There's nothing like the taste of fresh blood in your mouth. I came home early from school with the intent to rest, and once I woke up, I could feel blood dripping profusely down my nose. Sure, I didn't actively feel the effects of my abusing my magic, but that was most likely due to my crazy use of the numbing spells, but traditional magic has limits and will eventually catch up to you if used in excess, and I sure as shit expedited that process faster with the experiments I was conducting during gym class.
Reaching over to my small nightstand, I flip the switch on my lamp and swing my legs off the bed while grabbing my phone, and I see it's around 18:50. I have around 40 minutes before the party starts and kicks off as they should be/setting up by now. Weighing my options, I would have only three main objectives if I were to go to the party. Due to my presence, I can't and will not rely on subjective foreknowledge on how certain future events will play out, but that doesn't mean I will rule it out for, for example, Vicki and Damon if both show up to the party I can see of some points of the future is a fixed points in time as it the would signify the supernatural genuinely coming back to mystic falls.
And then there is Damon himself the moment. He showed himself attacking a civilian; it's wraps for him one telekinetic neck snap and boom hook him up to makeshift blood bag and from then I would have an endless supply of vampire blood well as long as the person i force into one is fed from time to time on some augustine shit. And my conscience is relatively alright as my target would be a death row inmate or something.
Lastly, there is the sign of Wickery Bridge because if one thing is for sure, it is the fact the originals are real said as much in my mothers diaries of course she knew the where old perhaps the first but didn't know how they could be killed as our ancestry didn't go that far back. Only the grace of my occupation is how I know, but that's beside the point. If they show up and cause me unnecessary problems, they all have to go because if you kill one, you got get them all, no exceptions and plus i don't tolerate bullshit especially with these powers.
Shaking my head at how I can hop from topic to topic in my mind, I hurry up and get ready as I already wasted some time and have about only half an hour.
-[Later]-
Music thumped through the trees like a second heartbeat, steady and loud. Firelight flickered in bursts of red and gold across the clearing. I pulled my hood up a little tighter and stepped over a root jutting out of the ground like a bony finger. The air was thick with the smell of cheap beer and burnt marshmallows. The party was already in full swing, shouts, laughter, some poor kid puking behind a tree. Classic.
While I already had an outline of what I wanted to achieve tonight, I couldn't help but think about Elena, specifically what she said: "Sometimes it's just... easier to not think for a while."It kept replaying in his head like a looped voicemail I couldn't delete. It was something I haven't done much since I got here or since I've done in my last life.
I saw her just before she noticed me standing just off to the side of the fire, arms crossed, eyes sweeping the crowd like she was waiting for someone. Or maybe pretending she wasn't. The second our eyes met, something in her face shifted familiarity.
"Hey!" she called, weaving through the crowd toward me.
I let out a slow breath through my nose. So much for going unnoticed; note to self: keep your eyes to yourself.
Elena smiled when she reached me, like she was genuinely surprised. "You actually came."
"Don't sound so shocked," I said, stuffing my hands into my pockets.
"I'm not, well, okay, maybe a little. I figured you'd ghost the whole thing."
"I almost did." I glanced around at the bonfire, the chaos, the noise. "But sitting in my room and working my magic didn't sound all that thrilling either."
She looked at me like she had heard this for the umpteenth time. "Magic?"
"Metaphorically speaking. You know, brooding, grieving, your basic existential crisis playbook."
"Oh." She laughed, a little uncertain, brushing a curl behind her ear. "Well… you're here. That's a win. Want a drink?"
"I'll pass. Beer and I aren't really on speaking terms."
"Fair," she said, glancing around like she didn't quite know what to do with her hands. "I haven't really found anyone yet. Bonnie's not here. Caroline went to pick her up, and Jeremy's… well, being Jeremy."
"In the woods somewhere, smoking, trying to impress Vicki."
"Most likely." She smiled.
She shifted her weight, eyes flicking over me like she was trying to read what I wasn't saying. "You okay?"
"That's again, some people would called that a loaded question due within circumstance."
"Smart ass, I mean… right now. Being here."
I glanced toward the fire. Shadows danced around it, people laughing too loud, bumping into each other like they were all trying not to think too hard. "It's loud. It smells like smoke and bad choices. And half of them are pretending they're having the best night of their lives while secretly hoping their ex doesn't show up. So yeah, pretty high school."
That got a real laugh out of her.
"You know," she said, nudging me lightly with her elbow, "you're kind of funny when you're not brooding."
"Don't go telling people that. I've got a whole new vibe to maintain."
She smiled again, softer this time. "I meant what I said earlier about not thinking. Sometimes it helps, you know? Even if it's just for a night."
"I'm not sure I know how to not think anymore," I admitted.
She looked up at me, more serious now. "That sucks."
"Yeah." I met her eyes, the corner of my mouth twitching. "But… I appreciate the effort."
Before she could say anything back, voices cut through the background noise of the party.
"Elena!"
Two familiar shouts echoed through the trees.
She turned halfway, spotting Caroline's unmistakable blonde curls bouncing toward us, Bonnie just behind her, waving.
I didn't wait. I took a step back, already smirking.
"That's my cue."
Elena blinked and turned back to me. "Wait—"
But I was already moving, slipping into the shadows before she could say anything else.
-[Bonnie POV]-
I leaned against a tree, sipping from my cup and scanning the crowd. The party had definitely turned louder and messier, the kind of energy that makes you feel buzzed even without the alcohol. Caroline was off somewhere doing her party-host thing, and Elena was deep in conversation with Stefan, probably trying to explain that she and Malcom were "just friends." Never mind, they only recently started to get to know each other
That's when I saw him.
Brooding, as usual.
I watched him for a moment. Something about his stillness made the chaos around us seem even louder. Then I pushed off the tree and walked over.
"You always this quiet?" I asked, stopping beside him.
He turned to look at me, surprised but not annoyed. "Only around people who think being loud makes them interesting."
I let out a laugh. "That's fair."
We stood there in silence for a bit, both of us watching the fire. Silhouettes drifted around it, kids pretending they were adults, like their lives were anything more than just beginning. The smell of smoke clung to everything.
I glanced sideways at him. "You know, I probably shouldn't say this," I started, hesitating only for a second, "but Elena's been through a lot. Like... recently. Her parents, all of it. And you—you lost your mom. I just think... I don't know. If you opened up a little, maybe things wouldn't feel so heavy all the time."
He raised an eyebrow but didn't interrupt.
"Elena's good at pretending she's okay. Like, really good. But even when she's smiling, there's this look in her eyes like she's barely holding it together. You probably know what that feels like."
He didn't respond—not with words, at least. But I could feel it in the silence. He did know.
I sighed. "You should talk to her more. That's all I'm saying."
There was a beat of quiet, and then I added with a small smirk, "Also... it wouldn't kill us to have another guy in the group. Balance the energy a little."
He shot me a look. "Is that your subtle way of saying I'm being recruited?"
"I'm just saying," I shrugged, "there are worse people to hang around. And, bonus, you don't look too bad either."
He gave a dry chuckle. "Thanks, I guess."
I tilted my head, studying him for a moment. He was tall—had to be 6'3" easy. The firelight hit his skin just right, warm and smooth like polished wood. He wasn't bulky, not like a football player, but I could still see the shape of old muscle beneath the hoodie. Like someone who used to train hard, but hadn't had a reason to in a while.
Yeah, I thought. Losing your mom will do that. Appetite disappears. So does motivation.
But it wasn't just the build. It was the way he carried himself. The sharp jawline. The calm intensity in those hazel eyes—like he was always analyzing, always a few steps ahead. Like he'd already figured out the people around him and was just waiting to be proven right. I caught myself staring too long at the curve of his lips and looked away.
Girl, focus.
"Anyway," I said, trying to shake it off, "just talk to her. And us. You might actually like it."
He raised an eyebrow again. "Joining the local Mystic Falls social circle. What's next? Cheer squad?"
I smirked. "Don't knock it till you try it."
-[Malcom POV]-
As Bonnie walked off, still chuckling to herself, I waited until I was alone again. The noise of the party seemed to fade into the background, the crackling of the fire growing distant.
I exhaled slowly, then reached into the pocket of my jacket where I kept the charm—a small obsidian bead wrapped in silver thread. It was warm to the touch, a focus, something that anchored me.
I muttered under my breath a fragment of Old Tongue "bír ĝeš-èš". The words slipped out without much purpose, as reputation was key. The spell barely required energy, which helped with the things I was about to get into. I'd refined it recently, turned it into something subtle. A soft insight spell. Usually, it's supposed to let me see people as they were and what they wanted, feared, and hid.
But when inverted...
The spell did what I hoped it would, bending the attention around me. Where the target of the spell was. As of now, just Bonnie would start to hyperfixate just a little. Her subconscious would reel me in, making her instincts track me like a magnet. In return, I'd get a taste of her surface-level emotions, like catching the tail end of a dream before it faded away. A fleeting connection. Subtle. Temporary.
A smile tugged at my lips.
Still needs work. I'm not strong enough to hold it for long without drawing attention. And pissing off the dead Bennett witches? Not on my to-do list.....yet.
But Bonnie? Having her in my corner wouldn't be the worst thing. Power ran deep in that bloodline.
And if I'm going to start playing chess with the big boys in this town... I need people who don't even know they are mine. Plus, she needs help. Who else will teach her to say no to others?
I let the spell slip away, gently releasing the energy back into my focus.
The warmth of the bead faded.
-[Jermey POV]-
The woods were spinning. I could barely keep my feet under me. Every step crunched twigs and leaves, loud as hell in the dead quiet of the night. I was wasted like, blackout-adjacent but I knew one thing for sure: I needed to piss.
I found a tree, stumbled over it, unzipped, and let go. Cold air hit my face, the only thing keeping me upright. Then I heard it moaning. Not animals. Not wind. People. A couple.
I zipped up fast, curiosity stronger than my hangover-to-be. I followed the sound, shoving through the brush until I saw them.
Tyler and Vicki.
He had her pinned to a tree, hands all over her like he owned her. She was laughing, sure—but something about it didn't sit right. I should've turned around. Should've kept walking. But then I heard her.
"No way, Ty," Vicki said, a nervous edge in her voice.
I stayed frozen behind the trees. My heart dropped. I hated this part. The part where I watched someone I cared about get pulled into Tyler's world—like everything was a joke to him.
"I am not having sex against a tree," she said, pushing him off.
"C'mon, it'll be hot," Tyler replied, still grinning, not taking her seriously.
"For who?" she shot back. "Not going to happen. Not here like this. No, no, no…"
But he wasn't backing off. His hands stayed on her. Too long. Too tight.
"Ow," she snapped. "Now that hurt."
And that's when I stepped out of the shadows.
"Leave her alone," I said.
Tyler finally backed off, chest rising like he'd just run a sprint. His face was tight, annoyed. He looked at me like I was the problem here.
"You're starting to get on my nerves, Gilbert," he said.
Vicki didn't hesitate.
"Just go, Tyler. Get the hell away from me."
He scoffed, pulled himself together like it was all a joke.
"Vicki Donovan says no. There's a first."
God, what a dick.
He turned and walked off, all fake cool and swagger. Vicki let out a shaky breath and started fixing her clothes, trying to pull herself back together. I stood there, not sure what to say.
"I didn't need your help," she muttered, not looking at me.
"Could've fooled me," I said.
She rolled her eyes. "He was just drunk."
"So am I," I shot back. "Am I pinning you to a tree?"
That stopped her for a second, but only just. She looked at me like she was tired of the whole world.
"No, you're worse," she said. "You actually want to talk. Ask me questions. Figure me out. You wanna see my soul or whatever—be all into me like it means something. Then you'll get bored. And leave. Just like everyone else."
That stung. Not because it was about me, but because it was how she saw herself.
"Is that really what you think?" I asked.
"It's what I know," she said.
Then she turned and walked off into the dark, brushing past branches like they weren't even there. And I just stood there, wishing I could tell her she was wrong.
But the thing was, part of her might've been right.
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PowerStones!!!!!!!!!!
The chapter should've been up yesterday and by that literally and 2 hours from when i'm uploading, but hey that's what happens when you eat Chinese left overs that been sitting in the fridge for 4 days, other than that next chapter should be out within today or by Sunday latest. Hope you enjoyed see you guys Later.