...🌑...

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓, 𝐌𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒

𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟗

The scratch of my pencil against paper stilled as Orianna barged into my room. I glanced up from my sketchbook, the image of a crown halfway complete, blurring at the edges.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the career fair?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

I propped myself up on one elbow, my rebellious streak simmering. "Nope. Not going."

"Why not?" Her brow furrowed in a way that always made me cave, but this time, I held firm.

I sighed, frustration bubbling up. "There's no point," I said, my voice flat. "Our futures are already carved in stone, remember?"

The bed dipped beside me, and I knew I wouldn't escape this lecture easily. Sitting up, I faced her defiant gaze.

"Mom may have mapped out the witch part," Orianna conceded, "but that's just one side of the coin."

"Ori," I pleaded, "when will I ever have time for a career when I'm Queen? Every witch in the coven bows to me. My life will be consumed with duty." I shot her a pointed look. "Yours too, for that matter."

Orianna sighed a tired sound that tugged at my heart. "You won't be Queen forever, Selene."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Unlike you, I wasn't groomed for this since birth. You trained for years, the perfect heir apparent. Then, bam! Curse broken, title revoked."

"The council deemed a hybrid like me unfit to rule," Orianna finished my sentence with a grimace. "And so, the crown landed on your unsuspecting head."

I nodded. "I was the spare."

I slumped back against my pillows, the weight of the crown, both literal and metaphorical, pressing down on me. I was content in the shadows until fate decided to take a cruel turn.

Last year's car accident—my sister's mangled car, the innocent life lost—still haunted her dreams. Even in the face of tragedy, the curse activation was a constant reminder of the darkness we inherited.

Orianna, sensing my turmoil, slid onto the bed beside me. "You were never the spare, Selene," she said softly. "I was the heir, but Mom knew one of us carried Dad's curse."

A flicker of fear ignited within me. "There's still a chance I can break it, right?"

Orianna met my gaze before she looked away. "Yes," she whispered, "but there's also a chance you won't."

With a gentle hand, she took my sketchbook and placed it on the bed. My reflection in her eyes mirrored the turmoil within.

"Go to the fair," she urged, her voice firm. "Your future is still yours to choose. No one can take that away."

I surrendered, allowing her to pull me out of the cocoon of my self-pity. Grabbing my bag, I followed her down the stairs, a reluctant participant in a world of possibilities I was starting to fear.

As we reached the doorway, a wave of apprehension washed over me. I hesitated, pulling her back a few steps.

"I never asked for this," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.

Sadness flickered across her face before she pulled me into a tight hug. "I know," she murmured against my hair. "Just try and be a normal teenager for one night. For me?"

"Okay," I mumbled into her shoulder, the weight of the crown momentarily forgotten as I stepped out into the cool night air.

...🌑...

Scanning the cafeteria, my eyes flitted across the rows of lunch stands. A sigh escaped my lips as I shuffled forward, desperately trying to find something—anything—appealing. Just be normal, I thought. My aimless wandering led me to an art display. A flicker of interest sparked in my chest as I peeked into a notebook filled with sketches, a small smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

"I knew I would find you here."

"Hi, Matt," I said briefly, glancing at him. "I thought you would be with Caroline."

"Aw, man, not you too." Matt groaned.

I closed the notebook of sketches and looked into his blue eyes. "Everyone sees how you are around her."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "I like her."

A small smile graced my lips. "Then you should tell her."

Leaving him behind, I exited the cafeteria and went down the hallway. My eyes scanned the smaller concession stands nestled against the rows of lockers, their colorful displays starkly contrasting the muted tones of the hallway.

"I've been looking for you."

The tingling warmth inside me evaporated, leaving a chilling emptiness as a shiver ran down my spine.

"You are a hard girl to find."

I slowly turned around and felt uneasy race through me. "Logan?"

"A little birdie told me that you could help me." He smirked.

He grabbed my arm and pulled me down the hall. I bit back a gasp of pain that wanted to leave my lips at the bruising grip on my arm.

"I need you to help me walk in the sun," Logan whispered. "And you're going to help me, or I'm going to start killing everyone here, starting with a cute little blonde by the name of Caroline."

My gaze snapped to his, and worry for my best friend flooded me. "Leave her out of this."

"I will," Logan said. "Just help me walk in the sun."

I narrowed my brows, feeling the warmth of my magic flowing through my skin, and Logan dropped his hand, grasping his head.

Panic clawed at my throat as Logan tightened his grip on my arm. "Don't threaten me," I grumbled, trying to mask the fear with a snarl.

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out, "Selene!" Relief washed over me as I saw Stefan approaching.

"Stefan?" I called out, hope flickering in my eyes.

He reached us in a flash, pulling me protectively behind him. "Why don't you go find Elena?" he suggested to Logan, his voice laced with a dangerous edge.

I followed Stefan's lead, darting around the corner with him. Relief washed over me again as I spotted Elena talking with Jenna.

"Okay, listen to me very carefully," Elena hissed, her gaze fixed on Jenna. "Do not, under any circumstances, talk to him again. I'm serious, Jenna, like ever!"

I stopped beside Elena, my heart hammering against my ribs. "Elena?" I questioned, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Before she could respond, a new voice cut through the air. "Hey, Elena and Selene. Jenna," Mr. Saltzman greeted with a charming smile.

I shoved my hands deeper into my pockets. "Mr. Saltzman," I mumbled in response.

His gaze drifted to Jenna, his smile softening. "I was hoping to see you tonight."

Jenna chuckled, "Career night is the new bowling."

"Okay, um, excuse us," Elena muttered, grabbed my arm, and rushed me down the hallway.

Once out of earshot, I pulled her to a stop. "What is it?" I asked concern etched on my face.

Elena glanced around nervously before whispering, "Logan Fell is a vampire."

I sighed. "I know," I revealed, surprising her. "He confronted me."

"Why?" she frowned, worry clouding her eyes.

"He wants me to help him walk in the sun," I explained. "Go tell Stefan." She blinked in surprise. "I know you want to talk to him. I'll check on Caroline."

"Okay." Elena sighed before walking out the door and out of the school.

With that, Elena hurried away, leaving me alone in the bustling hallway.

A hand clamped onto my elbow, sending a jolt of fear through me. Before I could react, the world spun as I was yanked through the school doors. Blinking rapidly, I tried to adjust to the sudden darkness.

"We weren't done with our conversation from earlier," Logan sneered, his voice dripping with malice.

My eyes adjusted to the dim light of the car interior. I reached for the door handle, but a searing pain erupted in my scalp as Logan yanked me back by my hair. He slammed my head against the window, leaving me groaning in pain.

"I didn't say you could leave," he hissed, his face contorted in rage.

The world tilted on its axis as stars danced before my eyes. My head throbbed, and a ringing filled my ears.

Through the haze of pain, I heard Logan's voice, filled with a twisted sense of pride. "The satisfaction of turning Selene into a vampire."

He stopped the car abruptly, a smug smirk plastered on his face. The car door swung open as quickly, and I saw Stefan glaring down at Logan.

A gunshot echoed, followed by two more. The sounds sent a fresh wave of panic through me. Cautiously, I opened the car door, my body screaming in protest.

Stepping out of the car, I stumbled slightly. My gaze landed on Damon, leaning against the side of a building. The last time I saw him, he was a broken mess, but now, his face was an impassive mask.

"Get her out of here," he ordered, his voice devoid of emotion.

Before I could react, Stefan was at my side, scooping me up in his arms. The last thing I saw was Damon's face before Stefan carried me around in a blur.

...🌑...

My headlights sliced through the inky night, the only companions on the deserted road back home. I rubbed my aching head, trying to relieve the concussion I was sure that I had from Logan throwing my head into the car window. Glancing at the darkening sky, I sighed.

"You okay, Selene?" Elena's voice filled the car through the phone's speaker.

"Yeah, just a throbbing headache," I replied, forcing a lightness I didn't quite feel.

"Speaking of vampires," Elena began hesitantly, "Stefan and I..." her voice trailed off.

"What?" I asked.

A choked sob escaped the phone. "He has a picture on his desk, Selene. I look..." another sob, deeper this time.

Dread coiled in my stomach. "Elena, what's wrong?"

"I look like her," Elena whispered, her voice thick with tears.

My breath hitched.

The phone slipped from my numb fingers, clattering onto the passenger seat. The world tilted on its axis, the familiar landscape blurring into a kaleidoscope of headlights and asphalt. As I was about to respond, a chilling truth settled in my gut, heavy and cold. The phone call had masked the growing absence of sound, the unnatural stillness surrounding me.

A bloodcurdling scream ripped from my throat as a figure materialized in the unforgiving glare of the headlights. It rose from the darkness like a phantom from a nightmare, its silhouette stark against the inky canvas. Panic, raw and primal, surged through me, choking off my breath and turning my limbs to lead.

I slammed on the brakes with a force that should have ripped the soles off my shoes. The car swerved violently, a metallic screech tearing through the night as it careened across the road. The figure caught unawares, remained frozen in the headlights' glare for a heart-stopping moment before lunging forward.

The world went white.

A sickening crunch of metal, the deafening roar of shattering glass, and a bone-jarring impact sent everything into a dizzying spin. My head slammed against the window with a sickening thud, stars exploding in my vision, and then everything dissolved into darkness.

...🌑...

𝐀/𝐍: I'M BACK!!!

THANK YOU FOR 3.81K READS.

I know it's been a while, but I'm finally on summer break, so I'm planning for updates every weekend.

There weren't a lot of Damon and Selene's moments in this chapter. But don't worry, you will see a lot of them together in the next chapter. 

ONLY ONE MORE CHAPTER TILL END OF ACT ONE!!!

Anyway, I hope you guys like it.

𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒: What do you guys think of the chapter? Who is your favorite TVD character? How are you feeling about this book so far? 

𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐒: 𝐂𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐛

-𝑀𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛𝑎𝐵𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘