Here you go, another chapter. This one is a long one, more than 10'000 words. Enjoy!
Chapter 3
LIFE AFTER DEATH
When Jade woke up, her surroundings were dark and cold and damp. Everything hurt – her head, her limbs, her gums – and everything around her was too loud, too much: the sound of the water falling on rocks, the birds chirping, the wind caressing the foliage of trees, the crunching of dead leaves, all those sounds reverberated in her ears.
She was lying on the forest floor, still wearing last night's clothes, soaked with mud and blood. She must look like a total mess.
She felt like she was hangover, but worse, especially because she didn't really suffer from hangovers, only mild headaches that would go away with a painkiller. What the hell happened last night?
It took a few seconds to remember the night before but when she did, she bolted upright into a sitting position, a gasp leaving her mouth.
"Oh, god!" She whimpered, her breaths coming too fast in her lungs. She put her head between her knees and tried to stave off her panic attack. She breathed deeply, in and out, in and out, until her heart was calmly beating in her chest and her breaths had returned to normal.
She had died.
She was dead.
That vampire…he fed me his blood before killing me. I know what it means. She knew all about how vampires made other vampires. You needed to die with vampire blood in your system to become a vampire yourself.
Oh, god. I'm a vampire.
But then she remembered something else her mother had told her.
I'm not a vampire yet. And I won't be unless I feed on human blood. I'm in transition.
But if I don't feed, I'll die…and I don't want to die.
She wished she could say she pondered long and hard about whether or not to turn, but the truth was…there wasn't a choice at all, not for her. There was only one choice she could make. It was either complete the transition and become a vampire, or die permanently. And being a vampire was better than being dead.
She tried not to think about what her parents would have said, what their reactions would have been to her becoming a vampire. She wondered if they would have hated her. If her father would have killed her himself. Or if they would have forced her not to complete the transition. Better a dead daughter than a vampire for a daughter. Especially a heretic.
Her mother would have hated her worse than her father. For a witch, especially a Gemini Coven witch, there was no one or nothing worse than someone like her – a vampire-witch hybrid. It was bad enough that she was born a siphoner…but a heretic, just like those that had been banished to the Prison World? She was an abomination.
Jade shook her head, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. She never cried; she would not start now. And, anyway, as much as it pained her, her parents were dead. It didn't matter if they would have been disappointed in her, or worse, if they would have hated her, because they were dead. Dead people couldn't feel hatred or disappointment or anger.
Jade wouldn't allow herself to wallow in self-pity. No, she would do what she always did – take control. And the way to take control in this situation was to make a plan of action.
First things first, she needed to wash up and change her clothes because she couldn't be seen looking like this. Luckily, she always had a change of clothes in her car. And there were the falls she could wash up in.
She strained her senses to make sure there was no one around but no, she was alone. The sun hadn't even risen yet, so it must have been still very early in the morning.
Twenty minutes later, give or take, she was clean as much as she could be without taking a shower, and wearing fresh clothes.
Now, the second obvious step was to get some human blood and complete her transition. But she didn't want to feed on anyone – what if she couldn't stop? No, it was better to steal a few blood bags from the hospital.
She knew the Mystic Falls hospital like the back of her hand because both her aunt and father worked there – her father had worked there, obviously he didn't anymore.
She knew where they kept the blood and with a cloaking spell – a specialty of the Gemini Coven – she thought she could sneak in and out without being seen.
But how much blood should she steal? How much blood did a vampire need in a day to stay alive – so to speak – without desiccating?
She made a quick calculation in her head. There were about 1.2-1-5 gallons of blood in the average adult human body, which corresponded to about 10 pints. A blood bag was about 1 pint so…10 blood bags a day? That was a lot.
She couldn't steal 10 blood bags a day. She could do it today, but then what? She would need help. As much as she dreaded the idea, she needed to ask for help from the vampire who had turned her, but she had no idea who he was or where to find him. And who says that he would be willing to help her anyway? Perhaps he'd just turned her because he was bored and he had found the idea amusing.
But what other choice did she have? She didn't want to kill anyone.
Perhaps, she could ask Stefan for help.
But Stefan didn't feed on human blood…could she do the same?
One thing at a time, Jade. She told herself. First, I need to complete the transition. I'll steal ten blood bags, just to have enough for today, and then we'll see.
The first taste of blood on her tongue felt like heaven. She had never felt anything like it. It was like the taste of all her favourite foods wrapped up into one, and yet that description didn't do it justice.
In less time that she would have expected she finished two blood bags. She had to pace herself, she couldn't consume all blood bags in one setting, even though the temptation was there. But she wasn't a control freak for nothing; she would reign herself in, she wouldn't let bloodlust control her.
She would have thought that the idea of consuming blood would have felt weird at first, but no, it felt perfectly normal. She was a vampire now…drinking blood was what was normal for a vampire.
Now that felt strange. The idea of her as a vampire. She wasn't ready to think of the repercussions, what being a vampire meant. Therefore, she just ignored the problem for the moment, as was her usual. She would dissect it on her own time, when she'd feel more ready to.
The sun was just starting to rise when she made her way back to the car from where she had left it, parked at the side of the road. She had decided to complete her transition in the woods, the most discreet, isolated place she could think of at the moment.
She flinched a little when a ray of sunlight hit her skin and she braced herself for the burn but it didn't hurt. Right, I'm a heretic…I'm not a normal vampire. That means that the sun doesn't burn me. Well, that's cool, at least.
She left the rest of the blood bags on the portable refrigerator she kept in the trunk of her car and then she got back into the car. A ten minutes' drive and she was parking in front of her house.
But now another problem presented itself. A vampire needed an invite to enter a private property. That meant that she needed an invite into her own home.
Well, this sucks!
Jade got out of the car and rang the doorbell. When aunt Jo opened the door, she didn't look happy in the least.
Jade smiled at her sweetly. "Good morning, aunt Jo. I forgot my keys."
"Good morning? Good morning? Do you know what time is it? You were out all night and you didn't warn anyone about it. Do you know your friend Bonnie was brought to the hospital yesterday night because she was attacked by a wild animal? That could have been you! Where have you been?"
Yup, definitely not happy. The news of Bonnie being attacked 'by a wild animal' surprised her but she let that slide for the moment. Right now, she really needed an invite, somehow. Please, Jo, say something that would allow me inside without the need to compel you. She wasn't even sure she would know how to compel someone. Did vampires just know instinctively how to compel or they'd learn it from other vampires?
"What are you still doing out there? Come inside. We need to have a conversation, you and I."
Yes! Jade took a step inside, feeling the invisible barrier literally falling around her. Now, what to tell aunt Jo?
"Where's Elena?" she asked, just to make some conversation and hopefully distract Jo from her wrath.
Jo glared at her. "At the hospital. She spent the night there to be with Bonnie."
"Oh. And how's Bonnie?"
Jo sighed, entering the kitchen and pouring herself a cup of coffee. Seeing as she was already up, Jade presumed she had an early shift at the hospital that morning. "She lost a lot of blood but she's going to be fine."
"Good."
"Yes, good," Jo said, irritation still clear in her voice. "but don't try to change the subject. Where were you yesterday? Not even Caroline knew."
Jade mentally sighed. She was about to lie and she hated lying. "If you want to know, I met a guy. I was with him all night."
Jo frowned, a mix of concern and relief in her voice. "Look, Jade, I know you're an adult now. But you still live in this house and while I don't expect you to ask me permission for every single thing, at least warn me when you're going to stay out all night. All right? Just a text message would be fine. That's all. So, I know you're okay."
"What, no lecture about me sleeping around and spending the night with guys I don't really know?"
"It might seem strange to you but I've been 18 too. I know what that's like. As long as you promise me that you're being careful and I'm not only talking about birth control. There's a lot of dangerous men out there."
"I know, aunt Jo. And I'm always careful. I can take care of myself, I promise you."
Jo sighed again, but it seemed the lecture was over. "All right, well, go get ready or you're going to be late for school. I know how long it takes for you to get ready in the morning."
Jade grinned at her. "See you later, aunt Jo." She sprinted up the stairs, relieved.
Immediately she entered the bathroom, locking herself up inside and breathing a sigh of relief. So far, so good.
She took a look at her reflection in the mirror. She looked pretty much the same as usual, same olive skin, dark hair, jade green eyes; perhaps she was a little paler than normal but nothing too noticeable and nothing that a little concealer wouldn't fix.
Suddenly, it hit her. This was the same face she would be seeing in the mirror for eternity. She was immortal now. No more worrying about wrinkles or grey hair. She would be 18 forever. Young and beautiful for all time.
She grinned. This was definitely a plus of her new status.
Now, how to control her vampire face? She couldn't risk sprouting fangs in front of people.
She tried to think of what could trigger the transformation. Thinking about what blood tasted like seemed like a safe bet.
In fact, there they were, the black veins and the fangs.
Breathe, Jade. She took a breath, then another, using the same technique she would use to calm down from a panic attack. It seemed to do the trick. The fangs retreated back into her gums and the black veins under her eyes disappeared, her eyes returning to normal.
I can do this. I can pretend to be normal. As long as I eat a blood bag every few hours, I can go about the day like nothing has happened.
Now, time to get ready for school!
When Jade went down the stairs to have breakfast, Elena returned home.
"Hey," Jade greeted her cousin. "How's Bonnie? Aunt Jo said she's going to pull through."
Elena sent her a tired but relieved smile. "Yes, she's going to be fine. She lost a lot of blood so they had to do a transfusion and they're keeping her under observation for another day yet. She's going to be discharged tomorrow."
Jade smiled back. "That's great."
"Are you going to visit her in the hospital?" Elena asked her. "I'm sure she would be glad to see you."
"Yeah, I'll go with Caroline after lunch. I don't have afternoon classes today and cheer tryouts aren't until 4pm."
"Good," Elena said. "Do you need me to be there?"
You didn't show up once for summer practice, why start now?
Jade refrained from voicing her thoughts aloud. Instead, she answered, "no, don't worry about it. As long as you come Saturday for the first real practice of the season, you're good."
Elena nodded. "Okay. Well, I have to get ready for school. See you later?"
"Yeah." Jade walked to the kitchen, while Elena went up the stairs, headed to her room.
This was the first, normal conversation they had since before their parents died. Jade smiled. Elena could be a real pain in the ass – all judgement and smothering worry, with a Mother Teresa complex a mile wide – but she was family, and family had become sparser in the last few years. They would return to bicker soon, but for now, she could enjoy this moment of ceasefire between them.
"Lots of girls signed up for tryouts this year," Caroline said, her blue eyes focused on her reflection. She smeared bright pink lip gloss on her lips, smacking them once; she gave her glossy blonde hair three quick brushes and slammed the locker closed.
Caroline had, of course, asked her what had happened to her yesterday and she had told her the same story she had told her aunt, albeit a little more detailed; she hated lying, especially to her best friend, but what other choice did she have?
Caroline hadn't seemed particularly worried, though, assuming like everyone else that she had gone 'partying' somewhere else like Jade would sometimes do. Everyone was too distracted about Bonnie to focus on where she had sneaked off to. In a way, she was glad because no one had asked too many questions, but, on the other hand, the idea that she had died yesterday but no one had really worried for her stung. But she knew she was being ridiculous. Neither Caroline nor Elena were aware of the fact that the 'animal attacks' were really vampires. If they knew, they would have definitely worried more.
"Good. Hopefully one or two of them will be tolerable." Jade leaned against her own locker before first period. She stole a glance at Tyler and wished she didn't. He stood with one foot propped against the wall, Vicki clinging to his side like an octopus.
Tyler smirked when he saw her watching. He grabbed Vicki by the ass and kissed her (Jade could hear the noise of smacking lips and tongues loud in her ear, it was disgusting). The make out session was so aggressive, it looked like he was eating her face. Someone shouted 'get a room' and someone else snickered but it didn't deter them.
Jade grimaced. He couldn't be any more obvious in his attempt to make her jealous – Jade told herself he wasn't succeeding. She turned her back on them to concentrate on Caroline who was still talking. Fuck Tyler. She had more important things to worry about.
Jade showed up earlier for Tanner's class – not an unusual event, but that day she had something particular she needed to discuss with him.
Yesterday evening, before the party, she had prepared a short outline for her history project she wished to show him.
It was an excuse, however. Her intent was another. She needed information on the Salvatore Family. After discovering that Stefan Salvatore was a vampire, she was curious. All she knew about the Salvatore Family was that they were one of the Founding Families of Mystic Falls and that in the 1860's, the head of the family was Giuseppe Salvatore – he'd signed his name in the Registry and everything. She also knew Giuseppe had two sons. She didn't remember their names but she knew they had both died in 1864.
She also knew that, like all other members of the Founding Families, most Salvatores were vampire hunters.
Stefan was a Salvatore and yet, he was also a vampire. How was it possible? When was he turned? How was he turned? Who had turned him? She had so many questions. One in particular was, how did Stefan walk in the sun? Vampires burned in the sun (unless you were a heretic like her – but it wasn't possible for Stefan to be like her, was it?). What was his secret?
She needed more information on Stefan before directly come out and ask him for his help, especially after what had happened between them yesterday. She was hoping to borrow the Salvatore journals, hence why she needed Mr. Tanner.
"Good morning, Mr. Tanner," Jade greeted him when she entered the classroom. "Do you have a few minutes?"
"For you, always, Jade," Mr. Tanner said, a smile on his face.
Jade smiled back but she hadn't forgotten how he'd treated Elena yesterday. She wondered how she could punish him; perhaps with a 'Basic Instinct' move – she always sat in the first row; it wouldn't be difficult. She smirked at the idea of the always-put-together, stern, impassive Mr. Tanner getting an erection in the middle of class, how humiliating that would be.
Then she thought better of it. He would probably see that as permission to hit on her. It was one thing to tease him, another, different one was making him think she genuinely wanted his attentions.
She approached his desk, his gaze a physical touch on her skin. His eyes fondled her legs, rising to her hips, her belly, to stop on her boobs – he had a real fascination with those.
"I wanted to show you the short outline I finished yesterday," Jade said, stopping at his desk. "See if you have some pointers for me." She retrieved the sheets she printed that morning and leaned on the desk to hand them to him. His view on her cleavage was better from that angle.
She had to admit, watching him drool over her was a great ego boost. It was a balm for her shaken confidence, after Stefan's rejection yesterday and Tyler's behavior in general.
"As an initial outline, this is already well thought-out and detailed," Tanner said, his eyes shifting away from her tits to read the printed paper.
"Yeah?" Jade walked around the desk to stand next to him. "Because I'm not sure about this part." She pointed at a passage in the sheets he was holding, her body bent in his direction, a hand on the back of his chair for support. From that position her boobs were practically in his face. (She tried to ignore his neck so close to her, the blood pumping underneath his skin – he wasn't the only one fighting temptation in that moment).
"Y-Yes, some parts need work," Tanner said, swallowing visibly. He adjusted his cravat, a gesture that made him regain some self-control. "The details can be settled later, however, once you have more material to work on. Have you made a decision on what sources you will use?" Tanner made a visible effort to shift his gaze away from her tits to look her in the eye instead.
Jade pretended to ponder over the question. "There are the historical archives, so there's one. But that's just the typical public information, that you would find in every history book. I want to create something a little more…personal, unique, you know? So, I was thinking of using the info in those more as a general overview."
Tanner nodded. "What about the Founding Families' journals? I know you possessed some of them."
Jade bit her lower lip before pushing a lock of hair behind her ear, the picture of nervousness. "Well, I thought about it. I could, perhaps, ask Logan Fell for the Fell journals. He used to date my aunt and he used to babysit my friend Caroline. I don't think it'll be too difficult to convince him.
"There shouldn't be much of a problem with the Gilbert journals. Most of the them belonged to my father; some are at the Lake House but retrieving them shouldn't be a problem. Uncle John owns a few of them but he's out of town, though I could probably convince him to let me use them if I explain what I need them for.
"About the Forbes journals, Liz has them since when Bill Forbes left town, he didn't bring them with him. Hopefully, it won't be hard to convince her to help me.
"Then there's the Lockwoods. This one could be awkward but Carol loves me and now that Tyler is with Vicki, I bet she misses me." Jade noticed Tanner's effort to suppress a grin, and she almost grinned herself.
"The real problem, I fear, will be in getting the Salvatore journals. I don't really know Zach Salvatore. There's Stefan, sure, but I've only known him for a few days. Perhaps, I could ask him to convince his uncle. Asking him would be less uncomfortable because he's my age. Though, I don't think I'll have much luck." Jade feigned a disappointed pout. "I'm afraid I'll have to make do without the perspective of one of the Founding Families. It's such a shame though."
"Absolutely not!" Mr. Tanner said, sounding scandalized at the very idea. "I will talk to Stefan Salvatore. Leave this to me."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Tanner," Jade said, her tone as sweet as whipped cream.
The bell chose that moment to ring and Jade went to sit at her desk. Before doing so, though, she decided to reward him – or punish him, she wasn't sure.
She bent to retrieve her bag from the ground next to the teacher's desk, her back to him, knowing her already short skirt would rise up even more in that position and that he would, therefore, get a very nice view of her ass and her black thong. It wasn't a 'Basic Instinct' move but she heard him making a strangled sound deep in his throat all the same.
The class filled out in minutes and Jade waved to Caroline from where she sat. Elena entered the classroom, then Donovan – who made puppy eyes at Elena, who ignored him – and then, finally, Stefan.
Jade watched him but she didn't try to catch his attention. Stefan, for his part, avoided looking at her. Jade suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and, instead, prepared to listen to Tanner's lecture for the day. Tanner was still sitting at his desk, looking flushed, and there, it seemed, he intended to remain.
Jade bent to retrieve her book, notebook and pen from her bag – an excuse to hide the smirk gracing her lips.
This was good. This was normal.
When all seats were occupied, Tanner cleared his throat. "Originally discovered nearly 5 centuries ago, it hasn't been over Mystic Falls in over 145 years." Jade watched Elena and Stefan exchanging glances, smiling at each other. They weren't even trying to hide it. "Now, the comet will be at its brightest right after dusk during tomorrow's celebration. Are we bothering you, Mr. Salvatore? Ms. Gilbert?"
Jade clenched her fists under the table. She shouldn't feel this irritated, she knew, but she couldn't help it. Stefan preferring Elena to her stung. She had offered herself to him and he had walked away. She knew he desired her but he regretted it, returning to Elena like a repentant puppy.
If it weren't for the fact that she would hurt herself and Elena in the process, Jade would tell her all about her tryst with Stefan; that would show him. He was behaving like she didn't exist.
And Tyler…Ew! How could he still be with Vicki Donovan? She couldn't be that great a fuck, right? (She did have a lot of practice though, so maybe she was…). And, what was worse, people were whispering about her now. The whole town knew about her supposedly being cheated on and then dumped because of Vicki Donovan. It was so humiliating.
At least no one had seen her with Stefan. How worse would it be for her if people knew? The second choice, not once but twice. She was always the first choice – always.
She needed a new boyfriend/fuck boy asap! She needed to fix her reputation. This couldn't stand.
The bell rang and Jade was dismayed to notice she missed Tanner's entire lecture. What the hell was happening to her?
Get a grip, Jade! You can't let boys, of all things, distract you from what is really important. Harvard, remember?
Jade shook her head and left the classroom without looking at anyone, not even Caroline. She needed a few minutes to herself, to decompress (and, perhaps, a blood bag or two).
Stefan and Elena left Mr. Tanner's classroom together. He hadn't gotten the chance to spend a lot of time with her yet – not as much as he might have wanted to anyway – and he intended to remedy that. Stefan had stayed in Mystic Falls for Elena Gilbert, after all. She was the only reason he was risking exposure, putting himself in danger. For her.
Whatever that thing with Jade had been, it was a mistake and it would never be repeated. He had compelled her anyway and – beside Damon, who would use the information to torment him but wouldn't really say anything (it wasn't his style) – no one would ever know about it.
It was better to ignore her, for now. He would get to know her better later on, as Elena's sister and friend, and only as that. If he wanted to remain in Elena's life, he needed to make an effort with those important to her, those she loved.
Reason why he asked Elena how Bonnie was doing, even though he hated being reminded of Damon's actions.
"They're keeping her overnight to make sure there's no infection," Elena answered. "But she should be able to come home tomorrow."
Stefan smiled. "That's good news."
Elena sent him that shy smile he loved, shifting a lock of hair behind her ear with her hand. "Yeah."
"Did she say what kind of animal was that attacked her?" Stefan asked, hoping he sounded casual enough.
"She said it was a vampire," Elena said, a nervous laugh leaving her lips.
Stefan froze. "What?"
"Yeah, she woke last night and muttered 'vampire', then passed out again." Though Elena shrugged, her face showed more confusion than disinterest. Was she suspicious?
Stefan pretended disbelief, though inside he was freaking out. "Is it a little weird, isn't it?"
"Yeah, I know. But she was probably high on pain killers, so…"
"Yeah, that must be it." Stefan tried to mask his relief. "Well, send Bonnie my best wishes as soon as you see her, please."
Elena sent him another shy smile, her beautiful brown eyes shining. "Yes, thank you, Stefan. I'm sure she'll appreciate it."
Stefan nodded back at her. He needed to pay Bonnie a visit at the hospital as soon as he could get away. He wasn't happy at the idea of compelling her but it was necessary. He couldn't allow her to tell the whole town that a vampire had attacked her.
Stefan sat alone on a wooden lunch table in the school courtyard. He was contemplating if he should sneak out right now.
"Hey, Stefan. I need to ask you something," Jade called out from behind him.
Stefan sighed, realizing he couldn't ignore her in a such a public place. He wasn't in the mood to talk to her at the moment but he turned around all the same. "Now it's not a good time, Jade."
He couldn't stop himself from checking her out, hoping he wasn't being too obvious. She was wearing a faux leather crop top underneath an open burgundy red blazer that showed off her generous bosom, her slim waist and her flat stomach, and a short, burgundy red velvet, pleated skirt paired with black pumps, that made her long, toned legs stand out. Her skin looked soft and smooth, it almost glowed – Stefan tried not to focus too much on the blood he could see running through the veins of her neck (and what a beautiful neck it was), but it was difficult, with the delicious smell of her blood reaching his nostrils. Still, it was her face that was her best asset, especially her eyes, they were so green they sparkled like emeralds, especially now in the daylight. She was incredibly beautiful and sexy, and she knew it – her allure was magnetic, it was like trying to resist the force of gravity.
Stefan mentally shook his head and forced himself out of his Jade-induced-trance.
"It'll only take a minute." Jade replied, not seeming deterred in the least.
"Listen, I'm flattered by your attentions but, as I already told you, I'm not interested. I like Elena," Stefan said, deciding than being blunt was the best option. Girls like Jade weren't used to rejection.
Jade widened her eyes then laughed at him, actually laughed. Stefan couldn't help but feel a little offended. "Relax, Stefan. I'm not trying to hit on you. Ego much? I'm not a stalker. You like Elena, I got the message the first time. I just wanted to let you know that Mr. Tanner is probably going to ask you something on my behalf. You see, I'm doing a project about Mystic Falls during the Civil War and, since you're part of one of the Founding Families, I figured you – or your uncle, at least – might have the Salvatore journals. I wanted to ask your uncle if I could borrow them. Be warned, even if you say no to me, Mr. Tanner would probably force you to give them to me anyway, so let's just cut to the chase, shall we?"
Now Stefan felt panicked for a completely different reason. She wanted to borrow the Salvatore journals, as in his father's, Giuseppe Salvatore's, journals? The ones in which his father recounted how he had killed his own children? No, he couldn't let her have them. What if she figured out about him and Damon?
"I'm sorry, Jade, but I don't think my uncle will let you borrow them."
Jade smiled sweetly at him. "Well, I figured you were going to say that but I'm still going to try. I'm going to go by the Boarding House this afternoon and talk to him. This conversation was just to give you a heads-up. You know, for courtesy's sake. Bye, Stefan!" She actually waved at him before she turned around and walked away.
"No, Jade…wait!" Stefan tried to call out to her but she ignored him. Stefan cursed. Yet another problem he had to solve, somehow. Perhaps he would be forced to compel Jade once again, and Mr. Tanner as well, if he'd proved as insistent as Jade thought he might.
Blair and Caroline were sitting around a table at the Mystic Grill. They were waiting for visiting hours to start so they could go see Bonnie at the hospital.
Caroline was interrogating Jade about the night before, since she knew Jade's intention at the party had been to seduce Stefan and, instead, Jade had supposedly left the party and spent the night with another man.
"So, what happened between you and Stefan?" Caroline asked her.
Jade shrugged. "He rejected me. Can you believe it?"
She couldn't tell Caroline the truth. She hated lying to her best friend but she had no other choice. She didn't want Caroline to know about the existence of vampires or witches, or that now Jade was some kind of witch-vampire hybrid who needed to consume human blood to survive. She didn't think Caroline would understand or take it well. And she didn't want to tell Caroline about her and Stefan and what had really happened between them.
Caroline gasped. "Really? But that never happens."
"I know. Nobody has ever rejected me before. I don't know if I like the feeling. I mean, first time for everything, but…"
"He obviously wasn't worth your time," Caroline said, always the loyal friend.
"Right. If he can't see how awesome I am, his loss. I hope he and Elena will be very happy together. And I say that with complete sincerity. It's not like I cared about Stefan anyway. He was just the new, hot guy. I just wanted to parade him around Tyler, like he does with Vicki. That Elena was interested in him as well was just a bonus. Though, I have to admit, he did hurt my pride."
"You would have loved to fuck him, though, and steal, once again, someone that Elena wanted."
Jade nodded, not even trying to deny it. "So true. Damn, I'm such a terrible person."
"The worst." Caroline chuckled. Jade joined her, feeling good, sitting here with her best friend. It almost made her forget all that happened yesterday. Almost.
"Okay, let's stop talking about Stefan. Tell me about this guy you spent the night with yesterday?"
Jade refrained from grimacing, but only just. More lies, great. "There's no much to say. It was a one-time thing. I'm probably never going to see him again so…"
"Fine. But tell me a bit about him. Where did you meet him? Do you even know his name? Was he our age or older? What did he look like? Was he hot? Was he good in bed?"
How was she supposed to answer all these questions if there was no guy.
Well, there was one guy…the vampire who killed her.
"Well, let's see…I don't know his name, we didn't exactly exchange personal information. We met at a club in Charlottesville. I had a fake I.D. so they let me in." The club she was referring to was, of course, the club she had spent the majority of the nights in, last summer. "We danced together and he offered me something to drink." Oh, the irony. "Yes, he was hot. He was dark-haired, fair-skinned, with bright blue eyes. And yes, he was older, probably mid-twenties. And, as far as one-night stands go, it was great."
"You lucky bitch!" Caroline said, with mirth in her voice. "I might just forgive you for leaving me stranded at the party. Especially because Matt gave me a ride home," she finished suggestively.
"Oh, so I'm not the only one with something to share. Spill!"
"Well, nothing as juicy as your story but we basically spent the entire party together and then he brought me home and though we didn't kiss or anything, it had felt a lot like a date. And, since she saw how worried I was about Bonnie, he was very sweet and reassuring."
"Good for you Care! I'm sure in no time at all you'll make him forget all about my sister."
Caroline frowned. "I hope. I couldn't help but notice the way he was staring at Stefan and Elena today. He was so jealous."
"Well, give it time. Be his friend right now. The rest will come later."
"You think?"
"I don't think, I'm sure. Trust me."
Caroline nodded, relieved, a gorgeous smile blooming on her lips. "Thank you, J!"
"What are best friends for?"
Caroline's phone rang. "It's my dad," she said, visibly happy. "I'm going to the bathroom," she stood up from the table, phone in hand. "There's too much noise here."
"Okay," Jade agreed. She fished the phone out of her pocket to have something to do with her hands. She could never sit still for long. It was more than a little frustrating.
She really needed a good, hard fuck to take the edge off. Or an exhausting kick-boxing session. Perhaps she should go to the gym later that evening, tire herself before bed. It wouldn't be the first time.
Being a vampire had only exacerbated the problem. She was thirsty again. And the noise and the people at the Grill weren't helping any.
Talking with Caroline had helped distracting her but now…she needed to sneak out to her car without Caroline noticing and drink another blood bag before going to the hospital to visit Bonnie.
She raised her head from the phone, to check if Caroline had returned, when she saw him.
There was a man sitting at a table not far from her own. He was in his early to mid-twenties, wearing jeans and a black leather jacket, toned and lean – extremely attractive, the most attractive man she's ever seen, in fact – with raven hair, slightly mussed, fair skin and bright blue eyes – visible even from that distance.
No – not a man.
Those eyes. She would recognize those eyes anywhere.
"It's you," she said under her breath.
The vampire who'd killed her – turned her – only yesterday, smirked. "See you soon, Jade," he said, rising from his chair. He waved at her once, then walked away.
"No, wait–" Jade said but before she could get up to follow him, Caroline – who had rejoined their table – stood in front of her, blocking her view.
"Were you talking to someone?" Caroline asked her, confused.
"Never mind," Jade sighed. "So, what did your dad say?"
Caroline frowned. "I was hoping he would come to Mystic Falls soon but no such luck. He asked me to stay with him for Christmas though, so that's something."
Jade nodded, not really knowing what to say. It wasn't like she had any experience with divorced parents. Her parents had been happy and in love and now they were dead. "It's almost time to go. I need to refresh my makeup first. I'll be right back."
"Okay," Caroline said but Jade was already headed towards the back entrance. She made sure Caroline wasn't looking in her direction before sneaking out the back, towards the parking lot where she had left her car.
She quickly retrieved a blood bag from the car, hid it inside her jacket, and then re-entered the Grill. This time she headed towards the bathroom before locking herself in a bathroom stall.
The moment the blood hit her tongue, she moaned, feeling relief spreading all over her body. She finished drinking quickly and then threw the bag in trash. She felt so much better now, much more relaxed.
She joined Caroline at the table a few minutes later. "Let's go."
Caroline nodded and together they left the Grill.
When Jade and Caroline entered Bonnie's room, they found Elena sitting by Bonnie's bed.
Bonnie was awake, sitting upright and propped up by pillows; she was chatting and eating fruit jelly, looking cheerful all things considered. Her complexion was a little grey, she had deep shadows under her eyes and her neck wound was covered by a pristine white bandage, in stark contrast with her dark skin. She was alive and she would recover soon – that was all that mattered.
Whenever she would look at Bonnie, Jade felt nauseous. It brought to mind her own attack, something she didn't want to linger on. She had felt so helpless – it wasn't just about the pain, but the terror and powerlessness of that moment.
And now she was a vampire. Why that vampire had decided to turn her but had left Bonnie alive? Not that she wasn't glad that Bonnie was alive but why her and not Bonnie? The blue-eyed vampire could have killed her, could have killed both of them, just like that couple she had heard about in the news. Why had he turned Jade and attacked Bonnie but left her alive? What was his game? And why did it seem like he was specifically targeting people close to Elena? Or was it just a coincidence?
"Well, I was talking to Grams," Bonnie was saying, "and she said the comet is a sign of impending doom. The last time it passed over Mystic Falls, there was lots of death. So much blood and carnage, it created a bed of paranormal activity."
Bonnie's grandma was obsessed with all things supernatural – her obsession had, in fact, driven her to become the Occult Studies Professor at Whitmore College (though she was retired now). She was a little bit of a nutjob – or maybe, she wasn't. After all, Jade had known since she was a child that supernatural beings existed, so maybe Grandma Bennett was unto something?
Caroline waved a hand in the air – the one not holding the plastic teaspoon she was eating her red jelly with. "Yeah, and then you poured Grams another shot and she told you about the aliens. So, you and Stefan?" Caroline turned to Elena. "Have you done it yet? Did you even kiss?"
Elena shook her head. "No, we didn't kiss yet. And no, we definitely didn't do it yet. I met him only three days ago. It's too soon."
Jade shrugged. "Too soon for what? Why wait if you like him? It's not like you're a virgin anymore. I would have done it already if I was in your place. I bet he wants to. And, if he doesn't, he's a eunuch."
Elena rolled her eyes at Jade. "I know you would have, Jade. But for some of us sex is a big deal."
Jade smirked, not the least bit offended. "Hey, careful there with the slut-shaming. It's a big deal for me too, you know? If I don't get orgasms, I'm out of there. Better if you know it as soon as possible, it's what I always say."
They all laughed at her comeback, even Elena.
Caroline wasn't done, though. "Seriously, what is with the blockage? Just jump his bones already! Ok? it's easy! Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, sex!"
"Profound." Elena shook her head.
"No, really, Care is right," Jade intervened. "I think you're not desperate to jump his bones because you don't really know what you're missing. Matt wasn't that great in the sack, was he? You can tell me."
Elena blushed. "Shut up. It's not that. It was nice with him. I enjoyed it. It's just that there wasn't any spark. But that wasn't his fault. With Stefan…I want to make sure."
Jade raised her hands in surrender. "Ok, fine. I'm not going to pressure you to have sex if you're not ready. I still believe you don't really know what you're missing, though. Hopefully you'll find out with Stefan. Still, be careful on waiting too long. Stefan might get bored, otherwise, and go look for someone else. You can never be too sure with these teenage boys."
Elena looked offended. "Stefan's not like that."
Jade rolled her eyes. "Every boy – every man – is like that. Unless they're asexual, of course, but that's another story. They want sex, Elena. All of them. Even the 'nice guys' like Stefan. Trust me."
Elena huffed but she looked pensive all the same. A moment later, she sprang from the ugly-brown plastic chair she was sitting on.
"Where are you going?" Bonnie asked.
"Caroline's right," Elena said. "And so is Jade. It is easy. If I sit here long enough, I'll end up talking myself out of it instead of doing what I started the day saying I was going to do."
"So, you're going to him now?" Caroline asked.
"Yes." Elena replied, determination in her eyes.
Jade got up too. "Mind giving me a ride to the Salvatore Boarding House? I need to talk to Zach Salvatore about my history project."
Elena looked uncertain but she nodded anyway. "Bye Bonnie. Get well soon," Jade said, before turning to Caroline. "See you later at cheer tryouts, Care."
"Okay, bye!" Caroline answered with a vivacious wave.
Elena said her goodbyes as well and then they sat in Elena's car, heading towards the Salvatore Boarding House.
Elena parked in the driveway of the Boarding House and they got out of the car, mesmerized by the building in front of them. It was huge – a red bricked, two-story mansion, that extended for several hundred square meters, surrounded by woods on all sides.
Jade had never been there before. Zach Salvatore was a man who kept to himself, most of the time. She had lived in Mystic Falls all her life and she must have exchanged two words with him in all that time – 'good morning' and 'goodbye', that one time she bumped into him at the local supermarket. That was it.
Elena walked to the front door and knocked but the door was already open. She exchanged a look with Jade who shrugged her shoulders and made her way inside. Elena followed behind her.
"Stefan? Stefan?" Elena called out, but there was no answer.
Jade looked around at the long corridor whose walls were covered in wood panels and the furniture made in dark wood. There was also a large wooden staircase that led to the higher floor. It was really beautiful. Dark and a little forbidding, but beautiful.
A crow flew into the house, from the still open front door, making both Elena and Jade duck.
Really? Another crow? Jade couldn't help but think. Why were there so many crows all of a sudden?
Elena and Jade had whirled around to follow the path of the crow so when they turned back around again, they found a man just standing there like he had always been there. Elena almost bumped into him.
Jade recognized him immediately and froze in place. What was he doing here?
"I...I'm sorry for barging in," Elena stuttered. "The door was...open." She turned around and pointed to the door to demonstrate her point but the door was now closed, somehow. Was the vampire playing with Elena now? Yeah, well, he had another thing coming if he thought he was going to hurt her sister. No matter how often they argued or how much they didn't get along, Jade would protect her sister, no matter what.
The man didn't look surprised – by either the door or their presence there. Jade still didn't know his name.
"You must be Elena," the blue-eyed man – vampire – said, before introducing himself. "I'm Damon, Stefan's brother."
Wait, what? Brother? Was that a vampire thing, or were they really brothers? They didn't look all that alike. Jade's thoughts were racing a mile a minute, and she couldn't help but notice that they were now in a house with the vampire that had killed and turned her and was also the one responsible for all the other 'animal attacks' of the last few days. Jade had the sudden urge to scream at Elena to run but she refrained. How was she supposed to explain it to Elena, if she did? She didn't want to tell Elena that her sister was now a vampire. She didn't want anyone to know, at least not any time soon.
Most importantly, even if she were to warn Elena about Damon and what he really was, Damon wouldn't let them leave this house alive. Not that Jade wouldn't fight tooth and nail to protect her sister and herself. She was a witch as well as a vampire now. She could hold her own. But it was still better for Elena to remain as oblivious as possible.
Try something, I dare you. She thought, staring Damon Salvatore down.
Damon sent her a smirk before focusing on what Elena was saying.
"He didn't tell me he had a brother."
"Well, Stefan's not one to brag," Damon replied.
It seemed like he was about to add something else, but Jade interjected, "actually, he did." She didn't know why she was talking. While she usually loved to be the center of attention, right now she would have preferred to be ignored.
Damon and Elena turned to look at her.
"He said he had a sibling he didn't talk to," Jade continued, ignoring the feeling of awkwardness in the pit of her stomach. Or was it fear? She couldn't tell.
"Right," Elena muttered.
"I'm sorry, I haven't had the pleasure, Miss…?" Damon asked, turning his attention to her. If Jade didn't know any better, she would have bought this gentleman-like act.
Jade sent him a false smile in return. "Actually, we did. Not that I would expect you to remember. Who knows how many women you met in the exact same way…"
Damon smirked – he actually looked amused. "You're right, my bad. I do actually remember you. In fact, you were pretty unforgettable. I just didn't want to seem indelicate."
"Oh, nobody would ever think you were indelicate," Jade said with a raised eyebrow. "It's not like you just left me there, after."
"Well, what else did you expect me to do? I couldn't very well wait for you to wake up."
"So, that's what you do? You…do the deed and then you just leave? Is that something you do often?"
Damon was openly grinning now. "Not as often as you might think. You were pretty special."
Jade was amused as well, despite herself, because she knew how their conversation sounded like. Elena, in point of fact, went from looking confused to looking embarrassed.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," Elena interjected. "But I was hoping to see Stefan?"
Damon turned to smile at her – but the amusement hadn't faded from his eyes. "Stefan is not here at the moment. But, please, come. Let's not just stand here in the hallway. I'm sure Stefan will be along any second." Then he addressed Jade again. "What about you? Are you here to see Stefan as well? I didn't know my brother was so popular with girls."
"Wasn't he always?" Jade asked him.
"Not really. Late bloomer, you see."
"Hm, that strangely makes sense," Jade said. "He looks like the former nerd kid who became popular all of a sudden because he got attractive during the summer. I bet he's the broody, loner type. He does have that perpetually furrowed brow. And that hair…so Edward Cullen, of him."
"Oh, yes." Damon chuckled. "He spends hours in his room writing in his diary…sorry, journal."
Jade grinned. Okay, this is fun. Who knew homicidal vampires could actually be fun? Well, psychopaths could be fun too, she supposed. So, why not vampires?
"Does he play the piano too?" Jade asked with a cheeky grin.
"He does." Damon sent her a wink, looking more amused by the minute. "But, to be fair, that was our parents. They wanted Stefan and I to learn."
"Wow. This is your living room?" Elena asked in awe when they entered the parlor. Elena was right to be in awe, it looked amazing. It was practically as big as the entire second floor of the Gilbert house, all antique furniture, a stone fireplace, and tall windows that brightened the room considerably, in contrast with the hallway they were in before.
"Living room, parlor, Sotheby's auction." Damon replied. "It's a little kitschy for my taste."
"I disagree," Jade said. "This room has a lot of history. The entire building does. More than a century of it, in fact. It was built in 1914, wasn't it? After the original Salvatore manor was destroyed in a fire, I believe."
Damon raised both eyebrows, looking impressed. "Huh, beauty and brain. Lethal combination. Please, tell me you're not actually here to see my brother."
"No. I'm here to see your uncle, Zach? Is he here?"
"I'm sorry, no. He's not here. But perhaps I can help you with whatever you needed from him?"
Jade sent him a fake innocent look, batting her eyelashes and dripping her voice with honey. "You might. I was hoping to borrow the Salvatores' journals from the 1860's? I'm doing a history project about Mystic Falls during the American Civil War and those journals would be extremely useful."
"The Salvatore journals, huh?" He sent her a suspicious glare. "Let me see what I can do." Then he turned his attention back to Elena, effectively dismissing her.
Jade couldn't say she was particularly bothered by it. Chatting with him had been fun, in a bizarre way, but she wasn't keen on having too much of his attention focused on her – not right now, anyway. She did want to have a proper conversation with him eventually, though – just the two of them, with no one around. So, they could talk honestly and plainly. She had so many questions to ask him. She hoped he would be willing to answer them.
"I see why my brother's so smitten," Damon was saying to Elena. Jade must have missed some of their conversation. "It's about time. For a while there, I never thought he'd get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."
"The last one?" Elena asked, a tremble in her voice.
"Yeah. Katherine, his girlfriend?" At Elena's blank look, Damon turned surprised. "Oh, you two haven't had the awkward exes conversation yet." He pretended to be embarrassed about bringing the subject up but he was clearly faking. Did he want to cause trouble between Stefan and Elena? Why?
"Nope," Elena said, pretending she wasn't upset but not fooling anyone.
"Oops. Well, I'm sure it'll come up now. Or maybe he didn't want to tell you because he didn't want you to think he was on the rebound. We all know how those relationships end." He was clearly needling her. Why would he want to cause trouble between Elena and Stefan? Why would he care?
"You say it like every relationship is doomed to end," Elena said, in defense of her blossoming relationship.
Damon shrugged "I'm a fatalist. Hello, Stefan." He said all that in the same breath so it took a full second for the words to register. When they did Elena and Jade turned to the door. Stefan hadn't made a sound and Damon's back was facing the entrance. Damon wasn't trying very hard to hide the fact that he was a vampire, was he?
"Elena," Stefan said to her, ignoring Jade completely. Jade raised her eyes to the ceiling. Could he be any more obvious? "I didn't know you were coming over."
Elena looked uncomfortable. Way to behave like a jerk, Stefan. "I know. I should have called, I just..."
"Oh, don't be silly," Damon interjected. He was enjoying the tense atmosphere, it was obvious. He seemed to thrive in chaos, but that was, in all likelihood, not all that strange for a vampire. Or maybe it was simply a brotherly rivalry thing, maybe it had nothing to do with the two of them being vampires. "You're welcome any time. Isn't she, Stefan? You know, I should break out the family photo albums or some home movies. But...I have to warn you. He wasn't always such a looker."
Elena smiled at him, the smile Jade recognized as her Elena 'this is awkward but I still have to be polite' smile.
"Thank you for stopping by, Elena. Nice to see you," Stefan said, as still as a statue and with a lack of expression to match.
Elena looked between Stefan and Damon, visibly uncomfortable. "Yeah, I should probably go. It was nice to meet you, Damon."
"Great meeting you, too, Elena." Damon kissed the back of Elena's hand like gentlemen used to do in the past. For a vampire, he could be extremely charming – or maybe that was the point. Perhaps that was how he lured his victims. As if his good looks wouldn't be enough.
"Stefan? Stefan?" Elena called out to Stefan, who was blocking her way. Stefan moved aside but his eyes didn't leave Damon's form for a second. Jade made to leave as well – since both brothers had decided to ignore her presence there – but Damon's voice stopped her in her tracks.
"And Jade…" Damon turned to look at her, a smirk on his lips again. His so-very-blue eyes bored into hers, seemingly trying to convey some kind of message. "Forgive my brother's rudeness, I told you, he still doesn't know how to behave around women. Especially beautiful ones. You're welcome any time as well. Isn't she, Stefan?"
Stefan glared at Damon and didn't bother to answer.
Jade grinned. "I'm not sure Stefan would agree. He doesn't like me much. But thanks for the offer all the same, Damon."
"He doesn't like you?" Damon asked her, sounding scandalized at the very thought. Jade almost chuckled again. He could be so theatrical. "Well, that is news to me. In fact, I thought he liked you a great deal." There was a clear innuendo there that Jade didn't miss. Had he seen them yesterday? "But perhaps I was mistaken."
Jade shrugged. "Well, your brother can be confusing. Who knows what he really thinks. But I should go. Let me know about the journals, then."
"Will do," Damon said, taking Jade's hand as well but, unlike what he had done with Elena, he didn't kiss its back but put his lips on the inside of her wrist, right over her pulse. Jade shivered, despite herself, uncertain whether it was because of fear or arousal – or perhaps both. Damon smirked, having clearly heard her heart skipping a beat.
"I will see you soon, Jade, I'm sure," He added as a farewell. Almost the same words he had used earlier that afternoon at the Grill. Was it a threat or an invitation?
Jade nodded and left the two brothers behind, joining Elena outside.
"Great gal, Elena. Whoo. She's got spunk," Damon said, just to irritate Stefan. "And Jade…huh…that girl is really the whole package. Hot, witty, smart. No wonder you're so conflicted. I would be too."
Jade Gilbert. Turning her at been a spur of the moment decision. He didn't really know what he had wanted to accomplish, he just knew that he found the idea of the sister of Katherine's little doppelganger as a vampire amusing, especially after seeing her with his brother. Perhaps he had wanted her to attack someone, kill them even, so Stefan would be forced to tell Elena the truth. Perhaps Stefan would be even forced to kill her. And, after killing Elena's sister, how could Elena ever forgive him? It would have ruined their relationship even before it began.
No matter the reason, now that he had met her, he was certainly glad he had turned her. She was magnificent. It seemed like she was adjusting well to her new condition. It had been almost a day and no accident that he knew of. She had even gone to school like nothing had happened. Oh, the fun they could have together.
Though he couldn't understand how she could walk in the sun. Did she know a witch who had made her a daylight ring? It was certainly possible.
"I'm not conflicted," Stefan said through gritted teeth, bringing Damon out of his thoughts. He pronounced the word as if it had left a bad taste in his mouth. He looked constipated, the poor guy. The animal diet didn't suit him in the least.
"Sure, you are. It's okay to admit it, Stefan. It's just the two of us." Damon peered at Stefan's face, noticing he looked even broodier than usual. "You look pooped, brother. What is it? Did you over-exert yourself? Found a bad batch of Bambi blood? Oh, no…let me guess…hospital."
Stefan glared at him. "Someone had to clean up your mess."
Damon sent him a smirk. "Well, were you successful? Did the powers of persuasion work? Remember, if you don't feed properly, none of those little tricks work right."
Stefan ignored his question. Instead, he asked, "how long was Elena here?"
"Were you worried, Stefan? Scared we may be doomed to repeat the past? But, perhaps, it won't be like last time. I predict a love square in our future, instead of the old, boring, love triangle. Wouldn't that be a thing?"
Stefan glared. "I told you to leave Elena out of this. And, for the last time, I have no interest in Jade."
Damon shrugged. "Okay, so you won't mind if I have her for myself. She might be a fun distraction. After all, if you can play the 'high-school human' game, perhaps I can too. Find myself a human girlfriend, as well…"
"I'm not playing any games."
Damon scoffed at Stefan's predictable reply. He was so deep in denial, it would be funny if it weren't so pitiable. "Of course, you are. We both know the closest you'll ever get to humanity is when you rip it open and feed on it."
Stefan ignored everything Damon had just said – which was also predictable – and asked, instead, "what kind of game are you playing, Damon?"
Damon shrugged again, sending him another smirk. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"