Prologue

The 11th century

Kassandra hadn't always been the paranoid crazy she had become in five short years after her life went to hell. She had been normal once, as normal as a witch could be. She had even been happy once or twice. But that was before her life went to hell, before a selfish witch cast a spell to save her children, throwing nature off balance, ruining Kassandra's life and making her into the paranoid crazy she would have made fun of, five years earlier.

Kassandra had been content with her old life. She had been all right with living it the rest of her natural life. Her father had died when she had been four, leaving her mother to raise five children on her own. Her mother eventually married her husband's brother, Kassandra's uncle. Kassandra didn't mind her uncle/step-father. He did what he was supposed to do as the head of the household, nothing more and nothing less. Kassandra could respect him.

Kassandra had an older brother and sister, and a little brother and sister. She had gotten along with her siblings all right, but wasn't very close to them. Her eldest siblings had already married and moved away by the time Kassandra had turn fifteen. Her little sister died of illness before she turned one, leaving just Kassandra and her youngest brother, Peter. Kassandra loved her little brother, doted on him. He was the only human being who completely accepted Kassandra for who she was, who put up with her.

Kassandra had been on fairly good terms with her mother as well, though she exasperated her often. They were both witches and practiced together. Kassandra's mother, Gabriella, loved her children more than anything, and she was a good mother. Kassandra was okay with her family, she loved them the way she should.

Kassandra even had a friend, a best friend. It was a little surprising, because Kassandra had the tendency to be surly and socially awkward and blunt. She spoke her mind, had no filter, and didn't think before she acted. Kassandra said the wrong things and often offended people. She wasn't one to care what people thought, though.

Tatia Petrova had been Kassandra's best friend, mostly because she was her only one. Tatia put up with Kassandra most of the time, getting exasperated with her friend's lack of filter like most people. Still, Tatia was a good friend, selfish at times and even manipulative when it suited her, but still a good friend. Kassandra was also Tatia's only friend because she was the only girl who put up with Tatia's beauty, beauty that stole the attention of every eligible man in the village. The two girls bonded over the fact that every other girl in the village was sick of them.

For the most part, Kassandra had been content with her life. And then it all went to hell.

Esther Mikealson- another witch in town- cast a spell to turn her children and husband into vampires after her youngest son, Henrik, died of a werewolf attack. Not only were vampires an abomination of nature- something Kassandra couldn't condone, being a witch- they were blood thirsty. And they killed. They made more of their kind and then slaughtered half the village.

Kassandra lost so many people, when Esther cast the spell that created vampires. She lost Tatia- whose blood Esther had used in the ritual and who had died because of it. Kassandra knew that it was because two of Esther's sons had been fighting over her, Niklaus and Elijah. She lost her uncle and her mother, who had been among the people the vampires, had fed on and killed.

And, worst of all, Kassandra lost Peter. She never knew what became of her baby brother. He wandered off from home one night and never returned. She never found his body. She never knew what happened to him.

It was nothing short of a miracle that Kassandra was still alive when the vampires left her village. Half the village was dead- Esther included- and the survivors tried their best to repair their lives. They leaned on their remaining loved ones and moved on. But Kassandra's problem was that she didn't have anybody left. Her family, her only friend, they were all dead. Kassandra had no one. And the loneliness was what had created the paranoid crazy who lived in the woods, lived off of plants and berries, didn't interact with anyone else, and turned her back on her magic.

Kassandra's life went to hell, but she did little to stop it.

Years had passed since then, and vampires hadn't passed through the village since. Still, Kassandra was paranoid and fearful of vampire attacks. She had stopped using her magic- it hadn't helped her when she needed it most, so why should she appease the spirits and use her powers to keep nature in balance? She was so sick of the spirits bossing her around. Kassandra ran her own life, she was her own boss. No dead witches had the right to push her around.

Kassandra's hazel eyes darted around the woods as she walked to her house. The sun was still up, so one would think that she would be safe from vampire attacks. But Kassandra knew that witches to protect vampires from the sun could create daylight rings. The day was just as safe as the night in her opinion.

Kassandra heard a branch crack, and she stiffened and searched for who had caused the noise. She saw nobody, and her mind came up with hundreds of different reasons behind the branch cracking, most involving vampires. Kassandra's theories weren't too far off, though.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

Kassandra met the dark eyes of a smirking man. She could feel death practically radiate off of her. He was a vampire. And he wasn't alone.

Two more men joined him, circling around Kassandra like predators. She raised her shoulders, gritted her jaw, and forced her fear down deep. She wouldn't give these monsters the pleasure of watching her be afraid of them. She was a witch. She was above them. They had no idea who they were messing with.

Kassandra settled her gaze on the man who spoke, and concentrated her energy, her power. It was the first time in years she used her magic. At first, the vampire clutched his head in pain, but then he straightened and glared at her. Kassandra was taken back. Why hadn't her spell lasted longer?

She knew the answer, though. The spirits weren't happy with her. She turned her back on them, now they were repaying the favor.

"

Witch," the vampire growled, suddenly gripping Kassandra roughly, digging his dirty nails into her skin. "I was going to make you my meal, witch, but now I have a better idea for a pretty little thing like you."

Kassandra's eyes widened at the wicked smirk on the vampire's lips. She didn't even have time to wonder what he meant by that, before the vampire bit his wrist, shoved it into her mouth, and forced her to drink his blood. Kassandra thrashed and struggled, but swallowed a few mouthfuls. Then the vampire sunk his teeth into Kassandra's neck, ripped her throat open, and killed her. She didn't stay dead for long, though.

Kassandra's life had been hell before she died. Her afterlife was worse. What was worse than hell, though?

Kassandra had been alone her last years as a mortal. The only thing that got her through the days was knowing that she'd eventually die and she wouldn't be alone anymore. But then she became a vampire, and that was no longer a possibility. She'd never feel the relief of death.

What was worse than hell? An eternity alone.

~SYH~

A/N:This story will vaguely follow season three. Kind of, but not really. Hopefully it won't turn out as confusing as it sounds. Dianna Agron portrays Kassandra. This story is rated M for a reason. There will be sex scenes in the future of this story, so beware.

Review!

~Abby :)