...🌑...

PRESENT, Mystics Falls

𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟗

"You need to be careful."

I rolled my eyes. "Nice to hear from you, sis."

"Vampires are back, Selene." Orianna pointed out. "You need to be on your guard."

I looked stared at the grill as I sat in my car. "I know how to protect myself, Orianna."

"I know you do." Orianna sighed. "But we don't know how old this vampire is or if it is only one. I can't be there to look out for you."

My sister's concern for my well-being is in the right place, but I've honed my powers as a witch since I was born. Most kids grew up and went to school or hang out with friends.

On the other hand, I had spells and potion classes drilled into me until I didn't need to look into a grimoire to find the most basic spells.

I was prepared to hang a vampire attack no matter how old or young they were.

"I should have gone to college there." Orianna's voice broke through my thoughts.

"You wanted to learn more about our father," I told her. "The last place he was seen was in New Orleans, right?"

"Yeah." Orianna breathed. "But apparently, a vampire runs this town, and the witches and humans fall in line."

I leaned back in my seat, muddling over her words. "Be careful."

"I will," Orianna promised. "How was school?"

"Same old, same old." I breathed. "Tanner still hates me. My friends are the same. Oh, we got a new student."

"Is he hot?" Orianna asked. "Because I think you should get out there. Live a little."

I rolled my eyes. "I talk to you later."

I put my phone in my pocket before getting out of my car. I glanced before I jogged across the street towards the patio outside the grill.

"Well, I was talking to Grams, and she said the comet is a sign of impending doom." Bonnie began. "The last time it passed over Mystic Falls, there was lots of death. So much blood and carnage created a bed of paranormal activity."

"Yeah, and then you poured Grams another shot, and she told you about the aliens." Caroline joked.

I plopped into my seat between Caroline and Bonnie. "Be nice, Care."

"So then what?" Caroline pushed her gaze on Elena.

"So then nothing," Elena said, folding flyers in half.

"You and Stefan talked all night?" Caroline asked. "There was no sloppy first kiss or touchy-feely of any kind?"

Elena shook her head. "Nope. We didn't go there."

"Not even a handshake?" Caroline wondered. I leaned back as Caroline continued. "I mean, Elena, we are your friends. Okay? You are supposed to share the smut."

"Maybe he is waiting for you to make the first move." I offered.

"Maybe," Elena said. "We talked for hours."

Caroline groaned. "Okay, what is with the blockage? Just jump his bones already! Okay, it's easy. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, sex!"

"Profound." Elena scoffed.

I folded a flyer and looked at my friend, who had a dazed look in her eye. I cocked a brow when she got to her feet with her bag.

"Where are you going?" Bonnie asked.

"Caroline's right. It is easy." Elena said. "If I sit here long enough, I'll end up talking myself out of it instead of doing what I started the day, saying what I was going to do." Her gaze landed on me. "Coming?"

I blinked. "Why?"

"You're my ride." Elena reminded.

"Oh," I said. "Let's get this over with then."

I got to my feet, followed Elena to my silver car, and tossed my bag in the back before getting behind the wheel.

I turned down the road, watching as everyone got excited about the comet, but all I felt was dread.

It was a sign that my ascension was near and that my normal life would be gone forever. I didn't know if when I officially became my mom's heir, I'd even get to go back to school.

"Do you think I'm making a mistake?" Elena asked.

"I think ever since Stefan came into your life, I'm getting my friend back," I answered, turning down a long gravel road. "Not the facade that you put on for everyone's benefit." I parked and turned to her. "So, to answer your question, it's up to you to take this next step with Stefan. But I'll support you either way."

Elena smiled. "Here goes nothing."

I slammed my car door shut and sat in the hood of my car, waiting for Elena to walk into the house well, more like a mansion.

I leaned back and let my eyes search through the clouds, trying to make out shapes like I used to do as a kid. I could make out a horse and what I think is a frog.

A slight breeze brushed against my cheeks as footsteps crunching against the gravel reached my ears. I turned my head and blinked as the blue-eyed guy from the bridge at the party walked towards me.

"It's not safe to be out here alone." He said.

"I can take care of myself," I told him.

"I don't doubt that for a second sunshine." He smiled. "But you are outside my house."

I sat up and furrowed my brows. "You live with Stefan?"

"He's my brother." He answered as he held out his hand. "I'm Damon."

I grabbed his hand and got the strangest sense of déjà vu. "Selene."

"Your Elena's friend, right?" Damon pointed out.

I nodded, distracted by the small circle he rubbed into the back of my hand with his thumb. "Yeah."

"She should probably know about Katherine," Damon said.

"Katherine?" I repeated.

He nodded and took another step until he was a breath away, not letting go of my hand, but I didn't know if I wanted him to.

"Yeah, his ex-girlfriend," Damon explained.

"I'll be sure to tell her," I said.

I moved to get down from my car when Damon dropped my hand and grabbed my waist, lifting me, and didn't let go even as my feet hit the ground.

I blinked at something glittering around his neck. I moved without thinking and grabbed a silver chain, pulling out the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. A pear-shaped sapphire landed in the middle, with leaves spouting from one side of the ring like a crown ember with diamonds resting on a silver band.

It was simple yet elegant, like something I would pick out.

"It's beautiful." I breathed.

"I was going to give it to someone long ago," Damon said.

I looked into his eyes, and my heart ached at the pain I found there. "What happened?"

"She's gone," Damon revealed.

I left the ring drop. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay." Damon breathed as he shoved the chain underneath his shirt once more. "Hello, Stefan."

"Selene," Stefan said. "I didn't know you were coming over."

I half turned and furrowed my brows at his glare pointed behind me at his brother. "Elena wanted to see you."

"Oh, don't be silly," Damon said. I turned back to him as his tone changed to something dark, almost as if he was taunting Stefan for what I have no idea. "You and Elena are welcome any time. Aren't they, Stefan?" Stefan didn't answer. "You know, I should break out the family photo albums or some home movies. But...I have to warn you. He wasn't always such a looker."

I shifted my gaze to Elena, and she tried to meet Stefan's gaze, but he stayed focused on Damon.

"Yeah, we should probably go. It was nice to meet you, Damon." Elena said after a tense minute of silence.

"Great meeting you, too, Elena," Damon smirked. I brushed past him, and a shiver shot up my arm as my hand brushed past his as he leaned and whispered in my ear. "I'll see you later, sunshine."

My eyes locked with his, and slowly, the world disappeared around me. My brows furrowed as it all felt familiar like I'd done this before, like I'd met him before.

But that can't be right.

I broke first, grabbed the handle of my car's door, and slid inside, turning on the car. I looked at the rearview mirror and backed up before driving away.

"What was that about?" Elena asked.

I shrugged, knowing she was hinting at me and Damon. "No idea."

...🌑...

I sit on a bench looking out at the stars, fiddling with the white slender candle between my fingers. I let myself fall into my own little world as the voices of the town behind me in the town square became a muffled noise.

A small smile graced my lips as my eyes traced the different constellations in the pitch-black sky. I usually won't see them, but with the street lights turned off and the only light being everyone's lit candles, the stars shone brightly against the night sky.

"You shouldn't be out here alone."

I glanced behind me and blinked. "Damon?"

"Unless there's another Damon that you know." He answered before sitting beside me.

I turned back to the stars. "You don't get along with your brother."

"No, I don't." Damon sighed.

I fidget with the candle, trying to keep my hands busy. "You're different."

"Different?" Damon questioned.

I turned and looked into his piercing eyes. "With me. Why?"

He stared at me, and goosebumps erupted across my skin as his eyes stayed on mine. "Do you want to hear a story?"

I blinked. "Story?"

"Yes," Damon said. I could only nod, and he rested his arm on the back of the bench as his knee touched mine. "There was once this girl who had the world on her shoulders. She was, after all, a queen at the age of seventeen. The girl would soon become a woman, meaning she needed to find someone to rule with her. Her advisors had the perfect man picked out for her. He was, after all, a king in his own right, and his army of three hundred could rival an army of a thousand."

I furrowed my brows at the familiarity of the story but kept my thoughts to myself, letting him continue.

"The queen didn't want to marry him because she was a queen of the witches, and the king was the undead, as was his army," Damon said.

"Vampire," I mumbled.

Damon nodded. "The first meeting between them, the king wanted her, but the girl didn't. She could only see bloodlust and evil in him, especially when he ravaged villages. But she was trapped as the advisors gave the king consent to marry their queen blinded by the power he holds."

Blood dripped from walls, and dead, lifeless eyes blurred behind my eyes.

"The month before their union, the girl escaped his mansion and ran to a lake to have a moment to herself," Damon said, bringing me back from my thoughts. "It was there that she let everything out; unknown to her, someone was there as well." Damon let his fingers play with the curls in her hair. "His human general found her, and no one knows if it was her ancestors playing a sick trick on them both or fate. But his life was forever entwined with hers the second he touched her."

"He was her fated." I breathed.

"Yes," Damon said. "Once he touched her, the bond snapped into place, burning the insignia into his back while burning into her side. They met secretly for weeks before one of the king's confidants, Katherina, revealed the truth and reported it to him."

The anger in his eyes took my breath away, but I didn't dare look away.

"He made an example of his betrothed and her fated." Damon started. "The king started with her fated and forced him to drink his blood before he stabbed him seven times and then slit his throat."

I swallowed. "What happened to him?"

"He rose as a vampire," Damon answered. "Then the king let his confidant have her way with the queen of witches." I could see the pain in his eyes as if he was relieving it, and it wasn't just a story. "Katherina killed the queen by ripping her heart out. But that angered the witches, so they cursed the king."

"What did they do to him?" I asked.

"The witches spelled him into a tomb and threw him into the bottom of the sea," Damon said. "But they felt sorrow as the newly turned vampire mourned his love. So they went against the ancestors and put a spell on him and their queen. When the comet passes across the pitch black sky, the two lovers will reunite, finding each other again."

I turned to the night sky as the comet erupted across the sky, lighting the town. "Why do I feel there's a but in there."

"Because there is sunshine," Damon said. She felt his glare burn into the side of her face. "But when that comet passes, the tomb will open, and the king will be released to wreak havoc again." He paused. "And when he does, the queen of witches' true power will awaken as she is the only one who can stop him and save everyone from the bloodshed."

I lowered my gaze. "Why did you tell me this?"

"Because I wanted to," Damon said.

I lifted my gaze and watched him get up from the bench and walk through the crowd before disappearing.

"Selene!"

I whipped around as Jeremy rushed towards me. "What's wrong?"

"I can't find Vicki." He rushed out.

...🌑...

"Stefan found her."

Jeremy didn't meet my gaze. "I heard."

I sighed and sat on the couch as he was hunched over with his arms on his thighs. "Jeremy, talk to me."

"I'm so tired of talking." Jeremy croaked out.

My heart broke at the pain in his voice. "I can't help if I don't know what's going on."

"I love her," Jeremy mumbled. He lifted his gaze, and a tear slid down his cheek. "But she wants Tyler."

"And it hurts," I said. "Like you'll never be okay again."

He furrowed his brows. "How?"

"How do I know?" I asked. He nodded. I blinked and furrowed my brows. "I just do." I placed my hand on his shoulder. "It will get better. Maybe not right now, but it won't hurt as bad anymore."

"I just don't know what she sees in him," Jeremy said.

I pulled him into my arms, rubbing his back. "I know, Jer, but you've got to stop doing drugs." He pulled back and looked into her eyes. "You're like the brother I'd never had. I don't know what I'd do if one day you weren't here anymore." I looked into his eyes, hoping he could see the truth behind my words. "Promise me."

"I promise," Jeremy muttered.

A breath escaped me. "Good. Now, do you want me to stay till Elena gets home?"

"Can we watch a movie?" He asked.

"Sure, Jer." I smiled. "Whatever you want."

I pulled my knees to my chest as Jeremy flipped through the channels. I looked over my shoulder, and a shiver went down my spine, and it felt like someone was watching me. I tried to brush off the feeling and turned my gaze back to Jeremy's relaxed one, but my worry flowed through me.

It was just a story, right?

...🌑...

A/N: ANOTHER UPDATE!!!

THANK YOU FOR 446 READS.

So, there was more of Damon and Selene in this chapter. It was mostly a filler chapter, and you guys know that Selene is a big part of the Gilbert family.

I don't know my update schedule yet for this book as I'm in school, but once I do, I'll let you guys know either here or on my Instagram or TikTok.

Anyway, I hope you guys like it.

QUESTIONS: What do you guys think of the chapter? What do you guys think about Damon's story? What is your favorite episode in season 1?

SONG: Here You Me by Jimmy Eat World

-MakenaBlack