1 year ago.

"You've been here six months, Stefan. Don't you think you should venture outside the walls of the monastery?"

Stefan was knelt on stone, his hands were tangled in rosary beads—carefully letting the cross dangle below his finger tips. He was in the middle of prayer when Klaus and another monk who followed Klaus like a shadow had come into the chapel. Stefan slowly opened his eyes.

"I don't know if I'm ready."

Klaus put his hand on Stefan's shoulder.

"We can never truly be certain unless we take a chance. Have faith in the Almighty to guide and protect you on your path to righteousness."

Stefan lowered his hands and after a moment, stood. He turned to Klaus.

"I'm afraid," he confessed softly.

"Fear is important, my son. That is your conscience."

"Where will I go?"

"Start small. Try walking into the town. I hear Benicia Gallo snares and sells live rabbits. Bring some back for us," he glanced at the other monk, " and of course, for the monks to cook the rest as they see fit."

The monk with Klaus placed several Euros in his hand. His hand was strongly and reassuringly over Stefan's for a long moment. He said nothing but his eyes were alert, deep.

"Do you ever venture off these lands," Stefan asked aloud.

Klaus smiled strangely.

"I'm bound to these lands. We are intertwined. No. I am meant to be here and here only. I'm resigned to it."

Stefan nodded, his fingers clutching the Euros.

"I won't be long."

Klaus nodded.

"Take all the time you need."

Castelnuovo dell'Abate was a small inhabited medieval town that rose on a small hill not far from the abbey. The town was made up a few houses along the road and then there was nothing. A small farm was located not a long walk away so Stefan decided to take a leisurely if nervous stroll to purchase things for the monks and he.

Benecia Gallo was a lovely girl of nineteen. Her hair was the color of raven feathers and her eyes were much of the same. Her eyebrows were thick and arched, making even her kindest words seems tinged with sarcasm. She wore no makeup and was leaning, barefoot, on the bumper of her father's car. Stefan had seen her in the church several times and had exchanged short pleasantries with her. When she caught sight of him, she smiled.

"I was beginning to think that you had a magnet inside you that kept you in the chapel," she said in Italian.

Stefan laughed and explained that he was trying to be more social. He inquired about the rabbits and said he would take a dozen. When he put the Euros in her hand, he felt her pulse. Her heart was beating as fast as a rabbit. Her blood was swishing and swirling from her heart and through her veins. He quickly put his hand at his side and cleared his mind. Soon, he forgot about the blood inside of her and instead enjoyed her conversation. It was a wonderful feeling. He said a short prayer and thanked God. He ended up giving her more money than she asked for. He didn't mind. In return, she offered to carry one of the baskets to the chapel. No one was allowed on the church grounds unless it was during a service. And even then, it was under the watchful eyes of several guides. Women were explicitly forbidden in the private chambers of the monks. Stefan knew this. He didn't, though, want to offend Benecia's kindness and accepted her offer.

I'll let her in through the kitchen and have her back outside in a minute. We can crisscross through the vineyard so we don't get in trouble, he thought.

He smiled thinking of Klaus's admonishment if they were caught.

"The abbey has strict rules," he imagined him saying. Klaus. He was such a strange man. In the last 6 months, he learned nothing more than what Klaus wanted him to know. And that other monk was never far behind from him. Especially during church services. Why, Stefan didn't know.

"Why are you smiling," the girl asked.

"I'm just…enjoying the beauty of today," Stefan said in perfect Italian. She blushed lightly as they walked through the olive grove. Soon the back door of the abbey came into view. Stefan stopped and turned.

"I can only let you in for a second. Just to put the rabbits down. You aren't supposed to be on holy ground, I could get in trouble."

"Your secret is safe with me," she whispered.

Stefan smiled. The walked into the large kitchen and settled the cages on the counter. The rabbits were rather hyper, jumping against the walls of the cage.

The girl covered her mouth, stifling a laugh. Stefan grabbed her hand and led her outside. They looked behind them at the closed door and laughed.

Benecia gasped as she turned forward and bumped straight into Klaus's chest. Klaus stilled her with one hand, the other holding a basket of grapes. Not forty paces behind Klaus was another monk. His attention was on his fallen basket of grapes that he frustratingly threw back in the wicker container.

"Um," Stefan said quickly, "Senorita Gallo was helping me bring the rabbits…"

Klaus said nothing, instead his eyes were nearly in awe of the girl in front of him.

"You work faster than I imagined," he said softly.

"What do you mean?"

"Of course, I was counting on your good looks…I've tried but have been foiled so many times by the brethren…And then you came…"

Benecia couldn't speak English and looked at Stefan in confusion. Stefan looked from Klaus to Benecia and back again. The breeze was suddenly non-existent and the sun and fallen into the path of clouds. The birds were hushed on their perches.

"Klaus," Stefan said quizzically.

Klaus's hand shook as he reached out and let his fingertips glide over the girl's hair. Stefan watched as Klaus's eyes dilated into small saucers. Benecia's stance became relaxed.

"Shh, bella," he said soothingly.

Just then, a scream was heard behind Klaus. It was the monk. Grapes spilled once again on the ground as the man's eyes were large with fear as he ran straight for them. Stefan jerked in alarm. Everything rushed at once. Klaus's face contorted and in an instant, Benecia was in his embrace. His head moved like lightning against her neck. Stefan heard the ripping of her skin as he forced his fangs into her. Before Stefan could even react, Klaus clamped his teeth deep in her throat. Klaus grabbed the girl's head and pulled her in the opposite direction of his mouth. A distorted moan escaped the her lips as her jugular was pulled from her neck. Blood sprayed Stefan over his eyes and spilled onto the earth. It sprayed like champagne from its bottle. It's metallic, earthy aroma flooded Stefan's senses. And as Stefan blinked, reaching for her, Klaus was gone.

The monk reached them and fell onto the ground, his hand over Benecia's neck as she convulsed underneath the olive trees. Tears fell from the monk's eyes as he spoke.

"What have you done?

Not even an hour after Benecia's death and Klaus's disappearance, Stefan's bags had been packed and was banished from the abbey without so much as a goodbye. What had happened? Where was Klaus? What was Klaus even talking about? They offered him no answers and said only that the requirement of their subservience was now severed. They pushed him into a taxi as they clutched their crosses and threw a wad of money at him. He was driven to Lucca and left just inside of the city.

Stefan hadn't felt this lost since he left Mystic Falls. God. Mystic Falls. His heart lurched at the thought of Elena. He wondered how she was doing but was too afraid to call. Stefan wandered about, carrying his luggage, not knowing where to go. He found a deserted barn outside the other end of town and dropped his shoulders. This was his new home, he supposed.

He had not been in town for two days before strange stories of a wild animal on the loose began to be told. No one was safe. Several men, women and children had fallen victim to the beast. It was assumed to be a large wild dog but Stefan knew better. It had to be Klaus.

Two days later, while wandering through town, a man caught his eye. He was beautiful. Olive skin, dark eyes and dark curly hair. But his eyes...they were vacant, dilated. The hair raised on the back of Stefan's neck. He was being compelled. It was so obvious to him. He followed the man at a distance and watched as he went into Hotel Noblesse. He watched as the he wandered into the hotel restaurant. The man walked towards the bar, towards a woman with dark hair whose back was turned away from Stefan. The man bent towards the woman's ear and whispered something. She lifted her head quickly and turned to the man. She was very still for a moment before nodding and dismissing him with a lift of her hand. The woman turned in her seat towards the bar and Stefan's heart froze in his chest.

Elena.

She had found him. Joy, fear, adulation filled him like a balloon. He watched as Elena stood and walked upstairs towards her room. Stefan moved like a cat and followed her upstairs. Elena turned the corner and procured a key from her pocket, she placed it in the door lock and turned it. She opened the door but left it wide open. Stefan paused before walking into the room.

She was laying on the bed, a long cigarette in her hand. Her lips curved she she blew the smoke into rings.

"Shut the door," she said softly.

Stefan shut it behind him. And then he realized...

There was no heartbeat. And the way she was staring at him now…

"Katherine," he was nearly shaking.

"Hello, lover. It's been a long time."