Chapter 2: Katherine

The city of Paris was lovely, but certainly overrated. The atmosphere was not half as beautiful as I had expected. It didn't really matter to me because half of my day was spent at the shops, being the most exclusive of gowns. The other half I used as my feeding time. There were too many good- looking men in Paris...too many human men. All too many human men, who were way too hard to resist. I was feeding normally on random humans who crossed my path when was hungry. Too bad so many of them had met their untimely demise so very quickly. The officials were getting involved, they had all seemed like they had never so many of the same time of death. I made a guess that Paris wasn't affiliated with vampires as much as other cities around the world. But I had to feed and I wasn't Adelaide either. She was mental for feeding on animal blood because one cannot receive their full strength if they don't feed on human blood. True, I secretly admired her resistance, but I still thought her stupid all the same. Even if I had that kind of resistance, not drinking human blood was not worth it. I flipped through the gowns, frowning. I was aware that a young man who was at the store was watching me intently. I knew that most girls went to these stores chaperoned because of that. But I wasn't in the category "most girls" and the young man would find himself in more trouble than I would if he got involved with me. Humans were fighting a losing against vampires, even if they thought they had the upper hand with their stakes and fire. We were still stronger, faster. We were the predators. I turned my head, when I heard a voice near me. It was a girl, maybe my age or a little younger, perhaps Adelaide's age. I realized she was talking to me.

"Qu'est-ce que tu as faire, ici?" she asked. I smirked. By the way she asked the question I knew she wasn't a native. She had a thick accent and the question phrase she used was very amateur. I turned to look at her, and with one look I knew she was a vampire. In fact, I had met the girl a couple of times, once when I was human, and another time about five years ago.

"I suppose I could ask you the same," I said in German. Her eyes dilated in surprise.

"You remember me then?" her language changed to a proficient English. When she spoke English, no one would guess she had been born and brought up and transformed and still lived in Germany.

"Of course I do, Renassae," I said, speaking in English. "Vampires remember everything. Even the people or vampires who don't matter." I smiled in spite of myself, while Renassae scowled.

"You are playing a dangerous game, Katherine Pierce," she hissed. I looked at her, frowning.

"I'm not sure that anything I do is any concern of yours. I barely know you, anyways."

"I was visiting Paris to see my sister. And I saw you and all of your men. It isn't my business to tell you that you are a whore, but it is my business to tell you to stop feeding out in the open of the city. My sister will have to leave, if the officials start to suspect vampires. This place was her home for centuries. Also suppose the officials catch her? Then she will be staked, when she was not at fault. And she does feed on human blood, but she has a boyfriend who gives her blood. Like a donor. Why don't you try that, instead of jeopardizing the lives of other vampires? If you don't stop Katherine, I suggest you leave Paris. I don't want to have to drive a stake through you!"

"That would be the biggest mistake you will ever make. Not to mention the fact that you will never get the chance to drive a stake through me," I said. The both of us had begun to walk out of the store and into the gardens which surrounded it.

"Why?" she asked, with suspicion. I raised my chin up prominently, a small smile playing at my lips.

"I am quite disappointed with you Renassae. My dear, you seem to have no idea who you are messing with." She glared at me, and I smiled innocently, tilting my head to one side. Before she could say another word, I was off. At full vampire speed and Renassae would never find me again. But if she did, I knew I could kill her easily. When I came into my rooms, where I was staying, I took out some parchment and started to write to Adelaide about my trip. For sisters, we weren't exactly close, but I was still going to warn her if Renassae were ever to pay her a visit.