold over her. She grasped the sheets, relishing the feeling of silk on her skin. Silk? Her sheets were anything but silk. She sat up slowly and groggily, rubbing what little sleep that remained out of her eyes.
"I remember mist," she said, hoping speaking aloud would help her remember, "and a house in the woods. There were candles all around. Who was the shape in the shadows?"
She stood, missing the feeling of the silk against her skin. Elena started pacing, trying to figure out where she was. She was trying so hard she almost missed the most beautiful sound she had ever heard: the music of a piano. The alluring music danced it's way into her ear and made her swoon.
Elena walked towards the source of the music, letting the notes guide her footsteps and the melody enter her mind. It was as if she had gone into a hypnotic trance. It was placid and incredible, and the only thing that filled her mind was the music.
It caressed her and seduced her until she found herself in the doorway of a parlor. A wooden bar from centuries before stood against the right wall and her Angel sat, her fingers flying across the keys, playing the music without care. Elena could only see Katherine's back and hands, but the music she played conveyed every emotion Elena had never seen on her Angel's face.
The stroke of every key brought a new emotion. It began with joy, but changed to pain. Elena could hear so much pain in the music Katherine played. She couldn't understand what the pain was about, but she quickly pulled herself from the trance with an idea.
"Whose is the face in the mask?" she whispered to herself, desperate to receive the knowledge she craved.
She walked closer to the woman, her footsteps more silent than an owl's flight. The girl stood behind Katherine, wondering if she had the courage to do what she'd dreamed about for many nights. Before she could turn back, Elena grabbed the white mask in her hand and pulled it away from her Angel's face.
The music abruptly stopped as the woman stood from the piano and turned to face Elena, the mask no longer hiding her features. The girl gasped, staring at the woman whose face completely reflected her own. They were exactly alike, but as Elena stared into the brown eyes of her Angel she saw something: death.
Elena saw murders, many murders. She saw blood on the ground and for a moment she could swear she saw a skeletal hand reaching out to her, welcoming her into hell. The girl dropped the mask on the ground, staring at Katherine's back as the woman turned away. She backed away, and trembled with fear.
"Curse you!" Katherine yelled, keeping her head turned away from the girl, "You little prying Pandora!"
"I'm sorry," Elena swiftly apologized, trying to assuage the woman's anger.
"Is this what you wanted to see?" her Angel asked, turning to face her again, but Elena couldn't handle it. She couldn't handle the visions that came by staring into Katherine's eyes. The girl turned away, forcing herself to face the corner.
"Can you even dare to look?" Katherine growled, "Or bear to think of me?"
The girl heard her Angel pick the mask off of the ground and reattach it to her face, but she refused to face her. Elena refused to stare into those cold eyes. She refused to gaze into death's realm. There was nothing in the world that brought her more fear.
She felt cold fingers caress her cheek, and as much as she didn't want to see into her eyes, she turned to face her Angel. The white mask covered her beautiful features again, and when Elena looked into her eyes she only saw love. There was no seduction, no lust, just love.
"Come, we must return," the woman said, "Those fools you call friends will be missing you."
Caroline heard Stefan open the door to Elena's house before she saw him. The blonde quickly shut the door to her friend's room where Elena slept. As Stefan tried to get inside she stood in front of the door, blocking his entry. He attempted to push past her, but the blonde was strong willed. She kept the way blocked.
"Caroline," he said, "I need to see her."
"She is resting, she's not going to see anyone" Caroline said strongly, refusing to let him persuade her otherwise.
"Why did I receive this?" he asked, pulling a note out of his pocket and handing it to the blonde.
She is mine.
You shall not see her at the masquerade ball tomorrow night. Do not attempt to speak to her. Should these demands be ignored a disaster beyond your imagination will occur.
"There is no signature," Stefan sighed, "I tried to ask Damon, but he insists he has no idea who has done this."
"I'll talk to her, Stefan, but you have to leave."
"Why?" he asked.
"Because I don't want you barging in," the blonde said with a slight smile, but Stefan knew she was utterly serious.
Caroline watched him storm out of the house using his supernatural speed, sighing as she thought of how impatient the man could be. She walked into Elena's room, shutting the door behind her. The brunette didn't stir, at first glance it would've seemed she was sleeping, but the blonde knew better.
"Elena," she said, "I know you're awake."
She turned to look at the blonde, fear, admiration, love, and pure terror shone in her chocolate brown eyes. The thing Caroline saw most was pure terror, as the brunette was trembling.
The girl sat up to look at her friend, who had sat on the edge of the bed. Elena wanted nothing more than to disappear. She couldn't answer the questions she knew were going to come.
"Elena," Caroline started, "Where were you? We were worried sick."
"I was in the forest," Elena lied, something she had learned to easily do thanks to her Angel.
"You did not just walk through the forest and black out, Elena," Caroline observed, "What happened?"
"Nothing," Elena said quickly.
"Stefan was sent a letter," the blonde said, rapidly changing the subject. She handed the letter to Elena, who quickly read it.
The brunette's features turned to terror once again. Her breathing became very heavy as she cried, practically gasping for air. Elena kept shaking her head, thinking it couldn't be true. She kept thinking her Angel could never hurt Stefan, but she knew otherwise.
Elena had seen into Katherine's eyes, and she saw death. The trembling became worse as she gasped for air, trying to breathe. She felt Caroline's arms around her and completely sank into the embrace.
"It's all right, Elena," the blonde comforted, "It's okay."
"Stefan can't go to the ball," Elena managed to stutter during her sobs.
"What?" Caroline asked, confused, she thought Elena loved him.
"He can't, he'll be in danger there," the girl said softly, "He'll insist on seeing me and she'll-" Elena stopped, realizing her near confession.
"You know who sent this note?" the blonde asked, utterly confused, "Elena, who sent it."
"I can't."
"Elena-"
"I can't!" the girl shrieked, holding onto the blonde's arm as if it were her lifeline.
"It's all right," Caroline whispered comfortingly, running her fingers through the brunette's hair.
The girl huddled herself closer to her friend, grasping her arm and hoping the blonde's warmth would transfer to her. She closed her eyes, and soon her breathing found a slow rhythm as she fell into darkness.
AN: Short, I know, but the next chapter will certainly be interesting.