AN: Anything you recognize from TVD does not belong to me. Marie Salvatore, however, is my own creation.
Enjoy xoxo
– Monday 28 September 2009 –
– New York City –
Klaus sat in his studio, sipping bourbon, and relishing in the quiet of his inner sanctuary. The penthouse he'd purchased in Manhattan was all but destroyed thanks to his youngest brother's temper tantrum.
Oh yeah. Waking Kol was a great idea! Just bloody perfect!
Kol was angry. And for good reason. Though he'd never admit that to Kol or any of them. Klaus understood where his brother's anger came from. He felt betrayed. Hurt. Abandoned. So, he was lashing out. He'd already thrown Klaus through three walls, shoved the dagger in his heart, broke several bones, and snapped his neck.
Thankfully, Klaus had the foresight to ask one of his witches to spell the penthouse so Kol couldn't leave. The last thing he needed right now was to have to track down his younger brother. Or for him to go on a murder spree and slaughter half of Manhattan.
"Where are you, Nik!?" Kol roared.
Klaus cringed when he heard something else smash.
With a growl, he set his glass down and flashed out of the room. "Kol! Must you insist on destroying my home?"
Kol smirked and pushed one of the French 18th Century Louis XVI vases onto the floor. "Yes. I must."
Klaus wasn't that bothered, to be honest. The vases weren't to his taste. But Elijah wouldn't be pleased to learn their brother was destroying his antiques.
"Now you're just being petty," Klaus sighed. He went over to the liquor cabinet, pulled out the finest bottle of bourbon, and poured three glasses.
"Are we expecting company?" Kol asked, eyeing the third glass.
Ignoring the question, Klaus handed him the glass. "It'll help with the cravings."
"You know what else helps with the cravings?" Kol spat. "Blood!"
"There's plenty of blood bags in the kitchen—"
"I meant fresh blood. From the vein. Preferably a pretty little thing . . . all willing and warm . . ." Kol grinned.
"Later. We have things to discuss."
"Mm." Kol nodded. "Like that third glass and why you only woke me."
"I would've told you earlier but you were a little busy redecorating . . ." Klaus snapped, sitting in his favourite reading chair with his bourbon in hand.
"Now, now, boys," Peter sauntered into the penthouse, "to your corners, please. I like a good Jerry Springer as much as the next bored vampire but we don't have time to reenact our favourite episodes right now."
Kol smirked. "Peter, my old friend," he shook his head, "I'm guessing you're the reason I'm awake?"
"Correct." Peter grinned and headed to the liquor cabinet. "For me?"
Klaus nodded.
"We need your help, Kol," Peter stated, getting straight to business as he took a seat.
Kol's eyes shifted between his brother and his old friend. "With what?"
For the next fifteen minutes, Peter repeated everything he'd recently shared with Nik.
As he sipped his bourbon, Kol listened with an open mind. Unlike his brother, he didn't see love as a weakness. He believed in the soulmate bond, though he'd never been lucky enough to find his beloved. After all the time he'd spent in a box, she was likely dead by now.
"Why should I help you?" He asked his eyes on his brother.
"If you help us to save the girl, I will un-dagger Rebekah and Finn, and reunite you all with Elijah." Klaus offered.
And to his surprise, Kol didn't jump at the offer. He took the time to think about it.
"No deal."
It wasn't that Kol didn't love his siblings or wish they were awake to enjoy the modern world. It was more complicated than simply loving them. If he was honest, he didn't particularly like them. Elijah, Nik, and Rebekah were always together. Bonded through that damn vow of 'Always and Forever'. When Finn was alive, he constantly looked down his nose at the rest of them, believing he was better than they were, more controlled. Kol, for most of his life, had felt like an outsider.
It was the same even when they were human. Rebekah always got all Nik's attention and, though he'd never admit it, Kol hated that. Now, he had the opportunity to forge a different path.
Klaus shook his head. "I'm not waking them until I know the girl is safe. There is too much at stake. I will not allow any of them to ruin this!"
Kol smirked. "Relax, Nik. I don't want you to un-dagger them at all."
With those words hanging in the air, Klaus frowned. "You don't want them un-daggered?"
Kol shrugged. "I don't much care when you un-dagger Finn or Rebekah, nor do I have any interest in seeing Elijah. Rebekah betrayed me back in 1914. As far as I'm concerned, she can rot in a box for her sins."
"What is it you want then?" Klaus asked cautiously.
"I want the dagger you shoved in my heart," Kol answered. "And your word that you will not take it from me or use it—or any other dagger—against me ever again."
"No."
"Nik . . ." Peter sighed.
"No. Absolutely not."
Kol shrugged. "Then I guess this young girl—your potential soulmate—will die a very slow, agonizing death."
Kol sat back in his seat and crossed his arms, unwilling to bend or offer an alternative. This is what he wanted, an assurance that he would never be daggered and put in a bloody box again! He wanted his freedom. Then, and only then, would he help Nik.
He didn't think it was that much to ask, really. But this was Nik and he'd always been a bit dagger-happy; eager and willing to dagger any of his siblings when they inevitably betrayed him, went against him, or pissed him off.
Nik always said he did it to keep them safe, but Kol wasn't sure he entirely believed that. And if he did believe, what gave Nik the right to make that decision for them? As far as he could see, daggering them against their will hurt them and their relationship with him more than if they'd simply been killed.
And who was there to kill them? Just Mikael. With only one white oak stake. Surely if they untied as a family—all five of them—they'd be no match for their father. He couldn't kill them all! Not that Kol was willing to sacrifice any of his siblings . . . Well, he might be willing to do without Finn. They'd never got along well.
What else was there to be afraid of, other than Mikael? Nobody but him could stand against them. And, after a thousand years, he still hadn't managed to kill any of them.
A witch powerful enough might be able to figure out a way to neutralize one or more of them. But he doubted any witch or coven would be powerful enough to take out all five of them. They hadn't managed it so far.
Kol looked over at Peter. "How far along is the girl?"
"I'm not sure, why?"
"A pregnancy like this is quick. Usually only lasting a month, if that . . ."
Peter's eyes widened. "So, she'll be . . ."
"And it'll be slow," Kol continued. "The parasite will feed on her until it's ready to be born . . . leaving her a dried-up husk of her former self . . . Then there's the birth," he sighed, shaking his head. "Well, let's just say, it won't be a natural birth . . . it'll use its teeth to . . ."
A low growl resonated through the room as Klaus shot out of his seat and disappeared further into the penthouse.
Peter sighed. "Anything else we can offer you?" He wondered. "Money? Women? Blood? Property? Power? Anything . . ."
Kol shook his head. "No. I want the dagger and his word. That's my final offer. Take it or leave it."
When Klaus returned a moment later, he looked over at Peter, eyes narrowed. "If you're wrong about Mikael and something happens to him," he pointed to Kol, "I'll hang you from the rafters by your nipples, drain you of all your blood, and then tear you into tiny pieces as you beg for death."
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
Peter swallowed the lump in his throat as his hands went to his chest, his fingers lightly rubbing his nipples. It wasn't that he didn't trust Nik, he did. They were friends. And, for the most part, Peter knew he was safe with the Original. But, damn, the man sure knew how to threaten!
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
Without another word, Klaus turned to his brother and offered him the silver dagger recently removed from Kol's chest.
"You have my word, brother," Klaus said solemnly, "I will not take the dagger from you or use it—or any other—against you ever again."
Kol was stunned.
He hadn't expected Nik to give in so easily, or so quickly. He honestly thought his brother would let the girl die rather than give up his leverage.
"I, uh," Kol cleared his throat as he reached for the dagger and took it from Nik before he could change his mind.
"So, will you help us, Kol?" Peter asked.
Kol nodded. "Yes. I'll do everything I can to save her. You have my word."
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
– Two days later –
– Mystic Falls, Virginia –
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
Damon Salvatore walked through the boarding house where he and his brother lived. He pressed a number on his phone and placed the device to his ear, listening to it ring and ring and ring . . .
"Where are you, Stefan?" Damon growled when the call went to voicemail. "I'm trapped at the house, and I'm getting really bored and really impatient, and I don't do bored and impatient. Bring me my ring. Damn it!"
Hanging up, his eyes shifted to the pretty brunette lying on his couch.
"Aw, don't get blood on the couch!" He sighed and darted over to her. Gently, he brushed her hair to the side to look at his handiwork. "Oh, I got you good, didn't I?"
She didn't answer, still unconscious from the blood loss she'd suffered.
"Well," he sighed, "you're not gonna be any fun today." His eyes shifted to his wrist and he sighed again. "I'm so gonna regret this."
He bit into his wrist and placed it against Vicki's mouth. She struggled a little but gave in quickly and began to drink from him.
"There we go. Drink up. Drink it up. Don't drip." He leaned forward, resting his head on top of hers. "There you go. Good girl. That's it."
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
Marie Salvatore had just spent twelve wonderful days in Atlantic City with the knitting club. It was nice to get away and let her hair down for a little while. But she was ready to come home. She had a sense that something had happened . . . or maybe something was coming . . . maybe both, she wasn't sure. Either way, she wanted to be home.
When she pulled her baby blue 53' Buick convertible up the driveway, she could hear music blasting through the open windows and front door. Damon's car was parked just outside the front door and his driver's side door and back door were left open.
Frowning, unsure what had happened, she parked in her usual spot and got out.
Walking through the front door, Marie found a young lady dancing around the living room in her underwear and Damon shaking his hips from the upstairs banister. He had a bottle of bourbon in his hand and his shirt was open.
This certainly wasn't what she expected to come home to!
With a wave of her hand, the music cut off.
"Damon Salvatore, you get down from there this instant!"
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
As soon as the music stopped, Damon froze. He looked down surprised to see the tiny white-haired old woman glaring back at him. He hadn't heard her come into the house.
With her white hair, bright blue eyes, dimpled cheeks, and wide smile framed by her heart-shaped face, Marie Salvatore looked like the typical, lovable grandmother. Damon, however, knew behind those bright blue eyes was a powerful witch who wouldn't hesitate to put him in his place and anyone else who crossed her!
"Don't make me tell you twice, young man!"
He took a step forward and dropped to the floor. Despite her age, Marie Salvatore was a spritely woman. She was in front of him in an instant, reaching up to grab hold of his left ear and yank his head down.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!"
"Explain yourself! And let's start with the young lady dancing around my parlor in her underwear!"
"Technically, it's my parlor . . ."
Wrong thing to say.
Marie gave his ear a hard pull. "There is no 'technically' about it. Until I die, I own this house. And upon my death, it will be inherited by my heir. Unless, of course, you're trying to put me in an early grave. Is that what this is about, Damon? Are you trying to kill me?"
"Of course, not! I was . . ." he sighed, "bored. Stefan took my ring!"
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
Marie sighed, exasperated by the two brothers.
Over a hundred years old and they still act like children!
Ever since they came back to town, it had been one thing after the next. Animal attacks. Girls drained of their blood. Fighting and bickering. That lovely Elena girl being dragged into their sibling rivalry. Then Damon started dating Caroline Forbes. Marie wasn't sure why he wanted to date a seventeen-year-old, high school girl. She could almost understand it with Stefan, but Damon was much older than his brother. She wasn't sure about the extent of his relationship with Caroline but if she ever found out he'd hurt her there'd be hell to pay. They may be family and she may love him dearly, but there were certain things she would not tolerate.
She was sure there was all manner of other things going on that she didn't know about yet. Damon was planning something; that she was sure of! He didn't just blow into town and randomly decide to stay. He was here for a reason.
Marie had been reluctant to leave on her trip—despite how long it had been on her social calendar and how excited she was—but Stefan insisted she go. She knew he was up to something, but she didn't know what. She suspected he knew exactly what Damon was up to with sweet Caroline Forbes and had made the decision to step in and put a stop to it.
Part of Marie didn't want to know the details. She loved her boys. All she ever wanted to do was see the good in them. And, for the most part, she did. Despite their species, she knew deep down—really deep in Damon's case—they were capable of being good. She wasn't sure her heart could take knowing one of them had hurt an innocent.
Blood, murder, and death she could handle. That was all part and parcel of being a vampire. They had to drink blood to survive. Though, these days there are ways around killing people. Still, they're vampires and it is in their nature to kill. Loving her boys meant accepting the good with the bad.
But there were lines she would not tolerate them crossing. Vampires or not. They had it in them to be good and that is what she expected from them.
"I'll deal with Stefan later," she assured Damon. "You compel your guest to put her clothes on, forget about you and what you are, and leave my home."
"But I—"
"Do you want your ring back, or not?" She interrupted.
Damon sighed. "Yes, ma'am."
"Then I suggest you act your age and do as you're told. You're a hundred and seventy years old. I have an eighteen-year-old granddaughter who's more mature than you are!"
Damon huffed but did as he was told and compelled Vicki to forget all about him, drinking his blood, and partying. Then he sent her on her way with instructions to take it easy for the rest of the day.
When Vicki left, Damon found Marie in the kitchen making lunch.
"Would you care to tell me why Stefan took your ring?" She asked, not looking up from her task. "Or should I ask him myself?"
"I—" he sighed, "I might have . . . done a few things while you were away."
"Mm." Marie sighed. "I had a feeling you boys were going to get into trouble while I was away." She handed him a plate and indicated they should move to the table. "I'll be going to Forks, Washington tomorrow. Now that Bella is eighteen, she'll be coming into her power and I'll need to be there to teach her. If I'm correct, there will be many changes to come our way in the future and it starts with my granddaughter. Perhaps you and Stefan would like to join me."
Damon frowned. "In Forks?"
Marie nodded. "I'm sure Bella would love to meet you."
"I'll think about it," Damon said, unsure if he wanted to go. He wasn't a big fan of small towns. Though, Mystic Falls was proving to be interesting. Perhaps if he stayed and Stefan left it would allow him time to get to know the lovely Elena without Stefan watching over him.
"You do that." Marie smiled. "Now, what exactly did you do to upset Stefan enough for him to take your ring?"
Damon sighed dramatically.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
Stefan stood on Elena's front porch, gazing into her dark eyes, wondering if anything he'd said to her today made a difference. He wasn't hopeful.
"Stefan," she sighed, "I—I gave you today just like you asked. And I understand that you would never do anything to hurt me, and I promise I will keep your secret, but . . . I can't be with you, Stefan. I'm sorry. I . . . I just can't . . ."
Devastated, he watched as she walked into her house and closed the door behind her.
Unsure what to do now and feeling too numb to care, he turned and left the Gilbert residence. He'd go home. Give Damon his ring back. And . . . decide what to do tomorrow.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
Before Vicki went home to take it easy, she stopped in at the Grill. If she was lucky Tyler would be there and maybe they could hang out or hook up. For some reason, she was feeling really tense. She needed something to take the edge off and if she couldn't score from Jeremy, she'd make do with a quickie with Tyler.
Tyler wasn't at the Grill. And neither was Jeremy. But there was a hottie sitting at the bar. He looked familiar. She walked over and ordered a drink.
It didn't take much to catch his attention. She batted her eyelashes at him, let him look down her shirt, and gave him a flirty smile.
"Logan Fell." He introduced himself, offering her his hand.
"Vicki Donovan," she smiled.
An hour later, after a cheeseburger and one too many beers, Logan offered to drive Vicki home. His. Not hers.
She eagerly agreed and followed him out of the Grill and to his car.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
Later that night, Logan lay in his bed feeling dirty for having taken advantage of someone so much younger than him. Though, she was a beautiful young woman. And he greatly enjoyed her . . . talents. She seemed to have an endless supply of energy; was that youth or natural? Perhaps she'd taken something beforehand. He wasn't sure. And he didn't much care if he was honest. Whatever she was on, he wanted it.
"Hey, do you have anything stronger than beer?" Vicki asked. She stood in the doorway, completely naked, beer in her hand.
"Probably not. But I know a place," he grinned.
She smiled. "Then what are we waiting for? My buzz is wearing off and I'm so not in the mood to feel down right now. Know what I mean?"
"Hell yes!"
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
Once they were both dressed, they headed to his car. And to his complete surprise, Vicki leaned over, unzipped his jeans, and slipped her hand inside his pants to caress his member.
"Ohh . . ." He panted.
"Eyes on the road," she purred, pulling him free so that she could take him into her mouth. "Wouldn't want to crash now, would we?"
He did as she said, but it felt so good. Her mouth was so warm and talented. And her tongue. She could do things with her tongue he'd never experienced.
As his hand wandered to her hair, guiding her movements, his eyes left the road for just a moment. He loved watching his length disappear into her warm, wet mouth.
When he looked back, someone was standing in the middle of the road. He couldn't tell who it was. His mind didn't have time to process anything.
He hit the breaks but it was too late. The car hit whoever was on the road. They went flying into the air as the car spun out of control and veered into a ditch. Vicki, without her seatbelt on, was tossed through the windshield. Her body rolled down a hill and hit one of the trees. Her neck snapped on impact. The car careened into another tree. One of the limbs went through the broken windshield and straight into Logan Fell's chest, killing him instantly.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
The next morning, Sheriff Liz Forbes stared down at the lifeless body of Vicki Donovan.
Such a waste. She sighed.
She'd already seen Logan Fell. Part of her was glad there were no witnesses. At least she wouldn't have to officially write down what he and Vicki were doing while he was driving. That was pretty evident by her lack of clothes and his exposed manhood.
The road was deserted. Nobody had driven past and discovered the wreck until the next morning.
"They were killed on impact. The female has a broken neck." The medical examiner, Brian Walters, stated. "While he . . . Oh, my," his eyes widened and he looked back at the Sherrif, shocked.
"Yep." She nodded, sighing.
"Okay. Um. He, uh, it looks like he also has a broken neck as well as a few other injuries. But I'd put the cause of death as the tree limb protruding from his chest."
Liz nodded.
At least this was simple. The last thing we need is another vampire attack . . . I'm not sure how many more 'animal attacks' this town is going to believe . . .
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
Hours later—while Damon and Stefan were sitting on an airplane with Marie, headed to Forks, Washington—in the morgue of Mystic Falls hospital, Vicki Donovan's eyes snapped open.
She had no idea where she was, how she got there, or what had happened to her. Her memory was foggy. She must've taken something . . . but what, she couldn't remember.
As she was trying to get her bearings, the door to the morgue opened, and medical examiner Bryan Walters sauntered through but quickly stopped when he noticed one of the bodies beginning to move.
It was his worst nightmare.
Vicki yanked the sheet from her body and sat up, still trying to figure out where she was and why she was naked when her eyes locked on the handsome man across the room. Had she gone home with him? Maybe he was into some weird kinky shit. Did he give her something? And what was that incredible smell?
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
"Oh, my God," Brian whispered as he watched the once-dead young woman rise from the table and throw off the white sheet covering her naked body.
Terrified, Brian's mind debated between hiding, staying still, or running. His legs decided for him. Before he could do anything else, he was on the move. He stumbled backward and as he caught himself, something sharp sliced into his palm. He cried out, getting Vicki's attention as the scent of his blood filled the room.
"Oh, my God . . ."
─── ･ ｡ﾟ : *. .* : ﾟ. ───
As soon as the scent hit her, Vicki was across the room. She grabbed hold of his collar and yanked him up. Her eyes met his briefly and then she brought his hand up to her face. Fascinated, she watched the blood pool in his palm, and, unable to resist, she licked up the delicious red liquid.
"Oh, god . . . please . . . please don't—"
Vicki let out a wail as the transformation into a vampire completed with the growth of fangs.
"Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God."
Without another thought, Vicki lunged for the man and sank her teeth into his jugular as he whimpered and begged her to stop. But Vicki wasn't listening. She was hungry and, whatever was happening to her, she liked it!
When there was no more blood left, Vicki dropped the body and licked her lips.
Feeling more herself, she took stock of the situation. She was naked. In a morgue, she thought. And there was a tag on her toe. Did that mean . . . did everyone think she was dead? Tyler, Jeremy, her friends, Matt . . .
She knew she should've felt bad. She was dead. But, really . . . it kinda worked for her. Whatever had happened to her, freed her. And she wasn't about to waste one minute moping around agonizing over what she'd lost. She was free. It was time to have some fun!
AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and our first look at Marie Salvatore. She's going to be an interesting character to write.
I wonder who caused the car accident? And, is Logan dead or will he become a vampire, too? We shall see!
We'll get back to Bella in the next chapter when Damon, Stefan, and Marie arrive in Forks.
As far as pairings for this story, I'm not sure who should be with who. I know who I want to pair with Kol but as for everyone else, I'm kinda at a loss. If you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments.