Review Responses:
Anonymous: First of, Thank you for the awesome review! And now here (at last) is the third book in the series! A few of your questions will be answered in the first two chapters that I've uploaded today, but for others you'll have to wait and see. Sorry for the wait and to keep teasing you, and thank you so much for the kind words. Hopefully you'll continue to enjoy this next chapter of the story.
Bornkiller9: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Sorry for keeping you waiting for so long but finally, the third book is here for you to enjoy! I've managed to get a little Sarena (Sarah/Elena) in these first two chapters, but there will be a lot more later, I can assure you. Hopefully I can continue to impress you.
blakesalvator: Thank you! It's always a joy to hear people say that, hopefully this one can live up to the wait.
Guest: Right now!
While I know you are all very accepting people, I'd just like to start by saying how SORRY I am for making you wait this long. I never intended it to be this bad. FOUR MONTHS! You guys are saints, each and everyone of you. And thank you so much for being so patient with me, and while I'm sure your desperate to start reading there are a few things I'd like to explain first. Again apologises.
Firstly, I am doing shorter chapters from now, hopefully to make it more digestible to you the reader and for me the writer. I will however be aiming to upload each and every Tuesday from now on. Fingers crossed. But since I've made you wait this long, I figured I give you a double helping to start of with. And if I get miles ahead with the work, then I'll start uploading two chapters a week instead of one. But let's not get ahead of ourselves for now.
Also, I am going to be 'breaking' one of the big world rules when it comes to the Originals. My reasoning for this will be explained later on and I will do my best to explain it but I know there will be those who don't like it. Just know it's done for the purposes of character development and because of the situation, but I just felt I should give you the heads up. Who knows, maybe you'll love it! (He says hopefully)
Anyway, that's enough from me. If you're returning, then I hope you enjoy this story as much as the previous! And if you're new, then HELLO! I have two pervious stories you can check out. Or join on here, it's your choice. The 3rd season is probably the best anyway, though I do love the whole show and its extended universe.
Now, I'm just going to nip out for a walk, and I'll see you all again soon. Take care and be safe.
Virtual hugs!
Chapter 1: He Went for a Walk
My name is Sarah Salvatore. I am 162 years old. I am a vampire.
Almost a year ago, me and my brothers returned to our home town, Mystic Falls. After decades of being apart, we became a family again. Part of that is thanks to Elena Gilbert, my friend. She is a doppelgnger, sharing the same face as the woman who turned me and my brothers into vampires – Katherine Pierce.
After decades of thinking she was dead, Katherine returned. At first, me and my brothers thought she was just up to her old tricks, using us to entertain herself while eternity passed by. But we soon found out there was much more to her return than we could have ever imagined.
We came to meet the Originals, the oldest vampires in the world. First Elijah, then Amelia, Leiah and finally Klaus – the worst of them all.
It turned out Klaus needed Elena, the doppelgnger, to break a curse that had been placed on him, one that kept his werewolf side at bay. Because Klaus was the world's only hybrid. Half vampire, half werewolf. And if he sacrificed the doppelgnger, then he'd finally unlock his werewolf side, and become whole.
And he did.
Only thanks a bit of luck, and a lot of magic, we managed to bring Elena back. But the victory was not without its loses. Damon, my oldest brother, got bitten by a werewolf. Something which we found out, was fatal to vampires. There was, however, a cure in Klaus' hybrid blood.
With no other choice, we went to Klaus. He wanted one thing in exchange for his blood, and one thing only. Stefan, my other brother. I tried offering myself up, but he only wanted Stefan. Especially Stefan at his worst. And Klaus made sure he got just that.
He made Stefan drink blood – for hours – until he once again became, the ripper.
And then he left, taking Stefan with him. Leaving me and Damon behind. We've spent all summer looking for him, following their trail, but I'm beginning to lose hope.
I don't know how much longer I can keep it together. I need my brothers, my family to be whole. And every day Stefan's gone, it gets worse. The heartache. I truly believe if I could, I would have turned off my humanity long ago, when he first disappeared. Anything to stop the pain. It probably would have been more trouble than it was worth though. I wasn't the same person when I let go of my emotions. Something my best friend Lexi, knew all to well. After all, she was the one who made sure I could never turn them off again…
1871
Sarah was still sat on the bed, when Lexi awoke. She'd barely moved since she flicked her humanity switch. The letter from Stefan remained in her hands, as she blankly stared down at it. It still amazed her, to think that not long ago, this would have had her wailing and bawling. And yet, she was completely tranquil. No fears, no tears and no pain. It was pure bliss. To be able to turn it all off, and detach herself from the emotions that ruined her life. She was now truly free.
"Where's Stefan?" Lexi asked drowsily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she sat up in the bed opposite Sarah's.
"He's gone," Sarah answered plainly. Unaffected by Lexi's surprised expression.
"Gone? Gone where?" Lexi asked, staring back across at her with a frown.
"He went for a walk."
"So he's coming back?" Lexi asked, with a hint of attitude that said it was too early for this drama. While Sarah couldn't agree with the too early part, she agreed there was no need for the drama. Not anymore anyway.
"No." Lexi continued to frown, to which Sarah held up the letter for her to see. "He left this."
Throwing off her sheets, Lexi climbed off her bed and made her way over, snatching the letter from Sarah and quickly reading it. However, when her brain caught up with the words her eyes were reading, it showed on her shocked face. She then immediately went back and reread the letter again, more slowly and careful this time, making sure she fully understood it.
"Oh, my God," she gasped, staring at the piece of paper while Sarah stared at her. "Oh, my God," she repeated more loudly, outrage in her voice. "He just left! No goodbye or anything, not even a discussion. What an idiot! Come on, we have to go and find him, now."
"Why?"
At Sarah's question Lexi almost tripped over herself as she attempted to swing back around. Her eyes even more wide now with surprise. "What do you mean, 'Why?' He's your brother!"
"So?" Sarah shrugged. "He can look after himself."
"Maybe, but with this new diet of his he needs our support," Lexi pointed out, frowning as she made her back to Sarah's bed.
Sarah shook her head in disagreement. "I don't think so. Besides, what does it matter if he loses it and feeds on a bunch of people?"
"Sarah," exclaimed Lexi, once again playing the authoritative figure as Sarah rolled her eyes in a board expression. "What's gotten into you?"
"Nothing," Sarah said getting out of bed. "In fact, I feel better than ever."
When Lexi just continued to stare at her in disbelief, Sarah let out a bored sigh and proceeded around her to get herself ready for the day. "But…Stefan's gone," Lexi said slowly, as if the fact hadn't occurred to Sarah.
"Yes, and I don't care," Sarah said over her shoulder, as she looked out what she was going to wear.
"You don't care?!" Lexi exclaimed. "You, Sarah Salvatore, don't care that your brother's run off. How are you not miserable right…" When Lexi stopped talking, Sarah turned out of curiosity to see what had happened. What she found was Lexi staring at her once more, with her jaw open and her eyes suddenly very serious.
"You turned it off, didn't you?"
"Turned what off?"
"Your humanity, Sarah," Lexi snapped, stepping over and grabbing her by the shoulders. "You have to turn it back on, now."
"Why?" Sarah demanded, pushing Lexi back. "So I can be hurt again. No thanks."
"Sarah, it's not just the hurt, it's the love. Like this, you won't ever feel it," Lexi pleaded with her.
"Love's not something I care about anymore."
"That's only because you've turned it off. Sarah, believe me, you don't want to live your life like this. It's not worth it." Sarah just ignored her, having returned to picking out her ensemble for the day. And right then, Lexi knew, she was going to have to leave Stefan for the time being. Because while he was still at risk, Sarah was in more trouble than he was. He had his emotions, he had a diet he was still getting the hang off. But Sarah had turned off her humanity, and there was no telling what she would do next. And from Lexi's own experience, it would undoubtedly be something she'd regret down the road. Plus, the longer she went without her humanity, the harder it would be for her to get it back.
Once again, she had her work cut out of her.
For Samara, it was too hot as she stepped out of her home and onto the front porch. The hot air wafting into her face and instantly making her regret stepping outside. That said, the inside wasn't much better, since their air conditioning had gone out two days ago. And of course it had to happen during a heatwave. Typical.
"Rudy!" she called called out, impatiently following it up with a loud whistle. She stepped off the porch, calling once more, "Rudy, come on! It's too hot to make me come looking for you." Even as she said it, it felt like an understatement.
In no mood to wait for her dog, she grabbed one of many toys scattered across the front lawn. Her plan was to use it to bait the dog out of hiding, but when she stood back up, she found a stranger before her and jumped. "Jesus! What's the matter with you? Sneaking up on me when I ain't looking," snapped Samara, a southern accent coming through as she brushed aside her blonde hair.
"Sorry," apologised the petite, freckle faced blonde stood before her. The girl had to be around sixteen, by Samara's guess. Barely dressed in a tight black top and more appropriate white shorts that showed more thigh than covered. "I didn't mean to scare you," explained the flustered girl, a foreign accent coming through. "I'm lost you see, and your house was the first one I came across. My car's down the road, and I'm supposed to be driving to my brother's, and then the engine just cut out and now it won't start and…" A nervous sigh as she gathered herself. "Could I just borrow a phone, so that I could call him and get him to pick me up."
"Don't you have a cell phone?" Samara asked nosily, a suspicious frown directed towards the shorter girl.
"This is embarrassing…but I drained my battery listening to music. I just seem to have the worst luck tonight." She laughed nervously, hands covering her face as she staggered back, then forward. "I'm sorry. Please, oh, please can I use your phone."
Despite her clear need for help, Samara couldn't help but be suspicious. The way she and her friends lived, it breed that sort of mentality. When even the simplest request like a phone could be seen as a potential trap. But this was just a lone sixteen year old girl, shorter than herself. And while Samara found her irritating, she couldn't turn her away just because of that. Besides, it was the heat as much as anything that had her worked up.
"Sure," Samara sighed.
"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you," squealed the girl, hopping towards her, arms open for a hug. The girls' good mood was infectious it seemed, as Samara herself started to smile, allowing the stranger to hug her in spite of the heat.
"All right. Just wait out here and I'll get it for you," Samara said, gently pushing the blonde away.
"Any chance I could come inside?" asked the girl, catching Samara before she could go. "My brother lives a few miles away, so it could be a while before he gets here. And I'm sure it's cooler in there than out here."
"'Fraid not. Air conditioning's out," said Samara regretfully.
"You can probably blame me for that. The only reason it broke was because it knew I was going to break down and come here."
Samara laughed. "No, it's been broken for a few days, and the guy who normally repairs it isn't around."
"Would that be your boyfriend?" asked the girl curiously, a hopeful and mischievous spark appearing in her blue eyes.
"No. I don't do boyfriends," answered Samara, noticing how close the stranger had suddenly gotten to her.
"How about girlfriends?"
Samara thought about it for a moment. "Never had one. What was your name by the way?"
"Leiah," she said, leaning over to whisper in Samara's ear. She then pulled back, but only enough to get in front of Samara's face, giving her the prime chance to kiss her.
It was a gentle kiss, experimental. Leiah didn't reach forward with her hands, keeping them back, and Samara had been too dazed to know what to do with her own. So they remained in a smooth lip locked kiss until Leiah pulled away. Admiring the stunned expression on Samara's face.
"You're a good kisser," Leiah complimented.
"Thanks," Samara replied nervously, brushing at her hair and frankly surprised by the whole encounter. "You're…You're not so bad yourself." For a moment the two stood, Leiah smiling and Samara blushing as she took in the new experience. Wondering why she'd never thought of kissing another girl before.
"Maybe we could continue this inside? After I make that phone call?" suggested Leiah, stepping closer as her fingers danced suggestively along Samara's arm. But at the sudden forwardness, Samara stepped back, pushing Leiah's hand down.
"No. I think… I think maybe you should just call your brother and wait out here."
"You sure, Samara? 'Cause I've met plenty of people like you who think they know what they want, when actually–"
"How'd you know my name?" Samara asked, frowning as she stared down at Leiah.
And just like that Leiah sighed, lifting her head up as she closed her eyes. She could get a bit carried away sometimes. Especially when she started flirting. That was usually when she forgot what she was supposed to know and what she actually knew. "Oh, well. Can't say I didn't try," Leiah said, a less friendly grin forming.
Before Samara could respond, Leiah began her compulsion. Her blue eyes dilating while Samara's did the same, the girl hopelessly lost as Leiah took over. "You're going to invite me inside. Once inside you will remain by my side and not say a word unless instructed."
"Come inside," Samara said in a distant voice, eyes still wide as Leiah smiled at her.
"Gladly," Leiah said as the two walked up the porch and into the house. Once through the screen door, the two entered the kitchen where Samara's friend – who Leiah had already identified as Keisha – was busy cooking.
"I bet you a hundred dollars that dog ran off to a house with air conditioning," Keisha said without looking over her shoulder. Leiah smiled at her back, waiting patiently for her to turn around. When she did, she was greeted by the sight of petite little Leiah stood next to a shivering Samara.
"Samara, who is this?" asked Keisha uneasily, sensing something was wrong.
"Sorry, but she can't tell you that. I've compelled her" Leiah explained, watching with glee as Keisha tensed. Obviously familiar with vampires. But then, considering who was popping back for a visit every month, Leiah hardly expected any different.
"You're a vampire," Keisha said, backing up towards the counter.
"Yep, now if you could just tell me where Ray Sutton is, I can get out of your hair."
"He's not here," Keisha quickly said.
"Well, duh. If he was here we'd be having a very different conversation. So, where is?" Keisha didn't answer her, instead edging her way along the counter and towards the door.
"Come on, just tell me where the stupid werewolf is!" Leiah whined suddenly. "This has been the longest summer of my life, and all I've done is look for stupid dumb werewolves. Do you know how boring it is looking for people. Believe me, it's boring. And you know what makes it worse, finding the person and then learning their not even a werewolf, just a guy with a serious hair problem. So, just point me in the direction of your werewolf friend, before things turn–"
Before she could finish, Keisha made a run for it through the doorway to the hall.
"…Ugly…" Leiah sighed to herself, before hearing Keisha scream from the front door.
"Still got it under control?" called Klaus smugly.
Leiah's nose scrunched up as she reluctantly made her way from the kitchen and into the hallway, with Samara forever by her side. Once there, she saw Keisha standing by the open door, unsure of where to go. Inside, she had to deal with Leiah, but outside, stood Klaus and Stefan. One with a sinisterly happy smile, while the other stood behind him brooding as he always did these days.
"Or is this all part of your master plan to seduce them both?" continued Klaus with a broad grin.
"Shut up," snapped Leiah, glaring at her brother.
"Can we get a move on, please," muttered Stefan from the back.
"Someone's hungry," teased Klaus, before turning back to Leiah. "What's say we feed him, Sister?"
Grin returned, Leiah looked to Keisha and said, "If you don't want me to invite them in then start talking."
"But–But you can't!"
"No, but this one can," corrected Leiah, as she affectionately brushed Samara's head, making the girl tense even more as she continued to quietly whimper. "What's say you, Samara? Feel like inviting my friends inside?" She leaned in towards Samara as if to whisper, but her eyes remained on Keisha, waiting for her response.
"He's in Tulley!" Keisha blurted out before Leia could say anything more. Shamefully tears filling her eyes as she did. "It's near the border. A bar called Southern Comfort. It's on Highway 41, you'll find him there."
"There, that wasn't so hard," said Leiah with a friendly smile, before turning to Samara. "Now, invite my friends inside, please."
"Come in," Samara said through her own hysteric tears.
"But you said–" Keisha began, before Leiah cut in.
"And I lied. You should have told me the first time I asked," Leiah explained harshly, her irritated blue eyes boring into Keshia's as the woman backed up towards the stairs.
"Forgive my sister," Klaus said from the doorway. "She's just bit fed up. But thanks to you, things are finally about to shake up I think." He then turned to Stefan, motioning him inside with a nod. "Kill them both."
"But kill this one quickly," Leiah said, nodding to Samara. "Make sure that one suffers for wasting my time," she added, giving Keisha a spiteful glare as she walked towards the door. As she did, Stefan entered, eyeing the two woman hungrily.
"Oh, wait, one more thing," Leiah suddenly remember. Reaching into the back pocket of her shorts, she pulled out her phone and quickly snapped a photo of the two hysteric woman. "There we go, another couple for the future scrapbook," said Leiah, once again happy as she made her way out the door.
"We'll be in the car," Klaus said closing the door behind them. The two then made their way down the driveway, side by side. Smiling at one another, as they listened to the screams that followed from the house behind them. It truly was a privilege to watch a vampire thrive in his element.