Anelie and Cassie stood facing the front of a large renaissance structure made of gray stone. The school's name at the entrance in bold lettering read Petrova High School and underneath: In honor of The Petrova family since 1584
Cassie smirked at Anelie, "You have a school named after you?"
Anelie giggled, "Why of course,"
Cassie only shook her head and sighed, "Let's go," She took Anelie's hand their fingers entwined as they walked up the entrance of the school. Anelie, her Vampire hearing, she thought, was going to come in perfect hand; followed by stares of many student's whispers emanated.
"She looks exactly like Princess Anelisia, like she could be her twin!" a girl exclaimed in whisper
"I wonder who that girl is that's with her—sister maybe? A Girlfriend?" another girl wondered to friends
Cassie leaned into Anelie's ear, "Hear anything good?" she wondered with a grin knowing Anelie would not be able to resist listening in.
Her friend nodded and leaned in close
"If anyone asks—Princess Anelisia was my ancestor,"
Cassie looked at her curiously, "Who is Princess Anelisia anyway?"
Anelie shrugged her shoulder and gave another grin, "Me"
Cassie stopped in her tracks and pulled Anelie back with her, "Excuse me?"
"I'll explain later, but right now we are going to be late if we don't get a move on." Anelie hushed, pushing back the Princess matter for a later conversation.
Cassie sighed in defeat and nodded pointing down a long corridor, "The office is that way, I saw a sign back there." Anelie nodded
"Alright, then let's go!" she pulled on Cassie's arm.
They proceeded to the third floor where their first class was scheduled. Upon entering the room everyone already seemed to be present by the fact that only a few seats around the class were vacant. Anelie looked up at the women standing in the front of the room and smiled shyly, "Hello."
"Hello girls, you must be my new students." the women inferred with a gentle smile and turned to the students, "Class, we have new students joining us: Anelisia Petrova and Cassandra Fell."
Cassie peered at Anelie shyly and Anelie showed a comforting smile, "It's okay," she mouthed.
"There are a couple of empty seats in the back, if you like." Ms. Malloy pointed out.
The girls claimed their seats and sat silently through the lesson.
/
"Cassie, it's okay, you're going to do fine; I'm going to help you through this, I promise." Anelie assured putting a hand on her friend's shoulder for comfort.
"You don't understand—I don't understand anything even if you help me—I won't be able to just magically understand Bulgarian." Cassie protested.
Anelie drove both of her hands to Cassie's shoulders and shook her back and forth, "Get a grip woman! I told you, I'm going to help, I'm fluent, I'll translate everything, okay? Your notes, homework, and anything else that you need."
Cassie let out a laugh wiping away the tears that fell from her eyes.
"I get it—trust me learning English was not the easiest thing for me but look at me now: I speak fluently. And with mine and my family's help you will be able to get through school at least."
Cassie nodded in understanding, "You're right," Anelie smirked, "I know I'm right, you know I'm right, so, let's turn that frown upside down. You don't need to stress; this is meant to be a stress-free life from now on." Anelie stated a soft smile on her lips.
"Maybe for you" Cassie protested quickly, "You're a Vampire!"
Anelie pushed her hands over Cassie's mouth, "Big mouth! Cool it on the name calling!" she hissed.
Cassie's eyes softened in defeat and pulled Anelie's hands away from her mouth, "I'm sorry…" she sighed, "It's just…I'm a human, and I need good grades to get into a good college. On the other hand, you don't. You don't have to work as hard because you can compel your way into things but not only that you understand practically everything anyway."
Anelie sighed, "Hun, listen to me, the only reason I understand all that I do is because in reality I'm five hundred and twenty years-old, I've been around a very long time."
Cassie giggled and Anelie returned it
"And I honestly don't want to go to college like you do, schools fun and all but that's just because I can always one-up the teachers and it is quite entertaining pissing them off." Anelie took Cassie's hand into hers
"I'll help you with everything, all of your school work and classes if that's what it takes. But regardless, you're my best friend and that means you can get into any freaking college on the planet. Good grades are just a bonus now." The vampire insisted.
"But I want to earn my way, what I do not want is to be handed things just because I'm your friend." Cassie insisted.
Anelie shook her head and smiled, "God you are such a goody-goody."
Cassie scoffed, "I am not!" Anelie giggled, "Yes you are. Admit it Cassie Fell—you are the definition of a goody-goody."
Cassie rolled her eyes, "And you're spoiled."
Anelie smirked, "And you are damn right."
/
"Why didn't you get anything?" Cassie asked sitting down at a table on the second floor above the cafeteria, Anelie smiled pulling out a silver water bottle, "Because I brought mine."
Cassie looked at her in disgust, "You brought blood to school and you wanted me to chill on the V word?"
Anelie rolled her eyes, "It isn't like anyone can see what I'm drinking—besides you should be used to me drinking blood by now." Cassie raised an eyebrow, "Is it human?"
Anelie rolled her eyes, "Duh—of course it is. I'm not a bunny drinker— that's gross and my mother taught me that being what I am gives me all the right to drink as much of this human blood as I desire." She explained taking a long gulp of the blood tasting the metallic liquid as it rushed her throat like a river.
Cassie looked at her wide-eyed, "Psstt! You are totally Vamping out!" Anelie set down the bottle in front of her and laid her head down on the table, taking deep breaths until her features returned human. Anelie looked up and Cassie rolled her eyes, "I don't understand why you just do not wait until you get home to drink that stuff."
"Because the urge to feed will only increase, and if that happens students will end up missing and nobody wants their classmates disappearing."
Cassie rolled her eyes and continued eating her food.
Anelie then sighed, "Someone's coming."
Cassie looked up seeing two girls approaching them, "Yeah, how did you—"
Anelie brought a finger to her lips signaling Cassie to not finish the question.
"Hello Kiara," Anelie said dully smirking at the girl
"I was afraid you were not going to remember me, Anelisia."
Anelie glared, "I thought my mother had you and your worthless mother killed?"
Anelie rested her cheek on the back of her hand, "Do tell how you're standing here alive in front of my very immortal eyes."
"Be nice!" Cassie hissed.
"Shut up, Cassandra," Anelie hissed in return.
"My family is not as stupid as your mother thought. We saw your little hitman coming from a mile away. We took him out before he could get within sniffing distance of us."
Anelie rolled her eyes, her irritability spiking.
"Wonderful—now tell me what the hell you're doing here." Anelie demanded.
"Well to come say hi of course—it's been centuries since I've seen you, my dearest friend, Princess Anelisia Petrova."
"Yes, well, the Queen is also in Bulgaria, so if you would like you keep your meaningless life I suggest you stay far, far away from us."
Kiara shifted now smiling politely at the girls, taking a quick glance at Cassie, "Now is that anyway to treat a loyal friend?"
Anelie scoffed, "Loyal? You must be completely delusional. You wouldn't know the meaning of loyalty if it killed you."
The tension between the girls thickened immensely, Cassie was growing uncomfortable as she constantly fell under Kiara's gaze. She tried to smile in attempt to break the tension, but it wasn't enough.
"So you two have history, I take it?" Cassie asked innocently looking to Marissa for guidance but was met with an unwelcoming gaze. "Far more than any two people should have with each other." Marissa stated.
"You should be careful when you choose to drink that in such a populated place." Kiara warned, "We are not the only Vampires at this school."
"As long as none of them tries to kill me—I don't care." Anelie responded taking another drink from the bottle. Kiara eyed her, Anelie smirked, "If you want some of my blood, Kiara, all you have to do is ask."
Kiara forced a close-lipped smile and turned back to Anelie, "I hope your first day back as not been too overwhelming, I know how bad your anxiety can get in crowds."
Anelie's expression softened, "What are you talking about?"
Kiara stepped back smirking at the Petrova
Anelie was taken from the moment when her phone began to sing. A photo of Katherine and Anelie appeared on the screen.
"I'll be right back, Cassie." She explained getting up from her seat.
"Where are you going?"
"To talk to my Mother," Anelie answered her voice cold.
Cassie watched at Anelie rushed off disappearing around the corner
"Someone is a Mommy's girl." Marissa sneered
Kiara sighed and looked to Cassie, "She has not changed much. Though I must admit, she seems stronger."
Cassie shrugged a shoulder, "She's a strong girl. Anelie knows how to tell someone to fuck off without apologizing for it. Though, I've only known her for a couple years. Obviously, you know a different side of her than I do."
A hint of a smile formed over Kiara's lips, "You have no idea."
Anelie poked her head inside a small room and sighed of relief as it was dark and not soul was inside. She slipped in and shut the door, locking it behind her.
"Hi Momma," She answered
"Hi baby," Katherine replied, "How's your first day going? I just wanted to check on you."
"Mom—we have a problem," Anelie announced her mother's smile on the other side quickly faded and concern took over, "What's going on?"
"Do you remember Kiara Bradley?"
"How could I forget, they only tried to kill us. Why?" Katherine demanded
"Because she's here—at my school."
"Anelisia, that's impossible. I made certain they were dead." Katherine admitted casually.
"Not certain enough because I just had a full conversation with her."
"Momma, what should I do? I'm freaking out over here." Anelie panicked
"Don't freak out, did she try anything?"
Anelie shook her head, "No, she just talked to us. Though it was very cryptic."
Relief washed over the mother, "Alright, I'm coming to get you. Wait outside of the school—I'm leaving now." Katherine said grabbing her car keys and pulling open the front door of the castle she rushed down the steps.
Anelie sighed, "Okay, Mom, I love you."
Katherine slid into the driver's side and started the engine, "I love you too, baby." she said hanging up and tossing the phone onto the passenger's seat.
Every muscle in Katherine's body tensed, she was angry that her plan to have the Bradley's killed fell through and nobody cared to inform her about it. After hearing the news of their reappearance from Anelie, the memories flooded Katherine's mind.
1715, England
"Mama" Anelie cried held back by two vampires gripping her arms.
Anelie watched as her mother, hands tied above her head and tears dripping down her cheeks, was being tortured.
"Your mother deserves everything that is coming to her, stealing the moonstone from Klaus was a big mistake and until you—Katerina give it up, I will not think twice about sparing your life!" another vampire, a foot soldier to Niklaus, yelled.
Katerina shuddered at the vampire's voice as it sent a shiver down her spine.
She knew in that moment her life after two centuries would see its end, but she did not care about her life she cared for her baby's life more. If she knew Anelie would be safe, the vampire did not care what happened to her.
"Where's the moonstone," The evil-eyed vampire demanded gripping a wooden stake, holding the sharp end under Katerina's chin making her look into his eyes, "I do not have it anymore, I told you. I gave it to a witch—"
"Lies!" he growled through his teeth
Katerina chuckled dryly looking at him through her fallen bangs, "You think I'm lying— fine, you can torture me day and night for the rest of my life and still my answer will remain the same. I do not have the moonstone. The witch I gave it to lives in a cottage ten miles south of London in the woods."
"And why should we believe you?" he demanded taking the stake away from her chin.
"Because I do not have another answer for you..." Katerina answered her soft English voice trailing off.
Anelie listened and watched hastily, hoping that he would untie the Vervain ropes and let her mother free. But instead—her eyes widened as more and more tears began to rise. The vampire raised the stake high into the air the point aiming at its naturally claimed target.
Anelie screamed and thrashed, the holds on her arms tightening turning her olive skin pale white. "No, no, no! Please—no—Mommy!" Anelie cried hysterically
"Kill her Kiara!" the vampire growled through his teeth
"Gladly," Kiara smirked
Katerina's eyes widened as she watched the sight in front of her
Kiara released her grip ready to beat the little Petrova. Anelie was done, having already been beaten she let the younger vampire rule her. She screwed her eyes shut tightly, tensing her body waiting for the impact.
Nothing met her, her eyes shot open when she heard necks snapping. Anelie watched both Vampires fall to the ground. She looked up at a girl. Long brunette, wavy hair and golden brown eyes that mimicked her mother's perfectly.
"Momma…?" Anelie whispered
The girl smiled down at Anelie before turning away. At supernatural speed, she went at the other much younger vampire that victimized Katerina sinking her teeth into his flesh tasting his vampire blood flowing down her throat.
The girl threw down the vampire, dried of blood but would heel and recover quickly. She untied the Vervain ropes her fingers burning in the process.
"Who are you?" Katerina croaked
The girl looked at her twin meeting her sad brown eyes, "A friend," she spoke simply. Katerina fell into her savior's arms feeling safe once again.
Katherine squeezed her eyes shut pushing back the tears, she stepped up onto the sidewalk, her heels clicking against the cement as she rushed up to the school. All the fears from that very day appearing again, it frightened her.
Anelie came into view and ran quickly over to her, it was strange to Cassie because she had no clue what was happening, but she went with it and watched Katherine pull Anelie into her arms not saying a word as to why she was there.
Katherine called a family meeting, Anelie laid on the couch her head being caressed in her mother's lap and Cassie at her feet, Stefan stood leaning on the couch behind them with a glass of bourbon in hand.
Elijah beside Elena on the couch across the way, Tatia stood beside the grand fire place. Caroline and Rebekah standing at the doorway arms crossed over their chests.
"I don't understand why we are fussing about this. Those people have no reason to come after you—Klaus got the moonstone." Stefan started
Tatia sighed, "They do not care about the moonstone anymore, what they care about is revenge."
Stefan shot her a confused expression, "Why?"
"Because I killed their eldest daughter when I saved Katerina the day they tried to kill her and Anelie," Tatia spoke up earning puzzled expressions from everyone but Anelie and Katherine.
"Is that true . . . You killed Kiara's sister?" Cassie asked trembling in her words
Anelie looked over at Cassie her eyes panning over to Tatia who stood across from her. She nodded, "Yes, it's sad but I did what I needed to do to keep my family safe." Tatia answered
Cassie shook her head, "Killing is not always the answer,"
"Maybe for you Cassie, being part of the supernatural is different rules aren't the same—something that you will never be able to understand." Anelie snapped.
"Anie please, don't be so harsh-" Stefan tried to plead
"No!" Anelie arose from the couch her mood turning dark suddenly, "It's true and all of you know it." Anelie turned to Cassie, "Anie you and I both know killing is a horrible thing—people get locked up for it." Cassie tried to tell her.
"Had Tatia not come to save us, both Momma and I would be dead. Tatia killed Kiara's sister because she and her family literally had my mother tied up and was torturing us both." Anelie reported, "We are Vampires, if anyone of us were to kill in cold blood we would compel our way out if it—but the only reason we do that is to protect our own and survive. I am a killer—I've done my fair share and then some. Am I ashamed of it? No. Do I regret anything? No. Because it's my nature—it is our nature—it's who we are especially and family means everything; when our family is in danger we do whatever, we must to save them and that is exactly what my auntie did."
Cassie stood up getting into Anelie's face both of their blood boiling, "I understand doing what you must to protect your family. But all those people you fed on, is that something you still do? I mean…couldn't you just drink animal blood?"
Anelie stepped back her fists clenched, her eyes growing dark from anger, "It's only enough to keep us alive we are not strong enough living on only animal blood. But, if you have such a problem with me and the way we are then why the hell are you my friend?" Anelie demanded her voice rising with every word spoken.
"Because you were alone, and I felt sorry for you," Cassie spoke softly
Anelie just looked at her, everyone else watched the girls, waiting to pull Anelie back from hurting her best friend, "That's the same reason we took you in Cassandra—you were left with nobody as for me, I had my family. I've always had my family—for five-hundred-years they have been more than enough."
Anelie's eyes transformed back to their original state, her hands loosened but her expression stayed the same. "Blood does not make a family, love does. I wanted to share that with you because how much I love you." Anelie insisted.
"I was fine alone; I didn't care about being alone—the last thing that I ever wanted was to become friends with someone who will not except the way that I am. I'll never change—even if I could. I'm not human and I never will be again. I'm happy as a Vampire and I don't need someone in my life who dislikes what I am."
Anelie took a deep breath and let it out slowly, she then looked back at Cassie's. "You may befriend Kiara if you like—if her life means so much more than mine. However, there is a chance she will try something or someone from her family will. And if they do…" Anelie shook her head, "I won't hesitant to kill them." Her voice was cool, her eyes looking a bit brighter as the words fell off her tongue.
"What if I try to stop you?" Cassie challenged feeling defensive of the girl she barely knew.
Anelie glanced at her mother, Katherine knew exactly what she was going to say however hoped that she would not use those very words to someone whom she loved.
Cassie just stood there not knowing if she should be scared. Her heart was racing and all the Vampires in the room could hear. "You're right Mommy, it isn't right to say such a thing to someone I love."
Anelie leaned in and pressed a kiss to Cassie's cheek. "Don't do anything you'll regret." She warned, "or there will be hell to pay." Taking a piece of Cassie's hair and tucking it behind her ear.
Cassie let out a shaky sigh, "I should have never come here," Cassie spoke under her breath running out of the room and up to her bedroom.
Anelie sighed as she watched Cassie leave.
"Well that wasn't cryptic at all." Stefan murmured taking a swig of bourbon.
Elena watched her leave, feeling sympathy towards the human.
"You really know how to make your friend feel warm and fuzzy, don't you, Anelisia?" Rebekah mocked her niece.
Anelie rolled her eyes, "Spare me of your mockery, I scared her. But she knows that I would never hurt her."
"I wouldn't be so sure." Caroline insisted, "You threatened your best friend."
"Oh for the love of god—I know what I did. And I did so for good reason. Kiara is dangerous and by what happened today with her I know that she's up to something."
"That just seems so cold, Cassie is here all alone we are the only people that she has." Elena spoke compassionately.
"However it is the truth, Elena. Any one of us will come before Cassie." Katherine spoke lightly.
"Of course the only person who agrees with me is my own mother—hello!" Anelie demanded waving her arms, "Must I tell you all the horrific story of how Veronica had my mother tied up by Vervain ropes and almost watched me die at the hand of Kiara?"
"Anelisia, we get it." Tatia reprimanded, "Enough."
Anelie scowled, "I'll be in my room—if any of you would like to take my side come talk to me. Otherwise leave me the hell alone."
