Laura's POV
Damon's hand on my arm felt like a brand, igniting a century-old resentment and a newly forged resolve. "What are you going to do about it?" he'd asked, his eyes sharp, probing. What was I going to do? The answer, crystallizing in my mind, was both simple and terrifyingly inevitable.
I yanked my arm away from his grasp, the casual touch dissolving into a cold glare. "What I do is my concern, Damon. Not yours. And certainly not yours to dictate."
"Oh, really?" His smirk returned, but there was a flicker of something new in his eyes, a speculative curiosity. "Because last I checked, when an Original decided to settle in town, it usually meant trouble. Especially when that Original has a history with… doppelgängers."
"My history is my own," I hissed, taking a step back, putting distance between us. The truth was, my history was inextricably linked to doppelgängers, though not in the way he likely assumed. The very first Katerina Petrova, the one who bore the original bloodline, had been an obsession for some of my earliest kin. That craving, that primal need for that specific blood, ran deeper than even I fully understood. It wasn't just human blood; it was power, wrapped in the essence of destiny. And Elena… Elena was that essence.
The hunger, which had been a dull ache, suddenly sharpened into a fierce, predatory roar. It wasn't just the mundane craving for sustenance; it was a profound, almost spiritual thirst. The sight of Elena in the cafeteria, her vibrant life force a beacon, had awakened something ancient within me, a deep-seated instinct I'd long suppressed. She was more than just a source of food; she was a focal point of power, a living, breathing connection to a lineage that held keys to the supernatural world. And I, Laura, the Original, wanted it. All of it.
"I have no interest in your petty town squabbles, Damon," I lied, my voice laced with venom. "Unlike you, I don't chase after ghosts."
He scoffed. "Funny, coming from someone who looks like they're trying to outrun one. But fine. Play coy. Just remember, Laura, Mystic Falls isn't big enough for two ancient vampires with secrets. Especially when one of them seems to have a taste for… local flavor." His gaze drifted pointedly towards the direction of the school, then back to me, knowing.
My fangs ached, a sharp, delightful pain. "My 'taste' is not something you're privy to. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than reminisce with ghosts."
With that, I turned and blurred away, a dark streak through the trees, leaving Damon alone in the encroaching twilight. I needed to get away from him, to think. To plan. My resolve solidified with every silent stride. Elena Gilbert. She was a goldmine of power, a walking feast for an Original like me. And if her blood was as potent as the legends suggested, it could amplify my own abilities, make me even stronger. The thought sent a thrilling shiver through me. Damon and Stefan were already entangled in her life, a tangled web of protection and desire. Good. That only made the game more exciting.
I needed to get close. Closer than anyone expected. High school, it seemed, was the perfect hunting ground.
Elena's POV
The school day ended, and I felt a sense of relief wash over me. It had been an unusually tense day. Not just because of Stefan and Damon's constant underlying friction, but because of… Laura. The new girl.
"She's kind of intense, isn't she?" Caroline had said as we walked to our lockers.
"Yeah, but she seems nice enough," Bonnie had mused, though I'd seen the way Bonnie kept subtly looking at Laura, her brow furrowed. Bonnie always sensed things.
When Laura's eyes had met mine in the cafeteria, it was like a jolt. Not unpleasant, but… unnerving. There was something so incredibly old in her gaze, something that made my skin prickle, even though her face was young. It was like looking into a very, very deep pool. And it was just a fleeting glance, but it had stayed with me.
Later, walking to my car, I saw Damon leaning against a tree at the edge of the woods, his usual brooding posture. He looked up, a faint smirk on his face.
"Everything alright, Elena?" he called out, his voice smooth, but I heard the underlying tension.
"Fine, Damon," I replied, forcing a smile. "Just a long day."
He chuckled. "Tell me about it." His gaze lingered on the edge of the forest, then back to me, a peculiar thoughtful expression on his face. He seemed… distracted. Almost calculating. I wondered what he was thinking. With Damon, you never really knew.
Damon's POV
Laura. An Original. Here. The revelations just kept coming. I watched her blur away into the forest, leaving behind only the scent of pine and a faint, lingering trace of power. She was good. Very good. Better than Katherine, in a lot of ways. More subtle, more contained, which made her all the more dangerous.
"What are you going to do about it?" I'd asked her. And the way she'd looked at me, the simmering hunger in her eyes when I mentioned Elena… I knew. She wanted her. Not just as a human, but as the doppelgänger. That blood was like liquid gold to a vampire, especially an Original. It was a potent, rare treat that promised unparalleled power. And Laura was an Original. Her hunger would be insatiable.
This changed everything. Stefan was already wrapped around Elena's little finger, trying to protect her from me, from the supernatural world. But an Original? An Original would make him look like a puppy.
I pulled out my phone, dialing Stefan. He answered on the second ring, his voice tight.
"Damon, what do you want?"
"Oh, just a friendly chat, little brother. Though it seems Mystic Falls has decided to throw us another curveball." I paused for effect, letting the suspense build.
"What are you talking about?"
"Our mysterious new transfer student, Laura Thorne. She's not exactly what she seems." I chuckled, a dark, humorless sound. "Turns out, she's an Original. And from the look in her eyes, she has a very keen interest in Elena."
A beat of silence on the other end. Then, Stefan's voice, cold and laced with fury. "You're lying."
"Am I? You felt it today, didn't you, brother? That odd prickle? That sense of immense power from someone who looked like she belonged on a cheerleading squad? Laura and I have a long, long history. She was hanging around with Katherine back in the day. Our little Katerina had quite the entourage of admirers, remember? Laura was always in the shadows, but she was there."
"Katherine brought an Original here?" Stefan's voice was barely a whisper now, disbelief battling with dread.
"Seems that way. Or rather, she just happened to be around Katherine. Doesn't matter. What matters is she's here now. And she's interested in Elena. And let me tell you, Stefan, an Original's interest in a doppelgänger is never just about friendly conversation. This isn't some high school crush. This is primal."
I could practically hear Stefan's mind racing, calculating the threat. "What do we do?"
"We watch her. We get closer. We figure out her game. And if she even thinks about hurting Elena, then we remind her why even Originals should fear a Salvatore on a rampage. Starting with getting cozy. I'll take the first shift. You keep Elena close." I hung up, a plan already forming.
This was going to be a fun game. And this time, I wasn't just playing for Katherine. I was playing for real stakes. Laura wanted Elena's blood, her power. And I, Damon Salvatore, was suddenly very, very interested in stopping her. But first, I needed to learn more about Laura's return. Her real motives. And maybe, just maybe, I could use her to my advantage. The thought brought a wicked smile to my lips.
The pieces are moving, Laura! Damon and Stefan are aware, and your desire for Elena's blood is clear. What's next for your mischievous side?