𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆: 𝐂𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐛

...🌺...

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓, 𝐌𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒

𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟗

𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚, 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡.

Colleges. Fire departments. Veterinary schools. Rows of pamphlets offering promises of the future—none of which applied to witches who couldn't keep their magic from almost blacking out a small town when their anxiety spiked. 

My boots clicked softly across the linoleum floor as I slowed near an art display tucked between a dance studio table and the culinary club. It was quiet here, tucked out of the way like it didn't belong either. 

Sketches filled a notebook as I flipped through it. Soft pencil lines formed images of ravens, willow trees, and silhouettes curled beneath crescent moons. 

A small smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. For half a second, I felt like I could breathe. 

"I knew I'd find you here." 

I turned, already knowing the voice. "Hi, Matt." He leaned against the table, hands stuffed in his jacket. "I thought you'd be with Caroline." 

"Aw, man, not you too," Matt groaned, tipping his head back. 

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."

With a shrug, I walked away, letting Matt decide what to do with whatever was going on between him and Caroline. 

The hallway outside the cafeteria was quieter, thinner with students. I moved slowly, scanning the smaller booths crammed against lockers. EMT programs, journalism internships. 

I was halfway down the hall when a voice crawled under my skin like ice. 

"I've been looking for you." 

I went still. 

"You're a hard girl to find." 

I turned and frowned. "Logan." 

He looked smug, and my gaze swept over him. His skin was too pale, eyes had a predatory look in them. 

Great. 

"A little birdie told me you could help me." 

His hand shot out, wrapping around my arm. Pain bloomed under his grip, and I bit back a wince. "Let go of me." 

"Not until you help me walk in the sun." 

I blinked. "Excuse me?" 

Logan leaned in, his voice low and sharp. "You're going to help me, or I'll start picking people off. Starting with a cute little blonde named Caroline." 

Blood drained from my face. "Leave her out of this." 

"Then cooperate." 

Magic stirred beneath my skin, hot. I narrowed my eyes, and Logan dropped his hand, a groan tearing from his throat as he gripped his temples. 

"Don't threaten me." I growled. "Unless you want to know what it feels like to have your insides liquified." 

Logan glared and took a threatening step towards me. 

"Selene!" 

I turned as I spotted Stefan jogging down the hall. "Stefan?" 

He was in front of us in a flash, pushing me protectively behind him. 

"Why don't you go find Elena?" he suggested, his voice with a dangerous edge to it. 

I nodded and let Stefan pull me down the hall. We rounded the corner, and 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!"

"Elena." I placed a hand on her shoulder. 

She turned to me, but before she could utter a word, another voice chimed in. 

"Hey, Elena, Selene. Jenna." 

I shoved my hands into my pockets and gave a small smile. "Mr. Saltzman." 

His attention was on Jenna, though. "I was hoping to see you tonight." 

Jenna smiled. "Career night is the new bowling." 

Elena groaned. "Excuse us." She yanked my arm and dragged me away from them. 

"What is it?" I asked once we were clear. 

"Logan Fell," she whispered, "he's a vampire." 

"I know." 

Her eyes widened. "How?" 

"He found me. Told me to help him walk in the sun." 

Elena paled. "You can do that?" 

"Yep," I said honestly. "It's one of the little perks of being a witch. We can help vampires walk in the sun if we want to." I let out a breath, hating that my 'normal' day has pulled me back into the supernatural world when all I wanted was a break. "You need to find Stefan. I'll check on Care." 

"Okay," she sighed and heading down the hall and out of the school. 

I turned, and my skin prickled for a second before a hand locked around my elbow and yanked. My boots skidded across the tile, dragging against the momentum, but it was too late.

"We weren't done talking," Logan growled. 

I blinked against the sudden darkness, the sickening thud of my heart in my chest. We were in his car. I didn't think and lunged for the door handle. Fingers tangled in my hair, and a searing pain erupted in my scalp. My head slammed against the window, leaving me groaning in pain. 

"I didn't say you could leave," Logan snarled. 

The world tilted on its axis as stars danced before my eyes. My head throbbed, and a ringing filled my ears turned into voices. I couldn't make out what they were saying, but it was like last time with Emily, like they were warning me. 

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. I blinked, dazed, my hand finally finding the door handle. It popped open. My limbs trembled as I swung my legs out and stumbled. The pavement rose to meet me, but I caught myself on the edge of the car door. 

My gaze landed on Damon, standing in the middle of the road. 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 away in a blur.

...🌺...

The road ahead stretched endlessly with the faint orange glow of my headlights. My fingers gripped the wheel, knuckles white, pulse thudding steadily in my throat. I rubbed my temple, wincing at the sharp ache radiating that I was pretty sure was a concussion forming all thanks to Logan. 

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

I blinked, glancing at the phone propped on the dash. Elena's voice filled the silence, hesitant and low. 

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

"Speaking of vampires," she started hesitantly. "Stefan and I..." 

I braced myself. "What?" 

A choked sob echoed from the phone. 

"Elena?" 

"He has this picture on his desk, Selene. I look..." another sob, deeper this time. 

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

"I look just like her." 

My foot eased off the gas. "What do you mean?" 

"She's...I don't even know. All I know is I saw her face, and it was mine." 

I blinked in shock. "Elena..." 

Words caught in my throat as her voice felt far away now, like I was underwater. A chill slithered up my spine, and I frowned. It felt like everything was still. I leaned forward, eyes searching through the windshield.

A bloodcurdling scream ripped from me as a figure materialized in the path of my car. I slammed the brakes. 

The car swerved, tires screaming in protest. The steering wheel jerked in my hands, fighting against me. A sickening pull dragged the car sideways. The road spun and lights blurred. 

A sickening crunch of metal echoed in my ears. Glass exploded around me, little shards dancing in the air. My body pitched forward, then backward—my head slammed against the window. Pain erupted, stars exploding in my vision, and then everything went black. 

...🌺...

𝐀/𝐍: ANOTHER UPDATE!!!

A short chapter, and it's mostly a filler. But we only have ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT UNTIL THE END OF ACT ONE!!!

Next chapter will have a lot of Selene and Damon in it since there wasn't any with them in this chapter. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the update!!!

𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒: How are we feeling about the rewrite? What's your favorite TVD episode or part from season one? What are you looking forward to in the rest of this book?

-𝑀𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛𝑎 𝐵𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘